The Long and Winding Ride, and the Short and Winding Road

When we looked at the photos we'd taken as we set out at the beginning of today, we couldn't believe it was only this morning! Well, that's what happens when you cover a distance of 35 km on a bike, up and down and round and round and stopping, stopping, stopping to capture iconic images, as well as recover your breath! 

Having successfully navigated our way around pedestrians and other bikes across the bridge, we headed uphill to the viewing stations on the road to Rodeo Beach over Hawk Hill. Now, I've been recovering from pneumonia as most of you know, and I've done a breathing course which requires me to only breathe through my nose, including during exercise; Hawk Hill was my first test - and I managed it! A very proud hubby had I! He kept checking I was ok, and I was, but the rests for photos were a great excuse! But it is rather steep. We waited for quite a while at one point, but the bridge refused to put in a full appearance. One German guy asked us if the bridge was really around here somewhere!

The freewheeling down the other side to Rodeo Beach was considerably easier, especially as it was a one way road. Steve beat me to the bottom by some distance, and his brake pads are still fairly intact! 

A short sit on a bench overlooking the Pacific, watching the surfers and looking out for Great Whites, and we were off again, back towards civilisation - and food! With nothing more than a large chocolate chip cookie since breakfast ( a yummy plate of cinnamon and raisin French toast with hot maple syrup ) we were a tad on the peckish side, it now being past 3 o'clock. As we came out of the tunnel the bridge was in brilliant sunshine - of course. Hey ho. But I think we experienced the real Golden Gate Bridge, all shrouded in mist. 

Just a little bit further round and we drop down into Sausalito, Devonport on steroids Steve called it! Lovely spot for an early dinner then another queue, with probably over a hundred other day-tripper cyclists, for the ferry ride back over to town. They love bikes over here, it's really cool :-) 

Having returned the bikes we headed into Ben and Jerry's ice cream parlour and went to find a cable car to ride. Massive queue, so stretched out our legs on a long steep uphill to find Lombard Street, the other iconic SF tourist spot. Even in the early evening there were plenty of photographers about - well, we were there, so why wouldn't others be! 

All that remains to be done, before saying goodbye to San Francisco tomorrow, is a trolley bus ride to Union Square and back. Up and out before the queues should do it!