Musings on the Metric System

August 24th, 2009
Musings on the Metric System

Jordan and I just completed a very enjoyable ride from Tours to Orleans, via Cheverny and Chambord. As the clicks melted away on a beautiful Sunday (yesterday) under an azure sky and perfect temperature, I began to think about the kilometer versus the mile. The first thing that hit me was how much easier it is to bike a kilometer versus a mile, since there are 1.6 of them to each mile. One of the benchmarks of an accomplished rider is doing a CENTURY... 100 miles. I have to confess that it has been many years since I have done a century. No matter what kind of shape you are in, they are draining. Now, a METRIC century is something else entirely. I can set out on a Saturday morning, put in a metric century (i.e. 62 miles), and be back home for the second half of a Buckeye game with my feet propped up and a cold PBR in my hand!
Next, look at the silly components of a mile... 1,760 yards, 5,280 feet. Now the kilometer... 1,000 meters, 100,000 centimeters and you can keep on going to millimeters if you want to. Don't even get me started on the English system of land measurement, namely acres and even hectares. What the hell is a hectare?

There is a sweet rhythm to the metric system. Since I am from Irish/Scottish stock, maybe our non-rhythmic system explains my inability to dance.

There is only one unit of measure that I respect in our system. When you go to get beer in America, we sell it by the case. How many beers in a case? 24. How many hours in a day? 24. Coincedence? I think not!

Can you tell we are getting to the end of the trip?