There is always one day a year, usually in the very early spring, when I spend a long time outdoors without sunscreen and get burned. And learn my lesson for the rest of the summer. That day was today.

Tony invited me and some friends, including Kyle, out on an urban hike, along a route I’d biked a few weeks before.

We started at the Ferry Building and walked towards Giants Stadium, then along the waterfront before cutting across to the Mission for pizza at the very highly recommended Arinell’s. Bonus points for their pizza’s artful misshapenness, but I still think Mambo’s in Santa Rosa and Sebastopol takes the cake pie.

Had a two-scoop cone at Bi-Rite with salted caramel and roasted banana ice cream. The banana couldn’t shake a stick to Maple View Farm’s, but ohmygod the salted caramel was out of this world. Go to Bi-Rite right now and get yourself a scoop. Afterwards we sat in the shade at Dolores Park. We were not alone.

We saw the golden fire hydrant that saved the Mission.

And then walked up Church Street to Market and followed it all the way back to the Ferry Building. This is where I should have been lathering sunscreen on the back of my neck. It’s nearly 3 miles down Market, and the sun was at our backs nearly the whole time. I did see a furniture store I want to go back and check out, Modern Artifacts between Gough and Franklin.

8.77 miles and several hours later we made it back to the Ferry Building and stood in line at Taylor’s Refresher for some well-earned fries and milkshakes.