What a difference a week and a day make this time of year. The previous week the Piedmont Rec- ration Department's Walking on Wednesdays group postponed a walk to the higher elevation of Piedmont because of clouds and light rain, but on Wednesday, September 25, the walk was very pleasant.
However, this Wednesday was the second very hot day in a row, and the heat was an issue as temperatures were forecast to be in the 90s. Nonetheless, 16 resolute, regular walkers assembled at the Exedra on Wednesday morning read for a walk along some lovely Piedmont streets. It was decided that day's destination would be an interesting, short section of Indian Road between the upper and lower portions of LaSalle Avenue that Indian curiously interrupts. This short part of the street is only about 100 feet long, but few people realize that it actually bisects LaSalle before LaSalle continues to the southern portion of Sea View Avenue, while Indian Road continues on the Oakland/Piedmont city border, and comes Sunnyhills Road in Oakland.
The walkers thought this unusual Street designation would be fun to see, and off they went up Highland Avenue 10 Wildwood Avenue. Along Highland they admired an impressive, papier mache, headless horseman scarecrow in a front yard that a Wildwood School kindergarten class had created as a fundraiser for the previous weekend's Harvest Festival. The group continued up Wildwood through the Hall Fenway, and then through the shade of Crocker Park. At Indian, the walkers went to its intersection with LaSalle and inspected the two LaSalle/ Indian street signs that mark the missing section of LaSalle. They also noted the Indian Road addressed mailboxes on this short section of road that confirm this is indeed Indian Road. Alicia Rivera wondered how far Indian Road continues past the point where LaSalle resumes and she made a quick, solo walk down the street. She returned and told the group it was not far, so the walkers went to the city line to see the rest of Indian Road. Alicia pointed out the homes with three digits were in Piedmont and those with four digits were in Oakland.
At the Piedmont-Oakland border, the group made a U-turn and headed back up LaSalle. Along the way they enjoyed a beautifully landscaped front yard and also the azaleas that the group had admired when they were in full bloom last spring. However, the temperature was rising and it was time to get back Lincoln the Exedra via Crocker, Lincoln, and Highland Avenues before it got too hot.
They covered over two miles of beautiful streets with some interesting curiosities that made the walk with friends all the more enjoyable.