7/15/06 Golden Gate NRA Part 3 - Crissy Field + Biking through Golden Gate Bridge

 

 Crissy Airfield in 1921, courtesy NPS

Golden Gate Bridge 

金門大橋，世界著名地標

Marin Headlands again, this time on bike

這次是騎單車到Marin Headlands的~

View of Sausalito from Marin Headlands

從Marin Headlands高處望眼Sausalito 

 Biking the Golden Gate Bridge

騎腳踏車上金門大橋

金門大橋嚴格來說，不是金 門國家休憩區(Golden Gate NRA)的一部份，但二者是分不開的。金門大橋於1937建好，而Golden Gate NRA則於1972正式成立的，它的名稱無疑是來自金門大橋。今天來參觀Golden Gate NRA主要的景點的遊客，可見到金門大橋矗立在舊金山灣口那兒。來到金門大橋的人，則都很有可能不自覺穿越過了Golden Gate NRA。

金 門大橋除了是吊橋裡的重要代表之外，更是加州舊金山重要的地標。雖然是人造的建築，但金門大橋有一種說不出的美感。除了大跟長以外，究竟還有什麼特性，使 它在眾多吊橋裡，總是第一個被提及的呢？許多電影中，金門大橋常常是使人迅速聯想到美西的東西。要介紹美西的旅遊資訊，也常常將金門大橋擺在封面上。更因 為這種無限的循環，讓來到舊金山的遊客，無論如何，都要看見金門大橋一眼。

在灣區念書，相對的，金門大橋的那種魅力已沒那麼大。這一天，繼舊金山航海國家歷史公園之行後，我們所要嘗試的，是騎腳踏車上金門大橋。開車過金門大橋次數之頻繁，已經不稀奇了。而如果說要走路過橋，則八成會被當是瘋了。騎腳踏車，除了在舊金山某些地方的行動力比汽車來得方便以外，更可以達到運動的效果。況且，時間上，這也是過橋比較實際的方法。

從 出城的方向看，金門大橋除了中間是給車子開的，另外兩旁是給人和腳踏車走的。行人道是在橋的最右邊，而腳踏車道則是在最左邊。腳踏車道裡，基本上也遵守右 去左回的規矩。金門大橋全長1.7英里左右(2.7公里)，單程需要十幾分鐘，但因為有個孤度，前半段是上坡，後半段才是下坡。不過，這一天最累的部份其 實是騎完橋之後，要接著到Marin Headlands那 兒的一段。之前去Marin Headlands是很輕鬆地開車上去的。這次騎著腳踏車，才知道那個坡度陡到我們都直接放棄騎上去，很甘脆地用牽的上去。而在Marin Headlands上看金門大橋和舊金山的景色，雖然相當讚，但傍晚的霧慢慢飄過來之後，大家也只能無奈地再沿著反方向騎，準備打道回府。

Even though not part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA), the Golden Gate Bridge and the NRA are practically inseparable.  After all, it's where the NRA gets its name from!  People traveling to parts of the NRA will definitely catch glimpses of the bridge, while visitors going to see the Golden Gate Bridge will pass by places in the NRA for sure, sometimes unknowingly.  

Built in 1937, the Golden Gate was the world's longest suspension bridge at the time.  It has since been surpassed by a few other bridges, but the Golden Gate Bridge remains a symbol of suspension bridges.  More importantly, it has been a landmark and icon of San Francisco and California in general.  Even though being man-made, there is something truly inherent about the Golden Gate Bridge that gives it unmatched beauty over other suspension bridges built before and after it.  People flock to San Francisco daily to marvel at this engineering feat.  And of course, the Golden Gate Bridge is always on the top of any list of the world's most beautiful bridges. 

Having driven on the Golden Gate Bridge countless times, one of our goals of the bike trip was to cross the bridge and back.  After the stop at SF Maritime NHP, our biking route was fairly simple.  We followed the bike trails from Aquatic Park through Fort Mason and then westward through the Crissy Air Field, picking up passport stamps at various visitor centers along the way.  Hoping to catch Fort Point before its closing time, we then saved the feat of crossing the Golden Gate Bridge last.

Crossing the bridge by bike isn't as tough as expected.  You'd be crazy if you were to walk the bridge by foot.  On the other hand, if you simply drive through it, you'd be missing out a lot too.  On average, it took about 15-20 minutes to bike the bridge, one-way.  Because of the arching of the bridge, the first half is slightly uphill, with good downhill rewards soon later. 

After crossing to Marin county,  we decided to make it up to the Marin Headlands again.  The road leading from the end of the bridge to the first viewpoint of Marin Headlands is a very steep slope.  None of us were able to bike up the hill and ended up walking the bike instead.  The breathtaking view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco was cut short by the incoming evening fog.  Crossing the bridge back to SF, we called it a day.   

Crissy Field 

以前的軍機場

 

Standing old military buildings next to Crissy Field 

舊的軍用建築仍在，有的還會有NPS準備的詳細解說資料

 

Crissy Field today, public place for the San Francisco

今天的Crissy Field，舊金山市民們可共享的戶外區

Crissy Field是建於1919的軍用機場。當初1915年的巴拿馬太平洋博覽會(Panama-Pacific International Exposition)在舊金山舉辦的，慶祝巴拿馬運河的完工。它旁邊空曠平地，讓軍方留意到正是蓋跑道的最佳位置，便立刻開始動工。1920年 代，Crissy Field更在飛行史上創下許多紀錄，像是第一個一天內橫跨美洲的飛行（當時飛機的載油量不大，都需要中途降落加油，沒辦法無間斷飛。能一天之內飛完，是 一件了不起的成就。）

原 本認為在舊金山口建軍用機場有防守上的位置優勢（那時金門大橋還沒未建），可是舊金山有名的大霧常常使起飛和降落上都有困難。因此，當Marin County的新軍機場蓋好之後，主要任務都轉移到那兒了。之後軍方仍佔用Crissy Field旁邊的建築物，甚至將一些停機棚改建成教室。不過，二戰還有越戰結束之後，1974年它正式關閉。1994年，它經過大量的整修，把跑道鋪上草 地，更將旁邊的海灘等地方大幅度改觀。今天，Crissy Field主要的跑道區，已經成為當地市民平常週末和假日會聚集的地方。除了建行，慢跑，還有騎車之外，還有多處地方可野餐和烤肉，海邊可以玩水，碼頭上 可釣魚，釣螃蟹。天氣晴朗但又有風的時候，更可以看到許多人在這兒放風箏呢~~ 

Crissy Air Field, honoring Major Dana H. Crissy who died in a test flight, was established in 1919 as a US Army airfield.  In the 1920s, it would go on to set many aviation records, like the first dawn-to-dusk transcontinental flight.  Initially thought of as an ideal location for a landing field because of the flat marsh area, the notorious San Francisco fog presented frequent flying problems.  In 1936, when the Hamilton Field in Marin County opened, the main operations were transferred there.  The buildings in the area were continually occupied by the US Army until 1974 when it officially closed down.  Redesigned in 1994, Crissy Field is today an open space for the public and part of the Golden Gate NRA.  On a good day, many San Franciscans either walk, jog, or bike through the area.  In addition, there are beaches and other gathering places for families and friends for a picnicking.  On clear windy days, you'll see people flying kites here for sure.