Bikers and bigwigs rally around ethanol

When we hear about the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, we usually picture, well, this sort of thing. So color us surprised when “ethanol was welcomed with open arms at last week’s 69th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.” The Renewable Fuels Association made its presence felt at the rally as a partner (and sponsor, we’re assuming) to suggest ethanol fuel blends as part of the solution to our current dependence on foreign oil. Put that way, it makes more sense; many of the Sturgis faithfuls are “America First” guys, politically speaking, and shameless gearheads, so ethanol would appeal to them from more than one perspective.

Heck, there might even be a biker contingent at the 4th Annual Cellulosic Biofuels Summit in November. We just found out about the Summit; it’s in DC and allows “leaders from the agricultural, biotech, technology, developer, oil, auto and financial communities” to convene and hash out a plan to reach the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol. Between this and the Solar Decathlon in October, the nation’s capital might be running on alternative fuels until New Year’s. Quick, someone forward this to Rush Limbaugh so maybe he’ll have a heart attack and leave politics forever.