Come on, pedal faster!

As usual I had planned to take the reliable 80 bus to San Francisco, but that plan changed all too quickly when my Spanish speaking friend missed a turn-off to the Bus Station and ended up on her first "U.S High Way" experience.

After much deliberation and acknowledgement of no turning back, we drove into The City in a snazzy car with some Latino music blearing and her singing- no wonder I went to bed singing about someone called "Alle, Alle... Allejandro!"

An hour later, after nearly having several head-on collisions and me swearing in Afrikaans, we decided it was best to park, hire some bikes and cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge! However not realising it was the Alcatraz Escape Triathlon, it meant serious cyclists in serious get-up, seriously cycling on a, did I mention, very 'serious' mission? As I pride myself in being competitive I found myself trying to compete with some muscular looking women, looking for the odd wink from a bulging boy but instead I'm now left with a very sore rear end and stiff neck from approaching competitors!

I could really tell you what was going through my mind after 3 hours of constant pedalling in a 50 knot wind, but it's probably better I share some interesting facts of of the Golden Gate Bridge I learnt along the way:

It turns out only 12 people died during construction which took place in The Great Depression (1933). Designed by bridge-builder Jospeh Strauss, it was made with over a whopping 75 000 000kg's of steel, 2000m of cable and has an average of 40 million cars crossing annually. The toll now costs $6, the paint colour, Orange Vermillion was chosen to blend in with the setting and before the Bridge, people had to use a ferry to get across San Francisco Bay.

Other than that, I'd say it's a very impressive and overwhelming sight nevermind choosing to bike it. The eye-balling gothic lady hiring out the bikes mentioned I was the first South African she had signed in, and by the look of her 20 piercings I'd say she's been there for a while.

So let this be a little motivation to you at some point, to come to San Francisco and be the next Suid-Afrikaner to do it also too! (incorrect use of speech horribly deliberate)

Here's wishing you all a fantastic week!

xoxo