San Francisco! Nearly three thousand miles to get here, but it’s a prize worth winning. The city is gloriously gray, overcast and foggy, a lovely relief from the 100 degree plus weather we experienced coming down from Yosemite. It has its brief bouts of sunshine too, which are well-received, but there’s something refreshing in the cool crispness of the air.

Saturday was Jelly Belly day–an opportunity to tour the factory that creates these remarkable nuggets of unusual flavors. They specialize in the unusual: chocolate pudding, cake, Dr. Pepper, spicy mango, and toasted marshmallow being some of the more socially acceptable. Less so are flavors that mimic earwax, rotten eggs, Tabasco, toothpaste and grass clippings. And they’re always willing to accept suggestions for new flavors, so send them on.

Our guide was super-enthusiastic about telling us about all the steps required to create a Jelly Belly–it takes 21 days from start to finish–and I was amazed to learn each one worthy of carrying the Jelly Belly name goes through 3 filtering and inspection steps to assure they’re the right size, shape and color before the name gets stamped on each one. I never realized this before as I was too occupied with eating them.

And of course, the gift shop at the end of the tour will sell you anything made of or commemorating Jelly Bellies. Even their rejects, which they sell as Belly Flops.