Biking in the Buff and the Cannabis Connection

June 3rd of this year was the 8th annual Bellingham World Naked Bike Ride—hundreds of cyclists parading through town in the buff to promote open-mindedness and acceptance of all people. Getting high tends to do that too. Happy to have found a connection, I went down to the body-painting pre-party at The Hub Community Bike Shop, to check out the scene.

Everyone was partially or completely naked. Young, old, people of all shapes and sizes—bikes everywhere. People painted each other with bright designs and messages promoting all kinds of environmental and social issues. I asked around to see what people thought cannabis might have to do with public nudity (if anything), and here’s what they had to say:

1. They both require and encourage you to just let yourself go. If you can’t do that, you won’t enjoy either experience; you’ll just get self conscious and start to feel like everyone is watching you.

2. They both make you hyper-aware of your body and what it’s doing. Being naked—or high—you feel like your subtle postures are on display, and you can’t help but notice what every little thing is doing.

3. They’re both excellent bonding activities. Go out naked in public with someone, and you’ll have a special connection for the rest of your lives. Get high with someone, and you might connect on deeper levels than either of you realized were there.

4. They both can take some getting used to. Not everyone feels totally comfortable streaking the crowd—or getting high (at first). But afterwards, you say “Wow, that was wild! Let’s do it again!” And we’re inspired to keep going.

5. They’re both illegal to do in public. But, because so many people enjoy it, every once in a while a bunch of brave souls travel from far and wide to get together and do it anyway. Just like Bellingham World Bike Naked Day, where public nudity is celebrated, we’ve got Hemp-fests and music festivals, where many people openly smoke in public.

So, what’s the point of all of this? I think the two work as metaphors for each other.

On one hand, getting high is just as natural as being naked, and it can strip away a lot of b.s. that we tend to fill our minds with.

And on the other hand, body image is a state of mind like being high, and your environment and the people you hang out with make all the difference in the world.

Are you new to cannabis? Shy about getting high? Here’s a suggestion: Try vaping. 2020 Solutions has a great selection of small vaping pens that offer a simple, discreet way to get high. Of course, you’ll want to pick a strain that suits you. Come talk with one of our bud-tenders and they’ll steer you in the right direction.