Out Of Office
Do A “5-to-9” Microadventure In The Headlands
Camping isn’t just for the weekends.
Time Required
Overnight
Difficulty
Easy
Activity Type
Camping
Gear
Sleeping bag, tent or bivy bag, warm clothes, good company and/or a good book
Overview
One of the key ideas behind microadventures is that they can happen anywhere, at almost anytime. This microadventure really puts that notion to the test. A 5-to-9 microadventure is one that happens during a weeknight between the time you get off work and the time you have to report back again in the morning—5pm to 9am. Even if you’re not fortunate to have an 8-hour work day, chances are you still have anywhere between 10 and 14 hours to do as you please. After all we all need to sleep, so why not do it somewhere beautiful and awe-inspiring and wild—somewhere like the Headlands.
Getting There And Back Again
If you’re like me and work downtown, you can get to the Headlands from your office on a bike in under 90 minutes. You could also take the bus to the Golden Gate Bridge’s north parking lot and hike into the headlands from there.
There are four official campgrounds in the Headlands, some easier to get to than others. You can hike to your campsite, or ride your mountain bike (just be aware that not all trails allow bicycles).
Leave yourself plenty of time to get back to the city in the morning. You can shower at your office, or at your gym. Or you could find a natural body of water to bathe in.
Why You Should Go
A great way to let off a little steam after a hard day’s work, or to keep that promise you made to yourself about spending more time in the outdoors. Plus it pretty much guarantees you’ll have the water cooler’s most interesting answer to the question, “what did you get up to last night?”
