Alameda, Grand St. - June 2, '11

Walking Distance: 5.4 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 56 min. (12:12 - 3:25 p.m. -- less a 17 minute stop to see model homes at Grand Marina Village; actual start time on Bay Trail walk was closer to 12:29 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Street parking, near the intersection of Fortmann Way and Grand Street, Alameda, CA

Today's walk was a shore-to-shore walk -- from one side of Alameda to the other.

From Fortmann Way (northeast of Buena Vista), I first walked a short block to the very end of Grand Street (shown as double yellow lines on Bay Trail map), to the water's edge, near the boat launching area and Alameda Marina.

I then walked southeast on Grand Street (area shown as double red lines on map), passing through a quiet residential neighborhood with several older Victorian style (wood) homes. Near the intersection of Grand and Otis, I was able to catch glimpses of an interesting, irregularly shaped, swath of lagoon area.

Continuing a few blocks further to the end of Grand Street, I  arrived at Shoreline Drive (shown as perpendicular solid red line to Grand St. on map). Having reached the other (southwest) side of the island of Alameda, I crossed Shoreline to walk out to the beach to enjoy the sand and small waves lapping at the shore; and then I turned around to walk back (northeast) on Grand.

Before returning to the car, I decided to extend this Grand Street walk, by turning left on Buena Vista Avenue. I continued on Buena Vista, until I made a right on Sherman Street, which led to/turned into Atlantic Avenue. I turned right on Triumph Drive, and tried to meander toward the shoreline in an area with many businesses and buildings, and two Yacht Clubs.

Eventually, I connected with the Bay Trail (solid red line), and followed a waterside trail to a Shoreline Park (behind Wind River office building I believe) and public promenade area with excellent views of the downtown Oakland skyline (which was a few miles

 northeast from this point). I continued to follow the shoreline path/road/parking lot area back to Atlantic, Buena Vista, and eventually back to Grand St. to my car.

Wildlife Sightings:
3 sea gulls; 24 little brown jobs (LBJs), 4 finches; 2 crows; 4 pigeons; 4 butterflies/moths (2 white, 1 black and yellow, 1 skipper); 1 hummingbird; 1 killdeer; 5 swallows; 2 bumblebees; 1 lizard + 1 blur in the bushes (BIB); 1 brownish cricket or grasshopper hopping away.
.

.