The Land of Gates of Gold

So, recently, I've had a lack of posts going. My one year anniversary is coming up later this month and I'm trying to save post #100 for that day. It's a big moment in my life, because it will be the 2nd time that I've started something and I've followed through. A VERY big achievement for me, and one that shall probably be duplicated again in the near future. Now lets get on back to our tour of El Camino Real.

Today's adventures take us to the land of bridges and gates of gold. I made somewhat of a detour that day To save time, and to maximize my viewing pleasures. I stayed the evening in Fremont, CA. I short stones throw across the bay from the epic and fantastic, San Francisco. My happenings from earlier in the day will be documented on my next posting from Sonoma.

So I was leaving the small and very unfulfilling mission in San Rafael. I was on the freeway heading south for one of the most magnificent sights I've ever seen in my life, The Golden Gate Bridge. This massive structure most definitely falls under the category of man made wonders of the world. I exited the tunnel that was around the last bend and uttered, highly explicitly, "Holy Shit!"

The two images above, taken incredibly dangerously and would have been worth the $300 cell phone ticket should I have recieved one, do not do this bridge justice. I think the only spot I could take in the massive size was from the drive towards it from San Rafael. Well worth the 8 hour drive, from Southern California, alone!

I was thinking back to the post that Susie wrote on her trip up north, and decided I was could to conquer this bridge but walking across it. Unfortunately all of the parking spaces were taken in the main parking lot so I instead drove up the next street to the old military batallment that was built there in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Some of the spots were incredibly creepy, See Directly below, but the view of the area more than made up for that.

Above is the best view I took from my DSLR. I have another that I'm sitting on that I took with my Black and White camera. I've yet to develop any of those films, but I think I might be getting to that next weekend.

I would love to take the little tour that would let me drive one of these awesome little carts below. I think they are based off of those three wheeled motorcycle/scooters that have been popping up everywhere recently.

Other than the part of my assignment I was working on, I unfrotunately didn't have an opportunity to stop and take the city in. Though I have one funny story to mention.

My car has a manual transmission, and for the longest time, I was always against driving one of those in the city of San Francisco. Mostly because of the rediculous amount of hills that I had heard about. So, on my adventures, I was using my "trusty" GPS. After I left the betallment, the location I needed to get to was on the other side of town. So I punched in the address on my GPS, and away I go. Then the unexpected happens. It tells me to turn. So I turn and it happens to be on the STEEPEST hill in the damn city. 

When you have a manual transmission on the steepest hill, all you gotta do is make sure you're hitting the gas often so you are rolling up and don't stay still for one second. If you come to a complete stop at the stop signs, there is a major chance of rolling backwards. Even with an automatic transmission. Thankfully I finally made it to the top. I think I lost more hair on the top of my head from all the stress and then I get ready to do a break check for the incredibly steep way down. Phew!

I think I would do it again, now. People are really nice on that hill. They don't get close behind you, and you really aren't expected to come to a complete stop at every stop sign. I think the street was called Divisidero St. Now you all can avoid it and take the 101/ Lombard St over to where the 101 curves around to Van Ness. What a hell of a drive.