Wednesday, 7/28

It's good, I guess, that some people are getting outdoors and enjoying nature. They are, however, doing in the most American way possible.

It's summer, so I'm outdoors as often as possible, with a majority of that time spent on my bike. This year, I have noticed there seem to be a lot more bikes on the streets and on the trails, which is a good thing. Well, a good thing, perhaps, until you realize that almost all of those new bikes are e-bikes.

E-bikes--electric bikes, for those of you who aren't aware--are bikes with electric motors in them. That means that the person riding them doesn't even have to pedal, unless they choose to. Now, for me, being on a bike is all about getting some exercise and burning a few calories while I'm getting from place”A' to place “B”. When I'm on a bike, I work. So (and let me preface this by saying about to sound like a Cranky Old Man in Training) when I see someone on a bike zooming up Front Street hill without even pedaling, my first reaction is “get a real bike”.

Yup. I'm turning into my dad.

I know; I should just be happy that people are actually out of their cars and into the fresh air, right? But, like I mentioned, they're doing it in the most American way possible—letting machinery take the place of actual human exercise. Think of riding mowers instead of pushing an actual lawn mower, or using a leaf blower instead of, you know, raking. I'm usually a champion of progress, so I'm not quite sure why I have this reaction to e-bikes, but every time I see a person on one I just shake my head.

And I really shouldn't.

I mean, biking's hard work. Just because I'm a masochist and use my legs doesn't mean that everyone has to. Like I said, an e-bike gets people out in the fresh air. And if it gets people out of cars, that's a win for the environment. Just because they don't do it the way I do it doesn't mean they're wrong. And is using the advantage of mechanics (in this case a battery) really “cheating”? Next thing you know I'll go off railing on people who use cell phones because they don't have to dial the numbers by hand.

(By the way, if I ever DO do that, please have me committed. You have my permission in advance for that).

So I guess I have my work cut out for me. Next time I see someone scooting up a Marquette hill without pedaling I will have to remind myself not to utter phrases like “get a real bike” or “typical American” under my breath. After all, at least they're enjoying the outdoors in a relatively pollution-free manner.

And these days, that's a good thing.

(jim@wmqt.com), cranky old man in training.