I met up with a long-time friend Tuesday (our daughters, who are in their thirties, were in elementary school together), and on a lark we walked the new bicycle trail next to the new Bay Bridge. An excellent adventure, indeed! I not only got to enjoy the clear skies, beautiful weather, and soaring elegant bridge structure but I also learned a lot. Thanks, Amy! Added bonus…15,600 steps on my Fitbit!!
First we stopped by the lobby of the Caltrans office where there is a model of the bridge structure and then we went to an adapted building which had been part of the maintenance yard but now is where they had held the reception to celebrate the opening of the new bridge. It is decked out with some great murals of the bridge (without the old bridge) and banners of workers who actually built it.
This is my guide (not as tired as when we ended the walk)…
A graphic display of how the toll booth used to look…
Then we were off to trek the bridge…
Removing the concrete of the old bridge…
Nice views of Oakland cranes…
and cormorants…
Disaster struck…and this is really the major disadvantage of using an iPhone for photos…in the glare I inadvertently activated a filter but couldn’t tell because in the bright light even with an anti-glare film on the surface, I really can’t see what is happening on the face of my phone. I line it up by the blank spaces around the edges of the frame but I can see nothing. I was disappointed at first (what shall we call it…an antique tint?) but then I told myself that all it means is that I have to go back and walk the bridge again to get some better pictures. My Fitbit will love that! I am including some of the pictures anyway because the gap in the old bridge as they tear it down is pretty spectacular…
Then back down the way we came…
To add frosting to the cake, whipped cream to the hot cocoa, and chocolate to the biscotti…I got an official water bottle…!!!
BLING! So much bling I could not get rid of the reflection in the picture. Now I am really set for meandering!
Lois Reynolds Mead 
May 1, 2014 at 10:39 pm
2nd only in ugliness to the San Mateo Bridge!
I think I can say this since I am a native Oaklander and still really love Oakland!
With so many $Billions spent, couldn’t ‘they’ have come up w/a more interesting design?
Oh Puhleeze! Maybe it’s better in person?? lol
Your photos are great tho.
Glad your Fitbit got extra mileage.
~Thanks,
Kata
May 2, 2014 at 1:13 pm
I really like bridges, so thank you for sharing your adventure on this new one (alongside the old).
May 2, 2014 at 1:18 pm
This is a really nice walk!