Sing Away the Darkness

I heard the owl again today. He is was in the same spot as always, a sound of the night that is darkest right before the dawn of another warm, and muggy, Southeastern day. Now that it's May, I no longer finish my morning commute in the darkness. The damp and cold of a long winter has finally past, and now the welcoming warmth and light of Spring embrace me. 

Here in my 4th year of Life Without a Car, once again gasoline prices have soared above $4.00 a gallon. Speculation, Mississipee flooding and Middle Eastern unrest have conspired to give us a taste of what Europeans have experienced for generations. I see other bicycle commuters now that it's warmer, and with May being National Bicycle month, it's common to see other cyclists giving the ride to work a try. Atlanta can be a tough place to ride a bicycle, but it's not impossible, and I hope this year more people give it a try and stick with it. 

Sticking with it does so much for you and for others. Riding a bicycle for something other that sport is a revolutionary act for newcomers. It flies in the face of consensual social opinion on transportation, it places you outside of the usual steel coffin, and re-connects you with the world around you. It gives you time to think about everything, and nothing, at the same time. It starts you down the road of questioning why things are the way they are, and how they could be improved. And that's always a good thing. 

Commuting by bicycle let's you snicker when people whine about gas prices, and about having to plan "staycations" instead of going away. You aren't affected by any of it, because you save money on gasoline, automobile maintenance, and gym memberships. You aren't limited to staying at home on a vacation. You just book a room at a hotel, strap on a pack, and pedal there. Or better yet, pack a tent and sleeping bag, and pedal off to a campground. You are freed now, and the possibilities are endless. 

And in the early morning, as you pedal along through the end of the night, you can hear the owls sing away the darkness.