Day 36: Samuel P. Taylor State Park to Montara, CA

2011/08/12

Miles: 48

What I rode by: the Golden Gate Bridge

Today was our most urban day of riding since Day 1 when we rode through Vancouver. Today was the day we rode over the Golden Gate Bridge.

We planned to get an early start but that proved difficult for a number of reasons. The Aussies (by the way, their names are Hillary, Patrick, and Don) offered to cook us pancakes and I had to clean a big splattering of bird poop from our tent (it was everywhere). They were planning to camp tonight just before the bridge in the Marin Headlands and ride over it tomorrow but I suggested they ride over it with us and then go back to their campsite. They agreed and off we went.

The first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge gave me a burst of energy. All these miles and I’m finally about to ride over the Golden Gate. We took a bunch of pictures, dodged plenty of tourists, and then said goodbye to our friends at the other side.

Shortly after heading on our way through San Francisco, I heard someone say, “nice legs”. I looked over my shoulder in time to see the woman who said it, and said, “thanks.” This brings up something Kristen first noticed in Washington: the type of people who talk to us (i.e., the people who initiate a conversation with us). This group consists of motorcycle riders (usually Harley-Davidson), men, old women, foreign women, and lesbians. Women who are with men never talk to us, even if the man they are with is talking to us. The only exception to this was the woman who gave us cucumbers and carrots from her garden a few nights ago. Curious.

Riding through San Francisco was uneventful and rather desolate. Our map took us on some quiet and flat streets. Once out of SF, we had thick fog and wind all the way to the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel.