Snake Allie the straight scoop on a crooked street

 SNAKE ALLEY: THE STRAIGHT SCOOP ON A CROOKED STREET (the P&J Perspective)

So a good deal of research has been conducted over the last century or so regarding “the crookedest street in the world.”  Now of course word choice and order. Are important here.... You see a person could say Wall Street or Pennsylvania  Ave and this might be greeted with a nod of the head...that is if you are thinking about the street with the most crooks lurking around.  But NO!!!!

We’re talking architecture—geometry—distance traveled between point A and point B...

Few things have remained  constant in the world that date back to 1894–hell not much has stayed constant since 1984...but there is 6th St. between Columbia and Washington in Burlington, Iowa and it is  and remains the most crooked street in existence.  You can Google  this historic  little lane that tied in North Hill and the Downtown in a manner that horse-drawn carriages  could take the step hill to a bustling city.  Now, some rigs had a hard time going back up the hill so this street was deemed “one-way” for safety purposes.  When I was a kid—no not in horse-drawn carriage days...but not four score after those days  I counted among foolish accomplishments sledding down the sidewalk on Jefferson street  until gliding  along the curb all the way  from Burlington Junior college. To the Wonder Bread Bakery and Riding my 10 speed down and back up Snake Alley 3 times  without stoppping...why ?  Young and Dumb —enough said?  

So what I didn’t recognize when I was 15?  I didn’t understand that there was an important lesson  in those limestone and blue clay bricks... What lessons might I gained?

Well on the path of life and seeking peace and joy a straight line can’t be done... you must do a little weaving this way and that.  You can pretty much go in the direction you  think is best, however not being patient and following  what’s in front of you might be hazzasrdous.  Second, sometimes once you’ve gone down a road you can turn around and appreciate where you’ve come from, and yet, you can’t really expect to go back very often without upsetting  things a great deal.  

Finally others may imitate. Your path and journey even people in big cities like San Francisco and yet in the end your path will always be something special and like Snake Alley you can’t bring the whole world with you on the path...but those who share your experiences are important. Souls in your universe.  ....

As I said  I might have been better off had I known the lessons of Snake Alley—and then again I’ve met a lot of wonderful people on my crooked  journey and seen the world from a lot of interesting perspectives.  so if you get the chance... maybe you should head down your own Snake  Alley from time to time but remember. Those  skinny little 10 speed tires and those narrow little seats on those bikes won’t make for the most comfortable  ride... and then again sometimes getting from.here to there  can shake you up a bit and be a pain in your. Backside so to speak.... but for  my money...it’s worth every turn and Snake Alley is like that song telling me there is season...turn, turn turn