bikes, glitter and jiggly bits

Last  weekend's Brightonian frolicks also included the Brighton Naked Bike Ride. Yep, you heard me. Apparently it happened in London (believable) and Southampton (really?) as well. I think Brighton is the most suited place to do it though, after all it is the most hippyish liberal place in the UK - and I love it. I really don't want to leave it for London's calling now.

At midday at The Level, a bit of green just off Lewes road, a couple friends and I strolled down to watch and take photos (I know it sounds dodgy - but it was purely out of curiosity). I was expecting to see a meagre handful of naturalists attempting to ride bikes nekked in on a sunny and yet probably unpleasantly breezy day. Instead we saw close to 500 people at various levels of undress skanking, lolling about on the grass, smoking and singing along to a live 50's style jazz band (who subsequently stripped off as well). The Level was rife with bums, boobies, willys and vajay-jays - I felt like a prude for not stripping off myself, so to compensate I painted a nose and whiskers on my face - it made sense at the time.

There was also a moustachio's unicyclist who 1. amazingly managed to ride a unicycle 2. amazingly managed to ride a unicycle whilst staying pretty much in the same spot 3. amazingly manaeged to strip completely whilst on a unicycle whilst staying pretty much in the same spot 4. looked sexy whilst doing it. I was in awe and took plenty of photos of him.

The bicyclers then departed in a flurry of bikes, skin, paint, glitter and jiggly bits. I asked them why they were doing it and nobody gave me a straight answer. One person said that it was to demonstrate the vulnerability of bikers. One person said it was to promote bikes rather than cars. Another said it was to promote body image and break taboo. Yet another said that it was in protest against the BP oil spill. I really didn't care if everyone said they were doing it for fun - I would definitely have done it if I had a bike, or rollerskates, or a unicycle... I was even contemplating jogging alongside.

It wasn't even about being naked - some people were in shorts and a bikini top. It was more about community and celebrating mankind. I love Brighton - and there's always next year.

Images: own