Scandalized saddles
Portland’s World Naked Bike Ride
by Ellee Thalheimer
At a party, just seconds after shmoozing with my grandmother’s very proper friends, I found myself murmuring in the corner with my friend Collin as he tried to sell me on the World Naked Bike Ride. When I asked him in hushed tones about male-oriented technical details, he offered a polite yet confusing metaphor that included an airplane, aircraft carrier, and tail hook. After staring at him for a second, we busted out laughing. If nothing else, the ride would be pure entertainment. So we said our goodbyes with the utmost decorum and hightailed it to close-in Southeast Portland.
The party was raging when we arrived around 11:30pm, and before I knew it, I was au naturel with one friend tying a suit tie on me and another handing me saran wrap for my torso (both supplied by the ride). As we gathered for take off, I told the saddle of my brand new bike not to feel cheap and prayed not to get a flat because my pants were in Collin’s bag. Then we were swept away by the surging hordes of stark naked bike riders. Cheers, screams, whistling and honking filled the air as we toured downtown. The Rose Festival crowd, especially the sailors, were a bit awestruck but pleased as punch. Welcome to Portland, folks. Traffic has never been so obliged to wait on cyclists. Several times, drunken groups of women stumbled out of expensive cars and-using what was left of their motor skills-stripped down to be one in spirit.
The World Naked Bike Ride takes place in 70 cities around the world and is meant to raise awareness about the dire consequences of oil dependency and non-renewable energy. Maybe the sailor in the middle of the street whooping and giving riders high-fives didn’t make the connection, but as the World Naked Bike Ride gets more exposure (ha ha), many people do. It was a fabulous addition, nay I say highlight, of Pedalpolooza-Portland’s jubilant two-week bike festival. Portland, I applaud you for taking our chapter of the World Naked Bike Ride to the brink.
Check out SHIFT’s website for more info on Pedalpolooza and creative bike culture at www.shift2bikes.org.
Possibly Related
- August 2006: Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge 2006
- May 2007: A visit with Joseph Ahearne
- September 2008: Track racing at its best: the Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge
- August 2007: The Anthony climb: Oregon's clandestine challenge
- August 2008: Coast or bust from the southern Willamette Valley
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