WebCastro: Olympic Torch through the Castro

story and photos by Ron Williams

The Olympic Torch made a surprise visit to the Castro. The event wasn't well publicized, but the Castro has the reputation of drawing a crowd at a moment's notice. The Olympic Torch runners carrying the Torch through the Castro is a historic event we just couldn't pass up. The photos are quick and dirty video captures, so the quality is so-so. A sign had been posted earlier in the afternoon at the corner of 18th and Castro that read, "Torch runners through the Castro at 6:40 pm, be early they run fast." Prior to the arrival of the runners, advance vehicles of every description including the police cars, support vans, hovering news helicopters and trailers full of free Coca Cola for the anxiously waiting crowd. Many people on the street were asking, "What's all the excitment?" [the torch at 18th and Castro]

As the running party appeared at the crest of the hill on Castro Street just north of Market, the flashing red police lights and the excitement in the crowd started to build. Seeing all those police bikes with flashing lights reminded me of a more serious time of the Castro's past. But within 1 minute they had run down Castro Street and everyone cheered, whistled and screamed, and within a flash they turned the corner and headed down 18th Street continuing the Torch relay across the City. One person in the crowd remarked, "It went by so fast! I've had orgasms that lasted longer than that!"
[carrying the torch down Castro St.]

The Torch's final stop for the day included a party, complete with fireworks at Justin Herman plaza at the foot of Market Street along the Embarcadero. It was reported that the Torch would have its own hotel room at Fisherman's Wharf, complete with a security guard. On Saturday, the Torch continued on its 15,000 mile zig-zag tour across America, and will reach its final destination in Atlanta in July.