Solstice Cyclists - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Solstice Cyclists (also known as The Painted [Naked] Cyclists of the Solstice Parade, or The Painted Cyclists) is an artistic, non-political, clothing-optional bike ride

Clothing-optional bike rides

A clothing-optional bike ride is a cycling event in which nudity is permitted or expected. There are many clothing-optional cycling events around the world. Some rides are political, recreational, artistic or a unique combination...

celebrating the Summer Solstice

Midsummer

Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...

. It is the unofficial start of the Summer Solstice Parade & Pageant, an event produced by the Fremont Arts Council

Fremont Arts Council

The Fremont Arts Council is a community-run organization that supports arts and artists. The Council resides in the Fremont, Seattle, Washington, but its members are from throughout the city....

in the Fremont

Fremont, Seattle, Washington

Fremont is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Originally a separate city, it was annexed to Seattle in 1891. Named after Fremont, Nebraska, the hometown of two of its founders, L. H. Griffith and E...

district of Seattle.

The event was started by streakers

Streaking

Streaking is the act of running nude through a public place.-History:On 5 July 1799, a Friday evening at 7 o'clock, a naked man was arrested at the Mansion House, London, and sent to the Poultry Compter...

who crashed the parade. The first person to do so may have done so on a dare. Participants now emphasize bodypainting and other artistry. The group is the largest and fastest growing ensemble associated with the parade. The parade, put on by Fremont Arts Council, starts at noon on the third Saturday in June (the Saturday before or on the actual solstice); painted cyclists typically arrive at 11:45 a.m. and ride for a little over an hour.

Art bike

Art bike

An art bike is any bicycle modified for creative purposes while still being ridable. It is a type of kinetic sculpture. The degree of artistic creativity and originality or new functionality of art bikes varies greatly, depending on the artist or designer's intentions .-Examples:* The annual...

s are common and cycles include BMX bikes

BMX

Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...

, cycle rickshaw

Cycle rickshaw

The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport; it is also known by a variety of other names such as velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, becak, trisikad, or trishaw or, simply, rickshaw which also refers to auto rickshaws, and the, now uncommon, rickshaws pulled by a person on foot...

s, unicycle

Unicycle

A unicycle is a human-powered, single-track vehicle with one wheel. Unicycles resemble bicycles, but are less complex.-History:One theory of the advent of the unicycle stems from the popularity of the penny-farthing during the late 19th century...

s, clown bicycle

Clown bicycle

A clown bicycle or clown bike is a bicycle designed for comedic visual effect or stunt riding, typically by Circus clowns. It is sometimes called a circus bike.- Types of clown bike :*BMX bicycle...

s, tall bike

Tall bike

A tall bike is an unusually tall bicycle often constructed by hobbyists from spare parts. Typically, two conventional bicycle frames are connected, by welding, brazing, or other means, one atop the other...

s, lowrider bicycle

Lowrider bicycle

A lowrider bicycle is a highly customized bicycle with a long wheelbase and stylings inspired by lowrider cars. These bikes often feature a long, curved banana seat with a sissy bar and very tall upward-swept ape hanger handlebars...

s, tandem bicycle

Tandem bicycle

The tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement , not the number of riders. A bike with two riders side-by-side is called a sociable.-History:Patents related to tandem bicycles date from the late 19th...

s and tricycle

Tricycle

A tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school-age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. In the United States and Canada, adult-sized tricycles are used primarily by older persons for...

s. People come from all over the country to ride. Full and partial (especially topfree

Toplessness

Toplessness is the state in which a female's breasts are uncovered, with the areolae and nipples visible, usually in a public space. It can also refer to a female not wearing any clothing above the waist, which is the female equivalent to a male barechestedness.The history and even the present-day...

) nudity

Nudity

Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...

is popular, but not mandatory.

While cyclists open the parade

Parade

A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...

, they are not in the parade line-up (except in 2003 when they had a float). Parade rules say "any printed communications, written words, recognizable logos, signage, leaf-letting, or advertising in any form are prohibited on the parade route."

Recent events include a pre-ride bodypainting party, a party ride through the city, and the parade itself at noon.

Controversy

2001 and subsequent years were controversial for the naked cyclists, including references to them as "parade crashers". In 2001, police and organizers posted laws against indecent exposure to warn of possible prosecution. Organizers claimed cyclists were getting in the way of the event's artistic freedom. An editorial that day (May 17, 2001) in The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...

said: "They have stolen the spotlight on a parade that is supposed to be about art, not about being unclothed. Some Fremonters appear to resent that and do not want the nudists doing this. However, many welcome the cyclists. Neither of them want the cyclists wrestled to the pavement by police, spoiling the atmosphere of their parade."

1992

1992 was the first year cyclists are said to have appeared in the fourth annual Solstice Parade. Most likely these were streakers

Streaking

1993

In 1993 7-10 people in the Solstice Parade cycled naked, maybe three of whom were bodypainted. Reference to the second year of naked cyclists: "It could only happen in Fremont", said one of the coordinators, Barbara Luecke. "Only such a rich artistic community could shake off the staid reserve from nearby Ballard to let loose with such creative energy and fun. ... Buck-naked cyclists who streaked the parade for the second year may have crossed the boundary of good taste (would that be Leary Way Northwest?). But one, at least, was wearing a helmet (proof that people in Seattle can get wild, but not too wild)."

1995

Eight naked men were reported to have cycled through the parade: "All the nudes: Overheard at the Fremont Solstice Parade on Saturday was a woman spectator commenting: "Oh, no. Not eight naked men on bicycles. I hate naked men on bicycles."
A separate article a week before the parade referred to previous years with naked cyclists.

1997

A cyclists was reported to have hit a child, resulting in the Fremont Arts Council asking police to be present in 1998.

"Per tradition, there also were naked bicycle riders. They zoomed by so quickly it was hard to tell, um, the type of bike they were riding. 'I wish they had sort of stopped and waved,' said Blue Hesik Lan."

1998

One of the ride's organizers became involved in the ride for the first time, the only one bodypainted in a group of about six. Two 28-year old naked cyclists were arrested because, according to police, they "cut into the marching order" of the parade. Four police were involved. The city did not file charges because, according to the prosecuting office: "in order to prove indecent exposure

Indecent exposure

Indecent exposure is the deliberate exposure in public or in view of the general public by a person of a portion or portions of his or her body, in circumstances where the exposure is contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behavior. Indecent exposure laws vary in different...

, it's necessary to show the person's intent was to be obscene and cause alarm." Also of note is the sightings of nude cyclists in the Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington

Capitol Hill is the most densely populated residential district in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the center of the city's gay and counterculture communities, and is one of the city's most prominent nightlife and entertainment districts....

neighborhood this year.

"Crowds booed when last year's naked riders were arrested and handcuffed."

"Bicyclists riding au naturel is nothing new to the quirky parade, which is known for participants in outlandish and sometimes risque costumes. But police say yesterday's arrests were made primarily for safety: The nude bicyclists typically dash quickly in and out of the parade audience."

"So, why is the only focus on the nude bikers? They were only a part of the parade for a few minutes. I did not see them."

1999

In the eighth year, a second-time rider hosted a bodypainting party at her Wallingford residence in response to SPD's actions of 1998 and friction between the Fremont Arts Council and Mark Sidran/City of Seattle. Twenty-odd friends gathered to get painted and ride together to the parade, including a woman who wore a 3-buttcheek bodysuit costume rather than paint. Members of the Fremont Arts Council launched a spoof of the naked bicyclists as well. Wearing flesh-colored bodysuits with exaggerated body parts sewn on, they cycled down the parade route while two bicyclists pretending to be police officers gave chase. When the truly naked cyclists showed up, they blended right in with their Fremont Arts Council bodysuit imposters.

"And, of course, there were the infamous and crowd-pleasing nude bikers, a regular attraction eagerly awaited by the parade watchers. ... 'This is not authorized by the organizers,' said Steve Lynch, one of the volunteers responsible for safety and order during the event. 'But it's just for fun, so no interventions.'"

"Here in the self-anointed center of the universe, where the Waiting for the Interurban sculptures wear more clothing than the nude cyclists who grace the annual Solstice Parade, high-tech is moving in."

"Meanwhile, Hadrann says the scent of rebellion is in the air in Fremont - or maybe it's just another rumor. 'Some people in the community are going to get nude if he (Sidran) starts arresting the cyclists,' he says. ... 'First, there was 50, now there's like 100 people. . . . Who knows what kind of chain reaction this is going to bring.'" This article also includes Seattle Police Department Lt. Mark Kuehn's suggestions for safety for nude cyclists such as: "Refrain from trying out saddles in the nude, for obvious sanitary reasons. Hadrann suggests shoppers take along a few pairs of Chinese disposable underwear (made of paper) for saddle-buying expeditions."

"The council decided this week against posting 'no nudity' signs for the neighborhood's arts parade, where two men were arrested for naked bike riding last year. Police had asked that the signs be posted for this year's parade, set for Saturday. ...Council President Bradley Erhlich said the public nudity might be a form of artistic expression. ... 'If it is art, then the Arts Council should support them,' Erhlich said. ... Crowds booed when last year's naked riders were arrested and handcuffed."

2000

In the nude cyclists' ninth year, bodypainting artist Steven Bradford joined the bodypainting team and assisted in transforming 4 women into Fire, Earth, Air, and Water at the painting party at Fire's home.

2001

In 2001, according to The Seattle Times, there were 50 cyclists, mostly in bodypaint. To the amusement of many, this year an artist had a painting in the parade showing a naked female bicyclist next to a baton-wielding police officer. The pose itself could have either shown the apprehension or the cop gleefully stopping for a picture next to the bicyclist. The panel was put on a small platform on wheels and parade goers were invited to have their pictures taken with their heads poking out of the holes of the naked bicyclists and the officer.

In 2001, the city threatened to withdraw the event permit for the Fremont Arts Council because of the nudity. Signs were actually made warning naked cyclists that they may be subject to arrest. The city ended up backing off before the event day. Fremont Arts Council parade organizers urged riders to participate within the artistic spirit of the event. Many locals were very upset that the city would threaten to arrest one of the parade's most popular and creative ensembles. The blowback effect, as predicted by Seattle City Council

Seattle City Council

The Seattle City Council is committed to ensuring that Seattle, Washington, is safe, livable and sustainable. Nine Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections and represent the entire city, elected by all Seattle voters....

Chair Nick Licata

Nick Licata

Nick Licata is a past president of the Seattle City Council and is currently serving his fourth term on the Council. He has chaired numerous committees, including Parks, Public Safety, Human Services, Housing, Arts and Culture. His aides Newell Aldrich, Lisa Herbold, and Frank Video have worked...

, ended up being more publicity and popularity for the cyclists which, in turn, led to more cyclists wanting to join the ensemble.

In efforts to combat this effect, the Seattle City Council was invited by the Fremont Arts Council to participate in the parade. Nick Licata was the only one who agreed and ended up cycling through as the "un-naked cyclist". After jeers of "Take your clothes off" he was met by a parade monitor who told him to get off the parade route, stating "Yeh? We still don't have bike riding in the parade. If one person rides then others will and then the whole parade will have bikes riding all over the place." Licata later lamented in a Seattle Times article, "I was waving to the photographer - smack in the middle of a pack of painted, naked bicyclists."

"There was no better illustration of the fair's quirkiness than in its parade - with its wild costumes, floats and giant puppets - and nude bicyclists, which led to a flap over the permit for this year's parade. ... Before the city issued this year's parade permit, police said they have gotten numerous complaints about the nude cyclists every year. They asked the Fremont Arts Council to post signs along the parade route warning cyclists, who are not a sanctioned part of the parade, about laws against indecent exposure. The council said no, even though members discouraged the nudity. ... In 1998, two bikers in the buff were arrested. None were arrested this year."

2002

"What solstice is complete without nude cyclists? To get your annual fix, see the Fremont Summer Solstice Parade and Fair on Saturday and Sunday."

"As has been the tradition, a number of unauthorized naked bicycle riders start the parade. Last year there were 50 — most in body paint."

2003

2003 marked the twelfth year of naked cyclists taking part in the Solstice Parade. The parade took place on June 21, 2003. Numbers quadrupled from previous years to between 75 and 80 riders. An internet discussion forum was established for the first time. The bodypainting party took place at the host's house in the Ravenna

Ravenna, Seattle, Washington

Ravenna is a neighborhood in northeastern Seattle, Washington named after Ravenna, Italy. Though Ravenna is considered a residential neighborhood, it also is home to several businesses such as the University Village Shopping Center...

neighborhood, with a photo shoot at Cowen Park. The procession then began south through the University District

University District, Seattle, Washington

The University District is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, so named because the main campus of the University of Washington is located there. The UW moved in two years after the area was annexed to Seattle, while much of the area was still clear cut forest or stump farmland...

on Roosevelt and then on 45th through Wallingford

Wallingford, Seattle, Washington

Wallingford is a neighborhood in north central Seattle, Washington, named after John Noble Wallingford . The QFC supermarket at the corner of N 45th Street and Wallingford Avenue N may be regarded as the center of the neighborhood; its large WALLINGFORD neon sign is made in part from letters in the...

to Phinney Ridge

Phinney Ridge, Seattle, Washington

Phinney Ridge is a neighborhood in north central Seattle, Washington, USA. It is named after the ridge which runs north and south, separating Ballard from Green Lake, from approximately N. 45th to N. 85th Street. The ridge, in turn, is named after Guy C. Phinney, lumber mill owner and real estate...

. This is also the first year that the cyclists were officially part of the parade with their Helios

Helios

Helios was the personification of the Sun in Greek mythology. Homer often calls him simply Titan or Hyperion, while Hesiod and the Homeric Hymn separate him as a son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia or Euryphaessa and brother of the goddesses Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn...

-themed float, which several cyclists (partially dressed) climbed aboard after they cycled through the parade. The float featured wispy clouds and gold-painted "chariot" exercise bikes to evoke a sense of pulling the sun through the summer. Ironically, toward the end of the parade, and despite all the "Happy Solstice" chants, the sky clouded over and it began to rain. Two digital video

Digital video

Digital video is a type of digital recording system that works by using a digital rather than an analog video signal.The terms camera, video camera, and camcorder are used interchangeably in this article.- History :...

films were produced from footage of this year's event. One is called Naked & Painted: The Fremont Solstice Riders 2003 and is sold to friends and future potential riders with proceeds going to a local charity. The other video was called Solstice: A Celebration of the Art of Bodypainting produced by James W. Taylor/Circle Rock Productions and premiered at Naked Freedom Film Festival http://www.bodyfreedom.org/nfff/, held at the Seattle Art Museum

Seattle Art Museum

The Seattle Art Museum is an art museum located in Seattle, Washington, USA. It maintains three major facilities: its main museum in downtown Seattle; the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill, and the Olympic Sculpture Park on the central Seattle waterfront, which opened on...

on May 15, 2004. Unusually cool weather this year resulting in a number of weather-themed paint jobs.

Also in 2003, much publicity was focused on David Zaitzeff's determination to walk naked through the Solstice Parade. Zaitzeff sued Seattle police Chief Gil Kerlikowske in a federal lawsuit because he "desires to go nude at the Fremont Solstice Parade without fear of unjust arrest". U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik said that because Zaitzeff had not been arrested for indecent exposure

Indecent exposure

, the court couldn't make a prospective ruling on the matter.

Much later in the year there was a suggestion to have the group become part of a larger international naked bike ride, later known as the World Naked Bike Ride

World Naked Bike Ride

World Naked Bike Ride is an international clothing-optional bike ride in which participants plan, meet and ride together en masse on human-powered transport , to "deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world."The dress code motto is "Bare as you dare"...

(WNBR). The idea was unpopular because the Solstice Parade, unlike WNBR, is a non-political arts event. Secondary reasons for not liking the idea included that WNBR would not be as spontaneous of an event and some may not be as inclined to participate in an artistic way.

2004

The parade took place on June 19, 2004. About 116 cyclists participated, setting a new record. The main group started to ride from the pre-parade bodypainting party at the old Segway building in Ballard

Ballard, Seattle, Washington

Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...

. (The building was later demolished to make way for Ballard Civic Center Park.) The ride proceeded down NW Market Street to Leary Way to the parade. The cyclists did not have a float in the parade in 2004, but there were more elaborate art installations on bikes. 2004 also marked the beginning of the Synchronised Cycling Drill Team within the group. The year's theme was Noah's Ark animals. One of the cyclists provided rides to children along the parade route in her cycle rickshaw

Cycle rickshaw

.

A week prior to the event, on June 12, was the first annual World Naked Bike Ride Seattle

World Naked Bike Ride Seattle

World Naked Bike Ride Seattle is an umbrella reference for Seattle's collection of local World Naked Bike Ride-affiliated events including WNBR Downtown Seattle , the permaculture-oriented Gardens Everywhere Bike Parade, WNBR Seattle Night Rides, WNBR West Seattle, Seafair Cyclists and Hemp Ride...

event and was the first time a major naked cycling event has crossed the channel into downtown Seattle. This ride featured a pre-ride bodypainting party at Gas Works Park

Gas Works Park

Gas Works Park in Seattle, Washington is a 19.1 acre public park on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant, located on the north shore of Lake Union at the south end of the Wallingford neighborhood. Gas Works park contains remnants of the sole remaining coal...

, where the end of the painted cyclists ride traditionally took place.

2005

The parade took place on June 18, 2005. Approximately 138 cyclists leave bodypainting party on the south side of the Lake Washington Ship Canal

Lake Washington Ship Canal

The Lake Washington Ship Canal, which runs through the City of Seattle, Washington, connects the fresh water body of Lake Washington with the salt water inland sea of Puget Sound. The Ship Canal includes a series of locks, modeled after the Panama Canal, to accommodate the different water levels...

, and once joined by those waiting at the parade, the numbers probably grew to around 160 cyclists. Part of the ride included going down the Ballard Bridge on 15th Avenue and turning again on NW Market Street. About five cyclists broke off from the group after the end of the parade ride and rode around Green Lake

Green Lake (Seattle)

Green Lake is a freshwater lake in north central Seattle, Washington, USA, within Green Lake Park. The park is surrounded by the Green Lake neighborhood to the north and east, the Wallingford neighborhood to the south, the Phinney Ridge neighborhood to the west, and Woodland Park to the southwest...

and came back to Fremont.

One of the big controversies in 2005 was the Fremont Arts Council excluding People Undergoing Real Experiences (PURE) (now known as Pure cirkus) from dressing "up as pirates with two people suspended on a pirate ship float from hooks in their skin" as they go through the parade. Much of the media noted that while the naked cyclists are tolerated and widely popular, this has become the new controversial area for the council.

A week later, a third painted ride, called the Body Pride Ride, was started by one of the painted cyclists, and took place for the first time in the Seattle Gay Pride Parade on Capitol Hill. A WNBR mini-ride in September marked 2005 as a record-setting year not only for the number of painted cyclists participating, but also for doubling the number of painted naked rides in Seattle to a total of four.

"If bike riders rode nude in a Los Angeles summer solstice celebration, the LAPD

Los Angeles Police Department

The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...

would shoot them dead, after a 'slow speed' chase televised on all 28 local channels."

"Really, that's just the crazy naked bicyclists who precede the parade every year. They get all the press, all the hype, all the lasting impressions. People who work on the parade openly despise them. ... The nude bikers take away from all the legitimate art that volunteers spend countless hours creating. With one exhibitional blow, months of hard work by solstice parade artists is knocked from our collective conscious."

2006

The 18th Annual Summer Solstice Parade & Pageant, on June 17, 2006, marked the 15th year that naked cyclists have participated in the parade. On March 27, 2006, the Painted Cyclists went public with a public portal website: The Painted Cyclists. KUOW-FM

KUOW-FM

KUOW-FM 94.9 is a National Public Radio affiliate radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is a top-ranked radio station in the Seattle/Tacoma media market...

in Seattle did an interview for their program called Weekday with the cyclists at the Ballard neighborhood where the bodypainting party was taking place, taking up at least three residential lots. The interview was reportedly about cycling safety in Seattle. This is confirmed by several cyclists and pictures taken at the bodypainting party. The segment aired on June 22, 2006.

2007

The 19th Annual Solstice Parade took place on June 16, 2007, marking the sixteenth consecutive year the painted cyclists have ridden in the parade. 267 cyclists took to the streets at 11:45 a.m. with little or no confrontation, legal or otherwise. The annual painting party took place at a nearby residence on NW 48th Street in Ballard. For the first time, a video presented by a painted inline skater was shot at the painting party and posted to the website of The Stranger

The Stranger (newspaper)

The Stranger is an alternative weekly newspaper in Seattle, Washington, USA. It runs a blog known as Slog.-History:The Stranger was founded by Tim Keck, who had previously co-founded the satirical newspaper The Onion, and cartoonist James Sturm. Its first issue came out on September 23, 1991...

newspaper.

2008

The 20th Annual Solstice Parade took place on June 21, 2008, marking the 17th consecutive year that the painted cyclists have accompanied. Slightly fewer cyclists than in previous years rode, and tension between both the Seattle police and the Fremont Arts Council

Fremont Arts Council

The Fremont Arts Council is a community-run organization that supports arts and artists. The Council resides in the Fremont, Seattle, Washington, but its members are from throughout the city....

was minimal. The painting party took place this time in Belltown, meaning the cyclists had to ride a full three miles through the Seattle neighborhood of Queen Anne to get to Fremont. Painting parties were also going on independently of the main party downtown, so riders had to coordinate meeting up at a common location before entering the parade. After making a surprise entrance by entering through the crowd at the middle of the parade route, on Fremont Avenue (which had never been done before), riders were initially rerouted because of the timing of the permits. They later reentered the parade route closer to the traditional starting point and proceeded through the parade, ending the ride at Gas Works Park.

2009

The 21st Annual Solstice Parade took place on June 20, 2009, marking the 18th consecutive year of the painted cyclists. The painting party took place at Hale's Ales in Ballard

Ballard, Seattle

, and attracted an estimated 430 cyclists, plus painters. After riding through Ballard and watching their numbers swell as riders from independent paint parties joined the group, the riders traversed the parade route in Fremont, ending once again at Gas Works Park. Media coverage included an article and video by the Seattle P-I

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...

. Ensembles included the "Stimulus Package" group, appropriate for a year of controversial economic bailouts.

2010

The 22nd Annual Solstice Parade took place on Saturday, June 19, 2010, marking the nineteenth consecutive year of the painted (and some not-so-painted) solstice cyclists. The painting party again took place at Hale's Ales

Hale's Ales

-History:It was founded by Mike Hale in 1983. The first batch was brewed in a Colville, Washington apartment before the brewery opened in a local warehouse. Its second brewery opened four years later in Kirkland, Washington. The Colville brewery moved to Spokane, Washington, in 1992, and the...

in Ballard

Ballard, Seattle

, and attracted hundreds of cyclists, plus painters. Then they jumped on their bikes and headed to Ballard for a warm-up ride in the relatively chilly mid-50s air, surprising unsuspecting drivers and whooping it up down Market Street before returning for the noon start of the parade, where the riders completed the parade route in Fremont. An optional repeat loop-back plan through part of the route was added in 2010, designed to extend the experience for both the riders who opted for it as well as the crowd lining the streets, with a side benefit of minimizing any time gap between the end of the cyclists and the start of the parade proper. That plan met with some confusion due to communication issues with parade officials, and therefore mixed results, but riders vowed to remedy that in 2011. The cyclists ended at the now-traditional clothing-optional "victory celebration" at and around Kite Hill in Gas Works Park

Gas Works Park

2011

The parade took place on June 18, the day before Fathers Day. The skies were overcast and the temperature was in the mid-50s with intermittent misty light rain—for the second year in a row, the third Saturday in June was unseasonably cool. But that did not deter the 600+ riders nor curb their enthusiasm. For many, the day started at the old Ballard Library building, which had been rented as the central location for body painting. Earlier in the week, plastic had been laid on the floor and taped into one big surface, then tables set out to delineate separate painting areas. Aisles were painted on the floor in orange with "Keep Clear" to keep the fire marshal happy and facilitate movement around the area; bumping into someone covered in paint leaves a mark. In the northwest corner was the film crew for Beyond Naked, a documentary about four first time riders.

The parade riders gathered in the parking lot next to the library awaiting the go-ahead for the trip through Ballard

Ballard, Seattle, Washington

. Most participants shivered in the cold while logistics were confirmed. Then, off through Ballard, to the amazement of unsuspecting pedestrians, many whooping and hollering encouragement. From there the parade snaked through Fremont in a circuitous route, getting longer at each pass, until it finally ended at Gas Works Park

Gas Works Park

.

"Is it just us or were there more naked bike riders at this year's Solstice Parade than usual? What's usually a trickle of riders was, this year, a titillating torrent - too much for the police to attempt a crackdown. To all those who stripped down, despite the wintery downpour, we salute you." Actually the police did better this year, after two officers oppressively stood watch even on Kite Hill for a time in 2010, of course without incident. This year they were sparse and rightfully seemed mostly concerned with traffic issues.

External links

Solstice Cyclists coverage Media and press coverage at Naked Wikia.
SolsticeCyclist.org Official site
Pmatt's 2007 Solstice Cyclist Photos Many high resolution and well-shot photos of the 2007 nude cyclists, as well as the rest of the parade.

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Controversy

1992

1993

1995

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

See also

External links