To Golden Gate Bridge Part #2/2 - Jan. 2, 2010

Walking Distance: .72 mile
Walking Time: 23 minutes (6:35 - 6:58 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Fort Point East Battery (unpaved) parking lot, San Francisco, CA

From this parking lot, Alec and I walked to the Golden Gate Bridge, hoping to make a crossing. However, pedestrians were not allowed on the bridge after 6:30 p.m., so we got as far as the closed gate, then turned back. Too bad, it was a relatively pleasant, non-windy, fog-free evening.

Wildlife Sightings:
None - It was too dark and too late in the evening

To Golden Gate Bridge Part #1/2, Jan. 2, 2010

Walking Distance: .63 mile
Walking Time: 22 minutes (6:07 - 6:29 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parked near the Warming Hut, San Francisco, CA

It was wonderful to climb up the stairs and path leading up to the Golden Gate Bridge, that is to see the bridge, lit up in the dark. However, a flashlight does help, as there were no lights on this staircase (shown in daylight from a previous day's photo). We also walked along East Battery (which turned) into Lincoln Blvd., to Long Ave. - a curvy short street that ran downhill, back to where our car was parked. I would not suggest walking Long Ave. in the dark either. But, we were eager to get to the bridge at this point.

Wildlife Sightings:
None, too late and dark.

Hyde St. Pier, SF - Jan. 2, 2010

Walking Distance: 1.58 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 28 min. (3:17 - 4:45 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parked at north end of Van Ness, near Aquatic Park, San Francisco, CA

Today we revisited Hyde St. Pier, this having been closed previously. The Pier is located at the foot of the Hyde Street hill (shown).

Walking around inside old boats, including the Eureka, a large (car and people) ferry from long ago, complete with old cars in place on the car deck, was very interesting. We also looked inside the Balclutha, which had made the trip around Cape Horn more than a dozen times. Exciting times if you like being on deck in high winds, covered with a thin sheet of ice.

Wildlife Sightings:
7 sea gulls; 2 pigeons; 2 cormorants; bay swimmers and pelican mascot

Crissy Field - Ft. Point, S.F. - Dec. 26, 2009

Walking Distance: 3.21+ miles
Walking Time: 4 hrs., 28 min. (12:20 - 4:48 p.m.)
Start & End Point: Crissy Field, in San Francisco, CA

Today Alec joined me on my walk. We walked NW along the beaches with the dogs running free, stopped and had lunch at the Warming Hut, and proceeded to Fort Point. Old cannon balls, and cannons can still be seen. We walked through, into, and on top of the old Fort -- watching surfers riding waves sweeping into the Bay through Golden Gate Bridge, along the way.

On the way back, we walked a slightly different route, up to the new Disney Family Museum in the Presidio, and along the other side of Crissy field - what once was an old airstrip. By the time was exited the Museum, it was raining, and we got somewhat soaked on the way back to the Crissy Field parking area, despite having umbrellas. Ah well, this was the first time I've been rained on during this Bay walk, and it probably won't be the last.

Wildlife Sightings:
12 sea gulls; 8 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 pigeon; lots of dogs on trails, beach; 22 ducks; 1 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 2 crows; 1 Loon?; 4 little/micro shorebirds (snowy plovers? sanderlings? peeps?); 1 (tennis) ball + 1 ball on a stick; 1 cormorant; and 11 pelicans.

Marina Drive, San Francisco - Dec. 25, 2009

Walking Distance: 2.82 miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 32 min. (2:23 - 4:55 p.m.)
Start and End Point: West of Fort Mason, Yacht Harbor area, San Francisco, CA

Today's amble was along the Marina area of San Francisco, past the Yacht Harbor, and into Crissy Field and beach. A stroll out to the end of the jetty (wave organ), yielded more good views of Alcatraz, and boats going by. Dogs on the beach at far end of walk were fun to watch.

Wildlife Sightings:
25 starlings; 9 songbirds and little brown jobs (LBJs); 49 pigeons; 44 sea gulls; 2 Western grebes; 2 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 1 cormorant; 3 tiny shorebirds; 4 ducks (1 Bufflehead); 1 great blue heron; 1 Kingfisher; 1 unlucky starfish (see image with sea gull); and lots of dogs running around on the beach.