Of Bridge and Bay

We were down to our last couple of days in San Francisco and cousin Barbara had planned a picnic for us.

When we left Rio Vista, it was sunny; but as we approached the city, it was as if the fog could determine where the city limits were. In the city, we could not see more than a few stories above the streets.

The sense of the fog's "attraction" to the city was most evident when we viewed the Bay area from a vantage point in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) just after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.

From this virtually fog-free point (some fog in the upper left of the photo), we could see the tunnels for Highway 101/1 to the north. Sausalito is behind the hills on San Francisco Bay.

Following a sequence of photos from north of the Golden Gate Bridge to its south, we had a clear view of Vista Point (left in photo) and some buildings of Fort Baker (lower right). San Francisco Bay is in the background.

In this photo above, Horseshoe Bay, with several Coast Guard boats docked there, is shown in the center.

On the day of our visit, there was a very brisk wind at this overlook. Maintaining my balance on the climb to the top of the overlook resulted in a slower climb, but once at the top, I had these magnificent views.

This view included Alcatraz (above, center right), which is also part of the GGNRA, the largest urban park in the world, covering three counties along 28 miles of stunning, development-free shoreline. The Recreation Area wraps around the northern and western edges of the city.

The view to the southeast showed the San Francisco skyline, partially obscured by the blanket of fog hanging over the city.

The photo appears to have a black-and-white quality to it, but, in fact, the "colors" of that afternoon were accurately reflected in this picture.

During the time I was photo-graphing the scenes here, the warning sounds of a fog horn had been sounding. This photo of the Golden Gate Bridge reveals why the Lime Point Fog Signal Station's fog horn was necessary.

The lighthouse structure under the bridge (hidden by this boulder) was built in 1883, and even though the residences no longer exist, the fog signal still operates.

After Barbara took this photo of our two Wanderers, we headed to Sausalito. Note the summer apparel. The summer had been cool, and while many San Franciscans were becoming a bit frustrated with the less-than-summer-like temperatures, we were enjoying them.

We took a short drive through the village of Sausalito and managed to record a few photos before being completely mesmerized by this beautiful town.

By the time we were ready to leave San Francisco, the fog had lifted and presented us with some beautiful views.













Well, as is the case with some late night talk show hosts, "We ran a bit late with our writings, so we'll present the picnic tomorrow so that we can give it the full attention it deserves. Good night."