The incredible bicycle (today's diary rambling)

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Mike Jacoubowsky

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From my almost-daily-diary (www.ChainReaction.com/dairy.htm), inspired by
yet another wonderful bike ride. As most are. I can't imagine wanting to
live in a world without bikes. For that matter, the scariest thing about
mortality (something you think about after turning 50) is that, at some
point, my cycling capabilities, perhaps even ability to ride whatsoever,
will decline. But I'm ready to accept what comes my way, and if it means
some day I'll be riding on a 3-wheeler to get around the trailer park, so be
it! --MIke--

11/04/07- MOST INCREDIBLE INVENTION EVER? EASY. THE BICYCLE. I was thinking
about that while riding out to Pescadero this morning, cruising along
without much effort about 18-20mph, and suddenly realizing that you're
covering distances and speeds that people compare to what you'd do in a car.
You're not even in the same league as someone on foot, and yet you're using
the same fuel. A couple of cinnamon rolls and two bottles of Cytomax. Not
likely anything more than you would have eaten if you'd taken the same trip
in a car. The efficiency, and thus your capabilities on a bike, are amazing.
Beyond that, really. I've said before that I think we take bikes for
granted; an alien visiting our planet, coming from a world in which bicycles
didn't exist, would likely be blown away at the simplicity, efficiency and
usefulness of a bicycle.

Oh sure, I'm biased because I make a living selling bicycles. But there's a
reason I chose this profession. I simply love the darned things. I can't
think of anything better to be convincing people to buy. The saddest thing,
of course, is when a bike that I've sold sits in the garage, un-used, for
whatever reason. I consider that a failure of the worst sort. After all, how
can I bicycle not be an incredibly infectious thing, capable of changing
lives? What sort of world do we live in that that's not guaranteed to be the
case? I guess that's why I've gotten involved in lobbying efforts, in
Sacramento & DC, trying to make sure we have roads that aren't hostile to
cyclists, and communities that don't unintentionally create barriers to
getting around in anything other than a car. It's long-term stuff, and it's
expensive, but if we don't make the effort now, I might not have any
customers 10 years down the road.

But again, it's all about the bike. This wonderful invention that can cure
so many problems. Fueled by powerbars & even twinkies if you must, both of
which can be presumed far more friendly to our planet than mining, refining
& burning fossil fuels. And the strangest thing about what you eat when
you're out riding, when I think about it, is that you probably would have
eaten more had you not ridden. That's the bizarre thing about exercise; if
you ride hard, it seems to reduce your appetite. So we ride bikes more and
we'll be healthier, create fewer environmental issues, see things we
wouldn't have noticed driving past in a car with the windows rolled up and
the radio on, and help put my kids through school. What's not to like?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 

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