Offbeat Travel Experiences
"Do you mind if I take a picture with you?", I asked a Chicago police officer as I approached her wearing nothing but a pair of bike shoes. She was more than happy to oblige. Normally, standing outside in the middle of downtown Chicago completely naked would quickly result in a trip to jail and a pretty massive fine. But not that night. That's because I had decided to join thousands of other people to participate in the World Naked Bike Ride, which is an annual event that's exactly what it sounds like: large groups of people riding bicycles through the streets of major cities around the world naked. The purpose of the ride is twofold: to send a message about having a positive body image and also to protest society's reliance on oil. In addition to cyclists, there are also runners, skateboarders, roller-skaters and people using a variety of other forms of transportation to complete the 14 mile course (the only rule is that your ...