Dear RNC (and DNC): Take a page from America by Bicycle

[question everything]

This is a group that organizes long bike runs, including the Great Mississippi River Ride.

For years it would start from St. Paul in early August, get all the killing climbs along the bluffs in Minnesota, Wisconsin in Iowa the first week, and then roll down the flat land to New Orleans around Labor Day.

In 2004 the trip was aborted, they had to be evacuated as Ivan came ashore.

In 2005 they reached Hernando, TN, but then decided to abort the ride. They were meeting people fleeing Katrina, clogged roads, gas stations and hotels (even though they have had their hotels reservations).

Mostly, as a blogger put it: "We discussed the moral issues of 20 bikers perhaps displacing hurricane evacuees in the motels ahead. We could NOT continue. It is truly a sad experience to talk with the New Orleans evacuees we meet continually. They have nothing — their homes and businesses are under water, yet they remain relatively optimistic. Many have children in tow. Where will they live? What will they do?"

"Our group is composed of vacationing cyclists, all of whom have a home to return to. It is time we got out of the way — for our own safety — and to allow others to do what has to be done in the wake of this disastrous storm."

All this, before Katrina even made a land fall.

There was no Mississippi ride in 2006 and, starting in 2007, the rides start in the middle of May, in New Orleans going north.

The take home message? Late August is now the "preferred" time for major hurricane to hit. I remember Andrews, in 1992, came August 23rd. And another President Bush was slow in sending help, too.

Gustav could easily have come last week and crimped our convention.

Yes, I know, we worked around the Olympics. However the Olympic games, like our presidential campaigns, come every four years. How did we work around them before?

So... as long as we are going to have conventions get them in July or in early August. Or, do away with conventions all together. They are expensive and the candidates have been selected well before them.