Rail Trails

(The above are from the KATY Trail in Missouri.)

One of those memory things popped up on my Facebook news feed.  You know the kind of thing I’m talking about.  Facebook periodically reminds you of something you posted a few years ago.  This one was from four years ago.  I tried to make a comment about it and repost it, but something happened that my comments didn’t make it.  But it got me to thinking, which is bad news for you.

The memory and pictures were from my bike ride on the Erie Canal Towpath four years ago.  It was a solo ride, though I had lots of support from friends who kept in touch with me on the ride.  I had someone looking after my health and someone else watching the weather for me.  I was met partway through the ride by friends who brought me much needed nourishment and refreshment.  And I had friends who kept in touch with me as I rode.  My biggest support came from Susan who not only dropped me off at the beginning of each day’s ride and picked up the pieces at the end of each day, but encouraged and supported me each step (pedal) of the way.

(Erie Canal Towpath)

KATY Trail

That experience inspired me to continue riding.  Since the Erie Canal Towpath, I’ve ridden on the KATY Trail in Missouri and the Confederation Trail on Prince Edward Island.  Our oldest son and our youngest daughter accompanied me on the last two rail trail rides.  They said they wanted to accompany me on the rides to spend time with me, but I think they just wanted to make sure I didn’t die of a heart attack on the trail.

Between the three major rides that I’ve done, I’ve ridden the equivalent of riding from Washington, D.C. to Kansas City.  When you include the training miles for those rides, the distance would extend to Salt Lake City.  For a lot of cyclists, that distance is no big deal.  Some would cover that and more in a single summer.  I’m old and slow and I’m determined and I will eventually make it to my destination.

Confederation Trail, Prince Edward Island

I have been richly blessed as I have ridden these trails.  Not only have I seen beautiful country that a person would not normally see otherwise, but I’ve become acquainted with people from around the country and around the world.  I’ve been surrounded by the love and companionship of family and friends.

The rides are not over.  There may even be one more long ride this fall.  I’m sure there will be more next year and you will be inundated with more pictures, hopefully from Idaho, Nebraska, Indiana, and Louisiana.  And maybe my health will be as such that I can continue annual bicycle rail trail rides.  Until then, Happy Trails!

Erie Canal Towpath

Firearms Deaths

The good folks in the news media would have you believe that every murder committed is with a firearm.  Indeed, firearms account for more than half of the murders committed in the United States, but that doesn’t mean that all murders are done with a firearm.

From a criminological point of view, murder is a complicated and (technically) messy act.  We always want to know why a person would take another person’s life, which goes to motive.  We sometimes look to motive to show a person’s intent to murder.  Motive is not a factor in our judicial system.  Intent, however, is. 

There are relationships, things people do, and places people go that expose them to violence.  The majority of murder victims are either related to their assailant or are acquainted with their assailant.  It should be no surprise that a person's home can be a dangerous place.  The presence and use of alcoholic beverages also expose a person to violence.  Being with someone who is intoxicated or being in and around bars or lounges also puts a person in harms way, especially at night.  Gang activity is responsible for about 2,000 homicides annually.  There were 2,363 gang homicides in 2012 (https://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Survey-Analysis/Measuring-the-Extent-of-Gang-Problems).

To be clear, I am a Second Amendment supporter.  I also believe there are actions we can take to reduce the number of firearm murders.  But I think it is also important to keep things in proper perspective.  For that reason, I’ve compiled a list of weapons used to commit murder in 2012 along with Drug Overdose Deaths, and Traffic Deaths, including DUI/DWI deaths.  Source data are included.  I’ve only listed some of the instruments used for murders.

Cause of Death	Number & Year of Statistics
All Firearms	9.032 (2012)
Drug Overdose	70,237 (2017)
All Traffic Deaths	37,461 (2018)
DWI/DUI	10,874 (2017)

Murder Instrument	Number
Handguns	6,562
Rifles	248
Shotguns	262
Other Firearm	1,959
Knives	1,567
Blunt Object	435
Hands/Feet	660
Fire	71
Narcotics	62
Strangulation	89
Asphyxiation	96
Other	830
Total	11,961

(https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/expanded-homicide-data/expanded_homicide_data_table_8_murder_victims_by_weapon_2010-2014.xls)

“70,237 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2017.” (https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html)

Highway traffic deaths: 37,461 (2018)

(https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812451)

DWI/DUI Deaths 2017: 10,874

(https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving)

If we want to reduce preventable death and carnage in our country, it would only make sense that we would express more outrage about drug-related deaths and traffic accidents.  And while we should not downplay the role of firearms in murders and suicides in the United States, I would suggest that we have a behavioral problem in our country and not a gun problem.

Note: Sources used were based on the first reliable sets of data that were found on the internet.