San Francisco: City and Coast

I drove a few miles north of San Francisco to absorb the breathtaking views of the Northern California coast. I had been far removed from the ocean for a long period of time, which can cause a rebound of relief upon returning to the coast. The Pacific breeze was steady and harsh.

I enjoyed clambering down the rocky cliffs edging the beach and walking along the sand; in spite of the freezing water, there were a number of surfers in wetsuits.

I do believe that Northern California has some of the most incredible geography on the planet; it’s rare to have the ocean, mountains, and a bustling city within such close proximity to each other.

After returning to San Francisco I walked along the pier near Union Square and ate a good dinner.

It can feel like pandemonium for someone not used to a city of its magnitude; traffic is a constant assemblage of skateboarders, cyclists, and car drivers. Still, I was constantly impressed by the cycling community in the city and the cyclists’ ability to mount some very steep hills.

San Francisco and Mission Workshop

I followed my Sonoma County visit with two days in San Francisco. I stayed at Union Square downtown, which is considered one of the must-see areas of the city.

I started the morning with breakfast at Honey Honey Cafe & Crepery, where I had some excellent breakfast crepes and coffee. I then took a two-mile walk through the city en route to visit my favorite company, Mission Workshop. They’re based in San Francisco, but I had been ordering products online from them for a long time.

Mission Workshop specializes in bags and technical apparel. I find their craftsmanship to be top-notch and it’s an added bonus that their weatherproof bags are made in America. That’s a pretty rare thing these days. Their technical apparel tailors toward an active lifestyle, with a strong emphasis on cycling.

I had the pleasure of meeting Darius, who is managing the shop. We had an awesome conversation in which we talked about how cycling can be a way of life and a means to connect people. One of the several things that drew me to San Francisco, after all, is its strong cycling community. I also enjoyed hearing about how the Mission Workshop crew vigorously tested a lot of their cycling apparel through a wide array of weather conditions.

While I was at the store I picked up the Mission Workshop long sleeve cycling jersey. It has a cool and soft next-to-skin feel and seems capable of handling a wide range of temperatures. The jersey’s aesthetic and materials are both of the highest quality. I’m stoked to see Mission Workshop putting out some fun new colors as well.

Hopefully I can return to the Mission Workshop store before too long; it’s awesome to see a small company that’s willing to put so much emphasize on quality with their products, especially in an Amazon-driven world.

After visiting the Mission Workshop store I ate lunch at Tacolicious on Valencia street. Their housemade chorizo tacos were especially awesome.

If you ever visit San Francisco I highly recommend checking out the Mission Workshop store. There’s truly nothing comparable in the apparel industry that I’ve found!