new thread
...which doesn't go all the way to Yerba
Buena Island, since the old bridge needs to be demolished to allow the last few hundred feet of walkway to be built.
The bridge opened Labor Day late...it is modern as the old span is traditional!
I walked up this morning and took some pictures...
...of course, it was breezy, and I didn't notice that I was in shadow.
Still breezy!
Hi Trolleypup,
Absolutely beautiful hair my friend! Gosh I can only dream to have hair that long and beautiful! Oh well, I will settle for waist or classic:) I just love how your hair is waving in the breeze! Lovely! Thanks for posting these pics!
Ted
You have a respectable start...given some length you'll be able to enjoy the breezes with your hair!
Thanks a bunch for the compliment Trolleypup! Much appreciated! However, I plan to always wear my hair down. I'm just going to hope it doesn't tangle too bad! I just can't see having my hair up! The more I look at your pics, the more I'm thinking about going past waist! Seems like it would be fun! Only one way to find out...
Ted
GORGEOUS !!!
Thank you!
I think my favorite thing about long hair is watching it move in the wind.....You guys in San Francisco post the coolest photos.
That is a beautiful bridge !!
Thanks for Sharing both.
Walter
Thank you!
Despite the tangles that result, sometimes I can't resist walking into the wind with my hair down.
You must constantly receive compliments about your gorgeous long hair wherever you go, and those who are too shy to say anything are very likely in total awe and quietly envious of you. Thanks for posting these inspirational pictures.
Fairly often, even with it up most of the time. I do notice the whispering and whatall behind my back. And double-takes.
I'm happy to be be out there showing that yes you can grow hair this long, and you can wear it confidently. You can be different. Of course, YMMV when you go back to West Pibblehill in less enlightened parts.
Simply amazing! I agree w/ CEM - I love to see what the breeze does with your hair - I am afraid I would be gawking at you if I saw you somewhere - these are great pictures - they came out real well and show how great your hair is looking.
I tend to spend time in front of the mirror and wonder what the heck I am doing - my hair just doesn't look good to me when I focus on it too long - in my mind, I think it looks cool as it grows - but as Ted said, when will it ever get long? When will someone look at me and not think 'look at that shaggy old geezer..." It takes incredible patience, I think. Because I care about how I look and consciously decided to try this "bucket list" to grow my hair out - it is like two worlds colliding during this process - plus, my hair is thinning - and I don't want to be one of those men in mid-life (I wish) who has a thin rat tail and balding head... but, alas - very well could be me.
But, Pup! You are a beautiful man with great hair! Yes, I am envious!
Hi Fitz,
Please don't give up my friend! Your hair will look fine long even though it might be thinning! I myself hate my thick hair and would gladly give you some thickness if I could! And to think my hair used to be much thicker but straighter! But that's okay! I don't care if I start balding (knocks on wood ever so lightly:)). I will continue to grow my hair! So with that said Fitz, I want you to go forth and conquer my friend! I look forward to your wonderful hair at longer lengths!
My apologies to Trolleypup for jumping in here!
Ted
I'm going to Christmas time for a year of growth - that's my short term goal... and you guys, and your posts keep me going toward that goal...
Fitz, you shall be encouraged my friend! And you also shall be gifted with great growth at Christmas:)
Ted
No worries...this place is all about supporting others in their journey to long hair, and I am happy to provide a base for discussion!
Looking forward to the Xmas update!
The grass is always greener, but thicker hair does provide a foundation for length. And remember, length will eventually weigh down the triangle stage.
Thanks...the pictures came out decently for a crowded windy location, at least I had the tripod and a remote, but a photographer would have been better. But you work with what you have. Many years ago I decided that I wasn't going to miss experiences just because I didn't have someone to go with.
Benign neglect my man, take good basic care of your hair and ignore it otherwise, go on with your life...standing in front of a mirror staring at it...well, watched pot, you know! Either own your shaggy geezedom or at least fail to give a crap about whether other people are thinking that. None of us are the lithe young blonde longhaired poolboys we used to be (if we ever were, surely I never was). Wear your eccentricity (as the world sees it) confidently.
I know a few guys who have the fringe and rat tail...and have had that for years...it is part of who they are and looks good on them. There is a guy who has a perfect bald circle on top, I've seen him with two skinny dutch braids running around the edge to a braid in back...that is HIS look!
Thanks! Most of the credit for my hair goes to my mom!
Trolleypup I'm always amazed when you do you loose hair pics as that mane is
simply epic! Very rare to see a man with such long hair and of that quality right up to the ends:) Your pics of the new bridge are awesome as I will have the opportunity to see for myself when I'm out you way soon:) Maybe we can even get together for a good fashion longhair meetup as I'll be seeing Ken and others while in the area.Thanks as always for you contributions here which are always a pleasure to see and read.Take care my friend:) Cheers
Mârk
Thanks, but my tips are pretty well worn...if you look at the picture, the reddish parts are the most worn ends. Holding them up to bright light they are much lighter in color and thinner than the roots.
A meetup would be fun, I have some thoughts about locations that are reasonably accessible, but still off the beaten track!
Well despite any damage to the ends you have enough hair to make up for any of that.That's the advantage of having such a huge mane as even if you were to nip off the damage you likely wouldn't even miss what was trimmed off.
A meetup would be awesome as I'd love to know what you have in mind.I'll speak with Ken and let you know when I'll be in the area.As always thanks for posting such inspirational pictures:)Cheers
Mârk
Hi Trolleypup
The most astonishing long hair of them all. Even when mine was at its best, if I was to be graded, it would probably come in at about a C-. Yours? A+++++++++++++++
Take care and all the best-
Justin~
Awww, thanks, but this isn't Ebay ratings. I'd rank myself in the A-/B+ range...I don't let my hair hold me back from living as I wish, so it picks up damage and lacking care. Definitely not perfect, but good enough!
You are way way way MUCH too modest about having long hair the likes of what you have. Well, now that you have told of the damage, then the "Justin" report card will have to be adjusted. Hmmmmm, Now only A+++++. OMG, it just about kills me to downgrade such gorgeous long hair as you have. Better up-it by one more +. There, now I can live with myself. :-)
All the best-
Justin~
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Your hair looks super. It appears to be knee length but I think it is longer than that. The wind is blowing around, lifting your hair, making it difficult to determine actual length.
Scott
Calf length.
thanks!
Wow!
Your hair looks awesome! The longest mine has been has been around waist length. I don't know, if I could grow it as long as yours.
Darrin
Thanks!
If you can't grow it to these lengths, you can blame your parents!
Simply amazing.
The half of the bridge prominently shown on the coin is to remain in service, of course. The half that was just replaced is faintly shown under the dash between "San Francisco" and "Oakland" on the top of the coin. It is on the east side of Treasure Island.
The east half has always been the ugly duckling of the pair, and it has throughout its life been mostly ignored, just as it was on that coin. Its replacement though, is spectacular.
Bill
Hi trolleypup,
Very nice pic of the new bridge! I sometimes wish I still lived in Northern Cal. I spent part of my childhood in Redwood City. My Mom and sister live in Suisun City now. Enjoy the new bridge and walkway!
Ted
Hi Trolleypup,
Lookin' good as usual! I thank you for this inspirational pic! My hair seems to be taking a loooooong time to grow to waist! One of these days...
Ted
They just opened an old railroad bridge as a pedestrian bridge here. It's amazing! I can't wait for fall. It'll be so nice on those cool sunny fall days! Great place to see and be seen.
People were wondering if the old span could be kept as a park a la the High Line in Manhattan...sadly, the issue requiring the replacement (earthquake safety) doesn't allow that.
Re-use projects can be wonderful!
Sad but understandable. I missed the highline last time I was in new York. Just had to see 911 memorial. Oh well...I'll. Have to go back.
I blush about how long it has been since I was in NYC...but it was before 911, a bit.
Don't feel badly about that, man - I live just a few hours away from NYC and have not been down since before 9/11/01. I want to go see the memorial - just haven't ventured down from Syracuse - don't know what prevents me from going
Fitz,
The memorial is powerful and beautiful. I think the museum is opening soon so you might wait to see both at the same time. I had some amazing Indian food around the corner from the memorial.
Tony
Man, I miss the bay area! I grew up there and moved to the valley about 8 years ago. Thanks for putting up the pic and update. I'm gonna take a trip out there real soon =)
Hey Trolleypup,
Simply AMAZING pics -- both of of your hair, and of the new bridge!!
I haven't yet been on the new Bay bridge. When I sold my truck 3 years ago, nowadays I rarely drive anymore, other than on rare occasions when renting a ZIP car.... but maybe I should do just that!
I should check out that pedestrian walkway though, that looks so cool -- is there an easy way to get there via BART, MUNI, or AC Transit?
Thanks again for sharing these great photos with us, even if I'm feeling a bit embarrassed as a local guy who hasn't yet checked out our newest man-made wonder... "All work and no play make for a dull boy!", as the old saying goes; so I need to stop being so dull and explore the new sights in town by playing tourist soon in my own city!
Take care -- and I'd say, "Onward & Downward!" to you, except in your case, "downward" is starting to get rather close to tripping over your own mane... and that could cause potential traffic problems on the new Bay bridge (LOL)!
- Ken
That's how I drove it...had a zipcar from the holiday weekend, and did it early in the morning before work...I think it is at its prettiest in the dark/predawn.
Bart to Macarthur-walk down 40th to the end of the Bridge Trail at Ikea, OR Bart to West Oakland-navigate to the other spur of the Bridge Trail (see bridgeinfo.com for walking map)
Don't feel bad, I still haven't made it to Alcatraz!
I can always hope!
Hi again Trolleypup,
Thanks for the reply, especially I was unaware of the website bridgeinfo.com, good to know, and will look into it soon!
Re. Alcatraz: my one and only time I went there was when relatives from IL came to town a good 10 or more years ago, determined to go there; so a large group of us went. The audio self-guided tour was just EXCELLENT, I found it very moving. Just seeing the island is quite amazing, the eastern (harbor) side even has a different microclimate from the windy foggier west side. What a fascinating history, buildings, and even includes old gardens that survived (planted by employees of the prison who lived on the island at the time), you won't regret going.
Of course the best news about Alcatraz is that nowadays only round-trips are offered to those who want to go there -- even though extremely interesting to visit, I would NOT want to be stuck on that cold & windy Rock!!!
- Ken
That's nothing. If you want cold and windy visit New York in the middle of winter. Or if you want even colder and windier try
Minnesota/North Dakota/Montana in winter.
Actually, you are mistaken: Alcatraz definitely IS "something!" I grew up in the Midwest (Chicago suburb, next to Lake Michigan). I also lived in NYC for 3 years (from '84 - '87) -- and believe me, the Chicago area is waaay colder than NYC in winter.
What many people don't realize about San Francisco is that our SUMMERS are COLD & FOGGY -- July and August are so cold, in fact, that occasionally daytime temperatures barely make it above 50 degrees, the tourists all shivering in their foolish Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts, the locals all bundled up in their winter coats... No, I'm not kidding -- our ocean current comes down from Alaska, clashing with the hot inland temps, creating both fog and wind that would make even you feel uncomfortable. And Alcatraz is the notorious worst place to be in summer, with relentless, icy winds and depressingly thick fog....
Here's the famous quote Mark Twain made about our fair city, along time ago:
"The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco!"
Mark Twain was not only an author, but also a humorist, of course; but to anyone who's ever visited here (but forgot to read the brochures and recommendations for how to dress), they will tell you stories about how cold it can get here... in SUMMER!
- Ken (who's enjoying a balmy "Indian Summer" day today, thank goodness, here in normally foggy San Francisco)
People will argue forever whether Mark Twain ever said that, because they've never found where he wrote it, but of course that doesn't prove he didn't write it sometime or say it to someone sometime. It's a great and truthful quote, though.
Now while Mt. Diablo 30 miles away is burning where it's 100 degrees and with very low humidity, we have temperatures in the 60s and the humidity is close to 100 since there is fog. It's a different world here. We can go all summer without it ever hitting 70.
Regarding Alcatraz, it's a myth that you can't swim from it to the city, since they have a swimming race every New Year's to do just that. (Brrrrr!) However, they told the convicts they couldn't, and few tried it.
The new bridge is too beautiful, so much so that people are going out of their way to use it, and it was full of traffic before. So now traffic jams can mean it takes an hour and a half to two hours at times to get across. This is like when they replaced the 32 Embardadero and 8 Market buses with the F Market historic streetcars. The buses were usually quite empty, and the historic rail cars that run on the same route were awesomely cool. They are so popular that since the replacement was made almost 20 years ago, every day the rail cars have been packed. We hope the bridge now will for the next 20 years not suffer the same fate.
I've lived in Chicago, too, and yeah, I can say that the 23 below I experienced there is colder than anything I've experienced here. But San Francisco is extremely windy, much moreso than Chicago. Yes, they call Chicago "the windy city", but that moniker came from descriptions of its politicians. And the radio station WIND there got its name from the state of its original location, Gary, Ind. They say we are America's windiest large city. It's the wind in San Francisco that freezes ya.
And if you come to San Francisco, wear flowers in your hair if you want, but for sure bring something to hold your hair down. It will be in your face the whole time you are here, if you don't.
Bill
Except that cold in San Francisco is nothing compared to the
icy cold in Montana/North Doakota/Minnesota/New York/Vermont/
New Hampshire/Maine where you can a stiff Norhwest wind in excess
of 60+ mph and temperatures in the 20-40 degrees below zero neighborhood. Add to that areas in upstate New York that get
200+ feet of snow. These conditions make San Francisco feel
down right balmy.
If Mr. Twain ever said that...but he might have!
Been going back and forth across the City from London fog to Warm and Sunny and back, with variations.
Heh. No argument about the absolute conditions! San Franciscans are only comfortable from (winter coats) 52F to (lying nude in front of open fridge) 78F.
Robert, do they have the bikes and pedestrians separated?
In Portland we crossed a bridge that didn't, and as some of the few pedestrians on the bridge we learned before getting across the river that we had to walk on the left to "face traffic" or otherwise get killed. It was like walking down a busy highway with no shoulder. The traffic of bicycles was immense.
Then there's the west sidewalk of the Golden Gate Bridge which has so many bikes AND pedestrians that it's a mess, but it's so crowded that no cyclists can really go fast for long.
How do you think the Bay Bridge will turn out?
Also, do they plan to have toilets along the way? Few who WALK across the bridge won't be hangin' it over the railing if they don't. Walking takes a lot longer than cycling, and that's a long bridge!
Bill
The walkway is divided into thirds, the lighter grey on the auto side has a dotted yellow line and is bicycles, the water side darker grey is pedestians. No physical barrier.
Given that the walkway is incomplete, and will be so for a couple years, everyone on the bridge is a tourist and behaving so. Once it is complete to Yerba Buena, there will still not be heavy commuter traffic given the distance and the need for a mode change to get to SF. If and when a walkway is built on the west span...well, the culture of use on the walkway will be established. Speed limit is 15mph for bikes.
Personally, if bikers are being obnoxious, I like to carry a solid backpack...if they graze that, they will be hurt far more than me. Behave or hit the ground...or in the case of illegal mtn bikers on single track trails, prepare to go over the edge, I'm only going to dodge enough that your handlebars will hit my backpack when you are on the outside edge.
Sunday, everyone was pleasant and cooperating...OK, one biker was speaking to peds using cameras from the railing on "his" side...we all looked at him like he was out of his mind. I'm guessing that he either got it shortly or went hoarse by the time he actually got on the suspension span!
The toilets are currently adjacent to the toll plaze, so about 2 miles from there to the end of the walkway. It is only another 1/4 mile or so to Yerba Buena Island...presumably there will be bathrooms at the park area to be built on that end. I believe there will also be a park area on the Oakland end of the bridge, so bathrooms will eventually be closer on that side too.
The current running proposal for the west span requires major structural modification: either replacing the lower deck roadway or shimming all the suspension cables a foot or so higher. For balance there would need to be a walkway on both sides. All this to keep from encroaching on the shipping channel clearance 12-15 inches. There is a new study due out soon. Current cost for this, folded in with other due projects on the west span is about US$ 1 billion...of which the walkway is about half. Looking at the studies, the most interesting things were the ingenious ways to get from the ground to the bridge in SF, and across, around, or through! Yerba Buena Island!