That’s what backers of the long-awaited Bicycle Commuter Act are hoping, as the measure that’s been kicking around for seven years was among the many added as a “sweetener” to the $700 billion financial system bailout bill passed by Congress last week. Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer has been pushing for the bike act for years, arguing that similar benefits have long been granted to car-driving commuters.

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Once or twice a year since 2000, the Superheroes have assembled to bike through a specific location (usually a particular state - 23 states and five other countries have been ridden through thus far). On their journey, which is totally unplanned, these Superheroes stop in random towns and cities, and provide service to people in need. Usually, it’s a simple matter of asking people if they need help with anything. As you might expect, people are often surprised by the appearance of twenty-some-odd bikers dressed up in capes and costumes.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ethan Hughes (a.k.a. The Zing), a friend and fellow communitarian based out of The Possibility Alliance of La Plata, Missouri, who helped to inspire and start the biannual movement. Speaking with him during the Superheroes’ first stop at the tri-communities area (Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, Sandhill Farm, and Red Earth Farms) of northeastern Missouri , I learned a great deal about the history and inspiration for The Haul of Justice, Ethan’s thoughts on activism and public service, inspiring change, and ultimately, helping to create a healthier, more compassionate world.

Inspiration for the Superheroes bike ride

Brian Liloia: How would you summarize the overall mission of the Superheroes bike ride?

Ethan Hughes: There are a couple of guiding principles. The first mission is to be totally open, with no agenda, to just show up in downtown Seattle [for example], and see who needs help. Someone who’s homeless, all the way to a community garden. The second mission is to do that service as mindfully as we can, without preaching. I think the third part is to make service enjoyable, with things like the costumes. Can we go out on the road, with no plan, try to be mindful of the earth and communities, and have fun? And on a good day, we do all of those.

BL: Where did the inspiration for doing this come from? When was the idea formulated?

EH: It grew over time. I read comic books when I was little. I think the myth of the hero is in all cultures. As I aged, I saw that I have heroes like Martin Luther King, and Gandhi. Without blowing people up with eye beams, these people were heroes. So the idea started with a few people dressing up as superheroes for different campaigns. At some point, being an avid comic book reader, I said, well, you know, Daredevil swings around randomly looking for people to help. That’s the element missing. We were picking our campaign. But, hey, let’s get on our bikes in Seattle and bike to Boston, dressed as superheroes, looking for any service to provide to people. So that’s how it evolved.

Response to the Superhero ride

BL: How do people respond to your presence? How are they affected?

EH: It’s a huge spectrum. I’d say most of it falls into the “very positive” range. We’ve been in totally conservative towns, in Mississippi, in Montana [for example], and we pull in, and big trucks pull up and ask what we’re about. And we say, what do you need? And it’s a message that very few people can get angry at, if you are authentically asking them “what do you need?” For one example, I went into a bar, and I walked in with my superhero outfit, and there were truckers, and I asked “hey, what do you guys need? Does anyone need any help in this town?” And they all turned, and it was very hostile in the beginning. But I explained that we were people from all over who come together to give help once a year, and within five minutes, people were inviting me back to their homes for dinner, etc.

The final part that helps us is that we actually celebrate local superheroes, so instead of coming in and saying we’re the superheroes, we come in and say we’re here to help you who are full-time superheroes, and then that changes that dynamic. They feel really seen. It’s not, well, we’re the cool superheroes, you’re the losers, it’s we’re here for a day, in costume, and you’re the hero, day by day, you’re running this women’s shelter, day by day you’re running this community garden, etc. That really helps people to receive us.

BL: Why do you think people occasionally respond in a negative way? Is it just because of your appearance, and how you are presenting yourself?

EH: I think that one, it’s appearance. And two, so few mainstream Americans believe someone would actually go out for free, not part of a paid job, and serve, with no ulterior motive. No, “hey, and join this religion”, or “hey, and sign this petition for this politician”. I think we’re in a cynical society that doesn’t just trust someone who comes in, and says hey, I want to help.

A community on wheels: organization of the Superheroes bike rides

BL: How would you describe how the rides are organized? It appears to me to be almost like an intentional community on wheels. How are decisions made?

EH: That has evolved. The first ride was meant to be the only ride. We weren’t planning to carry on for years. During the first ride, the first few weeks were very chaotic. Over time, we have built systems, and there is now a superhero community. There’s over 500 Superheroes now. It is an intentional community on wheels. Some of us have spent over 13 months together doing this. We use consensus. Everyone has an equal voice. There’s wisdom handed over to riders who have been on multiple rides. The group will definitely defer to people who have been in more situations, but in the end, no one has a higher voice. It’s total consensus. What looks chaotic really has a deep intention to function well. If they can create an army for war and be so disciplined, the Superheroes’ goal is to be that disciplined for love and peace. Get up at 6:30 a.m., eat by 7:00, and we’re ready to go out and serve.

BL: It seems like biking is at the heart of the Superheroes movement. Can you tell me about the significance of biking to the movement?

EH: On a bike, you’re the most efficient living thing in the known universe. It’s three times as efficient as walking. You actually become more efficient, which is amazing in nature: that a tool can allow us to become more efficient. It’s a perfect balance. People have argued for us walking. Human power is definitely the maximum. But, the bike allows us to go fifty miles in one day. Bikes enable a great amount of distance and human power without the environmental cost. We believe superheroes would ride bikes. If you can’t fly like Superman or cruise on water like Aquaman, the next best thing is the bicycle. The majority of superheroes are human-powered. Extraordinarily human-powered. We’re kind of embodying that. The bike just fits in so perfectly. We love the bike because we can go 100 miles in a day, and it’s easy to fix. Who could fix the Batmobile? Bikes are a technology that can spread to the masses.

Spreading the message of the Superheroes

BL: It seems like there are many things that can be said about this Superheroes ride. There’s the biking element, the service element, the community element. But is there any way to summarize, into one message, the thing that you would want people to take away from the Superheroes bike ride?

EH: The wonderful thing about this is that every Superhero would probably say something different. One would say it’s the connection, another would say it’s the service, for another it’s the biking. It’s exciting when you can have this kind of unity with diversity. For me, the biggest message is, start living what’s in your heart now. A few of us had this vision, and we didn’t wait to be a nonprofit, we didn’t wait for any big budgets, we made capes for nothing, and this was our expression of being alive. Imagine if everyone in the world started doing it now. We just jumped in. For me, that’s the biggest message, if we all live what’s in our heart, everything would be covered. It’s crazy, it’s imperfect, but we’re trying. You can do the same.

- - -

If you’re located in Missouri, keep an eye peeled for a group of bicycle-powered Superheroes now through mid-October!

In my next entry, I will look more in depth at The Possibility Alliance, a newly formed intentional community based on the ideals of the Superheroes, founded by Ethan Hughes, partner Sarah Wilcox-Hughes, and other Superheroes. The Possiblitiy Alliance is located in La Plata, Missouri, and is completely petroleum-free, car-free, and electricity-free. The community also serves as the headquarters for the Superheroes bike rides.

To learn more about the Superheroes, contact The Possibility Alliance at:

Possibility Alliance
28408 Frontier Lane
La Plata, MO 63549

Telephone: 660-332-4094

Also, you can read more about the Superheroes and goings-on at the Possibility Alliance in the current issue of Communities Magazine. And to follow along with the Superheroes’ journey through Missouri and other bicycling events, check out the biking revolution news toolbar.

(Image credit: CompashMan and Gratidude)

Read More about Activism and Culture

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• Two Wheels Good, Four Wheels Baaad: Atlanta’s Sopo Bicycle Co-op
• Ecological Sustainability Requires a Cultural Revolution, Too

Starting last May, UW-Madison police started locating the GPS-equipped bikes in places where previous bike thefts have occurred. When one of those bikes starts moving, cops know they’ve got a likely thief on the move. They can follow the bike’s movements on their computers, then dispatch officers to the scene to catch the culprit.

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Image credit: Ziko at Wikimedia Commons

Wall Street Journal writer Phred Dvorak describes all the sordid details in an article about San Francisco resident Rob Anderson, who has almost single-handedly stopped the city’s pro-bicycle plans cold.

Anderson began his crusade against bikes in 2004, when San Francisco officials unveiled a massive plan to create more bike lanes, bike parking and cycling incentives across the city. The plan set a goal of having bicycles responsible for 10 percent of all city trips by 2010.

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The University of Florida in Gainesville, for example, is launching a campaign to encourage students, faculty members and staff to reduce individual car travel in and around town. UF’s “One Less Car Challenge” (the grammar nag in me has to note it should be the “One Fewer Car Challenge”) asks everyone to explore other ways of commuting, including bicycling, regional transit, car-pooling and car-sharing.

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Last week we sent an email to our action network asking how people were coping with high oil prices. The response on our sister blog, the Green Room, was enthusiastic — over 600 comments! Here are some of our favorites, organized by topic:

Strategies to Increase Gas Mileage

From Ann:

I’ve been driving 60 mph on the highway and have seen a dramatic improvement in my gas mileage. I’m getting 38-40 mpg in my Toyota Camry on the highway! Drive 60 when you go.

From Mike Frisch:

I have dropped my fuel use by 70-80%

1) I bicycle two days per week (25 mile round trip) - great exercise & fun.

2) I purchased an electric bike/scooter (Ego cycle 2 LX, cost $1700) and I use it two days per week - costs 10 cents to charge it - great fun.

3) On the days I have to use my car, I carpool, and I drive 60 mph or less to save fuel.

Editor’s Note: For others thinking of trying scooters, be sure to do it safely. Motorcycle and scooter accidents are on the rise due to inexperienced converts.

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And now, Collingswood is starting what may be the country’s first small town bike share program. Town commissioner, Joan Leonard, is behind the efforts to make available bicycles to loan to residents who wish to bike around the town instead of jumping in their car to go short distances.

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When we talk about addressing global climate change, the talk is often about greening our homes, changing our source of energy, and cleaning up industry.

In my previous post, I briefly discussed the critical issue of food in addressing this problem.

In this post, I am bringing to attention the great relevance of transportation and our transportation patterns and habits in addressing this critical concern for our planet and our future generations.

Automobile travel is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of Energy reported that the transportation sector accounts for approximately 33% of GHG emissions in the United States. Approximately 61% of these emissions are from automobiles and light duty trucks. The Department of Energy’s findings put the transportation sector as the largest contributor to GHGs in the country. Unfortunately, it is also the fastest growing contributor according to the DOE’s findings.

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Started by volunteers in March 2006 — about a half-year after Hurricane Katrina and the levee-failure flooding of New Orleans — RUBARB was inspired by a much-repeated experience of hurricane cleanup crews: pulling bicycle after unused, flood-damaged bicycle from the mountains of trash that covered the city. Rather than consign these flood bikes to the post-Katrina dump, these volunteers decided, why not clean them, fix them and then pass them along to residents and other volunteers who need them?

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Contrary to popular opinion, bicycling can potentially damage the environment due to the increased longevity of people engaged in physical activity, says Karl Ulrich, a Wharton Business School professor.

Ulrich argues that the greatest environmental peril society may face is the looming prospect of slowing the aging process, and bicycling potentially contributes to slowing aging.

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This week, EcoWorldly authors from six continents contributed articles on bicycling in their country. With exerpts from those articles and others in the blogosphere, here are seventeen very good reasons to bicycle no matter where you live. Click the headings as you go to read more.

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What does it cost you to get to get around these days? How much was your fuel spend in May in the wake of the sky-high gas prices?

With global crude oil prices anywhere between US$ 120 and US$ 140 on an average week these days, it is highly likely that you are grimacing or gnashing your teeth each time you get to fill your tank at the pump.

But that is not all the gas costs you. It also depends with your choice. As more and more motorists around the world find ways to beat the high gas prices, quite a number are turning to ingenuity of the cheap, just to remain afloat in the bubbling sea of high oil prices.

In America, for instance, a friend tells me that a new craze (or is it culture) is slowly catching on - pedal power. The popularity of bicycles as gasoline prices hit the roof is on a remarkable rise in many US cities. Big automobile makers like General Motors seem to be seeing the light early enough and have announced plans to close several plants for manufacturing of their gluttony SUV models that still remain the darling of most Americans.

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Slimy

Actions speak louder than words. I can write no more scathing an attack on the leader of the opposition than he can achieve merely by being him. So it was that the man who instinctively knows where the camera is cycled to work whilst his chauffer followed just out of site driving a pair of shoes.

Fatuous, slimy, ultimately laughable. A joy to read. Silly boy.

So, now we’ve got that out of the way, let’s ponder on cycling here in the UK.

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As a writer on global writer issues, I wasn’t quite sure what to do when my writing colleagues at EcoWorldly suggested that we all contribute to a series on bicycling.

Bikes and water: could the two really be related? To my pleasant surprise, they are indeed!

I learned about several organizations dedicated to providing people in developing nations with the means to get clean water through the use of bicycles.

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Note: this article is part of this week’s EcoWorldly cycling series: Cycling and its importance in countries around the world.

Coming from a medieval city in the heart of Tuscany, I’ve never felt the necessity to drive my car every day preferring to use my legs walking or cycling. Despite that I’m not a fan of bicycling but there is a region, in the north of Italy, where inhabitants are addicted: Emilia Romagna. This place can truly claim to be a paradise for cyclists, and many Italians declare that it offers the best ‘mixed’ routes in the whole Europe. It was really surprising for me to discover how important is bicycling in its main cities, Ferrara and Reggio Emilia.

But what visibly marks a city out as a cycling city?

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In Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second largest city, you bicycle at your risk in spite of the clear advantages to the environment and physical health.

Next to the pedestrian, the bicycle is regarded as the lowest in the mode of transportation chain.

Chiang Mai’s roads team with vehicles of all sorts and ubiquitous motorcycles that screech, hoot and zig-zag through the traffic.

If anything, the undefined movement of the motorcycles poses the biggest threat to bicyclists. They are forced to stay on the edge of the road where they can potentially ram into the curb. The absence of bicycle tracks on many roads further worsens the situation.

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The Internet search engine company Google, now a reputable green icon with its solar powered Mountainview headquarters, last year gave away bicycles to its staff in Europe, Asia and Africa as part of its efforts to reduce the impact of transportation on the environment.

Nearly 2,000 members of Google permanent staff benefited from this scheme that also provided free helmets emblazoned with the famous brand name.

The great bit about this stuff is that they had freedom to choose from a variety of trendy, sexy models from Raleigh, the German bike maker, and these included men’s and women’s hybrids, as well as a Google cruiser. Another sexy model, the Dahon Curve folding bike, was retailing at about US$ 280 in 2007.

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In South Korea, it’s easy to tell a toned, avid cyclist when you see one. You’ll know by his killer ninja looks.

Underneath the cyclist’s sleek helmet: a bandanna. Below the rim of the bandanna: steely sunglasses. Wrapping from the bandanna to cover the rest of the face: a hard face mask.

All in all, the cycling outfit looks like something straight out of a ninja movie. But what battles are there for a modern day bicycle ninja to fight? Just as in a Hollywood film, these ninja lookalikes toil to protect the young and the old from a common threat. And as it turns out, that ninja-like mask and outfit isn’t just for show. It protects bicyclists from a very real enemy.

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Despite more evidence that cycling is universally good, this time in the form of a report showing that it saves the government $227.2 million in annual health costs, there is still no denying there is just one king on the Australian roads—the car!

The fact that the bureaucrats actually have to commission a report into the health benefits of cycling probably tells you exactly what you need to know about the way that Australian governments treat the activity. Does any one really doubt that cycling is healthy? And what do they intend to do with this number now that hey have it?

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