Portland
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The Pre-Ride Fig Leif 5K Run/Walk is at 7:30pm in Forest Park. Top of NW Thurman St Hill, 400 yards past the gate at Leif Erickson Drive. This is the third annual event. A great warm-up for the midnight naked ride. . .a naked run in the park. It made the evening news last year. Lots of people and lots of fun! Out and back course on Leif Erickson Drive. Bring two canned food items as entry fee. They will be donated to Sisters of the Road soup kitchen in Old Town. more info and other events: www.barebunsrun.com
If there's one thing Portlanders love more than bikes, it's their First Amendment. Home to the most strip clubs per capita in the US, it's no wonder Portland is home to the largest World Naked Bike Ride in North America.
As with the prior years the ride will start at or near the Pedalpalooza Dance Party. Watch the Pedalpalooza calendar for the latest information.
It's getting harder and harder to find a venue big enough for us. The ride has been growing by at least 50% each year, and last year's ride had roughly 800 riders (and 850 or so at the party). This year we need space for 1200-1500 people. It has been unusually difficult. Our first choice was a new event space that the fire marshal rated for 600 capacity -- much too small. Our second choice was also being eyed by a major athletic shoe company which, ironically, dragged its feet and took too much time. Our third choice was hit by a barge and condemned. We're now on our fourth choice, the Track 7 warehouse in Northwest Portland, NW 30th and Industrial.
Usually, getting the venue is the hardest part; once we do that, it's all just a mix of paperwork and artwork that we've all done before.
Contents
Next ride
Date: Saturday 14 June 2008
Time: 11:59pm
Location: Track 7 warehouse, NW 30th and Industrial
Videos
2006
- YouTube: 'Going on a Naked Bike Ride' – both summer 2006 rides, with a specially composed song!
- Going on a Naked Bike Ride – alternative link on Crank My Chain blog
History
2007
The party was in the Organics To You warehouse at the East end of the Hawthorne bridge. At the party we distributed about 820 wristbands, and nearly everybody went on the ride so we estimate 800 riders -- not counting people who saw us along the way and spontaneously stripped to ride with us.
The party was amazing, though the OLCC wasn't too thrilled with us. The planning in 2008 will need to be much more careful. The ride itself was chaotic as always. No arrests. One injury when a rider hit a pothole at high speed; he was walking the next day... slowly.
2006
Report from nighttime ride
Brief – please edit: Just returned home (3.30am). Ride was phenomenal! Weather was not too bad (dry around 60). Dance party before got us warmed up. Participants flooded out. I heard counts over 500 people! Most naked or almost naked, wearing paint and costumes. We rode for about 2.5 hours and made several loops around downtown etc. Club dwellers and street folk cheered all along the way. We got back to the party and danced in various states of undress until late. – Xor 10:36, 11 Jun 2006
Blog
Report: Naked Ride and Dance Party at BikePortland.org
Portland on board with two rides on 10 June 2006!
June 2006 announcement – please update for 2007:
Dance party at Disjecta (230 East Burnside Street) starting at 9pm. The nighttime ride meets at 11.59pm on top of the south-east side of the Burnside Bridge (right next to the Dance Party) and will ride downtown. Then we will return to the party for more dancing.
A secure clothing check will be provided at the Dance Party so that you do not have to worry about your belongings while you are on the ride. As always the ride is 'as naked as you want to be'. Also a body paint area will be set up. We will have members of the bike community circulating through out the Dance Party letting people know that it is not cool to take photos with cellphones or have any video recording equipment in the party.
Indoor bike parking will also be provided, so make sure you bring your lock.
There is also a daytime ride earlier on 10 June, for people not keen to freeze their kibbles off in the midnight air. It can also be thought of as an extra ride for those that think once is never enough. The daytime ride will meet at 2.30pm at the Joan of Arc Statue on Glisan and 39th.
2005
The 2005 ride and post-ride party maxed out the generous location donated by Free Geek. We had about 170 riders.
2004
In 2004 the organization City Repair hosted the event and had a healthy turnout.
Links
Website/s
- WNBR Portland wiki page (this page!)
- Shift2Bikes.org – Pedalpalooza info
Discussion group/s
None announced yet
