# Bikepacking with my son in Marin County, CA



## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

Hi, I live in San Francisco with my 7 year old son Kenshiro "Keni". We do a lot of our outdoor recreations in Marin county since it's just so darn excessable via the Goldengate bridge. Keni has Autism Spectrum Disorder which makes some of his peer interactions some what challenging. We are steady partners in most outdoor activities.
It's a good thing he is such a ready to roll and willing partner for camping, biking, and backpacking.
Here we are ready to roll.


I ride a stock 2010 hardrock and Keni has a Wee-ride co-pilot.
On both our bike we both have Jandd frame bags which have 2 liter platypus bladders in them.
On my handle bars I have a Jandd Mountain handle bar bag with tools, tubes, and small etcs. I have a silnylon compression sack with our Sierra Designs Sirius2 tent and fly strapped to the front of my handle bars. I have a med. sized water proof compression sack/backpack on my back made by OR with inside our food, jetboil stove, my thermarest prolite sleeping pad, TNF Kilo 20 down sleeping bag, some base layers, fleece hat, extra shorts, golite synthetic jacket. In the outside mesh pockets I carried my sigg water bottle and pant legs.
On Keni's ride strapped to the handle bars he has a Sea to Summit event compression sac with his TNF tigger 20 synthetic sleeping bag inside and a Were the Wild Things are 10" synthtic pillow (very light and compresssible). On top of that are our tent poles and stakes in the blue nylon stuff sack. He has a Jandd handle bar bag which has his snacks and camelbak bottle handy. On his back he has a Deuter Junior backpack. These guys make the best kids packs in my opinion. Inside he carries his Termarest prolite short sleeping pad, (in gallon ziplock bags for compression and water protection) he has clothing and his LLbean bown jacket, fleece hat. He has small paper books, and most importantly Legos.

We made a roughly 15 mile round trip from our house to the GGNRA in the Marin Headlands to stay at Hawk Camp for the night. This is the most remote of the campsites in the park. You must pack in all your water to all of the campsites.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

*contined..*

We left our home near Japan town and headed out to the water front to take the bike path along Crissy Field to the Ggb. The day was warm and sunny with a little distant hazy/fog. As we left the waters edge and headed up the short yet steep hill on Crissy Field road with our loaded bikes we passed the typical tourist pushing their bikes up and I offered my enouragement to them " you can do it"!. The road bikers pass us up the hill with their typical " he's not pedaling", greetings. "It's a ceramonial position", I shout "like the emperor of Japan". None of them ever offer a push or tow.
We get to the top where the path runs paralell to Lincoln Blvd up to the bridge.
Stopped for photo op.
The bike path above Crissy Field.

The bike path leading to the Ggb.

The best time to ride the bridge is after 3:30pm on the weekdays or anytime during the weekend days the whole west path is for bikes only during those time slots.

2bcont...


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## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

:thumbsup: ...your rule.....:thumbsup: ...awesome.....:thumbsup: .....keep it coming....:thumbsup:


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## msimmons (Jun 14, 2007)

That sounds like an awesome adventure.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

We through on our wind breakers and grinded over the bridge making absurdly wide turns around the towers. I keep as much of an eye ahead and behind for others since I have to do this to avoid dumping Keni on the path. Thanks for your patients rbers. After taking the second tower heading north we pull over to spit off the bridge (family tradition many gens old) and finally head down the incline on the bridge for some speed. Yay my favorite part of the bridge. I'm always leary of the bottom of this decent with an extra partner as it race to see if you can make it there before the person coming up on the bridge to the narrowest section of path available on the bridge. Alright no idiot decieded he would squezze by us head on instead of yeilding this time. Score! We pulled over at the Marin side northwest parking lot and take off our windbreakers. We won't need these on the ride anymore today. It's suddenly warming up again. Ah, the magic of Marin county.

2bcont...


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

We made our way up the steep little hill out of the parking lot onto Conzelman road and then down hill to were it meets Alexander road.
Went left on Alexander road under the intersate 101 more down hill followed (yes!) but briefly. First left on Bunker road brought us up to the mouth of the Barry Baker Tunnel. the tunnel goes under int. 101 and the first ridge line of the headlands.


This is a one lane tunnel with a 5 minute light and bike lanes on both sides. You push a light button and a light flashes to let motorist know your in the house.

This is a fun yet semi stressfull tunnel to me. We put a flasher on the back and a head light on the front. Wait for traffic in our direction to get moving forward and then I granny gear my way up into the darker tube. It always get a little brighter once I remember to take off my sunglasses. I have to remind Keni not to lean forward to look around me to keep steady and not loose his head to a car behind us. It takes me 7 or 8 minutes to get through th tunnel on the way up. After about 5 minute traffic starts coming towards us. This is were I worry a little with most cars giving wide birth to cyclist I just hope they don't come into my lane to go around the other guy coming down the hill in the tunnel. Were still safe after many trips through with no close calls. Whew..
An interesting feature of this man made cement tunnel is the natural occurance of the many stalactites that grow inside. most motorist probally never notice.



After stopping to have some water we prepare for decent into Rodeo valley.

2bcont..


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

We made our way coasting down the wonderfully curvy road leading into the valley enjoying the nice quick decent for about 2 miles towards the marin headlands vistors center on Bunker road. We have our first off road accent going up the very short service road to the center. They have a bike rack were we lock up, hit the head, and then run inside the center for cup of coffee (saves me busting out the stove). We take a picnic table out front of the center enjoying our sandwiches and pleasent conversation with the family next to our table. we head in after were finished they have a nice educational set up with Native American and European/American history of the area as well as natural educational materials and info. Very cool.
They also have a nice little gift shop which Keni b-lined to when we walked in the door.
I checked in with the awesome park staff there and Keni found a lightweight toy.
keni found a nice activity toy with a kit to make your own sowing free stuffed animals. made by Chicken socks (very cool). We made our way back down Bunker road to our cut over for Bobcat fireroad. Yah finally some dirt!
That's Bobcat on the left


2bcont..


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

CHUM said:


> :thumbsup: ...your rule.....:thumbsup: ...awesome.....:thumbsup: .....keep it coming....:thumbsup:


Thanks for the praise.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

msimmons said:


> That sounds like an awesome adventure.


and it's only began.

Keni learned by being a good bikepacker he wouldn't be have to backpack as much.

Such a smart kid.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

It's really beautiful out here there are so many great wild flowers in bloom and I know the name of names of almost none them. I keep meaning to pick up a guide book for the flora of the area at the visitors center. Hopefully next weekend. We head up Bobcat a very mellow grade for the first mile or so. We come to nice patch of Eucalyptus trees but, haven't quite earned a shardy rest spot yet. Too bad though as there are not many shady places out here. We press on. It's quite warm out and I'm feeling it to as I'm not use to warm sunny cloud free weather living in SF. We suddlenly start to get to some slightly steeper climbing after about another half mile and little futher up the pushing will begin.
I did manage to make it up the hill in the below picture pass the bend out of the photo to the middle part of the fire road just behind the lone conifir tree in the center before we started pushing. Our first break spot on the fire road would be the stand of confir trees in the upper left hand side of the photo.


We spend a lazy 30 minutes or so laying in the shade, playing, snacking, sipping water and enjoying the view.


The view of Gerbode valley and Rodeo valley from our oasis. Observe Bobcat coming up on the left and the Eucalyptus tree grove.


Kenshiro was the most constructive with his time during our lay about and created a scarecrow out of his Duplo legos. The upper most small grove of trees on the left hand side behind him in the photo is Hawk camp.

Our rest over we placed our gear back on and proceeded.


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

Great kids adventure. Thanks for sharing.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

My pleasure Tig. I've been try to find some other local parents and kids here to go with.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

We continued on for about anthor half mile sometimes pushing, sometimes riding, always getting warmer. I have Keni helping push on right side of the bike where he is out of the way incase anyone comes barreling downhill. We came to the last little stand of trees shading the road and stopped for a moment to cool down. Since were getting closer to the top were able to enjoy a small breeze blowing and press on. Were back in the saddle again as the road has become a more managable grade for dragging and extra hundred pounds up again. We make it up to a high point of 745 feet or so on Bobcat which is always a nice spot to stop and take it in as you can walk a short distance up a rock outcrop to take in the urban sprawl or of Marin on the East side of the hill. Then cross back over the road and walk out to another outcrop of rocks to view the peaceful Gerbode valley seen below on the West side of Bobcat.


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## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

very cool...gonna do something like this with my son when he's a little older.....


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

No time like the present Chummy! I started taking Keni on over nights around 4 years and quickly came to the conclusion I could have started earlier.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

We gear up, mount up and drop down a nice quick hill. ok onto the last push. It's very short, but also very steep. Finally the Junction with Hawk Camp. Way up here at 790 feet the air is so thin Keni can barely remain concious.

We jam down the last half mile into the bottom of the camp ground.
We ride up to where the outhouse is. There is an wooden fence I lock the bike up to we unload the remainder of our gear and walk the 100 feet up the hill to the campsite.
The road leading up from the toilet is the steepest with lots of gravel. It's not fun to push a bike up or ride down loaded as I've learned in the past. 
The campground has 3 sites located in a groove of conifirs I believe are Knobcone Pines.
There is also a small lone palm tree there amongst the grove. We take a nice shaded spot off by itself on the lower part of the hillside campground. Were up to 830 feet now wow!
This is a view from the treeline looking down into Gerbode valley. Note the white toilet and that orangish spot on the end of the fence is Keni's flag.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

We got in to camp after around 3:30 or so and start slowly unpacking. However before to long I'm request to help with figuring out how to make the new stuffed animal toy kit.
Once Keni's is set. I pitch the tent on the pad, bust out the sleeping pads, and start fluffing the sleeping bags. Were hanging out at the table when another family comes biking in to the campground. After intorductions they continue up the hill to the other two sites. Once they get set up in their camp they joined us for some Lego games and conversations. It was pretty cool as the family also has Japanese ancestory and the 11 year old daughter is studying Japanese in Japantown. They are a great group of people and were very welcomed company. Later we rehydrate our dinners and spend time doing our camp chores and exploring a little bit in the area. Keni gets tired early on during these trips and usually wants to go down before 8pm. Get him set in bed, stories read, and lights out. I spend time on my own just watching the sunlight disappear and the stars come out. Pretty early bedtime for me as well. Later the coyotes came in pretty close to camp that night yipping and howling for a few minutes. Then disappearing over the hill with their nocturnal serenade. We get up around 6:30am and breakfast follows pretty quickly after.
Keni is enjoying our breakfast time playing and eating as the sun and fog compete for space in the sky.


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## the-one1 (Aug 2, 2008)

I take it your Japanese ? 

Amazing how much you can see in 15miles on a bike.


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## azmtb31 (Jan 18, 2009)

Thats really an awesome adventure, thanks for sharing it!


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

the-one1 said:


> I take it your Japanese ?
> 
> Amazing how much you can see in 15miles on a bike.


No, I'm no flavor other than vanilla swirl to my knowlegde. My wife is Japanese (first gen. imm.), so the kids half.

You bet and were still well under the 15 mile mark at this point as well.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

You welcome, thanks for posting.


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

Were in no real hurry. After we fuel up we play games, and run around the campsite.
I slowly start packing but, also find time to lay the thermarests in the tall grass and we just lay there and watch time pass. Keni set up his scarecrow in the grass and the resident Ravens in the grove become quite active. I take a look to see what's going on and the Raven's are after a hawk that is swooping through. They give chase and it's quite a site. The hawk pulls a great evasive move (a perfect barrel rolls) and just befuddles the ravens. After our Ramen lunch we hike down load the bikes and pedal off down the trail back to Bobcat. This is short lived as we come to our first push. Up we go and stop near the top once again for the last shoy on our camera.
Good ole' Gerbode valley on the semi foggy morn.
.
Back up on the bike, pedalling up to Bobcat and start to bomb down the hill.
Well as much of a bomb you'll risk with an extra hundred pounds pushing ya.
One last little push and it's all down hill from here to the valley floor.


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## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

MattySF said:


> No time like the present Chummy! I started taking Keni on over nights around 4 years and quickly came to the conclusion I could have started earlier.


HA!.....but my kid is 14 months....


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## MattySF (Feb 26, 2010)

We were sweveing down the curvy curves of Bobcat coast, break, coast, break, a little pedalling (mostly Keni pedals on downhills), and repeat. We came across a family pushing a stoller with two muddy golden retrievers. I just had to ask " Whoose a dirty dog, huh?". A grinning golden gave his tail wag in reply. 
We continued on until we got to the tree grove of our previous days break time and stopped for few to cool the rims. Back on our way all the way to the bottom then back over to Bunker road. Now comes the slow grind up Bunker to the tunnel. Follow by a quick decent through the tunnel. I let the cars pass and then we take to the full lane for the decent into the dark. Yeah kings of the underworld we are, at least for the minute. Back over to the bridge, up through the Persidio, and home for a shower.
We head out after our clean up for our traditional post rides pizza n brews.
Another great overnighter under our belts. 
I didn't get to take as many pics as I wanted to this time since the digi is dead and I'm using the old 35mm. The quality of the pics is pretty crap too since I used Walgreens film.
Were off to Haypress Camp in headlands this upcoming weekend and I'm sure I'll bore you all with another report of that trip next week.
Thanks for reading along.


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