Last Wednesday, June 26, was another great morning for members of the Piedmont Recration Department's Walking on Wednesdays group. The temperature was in the mid-60s, and morning breezes made for a very comfortable walk. Some members of the group were on their summer travels, but the turnout, like the previous week, was at historic highs, with 28 walkers and three K-9 best friends. The group welcomed first time walkers that noted how nice it was to have a growing number of men participating - now up to 10.
The walkers have been looking for hidden pathways and lesser-known streets, and they found one in Poplar Way off Lakeview Avenue. They went up Sierra Avenue, which runs be- hind Highland Avenue, and then a 217-foot path between Sierra and Mountain Avenue. Emerging on Mountain, they continued up to Poplar Way. Poplar Way is almost like a broad, long-hidden path. Da- vid Gardner explained that the street, which is more like an alley, provides access to the garages of some homes on Lakeview and Mountain Avenues, and is lined with large, attractive trees.
Nancy DeRoche said that this entire area was once owned by the person who built the stately home at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Sea View, a home later owned by Senator William Knowland. The original owner planted 50 redwood trees. The group walked down to Poplar from Mountain, then to its only entry at Lakeview Avenue, and then up it to Sea View Avenue. They followed Sea View downhill to Hampton Avenue, took a half-block turn to the left, then onto to Indian Road to La Salle Avenue where they no- tied something quizzical.
For about 30 yards the street sign says this section of the street is both Indian Road and La Salle Avenue. The walkers turned up La Salle and continued onto Crocker Avenue, then down Wildwood Avenue to where it meets Highland Avenue. Going up Highland and taking a detour on to Hazel Lane provided an unplanned opportunity to walk another pedestrian path, the 153-foot path between Hazel and Guildford Road. It also provided a shortcut back to Piedmont Park and the starting point at the Exedra.
It had been a lovely morning and enjoyable, approximately three-mile walk over about 90 minutes.