AzEkologi

Hi, my name is Rick. I'm 40something; happily married for over 22 years, have an 18 year old son, a black cat (Salem), and a black pug (Lucy). I work as an environmental scientist and volunteer my time as a bicycle mechanic at a local bicycle cooperative/education center devoted to teaching people in under-served communities about bicycle maintenance, building, and repair.

My childhood summers were spent in the mountains of Northern Arizona where I fell in love with science and nature. Spending time in natural environments is paramount to my being. These two John Muir quotes define my approach to nature; "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness" and "Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt". I also believe this Aldo Leopold quote should be the foundation to one's approach to the environment; "Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one is watching, even when doing the wrong thing is legal."

Bicycles are my passion. I own twelve bikes, all of which I regularly ride. My collection is basically a small museum of carefully curated pieces from 1964 to 2017. My favorite is the one that I'm riding at that exact moment, but I do really like my 1964 Schwinn Typhoon beach cruiser "Old Crusty" - a bike I saved from a trash pile and pieced together with vintage parts over the course of several years. It's heavily patinaed, won't win 'best in show' by a longshot, but is quirky, nostalgic, and has a certain 'feel' that conjures images of riding down Main Street of small town America to get a Slurpee at the local gas-n-sip. Several years ago I stumbled upon and purchased my 'retirement bike', a virtually unridden, garage-kept 1978 Schwinn Town & Country adult tricycle. Yes, my wife and teenage son lovingly tease me that I'm going to end up being that old guy who rides around the neighborhood on his big tricycle trying to save the environment by picking recyclables out of the trash with a stick that has a nail on the end...ya, that's probably going to be true...and I'm going to love it! I'm far from retirement, but ride the bike now for fun and because it turns heads. I typically have to kick my son off of it..."hey, whippersnapper, who's got the hip ride now?!?"

I'm also an avid tea drinker - "There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life" - Lin Yutang. Black teas are my favorite, I have two cups of strong, English-breakfast style black tea every morning. I also like green teas, my favorite afternoon cuppa is a honey-ginseng green tea from Republic of Tea. In the winter I cap the evening with calming herbal tea. I don't care for rooibos/red teas and despise sweeteners of all kinds. I'd love to try Lifeboat Tea from the Williamson Tea Company. Individually-wrapped bags are not available in the US (at least that's what my research indicates).

My family and I chose to switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet several years ago for health reasons. As such, please don't send any animal food products. It was a big change for us,and a change that isn't for everybody, but we've never felt better.

Sand County Almanac - Aldo Leopold

Silent Spring - Rachel Carson

Guns, Germs, and Steel - Jarrod Diamond

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

Hot Zone - Richard Preston

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Archie Comics - John Goldwater and Bob Montana (a guilty pleasure)

Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

Kingkiller Chronicle - Patrick Rothfuss

Walden - Henry David Thoreau

80's

Ska

Punk

Rockabilly

Aquabats

Better than Ezra

Cake

Elton John

Gogol Bordello

Goldie Lookin' Chain

Gretta Van Fleet

Nerf Herder

PPL MVR

Red Elvises

Teenage Bottlerocket

Volbeat

Showtunes (Hamilton, Heathers, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot)

Papercraft, postcrossing, writing letters, washi tape, gardening, hiking, boating, canoeing/paddling, drinking tea, anything bicycle related.

Some ideas for postcards if you don't know what to send or if the swap isn't specific. I would love to hear about your hobbies, interests, home, books you're reading, holiday traditions, your favorite play or musical, or what you like best about where you live, what makes you happy, or anything you want to share!

I would love to hear about or see postcards of:

• birds, especially birds from your country - What's your favorite bird?
• bicycles (I own 12!) - Do you have a favorite bicycling memory?
• nature, wilderness hiking, camping (We camp every summer, do you have a special camping memory?)
• black and white, retro, or vintage postcards
• tea (but coffee is a close second) - What's your favorite tea?
• live theater (and pictures of theaters) - What's your favorite play or musical?
• science fiction (Star Trek, Dr. Who, Firefly, Star Wars)
• Harry Potter (I love the books, but I do not support JK Rowling's views)
• gardens and gardening - What do you like to grow?
• reading and libraries
• baseball stadiums (I’m a Red Sox fan, but love the sport as a whole!)
• cricket (or any bat sports)
• homemade postcards
• vintage comics or comics from your country (My favorite is Archie).
• pin ups (vintage, modern, photograph, or illustration - art is beautiful, beauty is art).
• gnomes/dwarfs/woodland fantasy creatures

Almost anything is really great the only thing I really don't want are Christian/religious cards (alternative religions are ok). I'm not too picky or easily offended.

I prefer to receive post cards "naked" (written on, no envelope). I love the sincerity of a handwritten message, am always thrilled to see vintage or special postage, and thoroughly enjoy examining the stamp cancellation.