It’s a Party, from the Bay to the Breakers
In San Francisco, there is nothing hairy, fat, old men like more than finding a parade and walking around naked. Bay to Breakers – San Francisco’s annual spring race from the Bay side of the City to the ocean breaks at Ocean Beach – is of course, no exception. I love San Francisco, because there is no where else on Earth where you will see costumes, stilts, drugs and booze in abundance, and much more, let alone the naked micro-penis flaunting men walking around the Panhandle. Bay to Breakers is a feast for the senses – music flowing from every orifice of the crowd, dancing in the street, loud and bright clothing, vibrant people, booze flowing, everyone in a good mood, and this year, 80 degrees, so unbelievably perfect. Bay to Breakers, for the true racers, starts quite early and even ends early, as it’s not a very long race, just the length of the City. For the rest of us, however, you can start your day around 9am or 10am (some do earlier, but I’m a night owl – mornings are not my friend). I ended up walking to the Panhandle from the Richmond, which was the smart move, as the buses were over-crowded and slow and you can forget about driving.
Luckily, this section of town is in the center of the City, so walking to it isn’t really that bad from anywhere. As I weaved my way in between the colorful and exuberant crowd, I realized I was far behind in the drinking game – first order of business when I met my friends was to grab a beer. They had gotten there in the early morning to ensure enough lawn for our stuff and our friends. This is always a good idea at large park events in San Francisco. Drinking that early, however, can be a problem if you tend to get sleepy after you drink. Some people were napping on the lawn by 11am.
ING, the sponsor this year, tried to shut down the floats and several other fun additions to the parade, but unfortunately for them, this is San Francisco, so the uninhibited displays of peace and love, along with conspicuous substance abuse, was in full effect. This is actually how I prefer it. It isn’t enough to live an average day-to-day life – sometimes you need a little flavor! Only in the City would a typical weekend race (of which there are many) be reason enough to celebrate and dance in the streets. The organized chaos is just what the doctored ordered to get everyone out of the winter doldrums.
At about 1:30pm or so, the police and cleaning crew slowly push everyone into Golden Gate Park while they clear out the Panhandle for traffic. This is the time when many grab something to eat, so places around can be a bit crowded. I went to Lucky grocery store (budget friendly!) with some friends and we picnicked outside while enjoying the amazing weather. Most people are pretty liquored up, so most anything will do for food while at Bay to Breakers, even for a foodie.
If you haven’t experienced the amazing madness, definitely check it out next year. This annual event is a true San Francisco tradition that brings you closer to those in the City around you – in one way or another!
Peace and love Xo
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