Apparently there's a way to get from Manjula's apartment in the Mission, all the way up to Golden Gate Park without having to climb a single one of San Francisco's iconically steep hills. And that way, as Manjula showed us, is a signed bicycle route called "The Wiggle".
The Wiggle is a one-mile, zig-zagging bicycle route from Market Street to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California, that minimizes hilly inclines for bicycle riders. Rising 120 feet (37 m), The Wiggle inclines average 3% and never exceed 6%.
Wikipedia, The Wiggle
Armed with our newly rebuilt bicycles (we've replaced the worn out, two-year-old cables, housings and bar-tape), our friend Manjula invited us over to hang out, grab some snacks, and go for a bike ride. Meeting up at her place in the Mission, we swung around the corner, stopping by the foodie renowned Tartine Bakery.
After spending a small fortune on famous baked goods, we hopped on our bikes for an exhilarating ride through the colorful city, doing the "Wiggle" over to Golden Gate park.
There, Manjula explained, is where the fog rolls in off the Bay. Sure enough, after leaning our bikes against a tree and finding seats in the grass, we watched the surroundings rapidly shift from warm and sunny to cold and misty. Growing chillier by the minute, we chatted and ate our goodies, which (fudgy chocolate cake excluded) we found to be worth neither the hype nor the price tag.
The things that did not disappoint, however—the breezy feeling of cycling, the views of San Francisco, and the warm, friendly company—were completely free. Thanks for hanging out with us, Manjula!
After our picnic, we parted ways, heading back through San Francisco to the ferry port. There, we wheeled our bikes aboard a boat, and watched the city grow small and distant as we churned our way across the bay for a several mile ride back to Lian's place in Oakland.
