The throngs will come early this Pride, since it's on June 24 here in San Francisco. A few people I've talked to don't even go that often, blaming crowds as icky. Oh, the poor dears.
Well, I learned that about ten prides ago. The easiest and most fun is to march, er, ride, on a bike, specifically, with Mikes on Bikes, the rowdy, funny group of queer cyclists who usually follow the Dykes on Bikes, gay cycling groups, and LifeCycle riders.
With free handy valet parking courtesy of the SF Bike Coalition right behind the Asian Art Museum, you can chill out in the Faerie Village or, just across from the little treed park at Civic Center, take in some comfortable SEATS in the shade (great place to eat lunch) at the Writer's Village.
It's right behind the Orpheum Theatre, and I'll be reading from Cyclizen for the very first time, in the afternoon. At 3pm. Be there. Relax.
You know, even despite the crowds, it really is great to at least endure it all for some part of the day. It's kind of a gay rite of passage. Like the photo of Jim on his green bike (see top) who looped around the street rails with me, as the crowd cheered, while somewhere way back there, a certain other group delayed the parade by a few minutes. Guaranteed not to happen again, and it hasn't!
Some pals, as shown here from previous years, really like to ride bikes and dress up. And that's what makes it fun. Show up downtown around 10am on one of the side streets a few blocks west of the Embarcadero.
And have fun! Wear sunblock!
For more Pride pics, visit these Sports Complex 2003 column, "Prideathlon."
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