Chapter 17

Today’s drive was fairly benign. We took an “indirect” way to our primary destinations. Dad decided not to come into the city with me and, instead, go in to Tahoe, Nevada. I am here in San Francisco after navigating the unbelievably thick Sunday traffic into the city this evening.

Before I got too busy trying to come into the city I decided to take the quick exit before the Golden Gate Bridge and take some pictures (see below). The weather is unusually beautiful for San Francisco. I can’t remember a time recently where the weather was so clear here.

When I took the turn into the Napa Valley with dad my expectations were of this small, quaint area of the country where one could wonder the country side and sip wine in relative silence. Boy, was I wrong! I think everyone else on the planet was there with me! It turns out to be a huge tourist area and an even bigger tourist area on Sundays.

When I came to San Francisco I was thinking it would be great to do it on a Sunday. I had no idea that people all return from where ever they’ve been on Sunday!! It was one of my miscalculations that would end up making the day long and nerve racking.

I knew the drive in the city would be hard but had no idea how unsafe I would feel riding a motorcycle while navigating, my first time, alone in the city of San Francisco. I’ve always ridden trains, taken taxis or other forms of transportation while in San Francisco. I did finally get to a place I was familiar and made it to the hotel just fine. But I was so exhausted.

You knew you had arrived when it costs $35 to park a motorcycle overnight and the hotel room is $200+ a night. Looking back 14 years later, that seems cheap.

Tomorrow I work at Riverbed all day. Tomorrow evening I head to Lake Tahoe to meet back up with dad. Tuesday starts a 5 day trip back home. Dad made it to Tahoe tonight, I worried about him as we left the Napa valley together.

He called me tonight and said he was in Tahoe safe. I am thankful as the traffic was terrible tonight.

I had a nice long talk with Gloria tonight which was good fun! I’m ready to come home and be with my family again. The girls sent me pictures of their activities today which got me homesick to come home. Six more days and I’ll be there.

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— Main.JohnWesterman – Published 16 Aug 2004

🙂 🙂

Other media from today: