There’s always another viewpoint, as true for San Francisco as anything! Do you see the Golden Gate?
Category Archives: Travel
And The City Roars Once More!
They did it again, with a little extra nail biting in the final act. The parade of two years ago will be once more. The San Francisco Giants are the 2012 World Series champions!
For the 100th — and First — Time
Beginning on the island of Corsica, ending at nighttime, and remaining– for the first time in a decade– entirely within the country for which the event is named, are just a few distinguishing new features of next year’s exciting journey. The route for the 100th Tour de France has hereby been unveiled!
Your Best Choice?
As for that busier-than-usual weekend in San Francisco, it’s certainly here, while my car is certainly staying put until Monday. In a change from my usual Saturday cycling routine, I didn’t dare cross the Golden Gate Bridge amidst the horrific thought of one million tourists in town. Instead, my Strava app recorded a shortened yet decent 35 miles in the saddle without leaving the city. Leaving, however, may be your best choice of them all!
Quickly Returned
“It is an extreme experience – cutting edge wing-sailed catamarans flying at speeds over 30 miles per hour, and a mix of fleet and match racing to test the abilities of the best sailing teams in the world.” (RedBull.com)
I’m vividly and happily reminded of my days– on a far smaller scale– on the waters of Lake Maxinkuckee at Culver Summer Naval School. Much of the sailing terminology and technique I learned more than two decades ago quickly returned to me here in 2012, much to my enjoyment and satisfaction.
This is to say, the America’s Cup World Series has quickly returned to San Francisco Bay this week for round two, following the first go-around in August. “The best sailors” and “the fastest boats” are captivating onlookers from Marina Green this week– including myself obviously.
Despite all this excitement on the water however, it’s not the only game in town. America’s Cup remains just one of many events in a very busy week for San Francisco!
When in Stuttgart…
On my list of automotive attractions yet to visit, this one holds its place at the top.
Old School Never Fails
“One of a Kind.”
“A Tasty Classic.”
“An Institution.”
What can I possibly say now that hasn’t been expressed once, twice or 5000 times over the past 163 years? For all the positive reviews out there of “San Francisco’s oldest restaurant,” both my discerning eye and satisfied palate heartily concur.
The bread, butter and water are already on the counter as you sit down. While images of bygone times decorate the walls as history permeates the air, one very thorough yet no-frills menu awaits. Tadich Grill remains the unmatched place to savor a real meal while enjoying a unique journey through time. Despite today’s higher-than-1930 prices, portions remain more than generous as service proves extremely efficient. After this long it’s safe to say the entire staff has procedure and routine down to a science.
Time and again the rave reviews have poured in, a book awaits your purchase, and a brief yet informative history synopsis covers the daily printed menus. As the establishment’s website proclaims: “The Tadich Grill experience is like no other.” To this, upon my much-anticipated second visit and repeat enjoyment of the best liver-and-onions in town, I happily add my own accolade: Old school never fails!
On The Nose.
“This must be a 1958,” I declared with quick yet careful thought, if not just calculated guessing. “You hit it right on the nose,” the gentleman replied. “1958 it is.” Oh, how I love it when I’m dead-on with MBZ model years!
Spotting it well ahead of me in the gray-sky distance while cycling through Golden Gate Park, I knew right away this one would stop me in my tracks. And let me tell you, it was well worth my break in cadence, not to mention an excellent photo-op. What I had the good timing to encounter has to be the most pristine Mercedes-Benz 190 SL I believe I’ve ever seen in the open air, outside of a showroom or auto show that is.
If you’re even more spellbound than I am and happen to have a bit of cash to spare, this timeless automotive masterpiece can most certainly be yours. All Steve at CarPlanet will need is the money of course. See if you can guess this classic’s asking price; you might just hit the figure on the nose!
On A Clear Day…
Even without personal watercraft it’s so easy to get out on San Francisco Bay, thanks to the commuter ferries linking the Embarcadero with Marin County. For those of us who don’t normally use them, it’s also easy to forget this simple privilege exists. The views are truly spectacular, especially on a clear day such as this one.
And Now, “Back to Normal”
The celebrations have ended, the final medal count is in, and the mass exodus has begun. The sun has set on the Games of the XXX Olympiad, completing one more chapter in athletic history and leaving the world with a fresh batch of indelible memories. While Her Majesty did not attend the Closing Ceremony, instead we got the Spice Girls, Eric Idle and a giant octopus. Two amazing weeks have ceremoniously come and gone, and now amid post-Olympic pride and glory London can get “back to normal,” whatever this might mean.
On a Day of “Rest”…
In addition to the consistent yet unpredictable excitement of professional cycling, a secondary attraction always lies beneath the surface of Tour de France broadcast coverage. This is, the ability of television viewers here at home– or from anywhere beyond the event itself– to take in what might seem like all of the country of France.
From farmland to mountain terrain, villages to mid-sized cities, modest cottages to grand chateaus, French topography and landmarks prove captivating as yet another interesting sight always seems to catch the eye. Even during a surprise sprint attack, an exhausting climb or a bullet-like descent, it’s hard to be unaware of the athletes’ beautiful surroundings. The genuine outpouring of enthusiasm from numerous roadside spectators simply enhances the joy. Plus, the roads, towns and many varied locations we see are never all the same from one year to the next, because no two Tour routes are exactly alike.
Now on this first of two days of “rest” in the Tour de France, the opportunity is here for any fan so inclined to enjoy as much French scenery as possible, free from the obvious priority of the next Tour stage. (If you missed it, the second rest day is next Tuesday, July 17.) All the while I dream of my own days– hopefully not too far in my future– when I will enjoy these beautiful places firsthand, by car, motorcycle, or best of all– bicycle! With each passing Tour, I realize all the more it’s been far too long since my last visit to France.
Our Own Pride
Taking the positive with the negative– from a time of celebratory self-expression to a massive and exhausting crowd worth avoiding altogether– another San Francisco Pride weekend has come and gone. As the city now thankfully returns to “normal”– of course a relative term around here– the history behind this longstanding annual event is not far from my mind. Despite a seemingly endless street mess among various unruly elements scattered about, all in all it’s good to remember the fortunate reality that each of us has the right to our own Pride, however it might, or might not, be expressed.
Gazing South-Southwest
From one of my most recently discovered vantage points, often on the horizon gazing south-southwest appears a certain famous landmark. On a day like this one however, with weather conditions so drastically different from one mile to the next, you really wouldn’t know anything was out there. And trust me, having pedaled through that thick, damp, blinding cover not long before this photo was taken, indeed the cycling day was far more satisfying in the vicinity of this present location.
Hot in the Bay
What a fantastic outdoor day, when it’s unusually hot in the Bay. From one picturesque viewpoint to another, this is a time to savor what feels like Southern California weather, never knowing of course how long it will stick around. When it falls on a Sunday, all the better! Summer is indeed upon us, and not just by calendar alone.
Following The Jubilee…
Here’s to her impressive 60 years as monarch, though of course not a record for her position. This will come roughly three and a half years from now, and I’d say it’s a safe bet she’ll make it. Either way, at least for now Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II might finally get some rest upon the conclusion of four days of celebration for her diamond jubilee. If not Her Majesty herself, the city of London may very well need the time to recoup. After all, with jubilee celebrations now at an end, the London Olympics are quite soon to begin!
Looking Back at 75
Now that the Golden Gate Bridge has celebrated its much-anticipated 75th birthday, one more date hereby joins the timeline of San Francisco’s most notable landmark. On such an occasion as this, I find it quite interesting to look back into history, to the birth of what will very likely outlive our grandchildren’s great-grandchildren!
Go West!
Finally! Relieved cyclists are at long last returning to the west sidewalk of the Golden Gate Bridge, thanks to its much-anticipated and very necessary reopening this week. This of course comes just in time for the iconic landmark’s big 75th anniversary celebration this weekend, while not a moment too soon– as I’ve said before— for us cyclists simply tired of having to navigate the narrow and overcrowded east walkway. For months the bridge’s east side has been nothing more than a maddening pedestrian obstacle course. Now, happily enough, the madness is all over, at least for now if not– fingers crossed– for good.
Finally a reality once again, thankfully so!
This lengthy and unfortunate cycling inconvenience came about, as you may very well know, thanks to south-end construction of the new Golden Gate Bridge entry plaza and Bridge Pavilion, which has now finished up right on schedule with this weekend’s anniversary festivities. Not only did the work wipe away existing pathway access to the west sidewalk, but bridge officials apparently decided not to let cyclists pass through the service area or alongside the toll booths, which would have been perfectly fine with me. Instead we waited– and suffered– until now, as finally the time has come for cyclists to “go west” once again.
Happy 75th, Golden Gate. I’m looking forward to my first west-side crossing in far too long. Plus, seeing as the new pathway from the plaza to the west sidewalk is much improved over the previous, wider and smoother that is, in the end it looks like we cyclists have been rewarded!
In The Blink…
Blink and you probably missed them! The 2012 Tour of California is well underway, with Stage 2 kicking off this morning in San Francisco’s picturesque Marina District. The peloton didn’t exactly stick around for coffee; within minutes riders were hammering south en route to today’s finish line in Aptos. Hitting a mere 40 MPH on my own ride today, no doubt I would have been dropped.
If you did blink, look for the gang again tomorrow at the start of Stage 3 in San Jose. Quite a cycling week it is!
Always A Plus
A 120-mile motorcycle excursion proved most enjoyable yesterday, especially considering the rarity of such an event for me these days. Suffice to say, in this first third of 2012 the miles have added up far more quickly on my bicycle than my motorcycle– 1250 versus 700 respectively– and not by accident.
No miles of any kind accumulate all that quickly within San Francisco itself, inviting the satisfaction of any beyond-the-city journey. Still, while the motorcycle has become my almost-daily city commuting tool, the bicycle continues to enable my longstanding pleasures 
of strength, endurance and distance. Gone is my time, so it appears, of an 11,000-mile motorcycling year. At the same time, still to return is a year of bicycling 6,000 miles. While anticipating this accomplishment, at least I’m reminded of the pleasures of a motor once in a while.
Motorcycling has its place no doubt, and fortunately I’ve not had to choose one over the other. However, as I’ve said more than once over my past 2.5 years of owning a motorcycle: I’m a bicyclist first, and I always will be. Of course my preference also burns more calories, which is always a plus!
Quite An Introduction…
The 17th of March, safe to say, is not another typical day to visit Foley’s Irish House just off San Francisco’s Union Square. Still, seeing as my somewhat-Irish entourage and I were clad in green spirit (literally), and mindful that Foley’s has long topped my personal list of San Francisco establishments to experience, we could not have chosen a better place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
Unless I wait another year, my second trip to Foley’s will be nowhere nearly as loud, crowded and jubilant as my first. Nevertheless, my St. Patrick’s Day introduction has left me thoroughly impressed with Foley’s richly and classically decorated space, coupled with an extensive food and drink menu that clearly deserves further enjoyment. I look forward to my return and recommend your own visit, relative peace and quiet notwithstanding!
Not One Ride Soon Enough!
It closed, it opened, and then it closed again. The word is the Golden Gate Bridge bicycle lane will reopen– hopefully for good this time– by “the beginning of April.”
More Saturdays than not so far this year, I’m one of many cyclists “forced” to brave the bridge’s narrow, crowded, east-side walkway to Marin, then later a second time when even more congested and unruly– back across to San Francisco. In a rare moment of not dodging slow-moving, seemingly oblivious, camera-snapping packs of pedestrians, I glance across lanes of traffic to an empty, lifeless west-side bikeway– not a worker in sight– spotting no visual reason as to why on a Saturday, an obvious day off from the bridge’s current repairs, this very necessary stretch should remain closed. And then it’s back to the “obstacles” ahead.
Suffice to say, the beginning of April cannot come one ride soon enough!
Classique Du Jour
Yet another impressively well maintained, original-plated automotive classic stopped me in my pedaling tracks this morning, this one on Lake Street outside the Presidio. We’re looking here at a 1972 Cadillac Eldorado— hub caps, moldings and badges all intact– with if not its factory paint job, still very likely its original metallic color. Once again, I pause with a nod of appreciation for this “classic of the day.”
Two in One
The sightings of classic Mercedes-Benz automobiles– two of them, in one day, and in the same neighborhood that is– no doubt call out for a camera.
First we see a 1966 230 SL, followed by a 1972 250 C, both well used yet more than decently maintained. Not only are these two magnificent cars obviously still on the road, but even better– they’re both still on the road with their original license plates, thus adorning the badge that marks their true age, while allowing a California license plate numbers guy like myself to pinpoint their precise model years and months of purchase.
All in all, I say this was a terrific day to be on foot in San Francisco’s Lower Haight!
So Much More
One very complete menu
The roomy corner bar table must have been waiting for us. At 6:30 on a Saturday night, we arrived just in time before the place started to really fill up. With menus in hand and an unobstructed view of the Saints game, we were more than ready for a good dinner.
Speaking of menus, it took no time to make my selection. After all, when liver-n-onions is on the list– especially at a place I’m visiting for my first time– of course I have to give it a go.
I love finally making it to a dining establishment that’s “on my list,” even when I haven’t previously seen the menu. I love even more being completely impressed and satisfied. Such is the case with the very popular Liverpool Lil’s, an obviously well-established destination that now has at least one more fan in yours truly.
The meal of meals
Accompanied by cheesy mashed potatoes and hearty mixed vegetables– including brussels sprouts– the generously portioned liver-n-onions entree proved itself one of the best I’ve had in San Francisco. The glazed half chicken on my dining companion’s plate didn’t look too meager either, following our shared appetizer of copious, crunchy calamari. Strong black coffee settled my full stomach perfectly. That “good” dinner we anticipated turned out to be so much more!
Add to this friendly and flawless service in spite of the growing crowd, and it’s clear Liverpool Lil’s runs a strong show. Established in 1973, countless have been served, as I will be again very soon no doubt. Will you be joining?
If You Look…
Just when I think I’ve found them all, another one pops up to surprise me. Now well into my second year of road cycling all over the topographically adventurous city of San Francisco, “new” routes are continuing to present themselves. As such, I’m happy to report– yet again– that options abound within the city limits for a decent 20-to-30-mile spin.
Who says you have to leave San Francisco to log the mileage? Granted I’ll admit– today I did, hammering out the always satisfying 40-mile Sausalito-Tiberon loop, in reverse for my first time.
Still, despite the obvious obstacles and annoyances of city cycling, I continue to be thrown another decent road to conquer, some with fresh new pavement even! So, don’t think you have to drive out of town with bike in tow to get those legs seriously moving. It’s all right here within San Francisco, if you look. And yes, after this long, I’m still looking!
Thankfully I can say my mileage moved into three digits in this first week of 2012.
Miles Ahead…
Of all the ways to describe my 2011… the year of discovery, the year of lessons, and thanks to the record-low mileage on my car’s odometer, the year of literally going nowhere… among all else at least I can say this about my first entire calendar year as a resident of San Francisco: My 2011 cycling mileage did indeed surpass that of 2010. Granted this came– and just barely so– with conscious December effort upon literally getting my butt in gear after some previous months of– how shall we say– focus on other activities.
And now, here I type once again on this, another December 31. As always on this day, I think back over the uniqueness and memories of my past 12 months, while reminding myself that no matter what they turn out to be, the next 12 months ahead will certainly be different than the last. After all, nothing and no one remain the same. As such, I lift a glass to toast both the end of one year-long “season” and the beginning of the next. Literally and figuratively, miles and miles ahead remain to be pedaled!
May your “miles ahead” be welcoming, challenging and rewarding, be them my gas pedal, throttle, leg muscles, or anything more cerebral. Happy New Year 2012!
Ryan R. Sanderson 