Two Wheeling

A Perfect Score! I Owe It All to TwoWheeling.

I had my annual physical a couple of weeks ago. I started doing this 3 years ago when I hit the magic half century mark--especially since coronary disease, diabetes and strokes run in my family....on both sides. I'm violating HIPAA by telling you this (so I guess that means I can sue me), but I scored darn well on most of the tests: blood pressure 110/70, no sign of diabetes, liver's fine, prostate's fine, etc. "The healthiest 53 year-old I know," my doctor said........."except your cholesterol's inched up since last year and is now a tad on the high side (230--bad cholesterol 180 and good 50). Not high enough to put you on meds, but with your family history I'd like you to have a CT scan of your coronary arteries to check for calcification."

"I owe my good health to one thing, doc--biking to work. I blow out my system twice a day on the bike and when I'm biking I feel great.  Other than biking to work, I haven't really done much to stay healthy the past 8 years," I explained. But I agreed to have the test the following week.

I got the results today from my doctor: "I am absolutely delighted to report that your CT scan of the coronary arteries for calcification was completely NEGATIVE--a zero score! This is fantastic news, and puts you at an incredibly low future risk profile for heart disease. It is difficult to be 53 years of age and not have developed some plaque in your heart, and with a borderline cholesterol elevation I was worried that you may have had some silent arterial blockages. Certainly that did not happen, and you have been blessed by having a perfect score. Keep up the good work, there is no need to change anything with your daily habits, your health is superb! Remember our discussion that a recent huge study of patients with no calcium found them to have less than a 1/10 of 1% risk of coronary events annually for the next 10 years of their life after a perfect test. You should be reassured."

"No need to change ANYTHING with my daily habits," I emphasized to my wife, Beth, as I summarized the report. I could tell she wasn't entirely pleased to hear THAT.

But seriously. I can't be sure that my biking is the ONLY thing that keeps me in good health, but I'm convinced that there's a strong correlation. Eight years ago I started biking to and from work 20 miles each day to conduct an experiment on myself--to determine (1) if it was possible for a 45 year-old corporate attorney to rely on a bicycle as his primary form of transportation to get around an autocentric city, and (2) whether biking to work in lieu of all other exercise would keep me healthy, notwithstanding my family history. I can certainly answer "yes" to the first question and with my clean bill of health, I can also answer an emphatic "yes" to the second.

I don't mean to brag--and an experiment with only one subject is not statistically relevant. But I'm ready to declare my experiment a success on all counts--TwoWheeling, the surest way to personal, environmental and community health. Amen! 

You Could Be There Already........On a Bike

I biked to work 4 out of 5 days this week--I didn't use the bikepath because I can never be sure this time of year whether it will be clear of snow and ice. Instead I biked south on Olentangy River Rd to North Broadway and headed east to High St. From there it's a straight shot down High through Clintonville, campus, the Short North to my new office on State Street across from the State House.

I love biking down High Street! I meet lots of interesting people and can keep tabs on what's going on in my hometown. For example, this week I learned, and am thrilled to report, NANCY's restaurant has reopened in Clintonville (I assume, and will soon confirm, that they're still serving chicken and noodles on Mondays and Thursdays).

Yesterday, I was riding down High Street at a leisurely pace trying to knock the cobwebs out of my head after an evening now filed away under the "too much fun" category. My band, The Pep Boys, hosted our good friend and Irish folk singer legend, John Spillane, for dinner and a "battle of the bands" at Cafe Bella. The young proprietor, Vince, had a bottle of Jameson's waiting for us in honor of John's first trip to CBus--this complemented the case of wine and case of beer we had brought ourselves.....enough said. Fair play to me......do you get it? BTW, John gave a magnificent performance last night at the new McConnell Arts Center in Worthington. You can check John out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSO90xzlGRY&feature=related performing one of my favorites, The Dunnes Stores Girl. John says that if he wrote this song in America, it would be titled the WalMart girl. (This will help you understand the song.)

Just past campus, a young man passed me on a hybrid (a bit embarrassing when you're on a road bike), so I picked up the pace and followed him down High. We got talking at a red light and turns out my new friend, Sean, manages a coffee shop at the North Market. I had a few minutes to kill so I followed him to the market and bought some coffee and pastries. Then back on the bike and off to the office. In the short ride from the market to State Street I encountered another delightful young man, Ariel, who works at MORPC. He twowheels to work every day, year round from his home in Clintonville. I tell you I've met the nicest people biking to work.

I always pass several buses and lots of bus stops on my way down High Street. Yesterday, I passed a busstop where several young people (probably headed to campus) were huddled together shivering and waiting for the No. 2 bus. I was nice and toasty on my bike and the thought crossed my mind and of course I just blurted it out, "You could be there by now.......on a bike." One of the young men at the stop replied that he does bike, but today was a bit too cold for him. Actually with the right clothes, it's not at all hard to bike through the winter.

Don't get me wrong--I'm a big fan of COTA and all forms of mass transit. But for short urban trips (5 miles or less), there's no question biking is faster and more efficient. I think all able-bodied citizens, especially our young people, should consider biking in lieu of using autos and buses for these short trips whenever possible.

I don't know about you, but I'm anxious for spring--I think I caught a whiff of spring on the wind early this week and I've come to trust my senses on this, rather than relying on Puksatanny (sp?) Phil. These past 2 winters have been harsh, but when you bike through winters like this, you welcome the change of seasons like you never did before. Better start tuning up your twowheeler--it won't be long!

   

I Biked Home in the Blizzard of 2010

The forecast for yesterday called for 5-8 inches of snow. I've biked through snow dozens of times--as long as it's dry snow and not too deep it's actually pleasant and enjoyable to "icebike". Check out www.icebike.com. I decided to go for it.

The ride to work was uneventful--no snow, dry pavement, 20+ degree temps--but I rode my hybrid just in case the meterologists were right.

And, boy, were they right. The snow started about 10 am. By noon there were a few inches on the ground and it was still coming down fast--the BIGGEST snow flakes I'd ever seen. We got the word that the office would close at 3 pm. 

I left downtown a little before 5 pm. The roads were a mess--wet snow and slush everywhere. It didn't look like the plows had made a first pass yet. I headed north on High through downtown and the Short North right into a stiff headwind which blew the large flakes past my glasses and into my eyes making it a little hard to see. Many of the cars had snow and ice on their windshields obscuring their vision, too. These are precarious conditions where cyclists have to ride VERY DEFENSIVELY. 

By the time I reached the University district my gears started to ice over and slip. By the time I reached Clintonville I had lost use of half my gears. There were lots of cars on the road and I decided to head down to the Olentangy bike path. The side street was very slick with ice and I nearly wiped out a couple of times. When I reached the bike path, I wasn't surprised to see that it hadn't been cleared and the snow was 5-6 inches deep.

There were several bike tracks, mostly mountain bikes which do better in the snow that hybrids. I was down to 2 gears so I rode slowly and tried to ride in the ruts created by the mountain bikes, but this turned out to be impossible and after falling off the bike a half dozen times, I got off the path and rode through the undisturbed snow in the field. It was easier to stay upright, but very difficult to break the snow. And the snow was caking up the rest of my gears and even the wheels now.

I made it to within 100 yards of the walking bridge across the Olentangy river that leads to my neighborhood. At that point, my wheels stopped turning and I was completely exhausted. I hoisted the white flag, called Saint Beth and asked her to drive the pickup to the west side of the walking bridge to meet me. I carried my now 2X heavier, snow-encrusted bike across the bridge and heaved it into the back of the pickup. I climbed into the cab and realized I could no longer feel my feet. 

I almost fell asleep on the 4 block ride home. I stumbled into the house, got out of my wet clothes and used my last bit of energy to pour a scotch. A few sips later I began to thaw out and reflect on my ride home through the blizzard of 2010. I try to set a good twowheeling example for others--this wan't it. Kids, don't try this at home.   

I'm Coming In!

I've got a new job. As of last Thursday I am a partner in the Columbus office of Hahn, Loeser + Park, a 120 lawyer law firm with offices in Columbus, Cleveland, Akron, Indianapolis, Naples and Fort Myers. I'm very excited about this next, and probably final, chapter of my professional career.

Our offices are in the 20+ floor office tower at 65 E State Street, just down the street from my former law firm. Of course, my first question to the Hahn Loeser office manager was, "Is it alright to bring my bike up to the office." I don't think anyone had ever asked this question and she didn't have an answer. She told me she'd have to check and get back to me.

"The building won't allow you to bring your bike into the building," she reported back, "but there's a bike rack at the loading dock." I was initially disappointed with this response, but thought, "What the hell? Let's give it a try."

So the next day I biked up to the front door and asked the fellows at the front desk how to get to the loading dock. "Around back of the building right off Town Street," they replied.

I followed their instructions and found myself behind the huge office tower. The contrast between the front of the building and the back of the building is dramatic. The front is glass, brass and marble--the back is brutalist concrete. You feel like you've gone from the Trump Tower to Mad Max.

And the loading dock is underneath the building.......way underneath.....like 40 feet underneath. The loading dock is for trucks, big trucks with creeper gears, that access it via a very steep concrete ramp. I stopped my bike at the precipice of the ramp and peered down at the huge 20 ft high door at the end of the ramp. The ramp was covered in snow, so I proceeded down it very carefully to a spot where a big sign barked "STOP AND STATE YOUR BUSINESS." I pushed the intercom button and said, "I'm on my bike and I'm coming in."

There was no human response, but suddenly the huge door creaked and began to open slowly. I rode my bike through the gaping opening into the bowels of the building. The loading dock is actually a nice, albeit industrial, area with lots of concrete ramps and places for trucks to pull in and unload their contents. The ceiling has to be 40 feet high. It's heated and here's a basketball court where the workers can play on break. It is very neat and tidy.

I walked my bike up a ramp and found the bike rack over in the corner. I locked it up and went over to the window where a uniformed attendant pointed me to the stairs that would take me up to the lobby.

I am very pleased with the arrangements for bicyclists in my new building. I think I'm going to like it here.

A TwoWheeling Court Victory in CBus!

Yesterday I defended a young man named Michael in Franklin County Municipal Court. Michael had been cited for "taking the lane" on High Street, i.e. riding in the center of the lane, rather than to the right side of the lane. Experienced cyclists like Michael know that this is the safest way to ride on narrow city streets--riding to the right side of a narrow lane invites motorists to pass in the lane which can have deadly consequences. The Columbus traffic code was amended within the last 2 years to specifically address this issue, but it seems law enforcement officers are either unfamiliar with the new law or unwilling to apply it.

 On the evening of December 2, 2009, Michael was riding south on High Street between Nationwide Blvd and Spring St. It was 10:30 at night and raining. Michael was riding in the middle of the lane. A police officer pulled up next to him and directed him to move over to the right side of the lane. Michael refused and said he didn't feel safe there and that he had the right to ride in the middle of the lane. The officer slowed, pulled in behind Michael, turned on his flashing lights and cited Michael under Columbus City Code Section 2173.04(A) which states: "Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable obeying all traffic rules applicable to vehicles and exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction."

MIchael's aunt is a good friend and fellow Consider Biking Board member. She asked if Consider Biking would provide a defense for Michael since this is an important issue to Columbus cyclists. I agreed to represent Michael pro bono ("for free") and my Consider Biking colleagues, John Gideon and Jeff Stephens, provided all of the research and other information that I needed to prepare the case (thanks, guys, I couldn't have done it without you!). Jeff Stephens, the Executive Director of Consider Biking, an LAB-certified instructor and Chairman of the Columbus Transportation and Pedestrian Committee, also agreed to be an expert witness. 

Michael, Jeff, John and I spent 2 weeks preparing the case. We measured the width of the lane where Michael was cited (11 ft, 3 inches). We measured the width of the corrogated metal sewer grates along the curb (25 inches). Jeff took photos of the lane and the grates. We measured the width of several automobiles, including the side mirrors (most are around 7 ft).

We appeared yesterday before Judge Dwight Maynard. I did not know Judge Maynard before yesterday. He is a very nice man and I was very impressed with him. I am a business attorney, not a criminal or trial lawyer and had never tried a case. I informed the court and the prosecutor of this fact before the trial began because I knew that I would probably make some mistakes and plod through my presentation and I didn't want them to think I was being disrespectful and wasting their time. Judge Maynard and the prosecutor were very patient with me and "generously" applied the rules of evidence and trial procedure to allow me to present my case. The judge took a sincere interest in this case and and appeared to be genuinely concerned with the safety of bicyclists on the city streets.

I actually didn't get a chance to present my case. The prosecutor gets to go first and she called her first witness, the police officer. The officer testified that Michael was riding in the middle of the lane, was warned, and then cited under 2173.04(A). I then had an opportunity to cross-examine the police officer.  My cross-examination lasted way too long, so I'll give you the Readers Digest abridged version.

First of all, it's important to note that the police officer truly believes that it's safest for a cyclist to ride close to the curb in all circumstances. He really believed he was protecting Michael and doing the right thing by trying to get him out of the center of the lane. Frankly, this is what most people, including inexperienced cyclists, think. That's why it's so important that we educate everyone on this issue.

I handed the officer a copy of City Code Section 2173.04 and asked him to read clause (A), the section he cited Michael under ("Every person operating a bicycle upon the roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable...."). I then asked him to read clause (C) of the law. He read as follows:

"This section does not require a person operating a bicycle to ride at the edge of the roadway or within a marked bike lane when it is unreasonable or unsafe to do so. Conditions that may require riding away from the edge of the roadway or outside of a marked bike lane include when necessary to avoid fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, surface hazards, or if it otherwise is unsafe or impracticable to do so, including if the lane is too narrow for the bicycle and an overtaking vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane." 

I then took a tape measure and extended it 11 ft, 3 inches (the width of the lane) and laid it on the floor in front of the bench and asked the police officer to join me standing by the tape. I then asked the officer exactly where in the lane he thought Michael should have been riding? He said about 1 1/2 feet from the curb. "So you think that bicyclists should be required to ride over these corrogated metal sewer grates?" I asked, handing him a photo of one of those dangerous grates. "Yes," he replied, "I think it's safe for them to do that." Of course, cyclists know that these grates are very hazardous, especially when wet, and noone I know would feel safe riding over them, but I let this go for the time being and stepped off 1 1/2 ft of the tape. "OK, officer, how much space in the lane does the cyclist need to ride safely in this location?" After much discussion, the officer agreed that 3-4 ft should be sufficient to allow for the width of the bicycle and the cyclist and room to maneuver around road hazards, so I stepped off another 3 feet. "And what do you think a safe passing distance is for an automobile to pass a bicyclist?" I asked the officer. "I always give a bicyclist about 6 ft clearance," he replied. (Boy, don't we wish all motorists were this generous?) So I stepped off 6 more feet.

The officer and I were looking down at what remained of the lane width--less than a foot. "Officer, how wide is your cruiser?" I asked. "Don't know," he replied. "Do you think you could squeeze it through there," I asked pointing at the 9 inches remaining on the tape measure. "No," he replied. " "No more questions, your Honor," I said. The prosecution rested. 

I remembered vaguely from law school that there is some kind of motion that can be made at the close of the plaintiff or prosecutor's case if you didn't think they had proved their case, so I took a chance. "Mr. Morgan, are you ready to put on your case," Judge Maynard asked. "Yes, your honor, I am but I'm not sure I need to. I think I'd like to move for a directed verdict." The judge smiled and leaned over the bench and said softly, "Mr. Morgan, that would be appropriate in civil court, but this is criminal court and the appropriate motion would be for aquittal under Rule 29." "Thank you, your honor, so moved." The judge granted my motion and we won without having to present our defense.

So as it turned out, John Gideon and Jeff Stephens had sat in court with me for 5 hours for nothing. Well not really, we helped our new friend, Michael, and established an important precedent that will help keep bicyclists safe on our city streets.

Consider Biking provides free for the asking laminated wallet cards setting forth the rules of the road, including the important 2173.04(C) which was the subject of Michael's case. Had he been carrying this card the night he was cited, he could have possibly provided it to the officer to support his belief that he was legally riding in the center of the lane. We gave Michael several wallet cards so he'll be prepared next time. If you're an urban cyclist, you should "never leave home without one." Contact Jeff Stephens or any Consider Biking board member and we'll get you one. 

Power to the Pedal!

P.S. If you ever run into Judge Maynard, please take an opportunity to thank him for giving cyclists a fair shake in his courtroom and please support him the next time he's up for reelection--we need more judges like him.  

  

 

 

 

Warning: Ice Biking can be Hazardous to your Health

This is my 4th winter biking to work--it's invigorating and I love it! But a cycling friend recently reminded me of the danger of biking on ice.....he has a good friend who crashed on ice and suffered a serious head injury.

My friend, Richard, is absolutely right. I have crashed, and fortunately escaped without serious injury, several times on black ice and have now adopted a rule not to bike to work on days when there is a significant amount of ice on the roads and bikepaths. Ice is the ONLY thing that can keep me off my bike. (BTW, the bikepaths are rarely plowed so I do most of my winter riding on the streets, especially High Street., which are plowed regularly and bikeable on most winter days.)

The good news is Columbus doesn't normally get much snow and ice and when we do, it usually melts within a few days. This, coupled with our flat terrain gives Columbus a real advantage over other cities attempting to match our pedaling revolution.

I am proud to be a twowheeling pioneer and hope I am making a contribution to CBus' pedaling revolution. My goal is to demonstrate, and convince my fellow citizens, that bicyling is a viable form of urban transportation ON MOST DAYS. But it's important that we use good judgment and utilize other forms of transportation such as mass transit (yes, and even "boxes"!) when the weather makes it too dangerous to bike. This makes good common sense (of course you know what Mark Twain said about common sense................it's not too common!).

10 days and counting until the Winter Solstice--can't wait!

What a Day!

As forecast, the winds were unbelievable today, gusting to 60 mph--it was a challenge to keep the bike between the lane lines--and the temp dropped from 50 this morning to 20 on the way home.

I like to bike on days like today--when most folks wouldn't consider it. I have good, warm clothing, so the cold doesn't bother me. There's no better way to feel connected to the environment.

Our good friend, Jeff Olson, of ALTA Consulting (the top bikeway consulting firm in the U.S. that spearheaded the Bicentennial Bikeway Plan) was in town today to meet with the folks in Dublin. Dublin is looking to implement a 21st century bikeway plan to help them attract and retain new economy workers and tech companies. He stopped by my office to have lunch with several of CBus' most passionate twowheelers. He mesmerized us with updates on the pedaling revolution sweeping America. He came directly from high level meetings in Washington, D.C. where support for bikeway plans and mode shift is achieving significant momentum. It is very possible that significant federal funding will soon be available to help cities like Columbus move the dial. That's the good news.

On the bad news front, I am sorry to report that according to recent articles in The Columbus Dispatch experts are projecting that by 2018, 50% of Americans will be obese and that recent advances in cancer research and treatment are being offset by the increasing incidence of cancer due to obesity. I am convinced that active transportation will play a significant role in solving this public health crisis.

The 2009/10 ice biking season is now in full swing and we are fast approaching one of the most important twowheeling days of the year--December 21, the Winter Solstice. Before I took up twowheeling, I paid little attention to this day, but the gradual increase in daylight beginning on the winter solstice is a real milestone for those of us who are biking in the dark to and from work each day. And we know that we're starting the countdown to spring at it will soon be time to shed our winter biking clothes and wallow in the warmth, smells and sounds of the earth, awakening from its winter slumber. Spring feels especially special when you've biked through the winter. This will be my fourth winter ice biking to work. Please consider joining me.   

   

It's Amazing....

....what you experience when you bike to work everyday--like this morning. I pulled out of my driveway at 9 am and began the short ride through my neighborhood to get to the Olentangy bike path. As I rounded a turn I was startled to come face to face with a large buck--as in male deer--standing in the middle of the road. Mind you, I don't live in a rural neighborhood, I live in the middle of the city, the Clintonville area to be precise.

I stopped the bike within 20 feet of the deer and waited. After staring each other down for 30+ seconds, the buck scampered off. This time of year, during the rut, bucks can be very aggressive. The thought crossed my mind that, if he charged, I'd have to fight him off with my bike. That would have been quite a scene.

Last week I met Ashley on the Olentangy bike path. I was passing her and struck up a conversation--I'm interested in why, how far, how long, etc. folks bike to work and school. Ashley is a senior civil engineering major at OSU and began biking to OSU from her home in Worthington every day. She said her major is very stressful and biking is a excellent stress reliever. 

Ashley looked like a model. She was tall,  very slender and cute.....even in her bike helmet (bike helmets are not very flattering.)

We talked about all the reasons people bike to work and school, i.e. to save money (you can save $8-$10,000 per year trading in your car for a bike), to preserve the environment, and to lose weight and maintain your health. I was just about to say to Ashley that she obviously didn't need to bike to lose weight when she said, "I've lost 60 pounds this year since I started biking."

I looked at her in disbelief and almost rode off the path. "Did you just say 60 pounds, as in 6--0?" "Yes," she replied. I was slender in high school, but when I got to school I ate more food and was less active and I just gradually gained 60 pounds. But I've lost it all by biking. I love to bike.

Looking at her, I just couldn't imagine her with 60 more pounds. I've been saying for years we need to quit joking about our college freshman gaining the "freshman 15." But Ashely was living proof that we need to get our young people out of cars and on to bikes.

Why Can't I Be More Like Gandhi?

I've been riding High Street to work the last couple weeks--the new pavement north of the University is beautiful. I was enjoying the smooth ride and the brisk morning air when my good humor was rudely interrupted by a blaring truck horn! I turned around in time to see a pick up truck speeding up to pass me.......I could see the driver rolling his window down to say something to me. "Get the hell off the road, you a__hole!" he yelled as he passed me. My first reaction was shock. I was riding to the right hand side of the lane, obeying all the traffic laws.

I've often wondered what Ganhdi, or MLK, would do in this situation? I envision them smiling gently, nodding their heads softly, perhaps even waving and saying a silent prayer for the truck driver as he sped out of view. That's what I've always wanted to do, too. I've played this scene over and over in my mind so that I would be ready when the opportunity arose, and this was it.......my big chance to shine. But instead of elevating my game, turning the other cheek and taking civilization to another level, I blew it.

"F__K YOU, YOU  A__HOLE, I HAVE JUST AS MUCH RIGHT TO BE ON THE ROAD AS YOU DO!" I yelled at the driver and, in case he couldn't hear me, I flipped him the bird.

I immediately felt terrible. Not only is this an unacceptable way for a 53 year-old man to behave, but my rude temper tantrum will only fuel that driver's disdain for bicyclists. Hell, the next time he may not even blow his horn--he'll just run someone over. 

I mentally "spanked" myself all the way down High Street. When I started down the hill into the University district I was heartened to see 3 bicycles ahead of me. I rode up behind, and then passed, them. "Hell, for a minute I thought I was in Portland," I said to the OSU students and they smiled back.

I stopped at a red light at King and High and pulled up next to a middle aged cyclist who I've seen before. "Thank God.....there IS other intelligent life in the universe!" I exclaimed to him. He smiled, too.

Unfortunately, my two positive interactions this morning can't outweigh my negative encounter with the truck driver, and my own bad behavior. I hope that if this happens again (and I'm pretty confident it will), I will have the self control to smile and wave and in that way help create peaceful coexistence on the roads for "boxes" and bikes.

Where Am I?

Thursday, October 8, 10:15 pm.............I just arrived home. After dinner with my family in the Short North for Kate's 23rd birthday, I rode home through a light rain. I'm disoriented by the day's events and trying to get my bearings.

I spent the afternoon at the Greater Ohio/Brookings Institute "Restoring Prosperity to Ohio" Steering Committee Meeting. As usual, I showed up in spandex to a meeting with 30+ suits and knew immediately I was out of place. I had reviewed the white papers that had been circulated in advance of the meeting and I figured this would be another "blah blah, blah blah, blah" discussion of how we might possibly reinvent and save Ohio. The white papers were sobering.......6 of the 7 largest cities in Ohio have lost significant population over the past 3 or 4 decades, e.g. Cleveland had 950,000 in 1950 and has 395,000 today (and Cuyahoga County has lost 19% of its population since 1970). The median sales price of a home in Cleveland has declined from $62,000 in 2007 to $15,500 in 2008.

Greater Ohio/Brookings is recommending that our 6 great, declining cities adopt a "shrinking city" strategy to "right size" these cities for their declining populations. This involves demolishing homes and neighborhoods and creating green space and urban farms and community gardens to take up the vacant space. This is probably the right, and perhaps only, thing we can do but it is very sad.

At the beginning of the meeting, everyone stood and introduced him/herself. When it was my turn I stood and said, "I'm Doug Morgan, an attorney with Calfee Halter. I've been car free for 7 years and believe that if we all still lived within biking or walking distance of where we worked and went to school and the market we wouldn't be here today."  There were lots of good "practical", "finger in the dike" ideas at the meeting, but no bold ideas that might get us back on track. My suggestion for a constitutional convention to  eliminate the multiplicity of governmental and pseudo-governmental subdivisions and thereby save money which could be spent on fixing our urban schools and/or lowering our taxes did not get a helluva lot of support.

After the meeting, I joined Beth, Brandon, Kate and Corey at a local restaurant for Kate's 23rd birthday. Looking at my kids, I felt for the first time that I couldn't in good conscience ask them to  "take one for the team" and remain in Ohio. I have little confidence that our political system is capable of providing the leadership to move our state forward. And I am at a loss to find this leadership anywhere else. I hate to say it because I love Ohio, but i wouldn't blame my kids for leaving for greener pastures.

Maybe when I get on my bike tomorrow I'll feel better........I usually do.