One of the great things about riding my bike for me besides the health benefits is the beauty of the Bay Trail. Although I travel the same route each day there’s always something different to see and depending on the weather the San Francisco Bay has different moods and looks.
Leaving the home unit and ready for take-off! (Yes, I’m a big geek!)
My last ride was March 22nd (Tuesday) and as soon as I got to the trail I noticed the clouds. Puffy and dense enough to block the sun at times looking like huge cotton balls.
A lone runner stretches before a run on the Bay Trail.
This is my view of the trail right before I get on it. I’m very lucky to live several blocks away so I can ride my bike from home. Coyote Point and the boat harbor is to the left it’s a dead end where people fish and San Francisco across the bay is closest.
To the right is my almost 20-mile round trip ride through all kinds of landscapes ending up at Highway 101 where the trail ends. If you consult the map of the Bay Trail on the bottom of my site it may look like one can bike all the way around the bay but unfortunately, many of those paths are dotted meaning they are planned and not yet connected.
Looking towards Seal Point and the San Mateo Bridge.
I bike around that point, past the Golf Course, to the bridge and under it to the other side. Just look at those clouds! The bay was choppy but I was going with the wind in the first half of my ride.
The winds coming off of the bay on this side of the bridge can be very strong, sometimes incredibly strong. No one day is like the next when it comes to the wind. If the winds clock over 15 miles an hour it’s going to be hell biking into them. If they go beyond that it’s insanity. Those are the days I come home tired and sometimes sore. (After all, it is called exercise for a reason.) Once on the other side of the bridge, the trail meanders off of the bay and the wetlands are a pleasant ride.
Taking a break to hear the frogs.
There are benches all along the trail I like to stop and sit at but I always stop at this one near the Golf Course because this is where the frogs are. I used to sit and listen to their funny noises on the first leg of my ride but because of the drought, it’s been pretty quiet. Only when I get stuck in the rain do I hear a few frogs and it makes me sad. Even though we’ve been getting more rain this year it hasn’t brought them back fully.
You can’t see it here but there’s water in those reeds and it’s a perfect place for frogs. I’m hoping I’ll be hearing them soon perhaps they are mating and increasing their numbers as I speak. The more rain we get the better for California’s waterways.
Canadian Geese land to visit with me as I do a frog check.
You can see some of the water but there used to be much more. This is the only place on my ride that’s close to the trail and marsh-like although there are other spots along the ride perfect for frogs and creatures like them. This marsh is across the trail from the bay.
The Belmont Slough.
Once I get away from the bay into Foster City towards Belmont, I follow the Belmont Slough. Let me state here that although I log and track my workouts I don’t ride to best my time. I like to stop and smell the flowers and sit on benches along the way. I haven’t used the top 5 speeds on my bike yet and I wear my camera around my neck so I can stop and snap if need be. It feels so good when I’m on the trail, too good to rush.
As I sat to eat my Golden Delicious Apple this guy came to visit.
There were 2 of these spiders and they were curious about me. You’d think something as big as me would send them scurrying but these guys approached me with a swagger.
I don’t know what kind of spider this is but he’s awfully cute! Looks like a little crab. I left them a few drops of water on the picnic table which they checked out before I left.
Looking towards the bay (hidden here.)
From the same bench, a flock of birds soar by making wonderful noises.
These flowers have the prettiest patterns on them and bloomed early. They’re already fading littering the trail with petals.
I love going under this overpass! Highway 101 is not far now.
On such a perfect day I had no idea that the winds were waiting to ambush me on the other side of the San Mateo Bridge when I went back.
The camera taking all these beautiful pictures is a Nikon Coolpix, one of the first compact all digital camera made by Nikon. My roommate found it in our garbage when some people moved away. Why they did that I don’t know besides being a little beat up it takes amazing pictures and is so small I can wear it around my neck while I ride. It takes .avi movies and records sound. I tend to take terrible pictures because I always move and this makes me look like I know what I’m doing!
Highway 101 marks my turn-around point about 10 miles out the first leg of my ride.
The Bay Trail loops around back onto itself here, taking me back the way I came. I live on Bayshore Blvd., by Highway 101 so I’ve made a big circle on the trail back to 101 only further south. If the trail went along 101 I could ride back home making a complete trip. I wouldn’t get to see the great view on the way back so I don’t mind.
As I sit and take a break some ducks are having a great time!
This cloud looks like it’s balancing on the tower. I enjoy clouds and take photos of them as you can see.
The ice plants are natural but most of these flowers, trees and bushes are landscaping for all the expensive homes that line this part of the trail.
Once back on the San Francisco Bay, it’s all blue sky and beaches on the Foster City/Belmont side until the Belmont Slough.
Some of the beaches are sand and some are gravel but they’re all beautiful. When on the bay it’s usually rocks on the shore so these beaches were a nice surprise when the tide goes out.
Looking back towards the San Mateo Bridge.
The sun is coming out from behind a cloud as a man fishes near the windsock looking towards Mariners Point. That windsock comes in handy!
Coyote Point, San Francisco in the distance, and the boat harbor are all signs that I’m almost home.
On the way to my apartment I pass through neighborhoods and this house is one of my favorites with a Lilac Bush expertly trained along the front windows.
I hope you enjoyed photographs from my ride. I take them every time so I’m looking for the best way to show them off on this site so you can see all of them. Even if I repeat an area it looks different in every photo depending on the light and weather. The Bay Trail is incredibly beautiful and I consider myself lucky to live nearby so I can bike from home and take advantage.
Biking is fun, keep at it and you will be successful. Biking is low impact, aerobic and just fun. It burns an amazing amount of calories. Most of you should remember riding and having a bike when you were younger and you can feel those feelings once again.
Please leave some comments and let’s start the conversation. I look forward to hearing from you. Don’t be shy, let’s talk! I’m here to help and listen.
Get moving, keep moving and your life will move…forward!
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