Pouring My Art Out

I know, it seems crazy that they built a fort underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. That’s because that is crazy. They built the fort, Fort Point, way back during the American Civil War, during the 1860’s, to protect the mouth of the bay. They built the bridge much later, and left the fort there for historical preservation reasons.

I still hadn’t reached the Golden Gate Bridge, the second bridge in my driving adventure around the Bay Area. I turned off and drove up the cliffs on the Northern headlands, to get you these pictures.

Speaking of forts, the headlands on both sides of the Golden Gate are covered with gun emplacements left over from the wars that followed our Civil War.

I was driving in another big loop, to get these shots, and to end up back at the bridge.

Lower down on the point, not far from the lighthouse that shines near the entrance to the bay, you now have a view similar to that of a ship’s captain, heading into the bay.

And then I was on the bridge!

Yes, I know, I was taking pictures while driving. Don’t try this. Unless you were a professional driver. Also, once again, I hold the camera in one hand, without looking through the view finder, and just click off some shots, hoping for the best.

I stopped off on the headlands on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge.

I didn’t have a great view of the bridge itself.

I had a great time with our friends, Big Johnny and Eva, and their son, William, who happens to be our godson. And then I was back on the road, heading for the third bridge of the day, the Oakland Bay Bridge. And yes, as the sign says, I would be passing through the Treasure Island tunnel once more.

Join me later for the end of this adventure.

I suppose this is almost the halfway point of my three bridge adventure… or at least it will be once I drive halfway over that bridge right there. But I sent myself on another little detour first, getting off the highway, and turning right, or West, and driving up the bluffs of the headlands overlooking the Golden Gate. You don’t often get to see the bridge from the Northwest.

I did a lot of driving on very twisty, narrow roads on this adventure.

But I do this for you as much as I do it for myself.

I haven’t driven this far up this road in years.

It was spectacular.

A behind the scenes view of San Francisco.

Alcatraz Island and Treasure Island, once again.

The headlands on the South side of the mouth of the bay.

And the headlands on the North side, where I was.

I kind of like that picture.

You can see the lighthouse that keeps ships safe. There is also a foghorn. And I think that ship is the same one we saw off the coast in the last post. The Pacific looks calm, but this is an area known for storms, tides, and fog… also, Great White Sharks.

Okay, join me later when I cross the second bridge in my three bridge adventure!