San Francisco (part 2--bike day)

Part one is back here.

Because yes, we went clear back the day after Thanksgiving and I haven't made time to finish writing up my wrap-up yet.

When I look at these pictures I get a little lump in my throat thanking my lucky stars that we got to do this.

It is at trip none of us will ever forget. (I know that sounds dramatic but it's true...even if our memories start to let it slip, the hundreds of pictures I took won't let us ever, ever forget :)

Part one {back here} was just day one.

Here's the next part of the story...

DAY 2:

Day two was bike day. We rented some wing-dinger bikes and took off to explore the city. We were pleased as punch about this because our feet were ready to take a break after walking all over creation the day before.

Our first stop was the Golden Gate Bridge (or the "GGB" as Charity likes to call it).

Now, I must preface this part by saying the GGB is one of my favorite structures ever. I don't know what it is about it...the color, the ingenuity of how it was built, how it stands out against the beauty surrounding it...probably a mixture of all of the above.

I love that thing.

So needless to say I was pretty excited that we got to ride bikes across it.
We rode along in single file as cars whizzed by (with a good, strong barrier between us) and the wind whipped through our hair. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

We stopped for a little break at both of the towers.
Claire was a little trooper with her scarf flying out behind her in front of me standing up to pedal hard every so often. My heart swelled up into my throat as I watched her and took it all in.


Gotta love that color.
Elle did her report before we left on the GGB.

Little known fact that she shared: The navy had initially wanted to paint the bridge black with yellow stripes.

Yeah, I'm glad someone vetoed that.

Here we are on the other side:

From there we crossed under the bridge...: (it looks cool under there, right?)

...and headed over to Sausalito. That was where the bike ride got a little hairy...no bike lane and my seven-year-old in front of me with traffic...but she was a little dreamboat on that bike.

I had to remind myself she can ride circles around me. I'm the one who crashed into a stop sign a couple years ago with Lucy on the back.

Ouch.

Sausalito was gorgeous.

We ate delicious hamburgers and grabbed some hot cocoa to help us brave the biting wind on the ferry we loaded our bikes on and took back across the bay:
It was a beautiful, fun, cold ride.

Grace was excited to pass Alcatraz (she did her report on that thing):

The skyline looked cool in all the haze as we neared the ferry building on the other side.



We parked our bikes at the Ferry Building...

...and explored all the colors and sounds and tastes and smells it had to offer.
We loved this street performer:
Talk about talent with garbage cans.

After the Ferry Building we biked over to Pier 39 to see the sea lions.
Unfortunately this was our view:
I guess they were shy that day.

And with that, we were off to Fisherman's Wharf where we went to the sourdough bread factory and snacked on some baguettes:
And what would be a trip to San Fran without a quick stop at Ghirardelli Square?

We savored the taste of our free chocolate as we rode our bikes back to the bike place to greet the sunset.
After all the wonderful things we got to do that day, I think those ten to fifteen minutes were my very favorite part.

We were all so happy and tired and fulfilled after an exhilarating day.

We snuggled back into the car and drove past this on the way to dinner:

And filled up on some Mexican food and delicious fruit drinks at this place in "The Mission."
Mmmmm, that guacamole is making my mouth water :)

Ok, the last day is going to have to wait because I think I have carpel tunnel in my fingers from moving all these pictures around.

And because all these pictures are making me want to go back.

And making me miss my dear sis.

Love you Char!

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