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Bay to Breakers 2003 –
As Wild As Ever!
Forgive me Father,
for I am sinning, at Bay to Breakers.
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Bay
to Breakers 2002 – Soaked in the City
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San
Francisco City & Bar Guide
There was a party in the City on Sunday,
a celebration that's signature San Francisco.
The Albertson's Bay to Breakers – a 7-mile run/walk/cocktail-toting
extravaganza, give or take a stumble or two – made its annual appearance
on a gloriously sunny May 18.
It started at 8 in the morning with the ceremonial tortilla toss and
then the route was on – from the shadow of the Bay Bridge, behind
the Metreon, up and down the Hayes hill and through Golden Gate Park
to the ocean breakers. Unlike last year, when a steady rain doused the
dedicated,the city was back to its usual sunny springtime disposition
for 2003. Perhaps to make up for the previous year, there was an ever-so-slight
cool breeze steadily blowing, keeping the temperatures in the ideal
low-70s range.
The rum-running
captain of "The Booty" led his mates in spirit(s).
Stopping along the
way to party was part of the party routine for thousands.
The 75,000 or so participants had style, had grace and some had lost
their place – at least mentally if not physically. A day of all-out
drinking can do that to a person.
The free spirits in this free-spirited city were at their best, turning
out in the usual (or unusual) array of costumes and "floats,"
some with political undertones and others that were just plain fun.
There were the Elvis' giving upside-down beer bong hits to passersby,
the sign-toting group falsely dedicated to whacky causes ("Pave
the Bay," "Seals Are Predators") the 69ers whose motto
was "Go Down or Go Home," a mobile beer-pong table and swashbuckling
pirates aboard the good ship "Booty," which fired small white
donuts from an actual working cannon. The most potentially intriguing
was the Iraqi tank flanked by French maids. Well, it was supposed to
be flanked by French maids, but they scattered like the Iraqi leadership
so unfortunately we didn't get to see this one with its full complement
of comrades.
 One,
though, was conspicuous by its absence: The Tiki Bar.
Hey, Tiki Bar folks – WE MISSED YOU!
A half-dozen bands in garages at houses along the route provided near-continual
musical entertainment and created plenty of party diversions. Dancing
in the streets was common as people paused along the way to play, party
or simply to tap into their mobile kegs for a refreshing refill. Maybe
because some people felt robbed by last year's rain, there seemed to
be more parties along the route than in previous years. Every few blocks,
a band or DJ would be cranking out tunes and the people loved it, stopping
to stay for a few minutes or a few drinks.
As for ourselves at PubClub.com, we kept our drinks in a cooler slung
over our shoulder and also mixed up libations in a large easy-to-carry
container. Having a shopping cart would have been nice, but we knew
the more we drank, the more we were able to lighten our load.
It was the best Bay to Breakers that PubClub.com has ever attended
and there was only one drawback to the entire day. That being, it eventually
ended.
Well, if you insist...
This house diversion
caused a large delay in the progress of many.
The beer-pong and
BBQ table was a novel concept.
Not everyone was
in a costume but of course, many were.
Some ran, most walked
and others rollerbladed – and all partied.
We're not sure what
to make of this one.
The "fraulines"
favored large, frosty beers.
House parties were
as common as cocktails in the residential areas.
Handstands for beer
from the 69ers.
Let's go for a ride
in your pink Cadillac!
 Bay
to Breakers Photo Album
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