Day 2 of our California vacation started with an early-morning workout and a trek on the treadmill. I never tired of the view . . . talk about motivating!
When I returned to the apartment, everyone was still asleep, which gave me time to shower and dress without hogging the bathroom.
When N woke up and saw what I was wearing (a cute tank top and blue jeans with holes), she strongly urged me to change, explaining that I would be very cold when we got to our destination.
Y’all, can I just be real here? I like to dress up when we are out and about. Call me high maintenance. Whatever.
With that said, Rooster’s girl is super smart, and I trust her judgment. So, I changed into a long-sleeve shirt and non-holey pants. I did leave on my Vionic flip flops. Ha!
Even with the wardrobe change, it wasn’t long before we were out the door for another adventure. I took my knitting along for the ride.
Our destination?
Take a look at the video below . . .
It was the Golden Gate Bridge!!!!
Y’all, I was so excited!!
The neat thing is that you’ll just be driving along, round the curve, and BAM, it’s just there.
It is so gorgeous; the color specifically chosen to stand out against the landscape (I read this on a billboard you’ll see a photo of in a bit.
You can hear, in the video above, the kids explaining that people actually walk the bridge. I’d read on a website not to do that, but I think if I ever go back, I wouldn’t mind. Wouldn’t that make for some great photos – looking up at the architecture?
Rooster found a free place to park, kind of amazing given the high price of everything in California, and as soon as he opened his car door, I was EXTREMELY glad that I’d heeded N’s advice.
The wind was blowing fiercely, which you’ll also notice with my messy hair in the pictures that follow.
It was also f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g.
I had not expected this. I mean, it was the middle of June . . . in North America. It had been in the high 70’s the day before. If I had worn the sundress from the day before, I would have been done for.
We carefully made out way down the street, under a short tunnel, and to the buildings that surround the base of the bridge.
First, a pit stop at the restroom where the line to the ladies area was long.
The area felt a little dirty and very touristy, but hey, the bridge is a landmark that begs the adoration of the masses.
We’d packed leftovers from the day before to eat as a picnic lunch. Our original intent had been to visit Crissy Field, another popular tourist spot; however, the weather was foggy, overcast, and cold, so we didn’t. Instead, we headed toward the Roundhouse Cafe.
It reminded me of something you’d see in one of the lands of Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. It was round and had tall windows with a bar and stools running around it. There were no “tables” to speak of. There was also a place to order food, which we didn’t need.
We set ourselves up and ate while enjoying the view.
Y’all, I was so giddy. I couldn’t believe that I was sitting within throwing distance of the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE.
Isn’t that crazy?
I saw people from all walks of life walking up and then down the steps. One gal was a runner . . . wearing a sports bra and capris. Brrrrr!
I saw ladies wearing heels (heck to the no) and families with young children.
This place truly was a mecca, of sorts.
After we finished eating, we headed out and made our way down to a more scenic area near the water where we could grab some pictures.
Of course, there was the selfie . . .
And then the selfie with the Mr.
After taking a group selfie, it was time for pictures with the Mr., which Rooster snapped for us.
I took a few pictures of the kids too. They’re seriously precious, let me tell you.
It was so foggy that I couldn’t see too far out over the water. Alcatraz was barely visible, but honestly, I wasn’t sure what to look for, so there was that.
I did manage to capture some pretty neat photos of the bridge, enshrouded by clouds.
Doesn’t this look like something you’d see in a movie?
The view was awe-inspiring. It’s just amazing how much knowledge God has imparted to mankind to build such incredible structures like this bridge.
Before leaving, I wanted another photo. I think this one will find its way into a frame.
The cold got to us, so we carefully made our way up the steep trail and visited the shop that sits at the base of the bridge.
We made a couple of small purchases. My favorite was this puzzle, which I put together when we got home.
Look how tiny the pieces are!
I’m in the process of matting it. I think I’ll mount it to a frame and place it alongside a picture of us as a way to remember that fun adventure.
We headed back “home” after our shopping excursion.
Gus was happy to see us. I puppy sat while the kids and the Mr. headed to their regular gym to work out.
We took it easy until dinner time, when we headed out to Blaze Pizza, which was having its grand opening down the street from the kids’ apartment. They were offering each patron a free small pizza. We couldn’t turn that down!
The line was out the door, but the restaurant had its act together; all employees were on deck and served with a smile.
There was a mishap with my pizza, though. It made it all the way through the line, but someone dropped it while placing it into the oven. They had to start from scratch, and it took forever. Ugh. I tried to be understanding. The pizza was worth it! I love that this place has vegan options!
That pretty much took care of our day, with the exception of the guys watching some baseball and me knitting on the couch until bedtime. Driving around California is exhausting; it takes a longggggggg time to get places because of the traffic. I’m not complaining, mind you, because all I had to do was ride. We were pacing ourselves because we still had several days left in our trip.
Filed under: Vacation | Tagged: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, Vacation | 1 Comment »
AuburnChick's Adventures 