Biking the Bridge

Care to see more of our weekend in San Francisco? 

Watch my YouTube video: San Francisco Weekend Video

Somewhere along the way as I was planning, I got the great idea that it would be fun to rent bikes and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. I watched multiple YouTube videos and decided that in spite of my senior citizen status, I could do it. Bob was on board because biking is his thing. He rides several times a week and a routine route would be about 25 miles for him.

Our city has a bike path that circles our lake (remember...Minnesota IS the land of 10,000 lakes) and the trail is 6.75 miles long (the Map My Ride app on my phone said so.) I don't have any trouble making the entire circle so figured biking the 8 miles going from Fisherman's Wharf to Sausalito would be within my realm of ability. What I forgot is that SW Minnesota is FLAT and...I am used to riding a recumbant bike.

Kent & Laurel were good sports and agreed to join our adventure. The four of us were up pretty early due to the time change and walked down Columbus Avenue to Joanie's Happy Days Diner. The food was nothing to get excited about and it was rather expensive for plain breakfast fare.

From the restaurant, we walked to Blazing Saddles bike rental on Hyde Street. The four of us were given helmets and then fitted to the "deluxe comfort hybrid" bikes that we rented. Being the short one in the group, I really struggled to get my leg over the bar even though it was a woman's bike. I had the guy lower the seat more but as soon as we started out, I knew it was too low and had to have Bob raise it back up. I nearly killed myself several times trying to get on and off the bike because I just couldn't get my leg up and over that darn bar. I am used to riding a recumbant bicycle (like below) and riding the upright bike just made me realize how much I really do like recumbants!!

We were shown a safety video, given ferry tickets for the return and then...we were off. When we reached the waterfront, we watched as a group of women were getting ready to join others who were swimming in the icy water. Brrrrrr.

During our safety briefing we were told there were only a couple of hills and we "may" want to walk our bikes going up. Well...let me tell you. There are MORE THAN TWO hills!! If you are young and fit then you probably wouldn't have any trouble...or at least all of the young, in-shape people riding past us seemed to be pedaling fine. BUT...if you are over 60 and not exactly fit, then be ready for a challenge!

We made multiple stops along the way to snap photos...

This succulent garden was amazing!

Including many different views of the bridge...

The bike lane across the bridge was on the west side...or at least it was on the weekends. I'm not sure why, but on the week days things reverse and bikers cross on the east side and the pedestrians get the west lane. Riding across the bridge is just a bit harrowing. Cars in the center lanes are whizzing by and VERY loud and even though the bike lane is separated by a fence, there are bikers going in both directions...also at a pretty fast clip. There wasn't much space when going around the large pillars on the bridge and it took all of my concentration to stay focused and not crash into the oncoming bikes. Needless to say there was no chance of enjoying the view from the bridge.

At the end of the bridge there is a long downhill stretch towards Sausalito. I was rejoicing as I flew down the road without pedaling...but then...there was another long, gradual hill to climb to get into the city. Once again, before reaching the top, I had dismounted and was walking my bike.

Bob and Kent had decided they were going to bike back to San Francisco and let Laurel and I take the ferry...but once they knew they would have to endure the long hill back up to the bridge it made them change their minds.

Sausalito was a busy place on a beautiful, Sunday afternoon and riding bikes in the traffic was not fun. We made a quick stop at the ferry landing to check the departure times. The next ferry would be leaving at 1:05 which gave us a little over an hour. If we missed that boat, it would be nearly 3 pm before the next departure. 

In my mind I had imagined us wandering the streets, stopping to look into the quaint shops of Sausalito and then having lunch at an outdoor cafe overlooking the marina. In reality, the combination of sore muscles and stress from riding in traffic had me so fatigued that all I could think of was to find some place to eat fast and make sure we were on that ferry at one o'clock! Oh...and I had also developed bruises on my butt bones from sitting on the hard bike seat. 

There was a small cafe across the street from the bike parking lot and we ordered a meal of fish and chips. The half dozen or so tables were all filled so we got our food to go and took it back to the parking lot where we sat on a short, concrete wall while we ate. We did have a limited view of the marina however so I guess I shouldn't complain.

We were in the front of the line when the boarding began on the ferry and by loading our bikes on first meant we were last to unload when we reached San Francisco! Lots of bikes!!

Before heading back to Pier 41, the ferry made a stop in Tiburon.

The ride across the bay was windy, but beautiful.

Pretty flowers on Alcatraz Island!

As we were retrieving our bikes to get off the ferry, a woman approached us and asked if she could ride back to the bike rental shop with us. She had been on a guided bicycle tour and the guide had taken off without her!

The five of us returned our bikes to Blazing Saddles and then parted ways with our new friend and went back to the hotel and crashed. After a shower and nap we were refreshed and wanting to find some dinner. I swore we would not eat at Denny's on this trip (last time we were in SF we ate there TWICE!) but that is exactly where we ended up. We were all hungry for something healthy...particularly vegetables...and Denny's was the closest and cheapest place. Being old does have some benefits...we all ordered off the senior citizen menu and got more food than any of us could finish.

After dinner we walked down to the beach near Ghiradelli Square and got there just in time for sunset.

Where is "spell check" when you need it?

Ghiradelli Square

Walking back to our hotel we waited as the cable cars pulled into the Powell-Hyde turnaround. On our last visit we bought MUNI passes and rode the cable cars all over San Francisco...this time we just couldn't fit it in.