We rolled into Bakersfield around noon after doing an easy 40 miles and stopped at a Bike Shop to pick up a couple of small things and to see if we could muster up some interest. Sure enough, the customers who dropped in were thrilled to see us and learn about our project. One elderly man (72) saw us from across the canal and had tocome talk to us because he was riding a recumbent like ours (without motor) and just had to see what we were up to.
After leaving the Bike Shop, we rode to the house where we had been invited to stay while camping at the Pinnacles. No one was home so we went into the backyard, had some lunch, took a swim and relaxed for about an hour or so before getting back on our bikes and heading across town to interview Paul Gipe.
Paul is a veteran of the wind industry and our conversation with him was incredible. Not only does he understand how it all works both politically and technically but he has doable solutions based on lots of international experience on how to make wind power a significant contributor to the renewable energy future. HIs main point is that policies need to make the production of renewable energy profitable for individual homeowner's as well as for energy companies. He sited the German and Spanish models as being examples of how to quickly grow the renewable energy industries.
We were honored by his willingness to give us time and he enjoyed checking out our bikes, wished us luck and lots of media attention and we were out of there in about an hour. We did record the interview and hope to post an edited version of it when we get some pictures of wind turbines up in the Tehachapi's tomorrow.
We spent the evening cleaning up and getting caught up on our computer work.
We even slept in beds!!!!
Another recumbent rider and his Gold Rush
Cooling our heels in Bakersfield
The Green Riders say goodbye to Paul Gipe
Kissin' fossil fuels goodbye
Suckin' it down!
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