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| look back onto San Francisco on the ferry to Oakland |
I arrive in the morning at San Francisco Amtrak Station in Emeryville, which is just over the water to the east of San Francisco. I load my bike and off I go. Into the train Station, where I spend a half hour talking with the helpful cashier and using my wonderfully useful phone to call the puplic transport of San Francisco. I had a place to stay organized in Fairfax, which is only 35 km from here, but I would have to change bus about a million times. So I take a free shuttle bus from the Amtrak Station to the BART, the city train of San Francisco. You should have seen me! The bus has a bike rack, but it is about hip height. I first try to load the bike with all the bags attached to it, no way! Too high! Then I unload the 2 back panniers, still too high. Then I unload all 6 bags and lift my bike on it. All awhile the bus driver does not move an inch out of his seat and watches patiently.
Once I get to the BART Station, Julia calls me and we arrange to meet at a Motel yet unknown. I skipp my plan the to go to Fairfax quite happily. I first look at a Motel close to BART, so I can go to the city center in the day to check out this famous city. I don't like what I see though. I talk with a woman on the road, she says, there is prostitution and robberies. I am out of here! I talk to 2 other people, one of which, an old man, offers me to join him to this place, where they give you free food. I decline thankfully and cycle on, down Broadway in Oakland. I pass Chinatown and an overpass and find a great Hotel, The Inn, on 3rd and Broadway. It has a clean cold swimming pool and everything was save and tidy. Lucky!!
I eat in Chinatown and walk to the ocean, which is just 3 blocks from the hotel. I meet Julia and her friend Chris at the hotel and we seem to hit it off right away.
At 4 pm we take the ferry, which is just a few blocks from the hotel. We meet Michael, a 40 year old cyclist, who has a great knowledge about the area. He becomes our "tour guide" and walks with his bike and us through Chinatown and the italian quarter. Brisk walking up and down the streets of San Francisco. We deserve our quick drink in a bar, Michael's treat to us. Not knowing, there is grander to come!
We take the ferry back to Oakland, another treat of Michael's! We get the most romantic classic view of San Francisco in the sunset! Michael takes us to a restaurant, we don't even have a chance to order, one plate after the other arrives, champagne arrives, wine arrives. Mussels, cheeses, meats, various baguettes and crackers, salad, soup, all to share. And the taste is unbelievable, the price too, but Michael treats us again despite heavy complaints from us. We enjoy this afternoon and evening to the fullest and have a blast with the ever joking Michael. We just keep laughing!
April 13, 2011
We pack our things and load my bike into the truck and leave it in the hotel parking lot. We again take the ferry across, it's only a 40 minute ride and so worth the money. This time we take it easier, walking slower, checking things out and it feels good after having talked for 8 hours solid yesterday, to be a little more quiet! We arrive at Fisherman's Wharf and walk via Chinatown back to the other ferry terminal.
We pick up the truck, Chris has to lay in the back and we drive for 2 hours south before we get a motel.
April 14, 2011
We drive another 3 hours to Hanford, California, where Julia is picking up her bike and luggage. Julia has quid her job and her house, so we load all her belongings from the storage unit into the truck. While driving out the gate we realize it is far too overloaded. the owner is so kind to let us back in after hours and we unload everything back into the storage unit.
April 15, 2011
We leave early, Chris has slept in the truck for saftey reasons, our bikes are strapped to the roof of the pick-up truck. We have a long drive ahead. 9 hours driving time to Cottonwood. Julia's friend offered us her house in Cottonwood, where we can stay for a while. So we drive through beautiful countryside, the desert is blooming, yellow ground cover and small purple bushes. All the time there are mountains around us, changing looks as we go along. There is no time to sleep, just too much to look at.
We get to Falgstaff, which is at 7100 feet, 2160 meter, it's cold out at night, especially cold after driving for the whole day through the desert. Flagstaff to Sedona is a steep drop down to 4600 feet, 1400 meter , a shame we are not on our bikes! Though we will come back this way on our bikes!
April 16, 2011
The house is stunning, large, great veranda and a perfect view of the desert and the mountains all around.
We spend a lazy morning having breakfast on the veranda and enjoying the view and the morning sun. First time this year I wear shorts! The afternoon is spent buying foods and other things for the trip. Driving around Cottonwood and talking with the friendly bike store people, who give us great info. We spend a good hour in there. People on the street great us with a big smile on their face and a wave or with a "have a good day!". So friendly! Even in Home Depot, we get to meet a Swiss-American who tells us half his life story, including some history of the wartime. So we come back after hours in town, but just visiting 2 stores, what an experience!
We have a fine home cooked meal, since we have a great kitchen, we might as well take advantage of that. Thinking about baking a bread...
Early night for a change.
