the great ear band search...success!

So it is chilly and windy in San Francisco.  I planned on the chilly with 2 jackets.  I did not plan on the wind.  Hence the great ear band search.  We walked in and out of about 20 stores on Saturday during our travels.  I was about out of hope and was just going to tie my ribbon/sash from my race dress around my ears when I found an ear band.  Thank goodness.

It is now Saturday and I have my race tomorrow so we didn't walk as much.  We walked through Chinatown to the financial district so Luke could see the Trans America Pyramid. The sidewalks didn't seem as wide through Chinatown, but there was all sorts of foods and goods for sale on tables outside the shops.  Later, riding the bus through it was all cleaned up and looked a bit like a ghost town.  

TransAmerica Pyramid

 

 Financial District was very quiet (again, it was a Saturday)  I was glad he wanted to see the Pyramid because it allowed me to stumble upon the Port of San Francisco.  It had a nice view of the other bridge in the bay area.  Luke enjoyed the architecture of the District.  It just reminded me of other cities and I'm not a city person.  I prefer pretty views of mountains and things like this:

the bay bridge

Port of SanFrancisco

We could tell that this area is busy during the weekdays.  There were a lot of restaurants and little park areas that weren't being used at the time.  It was eerily quiet.  Not the case on Monday when we had to go through on the bus to get to Pier 33 for our Alcatraz trip.  There were a bunch of people from the Occupy protests marching the street stopping traffic.  Fortunately we didn't miss that boat for our tour time.

You can see Coit Tower in the distance.  We took the bus to near the tower.  

San Fran...day 2

So after our first day walking everywhere we embraced our MUNI bus passes and started the day a little later than the day before.  First on the agenda was picking up my race number at the expo.  We decided to walk there incase we would need to on race morning so we'd know how long.  I preface this by saying I am spoiled by Disney races and their organization and such.

This race expo was not anything that I expected.  I knew not to expect too much, but even this was way less than that.  We waited in line to be given an orange bag and then thrown into chaos at a table for our bib numbers and shirts.  No labels or lines, just go to that table.  Awful.  Enough about that event... they have a lot to learn.

We decided to take the bus from Pier 1 to Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf.  It was busy with lots of people there but it was very nice.  First thing I saw when we arrived:

Immediate photo text to my mom,"Guess what I found." Mom, "A hidden Mickey cruise ship?"  I respond back,"it's not very hidden.  it's huge!"  Luke had to pry me away from the dock and prevent me from trying to figure out a way to get closer to the ship.  It was the Disney Wonder if you are wondering.  The back has Huey, Dewey and Luey painting the name (one of Disney's other ships has Dumbo).

We walked all around, looking at the little shops and restaurants before we finally asked where to see the sea lions from.  Turns out you have to go behind the shops on the one part of the dock.  They smelled a bit but were fun to watch.  They just sort of hang out on the floating docks and bark.

As you can see it was quite windy there and chilly.  Thus began the great ear band search.  The day before I was "ok" with the chilly air because there wasn't wind in my ears.  I decided that I needed and ear band for the race or I'd end up with a terrible headache.  Plus we were going to be going to Alcatraz, hello windy island in the bay.  To get out of the chill for a bit we stopped at the restaurant called Wipe Out for a bite to eat and to relax.  

We both got a burger and fries.  It was delicious.  Plus we could look out the window to the docks. A little bit of shopping and more of me gawking at the Disney boat and we called it a day.  Well, almost a day.  I decided that we needed to go to the Disney store in Union Square for the 3rd time.  Still didn't buy anything, but I had to go look.  After that it was back to the hotel for complimentary wine hour and I had planning to do for the next day.  

walk a bajillion miles

Luke and I went to San Francisco in early September.  Thank goodness we were together there.  He was excellent at reading the street map for the grid streets there (my sense of direction there was way off) and I excelled at reading the Golden Gate park trail map (he was super lost on that one).  It was a perfect balance of map reading skills.

I bet you are wandering about those bajillion miles.  Apparently my sense of how far things are away in terms of walking distance is way off.  We hoofed it close to 10 miles--not bad for running but not pleasant with the extreme hills of the city.
First on the agenda walking from near Union Square to see the Full House house.  This was probably a 3 mile journey.  Full House house, you were nice looking.  I wish it wasn't so foggy out.  We probably shouldn't have left so early in the morning so the fog would have evaporated.  Oh well.

painted ladies

Additional hiking at this point for another mile or so to Golden Gate park.  I consult the map and realize that once you get to the park the map is not to scale and the ocean is actually 4.5 miles away so we board a MUNI bus to get to the Golden Gate bridge (which is not located in Golden Gate park but the Presidio that is really close to the park). Luke eagerly sits on the short bus ride to the Presidio.  We find out that September is the foggiest month typically and the bridge is not super visible today.  Bummer. I still want to walk across the bridge part way since only the top part is veiled in fog.  The bridge vibrates and it is a bit unnerving for Luke so we high tail it off the bridge.

I look at the map and figure that it isn't that much of a hike, like 2 miles, to the Walt Disney Family Museum.  Luke asks about a bus--he's had enough of my crazy idea to walk everywhere.  FREE bus in the Presidio park--bonus!  Current distance walked so far about 4.5 miles.

I am beyond excited about the Walt Disney Family Museum.  We pay the admission fee and wander around, reading and looking at all things Disney.  No photos were allowed in the museum and incase you are wondering it is NOT "affiliated" with Disney although they have permission to use documents/film pieces/etc... I loved it.

I handed Luke a granola bar and drink to enjoy on the porch while I visited the gift shop.  He was checking out the map and we boarded the free bus and took it for a full Presidio loop before realizing that it didn't stop where we thought it would.  We did end up exiting close to where we wanted to though after getting some assistance from the driver.

yay Disney

We end up in Walgreen's since that is where you can buy a MUNI bus pass.  We each purchase a 3 day pass and then I convince him that it isn't that far of a walk to Ghiradelli Square.  Bring on another 3 miles so now our total mileage walked is 7.5 miles.  We stop for Pizza on the way.  Luke almost gets sucked into a movie on tv that started when we sat down to order.  Sitting=bad since it takes away all motivation to keep moving forwarad.

Ghiradelli Square

it was butterscotch and not caramel :(

We gladly enjoyed a sundaes at Ghiradelli Square.  "Manfriend, it's really not that much further to walk to see the crooked street from here.  It's like 6 blocks.  Why don't we check it out and then go back to our hotel since we've done a lot today already?"  Somehow he agrees to this idea.  Lombard street is only one block long--why did I think it would be longer/bigger???  Oh well.  Distance hoofed so far almost 9 miles.

Lombard Street
I'm ready to walk back towards the hotel and find a place along the way to stop for a quick bite for dinner (soup and sandwich maybe).  Luke busts out the map and points saying we are getting on this bus and getting off here (almost next to the hotel).  I concede to the idea, but only if we can go shopping at Union Square when we get back.  He glares at me as if to say, "are you kidding me?"  We do go shopping, but only so he can get some new sneakers since his are falling apart.  This little shopping trip brings the day to about 10 miles walked.  Even I am tuckered out since walking miles feel very different than running  miles... Luke conks out and I check out maps and things to do, scheming for day 2 of exploring.  

it's fall...

Sorry that it has been a very looooong time since I last posted.  It  is fall and that means super busy time for me.  Coaching started for me in August and it's been more busy than usual this season with 43 girls on the team and the lady I co-coach with starting a new position with different hours this year.
I've been busy with painting the kitchen as well... almost done!  Luke and I also took a trip out to San Francisco.  I'm also working on a fall wreath.  I have the materials to create, I just have to create.  Right now I'm loving the crisp, cool fall air and the pumpkin coffee at Bruegger's.  How about I am loving anything pumpkin flavored right now.

Here's a photo of the park we had our meet at a few weeks ago.  It was a beautiful fall day and we were right next to the lake.