They went together for a trip. Their clothes are not.
Hundreds of costumed cyclists stripped down for a leisurely ride through some of Philadelphia’s main streets on Saturday during the 14th annual Philly Naked Bike Ride.
The attention-grabbing annual affair began in 2009 and reveals itself as an event to promote body positivity, cycling and fossil fuel reduction.
The event seems to encourage riders to go natural — and organizers stress there are no restrictions — with participants able to go “bare as they dare” for the roughly 13-mile ride.
The unhurried pilgrims often change from year to year, but typically bring riders on motorbikes for a quick ride past the city’s iconic landmarks.
The 14th annual Philly Naked Bike Ride hits the City of Sisterly Love on Saturday. Stefano Giovannini
This year’s route passes the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the steps were featured in the movie “Rocky”, City Hall; Rittenhouse Square, and the South Street entertainment district before finishing at Independence Hall.
“One of the goals of the Philly Naked Bike Ride is to desexualize nudity and encourage everyone to embrace nudity as a normal and fun way of life,” the event’s code of conduct reads.
“Following this policy will help further this goal and teach us all how to be better people in general.”
Although the name encourages nudity, participants can go “naked because they dare” for a journey of about 13 miles.Stefano Giovannini
Participants cycle past iconic Philadelphia locations before the 13-mile ride ends at Independence Hall.Stefano Giovannini
Many participants agreed, including Garry J. Gadikian, who like hundreds of other bikers, chose to adorn his exposed body with body paint and glitter.
“It’s a very liberating experience, and definitely something you have to do once in your life for that freedom,” said Gadikian, who hails from Atlantic City, NJ, during a pre-race meeting at Fairmount Park.
Other participants discovered the naked truth behind the event: Acceptance of their own bodies.
This year’s route passes the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the steps featured in the movie “Rocky”, City Hall, Rittenhouse Square and the South Street entertainment district before ending at Independence Hall.Stefano Giovannini
Participants are also allowed to use e-bikes, scooters, roller skates, skateboards and jogging. Stefano Giovannini
“It’s just being comfortable in your own body and it’s okay to look at other people as well, to compare or not compare or just see how other people feel comfortable in their own body,” said first-time rider Christopher Jordan of New York City.
Participants are not limited to bicycles.
Scooters, e-bikes, inline skates, roller skates, skateboards and joggers are welcome to display it all in the City of Sisterly Love. The only thing that is not allowed, the organizers say, is any physical or sexual harassment.
Many cyclists paint their bodies with encouraging or body positive phrases.Stefano Giovannini
Event coordinators are not planning an after party this year, but encourage bikers to support local bars and restaurants while in full dress if they want to celebrate after the event. AP
Before the run starts at 5pm Saturday, riders gather to paint their bodies — often writing body-positive words and coating themselves in glitter.
Unlike last year, event organizers did not hold an after-party because “capacity and nudity made it difficult,” organizers said on social media.
Instead, they recommend riders prepare and dress up before heading out to support local bars and restaurants.
The event starts at 5pm on Saturday, although motorcyclists gather a few hours earlier to paint their bodies. Stefano Giovannini
Although nudity is encouraged, shoes are recommended for safety reasons.
With Postal wire
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
