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| The Road-Warrior look |
Alan is precisely on time and arrives at my hotel at 10:30. After a short drive we park the car close to the ocean and unload the bikes.
After crossing a road we already can see one of the ride's objective in the distance.
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| A telephoto shot: It's much further than it looks ;-( |
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| Cruising by Alcatraz Island |
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| Alcatraz in the distance |
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| The Palace of Fine Arts in front of SF skyline |
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| Starting to pedal the bikes up a hill |
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| But still quite a way to go. And traffic is atrocious ! |
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| Of course, I can't resist the temptation of a posing picture ;-) |
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| Still not quite there: On Sunday's, cyclists are not allowed on the eastern (to the right) sidewalk but have to take the western one |
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| Finally ! |
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| Another instance of Alan patiently waiting for me to finish my picture taking |
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| looking back towards the SF side |
Then we're over the bridge and it is time to go downhill towards Sausalito.
When Alan mentions that good lunch with a view can be had in this complex, I remember that I could eat again ;-)
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| empty plates with a view |
A bit more pedaling, always with a view on our right ...
... and we have reached Sausalito.
After a YUMMY coffee at Alan's favourite Cafe in Sausalito, we try to take a ferry back to San Francisco. The number of cyclists riding over the bridge to Sausalito is so large, there are RULES and REGULATIONS now for taking a bicycle onto the ferries. AND, these rules and regulations are even more STRICT for electric bikes. At 14:20, we try to get a bicycle token for the 3:05 ferry, but we are informed that my e-bike would not be allowed onto that ferry and that the next departure for e-bikes would be at ~16:30. I had already expected something like that and had estimated that I'd have PLENTY of battery power left to speed-cruise back up the hills and over the bridge while Alan would take his conventional bicycle onto a ferry. He even was able to catch a 14:35 ferry, and I started back towards San Francisco via the land route.
Even though there is some time pressure, I make time to stop for pictures
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| The bridge beckons but there are still some hills to be pulled up |
Then I'm back on the bridge and only stop a few times to try to catch these grey (blue?) tones.
After reaching the San Francisco side again, I am blessed with a forceful tail wind and that in combination with the battery resulted in quite a few cyclists being scared out of their wits when I blasted by them. I am at Fisherman's Wharf in no time flat. This place is even more touristy than 20 years ago, when I was here first, and I am glad when Alan arrives to take me to the Musee Mecanique, a museum of antique coin-operated mechanical musical instruments and arcade games. Right outside the entrance I get to take a picture of a submarine. Tours of the submarine are also available, but after all these outdoor activities in gorgeous weather, I'm not going to hide in dark confines!
While Alan locks his bicycle, I take time to become friends with this young seagull.
Then it's time for the Musee mecanique !
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| A mechanical horse & rider gallops away |
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| A frightfully realistic Guillotine beheading (including sound effects) |
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| 'ballet dancer's reflected in the mirror |
For 50 cents I also start an old Wurlitzer player piano with two sets of drums and a triangle instrument, all being played automatically following the instructions of a punched paper roll. WOW! (No picture though)
One more look at the submarine and we direct our front wheels towards the car. After a drive to Alan's home in Lafayette, I am spoiled again by food, overwhelming hospitality, and an introduction to this baby:
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