Sunday, May 07, 2006

I haven't had regular internet access for the last few days so please excuse the lack of posts. I did manage to steal 5 minutes on a friend's computer yesterday and sign up for the Endurosnob Epic. Should be fun. I don't know if my friend Eric signed up or not. I'll try and make sure that he does.

No progress on the Dirty Kanza bike to report. I wanted to have it done by today so I could go for a ride, but events conspired against me. I didn't really feel like riding today anyway. I've been working a lot lately. Six days this week and I stayed late several of those nights. Plus, I had plans every night except Thursday. I'm going to take today off and just sit around, drink tea and enjoy myself.

Speaking of sitting around leads me to the "lifestyle choices" essay I talked about Thursday. As some of you know I don't have a car, don't have a credit card, no loans, etc. I do all these things not out of some protest against "the Man" or environmental statement or something like that, but rather out of a desire for simplicity. Without a car I don't have to make car payments, worry about gas, parking, etc. Lots of people worry about these things too much in my opinion. It is simply easier for me to bike everywhere, or get a ride, or take the bus than it is for me to own a car. It helps that I like riding a bike, no doubt about it, but some days I don't feel like it. Some days I'd be tempted to use a car if I had one, but if I started to do this I think I might start to drive even on days when I didn't have to. This brings me to another point: addiction. I don't think it is too much of a stretch to call the way we behave towards cars as addictive behavior. People really do think that they need a car to get by. Perhaps in a sense they do. To live in the way people are accustomed to people need to drive. We are in a hurry to do everything. Driving allows us to pack our schedules full and do several things every night. I, by contrast can only do one or at the outside two things per night. I really like to keep it at one. If I don't have at least four hours free for each activity (even reading or hanging out) I start to feel rushed and try to cut something out. This keeps my schedule as well as my mind relatively uncluttered. As far as credit cards and loans go I feel much better staying within my financial limits. I may decide to buy a house some day and for that I guess I'll need to get a loan, but I can't see many other reasons for doing so. I don't really think it makes sense to buy many things that you can't pay for all at once. Especially cars. I'm sure it helps that I'm single and don't have kids. I know that some of these opinions have more to do with my personal preferences (biking) and ethics (loans), but simplicity is probably the biggest factor. This essay has been more of a rant than anything else, but I guess I'm in a bit of a hurry, I'm off to do some heavy duty relaxing at the coffee shop.

21 comments:

Simmons said...

I'm a addict, but I'm trying to quit. Honest, I am :)

Anonymous said...

Are you planning on riding your bike to the Dirty Kanza :)

FixieDave said...

Ditto about simplicy...

I can't get DL so no driving for me and I like it that way. I would not be able to have the job and the life I have with a car payment and all that goes with...

Nice rant =)

mr. f. g. superman said...

I agree. My addiction sits in storage 350 days of the year...hmm, so why am I paying for it? For getting around to our National Park system, and that's about it. Could just rent a car for that two weeks a year. Silly.

Speaking of which, you still up for exploring the Maah Daah Hey sometime this summer? Eric too or others that might want to do a little bike/camping.

mr. f. g. superman said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
mr. f. g. superman said...

Also, are you still looking for a ride? I think Paul and I are car pooling and you're welcome to join. We won't be leaving until around 3:30 though, and I think this makes us miss something.

Paul said...

The packet pickup for DK is open until 9 on Friday night, then it opens again around 5 am before the race. We should look into getting a hotel room at the start.

What do you guys think.

Paul

mr. f. g. superman said...

Good for me. I wasn't sure about the arrangements, if I was going to pitch a tent, sleep in the car or a box. When it's confirmed I have a spot, I'll go in with whoever for a room.

Paul said...

I will get the room reserved and if we don't get in I will cancel it.

Paul

Paul said...

I will get the room reserved and if we don't get in I will cancel it.

Paul

Paul said...

I will get the room reserved and if we don't get in I will cancel it.

Paul

Paul said...

I will get the room reserved and if we don't get in I will cancel it.

Paul

Paul said...

I will get the room reserved and if we don't get in I will cancel it.

Paul

Paul said...

I will get the room reserved and if we don't get in I will cancel it.

Paul

Matt Maxwell said...

I'm up for a room. Anything to keep it cheap.

And no, I suppose I'm not going to ride down to the DK. Does that make me a hypocrite? Maybe. No time, but that makes me a hypocrite too. Dang rants. I should think these things out before I write them.

As to Maah Daah Hey, I'm up for it. Perhaps Mr. Simmons could show us around his neck of the woods?

PaddyH said...

maah daay heh one of the coolest places to ride...lemme know if you guys head there as Naomi and I are thinking of heading there some time this year, we ussually camp at Magpie(kinda in the middle)..we're toying with the idea of detouring there on our way back from Kansas

Simmons said...

I'd be up for a trip westward. It would be an adventure for me too. I've never ridden out there. Sounds like fun though.

Someone smack Paul upside the head. I think he's stuck on repeat. I'd hate to see him keep going around the DK course over and over and over :)

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