San Fran...question about surfing & public transit

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03-03-2009, 10:14 AM
Bud

San Fran...question about surfing & public transit

looks like i might be working in SF for 3-5 months, since its a short-term job i'm not going to bother bringing my car along, but i am wondering about bringing along my wetsuit and a board....is getting in a pre-work/post-work session at all practical in SF if you're relying on public transit and living/working in union square/downtown? I imagine I'd need to be looking at bringing a pretty small board, cause my 7'-6" egg is probably way too big to carry all over the place.

just curious if getting to the water with a board and no car in SF is reasonable or if having a car is the only way to get around. thanks!
03-03-2009, 12:24 PM
supermodel159

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud

looks like i might be working in SF for 3-5 months, since its a short-term job i'm not going to bother bringing my car along, but i am wondering about bringing along my wetsuit and a board....is getting in a pre-work/post-work session at all practical in SF if you're relying on public transit and living/working in union square/downtown? I imagine I'd need to be looking at bringing a pretty small board, cause my 7'-6" egg is probably way too big to carry all over the place.

just curious if getting to the water with a board and no car in SF is reasonable or if having a car is the only way to get around. thanks!

NO, not practical at all. It would take you at least an hour to get to Ocean Beach (all the way on the other side of SF). You will need a car, where will you be living?
03-03-2009, 01:16 PM
BeanDip4All

Yeah, the public transport here sucks. I know one person who lives here and doesn't have a car and makes it work. He's an ultrarunner, though, and actually enjoys running as a method of transport to get to where he is going.

Everyone else I know keeps a car.

Other option- make some friends and carpool?
03-03-2009, 01:20 PM
Hutch

I don't know, I suppose you could ride the N Judah from Powell Station, but it has got to be at least 45 minutes.

http://z.about.com/d/sanfrancisco/1/...munimap800.jpg

Maybe you could find a place to leave your board and wetsuit near OB.
03-03-2009, 02:14 PM
hop

4th on the car.

Another option would be an xtracycle or something? You're going to have to navigate urban assault traffic and copious hills though.
03-03-2009, 02:18 PM
Hugh Conway

it'd be a criminal shame for you to miss on the other, better, surf in the area because you didn't have a car.
03-03-2009, 02:19 PM
supermodel159

You can easily live in the City with no car...but sufing would be hard. And, if you are coming during the summer, surf sucks at OB anyways.

Edit: Surf sucks in the summer at OB unless you are into really heavy close-out shore pound....then it's amazing.
03-03-2009, 04:03 PM
Bud

thanks for all the info... i shoulda figured that me on a bus with a surfboard wouldn't work. might look in to seeing if theres a zipcar parked near my housing so i could use that once in a while to get to the water. will be back home in pugetopolis every other weekend or so and would rather have leave my car up north so i can get to the mountains on the weekends but once the snow is gone maybe i'll go ahead and drive down so i can explore the coast a bit more....it'll be fun to check out some spots that might be a bit scenic than good ol' westport :)
03-03-2009, 10:35 PM
BS720

It is totally workable without a car, just a pain in the ass. My buddy takes the BART from East Bay, with a board. A small board helps, but kind of works against you in 20' surf. Look at a car-share program, if you can't bring your car. A scooter would be an easy, cheap option, but I would just sack up and bring the car. You should really explore north of the Bay, and the drives are kind of long.
03-04-2009, 01:14 PM
Hugh Conway

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud

thanks for all the info... i shoulda figured that me on a bus with a surfboard wouldn't work. might look in to seeing if theres a zipcar parked near my housing so i could use that once in a while to get to the water. will be back home in pugetopolis every other weekend or so and would rather have leave my car up north so i can get to the mountains on the weekends but once the snow is gone maybe i'll go ahead and drive down so i can explore the coast a bit more....it'll be fun to check out some spots that might be a bit scenic than good ol' westport :)

Dear good wtf would you bother going home?