27 June 2011 Ride: People Powered Mass Transit

A bit sore this morning from playing pool volleyball yesterday and using muscles I haven't used in awhile.  I was waiting to hear about the van that is in the shop as that would be my destination on bike today.  Something incongruously beautiful about riding a bike to go pick up a car that is being fixed.  By the time I did shove off at 11:00 it felt much hotter outside than the 90 degrees the weather station was reporting.  Of course, we know that it is indeed much hotter in the direct sun.


Down off Habbeton Rd, I passed the hawk on the hay bale.  What a shot. Some scraggly trees hid me from view as I passed.  I circled back, dismounted and slowly walked backed until I had a view through the leaves.  I took one quick shot knowing that the hawk would not stay put long once it spotted me.  I had hoped to get another picture but it quickly flew off.  Hard to tell for sure, but it seems as if it has a field mouse in its talons.  Click on the picture to enlarge for a better look.

 

 Right after the hawk, I came across this large dragonfly that kept zipping back and forth over my head.  I dismounted again and, while standing in the middle of the road, I madly twirled in quarter and half circles trying to capture the dragonfly in my viewfinder.  Several shots of empty blue sky and the two captured shots below.

Slightly off focus but I like how it looks like a bad attempt at some sci-fi creature.

I like the angle that the camera happened to capture in this shot.  Again, click to enlarge for a better view.

A crushing smile.

I didn't see it at the time but this old basketball post looks like an odd creature that is holding a captured victim in its clutches and is about to eat it.  Too much heat?

Speaking of heat...I was thinking about horsepower and how more horsepower translates into more power and speed.  So, is the same true for people?  Would 20 people pedaling a bus-like vehicle be able to propel it x times faster than 5 people?  Is there a limit that humans can reach?  Can 20 people reach higher speeds than one person pedaling on a bike?  And, could this idea then be used to create mass transit between towns?  A human-powered human rail system.

A few minutes later I propelled myself into the Auto Park filled with brand new cars.  As I mentioned, a mysterious, undefinable feeling as I rode in, dismounted, and entered the service center dripping wet.

A good ride and I look forward to future rides in the heat and further ruminations brought on by too much sun.

Today's Ride:  1hr 51mins.  22.43 miles.  92 degrees.  17mph winds.  Miles YTD:  3,969.24

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