Should I attempt to re-boot this blog?

It's been a long while since I thought about this blog. It has never amounted to much, and has not even been something I would direct anyone to pay attention to. But I am starting another experiment.

Last month I turned 55. To celebrate my birthday, I began an experiment to see how many consecutive days I can spend with some amount of time each day on two wheels. Bicycle or motorcycle. What I notice so far is that it seems to be making different connections within my mind. I experience a shift in proprioception, especially when I am riding single track at Movil Maze here in Bemidji. It's intriguing, and may be something to write about.

I have a challenge ahead. I will be at the annual conference for Minnesota United Methodists at the end of the month. This will involve staying in St. Cloud for several days of meetings. I will have to bring or have access to a bicycle or motorcycle during that time. I need to think imaginatively about how I might make that happen.

I am preparing for my month long spiritual renewal leave in July. I should be able to post during the trip using my cellphone. I'm not sure how much I will write, but I will make a bigger deal of sharing this blog if I do. Stay tuned.

Once again, it has been a long time since I made a post here. My writing has been infrequent at best. This might be about to change.

In July, I will be taking a spiritual renewal leave. I am planning an extended bicycle touring trip, probably from by doorstep to wherever I end up. I have almost everything assembled that I will need. My old mountain bike has been converted to a trekking bike. I have a B.O.B. trailer, a tent, a sleeping bag, and a cooking kit using my old Optimus Svea 123 stove. Depending on internet availability (or how long I want to squint at a cellphone), I will be making entries on this blog. Simple enough.

brrr... it's cold out there!

I'm looking forward to riding a Salsa Mukluk 3 this winter. Two years ago, I was able to ride a fat bike for the first time. I liked the flotation, and especially the ability to ride off-road during the winter. Even fat tires don't work so well on fresh snow. But for everything else they are lovely.

While discussing a fat bike purchase, I was asked by my go-to bike shop guy whether I am thinking of riding in the Arrowhead 135 race. First of all, I was flattered. I'm a fifty year old pastor who rarely gets enough time to build much of a mileage base. I don't think of myself as being in the same league as the athletes who enter this event or the less than half who are able to complete it. A younger version of myself with fewer commitments would have jumped at the opportunity.

But I haven't ruled it out. I continue to be interested in new frontiers and self-discovery, and this event seems like it would be a place to find out more about myself. It would be an opportunity to grow and learn on the bicycle in a new way, something I haven't done for a while.

It would probably be easier to make another attempt at learning to ride the unicycle I purchased a few years back, but that seems like it needs something other than two wheels and a prayer.

Another day, Another ride

It was another busy week, so I was unable to get out for another ride until yesterday. I rode my old GT Karakorum mountain bike, which I've had for about 16 years now.

Riding a bicycle has been the most consistent part of my life for a long time. I've gone from electronics geek, to art student, registered nurse, seminary student, and pastor. I have spent time on two wheels the whole time. When I'm not able to get out for a ride, I am more susceptible to depression and worry. Yesterday's ride revitalized my spirit when I didn't even realize I needed it.

In seminary, I was taught many spiritual practices including prayer, study, worship, and service. While all of these have helped to grow my faith, riding a bicycle has been the best means of restoring my spirit. I'm more prone to fatigue when I am unable to go for a ride.

Last winter was more difficult for me, and I suspect that not riding my bicycle was part of it. I mounted studded tires on the Karakorum, but didn't use it. For this winter, I am going to get a fat bike. On some level, it seems kind of crazy when I already have eight bicycles. How can I think of such a thing when I have such an outrageous abundance of bicycles? Yet the cost of a fat bike seems reasonable for keeping my spirit in balance.

Discovering new places to ride

It's been a day off- and some time to ride in Fosston, MN. I discovered an ATV/snowmobile route not far from my mother-in-law's house. There are lots of nice ATV trails in this part of Minnesota that seem like undiscovered territory for mountain bikes. Riding a bicycle seems to have little or no impact on the trails themselves.

I like being able to explore without really knowing where I am going. I use a Garmin bicycle GPS that leaves a nice little trail of breadcrumbs. This allows me to impulsively makes twists and turns without much fear of getting lost.

I'm feeling grateful for living in an area with so much open country to explore. While it is relatively flat in Thief River Falls and Crookston, I don't have to go very far to discover something new.

Movement and Two wheels, discipliine of blogging.

I'm just back from a week at the lake. I commuted to our cabin on my motorcycle. It's about a 6 hour ride, so it gives me a lot of time to focus on movement. On my return trip, I saw lots of motorcycles going the other way. Some of them were motorcycles that have been converted to trikes.

One of the aspects of spending time on two wheels is that you have to keep moving. An 850 pound motorcycle is an ungainly beast when it is at rest. But when you induce the slightest forward momentum, it becomes easy to handle.

It's obviously a metaphor, but I think this is also true about life, or at least one's perception of it. Life is in a constant state of movement-- and it can seem like an ungainly beast when we start to act as if it is frozen in time. Each of us leaves behind an ephemeral trail of breadcrumbs; when we start to act as if those breadcrumbs are life itself, we truly are lost.

For a variety of reasons, I'm trying to establish a discipline for blogging. Feel free to comment if any of what I have to share has any resonance with you. I'll try to keep my postings brief, but regular.

Gravel Grinding and solitude.

It's been quite a while since I made an entry. This summer I've become more interested in riding on gravel. I enjoy the solitude and lack of traffic. Occasionally, I'm eating dust from a passing vehicle, but this seldom happens. The people I've met on gravel roads are very polite. No one seems to be in too big of a hurry, and this seems like a good match for the slow solitude of riding a bicycle.

The bike I rode today is a Salsa Spearfish 3. It's really overkill for riding on gravel-- but the big 29er tires combined with dual suspension, give it a nice floaty feel. I've had more fun with this bike on singletrack, but I like it for gravel as well.

In Thief River Falls, I have my old loaded touring bike set up with Kenda cyclocross tires. This is actually pretty good-- quite speedy, actually. It's not as comfortable, but the 27 x 1 3/8 tires are just fine for providing enough floatation. I only get bogged down in the really loose stuff.

Gravel Grinding has become a sport-- but the only internet discussions of it have been about long distances or competition. For me, it seems to be the kind of uncharted territory I like to explore. I'm not in a hurry, and it really doesn't matter how fast I go. I've got nothing to prove-- so the time I spend riding is pure enjoyment.

Last winter, I really missed riding a bicycle. I have a Surly Mukluk on order so that I will be able to have some adventure this winter. Mostly, I'm interested in travelling on the rivers around here. In the winter, you don't have to travel very far to have a great deal of solitude. If I ride five miles from my home in Thief River Falls, I'm pretty much in the middle of nowhere. 

Much of my work as a pastor involves working with people. Yet in order for me to find my centre with God, I need to have periods of solitude. This is part of why living in north-western Minnesota is a blessing for introverted clergy.

followup: Vision 40 recumbent bicycle tires

I went out for a ride on my Vision 40 recumbent bicycle. As I thought, the wider tires are wonderful! I'm not sure what ever started the trend towards narrower tires in the late 70s, but for most bicyclists, I think wider is better.

I've been reading the book Just Ride by Grant Peterson. In the book, he covers many developments in bicycle technology that had been driven by elite racing. Grant asserts that many of these developments have not been helpful for motorcyclists. Lower handlebars, narrow tires, and carbon fiber frames have done little to encourage average cyclists enjoy the activity more. While I believe it is true, I still slip into thinking of old racing standards when setting up my bicycles.

I've just about eliminated my use of clip-less pedals. Since I stopped using them, I no longer have need pain following long rides. Flat pedals have enabled me to stand while climbing a hill for the first time in many years. The only place I use clip-less pedals is with my recumbent. I'm debating a switch to flat pedals for this bike as well.

changing seasons, changing tires

It's fall in northern Minnesota. I've started to shuffle the bicycles around, and I'm almost ready to think about mounting studded tires for winter. This afternoon, I'm going out for a ride on my recumbent. It should be a beautiful day -- temperatures in the lower 60s.

the recumbent got a new set of tires about a month ago. They're quite a bit wider than the old ones. I've only been out a couple of times since changing them. So here's my theory: anything lost in terms of performance is minimal compared to the comfort gained through cushy wide tires. I will make a ride report later.

Watch out! slow traffic ahead.

This is my first blog entry using the Raspberry Pi. Why bother, you might ask? Maybe its been about the challenge of making a $35 computer into a useable tool. I'm not sure how practical this is. However, the RPi is evolving, and it will be interesting to see how well the equivalent of a Volkswagen Beetle (original 36 HP) will do navigating the internet.

It might be a little like my experience of travelling between Crookston and Thief River Falls today. I was on my Vision recumbent. It was 43 miles, not much traffic, and a very pleasant ride. I also got buzzed in close proximity by a full size van that didn't seem to care about the speed limit in town. This was the kind of thing I was used to when I lived in the Twin Cities, but is a rare occurance for me now. *Sigh*

... And now, for something not so different.

It's been a while since I spent time with this blog-- despite my best intentions. Church life became more complex-- and what time I've had for recreation-- well, let's just say I would rather be out on two wheels, than writing about it.

I've had a curious sequence of events on the two-wheeled front. I sold my 1982 Yamaha Seca 650 to a friend. I've still got my 1989 Yamaha Venture. One motorcycle is more than enough for me. Besides, my passion and interest seem to have moved back towards bicycles.

It was somewhere during my last vacation that I wanted to get back to riding a mountain bike. I have an old one at the cabin-- and on one of our visits, I mounted new tires and had a great time riding it on fire roads. This lead to the purchase of a Salsa Spearfish 3. It's a wonderful bicycle-- full suspension 29'er... It walks over the stuff that used to bounce me around on my old GT Karakoram. I'm thinking of new adventures-- Perhaps the Maah Da Hey trail in North Dakota.

On another front-- I've been playing around with my Raspberry Pi. How is this connected to the two wheel front? It's interesting how much you can discover by having less. the Pi is much like stepping down from a motorcycle to a bicycle. While it seems to be able to do less, it tends to cause you to have more focus on what you are doing. I haven't really decided how to best use it-- but I'll keep you posted.

I went out for a ride on my Vision recumbent the other day, and discovered that the shifter for the front derailleur was broken. Strange-- different shifter, and it broke in exactly the same way.

I've not been happy with shifting on this bike. The combination of long cables and an even longer chain makes shifting sloppy, especially for contemporary index shifters. I longed for a non-index set. Shifting on the recumbent does not have to be very precise, and can be accomplished easily by feel and sound.

This leads me to a short rant about bicycle technology. Index shifting has a place. In competition, the advantage of hitting exactly the right gear when you need it can make a difference. It's also useful for new bicyclists who could care less about the intricacies of a bike. Click the shifter into the right gear number and pedal. No problem.

But for me, indexed shifting seems like a solution in search of a problem. Non-indexed systems never go out of adjustment; they work simply and effectively. It takes very little time to develop the skill to center a derailleur after a shift. Indexing adds needless complexity to a straightforward solution. Besides, it feels good whenever you find the gear perfectly.

Likewise for all of the conveniences of shifters that are placed at your fingertips. I can't think of a time when reaching down for a shift presented much of a problem-- at least for the way I ride-- both on the road and off. an inexpensive simple part has been replaced by expensive engineering marvels. While this may be exactly what a lot of people want, it's not what I do.

Years ago, this would have been a typical retro-grouch rant with an unhappy ending. I've had to search through catalogs and bike shops for new-old-stock parts whenever something wore out. When I couldn't find what I was looking for, I gave in to newer technology.

And so it was yesterday, when I began my new shifter quest for my recumbent. While I wasn't paying attention, several Chinese manufacturers have begun to sell inexpensive new components using new technology. "Trickle down" stuff that "serious" bicycle people wouldn't want anything to do with. I found the perfect non-indexed thumb shifters at Rivendell Bicycle for under twenty dollars. God bless the Chinese.

I have not had as much time to post during Lent, which is not a big surprise. However, I have had a chance to get out on two wheels. All the bicycles have been out, and I just picked up my Yamaha 650 Seca.

This bike is now thirty years old. Like my bicycles, it is a well-worn and trusted companion. Last Fall, I added a windshield. I've been pleased and surprised at how versatile it has become.

We are having a wonderfully early spring in NW Minnesota. It's time to relegate the cages (cars) to the garage as much as possible.

While my posts have been infrequent, they will probably pick up after Easter. I hope you are ready for a wonderful spring wherever you are, and wherever you are lead.

The ethical dimensions of Raspbery Pi: Why it should matter.

I'm on the bandwagon of folks who ordered a Raspberry Pi. Initially, I was attracted to the idea of a versatile low-cost computer that would be obtainable to most anyone who had a desire to work with computers. In the late seventies, I had friends who were bread-boarding there own Z-80 based computers, and the 'Pi' comes closest to the spirit of that endeavor. None of us had much money-- but we could obtain the components necessary to build such a modest system. It wasn't useful for anyone else in particular, but it was fun.

The world has changed a lot since then. Instantaneous communication has become the norm-- hand held computers in the form of cell phone are commonplace. We take for granted the ability to text or call someone from wherever we are. But it requires resources, and usually a long term contract with a cellular provider to be able to do so. The ability to communicate, and with it the ability to develop relational capitol, has become a necessity for empowerment. De-centralized  communication, as we witnessed in the Arab spring, is essential for change which serves the common good.

The 'RPi' is an easily affordable communication tool which makes accessible the language of machines, and with it the ability for children and adults of modest means to participate in the liberation, quality, and hopefulness which come whenever we move closer to all people having a place of the table-- the realm of open community.

I've watched from a distance the amazing development of open source software. Through an communal evolutionary process it has been transformed from a tool for geeks to a system for everyday users. It is remarkable. As affordable hardware moving in the direction of being open source, I believe the 'RPi" creates new possibility for pushing the boundaries of open source community. If we understand God to be 'open source' in that God is in relationship to all creation. Perhaps the creation of egalitarian communication capabilities moves us closer to this open source.

This seems like a tall order for such a small device. It can not be the ultimate manifestation of an emerging community ethos. But it can point to and participate in an ultimacy which is beyond itself: a community of belonging and participation where everyone is invited.

maiden voyage

It was a lovely, spring-like day in Thief River Falls. This afternoon, I took the newly-revised Nashbar Hounder out for its maiden voyage. I love the new mustache bars. They transform it to a more athletic position, allowing me to somehow feel more "on top" of the fixed gear. Very pleasing indeed.

I also did a little design work on the rear rack with hounds-tooth pattern duct tape. This looks pretty cool-- photo later.

This has me feeling a little conflicted. I like a more leaned forward posture for riding on an upright bike, but my wrists and thumbs seem to take more of a beating as I am getting older. This is one of the nice things about riding a recumbent--no weight on your hands.

Why another Blog from a pastor?

Why this blog?


While I am a United Methodist pastor, this blog is not really about ministry or the church. This does involve spiritual reflection-- but it is of a less directed nature than what I share in the church I serve.


Bicycles (and later motorcycles) have been a source of freedom for me since I could first ride one. Because bicycles require movement to maintain balance, they are  a useful metaphor for movement in the Spirit-- and thus a way to talk about life in the Spirit.


Years ago, a friend compared the wheels of his bicycle to Buddhist prayer wheels. For me, riding a bicycle is something like prayer--it forms a stronger connection to "terra-firma," but in a way which incorporates wonder and joy. I still experience balancing on two wheels to be magical. Explanations from physics do not diminish my sense of wonder when poised on a bike.

Bicycles are also an extension of self. Riding a bike changes one's physical self-- and our physical, emotional, and spiritual selves are all interrelated. To touch one is to touch the whole self and all aspects of the self.

A short rant about touchscreens

I love my Nook Color. It's an android tablet configured to be an e-book reader. But after spending several months with it, I can't understand all of the excitement about tablets like the Ipad. Why do you want to spend so much time looking through your smeary fingerprints?


I have a small netbook (an HP Mini 1000) that is now running Ubuntu Linux. While the computer is very compact and travels well, it has nearly a full size keyboard. It can't do everything for me, but it sure does a lot.I'm also quite happy with the Unity desktop. It fits a 10" screen quite nicely without eyestrain.


 Is the need for a keyboard a middle age thing-- or do people not even see the smeary fingerprints?

Bicycles, Winter, and Spring

Somehow, I've resisted the urge to get a new bicycle. Instead, I've decided to shop at home. My old "pink" racing bike has become unsuitably uncomfortable to ride. I've installed a raised stem, and will be toning down the pink a little. (if this is at all possible)

I'm also making my Nashbar Hounder fixie a little more pleasant. It will have a better saddle, a rear rack, and mustache bars. This will be my grocery getter when complete.

My old GT Karakorum, resplendent in studded tires for winter, will also get a new stem, handlebars, and grips to accommodate middle age. (mine, not the bike's)

I'll post pictures when the projects are done. There is a lot to be said for shopping at home, both economically and environmentally.

Teaser for Transfiguration Sunday

Tomorrow is Transfiguration Sunday. As Jesus and his disciples went to the mountain, the disciples had a mystical experience of Jesus' divinity. Mystical experiences are not easy to put into words-- They leave us more in a state of wonder which does not need to be explained away.


What's important about Jesus' transfiguration is where it lead his disciples. (and leads us) We are called to love and serve the world as God would have us serve. God's world is a source of abundant goodness-- yet how we treat this world is not always so good.


Have you had a mystical experience? If you have, how does this experience inspire you now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7sBnr8q3WI&context=C314e712ADOEgsToPDskIGVwxKSh_3ZPda8zUcNiaM