avoiding a fight in San Francisco

My phone rings at 7:14 am. Johanna has called to inform me that a story about my walk has received a full front page of the Sunday March 2, 2008 Sun Journal travel section; complete with a photo of me in front of some hilly terrain in Ireland. I didn't have any photos of myself, when the writer, Maggie Austern contacted me, so I had her use a photo from Ireland. Unfortunately, she didn't tell people the photo is not from this hike...and I fear people may become confused. I wait for my turn to shower, then I eat my hemp smoothie breakfast and pack. My things are separated into: a daypack I will bring with me to Montara and Pescadero, my Osprey backpack with all my other belongings and spare food, and my big box containing all the items I wish to send home. Everything is packed perfectly, but I realize I can't possibly carry my dirty sheets/towel, etc.; box, and two backpacks down the stairs (my hostel room is on the third floor). I carry the linens downstairs and check out. I then get my $5 deposit back and then I climb the stairs once more and awkwardly grab the packs and the box. I am a walking disaster...especially on stairs. I walk to Market Street and while I am there waiting for the number 5 bus at 10:30 am with twelve African American men, a fight breaks out. The instigator of the fight continuously cusses out another man there. In an effort to avoid getting punched or shot, he hides behind me (the only person there that is neither black or male, and who happens to have limited mobility since my hands are VERY full). I try moving away from the fight. He follows me, using me as a human shield. A gun is brandished...and I am sweating bullets...literally. I may get killed. The number 21 bus comes, and I decide immediately I will not wait the 11 minutes for the number 5 bus to come. I am the only person from the bus stop allowed to get on (I think the police realize I clearly have nothing to do with this brawl). I call Reena and tell her about my change in plans. I have her meet me at the new bus stop, so she can carry my day pack and I can manage the box and backpack. We store my things in the corner of her room, where I shall leave them there until Saturday. After twenty minutes of talking, Reena heads east to buy a new digital camera and I head south to rent a bike from Avenue Cyclery. I pay $100 for the week, and after telling the man at the store that I intend to ride down to Pescadero with it, he gives me a free upgrade to a TREK 820 mountain bike. I practice riding in Golden Gate Park, before heading downtown. I eat pasta at the mall food court and then get cash back with my snickers bar purchase at Rite Aid. I head to the Apple Store to check out www.sunjournal.com, so I can read the article about me. The story is called "From Mexico to Canada ON FOOT." Although Maggie changed a few facts about me, the story is quite good. I am a bit bummed to see that she changed the 743.4 miles of hiking I have done, into "about 500 miles according to Mapquest". Ahem, that sort of discredits about 1/3 of my trip, but whose counting. The story is good. Great even, and I am happy to see that the trip is getting a bit of recognition. Maybe it will inspire more people to hike long distances and more of America's land to be appropriated for those of us who prefer not to drive everywhere. I leave the Apple Store knowing I have updated my blog temporarily, I have cash, my stuff is stashed and I have the lock and helmet to accompany my bike. I rush to the BART (Bay Area Regional Transportation) station (it a subway, people!) and pay $2.80 to go from Powell street to Daly City. I arrive in Daly City at 2:48 pm, to late to catch the #110 bus which comes every two hours (it just came at 2:40 pm). I wait at the BART station until 4:10 pm and pay $1.50. I find out that the #110 bus becomes the #294 bus at the Linda Mar Park and Ride. So, I don't actually need to worry about connecting to another bus. As we drive towards Pacifica, we come around a corner and my jaw drops. The sun is in my eyes, but I can still make out the endless ocean in front of me. Oh, how I love and have missed this sight during my almost 2 weeks in San Francisco. Have I really gotten to the point where my stomach drops in surprise when I see the coast? This used to be my daily treat. I see the paved shore path I may walk or pedal in the upcoming four days. Oh, I can't wait to step onto that sand! The bus actually stops at the Point Montara Lighthouse, so I get off the bus there, at the same time as a girl my age named Sarah. Sarah is also booked in my room and she checks in right after me. I eat squash soup with mushrooms I found on the free shelf in the fridge. I chat with Sarah and we hike down to the cliffs to see the sunset, before we meet the other women in our room. One of the women is a park ranger in the Redwoods and has a lot of directions to give me about various HI California hostels. I spend the evening playing on my phone, trying to run the battery down, so I can recharge the battery fully. It never runs down...that battery is REALLY strong! I change my phone wallpaper to a photo of the snow piled up outside my parent's home in Maine...to remind me how lucky I am to be experiencing such great weather now.

I rent a bike in San Francisco...I know I don't want to walk south on that highway for 50 miles!