Marin County: Tourist Club

Somehow my friends managed the herculean feat of talking me into hiking.  Yes, hiking.  I was told that we would meet some of VN's friends in Muir Woods, tackle a 3 mile hike, and then get burgers.

I really need to stop being sucked in by promises of food.

As it turns out, we never met up with VN's friends.  Instead, VN, TT, Carmen, and I found ourselves striking out on our own.  The first trail we did was rather short and not nearly as invigorating as the other girls hoped.  I, on the other hand, would've been quite satisfied to end our outing there.

But, no.  The girls wanted something a bit more challenging.  Which is how we ended up making all sorts of detours and U-turns, with nothing but a not-at-all-to-scale map to guide us.

We'd heard about a cafe in the woods, but we couldn't find it.  The rangers we spoke with mentioned a Tourist Club.  Which sounded to me like a place where I could get a burger.  Oh, how naive I was.

After hours of trying to find the damn Dipsea Trail, then hiking the damn Dipsea Trail (with me groaning and moaning the entire way), we finally ended up at the Tourist Club:

What a welcome sight it was...until we walked in to find not a restaurant, but a bar:

Wut?

Apparently, the rangers forgot to tell us that the Tourist Club only serves beer:

And meat sticks (albeit good meat sticks):

Any other food items you desire must be brought by...you.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Luckily, we had a few crackers, a granola bar, and a nutella sandwich to share between the 4 of us.  I noticed that other groups came with coolers of food.  Which led me to the conclusion that...THERE MUST BE A ROAD LEADING TO THE TOURIST CLUB.

We could have driven there instead of struggling uphill and panting up stairs under the baking sun!  I wanted to howl.

Alas, howling didn't seem appropriate in a place like this:

Everyone else were happily chatting, drinking beer, and playing board games.  So I kept my discontent to myself.  Well, mostly.  I did share it with my friends.

On our way down to the parking lot, my friends thought it would be fun to RUN down the mountain.  Um...why?  The only explanation I can come up with is that my friends hate me.  That must be it.

In the end, what was supposed to be a three hour hike turned out to be an almost seven hour burger-less excursion.  I'm never trusting my friends again.

Tourist Club

30 Ridge Ave

Mill Valley, CA 94941

(415) 388-9987

http://www.touristclubsf.org/