Easy Rider

Last week we had a visit from Chris McGill, the Managing Director of Policy Analysis at the American Gas Association in Washington, DC. What made his visit interesting is that it was part of a 4,500 mile "membership outreach" motorcycle circuit he decided to make while AGA offices undergo a month long renovation. Cities on his route included: Columbus (OH), Indianapolis (IN), Madison (WI), Sioux Falls (SD), Rapid City (SD), Denver (CO), Amarillo (TX), Oklahoma City (OK), Memphis (TN), Evansville (IN), Louisville (KY), and Winchester (KY).

The purpose of his trip is to discuss issues surrounding energy markets and climate change and to reach out to AGA members in a memorable way. Beyond the economy of conducting a trip like this on a two-wheeler that gets 45 miles per gallon (compared to flying to all of these cities) is the obvious, which is that more than half the fun is getting there. Chris shared his travelogue with us, and I am pasting the part relating to his visit to Memphis along with some of his pictures from the road here for your reading enjoyment.


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Wednesday, June 18
Mile Post 3,532. On to Memphis and compared to two days ago the vegetation is lush and green. At this point I have crossed into a portion of the Arkansas Ozarks, hills are visible and wild flowers are planted in the highway median. Sure looks like home to me. This may be a recurring theme for the next week or so.

I have actually learned several things crossing the 280 miles west to east in Arkansas this day. The first thing I learned is that if you are going to change your spark plugs in the parking lot of the hotel you are staying in (trust me it is easier than it sounds), go ahead and plug both ignition wires back on the spark plugs when you are finished. It will make for a much better time getting your vehicle started the next morning than I had.

The second thing I learned is that I-40 between Little Rock, AR and Memphis, TN must have the most trucks per mile than any road in America. Unbelievable! The third is that Arkansas is in the midst of Fayetteville Shale fever. I even saw an interstate billboard that said, “Fayetteville Shale-Warehouse for Sale.” I don’t know what it means and some things are best left a mystery. However, it is the first time I have ever seen a natural gas supply source advertised on a giant billboard. That is pretty cool!

I will end this day with another unusual sighting. Traveling east on I-40 just past Little Rock, I passed a couple who were on a motorcycle pulling a trailer. They had pulled to the side of the interstate, taken out camping chairs and were having lunch beside the highway oblivious to the trucks rushing by. I was past them before I could take a picture but wondered what had caused them to stop there. And then I saw why. Two crop dusting planes screamed overhead, pulled up and did a 180 degree turn just hanging in the sky before screaming back down over the crops. It was fantastic to watch – like your own personal air show. I stopped to watch, also. What a treat. If there was a downside, I guess it might be that as I pulled away I was breathing whatever it was that they were spraying. I suppose that I may not get a mosquito bite for 30 days or maybe I will be rubbed-out in the next few hours like the rest of the pests. Cough, cough!

Thursday calls for a full day of activity with the folks at Memphis Light, Gas & Water including a visit with management, a discussion with the Board of Directors and contact with local media. Next update this weekend.

Thursday, June 19
Before I discuss my meeting with Memphis Gas, Light & Water how is this for the old adage, “Everything happens for a reason.” Wednesday night I went to downtown Memphis to see a minor league baseball game. Memphis has a new retro ballpark that is very attractive. Only problem was the 705pm game had been rescheduled and they hadn’t told me. Can you believe it? With no ball game to attend I walked over to Beale Street expecting to find a barbecue place to eat. However, unknown to me Wednesday night is bike night in Memphis and there they were – about 1,000 motorcycles lining both sides of the famous Memphis landmark for five blocks. I pinched myself and dove in. How is that for a surprise!

I am writing again because the ride from the city tonight has invigorated me. The air was cool and both the Road King and I just gobble the miles in those conditions. If I get an early start to Evansville tomorrow morning we will do the same. We are approaching 3,900 miles on this trip and I know it will be coming to an end.

Memphis is an interesting town and, of course, the Mississippi river dominates the landscape just as it did pre Civil War. There is Beale Street and the music you can find coupled with the city’s reputation as the “Home of the Blues,” and the “Birthplace of Rock and Roll.” Memphis is served for electricity, natural gas and water by Memphis Light, Gas & Water a municipally owned utility. Electricity is generated primarily through the Tennessee Valley Authority but gas is purchased for core utility customers like most local gas utilities around the country. A significant number of homes in the utility’s service territory are not particularly well insulated or sporting the latest in high efficiency equipment. Issues around the cost of natural gas today are very worrisome to the company. The current market and expectations for the market dominated my discussions with Alfonso Weaver, Laura Campbell and Brent Haywood.

Messages regarding unit pricing increases were also of interest to the utility Board of Directors and City Council members present at an afternoon session. Actually, I found the Board and Council members that I spoke to personally knowledgeable but frustrated by the current market situation. The press members I spoke to, local affiliates of CBS and Fox, also seemed to get it, particularly with the uptick in gasoline prices leading the way. All wanted to know the measures consumers could take to protect themselves during the coming winter heating season. To that end MLGW even produces programming for messaging to the public. They filmed an interview with me and even included scenes of me on the motorcycle. We even had to do multiple takes – just like in Holly---------------wood. I am grateful that MLGW found as many ways as they did to use our AGA messaging. I spent over 6 hours with the staff and others and believe that the visit was productive for all involved.

So, why was I riding back from the city late tonight? For those of you who know me a little, know that beyond our creator I love my wife, my family, motorcycling and baseball – about in that order. Actually, I enjoy my work too but tonight it was baseball. As I noted above, Memphis has a great, new, retro ball park. Tonight there was a good crowd and I walked around settling in the left field area where there is a hillside to sit on beyond the fence. The stadium is right down town surrounded on three sides by tall buildings and apartments. It has green rail fences in the outfield just perfect for placing your hands and chin upon to watch the game. The grass I stretched out in was lush and softer than the motel mattress that I will sleep on tonight. There were kids on their stomachs eating popcorn and parents chasing after little ones – not screaming but laughing. What a relaxing night. Oh ya, they played a game, too.