This vehicle is fun now. It never dawned on me that this would happen. That could be due to the mission that has me totally absorbed within its grasp. But it could be that it seemed technically unlikely. Whatever the reason this vehicle is fun. Due to inhospitable infrastructure for a bicycle of this size or indeed any bicycle, this vehicle is not for the faint of heart. But how many things are done by people of means that are not for the faint of heart? Cycling, mountain climbing, long distance hiking, long distance cycling, hang gliding, kite sailing, windsurfing, snow skiing..... It now seems impossible to me that self solar energy harvesting Transportation will not become a thing in a variety of forms almost immediately. It's irresistible. To a tiny segment, maybe, but irresistible. And each one that happens becomes a powerful advocate for renewable energy. I suppose these electric cars are nice but they're not a revolution. They are four thousand pounds worth of needless consumption. They are not a revolution. They are more of the same grotesque overconsumption. Ultralight self energy harvesting transportation is a revolution and it shows the revolution that is entirely possible. The final obstacle to this vehicle being remotely fun was substantial downhill travel. It was pretty miserable burning up those brakes. Stopping every half-mile to let them cool down. And of course all that braking was heat and all that heat was the energy invested in climbing. Yesterday in a 30 mile Journey from the coast to the east side of San Diego is steep Rolling Hills one after another after another. 2200 feet on the day. There was only moderate sun to help. It was surreal to watch a battery indicator that should have been plummeting only decreasing as though we were traveling on flat ground. It still seems surreal. But the gauges are accurate. 20% of the energy for this trip came from regenerative braking. I suspect it will be many many many many months before the brake pads on this vehicle need to be replaced, if even then.
11.15.2017
11.14.2017
Phase 2? A new phase of this Mission emerging? Not important in my view, but interesting. Every day....
What is important is that hundreds of thousands of eyeballs can now not unsee the future that is possible, renewable, ultralight living on our mother earth. Constructive coexistence. Life lived in the service of others not self. The only Revolution. This thanks to the contributions of so many now. Will it make a difference? It is impossible that will not make a difference. Large enough to nudge the needle? Unlikely, but possible. Many now have helped these seeds be sewn. And the sowing of seeds will continue for as long as I can see with this now so capable vehicle.
Phase 2? A new phase of this Mission emerging? Not important in my view, but interesting. Every day.... of the last 14 months, almost 12,000 miles, has been a race, a Sprint. A Sprint to get to Standing Rock. My Sprint to get to Lansing Michigan for the new Harvester micro RV to be built. A Sprint in northern Wisconsin to show it at the Midwest Energy Fair. Sprint back to Lansing Michigan for the solar Harvester micro RV to be completed. Sprint to Western Iowa for the 7-Day Cross Iowa bicycle event with 10,000 people or so. A Sprint to the West Coast where this vehicle could be seen by those with the means and know how to take the idea and run with it. Well, the sprinting phase seems to be over. Except for the Sprint to save the world which is what this is completely, entirely, all about. That will end with my last breath. But the sprinting phase as it has been seems to be over. With the help and generosity and skill and kindness of so many people this being written from the southwest United States, San Diego, it is completed in Phase 1. And coincidentally this miraculous vehicle is now completed. With regenerative braking it is now absolutely a fun vehicle with many fewer incidents that terrorized me, to travel in. There are few climbs that can stop it. And The Descendants from steep grades which were horrible brake melting, vehicle crushing events are now something that recharge the batteries effortlessly descend at 15 miles per hour! Game-changing. And those of you that stepped forward with material Financial contributions when it became apparent that this vehicle was so outmatched by the mountains on the coast you enabled the stored battery power to be doubled and there are now few climbing situations that it can't handle. Maybe none. It has been the entire purpose of this vehicle to be seen to try and awaken people's hearts to the possibility of averting a otherwise certain horrible future for the children. That remains 100% of the mission. But the new phase is a move from a arduous Sprint to something I don't remember how to anymore because it has been so many decades, follow my interests and curiosity in the world. As I have written recently I'm aware that my intimate relationship with nature has cooled dramatically. This may be okay but I'm not sure. After some important work to improve the solar generating capability with wiring and a new controller that may be completed tomorrow, the Palm Springs, Joshua Tree area campgrounds become the new initial destination. If my nervous system responds I will linger and try and have my connection with creation reignite. The vehicle got to be seen these last 14 months by sprinting the various locations. For the months that I see ahead it will also be seen but by Meandering to spiritually significant locations to my nervous system primarily. Interesting. My gratitude to those who have contributed to this Mission will never waver.
11.12.2017
The only true protection for the middle class is true protection of the lower class.
The only true protection for the middle class is true protection of the lower class.
Four things this vehicle embodies Each of which may prove irresistible I think. Self-sufficient....
Four things this vehicle embodies Each of which may prove irresistible I think. Self-sufficient.... solar powered travel. Human solar hybrid serious transportation. Human solar hybrid micro RV. extremely light living on the planet. Will these ever be more than niche things? Possible. When carbon fiber becomes a prevalent means of Construction and the equivalent of gallium arsenide is prevalent in solar it will be unlikely that these four things noted above will not at least have serious niches.
11.10.2017
Obviously I don't know this part of California, and it seems I have been too harsh. For the second night I am parked on the very wide Venice Boulevard, expecting no negative encounters with the police. There are.....
Obviously I don't know this part of California, and it seems I have been too harsh. For the second night I am parked on the very wide Venice Boulevard, expecting no negative encounters with the police. There are..... many RVs parked along the same Boulevard. Some, obviously, for days. The street is carefully marked, no parking from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. No other restriction beyond that. So clearly the community has decided that recreation vehicles and cars you can park on this long Main Street. And probably some others in the area that I have not yet detected. America is dying. People are economically dying left and right. Multiple times now in Silicon Valley, even Elite Pleasanton, out here in Los Angeles area, I am finding a more than tolerance for people living in their cars. What I know is that this is infinitely less negative and hateful than I expected to encounter.
11.09.2017
I am so ultimately lucky, and you could be too. At the moment I'm reflecting on the international cycling support group called warm showers. Cyclist....
I am so ultimately lucky, and you could be too. At the moment I'm reflecting on the international cycling support group called warm showers. Cyclist.... that Supply lodging and support to one another as they travel the world. Lodging is only requested by this Mission when no other options, Walmart parking lots, truck stops, are available. Due to the extreme nature of this traveler, and this vehicle, the acceptance rate is roughly 1 and 20. If I were to non-political and attractive it would be more like 50%. I'm not complaining. Think about it. New one in 20 that opens their arms, I get the extraordinary ones. James
I take no hope or comfort in little bits of hopefulness. Quite the opposite. We will avoid......
I take no hope or comfort in little bits of hopefulness. Quite the opposite. We will avoid...... saving the world precisely because we find little bits of Hope to keep us in our comfort zone and on the sidelines. The Guardian newspaper, which usually I'm grateful for today ran an article on the seven hopeful things, megatrends, that might avert global warming. F*** them. We don't have a problem with people finding reasons to stay on the sidelines. That's not our problem.
She throws up on you for the 8th time today, your beloved 2 year old daughter desperately ill with the flu. Do you yell at her yet? Do you cut off her food......
She throws up on you for the 8th time today, your beloved 2 year old daughter desperately ill with the flu. Do you yell at her yet? Do you cut off her food...... or threaten to end her housing because of her horrible Behavior? Of course not! You ache for her pain, care not how many times she throws up, only that you help her pain subside. And yet my sisters and brothers often draw my Fury and ire. The rich in their disgusting criminally selfish mansions. My sisters and brothers in their pickup trucks with their cursing at this vehicle and their hatred. The homeless, the poor, with their trash all over the place and their wretched appearance. All are terribly sick, victims of this diseased society, and yet too often they draw not my compassion and solidarity but my hatred. But what I've just written is a new Glimpse for me of the problem within me. And I'm glad of that. I'm learning a new way to see these horrible behaviors for what they are, sickness of this Society made manifest, needing my attempts, my best attempts, to be a cure.
Get the F off the road!!! This on a very not busy Route 1. Two lanes. This human solar hybrid micro RV on the road did not slow that young white male in his pickup truck 3 seconds literally.
Get the F off the road!!! This on a very not busy Route 1. Two lanes. This human solar hybrid micro RV on the road did not slow that young white male in his pickup truck 3 seconds literally.
Capitalism, materialism, militarism, the central amazing essential achievement: Nearly every heart dead Beyond toddlerhood. Truly.
Capitalism, materialism, militarism, the central amazing essential achievement: Nearly every heart dead Beyond toddlerhood. Truly.
11.07.2017
Career homeless. In Creator's eyes who is the more morally reprehensible, the career homeless for Generations, or trust fund adults, retired folks living off of Decades of looting the planet though their intentions may have been good, corporate capitalist terrorists destroying the planet?
Career homeless. In Creator's eyes who is the more morally reprehensible, the career homeless for Generations, or trust fund adults, retired folks living off of Decades of looting the planet though their intentions may have been good, corporate capitalist terrorists destroying the planet?
11.06.2017
“Radicalized capitalists are the terrorists,” Iron Eyes said in a Facebook post on Friday. “The unnatural outlier, the disease of all pursuits of life, liberty, happiness and spirit. Here they stand before God, criminalizing water protectors, privatizing water, preying on the impoverished, forcing a form of indentured servitude for capital exchange, committing genocide, and forcing people to kill each other for their own profits. Not in defense of land, water, people or even ‘country.’ We, sentient beings, are committing unforgivable murder on the innocent for their endless war machine, their death march.” article
11.05.2017
Santa Barbara has Exquisite physical Beauty. But I find ugly what is not equally for all, especially for the poorest.
Santa Barbara has Exquisite physical Beauty.
But I find ugly what is not equally for all, especially for the poorest.
Problem: Our culture says the purpose of life is to get and use money. Our genes say create, nurture, protect life. Opposites.
Problem: Our culture says the purpose of life is to get and use money. Our genes say create, nurture, protect life. Opposites.
11.04.2017
We crucified Jesus then, and every day since, over one little word, the word, all. Do unto others all you would have them do unto you. Leave off the word all and we love him. Include the word all and we f****** kill him.
We crucified Jesus then, and every day since, over one little word, the word, all. Do unto others all you would have them do unto you. Leave off the word all and we love him. Include the word all and we f****** kill him.
Among the very nicest, any level of immorality is Justified to protect our over privileged. Among the very nicest of us, not one of the million is the exception to this. They call me a saint when I give to the poor, I call me a communist when I asked why there are poor. South America St..
Among the very nicest, any level of immorality is Justified to protect our over privileged. Among the very nicest of us, not one of the million is the exception to this. They call me a saint when I give to the poor, I call me a communist when I asked why there are poor. South America St..
11.02.2017
Help badly needed for lodging, places to park at night, in the Los Angeles Corridor South. Saturday night I arrive Santa Barbara. and a cyclist 50 miles east-southeast of there Provides a place on Sunday night. Moving south at about 60 miles a day from there working down towards San Diego. It is an absolute desert in terms of Walmarts that allow overnight parking, truck stops.
Help badly needed for lodging, places to park at night, in the Los Angeles Corridor South. Saturday night I arrive Santa Barbara. and a cyclist 50 miles east-southeast of there Provides a place on Sunday night. Moving south at about 60 miles a day from there working down towards San Diego. It is an absolute desert in terms of Walmarts that allow overnight parking, truck stops.
Quite possibly one of the most productive days of this mission. And quite enjoyable. Kettleman Village to Passo....
Quite possibly one of the most productive days of this mission. And quite enjoyable. Kettleman Village to Passo.... Robles? 7 miles left to the trip. 3200 feet of climbing, about 60 miles of travel. Some harrowing parts of this high-speed Highway but most of it luxurious clean wide shoulders with huge drive by having little else to do but look at and Ponder this tiny little vehicle as they speed by. Flawless performance at the vehicle. Near 0 cooperation from the Sun in weeks on the first day in weeks when it really really would have been helpful. LOL. Extraordinary cooperation LOL, by the powers-that-be. Unless and until this vehicle has regenerative braking it is The Descent on Long climbs that is particularly miserable because it does nothing but waste energy putting it into heated and or melted brakes. The exception to that is a descent grade of 4% or less where when wind drag keeps the vehicle speed at a manageable 28 miles per hour or less without using much brakes. But at that speed vehicle is at least slightly unstable and on a narrow shoulder even if the grade would allow it prudence does not. So brakes are burned up to keep it at 12 miles an hour. And on the climb, a 2000 foot climb, the most significant on the trip they were working on the roads, putting down lines. Sew a flag person was stopping traffic One Direction or the other for maybe 10 minutes or more. Single-lane. So for many miles the traffic that was climbing with me was confined to one lane of this highway. Maybe by law I should have been in that lane as well but that would have been terrible. So I decided to use the other wise beautiful Lanes including the bicycle lane for myself. It was glorious! And it provided quite a slow-moving eyeful to those climbing alongside me. When I reach the top, a bit fatigued and very wet and it was chilly I anticipated stopping for a while and putting on my sweatshirts. But immediately I realized that next to me going my direction was no one and nothing. Silence. There was the possibility that my upcoming Lane was stopped behind me and that I would have a long time many minutes I would totally open Lane and would not have to burn up my brakes. And that's exactly what happened for maybe 10 minutes. Absolutely fabulous. Now, in the last half-hour of this trip, the sun is out. So low on the horizon that it is doing absolutely no good. Just laughing at me. And per my just Pryor post I feel like I've cracked a major code. Today was a very powerful fluid output of this body. Very satisfying. The code I cracked by the way is one that I now remember deciphering several months ago and I'm also aware that somehow for the last month I've totally forgotten it. Quite amazing.
Note to self. Remember that Cadence and force determines where the end of the stroke is, the bottom reach. Increased stroke power and decreased Cadence tends to move the bottom of the stroke down toward 4 or 4:30. Faster light or stroke tends to move toward three a clock.
The fictional white male supremacist blue-eyed Jesus is precisely opposite the brown-skinned Palestinian Jew of 2000 years ago.
The fictional white male supremacist blue-eyed Jesus is precisely opposite the brown-skinned Palestinian Jew of 2000 years ago.
Never ever can we take responsibility for the outcome of our actions, while every breath taking responsibility for our actions. Never in control of any outcome are we. full effort is full success, rightly said Gandhi. We are called to be faithful, not successful, said Teresa of Calcutta.
Never ever can we take responsibility for the outcome of our actions, while every breath taking responsibility for our actions. Never in control of any outcome are we. full effort is full success, rightly said Gandhi. We are called to be faithful, not successful, said Teresa of Calcutta.
10.30.2017
Today was the exception. I am never ashamed of myself. On a fairly empty road on the outskirts of Fresno the biggest pickup truck I've ever seen, shiny maroon new, came alongside.....
Today was the exception. I am never ashamed of myself. On a fairly empty road on the outskirts of Fresno the biggest pickup truck I've ever seen, shiny maroon new, came alongside..... me as I'm in the bike lane paddling along. One minute next to me, the next second dropping back a little bit then next to me. The driver looking down trying to get my attention but not saying why. I didn't feel at risk but I was outraged at what a stupid thing to do. This went on for maybe 15 seconds the person saying something every once in awhile to try and get my attention and I finally screamed, what?! I turned and looked at the end of a joule and he said do you accept donations? As the words came out of his mouth shocked at my shouting, he quickly looked hurt and then angry at himself for running the words. I said no. Thank goodness a hundred yards ahead he was stopped at a light waiting for it to turn green so he could turn left. What an Incredible Gift To Me. I was able to stop next to him and to shout across the lane, sir, I am so desperately sorry. He clearly accepted my apology.
I think there is no personal price I would not pay to improve the outlook for creation.
I think there is no personal price I would not pay to improve the outlook for creation.
10.29.2017
What if the extreme moral teachers were giving us not nice platitudes but the minimum requirements for a chance at species survival?
What if the extreme moral teachers were giving us not nice platitudes but the minimum requirements for a chance at species survival?
You need to stop talking about the bad stuff other folks do if you personally consume at much Beyond a third world level.
You need to stop talking about the bad stuff other folks do if you personally consume at much Beyond a third world level.
10.28.2017
I am so tired of the left whining and doing squat with their lives and resources to make things change.
I am so tired of the left whining and doing squat with their lives and resources to make things change.
10.27.2017
It seems that my allegiance is not even to my own life, but to that which is good. I certainly didn't see this coming.
It seems that my allegiance is not even to my own life, but to that which is good. I certainly didn't see this coming.
If my best hope is to help even one person return to their Humanity, well, I can live for that.
If my best hope is to help even one person return to their Humanity, well, I can live for that.
10.26.2017
Without love it is nothing. Corinthians 13. Without money, you are worthless. America, 2017.
Without love it is nothing. Corinthians 13. Without money, you are worthless. America, 2017.
There is still much worth fighting for, Jane Goodall said a year ago. Very poignant I thought then. Quite incorrect I think now. Very very little Worth Fighting For Anymore. so little goodness left in the human soul, and as a consequence so little in nature not already destroyed or doomed. I'll fight on, but with these thoughts.
There is still much worth fighting for, Jane Goodall said a year ago. Very poignant I thought then. Quite incorrect I think now. Very very little Worth Fighting For Anymore. so little goodness left in the human soul, and as a consequence so little in nature not already destroyed or doomed. I'll fight on, but with these thoughts.