2.2 Miles in Mission Rock

This walk is a continuation of my earlier 2.3 mile walk in Mission Bay.  I split the walk in half because this chunk of land east of 3rd Street is called Mission Rock and has a distinctly different vibe. The Chase Center is over here as well as great Bay views and delicious ice cream sammies.

Before I get to the details of this walk, I have to tell you about my toes and my quest for bandages.  As I was walking in this neighborhood around the Chase Center (where the Warriors play), I realized my pinky toes were REALLY hurting.  Blisters were imminent.  I knew bandages would solve my problem so I went on what I thought would be a simple search (this is a medical neighborhood, after all). It was not as easy as I thought.  While the area has top surgeons and futuristic medical technology, it does not have easily accessible over the counter products.  

After making a full lap around the campus and debating whether to stop walking for the day, I finally found a little Walgreens hospital pharmacy on 4th and 16th Streets. While they didn't sell bandages, the pharmacist dug in her first aid kit under the counter and handed me a couple of Walgreens-branded bandages.  I was very grateful for her help and to get back on the road. 

Back to the walk: The Chase Center is gorgeous.  It has a spacious campus of dining and shopping all the way around the arena.  My friends in the area all agree game days are really fun here because the Muni T-Line drops off right in front of the building and there is plenty to eat, despite the large crowds.  

I, however, visited in the middle of a non-game day so only a few of the businesses were open.  This made for a quiet walk around the building.  On the Bay side of the building, there is a large art installation of reflective spheres that make for fun selfies.  

 There's also a cool mural on the Bay side of the arena at the top of the stairs.

 

I have to give the planners of this community a high grade for shaded sidewalks and ample greenery.  The tree-lined sidewalks are just lovely.  

 

The roadway behind the arena is called Terry A. Francois Blvd. You CAN walk along that road but it's much more fun to walk along the San Francisco Bay Trail that parallels between the road and the water.  On what ended up being a warm afternoon, the cool breezes off the water were much appreciated.

You know what else is appreciated on a warm afternoon?  ICE CREAM! At the end of this walk, which was the third walk of the day, I treated myself to a gf mint chip ice cream sandwich at The Baked Bear. The cookie was warm and the ice cream was perfectly minty.  Yum!