Today’s Topic – Bike-A-Palooza The Words

First (1st), a confession. Friday I went to Walm-Art and I bought a Huffy bicycle for fifty ($50) dollars. I needed it. It was the second (2nd) bicycle needed for the bike joust. Anyone need a Huffy BMX bike that’s been tipped over a few times and has a few scuffs on the seat?

Saturday afternoon I made my way to Monk’s House of Ale Repute and helped setup. The kErnEl had most of the stuff already there. We pulled it out and set it up. We made an emergency run to a rental place for a generator.

The kids showed up first along with a few adults. We did a little bike parade / ride through town with escort by the police. About eighty (80) took part (I think).

Once back I set up cones and the first (1st) band started. We raced the kids through the cones giving each a certificate and some boxes of sparklers. Place winners received ribbons.

Shortly thereafter several of the purpose purchased bikes were given to needy kids who could make it to the event. Included were several “Striders.” “Striders” are, essentially, very small bikes with no bottom bracket or pedals of any sort. Other than that, they are a bike – two (2) wheels and all. They are meant for kids to propel themselves with their feet and get the balance thing down before adding the pedaling element to riding.

Once the kid’s stuffs were done we set up for the adult games. We had a Clunker Crit, a wheelie comp, a skid comp (side note, Dirk Thee Bold wore a hole through his tire before the comp started while practicing), a foot down (derby) contest, a bike throw – thanks to Kevin and Ant of Harlan’s Bike and Tour for providing a bike and adding enough concrete to strategic places to get the thing to weigh forty-seven (47) pounds, and we ended with the bike joust.

I’m pretty sure the participants had a good time. The non-participants did enjoy watching a bunch of rollers wreck themselves. Much beer was consumed (aiding in buying more kids bikes). The fine folks from New Belgium brought a limited edition bike to be raffled off. The chick who won it nearly peed her pants by the way she jumped up and down and squealed.

Poor Surf Shop broke three (3) toes in the joust tournament. Other than a few scrapes here and there I don’t recall seeing any actual blood. We did make them wear gear and started them such that speed wasn’t lethal. Good times were had.



Ride On.

Today's Topic - Bike-A-Palooza The Pics

Click 'em for big.

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Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

Funeral Sex

Funeral Sex - watch more funny videos

Men and Women

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This Just In

Is it consider bad form to make fun, or use, recently dead people in jokes?

Farrah Fawcett died and went to heaven. When she got there she met god and he gave her one (1) wish. She asked that all the children of the world be safe. So god killed Michael Jackson.


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Today’s Topic – What’s Coming This Weekend

Well, pretty much all the preps have been made for Bike-A-Palooza. The waivers have been printed, the jousting lances made, loaner bikes have been secured. There’s just a few odds and ends to pick up.

This is pretty much how the jousting will go down:



OK, not EXACTLY like that, but you get the idea.

I wonder if the fine folk from New Belgian make it here from Colorado today. If so, we’ll have to put our full friendly on and show them a good time tonight – all night! Where’s my headlight?

I hope to have pictures of this weekend’s escapades downloaded and uploaded for your viewing delight before weekend’s end. Hope to see you at Bike-A-Palooza.


Ride On.

A Picture Of Words Post

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Today’s Topic – Buying Bikes At Wal-Mart

I’d mention Bike-A-Palooza is coming up this Saturday. And, I’d also mentioned I’d made the lances for Bike Jousting. In order to encourage participation, and keep things a little sane, I will not be asking rollers to roll on their own bikes. They might probably will get scuffed.

Instead rollers will be rolling on much smaller, kid-sized bikes. I threw out a shout for loaners but have heard nothing. Bummer. It now looks like I will be going to Wal-Mart to pick up a couple ‘o (2) department store quality bikes for the Joust.


How much do these things cost, anyway? About ten ($10) bucks? Also, I’m needing to come up with a heavy bike for the bike toss. I’m sure I’ll score one (1) for this as well.



Ride On.

Today's Topic - Bike-A-Palooza

On this coming Saturday, June 27th, Bike-A-Palooza will take place. As previously advertised, this event will happen at Monk's House of Ale repute, 420 E. 8th St, Sioux Falls, SD.



Here's the schedule of events:

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Bike Parade

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM Food Available

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Live Music provided by Oxford Comma

4:00 PM Kid’s Events and Bicycle Give-away *

6:00 PM Adult Events including:

Clunker Crit
Wheelie Competition
Foot Down Competition
Bike Toss
Bike Jousting

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Live Music provided by Surly Endo & the Chainlinks

Here are a couple 'o (2) joust teasers:






Better be there!


Ride on.

Today's Topic - Announcing

Announcing the.....

Spoke League Velo Society

More to come whatever that means.

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Joust Teasers

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Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

Kashmir. Best to watch this full screen while loaded.

kashmir from Steve Scott on Vimeo.

Drink beer milk.

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Today’s Topic – Coffee

If your place of employment is like my place of employment you’ve got an office coffee pot. A pot is made first (1st) thing in the morning and then again as it’s gone. The first (1st) pot is gone quickly. Subsequent pots last longer.

In our office the ground coffee used is from some coffee service and comes in little hockey puck sized filters. People making it here open up the package it comes in and then toss the filter packet in the basket.

First (1st) off this coffee does not taste good immediately out of the basket. Second (2nd), as it cooks on the warmer thingy it becomes even less good. I’m not much for adding creamers, cream, or sweeteners to my coffee. I like mine black.

Yesterday I got a Melitta system.



I also stopped down at Michelle’s



and bought some coffee to use with it. I’ll tell you, it’s pretty damn handy living above a coffee shop – and a good one at that. I brought a nicer mug from home.

Now, I nuke some water in the microwave and brew a cup whenever the situation dictates. In fact, I brewed some right before I started typing this.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – More On Energy

I was reading yesterday’s Wall Street Journal and waayyyyyyy on the last page of the “A” or front page section was an article called “Climate Fight Heads for New Round.” The online link is HERE.

Although the WSJ still doesn’t “get it,” the dude in the story, Bjorn Lomborg, does. From the story:

Mr. Lomborg says governments should commit to spending 0.05% of gross domestic product on clean-energy research, financed by a $7 a ton tax on carbon dioxide. That could address what he calls a "market failure" in the development of solar-power systems and wind turbines effective enough and cheap enough to compete with fossil fuels. Buying what he sees as today's premature renewable-energy technology "would be like putting an inefficient [computer] on everyone's desk in 1965."

This, as it turns out, is exactly what the Waxman-Markey bill would do. If you remember from my earlier post, I’d written my congress representative in support of it. She, on the other hand, does not seem to have the foresight to see past the next election. Brace your selves, here comes the digression.

I expect so much more from my elected officials than the limited sight distance they all seem to have. It’s all about the next election. It’s all about following along with their party. They seem to be sheep. They simply follow along with their party’s flock. What comes out of their mouths is nothing more the regurgitated rhetoric of the party’s leadership – and I use the word leadership, in this context, very casually. You’d think these sombitches would want to leave some sort of positive legacy of stuff they’ve actually got done that makes long-term impacts. Instead, it’s all about being a sheep and making it through the next election. I want some real leadership, some courage, and the balls to act regardless of the next election. OK, enough of that.

Back on task, the Waxman-Markey bill is the American Clean Air and Security Act of 2009. It is a bill that’s got some teeth and that might even make a difference. I encourage you to read the WSJ story. It’s got some good information on climate change and energy.

I’ll repeat my theme from the three (3) part post on my email conversations with my Representative in that the time to begin changing how we get our energy is now. That change over should be taken incrementally such as to not collapse any one (1) industry and that failure to do so could very well create an economic downturn that will make the current one (1) seem trivial. IF this does happen my crystal ball does not tell me how far into the future it MIGHT occur.

I do believe no one (1) in Washington has the balls to do what needs to be done because doing so is unpopular. And unpopular means losing their cushy jobs blowing smoke up people’s asses.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – IMBA Trail Building Weekend

I’ve mentioned on this thing several times some of us have formed a group called FAST – Falls Area SingleTrack – to organized efforts in hopes of getting some singletrack built within our city limits. We’ve identified a spot and are working with the City do get this going.

In our proposal to the City, FAST indicated the trails would be built within IMBA guidelines and with volunteers supervised by IMBA trained dudes. To fulfill this assertion, four (4) of us spent the weekend in La Crosse, WI doing just this.

My group, me, the S.O., Adam, and Ross, loaded up and hit the road early afternoon last Friday. We arrived in La Crosse and set up tents at a local RV park. This park proved to be convenient as it was three point three (3.3) miles from the classroom venue and approximately five point six (5.6) miles from the trails area.

After tent set up we hauled the bikes to the trailhead in hopes we could get some riding in before dark and the rain. About the time we saddled up the rain hit. Bummer. We only rode a bit, loaded back up, went back to town for food and drink.

We ate and then found The Bodega which purported to have four-hundred (400) beers. Well, we certainly found some we liked. We also had a few that weren’t so good. Either way we were there until 1 AM. We left in search of our tents and a bit of sleep.

The next morning we were in the classroom at nine (9) AM for the classroom part of the weekend. The room was full. Mostly were locals, some from nearby towns, and us. We learned much.

Post classroom we headed out in search of food. We had been biking to everything this day. We were rolling back to the downtown area and came upon a few orange vertical, stuck to the pavement, about four (4) foot high, lane marker thingies. Ross, looking in a store window instead of the road, nailed one (1) directly and popped it off the pave. He, on the other hand, rolled on, unscathed. It was time to eat.

Post food we make our way back to the campground, briefly, for a gear change. Off we went again this time to the trail head for some riding. The rain stopped the night before and it had been sunny all day thus far. The trails were in good condition.

Arriving after a two point nine (2.9) mile steep-ish climb we started marveling at the Human Powered Trails complex. Here’s a map. The skills area has big and small berms, big and small teeter-totters, and a pump track! It is pretty sweet! We explored around some, rode some, and then did the group rides.

The fine HPT (Human Powered Trails) folk topped off the day by having a cook-out complete with beer. Evidently, they have these every month. They call them “Trail Fests.” They ride some, eat some, and build trail, some. It’s a great concept and works very well for them. After the organized rides and eating was done there was a pump track lesson. It’s harder than it looks. By the end I could feel it some and think I could do it much better with more practice. By now we’d been there quite a while and it was time to get back to town.

The next day was trail build day. Things didn’t get started until 11 AM, which was good since we tried to drink the RV site dry of beer while trying to burn their unburnable firewood in our fire ring. We were up late. But we did get up, pack up, and headed for food and then the build spot.

HPT has a very nice trailer packed full of everything a group would need to build trails. The IMBA folk gave a safety talk and were off into the woods to build some full bench cut singletrack. This process turned out to be much easier than I thought it would be.

Mixed in with building, one (1) of the IMBA crue was teaching small groups about trail design and layout. This was also very informative and helpful.

It was a great weekend hosted by a great group. Much was learned and we returned to Sioux Falls energized and ready to get at it. As one (1) of the lead trail design and layout people for our project, I feel much more comfortable we’ll end up with sustainable, fun, trail to ride.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Your Car And (Unrelated) Trail Building

Hello there, buckaroos! How art thou???

First thing out of the chute is trail building. Some of us attended an IMBA trail building school this past weekend. But, that’s not what I’m going to talk about today. That’s what I’m going to talk about tomorrow and, hopefully, have pictures downloaded to show you. Instead, today, let’s talk about your car.

Could you ever give it up completely? Not WOULD you, COULD you? “Well, Mr. Snakebite, I’ve got to take my kids here and my job is way over there and I have to wear a tie…..” You know what I’ve said about excuses – they’re like butt holes, everyone’s got one (1), and everyone’s stinks.

What if your car was suddenly gone tomorrow?

Let’s come up with a really, really possible scenario, here. Suppose a meteorite was hurtling toward either the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, but at a very flat trajectory. Suppose it hit the ocean but skipped, like a skipping stone due to that trajectory, hopped most all of the U.S. and smashed directly into your car completely destroying it.

Now say your insurance company won’t pay you because you’re not covered by destruction by meteorite. Now let’s say your bank won’t lend you any more money because they’re not doing that these days. And, to top things off, you’re an average American with too much debt to service so you can’t possibly save up enough to buy even a junker for sixteen (16) years.

Your car is gone. Now what?

All kidding aside – what if your car really were gone? What if Snakebite put some snake oil in your whiskey and you went all apey and sold it. I mean it, what if no more car?

Necessity being the Mother of invention you’d have to come up with something, wouldn’t you? What would become important? What would become unimportant?

Would it make you wish you lived much closer to your job than the bedroom community that’s just “a little ways down the highway?” How would you take your kids here, get to your job over there, all while wearing your tie? Would you walk, or bike, or take mass transit, or bum a ride? We can’t say car pool here because that implies you’d be driving your car pool group in yours sometimes. And with it gone, it makes that option pretty challenging.

About now I suppose you’re thinking, “Nice story but it isn’t going to happen to me.”

Being without a vehicle would force you to plan several things in advance. It would make you use your noggin for things that were once no brainers, like running that one-half (1/2) mile to the store when you’ve noticed you’re out of something trivial a bit more daunting. You’d need to plan your errands out. Hell, you’d have to plan a lot of things out you probably haven’t had to in the past. In short, being without a vehicle would make you have to THINK.

For some of you being without a vehicle really wouldn’t be that tough. For others, it would present formidable challenges. But, if you REALLY had to do it, could you? Or would you die a slow and miserable death?

“But Snakebite, my car is warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and I like going to the (fill in the name of your favorite chain coffee franchise here) drive-up.” Well, no doubt, you’re use to that shit, change is hard, you’re an old dog, this is a new trick. I get the point. You like some things cushy.

What are you going to do when gas goes up to six dollars per gallon ($6.00 / gallon) or more? Drill for more oil to get the price down? What if there isn’t any more to drill for? What if? Now what are you going to do?


Ride On.

Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

It’s like trials, but, without a bike.

I like stop-motion things.

Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Almost Right Hooked And A Trip

On my ride into work yesterday I was nearly “right hooked.” Hmmmm….. Maybe this isn’t accurate. How about a little play by play?

There I was, riding to the right, as I always do, enjoying the virtually wind-free day. I was nearing the section of road which transitions from curb and gutter to big, wide shoulder. When, all of a sudden, a vehicle passes quickly by me.

Looking up I see the vehicle signal a right turn. I also see the vehicle driver see me in his or her rear view and stop rather abruptly. I think the dude, or dudette, saw me and was going to let me squeeze by on his or her right side. I needed to take evasive maneuvers and hit the brakes hard and swerve to the left.

I suppose waiting ten (10) more seconds to remain behind me until I’d passed his or her right turn spot as just too much to handle. Despite this I remained in a good mood and just couldn’t bring myself to either yell or middle finger him or her. I just shook my head and continued on my happy rolling commute.

Topic the second (2nd).

I’m heading to La Crosse, WI later today. IMBA’s got a trail building school going on there. This fits nicely with FAST’s (Falls Area SingleTrack) plan to build some trail here. We’d told the City some of us would attend a school before digging starts and this follows through with that assertion.

In addition to classroom and actual trail building, there will be trail riding! Sweet! Specifically it will be at Human Powered Trails (HPT) park. I’m not taking the Big Dummy. No, I’ve pulled the Ellsworth out of storage for this trip.

I did a little riding on it Wednesday night. I’d almost forgotten what a sweet ride this bike is. And, compared to the Big Dummy, this full boinged mountain bike felt almost nimble!

Anyway, I plan to pay close attention at the school, take lots of notes, try to have the IMBA dudes check over my preliminary layout of the trails here, and take many pictures of what they’ve done in La Crosse.

Oh yes, word from the HC Crue is “The Bodega” supposedly has 400 beers. We’ll be checking that out, no doubt.


Ride On.

Bike-A-Palooza 2009

I've mentioned on here before about my, and several other roller's, favorite bar, Monk's House of Ale Repute. The beers are outstanding, it's no smoking, and very bike friendly. Well, it just became bike friendlier!

On Saturday June 27th Monk's will be hosting Bike-A-Palooza 2009. Jerry, the owner, is donating a big chunk of his daily take to buy kid bikes. The Volunteers of America people are helping identify which kids these bikes will go to.

Click this som-bitch. It's one (1) big som-bitch and you'll want to click it to get all the fine print, etc.


I've been asked to help ram-rod this thing. Right now I'm passing out the posters. The day of I'm heading up the games. We'll have a few kids things. But then, my favorite part, the adult games! We'll have a Klunker Krit, a foot-down / derby, a wheelie competition, a skid competition, a bike toss, and last, but certainly not least, and the one (1) I'm really looking forward to - Bike Jousting!!!

Read the big som-bitchin' poster to see what times things get rolling. There will be live music. Oh, I almost forgot. New Belgian Brewing has been recently introduced in this State. As part of their official kick-off some of the gang from Colorado are coming here to help us do this right! The rumour is they'll be bringing out some of theirs which is not on sale here yet.

Please pass this on to everyone as everyone is welcome! Get thy ass to Monk's on the day som-bitchin' big ass poster says. Look for me. If I'm not running a game or yelling at a roadie, I'll likely be helping out selling some of Monk's finest.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – An Exchange With One (1) Of My Congressional Delegates – Part Three (3)

This could be the last in my series of posts regarding my exchange with my US House of Representatives delegate, Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin. If you read yesterday’s post you’ll know what she responded to me from my contact to her in support of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.

On May 29th I sent this back to her:

Stephanie,

While this bill is being debated I’d like to share some thoughts for your consideration. In your letter to me you’d mentioned some things I consider a bit troubling.

I very much appreciate your efforts to keep energy costs low. No one wants to pay more for anything. However, your support of such items as “clean” coal, increased use of biofuels, and increased exploration for fossil fuels are no more than an attempt to restore the U.S. to a pre recession lifestyle.

Despite what some have seen on TV or what the lobbyists in Washington are saying, burning coal is in no way clean. While it may be cleanER, non industry influenced scientists will point out it is far from clean.

Technology continues to find new ways to convert all sorts of biomass into usable fuels. Turning corn into to ethanol has been wonderful for South Dakota farmers. At which point does one question putting food in gas tanks? When does the tipping point come in which food becomes scare such that Americans can continue with “Happy Motoring?”

This is the same for increased fuel exploration. Do you really want to risk irreversibly damaging such areas as the Arctic Nation Wildlife Refuge, marine environments, and shorelines for the sake of enabling Americans to become even more obese as they drive through the fast food lanes? I certainly hope not.

The Earth’s resources are finite. Some say we’ve reached Peak Oil. Some say there’s plenty of oil for generations. This falls into the “my scientist can beat up your scientist” mentality. If mankind is going to err, let’s err on the side of conservation. The time for appropriate legislation is now. In my view, appropriate legislation puts conservation of resources first and foremost.

When a person gets use to living a certain way it is very hard to change the lifestyle paradigms. Americans have gotten use to having two, or more, vehicles per household. These vehicles have gotten bigger and bigger. I’ve heard in the media bigger and bigger vehicles are what Americans want to drive. This, in part, has caused our current recession.

Americans, in their quest for big and in “keeping up with the Jones’”, have attained some of the highest levels of debt and lowest levels of personal savings in history – this is also related to increasing levels for obesity in turn guaranteeing health care costs will stay high. This phenomenon has been encouraged by domestic auto makers. Everyone is well aware of what the glamorous marketing of bigger has done to the domestic auto makers. Americans are spending exorbitant amounts of their disposable income to own and operate something that is killing the Earth. This is only one example of Americans living beyond their means, creating a global recession, all while wishing for a government bailout so things “can go back to the way they were.”

The way things were is not sustainable. What must happen is incremental belt tightening. The incremental belt tightening starts with appropriate legislation. Failure to do so and by trying to put things back “the way they were” could be catastrophic. If the science of Peak Oil is correct and if the assertion of food scarcity due to biofuels becomes fact, this recession will pale in comparison to what’s on the horizon.

The U.S. cannot make these fundamental changes overnight. It must be done in increments. Slow movement toward sustainability is less likely to shock the economic system and less likely to abruptly collapse any one industry, such as “clean” coal.

There is no doubt energy is going to cost South Dakotans, and Americans, more. Would you prefer it to increase slowly over time, or very abruptly, resulting in economic depression? Belt tightening is hard. It is not politically popular. But, it must be done.

Please consider the ultimate long term. Increased use of coal, biofuels, and increased drilling are short term approaches which have no hope of sustainability. Being tempted by these short term fixes in hopes science will discover the silver bullet is not prudent and ill advised.

It will take a true visionary to see beyond the recession and the global picture for the long term. It will take incredible courage and leadership to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done. I fear our elected officials will take the re-electable stance. This stance will not foster a new economy but only bolster the old long enough for a future congress to attempt to deal with a problem that might be unsolvable.

Heroes are not concerned with elections. They are concerned with leaving the world a better place than which they arrived. Instead of admiring the Emperor’s new clothes pointed out by the Lobbyist, they are building a legacy in which they will be admired for all generations.

Having re-read this now I’m sounding like a politician! Please do not take this as an attack on you or your character. I voted for you because you are a smart, well educated person. However, I think you’re falling in with most everyone else in Washington who doesn’t “get it.” I’m very hopeful to see the leadership and courage I alluded to in this from you and others in Washington.

Sincerely,

Snakebite

As of today, June 10th, I’ve yet to get anything back from her. This makes me wonder a little bit.

From reading her response to me I get the impression she’s either already operating under the direction of lobbyists, or, she’s nothing more than a party player.

I’ve contended on here before how screwed up I think Washington is. I’ve suggest that everyone, without exception, vote AGAINST incumbents, without exception. Not that I’ll ever get that movement started. But dreaming a bit, wouldn’t be cool if political parties became obsolete because all of congress were truly representative of the voters? No one would be pushing this parties agenda or that parties agenda. Instead, things might actually get done to move American forward.

I said about this COULD be my last in my series regarding this topic. I say that because it’s been quite some time since I emailed back to her and have gotten nothing in return.

Take your elected officials, local, state, US, to task. If you’re unhappy don’t cry in your beer, do something with your vote. On a national level, the fine folks in Washington have thrown a lot of MY money away on an unnecessary war, bailouts of the greedy on Wall Street, and bailouts of the stupid in Detroit.

I don’t know about you but I’m pissed off about it. Instead of protecting the institutions who’ve caused this economic mess, I’d feel much better if the bailouts went to the those effected by the stupidity, not those who caused it. Many workers have lost their jobs. What about them?


Ride On.

This Just In

Please click the crap out of this thingy:




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Today’s Topic – An Exchange With One (1) Of My Congressional Delegates – Part Two (2)

Yesterday I posted my emailing to my US Representative in support of the American Clean Air and Security Act of 2009. This is what I received as a response from her:

Dear Snakebite:

Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts about legislation addressing energy and climate change. I appreciate hearing from you.

As you may know, the Congress has been considering important energy and climate change issues. Recently, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Waxman and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Markey introduced wide-ranging legislation addressing both energy and climate change. This bill is H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. It was introduced on May 15, 2009 and approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee on May 21, 2009 by a vote of 33 to 25.

H.R. 2454 aims to reduce carbon emissions by 17 percent in 2020. The bill has four titles on clean energy, energy efficiency, reducing global warming pollution (which includes a carbon cap-and-trade system), and transitioning to a clean energy economy.

I believe the bill approved in the Energy and Commerce Committee is imperfect and incomplete. Moreover, if South Dakotans' concerns are not fairly dealt with, I will not be able to support an energy and climate change bill on the House floor.

Let me mention some of my key priorities going forward as various House committees have an opportunity to address the bill approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee. These include protecting South Dakotans from a rise in electricity rates and recognizing the essential role coal-fired power plays in keeping electricity rates affordable for South Dakotans. In addition, the legislation should recognize the significant role agricultural producers can play regarding climate change. For example, recent government estimates of U.S. Greenhouse Gas markets indicate that U.S. farms and forests have the potential to mitigate 10 to 25 percent of our nation's total climate impact with practices such as soil carbon sequestration, methane capture, and forest management practices. Moreover, the bill must do much more to strengthen the ability of rural states like South Dakota to participate in the new energy economy, by broadening the definition of biomass that can be used to produce electricity that would count toward the Renewable Electricity Standard, and to produce biofuel that would count toward the Renewable Fuels Standard.

While the Energy and Commerce Committee made some progress in improving the bill since an initial discussion draft was released, the committee did not make nearly enough progress in fixing the bill. That is why I'm pleased that this legislation has been referred to several other House committees. In particular, I'm pleased the bill has been referred for consideration to two committees on which I serve, the House Agriculture Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. I will work with my colleagues on both committees to improve this imperfect bill.
Certainly, with a significant and growing demand for electricity expected in coming years, and energy costs a burden on South Dakota families, there is no single solution. That's why I support a comprehensive energy policy that includes support for clean coal technology, domestic oil and gas exploration and drilling, hydropower, increased use of renewable fuels like biofuels and wind, action to prevent energy market manipulation or harmful speculation, and incentives for energy conservation. I have supported efforts to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as on the Outer Continental Shelf, when joined with more comprehensive policies, including expanding the use of renewable fuels.

Likewise, there is no single solution to reducing the accumulation of greenhouse gases. I agree with the growing scientific consensus that human activity has substantially increased the accumulation of greenhouse gasses and is contributing to a rise in average global temperature. This rise threatens to create a number of dramatic and negative impacts. With much of South Dakota's economy dependent on agriculture, which in turn depends on our climate, global warming could have a profound effect on South Dakota's economy and our way of life.

Given the importance of these issues for South Dakota, I believe it's important to avoid engaging in divisive, partisan disputes, and instead to work together on an energy and climate policy that promises the greatest benefit for our state.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me. If I can provide any further information, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
Member of Congress

Tomorrow I’ll post my follow-up email back to her. I couldn’t let that one (1) lie.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – An Exchange With One (1) Of My Congressional Delegates – Part One (1)

About two (2) weeks ago I emailed my US Representative to voice my support for the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. Essentially I indicated I’d prefer it if this bill were to be as strong as possible.

This bill would be one (1) method to get away from burning so much coal. Digression – the coal people tout “clean coal technology.” Burning coal is quite bad for the environment and though technology can help, it will only make it cleanER, not clean. Sort of like a bandaide will slow down the bleeding if you cut your finger off. I suppose technically it’s helping, but really, who’s fooling who, here? End of digression. And this bill would make it tougher to drill for oil in environmentally sensitive areas.

Digression number two (2). I read somewhere on the internet, and I can’t remember where, and I can’t verify this is fact, but, here’s what I recall, and please correct me if I’m wrong, there is enough oil in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge area to supply the US with oil for nine (9) years. Nine (9). That’s it. Just nine (9). Are we (humans, all of us) really wanting to risk destroying various ecosystems FOREVER for nine (9) years of oil?

Anyway, back to task, I emailed my US Representative in support of this bill. Tomorrow’s post will be her email response to me.


Ride On.

Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

Remember the movie “Big” when Tom Hanks and that other dude played “chop sticks” on the huge piano at FAO Schwartz? Check these chicks out.

What to do with that leftover watermelon.

Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Bike Parking

For those of you who bike to work, where do you park your bike? In the winter time I ride the Cross Check and park it in the janitor’s closet where snow and shit can melt off and go down the drain.

However, in the summer time I ride the Big Dummy. Luckily there’s an empty office near mine. I park my bike in there.



It’s almost as good as having a valet!



Ride On.

Today’s Topic – The Bike Helmet Conspiracy

Back in the twentieth (20th) century, back when I was just a lad, no one wore bike helmets. In fact, I can’t think of anyone who even had a bike helmet. In that same vein, I can’t remember ever hearing of anyone who crashed and damaged their noggin’. I know I’ve seen the argument floating around the internets that one really doesn’t need to wear a helmet because they made it through childhood without one so why wear one now?

Were kid’s heads harder in the twentieth (20th) century? Did kids have better biking skills? What was it about then that is so different from now?

I suppose about now you’re thinking the direction of this post is going pretty much anti-helmet. Wrong. But I digress…..

When I think back to the twentieth (20th) century and bikes prevalent to my childhood, they seem quite different than the bikes I ride today. Back then I sat very upright. Today my body is positioned in a fairly aggressive posture. Back then my bikes were lower geared and much heavier. Today they are lighter and are able to travel faster.

Bicycle designs and popularities flow with the times. With many roadie type riders trying to emulate (fill in the name of your favorite pro racer here), they ride bikes that are quite similar to their champion. These bikes put them in very aggressive and long-term uncomfortable positions. While these bikes are designed with racing in mind, many ride this type of bike all of the time. These bikes are best suited for racing, not so much anything else.

If you couple that factor with suspect bike handling skills you’ve got a nice duo for painful crashes. I’ve witnessed them myself. Adult riders go down in situations I’d judge as not that tough. They go down and I try not to laugh and think, WTF, how could you go down now? And, in the aggressive riding position, they sometimes lead with their head.

As years went by mountain bikes became the rage. People rode them everywhere. And by everywhere I mean “not on dirt.” You still see bikes resembling mountain bikes, complete with knobby tires, on pavement. Knobby tires are great on dirt. Not so much on pavement. Again, this coupled with an aggressive riding posture puts the noggin’ in harms way.

If you ever check out pictures or blogs from Europe, you rarely see non racing rollers wearing helmets. Why? Check out the bikes. Do you see how upright they ride? They’re not trying to emulate anyone. Speed isn’t a factor. They ride for transport. The culture is too different to comprehend without a visit. The culture there isn’t so car centered as it is here.

So, are bike helmets nothing more than a way for the bike industry to use clever marketing to sell some additional product? I contend no. Bike helmets are necessary based on the types of bikes available, and perhaps bikes preferred by consumers. Another reason I feel bike helmets are necessary is the culture we live. The culture in the U.S. is a car culture. I’m sure you know of the studies showing it is statistically safer to ride on the road, in traffic, than on the sidewalk. I hope that is what you’re doing.

The bike(s) I typically do urban riding on are not road racing bikes. I sit more upright and I don’t go so fast. If cars didn’t exist, I’d be without helmet. Unfortunately they do exist. I don’t know about where you live. But where I live, the drivers are some of the worst there are. Because of this fact and because I’m an urban, on the street where I belong, rider, I wear a helmet. Who knows when some Cage Hole is going to run into me? If / when they ever do, I want to do all I can to come through the incident with the grey matter between my ears working as best it can. That is why I wear a helmet.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Weekend Bike Camping

Making a last minute decision I was able to score the last available campsite at Newton Hills State Park for this past Saturday evening. The weather looked favorable so the decision was made to bike camp.

We loaded up my bike



and her bike.



We had very favorable tailwinds for the trip South to the park. We made our arrival



and set up camp.



Once we’d settled in we had some refreshments



and a nice fire.



This trip was to test gear and packing. We discovered stuff we’ll replace with easier to pack gear, noticed some stuff we’d wished we’d brought, etc. Overall it was a good time.

Overnight the winds shifted giving us a nice tailwind all the way home. How often does that happen? The bike gods smiled upon our little camping excursion this time.

Next trip we’ll incorporate our changes and do another over-nighter. From there we’ll start stretching the distance biked and the number of overnights. The goal is to be ready for some week long self supported trips in 2010.


Ride On.

Today's Topic - Busy

Since I was too busy to do a proper post - like a weekend wrap up of bike camping - I'll toss out this until tomorrow.

Danko Jones - King Of Magazines from Bad Taste Records on Vimeo.

Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Sarcasm

This is pretty much the mentality. Right?





Ride On.