PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – It was a nude awakening Saturday night through inner Northeast Portland for the annual celebration of the World Naked Bike Ride.
Portland’s organizers for the annual, worldwide event announced this year’s starting point was Irving Park. Riders met at 7:30 p.m. and took off at sunset to bare themselves to the world (including all their neighbors). An official estimate on the number of riders was not available, but KOIN 6 News noted hundreds of au naturel cyclists.
As always, clothing was optional, but shoes and helmets were recommended. The exact route — as usual — was about the only thing kept under cover until shortly before the ride.
Portland’s participation in this event stretches back years, though the COVID pandemic curtailed it between 2020 and 2022.
Officially, the World Naked Bike Ride is designed to bring awareness to causes like bicyclist safety and pollution. Local organizers described it as a “lighthearted protest against dependency on oil.”
According to Portland’s World Naked Bike Ride webpage, the ride “highlights the vulnerability of cyclists everywhere and decries society’s dependence on pollution-based transport.”
Those unable to participate can still get involved by donating to the cause.
