San Francisco is a classic bike town, and it is beloved by everybody. In our online reader poll, more readers chose San Francisco than any other city but Portland. There is a culture of cycling ? there are bike clubs, there's the messenger culture and there are long-standing community activities centered around cycling.

[San Francisco] . . . the city that never was a town.

world is a drama, we are the actors with our play role

What about San Francisco?"
"What about it?"
"Did you like it?"
She shrugged. "It was O.K."
"Just O.K.?"
She laughed. "Good God!"
"What?"
"You're all alike here."
"How so?" he asked.
"You demand adoration for the place. You're not happy until everybody swears undying love for every nook and cranny of every precious damn --"
"Whoa, missy."
"Well, it's true. Can't you just worship it on your own? Do I have to sign an affadavit?"
He chuckled. "We're that bad, are we?"
"You bet your ass you are.

I've got more chins than a San Francisco phonebook.

San Francisco is gone. Nothing remains of it but memories.