From Carson City to Lake Tahoe was a definite change of scenery! Up another range with lots of mountain pine trees. Then down the range along the west side of the lake, along the south side and up another range. Lake Tahoe was an attractive town - on the Nevada/California border.

The summit after Tahoe was 7,382 ft (from my notes) .

Anyway - it was 2 hours of high elevations and lots of pine trees/for trees. 8am til 10 am - until Placerville. Then it was downhill fast! Shingles was 1,423 ft; El Dorado Hills was 622ft (at 10.15 am). Then 76ft at Rancho (?) at 10.36; and 25ft at 10.44.

We saw what looked like rice paddies near Sacramento. And at 11 am it was 26C.

Bryan said the drive through the forests (til 10 am) was the worst part he's had to drive so far. There was a lot of traffic and it was a very windy road - and the scenery was just trees, trees, trees.

We got onto the Interstate 80 after Sacramento. It was chockers. The traffic just crawled along. Oh to be back in the desert!

We approached San Francisco from the north - drove around San Pablo Bay to San Rafael, and over the Golden Gate bridge. With 2.2 miles to go to reach the motel, we took a wrong turn - a new road that the satnav didn't know about! We got there in the end.

Settled into the room and then headed off to Fisherman's Wharf. We went down Fillimore St to the water and headed east around the bay - Fort Mason, around Black Point and on as far as Pier 33 to see if we could get tickets to Alcatraz. Sold out.

It was Memorial Day weekend, so all very busy. Fisherman's Wharf was packed, but the sidewalk musicians were good. Had clam chowder in a cob loaf from a stall.   Had a few drinks at "Castagnola's". There was a guy playing the piano and singing - every time someone came in he'd ask where they were from. We were directed to the 'Aussie section' - all great fun.