Tag: USA

Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 bicycle touring in the USA

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Cycling Around The World: USA, Another Tourist Day | Travelsonabike2

Bicycle Touring Around The World: America, San Francisco

My latest bicycle touring around the world update, another tourist day in San Francisco. I was up at a decent time today and went out to play the tourist. I was even up in time for breakfast today, unlike yesterday.

Building on island
Alcatraz

My last day in San Francisco. I leave tomorrow and get back to cycling, so I’d best make the most of today. First off, I went to see the Golden Gate Bridge. I couldn’t see it at all yesterday due to the fog covering it. It was still a bit hazy today, but I could see it at least. I then walked back to Fisherman’s Wharf. I wanted to go on the Alcatraz tour, but it was fully booked until Saturday. That’s no good for me. I’ll be back on the road by then.

I spent the rest of the day wandering around San Francisco, visiting the sites. I’m not very good at doing it on my own! I always feel like a fish out of water when I do the tourist thing.

One good thing, I’ve got the bar staff in the hotel well trained. I don’t have to ask for a refill anymore. It just appears!

Don’t forget the main reason for being here. And it’s not to play the tourist. I want to raise as much money for cancer research charities as possible. After my wife, Josie, died of breast cancer in 2007, aged only 42. Even the smallest donation helps. You can donate to Cancer Research UK or the Australian National Breast Cancer Foundation. Click on either one to donate.

Tour Information

It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:

Follow My Bicycle Touring Adventures

Subscribe to my blog and follow me as I continue to travel around on my bike. Plus, as a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours. If you’re enjoying the ride and want to fuel my next mile, you can always buy me a beer. And, of course, you can always follow me on social media: Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. I’m also on Flickr, where you’ll find pictures from all my tours, along with regular photo updates that I generally publish each month.

If you want to find out if I’m away touring at the moment and check my location, visit the Where’s Garry page.

Follow Garry on his travels

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Cycling Around The World: USA, Playing The Tourist | Travelsonabike2

Bicycle Touring Around The World: America, San Francisco

My latest bicycle touring around the world update, playing the tourist in San Francisco. Late start today. I didn’t wake up until ten o’clock. My lack of sleep yesterday seems to have caught up with me. But hopefully, I’m all caught up now.

Winding street with hedges
Lombard Street

Once I was up, I went to find some maps and some gas for my camping stove. It took a lot of walking and searching, but eventually, I managed to source both items.

I visited Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf and saw the sea lions, which apparently only appeared after the earthquake in 1989. Fisherman’s Wharf itself felt like a theme park, with loads of themed shops. I enjoyed the sea lions, though, watching them basking in the sun. I also saw that you could get a boat over to  Alcatraz, which I might go over to tomorrow. I also went to Lombard Street, the most crooked street in the world. I remember that street from when I was young and used to watch “The Streets of San Francisco” (with Carl Malden!) and the “Dirty Harry” films.

An Invite

I got invited out to a Thai buffet tonight. The American lady that I spoke to last night had invited me to join her and her mum. The food was lovely, and the company was excellent, but the restaurant itself was a bit odd. They had a big pool in the middle of the place with a volcano in its centre. And every so often, they had a thunder and lightning effect go off. I think it was to mimic the volcano erupting. It didn’t really work. But as I said, the food was lovely, and the company was good. And I wouldn’t have gone there had I not been invited by Linda and Eva.

Tour Information

It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:

Follow My Bicycle Touring Adventures

Subscribe to my blog and follow me as I continue to travel around on my bike. Plus, as a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours. If you’re enjoying the ride and want to fuel my next mile, you can always buy me a beer. And, of course, you can always follow me on social media: Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. I’m also on Flickr, where you’ll find pictures from all my tours, along with regular photo updates that I generally publish each month.

If you want to find out if I’m away touring at the moment and check my location, visit the Where’s Garry page.

Follow Garry on his travels

Subscribe to my email and follow me on my travels

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Cycling Around The World: USA, Hello America | Travelsonabike2

Bicycle Touring Around The World: Arriving in the USA

My latest bicycle touring around the world update, arriving in the USA. Auckland to San Francisco. New Zealand to the United States of America. In San Francisco. Groundhog Day! I arrived in San Francisco half an hour before I left Australia! Very strange, but I’m now in country number nineteen.

First impressions of America, the customs officers at the airport weren’t friendly! No sooner had I stepped off the plane than customs officials were shouting and yelling at everybody to show their passports, and they certainly weren’t polite about it! And that’s before they knew about me not having an onward flight, which I was supposed to have!

After queuing for nearly an hour to get to the immigration desk, I was then refused entry and had to go for an interview, which involved more hanging around. Eventually, I was taken into this small room and interrogated. I mean, interviewed. The customs officer asked me where I was going and if I had enough money to cover my stay in America. He then gave me a lecture about not getting an outbound flight before coming to America. And that he really shouldn’t be letting me into the country. But on this occasion, he would!

At The Hotel

I got a taxi from the airport to my hotel, which was about fifteen miles away near Union Square. A lovely old-fashioned hotel over seven floors, and I was right at the top. My first job to keep myself busy and awake was to reassemble my bike. And I had the bike fully assembled in less than an hour. I’m getting good at that now.

Bike-Ride To Australia-And-Beyond May-15th-2012Tram with people on
Guess where I am?

After getting my bike back together, I went out for a walk to try and get my bearings. I only had a short walk before returning to the hotel for something to eat and drink. As I was eating my supper, I could feel myself nodding off. I hadn’t slept on the plane, and I think it was starting to catch up with me. Luckily, I soon found some people to bore with my story, first an Aussie from Perth who was here on business. Then, an American lady from Los Angeles who was here with her mother.

Tour Information

It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:

Follow My Bicycle Touring Adventures

Subscribe to my blog and follow me as I continue to travel around on my bike. Plus, as a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours. If you’re enjoying the ride and want to fuel my next mile, you can always buy me a beer. And, of course, you can always follow me on social media: Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. I’m also on Flickr, where you’ll find pictures from all my tours, along with regular photo updates that I generally publish each month.

If you want to find out if I’m away touring at the moment and check my location, visit the Where’s Garry page.

Follow Garry on his travels

Subscribe to my email and follow me on my travels