NOPA VELO Rides With Pride, June 27th

Image: Rick Helf, www.helf.com

NOPA VELO rides the rainbow from the North Panhandle to Market Street to celebrate the 40th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade on Sunday, June 27th. NOPA VELO bicyclists will join the phenomenal contingent from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to be part of the city's largest parade of the year. Ride organizers promise, "You haven't experienced the Pride Parade until you've seen it all from the inside."

History in the making! The San Francisco Pride Committee has announced an historical moment for the 40 and Fabulous Pride Ride. For the first time ever, a U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives will make a video address to a LGBT Pride Celebration. San Francisco's own Nancy Pelosi will salute the city's "proud history of advocacy for equal rights and to honor the contributions of the LGBT community to our city, our state, and our nation."

SFBC membership and registration are required for NOPA VELO riders to join the SFBC contingent. Membership is easy and quickly pays for itself with discounts at dozens of bike shops, grocery stores, and cafes in the city. Become a member here. After joining, please register for the Pride contingent at popcycleSF@gmail.com (Mention you will be riding with NOPA VELO and wish to register).

Why the membership and registration? SFBC will make all the arrangements for the pride ride including paying fees, providing required monitors, and purchasing bike decorations. Registration helps determine the number of monitors and the amount of decorations needed. A special bonus for registering: find out about the pre-Pride bike decorating party in NOPA.

8:30 am Meet at Oasis Cafe, 901 Divisadero at McAllister Street

9:00 am Depart for Market Street staging area

9:30 am Decorate your bike even more at the staging area

Be part of the pre-Parade buzz

Parade starts at Market & Beale, ends at Market & 8th

The SFBC contingent will probably be close to the front of the parade line-up, allowing riders to view the other marchers, floats, and bands once they've completed the route.

After riding the moderate slope of McAllister to Market Street, this will be a flat ride. Party attire encouraged. You can't be too festive for this ride.

For more information: Michael @ 415-218-7937, michael7820@gmail.com

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