Spring Flowers and BYOBW 2012 (Bring Your Own Big Wheel)

April 10th, 2012: San Francisco

On Friday, I returned from New York to gorgeous weather. Every flower seemed to be in bloom, and the birds and bees were getting it on.

Biscotti made by a hottie.

A vampire’s least favorite window crop.

Tube swapper.

The beach blows inland.

Tulip garden.

Automobile dumpster.

Fake falls.

The 16th Avenue tiled steps to Grand View Park.

The blues and the bees of pride of madeiras.

Looking towards the mighty Pacific.

Looking north through the trees.

Pro tip: use the wooden rails to prevent you from falling off the hill.

Poppies.

Dandies.

The Ewok forest.

Golden Gate Park’s Lilly Pond, now 99% free from carnivorous frogs!

On Easter Sunday, I biked to Potrero Hill with N to watch Bring Your Own Big Wheel 2012. BYOBW started on the crooked part of Lombard, but soon outgrew it. The new location was on Vermont near 20th, a little know but even more steep and twisting street.

Hundreds of spectators were out to watch hundreds of racers varying in age, costume, and craziness.

The children’s lap was first, followed by waves of adults. Riders skidded out of control, smashing into each other and barricades. Costumes were torn, wheels and bike parts flew off. It was hilarious to watch, like Mario Kart in real life minus the power-ups.

Here’s a decent first person POV of one of the racers via youtube:

The master of ceremony.

The confident and the meek.

Crowds at the top of the hill.

Pre-race lounging.

Caltrain.

Evel Knievel.

Construction worker confronts mongrel.

Racers.

Gator, Sumo, and Big Chick.

The kid.

In it to win it.

The pace luchador.

The starting line of the kid’s race.

The adults begin.

Bale bail.

Clump.

Elvis and face plant.

Makeshift helmet.

Erotic crash.

Little wheels.

Big chicken and horsey.

Easy rider.

Caltrain crash.

Poor Jack.

Surreal crash.

Downhill.

Rebel racer.

Captain Canada.

The third curve.

Looking down.

The fourth curve.

Sea of racers.