Golden Gate Bridge to Point Reyes Lighthouse
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Golden Gate Bridge to Point Reyes Lighthouse
50 miles over 8 days in April and June of 2016
by Casey BowdenRounding a corner the lighthouse comes into view. Tears form and I want to cry. Specifically, I want to cry while holding my daughter, stopping time and never letting go. She is 5-years-old, 43 pounds, 43 inches tall and currently covered in red bumps due to contact dermatitis from “organic” body wash. Of the 50 miles, she has walked every inch. Does she know how proud I am? How do I tell her? Distilling my jumble of emotions into spoken words is not the right approach…
With seconds to spare we reach the lighthouse and step inside. 10 seconds later, literally, the ranger escorts us out and locks the door. Slightly stunned, we stand on the rocky outcrop far out in the Pacific Ocean, unsure what to do. After 8 days the trip is really over. For months we have fretted about taking our very novice-swimmers across first the Bolinas Lagoon and then the much larger Drakes Estero. When not waking up in the middle of the night with visions of our drowning children we dealt with more mundane issues such as shuttle logistics (either by bus, car or bike), getting last minute camping reservations, fitting the trips between work and school, timing the crossing of Drakes Estero to be on a sunny day at low tide, wondering if our youngest was ready to walk 10 miles, etc.
Now we can celebrate. From the single pack I carried on the last day I unroll a banner reading “I hiked from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Point Reyes Lighthouse” and tape it to the side of the tapered cylindrical structure. Standing beneath the sign we open a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling apple cider and pass it from youngest to oldest, drinking directly from the bottle while taking copious photographs. Err… actually, the ranger is now herding us, and the other visitors, up the stairs we descended only minutes ago so he can lock a gate at the top of the stairs leading down to the lighthouse. My daughter is exhausted, but our celebration must be postponed.
After ascending the 308 stairs we partake of the juice, and it is good. The celebratory sign is not unveiled since we have: a) nothing to tape it to, b) no tape and c) no banner since I never got around to making it. The bottle is passed, along with snacks in plastic bags, and photos are taken. Minutes later I am jogging back to my locked-up bike at the parking lot and then pedaling back to the car. Google tells me the ride is 7.4 miles and will take 48 minutes but somehow being outside in this magical place it seems faster than when hermetically sealed while driving the same route in the opposite direction. Back at the parking lot I find my family in high spirits, even willing to indulge in photographs without making faces. Driving home we listen to our children’s banter, and eventually turn on a Harry Potter audio book before stopping at Farm Burger in San Anselmo for dinner, including a particularly delicious vanilla shake. Back to normal life.
How do I tell my daughter how proud I am? Does she know that while everyone else sees a small preschooler with a big voice I know she’s secretly a superhero? A superhero who would occasionally tire and slow, but rarely complained and never asked “are we there yet?” A superhero who’s thriving despite the enormous expectations of being her brothers little sister. A superhero who’s still willing to velcro her dopey Dad’s cycling shoes closed every weekday morning. A superhero who tries everything on her plate. A superhero that’s frustrated she can’t yet ride a bicycle. A superhero I love spending time with. How do I tell my superhero how proud I am? I hope I just did.
Logistics
Day 1: Golden Gate Bridge to Marin Headlands Hostel, 4 miles
Day 2: Hostel to Pelican Inn at Muir Beach, 7 miles
Day 3: Muir Beach to Bolinas (pack-raft required), 10 miles
link to Part 1 photos, April 3rd to 5th: https://goo.gl/photos/hQkhfLive8HpGE258Day 4: Bolinas to Palomarin Trailhead, 5 miles
link to Part 2 photos, April 17th: https://goo.gl/photos/LxretazHFL8r98Pm9Day 5: Palomarin Trailhead to Wildcat Campground, 6 miles
Day 6: Wildcat to Limantour Beach, 10 miles
link to Part 3 photos, June 5th to 6th: https://goo.gl/photos/2B1YdNgQL6VL6dKJ9Day 7: Limantour Beach to Drakes Beach (pack-raft required), 5 miles
link to Part 4 photos, June 11th: https://goo.gl/photos/Zs5W347Er4cFxu2A9Day 8: Drakes Beach to Point Reyes Lighthouse, 3 miles
link to Part 5 photos, June 19th: https://goo.gl/photos/NqBMNgzfq97PpgyH6Thank You
– Cardenas family for joining us on Day 1
– Wilson and Merle for shuttling our car on Day 1
– Geoff for letting us park our car at his house in Bolinas
– Danny and Kristen for lending us pack-rafts
– Dinardi Family and Dylan for joining us on Day 5 and shuttling our car
– Amy and Jim of BPL for their amazing trip reports in Point Reyes and beyond
– David T. and Manfred of BPL for sharing their inspiring family adventures
Segments of the adventure.
Looking down at Muir Beach on day 2.
On the Dipsea Trail on day 3, heading towards Stinson Beach.
Safe in Bolinas after crossing the lagoon on day 3.
Em and Sandra chat while Izzy, PJ and Mateo frolick in the waves at Wildcat Beach on day 5.
Between Wildcat Campground and Coast Campground, heading down to Arch Rock on day 6.
One of many live dungeness crabs we found while walking north on Limantour Beach on day 7.
Waiting for the low-slack tide before crossing Drakes Estero on day 7.
Climbing from the north end of Drakes Beach towards Historic A Ranch on day 8.
The Point Reyes Lighthouse, our final destination after 8 days and 50 miles.
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