I lived in San Francisco. In hindsight, how anybody could be unhappy about seeing the bright sun in a town that is so gray and foggy is hard to explain. A San Francisco summer, at least in the neighborhood I lived in, meant 25 mph winds off the ocean carrying heavy, wind-driven fog and drizzle for much of the day, with temperatures around 15ºC/60ºF. Not exactly balmy.
Sunrise12 January 2008
I would be up early every morning, preparing for my drive down to Silicon Valley, where I worked. Often before daylight, I would back my car out of the garage, race down the hill, zoom onto the freeway, and speed south on Highway 101, the Bayshore Fwy., past Candlestick Park, cruising along the edge of San Francisco Bay, and then skirting the airport.
Sunrise12 January 2008
Just as you cleared the airport, the southbound freeway turns slightly east, following the contour of the shoreline. And there it would be: the cursed sun. Right in your face. Low on the horizon. Bright and blinding.
That was the problem. Traffic would grind to a halt. All four or five lanes of it. Brake lights for miles. People sitting in their cars trying to read the newspaper, singing along with the radio, shaving or putting on makeup, eating breakfast, or just fuming. I was a fumer, I guess. I had left home before dawn hoping to beat the traffic, and there I was stuck in it. Who knew for how long?
Sunrise12 January 2008
On really bad mornings, traffic would be backed up for a mile or two before you even got to what I'll call Sunrise Curve. At that point, you had a choice. You could turn off on Hwy 380, cut over to I-280, and head south on that. Hoping you wouldn't come face to face with the sun somewhere along that freeway. Or run into some other kind of traffic clog.
But often the blinding sun would take you by surprise, if you left home as early as I did. There didn't even have to be much traffic for the grinding halt to delay you for 30 minutes or more. And you were in a hurry. Time was of the essence. Time was money. You had a meeting to attend, or a report to finish before mid-morning. You just wanted to GET THERE.
Sunset12 January 2008
I hated the sun on those days. Isn't there something fundamentally wrong with that?
OMG... I feel your pain! What to do except move to France and not commute? You chose wisely, grasshopper.
ReplyDeleteWell, I suppose a bat hates sunshine;-) Nothing wrong there. Driving into sunshine is the pits, especially the winter sun.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are now in a place to bring beautiful sunrises and sunsets to us.
A friend of mine just went to a funeral of a guy who made a 100 mile commute for 16 years! He drove from Nashville to Huntsville! I think you can imagine how tough that must have been.
I hope you are enjoying your Sunday without gun shots.
That sun felt like a hammer, didn't it? I didn't hate it though. I just wished that I didn't have to drive with it right in my eyes. Nice not to worry about it any more--I'm with you there.
ReplyDeleteThose photos are splendid! You must be up early for the sunrise but I guess it's worth it, knowing that you do not have to commute. You can enjoy the beauty peacefully and share it with us. Thank you!
ReplyDelete