OK ... this ride isn't in Sonoma County ... but I was staying in Santa Rosa at the time I did it.
The ride started in Marin County and I planned to take the ferry to San Francisco and ride over the Golden Gate Bridge and back around the Bay.
I started my ride at Blackie's Pasture which is at the northern end of the Tiburon Peninsula.
Blackie was a cavalry house who spend the last 28 years of his life grazing on these pastures ... a bronze statue now stands in his memory.
From the pasture a combined cycle-pedestrian trail leads along the water's edge to Belvedere Island.
The Island is joined to the peninsula by two promontories.
Riding around the Island I passed dozens of desirable properties all perched side-by-side on the water's edge.
Halfway round the Island the coastal road ends and I had to scramble up a 1 in 4 road that is now ... probably sensibly ... closed to through traffic.
At the top views opened up across the water to Sausalito and to San Francisco itself.
As I rounded the southern tip of the Island the houses became more expensive still.
A local pointed out a derelict plot of land which was up for sale for around six million dollars.
He also grumbled about a boat offshore ... the occupant of which he claimed was avoiding taxes ... but enjoying the view.
Umm ... I guess I was doing the same.
I descended back down to cross the southern promontory ... and passed the very exclusive looking San Francisco Yacht Club ... and arrived in Tiburon.
The ferry wasn't due for nearly an hour ... so I had time browse round the shops ... and find a café for a drink and pastry.
The ferry only takes twenty five bikes ... so I made sure that I was near to front of the queue when the ferry arrived.
As it happened only three other cyclists turned up ... so I could have spent more time in the café.
The ferry goes first to Sausalito before crossing the Bay to the city.
Unfortunately the weather was overcast so views of the islands and the edges of the bay were a little disappointing.
Sausalito ... like Belvedere Island ... has houses perched on every vantage point to make best use of the bay views.
From Sausalito the ferry crosses the Bay ... passing Alcatraz ... which was formerly a notorious prison.
Inmates could see the bright lights of the city ... and even hear revellers over the water on the quay.
As you travel south the Golden Gate Bridge emerges from behind the Marin headlands.
On arriving at the city I waited for the other passengers to disembark before wheeling my bike off the ferry.
I was immediately surrounded by the tourist maelstrom of Fisherman's Wharf.
This was such a contrast with the peace of the Tiburon Peninsula that I was keen to move on.
The old piers on the harbour front have been redeveloped to support a wide range of tourist attractions ... including at least four outlets renting bikes so that tourists can cycle over the bridge.
I pushed my way past any number of gift shops, clam stalls, ice cream outlets, T-shirts shops and museums
Fortunately little traffic finds its way along the quay front ... the main dangers to cyclists are the large number of pedestrians and the tram lines which cross the road at an angle.
Setting off westward towards the Golden Gate Bridge I passed the Hyde Street Pier and the old red brick Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory.
Beyond the chocolate factory a new bicycle trail takes you along the Presidio and Crissy Field all the way to the foot of the bridge.
Just before the bridge is the appropriately named Warming Hut which contains a small shop and café. As there were clearly no refreshment stops on the bridge ... I decided that it was a good place to stop for lunch.
Suitably refreshed ... I peddled slowly up the hill to join the combined pedestrian-bike path over the bridge.
The previous day at the Jimtown Store I'd been warned how noisy the bridge path can be ... 'imagine standing alongside a real busy highway' ... so my expectations of the crossing weren't high.
Luckily a gentle breeze and the open aspect of the bridge served to reduce the impact of the traffic noise from the busy Highway 101.
The bridge crosses the Bay 225' above the ocean. From this height you get dramatic views back east to the City.
As you pass the towers the wind drops ... and you have to be careful not to wobble into the barriers.
On the north side of the bridge you arrive above Lime Point and the car park at Vista Point.
I arrived just after a grandmother and her daughter on a rented tandem ... she was ecstatic that she had managed to cross the bridge by pedal power alone.
From the viewpoint it is an easy descent down Alexander Avenue into the Bayside town of Sausalito.
Sausalito is a popular day trip from San Francisco and the main drag .. Bridgeway Avenue ... contains pricey shops and expensive restaurants.
Like other bayside communities houses are piled on the hillsides above the town to make best use of the views.
I cycled on past the Sausalito Yacht Club and the pier where the ferry was taking on a fresh load of passengers.
Leaving town you pass a series of exclusive marinas ... with plenty of signs to make sure that you know they are exclusive.
I also spotted another Airstream Trailer ... I didn't seem to be able to get away from them on this trip.
North of the marina lies one legacy of Sausalito's past.
A colony of houseboats and converted barges fronts the shore.
Some are imaginatively decorated and immaculately maintained ... whilst others are decaying and slowly sinking into the water.
The residents are resisting plans to evict them and to build another exclusive marina.
Beyond the houseboats I joined a custom bike path. The path is briefly joined by Highway 101 which then turns away northward to bridge a creek of Richardson Bay.
Cyclists don't have the luxury of a bridge and have to wind their way around the creek and then trace a rather tortuous route which passes back under the 101 and around Strawberry Point.
As I pedalled the last few kilometres back to Blackie's Pasture the sun came out and the water began to sparkle.
You can see why people compete to make their home alongside the Bay ... let's just hope they leave some space for the houseboats.
Kirby James
