An early departure today for Lady P, who has booked to ride the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito with the Kiwis. Flashman and the Major will head off on the Ferry as an advance team to secure a restaurant for lunch. We have been blessed with terrific weather since arrival in SF, with mid twenty's (C) and clear sky, so it is interesting to see what the guide books describe as typical SF weather today. The fog is sitting on top of the bridge and a mist obscures the SF skyline as we cruise past Alcatraz to Sausalito. This is a clean and obviously expensive little suburb, alive with tourists and hundreds of bike riders pouring off the Golden Gate Bridge and looking for bike parking and sustenance. Luckily for our team, the advance party has found a waterside restaurant, the 'Trident'. After a refreshing beer in 'The Bar with no name' and a period of intense research at the bar of the Trident, where the boys observe Manny the barman making frozen cocktails, we decide that we have found a suitable lunch venue. The bike riders of the team arrive and haggle with the poor valet who wants $2 to park the bikes, explaining that despite the large sign stating 'Free Bike Parking', you do actually have to pay $2 and get your lunch receipt stamped by the reception girls then the valet will give you back the $2, unless of course, you tell him to keep it as a tip.
Another bucket list TICK for Lady P - a bike ride across the famous Golden Gate Bridge to Sausilito and it was a blast. As described above the pylons of the bridge were shrouded in fog as we approached the bridge mid morning so we stalled our ride with several photo stops and a delicious coffee and orange blossom donut at a tiny coffee spot on Crissy Field on the waterfront. After all when you're chasing shadows in San Francisco you need some sunshine to cast the elusive shadows! The ride initially takes us along the foreshore of SF past the original Fishermans Wharf, Fort Mason and to the base of the south pylon at Fort Point. So far so good, the terrain is predominately flat and there are literally hundreds of fellow bike riders accompanying us so we don't even have to check our maps. The bikes are well kitted out with racks for back packs, and little pouches in the front for cameras etc so you can stop and grab endless photos as you pedal power along the bike path.
At the base of the south pylon we get a look at our first (and probably the only real challenge) a steep uphill climb which uses muscles we didn't know we had ! Egged on and inspired by some of the pro bike riders who fly past - uphill!, we go all out and mostly make it at least halfway up the steep incline. Then a slow walk gets us to the look out at the top. The sun is trying to break through and as we navigate our way across the bridge we are duly rewarded with some real shadows on the north side. Navigation is a challenge as there are pedestrians and cyclists moving as one with limited sense of direction (as in an understanding of the USA sidewalk rules of keeping to the right) so bell ringing is a constant and avoiding the oncoming pedal power (probably serious SF commuters en route to the city) makes for a challenging ride. But the views are spectacular and there is still plenty of time to take in the icon that is the Golden Gate Bridge. Once across the bridge it is a swift - meaning steep downhill decent into the seaside town of Sausilito as described by Flashman above.
Our lunch of clams, fish tacos, seafood platters and a hambuger (Mikayla) plus cocktails and beer tastings (Warren) was well received and yes we did get our $2 back from Fernando the bike minder. The Major and Flashman sauntered through town with us before boarding the ferry back to the city. The bike riders joined the queue of fellow pedal people and even after booking our ferry slot we had to wait in line for almost an hour before securing a spot on the ferry home, bikes safely racked on the lower deck, before berthing at the Ferry terminal still a 2km ride along the waterfront from the drop off point. Another cocktail and cold beer upstairs at Pier 39 before we farewelled the Kiwi clan who were heading south to LA the next day.
Wednesday morning we were up at a reasonable time and headed off to the BART in 24C sunny clear weather, heading for Union Square. Amazing mix of retail stores and top end brands surround the Square, along with a mix of sloppily dresses tourists and well dressed workers. We find a little lane way, 'Maiden Lane' and surprising for the US, a self serve diner. This just means you line up to order at the counter, just like home. No greeter, table waitress or any of the other staff usually found in a US diner/restaurant. Also surprising was the excellent array of fresh salads, which we dutifully had for lunch, along with a fantastic Chardonnay. Lady P had booked a sourdough bread making class in the Mission District, which is a BART ride and long walk from Union Square so off we head, many hours in advance. The change in architecture and socioeconomic status between downtown SF and the Mission is striking. The Mission is still largely a Hispanic/working class area with litter and chewing gum all over the street, but every now and then, along certain streets, you come across the urban hipster renovating delightful cottages and townhouses, or opening a weird restaurant, dress shop or gallery. The nrmal folk complain that the Mission is becoming too expensive to live. Flashman and the Major are determined to check this out this afternoon while Lady P is in the bakery. After marching all over the Mission, from 16th to 24th Street discovering the infamous 'Murals of the Mission District' and then walking
another 10 blocks south, we find the sourdough class in the back of a bakery. On the way, Lady P requires sustenance in the form of a famous strawberry balsamic and peanut butter soft serve ice cream and the lads partake in a cold beer in a local oyster bar. Having deposited Lady P safely in the bakery, Flashy and the Major discover a bar across the road. What a surprise. The area looks a bit dodgy - like the Cross or St Kilda on a bad day, so refuge in a bar seems a good choice. The 'Blind Cat' is our first stop and it delivers cheap cold beer and friendly staff. On emerging back onto the street, the area seems less downbeat so we enter 'Pops Bar' where a SF taxi driver engages the Major in a long political conversation. Thoroughly refreshed, we emerge into the twilight thinking the Mission is OK after all. Lady P is has perfected the art of sour dough starters and is armed with a container of genuine San Francisco 6.5 year old starter and some freshly baked flat bread - delicious. Back on the BART to our cottage in Berkeley and up the hill to our local restaurant area for a very good Italian meal, including a bottle of Proseco and a decent Californian red.
A late start on Tuesday 4th August as we decided to update blogs and do some planning for the excursion into the city. Lady P is nesting on the couch surrounded by books and maps, a mobile phone, tablet and occasionally the laptop. The Major and Flashman are quitely confident that she will lead the way into town and back again, so we head off around midday to walk to the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) station and into Fishermans' Wharf where we indulge in a seafood lunch at Fog Harbour Restaurant overlooking Alkatraz and the Bay. Seafood chowder in a cob loaf, battered fish and Bay scallops accompanied by a lovely Robert Ford Cupolla Napa Riesling. Lady P has booked a Guns and Gold walking tour for this evening that intersperses the commentary and walking with nice little stops at historic bars for a cocktail. How pleasant. There were six on the tour, including another Aussie from Melbourne and a couple from New Hampshire. The tour guide is a history teacher and conducted a fascinating tour from 6 pm to 10 pm, mainly in the financial district and parts of Barbery Coast and Chinatown. Even Lady P enjoyed the history lesson, well, almost. We enjoyed an Alfredo Rosso in the oldest steakhouse in SF, 'Alfredos'. Then a Pisco Punch in the basement of a jazz club, 'Doc's Lab', then lastly at Comstock Bar, a 'Cherry Push', allegedly made by Martha Washington. Of course, she's dead so she did not actually make it for us, but apparent used to make it back in the day for good old George. By now it was 10pm, so using maps on her phone, Lady P led the Major and Flashy on a cross country march to the BART station. A moment of mild panic when we think our train does not go beyond 8pm, but no, it just needed a train change at 19th Street Oakland, then home to our station where a taxi took us up the hill to our little cottage.
Up on Monday morning 3 August, for a relaxed breakfast in the Parlor, a quaint and eclectically decorated room that felt like Nana's back in the 1950's. The somewhat surly breakfast attendant Linda who watched over a fairly substantial buffet including spinach and cheese fritatta became our friend once Shirley (the owner for the past 14 years) began a conversation about the Aussi actors, Mel Gibson, Hugh Jackman et al and their subsequent good looks, personalities and the movies they have made. It was almost hard to escape the Parlour - perhaps Shirley and Linda had eyes on the Major and Flashy? We walked off breakfast with a stroll around the town again. Lady Penelope once more meeting up with the Mayor, along with Somoma's ex Sheriff and the retired Council engineer who were all breakfasting at one of the few coffee shops in town while the Major and Flashman visited the local Military Museum. After a brief visit to Walmart where we could have purchased three suitcases full of clothes for two and six (that's an old imperial measure for you young ones), we head for Shaky Town. The Major in the left seat again and Lady P nesting in the back and a decent drive on freeways into Berkeley.
Our Airbnb is located in Berkeley which is very clean, well laid out and very WASP. Cooling beers at the apparently famous and much awarded Barney's Diner just around the corner from our house, along with chili dogs and falafel pita roll (guess who), then to check in to our little cottage.
Sunday morning broke fine and warm in Bishop and after breakfast Lady P and the Major consented to Flashy driving. So, after shouts of "Graeme in the Gutter!" we managed to get fuel and head off into the great Yosemite National Park. It's hard to describe the grandeur of the park, or the massive scale of the mountains. We entered the park on the eastern side climbing up to 9,750ft and paid our park fees to a 'smokey bear' ranger in a little cabin. The elevation (almost into the oxygen deprivation zone) was confirmed with ears popping, nose running, teeth aching and sinus exploding - and that's only Flashman. Just think, that only yesterday we were at minus 190ft in desolate Death Valley.
We meandered through the valley stopping at mountain lakes where swimmers were enjoying crisp clear waters and climbers were abseiling up mountain peaks on the opposite side of the road - spectacular is an understatement and even the photos do not do it justice.
About 2 hours into the drive we determined
that Flashy needed a break and some exercise was in order. The Major suggested
a short 1 mile walk down to see the giant sequoias. This is a walk he had previously undertaken and he noted that the climb back up was fairly steep but Flashy was determined that if The Major could do this then so could he - nothing like a bit of friendly encouragement - Lady P off course suggested we have a race which she knew she would win! and we only just found a park in the car park anyway so the whole challenge was nearly thwarted!However onward and 'downward' as the saying goes and 45 mins later we had arrived at the giant sequoias - well 2 of them at least which more than met the criteria so we all began the s..l...o...w climb up the hill, Lady P leading the charge off course.
Despite the fact that it was the middle of the summer school holidays and a weekend, we did manage to get through the packed roads and car parks to the Yosemite Village where at 3pm we grabbed a snack and some refreshing much needed beverages. The landscape was awe inspiring- mountains that towered above valleys of pine trees and literally
thousands of visitors most of whom were sporting hiking gear, back packs, mountain bikes or similar. We wondered in amazement at the management of so many people in such a vast and spectacular environment.
With Lady P now at the wheel we climbed back out of the Yosemite Village and drove through to the western side of the Sierra Nevadas and the little town of Sonora. Our accommodation is the Gunn House Hotel, established in 1850 and lovingly restored and maintained. Our rooms were clean and comfortable, with each one reflecting an imaginative somewhat eclectic theme - Flashy and Lady P had the 'Rose Room', fairly self explanatory, and the Major most appropriately for someone of this status the 'Golfing Room' complete with a set of antique golf clubs in the corner. After dropping off the bags we headed across the road to the 'The Office'. Imagine saying, "Hi, honey, I'm just popping into the office?" Well, you'd end up in this nice little saloon as we did. A couple of cooling beers and we get into a conversation with the locals, one of whom is the Mayor. How about that? Meeting the town Mayor who has been re-elected 13 times and turns out to be 87 years old. We find the wandering Kiwis in the street and head out in search of food. This being a Sunday night, there are few options, but we find a diner and have burgers and beers, meat loaf and a glass of pretty good Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State. Unfortunately, they did not serve hard liquor and therefore did not have tonic water, so Flashy talks the nice waitress into getting a lemon from the kitchen and, so armed, we head back to the balcony at the Gunn Motel. Flashman and the Major crack open the duty free gin, get a bucket of ice from the machine and pull out the lemon and enjoy the first martini, while Lady P retires to the room for admin duties. The night progresses nicely, as the neighbour in room 21, an IT guy from Seattle, joins the lads for another martini. Next morning Flashman notices that the bottle still has fluid in it and he and he Major are clear headed, so it must have been a restrained evening.
Saturday, and it's departure day. Flashy and Lady P, as seasoned travellers, have of course packed the night before and only need to dress and breakfast to be ready for the trip. The Major is still packing as we down omelet and hash in the America restaurant. Lady P takes the wheel and the Major the left hand seat. Flashy is suffering (quietly of course), in the back seat as his sinus is still blocked. As we head for Death Valley the temperature rises to 100F and after climbing to 4,000' we descend to 190' below sea level at the aptly named Furnace Creek where the mercury hits 116.3F.
The nice waitress at the local saloon, where we take refuge with a coke and a Death Valley Pale Ale (Flashman), remarks on how cool it is since last month's 128F. The landscape is truly remarkable. Like nothing else we have seen, with virtually no vegetation and massive mountains of weathered sandstone, mudstone and basalt and giant valleys of talc and, well nothing except rattlesnakes and Kangaroo rats. After hydrating and surviving, we head out of Death Valley to the town of Bishop, where we check into the clean and neat Best Western Motel. Flashman and the Major brave the 100F and walk to the local shopping centre looking for a pharmacy, as Flashy wants pseudoephedrine, a Chemist issued drug that requires ID and all that stuff. The local pharmacy is shut, but Dwaine's is apparently just down the road - like a route march of 3 miles. Luckily, while marching to Dwaine's Pharmacy, we discover two bars and note their location for the return journey. What a surprise when we discover the Kiwis in the very same pharmacy. Warren and Tammy and Mikayla have checked into a motel near the pharmacy, so the Anzacs reunited head for a cooling beverage or three. Well, at least Flashman, the Major and Warren do, Tammy and Mikayla walk back to wake Lady P from her beauty sleep. Eventually we all meet at Holy Smoke restaurant for beers and ribs with the usual accompaniments of spuds, slaw, beans and mac n cheese. So American. Tick.
Friday was what we on the tour refer to as 'an admin day.' Off to the laundromat in the University area of Vegas. Yes, it does. The University of Nevada Las Vegas. A weeks worth of washing done then off to the shopping mall to pick up shirts, blouses and trousers that Lady P had found on a previous recce and all for half the cost in Aus. Other tour members were similarly engaged, but I suspect that some drinking was on the cards. After a rendezvous at a kitsch 'Rainforest Cafe' in MGM Grand, we head back to our home away from home, the NYNY and a very good dinner in the Italian restaurant. Mac's friend Chip comes as well and Mac chooses a terrific Sicilian red, then another, then a glass and well, it's bed time again before you can say jack rabbit. Not before Lady P plays the Wheel of Fortune and wins, looses and wins before loosing again. Oh well, a small donation to LV's economy.
Another bucket list TICK for Lady P - a bike ride across the famous Golden Gate Bridge to Sausilito and it was a blast. As described above the pylons of the bridge were shrouded in fog as we approached the bridge mid morning so we stalled our ride with several photo stops and a delicious coffee and orange blossom donut at a tiny coffee spot on Crissy Field on the waterfront. After all when you're chasing shadows in San Francisco you need some sunshine to cast the elusive shadows! The ride initially takes us along the foreshore of SF past the original Fishermans Wharf, Fort Mason and to the base of the south pylon at Fort Point. So far so good, the terrain is predominately flat and there are literally hundreds of fellow bike riders accompanying us so we don't even have to check our maps. The bikes are well kitted out with racks for back packs, and little pouches in the front for cameras etc so you can stop and grab endless photos as you pedal power along the bike path.
At the base of the south pylon we get a look at our first (and probably the only real challenge) a steep uphill climb which uses muscles we didn't know we had ! Egged on and inspired by some of the pro bike riders who fly past - uphill!, we go all out and mostly make it at least halfway up the steep incline. Then a slow walk gets us to the look out at the top. The sun is trying to break through and as we navigate our way across the bridge we are duly rewarded with some real shadows on the north side. Navigation is a challenge as there are pedestrians and cyclists moving as one with limited sense of direction (as in an understanding of the USA sidewalk rules of keeping to the right) so bell ringing is a constant and avoiding the oncoming pedal power (probably serious SF commuters en route to the city) makes for a challenging ride. But the views are spectacular and there is still plenty of time to take in the icon that is the Golden Gate Bridge. Once across the bridge it is a swift - meaning steep downhill decent into the seaside town of Sausilito as described by Flashman above.
