Day 3 in San Francisco

Our last full day in San Francisco was all about cycling – and what a day it was! In the morning, we picked up our reserved gravel bikes at Blazing Saddles. The choice was made quickly – we wanted to cruise through the city but also cover some serious distance. And it was clear we weren’t alone in this idea: the road bike and gravel bike craze seems to be just as strong in San Francisco as it is in Germany. 😅

Our tour started at Pier 33, under slightly foggy weather that was actually perfect for cycling. From there, we rode along a beautiful bike path towards the Golden Gate Bridge – passing parks, palm trees, and with continued views of the water. We stopped for a quick photo op at the bridge before we reached the main highlight of the day: crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on our bikes.

An unforgettable experience! The wind was blowing strongly against us, but the feeling of crossing this world-famous bridge on two wheels was simply unique. Of course, we had to stop frequently to take photos – the view of the bay was too beautiful to miss. Officially, the bridge has a speed limit of 15 mph, but some of the more ambitious cyclists took that more as a rough suggestion. 😉

Upon arriving on the other side, we were greeted not only by Sausalito but also by the sun – it was noticeably warmer than on the SF side. We took a well-deserved coffee break, treating ourselves to croissants and cappuccino ☕️🥐, and then explored the charming town a bit more on our bikes. Sausalito with its quaint boutiques, marinas, and viewpoints definitely captured our hearts.

For the return trip, we treated ourselves to a second snack at the harbor: a cool German wheat beer, cola, and fries – a surprisingly perfect combination. Back in San Francisco, another fun awaited us: we rode our gravel bikes down the famous twisty Lombard Street – yes, down! Going up would have been more of a case for climbing ropes. 🤣

After a short pause at the hotel, we had a sporty highlight in the evening: a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets. Even though the Giants unfortunately didn't stand a chance that night, the stadium experience was a real highlight. We mingled with the fans, indulged in popcorn, falafel pita, pretzels, beer, and cola, and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. A well-deserved calorie reward after a day full of cycling adventures. 😇

And so, our last day in San Francisco came to an end – with tired legs, full bellies, and many wonderful memories to take with us. Tomorrow morning we’ll continue our journey with the rental car towards Lake Tahoe – we’re excited to see what awaits us there!

If you’d like, I can also create the introduction for the blog (or a title image with a subtitle) to make everything cohesive. Just let me know!

Best wishes to home,

Tina & Marc