Day 19 - Nike Missile Site

The Marin Headlands are located north of SF at the end of the Golden Gate Bridge and were a military site until 1974. Today, it is a recreational area. You immediately escape the noise and are surrounded by trees and fog.

The weather is like my brain - (super) foggy. I visit the Nike Missile Site (like the Nike sports brand, they were tennis fans). Every Saturday, veterans offer free tours starting at 12:30 p.m. (It would be inappropriate to give a tip, they do it out of pride).

The audience is different from usual and you can feel that the families who support the US military come here.

From 1953 - 74, the station was used for ground-to-air defense against Soviet bombers. The rocket types and the technology behind them were explained (detection and control by ground radar with vacuum tube electronics, one rocket at a time, 14 seconds recalibration until the next launch). Nuclear warheads were also stationed here at times.

The Nike Missile System was a component in the strategy of deterrence in the arms race and served as a last bastion in the event of a Russian invasion (hence the nukes). You get an overview of the paradigms at the appropriate time, Cold War vs. Today.

The highlight is visiting the rockets in the launch hall. The veterans drive a rocket onto the launch pad and aim it completely!

Since 1974, the site has been preserved as a national park. In the area, you can see barracks and cannons, so it has already been historically used for military purposes. However, there has never been any armed action or the like. The mentality of the people is very war-driven.

There are also people present who feel left behind by Silicon Valley and are unsure where it is all going.

In the afternoon, I am stuck in weekend traffic on the way to the supermarket and later continue my cool-off :).