(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay...Day 10: Bodega Bay to Half Moon Bay

So it was up and at it with a little trepidation: trying to get through San Francisco was not something that I was looking forward enormously to. However, let's enjoy some of this first, right?

Wakey, wakey...rise and shine! (Me, not them.)

Oh yes, looked benign enough...

This was the first day where I would have to actually consider navigation (yep, you're way ahead already) and I had a hand-scribbled cue-sheet to iron-out the first 45 miles or so. In that distance there was a load of fine countryside, a bit of wildlife, a few recreational local cyclists and beautiful weather: all good!

Lovely. Apart from the incline.

Lovingly hand-crafted. JK Rowling couldn't do better. Well, actually...

The wild geese. Well, sort of.

Ah, me old great mate will be out here soon as well!

From the top of Wilson Hill: an absolute bastardo of a climb. Top view, mind.

So far, so good. My troubles came when I realised that bicycles weren't allowed on Hwy 101 leading to The Golden Gate Bridge. Try as I might, neither Google nor RWGPS were any help either- although that may well be operator error, ahem...

Did consider swimming in desperation!

 My salvation came in the form of Coral, who just passed me on a bike and I asked her if she knew the way to Sausalito. Oh yeah, no probs...going that way, so follow me. Thank you!

Coral canes it downhill in an unorthodox fashion.

She was an absolute star, and delivered me almost right to where I needed to be, pronto: good on you, Ma'am!

Better than GPS, any day!

 From there, I soon got my first sight of San Francisco since 2005...this time the weather was ace!

Sausalito house boats.

Always great to see a fan of 'Citizen Smith'.

Should be straightforward getting through that, right?

Miraculous shot, only because it was teeming all the rest of the time!

 It was a thrill to get across the bridge, but once that was done then the real nonsense (pt.2) began. My Garmin was not behaving (possibly user error again) and my iPhone's maps were giving slightly insane directions, so I opted to wing-it. Just keep going south, right?

Just been and done that. Cheers!

I'll not over-egg it but I have no wish to ever attempt to transit SF to Half Moon Bay via bike ever again. That was the most fraught and frustrating 4 hours: there is the right way to do it, no doubt, but that was just daft in terms of traffic, stop lights, gradients, checking maps...yeah, I know- time to deploy the World's Smallest Violin!

I'll 'Eye Of The Tiger' you, my lad!

Even though I couldn't find a route south, the beach still looks beautiful. Doesn't help, like...

After asking a family out on their bikes, they gave me a good steer (stay the hell away from us) via a bike path that you'd never have found and over dodgy ground: it took me to the bit where bikes are allowed on Hwy 1: was I ever pleased, because I was fresh out of options as my iPhone had died and signage was less-than helpful.

Downhill tunnel...get in. Literally.

What I haven't mentioned is that I had aimed to meet a fellow Stones/Springsteen etc. fan at about 5pm, at a pub of my choosing just down the road from my motel. As the hours slid-away and the frustration grew, I felt bad for Fred- not least because I couldn't even message him due to no phone charge.

Not Dave C.'s place. Served decent IPA, so we'll forgive the insane decor, hah-hah!

Thanks to no more hills after the tunnel, and a helping breeze I made it there 'only' 40 mins late: honestly, that looked impossible an hour previously.

It was great to meet Fred and quench my thirst- I really appreciated his patience and putting himself out in coming over to HMB: oh, and the man donated (yet) again. Big thanks, and a fine way to round-off a full-on day.

Pleased to meet you!

Guess what? Yeah, you know what...the usual polite plea is coming-up: if you can spare a couple of Shekels for two great causes then please click ON THIS!

Strava 'fugees should click here for all the tragic stats...No, here!

Inspired by his time in Sausalito, so here's the one and only...

More nonsense tomorrow...bet on that!