Larkspur Ferry and Back
··· Jul 21 2010 · By ···
I decided to try a little commuter loop to the Larkspur Ferry and back. I had to go up and over the Wolfe Grade one way or another for this ride, so I decided to get it out of the way first. I started out at the base of Wolfe Grade, in Gerstle Park. Using my geared mountain bike I figured it would be no problem. For the most part I was right. The hill is pretty steep, but not undoable with gears. My single speed fixed gear around town bike is great to ride, but not for this ride. Once over the top of the grade, it is a pretty quick coast to the bottom and Sir Francis Drake.
There is a nice creekside bike path and roadway that follows the wash that you see above. This shot is looking west under the 101 bridge that crosses over the bike path. Here are some more memorable photos from this area.
As you can see there were trains that used to pass through these parts, but the automobile seems to have made trains unnecessary. A little more pedaling around this area and you come into the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. At this point I have ridden about 4.5 miles, over two hills with the rest of the ride pretty flat. The well marked bike path really makes this ride worthwhile. There are good signs letting you know where to go by way of the network of bike paths, way to go Larkspur! The Ferry Terminal is a pretty cool place, with plenty of car parking and a good bike parking area too.
Heading back I decided to take Andersen Dr. as it was an easy ride the other day on my fixie. So I headed out on the bike path running along Sir Francis Drake. Along the way I came across a giant statue of who I believe to be of Sir Francis Drake coming ashore, and as I turn around, I see a pretty sun setting next to Mt. Tam, so I snapped some shots.
On toward San Quentin, lots of bad people in there. The road starts to go up hill, to meet up with Andersen. A quick left and it’s all downhill, past the sewage treatment plant, and down to the 2 mile straightaway. Winding my way through the Gerstle Park neighborhood, I get to my destination, home, ready for dinner.
