In San Francisco today was the Annual Bay to Breakers 12K race. The race starts at the bay and goes to the beach, and for most participants is essentially a 12K long party. The already lax open container, public drunkenness and indecent exposure laws are apparently fully ignored during the race. Most participants don elaborate costumes, some don nothing at all.
It’s been exactly one year since we arrived in San Francisco. I can say this with certainty because we woke up early our first morning in San Francisco to find the streets outside our apartment building filled with costumed crazies toting cases of beer. We had no idea what was going on, but the spectacle made quite an unusual introduction to our new city of residence. I was a bit embarrassed the following week when I walked out wearing a costume and carrying beer – I should have known it wasn’t an EVERY sunday thing.
This year we took part in the race with tiffany’s mothers group. We entered in the “wheeled objects” division because of our strollers (what race has a division for wheeled objects?). We found ourselves walking alongside what can only be described as parade floats, each pushed by a group of people, stocked with large tanks of booze. Most notably was a hospital gurney surrounded by a dozen of doctors and nurses carrying I.V. bags of fruit punch and a life guard stand with dozens of “life guards” in baywatch attire.
There are, of course, some serious runners but they finish long before the real fun happens. We had a good time, made it nearly half of the 12k, calling it quits when race route took us within a few blocks of our apartment. Maybe next year we’ll make it to the beach.
A “doctor” stands on a gurney being pushed by other while holding an IV bag filled with beverage.
Callum and Jayden are ready to go while we adults apply sun cream.
A DJ set up on the roof of a building along the route.
The race route filled with “racers”
The life guard booth is pushed along the route with a green man dancing inside.
Callum and Alexandre pause for a sip.
Callum shows of his handsome race shirt.
C definitely up for the race in pic 2. Got his short sleeve race shirt on, got his driving shoes on, got that clear look in his eye, got his duck mascot hanging from his roll bar (will probably hang from the mirror of his Chevy when he is older,,,Thads’ monkey is hanging from his), got his very spruce blue 4 wheeled object turned out in immaculate race condition, got his family and admiring friends around him cheering him on…. Oh for youth in the hilly climes & climbs of San Francisco…