Day 17 2021 – Golden Gate and Beyond

Tonight, or someday I will clean up this post. Early in my IT career, I worked on a methodology for softwre development called Rapid Application Development. The idea was to time box a project. Then get as much done as you can within that time frame. You set the priorities. It was better to get something done on time than to try and get Perfection that is never delivered. With that preamble, here is the working draft.

Started day Manzanita. Pelicans flying over the bay

Sausalito and the San Francisco Bay.

Getting closer to San Francisco and the Bridge

bridge and approach

We have to get from down here to up there.

Ron made it to the top to cross the bridge. Only to find we need to go to the other side.

Unload the panniers, carry bike, carry panniers, reload bike.

Walk bike to other stairway, repeat.

ready to cross to the other side

video on bridge

on bridge

view from other side

north shore

beach west of golden gate park

Houses and climb out. I tutor math. I swear they build the streets at 45 degree angle slopes. As we all know that the sine and cosine are both about .707 and the tangent is therefore =1.

old friends

Shoe repair

Leading up to Pedro Point. We have to go up and around that hillside.

This, to me is the scariest, most dangerous part of the ride, going around Pedro Point. There is a half mile stretch that is all uphill, goes around multiple curves with steep hillsides, narrow, to no shoulder, in heavy traffic. Did I mention the heavy headwind near the end?

At then of that stretch, you can go through a long tunnel or take a detour along Devil’s Slide Trail. Last time I went through the tunnel. This time we took the trail, which was really a road, closed off to cars.

Along the slide, looking over the wall.

I thought we were staying at Half Moon Bay Inn. When we got there, I realized we were staying at Half Moon Bay Lodge! It was 2 miles away. Ron made the wise suggestion we stop at the Aristocrat English Pub and have dinner before we got to the hotel. It was a good choice. The final mile to the hotel was in the dark, but our lights were still working.

A “short” ride of around 40 miles. Measured in hours, our longest day. Here is most of the ride, except the last 2 miles. They were done at dusk and in the dark respectively. As you can see here, a lot of climbing for that short distance. The final bits are on here and here.

The Not So Lone Rider