Jenni Made Me Tired

This morning Mike, Jenni, and I drove down to the local BART station and took a relaxing ride into San Francisco.  Oh, how I wish we had a BART-like transportation system in the Puget Sound.  There isn't a better way to get into San Francisco.  It was easy peasy and less than $10 round trip.

We got off at the Embarcadero and started our SF day at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.  Jenni loves this California competitor to Starbucks.  We walked to the Ferry Building which was saved from demolition and renovated into an office, meeting, and retail complex.

From there we walked along the Embarcadero and enjoyed the most beautiful day any of us ever enjoyed in this normally foggy, cold city.  Folks were walking their dogs, jogging, and generally enjoying the sunshine.

Now, keep in mind this is a brisk walk.  One never strolls when walking with Jenni.  We made it to Pier 39 in no time.  My, what an incredibly beautiful day.  After visiting a couple shops we walked out on the wharf and watched the sea lions basking in the sun.  My what a bunch of clowns they are!  Barking whenever one moves just the wrong way.  Jumping up one of the island docks, and then right back in, again.  A pair of pelicans coasted overhead--what an amazing sight.

We walked further west along the Embarcadero and stopped at the Boudin Bakery, famous for sourdough bread.  We bought two small loaves shaped like turtles for my niece and nephew and a large loaf shaped like a crab.  We carried that darn crab for the rest of the day.

Another block or two over and we stopped at Fisherman's Wharf so Mike could enjoy a crab sandwich.  He said is was more crab than he'd ever seen on a sandwich.  It was a mound of crab.

We walked to Ghirardelli Square looking for something for me to eat, found nothing, and decided to continue over to the Presidio.  Mike hadn't been there before.  Jenni and I went there last year when we visited the Walt Disney Family Museum.  The Presidio was originally founded by the Spanish a very long time ago and later acquired by US Military.  The Presidio was revitalized into an active business park.  Industrial Light and Magic has several buildings there.  Amongst the park-like beauty and old brick buildings we found--believe it or not--a Starbucks.  Jenni and I actually visited this Starbucks last year.  We stopped for a bite and rested a bit.  By this time we had walked about 4 1/2 miles.  The crab had a nice ride.

It was time to start back and so we proceeded toward Market Street and the financial district.  The BART tracks run underground beneath Market Street.  Unfortunately, a series of hills runs between the Presidio and Market.  I think Jenni wanted to visit all of them.  We walked through some of the most beautiful neighborhoods, filled with stunning homes and beautiful gardens.

The temperatures reached around 70 degrees and it was very warm walking.  And these hills go straight up!  No, really!  Straight up!  And then we went straight down!  And then up!  It's amazing.  And, oh, my knees hurt.  And my ankles hurt.  And my face was red.  We ended up at a park that was located at the top of the world.  We rested a bit and then Jenni found a way to make us climb even more hills.

We zigzagged our way to Powell Street and walked down to Market.  Back onto BART and we headed back to Walnut Creek.

Now I can't move.  I can't think.  I can barely type.  Mike figures we walked about 9.5 miles, the crab, two turtles and us.  (Jeanne, I think this makes up for missing our walk this week.)  Tomorrow we get to rest for the morning before the rest of my family joins us for a birthday celebration for my dad.