There are aproximatley 1950 miles between Colorado springs and Seattle. And I will see all of them through the spokes of my bicycle tires on my way home. I leave on the 17th, the day after school gets out, and will be arriving in Seattle on the 10th or 11th of may. Why bike so far? I believe that it forces you to be incredibly present and aware, something we often overlook, simply taking the here and now for granted.
There's something about traveling in our culture that is disorienting and unreal. You just jump from place to place on a plane. It's almost like those little tunnels in video games, where your character goes in and suddenly pops out in a completely different place.
I think that everyone should, at least once, travel under their own power, whether that means walking, biking, horseback riding, (or even uni-cycling, if that's what floats your boat). I believe this way of traveling helps people truly experience the places they visit. Slow travel teaches you that the places you visit are a comprehensive, interwoven set of communities rather than individual, concentrated experiences; they are not dots on a map but a part of the vast and complex system that makes up our reality. I think that Leopold saw this, riding and walking many of the forests he regulated, and studying his woods at home. I think that slow travel is one of the most effective ways, in our fast-paced world, to find that reflective quality within ourselves and reach a true understanding of our environments, whether they are natural, rural, suburban, or urban.
Furthermore, airplane travel is ridiculous (although efficient and appealing). It has a giant carbon footprint. By biking, I am shrinking my carbon footprint. The average airplane produces 48kg carbon per mile, and as the bird flies, it is about 1025 miles from Csprings to Seattle. That's 49200kg of carbon that I will have no part of.
Also, I'm just really stoked to ride that far. It's going to be a facinating experience, and I think it will force me to think a lot, and truly rely on myself. So 1950 miles it is. If you want to look at routes, or plan your own bike trip, I highly recommend adventure cycling association's maps.(http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/RouteNetwork.pdf)
Technically, this isn't part of my lived ethics project. But I think it's interesting and relevant, so I figured I'd post about it anyways.
Betsie,
ReplyDeleteNice post. It's fine to include reflections on things that are relevant but not technically "part" of your project. The aim of the project is to engage in an experiment of some kind and to reflect on this -- and part of this reflection is making connections to other aspects of your life, to broader issues, etc. Enjoy the ride!
Wow Betsie, this sounds like a fantastic undertaking! I love your point that every person should experience how to "travel under their own power" at some point - I think that not only is there a lot to be gained from slower transportation, as you described, but there's also a lot to be learned about YOURSELF from an experience like that. Thinking all the way back to the Cahoone article we read last block on the ethics of hunting, I think that his point about learning self-sufficiency from being on the land is definitely applicable to the kind of travel that you're talking about. I'm sure it will be an incredibly rewarding and EMPOWERING experience for you to make it to Seattle from here on purely self-generated power - best of luck!!
ReplyDelete-Julia
Betsie, it is so awesome that you are embarking on what sounds like a very lovely journey! I had a few friends who went on a similar bike trip to yours last year and they said that it was the first time that they truly felt a sense of place in regards to their own country. As you mentioned, biking, as opposed to driving or flying, allows you to form a much deeper connection with the places that you are traveling through, which will surely be an incredible opportunity.
ReplyDeleteThis trip of yours is very inspiring to me and I hope to bike home from school one day as well!