Driving into San Francisco headed north on the 101, after crossing the Bay on the 92W bridge from Hayward, Calif., I came across the storied Candlestick Park. The Stick — home of so many legends — Joe Montana, Steve Young, to name two of the most obvious examples from ’49ers lore. There are a Lott more …
Interesting. Twenty five months ago, when I was on this road, I thought of nothing other than San Francisco International Airport, or SFO. The airport hosted the launch/press conference of PingWi-Fi.com. (Has it been two years!?!) SFO is one of the largest Wi-Fi hotspots you will ever encounter — T-Mobile 
or otherwise — so it seemed like a perfect place to kick off this ping thing … For the media event, there were some reporters and cameras there for the launch, but it “was a tough room.” Lots of competition for ink on that day. As I recall, Virgin air previewed its Wi-Fi inflight service that very same day, overhead about 30,000 feet. And all around me, there was a massive antique toy train set up to mark the beginning of the holiday season. We ‘represented” among all the transportation industry fanfare anyway.
Yesterday, as I whizzed by the airport, my thoughts were on Candlestick … The new home of #15, Michael Crabtree. If you read this blog, you know I am dyed-in-the-wool Texas Tech Red Raider — and I never miss a chance to talk about the Red Raider’s earthshaking win over Texas that year, the same year I launched. Michael Crabtree, now a SF 49er caught the winning pass. Mike Leach, the smartest man in football, was still at the helm … blah, blah, blah … Glory Days!
Further up the road: more blog memories and new sports milestones at AT&T Park. As you may know, it is the major league park where my Texas Rangers were “supposed” to have played in a World Series about a month ago. Flashback to about 2004, and the ballpark was called SBC … for Southwestern Bell. (Incidentally, the field where my Texas Tech Red Raiders played has also evolved from SBC to AT&T.) SBC Park was the first major league park to invite me — a lowly Wi-Fi travel blogger — to cover a game sitting in their pressbox, “with the big boys.” Most notable — Barry Bonds was on the DL and missed that game … but, the Wi-Fi in the pressbox was like wireless on steroids.
One ballpark, two diametrically opposing moods …
BTW, I have been in California on and off for the last two and a half months. Yet, today is the first installment of my California series … more to say on that in coming days. Currently,(my excuse for not blogging more frequently) I am working in Oakland on one of my so-called “Dirty Gig” assignments. But, in my off hours, I ping as many Wi-Fi and cultural hotspots as I can. Coming up, there are some notes from several Wi-Fi venues in Thousand Oaks, Sacramento, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Malibu and Oakland.
Today, let’s talk Frisco. The locals tell me I am not supposed to call it that, but it is what it is. I wish the locals would tell me not to say “it is what it is.” Isn’t that most stupid phrase since someone said, “It depends on the definition of ‘is.'” Call me a dreamer, but I am going to start saying “It is what it isn’t” … or “It isn’t what it is.” I digress …
Anywho … I am in Frisco, and after the trip down sports memory lane, I made a beeline to Nob Hill, China Town and then over to The Presidio, The Golden Gate Bridge and The Crissy Field Center.
What better U.S. icon than the Golden Gate Bridge to testdrive the new Nikon D7000 camera? Well … the Nikon held up its end of the deal, but I think I may have let down the photography world. My shots look like about two billion other touristy postcard shots of the bridge. Oh well. I shot an icon with my Nikon … “it is what …”
As you probably know, The Presidio — home to several armies during its history — borders The Golden Gate Park. And there is the educational outreach aspect, provided by Crissy Field.
Just around the corner from The Crissy Field center is a cool Greek Revival amphitheater and reflecting pool. “What might it be?”, I asked. I would have entered to investigate more closely, but it was closed for renovations … still an impressive structure … this Palace of Fine Arts from the 1915 Panama/Pacific Exposition. From what I understand, it was a rare day to photograph there during my visit, because there were no weddings in the scenic setting … And alas, no Wi-Fi.
But rest assured, I found a Wi-Fi hotspot … a clean, quaint little café called The Beach Hut Café. Served with a beaming smile, I enjoyed a quick hot tea, on a drizzly day … sent out several tweets and updated the old Facebook page on the free, quick, user friendly Wi-Fi network.
Important to note The Beach Hut is very clean, given that it has seen its share of jogging shoes from the surround park and trails … which have seen their share of dogpaths. Enough said … Congenial peeps, good beverages and excellent free Wi-Fi … just wished there had been other people hanging out – 5 pings.
Elsewhere, I will tout one of the two Starbucks on Third Street in downtown San Francisco. The Wi-Fi is what it is there … good — not as good as when T-Mobile was the provider — but adequate.
Ha … this is funny. I first saw the Starbucks, near the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art as I circled in my rental ride. After I parked in a garage (who knows where), and became slightly disoriented, I couldn’t find the coffee shop again.
By then, it had started to rain, so I was in a hurry and asked some lady if she knew how to get to Third Street. She said she was from out of town … no more explanation needed. I headed off … in the rain … in the wrong direction. Soon I came up upon Second Street, and being the veteran traveler that I am, I knew I was getting close. Being the mathematical whiz that I am, I also knew that I had a fifty-fifty chance of walking directly to Third Street, once I found Second. The odds makers were wrong. I didn’t. About thirty minutes later (big city blocks they have here in San Francisco) and after getting quite soaked, I found the Bux on Third. Quickly, I nabbed an empty seat on a couch. Eventually, I noticed that the woman on the other end of the couch looked familiar. I blogged a little before my curiosity got the best of me.
Then I asked, “Did some fool in the rain just ask you for directions?” She laughed … “I thought that was you,” she said. “I knew where the café is, but you asked if I was from San Francisco.” She was from Pittsburgh and therefore withheld the vital 411. (Shaking my head …)
Big city blocks, but small world …
Oh … The Bux … pretty typical once you find it … Good Wi-Fi, a great eggnog latte, great chai tea and nice people. I met another blogger who was drawn to my PingWi-Fi t-shirt. Nice ice breaker and a little politically correct brainwashing too (branding). His site, pretty interesting in its own right —
One of the two Starbucks playing hard-to-get on Third had everything you would expect behind the famous green logo … and for once the Wi-Fi network at a Starbucks didn’t boot me off for extended use, so I am feeling generous — six pings.
Elsewhere around town, I pitted my Korean-made rental ride against the crazy hills in Chinatown and made it up and down safely. Interesting, on my tour stretching from Chinatown to The Haight … everywhere there were people dressed as Santas … men Santas, women Santas, men with men Santas … goth Santas in black … everywhere a plethora of red velvet. Later I learned it was the annual downtown Union Street Fantasy of Lights to further fuel the season. Happy Holidays, but don’t even think about finding a parking spot!
Now to see if I can relocate the parking garage at Sutter & Grant …
Know what I sayin?
