Jims Tumblelog

The Golden Gate Bridge.

Here’s some grim trivia (I’m not sure why I find this interesting, but at least it’s different):

The Golden Gate Bridge is the most popular place to commit suicide in the United States and is one of the most popular in the world. The deck is approximately 245 feet above the water. After a fall of approximately four seconds, jumpers hit the water at 86 miles per hour, which can be fatal. Some of those who survive the impact drown or die of hypothermia in the cold water.

From the top of famous Lombard Street in San Francisco.

Some trivia: The street, and the difficulty of driving it, is parodied in the Bill Cosby sketch “Driving in San Francisco” on the album Why Is There Air? (recorded in Las Vegas):

“They built a street up there called Lombard Street that goes straight down, and they’re not satisfied with you killing yourself that way—they put grooves and curves and everything in it, and they put flowers there where they’ve buried the people that have killed themselves. Lombard Street, wonderful street.” (audience reacts with knowing cheers and applause).

It was also included in the comic car chase scene in Peter Bogdanovich’s film What’s Up, Doc? (1972) starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal.

The Seals at Fisherman’s Wharf - from my trip to the Bay area in April.

Fisherman’s Wharf - from my trip to the Bay area in April.

Here’s some interesting trivia about the place (thanks to Wikipedia):

• he introduction video of ABC’s Full House features Fisherman’s Wharf, where Bob Saget, Candace Cameron, and Jodie Sweetin are fishing around in front of Alcatraz prison.
• In the year 3000 in FOX’s animated show Futurama Fisherman’s Wharf is renamed “Fisherman’s Worf” in reference to Worf of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
• Fisherman’s Wharf was one of the featured raceable areas in the Sega Dreamcast game Metropolis Street Racer, as well as its successor, the first game in the Project Gotham Racing franchise..
• Fisherman’s Wharf was mentioned by Barney at the end of the Bachelor Party episode in the comedy series How I Met Your Mother.
• The song “Wharf Rat” by the Grateful Dead was inspired by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter. They would take LSD and just sit at Fisherman’s Wharf all day and create music.

Today it’s a visit to the amazing Valley of Fire about 40 miles north of Vegas.

Las Vegas strip from top ‘o the Stratosphere.

The Grand Canyon - worth the 4 hour drive from Vegas. Awesome!

Crossin the Hoover Dam on the way to the Grand Canyon.