Thank you San Francisco! And good night!
I can't quite believe it. It's over. After five long, eventful and brilliant days, our journey is at an end here in San Francisco. I can only say thank you to everyone who has either read the blogs or sent us tips and advice either on here or on Twitter. This incredible trip wouldn't have been possible without your help, even if it has meant we are all the most tired we have ever been.
It's been surreal. Time no longer has any meaning - but there are no complaints. This has been an adventure and I would recommend anyone reading the blog to try some of the stuff we have experienced. At the very least, get yourself down to Highway 101. It's not quite as spectacular as going both clockwise and anti-clockwise on the M25, but it's up there!
The week started on Monday, which feels a long time away. We were in Seattle, staying at the Moore Hotel. It rained, as it does, but we had fun. Maybe the rain was for us English people. We went up the Space Needle, saw the Folk Farm Festival, went to Pike Place Market and saw a Sounders game at a Sounders bar with some Sounders fans. I even tried oysters for the first time and will not try them again. From there we had a long drive to a small coastal town called Astoria, where we stayed at the Cannery Pier Hotel, a place overlooking Columbia River. It was, quite frankly, heaven. I can highly recommend going there. We went up Astoria Column and saw the Goonies House too.
It was then a drive to Portland on Tuesday, stopping off at Cannon Beach along the way. Unfortunately a lot of stuff was closed there but we saw the Pacific for the first time and then made it on to Portland by the afternoon. We stayed at the ace Ace Hotel, lost ourselves in Powell's books and had a great meal at Montage. Try the alligator. It was then back to Clyde Common for a nightcap and then an early rise for the mega-drive to San Francisco on Wednesday.
We had ambitions to make it to San Francisco by Thursday morning for the Giants game. It didn't happen, sadly. The drive was too long and there were just too many stops, while we also lost wifi connection up in the mountains, leading to a slight glitch in the live blog. Eventually, we rescued the situation, although spirits were low for a while, and managed to swing in to Eureka for the night, staying in the Discovery Inn. It was a motel. An experience.
From Eureka, we continued on Highway 101 and went through the Avenue of the Giants to see the Redwoods. Do it, do it, do it. It is awe-inspiring. We even drove through a tree. A quick stop for an excellent pizza in Hopland and we were finally in San Francisco after driving through the equally majestic Highway 1.
And here we are now. San Francisco. We like it here. Luckily, me and Paul are staying until Monday morning. But the blog isn't. All good things must come to an end. We've earned a drink or two, we feel. Once again, thanks for reading and for tipping. Bye!
Lombard Street Challenge - Done!
We've just driven down Lombard Street! PD suddenly jumped out and disappeared. Suddenly, we had no idea where he was and we were driving down a street at roughly 1mph, behind some people refusing to do the suggested 5mph. For God's sake.
When we got to the bottom, Photographer Dan/Bear Grylls, having gone feral again, was at the bottom, having sprinted all the way down and having knocked down a few old ladies along the way.
Latest update - the Lombard challenge
We're leaving Mission. To Lombard Street!
The day so far
Starts: The San Remo Hotel, where Paul has trouble opening the door of the tiny box room.
Next stop: Breakfast. Tried to get into the Blue Bottle Cafe in the Ferry Building, but the line was long. Bacon and cheese roll from the Golden Gate Meat Company instead.
Next stop: Golden Gate Park and the de Young Museum for art.
Next stop: Cliff House for sea views and ozone.
Next stop: Beach Chalet for lunch of calamares and sunshine overlooking the Bay.
Next stop: Twin Peaks for the panoramic views of the city.
Next stop: Shotwell's, an old-fashioned pub in the Mission for old-fashioned lager and pool.
Next stop: Clarion Alley for the protest art.
Last heard from: In Fecal Face, an art gallery whose reputation goes beyond its name.
The boys are on a Mission at the moment but will need refuelling (MEXICAN! MEXICAN!) and to see the bright lights of the big city tonight, so do keep sending tips: @JacobSteinberg #TwiTrips.
If you see them around town, they may even buy you a beer!
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Fecal matters
We've stopped off at ... Fecal Face. It's a gallery. Don't judge it by the name. It's one of the best galleries around here. And also provides respite from the sun.
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Zeitgeist beer garden on a sunny San Fran day
Went to the beer garden. Packed. Left the beer garden.
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And now we're out on Valencia Street. Which is totally gentrified. Heading to the beer garden. TGIF, am I right?
We're in Clarion Alley. A bit deserted and ever so slightly intimidating. If you don't hear from us again, tell my brother he can have my xbox.
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We're on Mission Street - rough and ready round the edges.
Mr Pickles Sandwich Shop. There's a Pickle Cowboy with holstered condiments outside and PD tells us that it was once stolen from outside the shop and a people were distraught. Due to popular demand, it was eventually returned.
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@BeauG - Photographer Dan approves of your choice. Here's hoping it's not packed - they're on their way.
Our readers think the boys should be outside on such a sunny day. So they've recommended - a beer garden (Zeitgeist, corner of Valencia and Duboce)
There's a Giants game tonight! Could we?
Playing pool now.
Barman is called David.
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That time already
We're in Shotwell's, an old-fashioned pub on Shotwell and 20th street. We're having a beer. Might shoot some pool.
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Mission
PD says the Mission District used to be a predominantly Irish area but has slowly turned into a more Hispanic area since the 60s.
Mission
We've met Photographer Dan's brother Carpenter Kevin. He doesn't have a beard. About to head down to Clarion Alley.
Music request
Two totally different songs:
"San Francisco" by Foxygen
"Tenderloin" by Rancid
We haven't had chance to put together a Spotify mix today, but we like this Foxygen track, so thought we'd share - seems appropriate
We're currently experiencing an authentic American traffic jam.
We're all about the spectacular views over here. We've just driven up the windy hill and are now looking over the city from Twin Peaks.
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Twin Peaks
We're now back in the car and heading up Twin Peaks for the view (@PaulK14, @HeckYeah, @fulham fan). Don't think it has anything to do with the great show.
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Gauntlet accepted
Just saw the suggestion to go down Lombard Street. Paul, who's driving, says "Thank you. That sounds like a challenge."
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Gauntlet thrown down
Following seamlessly on from the Bullitt car chase sequence, @paisley sets the challenge for the boys to drive down Lombard Street. They have driven through a tree after all.
Will they? Should they?
Some good calls on the scary drives here. But don't think you're too cool to do Lombard street either.If you can drive through a tree you drive down the curvy street. I didn't bother doing it when I first visited, it took my mother years to get over the shock. And she still brings it up on occasion...
Lunch is served
We're sitting outside getting burnt at the Beach Chalet, where they do some very good food.
To start we had little pieces of fried calamari, which were excellent. Then some small pieces of fried chicken for the main with sweet potato fries. Paul went for the bacon-wrapped meatloaf in ciabatta and PD went for the the roasted beet salad and the tuna rolls with ginger.
PD's got a beer, I've got some wine and Paul is driving.
Everyone is very content. Do we have to leave?
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Bullitt car chase
Nice suggestion from @fulhamfan who has been serving us well with tips these past couple of days
Since they're driving - maybe check out Potrero Hill where Clint Eastwood [Bullitt etc?] filmed those classic car chase scenes....the ones where the car takes off at the crest of the hill! That's around Arkansas/Carolina and 20th St.
And here it is - all 10 minutes or so of it
Good local advice re the ferry option
Being an old seadog, I'm pushing for us to get a ferry across the bay. Big fan of the sea over here. Big fan.
Do it before all the commuters start heading home to Marin. You can have a drink on the boat, which makes it all much more worthwhile.
Beach Chalet for lunch
And here we are at the Beach Chalet. Outside in the sun. Might have a glass of red out here.
We're still cruising around Cliff House. We found a cave to walk through. At the end of it there was a rail and sign warning you not to climb over it on account of the possibility of falling on to the rocks. But no sign can tame these two intrepid, rugged explorers in their skinny jeans and Converse trainers.
There was also some cool graffiti on a rock that seemed impossible to reach. We're working up a bit of a sweat now and are driving past Ocean Beach, where the surfers go.
Next stop is the Beach Chalet for lunch - as recommended by @BeauG.
San Francisco is a great city.
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Cliff House
We're now at Cliff House. Of course the house is in ruins now, having been allowed to fall into disrepair. There's what used to be a public bath down by the sea. It's now full of goldfish - and a river otter named Sutro Sam. It's the only river otter on this side of the bay. They're not sure how it got here. Possibly by swimming across the bay from Marin. We haven't spotted him yet though.
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Just pitched up around Cliff House. Peaceful - a recurring theme... Birds tweeting. The preferable kind of tweeting.
History lesson
Here's what we know about Cliff House - mostly gleaned from their website and Wiki:
Cliff House is restaurant on the headland above the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach, on the western side of San Francisco. It has a room-sized camera obscura.
The first Cliff House was a modest structure built in 1863 by Senator John Buckley and C. C. Butler. Captain Junius Foster leased the Cliff House Restaurant and under his management wealthy San Franciscans flocked to the coast to enjoy the unique restaurant and wonderful views. The guest register bore the names of three US presidents as well as prominent San Francisco families such as the Hearsts, Stanfords, and Crockers, who would drive their carriages out to Ocean Beach for horse racing and recreation.
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To Cliff House
We're now back in the car and heading to Cliff House (as recommended by quite a few) from Golden Gate Park.
Enjoyed the park and the brief stop at the de Young Museum. Unfortunately, we had to speed through it.
Being an old seadog, I'm pushing for us to get a ferry across the bay. Big fan of the sea over here. Big fan.
Also we're about to drive past another folk festival on Geary.
De Young Museum Observation Tower
We're in the de Young Museum. A lot of kids around. Damn kids
Thinking of lunch ...
While we wait for more updates, our thoughts turn to food (again), and the thorny issue of lunch. A lot of tips have come in recommending the guys try Mexican food at some stage today.
When we put this to Jacob, he asked what other options there were.
Mexican Food
@purplearth Some time before you go home, make sure you get a meal of good Mexican food. From what I remember of your home country, it doesn't exist there (Tacky Smell doesn't count). California is one of the best places in the world to eat Mexican, so you'd be depriving yourselves if you don't have some. As to where, I'd suggest the Mission District in SF, but any local can point you to the right place in/near any town along the way.
@Fantod You must get Mexican food, preferably from a straight-up Mission district taqueria. Can't beat El Farolito, which has several locations.
@dixonium You can't leave California without having some great Mexican food. Check out Mamacita on Chestnut Street.
@rocket_morton Taqueria Cancún in the Mission for outstanding mexican food. There are loads of good Mexican places in the Mission. Try the carnitas (pork) or carne asada (beef) tacos or burritos.
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There's a concert area in this here park.
You can really smell the eucalyptus trees.
A short drive through the city, Hot Chip on in the background, and we're in Golden Gate Park.
A lot of joggers around. It's a lovely park, no two ways about it.
Meanwhile we left the fruit in the car overnight - the grapes have turned into wine. Eat that, Coppola.
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Great suggestion for Golden Gate Park just came in - to see light and space artist James Turrell's installation there
If you're headed to the de Young museum, do have a look into the James Turrell installation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9a8JGzXnkc
For me at least, his installations and "sky spaces" are rest stops for the soul.
En route
The crew are heading to Golden Gate Park. The Deyoung museum has cropped up in a few tips, like this one yesterday from @markier
The tower at the deyoung museum in golden gate park has brilliant 360 views
What else should they do when they get there?
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We've just cabbed it back to the hotel to pick some stuff up. We're in the Italian area. You can see Italian flags on the lamp-posts. I approve. We're going to get the car and head to Golden Gate Park. Having the car will ensure we can keep the wifi equipment charged, you see.
In a bit.
Wherever next?
Loads of good suggestions coming in - many to do with open spaces, not surprisingly, as the crew have been in a car for the past three days. We thank you
Sterling tipster @daisywaisy suggests a boat ride
Get a lunch to go at the Ferry Building and take a ferry ride across the Bay to Sausalito. Fabulous views of everything.
@evankarp suggests Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park is an absolute treasure of fun things to do (and, for me, this far outweighs the Wharf), and you can pretty much drop for a picnic anywhere; this is a great way to spend an entire day
@Aaron_Rayburn reckons a bike ride
Also while in San Francisco, you can rent bicycles on the pier, then bike across Golden Gate Bridge (thrilling!) into a small coast town called Sausalito. From there, you can lunch and ferry back with your bike into the city. Quite an epic way to see the bay.
@RTUSAguide says
Sutro Baths, the Cliff House, and best of all: the coast path that follows the water back towards the Golden Gate Bridge, on one of the most beautiful short walks on the whole West Coast .
@Paulk14 has listed lots of places with stunning views of the city, including this famous scene from a 1960s Todd Walker poster of California Street
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We're in the Embarcadero bit and have just walked through a waterfall.
Breakfast
We went to that Blue Bottle Cafe - as tipped by @HellYeah and @Paisley - but the line was huge and they didn't seem to have any... Food.
Went back outside and spotted some people eating sandwiches, so we went up to them and asked where they got them - not exactly social media, but there you go.
Off we went to the Golden Gate Meat Company for a sandwich then. They describe themselves as Fourth Generation Meat Specialists, which is essentially meaningless.
The problem for me was that every sandwich comes with egg. I asked the lady serving if I could have a sandwich without egg.
There was a long pause followed by "So you want it with egg."
In the end, she saw sense and gave me a bacon and cheese roll. Had it out by the bay. Cheap, simple and tasty. Photographer Dan went a bit weird when he saw an Oakland As fan.
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We have pictures
We've finally found Photographer Dan. We're around the Ferry Building and looking out at Treasure Island. Aaargh!
Need to find some breakfast. There are many options. It's an upmarket Pike Place Market.
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We're now just sitting by the bay and waiting for PD (photographer Dan) to show. A seagull has joined us. Can see the Bay Bridge and Oakland in the distance.
Bay Bridge #twitrips @GuardianTravel pic.twitter.com/30en3nLahL
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) May 31, 2013
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We're sitting near the Ferry Building waiting for photographer Dan, who's been stricken down by transport blunders. Just like home.
It's a clear blue sky up there. A real European feel to this city.
Although it did threaten to get 'pwopa nawtee' outside our hotel.
I was waiting for Paul to come down and listening to some Rihanna to get pumped for the day when some old geezer, smoking a cigarette, walked up to me.
"Hanbcxn kdkznx kdnxgh jjrnBdh."
I still had my earphones in. So I took them out.
"Hey buddy, give me a sigawett."
"Sorry mate, don't have any."
"Come on buddy. Give me a sigawett."
"Just told you, don't have any."
And with a grumble, he was off. Danny Dyer, eat your heart out.
Keep them coming...
Breakfast - on a roll in the comments
If you wanted to hit Golden Gate Park there's a bakery nearby called Arizmendi, it's not the 'essential SF experience' but it's a good quick wheat fix.
And again, not breakfast as such but Philz coffee (either near the Giants stadium or the original one in Mission) once gave me the best cup of coffee I've ever had in my life.
Alternatively I'm sure someone knows a good Valencia hangout for breakfast, and then If you're in an arty frame of mind you could check out the murals down the side alleys (I forget which alleys now). Some of them are really beautiful.
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It's a sunny day in San Francisco. We could yet see shorts. Stay tuned.
Right, me and Paul are looking lively and heading off to meet photographer Dan for breakfast. He's not staying in our hotel. I think it's a safety hazard to have three people in this room.
Breakfast suggestion: Mama's on Washington Square (Stockton & Filbert)
Also go to the Ferry Building Market, it's sorta SF's version of Pike Place but expensive.
Go to the beach today! You've got a rare warm day today. Baker Beach would work.
Incoming - breakfast tips
Thanks to @HellYeah and @Paisley for suggesting the Blue Bottle Cafe at the Ferry Building. They're going to need lots of coffee today by the sound of it - even Jacob, who doesn't drink the stuff.
Jamie Jenson, from RoadTrip America has just emailed these suggestions
For breakfast I'd send them west to the Cliff House at Point Lobos (opens at 9am)
or the more "local favorite" Louis' (right next door)
Any advances?
To start tomorrow I suggest you go to the Ferry Building and get some Blue Bottle Coffee, and whatever other goodies you want, then sit out back by the bay and drink it all in. Looks like it is going to be a nice one.
We have a photographer Dan plan, now our local has surveyed the suggestions. Going to shower then busting this joint.
Ready to roll
Good morning, San Francisco! Well, here we are, the final day. Although saying that, time seems to have lost all meaning - we've been fitting roughly three day's work into one all week. As we were walking around North Beach last night, Paul observed that we'd been having breakfast in Portland the day before. As I write, he's currently trying to work out how to open the door of our cosy little box in the San Remo hotel. The raisins remain uneaten.
We're a bit sad the epic driving is over though. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life and I'm glad we managed to get on both Highways 101 and 1, even if they need to sort out the wifi reception up there. Yesterday we started in Eureka, had breakfast in Samoa, drove through a tree, drove over the Golden Gate Bridge and had some excellent pizza in Hopland. Today? It's San Francisco all the way. Get tipping.
Usual places: below, @JacobSteinberg, #TwiTrips, @GuardianTravel, GuardianWitness
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Also recommend Zeitgeist for drinking, added plus is that it's got outdoor seating.