Tour de Sausalito

A student from School had raved about the tandem bike ride she did with her family across the Golden Gate Bridge. So, this was an activity that we had planned for our final day. We checked booking procedures the day prior; however, this was not necessary as there were plenty of bikes available.

We enjoyed our usual croissant and fruit breakfast (with a pot of black tea each) and made our way to Pier 39 to collect our tandem bikes and a map. Our aim was to simply get the bikes and "take our time" to get across the bridge and get to Sausalito for lunch. Well, had I realised we were travelling with Cadel Evans, I would have perhaps not mentioned the bike activity. The map suggested it would take us at least two and a half hours to get across the bridge and into Sausalito (13klm). Well in an hour and a half, team BMC on the latest tandem racing cycles had made it across the bridge and down to the Fort below, and this was even with multiple photo stops en-route.

Can I also add at this point that the track we were on wasn't all flat either. Not only was the ride along the bridge uphill to the centre, the track before the bridge, although mostly 'beach' had a few, what we affectionately call "conniption hills" due to the manner in which some of the BMC touring party approached them. Suffice to say there were tears and a few words which shouldn't be repeated near young children. However, not to fear that didn't stop Cadel from pushing onwards.

At one of our photo stops, we happened to meet an Australian couple from Perth; it's always comforting to hear the Aussie accent. After a little conversation, we moved on, over the bridge, and wow what a sight and an experience. Apart from being a tad windy and busy, the view was spectacular, al-be-it a little hazy on the way over but crystal clear on our return. Once across, we had to navigate our way down and into Sausalito, which was was still another 5klm further. The signs suggested a ride on the freeway ...... Hmm, perhaps not. The map suggested a 'path' that took us across to the other side of the freeway and down, under the bridge. The bridge works made it difficult to find at first. However, this path required a lugging of the bikes down a flight of stairs, a walk under the bridge and a lugging/pushing of the bikes back up the other side. THEN a steep and bendy road ride down to the bottom right under the bridge and into Fort Baker .... "Go faster mummy go faster". We lost sight of Cadel and Miranda. Clearly, no brakes used by Cadel.

The next 5klm was a climb up and around the coastline which produced some wonderful views and then down into our destination for lunch. Before we left the bike company, they presented us with ferry tickets, should we wish to use it to return rather than riding... Last night while my legs were in a permanent state of cramp, I wish we had taken the Ferry home. We explored Sausalito, found a great coffee and even the soccer field that we had visited 18 years ago. The invention of the bike is simply amazing; you go further than walking, while not as far as the car, yet you see more and stop more than a car!

After a much-needed lunch to attempt to replenish the many calories expended on the trip over, we remounted our bikes and donned the BMC attitude and headed back to Fisherman's Wharf, up hills BIG hills and back across the Bridge. We arrived back at Fisherman's Wharf and treated ourselves to a Ben & Jerry's waffle cone ice cream!! Back at the motel, we calculated that we had ridden 35klms!