Running City San Francisco 2021

Stage 1

03 1200 Battery St

37.802674, -122.401117 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Levi's plaza - Soft park. The staired fountain in the SE corner of the park.

How many walkable cylinders are there in the fountain?

13

06 Pier 39  

37.810772, -122.411276 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Further outer side of the pier facing west. "What are they?" info plate on the wall.

The words with hyphen

Sea-lebrities

Historical background

California sea lions have been living in San Francisco Bay for a long time, but they came to the city quite recently, in 1989. They like living in the city, tourists don’t bother them much and it is easy for them to find food here.
Their number on the pier 39 varies every day, usually between 150 to 600 species. On Thanksgiving week of 2009 their number reached a record of one thousand seven hundred one. They are very loud, their smell is quite strong, and they are very fun to watch!

09 1562 Grant Ave

37.801476, -122.407667 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Showcase.

What is the name of the parrot?

Blandina

11 Intersection of Beach St & Taylor St

37.807154, -122.41544 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Saint Francis statue. The parking meter closest to the statue.

Number of the parking meter

020244; 68126220

13 Fort Mason

37.807847, -122.428314 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Black point battery. The cannon facing the Golden Gate.

Write down the date of patent on the gun carriage (in a format as written there).

Dec 1st 1857

37 Pier 33

37.80622, -122.404603 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Sidewalk in front of the pier. Road sign with pedestrians and a cyclist.

What word describes the cyclist?

Faster

41 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd  

37.802842, -122.405975 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

The square in front of the Coit Tower.
Pedestal of the removed statue. The side of the pedestal pointing in the direction of Treasure island.

The last 3 words written on the side

Consolato generale d'Italia

Historical background

The busy streets of San Francisco seem like the last place you'd find wild parrots. And yet, there they are.The wild parrots in and around San Francisco are called cherry-headed conures originating from Ecuador and Peru. They were brought here to be sold as pets in the exotic pet trade. There are a number theories as to how they got out. If you are interested to learn more about them, check out “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” book or documentary.
Their favorite places in the city are Telegraph Hill and Ferry park. Hopefully you’ll spot them today, they are very loud and hard to miss.

42 Pier 45

37.809208, -122.415911 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

The plate on the left of the entrance to the Musée Mécanique.

In what year did they meet?

1945

77 2853 Hyde St

37.806824, -122.421024 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Cable car turnaround. Memorial stone close to the entrance. A round plaque on the stone

Direction where the arrow is pointing

Запад; west

10 3760 Webster St

37.805811, -122.435405 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Unusual transport in front of the building.

How many wheels does it have?

2; два; two

Bonus checkpoints

16 1100 California St

37.791993966306, -122.41296026477 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Grace Cathedral. The doors in the north part of the east-facing facade of the building

The word paired with teaching

Bonus time 30 minutes

learning

35 Pier 15

37.801501, -122.398199 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Fog bridge. The plaque with the times when the bridge is active

Write down the word between "uses" and "water"

Bonus time 10 minutes

desalinated

36 983 Marine Dr

37.805486, -122.467159 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Warming Hut Bookstore & Cafe. The model of the Earth outside of the building. The plaque about global warming

The number on the plaque that is written with digits

Bonus time 50 minutes

1000; 1,000; тысяча; thousand

Stage 2

01 2066 Union St

37.797541, -122.433389 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Le Marcel bakery for dogs. The showcase on the left of the entrance. Pets Welcome sign.

Who must be leashed?

Дети; children

04 2427 Green St

37.795451, -122.439784 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Kookaburra sculpture.

Write down the quote from the plaque.

Nothing sails like a Bird

14 15 Lover's Lane, The Presidio

37.79467, -122.450322 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Sculpture Wood Line. Count approximately 49 logs from the northern end of the sculpture. You need a stump laying perpendicular to the sculpture on the west side of it.
Niche in the stump.

The name of the character.

Groot

15 1 Letterman Dr

37.798779, -122.450484 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Yoda Fountain. The entrance to the building behind Yoda.

What are the bags intended for?

Зонт; зонтик; umbrella

21 14 Macondray lane  

37.799335, -122.414555 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Flower composition across the street

How many pairs of jeans are there?

3; три; three

Historical background

San Francisco raconteur Armistead Maupin used Macondray Lane as a primary setting in his famous novel Tales of the City, which later was pictured in tv series.
By the way, blue jeans were invented in 1873 by San Francisco entrepreneur Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis, leading to a clothing revolution in California and beyond.

22 3601 Lyon St

37.803004, -122.448143 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Palace of Fine Arts. Information stand "Save the palace" in the north-east corner of the pond. Willis Polk's quote.

Last word of the quote

permanent; постоянной; постоянным

23 Intersection of Vallejo St & Lyon St

37.793573, -122.446568 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Lyon street steps. Heart sculpture.
Plaque in front of it.

Write the ending of the phrase "... we love to leave ...".

Our hearts; свои сердца

24 146 Avila St

37.801988, -122.440618 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

The closest to the building post with parking restrictions.
Lower sign.

Write down the lowest line on the sign.

MS 1/13 CCSF 3M

25 2330 Polk St

37.798321, -122.422084 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Fitness center Crunch Fitness. The showcase glass with the word "cinema" on it.

Write down the words right before "cinema".

In-club

19 1020 Vallejo St  

37.797931, -122.414369 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Information sign about the Russian Hill

Words in quotation marks (in any language)

Russian-American Company; Russian - American Company; русско-американской кампании; русско - американской кампании;

Historical background

Famous Russian writers Ilf and Petrov in the book “Little Golden America” about their cross-country trip across the USA in 1935 say the following about San Francisco: This is the most beautiful city in America, apparently because it is in no way reminiscent of America. Most of its streets rise from hill to hill. An automobile journey through San Francisco looks more like a sideshow tailed “American Mountains”and presents the passenger with a number of strong sensations. Nevertheless, in the centre of the city is a piece which looks like the flattest Leningrad in the world, with its squares and broad avenues. The other parts of San Francisco form a remarkable seashore mixture of Naples and Shanghai. The resemblance to Naples we can certify from personal experience. The Chinese find the resemblance to Shanghai. There are many Chinese in San Francisco. San Francisco is one of those cities, which you will like from the first minute and every day you’ll like it even more”.
Among other things, they describe their meeting with molocan people who were living on a “russian hill” which in fact happened on Potrero hill. There is still a molocan church there today. The majority of the Russian population in San Francisco lives in Richmond district now.

Stage 3

05 Rincon park

37.791454, -122.389954 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Cupid's span sculpture. Plaque with the sculpture name

Gift to whom?

the city; city; город; городу

08 56 Ross Alley  

37.795702, -122.407344 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Fortune cookie factory. Notes on the main door

Whom you should not feed?

голубей; голуби; pigeons

Historical background

That crunchy folded confection that charts your future destiny seems as ubiquitous as chopsticks to modern Chinese dining in America, but you will never find them in China. In fact, fortune cookies were originally Japanese. The Japanese Tea garden in Golden Gate park served fortune tea cakes from Japantown's Benkyodo bakery. The cakes were extremely popular, and Chinese restaurants started buying them too. During World War II nearly the entire Japanese population in San Francisco was rounded up and sent to internment camps. Many Chinese families took over Japanese bakeries when they were shuttered, and soon no one could imagine Сhinese food without fortune cookies.

26 Intersection of Broadway and Columbus Ave, NW corner  

37.79795, -122.407056 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Language of the birds artwork

What word has an exclamation mark at the end?

Words!; words; слова

Historical background

On the opposite corner of this intersection, on the wall of the building 535 Broadway is a street art by Banksy. It is easier to see from Columbus Avenue.

27 600 Montgomery St  

37.795486, -122.40235 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Transamerica Redwood park. Closed on weekend, no need to come inside the park

What tool is hanging on the redwood tree closest to the park north entrance?

камера; фонарь; camera; flashlight

Historical background

Constructed in 1972, the Transamerica Building is one of the most recognized shapes in the city skyline, and was the tallest building in the city until Salesforce tower was built in 2018. The trees in the redwood grove were transplanted here from the woodlands around Santa Cruz, and continue to gain height each year. The tallest tree in this forest was 350 feet in 2017. Coast Redwoods are the tallest trees in the world, so who knows, maybe one day these trees will be higher than the newest leader, Salesforce Tower!
If you were standing here in the early 1800s, the water would have been lapping at your feet. The site where the pyramid sits is essentially the former waterfront line before the shallow Yerba Buena Cove was filled in to accommodate the popularity surge during the gold rush.

53 916 Kearny St

37.796567, -122.405059 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

American Zoetrope information at the entrance

Which movie is mentioned first?

The godfather; Godfather; Godfather 1; Godfather I; Крёстный отец; Крестный отец; Крёстный отец 1; Крестный отец 1

59 Pier 7  

37.800067, -122.394385 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

The further end of the pier. Unusual recycling container.

What is it intended for? (2 words)

рыболовная леска; fishing line; рыболовной лески

Historical background

On October 17 1989, at 5:04 p.m., the Loma Prieta earthquake (magnitude 6.9) shook with such violent force it tore the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in two. As usual, the bridge was very busy at that time as everyone was getting home from work. The section of the upper deck of the eastern truss portion of the bridge collapsed onto the deck below
The bridge was restored in a month, but the decision was made to do major seismic retrofitting of both western and eastern parts of the bridge. Eventually it became clear that it will be cheaper to replace the eastern part completely.
The span replacement took place between 2002 and 2013, and is the most expensive public works project in California history, with a final price tag of $6.5 billion, a 2,500% cost overrun from the original estimate of $250 million. Originally scheduled to open in 2007, several problems delayed the opening until September 2, 2013. Inside the structure, 20 massive 6-feet-tall fuses will shift with the
bridge to ensure that not only will it not collapse, but it will be back up and running quickly to allow medical and emergency personnel to get resources to either side of the Bay quickly.
With a width of 258.33 ft (78.74 m), comprising 10 general-purpose lanes, it is the world's widest bridge according to Guinness World Records.

62 Intersection of Market and Bush streets  

37.791239, -122.399275 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

The intersection of the original shoreline 1848 and Market street. Tablet with a map on the ground

How many times the word "of" is written on the tablet?

5; five; пять

Historical background

Every day thousands of passengers on underground streetcars (lines N, T and K) in San Francisco pass through the hull of a 19th-century ship without knowing it. Likewise, thousands of pedestrians walk unaware over dozens of old ships buried beneath the streets of the city’s financial district.
In 1848, when news of the Gold Rush began spreading, people were so desperate to get to California that all sorts of dubious vessels were pressed into service. On arrival, there was no point in going back, ship captains and their crew were eager to try their luck in the gold fields. The ships weren’t necessarily abandoned—often a keeper was hired to keep an eye on them, but they languished and began to deteriorate. A few ships were sunk intentionally. Then as now, real estate was a hot commodity in San Francisco, but the laws at the time had a few more loopholes. You could sink a ship and claim the land under it. You could even pay someone to tow your ship into position and sink it for you. Then, as landfill covered the cove, you’d eventually end up with a piece of prime real estate.

65 Intersection of Washington st and Embarcadero st  

37.79647, -122.395591 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Info stand

3 words before "comes down"

freeway to nowhere

Historical background

San Franciscans wince at the memory of Embarcadero Freeway. It was gray as a prison, ugly as sin. It was completed in 1959 and for decades it ran along the bayfront effectively concealing much of the Ferry Building from the rest of the city. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake damaged the elevated freeway and the city decided to demolish it instead of repairing.

28 750 Howard St

37.784323, -122.401884 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Martin Luther King Memorial. Walk beside the waterfall. 12 glass panels with translated quotes on the wall.

Number of lines in the quote in Irish

3; три; three

Stage 4

699 425 Mission St, 1st floor of the Salesforce Transit

37.789497966306, -122.39654526554 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Entrance between the Salesforce tower and Fremont street

Take selfie with round ceiling window