The World Naked Bike Ride will be baring it all along the streets of Halifax for its fifth year on June 9. Tom MacDonald has been organizing the event for the last four years. He sees it as a way for cyclists to empower themselves by being a bold positive presence on the road.
"I feel very vulnerable as a cyclist," MacDonald says. "It's a similar feeling to biking with no clothes on, only not empowering because you feel like you have no clothes on, but you're the only one." MacDonald believes that strength in numbers is the only way to change the cycling climate in this city.
"I think the main thing is to do whatever you can to get more people biking." And the Naked Bike Ride will be doing just that. People are already asking MacDonald where they can find a bike to join the ride.
Though some folks will be fully nude, the policy is "bare as you dare" and the event will be kicking off at 2706 Fern Lane for some pre-ride body painting.
"Reactions range from sheer shock, to people stripping off their clothes and jumping on a bike and coming and joining us."