Day 20 – Behind bars

Early start to get down to the Alcatraz ferry. Stunning weather added to the stunning views of the bay on the ferry crossing. As you approach the island its shape and architecture impose a sense of foreboding. As I stood on the dock, with the sun on my back, I tried to imaging how it would feel to know this would be home for years to come.

Passing through the processing area we collected an audio guide which leads you round the facility. Its an impressive and detailed guide going into the details of the layout, day to day life and of famous inmates. We spent a couple of hours wondering round only breaking from the tour to listen to a guide detail Al Capone and his life on the island. The island is definitely worth a visit, for the views alone its stunning but I really enjoyed learning the history of the rock. Word of advice though – book early and allow a good half day to get round.

Rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing with a coffee down at the ferry port. From there you can get a great view of the inner bay and double decker road bridge. From there we returned to the motel we stopped in last night (we new it was clean) with a plan to set off early for Yosemite in the morning.

Back at the motel I got in another run and yet again I found the hilly roads! After the run I sorted our a circuits routine that we could do within the room. The circuits were hard work but it felt good to do something active again. We’re planning to make time for circuits at least once a week.