If you don't care where you are, you're not lost

Last Tuesday, I went to Grace Cathedral to walk the labyrinth.  Afterwards, I felt calm and centered, and decided to engage in a favorite activity, ignoring Google Maps and just driving around the city. Although I generally really dislike driving in San Francisco if I have to actually get somewhere (what do you mean, you can't turn left anywhere along Market Street?), just wandering is fun.

In some ways, it is impossible to get lost in San Francisco.  You go long enough in any direction and you hit either a freeway or a waterfront.  As long as you know what to do once you hit the water, and as long as you don't end up on I-80 and on the Bay Bridge going to Oakland (I'm quite okay with going over the Golden Gate), you're fine.

I know which way west is from Grace Cathedral, and in any case the sun was low in the horizon.  I took California as far as I could, then cut over onto Geary to Point Lobos Avenue, and made my way to the Great Highway running along the seashore.

The sea was lovely. The sun was low in the sky, obscured by clouds, but with light escaping from behind them.  I have often said that the sea is rarely blue:  the waves were a dull gold, reflecting the muted sunshine in the late-afternoon sky.  At the edge of the ocean, the breakers were white and green.

I rolled down the window and felt the soft, cool, ocean breeze on my face.  The salt air was soothing in my nostrils.

I love the ocean.  I will take any reasonable opportunity to be near to it, even if only for the short while it takes me to drive the Great Highway down to Skyline Boulevard.  I was good:  I did not forsake my obligations at home to drive along the coast for another hour.

As I said, wandering San Francisco is fun.  I hope I can get lost there again soon.