Who would have expected that the tree geeks would be rained out on a Saturday in late August? Yet, that is exactly what happened when Mike, Sairus, and Dick chose to meet at the corner of 18th and Storrie streets, a few blocks west of Castro Street, to explore the trees in this western corner of Eureka Valley. The clouds had been threatening on Friday and into the early hours of Saturday. Almost exactly at the appointed meeting time, light rains began, and continued for over an hour—all the result of a former typhoon that bypassed Japan in favor of a modest hit to California.

With sidewalks too wet to accept chalk, the geeks decided to walk the route and photograph some of the outstanding trees to be seen on the streets and in private gardens along the way. This is a quiet neighborhood, on the far edge of the Castro District, with homes ranging from historic Victorian and Edwardian to trendy contemporary styles. Trees can be seen in abundance, as might be expected of this moderately upscale neighborhood with its well-educated population. Among the trees noted are some city champions, and some markedly uncommon trees for San Francisco.

Today’s walk begins at the unnamed community garden on the southern side of the one-block-long Storrie Street, from Market to 18th streets. Previously a leftover strip of undeveloped land with topographical challenges, it has in recent decades evolved into a delightful public park, almost all at the hands of a local, born-in-San Francisco chap who tends the garden daily. (He’s happy to chat with anyone who drops in to see the garden.) The park is notable for some giant cottonwoods (Populus sp.) and a few eucalypts and their kin from Australia.

We strolled west on 18th, passing the former Sha’ar Zahav Jewish synagogue before turning south onto 19th Street, which curves around and heads east after crossing Caselli Avenue. At Yukon Street, we noted the large Monterey pines (Pinus radiata) in Goat Hill Park on the far corner, before turning north on Yukon Street. We turned east (right) on Caselli and followed it to tiny Clover Lane, which rises to Thorp Lane. We followed Thorp east to its end at 19th, and headed east on 19th to Douglass Street. There we turned north, walking past the glorious Caselli Mansion at Douglas and Caselli. We ended our walk at 18th. Our walk was roughly a mile in length.

We may return to this neighborhood for a properly chalked walk, but, in the interim, we hope you’ll enjoy some of the photographs taken along the way.