The Ride of Silence…
Tonight we number many but ride as one
In honor of those not with us,
friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons
With helmets on tight and heads down low,
We ride in silence, cautious and slow
The wheels start spinning in the lead pack
But tonight we ride and no one attacks
The dark sunglasses cover our tears
Remembering those we held so dear
Tonight’s ride is to make others aware
The road is there for all to share
To those not with us or by our side,
May God be your partner on your final ride.
I took part in Kingsville’s first Ride of Silence last night. The Ride is an annual event in many places, that had its start in Dallas, Texas in 2003. In the words from the official website, the ride happens to:
- To HONOR those who have been injured or killed
- To RAISE AWARENESS that we are here
- To ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD
THE RIDE OF SILENCE WILL NOT BE QUIET
On May 15, 2019 at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will traverse and unite the globe as nothing before it. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn’t aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.
It was a beautiful night to be out with 38 other cyclists, most of whom took the temporary vow of silence quite seriously. We formed up behind a Essex-Windsor EMS ambulance, whose flashing lights drew attention to us, and brought a sense of solemnity to what we were doing. One rider quipped (before we fell into silence) that it was comforting to see the “Out of Service” sign that hung from the back of the ambulance.
At 7 pm, the poem “The Ride of Silence” was read, and we started out. It was lovely to have this as a meditation practice, a literal spiritual exercise, that included a sense of ritual, community, purpose, and the holy. Also, after the ride, there was beer. Many of the riders parked their bikes behind the Outdoor Alley Patio behind the Banded Goose Tap Room at 15 Main Street.
Darrow Woods: Writer of Things 