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Date:Saturday 10 March 2007
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Carlton Inn/University Sqr. - cnr of Pelham & Leicester Sts, Carlton
Ride location and how to get there
Assemble at the Carlton Inn on University Square on the corner of Pelham & Leicester Streets, Carlton. Please do not drive to the event because it will create greenhouse gases and contradicts the purpose of the event. Please ride your bike to the assembly place or take the train if it is too far for you to ride. Metlink allows passengers to take their bikes on the train. The nearest train station is Melbourne Central.
Important Announcement
Yes, yes fellow cyclo-nudistas!
World Naked Bike Ride is on Saturday the 10th of March!
So it's time to get your gear off! (or as much as you care to take off)
Where:
This Saturday 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!
What the ride was like:
Alex reported on the Melbourne WNBR Greetings fellow cyclo-nudistas!
Melbourne World Naked Ride 2007 was a success.
We had 25 riders, well up from 14 last year, with about 80% of riders going fully nekkid. It was a good time.
The map of the route can be seen on bikely here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/WNBR-2007 (a few minor variations were made during the ride, but that's pretty much it)
The police chose a more tolerant approach than last year. One officer showed up at the start. He told us we were welcome to do the ride (as bare as we dared), but that the police were concerned about us being targeted by onlookers. Generally a very positive interaction and he was given a route map. He said that he contacted the relevant precincts to let them know we'd be passing through. Not bad eh.
More reports later, and many lessons to be learned for next year.
peace, bikefunnist, in the flesh
Media enquiries
Contact Alex, the WNBR Melbourne Organiser (bikefunnist@riseup.net)
Photos
2007 photos
2006 photos
Videos
History
2006
Date: Sunday 12 March 2006
Time: 2pm to start body painting
Location: Smith Reserve, George Street and Alexandra Parade, Fitzroy
Ride report by G Brunya
You can also read this ride report on the Yahoo! group.
What a great day!
The weather was toasty and the overwhelming number of observers and bystanders were encouraging of the ride as it passed some of the Inner North's busiest streets.
About 15 people gathered at Smith Reserve between 2pm and 3pm and began the dressing down and body painting session. Bystanders and swimmers in the pool next to the park were bemused by the group as they began to realise what was happening. One very impressive rider was as yellow as he was the day before on the Aolian ride, but this time for a very different reason! The police drove by and spoke to one of our clothed helpers, but no instructions were given, and so the ride began.
A bicycle mounted sound system added to the party atmosphere as the riders moved south up Napier Street and the over to Smith Street. Several bystanders asked "what's it for?" to which we replied "for fun!" or "to protest the obscenity of oil dependence!"
A quick stop in a lane off Gertrude Street allowed a few members to further 'debrief' as confidence increased. We then continued on our way North down Brunswick Street. Another group of police were grappling gently with a gentleman in the Atherton Gardens Estate. They waved. Yet another police car passed us going the other way up Brunswick Street. They waved too.
After a cut west across Nicholson Street, the ride made good use of the Canning Street bicycle super highway for a short way and then it was up the short hill to Lygon Street. We regrouped as we began the Lygon stretch and moved the sound system on to "The Baby Elephant Walk". The café strip greeted us with quite a few perplexed looks and double takes as we cruised down the slope towards Queensbury Street. Yet again however, the majority of people were happy to see us. Next we rode east (in the GL; Games Lane) towards the Carlton Gardens. A few laps of the Exhibition Fountain entertained some people in the park, including a wedding party.
The final stretch took us east back along Gertrude and a second lap of Brunswick Street, where once again we were greeted by cheers, smiles and waves. Plenty of bystanders whipped out camera phones and we expect to see these pictures on this Yahoo Group soon!
A quieter pedal into the wind was taking us up past the Lord Newey Hotel, when we heard the friendly 'woop' of a police car. Pulling over, we were asked to clothe our bods as `there had been a complaint!' Hard to believe, considering that the overwhelming majority of bystanders were happy and entertained to see us – still there's always one! And it only takes one to spoil the fun.
Considering that we were nearing the end of the planned route, and since they asked nicely, we did as we were asked and the police officers thanked us and drove away with a smile and a wave. Finally refreshments were acquired at Piedemontes in North Fitzroy and we retired to a quiet spot on the banks of the Merri to discuss our victory.
Thanks to all who participated, and all who encouraged us. Special thanks to Alex and Deb for making it happen!
– G Brunya <nearherethere@yahoo.com>
Links
Website/s
- WNBR Australia (official site)
Discussion group/s
- WNBR Melbourne Yahoo! Group
