The Cost of Energy

I pedal up a steep incline five miles north of the Gateway Arch. A wild flock of turkey loiters ahead in a grassy patch. A harsh wind rocks me from the side and I feel my bike teeter in response. Winter seems to have extended its shadow far beyond its form.

The relevant debate these days is over the most efficient form of energy. Energy affects a lot of costs, but most conversation focuses on the cost of a motor vehicle. Gas prices are soaring, after all. People need energy for transportation, and the need for energy renders them powerless to the price at the gas pump. And in the debate, said energy must be nuclear or green.

My legs renew themselves constantly on this 30-mile Saturday ride. I summit another hill and I catch my breath as I pedal lightly. I sprint for a brief stretch, just for the heck of it, maybe seeking my long-lost inner child, and I coast afterwards. I fatigue and then recover. Rinse and repeat. Endorphins flood me at the finish. I feel a rush of excitement as I arrive at the Chain of Rocks bridge. Adventure is always optional.

My body’s energy moves me forward. Thanks to being a homosapien I can scale long distances (we have some of the most efficient cardiovascular systems on the planet).

That is not to say that cars don’t have a place in the world. Not everyone can ride a bicycle; it is fortunate to have the opportunity and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Yet car ownership is brutally abused by culture, which has led to some unnecessary obsession over gas prices.

Still, I don’t ride a bike to “save money on gas.” It’s just what I prefer; it’s more fun.

I finish my bike ride and in my fatigue there is a sense of strengthening, of knowing that muscles first need to tear in order to strengthen.