Bicycle Day

On the afternoon of April 19, 1943, Albert Hofmann deliberately consumed LSD while working in a Sandoz research lab.

As soon as he understood how intense the trip would be, he asked his assistant to help him home. They had to bike since no vehicles were allowed on Basel's streets during wartime. Hofmann tripped balls and reported "a not unpleasant intoxicated-like condition, characterized by an extremely stimulated imagination." This LSD origin story is now celebrated globally as Bicycle Day on April 19 each year.

The deliberation of Hofmann's second trip, after accidentally ingesting the chemical 4 years prior, is one of the most important values of WashBrain. We celebrate and acknowledge the power of this medicine, and approach it with respect, sensibility, and curiosity.