Day 14: August 28, 2009 A Day by the Bay

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When the location of my motel came up, Crispian recalled some efforts to save a Doggie Diner in that area. I asked the motel owner before I left and he told me that the diner was gone but that the dog head that identified it had been saved. It was barely a block away on a pole I'd already passed at least twice. After getting my photographs of the ten foot head, I polished off a muffin at the Java Beach Cafe that's now on the corner.	August 28,1999 The trip's high and low points came in quick succession. In Seligman, some women folk persuaded Juan Delgadillo to fire up the Snow Cap's 1937 Chevy and cruise the town while we were there. It's the only time I ever got to see the car in action. A few hours and about a hundred miles later, I drove my own Chevy off the road right by the not-yet-even-thinking-about-being-restored Cool Springs Camp. We survived and, although it wasn't immediately apparent, so did the car.
I got in one more Lincoln Highway stop in San Francisco. Drake Hokanson wrote of enduring MacDonald's and interstate on a trip to see and photograph this marker on California near Park Presidio. He tells of people leaning on it and resting things on it until one woman asked about it. Of course, her question was triggered, not by the marker, which she passed every day, but by Drake's actions. He told her of the highway but she didn't really believe him until she read the marker for herself. No one leaned on it today. There was a woman seated at the bus stop as I approached but her bus arrived and carried her off before I crossed the street. The medallion is still there and, as Drake's skeptical questioner discovered years ago, it still says "This Highway Dedicated to Abraham Lincoln".

I had half planned on spending some of the day lazing in nearby Golden Gate Park but the Outside Lands festival was revving up and congestion reigned. I eventually worked my way back to Cliff House where I drank a couple Anchor Steams, enjoyed the clam chowder immensely, and photographed baths and beach.

I also visited the camera obscura near the restaurant. It had not been open when I was here last year but I got a good look this time.

I finished off my San Francisco visit with a fine meal at the oldest restaurant in California, Tadich Grill. We then drove to San Jose to spend the night.

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