Here is where I spent my Sunday afternoon.

This is the Tourist Club, a private club house along a trail in the woods, thankfully open to the public on non-work weekends with beer, board games, and a spectacular view of Muir Woods. It is also open for three special events a year, which is what we stopped in for - Oktober/Kinderfest! There were lots of people, pitchers and pitchers of beer, sausages, music, and lederhosen.

There are several ways to get to the Tourist Club. The one most recommended is the 45-minute hike from Mill Valley. Of course, this route takes you up the Dipsea Steps, which are three flights of very long steps. According to The Dipsea Race website, the stairs take you up about fifty-stories!

This is just one set of steps that I looked down. There were three, and it was all uphill on the way there. My legs are definitely hurting this week, evidence of trekking up those three flights of stairs! The rest of the hike up wasn’t terrible, just very muddy. It was drizzling, but that did not stop us.

Once there, we all ate sausages and split pitchers of beer. It’s kinda weird to say that it was an awesome relaxing time after the hike there and back, but just being up there in the company of friendly faces and soaking in the atmosphere [and the drizzle] was relaxing enough. Relaxing for the mind.

It’s funny how I’ve lived in the area for most of my life, but it’s only now that I’m experiencing some of the hidden highlights. The Tourist Club has been on my list of places to visit for some time now, so it was great to finally get to check it out. My plan is to try convincing Ryan to join them, so I can stop by more often.