Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Post-Golden Gate Trail 50K

Continued from earlier post.

Took the shuttle back to my car.  Knew I was excruciatingly low on gas, so I'd have to go to the nearest possible station, 6 miles away in Sausalito.  I looked up directions on my phone before starting the car (trying not to waste any gas), and by the time I was done, everyone else from my shuttle had left.  I tried starting the car.  It didn't work.  No problem, I'd just give it a push-start.

Rather than turn the car around and do it on the road, I inexplicably tried to get it going down an unpaved slope in the parking lot.  The surface was too rough and I couldn't get it going fast enough, and after giving up, I couldn't push the car back up the slope to the road.  Wound up having to wait about 20 minutes before anyone else showed up in the parking lot to help.  Once we got it on the road, it was easy.

As much as I hate driving through San Francisco, I HATE driving through Sausalito more.  I know pedestrians have the right-of-way, but that doesn't mean it's OK to just step off the curb in the middle of the block in front of a moving vehicle.  And the drivers, even when there's nothing in front of them, move at a speed that's slower than I can run.  I was honestly worried I'd run out of gas on the way to the station due to stupidity.  Once there, the gas cost $0.50 more per gallon than it does where I live.  And I live in California.  I only got three gallons (enough to make it home), push-started the damn thing again, and headed south.

I randomly stalled my car in the middle of Sausalito.  I imagine it was comical for all the local tourists (Sausalito is a popular getaway around here) to see a guy throw on his hazards in the middle of the street, hop out of the car in running shorts, push it for about 20 meters, jump back in the moving car, and drive off.  I honestly hoped they noticed the Longhorn emblem and concluded I'm from Texas.  Damn straight, that's how we get things done!  The funniest part?  Less than 10 seconds later, I was caught up with traffic again.  Actually, that's not funny, that's sad.

I happily took 280 instead of 101 south, enjoying the greater views and lesser traffic.  Yeah, it's five miles longer, but unless I'm in a hurry like I was this morning, I'll take 280 every time.  Got home and just stayed in the rest of the day, arranged some music, snacked constantly, and had a beer over Skype with a cute German.  Not a bad way to close the weekend, even if I wound up with two cars that don't work.

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