SAN FRANCISCO –
The wake-up call came at a time which I would prefer not to recall.

It was the morning of Bay to Breakers, and that requires rising early in the day, an agonizing experience after a night out of event pre-partying.

Sometimes, is not just San Francisco that's fogged in.

Eventually, inspired by the prospect of partying with 75,000 people I collected my thoughts, along with my shorts, running shoes and backpack full of beer, and headed out the door.

Our group arrived typically late, but in true party style had the cab deposit us right in the middle of the action.

Moments later, we were in a dance party that suddenly broke out in the middle of the street. A mile or so down the road, we caught up with the mobile tiki bar and were well on our way to an afternoon of libation-filled fun..

Anyone wanting to find The Bartender at Bay to Breakers has only to locate this tiki bar. It's a rolling Jimmy Buffett party, stocked with kegs, blenders churning out margaritas, music and hundreds of groupies following its every move.

Yet this was just one of many parties on wheels that is typical of this event.

Because of this scene, it's the one "race" where the objective is not to finish, but instead to delay the finish for as long as possible.

A few souls feel Bay to Breakers is best experienced without clothing and while this may sound intriguing, let me point out that there is good nudity and bad nudity in our society. Most of what is seen here is, unfortunately, the latter.

Still, one has to appreciate an event where such choices are available.

We reluctantly made it to the finish some four hours after we started, wishing we could turn around and do the whole thing over again.

Instead, we must wait until next year