Saturday, June 13, 2015

World Naked Bike Ride Toronto 2015


Seeking inclusion in the Pan Am Games, naked cycling hits the road on Saturday, June 13 for a trial run. It probably won't be included because there is no where to stick the competitors numbers and with limited wind resistance these bikers would surely win every race.
Putting their asses on the line, or on the bike seat, for environmental causes in a protest against oil dependency and to expose the dangers of cycling. People start to gather around 11:00am in Coronation Park (the Victory Peace Memorial near the lake) - just outside Exhibition Place and the Princes' Gates, to socialize, apply body paint and put on bike decorations and signs. The Ride starts at 1:00pm heading out of the park at Strachan Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard.

As the Pan Am Games caused the Honda Indy Toronto to move their schedule from July into June, this year's ride is happening at the same time as the weekend Roar by the Lakeshore (June 12-14). Cyclists will have to ride in single file along the bike route along Strachan Avenue until they make their way out of the area impacted by the Indy.

Growing from a handful of people to about a hundred participants, this event is quite the spectator sport with people lining the roads capturing the bicyclists as they make their way from the lake, through the University of Toronto, in front of Queen's Park, by the Toronto Eaton Centre, stopping for a photo op at the pond in Nathan Phillips Square at City Hall before heading back to lake. The bikers head to the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal where they split up, some end the ride on the Toronto Islands (Hanlan's Beach) or continue back to Coronation Park.
The event happens around the planet as suggested by the name World Naked Bike Ride, or WNBR, with 70 cities in 20 countries taking part and joggers or people with roller blades are also encouraged to join. In Toronto the date is usually the second Saturday in June and is included in the Bike Month events (May 25 - June 25) like Bike to Work Day and Spoke A Motion. It would be similar to the Tweed Ride, only without the itchy tweed, and maybe underwear - actually it is almost opposite to the Tweed Ride.

Main Stream and alternate News Media such as Naked News tend to cover the Toronto WNBR and usually Oasis Aqualounge, the up-scale sex club, has an active presence with several representatives on hand. Oasis is in the news recently for the planned disable orgy to be held at the same time as the Parapan Am Games. Those games are impacting everything in Ontario!
For more information or to provide sponsorship or funding to the ride, you can always contact the friendly organizer - Gene Dare, above. Riders are also trying to get a Naked Night Ride going in the style of Montreal or Seattle's events. Remember, you only have to go as bare as you dare.

More biking after the jump.

Gene gets some colours of the Ukrainian flag applied by one of several talented body painters
Skeleton body paint
The Oasis Aqualounge ladies were full of enthusiasm and a hit at the event
Naked News interviewed a lot of the participants
In the off season Santa Claus comes to town to ride in WNBR
Where ever they rode people smiled and took pictures of the riders
Stopping at a red light

Stopping for a photo opp at Queen's Park - applying some glitter
Raising the flag in the pond at Nathan Phillips Square
Hundreds of people camped out at City Hall to watch the ride

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1 comment:

Leif Harmsen said...

Great take on the ride! Love the concept of wanting to join the Pan Am Games, NOT! And what a fun coincidence that it happened on the same day as the Indy Automobile Race. I hope folks who came down to see the Indy Automobile Race caught a glimpse of the WNBR at least and I hope they enjoyed it. There is actually no organiser of the WNBR, it's primarily a public tradition like Halloween or Christmas.

To get on the WNBR Toronto Mailing list visit the WNBR website at
http:// www.worldnakedbikeride.org

There's also the Toronto WNBR Wiki at
http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/index.php?title=Toronto

The next Toronto ride will be 11 June 2016

Doors Open

Scarborough Bluffs

Pride

Redball

Beaches

Graffiti

Lake Ontario

Nathan Phillips Square

Transportation