Baldwin Street

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Mon 28 Jul 2014 22:27
Baldwin Street, Dunedin
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
We got up this morning, I felt cold, so on went the thermal t-shirt and long johns. The Bear and the Wicked Witch seemed at peace with one another and she guided us nicely the four miles to Baldwin Street. Mable and or Bear balked at the idea of driving up, no sooner than we were parked than a car slowed beside us, then gunned it.
 
 
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Nothing for it, but, to set off on foot. The sun was shining brightly. Then the recycle dustman pulled up at the end of the tarmac, got into first and gunned it. Quite something to watch.
 
 
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An unreal angle to this garden. The dustman on his way down.
 
 
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Just when our ankles started to question our sanity, we found the nice people had put in steps. We rested, watching the dustcart driver weave from side to side as the chap doing bin tipping ran along behind. Next was the really steep bit. Many more steps.
 
 
 
Partly as a delaying tactic, and, partly as fun. I crossed over and got Bear to pose. The second picture I have lined up the kerb to show what would happen to the house.
 
 
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Another incredible house. Time for another rest, this time we had the excuse to talk to a couple, also in a camper van. Heart rate slowing down from thrommy levels. A chance to turn and look back.
 
 
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The next stop, I got to pose.
 
What Wiki says:
 

Baldwin Street, is considered the world's steepest residential street. It is located in the residential suburb of North East Valley, 3.5 kilometres northeast of Dunedin's city centre. A short straight street a little under 350 metres long, Baldwin Street runs east from the valley of the Lindsay Creek up the side of Signal Hill towards Opoho, rising from 30 metres above sea level at its junction with North Road to 100 metres above sea level at the top, an average slope of slightly more than 1:5. Its lower reaches are only moderately steep, and the surface is asphalt, but the upper reaches of this cul-de-sac are far steeper, and surfaced in concrete (200 metres long), for ease of maintenance (bitumen - in either chip seal or asphalt - would flow down the slope on a warm day) and for safety in Dunedin's frosty winters. The 161.2 metres long top section climbs 47.2 metres vertically, an average gradient of 1:3.41. At its maximum, about 70 metres below the top, the slope of Baldwin Street is about 1:2.86 (19° or 35%). That is, for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the elevation changes by 1 metre.

 

Origin of the street: The street's steepness was unintentional. As with many other parts of early Dunedin, and indeed New Zealand, streets were laid out in a grid pattern with no consideration for the terrain, usually by planners in London. In the case of Baldwin Street (and much of the Dunedin street plan), the layout was surveyed by Charles Kettle in the mid-19th century. The street is named after William Baldwin, an Otago Provincial Councillor and newspaper founder, who subdivided the area. For cars it is a cul-de-sac, but Baldwin Street is linked across the top by Buchanan Street, a footpath following an otherwise unformed (i.e. unpaved) road linking it with Calder Avenue and Arnold Street, which are unformed in their upper reaches where Baldwin is steepest. The streets running parallel to Baldwin are all quite steep: Arnold Street (1:3.6), Dalmeny Street (1:3.7), and Calder Avenue (1:5.4).

 

 

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The wheelie bin just looks so wrong. Another home.
 
 
Jaffa run  the retired and broken
 

Associated Events: The street is the venue for an annual event in Dunedin, the Baldwin Street Gutbuster. Every summer since 1988 this exercise in fitness and balance involves athletes running from the base of the street to the top and back down again. The event attracts several hundred competitors annually and the race record is 1:56.

Oh if only we had known, no one has mentioned it and we were devastated to learn it happened on the 18th of July. Since 2002, a further charity event has been held annually in July, which involves the rolling of over 30,000 Jaffas – chocolate balls in a crisp jacket. Each Jaffa is sponsored by one person, with prizes to the winner and funds raised going to charity. This event follows a tradition started in 1998, when 2,000 tennis balls were released in a sponsored event raising money for Habitat for Humanity.

In March 2001 a 19-year-old University of Otago student was killed when she and another student attempted to travel down the street inside a wheelie bin. The bin collided with a parked trailer, killing her instantly, and causing serious head injuries for the other student.

In November 2009, three men were charged with disorderly behaviour and dangerous driving after taking rides in a cool box (known as a "chilly bin" in New Zealand) being towed behind a car down Baldwin St.

On the 2nd of January 2010, Cardrona stuntman Ian Soanes rode down Baldwin Street on a motorcycle on one wheel.

 

 

 

Controversy to the Claim: Baldwin Street's claim to fame has caused some controversy after it emerged that the original entry in the Guinness Book of Records was based on a typographical error, claiming a maximum gradient of 1:1.266 (38° or 79%). This appears to be an error for 1:2.66, which itself is slightly steeper than the currently accepted figure of 1:2.86. Alternatively, the mistake may have been caused by confusion between grade in degrees and percentage grade, mixing up 38% with 38°. Nevertheless, Guinness officially recognises Baldwin Street as the world’s steepest at 35% grade.

 

 

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We made it to the top.

 

   

 

Clearly wearing thermals was not a great idea. The water fountain was very much appreciated, the bench too. We read the plaque of the roller skater. Bear posed at the top and then we headed back down.

 

 

 

 

More fun on the way down.

 

 

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And more.

 

 

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One final house near the bottom and an ‘old lady’ at the bottom. 

 

 
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Back to the bottom, we proudly went a bought our certificates for a pound.
 
 
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL I FEEL FOR THE POSTMAN
                     IMPRESSIVELY STEEP