I was pleased to be leaving Manchester Beach. As I continued along the coast, the fog slowly lifted and the temperature rose.
The road got narrower and the short sharp ascents and descents became more frequent.
Ocean Cove
It was late in the afternoon when I arrived in a small place called Ocean Cove. There wasn’t much to it, but it had all that I need: a Bar and Grill, a small store and a camping ground.
The Bar and Grill had great views across the cove to the ocean. The food was good and the craft beer, was excellent as always. There were some binoculars on the bar, for the purpose of looking at passing whales.
In the morning, I returned to the Bar and Grill for breakfast. Unfortunate this was very ordinary.
Climbing over Jenner Hill
Next day, I headed to Bodega Bay. This involved climbing over Jenner Hill. It was quite a climb. The road was also very close to the cliffs that drop directly into the ocean below. Check out the Flickr photos and video.
The road was very busy, will the tail end of the Memorial Bay traffic heading south.
There were also lots of land slips. They had caused one lane to be closed with traffic lights stopping the movement of the vehicles in one direction at a time. I was able ride to the front of the line of cars and RVs at each land slip.
I noticed one particular vehicle, an old VW Combie. It would pass me and then come to a stop at a land slip. I would pass it as I went to the front of the line. When lights changed, I would head off and was passed by the cars and RVs, including the VW. At the next land slip, the above would be repeated. It was the classic ‘tortoise and hare’ thing.
Stopping for Lunch
Near Jenner I stopped for lunch in the very flash restaurant that looked across the beach to the ocean. The food was excellent, if somewhat expensive. The bartender told me that this part of the coast was “a well-kept secret until recently. It has been discovered by the IT crowd in the Bay Area”.
On to Bogeda Bay
I continued onto Bodega Bay. The only accommodation on offer were motels and guest house. I was lucky to find a vacancy in the Bodega Bay Inn. It was Ok, but turned out to the most expensive accommodation on my trip so far.
The Inn, however did offer a reasonably good ‘continental’ breakfast with muesli and fruit. Such fare is not usually on offer in my experience of USA motels.
The One Takes a Turn
After Bodega Highway One heads East inland and towards Highway 101. At Forde Valley, it heads back towards the coast. Most of the traffic heads towards the 101.
I continued on ‘The One’. It was somewhat surreal to be travelling on the road with virtually no traffic.
I stopped in a tiny place call Tomales for lunch, a basic cheese and tomato sandwich.
At a place called Inverness, I noticed a lot of cars parked by the road. The attraction turned out to be an oyster farm. They were serving fresh Pacific Oysters and cold beer.
I sat bench eating oysters and drinking craft beer. I got into conversation with a couple with a huge Afghan Hound. Check out his photo.
I headed onto Point Reynes where I stopped for a meal.
After yet another very good meal and a couple of good craft beers, I headed on to Olema where I checked into a RV and camping ground.
In the morning, I headed inland towards Fairfax on the Sir Francis Drake Boulevard which passes through the Samuel P Taylor State Park.
As I rode into Fairfax, the traffic became very heavy. I heard someone called out “are you lost”? It turned out to be a fellow cyclist. He rode over to me and asked, “where are you headed”? I told him that I was headed to San Francisco. He said “you need to stay off this road and offered to show the way on bike route.
This turned out to be very good. However, it was a good job that he led the way as the route was not very well signposted. There were some parts on paths and other parts on back streets. The bloke was on an electric bike. He had converted it himself. It had motors in both the front wheel and the crank. It was seriously quick.
The bloke led me as far as Mill Valley, close to where bike path meets the 101. There was one last steep climb before the path dropped down into Sausalito on San Francisco Bay.
Sausalito
I stopped for lunch in fish restaurant on the bay. It was really good.
Golden Gate Bridge
After lunch, I continued onto the Golden Gate bridge.
For some reason, the west side of the bridge is closed to cyclists after 3.00 p.m. A guard of the bridge told me that I could cross to the other side and ride there. Crossing to other side meant walking the bike down and up ramps next to a long flight of steps. There was no way that the bike could fit on the ramp with the panniers onboard. I decided to walk.
Half way across the bridge, I walked into a bank of fog. It was somewhat surreal. To the east the sky was clear and sunny. To the west, the bridge was covered in thick fog.
Riding into Down Town San Francisco
Once over the bridge, I hopped on the bike and rode along the bay towards Fisherman’s Wharf and the onto my hostel, in Mason Street, one block from Union Square.
Flickr Links
From Manchester Beach into San Francisco
Garmin Links
Manchester Beach
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1768265268
Jenner
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1768265324
Bogeda Bay
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1771070204
Point Reyes
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1771070240
San Francisco
billrider2013 