Joy gave me a book of moto rides in California for Christmas 2008. (Yeah, I'm slow). One of the easy-to-access recommended destinations is Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County. Anyway, today Molly and I took advantage of a break in the welcome rain storms and we sought the summit. The road poses far more interesting terrain than my straight-line commute. Ascending to the summit involves following a tightly coiled 2-lane road with many blind corners, magnificent views and the opportunity to share the lane safely with brave folks on bicycles.Molly made textbook perfect turns on the unfamiliar road, braking before the turn, and then maintaining speed or accelerating through it. I like following her because we are of like mind: to arrive safely and have fun. As we rose above the mist and low fog, we enjoyed glimpses of the Pacific Ocean, the foothills in Marin and even San Francisco. The summit had limited sight lines and was really a parking lot providing access to trails which cover the park. Part way down, we paused at a remarkable overlook and met a delightful French tourist from Dijon. He graciously took our picture and tolerated my Belgian accent.
We ate lunch on the deck of the Mountain Inn overlooking spectacular estates in Mill Valley. I recommend the pulled pork sandwich, yet I'm confident Molly enjoyed her heuvos rancheros. This outing was a very peaceful and beautiful experience, and it's definitely worth doing again.
The Sutro Tower in SFO as seen above the fog on Mt. TamalpaisTotal distance travelled: 103 miles
