Bike Rider's Burden

In most every way, bicycle transportation is superior to pretty much every alternative that I'm aware of.

(I'm referring, of course, to transporting a PERSON. The pickup guys like to get all redneck and say, "Oh yeah? Well, let's see you carry a snowmobile!" Or, "Let's see you pull a campin' trailer!" Or, "Let's see you haul around fifty empty beer cans and an egg-suck dog on that $*@%# bike!" But I digress.)

Unfortunately, bicycles are inferior in one way... we've discussed it before. You might say it's the Achilles' heel of bicycling, at least in these parts.

I refer, of course, to GOATHEADS. Puncture vine. "Tribulus terrestris," for you botanists.

(And I bring it up because I've been "back in the saddle" for less than 2 weeks, and I've fixed TWO goathead-induced flat tires already! And this isn't even the time of year! And I've got Kevlar-belted tires!)

The species is identified on the Idaho Weed Awareness website. But NOTHING is being done!

I think it's time for some accountability! What has Obama promised? Primary season quickly approaches... as those candidates come a-knockin', ask 'em, "What are your plans for tribulus terrestris?" If they can't provide an intelligent response, look elsewhere.

There's a guy out of Umatilla, OR, who falsely claims his hometown as Goathead Capital of the World. He's got motive - he sells "puncturevine weevils" as the earth-friendly solution. (Website - GOATHEADS.COM) Wouldn't it be a sad irony if the only things that these so-called puncturevine weevils will eat is puncturevine and bike-tire rubber?