Last trip to San Fran...

Yesterday (Wednesday) was our last full day in the San Francisco area so we decided to make one last trip into the city. We had two destinations: the first was to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge (2 miles each way) and then visit the Golden Gate Park...two 'must dos'.


The walk across the bridge was great...the view from the bridge is beautiful and a little scary looking up at the cables and down over the railings. The bridge was completed in 1937 and was the longest span in the world until the Verrazano Narrows Bridge was built in New York. It's still the 9th longest suspension bridge in the world. The total length is 1.7 miles and it is 220 feet above high water. It is the most popular suicide bridge in the world as well. The paint on the bridge is continuously touched up, with 38 painters always working.

After our bridge walk, we headed to the Golden Gate Park. It's a beautiful park consisting of 1,017 acres in the heart of San Francisco. It was designed in 1870 by William Hammond Hall, who was inspired by Frederick Law Olmsted who designed Central Park in New York. There are lakes, trails, museums, and even a beautiful windmill. After driving around and visiting the windmill with it's surrounding gardens, we decided not to visit the museum and art gallery...it was an outdoors kinda day and we were more interested in the natural art of the park.

When we were finished, we headed home...via downtown San Fran and the Presidio...only because we got lost! But it was still fun! When we took a wrong turn and ended up in the Presidio, we were reminded of the Submarine base in Groton. After researching it a little bit, we found that it was a Spanish military base in 1776, who turned it over to Mexico. Mexico gave it to the United States in 1847 where it remained an active military base until 1994. It was then transferred to the National Park System, ending a 219 year career as a military base.

This picture is of the tunnel on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge...pretty, huh?

Today we're heading up Rte 101 206 miles to Redcrest, CA, which is on the Avenue of the Giants...we'll be going right through redwood country! We'll stay at the Redcrest RV Resort for 2 nights so we can see the sights.

More later!

Much love to all the kiddies we adore...you all know who you are!