finally

It's been a long, cold, lonely winter. At least long and cold. But it's starting to really feel like spring. Yesterday, after work, I was able to get in a 20+ mile ride with temps in the mid-70s, and winds that could actually be called breezes. The few warm days we've had lately have been accompanied with gale force winds that sap the fun out of a bike ride, or half of a bike ride. ;)

My training has been so sporadic, and I really need to get it in gear as I look forward to August and the Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour. As usual, there will be climbing. I'm looking forward to revisiting Monarch Pass, 11,345 feet, and Cottonwood Pass, 12,156 feet. But those won't be the literal high points of this tour.

On the final day of CRMBT 2014 we'll have the chance to ride up Pikes Peak! At 14,105 feet it's the 2nd highest paved road in America. The 2010 version of this tour featured a ride up the Mt Evans, which is a little higher, but not as well known to those outside of Colorado.

That was hard! From what I hear Pikes Peak is harder. Some tough grades on top of almost 7,000 feet of elevation gain will challenge all riders. The start of the climb is only 10 miles or so from where we'll stay the night before. So, when I get there I'll have 20 miles to go, and all morning to get there.

I wonder if the donuts at the Summit House are vegan?

humane

hu·mane

/hyuˈmeɪn or, often, yu-/ Show Spelled [hyoo-meyn or, often, yoo-]  

adjective

-characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for people and animals, especially for the suffering or distressed

Many think membership in the species "homo sapiens"  gives us the right to use other species any way we see fit. For entertainment, for testing beauty products, for food. While it may be a thought shared by the majority, I think many of us have not really thought about it at all. It's just the way it is. Does that make it right?

Of all the species that evolved over millions of years, humans have come to see themselves as special. Instead of seeing ourselves as stewards, of our planet and all its inhabitants, our selfish interests lead us to take what we want with no regard for consequences. I lived most of my life without thinking about most of this. Now it's hard not to think about it.

Factory farming has taken the animals out of the barnyard and put them in battery cages, gestation crates, and windowless prisons worse than you can possibly imagine, all for our palates. Agribusiness has ensured that we know as little of what takes place on the farm as possible. Is it because they don't trust us? No, I think they trust that if we saw the truth, we would do the right thing, we would change the way we eat.

We owe it to ourselves and all those with whom we share this earth to know where we get our food. To be fully aware, we should know about the life of a dairy cow, and her male calf. We should know the conditions in which a laying hen spends her life, and what happens to her male offspring. And beyond deplorable conditions is the simple truth that we deprive another of life, for a moment of pleasure. There is another way.

Here's a few suggestions to take the first step:
-Specieism
-Vegucated
-Food, Inc