San Francisco hosted the centennial Bay to Breakers this year on Sunday, May 15. Bay to Breakers is a 12k footrace that goes from the Embarcadero (bay) to Ocean Beach (breakers). There are some serious runners, but really the majority of the participants (55,000 registered and who knows how many unofficial tagalongs) are not there to try and set any records or even run.
I love this race. I’ve only officially participated once, but every year I look forward to the whackyness. Costumes are abundant, so is nudity. There is a sense of jubilation and a lot of drunkenness. It feels like a uniquely San Francisco experience and for that I treasure it.
Residents along the race route (I always want to call it a parade because it reminds me much more of a parade) have complained about disorderly conduct and debauchery. In an effort to placate neighborhood complaints, organizers banned alcohol, floats, and provided more port-a-potties. If public drunkeness is a measure of the success of the alcohol ban, then I’d say it was a major fail. Whatcha gonna do? There are simply not enough cops to keep everyone from breaking the rules.
I would hate to see this wonderful race disappear. I love its spirit and and joyfulness, but then again I don’t live directly on the route so no one is pissing on my doorstep. All I have to deal with is a traffic jam, but the people watching more than makes up for it.
Gas out there is $4.24? Wow. We are a few cents cheaper. We are $3.79
You gotta love that fairy costume!
How funny!!! I love that sign, “Nudist on strike!”
I love it too. My husband didn’t think it was funny, but what does he know?
is he a nudist or a manager of nudists? (they probably would be tough bunch to manage)
bay to breakers has to be one of the absolute best parts of the san francisco experience! i’ll never forget being in the city after a long absence and looking down from my hotel window, seeing the race and asking the MITM why did we ever leave? xoxox
I love a good parade I mean race! Great shots!
oh my gosh, we need this race-parade in our city…I would love it, drunkeness and all!
I’m wondering why this was not a SIMC post? But no matter thanks for sharing the pics. There was an St. Patty’s Day southside of Chicago parade that caused too many problems and was curtailed which is sad.
BTW – I know I would look as big or bigger in the top fairy outfit – but those wings are not big enough to get that lady off the ground!
It was going to be a SIMC post, but I didn’t want to wait because I have another one scheduled for this week so it would have been two weeks after the fact. See what you did? I’m neurotic, now I feel the need to explain myself.
I’m not that organized of a blogger to have scheduled posts. I do plan some ideas for posts but don’t schedule them. Of course, I don’t have little unknowns running around my house needing attention. Along with all the joy you get, I bet they wear you out too. Now that you answered my question (thanks), I probably should have written it differently. I meant that it would make a great SIMC post because it is so SF. Do you SFers call yourselves that? You know I should stop asking questions.
That has always looked like to such a fun event. It would be very sad to see it go.
Awww, it’s been almost 20 years since I was back there and ran (okay, walked) the BtoB. Takes me back, thanks 😉
That looks highly entertaining!! I probably wouldn’t be happy about people pissing on my doorstep, but a simple hose down would take care of it, and would be worth it for such a sight! 🙂
I would be in people watching heaven. I once lived directly across from an after hours club and I had to deal with a lot of broken bottles and people pissing on the side of my house; I did not like that at all…
Great pics! Love the nudist on strike poster!
That sounds fantastic! Sort of reminds me of the labor day parade in Brooklyn… except that’s actually a parade, not a race.
We have similar races where people dress up but I’m sure SF takes the cake when it comes to parading camp. 😉 One of the joys of living in CA is the people. There are no people like CA people. I don’t think there’s anything in me that would be able to drink and walk 12k. I drink, I sit on the side of the road.
Looks like a fun day to me!