Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

As many times as we’ve been to San Francisco, it wasn’t until August 2017 we finally got around to riding our bikes through Golden Gate Park. Created in the 1870’s from sand and shore dunes known as the Outside Lands, the park drew its name from nearby Golden Gate Strait. This large urban park covers 1,017 acres of public grounds, and is similar in shape, but 20 percent larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a mile wide north to south. With 13 millions annual visitors, Golden Gate is the 5^th most-visited city park in the United States.

Aside from the natural beauty and coastal environment of the park, there is something for everyone here. Home to the De Young Museum, Academy of Sciences, Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, Botanical Garden, lakes, Bison Paddock, windmills, Hippie Hill, and numerous walking paths and bike lanes. We even saw a motor home with a garden growing on it's roof! we took our time riding through the park, taking pictures, and soaking up the good vibes. 

Mt. Tamalpais

Our traveling and touring relaxed considerably the second half of 2015 as we chose to slow our pace and spend extended time with family. First, a month in San Diego to visit with my sister, before moving north to Sacramento for four months to be near our children, grandchildren, siblings, and extended family. This was a lovely time to reconnect, catch up, and get much needed bonding time with the little ones – lest they forget who their nomadic grandparents are!

Dan and I love to hike, and one of our favorite places to hike is Mt. Tamalpais. Mt. Tam (as many refer to the mountain) is just north of San Francisco’s Golden Gate and rises to 2,571 feet at the summit. From the summit on a clear day, visitors can see the Farallon Islands 25-miles out to sea, the Marin County hills, San Francisco and the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, hills and cities of the East Bay, and Mount Diablo. On rare occasions, the Sierra Nevada's snow-covered mountains can be seen 150 miles away. More than 50-miles of trails crisscross the park, taking you up and down ravines, across meadows and above the fog layer. Our favorite route is the Matt Davis-Steep Ravine loop that begins and ends at Stinson Beach. The 8-mile loop features a bit of everything, with waterfalls, coastal redwood, Douglas fir, and oak forests, grassland, canyons, and views galore.

The day Dan and I hiked it this year (the end of September) was a bit on the cool side, with clouds and low fog obscuring most of the anticipated views. But much of the moisture burned off by the time we were wrapping up, and we were lucky enough to get a birds eye of Stinson Beach. My sister and I took another hike here in mid-November, and couldn’t have asked for better weather. Clear blue skies, cool but not cold, and panoramic views abounded. The one thing I did notice this year was how the drought has impacted the area, with visible impact in the Muir woods forest floor growth, and the diminished streams and waterfalls. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for more rain this year!