The final, festive, foggy Sunday Streets of 2009 was good news for anyone who remembered their bike, helmet and water bottle but forgot their sunglasses. Old school Candlestick night-game-like mist dampened the air but not spirits — even towards the end of the event, as the SFPD arrived to reopen the Great Highway and shoo away the crowd, people were still taking full advantage of the open space.
A few highlights:
Cyclecide‘s “bike rodeo” swing carousel structure — manned by clowns and powered by enthusiastic soccer moms and hipsters — looked like it might’ve been more at home on the Burning Man playa than off of La Playa (did I just say that?), but it was fun watching the kids scream with joy as their parents pedaled their hearts out to fling them up higher and faster.
Sports Basement’s “Lube Fairies.” People just lined up to get their bikes lubed. Quite possibly the most civil line I’ve ever seen for anything in San Francisco ever.
The five members of the Brothers Comatose, providing lively, scruffy folksyness next to the surprisingly intense tire pull event. There was plenty of cheering for both.
Volunteer Margaret Li told me it was nice to see everyone come out for the day, although she thought the August 9th Sunday Streets in the same location was a little more comfortable due to the weather. “We could always use more [volunteers],” she said. “We’re always short in the afternoons.”
Keep that in mind if you need something to keep you from sleeping in ’til noon on a Sunday next summer.
