Save a bike, ride a cyclist.: Biking hard or hardly biking.

All work and no rides makes the bighairscientist out of shape (and kinda grumpy). We bought a house in Pacifica, which is small, surf town just a few miles south of San Francisco. We spent a couple of months during the late-summer/early-fall fixing up the place, and after scraping walls and huffing paint fumes all day, the decision between beer or bike was fairly easy to make.

I was spoiled in Santa Cruz. There were amazing rides in every direction. Well, if you ride west of Santa Cruz, ride in Japan. I hear the cyclocross scene is really developing there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a11XktXlX6s

Pacifica may not be Santa Cruz, but I'm within riding distance of Marin. (In case you didn't know, Marin, specifically Mt. Tam, is the birthplace of modern mountain biking.) From Pacifica, it's a short ride along the coast through San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Esplanade/Ocean Beach, SF.

Short cut through the Presidio.

Rentals. If you have to ask, you can't afford them...

Crissy Field.

I can't remember what they call this structure... (it's not foggy, my camera lens was sweaty.)

Up Hawk Hill and into the trails...

Pit stop at the Marine Mammal Center. It's open everyday (except Tofurkey Day and Festivus) and mostly staffed by wicked nice volunteers.

After you buy a drink, drop the change into the donation bin. The change will just fall out of your pockets anyway, and the cash will help save endangered critters like this (well, not like this, real ones).

Back into the trails. The last few times though here, I crossed paths with a guy I call "Monster Cross Dave." He spotted my Hunter, I spotted his Rock Lobster 29er cyclocross. We flapped about handmade frames, then Dave pointed me to some trails. I tip my helmet to you, Sir Dave.