Comic
Pedal Onwards
This week we’re taking a break from the whimsy of the Raccoons Borrowed My Bike series. Instead, here’s a comic about how I got here.
I was lucky. Good people made sure that mountain biking wasn’t just an activity for me, but a whole new community. Bikes were a gateway drug, the first taste of freedom that eventually led to the dam bursting. But bikes aren’t the answer to everything. They won’t magically heal the world’s ills.
Sometimes I get frustrated by liberal myopia. “There’s no way they actually believe that!” “They wouldn’t actually ever do this!”
Of course they are doing this. They’ve been telling everyone that they wanted to do this for decades. This is the plan. This has always been the plan. I know, because I was raised to be a foot soldier in this army. There are no surprises here. Only the cold reality of the logical conclusion of this Christian Nationalist rhetoric.
Next week we’ll have more cute forest animals dealing with silly mountain biker problems, because of this reality, not despite it. I draw my comics because I’m hopeful. I’ve come out the other end of extremism and it left me in love with life, amused with our everyday foibles, and thankful for genuine human connection. I hope you get to go for a ride this week.
Comments
[email protected]
2 weeks, 6 days ago
Thank you for your art. It brings me a lot of joy. Thank you for your message. It brings me a lot of hope. Most of all, thank you for being you!
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Bagheera
2 weeks, 6 days ago
Yeah, I second this. For some reason, though, that last panel hit me really hard.
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Znarf
2 weeks, 6 days ago
Hey, thank you for your sharing your story! I can‘t imagine what it must be like to escape such a predicament and then find oneself a couple years later in 2025 America. I wouldn‘t have believed the current state of the world, if someone had told me a couple years ago.
However, I had a thought recently that changed my perspective somewhat.
My german grandmother (who still lives at the age of 98) was born (and still lives in Germany) in the German Weimar Republic in 1928, grew up in Nazi Germany, survived WWII, witnessed the founding of modern Germany and a couple years later its separation, lived through the Cold War and it‘s end, witnessed the reunification of Germany in 89, survived the Covid pandemic, now witnesses the russian war on Ukraine, witnesses whatever it is, that takes place in the US right now. And even apart from world politics she didn‘t have an easy life. But she is among the most happy, tolerant and open minded people I have met in my life. Even though the Nazis murdered her parents for political reasons, even though she was almost killed in the bombardement of her hometown, etc. etc..
And she is not happy because she is naive, she is highly intelligent and reflected, she went to university and was a teacher, was required to spend a year in the US in the late 1940s, before she was allowed to teach in Germany, to make sure she was not a Nazi, raising new Nazis. She wrote weekly letters and had phone calls with her American female teacher friend from that year for 70 years, until her friend passed away…
So if you look at most points in her life, there are rather dramatic threats and truly horrific stations, but if you look at the big picture, all these crises were somewhat resolved, in the long run. I am convinced that decency, human rights, true freedom, truth(!), cooperation and empathy are values that are so universally good, that they‘ll prevail in the long run.
Of course these values don‘t establish themselves and they have to be maintained and nurtured, like trails ;-)
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Cy Whitling
2 weeks, 6 days ago
This is such a great perspective. Thank you.
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Raymond Epstein
2 weeks, 6 days ago
This made my day. Great art and words (both are art). I've enjoyed your efforts for a while, but this is one of if not the best. At least the most powerful. Ride on!
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Devin Zoller
2 weeks, 6 days ago
Cy Whitling- you are an absolute treasure, and the world is better off with this version of you.
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justwan naride
2 weeks, 6 days ago
Wow! Thank you for sharing your art and your story. These are dark times we're living in (it's possible previous generations felt similarly at some point of adulthood) and often it seems that darkness is winning. For how much humanity has managed to progress it's shocking things are the way they are. But we must resist and keep moving forward. First on a personal level and then as societies.
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Cam McRae
2 weeks, 6 days ago
Thank you for the courage and generosity it took to share this Cy. I’m very happy you are one of the survivors and someone who can be a beacon to those still caught in a world of hate and intolerance.
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Lacy Kemp
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Cy! You give a home to so many lost people these days. You are a gift. Thank you.
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Dr.Perceptron
2 weeks, 5 days ago
You've created an deeply touching piece, and I can only imagine what you've gone through. I was a bit shocked to see this here as I spent many years near Moscow and have known a few members of that church (current and former ones). The church, or cult as you so accurately describe it, has altered and in my opinion, fairly well ruined the town. I so admire your strength! You were able to be true to yourself and not let them ruin you too. No small thing at all and a story powerfully conveyed! Damn near brings me to tears - all the respect and best wishes in the world!!!!
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Cy Whitling
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Thank you. It's really unfortunate to see how much of a sway over Moscow they still hold.
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KawaBunghole
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Very compelling. Thanks for sharing, Cy. May I suggest you post this to r/comics to reach a wider audience? You never know what kid desperately needs to hear this message.
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taprider
2 weeks, 6 days ago
and thank you zeerob11 for saying that
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BC_Nuggets
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Peace & love! And thanks for the sanity (in a less than sane time.)
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werewolflotion
2 weeks, 5 days ago
This is amazing, thank you for having the courage to share your story and to speak plainly about Christian Nationalism, it's a serious, serious problem with no signs of going anywhere. Sadly you can say the same about homophobia. Unsurprisingly, where one goes, the other follows.
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CSmtb
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Thank you Cy for sharing and being so open.
As a lifelong Christian with friends of all backgrounds and lifestyles (many of them made through wrenching at the local shop), it always pains me to hear about people who use God as an excuse to hurt others. I'm sorry that you had to go through that, but I also know that saying sorry for other people's hurtful actions doesn't go far.
Glad you found your way to bikes though! Thoroughly enjoy your comics!
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Heinous
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Thank you for sharing this. I shared it on to non-riding friends and the reception has been amazing. As a queer friend relief ‘community is everything’.
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Dave Smith
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Thanks for sharing, Cy.
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GrundleJ
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Don't stop pedaling, there will always be kind people pedaling with you.
Thanks for sharing your life!
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SteveR
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Thanks for sharing! This is the kind of thing that I come here for. It's seems like a pretty limited audience here, and I'm sure that we all agree on the restorative power of bikes, but hopefully someone caught up in a similar situation can take hope.
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mrbrett
2 weeks, 5 days ago
A lot to think about here, thank you for sharing Cy.
Ps I really like your drawings.
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Allen Lloyd
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Dude you are the best. We have met a few times at Montana Enduro Series races. Every time I have walked away and told others "that is a cool guy." Every time they have told me "Yea that is Cy you dipshit." Hope to see you again this summer, apologies in advance because I never remember names, but know that I 1,000% remember good vibes and yours are some of the best :)
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Cy Whitling
2 weeks, 4 days ago
Thank you, I really appreciate it! I'll also apologize in advance, I have basically zero name/face recall. So we can stand there like deer in the headlights trying to remember each other's names!
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Clownshoe
2 weeks, 3 days ago
Fantastic. These comics are quickly becoming my favourite part of NSMB. Keep them coming.
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MTBintheVan
2 weeks, 1 day ago
This is beautiful. Scrolling through your slideshow brought me to tears.
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