Clipped-In, Heading South: Day 14 - Samuel Taylor State Park to San Fran

Day 14 - Samuel Taylor State Park to San Fran - Stumblin' and Bumblin' to Half Time
Nice short ride of around 30 plus miles (lost a couple after a break in Sausalito). Sam Taylor State Park was a great place to stay last night. I arrived off of one of the many bike paths in Marin County and found a nice, dry, semi-populated campground laid out in the best possible manner; all the campsites were in a row along a babbling creek. Made for a good night sleep. After bidding Gordon and Cal, father and son team from West Seattle, ado, I headed off for San Fran.

San Fran is a little over half way to my destination and so it is a big milestone and as such I hardly noticed the physical part of the ride my adrenaline was so high. Beautiful area to ride through as well. Marin County is filled with cute little cities like Lagunitas and Fairfax and the climbs were mostly gradual (mostly).

I did encounter my first big mishap of the trip: The front left bag popped off and into the spokes in Fairfax (right after I met Ricky (below) at a crosswalk). I was sure from the sound of it I was going to be in Fairfax for a while but after inspecting the damage I found the bag was ripped, one clip was destroyed, a spoke was broken, and the wheel now had a wobble. But I was confident I could ride another 24 miles to my destination, REI. Fortunately, (thanks to Bonnie) I called REI last night prior to the accident and arranged for a tune-up. They ended up getting a little more out of the deal.

USA!, USA!, USA!
Bonnie had warned me, and with good reason, to be cautious as I rode across the Golden Gate Bridge. Lots of looky-loos, Tour de France types, and casual bikers. I made it across safely but the (great) bike paths continued to be filled with every type of person imaginable. At the top of a small hills I was pedaling through a crowd when I noticed one hapless gent who was approaching the crest of the hill from the other direction. Seems he was having trouble with his balance and he started to teeter. At first, I figured I would get by but things turned bad quickly as passing path traffic on his side pushed him to the tipping point, right into my path. It happened in slow motion....for him. I saw the whole thing coming and was entirely prepared for it. His teeter became a full out collapse into my path and there was no way to avoid it. I lowered my shoulder as my any high school football couch would have taught me (had I not been busy doing "other" things). I have to say that it was among the most satisfying hits I have every administered in my life. Whatever the result, it was very sporting, necessary, and in no way malicious. I have to hand it to them Brits (I could tell from the accents) they are tough. One child calmly said, "Mummy, I think daddy is dead." To which the poor man's wife replied, "He better be. Come on, Howard. Get up and give him one for Queen!!!" The fact that he had a wife and children there made me think better of grabbing a photo. After all, I'm a good sport. It all ended swimmingly as that after he and his family discovered he was in fact not dead, I extended my hand to pull him off the pavement, and we sincerely bid each a good day.

A link to today's ride: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move35881639

Photos

Gordon and Cal from West Seattle at the campground

Old road that is now a bike path in Marin County

Cool store in Lagunitas

Rolling (and getting hot) hills

Ricky. I met Ricky when I nearly ran him over in a crosswalk. He was obscured by a bus that had stopped. He came sauntering, swinging, and singing from around the bus. We chatted for a bit and I learned that his father was the first black GM of a transit authority and invented electric cars. I will buy one of those. As that within minutes of meeting Ricky, my bag cut loose and blew out my tire, I will loose Ricky's number. He is not lucky for me.