San Francisco Sight Seeing

Today is apparently the last hot day for the next couple of days, that is why I thought it might be a good idea to visit San Francisco once more for some bicycle sightseeing. The reason is simply that if it gets cooler it will get really cold in San Francisco.

As usual I started my ride in the Horse Shoe Bay on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Frist I set off for the Hawk Hill loop, which this Saturday morning was packed with other cyclists. The view was dominated by the contrast of clear skies and the fog streaming in from the ocean and you could hear again and again the foghorn of the ships pulling in and out of the Bay.

Next I drove up the Lincoln Bvd. along the coast to get to the Golden Gate Park and my first stop has been the Legion of Honor fine Arts Museum, which will hosts an exposition on Impressionists and Water in June, too bad that I will be gone then already.

Riding down 47^th street I can see the distance and one cannot really fully grasp its huge dimensions (5x1 km).

The park is wonderful and on a Saturday full of people enjoying themself in a thousand different ways. 

One could easily fill the whole day with riding the different roads and bike lanes on this Park, I have chosen to traverse it length wise to get into the city.

Cycling Downtown is not really scary because of the traffic, but with all the ups and downs, the Stop signs and traffic lights (the “Green Wave” is unknown concept here) it is a tedious busines. In the two weeks that I am here I have used up my brake pads already considerably. 

So I iteratively searched and finally found my way to the Union Square, where I have planned a picnic with a sandwich and lemonade. The square made the impression that the British were trying to reclaim the old colony...

Or maybe it was just a promotion event of the UK tourism office. Also I could witness American Democracy at work... no comment!

After a little rest and with the roast beef sandwich under my belt, I started the SF highlights Tour de Force. First stop “China Town”.

Climbing up to Coit Tower... 

Taking the photo every tourist in San Francisco takes...

And of course “Lombard Street”, here from afar...

And after a steep climbing, lot of hard breathing and nearly tearing apart my chain, here the close-up of Lombard Street...

Back down to Columbus Street and “Little Italy” with some really nice Italian Restaurants.

Riding back over the GG Bridge to my car concludes what was intended as an easy and relaxing “sightseeing tour”, which however amounted to more than 50 Km and 1000 hm.

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