Bicycle Day by Anna Ervin HERBAGE MAGAZINE
useless and set aside without testing for nearly 5 years, when Hofmann decided to revisit the studies. In the process, he managed to drop a small dose on his skin, resulting in what he reported to be a “remarkable experience.”
To ensure that this state of mind was in fact influenced by LSD-25, he made the bold choice to experiment further. On April 19th, 1943, at precisely 4:20pm (I know, right?), Hofmann dosed himself with ten times the amount he had absorbed through his skin just days prior. According to his journal, his experience ranged from dizziness and anxiety, Of course, at the time I wasn’t even aware of the unoffi- to “visual distortion, symptoms of paralysis, and desire to cial holiday that fell one day after my birthday. Once I did laugh,” but the most notable part of his trip was the bikeeventually figure out what the 4/20 culture was all about, ride home: I found myself even more disappointed. I tease my mom often, “you couldn’t have waited just 4 more hours to birth “Kaleidoscopic, fantastic images surged in on me, alterme?” To be fair, I was already 6 days behind schedule, and nating, variegated, opening, and then closing themselves making my debut in the world at a whopping 10 lbs. in circles and spirals, exploding in colored fountains, rearranging and hybridizing themselves in constant flux.” So, I had come to terms with my fate… Until recently learning that I share my birthday with another odd hol- If you know, you know. iday, one that’s much less aggressive (well, depending on who you ask). I have a pretty good idea how the majority of you will be celebrating April 20th this year, but what about April 19th? Bicycle Day. Obviously, LSD is still considered a Schedule I substance by the DEA, although clinical studies on the therapeutic Around mid-April 1943, amidst a dark time in world histo- effects of the substance are taking place across the globe. ry, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann accidentally discovered the psychoactive effects of Lysergic acid diethylamide, a So, while I cannot, in good conscience, recommend that substance more commonly known today as LSD or “acid.” you explore such a dangerous and deadly substance (I hope you can feel the sarcasm dripping off your page), I would According to his writings, the synthesis of LSD-25 had like to recommend picking up a book by Albert Hofmann previously been intended to obtain a “circulatory and re- himself. Or, I don’t know, maybe ride a bike? spiratory stimulant.” However, the substance was deemed When I was a kid, my friends and I used to google our birthdays to see what kind of weird holidays they fell on. Mine was April 19th, and to my horror I learned that in some parts of the world this is considered Terrorist Day.
PHOTO BY CASEDGOD
