Bicycle Day is fast approaching. And while we don’t think it’ll ever take off like Thanksgiving, the popularity of the event is growing by the year. However, it remains a day that’s lost on a lot of people while many others have the completely wrong idea of what the celebration is all about. (Hint: it’s not the obvious answer)
The event has grown at a rapid rate and is set to be bigger than ever in 2020 before enjoying continued development over the years to come. While some people may deem it a strange thing to commemorate, especially when they discover it’s not what they thought, there is no question that it’s here to stay. In truth, it has every right to too.
Just don’t try saying that tongue twister on Bicycle Day.
Learn about Bicycle Day
Given its name, you’d be forgiven for jumping to the conclusion that Bicycle Day is a celebration of the two-wheeled, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle. However, the adulation of the bike is actually reserved for World Bicycle Day – so you can put your helmet and Queen record away for a little while longer.
Bicycle Day is, incredibly, a celebration of the lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Or rather, it commemorates a discovery that LSD (and, subsequently, other psychoactive substances) can evoke significant shifts of consciousness even in low doses. It is, therefore, one of the biggest breakthroughs in the history of using the substance as a psychiatric tool, recreationally as well as in other situations.
The day is consequently celebrated in a wide range of psychedelic communities by supporters of various ages, as well as individuals (guilty!) of wanting another excuse for adding a little color to their lives – albeit in a much safer environment.
Given the importance of scientific discovery, not least its indirect impacts on further discoveries, Bicycle Day is a valid celebration that can be enjoyed by all. You don’t need to be a junkie to appreciate the development of drugs for medical reasons in recent decades. So, when exactly did that discovery take place, and how did the day become a day to be honored? Let’s find out.
History of Bicycle Day
While the day isn’t a direct celebration of bicycles, most people that learn about the day are relieved to discover that the two-world vehicles do play an integral role in the story. Even for an LSD user, the absence of a bike would just be weird.
The Famous Bike Trip
The historical event was, quite literally, a bike ‘trip’ taken by Dr. Albert Hofmann. In April 1945, the Swiss scientist accidentally discovered the effects of LSD on the human body. Three days later, he subsequently conducted an experiment in which he intentionally took a 250mcg dose of the substance before riding home with his lab assistant. During the ride home, Hofmann’s trip started with bouts of anxiety and paranoid warped thoughts that his next-door neighbor was a malevolent witch.
However, the trip would change his perceptions in a more positive manner. He later explained: “little by little I could begin to enjoy the unprecedented colors and plays of shapes that persisted behind my closed eyes. Kaleidoscopic, fantastic images surged in on me, alternating, variegated, opening and then closing themselves in circles and spirals, exploding in colored fountains, rearranging and hybridizing themselves in constant flux.”
Having been checked over by a house doctor, it was confirmed that (aside from dilated pupils) no physical alterations could be detected, thus confirming the impacts had been entirely psychological. While Hofmann had correctly predicted this after his previous encounter three days earlier, his calculations on the threshold were wildly inaccurate. That 250mg hit was over 10x the 20mg threshold dose, which probably explains why the impacts were so quick and noticeable.
It clearly didn’t do him much harm in the long-term, though, as he lived to the age of 102!
The Development of Bicycle Day
While Hofmann’s famous bike trip happened in 1945, Bicycle Day didn’t launch for another four decades! That’s one very long comedown…
The first Bicycle Day was organized and celebrated by Thomas B. Roberts, a Professor at Northern Illinois University, starting out as nothing more than a party at his DeKalb, Illinois home. Despite remaining a small scale event over the following years, it grew in popularity at a rapid rate in the early years of online interactions thanks to students spreading the word on forums and other internet platforms.
It is now an annual event that has been amplified to greater levels than ever before, with thousands celebrating it in their own ways. Even more, people are expected to join the fun year after year.
thanks, Michele, Picture Coordinator
JOKE OF THE DAY
he's loves checking out her new flowers
WORD OF THE DAY
turquoise
MEANING:noun:
1. A blue, bluish-green, or greenish-gray semi-precious stone.
2. A bluish-green color.
ETYMOLOGY:Named after Turkey. The gemstone was called turquoise because either it was discovered in Turkey or transported to Europe via Turkey. Earliest documented use: 1398.
NOTES:Is it bluish-green or greenish-blue? Grue (green + blue) or bleen (blue + green)? Some languages solve this debate by using the same word for blue and green.
The bird turkey suffered the same fate as the gemstone turquoise. It was called turkey because Europeans believed it came from Turkey. No other animal has as confusing a name as this poor bird. In Turkish it’s called hindi and in Hindi it’s known as tarki. It’s also called peru and various other names.
Finally, Turkey is asking everyone to call them Türkiye (toor-ki-YAY), partly in an effort to disassociate themselves from the bird and other slang senses of the word. To be clear, it was already known as Türkiye (endonym: a name used by people living there). Now they are asking that others also call it the same (exonym, a named used by outsiders).
USAGE:“The breeze is balmy. The sea is turquoise. A blood-orange sun slips under the equatorial horizon.”
Lamu, an Island Bubble; The Economist (London, UK); Mar 12, 2022.
1. A blue, bluish-green, or greenish-gray semi-precious stone.
2. A bluish-green color.
The bird turkey suffered the same fate as the gemstone turquoise. It was called turkey because Europeans believed it came from Turkey. No other animal has as confusing a name as this poor bird. In Turkish it’s called hindi and in Hindi it’s known as tarki. It’s also called peru and various other names.
Finally, Turkey is asking everyone to call them Türkiye (toor-ki-YAY), partly in an effort to disassociate themselves from the bird and other slang senses of the word. To be clear, it was already known as Türkiye (endonym: a name used by people living there). Now they are asking that others also call it the same (exonym, a named used by outsiders).
Lamu, an Island Bubble; The Economist (London, UK); Mar 12, 2022.
we learned by trial and error....
IDIOM OF THE DAY
What does 'burn the candle at both sides ' mean?
Meaning: Someone who burns the candle at both ends lives life at a hectic pace, doing things which are likely to affect their health badly.
the size of some bats in Australia
thanks, Patsy
bet he got his fish!
(Not So) TOTALLY USELESS FACTS OF THE DAY
What is so unusual about koala bear fingerprints? They are almost identical to human finger prints. Much like chimpanzee finger prints, koala bear fingerprints are the same shape and size and feature similar patterns of swirls and lines.
In 1971, a Texas state legislator introduced a bill honoring Albert DeSalvo, commonly believed to be the Boston Strangler, for his role in "population control." He tried to show that his peers often passed laws without due diligence. The bill was approved unanimously.
The answer is approximately 8 million. The question is how many lightning bolts strike the planet Earth on a DAILY basis. (Yes, daily.) Do the math and that comes out to about 3 billion a year.
we didn't always wear hats, but we always felt beautifulYOUR CALL by Sylvia, CAN DO Correspondent
sad that you are not on a cruise? Rethink.....
keeping his tooch warm?
PICTURES OF THE DAY
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand
knit
thanks, Sheri
knit
thanks, Cindy
knit
knit
CROCHET PATTERNS OF THE DAY
crochet
crochet
thanks, Tara
crochet
PANTRY RECIPE thanks, Debbie
CROCKPOT RECIPE thanks, Carol
Both vegetarian and vegan diets may provide health benefits, including reduced body weight, lower cholesterol levels, and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is important for vegetarians and vegans to ensure that they are meeting all of their nutritional requirements.
RETRO RECIPE thanks, Ann
SWEETS RECIPE thanks, Sally
ADULT COLORING
ANSWER:
CRAFTS thanks, Kathy
CHILDREN'S CORNER thanks, Gwen
Popsicle Stick Puzzles
You need:
Jumbo popsicle sticks
Sunflower photo or clip art
Glue
Craft knife
1. Print and cut out a sunflower photo. Lay out the craft sticks to see how many will be needed.
An easy storage idea is a plastic baggy. These puzzles would be great to put in a diaper bag or purse to pull-out when you're on-the-go and need a quiet activity!
PUZZLE
WORD SEARCH
| adapt blast bruise cloister dead decent | deride dining example farce fault injury | latest locomotive mire mogul purge | ready remove reserve ruler sever simple smart sober sufficient | tape tender test timid token trace value vogue voyage |
SUDOKU .. medium
solution:
What's One Thing No One Knows About You?
QUOTE thanks, Bev
Guacamole is expensive! Save money by eating Irish guacamole instead. Substitute mashed potatoes for avocados and lucky charms marshmallows for spices and lime.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
OPTICAL ILLUSION
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