San Francisco
Trip Start
Jun 18, 2008
1
13
17
Trip End
Aug 17, 2008
Petaluma, California
Friday, July 11, 2008
The road was nice and the traffic was light, at first. The curves and hills were manageable. We found a light house and Pat found a pull out for us to take. Since we are going North, the pull outs will be on the left - ocean side - and harder to navigate in to and out of. This one worked out great. Got some pics and made a wide left turn back onto the hwy. The traffic picked up around Half Moon Bay, and it became more of a freeway. Both Pat & I were concerned about navigating through San Francisco because the map showed hwy 1 turning into a city street. What we did not know then was that hwy 1 had been an elevated freeway through the city to the Golden Gate Bridge, but after the 1989 earthquake the had had to tear down the freeway and had decided to improve the roadways and not rebuild the freeway. So, what we found was a nice, wide, multi-lane street that was easy to navigate up to Golden Gate Park, and then it really started getting narrow and twisty and crowded as we drove through the Presidio area. Getting onto Golden Gate Bridge involved a twisty two lane on ramp which I managed to take up both lanes. Golden Gate Bridge was easy from there on, and it was a clear day so Pat was able to take some neat pictures as we crossed. The drive on into Petaluma was typical for a freeway with not too much congestion. My idea of driving through major cities during the middle of the day has not let me down in years. One day I'm going to drive into the traffic jam from hell, but I can wait for that experience.
The KOA in Petaluma turns out to be one of the nicest RV parks we've stayed at in California. Probably second only to Morro Dunes in Morro Bay. Nice wide spaces, and very accommodating staff.
We took a tour hosted by the RV park in a small type tour bus. We were the only Americans, as well as the only couple from this hemisphere. There were French, Ditch, a family from Norway and another from Sweeden. Very cosmopolitan. The tour host was from Germany, but has lived in the area long enough to know San Francisco like a native. She took us all over town. We saw the Pacific Heights, the Painted Ladies, the financial district, Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, Fishermans' Wharf, the Japanese Tea Gardens, China town and a lot of other areas, and we also rode a cable car. It was an all day tour, and very well done.
Today we took a drive over to Hwy 1 and the Bodega Bay area. Twenty some years ago my son Greg and I drove Hwy 1 south from Oregon to San Francisco. I have the best memories of that trip, and a lot of those are of the cliffs and hairpin switchbacks. But those memories soften over such a long period of time. When I first started planning this trip last year, I had planned on taking Hwy 1 north all the way into Oregon. In discussing my plans with the wonderful people on the Airstream forum I soon changed my route. North of San Franciso would be on Hwy 101 to Benbow, CA, not Hwy 1. The reason is simple, I'm too long to make a safe journey up that section of the Hwy. My trailer is 34' long, and add my Excursion and we're looking at close to 60'. This side trip to Bodega Bay really brought home just how sound the advice I had received was. Narrow, twisty road and climbs to make sure your speed doesn't exceed 40mph. It would have been a miserable trip that I would have only seen the yellow stripe in the road. Before we got there I was wondering how close this road would be to the Bear Tooth Hwy in southwestern Montanna. It was every bit as hairy, save for the elevation. I drove that sans trailer, and swore I'd never tow anyplace that was near the same. Hwy 1 was it. Beautiful, but not for towing anything of length.
We took some pics, did the obligatory shopping and got some really good salt water taffy, and came home. Diesel fuel, just north of San Francisco was $5.09. A lot easier to take than the 5.79 I paid in Marina. I hope they have a hard time sleeping with the guilt - but they won't. Tomorrow we're off to Benbow and another adventure. This is great, and life is good with My Precious riding bitch.
