I am currently reading Guns, Germs and Steal (by Jared Diamond) which is both a blessing and curse for those in my close proximity. The book does a damn good job of covering the history of the human race with an emphasis on who won, who lost and why. One of the reoccurring themes is that cultures that adopt or invent useful new technologies often use them to prosper and overrun their less innovative neighbors. The most obvious example of this is guns. Another interesting observation is that sometimes societies adopt something useful and then drop it, like the Aboriginal Australians who for some reason gave up on the bow and arrow.
It is my own, and not Mr. Diamond’s, observation that many modern urban humans have given up two of their most important advantages, pack animals and wheels. In a time when cars are becoming less and less practical who among us would not appreciate a loyal llama or mule to carry about our daily necessities? Without a car, the modern day pack animal, we are forced to hump our own belongings like old school nomads. This method is impractical, often uncomfortable and can be down right dangerous to the health and longevity of our backs.
Until recently I too was an urban mule of an increasingly sway backed variety. Each day I would jam my giant backpack full of clothes, food, books, equipment and all sorts of stuff I might need for the day. Consequently my pack was a hernia waiting to happen and often caused my back to ache. Recently I was diagnosed with a knee condition that forced me to take a critical look at my daily life and I realized the havoc my pack was wreaking. My bad habit was subjecting my body to the equivalent of being 25 pounds overweight for several thousand steps over the course of each day. I was also ignoring one of the most brilliant of human inventions all because I didn’t want to be seen as dorky.
Let’s face if you are not at or going to or from an airport wheelie, carry-on style bags are not suave. In fact, if you have the audacity to pull one around behind you (because its hell to get a llama permit in the city) people will regularly ask you about your destination. If you say nowhere special they will look confused and then commence to tease you about your dorky wheelie-bag (especially likely if they are saddled with a hip, urban messenger bag or backpack).
I say don’t listen to these soon to be obsolete human pack mules. Do they think penicillin and agriculture are dorky too? If harnessing the power of the wheel to save the delicate vertebrae of my back and the cartilage that lines my hips and knees is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
After a couple of days of pulling around my wheelie bag I can’t believe the difference. I feel much lighter, less worn down, my back doesn’t hurt one bit and I’ve taken some pressure off my ailing knee. I will never go back to being a human mule again and you shouldn’t either!
I dare you to take the wheelie bag challenge. Exchange your usual method of stuff transport for a roller bag for one week and experience the difference.
Roll on my dorky comrades, roll on!