San Francisco Critical Mass on Van Ness Avenue

"Bicycle Race"
by Queen

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don't believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my

Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah
Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race

You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don't wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don't wanna be a candidate for
Vietnam or Watergate
Cause all I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

Check out San Francisco Critical Mass at www.sfcriticalmass.org

San Francisco Cable Cars

The cable car transformed the way people got around this city in the late 1800's.  Before these modern marvels appeared on the street, the main transport up the steep hills were horse drawn carriages.  Unfortunately, the horses often felt the sting of the whip as the driver pushed them to strain up these hills with a load of cargo or people in the wagon.  As you can imagine, there were accidents, and some of them fatal, when the horses faltered or were not strong enough to pull the load.

Andrew Hallidie, a Scotsman by birth, immigrated to this country and immediately saw the problem and began to search for a solution.  He didn't have to look far.  In his profession as a wire rope manufacturer he saw several creative uses for his product, and he began to see how it could be used to transport not only supplies, but people up the steepest hills in San Francisco.

On August 1st, 1873, he gave his first demonstration of the car that would run on a cable system buried just below the surface of the road.  It was a success, and the system grew to include 112 miles of line and became one of the main modes of transportation up Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, etc.

The invention of electricity and gas powered engines caused the decline and almost demise of this San Francisco icon, but the people struggled for many years to preserve a piece of this history, and in 1964 the remaining cable car system was declared a National Historic Landmark.  It's a type of moving museum and a way to actually experience history as you tour the city.

Cheers!

Mike

Research:  Historic San Francisco:  A Concise History and Guide, by Rand Richards.  (Awesome book)