Has it really been a whole year since last I was standing fully dressed "betwixt" all these naked cyclists? Where does the time go? The World's Naked Bike Ride took over the streets of London... as well as 70 other cites in 20 countries.  And me.... I of course had to be smack dab in the middle of the action. The beautiful warm sunny day in London brought out thousands of riders, almost equal in numbers to the fully dressed spectators, gawkers and unsuspecting London tourists. Throw into the mix one recreational blogger (me) who was teased all week-end about my annual repeat visit to this event (by the friends by the way who were with me that day AT THAT EVENT) and I think you are starting to get the full monty. 

There is no story that better reflects the saying that" a picture is worth a thousand words". So I will let the photos tell the story...with a little added colour commentary from moi. 

Chatted up these very nice German guys. Got to say that Germany seemed overly represented in numbers of riders. 

It shouldn't be surprising to anyone that this event was 98% men (not an official fact just what I gathered). However there were some women (although not in the b/g of this group...just look around). This girl was out to spread a message about having a positive body image which I thought she did beautifully.  

When I asked this woman what brought her out for this naked bike ride she laughed and said, "darling you only live once". Not sure about you but if I knew for certain I was only living once I think you would find me in Tuscany. 

This guy said (in his German accent) he was there to bring awareness to biker safety on the road. He told me he had been the victim of a biking accident where the driver didn't see him. I think the driver would have noticed him if he had been wearing that creepy mask. 

Another big cause represented aside from bike safety on the roads was cleaner air. Encouraging more people to cycling to work than take a car. The back of this blow-up doll had a sign reading, "more ass, less gas". True that. 

Now I did find it interesting that here most riders are promoting safe cycling yet almost no one was wearing a helmet.  Top Hat SURE, a totally British alternative head gear right for almost any occasion.

Oh wait...this guy is wearing a helmet...just noticed his helmet now. Haha.

And finally...a few photos about the spectators...those out there capturing the "moment" in the safety of their clothing. 

I thought this selfie of the fully dressed Japanese tourist was hysterical beside this lovely biker. 

Now I know that this event has "special" photo opportunities. But look where that guy is pointing his camera. 

And finally the most disturbing of all the photographers... even more so than the ones with the mondo mega-telephoto lenses. One middle-age woman with her Selfridges bag.  The list can go on for a long time of what is so very wrong me... but no one can ever say I don't know how to find a good sale on shoes. 

With very few helmets wearers I hope at the very least they were practising "safe sun" and using an industrial strength sunscreen. There are a lot of pasty white Londoners whose bits and pieces have not much seen the light of day. 

Until next year London. Cycle safely. You bet I'll be back...ridicule and all.