World Naked Bike Ride - Part 70

 Portland, Oregon 2018

My friend Rick (see his blog Sicko Ricko's Crap) recently made a comment on my blog mentioning the World Naked Bike Ride in Portland, where Rick lives.  I realized that I've never featured the Portland WNBR.  So today, we're entering Portland.

These photos are from the 2018 WNBR in Portland.  Riders gathered in Cathedral Park under the impressive St Johns Bridge that spans the Willamette River.

More riders gathering in the park.

Another rider in the park.  Rick, I know you appreciate rear views, so I've included some for you.

Then the ride began.

The route went uphill, slowing the riders down.

Some local youths at the side of the road taking in the event.

Still going uphill.  Riding the bikes ...

became walking the bikes ...

which became a traffic jam going up the hill.  But they all made it.

We end with some good advice: keep calm and love a dog (note the doggy passenger on the bike).

Testicular Self-Check

 Testicular Cancer Awareness Month

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month.  Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer for men age 15 to 35, but the cure rate is excellent (98%) if it is detected early, which is the reason to do a monthly self-check.

On the 15th of every month, my friend Pat reminds the readers of his blog Big Whack Attack to check their balls. (And you'll find lots of other good stuff on his blog, too.)  Thanks, Pat!

But how exactly should you check your balls?

Unfortunately, the U.S. is so prudish about the naked body that public information on this subject doesn't actually show testicles.  For example, the illustration above is from the website of the Rio Grande Cancer Foundation, substituting a different kind of nuts in their photos.

Luckily, the British are not so prudish.  Above is part of a British YouTube video showing exactly how to do the self-check (it's easy, as you'll see).

April Fool's Day

April Fool's Day

In San Francisco, April 1 is the date of the annual St. Stupid's Day parade, sponsored by the First Church of the Last Laugh.  The event celebrates everything stupid.  People wear stupid costumes and carry stupid signs.  Being San Francisco, there are always a few naked guys.

Above, one of the naked participants in the 2009 parade, wearing a birthday cake hat, waits in Embarcadero Plaza where people gather for the parade to start.

Another 2009 participant is wearing body paint but nothing else.

This one has a pig nose.

This one is putting on a performance, swinging weights around.

The parade stops at six Stations of Stupid, a parody of the Catholic Stations of the Cross.  The first Station of Stupid is the Federal Reserve building, where parade goers bless the Fed by throwing away their losing lottery tickets (above).

Then parade-goers head for the next station (above).  The naked guy wearing a bowler hat is a regular, appearing in each annual St. Stupid's Day parade.

The second Station of Stupid, above, is the Tomb of Saint Stupid.  It's actually a utility door at an office building at 101 California Street.  Above, we see Bishop Joey (real name Ed Holmes) who founded the First Church of the Last Laugh.  He's at center, wearing his bishop's hat and banging on a drum.  Someone knocks on the door of the Tomb (the utility door below the bishop) to see if St. Stupid is there.  Of course nobody ever answers.  The bishop then says "I guess we missed him; he must be out to lunch."

The third Station of Stupid is the Mechanics Monument, above, which the bishop calls the Statue of the Bare Butt Mechanics (which it is).

Above, a bare butt parade participant seems to be wiping the ass of one of the bare butt mechanics.

At this station, the bishop asks the parade-goers to take a "leap of faith", i.e. everybody jumps up in the air a few inches.

The fourth Station of Stupid is the Sunken Plaza of Slack, a.k.a. One Bush Plaza, where parade-goers get to sit down and rest.

The fifth Station of Stupid is the former Pacific Stock Exchange building.  Parade-goers bring socks and throw them up in the air (above) – that's their sock exchange.

The last Station of Stupid is this modern sculpture in front of the former Bank of America building, which the bishop calls the Banker's Black Heart.  Parade-goers toss pennies at the Banker's Black Heart.

Then the parade is over until next year.