Minus One, Plus One

On the ride home from work tonight, I was treated to a close look at one very handsome California Quail, our state bird. He was posing atop the stone pillar of a bridge over Prospect Creek in Saratoga, uncharacteristically four feet off the ground. In the past, I've caught only brief glimpses as the birds scatter into the brush.

Sadly, this brings to mind the sculptures that briefly adorned some well-placed boulders on the southern approach to the Mary Avenue bike bridge. One morning not long ago, a sign appeared in front of the newly bare rocks:

The quail sculptures have been removed to prevent further vandalism and theft.

I remember smiling at the joy on a toddler's face as her mother lifted her to stroke the birds. No more. Even in a tony suburb, some lowlifes will deny our small public pleasures. The bridge, so far, remains unsullied by graffiti, though some blue stains (ink, perhaps?) have appeared on the deck.

On the plus side, it is now possible for bicycles to take a vehicular route across Homestead on the northern side of the bridge. A gate has been removed from the fence leading to the Homestead High School staff parking lot, which includes a driveway that aligns with Mary Avenue at the traffic light. At the intersection, plant your wheels on the stripes above and below the bicycle icon that marks the sensor loop, and the signal will cycle to green.