This may very well be the best picture I’ve ever taken of myself.

Yesterday Stephanie and I decided to get out of Santa Rosa and head down to the city. She’s been busy most weekends dancing in the musical Sweet Charity for the Santa Rosa Players, so we squeezed a short day trip in before her Saturday evening performance.

We got off 101 at the last southbound exit before crossing the bridge, and drove up a hill to a brilliant overlook (Battery Spencer) northwest of the Golden Gate with views of the Presido and the city in the distance. It was a cloudless December day, so the sun reflecting off the water cast the normally bright orange bridge in silhouette.

From there we continued along a windy road through the Marin Headlands, stopping occasionally to appreciate the incredible views.

In fact I had no idea you could travel so far west of the Golden Gate Bridge. I thought it was pretty much the end of the continent. Nope. It just keeps going.

Of course from above you can see that the Marin Headlands (part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area) occupy quite a bit of open, undeveloped land west of the bridge.

We traveled all the way out to that spindly point in the lower left, which houses the Point Bonita Lighthouse, accessible only by footbridge (Note sign on right: Two Person Limit on Bridge 500lbs maximum).

We didn’t actually make it into the city until about 2, heading towards Swan Oyster Depot on 1517 Polk Street for lunch, thanks to the effective search strategies of my dad. Swan rocks, but plan on a half hour wait for one of their 20+ counter stools.

Of course once we got in, copious crab was consumed (first weekend of the season), alongside some cold and hot smoked salmon—I can say I now know the difference. It was like 4:30 by the time we emerged, pleasantly full, but somewhat urgently in need of getting back to Santa Rosa for Stephanie’s premusical obligations. Luckily on the way to the bridge, she got a call, was off the hook for another hour, so we detoured west towards Ocean Beach chasing the impending sunset. We made it just in time.

Last photo of the day, Stephanie, smiling.