The Bike Ride

Day 8: 23rd December

That day I went biking with those two guys I met the previous night. Before doing that, we decided to admire the sunrise from a tower, Telegraph Hill.

We woke up at 6 am and at 7 am (the sunrise was at 7:22 am) we reached the tower. It was closed, under renovation. N. and me decided to give it a shot anyway and we sneak in through the fence into the courtyard, like a boss.

There were a few machines and some workers, we walked around like if we didn't know what we were doing. We saw that the tower was closed and well "guarded," so we decided to check the perimeter for a decent view. Soon enough one of the workers said (direct quote), "Ehy guys, I don't give a shit that you're there. But if a supervisor comes he will ask you to leave, anyway tower's closed."

"Oh.. Sure," we said to him, and since there wasn't a good spot anyway we sneak out on the street again.

It was pretty hard yo find a good spot outside the tower, the view was obstructed by trees and houses. Many houses had pretty nice views, the people who live there wake up and see something like that:

Now, if you were paying attention, you should be wondering how do I know that they see something like that.

"I've got an idea"—I said to N.—"But I think that's a little bit dangerous, plus there's people sleeping there."

N. went first, he silently climbed the (very low) roof, and carefully headed in the middle. After taking some shots to the sunrise he went back.

"There's someone sleeping... be silent." He added when coming back.

My turn. I went up and did the same, but I also took a picture pointing in the other direction.

After breakfast, we went on to rent the bikes. It was 21 dollars per-day. The bikes looked fine—I repeat, looked.

After riding for an hour or so, something happens to one of the bros, "Shit.. I've got a flat tire!"

He was pretty calm and called the renting company that suggested a repair in a close bike shop. We walked there (like a mile) and parked our bikes. It was a huge sport shop, with a bike repair area.

That trip turned out really useful. During the previous days I repeatedly failed to find a specific item to buy as a gift. One of those gifts that you planned in advance, and if you can't find you have to think about something else that would ultimately turn out inferior.  If I didn't went with the guys, and H. didn't break his tire, I most likely wouldn't have find the item I was looking for. It was fun how a series of random events turned out positively. You can call it luck or destiny. Believe your destiny.

We biked till Sausalito, a place which is just as cool and as small as the name implies. There I got the best hamburger I've ever had. Perhaps the fact that I was hungry like a pterodactyl contributed to make it tastier.

This was a view from one of the parking lots in Sausalito.

Which is quite impressive compared to the view I see from my parking lot. 

Because I don't have a parking lot.

N. left and took the ferry, while me and H. biked, biked and biked again to the Golden Gate National Park. Which is a park with all sorts of museums. The ride back was intense cause San Francisco is pretty damn hilly.

Back at the hostel I collapsed. I was done for the day.

The bike ride was a nice experience, and that day was the only one that I joined someone. It was less adventurous than the previous days, there were more vistas though. But you know, I don't care about vistas, right?