Loaded my (mountain) bike into the truck and drove into San Francisco yesterday morning to see the last race of the America’s Cup series. I parked at Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge, where surfers were riding small waves, weaving around the offshore rocks.
I rode over to the Marina Greens, pleasant sunny morning, Got a 4-barrel latte and donut at a dockside kiosk, rode past Aquatic Park, South End Rowing club, a half dozen cove swimmers in the water (half of them wearing wetsuits, no less!), past Fisherman’s Wharf — hadn’t realized how gaudy it’s become. There were two gigantic cruise ships in port, grotesque pieces of shit. San Francisco, still a beautiful and wonderful city, once a vital west coast port, but here whoring out to the tourist buck. I digress.
The entire bay side of the city, from bridge to bridge, was full of strolling (and biking) people. I got a burger and chocolate shake at the In-n-Out — don’t do that often, but needed some energy. Biked down to Pier 29, where the boats were berthed, then back to the hill between Aquatic Park and Fort Baker, and watched the big boats racing across the bay. The New Zealanders were out front, but Oracle sped by them in the upwind leg. Call it perverse, unpatriotic, or rooting for the underdog, but I wanted the New Zealanders to win. Whatever, these boats are awesome. There were hundreds of other boats of all persuasions out in the bay.
Rode bike back to my truck, bucking 30mph-or-so winds, crossed the bridge, jumped in my mountain canyon pool on the way home, walked a bit on the sand at Stinson Beach, winds dying down. Pretty nice day. Tomorrow I’m going to try walking into San Francisco, leaving here at dawn…
Oh, how wonderful to have seen the finish of the America's Cup. I, of course, being a member of the Commonwealth, would have been cheering, not at all perversely, for the Kiwis.
Oracle is beautiful, however, isn't she? Looks like she's hydroplaning in this shot.
The closest I've come to "seeing" an America's Cup race was the day the Aussies put Gretel out to day-charter, so I was a passenger aboard Australia's first challenger to the America's Cup. Was wonderful, especially as I got to chat with one of the original crew, and touch the coffee-grinder winches with my own two hands.
Sigh. That was 1982, when I was in Oz, and the Gretel day was one of the best. I got a nice story out of it for the little boating publication I worked for in the 70s.
K
Thanks LLoyd. There were four and a half million New Zealanders willing their team to win too.
We had our chances and should have won the regatta a week ago when they stopped the race with TeamNZ just a couple of hundred metres from the finishing line. As well as racing another yacht, there was a time limit of 40 minutes because of contractual TV rights. Oracle became faster as the week progressed and you just can't beat a faster boat. Very exciting racing though and very good for New Zealand. But it's a rich man's sport with each boat, built in NZ costing over $110,000,000. I don't think we'll see it happening again…
Thanks. Is that a tiki around your neck(top right of page?) Its working its magic… supporting NZ'rs I mean.
You mean New Zealand was racing? I only saw a team from a middle-east corporation and one from an American corporation. New Zealand must have been written on one of them in fine print.
To be fair though, both teams were run by New Zealanders. Russell Coutts, for the American Corporation, and Andy Dalton, for the Middle-east corporation.
Exciting boats to watch though.
You are right about the whore of cruise ships.They should be called cattle ships.As the passengers walk on they should ge give feed bags to hang around there necks.
They should be called inflammation ships. Inflammation of arteries and brains and joints.
As you are working out on bike.helping to live longer.They are sitting pigging out and looking out not participating in the live of that beautiful city.
Buying trinkets not living.