[Berlin]I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.

Today we biked in the pouring rain all over Berlin,
which was actually fabulous once I got a wool sweater
on and my bike-rain coat (mid afternoon). Then it
cleared up. The idea was that we were following the
line that was the Berlin wall -- it was supposed to be
a Greenway, but like most Greenways I know, it is a
work in progress.

I realized today that bicycling makes me feel the most
present --
the journey is the destination kind of thing. it is
so much fun just to ride, and then you are traveling
somewhere, like at every other time in life, at the
same time. One of the conference speakers pointed out
that since the time of Isaak Newton we have known that
there is no stillness. Only motion. And that is what
I study. Bicycling is Zen, you could say.

Damn it, this key board has a Z where the Y should be.

Of course, I know people at this conference.
Specifically Dave Snyder and Jason Meggs, altho Jason
didn't remember me. And I have made new friends too.
My best conference buddy is
Maya Ruggles of Windsor Canada -- she happens to be
staying in my same room at the hostel. She gave a
talk on the theoretical structure of car culture that
I acccidently slept through on the first day.

I have taken a lot of notes on the various talks that
I would like to write about, but I don't feel like I
have time. I only bought an hour on this computer and
I have lots to do and talk about. Highlights include
a talk on Hypermobility by John Adams of University
College London, who is a great speaker, and one on
Mobility experiences of 3-6 year olds living in urban
and suburban areas -- they found that children who
walk to school learn math better because they develop a better understanding of
the spatial world. We knew it was true, but now there
is proof!

I have decided not to go to Poland. Instead I will
meander back towards France. there is a bike tour I
may tag along with for a few days, and I am hoping
someone who lives between here and there will
volunteer their couch for my sleepy head. No luck so
far despite many likely candidates. I definitely have
too much stuff with me for ambitious travel of any
sort. Once we stop off at St. P, I plan to only carry
a nap sack.

I have had tons of ideas for things to do from hearing
these talks. I'll tell you about them later.