cyclotourists

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Golden Gate National Recreation Area


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Our first day cyclotourists began navigating out of the traffic and the undulating streets of San Francisco. Heart in my mouth I began to breath again when I reached the comparative flatness of the Golden Gate Bridge, only to be confronted by human traffic. We took our time crossing, the view of the bay was a marvel of glittering light and white sails, half way across the tourists thinned and we flew under red cables of twisted metal then down down into the little seaside town of Sausalito.

It was a charming spot, we lingered to finish our second round of pastries from breakfast. Having left the lionshare of our luggage with the bike rental man I was mortified to be turned away from the breakfast table for having shorts too short, once I swallowed my shame it turned out in our favour being handed ‘to-go’ boxes that we stuffed to bursting. I’m sure those more refined among you are apalled, but anyone who has been a backpacker knows the buffet croissant in the backpack routine.

We met a lovely German woman outside a bike shop who wished us well, then we were off over bumpy timber boardwalks and wetlands into Golden Gate Recreation Area which we always mistakenly refer to Golden Gate Park and get bemused looks of locals imagining us hitching up tent in the middle of the city. There was no sound of traffic as we bopped over the rutted dirt path. Falcons wheeled over head doing a dance with the moon. After all was set up for the night I found the perfect log to sot and enjoy the sun, unfortunately it was a high security log and what I had dismissed as lush bushes surrounding it were secretly super nettles! I yelped and Dylan shook his head in amusement at my plight. Stings were forgotten when we took a ride to the beach for sunset. We were just a handful of souls lucky enough to be in this magical place. Couples perched on the rocky cliff base and strode hand in hand along the shore, ships bellowed their greetings and birds kissed with their pale bellies. Just as light dimmed to just a hum at the horizon, a helicopter swung towards us and came metres above our heads and a nebulous voice barked something crackly at people climbing off the path above us. Chastened and shocked by their hard core telling off they scrambled back to the designated trail. Excitement overflowing for the day we returned in darkness to our tent and the sound of owls and ships horns calling us to sleep.

The Bike Hut
The owner might seem a little grumpy at first, but it’s becauuse he is so passionate about bikes and getting people touring, bu spends his days hiring out tandems for rude tourists. He threw in panniers, locks and helmets for no extra charge and also has some camping gear for rent too. He was so happy to rent us bikes for actual touring that he even kept our excess luggage for the week at his house!

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Free walk in camping, must reserve a spot beforehand. No fires or drinking water, but yes bear boxes and toilets.

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Exploring a new city

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San Francisco, California


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Today we tackled the San Fran hills and they won. Wandering from Nob Hill we went in search of the Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco definitely has the strongest european echo I have felt in America, the buildings so closely packed, the antithesis of sprawling suburbs, the detailing, the balconies and flowers. Every terrace holds a mystery behind its facade, perhaps a secret courtyard, an attic room, a spiraling outdoor staircase to a rooftop paradise.

Without seeking it out we fell upon the Lombard streets curiosity, the road twirling through planters. Then finally we started the descent to the other side of the bay. The clunk of ball on bat, drew us to what I thought was a baseball game, but was later informed by Dylan was softball, oh well whilst not the “American Game” it was an American game. Customary Sunday sport in the park, people joined together in chants and cheers for their team as each man stepped up to bat.

As lunch approached Dylan surprised me with a glorious park for picnic. A temple like stone building, from the pages of a Greek epic surrounded by a lake. We feasted on pastries we had gleaned from the buffet breakfast (just so Dylan’s dad could be reassured he got his money’s worth of course) and watched people slowly stream by.

The onto the beach and our first view of the famed Golden Gate. By now a fog had begun to amass from the north and everything became as if viewed through gauze.Time was slipping away, we had to get back across town to Pier 40 to collect some hire bikes for an adventure. We began to run, along the coast through swathes of hot pink pigsface and into a forest of pine. 40 minutes in we had admitted defeat, 6 was looming and we were an hour way, then a bus wooshed past. We emptied our pockets, $1 short of a fare, and there was a little convenience store with an atm before us. Cash out, a coconut water and ice cream and we on our way. As sun began setting on San Francisco Bay Dylan began the task of teaching me how to ride like a cyclotourist not a commuter with a basket full of flowers and a baguette in the back. It should be an interesting week on the road.

Lombard Street


Palace of Fine Arts

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Basics made in San Francisco in pretty white and pastels just like the terrace houses and nautical navy.

Golden Gate Bridge

Darbar
Indian restaurant, cheap and cheerful. The owner in his woolen jumper made us feel welcome and the price and proximity from our hotel made it a very relaxing night out.

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san francisco

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San Francisco, California


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We flew from a cloudy Portland morning into the sun. It’s something else to descend through puffy white clouds, watching their shadows stain the earth. Our first glimpse of the city was out of the cave of the metro, we stood blinking into the brilliant sun. As we ascended the stone stairs Powell street materalised before us: masses of cascading flowers, the rush of summer clad tourists who cheered as a trolley car rumbled down the hill. That hill! The art deco building soared upwards, their size magnified by the steep slope, I had never felt so dwarfed in my life. I guess these would appear thimbles when I arrived in New York.

We inched up the climb with our pack and feeling like dirty urchins entered the lobby of our hotel, two nights a Christmas gift from Dylan’s father. After perusing the dress code of the hotel restaurant, we decided it better to wander the city in search of a meal. It was that time in the evening where the city glows, illuminating a random person or rubbish bin and elevating them to the divine. A walk at sea level allowed us to truly absorb the sheer height of city rising up from the wharf. A large bird stood in the middle of a empty lot “looking for his car” Dylan said, then off he sprinted to get some kms, leaving me to my favourite sport of trying to capture humans in their candid moments unseen. Once we reunited, we rounded the bend to Fisherman’s wharf and in the disguise of tourist you can take a photo of anyone and everyone unquestioned. It was like a non stop carnival, elevated from the gaudiness of cardboard thin facade to magic by the sheer amount of activity. Carousel horses bobbed past, a girl bounced into the air and magical started gathering a crowd. We broke through the mass for a view of the infamous Alcatraz, then as we turned toward the platforms where sea lions laze in the sun a man walked past with two iguanas on his head, it was no street act, he was just on a stroll. We could here exclamations from uncensored children as he strode into the crowd, necks flicking back in double takes until he was out of sight.

Enough excitement had we sought out dinner before returning exhausted to the luxury of a warm bath, a white robe and a hotel bed with five spare pillows.


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adios oregon

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Portland, Oregon

 

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Tomorrow we take our first internal flight, for some reason it feels like a big deal to fly perhaps the whole getting to the airport early and going through all the hoopla of taking your shoes and jacket off as you get a full body scan has something to do with it! The train has been way for chill and even though it is no cheaper, but takes far longer I prefer it, I enjoy watching the world zoom by away from roads and tarmac.So with the flight looming we had a quiet day. We are in a different airbnb which is decorated so awesomely quirky I had to include photos, the ad read “Must love cat”, which is a hoot. Our main aim for the day was just to return our bikes, but on the way we caught sight of a vintage shop in a bus! Only in Portland! The two fabulous dames who owned the vintage store and the food van next door were ready to break their day up with a chat to two Aussie travelers, and it was rather a shame we had to scoot because it was all rather fun.

Now I’m not going to lie to you, after we got the bikes back we definitely indulged in some chocolate pie. Then full to the brim we wandered around the arts district until a bus wound us homeward, to cat and chats with our hosts, Misha and Cade, and their neighbours around a backyard fire until the rain drove us to bed. Typical Portland.

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Lodekka
A vintage shop on a double decker bus? Too cool. Go chat to Erin and her food van neighbour over a refreshing class of that delicious homemade lemonade whose secret ingredient is kept under mental lock and key. Behind the van is a “meat locker” where you can buy a special treat for that deserving dog in your life.

Random Order

I only recently discovered with much embarrassment that there is no such thing s a savoury pie in America. But these beauties are so good, and fantastic to share. While we ate a girl wrote a thesis beside us and at another table a girl with patterns shaved into her hair was sketched by another.

“Do you have any vegetarian pies?
“umm…(glancing at the display case of cream covered pies) I’m not sure apart from no meat what makes a vegetarian pie…”

Alberta Eyecare
For some reason i had it in my head that i would like timber sunglasses, but couldn’t imagine i could find them anywhere except on etsy, ah i shouldn’t have under estimated Portland. the first optometrist i set foot into had the very pair i wanted and made by someone down the street!

 

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