After a much too short visit with my brother, I had one last day to ride. Leaving Napa, I rode through wine country. It wasn’t quite as pretty as I expected. Many of the leaves on the grape vines have turned brown. I don’t know if that is because it is fall or because of the drought.

The only real thought today was to put in the miles and get to the coast. I ended up getting a much later start than expected, and didn’t get out of Napa until after 11:00 a.m. The distance was a little further than I expected. Most of it was on bike trails and side streets, which was nice.

The area is known for its hills, but compared to what I have ridden through over the past couple of months, they seem like little bumps. I left about half of my gear with my brother to mail back to me when I finish. That probably helped. I ended up packing everything in the back paniers. With no weight on the front, I was a little afraid I would inadvertently pop a wheelie going up a hill.

I reached the Golden Gate Bridge just as the sun was setting. What a fantastic sight after five months. Unfortunately, by the time I crossed the bridge, it dark and too late to dip my wheels in the Pacific Ocean. That will have to wait. I will be in San Francisco for a few days, so should have plenty of time.