Summer Solstice/Barcyle 2007

Summer Solstice Festival.
Three little words I live my life for.

Last weekend, of course, lived up to the reputation I hold each year of it pretty much being one of the best weekends of the summer. This time, Amanda, Adam and I had planned a Barcycle 2007 a couple weeks before we realized that it was Summer Solstice weekend. So, we decided to combine the two events, and hopped on our bikes to ride down to the festival.

Amanda and Adam testing out their gear

P-U-M-P Pumping-UP! My tires

Airhead?

Adam wore his helmet all day

The three amigo barcyclers

We arrived a bit to late to see the naked bicycle pack, since they ride down at the start of the parade. But, most definitely not too late to see naked people. Why is it always entertaining to see women parade around with their floppy boobies and Amazon bushes?! Or men with their waggly balls and hairy butt cracks?! Maybe it’s like a train wreck—you don’t want to look, but you just kinda half to. Most of the time, I’m literally saying to myself, “Stop staring Jeanna, it’s not polite.” Just like the mantra my mom recited to me when I was 4 years old. Somehow, I don’t think these people care if you stare at them though. Somehow, I think they revel in people staring at the nether regions. More power to them.

I do believe there is a fine line you cross though between painting your body to parade around in a hippie free love, artistic way, and what Amanda saw on Saturday. I was too busy devouring my phad thai noodles from the Kaosamai mobile truck with “really good” peanut sauce slathered all over it to pay attention. But apparently, mid-bite, Amanda caught site of a completely buck naked old man, walking down the sidewalk past her with an uncircumcised, erect penis. She was forever jaded after that, and unfortunately could only think about the unsightly image while eating her noodles. Eh. I just went back to scarfing…

Peanut Sauce Really Good

After the parade, the three of us quickly made our way to the Redhook beer garden at the main stage. There, I ran into half the people I know in Seattle, either walking outside the fence, or inside the fence. We sat in the corner, basking in the sunshine, drinking beer after beer. We met a lovely couple who was free to tell us that they met on The Stranger’s Lovelab (more research), and finally—five beers and four hours later— we left the beer garden. The minute I stood up, it was an, “oh no” situation. I was definitely more drunk than I thought! And of course, I can’t hold my bladder worth shit, so was quick to find an RV in some parking lot to pee behind. I’m so classy…

Drinking in the beer garden

Lovin, leavin, drinkin, singin

Damn! You caught me!

Oh Geez

The three of us were a little sauced up. And what better plan than to jump on your bike when you’re feeling saucy!! We walked past Nectar, which was playing awesome reggae music, so decided to ride our bikes down there to grab a beer before continuing our Barcycle 2007/Summer Solstice festivities. Is it really bad to admit that riding a bicycle while intoxicated is one of the funnest things ever? Is this what drunk drivers feel like? Eww. So not P.C.

Teaching hiccup cures to Amanda at Nectar...first of four hiccup spells she had that day

Are they gone yet?

Posing as drunken barcycle beauties

The three barcycler amigos: bar two

Unhitching the bikes to continue on...

We drank a beer at Nectar, then continued on down the street….where we ran into Andres, George, Matt, his girlfriend and others. The streets were full of drunken fools, and we jumped on the bandwagon. Next stop—George and the Dragon. But, not before we stopped into 7-Eleven to fill Slurpees up with vodka, and down them before entering the beer garden at the George. By the time I got to the George, I probably shouldn’t have been in public. I just remember stumbling around, dancing in the middle of the parking lot to techno, and devouring an ENTIRE PLATE of fried food. In fact, there were so many different varieties of fried food that our food had to come out way later than everyone else because it took EVERY DEEP FRYER in the kitchen. It was aptly named, “A little Bit O Everything.” Why did I think this was an okay thing to order?!

The three drunken barcycle amigos: bar three

Adam devouring his plate of fried goodness

Amanda's reaction to waiting for our plate of fried goodness

My reaction to STILL waiting for our plaid of deep-fried goodness

SICK. Is this supposed to be deep-fried goodness?!

Apparently, Amanda doesn't mind

We were quick to eat and leave the darken bar that is the George, but not before Amanda decided to go to the bathroom in the MEN’s room instead of waiting in the women’s line. Now, why didn’t I think of that?!

We continued on for a while longer, but those of you who know Amanda, know that all use in her legs go out when she’s drunk. She’d already taken one spill in the sticker bushes along the George. (She found the only sticker bushes in Seattle to fall into). And then ate complete shit outside Ballard Burgers and Brew (The Three Bs). She claims it’s because Adam and I, “stopped too abruptly.” But, we stopped with enough time to turn around and watch her plow over and eat the cement. You know, I always hate those situations because they’re so damn funny that you want to laugh your ass off, but it’s SO not appropriate when someone’s bleeding and hurt. Dammit!

Amanda's bleeding and bruisedness

More bleeding. Yawn.

Checked out

Posted up on the sidewalk outside the bar, taking a rest

Our last stop—the Three Bs was a blur. We sat at the bar, finishing a totally unnecessary pitcher of Blue Moon. The bartender who served it to us handed us Twix and Pixi Stix (now that I think about his later, how freakin cool was that?!), and was right on the button when he said, “Were you at Summer Solstice? Everyone there is either Tanked or Tired.”

I leaned over to pick up Amanda’s dropped Pixi Stix and fell off my stool, crumpled into a ball at the foot of the bar.

Um, I’m gonna go with Tanked.

It's all a blur...

Tanked or tired?!

The end of a long day...

Currently Feeling: So, so super duper excited for my fourth date tomorrow! This time, I’m effing kissing him.
Currently Anticipating: My dumb packages that haven’t arrived yet. Who would think that Amazon.com would be so slow?!
Currently Reading: The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.