You may know the actor Nick Offerman as the gruff city parks director Ron Swanson on the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation or from his turn as the survivalist Bill on the HBO series The Last of Us, but he also has a lot to say about how people get around, share public space, and relate to nature. In his book Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside, Nick takes a wry and philosophical approach to our stewardship of Planet Earth, the value of working with one’s hands, and the many problems with the massive agricultural systems on which we all depend. Nick Offerman joins The War on Cars to talk about his experience biking for transportation in New York City and Los Angeles, his views on masculinity and conspicuous consumption, and why the best way to explore an unfamiliar city is at the speed of a good walk.
You can find the full transcript of this episode here.
Nick Offerman says he’s not a real cyclist because he doesn’t put on Lycra and go 30 Miles per hour.
I disagree. Biking on the streets of NY and LA makes you a real cyclist. I’m not sure what putting on Lycra makes you …
Well I think he’s just making the distinction that he’s a person who rides a bicycle, not someone who’s identity is wrapped up in the image of cycling.
Amazing episode of a fantastic podcast. Nick Offerman is so cool. I tend to agree that a good walk is the best way to see and understand a new city.
Just the other day I was in the downtown area. I usually take my ebike when heading in but this time I’d borrowed a car to do some errands and wanted to stop in for some food somewhere. I had to park and get out and walk in order to just take in what was available. You can’t properly tell when driving and when I’m on my bike I also tend to be moving through rather than exploring. He’s so right about a lot of it.
