braindump

Cable car just off the turntable

A number of us planned to ride over the Golden Gate Bridge today. After various delays (which we all decided were Ben’s fault), we eventually rented the bikes from just outside where the cable cars turn around.

Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point

After a week of mainly cloud, the weather today was excellent, with no fog, little cloud and plenty of sunshine. Our route took us along the waterfront, out onto the pier (and back), up over the Fort Mason hill, out to Fort Point, and eventually up to the bridge itself.

The cyclists are on the west side of the bridge, segregated from the pedestrians on the east side. Even so, there were so many cyclists going each way that there was some congestion at the piers, where the path has to curve around with two blind corners. There wasn’t too much wind, but there’s a surpisingly steep slope up to the middle, and then down again on the other side.

Once we’d crossed, a few of us headed up the road towards the Point Bonita lighthouse. The road was exceptionally steep, and even using the lowest gear on the bikes, at times we were barely going faster than walking pace. However, it was worth it for this fantastic view of the bridge, city and bay.

Bridge, city and bay

The cycling gang

After regrouping, we posed for a few photos in front of the bridge and city, and then split up again, with some going on to Sausalito, and the rest of us (who had flights to catch or cars to hire) returning straight away back over the bridge.

David, escaped from Alcatraz

After returning the bikes, we stopped to pick up some souvenirs from the shop attached to the bike hire place. I also changed into a fresh shirt; David, who hadn’t brought a fresh shirt, changed into the Alcatraz uniform he’d just bought. Here he is posing on the street, with a couple of guys who’re pretending they don’t know him.

After a quick and late lunch from Subway, David and I picked up our bags from the hotel and boarded the shuttle to the airport. He hadn’t had time to change out of his prison garb, but told me later that he did change very quickly once he heard the security warning about strange behaviour at the airport.

I picked up my car at the airport, and then drove to Morgan Hill, just south of San Jose, for the start of my trip south to Los Angeles.