Today marks the last day of the tax break on ethanol-fortified automotive fuels in Hawaii, so along with the price increases due to the jump in crude oil prices, we have to pay an additional $0.12 USD per gallon in State excise tax. Consider also that to this day, not a single drop of ethanol has been produced in the State of Hawaii – all that ethanol going onto E10 is being imported into the state from the mainland USA or from foreign sources! Even when the first proposed plant opens here in a few years out at Campbell, it will be producing ethanol from imported corn. Where’s the logic in that? Good going, Auntie Linda! I hope you all remember this half-baked legacy of hers the next time an election rolls around (she’s done, but her implied successor, Dook, is aiming for the big chair). Her ethanol junket raised the cost of producing automotive fuels, increased our dependence on foreign or imported products, made our cars run bad, and decreased fuel mileage by around 10%.
To protest this whole craptastic mess, I rode my bike to Foodland and bought some imported beer (this is Hawaii – with a few exceptions, all bottled beer is imported!). I started my ride as usual with one lap around my normal training loop, then headed over to Windward City Shopping Center to grab a six-pack. There was no bike rack near the market, but one of the workers said everyone locks up to the shopping cart corral that I was eyeing out anyway. The complete six-pack fit easily in my messenger bag (I could have actually fit two if I did the “2 for $13.99” sale thing, but it wouldn’t have fit in the ‘fridge). With the bag high and tight, I was able to ride without interference. There were no shifting, discomfort, or cold issues. My ass hurt though, since the beer added over 2 kg. to the weight being carried on the seat. After I got home, I put the bike away, started the laundry, and poured a cold, refreshing Wernesgruener. That ethanol was good! The “reward” factor is not too far off from “paying for your turns”, where in freeride MTB or backcountry SB, you are rewarded with something good after working your way to the top under your own steam.
D = 13.39 km (8.32-miles), Vavr = 23.6 km/h (14.7-mph), Vmax = 52.6 km/h (32.7-mph), T = 34-minutes
I’m no grass munching neo-hippie, but bicycling to the local store is good. I usually ride to deposit my paycheck, and it feels good. And not in a pat on back you did moral good way, it just feels good. It doesn’t take much longer than if I drove too. Now I just need to get my other bike set up as grocery getter. It’s kind of not right to use a high zoot bike that costs as much as a good used car and leave it locked to a flimsy mall bike rack, instead I’ll use an old non fancy but still costs more than as a used beater car bike….