Star Sighting: Shuttle Endeavour Soars Over Bernal Heights

September 21, 2012September 22, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 21 Comments

Well, that was rather epic, wasn’t it?

When we told you yesterday that the pilot of the Boeing 747 carrying the Space Shuttle Endeavour would be thinking of Bernal Heights as he flew over San Francisco, we weren’t kidding. But we didn’t realize that meant he would actually fly the thing right over our neighborhood!

Yet that’s what happened (because Bernalwood is glamorous like that). A little after 10 am today, Shuttle Endeavour made a big sweeping pass over Sutrito Tower and the Dominion of Bernalwood, amid much rejoicing and clicking of camera shutters.

From atop the hill, Neighbor Charlie took this terrific shot of the shuttle floating past Sutro Tower:

Neightbors Jeanne and Taina enjoyed a Tomorrowland view from their Bernal Heights living room:

Anthony Brown, Bernal’s finest penguinologist, was on the Hill, and he captured this video of the fly-by, which may be the next best thing to having been there:

And since it was a day for star-sightings, it’s only natural that Endeavour’s arrival coincided with a cameo by another elusive celebrity: The Bikini Jogger!

But let’s back up for a moment. Your Bernalwood editor got to spend some serious quality time with Endeavour yesterday while it was at Edwards Air Force Base, courtesy of the very generous folks at NASA. So if you enjoyed the view of the Shuttle over Bernal Heights today, here’s a glimpse of what it looked like up close:

Wow. Quite a day to remember. Someday, you can tell your grandkids that you not only saw the Space Shuttle fly over Bernal Heights, but you also saw the Space Shuttle fly on the last day that any Shuttle took to the skies, ever. It was just another glamorous day of history-in-the-making here in Bernalwood… and you were there.

PHOTOS: Bernal photos, from top: Erin Veneziano, DenSF, Stephen Woods, Milk Dragon, Matthew Gilreath, Xtel, Wirednerd, Joe Thomas. Bikini Jogger by sfcitymom. Shuttle closeups by Telstar Logistics

BASA Visits NASA to Say Farewell to Space Shuttle Endeavor

September 19, 2012September 19, 2012 / Todd_Lappin

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Today, as you read this now, a representative from BASA, Bernal’s very own space agency, is visiting a facility operated by NASA, that *other* space agency you may have heard about.

Specifically, your Bernalwood editor is spending a few days at NASA’s Dryden Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. BASA is here at NASA’s invitation to watch Space Shuttle Endeavor arrive on the back of it’s specially modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft, which is scheduled to happen tomorrow. If the past is any guide, it should look something like this:

But the thing is, this is not only the last time a space shuttle will fly on the back of a 747; It’s the very last time a shuttle will fly at all. Ever. Endeavor is headed to its permanent home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, and it’s the last of the retired shuttle fleet to require transportation via 747.

But before that happens, there will be adventure. Early Friday morning, NASA’s special 747 will take off from Edwards. From there it will fly north, to the Bay Area, for a scenic low-and-slow flight over Silicon Valley and the City of San Francisco. (PRO TIPS: NASA tells us the shuttle flight should arrive over San Francisco between 9 and 10 am on Friday morning. Bayfront vantage points between the Golden Gate Bridge and downtown will probably be best, but the view may be pretty good from Bernal Hill with binoculars. Please take photos!)

And then that’s it. Forever. Maybe you will live long enough to see another Transit of Venus from Bernal Hill. But you will never, ever see another space shuttle flying over Our Faire City — or anywhere else. Sad but true.

Keep an eye on the @bernalwood Twitter account for updates and announcements on the Shuttle overflight. Viva BASA! Thank you, NASA!

Crescent Neighbors Say New 23 Muni Bus Stop Really Sucks

August 27, 2012August 27, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 17 Comments

A Muni bus stop was relocated recently on Crescent Avenue at Ellsworth, and the natives are not happy. Bernalwood has received multiple complaints about the location of the new bus stop, and here is Neighbor Michael’s summary of the situation:

There’s an MTA War going on on Crescent Avenue at Ellsworth! Not long ago, a homeowner on the street complained about having a bus stop in front of his house. Granted, it’s been there for years; he knew about it when he bought the house, but hey, it’s his right to complain. The MTA decided to move the bus stop from the corner to the middle of the next block, to appease this neighbor.

What this has done is create a safety hazard. The bus stops in the middle of the block (two houses after stopping at a sign), so cars get stuck in the intersection, and pass on the opposite side of the road (accidents to ensue). Passengers now get off in the middle of the block rather than a corner, so they will most likely jaywalk rather than cross legally. Also, my driveway has become the de facto handicap ramp for wheelchair users. (Does that open me up to liability?)

This video (displayed above) shows folks queueing up at the old stop. They clearly don’t like the new stop, and the bus (23 Muni) didn’t go to the new stop. Confusion for all.

Numerous calls and emails to the MTA have revealed they want to do a 6 month study to consider if they should move the stop AGAIN.

If they can move the bus stop without a study, why can’t they just move it back without one too? This all doesn’t seem fair to the passengers, drivers, or us, the neighbors.

On top of all that, Neighbor Beth writes:

Is anyone being affected by the fact that they have cut back the 23 bus EVEN MORE?

When we first moved here it. Came very frequently in the morning (like every 7-10 minutes). Then they cut it back. Now they just cut it again. Now we might have to wait 30-40 minutes to catch a bus to/from the Glen Park Bart, which makes the bus useless (especially since its only a 15 min walk).

Bernal Hill Makes Cameo Appearance Amid Muni Bus Mayhem

August 9, 2012August 8, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

Our transit agency encountered a teensy-weensy glitch yesterday, when a Muni bus took out a fire hydrant on Valencia near Cesar Chavez. Ooopsie! As you can see, Sutrito Tower witnessed the whole thing.

Meanwhile, in the category of “Finding Beauty in Chaos,” cyril_at_sf captured these lovely photos from the accident scene:

PHOTOS: Top, The Fog Bender (via MissionMission). Below, Cyril_at_sf

Cyclist Hit by Car at Cortland and Bayshore

June 26, 2012June 26, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

From the SF Weekly:

A cyclist was taken to the hospital this morning after being hit by a car at the corner of Cortland Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard.

Officer Gordon Shyy had very little information at this time, but said the cyclist, whose condition is unknown, was at the intersection at about 8:37 a.m. when the accident occurred

The Weekly adds that Vicky Walker, Bernalwood’s own Minister of History, saw the injured cyclist receiving medical care.

PHOTO: Telstar Logistics file photo

Aviation Disaster at the Alemany Flea Market

June 25, 2012June 25, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

There was a big plane crash at the Alemany Flea Market last Sunday.

Sprawling across several display tables, one of the merchants was selling dozens and dozens and dozens of scale plastic model airplanes.

The models had all come from the ceiling-suspended collection of a geeky aviation enthusiast. (I know, I know… that’s redundant.) The collection spanned decades, eras, nations, and types, and most of the models had been built with loving attention paid to paint schemes and insignia.

There were just so many planes, all stacked and arranged haphazardly, sometimes a few planes deep, so it looked as if a tornado had struck a desert aircraft storage yard.

Bernalwood’s Cub Reporter wanted to pick out an airplane to take home. She selected a lovely Lockheed Super Constellation in Lufthansa colors, circa 1955.

A very tasteful choice. Daddy was impressed.

PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics

Bernal’s 67 Muni Bus Is Not Swift, But Often On Time

June 4, 2012June 4, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

The 67 Muni bus is neither fast, nor frequent. But when it comes, it often comes on schedule. Neighbor Amanda tells us:

Hey, our fabulous neighborhood bus line is one of the best-performing (on-time) citywide.

So we’ve got that going for us.

IMAGES: Photo, Telstar Logistics

Stealth Aircraft Captured Flying Over Bernal Heights

April 30, 2012April 30, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

A planespotter affiliated with the Bernalwood Air Force captured something rather unusual this morning:

Just got back from breakfast with a friend, and we were checking out the city view from my back set of stairs. To the east we saw a set of contrails heading west, and I speculated they were tourists heading to the bliss of Hawaii. Just as they reached due south of us, they began to make a turn to the northwest with the second aircraft weaving along the patch of the first one, Grabbed my Nikon and took a few shots and you can see what did a fly-by of SF.

Let’s zoom and enhance:

And even more:

Wow! Look at that! There’s only one plane shaped like that: It’s a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, conducting an overflight above Bernalwood. For comparison’s sake, here’s a photo of a B-2 taken during a 2010 airshow:

All that expensive stealth technology should come in very handy to evade La Lengua’s infamous “Ring of Salsa” defensive grid.

PHOTOS: Above, Bernalwood Air Force Planespotter. B-2 closeup up by Andrew Abernathy

Possibly Bernal’s Best Passive-Aggressive Parking Note, Ever

April 26, 2012April 26, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 7 Comments

During a recent visit to the secret workshop of the Bernal Dads Racing Team, I spotted this note tacked to the wall. It had been left under the windshield wiper of one of the Dads’s cars, perhaps in jest — or at least half-jest.

Regardless, it made me laugh out loud, and it is definitely a candidate for nomination as the Best Passive-Aggressive Bernal Heights Parking Note, Ever.

The note says:

Please do not park your dilapidated crapwagon in front of my house. It scares my children and makes the house look better than it actually is.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is perfection — or at least near-perfection.

PHOTO: Telstar Logistics

Bernal Heights Looks Magical from International Space Station

April 25, 2012April 25, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

Fellow Bernalnauts, here is VERY unusual view of our glamorous neighborhood. This photo was taken two days ago by European astronaut André Kuipers, who is currently living aboard the International Space Station, roughly 224 miles above the summit of Bernal Hill.

The photo was discovered yesterday by an analyst from the Bernal Aeronautics and Space Agency. The full image is stunning, but unfortunately the resolution is… not so much. So when we zoom, crop, and enhance to take a closer look at ourselves, the quality is lacking. Here’s what we see:

PHOTO: André Kuipers via European Space Agency

Stylish Man Creates Custom Bernal Bike Helmet

April 18, 2012April 17, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

Our friends at The New Wheel electric bikery on Cortland sent us photos of this stylish gentleman who created a customized a bike helmet to add some local flavor:

@Bernalwood A customer took one of our standard Bern helmets and customized it with acrylic paint. He came in with his handiwork Sunday

— THE NEW WHEEL (@newwheel) April 16, 2012

C’est sportif, non?

PHOTOS: The New Wheel

Photographer Makes 280-101 “Spaghetti Bowl” Look Delicious

April 12, 2012April 10, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 9 Comments

Photographer Toby Harriman has taken what may well be the definitive photo of the 280-101 Spaghetti Bowl in southeast Bernal. You can see it above: A crisp, long-exposure shot taken last week that animates the flow of traffic in vivid arterial detail.

When I see this photo, I also gain a new appreciation for why “Spaghetti Bowl” is such a perfect name for this interchange. Admittedly, I’m a pastaphile; but to me this picture looks like perfect strands of al dente spaghetti threading through an endless river of tangy marinara sauce. I’m not exaggerating when I say that Toby’s photo triggers a Pavlovian response whenever I look at it. Yum.

Equally delicious, if somewhat less Pavlovian, is the ultra-crisp and sparkly photo Toby took that same night looking north from atop Bernal hill:

Really, you must look at the photo in supersize to appreciate how much texture it contains. (HINT: The street in the center of the image is Alabama.) This view is familiar to us all, yet this perspective reveals details you probably have never seen before.

Bravo, Toby, and thanks for sharing your glamorous images with Bernalwood.

PHOTOS: Toby Harriman

Newfangled Electric Bike Conquers Folsom Street Hillclimb

April 5, 2012April 5, 2012 / Todd_Lappin / 7 Comments

A tidy crowd assembled at Precita Park last weekend to take one of the newfangled electric bicycles from The New Wheel bike shop on a test drive up the fearsome Folsom Street hill.

Your Bernalwood reporter passed on Sunday’s opportunity, because I’d taken one of the bikes for a private ride the day before. My steed was a OHM Urban XU700 SE, which sells for $3699. It came with sporty amenities as leather grips, an air suspension, a rear rack and a 48V battery, in addition to a 0.5 horsepower electric motor tucked away in the rear hub. New Wheel owner Brett Thurber gave me a 30 second tutorial on how to adjust the bike’s motorized boost settings, and then I took off for adventure.

I started from The New Wheel shop on Cortland, but I immediately headed north, toward the top of Bernal Hill. The uniqueness of the electric bicycle became apparent from the moment when I began pedaling up Wool Street.

An electric bike is not like a scooter or a moped; the electric motor isn’t designed to work independently from the pedals. Instead, you pedal an electric bike just like a conventional bicycle, and when you do the electric motor provides a wonderful boost that makes each turn of the cranks carry you much, much farther than it would normally.

You can feel the assist from the electric motor as you pedal. It’s an odd sensation — kind of like having superhero strength or Six Million Dollar Man bionic implants. I was huffing and puffing when I reached the top of Wool, but I was huffing much less than I would have had I been on a regular bike, and the trip had taken about a third less time to complete.

I stopped to take a closer look at my machinery. There’s a little control panel on the right side of the handlebars that allows you to dial in how much electric-assist you want (as well as other bits of data such as power remaining, degree of battery-regenerating resistance, and so on). A thumb-activated “plus” switch lets you dial up the boost, and a “minus” reduces it. Below that, there’s a small red “cheat” button that activates the electric motor even when you’re not pedaling. (Brett Thurber hadn’t told me about that.)

From Wool I looped around Bernal Heights Boulevard and coasted down to Precita Park. Then I turned around to head up, up, up that fearsomely steep section of Folsom Street.

For your evidentiary satisfaction, this video captures the entire Folsom street climb, with musical accompaniment from the Bullitt soundtrack (which seemed appropriate).

As you can see, the electric bike made fast work of the hill, even though I was pedaling with one hand off the handlebars (to hold the video camera).

The electric bikes from The New Wheel are impressive machines. No, they’re not cheap; the least expensive one in the story goes for $2550. But then again, an electric bike is vastly cheaper than a Toyota Prius or a Chevy Volt, and much much much easier to park. For anyone looking for a practical way to get anywhere around town and get a little exercise at the same time, electric bikes may be an interesting option — even if your ride means a nightly trip home up that fearsome stretch of Folsom Street.