Foxboro Body Slam

Yeah - after feeling pretty damn good, finding some flow, some comfort level some cleaning ability. I went and planted my chest firmly in the soil on the trail. Bike landing in the BMX kid workstand position (upside down resting on bar and saddle). It was up right (inverted) but kinda mocking me. After what seemed like a long time I was able to start to draw a breath, then roll over, sit up and eventually stand up. Nothing busted, a few bumps, scrapes, and what not. Fun stuff. Cleaning way more today than I have. Even with zero damping in the rear shock or the front shock. Put the SXTi on the front, but seeing as the lock out doesn't work and it just kinda pogos no matter what, I think the oil's all drained out. And the rear shock, damper don't do much. Probably easier to just add oil to the Front than the Rear Air Vanilla Float R shock.

Solid ride. After the crash i was back to being a bobbling jackass. The flow was gone. But. It actually started to come back after a while. A nice change of pace from Lincoln woods.

CTodd popped up another cool ass TED Talk about food and all that. I'd embed it here but he already has.

About the headphones. Around here it makes a difference If you know there is a car behind you or not. I suppose one could just ride like you are assuming that there is a car right there all the time. I listen for types of cars, trucks and trailers give enough warning to do a quick head check to look for ladders poking off the side. Wasn't it Phinney or someone who got whapped by a ladder when training? His life was saved from wearing a helmet. Anyway. Common sense dictates that making full use of your senses is a good thing. But hey. It is undeniable that some people just can't be without their tunes. Because, heaven forbid you actually go without a luxury or a comfort for an hour or two. *rolleyes* But hey. What do I know. There's gotta be a good reason for all those people to walk around isolating themselves from their environment. Dog forbid they actually have to have an original thought while they are walking/running/cycling from point A to point B. Much less sit on a mass transit and have to listen to what is going on around. I like my iPod, I like it on the trainer, I like to listen to it at time when I'm cooking or doing other tasks that don't need audio feedback to accomplish. Cycling out on the road, running outside, walking on a multi-use trail... just aren't there on the logical-sensical list of places to plug in. Colin's got reasonable rationalization. But it sounds a bit more like someone justifying religion using logic. Just seems slightly not quite right.

I was thinking after reading a blurb. And all the little jibes i've gathered here and there about espousing my belief like it is gospel. Pointing out flaws/issues I see or have with things. My little bro pointed it out at one point that we all grew up in a household where perfection was demanded at times. Certain things were let slack but where it counted, it was important. Music was the big one. Perfection is demanded when your life comes from being on stage. Or at least as close as you can reasonably come while still entertaining and playing music people want to listen to. Symphony is extremely focused on perfection. If you have 10 stands of first violins and 10 stands of second violins, it is critical that the two groups of twenty musicians play exactly the same note at exactly the same time with the same bow stroke. Tuning is critical. One out of tune instrument sours the whole symphony. Perfection isn't really an option. It is an absolute. That strive for the best and my 30 years of being on stage (even if once a year lately) really have shaped my whole life. And I guess the adage about the squeaky wheel plays in as well. It seems that for the most part people need reminders. I need them. I know I'm not THAT unique. It would be great if everyone did the right thing all the time. Made the right choices from the best facts. Not everyone has the best facts, nor makes the right choices all the time. Me as an example. But, reading and being exposed to what other people feel and think is good. It helps re-evaluate your own position. Following advice blindly is never good, never recommended. But ultimately we will, as a human race, survive via education. It isn't enough that everyone do what they think is right w/in their own bubble. Let others know. Maybe you have a unique idea that others can apply and become more efficient at something, or better at doing the right thing more often. In away that is where science and industry differ. Industry doesn't propser if they develop a secret and share it. Finding the best way to make paper, saving a few gallons of water per ton or a few hundred pounds of chemicals per run will both benefit your bottom line and the environment, but if you were to share that, well then it wouldn't be a competitive advantage anymore. Open source software is similar to science. Not really but the basic premise is that people work for the benefit of others before or concurrently with their own benefit. Science works on the principle of discovery and validation but most importantly peer review and sharing. Industry works on secrecy agreements and proprietary processes. So, big up props if someone other than colin or solo made it this far - assuming they did - bottom line I am not a product of business or industry and I don't act like one I share, I see something and I say something in hopes that maybe even if only I will follow my own words that maybe it will make a difference. We can't fix the world alone. Only working together. Only then will we get a chance to right the course and change. Yes We Can.

Yes We Can.

it isn't yes *I* can. it is yes we can. WE all need to share, to give. If we don't have fiscal resources to give, we can act, we can talk. We can try to make an impression on the wrinkle of our fabric that weaves out existence together. It does take more than one thread to make a cloth, but that one thread can't ignore or keep its intentions quiet. But it is our journey to determine how to use our voice in the most productive way we can.

yes we can.

heddwch
G

And just in the in box... some nice advice for the walkers runners and cyclists out there - even some statistics...

Road Safety Alert for Walkers, Runners and Cyclers

Exercising outdoors is great fun and good for your health, but it can also be
downright dangerous. Hundreds of thousands of walkers, runners and cyclists
are injured on our roads each year -- and thousands are killed. Take a look at
these figures from 2006 from the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention
and Control and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's National
Center for Statistics and Analysis:
• 170,048 pedestrians were injured and treated in hospital
emergency departments
4,784 pedestrians died
74% of pedestrian fatalities occurred in urban areas
79% at non-intersection locations
90% in normal weather conditions
69% at night
• 466,712 cyclists were injured and treated in hospital emergency
departments
773 cyclists died
73% of cycling fatalities occurred in urban areas
68% at non-intersection locations
27% between the hours of 5 and 9 pm.
Road Safety Tips
I was told by John Pucher, PhD, professor of urban planning and
transportation in The Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University
in New Jersey, "It's like the Wild, Wild West out there -- assume that
motorists are not going to respect your rights as a pedestrian or cyclist, so you
must walk, run and cycle as defensively as possible." When you head out for a
walk, run or ride, don't count on others to keep you safe. Though motorists are
required to follow crosswalk laws and yield right of way to pedestrians and
cyclists, few drivers actually stop and few states enforce this rule. "You're
taking your life in your own hands," he said. The key message for safe walking,
running and cycling on roads is: See and be seen, and be smart about it. I
asked Dr. Pucher to list the specific rules we should all follow to stay safe on
the road. We learned many of these as kids, but we were faster then... and
there was lots less traffic. No one can afford to be sloppy about adhering to
these rules of the road:
Pedestrians:
• Always walk on the sidewalk, and if there is no sidewalk, walk
facing traffic.
• Be able to see where you're going. If you're walking at night,
carry a flashlight and cross in a well-lit area.
Be visible to drivers. Wear light or bright-colored clothing, including
reflective vests, accessories and shoes. Stand clear of parked vehicles
(trucks, buses, cars), hedges or other obstacles so drivers can see you.
Walk defensively. Don't assume vehicles will stop. Make eye contact with
drivers so you can be sure they see you... don't just look at the vehicle.
• Cross streets at marked crosswalks or intersections, if possible.
This is where drivers know to expect pedestrians, which is not the case on
other parts of the road. Also be alert for cars running red lights. And remember
that cars, trucks, motorcycles and bikes stop at different speeds, so make
sure they've stopped before you step into the street to cross.
• Watch for turning vehicles -- especially those with large loads,
as they require more space. Every vehicle has blind spots and
drivers may not see you.
• Obey all traffic signals. In addition, look left, right, behind
you and left again before crossing a street or stepping into traffic.
Don't be distracted by wearing headphones or talking on a cell
phone while crossing or when you are near traffic.
• Be cautious near reversing cars, trucks and other vehicles in
parking lots and near on-street parking locations.
Runners:
Pedestrian rules also apply to runners, but are even more important -- people
exerting themselves may be even less aware of their surroundings and have
less time to think through options in moments of danger.
Cyclists:
• Whenever possible, ride on a trail, paved shoulder, bike lane or
bike route, or on a traffic-calmed street, where there are fewer cars and
speeds are low.
• If you must ride on a road, ride with traffic and follow the
rules of the road. Going with the flow of traffic makes cyclists more visible and
predictable to motorists, especially at intersections and driveways. Ride on
the right side of the road and be on the lookout for doors opening from parked
cars.
• Ride straight on the road, and never wind in and around cars.
• Use hand signals when turning and stopping.
• Watch for turning traffic. Car/bike collisions often occur at
intersections and driveways when motorists or bicyclists are turning.
• Obey all traffic signs, signals and lane markings and yield to
traffic when appropriate, including for pedestrians.
• Be predictable. Try not to do things that motorists and other
travelers may not be expecting.
• Be visible. Make sure motorists can see you. If riding in the
dark, use headlights, taillights and reflectors and wear reflective materials and
brightly colored clothing. Bicycles should be equipped with a front light and
a red reflector or a rear flashing light. The easier you are to see, the
safer you are.
• Be loud. Put a bell on your bike to make noise to alert
pedestrians and others.
• Always wear a bicycle helmet. It's been shown that helmets
effectively reduce crash fatalities and head injuries.
• Don't wear headphones -- they reduce your ability to hear traffic
coming from behind you, which is especially critical when cycling.

If you'd like more information on pedestrian and bicycle safety, check out
these Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration funded sites
-- www.walkinginfo.org
and www.bicyclinginfo.org. Not only do they have checklists and other
educational resources, they also provide information helpful to those who want to
work toward greater safety for the community -- efforts we'd all benefit by. Dr.
Pucher especially emphasizes that latter point, "very, very" strongly urging
people to actively advocate for better facilities and policies for walking and
cycling. "Walking and cycling can be made safe -- they are roughly five times
safer in the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany," he notes, adding the
difference is due to safer facilities and more considerate driving and not safer
behavior by pedestrians and cyclists -- though of course, we can all start there.

Source(s):

John Pucher, PhD, is professor of urban planning and transportation in The
Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University in New
Jersey. Dr. Pucher has conducted research for the US Department of Transportation,
the Canadian government and various European ministries of transport.