A ride across the Golden Gate Bridge (Photos)

Join me for a ride on the Golden Gate.
Scroll down for more photos.

Yesterday I rode across the Golden Gate Bridge with my family and friends. It was invigorating, exhilarating, and pretty darn amazing.

We rode on the west side of the bridge — where only bikes are allowed — and enjoyed a smooth ride the entire way.

Being on a bike is a great way to explore the Golden Gate. You feel the moist fog, you hear the ships passing below, and you feel small in the presence of giant steel arches that loom above.

It was also very easy to stop and take in the sights…

Here’s my friend Joe staring off into the abyss, trying to see one of the ships below (we heard their fog horns, but could barely see them)…

Built in 1937, the Golden Gate is much more than a bridge. It’s an inspirational icon that draws tourists from around the world — many of whom rent bikes to pedal across it.

Here’s a trio of tandems hauling tourists…

I can appreciate the complexity of managing bike traffic on this bridge. Besides throngs of tourists (both on bikes and on foot), the Golden Gate also connects Marin and San Francisco — two places where bicycling is a big deal. This all adds up to a bridge that offers an interesting cross-section of people on bikes.

Managing bike access has been a thorny issue for local advocates and bridge officials. We noticed this speed reader board on the northern end where there’s a slight downhill. It not only showed bike speed, it would also flash a white dot if you were over 15 mph…

But we weren’t in any hurry… As we rode back toward Marin (north), the Headlands emerged from the fog…

Many people stopped to take it all in…

Riding across the bridge with family made it even more memorable. Here’s my daughter 9 year old daughter Eleni was a bit anxious about the ride; but she had a great time…

And my six-year old loved it too…

Even my little guy was with us (Hi Everett!)…

Having driven, walked, and biked across the bridge, I sincerely believe that seeing the Golden Gate by bike is the best way to go. Hope you enjoyed this little ride-along. Check out a few more photos in the gallery.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Joe
Joe
12 years ago

awesome!

lisa smillie
lisa smillie
12 years ago

Looks like fun! Nice photos, as usual.

Joe Rowe
Joe Rowe
12 years ago

Great pictures. It’s great your kids got the experience. I worry for future Portland kids who will ride under our ugly 10 lane CRC. The CRC lanes will fill up again soon, and kids will wish we had built an alternative plan using less money and time, with a bike path that inspires like the GG Bridge.

In my 10 years living there I never heard one politician selling the myths of more lanes & more jobs. They know active transportation means doing more with the lanes you’ve got. Even the new span of the Oakland Bridge has no new lanes.

Frank Peters
12 years ago

Nice job, as always

Carl
Carl
12 years ago

Those points where the bridge widens and you can step out of traffic and just look around? Belvederes? Love ’em. Your pictures made me realize how great it would be to have more of those in Portland. It sure would make Breakfast on the Bridges a more scenic (and literal) affair.

Also, that picture of Eleni is hilarious.

laura
laura
12 years ago
Reply to  Carl

The new Sellwood Bridge will have 4 belevederes!

Julia
12 years ago

Love biking the golden gate! Fun!

Lenny Anderson
Lenny Anderson
12 years ago

A second deck was considered for the GG Bridge, but rejected as well as wass a BART link to Marin. Instead Golden Gate Transit and Ferries were launched, underwritten by the one way toll. Pretty simple fix. Put a toll on a bridge (GGB always had one), and use the $ to create alternatives to driving…vanpools, carpools, better transit, even ferries. Interstate had a toll into the 60’s, so its not a stretch to bring it back. But then there is politics…Clark county is not Marin county, except that both seem to want to keep their big brothers at arms length.

Nathan
Nathan
12 years ago

Jealous! Great post!

Nick V
12 years ago

Great photos! I’ve never been to San Francisco and have always wanted to go.

matt picio
12 years ago
Reply to  Nick V

Nick, you should – awesome place to bike, lots to see, great food. Too crowded for me to want to live there, but an amazing visit, and biking over the Golden Gate is as great as Jonathan makes it look & sound. I was there in 2008 on a trip of 8 cyclists led by Jeff Bernards – it was quite the experience.

Washington County Commissioner Dick Schouten
Washington County Commissioner Dick Schouten
12 years ago

There’s also a great bike path (away from cars) from near the northern side of the Bridge (near Sausalito) to Mill Valley (the heart of Marin County) some number of miles north; and as well great bike facilities on the San Francisco side through the Presidio or along the Bay past Crissy Field. This great Bridge was built in the middle of the Great Depression (mid 1930’s)! Aside from its transportation value, what has been its PR value to San Francisico over those 70 plus years?

Chris
Chris
12 years ago

Lived there for 6-years, and always enjoyed my rides across the bridge. I hope you get a chance to stop at the SFBC office while you are there. They are good folks, and organize so many cool activities there in SF.

Mark Allyn
12 years ago

Great pictures!

Thank you for sharing!

Mark
Mark
12 years ago

Great fun. My boy & I did it a couple years ago. He was about 12ish. I see you had your own bikes. Definite step up from the rental bikes which we did.

We started on the Wharf, rode to Marin and came back on the ferry.

Good times

Jackie Wayman
Jackie Wayman
12 years ago

Can’t believe you traveled with bikes for all! You never cease to amaze me. Your photo essay was a treat. What beautiful scenes in the fog! It would have been a whole different feeling had it been clear! Loved it!

mike
mike
12 years ago

Kind of shocked there isn’t any complaints about how the lane is too narrow, no sharrows, etc, etc. It is nice to know that someone from portland can travel to another city and not bring the complaining along. Shocker!!!

matt picio
12 years ago
Reply to  mike

Biggest complaint on that bridge is “too windy”. It really is the windiest bridge I’ve ever been on. Awesome view, though.

drosen
drosen
12 years ago

Way too high up! I get antsy just looking at the photos. Kids! Get away from the edge! NOW!!!

esther c
esther c
12 years ago

Beautiful photos. One of my fondest memories is of my first trips to the bay area about 30 years ago. Went to visit my sisters who had just moved to Berkeley from Virginia. The three of us walked across the Golden Gate and into Sausilito to meet a friend for lunch then took the ferry back to Berkeley.

I am convinced that the Golden Gate bridge is the most glorious man made structure in the world. We are lucky to have the St Johns which is also a great beauty.

michael
12 years ago

Great photos! Love the fog! The main thread that all these photos have is that everyone is having fun! All smiles! Wonder if everyone in the cars on the bridge were smiling! Bikes make you smile! Hug a bike today!

cw
cw
12 years ago

how did you get your bikes down there? i rode mine to SF from PDX this year, but didn’t get to do as much riding around SF as I wanted… am planning a trip back but am thinking I will fly down with my bike instead of riding it the whole way?? Was it a pain to ship your bikes?