Bay to Breakers

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=50 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="0ab0ce82egerdp.png"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 BGCOLOR="#CC99CC" TEXT="#080000" background="0aa265f1ezuady.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Hynda and Nolan's  Rome and Other Adventures</B></FONT><B>  </B><B> </B><B>|   </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hynda and Nolans Rome and Other Adventu"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id245.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="California 2010"><U>California 2010</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id247.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Santa Cruz"><U>Santa Cruz</U></A>   |   <B>Bay to Breakers</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFF33" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Bay to Breakers</I></div> <div> This year the King and Queen ran/almost walked our 3<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >rd</FONT> Bay to Breakers Race in San Francisco. This was the 99<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> time this 12K (7.5 mile) race has been run.  The King's back has been bothering him since returning from Rome two weeks ago so we only walked. Unlike last year when the temperature was in the 80s, this year it was barely 50 with winds blowing out of the west so that as we got closer to the end at the Pacific Ocean there were moist winds and it was very uncomfortable. We turned around at the 5 mile mark and walked back. The weather did not stop 60,000+ people from competing (?) but mostly partying. Walking back along the race path gave us a chance to see the rest of the folks behind us and all the floats. There were the usual costumes (many Elvis, Captain America, crayola groups, Alice in Wonderland groups) and the usual number of naked folks although with the weather there were fewer. Since a lot of costumes are very current we expected some Tiger Woods stuff but the only thing we saw was one sign that said `Tiger Would'.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Friends and Family</B></div> <bR> <div> This year we got to spend some time with friends and family before the race. We had dinner with the King's cousin Howard and his wife and daughter. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="12833aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Hynda's friend from high school Ellen and her husband and daughter joined us for dinner one night.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12853aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We also visited friends we met in Rome - Bud and Asse - who live outside San Francisco.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12873aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We again stayed at the Golden Gate Hotel with the famous cat Pip that visits you in your room. Here Pip joins the Queen for afternoon tea.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12893aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> This year Pip slept with us one night. The King had to kick the cat out half way through the night because he could not sleep.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="128b3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> …and the cat hung around while the Queen works on her computer..</div> <div> <IMG SRC="128d3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We wandered through the China town section and it seems that there are only two types of stores - restaurants and jewelry and every jewelry store had a going out of business or final clearance sale. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="128f3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We also wandered to the Presidio where they had an exhibit on the Jews of China. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="12913aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We also had time to do some of San Francisco's art museums.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12933aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> … and down to Pier 39 where they have made a seal sanctuary which in the summer time we are told has hundreds of seals.. It was fun to watch the baby seals play `king of the raft' and push each other off.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12953aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Race</B></div> <bR> <div> The start of the Bay to Breakers race. This year as in the past hundreds of people threw hundreds of soft tortilla shells into the air while waiting for the starting gun to go off.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12813aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Conan O'Brien showed up for the race complete with his desk.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12973aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> There were lots of tushies on display.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12993aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> This is a shot of the crowd looking back on Howard Street.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="129b3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> …and more tushies in the cold…</div> <div> <IMG SRC="129d3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> .. and porches were packed with people completely drunk the entire way.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="129f3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="12a13aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> .. and a naked man attacked Santa who was just sitting and watching everyone </div> <div> go by</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12a33aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> For some reason this year there were lots of Alice and Wonderland characters running.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12a53aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> ..and the usual `Save the Boobs' breast cancer people were there..</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12a73aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> … and the usual group of religious folks protesting the race… at first you might think they were just some of the crazy runners but these folks are serious…</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12a93aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="12ab3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> … lots of crayola boxes were present…</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12ad3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Some of the floats that made it all the way were pretty elaborate and big. This is a complete Tiki Hut.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12af3aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> …many clowns along the route…</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12b13aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> … many varieties of vaginas…</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12b33aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We pass by one nursing home and they bring the residents out to see the race.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="12b53aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> WARNING TO CHILDREN - DO NOT LOOK BEYOND THIS POINT - DIRTY PICTURE AHEAD…</div> <bR> <div> .. and then we saw my favorite gal who seems to run this race every year also. This year I got a good picture of her. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="12b73aac0.jpg" border=0 width="570" height="428" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>