With good vibes and a lot of skin some 2,000 people participated in Chicago's edition of the World Naked Bike Ride on Saturday. The event -- a mashup of carnival, parade, dance party and protest -- snaked its way from the city's River West neighborhood through the tourist district, Viagra triangle, Lakeview and Wicker Park, drawing massive crowds of shocked and awed onlookers. Me and some 40 other volunteers rode clothed security for the event, working with the Chicago Police Department to keep riders safe. The purpose of the event was to spread the message of energy sustainability and to symbolically demonstrate how exposed cyclists can feel riding in the heavily trafficked streets of Chicago. A good time was had by most.
I am compelled to give a big shout out to Gabe Cohen (@Snowgoogles on Twitter) who did an excellent job of coordinating security, the National Lawyers Guild, who monitored the event (wearing suits despite the terrible heat), and the Chicago Police Department, who impressed everyone by not only helping cordon traffic, but did it with good humor, courtesy and professionalism.
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