I just got back from the Dallas Ride of Silence, 2011. This is the Mother Ride, the Ride from which an international movement sprung, and while it was slightly smaller than previous years, it was still awesome. I estimate the number of riders higher than 1000 but less than 1500, I didn’t count, so sue me. it was still enough that while I was near the back of the ride I didn’t see the front except when the ride looped back to the right at Mockingbird and East Lawther at the north end of White Rock Lake. That’s still a lot of bicycles (and a few tricycles) on the road. We still had issues with speed at the back of the peloton as we went from 3 to over 20 MPH trying to stay with the lead group. The good news was that the idiot with the pickup truck throwing beer bottles at the ride stayed away from the lake this year. I’m not sure that he was actually free to come to the lake. With the idiots out of the way, the respect shown the ride was also awesome. Riders on the other direction stopped and removed their helmets while the ride passed. Cars pulled over in the opposite direction, and generally acted like the Ride was a funeral procession.
Being in the Ride is still one of the most moving experiences I have ever had. No voices, just bicycle noises and the sounds of the city for almost an hour, and then a Ghost Bike is walked from the back of the parking lot to the head of the Ride as a piper plays “Amazing Grace”. It still raises goosebumps even as many times as I have been there… The city of Dallas is still not supporting the Ride, as volunteers from DPD provided security on their own dime, and a parade permit was required for the event.
PSA, Opus
Witch on a Bicycle 