The Amazing, Inflatable Community Bike Joyride

Let's go for a joy ride. I'll bring the inflatable costumes and you bring your bike, don't forget your helmet! Together we can create a joy loop. As you ride, your costume fills with air, transforming you into a drop, bubble, bunny, or cat. You can't see yourself, but the world can, and they smile with wonder. It reminds you of the glee of your very first bike ride and suddenly you're free to play like a kid. Your morning commute, your downtown streets, your basic bike lane will never be the same after your Aeolian Ride. You smile back at the world.

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Aeolian Ride, the world's only inflatable bike ride, is an international, public participatory art project. I created the ride as an exploration in making the impossible possible via contagious joy using people power, bicycles as perfect machines, and wind energy. In 2004, the first 50 Aeolian Riders, inflating in white costumes, passed through lower Manhattan. The ride hoped to lift some of the dark residue remaining from the traumatic and senseless violence of September 11th, by creating a joyful and seemingly senseless act of art. Since then, the ride has inflated 23 times in 20 different cities around the globe.

Last year, before hurricane Sandy hit New York, I made the first kids' costumes from colorful recycled parachutes, reflecting the rainbow of the future as they cruised through Rockaway Beach. Rockaway is still rebuilding in so many ways. Aeolian Ride is taking part in the 2nd Annual Rockaway Waterfront Alliance Bike Parade, promoting positive energy and human powered transportation. If you're in New York, May 18 bring your bike and join us! The ride is free! The ride is free sign up online at www.aeolian-ride.info!

Can't make it to New York? Bring the ride to your home town. Email me at connect@aeolian-ride.info for more information.

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This post is part of the GOOD community's 50 Building Blocks of Citizenship—weekly steps to being an active, engaged global citizen. This week: Try Biking to Work. Follow along and join the conversation at good.is/citizenship and on Twitter at #goodcitizen.

Aeolian Ride was created by artist, Jessica Findley, and has enjoyed the support of people who love to play. See her more of her work at WWW.SONICRIBBON.COM