Golden Gate Ride

My girlfriends and I spent a week in San Francisco. One was coming from Ohio, one from LA and me from New York. It had been ages since I've done the touristy sites there, so we all decided a little bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge would be a fun adventure. We rented bikes from Blazing Saddles, which took on a whole new meaning at the end.We set off for the Golden Gate Bridge on an overcast day. As we reached the incline of the bridge, I started to realize that inclines aren't my friend. No matter, we pressed on and biked up over the bridge. We stopped and did our tourist duty taking selfies and photos into the fog. By the time we reached the other side, it had started to clear up and the sun was picking up steam. We peddled on to Sausalito, a cute port town that you could easily take a ferry to and from. We made a critical decision to continue on instead of enjoying a leisurely lunch and beer reward for our biking efforts.So we pressed on towards the giant Redwoods. When we finally made it there, we took a break for some more photos and took in the sheer size of these massive trees. Quite a peaceful place to rest. As soon as I regained my breath, we were off to the next ferry stop in Tiburon. We had to meet the last ferry in time or we might be stuck having to ride back. The thought of riding for much longer helped me press on. With each turn of my pedal, it felt like my legs were pushing against a cement block. Damn, I was out of shape.My friends seemed to cruise on no problem. At certain points, they'd turn back and make sure I was still alive and moving. The sun was beating down on us, and I started to realize sunscreen would have been a good idea. Who knew San Franciso had so many different seasons in one day and micro-climate weather pockets. Apparently mostly everyone. When we finally pulled in site of the Tiburon ferry dock, I leapt off my bike and laid on the ground. The girls went and got us ice cream so I could lick my wounds in a way. When the ferry arrived, I had never been so happy. Six hours of riding and then this last stretch to get home. We rode to drop off our bikes post ferry and any slight bump on my bum was like my seat was now a "blazing saddle." Oooh boy. I was never so happy to get off a bike. But the moral of the story is, do this ride. Just come a little more prepared with layers, sunscreen, water, and take some breaks. Don't be like me.