This may be old news to folks in the bay area, but the San Francisco Bay Bridge now has plans to include a bike lane in its reconstruction of the west span. Until last month there had only been plans to put a bike lane in the construction of the east span. This meant that folks could ride their bikes from Oakland all the way to Treasure Island. Wee! Well now, we can ride all the way across the bridge. Not really, it probably won’t be until 2025 before this bridge is completed, but at least its in the works.
Before I moved out to SF in 2001 I was living in Massachusetts. I used to ride 8 miles of a rail trail bike path getting me from my residence in Northampton to UMass. I remember scenes like these along the commute.
The air was fresh, and the path was smooth and clear of car traffic. Not having learned to ride a bike until I was 12 or 13, much of my enjoyment at riding a bike started nearly 10 years later on this Norwottuck rail trail. It was riding home during a sunset when I slowly let my hands off the bars and taught myself to ride hands free. I felt triumphant.
And if I wait long enough these joys will be mine again; making the commute from the east bay to San Francisco, with scenes like this:
I love the Norwottuck rail trail! (I went to Hampshire in the late 90’s)
Peace!
-Spor