World Naked Bike Ride...Asheville!!!!!

asheville | environment | feature Sunday June 10, 2007 10:47 by Riotaccordion - The get shit done collective

In solidarity with countless other Naked Bike Rides across the world

FROM THE NEWSWIRE: It seemed as though it was an average Asheville afternoon; the birds were chirping, the tailgate market was the “going on”, and the French Broad food Coop was having an event that brought an interesting crowd. The spandex wearers in the crowd seemed to be congregating towards the store front and at 1:00PM it was on. Cheeky environmentalists threw off their clothes with the slogan “as bare as you dare”” and the Asheville naked bike ride began.

Around 30 cyclists and two runners were present to emphasize the damage that is caused by auto dependency. The ride consisted of various people differing widely in age, bodies, motivation, and of course levels of clothing.

The cyclists moved at a slow and steady pace. We obstructed traffic as a key point in an ongoing argument. Upon mentioning the ride to a friend, I asked “Whats the point?” When asked about what the Asheville naked bike ride meant, Hattie said “ to me, it is about the words indecent exposure, referring to emissions from fossil fuels and the irony that we can’t even look directly at the natural human body, or display it without that being a crime.” to Hattie it seems as though gender role dynamics are also a critical part of the meaning of the ride. “to me it’s also about inequality; some people can expose half their body while so many people can’t. To say that because a person identifies as a woman that they can’t display a part of themselves is ridiculous.”

Everyday we see an increasing number of stories revolving arround the climate chaos that is ensnaring the world via; melting ice caps, Antartica crumbling away, and local devastation caused by mountain top removal. We feel as though governments accross the world are only paying lip service to this catastrophe. In response people across the world felt the need to strip down and ride bikes. I mean...you know... “to make the point that we should not have to tolerate a life with roads, cities, and a planet dominated by the brutishness of cars that routinely foul the air we all breathe, destroy lives and impoverish the environment.” Duncan Blinkhorn.

Some would say we are celebrating our vulnerability as human being as well as showing our strength of feeling and solidarity. “We want to show everyone how defenceless we are on the roads”

In previoius naked rides turnout has been quited shoddy (usually their are more police than riders), but this one seemed to be a sweet success. So where were our little law enforcing buddies? Who really cares; fuck em. Seriously though the APD has been really ineffective as of late at protecting both the tourism industry, and you know enormously wealthy big business. Outside of procurring a tank where are our police officers? Maybe this is a marking of a new radical political climate here in WNC, I sure hope so. So keep having fun kiddos, and I see you next time.

xoxo,

RiotAccordion