Road Trip: San Francisco

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November 17: Eureka to San Francisco. Starting mileage: 37,127.

From the quiet majesty of the redwoods, we were now on our way to the hubbub of busy San Francisco. It was once again, a beautiful day for a drive. Remembering our Road Trip Lesson #1–“the road is the trip too”–we took our time. We drove south down US-101, stopping at Redcrest’s tiny post office, Humboldt Redwoods State Park for a few walks along the Avenue of the Giants, and in Willets for a diner lunch at a place called Lumberjack’s. Besides abiding by Road Trip Lesson #6 to always opt to eat at a local diner, who could resist a place with an ax-carrying mannequin out front?

Sweet little bridge. Between Eureka and San Francisco, CA.
Sweet little bridge. Somewhere between Eureka and San Francisco, CA.
Tunnel to "ta-da"...San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Tunnel to…”ta-da”…San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge!

 

Staying in San Francisco

We got our first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge as we passed out of a tunnel, almost at golden hour. The sun’s setting light tinged everything with warmth and welcome. US-101 is the road that goes over the Golden Gate Bridge, and after that and a dramatic left turn through the Presidio, we arrived at our centrally-located hotel, right there on the old highway. So many fantastic old hotel signs, remnants of another era.

In the big cities, I’d looked for hotels where we could park the car, and take public transportation and/or walk. This one was perfectly located, and though not the poshest hotel, it was clean and cozy. And from the balcony, we could see the Golden Gate Bridge…just to the right of a massive billboard touting the coming-soon Apple iPhone X.

November 18:  Lombard Street

Lucky us! Our hotel was on US-101, which also turns out to be Lombard Street. After a few blocks walk–or should I say, CLIMB up Lombard–we arrived at the top of the hill. One side is pin-straight, all the way back past the old highway’s hotels. On the other side, Lombard Street becomes the crookedest street in America.

The story goes that this block, with its 27% grade, was just too steep for cars. As a result, property values were lower for residents. Eventually, someone thought of terracing and in 1922, Lombard Street got its curved switchbacks. Originally a two-way street, it became one way, down hill, in 1939. Over the years, hydrangeas were planted to ease erosion. Sometime during the late 1950s-early 1960s, a photograph of a blooming, colorful Lombard Street became popular and was printed on a postcard. Today, it is estimated that more than 300 cars per hour make their way down the narrow turns, and gobs of tourists hoof it down the block’s 250 steps. No wonder the houses have so many gates, ivy, and hedges! As we took our time walking down, we tried not to gawk into resident’s “front yards”, but we did admire their gardening, and their parking skills.

Walking down Lombard Street, San Francisco, CA.
Follow the red-brick road. Walking down the curviest street…Lombard Street…in San Francisco, CA. Read more about this street and see old photos of its construction.
Gates and hedges along Lombard Street, San Francisco, CA.
Gates and hedges along Lombard Street, San Francisco, CA.
Peek-a-boo window near Lombard Street in hilly San Francisco.
Peek-a-boo window near Lombard Street in hilly San Francisco.
The San Francisco version of kudzu...ivy blankets on a hilly garage. Near Lombard Street.
The San Francisco version of kudzu? Ivy blankets a hilly garage near Lombard Street.
Mama Lucy sits for a rest on the way up the hill to see Lombard Street's crooked other side. San Francisco.
Mama Lucy sits for a rest on the way up the hill to see Lombard Street’s crooked other side. San Francisco.

 

Cable Cars!

Next, we headed for the cable cars. We’d heard the clanging bells and had waved back at the people hanging off the sides, waving and laughing. Our destination was the Powell-Hyde Cable Car turnaround spot in Ghirardelli Square. From there, we’d go to the Powell St. Station at Market Street.

It is said that the San Francisco cable car system came from Andrew Smith Hallidie, who witnessed a horrible accident in 1869. A horse-drawn carriage slipped on the steep-graded, wet, cobblestone street and slid backwards. The heavy vehicle dragged five horses down the hill to their deaths. Hallidie was inspired to do something about it–using wire rope to design a method to pull these cable cars. They were tested and rolled out in 1873.

We were the first riders on the next Powell-Hyde cable car. At this early hour, it wasn’t yet crowded. We marveled at the hills, the clanging of the bell as we passed through intersections, and the pushing/pulling of the conductor’s controls. It was too quick a ride and we were soon at Market Street.

Us on the Cable Car. San Francisco.
Us on the Cable Car. San Francisco.

 

Cable Car, Streetcar, Trolley, or Muni?

Now, who knows the difference between all the trolley cars, cable cars, streetcars, light rail, and subway cars? I find it ridiculously confusing…which made it tricky to figure out how to get the MUNI to go out to see friends and meet their dogs. We got a lot of coaching from friends over text and phone calls, and from some kind strangers in the MUNI station and on the bus…or trolley…or in Chicagoan, “the el”…maybe?

Here’s what I learned:

  • Cable cars run on steel rails with a slot between the tracks where an underground cable runs at a continuous nine miles per hour. To move forward, the conductor operates what are essentially pliers to grip, or let go of, the moving cable.
  • Streetcars also run on steel rails, but with no slot between the tracks, and no underground cable. The streetcars have onboard electric motors and require a trolley pole to draw power from an overhead wire. They are sometimes called trolley cars.
  • Some trolleys have rubber tires and no steel rails, but they are electric and draw power from overhead wires. These are called trolley coaches or trolley buses.
  • There’s also the Muni Metro Light rail. To this Chicagoan, this resembles a short subway train, but on the ground and attached to overhead wires.
  • And finally, there’s BART–Bay Area Rapid Transit–which is a traditional elevated and subway rail system all over the Bay area.

Confusing, no?

San Francisco's Muni lines.
San Francisco’s Muni lines.

 

Quick visits with good friends

In any case, we found our way out to my friends’ house. It was a nice ride out, through a Saturday afternoon in typical San Francisco neighborhoods. Road Trip Lesson #4 is to seize the moments, so we crammed in this super quick visit. We had a rambunctious welcome from two wiggle-butt mutts and big hugs from good friends. After a short visit, with some much-needed puppy playtime, and a sandwich lunch, we had to be on our way. We got a ride back into town past the Painted Ladies, said our goodbyes, and got in line for another cable car ride back to our neighborhood to meet another friend. Life is short! Make it work!

A row of Victorian Houses, The Painted Ladies. San Francisco.
“Postcard Row”: The Painted Ladies, Victorian Houses at Alamo Square park. The houses were built between 1892 and 1896. San Francisco.

 

Another cable car ride, another friend, and another diner

The cable cars were much busier now. Our wait was about an hour. Finally, we boarded–Mama Lucy sitting, and me hanging off the side. What a ride! We stopped in the middle of an intersection for a shift change and traded one loquacious conductor for another. We were told to watch our heels so they didn’t drag on street pylons, and tuck in our butts in traffic. !!! Up and over, up and over. Hills came and went. The bells clanged. People chased the cable car wanting to board and the conductor roared “Next Car!” like a lion song. We were giddy by the time we got back to Ghirardelli Square.

Ghiradrdelli sign at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco.
Ghirardelli Square in the Fisherman’s Wharf area, San Francisco.

 

Here, we’d meet another friend for a bit of site-seeing in her car, and later a diner dinner at Mel’s. Genuine chocolate malts and dancing in the booth to YMCA by the Village People at Mel’s, followed by a glass of wine later near the Wharf wrapped up our time in San Francisco. Such great friends, and such a beautiful place to live.

November 19: San Francisco to Yosemite. Starting mileage: 37,495.

We woke the car up early, loading her up to get out of town before San Francisco got busy. According to Road Trip Lesson #5, we asked Siri for help getting out of the city and she directed us calmly across town and out over the Bay Bridge.

Thanks for a great visit San Francisco! Hope to see y’all again soon!

The Bay Bridge. Lower level going East.
The Bay Bridge. Lower level going East. During the 1989 earthquake, a bit of the upper section collapsed onto this bottom section. It was repaired. In the 1990s, the decision was made to replace the Eastern span of the bridge. A completely new bridge was constructed beside the old one. The new one opened in 2013, and the old one was carefully taken down in 2016-17. San Francisco.

 

Select photos are available on Etsy.