Hydration on the Playground

News today that public schools in the US are bringing back water fountains to their playgrounds, so that kids might lay off the soft drinks. My immediate reaction was not puzzlement that the fountains had been removed or disabled in the first place, but rather, a vivid memory of standing more or less patiently in line to get a drink just before recess ended, watching classmates slurp the non -oxygenated and -electrolyte water as impatient warnings of "No cuts!" went up and down the line, and those taking too long to drink being barraged with the sarcastic reminder "Save some for the fishes!"

The Silver Veloist 2 • Catagories

Buying a bicycle or replacing one with another can be a daunting task. The variety and quality of machines is much better than it was only, say, twenty years ago, never mind the stone age when I was a kid. But that also means that targeted marketing can make the process of buying a bicycle far more confusing than it need be.
   To me, most bikes are general-purpose - that is, even though they may be advertised for use only in certain circumstances, they usually can meet a variety of needs. Thus many mountain bikes are also used on flat terrain for cruising; touring bikes are often used for daily shopping runs; and racing machines are employed for commuting.
   Some bike are made from expensive, high-tech materials and cost thousands and thousands of dollars. Others are made out of aluminum or steel with basic components, and are priced under 500 dollars. There are three-wheelers, or recumbents. Some models are mass-manufactured in factories, and others are hand-built in runs of several dozen.
   Faced with all this, I suggest is that you think about what role bicycling is going to play in your life. When you've made a decision, you might want to talk with other veloists about their choices.
   Visit bicycle shops in your area, and search the internet, to see what meets your criteria. But most importantly, choose the type of riding that meets your needs, and do your best to ignore the attitude that one kind of cycling is better than another. If you have any questions, please contact me through this blog. Have fun, and safe riding!

My Noble Horse

This is the bicycle I've had for over twelve years. One of the models designed by the Gary Fisher company, it has been thoroughly customized by me, the most drastic modification being the handle-bars and the addition of a cargo rack. These photos were taken in 2015.

Called a Nirvana, it's been my sole form of transportation for that entire time. In any given year I've used it for at least 340 days. A conservative estimate of how far I've ridden it stands at approxi-mately 12,500 miles. Not bad for an initial purchase price of $450. Add the cost of replacement parts and modifications and repairs - a bit over $1,000 - and the yearly outlay of $120 seems pretty reason-able, especially for the amount of sheer pleasure it's given me.

The Silver Veloist

I'm terribly keen on everyone using bicycles as much as possible, especially older folks (and for the record, I'm 67). We need the exercise, and we need a kind of exercise that runs the gamut from comfortable and easy on the body, to a bit more of a workout for losing the flab that seems as determined to accrete on us as barnacles do on the hull of a boat, to the mercifully rare moments when we are frightened into a heightened state of consciousness even as we ride our way out of a seat on the next celestial express. Too many of us who are capable of being excellent veloists (1), instead settle for being another four-limbed pudding-pop strapped into an elaborate machine that will soon become a kind of self-controlled floaty chair (2). I urge as many of you as possible to take up cycling, and to that end I'm going to post some information on the subject to help you get started.

1 A snazzy French synonym for bicyclists.
2 A kind of personal transportation in the brilliant movie Wall-E. Highly recommended.

Poetic Observations 3

From Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes:

Calvin: "Hobbes, what do you think happens to us when we die?"
(Hobbes contemplates the question for a moment.)
Hobbes:  "I think we play saxophone for an all-girl cabaret in New Orleans."
Calvin: "So you believe in heaven?"
Hobbes: "Call it what you like."