Hundreds of buck naked or barely clothed bicyclists pedaled through the Bywater, Marigny and French Quarter neighborhoods Saturday evening, eliciting cheers of approval and laughter from curbside crowds that had gathered for the annual spectacle. The 13th annual ride was a triumphant comeback, after the coronavirus pandemic made the regular, large-scale version of the procession impossible in 2020.
Sebren V. Strother, founder of the New Orleans branch of the international phenomenon, predicted that “people have been locked up for too long, and want to get out and ride their bikes again, naked.” He was apparently right, as the size of this year’s event seemed to rival or surpass any in the past. And the 90-degree temperature and high humidity seemed to inspire the 2021 riders to be especially revealing.
“It’s something you don’t see every day,” said Ryan Earl, who watched the fleshy swarm of riders pass by while sitting on the curb of Decatur Street eating crawfish with his friend Luca Hignett-Lewis.
Both young men had recently relocated to New Orleans from Pittsburg, and Hignett-Lewis marveled that the wanton public nudity of Saturday’s bike ride wasn’t outlawed.
“It was a little bit shocking how naked people really were,” he said. But Hignett-Lewis said he realized the event must be officially permitted because the cyclists were accompanied by a police escort.
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Most onlookers seemed to approve of the fleshy frolic.
“It’s the human body,” said Wendy McKenzie of Diamondhead, Mississippi. “It’s almost like moving art.”
“It’s awesome and free-spirited,” said Nyla Robinson from Jackson Mississippi.
Margaret Lartigue, who has residences in both the French Quarter and Metairie, wasn’t quite as taken with the anatomical onslaught. “Well, I’ll tell you exactly what I think,” she said laughing. “You know that old saying, ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it?’ Well, they ain’t got it and they shouldn’t flaunt it.”
Margaret’s husband, C.W., was less critical. “We should give them points for their courage anyway,” he said.
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The purpose of the audacious bike ride is more than mere clothing-optional joie de vivre. It is meant to raise awareness of bicycle safety, with the nakedness of the riders emphasizing their vulnerability in traffic.
To that end, one rider had written the words “Don’t Kill Me,” on his bare torso. Another cyclist called out that “the Center for Disease Control wanted 6 feet, we just want three,” comparing COVID-19 social distancing guidelines with the amount of space automobile drivers are supposed to allow when passing bicyclists. Yet another rider had splattered his otherwise bare body with catchup, presumably symbolizing the blood of cyclists killed or injured on the road.
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About 50-60 cyclists pioneered the first New Orleans ride in 2009, but the event now draws possibly ten times that many. Last year, nude cyclists kept the spirit alive by riding in small groups on separate routes to abide by pandemic protocols.
