Why Cycling 4 me Beats Driving a 4x4 (or "On Yer Bikes Ladies" !)

I've noticed an increasing tendency, which seems to me to be particularly strong in Worcester/shire, for people to "judge" others on fairly superficial criteria. For instance, I do not own or have access to a car, something which has been the case for most of my adult life, yet this does not greatly inhibit my enjoyment of outdoor pursuits, including horse riding, in the semi-rural parts of the County. However, I am aware that others regard my carlessness as "odd".

To illustrate this, last year I travelled regularly to "Archers Country" near Hanbury in North Worcestershire. This involved a short train journey with my bicyle from Worcester to Droitwich, followed by a cycle ride of 6-7 miles, and back, of course. No big deal ! I managed this trip, which involved crossing a ford using a footbridge, on a twice weekly basis throughout the winter months. The purpose of my journey was to ride a horse, which I enjoyed very much.

Yet I knew that my bike marked me out as "different", at best a fitness fanatic (certainly not !) but more probably eccentric (possibly !). It was difficult to establish much rapport with people at the yard where I rode. Experience has taught me that when such rapport cannot be built up, it is best to withdraw from the situation. Otherwise, a small incident or disagreement can become a a very big deal. So I stopped visiting "Archers Country" on a regular basis.

Some while later, whilst cyling along a semi-rural road in South East Worcestershire from another yard, I saw ahead of me a woman on a horse who had been at the other livery yard. She and her friend had now moved into the area. We had quite a long roadside conversation, although I still felt my bike marked me out for her as someone "different". The funny thing is, one of the reasons she had moved from the other yard was the ford, which could be fast flowing in the winter, even for her 4x4 (which she had been worried about). Ho ! Ho !

& Putting this Blog in the Context of My Othe Blogs

Given this increasing preference, which I suspect goes much wider than Worcester/shire, to use fairly superficial criteria to "get the measure" of other people, I want to "give some context" to my "Janet Mackinnon" blog. In fact, I am in the process of developing a number of blogs, 3 of which I'll mention now :

• The Edge of Town
• Janet Stone &
• The Green Man Project

Here's a little more detail :

The Edge of Town
The psychiatrist and metaphysician Carl Jung identified a "shadow" side of the human psyche. "The Edge of Town" explores the transferrence of this shadow into our environments, whether in the form of pollution, destruction of the countryside and rural communities, or the darker side of urban life and human existence. "The Edge of Town" is, therefore, a physical, psychological and, perhaps, metaphysical "place".

Janet Stone
Reflections on "New Paradigm" (including so-called "New Age") themes and trends in science, health, education, spirituality, and thinking on "human potential". Janet "Stone" is the alias of Janet Mackinnon in her quest for "the Philosopher's Stone".

The Green Man Project
Exploration of the links between local history and wildlife, landscape, archaeology, craft industry and folk culture, including animal husbandry and equestrian heritage. References to good practice in local conservation from around the world, and to other practical, creative and therapeutic initiatives which evoke the spirit of The Green Man and Woman.

Another way of looking at these blogs is as follows :

• Janet Mackinnon (my real world/everyday concerns)
• The Edge of Town (in which I confront the "shadow" of everyday things)
• Janet Stone (the potential for human development with "paradigm shift")
• The Green Man Project (integrating the everyday, the "dark" and the "light")

I hope no one will find all this strange or threatening. It will be an interesting ride.