Hey Look At Me, I'm in Marin County - Biking In San Francisco

Hey Look At Me, I'm in Marin County!

by Penny Kephart

Publication Date: April 1996

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I had so much trouble packing my bike, I actually thought of leaving it! But with help from St. Matthews Schwinn, my bicycle was almost carry-on lug gage and I was off with plans to explore the sacred ground where the first fat tire bikes were ridden!

Upon arrival at my friend's apartment, I put my bike together and took off sight-seeing. The hills are very steep and I never really got used to them. Even while just driving around with my sister and friend Thelen, I had to hold back from saying WHEEEEE every time we crested the top of a hill. After gathering information, I found out I could ride to the Golden Gate Bridge almost completely on single track starting just two blocks from where I was staying! I knew right away that I was falling in love with this city. There were some trails in Golden Gate NP and a few more in the Presidio. The Presidio would become my off-road path to the Golden Gate Bridge. And we all know what's on the other side of that famous bridge - Marin County !

The Golden Gate Bridge has a walk way on each side, one for pedestrians and one for cyclists. As I pedaled across the world's largest single span bridge overlooking the San Francisco Bay I saw the Headlands, Alcatraz Island, the San Francisco cityscape, numerous sail boats, fishing boats and the occasional seafaring tanker. When I stopped to look down over the railing I saw the local surfers shredding waves almost right under the bridge.

After I crossed the Golden Gate I climbed to the top of the Marin Headlands Park (whew!) and got a great view of San Francisco before descending down one of the many trails. Later instead of climbing up to the park I saved my legs and some daylight by going through the Bunker Road tunnel and hit the trailhead on the other side. Before I enter the tunnel, I hit the big button to flash a bicycle warning light to motorists.

While riding my bike in the Head lands, Sausalito and San Francisco, I always bumped into locals who were eager to give directions or lead the way. One guy told me he rode to Mt. Tamalpais and back from the city completely off-road. That's when I got a great ride idea, if he can do it both ways I can surely make it one way.

By now I was named the crazy bike girl from my travelling companion and sister Kris and our California hosts, Thelen and Andrea (all refused to ride with me). Even so, Andrea agreed to drop me and my bike off near Marin City on her way to work. This was the BIG ride so I checked all my equipment, extra tubes, pump, chaintool and went to bed early.

The next morning the fog was so thick I couldn't even see the towering top of Mt. Tam as I started pedaling up the old rail bed. Hours later and seeing only two other riders, I reached the top and had lunch. The view was unbelievable. High above the cloud cover I felt as if I had ridden my bike up Mt. Everest. As I took off screeching down Mt. Tam, my tire immediately flatted. To make things worse my mini-pump didn't seem to work. Luckily I was able to flag down another rider for help. As I fixed the flat, my new friend thought I should bail out from my planned trip and take the road back since my pump was broken. I couldn't come back tomorrow and my plane was leaving the next day, so ignoring his advice, I decided to chance it. I never knew when I would ever have this opportunity again.

It turned out to be one of the most memorable and challenging trips I've ever taken on my bike. Most of the riding was fast and mountainous. Technically speaking the trails where pretty easy to clean, except for tight uphill switchbacks and the rocky washed out cliff-side trails that drop off 300 feet into the surf! Words cannot describe descending into the tree-canopied Muir Woods thick with giant redwoods or through the fragrant eucalyptus trees of the Miwok Trail or solemnly pedaling for miles over the windy, coastal headlands. But the mountains were unforgiving and by the time I made it to the Golden Gate Bridge I had completely bonked.

As I pedaled across that big orange bridge the last time the wind was whipping mist in my face and the daily commuters blew past me like I was standing still. I bought a life reviving snickers bar at the Golden Gate tourist store and made it back to the apartment by dark. I don't know how many miles I went or even exactly what time I started, but I new it was definitely a personal best!