Archive for August, 2012
Random Images……Dunphy Park, Sausalito
Show on mapOn the Road……Commuting with the Brompton
My Brompton bicycle is finally fulfilling it’s raison d’etre: bridging the gaps in my urban commute.
If I don’t feel like walking .75 miles to the Sausalito Ferry, I unfold the Brompton and cover this distance in less than 5 minutes. After a 25-minute ferry ride to downtown SF I have another .75 miles to my office in SOMA. The Brompton covers these little gaps with ease.
Plus, while wearing shorts and sneakers and then changing (and maybe even showering) on the way to work is one way to go. I like just wearing professional business attire (including leather lace-up shoes) for commuting.
Interestingly, the first time I tried to enter my building with the Brompton the guards said that bikes must be parked in the auto garage. So I made the fold, picked it up in one hand as if I was carrying a briefcase, and asked, “How about this?”
They smiled and waved me through.
So now I always fold the Brompton, walk right past the guards, and stow the bike under my desk!
On the Road……Sausalito to Fairfax (Horse HIll Bike Path)
Most cyclists are eager to get further north as quickly as possible and tend to avoid this bikeway; they take Camino Alto instead. That route is more scenic and more efficient. Still, riding so close to Hwy 101 (and its speeding freeway traffic) needs to be experienced at least once. Plus, on the Horse Hill path, there are no cars to contend with like there are on Camino Alto, which doesn’t have shoulders or bike lanes.
My friend Steve is one of the most mild-mannered people you’ll meet, but for some reason he looks angry and badass in this picture.
Local bicycle advocates have been working for years to re-open the Camino Alto tunnel, which would then provide a truly safe and easy bike-ped connection between Corte Madera and Mill Valley. As of now, the Horse Hill and Camino Alto routes both filter out causal cyclists who would otherwise happily stroll or pedal back and forth between these two communities. Check the Walk Bike Marin site for the latest news on this project.
On the Road……Sausalito to Fairfax (and back)
A pleasant ride on Sunday and some happenstance led to some encounters with several old and new friends.
I first met my buddy Steve, who I know from Berkeley grad school days. We casually pedaled, vaguely northward, chatting most of the way as we rode. After turning off Shady Lane in Ross and passing through San Anselmo we rode by The Bicycle Works. There we saw Jelani Bertoni, who was curbside, making preparations of some sort. He informed me that that afternoon there was a big party to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of this cool little non-profit.
Then another Bicycle Works star — Heather — stopped in on her bike at a yard sale Steve and I were checking out just on the edge of Fairfax.
And finally, a big shout out to Gino and his girlfriend Starla (of Teddergreen Bicycle Fitting Services). Gino and I had exchanged some emails, but had never actually met in person. However, these two were gracious enough to stop and say hello (after seeing my Ebisu on the side of the road) as they cruised south for some adventures out in the Marin Headlands.
In terms of the route, there are a few different options. But in my opinion, this is the best way to ride from Sausalito to Fairfax if your concern is not speed, but fewest cars and most bike-ped paths:
On the Road……Marin Headlands looking south
The sun is hitting the last few feet of the cliff before slipping behind the top of the Marin headlands.
A couple of pro photographers were out here making a GigaPan of the bay. A GigaPan is a massive photographic file made up of thousands of individual exposures captured by a robotic camera, which are all then stitched together by a computer to create a super file with extraordinary detail.
There’s a website dedicated to hosting these images. Here’s a captivating GigaPan of the Shanghai skyline. Note that it’s possible to zoom in and find a small, broken egg on a rooftop or to see the red high heel shoe of a woman crossing a street.
Naturally, I agreed to let these photo pros take a picture of me with my humble iPhone camera. The same camera I used to make the images above.
The wind is gusting about 35-40 mph here, although it doesn’t look it!
