ride for renewables | Ride For Renewables

“BIKE-HAPPY LAWRENCE” (Friday, October 8, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

Began the day with a talk to 250 KU college students. Was escorted to campus by State Senator Marci Francisco, who joined me on her bike (she meant roughly 20,000 undergraduate students).

Good reception to the “100% by 2020” message, followed by some stimulating one-on-one conversations. Hugs I received by a couple of the students afterwards were priceless.

Then an interview with Channel 6 TV:

http://www2.ljworld.com/videos/sets/2010/oct/09/colorado-man-cycling-across-country/

Here’s the story from the Lawrence Journal:

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/oct/08/colorado-man-riding-renewable-energy-powered-tricy/

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/oct/08/colorado-man-riding-renewable-energy-powered-tricy/?print

After that, pedaled over to the campus news office for an interview with Kansan.com:

http://www.kansan.com/news/2010/oct/10/tricycle-riding-petitioner-talks-wescoe/

http://www.kansan.com/videos/2010/oct/08/1512/

Afterwards rode down to the Sunflower bike shop to show off the trike, where I was told the staff would appreciate it (they did). On the way, was treated to lunch by Craig, who runs a sidewalk food stand – thanks, brother! Got second lunch at nearby Local Burger (the name says it all), where I had a stimulating conversation with the owner, Hilary Brown. I think she’s really onto something with her healthy, local burger joint, so keep your eyes on Local Burger.

Overheard one of Hilary’s customers, Dave Yates, talking about coal plants, and after learning he was a local sustainability leader, decided to interviewed him as well.

Later in the day, rode 6 miles with the KU Bike Club on one of their standard afternoon rides.

One of the students, Jeff Miller, shared some profound observations the importance of communal engagement.

Then rode to the outskirts of town for a pot luck put on by the student group, Environs, but that turned into a wild goose chase. Eventually abandoned the effort and rode back into town before it got too dark to ride. Ran into Brian (who I had met at Marci and Joe’s the night before) on his bike on the way back into town, who was up for a couple cold, local microbrews at Free State Brewing Company.

It’s hard to picture someone as bubbly and upbeat as Marci operating in a formal setting like a state legislature. She must really liven that place up. I learned tonight she not only bikes everywhere, but is such an avid recycler, she stops to pick up cans she sees along the road (and even recycles staples)! I can tell you from personal experience I had trouble finding a single garbage can in her home. Now that’s walking the talk.

Tagged kansan.com, ku bike club, ljworld, local burger, ride for renewables, university of kansas

“LAND OF OPPORTUNITY” (Thursday, October 7, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

Started the day with an interview with local CBS affiliate WIBW TV:

http://wibw.videogenesis.net/preview?beginminute=9.6&endminute=10.4&startfield=9:36&endfield=10:24&synapses=yes&showstring=20101007_1658-138-Live_at_Five&vote=none&interval=unknown&station=WIBW&btrim=0&etrim=0

Spent the rest of the morning on the phone lining up events and media in Lawrence. Here’s a shout out to Brook Graham (Bruce and Michelle’s daughter) for lining up media and speaking opportunities for me in Lawrence, and for finding me a place to stay.

As I’m preparing to check out of the hotel, the owner, Madan Rattan, joked about wanting to keep the trike in his lobby to boost his business. He then asked me about my trip, which sparked a fascinating conversation about his personal journey from India to Saudi Arabia and ultimately the United States (with $6 dollars in his wallet – it’s still there). Madan is now a successful businessman, grateful to be living in the “land of opportunity.” His primary message is we can do anything as a nation and people, if we will but only focus and prioritize. It’s not much more complicated than that.

Rode a relatively easy 31 miles ride today to Lawrence. Rolled into town and walked into a coffee shop to ask about the closest campground. Checking my voicemail, there was a message from Democratic State Senator Marci Francisco – who is an Analyst at the KU Center for Sustainability – offering me a room in her home for the night, only a few blocks away. After being treated to a wonderful home-cooked dinner with her and her husband, Joe, spent the rest of the night holed up in their 3rd floor loft catching up on emails.

Tagged ku center for sustainability, ride for renewables, wibw

“FUELED BY STUDENT ENERGY“ (Tuesday, October 5, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

Kicked the day off with a 7:00am talk at the Concordia Optimists Club. Must remember to get some caffeine in my system before doing early morning talks. Next up was an 8:00am talk to the Chamber of Commerce, both generously lined up by Republican State Representative Elaine Bowers. Was very impressed with the turnout, and deep level of engagement, at both events. Afterwards, did a radio interview with Joe Jindra at Concordia radio station KNCK. To listen, click on the “7:00 Report” at the link below (the interview start at 3:20 and ends at 6:14):

http://www.radiop1.com/mediacenter.aspx?stationid=11&

Then pedaled 20 or so miles to Clay Center, where I experienced one of the highlights of the trip. Rolled the bike up to the front of Lincoln Elementary School for some shots by the Clay Center Dispatch, then the entire second grade class (nearly 100 children) streamed out the doors and surrounded the rocket trike. I told them what I was doing and why (for them) and we had a really fun 30-minute Q & A session. My heart melted when afterwards one little girl hugged my leg and looked up at me with a huge smile of gratitude on her face. That fueled me for the rest of the day.

Knocked out a little over 50 more miles to Manhattan, for a total of 78 miles on the day. More hawk sightings today, with fuzzy caterpillars replacing beetles on the shoulder. On the way, did an interview with the Salina Journal:

http://www.saljournal.com/news/story/tom-weis-trike-journey-10510

Found my way to the KSU campus and “Aggieville,” where I want to give a shout out to Tex at Radinas coffee shop for the mocha on the house, and to Austin Graham (Bruce and Michelle’s son), for offering me a couch to sleep on.

Ruth Douglas Miller , Director of the Kansas Wind Application Center, had generously called a number of media outlets for me and had put me in touch with Zack Pistora, president of KSU’s Students for Environmental Action (SEA). More synchronicity: they just happened to be having their organizational meeting tonight, so Zack invited me to speak. Ruth, her son and the foreign exchange student they were hosting walked me over to where the SEA meeting was taking place, where I rolled the trike into the meeting room and spoke for about 45 minutes. KSU is rocking it. That’s the biggest meeting of student environmental activists I’ve ever seen. The energy I received from the students I spoke with afterwards (like Shelley Fritz) almost defies description and will help fuel me the rest of the way to DC.

Afterwards, knocked back a few drinks with my new KSU buddies at the Purple Pig (thanks, Bryce, for the killer marg), where we had some incredibly inspired conversations on the power of embracing life’s positive potential. Crashed at their pad after Kevin, Zack and I stayed up until 2:00am working on a tracking map for my website, but ended up not sleeping a wink (too much racing through my head), so got out of bed at 7:00 and worked some more on my blog.

Tagged clay center dispatch, concordia chamber of commerce, concordia optimists club, elaine bowers, kansas state university, knck, lincoln elementary school, ride for renewables, salina journal, students for environmental action

“HOLED UP” (Sunday, October 3, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

Spent the entire day holed up in the Graham’s basement, updating my blog and website. Emerged from my den just long enough to join the family for some locally-grown, home-cooked meals and to talk about the trike with friends and relatives who stopped by. The generosity being extended to me by the Graham family is one of the things I love the most about this country. They are truly a family of givers and I can’t thank them enough.

Tonight, Connor generously helped me clean up the trike (his dad just wishes he could get that kind of help from him detailing his truck), so she’s looking good as new. Michelle and Republican State Representative Elaine Bowers meanwhile have been lining up enough public talks and media interviews to keep me busy for the next couple of days.

Tagged elaine bowers, kansas, ride for renewables

“CLIMBING A WIND TURBINE” (Saturday, October 2, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

Easy ride today. Pedaled a quick 23 miles south to Concordia to meet Michelle and Bruce Graham, joined by their teenage son, Connor. Received the red carpet treatment. Started out with a grand tour of the Cloud County Community College Wind Technology Center, where Bruce teaches. Cloud County should very proud to host one the nation’s first and largest certified wind technology schools in the country. At lunch, got an opportunity to interview Tom Cunningham, one of the landowners working with Horizon Wind Energy on the local Meridian Way project.

After that, loaded the trike onto a trailer (to haul it to the Graham’s, where I’ll be staying for the next couple of days) and headed down the road to the school’s two 100- kilowatt wind turbines. After getting harnessed up, Bruce walked Michelle and I through the routine for tower climbs. Then the three of us scrambled 100 feet up the ladder inside the tower to a small platform at the top.

When I popped through, I was surprised by how little floor there was versus the size of the hole (where you could see all the way to the bottom). I guess I was expecting something a little more substantial.

Then Bruce opened the door to the outside of the nacelle (the name for the compartment at the top of the tower) and showed me the tiny ledge. I asked him if he was expecting me to walk out on that little ledge, and he said, “That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?” He was right, of course, so I clipped in, put one foot on the ledge and shimmied a few feet over to the ladder rungs on the top of the nacelle to check out the view from outside the tower. For someone who’s not a big fan of heights, I sure had a good time out there on that little ledge 100’ off the ground.

Then interviewed Bruce inside the nacelle.

After descending back to terra firma, we drove to the nearby Meridian Way project, a 201 megawatt project developed by Horizon that boasts 3 megawatt Vestas wind turbines (the largest installed anywhere in America). Very impressive. We need lots more wind projects like this, and bigger, and we need them yesterday.

Tagged cloud county community college, horizon wind energy, meridian way, ride for renewables, wind technology center

“HITTING THE WALL & BREAKING THROUGH” (Friday, October 1, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

The day started off well. Early up with the sun, with a fellow bike enthusiast and his two little dogs stopping by to check out the trike as I was breaking camp. Was hoping to make Concordia by the end of the day, but breakfast up the street at a local diner led to one conversation after another… and I didn’t get out of Paul’s Diner until past 10:00am, but still wanted to swing by the office of the Smith County Pioneer. So I pedaled into town, only to be told by Linda Levin their photographer was out. Then in walked Linda’s husband (who I had met at the diner just moments before, and had happened to take some pictures of the trike), so that took care of that.

On my way out of town, stopped at a convenience store to fill up my water bladders and up drives Alvin Devlin, who I’d also met at the diner (where he was telling me about a major wind project Smith County was developing). He wanted me to meet Smith Center Economic Development Director Pam Barta and drove me back into town to her office. After our video interview, Pam then invited me to speak at the monthly Chamber of Commerce luncheon, taking place 10 minutes later, which I was happy to do. Didn’t get out of town until after 1:00pm, with 60 miles to knock out. So much for my early start.

Don’t know if it was the late start, or just the miles catching up with me, but had a really rough ride day today. Low energy and not feeling particularly strong. Runners call it “hitting the wall.” Three and a half hours later, I limp into Mankato, hoping some food might give me a boost. First I stopped by the Jewell County Record, where they took a shot of the trike. Then I pedaled down the alley to a local diner to try and reenergize with some food.

When the proprietor saw my bike, she asked where I was riding. When I told her Washington, DC, she laughed out loud. Then she asked when I expected to arrive, and when I told her that, she guffawed again. I finished my meal, silently thanking her for the motivation, and knocked out the next 30 miles to Belleville in record time. More hawk sightings. Busted through the wall today, logging 64 miles in 6 hours of riding, but am still looking forward to some rest and recuperation this weekend.

Small town Kansas really has it going. I’m writing this from a free (yes, such things still exist) campground on the outskirts of Belleville, KS, where I just enjoyed a hot (yes, hot) shower. I needed it, after today’s ride.

Tagged kansas, ride for renewables

“PRAIRIE DOGS & CURIOUS COWS” (Thursday, September 30, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

Slept under a beautiful Cottonwood tree and woke up feeling more refreshed than I’ve felt the whole trip. The campsite was so peaceful, I decided to take the morning off and take my time getting out of there. Visited the Prairie Dog colony on my way out of the park, but was surprised by its size. It was smaller than most prairie dog colonies scattered throughout Boulder.

Finally hit the road a about a quarter till noon, rolling into Norton 30 minutes later. Grabbed some lunch at a local diner and stopped by the Norton Telegraph for an interview and shot of the trike.

http://www.nwkansas.com/NCTwebpages/pdf%20pages%20-%20all/nt%20pages%2Fpdfs%202010/nt%20pages%2F10%20Oct/Week%201/Friday%2010-1/02%2010-1-10%20Social.pdf

Later rolled down Main Street in Prairie View, and then Stuttgart, on my way to Phillipsburg, where the Advocate took a shot of the trike and did a quick interview.

Met my first fellow recumbent bike rider today, as I was leaving Phillipsburg. Told me he was a bear hunter and kept in shape for hunting season by riding (he finds the recumbent more comfortable than a regular bike). When I told him my route east, he suggested a more bike friendly route, which worked out well, so thanks, Bill!

On this trip, I have pedaled by more cows interested in my yellow rocket trike than you can shake a stick at. I really think cows have gotten a bad rap, because you can’t be both curious and dumb. More often than not, the cows I come upon stop what they’re doing, look at me, and continue watching me long after I’ve passed. Same with most horses I’ve come across on this trek (some have even eagerly run up to the fence for a closer look). I guess they’re just bored with cars and trucks (having seen so many of them over the years) and are trying to figure out what this yellow, futuristic-looking thing riding past them is. I’ve even had cows and bulls as far as hundreds of yards away look up and check out the trike. It’s really quite something and happens all the time.

Rolled down the main streets of Agra and Kensington on my way to Smith Center, where I again arrived just as the sun had set and it was starting to get dark. On the way, had two cars pull over ahead of me to get photos of the trike. The driver of the second, Judy, was kind enough to tell me where I could camp for free in town, which is where I’m writing this now, snuggled into my cozy tent. More hawk sightings today. Logged 72 miles, for a total of 500 miles ridden so far (about 20% of the way there).

Tagged cows, norton telegraph, prairie dog state park, ride for renewables

“CROSSWINDS & PAIN” (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

Gusting crosswinds all day made for slow going, especially up the numerous hills that characterize western Kansas.

Late in the morning, the pain in my right knee got so bad I decided it was time to kick in the electric-assist motor for the bigger hills, and I’m glad I did, because the day was full of them. Getting a little electric assist on the tougher hills took a lot of strain off the knee and made the pedaling more bearable. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow. Today was another good media day. Rolled down Main Street in Atwood and did an interview with the Rawlins County Square Deal:

Rolled up to country music radio station KFNF off Hwy. 36 and did an interview there before heading to Oberlin for a stop at the Oberlin Herald where the office cat runs the show.

Interesting how the last few days I was constantly dodging grasshoppers in the shoulder. Today there were almost none (due to the wind, I suppose), but lots of black beetles negotiating their way across the treacherous (to them) asphalt strip. Did my best not to add to their troubles. More hawk sightings today.

Didn’t want to spend tonight in another town square, so took a calculated risk and pushed for the turn-off to Prairie Dog State Park, hoping I could make it before the sun went down and it got too dangerous to ride. Was a tough slog at the end of an already long day (8 hours of riding for a total of 82 miles on the day), but only missed my mark by 15 minutes. Wouldn’t have wanted to ride on that shoulder five minutes longer, though. Finally rolled into Prairie Dog State Park just as it was getting dark and the mosquitos were getting active.

They have a beautiful campground nestled next to a reservoir, with free showers and not too many people this time of year. Looking forward to seeing the dogs in the morning.

Tagged kansas, prairie dog state park, rawlins county square deal, ride for renewables

“FARMERS GREENING THE GRID” (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)

Tue, October 12, 2010 No Comments by Tom

Grabbed a quick breakfast at the Wray Diner, swung by the Wray Gazette on my way out of town, then hit the road. Two hawk encounters early in the day, then a bunch of tough hills in SW Nebraska and NW Kansas, making for slow going most of the way. Still knocked out 73 miles. Haven’t used the electric-assist motor yet, but may have to reconsider, given the worsening pain in my right knee. Saw this iconic windmill in Nebraska.

Pedaled down Main Street in St. Francis and found the offices of the St. Francis Herald, where I did a brief interview and they took some shots of the trike.

St. Francis Herald Article

Then hit Main Street, Bird City, where I met some more really nice folks (cuious about the trike – like pretty much everywhere I go) and wolfed down some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Almost everyone I’ve met so far enthusiastically supports the “100% by 2020” goal.

Next town up was McDonald, where I was pedaling down Main Street and received a nice surprise: two very large residential wind turbines at the edge of town.

Popped into the liquor store to ask who owned them, and the proprietor called the owner, who promptly drove down and met me. After a brief conversation, A.B. Fisher invited me back to his house, where he spoke with me on why its important to him to become energy independent. He also had a few choice words for Congress. A.B. personifies the kind of can-do, entrepreneurial American spirit we need to get this country back on track.

That night, camped in McDonald’s town square.

Tagged kansas, mcdonald, ride for renewables, st. francis herald, wind turbines