Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25170
• • • • urban access SF AVERAGE SF FEBRUARY TEMPERATURE: AIR 52°F, WATER 53°F FEELlN' THE LOVE AT THE TACTILE DOME There are certain beverages, many involving grain alcohol, that can make you stagger about blindly and bump into things. Some people consider this to be an even ing out. Others get a similar effect, without simi lar brain cel l genocide, at the Exploratorium's Tacti le Dome. A pitch-black labyrinth with wal ls, ceilings and floors of various textures, the Dome forces you to navigate using on ly your fingertips (and occasionally, when encountering low-hanging-yet-well-padded ceilings, your forehead). Household objects are attached to varIOus surfaces along the route, providing mysteries to uncover as you inch your way through. The entire route takes about 15 minutes, but you are allowed to make additional exploratory laps. The Tactile Dome is open Tuesday through Sunday in the win- ter months (by reservation only). The Exploratorium (www.exploratorium.org, 415-561-0362) is located in the Palace of Fine Arts building in the Marina District. From Fisherman 's Wharf take the #30 Stockton bus. From other loca- tions, take Muni bus #22, 28, 41, 43 or 45. Many Golden Gate Transit buses also stop nearby. Cost is $12 per person . 3) HOUR RADIUS MOUNTAIN BIKE RED ROCK CANYON, NV AVERAGE FEBRUARY TEMPERATURE: AIR 51 ° F Viva Las Vegas. After you've experienced the neon-lit, money-obsessed yin of Las Vegas, you'll likely need a good old-fashioned dose of yang in the Joshua tree and cacti-packed desert outside of town. The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area features over 100 miles of trails that crisscross rolling hills and occasional ly overlook the City of Sin. Try the National Off-Road Bicycle Association-sanctioned Cottonwood Loop, a mix of singletrack and fire roads punctuated by serious hills. In the summer, you'd have to do this ride before 9 AM to avoid the heat, but during winter months, you can sleep in and go whenever you want. Roundtrip flights between San Francisco and Vegas can be found for less than $150 on most major airlines. Once in Vegas, you'l l have to rent a car for the 30-minute drive to the Cottonwood Loop. To get to Cottonwood from Interstate 15, go west on Route 160, towards Pahrump. Just before Mile Marker 17, you'll see a dirt road to the left. Drive 100 yards up it and park to the right, where you'll find a kiosk containing trail maps for the area . You can head toward either side of the highway for quality trails, though the majority of the climbs and downhill runs are on the south side. For bike rentals and tours, check out Escape the City Streets (702-838-6966) or Blue Diamond Bike Outpost (702-875-4820). 70