Rides of Silence Tomorrow

The 16th annual Ride of Silence to commemorate those who have been injured or killed while riding a bicycle takes place tomorrow evening. The international bike ride is, as its name suggests, a silent tribute, wherein cyclists join together and ride in complete silence, in some cases to sites where people have died.

It is a moving experience. Riding with any group is always completely unlike a ride by yourself or with a friend, but riding in a group that maintains complete silence out of respect for those being commemorated can be surprisingly emotional. That goes for people observing the ride as well as participants.

A partial list of tomorrow's California rides, with details about when and where to meet or who to contact with questions can be found on the official website here. Most—not all—of the rides take place in the early evening.

There are listed rides taking place in the North (Redding, Davis, Sacramento, Napa, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Alameda, San Francisco), Southland (Orange, Riverside, Irvine, Fullerton, Redlands, Murrieta, Palm Desert, Pasadena, North Hollywood, Thousand Oaks), Central Valley (Bakersfield, Clovis, Visalia), and coastal areas (Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Oxnard, Huntington Beach).

If you'd like to join one of the rides, there could be one close to you.  Try searching for “Ride of Silence” with your town or nearby towns to find the one nearest you.