The City

This blog post is dedicated to the two inquisitive young kids we love that may one day build a bridge or building that we can marvel at

What is it about bridges that makes them so fascinating? Maybe it’s the unique and different designs, the fact that they connect two areas together so we can travel easier and quicker, or the whole concept of a large structure being sturdy enough to hold so much weight and stay standing! Some bridges are more intriguing than others and for us an intriguing bridge is the Golden Gate Bridge.

The history behind the Golden Gate is very interesting. Since the Pacific Ocean separates the mainland and San Francisco, many experts thought that a bridge couldn’t be built due to strong tide and currants, high winds plus frequent fog. Before the bridge, the only way for people to get across was by ferry. The ferry would run multiple times a day at the cost of $1 and would take about 20 minutes each way.

In 1916 an engineering student made a proposal about building a bridge and the city estimated the cost would be too much but the city asked if other engineers could design a bridge for less. One engineer stepped forward with a design and after collaborating with other engineers, the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933. The project was completed in 1936, under budget and ahead of schedule. Costing more then $35 million at the time (about $514 million in today’s market).

Since we had been to San Francisco years ago so we decided to go at sunset to get some photos of the bridge and explore the area prior. Brad found a cool beach hike right outside San Fran at Muir Beach. This seaside area has many different hiking trails, most along the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The hike was up and down along the high cliffs hugging the ocean along the way. A couple of miles into the hike there is a short, steep trail that leads to a private little inlet called Pirates Cove. We got there as a couple was leaving and had the cove to ourselves for a bit. We sat and watched the ocean, the only sound being the crashing waves against the shore.

After the hike we had an hour before we needed to leave to see the sunset so we went to the cute beach town of Sausalito. We walked around the quaint downtown, seeing the many different shops and restaurants. This town is on the bay and is home to many marinas, yacht and cruising clubs. The hills that are famous in San Fran extend into this area and many houses are built along the hillsides, with great views of the water.