Back In Time

Work took me to a conference in Los Angeles so I got to enjoy a TSA groping at the airport again. I noticed that, at least at the Spokane airport, you can no longer give the other people going through security that "check out the trampling of my constitutional rights" look. Now you stand with your back to them. My "male assist" had breath that matched his awful looking teeth. But I persevered, held my breath through the halitosis and withstood the indignity of the backs of his hands against my sensitive areas, fingers feeling inside my waist band, and his hands going up to my groin until they met resistance, that resistance being a sensitive area and the amount of resistance being a subjective call on the part of Agent Dragon Breath who got me up on my tippy toes both times. The subsequent hours of travel provided plenty of time for my sensitive area to recover.

Our conference was in a hotel near Beverly Hills so we ended up in a nice part of Los Angeles full of beautiful people dressed in beautiful clothes. On the day I arrived someone was shooting a scene right across the street from my hotel. Celebrity sighting was a big deal for some of the attendees. I just don't get that.

We had terrific weather but you can see that the air isn't as visibly clean as Spokane's. My morning runs got me a lot of looks and a few comments about running barefoot. You'd think that with it being California 'n' all they would be used to strange sights. Maybe more so towards Venice Beach.

I tried keeping up with the news during my absence. I was sad to hear about Clancy's death. He was a good man.

I see our fair congresswoman, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, and her fellow Republican party members were disappointed by the Supreme Court's ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act. Republicans added 400+ amendments to the original legislation and it's been over two years since its passage, but the only alternative they've managed to come up with is "Not that!" That's quite telling of their lack of concern for the health care of the people they represent.

My return flights were just as comfortable is the ones taking me to LA. Like grandma used to say, "If you don't have anything nice to say...." 

One bit of ridiculousness I enjoyed was United Airline's insistence that only certain boarding groups enter through the Premier entry and all others through the Economy entry. Side by side, they both take you to the same plane, the chief difference being that the Premier side has a small blue carpet to make those Premier customers feel like they're being treated special before they're crammed into the plane like the rest of us. Those in steerage who, whether mistakenly or perhaps wondering what it's like to walk on the special small blue carpet, attempting to enter the wrong way were stopped and sent around. Too funny.

It's great to be back home. Today, Kathy and I mark 32 years of marriage. "Mawage. That bwessed awangement. That dweam within a dweam...."

Ain't that the truth.

It's Not Always About The Ride

This morning I led a 40-mile ride with the Spokane Bicycle Club. I tend to include a lot of hills in my club rides so the seven other club members who foolishly eagerly showed up had plenty of climbing to suffer through enjoy.

But the best part was after climbing up Greenbluff Road. Fresh donuts at the Harvest House.

That is what Willard was talking about.

Ever So Slightly Disconnected

Last week I wrote our congresswoman, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and expressed my concern about the House-passed transportation bill's lack of bike and pedestrian funding. Yesterday I received this response.

Thank you for contacting me regarding our nation's energy needs? Well, at least she responded.

At Long Last....

...after all these years, I have finally learned where to get the good stuff.

Summer Parkways

Steph and I volunteered for Summer Parkways last night but this time we were at separate locations. My services weren't needed at the quiet intersection I was at and I was moved to a very busy and excellent photo opportunity location - Tekoa and Manito Park. Lots of smiling faces and at least one kind of scary downhill skier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stacking The Deck Against Cycling

In last week's Inlander, George Nethercutt touts the benefits of bicycle riding as a means for improving personal health and holds up the Netherlands as an example to follow. Well, to a point, but more on that later. He does offer some very supportive information.

I completed a seven-day cycling trip last month of the Netherlands and parts of Germany. A noticeable aspect of the trip was the startling number of bicycle travelers Holland boasts. Most cities throughout the Netherlands contain some auto parking garages but many bicycle parking garages for commuters, workers and students — huge facilities that house tens of thousands of bicycles. Roadways are filled with cyclists of all ages. Particularly notable were elderly cyclists whizzing along the trail ways of Holland at all hours of the day. Dedicated roadways for bicycling abound. Bicycles are the most common form of transportation for the Dutch, and their statistics show it — low heart-disease rates, low auto-death rates and low physician-per- 1000-population rates. It’s hard to spot an obese Dutchman in a shopping mall or walking on any busy street.

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Riding bicycles is good for the human condition, and many Americans would benefit from cycling more and eating less. Disconnecting ourselves from high dependence on the automobile can be therapeutic and healthy — and can impact the obesity problem in America as well as help shape the content of the contentious debate about government health care spending.

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With high costs for gasoline and liability insurance for automobiles, it makes economic sense to reduce auto use in favor of the health and financial benefits of bike-riding whenever possible.

...

In this age of increasing dependency on government, Americans have the opportunity to be more independent regarding their own health care needs.

Wait, what? Who's increased dependency on government? As the New York Times brought up last year:

Cars enjoy huge direct subsidies in the form of road construction and public parking spaces, as well as indirect subsidies to the oil industry that provides their fuel. These subsidies far exceed the tax revenue generated by car use.

They also pointed out that as of 2010, federal spending on bike and pedestrian infrastructure amounted to less than $4 per person.

Mr Nethercutt led his column off with this statement:

With its enviable waistlines (and lifespans) Holland's two-wheel culture is something America should emulate.

In 2010, the Netherlands spent $30 per person for their bike and pedestrian infrastructure. As Mr Nethercutt saw for himself, the difference is dramatic and the contrast with America is striking. The reason for the great difference is not that the Dutch decided to ride bikes to keep from becoming obese. It's because about forty years ago the Dutch decided to make their country bike friendly. And they reap the benefits in many ways, public health being one of them.

And us? Not only are we far behind in funding, we may head off in the wrong direction. The Republican-controlled House is intent on removing funding for bike and pedestrian transportation, eliminating Safe Routes to School, and using the bill to approve the Keystone tar sands pipeline and limit regulation of coal ash.

But riding a bike is still good for you even if you ride just to spite Congress.