Friday, March 09, 2007

First bike ride

I went for my first bike ride of the year today. I came home today at lunch and decided to spin on the rollers and watch the Charlie Rose show which they replay from the night before. Yesterday Rose had Brian Schweitzer the govener of Montana on. He was impressive. Has spent time in Saudi and speaks arabic. Something I didn't know. I'm not crazy about his advocation of using coal for production of fuel for cars and to gain energy independence. I just think there must be other answers to our energy needs other than everyone driving cars to and from work.

People say nobody ever goes out to eastern Montana but that's not really the point. I've spent time out there and it is beautiful and unique. It wouldn't be the same if we processed it, dug it up removed the coal and then smoothed it all out and re-planted it. It would be a shame and something that we could never un-do. We need to learn that we can't un-do things.

Don't get me wrong. I love my car and truck. I'm a product of this car culture. But even if we dig up all of the coal in Montana, at some point we will have to find another way for people to get around other than everyone driving to work in a 3000 lb people mover.

People here are driving to work in great big pickups that have dual wheels on the back and are big enough to haul freight. Seriously. That just doesn't make sense. And yes I have an old Ford F250, But I don't drive it back and forth to work. I drive my little Hundai or ride my bike. But I've digressed.

I put on my cycling kit and got on the rollers and started to watch Charlie Rose. He had the second part of an interview with Martha Radatz about Iraq. It's all so very sad on so many levels. Check out hnk's RECENT POST. She is an Iraqi girl living in Mosul. I've been reading her blog for a long time as well as her sister's blog, A STAR FROM MOSUL

Radatz is right. Nobody except the military, their families and the Iraqi people make the sacrifice. Every night on the News Hour on PBS they list the names and show the photos of soldiers who have died in Iraq. There were 14 last night and 15 tonight. I'm sure there are countless Iraqi people also. It's such a shame.

So after about 10 minutes of warming up on the rollers I decided to take the bike outside. It was somewhat warm outside. About 50 degrees. But the moment I started moving it got really cold. At first, it felt really good to be back in the saddle of a road bike, but it wasn't long before I started to suffer. I only rode a few miles.

2 comments:

Diane Lowe said...

I don't know about Schweitzer being able to speak Arabic. When he was the speaker at Tech's graduation ceremony (2005 I think, maybe 2004), he made a complete fool out of himself. He mumbled something in Arabic, and then told the audience that he just said, "I come in peace," as if the people who knew Arabic in the audience (a) wouldn't have understood him (they probably didn't) and (b) the rest of the audience would want to know what was so difficult to pronounce. I was a little offended, considering "I come in peace," is something from a 50's sci-fi or western T.V. show and I thought it was tacky to say to a group of graduating students. He also said a few other things that I thought were in poor taste, and made me think he needs a good team of P.R. people.

I used to date a fellow who was from eastern Montana - Circle, to be exact. I don't have quite the same fondness for it that you do.

I live about 10 miles from work. I've thought about buying a Vespa or Lambretta, although my dad would prefer I buy a Cushman if I was going to get a scooter. I don't know how much gas it would save, though. And it wouldn't work the days I go to class.

don said...

I agree, Schweitzer seems quirky. That interview was the first time I've ever heard him speak. Perhaps that was what he said to Rose, and it might be the only thing he knows for all I know.

Yes eastern Montana can be harsh. But it can also be very beautiful. I think because the contrast is so great for when it's not. My dad used to take me hunting out there. We would be out there for several days on the prairie. I would wander around by myself all day. I found myself looking down at first because the only thing you could focus on in detail was straight down as things in the distance were too far away. After a while I broke free and saw beauty all around me. I know that sounds corny. At night there are a million stars in the sky.

One time I was at a western art show and there was this oil painting of a string of antelope running along a prairie hillside with all of the fall colors that some woman had painted. It was crude and primitive, but also really beautiful and it captured the nature of that landscape. It was $750. I've always regretted not buying it.

That would be cool to have a scooter. But there is the safety factor. That's the problem with even driving a small car when there are great big trucks all around you. If everyone would downsize a little it would be helpful. I used to ride a motorcycle but I stopped partly because it was so dangerous. I've been hit once on my bike coming back from work. I got hit from the side and it just missed crushing my leg.

It would save a lot of gas, but I'd hate to see you get hurt. It would be fun, but, It's probably not worth it.