The Definitive Guide to Celebrating Bicycle Day 2025

Bicycle Day is an annual celebration, falling on April 19th, that honors the first ever intentional LSD experience. This maiden trip was undertaken by the man who discovered it — Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann. This fateful day in 1943 soon kick-started a fascinating field of research, as well as a societal and cultural exploration, that continues to this day. 

Kdo je bil Albert Hofmann?

Albert Hofmann je bil švicarski kemik, ki je najbolj znan kot "oče" dietilamida lizergične kisline, ki sama . je najbolj znan kot LSD. Opravil je prelomno delo na področju lastnosti LSD-ja in drugih psihedelikov, kot so psilocibin iz čarobnih gob. Njegove raziskave so prispevale k razumevanju človeške zavesti ter vplivale na področja nevroznanosti, farmakologije in psihologije. Bila je tudi katalizator svetovnega zanimanja za psihedelike. 

Kaj je LSD?

Lysergic acid diethylamide, is a psychedelic substance synthesized from a fungus called ergot. It is renowned for its ability to cause profound changes in perception, thought patterns, and mood. It is categorized as a hallucinogen due to the trippy visual effects it can induce. However, these effects can vary based on dosage, setting, and the individual user. 

Kako je z ergotom?

Ergot is a type of fungus that grows on grains such as rye. Its effects, both medicinal and toxic, have been zabeleženi v zgodovini.. Ergot alkaloids harbor potent psychoactive and vasoconstrictive properties, which is the reason that the fungus has been both utilized and feared since time immemorial. These compounds occur naturally within the fungus. 

It’s first recorded use is from the Middle Ages, but there are numerous hints of its use in earlier history, such as the suggestion that ergot was part of the secret psychoactive concoction kykeon ki so ga stari Grki pili med Eleuzinske skrivnosti. However, more often than not, ergot was accidentally ingested, as it grew on grains used to make bread — a staple food throughout much of human history. This could cause symptoms ranging from nausea, to gangrene, to death. 

Albert Hofmann was busy studying the medicinal potential of these ergot alkaloids when he first synthesized LSD in 1938. He had been tasked by Sandoz Laboratories in Switzerland to develop a stimulant for respiration and circulation. Although on first discovery LSD was not considered significant, Hofmann had a funny feeling that there was something special about the compound, which encouraged him to return to the substance in 1943. This led to the now-celebrated events of Bicycle Day. 

Kakšni so učinki LSD?

LSD users report experiencing changes in their perception of time, space, and logic, as well as visual and auditory hallucinations. They also experience heightened emotional sensitivity, euphoria, and introspection, sometimes leading to spiritual revelation. The effects of LSD, or the ‘trip’, can last from 6 to 12 hours, depending on various factors, such as dosage. 

LSD became synonymous with the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s, its reach extending to music, fashion, art, as well as political and societal change. After being outlawed for many years, research into its benefits is back on track with studies showing that it has the potential to treat a wide-range of mental health conditions. These include depression, PTSD and anxiety. 

Zakaj "dan koles"?

So, why Bicycle Day? Why not ‘LSD Day’?

Well, with LSD up until pretty recently being designated ‘dangerous’, not to mention illegal by the powers-that-be, that title probably wouldn’t have flown. So, to get past the censors, Bicycle Day cleverly refers to Hofmann’s iconic bike ride he took after ingesting LSD on April 19th, 1943. It started off as a bit of a codename — if you poznati potem ste poznati 😉. Ne smemo ga zamenjati s svetovnim dnevom koles, ki je vsako leto 3. junija. 

But what was so special about this infamous bike ride?

So, on April 19th, 1943 Hofmann decided to ingest 250 micrograms of LSD, having accidentally felt the effects while fiddling about with the substance a few days earlier. April 19th is observed, rather than the date a few days earlier (16. april), saj je bil LSD prvič uporabljen a namenoma. 

Po zaužitju LSD (and not yet knowing that 250 micrograms is a very high dose!) Hofmann began to feel the effects quickly — within 40 minutes.  Thus began an unprecedented psychedelic journey. The great Albert Hofmann was first to feel the profound effects of LSD that would change the world forever. 

Later, Hofmann would describe experiencing extreme visual distortions, intense colors, and high levels of anxiety. By this point, he knew he had to return home as soon as possible. However, as it was still wartime, no cars were allowed on the road, so the humble bicycle was his only option. Accompanied by his lab assistant, Hofmann hopped onto his bike, and Bicycle Day began!

Hofmannovo potovanje

Hofmann je med vožnjo doživljal močne psihedelične učinke. Njegovo dojemanje sveta je bilo bistveno spremenjeno, kot da bi bila njegova zavest ločena od telesa. Poročal je o občutku, kot da lebdi nad tlemi. Vse, kar je videl, se je spreminjalo, barve in oblike so se pred njim premikale in utripale. 

Despite this sensorial overload, Hofmann managed to get home, encouraged by the simple familiarity of riding his bike. The journey took around two hours, and once home, Hofmann sought help from a doctor. Being the patient zero of LSD, he could have no idea whether what he was feeling was a threat to his life, or just a hallucination. After being reassured that his vitals were normal (razen razširjenih zenic in očitne zmedenosti) he was able to relax, and lean in, to what he was experiencing.

As the effects of the drug wore off, Hofmann began to realize LSD’s potential as a tool to explore consciousness and enhance the human experience. He felt a deep sense of connection to the world, and a profound gratitude and appreciation for his existence. He believed this wonder could be used for great things. In an interview by Marlene Dobkin de Rios in 1996 Hofmann explained;

"Z izkušnjo LSD in novo predstavo o resničnosti sem se zavedel čudovitosti stvarstva, veličastnosti narave ter živalskega in rastlinskega kraljestva. Postal sem zelo občutljiv za to, kaj se bo zgodilo z vsem tem in z vsemi nami."

Hofmannovo pogumno raziskovanje neznanega se uvršča v veliko linijo znanstvenikov in raziskovalcev, ki so eksperimentirali na sebi. Njegova izkušnja je postavila temelje za novo obdobje raziskav, ki so vplivale na vsa področja kulture. 

Kdaj so prvič praznovali dan koles?

Dan kolesarjenja je leta 1985 uvedel profesor na univerzi Northern Illinois, Dr. Thomas B. Roberts. Dan kolesarjenja je bil začetni dogodek, ki je z leti pridobil na priljubljenosti. Postal je zatočišče za širok krog ljudi, ki jih zanimajo psihedeliki, raziskovanje uma, reforma politike na področju drog in drugo. Danes praznovanja potekajo po vsem svetu. 

Kako lahko proslavite dan kolesa? 

The Definitive Guide to Celebrating Bicycle Day 2025

Dan kolesa je priložnost za praznovanje zapuščine Alberta Hofmanna ter bogate zgodovine in razburljive prihodnosti LSD in psihedelikov na splošno. To lahko poteka v različnih oblikah - od udeležbe na zabavah do učenja o zgodovini psihedelikov. Tukaj je nekaj idej za vas!

Udeležite se dogodka ob dnevu kolesarjenja

Poiščite dogodke ob dnevu kolesarjenja v svojem kraju. Prirejajo jih številna mesta in skupnosti, lahko pa vključujejo skupinske kolesarske vožnje, panelne razprave, pogovore, umetniške postavitve ali razstave ter filmske projekcije. Na teh dogodkih lahko spoznate skupnost podobno psihedelično usmerjenih ljudi. Poleg tega širijo zavest o tem, da so psihedeliki vedno bolj zanimivo področje za mnoge ljudi in da je pomembno nadaljevati raziskave o njih. 

Dogodek ob dnevu kolesarjenja

Povabite prijatelje in organizirajte svoj mali šiht za praznovanje dneva kolesarjev. Lahko si ogledate psihedelični film ali dokumentarec o zgodovini LSD-ja ali magičnih gobic. Lahko organizirate majhno plesno zabavo ob klasični psihedelični glasbi. Poskrbite, da boste vključili nekaj izvirnih Woodstock sestava na vašem seznamu predvajanja!

Go on a Bike Ride and/or Have a Picnic

Naredite to, česar Hofmann ni mogel, in pojdite na prijetno bike ride. Ideally somewhere with some pretty scenery — this year Bicycle Day falls on a sunny spring Saturday after all! Pack a picnic and cycle to a nature spot. Eat your favorite foods — you certainly don’t need to guzzle milk as Hofmann reportedly did during his first Bicycle Day trip! Just enjoy the nature around you. As Hofmann implored;

"Pojdite na travnike, na vrt, v gozd. Odprite oči!"

Odpravite se na psihedelično potovanje

Nekateri se odločijo, da bodo ravnali tako kot Hofmann in se sami podali na psihedelično potovanje. Kakšen boljši način bi lahko bil? Čarobne gobe in tartufi so povsem naravni in imajo podobne psihedelične učinke kot LSD. Sledite našim Vodnik po potovanjih za vse, kar morate vedeti. 

Naučite se nekaj novega

Psihedeliki odpirajo um in nas ohranjajo radovedne. Zakaj ne bi ta dan preživeli ob spoznavanju preteklosti in prihodnosti preučevanja psihedelikov? Eden najboljših načinov za boj proti napačnim informacijam o psihedelikih je izobraževanje. Raziščite znanost, zgodovino in koristi psihedelikov ter jih delite s prijatelji in družino. Naša spletna stran arhiv bloga ni slab začetek! 

Podpora raziskavam psihedelikov in zagovorništvu

Zakaj ne bi darovali neprofitni organizaciji, kot je Fundacija Beckley ali Multidisciplinarno združenje za psihedelične študije (ZEMLJEVIDI)? Na ta način neposredno podpirate razvoj raziskav psihedelikov in pozitivne spremembe, ki jih lahko prinesejo v svet. 

Srečen dan kolesa!

This Bicycle Day, whether you trip, cycle, or simply marvel at the ingenuity of human curiosity, you are sure to have a wonderful time!