www.RogerWendell.com
Roger J. Wendell
Defending 3.8 Billion Years of Organic Evolution^SM

Cycling
and HPVs (Human Powered Vehicles)

My Rented bike in San Fran...

Although I love cycling I never got involved in it beyond my need for affordable and efficient transportation. In another life, when I have more time, I hope to participate in a lot more recreational cycling and other forms of human powered transportation. But, until then, I'm still pleased to have logged many thousands of miles on my bike, instead of my car, for those quick trips to the grocery store, to see a friend, or attend club meetings. That's not to say I haven't cruised the neighborhood, on a cool fall evening, for a bit of exercise and fresh air but most of my own cycling experience has been for "business" purposes - running errands or appearing at different functions, etc.

Think, for a moment, how efficient and healthful human powered vehicles (bicycles!) really are! Not only are they really, really good for the environment but the resources that go into making them are relatively "light" and Earth friendly as well. And, of course, there's the obvious health benefit to using our own bodies to get us around - everything from simple walking and jogging to bicycles and 4-Wheel HPVs are the smart way to "go!"

- Roger J. Wendell, summer 2006

"When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments. Here was a machine of precision and balance for the convenience of man. And (unlike subsequent inventions for man's convenience) the more he used it, the fitter his body became. Here, for once, was a product of man's brain that was entirely beneficial to those who used it, and of no harm or irritation to others. Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle."

- Elizabeth West, Hovel in the Hills

"The bicycle is a masterpiece of physics. It harnesses human muscle power directly to that old-time marvel - the wheel - and yields a vehicle more energy efficient than any other devised, ever, by anyone. A human on a bicycle is more efficient (in calories expended per pound and per mile) than a train, truck, airplane, boat, automobile, motorcycle, skateboard, canoe, or jet pack. Cycling is more efficient than walking, which takes three times as many calories per mile. Pound for pound, a person riding a bike can go father on a calorie of food than a gazelle can running, a salmon swimming, or an eagle flying."

"Oh, and the bicycle is hugely democratic: It is equally available to all. That's why on the highways, byways, and bikeways in most of the world, the bicycle is the most ubiquitous transport vehicle. Bicycles outnumber automobiles almost two to one worldwide, and their production outpaces cars by three to one. Rush-hour traffic in China is dominated by these human-powered vehicles. Even in the wealthy cities of Europe and Japan, a large share of the populace gets around by bike. Only here is it treated as little more than a plaything. About 50 million U.S. adults (and 40 million children) ride their bikes at least once each year, but only about 2 million are regular bike commuters."

- Eric Sorensen and the Sightline Institute,
Seven Wonders of a Cool Planet excerpted in
the March/April 2008 Sierra, p.49

Rental Bikes:

Norman, Oklahoma

San Francisco

Along the Silk Road...

Great Falls Overlook, Maryland

Like many, unfortunately, I've been involved in a lot of business travel. Since I've already seen so much of the country I try to avoid renting a car if my hotel is anywhere near the worksite. And, as luck would have it, bikes have been pretty easy to rent in most of the cities I've visited. At the far left is a shot of me just off Highway 9 near Norman, Oklahoma with a rental bike. The next photo, and the one at the very top of this page, is when I rented a bike during my early fall visit to San Francisco in 2005. San Francisco is extremely fortunate to have the non-profit Bike Hut Foundation right on Pier 40 - I highly recommend them for bicycle rentals! The next photo, second from the right, is me on a rental bike in China's Turfan Depression. I don't recall the exact rental fee but remember it being VERY affordable at the time! The photo furthest right was taken by me along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park - although very flat, the trail offers many dozens of miles of pleasant walking, running and riding along the Potomac River in Maryland.

My Bike:

Panasonic DX 2000 Ten-Speed!

Hard to believe that Panasonic used to make bicycles! As you can see, the "new" Panasonic DX 2000 is actually a Fax machine! However, the "old" (and much more loved!) Panasonic DX 2000 was a hand made ten-speed bicycle that brought me a quarter century of riding pleasure!

For me, it all started in the very early 80s when I bought my brother Randy's Panasonic DX 2000 ten-speed to help him with a little college tuition and to provide myself with a ride to my own college classes (I was on the GI-bill and had more cash than him at the time...). I think I paid $100 in five, $20 installments to pay for the bike. Anyway, that very same Panasonic has served me well, all the way into the summer of 2006, for all kinds of errands and trips around the neighborhood.

It was in July 2006 that I spent over $400 to upgrade the ol' Panasonic to something a little more modern. Although a bit extravagant, I spent the money because I love the Panasonic's 27 inch frame and also because the overall bike, itself, hasn't been much of a "theft magnet" for the quarter century I've owned it - half the time I park it without even locking it! Anyway, for $400 a local bike shop provided me with a new chain, rear cassette, rear wheel, brake handles, cables, shifters, two tubes, two tires, and handlebar tape. Unfortunately the Panasonic's old frame was a bit too narrow to add any more gears without a lot more expense so I'm "stuck" with just 14 speeds instead of a "Granny Gear" or other configuration for our steep, hilly neighborhood.

Nevertheless, the $400 seems to have been well spent as the new technology has completely changed my Panasonic - the ride is incredibly smooth and the shifting is simply a dream - no longer do I have to reach down to the middle of the frame to change gears! Unfortunately I didn't think to photograph the bike in its original configuration. Nevertheless, you can get a good idea of what a Panasonic DX 2000 looks like in these pictures I took immediately after the bike shop's upgrades - I hope to continue riding it, as a local commuter bike, for the remainder of my life...

Panasonic DX 2000	Rear gear cassette	Panasonic crank	Panasonic handlebars	Panasonic logo label # 1278
Panasonic pedal	Old-style seat...	Shimano Altus Derailleur	New Brake handle/Shifter	Real steel...

HPVs
Human Powered Vehicles
(and other stuff will be posted here as I receive 'em!)

Bike-powered generator

At one time I worked in a large plant (800,000 square feet), in Denver, where mechanics used these great little tricycles to get around with their tools and spare parts. It seems these industrial tricycles should have a lot of application in other industries and settings around the country - they're certainly great for the company's budget and the employee's health!

Tricycle "Chopper"

In August, 2006 I was on a business trip in Florida and found this great little rental shop along the pier in St. Petersburg. They had all kinds of tricycles and quadracycles - perfect tropical tourist vehicles!

Cycling Restrictions
Sometimes I've found mountain bikers (ORVs and others, too) riding
through designated Wilderness or high altitude tundra here in Colorado
when it only makes sense to restrict such activity. At other times, I've seen signs banning
borders, cyclists, and others yet the area is congested with cars and all kind of other industrial
debris. As time permits, I'll post more of these signs I encounter that are related to these issues:

Port of Dover, England, UK

Trinity College, Ireland

Cyclists:
I've had the pleasure of meeting a lot of interesting people bicycling
great distances in various parts of the world. Unfortunately I didn't always
have a camera ready but will try to post their pix as they become available...

I met this young woman alongside Interstate 40 about 75 miles west of Oklahoma City. I was out photographing the nearby wind farm when I noticed her on the frontage road. It was a warm spring day, in 2006, and she didn't mind talking about her travels despite the "busy" sign on her bike trailer. Turns out this wasn't the first time she'd ridden the 1,100 miles (1,770 km) from Lawrence, Kansas to Flagstaff, Arizona. It seemed like a fantastic adventure I'd love to undertake myself some day!

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