I spent a lot of time under the power lines this year (as usual — see Power Lines, It’s Comin’ a Toad Strangler, and The Beating Back of Nature), thinking about the wild that they simply can’t kill no matter how hard they try (and my god, they try).
I have lots of mixed feelings as this year ends (although my Year in Review* near the bottom of this post is uptempo). I live in a country at a crossroads in a world in crisis, and I know we’re not taking enough action or the truly helpful kinds of actions quickly enough to make a difference. I know that.
I know our degradation is getting worse. Our habitable environments are becoming fewer. Our biodiversity is disappearing, which has a lot of implications, one of which being reducing the possibilities for future medical discoveries for our generations to come. So, yeah, there’s all that.
I still believe we’re all here for a purpose, and that collectively and individually we can make a difference. So, one of the things I’d like to do in 2023 is to head out there in search of hope and heroes. And I will find them. And I will shine a light on them. And I know they will give me inspiration , and I hope they will give you inspiration, too.
I’m going to be traveling across the United States with my silly little duck friend and a bike — I got two ducks now, lol. I’ll be on buses and trains. I’ll be working on organic farms. And I invite you along. Follow on TikTok at SpeedOfBike and also at RoundAmericaWithADuck. You can tap into my website for that project at RoundAmericaWithADuck.com. You can see my planned route, and some of the other things that I’ve got in the works for this project. (I’m finishing up prep work between now and my departure date of March 20th, 2023.)
Thanks. Maybe my silly little duck will make someone smile. And maybe we’ll connect as a result. And maybe we’ll have a conversation that will have us working together in ways we can’t imagine right now. And maybe, just maybe, we can change the world for the better. I still believe that.
As always, trust the journey.
* Year-in-review, plus new limited-edition BikeBloom upcycled bike tube earrings in the works (each one is a unique work of art). All proceeds (as with my book, Traveling at the Speed of Bike) are used to help more women and girls access and ride bikes. A limited number of non-painted versions of BikeBloom earrings are available free when you donate to Global Spokes, which provides bikes, helmets, lights and locks to refugees-of-war in and around the most diverse square mile in the USA. See details here.
Traveling at the Speed of Bike 