Sunday, December 30, 2007

Bicycling Blumenauer in the WSJ

For Congressman, Life in Bike Lane Comes Naturally
Some members of Congress come to Washington and get in the fast lane. The 59-year-old Mr. Blumenauer came to Washington and got in the bike lane. Few members of Congress care more than he does about cranks and sprockets.

Mr. Blumenauer's "obsession with bicycling borders on the interesting," sniffed TV satirist Stephen Colbert.

"Bikeman," a House colleague from Oregon calls him. Mr. Blumenauer owns seven bikes. His congressional office is one of the few -- if not the only one -- that didn't even apply for a parking permit. On occasion, Mr. Blumenauer has cycled to the White House. On Mr. Blumenauer's first visit, the Secret Service, more accustomed to limousines, was flummoxed at the sight of his bike.

"I leaned it up against the portico," Mr. Blumenauer says.
The dude rocks. Read more in the Wall Street Journal.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

One rocks while the other 434 elected representatives roll in their auto brigades. No wonder this country is stuck with more highways and parking lots, the elected leaders are so addicted to being fuelish that their ability to envision alternative solutions is too polluted.
Jack

Jennifer said...

"On Mr. Blumenauer's first visit [to the White House], the Secret Service, more accustomed to limousines, was flummoxed at the sight of his bike."

Shucks, replace "White House" with "strip mall," "Secret Service" with "security," and "limousines" with "cars," and the situation really isn't that uncommon.