As we had ridden through San Francisco the evening before, we had seen a shop called ‘Guitar World’, and we just had to go and take a look. The other place I wanted to see was Lombard Street, ‘the world’s crookedest street’, which was not far from where we were staying (our motel was actually on Lombard Street).The people in Guitar World were really welcoming and let David try out several different guitars and amplifiers and listened appreciatively while he played. They were impressed, which is quite something in a place like that.

We walked back through Nob Hill and Russian Hill, following the tracks of one of San Francisco’s famous trams, and came to the top of Lombard Street. The views over San Francisco and out over San Quentin were spectacular, but the view of Lombard Street was disappointing. Maybe if we had walked to the bottom of it and looked up? We were both too tired to go for that, and anyway we wanted to get on and see the Golden Gate Bridge.

Back on the bike, follow Highway 101 and the signs take you straight to the Golden Gate Bridge. Then I got lost! Crossing the bridge was no problem, but I took a wrong turn on the other side and we ended up meandering all over the headland over the other side. But eventually (and fortuitously) we found our way back to the view point overlooking the bridge and San Francisco. Dream part two achieved.

We met a couple of bikers there who had ridden down from Seattle, up by the Canadian border, and they took a photo of David and I together—“Otherwise it looks like only one of you was here”, she said.

Time to head off again. Back through San Francisco (bad timing—rush hour!), across the Bay Bridge to Oakland and Berkeley and head for Yosemite, which is about 150 miles east of San Francisco.

We made it to Merced, a little place about half way to Yosemite. At least it had comfortable, cheap motels!