2015-9 Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
Hello All,
After our first night in Santa Rosa, California, we were anxious to start exploring the sights and sounds in the surrounding area. Our first destination was Bodega Bay to the west along the Pacific coast.
We found the area approaching the coastline to be lovely with rolling green foothills. They were dominated primarily by ranches.
After our first night in Santa Rosa, California, we were anxious to start exploring the sights and sounds in the surrounding area. Our first destination was Bodega Bay to the west along the Pacific coast.
We found the area approaching the coastline to be lovely with rolling green foothills. They were dominated primarily by ranches.
Bodega Bay is a small coastal town with a population just over a thousand. There are many little shops and eating establishments offering a variety of seafood fare. We like to photograph shops that sell brightly colored stuff.
All types of “do-das” were available for your yards and homes.
However, what really caught our eye was this flower that seemed to be growing everywhere—both along the road and in yards. It was new to us with colors varying from lavender to purple to several shades of blue.
After asking a local we learned the flower name is “pride of madera.”
There are a number of marinas located at Bodega Bay. We thought they made for a nice photo with pride of madera in the foreground.
Our next target destination was Point Reyes National Seashore. As we followed the Shoreline Highway southbound we became fascinated with the clumps of trees along the route. On the windward side of the clumps, the many different trees were all married together, as if they were one massive tree. However, on the leeward side of the clumps there were no leaves at all. It was neat and strange at the same time. Mother Nature had adapted the trees to be able to handle the strong wind common in the area and to take advantage of the western sunshine.
At Point Reyes Station we entered the national seashore and decided to make our way to Point Reyes Lighthouse, a 20-mile drive through the countryside to the seashore. The countryside was quite beautiful, again with rolling hills and ranches.
It was a nice drive. But, the road was narrow and curvy with a lot of traffic. Upon reaching the end of the road we learned that the gate at the path to the lighthouse was closed and locked. Even worse the wind was blowing about forty miles per hour and terribly cold—bummer! We snapped a few photos of the coastline then backtracked our way back out of the national seashore.
Upon reaching Point Reyes Station we turned south on the Shoreline Highway working our way towards Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It is truly a lovely drive in a very scenic area--with the crown jewel of the area being the Golden Gate Bridge.
This iconic bridge was constructed between 1933 and 1937. The concrete piers at the base of the towers went in first in cold, deep water with strong tidal current. The art-deco towers were then erected on the piers, the suspension cables were emplaced, and the road deck was installed in sections from each end. The bridge was opened to vehicles in May 1937—ahead of schedule and under budget.
This iconic bridge was constructed between 1933 and 1937. The concrete piers at the base of the towers went in first in cold, deep water with strong tidal current. The art-deco towers were then erected on the piers, the suspension cables were emplaced, and the road deck was installed in sections from each end. The bridge was opened to vehicles in May 1937—ahead of schedule and under budget.
From a distance the bridge doesn’t look all that big. However, here are a few gee whiz facts about it.
Kind of puts a different perspective on it doesn’t it! In our eyes we find it spectacular!
- There is 220 feet of clearance under the bridge.
- The towers are 746 feet high.
- The length of the main span is 4600 feet.
- The length of each main cable is 7,650 feet.
- The two main cables are 36½ inches in diameter.
- The length of wire in the two main cables is 80,000 miles.
- The distance the main span can sway in either direction is 27 feet.
- The roadbed can drop as much as 10 feet under extreme pressure.
Kind of puts a different perspective on it doesn’t it! In our eyes we find it spectacular!
Here is a shot of the “City by the Bay” San Francisco. The evening sun lit the city up nicely.
Another landmark in the bay is Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. It was a maximum high-security prison on Alcatraz Island that operated from 1934 to 1963.
On the north side of the bay is the community of Sausalito.
This beautiful bridge is such an awesome treasure of California and the United States. Frommer's travel guide describes it as "…possibly the most beautiful and certainly the most photographed bridge in the world."
We will close our day with this unusual shot of San Francisco through the cabling of Golden Gate Bridge. It certainly wouldn’t win a prize, but you must admit it is a different perspective!
Our next adventures will take us back to Bodega Bay and then north along the Sonoma Coast of California. We have a couple of spare seats if you would like to ride along with us.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns