05 Nov My weekend at Vons

My first hike in San Francisco was rather idyllic.

A group of keen “yoga-hikers” and myself met at Embarcadero to go on a guided “yoga hike”. The urban adventure took us through busy high streets, parks, secret staircases and all the way to a high vantage point from where we could see Alcatraz. At this point we stopped, and practiced some yoga positions while taking in the beautiful views.

I returned to my house mates entirely smug at the beautiful views that I had just seen, and my surprising fitness- I did not know I was at all capable of hiking in the first place.

This, I decided was my new thing. I don’t think I actually went on another hike for months, despite going on and on about how great hiking was, how it was one of my keen interests-

And then, Yosemite happened.

The trip was booked, and I didn’t know anybody going, and I was prepared to make the most of a relaxing and natured themed weekend away. 

I had never occurred to me that I wasn’t actually at all trained at hiking. After an unsuccessful (and very brief) attempt up the steep incline of Yosemite Falls- which is in fact not a water fall most months of the year- I went back down to the bottom.

After a very tall cup of coffee I accepted defeat and sat down at the cafe waiting for all the brave explorers to return. I did however, learn that VONS was my new thing. Every morning me and another SFSU student on the trip- Rob- took the car up to Vons and ordered Starbucks coffee before returning back to the campsite and continuing the life outdoors. On the last day, he kindly reminded me “We’ve been to Vons’ Starbucks four times, and Yosemite park once on this camping trip; it’s more like the Vons weekend”. Turns out hiking isn’t really my thing after all, but coffee definitely is.