It's a holiday inside the love parade...

Yesterday, was the 2008 DC Gay Pride Parade!

Several weeks ago, I ended up at a party with four other people where we all got drunk, to varying degrees (it's all posted here). Anyway, I made mention that Gay Pride was coming up, and all four of them said they wanted to go. And yesterday, all four them went down with me. My friend Michelle, her brother Richard, his girlfriend (I think) Cara, and *SIGH* Konrad.

I only had to work half a day, thank GOD, and we met all roughly on time. We piled into the car and headed down to Frederick where we stopped to get something to eat at a locally owned restaurant/brewery. I had known the place was there, but never eaten there. Rich suggested it, saying it was good.

And good it was. A bit pricey, but good. And they had menu that had something for everyone. Michelle had a roasted portabello pianini, I had a turkey and ham club, Konrad had a steak, Rich had some kind of salad with grilled chicken and Cara had a hamburger. Most of us had deserts. And all agreed it was a gerat meal. During the meal, we did what's become a tradition for me: we toasted my Fairy Godfather Mark. He helped me a lot, and went to several parades with us. Now he's in Michigan, where there's very little gay life, much less a parade. But we toasted him anyways. And then secondly, we toasted Ag. I've been to 10 Pride celebrations, she went to 9 of them with me. This is the first one she couldn't accompany us on, because she had to work. But by toasting her, I made sure she was with us anyways.

When we left, as we were pulling away, it started to rain, which stressed me out. Not so much for myself because I've seen like 10 of these things, but I was upset for the other four. They were all straight, and all virgins to Gay Pride parades, and i wanted them to have a great time, and not get rained out. And luckily, on the way down the rain stopped, although it kept up on and off.

Following the meal I turned on my iPod and played from my "GAY" playlist. We also played it on the way home after everything. On it were songs from ABBA, The Smiths, Queen, David Bowie, some Disco tunes, some mid-90's dance music, some current dance tunes and, of COURSE, Madonna tunes. They would comment on most songs, hum or sing along to a few. And it kept conversation going if there was a lull.

The Metro ride down was uneventful. But when we got there, Rich and Konrad wanted to take the hideously, frighteningly long escalator. I told them, my fear of heights won't allow me to do that one. So we took the shorter, southern exit. Although we decided first thing to walk to the northern escalator so Michelle could see how long and deep it was.

As we walked there across DuPont Circle, it was raining again. Not a lot, not a drenching rain, just enough to get you a little wet. Still, Michelle and Cara both cursed themselves for stupid enough not to bring an umbrella. Me, I didn't really care except when my glasses got really.

We then, at Rich's suggestion, went into KramersBook. It's a unique building, housing a bookstore, restaurant and bar. After we were finished there, it was about 5:30. I said we should go get our place to stand. Which we did.

And there was absolutely no one else around. They mocked me occasionally, although later, when the sidewalk was filled with people they told me how right I had been. Well, it was nice of them to say it, but being there an hour early WAS kinda overkill. Getting to "The Spot" in a half hour would have been completely sufficient.

But while we waited, we talked. And Rich and Cara went to get us water from a local CVS. And it rained a bit. I was still stressed about that, until Rich pointed out that he's rather have a little bit of rain, and no humidity, than be as hot, stickey and humid as it was LAST Saturday. And he was right. When it rained, the humidity lessened, and a few times, a nice breeze blew up.

Anyway, presently, at 6:30, the parade started. Rich and Konrad ended up having a contest seeing who could get the most set of beads. Konrad won, with 11 strands. But got a yellow condom, which we agreed trumped the beads. One group was throwing out little rubber balls, and Rich got two of them, both blue. Another group, I think Southwest Airline, threw out little bags of peanuts, Konrad got a pack of those. We all found it hilarious that Rich came to Pride and got two blue balls and Konrad came to Pride and got a bag of nuts in his face.

Shortly after 7:00, it started to rain again, and just kept raining for the remainder of the parade. It wasn't torrential, but it did get heavy at times. All of us got soaked. Just like we had all been in the shower together. (oooo, taking a shower with Rich and *SIGH*Konrad....) But none of us left for cover. In fact, much to my surprise, very few spectators left the parade route, although many of them put up umbrellas. And the parade kept going.

At one point, an older guy in the parade stopped in directly in front of Konrad, like two feet or less in front of him and said, "Mmmmmm. Who's YOUR daddy?" We all laughed, but Konrad, who turned bright red and was obviously flustered. Thinking quickly, I threw my arms around his shoulders, leaned in, put my head against his and said, "I am, thanks for asking." This brought another series of howls from my friends there, but the older guy smiled, and said, "Whoops. Sorry." Waved to us and went back to walking with his group.

A short while later, a float went by and two guys on it were looking and pointing at Konrad. I pointed out to him that they were doing so, and he looked at them. Then they waved and said or did something that I don't recall, but which turned Konrad all red again and flustered as well. So once more I threw my arms around him and waved to them with a free hand. The guys laughed and waved and everything was fine.

I told Konrad I had his back, not to worry. And there was laughter all around. Even from Konrad himself, although I think he's not used to being an object of attention like that. Certainly not from men. Men old enough to be his father...or grandfather.

As it rained, my poor camera kept having fits. At least three times it refused to work. So I put it in my pocket for a few minutes, and then it worked fine. It's been through a lot, but it's a trooper. Also, I managed to find a relatively dry spot on my tshirt, and i dried my glasses there at least three times as well.

Near the end of the parade, it stopped raining, but everything then was soaked, with puddles all over, and overcast, and threatening to rain again. So instead of staying and wandering around and shopping or eating or something, we all just went back to the Metro and came home. We entered the Metro station at 8:21pm, and I had us back at the cars at 9:55pm, making great time!

I got hugs from all four of them, and I thanked them all for coming. They thanked me for inviting them, and then we went our seperate ways, drenched, but having had a great time.

And since it's ME, of COURSE I have photos!


Miss Cleo, my car, sitting and waiting for the others to arrive. She got us down there and back just fine.


Konrad, Rich and Cara on the Metro on the way down. Not sure why Konrad is so somber.


Michelle on the Metro on the way down.


Riding up the escalator from DuPont. While the photo of Rich is nice, I was actually trying to get the cute black guy behind him. Worked out well, methinks.


Michelle, Konrad, Cara and Rich, sitting while I stood to reserve "The Spot" on the parade route. I was the only one standing along the sidewalk, but still.... And while Cara is on the phone, it was Konrad who got all the texts and calls that days. Like TONS of calls!


The gang lined up waiting for the parade: Polt, Konrad, Michelle, Rich and Cara. This was much closer to the parade's starting, obviously. Notice all the other people there.


The group photo. This is the one that will get printed out, framed, and hung on my wall with all the other Pride Group Photos. (One of the many occasions I found to put my arm around Konrad, only this time, he had his around me as well.)


Rich kept harrassing me about fire trucks, how every parade around HERE is flush with fire trucks and how its not really a parade without one. He was of course being sarcastic, but I assured him there would be no fire trucks, that I don't recall there being any in previous years. So of COURSE, there was a fire truck this year. So I got it behind Rich's head.


This year's Grand Marshall was Bruce Villanch.


This is the DC Gay Family's group. I love seeing little kids walking and waving and smiling and having a blast with thier two mommies or two daddies.


This guy got to ride, pulled by one of his dads.


This is DC Mayor Adrian Fenty. He's walked in the last three parades. I just found out he's only like 38 years old or something. And has twin sons that were riding in the car in front of him throwing out beads too.


Just to give you an idea of what the crowd on the opposing side looked like.


Eleanor Holmes Norton, DC's not-allowed-to-vote delegate to the House Of Representatives. She always gets a big cheer. She's marched in every freaking parade I've been to.


Just some chick with a huge afro.


Rainbow balloons!


The Obama Pride group. It got a LOT of cheers. And had a huge amount of cute young guys in it.


Random cute guy.


Some guy Clampitt was running for some office. I he was pretty cute, but unlike most, he worked the line, shaking hands with nearly everyone and asking for their vote. After shaking it, I said, "I would if I could, man." After shaking it, Konrad said, "I'd not vote for him. Beads, not handshakes!" Funny guy, Konrad.


Another random cute guy.


Yet another random cute guy (and ya know, I didn't even put up all the photos I took, I edited out seveal random cute guys. No wonder my camera was acting up, it was overworked!)

Some big float (again, I think the Southwest Airlines one), with lots of rainbos flags on it.

Yep...random cute guy, dancing. Right about here is where the rain started.

Universally the favorite group in the parade: PFLAG. They always get the loudest applause. They carry signs saying, "I love my lesbians daughter" or "My gay son deserves a wedding too" or "We're both proud of both our gay sons" or things like that. I just love them. My hands ususally hurt after they've passed cause I'm clapping so passionately.

I'm not really sure what group she was part of, maybe the PFLAG, but she had a little bubble gun, and she'd shoot the bubbles out and then laugh and laugh as they floated away. She was very cute.

Not sure who the guy was, but these two extremely hot guys were his escorts.

And this was that guy. I couldn't get a shot of his front, but he was very hot, has abs for DAYS, and was wearing just a tight white brief...in the rain, so it was sticking to things and providing quite an impressive outline.

I have no idea what group these guys were with, I was too busy talking their photos. But this is Purple Man.

And here is Orange Man (damn, what a body!), with Yellow Man behind him.

There goes Blue Man. There was a Green man somewhere as well, and possibly a Red Man too, I'm not sure. I was kinda concentrating on the guys walking in front of me.

There was a group of gay doctors and nurses walking, and these guys were one of them. This is of the only one without a shirt, and even the bald guy behind him is pretty hot too.

You guess it....random cute guy.

Another random cute guy...this one really cute!

These kids were, I think, with the gay youth group, but they were carrying Obama Pride signs, and the guy is pretty cute, so I snapped a photo.

This was a guy in a Bushie mask carrying this sign. There was also another one with a Darth Cheney mask with horns, carrying a little puppet with Condie Rice face on it. This one got a LOT of applause as well.

Konrad, during a break in the parade, looking soaking wet and all mopey. And yet, still kinda cute.

This float was from some flower place, hence all the flora on the float. But I was, naturally, much more interested in the hot guy wearing almost nothing on the float.

I've no clue what this is from, but I love how the driver's kinda fetished up with a collar and all, and yet, holding an umbrella up so the rain doesn't on him even though he's driving a convertable!

Not sure of the group, but they're shirtless guys, so the get a photo taken.

Not a friggin clue what this was all about. But after they drove by, half clothed and you can see, the one on the back hunkered down and was like humping the back of the vehicle. Konrad said they guy was tri-sexual: fucked women, men, and the occasional all-terrain vehicle. heheheh, see the kid's not just a pretty face with an English accent.

Again, don't know the group, but it was a pretty hot guy portraying the Statue Of Gay Liberty. And the black guy in front of him is notable as well.

This year, when the DC Dancing Cowboys went by, I didn't try to snap fifteen photos. I realized I could take video and DID! Unfortunately, I cut it off a bit earlier than I wanted to. Nonetheless, you get the effect.

This was a rather large group from the MCC (Metropolian Community Churches), and if you can read around the new photographer in the way, the banner reads: Would Jesus Discriminate? Good point.

The guy in the grass skirt, when the truck stopped right in front of us, pulled his underwear down and mooned us, even though the grass skirt still was there. WHen this happened, it was one of the occasions when I had my camera in pocket, so I missed the moon shot. But I did manage to at least get this one.

Not at all sure about this one either, except they were all like Hermes with the winged helmets. The guy in the middle was painted silver, the black guy in back, painted half gold. And both were incredibly hot.

The DC Gay Rowers group...always hot bodies barely contained in spandex.

Wait for it.......YES, it IS a random hot guy, how did you guess?

Little puppy wrapped up in a doggie toga. Cute, but I felt sorry for him, some of the rain puddles were larger than he was.

Results, a gym, typicallty ends the parade with a huge float covered with hot sexy men. This one too I decided to film. And in fact, I believe that's me you hear saying, "OH my God" when I had noticed the hot muscle man at the front of the float. Couldn't help myself. Muscles in a toga skirt...well YOU try seeing it in person and NOT making a comment! And this vid ran a little long, because I was watching something and not concentrating on turning it off. but at least you can see the puddles along the curb and that it was still raining.

As we walked to the Metro, I got the three of them, drenched as well, but smiling...somewhat.

Random REALLY hot guy snapped in the crowd after the parade ended.

On the Metro on the way home, Konrad, dryer, but still adorable. And not a BIT mopey.

POLT Listening to "Funkytown" by Lipps, Inc.

Every guy needs a gay friend. - Ted Allen