During the Golden Gate Bridge’s 50th anniversary celebration in 1986, bridge officials invited Hap Jones to repeat that historic ride which he did along with several members of the San Francisco Motorcycle Club on vintage motorcycles. At the 50th Anniversary Celebration vehicular traffic was suspended and pedestrians were allowed on the roadway. There were so many people like an estimated 30,000 that the bridge started to bend In the middle. Nothing serious happened then, but it scared the bridge people enough that it ain’t going to happen today where we’re celebrating one of the world’s most recognizable bridge’s Diamond Birthday!
In order to research information about Jones I enlisted help from the San Francisco Public Library and the offices of the Golden Gate Bridge District. From the library I accessed the May 1937 issues of the San Francisco Call Bulletin and the San Francisco Chronicle. Plus the research staff attempted to locate a picture of Hap Jones on that auspicious occasion to no avail. Not to say the same about the bridge district. They were no help and they were the promoters of the celebrations, the original, the 50th, and now the 75th.
I wandered down to the clubhouse of the San Francisco Motorcycle Club on Folsom Street and there a member, John who rides a ’73 Triumph, let me in and showed me the Hap Jones memorabilia I needed to see. Mission accomplished!
So for the 75th Anniversary we spent time with the biker display at Crissy Field now part of Smokey Bear’s empire. The Golden Gate Bridge’s surrounding areas (except for vehicular traffic) are run by the Feds. The crowds were horrendous and I have never seen as many porta-potties at any event. It was as crowded as any New Year’s Eve in Times Square!
The fireworks display was shot from the top twin towers and along the deck of the bridge and was fantastic. Probably one of the best displays of fireworks since the Chinese invented them centuries ago.