Like food? Like hikes? Then you're sure to like these picnic-and-hike combos, where trails and taste buds unite.  

THE HIKE: Little-known Long Ridge may not be the most popular open space on the Peninsula, but it sure has big potential. A 2-mile path treats hikers to a forest canopy along lightly flowing Peters Creek. The trail then climbs upward, rising out to a ridge where many wanderers may not actually spot a stone seat known as Stegner Bench. That's because the bench is slightly hidden, set in a mix of golden grass with just its top half showing. Catching the scenery from Stegner is like watching an IMAX movie called Best in Nature. Hills rise and descend all the way to the Pacific, as far as the eyes can see. The bench is named after Pulitzer Prize–winning author Wallace Stegner, a strong advocate of land protection for pubic enjoyment. Take a seat, enjoy the show.

THE EDIBLES: Tucked back in a downtown Saratoga courtyard, the Vienna Woods Deli is well worth a stop. The food is fresh and the service is friendly. Soups, sandwiches, and all the fixin's make it a perfect place to pick up some tasty picnic supplies. Try the chicken-salad sandwich.

Directions to the Stegner Bench: Park at the Grizzly Flat parking area on Hwy 35, west of Saratoga. The parking area is on the east side of the road; 3.3 miles south of the intersection of Hwy 35 with Page Mill Rd., and 3.6 miles north of the intersection of Hwy 35 with Hwy 9. Cross the road and descend the trail heading toward Peters Creek Trail. At the first intersection with the Long Ridge Trail, stay on Peters Creek Trail. At the second intersection, make a hard right on a connector trail toward the Long Ridge Trail. Follow this .4 mile and make a left on the Long Ridge Trail. Go .8 mile: the bench is at the intersection of the Long Ridge Trail and Long Ridge Rd. (at gate LR04 on the map). No dogs.

Vienna Woods Delicatessen, 14567 Big Basin Way, Saratoga; 408-867-2410. Open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sundays.

THE HIKE: City slickers seeking a more urban picnic escape should head straight for a short walk up Strawberry Hill. The catch: there are no strawberries. The save: Strawberry Hill is a little island in the middle of Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park. Getting there is easy: take an arched bridge to the island, pass by impressive Huntington Falls, then walk up a tree-lined trail for a few minutes. At the top, take a seat on one of the large logs or climb on the thick tree stump that overlooks the San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. It's a good place to impress out-of-towners. Photo-op!

THE EDIBLES: Just outside of Golden Gate Park, the Cheese Boutique on the corner of 12th and Irving in the Inner Sunset has a nice selection of artisan cheeses from around the world, along with crackers, a slim-but-solid selection of wines, gourmet olives, and fancy dark chocolates. The Fromager d'Affinois is a light, spreadable, recommended cheese.

Directions to Strawberry Hill: Stow Lake is in Golden Gate Park off of John F. Kennedy Dr., just west of the De Young Museum. Park along the shore of Stow Lake. Cross the arched bridge and follow any of the trails up Strawberry Hill (map). Dog friendly!

Cheese Boutique, 1298 12th Ave. at Irving St, San Francisco; 415-566-3155. Open Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed Sundays.

THE HIKE: Beach, blanket, food. If this is your ideal trio, then a daytrip to Point Reyes and the nearby town of Point Reyes Station makes a nice picnic combo. A 1.5-mile flat hike to Abbotts Lagoon is just enough to work up an appetite. Mid-way through, blackberry bushes line the trail, and right now they're ripe! On windy days, lay a blanket on the leeward side of the large sand dunes at the lagoon. When the wind isn't kickin', keep going past the lagoon for another .5 mile to the beach. (Watch for nesting snow plovers; they enjoy this spot too.) After feasting on picnic fare, walk along the beach in search of sand dollars. They're not hard to find and make great window-ledge décor.

THE EDIBLES: In Point Reyes Station pick up some smooth and rich cheese at Cowgirl Creamery (sample tasting is encouraged!) and get the bread around the corner at Bovine Bakery. Expect to stand in line for a few minutes at both places; they're worth the wait.

Directions to Abbotts Lagoon: From Hwy 1 in Point Reyes Station, follow Sir Francis Drake Hwy west toward the lighthouse. A couple of miles after the town of Inverness, go right onto Pierce Point Rd. Follow this a few miles until you reach the Abbotts Lagoon trailhead on the left. No dogs at Abbotts Lagoon. Dogs are allowed at Kehoe Beach; the trailhead is a couple of miles past Abbotts Lagoon on Pierce Point Rd.

Cowgirl Creamery, 80 Fourth St., Point Reyes Station; 415-663-9335. Open from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends.

Bovine Bakery, 11315 Shoreline Hwy., Point Reyes Station; 415-663-9420. Open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m on weekends.

Mike's Bikes, the Bay Area's premier bike retailer, wants to help you find the answer to this summertime question: what's your bike personality?

This week's bike personality: The All-Purpose Adventurer.

You want it all: Rocky trails, gravel paths, and coastal bikeways. You like comfort and flexibility when riding the rolling hills in China Camp and think fat tires are perfect for a Sunday afternoon spin around Golden Gate Park. The sights, the sounds, the feeling of being in the woods on a bicycle is your cure-all for stress. Yes. You want it all.

Sound like you? You're "The All-Purpose Adventurer." And the Mike's Bikes ride for you: the Cannondale F6. This jack-of-all-trails can take on whatever you feel like throwing at it. Reliable and strong, the Cannondale F6 is also lightweight, with a Rock Shox suspension fork that gives you confidence taking on the singletrack in Marin or the wide fire roads at Wilder Ranch. And you'll love the lockout, allowing you to turn off the suspension on your way to the trail. Dependability is the name of the game with the Cannondale. So go ahead: take on any terrain. Double-dare.

TRY the Cannondale F6 on these Weekend Sherpa adventures: a bike 'n' hike in Point Reyes, or the smooth singletrack of China Camp in Marin.

Mike's Bikes has six stores in Northern California: Sacramento (916-446-BIKE), San Rafael (415-454-3747), Sausalito (415-332-3200), Berkeley (510-549-8350), San Francisco (415-241-BIKE), and Palo Alto (650-858-7700).