500 Adrenaline Adventures (Frommer's) - Lois Friedland [118]
There are several ways to approach the 13⁄4-mile-long (nearly 3km) bridge with your bike. Most folks from the city go through the Presidio, a forested former military base located at the northwest tip of the city, now part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, or along the waterfront at Chrissy Field, a mecca for hikers, windsurfers, and bird-watchers. Weekends might be the best time to go, when the west side of the bridge (facing the Pacific) is open to bike traffic only. Some say the views are better on the east side, which faces San Francisco Bay, but don’t get so enamored of the scenery that you slam into a pedestrian—as a huge tourist attraction, the bridge’s walkways can get crowded, even on foggy weekdays.
Once you cross the bridge, the verdant hills of the Marin Headlands—also part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area—await your exploration. There are some challenging climbs here, particularly Conzelman Road, which hugs the cliffs overlooking the Pacific. If you can make it to the top, keep going and you’ll be rewarded with a white-knuckle plunge down a terrifyingly steep road with nothing between you and the rocks below but a breeze and a prayer. The south-facing coves at Black Sand beach are a favorite sunning spot—families favor the east-side beaches, while the clothing-optional beaches are farther west and require a bit of scrambling over rocks to get there. A visit to the Headlands Center for the Arts, the Point Bonita Lighthouse, and the Nike Missile Site are always rewarding.
Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Too whipped for a bike ride back the same way you came? No worries—just point your bike toward the ferry landing in charming Sausalito, hop a ride on the bike-friendly ferry, and enjoy the sunset as you churn across the bay back toward the San Francisco waterfront. —ML
Golden Gate National Recreation Area ( 415/331-1540;www.nps.gov/goga).
Tours: Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals & Tours ( 415/202-8888;www.blazingsaddles.com). Bike and Roll ( 866/736-8224;www.bikeandroll.com).
When to Go: May–Oct.
San Francisco International.
$$$ Hotel Adagio, 550 Geary St. ( 800/228-8830 or 415-775-5000; www.thehoteladagio.com). $$ Hotel del Sol, 3100 Webster St. ( 877/433-5765 or 415/921-5520; www.thehoteldelsol.com).
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Biking Sichuan Province
Chinese, to Go
Sichuan, China
For sheer epic grandeur, it’s impossible to beat a bike tour of western Sichuan Province. Feudal towers crumbling into dust, bubbling hot springs, serene Buddhist temples, and lush, bamboo-covered panda reserves are among the hundreds of sights that greet travelers to this out-of-the-way region, one of China’s most mountainous and most gorgeous. The roads here tend to be well-maintained (with some jarring exceptions), the traffic light, and the vistas sweeping; if it’s an unforgettable, long-distance adventure you seek that will get your legs and buns into Olympic shape, look no further.
Most bicyclists begin their tour in Chengdu, a 21⁄2-hour flight from Beijing. (If your trip takes you into Tibet, check local conditions to ensure there will be no administrative problems with travel to the area.) From Chengdu, it’s a steady uphill climb into the foothills of the Himalayas and the western reaches of Sichuan. Vehicle support is usually available on organized bike tours, making visits to the most remote hamlets and farming villages possible without lugging too many supplies in bike panniers.
The Wolong Nature Reserve is a must for panda-lovers; at 2,785m (8,950 ft.), it’s a cool, humid sanctuary for these lovable beasts. Most routes take bicyclists to the base of magnificent, snow-peaked Four Sisters Mountain. The city of Danba beckons with its 500-year-old lamasery; the hillsides around this ancient town are dotted with Tibetan defensive towers. Bamei is another favorite stop, where