JUNE 19 GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE! (from Olema to San Francisco to Vacaville)

My turn. I only rode 20 miles today but wait till you read our story.

 

 Rode thru lots of small towns and charming residential areas.  Roses and other gorgeous flowers lining the streets.  Loved Fairfax and San Anselmo.  Great little shops, bakeries, delis.  The route took a winding climb on Corte Madera.   Beautiful but  Wicked climb on really bad roads.  Yes, it can be both.  Gorgeous eucalyptus tress  but I especially hate riding down steep winding declines of broken up surfaces.  Very dangerous.  Come on California!  Keep the bike tourists happy!

Rusty and I rode across the Golden Gate Bridge! CRAZY!! Masses of tourists!  Rusty says BILLIONS! Could have been more eventful if there weren’t so many tourists!  WAIT!  We were two of those tourists!  However walking traffic and bike traffic shared a path just a little wider than a regular sidewalk.  And most of the cyclists were riding rental bikes so perhaps not very bike savvy. (?)  I talked to one of the local “serious cyclists” who said “If you didn’t know better you’d think they were doing it on purpose.”  Nah, I don’t think so…just caught up in the moment…as we were. 

 

So a tip: Don't ride the "GGB" on Wednesday, June 19 @ 2:00pm!

 

Our plan after riding the bridge was to take the ferry to Vallejo like our bike map suggests and stay in Vacaville.  After driving around for an hour approaching the ferry piers from all angles and could not find the auto ferry entrance Rusty dropped me off to go in the Vallejo ferry pier and ask!!!

 HOWEVER, here is another good tip:  The ferry is for foot/bike traffic only!  Looking at me like "what was I thinking" the information man at the Vallejo ferry pier said " oh, we don't do vehicle ferries like they do in Seattle or New York."  (of course not )

 

So we enjoyed the people watching while we maneuvered ourselves to the Bay Bridge in San Francisco 5:00 traffic.  (No description necessary except to say the Giants game was just letting out as well.) 

So here is one disadvantage to having Willie along.....couldn't take the ferry and spent an hour inching our way to the bay bridge.

One very sad but interesting "people watching" episode was watching a homeless man sort thru a garbage can on the sidewalk in front of a restaurant .  Then he took wipes out of his trench coat and cleaned his hands.  Placed a newspaper over the edge of the garbage can like it was a table cloth and with a plastic fork started eating directly out of the garbage can.  It was fascinating and sad to watch but I couldn't bring myself to linger.  My prayer is that the food was perhaps in a take away container.  The "gentleman" acted like it was fine dining. 

 

I would subtitle this "The Hardest Day of the Ride so far" because of dealing with the big city and all the stress that went with it, especially after riding peaceful and serene back country roads and gorgeous scenic coastal routes.  

 

Stayed at Vacaville Quality Inn  for $69. We thought it was well worth it  after the "hardest day of the ride."