July 28, 2022
Getting my bike serviced
Cable Car Ride
Before flying to America, I organised to have my bike serviced in Berkeley because I didn't have time to do so in Australia. It also makes more sense to do so after assembling my bicycle after my flight.
For some unknown reason, the bike shop only opens at 11am, so in the morning I spend some time cycling around Emeryville and Berkeley. Including visiting the Amtrak station 24 hours before my train leaves, to check it out. It's only a short ride from my Airbnb, so it should be an easy check in tomorrow.
With more time before the bike shop, I do take the opportunity to visit an REI camping store to purchase a replacement water bottle. My membership card from 2014, still works.
On the way to the bike shop, I join a cycle route which appears to use an old railway route because the railway has been put underground as part of the BART system.
After dropping my bicycle off, I try again at phone stores to see if my Australian phone will accept an American SIM Card but apparently it won't work. Anyway their prices look expensive compared to Australia. I only really need phone service for occasionally contacting Warmshower hosts. Having done most overseas tours without a SIM card, I should be fine without.
After figuring out the ticketing system, my BART ride is easy on a efficient system. I could download an app for cheaper tickets but that requires an American Google Play Account. Unlike other transport apps in the Bay Area which I can download on the Australian play store.
Yesterday I saw long lines waiting to board a cable car, so I didn't think it was worth waiting in line. However as I'm considering leaving San Francisco to see more of Oakland, I stumble onto another cable car line which doesn't have many people waiting. So I will go for a ride.
It just ends at a random street up a hill. Still it is a nice ride, which highlights just how steep some hills are here. It's also the first place where I have spent any American cash, having used my bank cards so far elsewhere.
Nearby is the cable car museum, which is informative as it shows that actual cables in action as they go around on large cogs. While I learn there used to be more cable car lines in San Francisco.
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As I have Wi-Fi, randomly my phone suddenly rings, it's my bank saying they found an unusual transaction. Apparently they didn't like me shopping in an Amazon Go store. I tell them that the transaction is fine.
However as I go to pay for a banana, my card won't work and I don't have my back up card from another bank on me. Without phone service I can't ring my bank, so now I have no way to pay for my bike service and the bike store closes in an hour and a half.
It's less than a half hour BART ride to the bike shop but now I will have to go back to my Airbnb to get my other bank card.
My Airbnb is a mile from the nearest BART station, so I attempt to run in my bike shoes to collect my other card. I then have to run even further to the bike shop. Along the way I try to hire a scooter but I can't work it out even after downloading an app.
Thankfully I make the bike shop by 5:50pm.
They have done a great job at servicing my bike and it looks good to start touring in a few days time.
I had hoped to catch a San Francisco Giants baseball game but due to the card issue I have missed the start of the game. Anyway I'm now exhausted from running around.
Thankfully using Wi-Fi back at my Airbnb, I'm able to ring my bank and sort out the card issue.
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