Golden Gate Social Ride (Special Edition)

[eriktheplaid]

[Cross-posted from my MovableType Blog]

[I know it has been a long time since I’ve done one of these, but this one is directed mostly at my wonderful colleagues at Change.org. Others are more than welcome, but I think most of you will find the itinerary prohibitive. Have no fear, I plan to do another one come September (when the weather on the bridge is less capricious, and they’ve reopened the western walkway).]

Folks! We’re meeting in Sausalito! It’s a perfect excuse to grab your bike and ride across the bridge!
When: Friday July 29th. We need to be in Sausalito at 9am. We need to work the timeline backward from there, adding enough buffer so that nobody feels rushed. Who: Anyone who has a bike, can manage to stay (mostly) upright on it, and wants to ride across the Golden Gate (C’mon! It’s fun! You should do it at least once!) What: Riding a bicycle across the Golden Gate Bridge. Also, you might want to consult your doctor about ADHD, and/or cut down on the fine herb clouding your short-term memory. Where: The Bridge down into Sausalito, see below
Options on the Near End

1. Ride with me from my house. (Ha!)
2. Meet up at 16th St BART, ride to Church, across Market, through “The Wiggle,” and over to Baker & Fell. I could be convinced to meet folks along this route, if they’re concerned about navigating “The Wiggle.” Given that most of you are coming from somewhere in the Mission, this probably makes the most sense.
3. Meet at Baker & Fell (the start of The Panhandle), through the Park, out to Arguello, through the Presidio, and out over the Bridge. I could easily be convinced to meet folks here.
4. Meet at the office, ride to Embarcadero, pick up the Bay Trail after a few blocks, and ride up and over the Bridge. I don’t think this makes sense for anyone likely to go on this ride, but let’s weigh the merits: Pro: Most of the route is on a bike path, completely separated from traffic. Cons:
   1. It’s longer. Given the early start, this may be a major factor.
   2. It’s not as nice as the ride through the Presidio.
   3. The climb up to the Bridge is more extreme. I remember it being quite daunting, but admittedly I haven’t taken this route in many years.
   In the end, the decision comes down to how comfortable you are on the street. If someone is still considering this, ping me, and we’ll make this work.

Options on the Far End

For this ride there aren’t really any. The Change.org folks will be stopping just at the base of the bridge, before hitting downtown Sausalito. If anyone else is still considering this ride, it’s a very easy ride into downtown, and the ferry is a nice way home.
(Added!) Distances Involved
16th St. BART - Fell & Baker 1.9mi Fell & Baker - Presidio 2.4mi Presidio - Bridge 2.2mi Bridge! 2.1mi Bridge - Sausalito (Downtown) 2.7mi Alternate Route Distances
4th/King - Ferry Building 1.6mi Ferry Building - Blue & Gold Ferry Terminal (Pier 39) 0.9mi Pier 39 - Bridge 5.8mi
Deviations from these options are encouraged! Any questions? ASK!