Saturday, April 5

I got up early and took my super fantastic new wheels out for a long day.  I headed over the Golden Gate Bridge and got a great view of the sun coming up over Angel Island from Sausalito:

I headed over Camino Alto and into Fairfax where I took a break at Perry's on Sir Francis Drake.  They have a little patio in the back that is blissfully free of all the sketch that Fairfax seems to attract in abundance.  Here's a pic of my bike with the new wheels bathed in the morning sunlight:

And the new wheels themselves.  They're Mavic SL's.  They were recommended by just about everybody and I got them with the REI 20% off sale so I got a really good deal on them.  They're a little flashier than I like, but they're really good wheels and should last a very long time:

I headed over into San Geronimo Valley and then over into Nicasio Valley and finally over to the Cheese Factory where I took another break.  It was still pretty early and the place was pretty much empty save for geese:

I headed up Hicks Valley and then turned towards Petaluma.  I got a great shot looking north from the top of Wilson Hill:

I saw a big goat farm on my way into Petaluma.  Animals are much cuter when you don't eat them.  It's a guilt thing.

I headed into Petaluma and tried to get out of there in a hurry but there's another fantastic building everywhere you look:

St. Vincent De Paul's is one of the most elaborately decorated churches I've seen in northern California:

  

This sign was across the street from the church.  How did they arrive at this length of time.  It seems so random yet so specific:

Downtown Petaluma is also filled with fabulous buildings.  I'll bet there was a lot of this San Francisco before they all burned down in 1906:

I headed out Bodega Ave towards the coast.  I stopped just out of town for a few shots of some beautifully dilapidated farm buildings:

I headed out towards Tomales and stopped in Two Rock which is a tiny little town about halfway there:

I headed south from Tomales towards Tomales Bay.  Nasty headwinds until you hit the bay.  But it's so pretty when you do:

Here's me enjoyin' it:

Dillon Beach is where the Tamales Bay empties out into the ocean:

I stopped in Marshall for a break at a Marina.  Pretty, but windy and cold:

I headed down to Point Reyes Station and then up San Geronimo Valley back into Fairfax.  This is pretty Saint Rita's in Fairfax which is pretty and nicely detailed:

I headed back over Camino Alto and back into Saualito and then over the bridge, through the Presidio and then Arguello to Jackson to Cherry to Washington to Spruce to Clay to Scott to Duboce to Castro to 17th and then Home.  Mr. Poe had made me dinner and we went to bed early.  Great day!

Bike Mileage:
Today                                  125.3
Week to date                       326.6
Month to date                      288.9
Year to date                      2,600.3
Remaining to Goal             7,399.7
Over (Under) plan                (22.7)

Friday, April 4

I headed out after lunch to go to REI to get the brakes on my commuter bike tightened and also to pick out a new blinky light for my road bike because my lifecycle training ride on Sunday was meeting at 5:45 because of a bridge closure.  On the way back I noticed a lot of work being done on Market at Kearny.  This building is apparently being extended down Market street:

  

The Hearst building also seems to be getting some work done.  I'm very fond of both of these buildings and I can't wait to see what they're doing with them:

After work I headed home up Market because Mr. Poe was coming home early.   I took him out to dinner and then we headed over to REI to pick up my road bike with it's super fantastic new wheels.

Bike Mileage:
Today                                    22.6
Week to date                       201.0
Month to date                      163.6
Year to date                      2,475.0
Remaining to Goal             7,525.0
Over (Under) plan              (120.6)

Friday, April 4

I headed off Corbett to Portola to Woodside to Dewey to Taravel and down to the coast.  I came up the Great Highway and then went into Golden Gate Park at MLK.  There's a lot of work going on at the South Windmill and I'm really excited to see that site with and actual windmill on it:

Here's me looking nosy in front of the worksite:

I took MLK to middle and, while I was in a nosy mood, I stopped by the California Academy of Sciences.  The security guard wouldn't let me in, but did tell me that it's really nice inside.  Bitch.

I took Middle to JFK and into the Panhandle.  I came up Baker where I got a shot of this gorgeous Victorian at Baker and Fulton.  I've photographed it before:

There's something odd about the tower.  I'll bet that when it was built it was all open air underneath the conical roof.  That would have been swank:

I continued on Baker to McAllister to Van Ness where I got a shot of the sun rising behind the federal building at Howard and 8th:

And a few nice shots of the War Memorial Veterans Building  which opened in 1932:

I came up Polk and got another shot of the beautiful California Culinary Academy building:

I continued on Polk and spied this building on Polk and Bush.  I think it's new.  I haven't noticed it before.  I love it.  It's so northwest modern:

  

I took Bush to Sansome and into work.

Thursday, March 3

I headed off after work Columbus to North Point to Van Ness to Chestnut to Lyon and into the Presidio. I came around on Lincoln and headed over the Golden Gate Bridge.  I rode through Sausalito and then headed over to Mill Valley.  I rode around town and I must say that my opinion of Mill Valley is vastly improved.  Check out this nice view of Mt Tam:

This is Mill Valley's Tudorlicious city hall:

It's got some nice detail:

This is Our Lady of Mount Carmel church.  It's a beautiful, richly detailed structure:

I came back through Sausalito and then back over the bridge and then got on Washington.  I stopped at Immigrant Point to take a pic of the sunset.  I think it's moisture on my lense that is giving that efffect but I love it:

And a delighted photo of me:

I came out of the Presidio at Arguello and then took Jacktson to Cherry to Washington to Spruce to Clay to Scott to Duboce to Castro to 17th and then home for dinner.

Bike Mileage:
Today                                    55.4
Week to date                       178.4
Month to date                      141.0
Year to date                      2,452.4
Remaining to Goal             7,547.6
Over (Under) plan              (115.9)

Thursday, March 3

I headed off in the morning Corbett to Portola to Woodside to Dewey to Taravel and down to the coast.  I came up the Great Highway and then took Geary to 34th and then up to the Palace of the Legion of Honor.  I saw something new in the courtyard so I rode up to the gates to investigate.  I'd never been up in the portico in the morning and it was fun seeing the courtyard so empty:

  

Check this out.  It's yellow and new and fabulous and kind of reminds me of my hair in the morning.  I need to go back at mid day to see what the sun shining on it does.  I'm not sure if it's glass or plastic but I love it:

  

This is the view from the portico columns towards the Marin Headlands.  Gorgeous:

Another shot of the courtyard:

And one of me as well:

I came down Camino Del Mar to Lake to Arguello and into the Presidio.  I came out at the Lombard Gate and then took Chestnut to Polk to North Point.  This is the view from North Point and Larkin.  I believe this ship is called the Thayer and dates from 1895:

I continued on North Point to the Embarcadero to Battery to Sacramento to Sansome and into work.

Wednesday, April 2

I headed off work Market to Turk when I realized I'd forgotten my camera and had to go back.  So I came down Market again and turned on Turk.  Turk street has a number of wonderful buildings, but they are overshadowed by the cast number of homeless in various states of disarray everywhere that you look.  I was a little nervous coming down Turk Street in the Tenderloin, which is a feeling I rarely get in San Francisco.  I stopped long enough to get a pic of this fantastic building:

Check out the detail:

I continued down Turk Street and the neighborhood improved as soon as I passed Van Ness.  I saw this enormous mansion on Turk between Divisadero and Broderick.  It's probably seen better days, but it's really pretty:

I continued on Turk to 8th and into Golden Gate Park.  I came down JFK all the way to the ocean.  I stopped by the North Windmill to check on the progress of the tulips.  A lot of yellow:

Here's me in front of them:

I continued down to the ocean.  I think these are the Farallones:

I headed back into the park JFK to Bernice Rodgers to MLK to Middle to JFK into the Panhandle to Baker to Page to Duboce to Castro to 17th and then home.

Bike Mileage:
Today                                    39.2
Week to date                        123.0
Month to date                         85.6
Year to date                      2,397.0
Remaining to Goal             7,603.0
Over (Under) plan              (144.0

Wednesday, April 2

I was feeling a lot better this morning.  I headed off Corbett to Portola to Fowler to Teresita to Gaviota to Bella Vista to Los Palmos to Hazelwood to Brentwood where I stopped to get a shot of the the coast:

I continued on Brentwood to Fernwood to El Verano to Darien to San Fernando to Ocean to Clearfield into 34th to Yorba to 35th to San Vicente and down to the coast.  I came up the Great Highway and went into Golden Gate Park MLK and took it to Middle to JFK and into the Panhandle.  This is the Pandhandle from Baker and Fell with the Haight in the background:

And one of me as well:

I headed up Baker where I spied these two cottages that were probably once identical but one of them has lost its hat:

I took Baker to McAllister to Polk and headed West.  The California Culinary Academy is a fabulous building I don't know a lot about.  It looks a little German to me.  And so beautifully detailed!

  

I continued on Polk to Bush to Sansome and into work.

Tuesday, April 1

When I headed home for lunch there was something going on Sansome between Bush and Sutter.  There were people protesting or celebrating or something and this was parked on the street:

After work I headed off 2nd to Howard where I got a few shots of Jollibee.  The Filipino fast food chain that is relentlessly cheerful:

  

I took Howard to 5th to Brannon and stopped into REI to pick up the last of my Anniversary sale haul.  Then I continued Brannon to Potrero where I stopped to take some pics of San Francisco General Hospital.  At first, I thought it was another addition to my list of Maya revival structures from the 20's and 30's.  But it isn't.  I think it's a Persian revival style.  I haven't been able to find out anything about it:

   

I think the other old buildings on the site are Romanesque:

I took Potrero to Cesar Chavez to Hampshire to 26th where I saw this gorgeous Victorian sitting all by itself in a pretty sketchy neighborhood.  Whoever lives there must love that house a lot because it's really well done and in such a crappy area:  It was probably originally on a much larger piece of land:

  

I continued on 26th to Harrison where I took a pic of Flynn Elementary which is home to dazzling murals and mosaics:

I took Harrison to Precita to Mission.  I love love love the decoration of this club, the Roccapulco:

I took Mission to Richland to Leese to Crescent to Agnon to Justin to Saint Mary's Park.  I took the footbride ofver 280 and then Trumball to Cambridge to Felton to San Bruno into Bayshore to Guadalupe Canyon Parkway.  I took it into E Market to San Pedro to Washington to 87th to Park Plaza to John Daly to Lake Merced to Higuera to Arballo to Font to Holloway to Junipero Serra.  There's a side road off of the main one and I got a nice shot of the entrance to Ingleside Terraces:

And also to Balboa Terrace:

I followed Junipero Serra to Saint Francis where I got a shot of the fading light from Santa Ana:

I took Santa Ana to Portola to Corbett and home.  Fantastic ride.

Bike Mileage:
Today                                    46.4
Week to date                         83.8
Month to date                    1,372.5
Year to date                      2,357.8
Remaining to Goal             7,642.2
Over (Under) plan              (155.9)

Tuesday, April 1

I was still really beat from Sunday's ride so I took a pretty flat (for me) route.  Take a day off and rest??  That's really not the way I do things.  I took Corbett to Portola to Woodside to Dewey to Taravel and down to the coast.  I came up the Great Highway and went into Golden Gate Park at MLK.  I followed it to the Music Concourse and then took JFK to 8th and headed into the Richmond.  I stopped and took a few pictures of the Star of the Sea:

  

  

I took 8th to Lake to Arguello and into the Presidio.  I came out the Lombard gate and then got on Chestnut where I saw this Decolicious building.  I approve:

See?  That's my approving face:

I continued on Chestnut to Octavia to Francisco to Polk where I got a couple shots of the super fantastic Fontana towers:

This building is at Polk and Francisco.  It's not heavily ornamented, but the decoration they did use is very pretty:

  

I took Polk to North Point to the Embarcadero to Washington where I got a shot of the iconic Embarcadero towers.  Trust me, they grow on you:

And I also got a pretty view of the 1921 Matson building everybody can agree on loving:

I took Washington to Battery to Sacramento to Sansome and into work.

Monday, March 31

I headed off after work 2nd to Howard I stopped at Howard and 11th to take a pic looking north at St. Joseph's:

And a view of the new Intercontinental.  I'm still kind of meh about it.  It's nice but not fabulous and a little designed by committee:

I took 11th to Harrison and headed into the Mission.  There's a bunch of really nice Victorians on Harrison in the Mission.  Here are some of them:

  

 

I turned on 22nd  and got a few shots of the back of the new City College campus I've been stalking. 

I'm particularly enamored with this red tile they used:

This is the view back down 22nd Street from 22nd and Bartlett:

And this a fantastic mural I saw.  I think it's also at 22nd and Bartlett:

I rode down Bartlett the wrong way on accident and then took 24th to Valencia to Tiffany to San Jose to Wilder to Diamond to Monterey.  I got a great shot of the late afternoon from the top of Monterey:

And also one of me enjoyin' it:

I continued on Monterey into Santa Clara into Vicente to 20th.  I got a nice pic looking East towards Saint Cecilia's from Larsen Park:

I took 20th to Taravel to Dewey to Laguna Honda into 7th to Hugo to 3rd to Lincoln into Frederick to Stanyon to Page to Scott to Waller to Steiner into Sanchez to Market to 17th and then home.

Bike Mileage:
Today                                    37.4
Week to date                         37.4
Month to date                    1,326.1
Year to date                      2,311.4
Remaining to Goal             7,688.6
Over (Under) plan              (174.9)