Panamericana

03.11.08

San Francisco – Pacifica

33 km, total 3836,5 km

This day wasn‘ t like I expected it to be…

Kathrin left around 7am to go to work. So I got up early enough to say goodbye to her. (Thanks again, it was great to see you again!!! I enjoyd staying with you!!!) Instead of getting ready to hit the road I took it easy – as I like to in the morning. Around 10:30 am I left the house and cycled and walked my way west to the pacific ocean. Since San Francisco is quite hilly it took me a while. I stopped at Safeway to get some bananas and Donuts for breakfast which I ate right at the beach where a strong wind was blowing from the south. Moreover it started to rain – what a great start.

Nevertheless I got back on my bike. First there was a bikepath which was pretty nice. There was a good climb to Daly City. Since there was a part of HWY 1 where I wasn‘ t allowed to cycle I stayed on the Skyline Blvd. When I got on the Sharp Hill Road which should take me down to Pacifica the wind almost pushed me off the bike. It would have been a great downhill ride – but I didn‘ t enjoy it at all. I stopped at a scenic lookout to get some shelter from the storm and the pouring rain. Since the weather didn‘ t look as if it would change for a while I got back on the road, holding on tight to my handlebars. It was pretty scary to get down there, fortunately the cars where passing me carefully.

I was reliefed when I finally reached Pacifica without falling off my bike and though I wasn‘ t happy about it I decided to call it quits for the day and get a motel-room. Later I walked over to the grocery store and got some frozen burritos I cooked for dinner in the microwave. I ended that miserable day with watching TV. 

Around noon the appartment was pretty clean again and we had a great „hangover“ breakfast at a Crèpes-Place. Later I tried to find a new tire at one of the bikeshops around. They all didn‘ t have the kind I was looking for and so I finally bought the kind the Bicycle-cops use on their bikes – I figured those can‘ t be that bad;-).

In the evening Kathrin and I went to the movies and watched „Changeling“. It‘ s been a while that I‘ ve been to the movies the last time;-).

I actually wanted to cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge while I stayed here but it didn t really fit into my schedule and I enjoyed taking it easy. It would have been a great thing to do but  since I‘ ve been there a few times before (even on a bike) it doesn‘ t bother me that much.

Well, tomorrow I‘ ll be back on the road – it‘ s time to cycle south again!!!

Take care,

Anja

Today Kathrin and her roommate Jacky wanted to leave the house early to get to a Ski-Festival. I decided to get up with them, grab some coffee and do some tourist-stuff. When I walked along the Bay it stqrted to rain. I watched the sea-lions at Pier 39 for a while and checked out some stores. In the afternoon I walked to REI on the other side of the hill where Kathrin lives.

Around 9pm the first party-guests arrived. Some where dressed up, others weren‘ t. It was a fun party with about 60 people – many of  ‚em didn‘ t know each other before – quite interesting. It was a great party and I had a good time.

Vacaville – San Francisco

57,6 km, total 3803,5 km

Today I reached San Francisco (The City). It was a treasure hunt ride again. I only got lost once (!!!) but found the right way again easily. A few times it started to rain, but just for a few minutes. My directions said that I should take a frontage road of I-80 but the gate was closed ;-(. I talked to 2 guys who seemed to e working there but they didn‘ t know an alternate route to the freeway. Since I didn‘ t want to make an at least 20-mile long detour I cycled on the freeway for about 3 miles. I pedaled as fast as I could, more concerned about the cops as the traffic. The shoulder was ok, I felt pretty safe.

After I left the freeway there was a great downhill ride on the American Road. When I reached the Ferry Terminal the ferry was ready to leave for San Francisco, butthey waited until I bought my ticket.

In San Francisco I waited for Kathrin, who I‘ m staying with, because she was still at work. On our way to the Lemongrass Thai Restaurant we saw the Critical Mass ride, hundreds – or maybe thousands of cyclist – many of them dressed up for Halloween. After a great dinner we had another beer in a bar before we walked home.

30.10.08

Davis – Vacaville

43,2 km,  total 3745,9 km

Around 9:30 am I hit the road. Since my map doesn‘ t show many small roads I looked ‚em up on the internet and wrote ‚em down. It felt like I was on a treasure hunt;-). (make a right on Old Davis after 0.8 miles, make a left on …). I only got lost once in Davis but found my way again quickly. With a good wind blowing from the east I „zick-zacked“ along I-80. For a change the sun didn‘ t shine today, 17 degrees C were a good temperature for cycling though. Around noon I already reached Vacaville where I wanted to stop at the Premium Outlet Stores. 

I didn‘ t really know what to do – I really wanted to keep cycling but didn‘ t really know where to go. Jan, who I met on the road some weeks ago, lives in Tiburon, north of San Francisco. She invited me to stay there, but it was too far away to get there today. Kathrin, my friend in San Francisco, had to work late today. So I decided to have in easy day and stay in Vacaville. No Campground around – another night at a motel. It felt kind of weired to check in at 1 pm already! I watched TV, took a shower and took a nap – I don‘ t have a clue why I was so tired. When I woke up it was already 4:30pm. Outside I heard something but didn‘ t know what it was – when I opened the door I saw it: it was raining;-).

I walked to the Outlet Mall, checked out some stores but wasn‘ t really in the mood for shopping. At one store something felt wrong: they actually played a Christmas Song!!! I couldn‘ t believe it!!! It‘ s not even November yet! At Wal-Mart, next door, I bought a new propane-thing for my stove and some groceries.

Tomorrow I‘ ll cycle to Vallejo, about 50km, and take the ferry to San Francisco where I‘ ll hopefully stay with Kathrin.

Time to go to bed;-).

Anja

…almost.

 29.10.08

Roseville – Davis

89,6 km, av. sp. 19,2 km/h, total 3702,7 km

Hi there!

After 10 lazy days I‘ m almost on the road again. Though I had a great time here in Roseville I‘ m looking forward to getting back on my bike again.

Linda and Mark (the neighbor who me and Tori got to fly with yesterday;-)) are gonna cycle with me and show me a way that avoids getting on busy Sunrise Blvd. We‘ ll have breakfast in a few minutes and then I‘ ll be out there again!

After a good harsbrowns + eggs breakfast, checking tire-pressure, finding a fitting helmet for Linda and taking some pictures it was almost 11am when we were finally on our way. I wanted to get back to the bike-path along the American River. Instead of taking Sunrise Blvd., which is very busy and doesn‘ t have a shoulder most of the time, Mark lead us 15 km through some neighborhoods and along roads with bike-lanes to Beals Point at Folsom Lake, the beginning/end of the 48 km  long bike-path to/from Sacramento. There were some small climbs, but it was a great ride. Having some company cycling the miles just flew by.   

Mark and Linda

Mark decided that he would join me for a few more miles while Linda was on her way back home after saying goodbye. It was a beautiful and fun ride in the sun. It was 16 km longer than taking the busy road – but it was totally worth it. 17 km later Mark turned around to cycle back to Roseville. 

And here I go again on my own, going … Being totally motivated I pedaled hard and made it to Sacramento by 2:15pm. Since I‘ d been there befor I didn‘ t get lost this time ;-). At a Cookie, Banana and Coke stop in West Sacramento I felt that my legs were getting tired though. Cycling along the Yolo-Causeway (bikepath next to I-80, seperated by a high fence)  I decided not to go any further than Davis – though I kind of wanted to. I‘ m staying at the Motel 6 which is actually the cleanest Motel of this chain I ever stayed at. After a Sub-Sandwich and a beer for dinner I‘ m ready to go to bed! (or should I rather update the blog?!?)

Happy cycling!!!

… on a bikepath along the American River.

Sacramento – Roseville

After getting totally lost yesterday evening I tried again to find my wy on the bikepath. Since I wasn‘ t in a hurry AND had a map of the bikepath it could find my way. There were many cyclist, peolple walking and running along the path. The bikepath, which winds along the American River from Sacramento to Folsom Lake is great – just a few signs more would make it a lot easier to find access to it and the right direction.

After 30 km I got off the trail and cycled the last 13 km on Sunrise Blvd. to Roseville where my former host-family lives. I‘ ll stay for a while … don‘ t know how long yet. 

Hi there!

I‘ m in Napa – that‘ s where the wine comes from;-). After a „Big Breakfast“ at Mc Donald’s I went to a bikeshop (The Hub on Jefferson) to get my two broken spokes replaced. Then I checked out the Napa Factory Stores which didn‘ t impress me too much. For lunch I went to In-N-Out Burgers. I skipped Jamba Juice to go to Starbucks instead to take advantage of my 2 hours of free wi-fi daily. (Hey Annika: Factory Stores, In-N-Out, Jamba Juice – dooes that sound like a day in paradise or what?!?)

Moreover I spent some time at Target and at the grocery store. In a few minutes I‘ ll cycle back to the campground – it was a hard day;-).

I‘ ll update my journal when I‘ m in Roseville where I‘ ll stay with the Rothmans for a few days. It‘ s still quite a ways, I‘ m not sure I can get there tomorrow.

Take it easy,

Anja

17.10.08

Samuel P. Taylor SP – Skyline Park (Napa)

91,2 km, total  3426,7 km

Margareth and I left the Campground by 9 am. She was on her way south to San Francisco, I was going north-east towards Roseville/Sacramento. A few minutes after I left the Ranger who checked us in yesterday stopped and asked me if I lost my travelmate – he saw Margareth going the other way;-). It was a hot day. Cycling along the coast most of the time I‘ m not used to the dryness and heat going inland. After quite a few climbs I reached Petaluma around noon. At the Visitor Center I tried to get some information about alternate routes – but there where none.

After a big lunch at Taco Bell I was on my way to Napa. Since it was friday afternoon there was a lot of traffic – people coming home from work and others going to Napa to spend the week-end. It was no fun at all, there was hardly a shoulder and the cars passed me one after another. To brighten my day I got another broken spoke, great.

When I finally reached Napa I had to get off the Highway on an alternate road and saw these funny looking cows.

The Visitor Center was already closed, the bikepath around town were partly very baad, many holes in them. I couldn‘ t find an  affordable place to stay and on my way out of town I asked a local at a gas station who explained me how to get to a campground a few miles out of Napa. When I got there it was already getting dark and the gate to the Skyline Park was closed. Though I waved and jumped the woman inside her booth didn‘ t see me. Finally a car came out and I walked in, checked in, pitched my tent and fell asleep pretty sun after taking a hot shower.