The first Sunday of every month at 16.00 hours, bici lovers unite at the Obelisk for Critical Mass or Masa Crítica, which is an event celebrated once a month in over 300 cities around the world. The goal is to bring together cyclists of all walks of life for a monthly bike ride through the city to create awareness for bike transportation and to celebrate bike love.
As we gathered in anticipation of the ride this past Sunday, I was amazed at the number of cyclists. The plaza was filled with people; older adults, little kids, families, groups of friends, couples, solo riders, and bikes of all shapes, models, and sizes. We took off at 6pm, with a loop around the Obelisco, and then headed down Corrientes and on towards Retiro.
The 3-hour ride was wrought with excitement and a contagious energy. The group rides together for safety in numbers, and members of the group stop at each light to guard the group against traffic. The idea is that it’s safer to ride in one big mass as the bicycles become the traffic. It was a very celebratory ride, and I got to meet and chat with a lot of interesting people along the way. I tried to stay close to the biker with the large speaker attached to the back of his bike so I could jam to the music as we rode through the city.
We rode on until 8pm, and I can´t think of a better way to get to know Buenos Aires than to join in this free and entertaining event. At the end of the ride, we circled back down Corrientes and ended back at the Obelisk, exhausted from the high-energy ride.
If you´re around the first Sunday of any month, rent a bike and hit up the Masa Crítica. You won´t regret it!
Ride every day. Celebrate once a month.
Kelly
