Last day on the New World continent for awhile. A flight to France for research and inspiration, road bikes coming with us. Leaving our NorCal life behind and in the hands of the very capable Colby Joe. What do we feel over there that we cannot find here? An ancient awareness that we are all interdependent, deserving of love and courtesy and a little extra space at the edge of the roadway, even if the macadam is narrow and unlined. The food and wine are precious and meant to be savored not engorged. Folks in the European countryside are uninhibited and adventurous, you might find that attitude here, especially in the West. The Med Coast is beautiful, a special shade of blue and appears pristine with a sandy bottom. Flowers pour out of planters and wallside containers in every alley or street of every small village...this is France and to a great degree it's the same in Italy and Spain. We get to retrace the stages of the Tour de France without the hammering of overhead helicopters and none of the roadslime of partying cycle racing fans.

So, what do you need, really? Good water, good neighbors, a fifty pound bag of rice, shelter from the elements...maybe an Element? Six years, maybe, and we'll be living much closer to the Earth. Growing food (and flowers) or helping others do the same. How many things will change when petrol costs fourteen dollars a gallon? Strong legs, good lungs, we all own many pairs of shoes, hopefully you own a couple of bicycles and spare tires and tubes to match. Eight years? People are not going to be looking at the "bright side" of basic living, don't want to imagine the temperament of those surviving in an urban setting. Find a place in the country...near drinkable water. Get to know your neighbors! Ten years? Anyone here with 2020 vision? A very different country I'm certain, so, what are you going to do to make life possible..and enjoyable for your family and friends?

Fifty nine and one half and whose counting. Shifted my finances from stocks to bonds last week and of course the NASDAC went up! It's not that much money but it is now invested in Rebuild America bonds. Faith in America? I think we can do it...set aside greed and take care of each other. I don't have confidence that corporations will ever focus on anything but profit and deception.
Individuals will make a difference. This country is populated by a healthy percentage of people that I call "helpers". Snowstorms, floods, tornados and power outages demonstrate the fact that neighbors in America will jump to the aid of each other and put their differences aside just long enough to insure the well being of their countrymen. I love this about our country.

Feels like the first day of summer. No rain clouds, high sixties and I'm in shorts. Something wrong here though, why do I have time to write in this blog?
I should have a backlog of repairs and a line of customers looking at bikes and accessories. "It's the economy stupid." No, what's ridiculous is that Californians don't see that bicycling is one of the solutions to their fear of spending. The price of a barrel of oil brushed sixty dollars this morning. I can't believe there are folks who think there is plenty of oil in the ground to continue our present lifestyle indefinitely. We should all be preparing for the inevitable shortages of energy.
Sorry grandkids, we were a little out of our heads with material lust. We tuned in to the technicolor screen and we believed most of it. Yea, driving on a whim was fun but shortsighted. We really could have saved much more wisely.

My Dad died yesterday. I dedicate these writings to him. He had just discovered Facebook and the fact that his children from two different marriages were communicating with each other on this social networking vehicle. He was genuinely excited at the possibilities and asked my youngest brother how much it would cost to get on the internet and participate. He died in his sleep that very night. The next morning in the mail I received an Easter card depicting an Angel floating amongst roses from him, wishing the whole family health and happiness.