World Naked Bike Ride is this Saturday!
World Naked Bike Ride is this Saturday!
So it's time to get your gear off!
(or as much as you care to take off)
Where:
This Saturday (March 10, 2007) at the University Square and across the roundabout at the pub at the corner of Pelham & Leicester Sts, Carlton. This is just south of Melbourne Uni.
When:
Meeting time is 7PM. Then we'll socialise, body paint, etc. The ride will leave at 8PM.
What to wear:
The dress code for the ride is As Bare As You Dare! This means if you're up to going fully nekkid, great. If you're a little shy, then wear your bathers. If you want to wear a full burkha, go for it. Some people are a bit concerned about the comfort of their seats while nekkid. Past riders haven't found this to be a problem. Indeed the feeling of giddy exhileration is so great that people hardly notice their seats at all.
What to bring:
You, your bike, helmet and lights will be required (just like any other time on a bike). A bag or pannier to carry your clothes is a good idea. Body paint (finger paint works too and is a lot cheaper), bike decorations, noise makers, signs with catchy slogans, your friends, and a positive attitude are all highly recommended. (and maybe warm clothes for the outdoor after party if it's a chilly night)
How much:
FREE! You -don't- need to register and you don't need to pay to go on this ride. (The streets are free, so why should you pay to ride on them?)
What the ride will be like:
Between 7 and 8PM, we'll mill around at the pub and in the park, body painting, chatting, joking, etc. Maps will be handed out, and an announcement will be made welcoming people to the ride. At 8PM we'll mount or trusty steeds to ride around some of the nearby commercial streets and smile and wave to the dazzled and delighted onlookers. We'll be riding on streets where people are friendly to the unusual. There will be at least one sound system with us, pumping out tunes to shake your body to. The ride will be about 35 minutes long (~7km), at a pace we can all stick to. We'll stop once shortly into the ride for people to dress up or dress down (last year several people caught the spirit and lost some layers shortly into the ride). The ride ends in an attractive park, where we'll party down, with food and drink outlets nearby. Last year there were 14 pioneering cyclists, this year should be more as the word is -definitely- out in Melbourne.
What the ride won't be like:
The ride won't leave people behind. The ride won't be confrontational to other road users. The ride won't engage with people looking to start arguments (we'll just ride away!). The ride won't be boring! The ride won't disobey direct requests from the police, if they happen to give us any (though individual riders might at their own discretion).
So grab your bike, grab a friend and see you there! -bikefunnist, in the flesh
As further incentive, check out the photos on
Flickr tagged 'worldnakedbikeride' (possibly NSFW).