Ken, we also must consider that the US is a much larger country and to travel such larger distances we uses more fuel than you do in a typical day of running around. So we will see a greater impact in the fuel price for us as it goes up. If I am not mistaken the difference in price is in a large part is taxes? To more confound the issue we have more roads to keep up too with lesser tax? Where does your tax dollars on the fuel go? Where does ours go?

Ken, I am guessing you have not read The Long Emergency. For an over view you summed it up well with " There is currently no real economic or practical alternative." We as a people are addicted to oil and addicts do not come off a drug easily.

You could put your condensed tools in a little trailer to tow behind the bike, really, and hand tools at that. No 16" saws, couldn't power it anyway.

2012, on the lighter side.

Tim