Welcome to San Francisco!
Where my blog-mistress, two of her best girlfriends, and 65,000+ other people recently participated in the 97th Annual
Bay To Breakers 12K race. The course starts at sea level (the Bay) at the Embarcadero, then rises approximately 215 feet at the top of Hayes Street...then gradually flows alongside the Panhandle, through Golden Gate Park, and ends at Ocean Beach (the Breakers.)
Started in 1912 as a way to lift the city's spirits after the disastrous
1906 San Francisco earthquake, it is the longest consecutively running footrace in the world (other races' courses and lengths have changed over time.)

Of course, the fog has been there even longer.

But once we crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge,
it was nothing but blue sky ALL THE WAY!
Crazy Nekkid People,
Fog, Blisters.
(Click the photo to enlarge)Our
lovely hotel was conveniently located right on the route for the race!
(Just kidding...but check out this link or this one to read more about this very COOL sculptural mural/old hotel on 6th and Howard Streets which has furniture fastened to the outside of the building! And for even more "San Francisco hotel inspiration", check out Mark Ellinger's blog, Up From the Deep: The Hotel Project.)
All rearing to go!
So, my blog-mistress strapped me on and we jumped right in behind...oooops!
these guys forgot their PANTS!
Crazy Nekkid People, Fog, Blisters.
ACK! The crazy nekkid people were fricken everywhere!
Of course, there were plenty of Boobs and Bush running around too.
But I'm not even sure he was IN the race.

Look out! It's
The Salmon!
Every year these guys start at the finish line and run upstream!

Well hello Betty!
I ran into Betty, my long lost Asian cousin!
Perky little thing, isn't she?
Mile 2 - that was easy!
Next we climb the infamous Hayes Street hill...

Oh.
WoW.
Butt, can we hurry up and pass these guys?
Puh-leeeeezzz!
Half-way up that blasted hill, these fun-loving Martian gals offered me a nice cold beer from their kegger which was so cleverly disguised as a spaceship, that not even the cop in the background seemed to notice! (Maybe he was too busy looking at crazy nekkid people?!)

Puff-puff...
finally...puff-puff...TAH-DAH!!!
We survived Hayes Street Hill!

Thankfully, my blog-mistress took me off and gave me a breather before
we headed downhill to continue the race!
Stay tuned for THAT!....