PHOTO BY ROB SYDOR | DIGITALLATTE.COM
NEWS BRIEFS
LESS GAS, MORE ASS
About 60 bicyclists rolled through downtown Eugene Saturday afternoon,
June 11, protesting America’s consumer culture and addiction to foreign oil,
while also touting the bicycle as an efficient and ecologically friendly means of
transportation.
The catch? Most were butt-naked, or nearly so, and some wore body paint
instead of clothing, or as supplemental attire. Police were present, but no arrests
were reported.
“It’s a grassroots environmental protest to call attention to our addiction to
fossil fuels,” said Ralph Forrest-Ball, who organized the event. “Our addiction to
foreign oil forces us to make bad foreign policy decisions.”
The Eugene ride was part of the World Naked Bike Ride, an international
protest against fossil fuels that started in Spain back in 2001. Some cities have
huge rides; last year an estimated 13,000 nude or nearly nude bicyclists clogged
the streets of Portland for an entire day.
Rallying to cries of “Less gas, more ass,” and “We’re protesting our indecent
exposure to cars,” the naked and near-naked nature-loving nonconformists rode
from Skinner Butte Park through downtown Eugene, drawing plenty of stares
and honks along the way.
The ride isn’t all about protesting fossil fuels though, said Forrest-Ball.
“The Naked Bike Ride is also designed to make people feel better about
their bodies,” he said. “We’re constantly being told that the way you are is not
good enough.”
“Being a nudist is kind of like being a non-smoker,” he added. “When people
ask you how long you’ve been a non-smoker, you can’t answer. It’s the same for
being a nudist. I’ve always felt that clothes were sort of unnecessary.”
Forrest-Ball hopes to see the ride grow in the future, urging people to
volunteer for next year’s ride.
“This year things went pretty smoothly,” he said. But “it would be nice to
have more backup. I would hope that next year would have more volunteers.”
For more information on the World Naked Bike Ride, visit the organization’s
website at www.worldnakedbikeride.org To volunteer at next year’s ride, email
Forrest-Ball at tiedyeguy@gmail.com — Nils Holst
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