Hike 2 - Golden Gate Park

Oh! what a perfect day to be outdoors, this hike was highlighted by my first encounter with SF's famous fog :) From the minute we drove into the "whited out" Great Hwy (10am) to watching the white smoke trickle down on to the streets of the city (5pm) and further "finding our way" back home through a stew of fog on 101 South (8pm) - the views were simply breathtaking. The SF fog is that perfect veil on a beautiful bride! I enjoyed every minute of this Hike#2 :)

Hike 2: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Date: Sunday, August 28, 2011
Total distance: 9.79 miles
Level: Moderate

We left Mike & Kathy's at 9am, driving through 85N, 280N, 35N and Great Hwy we reached San Francisco around 10am. Great Hwy runs along the Pacific Ocean, it's the west end of San Francisco city and is also the western border of the Golden Gate Park. We parked right by the ocean and started our hike at around 10:15am.

The Golden Gate Park (GG Park) is a rectangular 1,000-acre stretch, the length of the park is about 3 miles long  from the Great Hwy on the west end to Stanyan St at the east. GG Park is about 20% larger than it's east coast counterpart, NYC's Central Park. There's so much to do in the GG Park, from a true park-lover to the loner, from the fitness freak to the museum geek, from kids to "honeymooning" couples, there's something for every person!

a foggy SF morning!

Dutch (North) Windmill

We started at the Beach and Park Chalet which is a beach-side eatery overlooking the ocean on the front and a backyard patio overlooking the wild trails. We walked through the park, weaving in and out of the trails and roads, picking berries, chatting, planning future hikes and camps, photographing the flora, fauna and each other :) After covering about 80% of the stretch, we stopped at Pacific Catch for a great meal and continued towards the eastern end of the park. After an eyeful and memory-card-full of 20 minutes in the Dahlia Garden (the official flower of San Francisco) at the Conservatory of Flowers, we started walking back to our starting point.

an interesting "Do Not" sign!!!!

remote controlled boats on the Spreckles Lake

Stow Lake

Hydrangeas

a "Decorative" dahlia

fog covered California Academy of Sciences

I walked back with the group till about 1/4th of the way. Madz joined me at the Rose Garden and after a quick stop for some garam chai and samosas at Annakoot (the Indian food truck behind the Bandshell...oh! I love the Bay Area!) I continued my hike with him on JFK Drive. The fog slowly started to engulf the area by 6pm, we then drove around the hills ogling at the beautiful houses (our little ritual!) and stopped at Cafe Flore in Noe Valley.

It was a reluctant and foggy drive back home! Looking at the series of cones formed by the fog covered street lights, all I could think of was the memorable 10-hour hike behind me and a hot shower and sound sleep ahead of me :)

Thanks to FOMFOK for picking a great location and a beautiful day for this Sunday's hike :) My post here certainly doesn't do justice to all that I saw, I was so overwhelmed by all the beauty that I am having trouble verbalizing it. Hopefully my pictures (if not mine, I know the others' will) make up for the writing!!

What to expect:  wild trails, man made lakes, boating, tons of flora and fauna, trails for hiking and running, playgrounds,  picnic areas, tennis courts, guided walking tours, golfing, disc-golf, handball, baseball fields, lakes, ponds and waterfalls, berry-picking, tons of greenery and endless natural beauty!

Other attractions: if you are on a strict mission and looking for place(s) to visit, here are some: Beach and Park Chalet, Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden, Rose Garden, Sharon Arts Studio, Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Japanese Tea Garden, the California Academy of Sciences, the M.H. de Young Museum, Asian Art Museum, Stow Lake, Garden of Shakespeare's Flowers, Conservatory of Flowers, AIDS Memorial Grove, San Francisco Botanical Gardens, Strawberry Hill, Children's Playground, Buffalo Paddock.  Go HERE for a complete list of attractions in the Golden Gate Park. 


Pictures:
My pictures - https://picasaweb.google.com/anukrish17/Aug2011_Hike2_GGPark?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJz7zp_49cT2swE&feat=directlink 
Mike's - https://picasaweb.google.com/mwimble/20100828SanFranciscoGoldenGatePark?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Grey's - https://picasaweb.google.com/117613073287609618584