Happy Bicycle Day!
Today I’m celebrating Bicycle Day by microdosing Orion’s Purple Mystic and going for a walk with Gizmo and Bandit. No bike involved but still here for the adventure.
What is Bicycle Day?
April 19th marks a strange and pivotal moment in history. In 1943, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann intentionally took LSD for the first time after an accidental exposure a few days earlier. The term “Bicycle Day” wasn’t coined until 1985, when Professor Thomas B. Roberts gave a name to the now legendary event.
After ingesting what he thought was a small dose – 0.25 milligrams – Hofmann began experiencing intense shifts in perception. As the effects built, he left his lab in Basel, Switzerland and rode his bike home, accompanied by an assistant. That ride would become the first recorded LSD trip in history, and a defining moment in psychedelic research.
The Accidental Beginning
The story actually starts on April 16th, 1943. Hofmann had first synthesized LSD back in 1938, but set it aside after it didn’t show much promise in early testing. Still, something about the compound stuck with him. A persistent curiosity he later described as a kind of hunch.
When he revisited and resynthesized it, he accidentally absorbed a tiny amount through his skin while working in the lab. About an hour later, he felt restless and slightly dizzy, so he headed home. What followed was a two hour experience he described as dreamlike – filled with vivid, flowing patterns and bursts of color behind closed eyes.
That unexpected encounter pushed him to explore further, leading directly to the intentional experiment on April 19th.
Why the Bicycle?
By the time Hofmann dosed himself intentionally, the effects came on fast and strong. Driving wasn’t an option, not just because of his condition, but also due to wartime restrictions in Switzerland during World War II. Private cars were largely off the roads, so his assistant walked him home as he rode his bicycle through the streets of Basel in a deeply altered state.
That surreal ride is what gives Bicycle Day its name.
Psychedelic Holiday
Now widely regarded as a psychedelic holiday, Bicycle Day doesn’t have a single “right” way to celebrate. In places like Colorado, you’ll often find informal bike rides and small community gatherings popping up around the date.
For some, it’s social and energetic; for others, it’s quiet and introspective. At its core, Bicycle Day is about perspective – whether that comes through community, time in nature, art or simply taking a moment to see the world from a slightly new angle.
