Bay to Breakers

Every year there is a mini marathon run from the bay, across the heart of the city, and ending at the beach - thus, Bay to Breakers.

Sounds competitive. Sounds fun. Sounds festive. Unless you're fully prepared for this...spectacle...Bay to Breakers can catch you off guard. Think long-distance run meets Mardi Gras...
Exhibit A: Bad naked people. You know the type. God never meant for these men to be naked. As far as I'm concerned, His most significant oversight EVER













Exhibit B: Good naked people.














Exhibit C: Superheroes

Baker Beach

San Francisco experienced a mini heat wave mid-week. Friday was especially beautiful, so I took a half day and we headed to Baker Beach, about a 10-minute drive from our apartment.

The surf was rough, about six-foot waves with the biggest undertow I've ever experienced. And the water temp was chilly - about 55 degrees, which is San Fran standard.

The craziest part of the beach trip was playing fetch with Andi. She loves the game now, and likes including other dogs that walk by. This one hippie's dog was interested in playing, so the hippie grabbed Andi's tennis ball and chucked it, I mean HEAVED it, into the surf. The ball actually went beyond where the waves were breaking and I about shit a brick. Andi just takes off straight into the water - just as a huge wave was building, prepping to crash on shore. Andi grabs the ball, but then disappears under the swell for a few seconds...then shoots out of the water at the crest of the wave as it reaches shore. She could have died. I would have killed the hippie.

But, she was fine. Tail-wagging and exhausted, she decided that was enough fetch for one day.

What do drivers training, TomKat and Greg have in common?

Not much, really. But there's a story here. So keep reading.

PG&E requires employees to take advanced drivers training - something to do with its safety values. Anyhow, everyone from the linemen to administrative assistants and engineers have to get behind the wheel and revisit the fears and insecurities of teenage driving lessons. Events in life most of us would like to forget (especially those of us who failed the written test the first time through).

My training, however, was unforgettable. The instructor, Mr. Wiseman, was a 70-something PG&E retiree. He knew everything there was to know about safe driving - and there's plenty if you're as bad as I am. He was the ultimate back-seat driver. But none of us cared because he had a gold mine of stories to share during our 8 hours of driving time last Thursday.

"So my son is a biiig Holywood director, you know."

I thought to myself, "yeah, whatever old man, just keep your eyes on the road and make sure my co-worker in the driver's seat doesn't kill us."

"His name is Len Wiseman and he directed a little movie called Die Hard and the Underworld trilogy. He's married to Kate Beckinsale, in fact. And the other night he called me telling me how good of a time he was having in Napa with his good pals Tom, Katie, David and Victoria."

Crickets. Silence. Big eyes.

Either senility had set in, or his son was actually famous. And clearly this minivan, filled with Utility employees, was not used to even the most indirect brushes with fame. We were totally engrossed.

"Yup, he hangs out with the Cruises and the Beckhams. The trip to Napa was for Katie's birthday party. Tom rented out space at a luxury resort in wine country. Nice, huh?"

Something like that. It was beyond cute how this little old man, teaching drivers training, had a larger than life connection. (Never judge a book by its cover)

But the real moral of the story is: Don't be a deadbeat son and horde cash from dad. The old fart should be living the high life off his son's B-movie money, not teaching us how to drive.

Josh visits!

Lots of fun at the beach, the park and the bars this weekend with our friend, Josh who came to visit. The weather was a little on the cool side, but sunny enough that we could lay out at the park and take the dog to the beach. It's that type of weather where if you have a long sleeve T and jeans you're very comfortable. People here keep saying how cold and windy it is, but from an East Coast/Midwest perspective, this climate is just fine.

The weather this weekend just begged for beer consumption. Golden Gate Park is one of those places where public drinking is acceptable and evidently, not a big enough misdemeanor to get you noticed by police.