Contrast was also the name of the game today. One one side of the road, cows grazed in steep, rolling pastures, but on the other side, mist rose from the Bodega Bay inlet. Fishing towns, advertising the best seafood were nestled among dairy farms.
We were pleasantly surprised by the hip/urbane flavour of Point Reyes Station when we reached the coast. More contrast in lifestyle! This seems to be a haven for those who still hold on to the dream of a hippie community with relaxed and interesting people, willing to talk about anything from politics to yoga. One man told us his life story, including his many years as a back-to-the-land Yank in Comox, BC. In the same block, Bryan shared cycling tales and advice with people who ride the 82 mile round trip from San Francisco every Saturday. On their collective advice, we drove on to Stinson Beach to enjoy the sights together.
Stinson Beach is obviously a favorite of many. Parking was tough, as families came to enjoy a Saturday on the sand. Some were fishing, others just hanging out. I stayed here for an hour while Bryan tackled the steep climbs and curves ahead. Can you see the highway far up the cliff in this photo?
I cannot believe that so many cyclists would willingly ride on this route each Saturday. Endless uphills mixed with hairpin curves would be bad enough, but mix in heavy traffic for a real challenge. The speed limit was usually 35-45 but I can't see how anyone would drive that fast. There was no span of road without cyclists and oncoming traffic to avoid. By the time I got to the end of it, approaching Sausalito, I needed to stop to collect myself. Bryan thought it was great, although he admitted that it was a tough piece of road.
Our/my greatest challenge for the day, however, would be San Francisco. Bryan went ahead, on a bike route, catching up with some cyclists who would make up for the lack of signage on the way. He enjoyed crossing the Golden Gate Bridge with many others on the dedicated bike lane and stopped at the visitors centre on the other side. My trip was uneventful until I was unable to get across several lanes of traffic to meet him. Let's just say that heavy traffic and freeway are not a good fit for a prairie driver. i managed to get off the freeway but had no idea where I would go next. I am thankful for the onboard GPS system and cell phones to connect with Bryan. However, the GPS and I had a misunderstanding and I ended up at a vacant lot in the Mission District , 9 km from where Bryan waited. A helpful couple found where I was on my paper map, and got me back on track, another 10 km in the opposite direction. Two hours driving in gridlocked traffic, twice through the downtown, I finally spotted Bryan watching for me.
I did manage to see some of the historic buildings downtown, along with the famous trolley cars. Being stuck in traffic allowed me to take a few pictures. There has to be some kind of an up side!
Contrasts indeed! once reunited, we walked along the bay, had a great supper on Fisherman's Wharf and strolled along the pier. As the sun set, we headed back to our vehicle, ready to head out of the traffic to find our motel for the night.
This was a day of contrasts. Just 80 km for Bryan, but so many different environments for both of us. Hopefully we will be in the slower lane for a while now on the coastal Highway 1. Since we have not been able to find tourist information spots, we will continue to rely on local people to give us an idea of what's ahead. I have a feeling that our days of cheap hotels and minimal traffic are far behind us. We may become tourists more than Bryan would like as we approach the monster city areas of Los Angleles and San Diego.
I am very much enjoying your blog. There are some lovely photos as well as some scary weather stories early on. I very much liked what you wrote about having the right mindset for the challenge in an earlier post. Thank you for keeping this up to date I will follow your journey eagerly. Andy (Doria's mate from S. Sudan)
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