Preparations Continue

For the last few weeks I've been working on revisiting the stairways I chose in order to count how many steps each one has.The grand total is 2,381 steps. I've also spent a lot of time plotting the stairways on a map which you can look at here. The map includes two extra stairways that I won't be doing as part of the challenge (Claremont Path in Berkeley and Unnamed #7). I wound up miscounting as I found stairways and in the end I had 40 on my list. So I cut out the two shortest and least inspiring ones. The complete list with steps counted is at the end of the post.

After plotting the stairways on the map, I printed out paper copies of different sections in order to work on planning a route. After a few days of staring at the maps without being able to figure out where to start to do it easily and simply, I asked my husband if he knew a clever way to do it. His answer was not only that there isn't an easy way to do it, but that it's one of the most difficult problems to solve. It's a version of the Traveling Salesman Problem (a computer science algorithmic problem, see here if you're interested) and it's NP-hard (see here if you want an explanation of that because I can't say I completely understand what it means).

While I was happy to learn that I wasn't overthinking the problem (I was apparently under-thinking it), I was disappointed that there isn't a good solution. But it did make me realize that I should just plan a route and not worry too much. I planned four separate routes because going out and doing all 38 stairways in one go just isn't going to happen with a baby. Since I'm set on ascending all 38 stairways and they are the most direct way to walk through the neighborhoods, I will wind up descending 24 of them as well. As you can see below, the routes are a total cluster. The stairs are each marked with a blue marker and a red arrow shows where the stairs go. The routes are marked in blue and green ink with arrows along the lines to show direction.

So now the planning stage of the challenge is complete. Just a few weeks left before it's time to see if it all works out.

1. Upper Belap Path (Buena Vista to Contra Costa: 70 steps)

2. Lower Belap Path (Golden Gate to Buena Vista: 76 steps)

3. Erba Path (Broadway to Contra Costa: 80 steps)

4. Lower Arbon Path (Broadway Terrace to Buena Vista: 67 steps)

5. Upper Arbon Path (Buena Vista to Contra Costa: 132 steps)

6. Lower Chaumont Path(Golden Gate to Buena Vista: 48 steps)

7. Upper Chaumont Path (Buena Vista to Contra Costa: 76 steps)

8. Brookside Lane (Brookside to Ocean View: 62 steps)

9. Claremont Path, Oakland (Brookside to Ocean View: 66 steps)

10. Unnamed #1 (Broadway to Margorido: 112 steps)

11. Unnamed #2 (Golden Gate to Buena Vista: 55 steps)

12. Arollo Path (Golden Gate to Buena Vista: 64 steps)

13. Gondo Path (Golden Gate to Buena Vista: 31 steps)

14. Unnamed #3 (Modoc/Morpeth to Proctor: 83 steps) 

15. Oakridge Steps (El Camino to Oak Ridge: 124 steps)

16. The Cutoff Path (The Plaza to El Camino: 37 steps)

17. Park Path (El Camino to Oak Ridge: 49 steps)

18. Ridgeview Path (Rock Ridge to Ocean View: 47 steps)

19. Unnamed #4 (S Rock Ridge to Margorido/Mendocino: 55 steps) 

20. Quail Lane (Margorido to Acacia: 42 steps) 

21. Upper Prospect Steps (Margorido to Manchester: 76 steps)

22. Lower Prospect Steps (S Rock Ridge to Margorido: 51 steps)

23. Unnamed #5 (N Rock Ridge to Margorido: 80 steps)

24. West Lane (Manchester to Ocean View: 41 steps)

25. Claremont Path, Berkeley (Hillside to El Camino 9 steps)

26. Willow Walk (Alvarado to Alvarado: 76 steps)

27. Unnamed #6 (Claremont Hotel parking lot to Alvarado: 45 steps)

28. Eucalyptus Path (Alvarado to Alvarado: 140 steps)

29. Oakridge Path East (Domingo to Oakridge: 21 steps)

30. Pine Path (Russell to Avalon: 51 steps)

31. Avalon Walk (Palm to Avalon: 43 steps) 

32. The Steps (Hillcrest to Hillcrest: 65 steps)

33. South Crossways (Roslyn to Hillcrest: 50 steps)

34. Unnamed #7 (Parkside to The Uplands x2=1)

35. The Footway (The Uplands to Hillcrest: 37 steps)

36. Lower Verona Path (Romany to Mathieu: 52 steps)

37. Upper Verona Path (Mathieu to Acacia: 21 steps)

38. Lower Locarno Path (Cross to Acacia: 51 steps)

39. Upper Locarno Path (Acacia to Alpine Terrace: 62 steps)

40. Andeer Path (Romany to Yorkshire: 43 steps)