US Holiday Day 9

San Francisco Pride Day
Our hotel is very close to the end of the parade route so we got a good position as to see all the procession. It was only when I looked at the pictures I took (lots and lots and lots) did I realise the bright red poster across the road featured prominently in lots of them
The crowd was full of interesting people, lots of different outfits, hair styles and colours and even dogs. The parade started with the group *Dykes on Bikes", hundreds of ladies on various sizes of motorbikes, all smiling and waving, some with pillion passengers with flags. Wonderful sight.
They were followed by all sorts of groups, very few floats, walking and waving. There were some that I found surprising, the gay Native Americans, the FBI, refuse collectors, cyclists and Rangers LGBT groups plus gay Buddists and Mormons. It is wonderful to see so many people from such diverse areas being able to parade with pride and without fear. Many groups carried placards regarding the Orlando shooting, carrying pictures of their victims or wearing t-shirts with slogans. Very moving.
Included in the parade were cars carrying politicians and city/state officials. Most very unknown to me, the only name I recognized was Nancy Pelosi although I don't know who or what she is. Another indication of how the gay community is now accepted and important in California.
One of the additional picture is of another participant, probably not Eddy Merckx as his helmet claims, the other I liked just because of all the colours. The final one is the standard tourist shot taken as we leave San Francisco to travel up the coast towards Fort Bragg, where we have our overnight accommodation.