toby of the day, 5.18.2008

today is bay to breakers, an annual “race” where several thousand people “run” from the bay to the ocean. The race begins with actual runners, most of them wearing sensible running shoes and attire, except for a few old naked people wearing only sensible shoes. Actually, truth be told, we have never witnessed this part of the race because they run at the typical running time of day well before we’re ready to even think about leaving the house. So they may be wearing funny hats or something, we can’t say for sure. Regardless, these runners are followed by a second wave of people dressed in clever costumes that they have thoughtfully put together to allow them to run or walk quickly, usually in pairs or trios, along the route. Most everyone is wearing an official race number, including the old, naked people. Some of them carry bottled water. In the third wave, the costumes become less clever and the shopping carts and other smaller wheeled alcohol carrying contraptions emerge. The number of people wearing official numbers declines, as does the number of people wearing sensible footwear. the old naked people are joined by naked people who are less old. In the final installment, most participants either have their own small wheeled alcohol carrying contraption or are members of a float entourage, where they are required to help move an enormous portable bar along the route. You can tell the members of a float entourage because they are dressed as 1) pirates 2) tiki bar patrons 3) vikings. No one has an official number or sensible shoes. Except for the police who follow the last of the “runners” and try to keep them from defacing the conservatory of flowers or passing out in the street. We have never participated in bay to breakers, but instead, each year we sit on the sidelines and watch the parade evolve. This year, toby got to see lots of old naked people, some mildly clever costumes, and a few shopping carts full of beer, though we did take him home before the pirates arrived, lest he get swept away and end up doing keg stands on one of the moveable bars. We’ll save that for next year.