Roadside pickup

At present I am taking a little social media break, which for me pretty much means Facebook, as I don't spend much time anywhere else. In general, it seems to be a pretty salubrious thing to do. My skin is clearing up, my lumbago has died down, I have contrived a deep affection for brussel sprouts... No but seriously, I think it's a good thing to do.

I went for a 26-mile bike ride yesterday, out to Maple View (where I chilled in the shade and had a nice chat with Graham's math tutor Cliff, who was out there with his kids and mom, who has been stranded in NC from Maine since March) then on to Dodson's Crossroads, over to 54, where I hung a left at the Kraken and made my way back home through town. After being short on water last week on a shorter ride, I took two bottles.

That wasn't enough. By the time I was coming back into Carrboro I could sense that things were awry in my hammies and calves, so I decided to get some Gatorade. Good call, because, as I came through Franklin near the old public library, I felt a little tightening in my left quad. Frankly, I didn't know those cramped. I pulled over and drank more. I made it home, walking my way up the hill at the end, but only just barely.

Riding -- particularly on unfamiliar roads -- is good for idea generation. One thing one can't help but notice riding in the country is litter on the side of the road. It ain't everywhere, but it is a lot of places. I was reminded of how David Sedaris -- born in Raleigh but now living in the English countryside -- got himself knighted for picking up tons of trash, day after day -- while walking along the roads of his prefecture. But also of Tammie Kirkland of the Person County Democrats, who has led trash pickups by the Person Country Democratic Women's Group on the roadsides up there for some time. That is dedication. Rob and Graham have done some trash walking up in Westchester too.

It seems to me that scaling up this practice wouldn't be a bad idea for the Democrats. Why not just have mass quantities of Democrats go out and pick up trash in the country. Who could fault us? Who could yell at us? It is an unquestionable civic good. We'd end up talking to people and hearing about what's on their minds. I think it would be important to not argue or convince, just listen.