The Mosquito Has Landed

Rain is predicted for the weekend, so I decided to take advantage of the last sunny day of the week to ride the motorcycle (aka "Mosquito") to work.

It was exhilarating to cruise down Highway 1 past Ocean Beach and onto Highway 35 South knowing I wouldn’t be heading back until the end of the day. Not many cars on the road at 6 AM, when I set out, so I didn’t feel like I was slowing anyone down as I barely maintained the speed limit (which varied from 35 to 55) on 35. Sooner than I expected, and without much warning, 35 fed onto 280 and I was sailing along in the slow lane between 60 and 65. I tried to remember Don’s guidance about maintaining a loose grip on the handlebars to avoid the “sail” effect as I floated down the freeway stream. I was happy to take the Black Mountain Road exit and return to scenic 35 as it wound around the reservoir. At 92 I took a left onto Canada Road with the feeling I was on the home stretch.

The most challenging stretch came after Whiskey Hill Road (the transition from Woodside, where Canada Road ends, to Sand Hill Road) when I had to face commute traffic and blinding 7AM sun. I am actually looking forward to the return trip when temperatures should be 10 or 20 degrees warmer.

First Road Trip

Today was the biggest challenge yet -- a trip across Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin Headlands, a hilly area just across the bridge that is popular with hikers, cyclers, hawks, and other bikers.

I would not have braved the bridge (yet) without Don, a more experienced biker who has a wonderful blend of caution, confidence, and zest for adventure. He also has a spectacular and rare bike (the Aprilia Shiver) that dazzles everyone we encounter, including the two Harley riders we met at the first scenic lookout point.

The round trip was only 21 miles (for me), but it felt like traveling to another world. There were many spectacular views of the city, but the most dramatic scene/moment was heading down Hawk Hill, a steep one-way road that led down to Fort Barry and Point Bonita Lighthouse. Along the way, Don was flagged down by a cyclist who had a flat tire and needed to convey a message to his friend at the bottom of the hill who had a bike pump. I'm not sure how they could spot the Good Samaritan behind the full-face helmet, but he obliged.

There were so many new experiences during this ride: merging with freeway traffic, going through a toll booth (not easy to fish for money with gloved hands and armored jacket), waiting our turn at a one-lane tunnel that changes directions every 5 minutes, but the best part was being part of a "gang" -- knowing that someone else is experiencing the same sights, smells, crosswinds, views, and dealing in their own way with the same gravel, potholes, speed bumps, stalled buses, and oblivious golf carts that suddenly pull into the road.

We celebrated with lunch at Angelina's, which I now consider my "biker hangout," and started plotting the next ride.

Leader of the pack

First bridge crossing!

Scenic Route

Today's motorcycle challenge was a ride down Market Street, from the vicinity of Union Square to the Ferry Building. I have walked this route and remembered many historic and picturesque sights (like Lotta's Fountain, where survivors and civic-minded others gather every year on April 19th to remember the 1906 Earthquake). Today I discovered that it's not a great driving route -- even at 6AM. One lane is reserved for buses. The other lane was required to turn right at 1st Street, so I never made it to the Ferry Building. Oh well, another notch on my motorcycle belt. I returned home via Mission Street, then right on 9th past the Civic Center.

My mid-week (pre-work) rides are much shorter, but this week I traveled through the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood one morning and another day discovered a great route: down 25th Avenue, right on Camino del Mar and into the Presidio where the road gently curves along the hillside with views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Veer right on Kobbe, left on Park and wind downhill to Crissy Field, past the pet cemetery and right on "Old Mason." It's hard to describe the exact route back because there are one way streets and parking lots and dead-ends as you wind your way past old canons, through the barracks and past the Officer's Club, but eventually you find your way to Moraga, then follow signs to the Arguello Gate. This leads up a gently curving road back to familiar territory of the Richmond.

Sunday Driver

Today's riding challenge was the freeway. My modest goal was to drive down 19th Avenue (a busy street) and to stay on it as it becomes 280. One advantage to this route is that there is no merging with freeway traffic. Just a gradually increasing speed limit 30 - 35 - 45 - 65 and the realization that I just passed the last opportunity to turn right onto a surface street.

I never achieved 65 mph, but I did make it to a respectable 60. The wind was not whistling through my hair -- what with the helmet -- but I could tell I was moving fast from the way my helmet strap slapped against my jacket. (The strap was fastened, but the end wasn't snapped. Not an issue at my usual speeds...)

I got off at the Pacifica (Hwy 1) exit, which involved some lane changes, and doubled back on 35 North to the Great Highway, my familiar beach route. It was all very exhilarating. My total mileage for the morning was 31 -- a new single ride record and duration of ride was 90 minutes, another single ride record.

I was disappointed that this motorcycle didn't have a fun name like Rebel or Bandit or Eliminator, so I have dubbed it "The Mosquito." This is not meant to imply anything negative. It just looks like a mosquito to me and maybe I am hoping that when people hear the buzzing they will get out of the way!

Neighborhood Tally: Another riding goal is to ride through every SF neighborhood. On Saturday morning I rode along the waterfront from Pier 39 to Pier 14 then circled back past Telegraph Hill, North Beach, Chinatown, Pacific Heights to home.

In the Dark

I changed my routine today. Instead of riding the motorcycle after work, when I'm travel weary from my commute, I decided to ride before work. It was 5:30 AM and I decided to venture out to The Marina via Park Presidio/Highway 1. This involved passing through a tunnel (a first), down a grooved road at 45 mph (another first), through "Cow Hollow," and up over a steep hill to get back to familiar territory. Before any of that, I had to get the bike started.

Normally it starts right up, so I was surprised when I pulled out the choke, pushed in the starter, and it tried and failed to catch. I went inside to consult the owner's guide and it suddenly dawned on me that I had forgotten to set the engine cut-off switch to run. (In my motorcycle class, the teacher had us use the engine cut-off switch to turn off the bike. I understand from talking to JT and Don that this is not standard practice, but I am still figuring out my standard practice.)

I tried again, but this time the engine didn't even turn over. I mentally reviewed the startup sequence: bike in neutral (or clutch in), cut-off switch in run position, ignition on, push starter button... then it dawned on me that the kickstand was down. (As a safety precaution the kickstand has to be up when the motor is running.)

After all the drama of starting the bike, the ride was uneventful and I was relaxed enough to notice the sound of birds singing as I came up and over the steep hill on Divisidero.

Counter Intuitive

South of San Francisco State University, west of 19th Avenue, and east of Lake Merced and Harding Park Golf Club is an apartment complex called Park Merced. I discovered this neighborhood after cruising down 19th Avenue on my motorcycle and deciding I better get off before it turned into 280. (I was going to describe Park Merced as a sleepy little neighborhood, but all neighborhoods are sleepy at 6:30 AM, my preferred practice time.)

Park Merced would be an unremarkable neighborhood except that it was on the curving streets behind this apartment complex that I finally got the idea of countersteering. This is a case where it's easier done than said.

My strategy for building proficiency is to tackle a different neighborhood on each ride. So far, I have passed through: the Richmond, the Sunset, Seacliff, Golden Gate Park, Laurel Village, Presidio, Upper Haight, down California Street to the Financial District, and Highway 1 to Daly City. I have stalled the bike and had to restart on a steep hill in the Sunset, driven over a curb entering a gas station near home, started in 2nd gear a few times, tried to start in neutral a few times, but so far so good staying upright.