Saturday July 18th: World Naked Bike Ride St. Louis
Tomorrow night is one of my favorite events — the World Naked Bike Ride:
The World Naked Bike Ride in St. Louis is part of an international event to raise awareness of cyclist rights and vulnerability on the road, and promote positive body image and protest oil dependency.
This year’s 8th annual World Naked Bike Ride in St. Louis will take place on Saturday, July 18. The pre-ride WNBR festival and rally will take place on Manchester Ave. in the Grove, between Sarah and Kentucky. Stay tuned for more details on the time of the event!
Ride safe and at your own risk! (World Naked Bike Ride St. Louis)
From the World Naked Bike Ride St. Louis website:
A few important things:
- We encourage you to be safe, wear a helmet and have lights on your bike
- We ask that photographers and press help create a safe space by being respectful and asking CONSENT to photograph, and encouraging others to do so!
- Although you can be as bare as you dare during the ride, the St. Louis city requests that we cover our privates at the pre/post party
This year’s ride is 12 miles through the city, see the route here. The ride starts & stops on Manchester in The Grove.
If only I could still ride a bike…
— Steve Patterson
This event isn’t about a bike, is it? It’s about raising awareness of cyclist rights and vulnerability, promoting self image, protesting oil dependency. If I were you and if I really wanted to participate, I’d shuck my shorts and those of my husband; I’d jump in a wheel chair, he’d strap on his roller skates and push me along the route as far as he could. We’d both enjoy the event, whether or not either or both of us owned or could navigate a bike.
My power chair is faster than the average walker, but slower than a slow bike ride. I have a manual chair too, but cheering on riders from the sidelines is the best way for me to participate. If I could still bike I’d…well, I’d wear socks & shoes.
It’s important to cover up! Enjoy the fun.
Not sure if it’s all about vulnerability and rights.
It’s really pleasant rising a bike naked with thousands of other people.
Agreed! We did hear one motorist telling “Y’all nasty” at the riders. Most spectators got a big smile.
“Nothing here below is profane for those who know how to see.” [French Jesuit philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (sp?)]
….probably more pleasant if you don’t get tangled up in the chain! Ouch!
The spectacle and nonsense of the event causes a legitimate message to be lost.
Does everything have to have a message? Why not just enjoy something different? Maybe the medium is the message.
Maybe the organizers shouldn’t promote such a message.
My god, this isn’t the Victorian era! The “message” promotes self image and protests oil dependency. It’s the medium that I’m confident you’re protesting. But any girl willing to walk or ride bare-chested and any guy willing to let it all hang out on downtown streets of STL are probably well on their way toward developing healthy self-images. And it seems appropriate to do this while either walking or riding a bike (no petro products involved–hint, hint!). Now I suppose the participants could wear long underwear, long pants, turtleneck and parkas, and they’d receive just as much attention but probably less notoriety. It’s the notoriety that gives this mule its kick. Given the 90+ temperatures in STL at this time of year, going shirtless/short-less/bra-less makes much more sense. And if it offends you, don’t participate (but no peeking)!