Northbound: Golden Gate National Recreation Area

When it comes to above-water transit in the Bay Area, the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge have more in common than I first suspected.

• Construction began in 1933
• Steel suspension (Bay Bridge has a span that is not suspension, weirdly)
• Toll only for going into San Francisco

So why does the Golden Gate Bridge get all the love when it comes to tremendous paint schemes, state driver's license fame, and general iconic status? My guess — Golden Gate leads to miles of the most beautiful coastline and protected park property I've seen, while the Bay Bridge leads to, well...Oakland (zing!).

Immediately on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge is a winding mountain road. A road built for scenery with many turnouts, as though the planners knew this path was more about stopping than going. Really, who can blame them for such an assumption?

While that road is friendly initially, a driver quickly finds the point of no return; literally. The winding meets a ridiculously steep grade as one gets closer and closer to the ocean.

After the part that would make any fearless cyclist's day, there are plenty of places to get out and walk around. I'd even say it inspires running to the ocean.

Pinnacle Mountain

I've never been much of an outdoors person. That changed with my recent infusion into the Little Rock hiking scene.

Together with my girlfriend, who could seemingly climb the north face of the Eiger without breaking a sweat, we've probably skipped our way to the top of the rocky trail half-a-dozen times. It's an understatement to say this trail is rocky.

At one point, Ginger even pulled off the heroic move of keeping this giant boulder from falling. And with a smile on her face!

Finally, after a little over an hour in the [heat, rain, fog], we made it to the summit. As I've dove deeper and deeper into programming and virtual problem-solving I've found various senses of accomplishment, but none really compete with finishing a challenging physical, well, challenge. It's completely worth the effort.

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NOTE If you're planning on a nice hike up the rocks, you could join one of the many who bring their dogs. Be prepared to carry your dog back down though. They apparently have a much easier time with up than down.

NOTE Need more pictures of Pinnacle Mountain? Check out the Flickr Group these were pulled from.