Momentum USA Nov/Dec 2011
I ts the birthplace of Critical Mass Its the home of the xie riding hipster ignore New Yorkers who try to claim that dubious distinction Its a tiny dense city with a huge spectrum of people who realize that cycling from most A points to most B points is simply the fastest cheapest quickest way to go thanks to growing bicycle infrastructure bike friendly businesses and transit agencies On a single San Francisco day you can steer your steed through a national park check out world class art and science museums take in a Giants game and connect the dots between neighborhoods as disparate as Chinatown and Haight Ashbury Downtown the Ferry Building is a must see said San Franciscan and biking demigod Gary Fisher Its got the farmers market and inside its nothing but local purveyors Once youve had your ll of organic co ee and grub Fisher suggests jumping on the ferry to Larkspur Its my favorite town in Marin County and the ferry ride is beautiful Freed from the isolation of a rental car or taxi youll smell the eucalyptus groves and the salty bay Back in SF youll see the architecture and culture shift as you ride through neighborhoods Youll hear the ornery bark of the sea lions o Pier 39 and the horn heavy Mexican Banda music blaring from garage parties in the Mission District Plus the citys buses are out tted with racks so if you should peter out theyre there to save you But you wont need them if you know where to ride and when it comes to that the key piece of intel is e Wiggle a at route that connects Golden Gate Park with the Mission District and bypasses nosebleed inducing hills ere are really at ways to get through town said Fisher And San Francisco Bicycle Coalition board member Maureen Devlin concurs No matter what your level of tness you should not feel intimidated to ride in San Francisco When it comes to cycling Valencia Street gets the lions share of attention e Mission District thoroughfare is blessed with bike lanes lights timed for smooth bike ow and many pockets of bike corrals for parking is street is a vortex of co ee shops bars shops and parks that will swallow you if you let them Dont eres much else to see from your saddle e Golden Gate Bridge is open to cyclists be sure to follow signs to the protected bike lane and be prepared for high winds and thats a must do And if youre up for it take the phrase ride around town literally on the Butter Lap a 17 mile 27 kilometer loop that skirts the edges of town from the Ferry Building into the Presidio and along Ocean Beach before traversing Golden Gate Park and bringing you to Mission A semi organized group of locals rides it each Wednesday meeting at the Ferry Building at 7 p m Your pay o for hu ng up a few medium steep hills Astounding views of the bay the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin County Plus youll feel like a local If you have small kids in tow or want a more leisurely ride Golden Gate Parks main drag JFK Drive is closed to cars each Sunday and the rst Saturday of each month which means plenty of space for bikes trikes and all manner of wheeled and foot powered visitors And if youre lucky enough to be here during a Sunday Streets event multi block parties modeled after the Ciclovía in Bogota Colombia youll get an inside look at SFs unique bike culture A great example custom low rider bikes that are statements of art more than viable vehicles Youll see bikes bedizened with fur and speakers pumping bass skateboarders roller skaters young riders old riders and lots of locals reveling in car free streets Bonus Rock the Bike brings its pedalpowered music stage to Sunday Streets Outside Lands You might nd the urge to explore beyond San Franciscos 49 square miles for perspective Los Angeles is 500 square miles Not a problem e subway system Bay Area Rapid Transit or BART will take you and your bike during non rush hours to the East Bay Oakland and Berkeley A three mile loop around Oaklands Lake Merritt a ords a great glimpse of the citys architecture including its Art Deco apartment buildings e lake is also a National Wildlife Refuge so look out for egrets herons and geese And the Oakland Museum of California museumca org o ers bike docent led history tours as well You can also while away the hours poking around the University of Berkeley campus and the shops along Telegraph Avenue If youre looking for serious road riding or mountain biking it doesnt get much better than the lush curvy Highway 1 and Mount Tamalpais in Marin County or the steep vista lled hills of the East and South Bay Mary Catherine OConnor is an independent journalist who lives and rides in San Francisco @ mcoc mcoconnor com Crowds on 24th Street at Sunday Streets in the Mission District of San Francisco 35 MOMENTUMPLANET COM NOV DEC 11 PHOTO BY BHAUTIK JOSHI A candid shot of a San Francisco rider on a sunny summer afternoon PHOTO BY BHAUTIK JOSHI A cyclist walks his bike in front of the brightly painted storefront of Community Thrift on Valencia Street in San Francisco PHOTO BY BHAUTIK JOSHI PHOTO BY MYLEEN HOLLERO San Francisco Bicycle Coalitions executive director Leah Shahum commuting on one of the physically separated green bike lanes on Market Street that the SF Bicycle Coalition worked with the city to install Market Street is one key link in the organizations Connecting the City plan to create 100 miles 160 kilometers of safe crosstown bikeways
You must have JavaScript enabled to view digital editions.
