Why do we think the way we do? As I read various texts, from the newspaper’s sensationalist journalism to my favorite surreal fictionalists, I get this sense that far too many people are far too confident that they know what makes the world go round.  Personally, I’m more of the opinion that people are impressively imperfect beings, capable of much, but our own issues keep us from being so much more.  Human potential crashing against human apathy…

When I try to turn these thoughts inward,  I am constantly astounded at the chaotic crashing of thoughts through my head.  This doesn’t disturb me in the least, it just seems to be. Perhaps this reflection is brought about by my reading a good deal of literature and fiction lately (God bless you, Mr. Vonnegut), where life is ordered into a storytelling form, linear and straightforward. It seems to mak life and human interactions linear and organized. Perhaps therein lies the fiction, therein lies the art.

Speaking of crashing, I was recently drawn into another heated debate about the validity of fixed gear bicycles as a form of urban transport and cycleriffic fun. Why must these debates get so heated? I love bikes, in all shapes and sizes. There are people that pick a side of the fence, stand staunchly decrying fixies as true connection to the road, the ultimate in simplifying the human-machine interface.  They face squarley off against those yelling how fixies are a dumb fad, no one knows how to ride them, they only want them as a hip fashion accessory, fixie riders aren’t even about bikes, they will all crash and die without a brake, cause harm to the freewheeling public, etc. etc.)

Why must sides be picked? Bikes are fun. Period. Ride them.

This smacks of those surfers that ride shortboards and glare and curse when I paddle my longboard into a shortboard lineup.  Smacks of my younger years, when skateboarders who couldn’t even land a kickflip on flat ground would gnash their teeth and scoff at me when I launched a 360 out of the halfpipe on my “fruitboots” aka rollerblades.   Yes, that’s right. I’m admitting it.  I rollerbladed and I loved it.

Shit, it doesn’t even stop there. Go to Utah, try to take your snowboard to Alta ski resort. Nope. not allowed. Not unless you take a skillsaw to the centerline and drill some ski bindings in. Snowboards NO. Skis yes. Longboards NO. Shortboards yes. Rollerblades NO. Skateboards yes. Fixies NO. Freewheels yes.

and of course, the dichotomy of trail use: Bicycles NO, Horses yes.  Bicycles NO, people yes.

Can’t anyone besides me see that no matter what the sport, stupid apes find a way of making their platform better by excluding or belittling another? Why can’t we apes just see that long or short, fixed or free, one or two, blades or boards, foot or wheel, we’re all enjoying varieties of the same feeling?  That we’re all seeking to enjoy the same space and seek respite from this crazy life we’ve gotten ourselves into?  Can’t we just smile at the variety that is created around the dynamic sensation and pursuit of flat out fun?

Huh? Can’t we?