by Cathy

Day’s mileage : 45

Running total : 1,347

Ascent : 2,228ft

Monday.

This blog is going to be on the shorter side today because we’ve just arrived in San Francisco and I’m desperate to get out and explore the city. 

We woke up quite early today as it’s Memorial Day here, and we wanted to avoid as many of the RVs going back to San Francisco as possible. The first few kilometres were lovely, heading back down to the main road from where we stayed last night. We saw two quails running around in the road, and Dad saw a hummingbird. We then had a choice to make: head straight down Highway 1 next to the coast in the wind, or head inland and follow the cycle route down Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. We agonised for a bit, but other cyclists had recommended riding inland, so we did that. We were rewarded with 10km of lovely bike trail through a redwood forest. We even saw a gray fox trotting along the road in front of us, the first that we have seen.

After the trail, we went back on Sir Francis Drake, and wound around several small towns. We passed lots of cyclists on day rides from the city; they were much less friendly and much faster than other riders we’ve seen. We started to come into the suburbs – places that I recognise from TV like Fairfax, where two kids were selling lemonade on the sidewalk in a suburbia stereotype. We stopped for a snack in San Anselmo where Indiana Jones and Star Wars were created, then wound through the hills past lots of very Selling Sunsets-style houses. We had lunch in Sausalito in Dunphy Park, which is named after Earl Dunphy the councilman, not Phil Dunphy of Modern Family.

We wound through some busy, touristy streets before we were greeted by our first look at the Golden Gate Bridge, which in typical San Francisco style, was mostly shrouded by Karl the Fog. We cycled up to the viewpoint, and took some photos. Despite not being able to see all of it, the bridge was really astonishing to see up close, and came with the added benefit of having a tiny raccoon sitting in a nearby tree.

As impressive as the bridge was from the hillside, riding along it was another story altogether. The wind was unbelievable, and even on our heavy bikes we could feel it pushing us across the bike lane. Luckily bikes had their own enclosed path, so it felt more exhilarating than dangerous. For the last hundred metres, two pelicans flew alongside our bikes above the bay – a guard of honour from our favourite birds as we entered the city.

We cycled through lots of parks on the way to our Airbnb in Sunset, and down lots of very wide, very hilly streets. The architecture in this area is very unique – fairytale style in pastel colours with turrets and lots of balconies; it feels a bit dreamlike. Tonight we are going to head into the city to find some food, then get some rest ready to head further south tomorrow. 

Additional notes

Inverness to San Francisco, Marin and San Francisco counties, CA

Left at 9.20. Arrived at 4pm.

Weather: Cool. Strong westerly wind. 

Landscape: Retraced our steps alongside Tomales Bay, modest, old homes to our right and a few to our left, a mountain ahead with a soft, round top and hanging valleys in sunlight with patches of mist. After leaving the 1 we rode through farmland on the left and grassy hills with shrubs to the right, a hilly road with patchy traffic. The Cross Marin Trail, eventually through woodland including redwoods. The Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, slightly busy but fine. Side roads that were quieter – C’s alternate routes. Soft round hills of yellow grass and green oak trees around Lagunita. Back roads of Fairfax. Leafy suburbs of San Anselmo, quiet roads. Up into the hills above Sausalito then down into the city the roads were suddenly four lanes in each direction and full of aggressive city traffic and speed cyclists on the shoulder. Alongside a wetland area on a busy road. Heading up another headland we got a first glimpse of the Bridge. 1.7 miles across the Golden Gate Bridge, quite an experience. A gravel path then quiet, wide residential streets of San Francisco, hilly as expected. Through the Golden Gate Park where people had gathered for Memorial Day picnics. 

Towns: Lagunita. Fairfax. San Anselmo. Sausalito. San Francisco.

Trails: The Cross Marin Trail, possibly a disused railway line, tree-lined with people walking and cycling. 

State roads: Highway 1, not too busy, to a junction where we decided to take the inland route and left it. 

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs using 8 of the 12 left for us by our host. 

Lunch spot: A picnic table by the water at Dunphy Park, and an omelette made with the last four eggs. It was windy though, even my snack bar blew away before I finished it. 

Dinner (out): L&P had fish and chips at the 16th Street Diner. C had a wrap from a different outlet. The city was very empty. 

Wildlife: Two cute quail ran across the road, one dithered in front of C. P saw two hummingbirds. C and I saw a gray fox, sweet little fellow. A raccoon in a tree near the Golden Gate Bridge. Pelicans from the bridge.

Plants: California poppies. Redwoods. 

Things we saw: A road called N. Dream Farm Road (whose dream farm was it?). Nearing Lagunita was a lay-by with the usual sign ‘$1,000 fine for littering’ and a large sofa in front of it. A church with a retro stick-on letter sign that read ‘With Respect Chuck Ford’, all in capitals – at first I thought it read chuck food. Sculptures of Indiana Jones and Yoda in San Anselmo announcing that Star Wars and Indiana Jones were made there in the 70s. A sign in a house window that read: ‘In our America all people are equal. Love wins. Black lives matter. Immigrants and refugees are welcome. Disabilities are respected. Women are in charge of their bodies. People and planet are valued over profit. Diversity is celebrated’. The Golden Gate Bridge from the viewpoint where we took lots of moody photos. Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in strong, buffeting winds, freezing cold, numerous cyclists in both directions, loud noise from constant cars (on the other side of a barrier), and cornering the two piers we were suddenly hit by a ferocious headwind for 20 seconds. A thrilling experience. 

People we spoke to or saw: Many cyclists along the Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, some laden, most not, and only a few were friendly. 

Incidents: A cyclist on the trail told us our lights were too bright. Many cyclists zooming around Fairfax. The suburbs of San Anselmo were slightly dull compared to other stretches of this ride – amazing it’s taken this long to reach a slightly dull stretch. Feeling sad riding through Larkspur. Sausalito was the first big city we’ve ridden through, a bit of a shock after all this time. We had to laugh when we saw the Golden Gate Bridge because, apart from the lower half of the first pier, it was completely hidden by fog. You can only cross the bridge by bike on one side but the side changes depending on the day of the week, and finding our way to the west side wasn’t easy. Tension in the air today. We were cornered by a homeless woman at the bus stop for about ten minutes. 

Shopping: Safeway, San Francisco. 

Accommodation: A house in Sunset, all the houses in the district are Moorish design, interesting and attractive. 

Today’s sound: Cars booming by over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Today’s smell: Fish and chips.

Special moments: The hens outside the house in Inverness were clucking away as we packed up to leave and C said they must surely be laying eggs as every so often they sounded so pained! Crossing the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Tea and ‘snickerdoodles’ (cinnamon biscuits). Delicious fish and chips in a low-key diner with the friendliest owner. 

Positive experience from my journal: That dinner turned out to be so good and the owner so humble and sweet.

Appreciation from my journal: Allowing myself to feel sad; there’s nothing wrong with feeling sad.

Video: E&P riding the Cross Marin Trail (35s + 27s + 7s + 9s). E on the Cross Marin Trail (15s). Gray fox (1m21s + 12s). Cycling over the Golden Gate Bridge (1m47s + 1m12s + 18s + 11s). Golden Gate Park (9s). San Francisco tram (22s).

Mementos: Safeway receipt, San Francisco.