Skip to main contentBehold, the Joy of Sects Ride, an odd but glorious procession that is part bike freak, part faith enthusiast, pedaling its way through Portland's wide range of devout religious organizations. Presented by nonprofit, pan-faith movement Bike Temple, whose mission is "to create a space for bicycle-related worship and ritual," the tour launches from Colonel Summers Park on SE 20th and Belmont at 10:30am.more
According to Deacon Amos of Bike Temple, the organization is "the inactive son of an ex-traveling preacher, an active converted Jew, a former Mormon missionary, and a few non-practicing/non-affiliated members." Their focus is community outreach and activism through performance art and events, and at this year's Pedalpalooza, Bike Temple invites Portlanders to share in their celebration of everything pedaled and prayed.
Each of the seven stops promises a greeting from a representative of the faith or organization, who will brief riders on their religion, provide a tour of the facilities, and offer to answer any questions. The specific locations will not be revealed until the day of the tour, but riders can expect a diverse exploration of faiths from Quaker to Buddhist. Bike Temple hopes that this event will create a respectful, open-minded forum for members of all faiths (or no faith) to share and appreciate one another's religious and spiritual experiences, all through the conduit of the almighty bike.
The tour wraps up at 1:30pm with a free party at a local bar and, no joke, a bicycle sermon. We'll be there for every holy second, and report back on any epiphanies experienced or life-callings realized therein.
WWeek 2015