Leonids by BART?

November 16, 2009 12:02 PM

Looking for advice on viewing the 2009 Leonid meteor shower for the vehicularly impaired.

We want to get as far away as possible from Bay Area city lights to see the shower but won't be able to get our hands on a car.

What are the best options given the following constraints?

1) Travel by BART and (a ~mile walk or a few miles on bikes at the destination is fine, but we don't want to do long rides up into the hills at night on roads we're not familiar with).

2) Due to BART hours, viewing times must be either before midnight or after 4:30 a.m.

I've never been to many of the outlying BART destinations so I'm looking for something like: "go to such and such a park in Pittsburg two miles from BART as early as you can in the morning."

I'm aware that we are not going to find anything close to ideal conditions with these constraints. I've already done research on best viewing options on several websites, but they are not particularly helpful--unless you are able to link to one that will help with these particular constraints, there is no need to point me to even more.

Many thanks!

posted by quarterframer to science & nature (3 answers total)

I know this is officially Not Answering the Question, but City Car Share is great & has discounted rates in the middle of the night. If you qualify to join, you might consider it.
posted by judith at 12:46 PM on November 16, 2009

Regardless of the time, you want to get away from city lights. So I'd say take your bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge (if you're in the city) and go to the marin headlands. A view the the southeast is ideal, so that location is not perfect, but it is the quickest /easiest way to get to some dark skies. It would be fairly to ride a bike past vista point, go through the tunnel on bunker Road, and out to Rodeo Lagoon, then climb to the ridge on the north side.
posted by TDIpod at 4:48 PM on November 16, 2009

You could also take BART to the El Cerrito Del Norte station with your bikes, then ride N on Key Blvd to the I80 frontage road, and continue to Mc Bride. Take McBride East to Alvarado/ Wildcat Canyon Park, about 2 mile total. The go into the park and take the Belgium Trail up to the east ridge, about another mile or so. Time to get started!
posted by TDIpod at 5:02 PM on November 16, 2009