Open Thread WE 19 APR 23 ~ Bicycle Day
Welcome. Those famous words were attributed to Captain John Parker at Lexington
Mass. on this date in 1775. Another oft quoted quip “Don’t fire until you see
the whites of their eyes!” was attributed to William Prescott later at the
Battle of Bunker Hill.
Thus began the American Revolution and the 'shot heard around the world'.
An insurrection by British colonists that lasted about 8 years. Thanks to the
help of France and Spain, the American militias prevailed agains the mostly
German mercenaries.
In a different type of revolution, on this date in 1995, Timothy McVeigh set-off
a truck bomb in front of the Oklahoma City Federal Building.
And, getting back to Bicycle Day, on this date in 1943, Swiss chemist Dr. Albert Hofmann deliberately takes LSD for the first time. Talk about a revolution
(sounds like a whisper ~ chamber with funny lighting).
So hop on your bike and entertain revolutionary ideas. Share whatever is in your basket.
Credits ~
Biking Sloth illustration by Ravi Zupa
https://www.ravizupa.com
Comments
Good morning...
Looks like a nice day for a bike ride here. I've already started the mowing season. I leave the big field for another month or so to allow for the spring bloom, Lyre leafed sage, Senecio (ragwort), daisies and more.
The garden is doing well, but the tomatoes haven't been happy with the 40 degree nights. Lettuce, cabbage, snow peas, and greens like it however. Good and bad in everything.
Caught two good Pepe Escobar discussions. One with Gonzalo, and the other with Danny Haiphong.
Thanks for the OT!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
You are way ahead of us
Spotty areas of the grass are starting to thicken, green and grow.
Have some starters for the garden still inside.
Like your idea of a bike ride!
cheers
Ride
I was big on bicycles in the 60's and 70's. Couldn't afford a car. Have done 50-60 mile days, often birding too. Was only scraped off the streets of Redondo Bch. once. Woke up a few days later. Nary a broken bone but de-skinned nearly completely. Had just turned 18, thought I was still 17. So I just tell everyone, it must have been that severe blow to the head I once suffered...
Get on my bike and ride...
Have good ones all!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Used to have the normal knee skinned with gravel
when taking a corner too fast as a kid. Living in the sticks, it was my sole transport
to baseball, store or friends. One speed, coaster brakes, learned how to fix
chains and flats. Operation get-away in those days.
Now I have an e-bike which helps get me around locally. Can pedal as much as I
can tolerate, but have the magic button to boost up hills and when the hip goes out.
Had many bikes stolen over the years in New Orleans, California and Florida.
Eventually learned the wisdom of locks
The World’s Largest Bicycle Garage Opens in Utrecht
Ah, those clever Dutch designers.
https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2019/08/bike-garage/
This explains your
bird brain, doesn't it?
Lol! You survived, dude! Teenagers are often just a mess.
Cool song!
Hope your weather is good.
We have some Bald Eagles that reside around Lake Livingston. I have seen one fly over the yard twice in the last 2 weeks.
We have also spotted an Indigo Bunting on the bird bath a couple of times.
Hope you are well and spotting gobs of beautiful birds!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning QMS. Perceptive, aren't you.
How did you know I was a basket case? Is it supposed to help if I talk about it? My commute bike lacked a basket but had humongous rear panniers, which allowed me to carry enough that, if I wasn't careful, would render the front tire loading somewhat tenuous, with a similar effect on steering. Nonetheless I did rack up prodigious mileage. I rode my first one into the ground - when I took it in for its final annual tune up the rear cassette literally fell apart and disintegrated when they removed the read wheel. Its successor now sits idle in the garage with 2 flat tires. Such is life.
How is this not Saint Hoffman's Day? Many have been beatified for far less.
"Spinning wheel" does speak to things that revolve but the device is monocyclic and, hopefully, affixed as to locus, so I'll go with this (if only):
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
bicycle baskets are cool
In the case of this site, we don't all fit in one basket. So saddlebags work.
Rack on the back with a milk crate zip tied on is handy too.
It always helps to talk about it. Sounds like you've had many pedals.
Hope the next cycle of revolution comes around soon.
Unfortunately
the urban planners in most cities and burbs, such as our area, pay only the minimal lip service to biking access and safety. Yes, there are bike lanes now on many of our roads, but only a small number are really safe to travel as there is only a painted stripe separating bikers from motorists barreling down the road in their increasingly huge cars, trucks and SUVs.
Around here, all the usual unprotected bike lanes on the major roads, and very few bikers using them during the week apart from the professional weekend types in their biking gear.
A few cities in EU, like Amsterdam, are starting to do it right, creating a safe separation from vehicle traffic for bikers. Something we could learn from. But until substantial changes are made, it's plenty unsafe to be biking along most of our roadways.
The urban planners in my city
work for the developers, the ones who have my selected representatives on speed dial. We have a very severe shortage of housing for all demographics as well as dining services, etc.
A couple of years ago an area which was a leftover airport from the heyday of the nuclear programs up the river from us became available and immediately snapped up by the commerce people thru those planners.
They are going with a multi-use retail area and inviting corporate investment.
Reap what you sow!
"For every action there is an equal but opposite reaction."
Ya think the Russians aren't pissed about the pipeline
'course they are going to extend their eyes.
If the collective west can not come up with a
viable solution as to who is responsible for the
international terrorist attack on their property
then they will start patrolling - who to trust?
Doubting assistance, end result is to protect
Smells like projection, NATO and its allies have
recently performed such acts, Russia not so much. And, by the way
How were these "journalists" trying to approach the ship, on paddleboards, or, perhaps, on NATO warships or auxiliary vessels. Perhaps the Russians, having learned how NATOites behave were concerned that said "journalists" planned to detonate bombs against their hull.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
revolution is in the air
but tangled up in blues
It is difficult to figure what this is about?
you mean they are going to bomb us?
well, I guess that is one way to cut entitlement spending
kill the populations
sounds like a military fart
By the looks of those maps
they stayed away from the PNW. All this rain is good for something.
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
'All this Rain is good for something'
As another PNW'er, that made me laugh, thanks!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Between all the rain this winter
and resultant mud where I normally ride, I've been "riding" my bike on it's stand in my living room for the last few months. Things are finally drying up so I'll be back riding outside. It will be nice to ride outside again without getting covered in mud.
Love the Queen selection.
When my bike was a lot cleaner
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
that is a pretty bike
hope you can still use it to go ..
ride away with that free feeling
Bicycles!
As a kid, I rode a 'normal' bike. Fell off it lots of times, one time I landed on my face and broke my front teeth! Par for the bicycle course, I think.
As an older adult, I got a recumbent bike. They aren't as good going up a hill, but... one doesn't fall off them the same way and get hurt as much or as badly, they are much easier to ride, they don't hurt the posterior, they go VERY FAST down hills, albeit they gotta be pushed up the steep hills... Love my 'bent!
Thanks for the bicycle day news!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so