Day 20: Bodega Bay, CA to San Francisco, CA

12 miles

Yesterday I called ahead to two bike shops in Sausalito to locate a new rim for the rear tire. I had success at Mike's Bikes and made an appointment for the work. I will be able to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge!

The riders had a gorgeous blue-sky day for the 71 mile ride to San Francisco. The roads were, again, hilly and narrow but at least the visibility was much improved. The van waited for the trip leader rider switch, as well as dropping of and picking up various "bumpers", at Mile 30. This view is from the wait point and typical of the landscape for the bulk of the day.

I arrived at Mike's Bikes at about 1 pm. The repair shop began to work on my bike immediately and, within an hour, I had a new rear wheel with a sparkling clean cassette, glass removed from my rear tire, a new tube, and a trued front wheel to boot. I can't say enough about their customer service.

I kicked around Sausalito a bit, in a holding pattern waiting for my daughter to get to San Francisco and, with any luck, to the Golden Gate Bridge with her brother in time to see me cross.

View from Sausalito

When it became clear that wasn't going to happen, I set out on my refurbished transportation thinking I would be doing the final leg of the ride alone and without a cycle computer (the sensor is on my old rim which I'll retrieve at the end of the day). There were two steep climbs out of Sausalito that I walked as I was not at all warmed up. Shortly after, Nancy (VT) and Donna (NY) appeared from behind and we had a Southern Tier '09 reunion ride over the bridge.

Entrance to bike lane

The bike lane on the bridge is a narrow two-way affair with all manner of cyclists from young and speedy to tourists on rental bikes who don't have a clue. It was quite windy as well. There wasn't a safe place to stop along the way for photos.

From south side of Golden Gate Bridge

Just as the bike path curved away from the bridge Ann (NJ) joined us, another ST alumna, and the four of us navigated the bike paths along the bay to the hotel.

Greeting us in the hotel parking lot was Jan Bee, another ST'er, who had signed up for this trip and cancelled due to a friend's serious illness. Jan lives in the area and was a fellow SAG driver on the ST with Nancy, Ann, and me.

Tonight's dinner was catered by the hotel--no private chefs and white plastic chairs arranged in a circle in the hotel parking lot in the Big City. I joined the group to catch up with Jan, who I haven't seen since last summer, but skipped dinner. I joined Andrew and Allie for a late dinner after Andrew finished work. Great to see both kids. Tomorrow we'll have more time.