On Interurban Trail south of Seattle

Power lines march out into a blur along Interurban Trail south of Seattle. Peaceful ride away from the traffic.

Last part of today was spent on Foothills Trail east of Puyallup. Heading toward Mount Rainier next.

Passing through Seattle metro

Flickr set for Seattle.

Just heard on radio that China has surpassed USA in total energy consumption.

I wanted to try out the new Link Light Rail in Seattle. They take bikes, but I left mine at the motel and just rode as a passenger. It goes from downtown to the airport, but I took it as far as Tukwila just to turn around and come back. Nice ride.

Mount Rainier from Aurora Ave. in Seattle. From pedestrian overpass near Marco Polo Motel

Day 3 Feeling kind of silly if I go over Chinook Pass 3 times in a row over the last few years, but Mount Rainier is beckoning. Last two times I crossed Chinook (in 2007 and 2009), Rainier was in the clouds. Could it be visible this time?

I was planning to head down toward Portland and then turn east in the Columbia Gorge, but that's a long ways around. Maybe I shouldn't try and put on that many miles in this trip. Even though Chinook Pass is a long climb, it's a shorter route to Eastern Washington. I might do it yet again, especially if the weather forecast calls for Rainier to be out of the clouds.

Bike sculpture along Snohomish Centennial Trail

Day 1 and 2

Back in Mount Vernon, I wanted to attend the meeting of Cascade Rainbow Center which is organized by some folks I know. I got there about the time they were leaving as it was a long way into town from Bayview State Park where I was camping. We had a good talk anyway, even though their official meeting was over.

One of the tires on my trailer was flat as I rode over a tack soon out of Bellingham. This met I had a flat tire most of the way to Mount Vernon. Not so bad if it's just one of the little trailer wheels.

After visiting with my friends and having something to eat, it was about midnight. The only place open to get bike supplies was Walmart. This became the first Walmart I've ever bought something at. Actually, I have gotten a few MP3 files from Walmart on line.

No, I'm not necessarily boycotting the place. Walmarts are usually located in places where biking is treacherous. Sprawlmart isn't a bad name.

The new Walmart in Mount Vernon is different. The road to that Walmart has good shoulders.

Inside, the greeters directed me to bike supplies which are in "toys." Yes, I guess much of mainstream culture still considers bikes toys. Well, bikes are fun.

I got what I needed and was back at the state park by 1 AM.

Day 3

My legs felt fine, but the bike was creaking. Sounded like the bottom bracket was tearing itself apart. This was supposed to be a new bike.

Wondering if I'm getting too old, mentally, to put up with these little hassles even though people bike tour well past retirement age.

No bike shop was visible from my route till I got to Greg's Greenlake Cycles in Seattle. They checked it out and found that there wasn't enough grease in the bearing. For only $16, they got it greased up and I was back on the road with a fresh mindset.

A creaking bike can make the whole trip feel like it's coming apart and I had barely started.

Pictures of KGMI towers

For my collection. KGMI in my own town of Bellingham.

Cascade Radio Group runs several stations out of this studio location on Yew Street Road with towers in various other locations. KGMI's towers are at the studio.

I'm biking around in Bellingham a few days toward the start of my vacation. Putting around 50 miles on my new bike before I bring it in for it's 50 mile checkout.

Below picture added in autumn of 2012.

Sunset behind KGMI Radio towers 2012.

Good news that BP's leaking well is finally capped, hopefully

Village People and the new Y logo

Song "YMCA" by The Village People is still relevant. Even the Y's new logo has "YMCA" at lower right side; according to YMCA.net web site. I remember the old logo just looked like a Y.

Village People's publicist may be deeply dismayed, but the old acronym is still around; looking beyond the sound byte level.

That tune is a great hit. One of the highlights of our local pride celebration, this past weekend, was when a bunch of folks (including me) danced onto the stage of Rumor's Cabaret forming those letters and singing as the DJ played that energetic song.

Bellingham Pride 2010 was a great time

On the hood of a car that was in the parade.

In some ways like a class reunion. Ron recognized me after 25 years as he was visiting Bellingham for 2010 pride celebrations.

After all the freewheels I have worn out, a friend marvels that my knees still work fine

5 years and around 10,000 miles has put metal fatigue in my bicycle. Bike shop found a crack in the frame when I brought it in for annual maintenance. They called to say I was eligible for the manufacturer's lifetime warranty on bike frames. That means a new bike for basically no cost. Moderate wear and tear can have some benefits.

Unlike the human body, bicycles can't restore themselves; with today's technology at least. A friend of mine marveled that things like human knees keep going as metal bike parts wear out. Nature does have some interesting ways. I think about my friend's comments when contemplating all the chains and freewheels I've gone through over the years. Moderate exercise is the trick

Interesting juxtaposition of signs from our economy

Some empty storefronts around town, but a bank says optimism is contagious.

Made by fresh local men

Sign seen in window of new eatery under construction in downtown Bellingham. Man Pies on Railroad Ave.


See more of their sun painting.

Compersion - The Spirit of Polyamory

Poster I designed for a workshop several years ago with an author who came through town named Serena Anderlini D'Onofrio. Click on picture for larger version and workshop details.

Laya wrote the text and I did the layout.

I like the wording that Laya wrote for the poster. Excerpted from poster.

In the polyamory community, Compersion is thought of as feeling joy when our lover engages in intimate contact with another human being.

On the community level, Compersion is joyfully participating in the creative, amorous resources of our community.

On the global level, Compersion is the ecstatic joy we feel as we unite with the living, symbiotic field of the planet while loving others.

Come explore with us, through guided group process, the experience of Compersion as an embodied vibration which both liberates and includes us.

Serena Anderlini D'Onofrio is a professor, author and workshop facilitator, with decades of experience evolving the bisexual and polyamory communities.

My most recent bike trip to Vancouver, BC

Image taken near Gastown as I was passing through.

It's not humanly possible to be worth what many corporate executives are paid

BP CEO Tony Hayward's controversial day sailing on yacht raises rather than devoting 24/7 to the oil spill problem.

Humans still have to take breaks and do things that maintain their sanity from time to time. Assuming they have sanity. Humans still take time out to go to the bathroom and sleep. They still make mistakes. Even when paid a lot of money, humans can't stop being human. Maybe some humans are paid too much. If folks are paid less, there can be less pressure to be super human.

Joe Biden's frozen custard remark

After Biden asked what he owed for his tasty frozen treat, Kopp's Frozen Custard manager Scott Borkin quipped, "Don't worry, it's on the house. ... Lower our taxes and we'll call it even."

Biden initially brushed off Borkin's comment — but then circled back to the manager and asked, "Why don't you say something nice instead of being a smarta-- all the time?"

Biden should have said, "it's easier to pay $5 for a custard than cut taxes, or government spending."

Biden was in Wisconsin, but I've bought things here in Washington State where the shopkeeper tallies up with a frown and the remark "and 20 cents for the governor."

My comeback has been, "20 cents to help keep Western Washington University open." WWU is an important employer in Bellingham's local economy that relies to a large extent on state taxes.

Hello sunshine

We are finally getting some of it. This painting is on the wall of a new eatery called Man Pies. Soon to be finished in downtown Bellingham.

Naked carbon

World Naked Bike Ride happened in Bellingham again for 2010 protesting dependency on fossil fuels. Coincidence brought this coal train through town as the riders were leaving Boulevard Park.

Looks like a heavy load of carbon headed to the atmosphere, but it's just less covered than oil dressed in a pipeline.

At least we still have lots of domestic coal here in USA. Some have called us the Saudi Arabia of coal. I hear these trains export coal through a port in Canada. Coal bound for Asia.

Ideally, world economies should strive toward less fossil fuel dependence. Bicycling is one of many fun alternatives that can reduce oil dependence. See my image set of Bellingham's World Naked Bike Rides. 2009 to most recent.

My brother's going solar

Part of rooftop array that my brother is installing on his house. One of his first tasks since installing the collectors is using the sun to run his lawnmower.

He now (2014) says he gets around 1/2 his energy needs from solar. This includes his car that runs on electricity and he charges it at home as well as at some charging stations along the road. It gets up to 60 miles on a charge. For some longer trips, he still has a gas powered hybrid. Solar power provides much of his electrical needs and he still buys some of his power from the power company. When he has extra solar power, he sells power back to the grid which helps offset the cost of power he uses from the grid during times of low, or no sun. Overall his solar collectors cut energy costs in half for his family's fairly middle class lifestyle.

Cartoon idea about Obama and gulf oil spill

I can't draw so here's the description.

"Obama's hands are tied" is the caption showing Obama at the gulf with his hands stuck in a sticky oil like substance.

Most likely, this idea is already out there in some cartoon, I just haven't seen it yet, but how many papers do I read? Not that many.

No, I don't think there's much the President can do. It's a deeper cultural problem of economies based on cheap oil.

Hoping Earth got struck by an asteroid today

Tiny particles from an asteroid aboard Japan's Hayabusa spacecraft. A return capsule just landed today in the Australian desert. Successful landing, but is there dust on board? The world should know after several weeks of analysis in the lab.

If there is enough dust for a sample, we'll find out more about asteroids and the origins of our solar system.

Launched from Japan's Kagoshima Space Center in 2003, Hayabusa (which means "falcon" in Japanese) visited asteroid Itokawa in 2005. A lot was learned, from photos and other readings about the asteroid. It's quite a bit different than expected. Rather than solid rock, it's more like a rubble pile.

Beset with some malfunctions, the spacecraft may have not been able to scoop up any sample. Hoping it got some at least. Amazing, after what it's been through that it still worked and at least the sample return capsule has landed safely on Earth.

Congratulations, Dust Has been found. Update added Nov. 2012.

Bicycling Point Whitehorn Road

Yes, much of the world is associating BP Oil and danger, but here it's just unstable cliffs they don't want you to scramble down.

From beside the road, this view at the top of those cliffs.

Point Whitehorn is a beautiful segment of road. Blocked off to motorized travel, but used for hikers, bicyclists and some dog walkers.

Highlight of the bike ride from Blaine to Bellingham that I took last Saturday.

Goes through buffer lands near BP's Cherry Point Refinery, yet it's still a break from the hubbub of traffic.

Mount Baker was visible that day.

Bike racks on the front of a WTA bus got my vehicle to Blaine and then I bicycled back.

Some of the roads I took were Drayton Harbor, Harberview and Birch Bay Drive to Point Whitehorn.

After crossing Grandview, there's a yellow gate where the car free section begins from the north. Soon the road turns a corner and becomes Aldergrove. Light traffic resumes after (I think) Gulf Road. Eventually I followed Kickerville, Rainbow, Mountainview and Lake Terrell Roads back to the south and east. Douglas got me to Ferndale with Labounty and Pacific Highway taking me back to Bellingham.

Thanks to co-operation of local industries and Whatcom County For the availability of Point Whitehorn Road.

Historic Depot in Blaine

Last Saturday was a somewhat rare sunny day for June in Bellingham. I took a WTA bus up to Blaine and then bicycled back to Bellingham.

I've been reading about efforts to preserve the old railroad depot in Blaine. There were plans to move it to Blaine Harbor and use it as a ferry terminal, but those efforts have run into a few snags. Just leaving it where it is looks reasonable to me, except I read that BNSF Railroad wants to expand their tracks where it's at and has plans to tear it down.

I'm wondering if they could expand the track to the west, rather than through where the depot is now? Preserve the depot where it's at?

Peace Portal Drive is the main drag through town, right behind where the depot is now. They've done a good job developing plazas along the street. Couldn't a walkway connect the old depot area to businesses along Peace Portal which are right behind it? Couldn't some use be found where it's at? Seems like a lot of trouble to move the depot.

Window display about oil spill

Seen through the window of Mindport Museum of science and art in downtown Bellingham.

Someday, gasoline powered cars will be the stuff of old car shows

Part of display in Boulevard Park during the Ski to Sea race.

From what I hear, natural gas (often used in home heating) could power vehicles. There's still quite a bit of that in the USA and it burns a bit cleaner than oil. Might work for a while at least.

Lots of bicycles parked around Fairhaven District for the festival at end of Ski to Sea weekend.

Better, more costly regulation of oil industry

Oil has been too cheap. Increased safety procedures and environmental mitigation will most likely add to the cost of producing oil within the US. Also remember that bad things like spills can happen overseas as well. As we increase the cost of domestic production, we should do better than just start importing more cheap oil from overseas.

We've allowed the economy and people's lifestyles to develop around the assumption of cheap oil. Reducing executive salaries can take up some of the cost, but most will likely be passed on to the consumer.

Bicycle powered blender

I tried one of these bicycle powered blenders at the Farmer's Market. Takes about one minute to make a smoothie. Normally, I don't drink smoothies, but wanted to try this. Cost $5.

Next day, I explained the process to someone who ask me a few questions. When he asked, "cubed ice?" I thought he asked, "cute men?"

The answer was, quite a few cute men around the market.

We both got a good laugh out of that one. I heard cute men when he asked about cubed ice. My mind was following the money thinking, "was it worth $5?" Part of the equation of value is the experience. Cute men would add to the experience.

On another note, today was the festival in Fairhaven which marks the last day of Ski to Sea.

I bought this T-shirt.

Marketing bicycling.

Also, the festival in Fairhaven was more enjoyable than years past. They had a section of booths for non profit organizations. This was a nicer atmosphere than having all of the festival be commercial and a beer garden.

Whatcom PFLAG in 2010 Ski to Sea Parade

Turning the corner of Cornwall and Champion.

Rainbow banner.

Betty Desire and sign for Bellingham's gay pride events, July 7 to 11. That parade and festival will be on Sunday July 11.

They could try pouring drilling mud and concrete into Facebook to slow the leaks

Woops! Maybe that's a solution for the BP oil leak.

I'm not worried about privacy leaks on Facebook. If I put it up there, it's for the public anyway.

On the other side of the coin, it's easy to just feel like a "needle in the haystack" on the Internet. Can anyone find this blog?

Mysterious power wheel

Mysterious through the glass of a display window at American Museum of Radio and Electricity. One can barely make it out, but it's a stationary bicycle hooked to a generator. It can power amplifiers for concerts.

There's the reflection in the window of another bicycle parked behind me. Also my reflection in the window.

A vendor at the Bellingham Farmer's Market has bicycle powered blenders for smoothies. I tried it last week even though I don't normally drink smoothies.

Bicycle powered appliances may not save that much energy in the great scheme of things, but they can be good publicity. In the home, heating and air conditioning are usually the big energy hogs. On the road, it's motorized transportation and bicycles do help there.

On the other end of the spectrum, I remember some people who went camping in a large RV. Everything in their RV was "power this power that." Power windows, power steering; even the can opener. They couldn't open a can without starting up a gas powered generator.

How I-1098 could even help control state spending. Yes, for the state income tax on wealthy

Washington is one of the few states with no state income tax. I-1098 would create an income tax for couples making over $400,000 and individuals making over $200,000 per year.

It would raise around 1 billion dollars plus cut some other taxes.

Wow. That's quite a bit of money it could add to state government that's strapped for cash even though, I read, it would only tax the top 3 percent of incomes in the state.

Ya, I guess there is a lot of money out there in the hands of the wealthy.

Some say the state should do a better job controlling spending.

Well, what would they cut?

I'm not opposed to that idea either. There's a lot spent by the state on education, for instance.

I'm not against education, but many of our university presidents make well over the amount that would qualify them to pay this tax. Let's tax back some of that income.

Not just college presidents, but there are many other high end employees of the state that would be fertile ground for collecting this tax. Also many contractors who claim to be in the private sector, but end up getting much of their revenue from doing work for the state.

We could tax back some of this excessive income as a way of controlling state spending.

Sounds kind of funny. Pay large salaries and then tax it back.

Well, maybe that's the only way we can get the markets and political realities to solve the problem.

A reason why some of the state salaries are high is the whole "keeping up with the Joneses" idea. They go up when high end private incomes go up. This is what institutions claim they have to do for retaining and attracting talent.

Both government and private enterprise are often locked into a bidding war for what is supposedly thought of as talent.

Maybe some of those high end people are really talented, but listening to news about corporate executives and the 2008 banking debacle, I wonder.

The whole picture, both public and private, is driving up costs so it's time to tax some of that income back if we want to maintain the level of services that our state provides.