Monday, March 16, 2009

My home town...



Yes, I live in a college town.
This weekend in brisk, 40 degree, rainy weather, locals gathered for a *Naked Bike Ride*.

This guy is sporting the official slogan LESS GAS MORE ASS

City ordinances allow PUBLIC nudity if it is for a political statement or cause.... and their cause was "For energy independence ~ every day".

It was about 50 people riding their bikes in various states of undress.
Interestingly- they actually got a parade permit- so they not only were a sanctioned event, they had official police escorts!



This was the caption written for the above photo:

The Police Department was there to block traffic for us. They also helped keep the group together. PS—There's nothing like running a red light with no pants and a police escort.


Here is some video footage of the "demonstration"- I am not saying which one is my kid!!!



Riding Naked w/ Musical Accompaniment from alexander hongo on Vimeo.


They also did a "Tweed Ride" where everyone dresses in kind of more British countryside attire..... why these lovely Blokes brought cups and saucers in their wicker basket for a spot of tea. Brilliant!

8 comments:

D.K. Raed said...

OMG, how much green beer must've been drunk before this event?!? At least they all had appropriate footwear & headgear! And hopefully with that overcast rainy day, no one suffered sunburnt parts. oh the humanity ...

ps, I heard someone say (maybe it was jon stewart) that the after-bike ride celebration consists of burning the bicycle seats!

Lulu Maude said...

The helmets are especially sweet.

I hope your kid is the one who advocates sharing the road.

Where is your town? I must move there.

Dada said...

Thanks Fran for another wonderful Dada moment that makes Eugene the very special place that it is! Loved it. When's the next country fair??

Fran said...

DK~ True-- No Sunburns that day!
Not a bad post ride suggestion- the seat burning ceremony. LOL!

LuLu~ That would be Eugene Oregon.
The recession has hit hard here- double digit unemployment-- People are so broke, they are riding bikes naked in the streets!!!

Dada~ I got a kick out of the obtaining of the permit.
Can you imagine the conversation @ the Police Station-- Any volunteers to work overtime to escort the Naked Bike Ride???
Imagine the expression on some Grandma's face , on their way home from Sat night family dinner, having a cop stop traffic to let the naked riders have the right-of-way!!!
Country Fair is in July.

They did a great job, making their point about the bare essentials of energy independence & had so much fun in the process!

Dada said...

I gotta tell one of the reasons (two?) why I love this town. Out to dinner downtown with our great niece and her husband, we finished our meal, left the restaurant. Returning to our car, I was so impressed with my nephew as he picked up some trash out of the street, while my niece was approached by a hungry homeless person to whom she kindly gave her dinner's doggie bag she was taking home! Great folks, great social consciousness -- they're living in the right town!

(Who knows,maybe we'll all be riding our bikes in the buff before year's out?)

enigma4ever said...

this is a great story...really wonderful....so good to see....ahhhh why I still miss the NW....

thanks for sharing it...

Lulu Maude said...

EUGENE! I should've known! I love that city. I have property out on the coast in Walport.

Hope we'll be meeting some day.

Fran said...

Lulu! Small world! For sure... would love to get together. From your recent post, we can establish the tent city there.

Lulu's last stand stronghold