There are a lot of things that I could write about the Blogger’s Bash…and doubtless many will be writing about it for some time to come, but if I were to choose the one, overriding image of the day, it could only be the naked people.
Granted, the ones we actually met were not quite as naked as those we passed outside Buckingham Palace. It was an unexpected sight in central London… hordes of them, all riding bikes…and the police did not appear to mind! Although thankfully, the day was gloriously warm, it made no sense whatsoever. It was not until a bit of judicious Googling revealed that this was the annual Naked Bike Ride, an environmental protest against the car-based culture of our world, that it all fell into place. The ride is a community event that promotes human-powered modes of transport, as well as a body-positive image…and very effectively raises awareness of the cyclists on our roads.
The people we had come to meet, though also a community, were fully clothed… but in many ways, just as naked. From the moment you walked through the door, you were greeted with smiles and buried in hugs. You knew you were amongst friends… even though many of those present had never met each other before in person. There was a genuine excitement at meeting old friends and finally meeting people with whom you have only spoken online… and no sense whatsoever of the awkwardness that often attends first encounters.
It is quite odd, in some respects, when you consider that most of those present were writers, of whom the stereotype is that of the introvert… you would not have thought so for one minute, as everyone launched straight into getting better acquainted and simply opened their arms and let people in. The barriers were down.
I find that beautiful.
Continue reading at The Silent Eye.
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
I loved meeting everyone and you are right I was exposed not hiding behind my virtual curtain people met me and not just my writing … scary. Everyone came together like friends from school as if the met years before. And like the naked riders probably do this morning I wish the overweight gurning person going by my name had not taken my place in the photographs! Who is she? #eatingplanrequired great post Sue.
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Likewise, Ellen, the day had a lovely feel. The camera lens always seems to add all the years and pounds on to me that it takes off others… or that’s my excuse 😀
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If only we could see people’s goodness first. Hell I’d be a super model. .. by the way you’d be an angel. 😇
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Ah…so the wild hair managed to cover the horns, then? 😀
I agree, Ellen…seeing people rather than face and form changes the way we see the world entirely.
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*whispers* my horns were in my bag 😈
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I meant mine 😉
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Great minds and all that.
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Heh 😀
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If we were just all naked! Not pride. No pedestal. Just bare. How cool would that be!
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It would, Bethany, though for some of us, clothing is more of an aesthetic necessity 😉
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I am currently requiring some clothing that is for sure! But metaphorically speaking I wish we could all just be a bunch of bare butts out there in the world.
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Yes, so do I, Bethany.
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Shameful. If we were meant to be naturists, we would have been born naked!
Hang on a minute…
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😀
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Was so good to meet you finally Sue!
And as for those bike riders… I’m sure Suzanne Elliott said her Bloke dawvthem last year … are the committee choosing this date for a particular reason???
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Makes you wonder… 😉
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Indeed it does 😉
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Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
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Thanks, Jaye x
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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A hug is great at breaking barriers, mind you it helps when the people are as special as you lot.. i don’t know why I let you go without me.
xxx Hugs Galore xxx
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It would have been lovely to see you there, David.. you’d have been in your element 🙂 xxx
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I have lots of thoughts on this one (not all of which were your intent, I’m sure).
I wonder, regarding the Naked Bike Ride, if there arose a certain mindset of judgment (whether outwardly or merely inwardly) against those who chose to join the Ride without having been fully unclothed.
My “comfort zone” is a pretty wide area by most people’s standards. I found myself wondering, if it were legal and I wouldn’t get arrested, if I’d go “full monty” in joining such an event. While I love community and certainly believe in the causes represented, I also have a side that is nonconformist. And even nonconformity can require conformity of a sort, in that all of those doing the less acceptable thing are agreeing on how it should be done. I don’t know which side of me would win out. (However, it does not seem to be an imminent question I’ll need to answer, since no such Ride takes place in my area, nor could by current law.)
The writing community you describe does sound fun. I’ve looked for such groups in my area — in quite a radius actually — but to date, I have not found many in existence (surprising for the Boston area); and those I did happen across were not quite so welcoming, even just in getting through the door. The few I did find seemed to be made up of a handful of regulars who fear that the addition of another person would somehow diminish their own spot in the sun.
Fortunately, I have a few writer friends who are good company. And, of course, I’ve come into a wonderful company of writers online, present company included!
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I think a naked bike ride is a great thing. If everyone’s naked, there’s no barrier between people. It’s amazing to see people embrace their body.
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I don’t know. I am very shy. I think it would be very uncomfortable riding on a bicycle with no padding of clothing underneath. (blush) Also, all those bosoms bouncing up and down (blush) and also the men (blush) wiggling, jiggling, between their legs and what about the hygienics of the entire group? But this was done for a good cause, after all. 🙂
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It was, and while I applaud the cause, the health and safety aspects of naked bike riding did make me cringe a little 😉
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Sue, me too. I will try to do the Mirror writeprompt but I have been working on getting this new book on Amazon. I need your email to send you a Kindle or a paperback of my new book, your choice for The Captain’s Witch and I am just giving it to a couple of people who asked to promote it- no book review involved because Amazon is very strict about that. No friends allowed to review. Karen Anna 🙂
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No worries if you are busy, Karen.
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