Down to the Rapture

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Mar 30 2007, 01:40 PM) [snapback]414979[/snapback]</div>

Cool!

It's been ages since I rode a bike! Got a Raleigh, 27-speeds, 28-inch wheels, handbrakes, and regular handlebars. (Don't like the u-turn ones). However, I will have to learn how to use the handbrakes, and the speeds.

It's not a touring bike. But the wheels are about 2-inches in width. Spouse has both a touring and mountain bike.

Anyway, we have C&O Canal around the metropolitian area and the spouse and I will be doing some biking.

I just want to be very careful using the handbrakes. I remember learning to ride a horse and got pitched off! Not over its head but to the side. I don't want to do the same thing on the bike! <_< :lol:

Anyway, money is tight this year because kids are in college and one is headed for med school; and it's our 25th anniversary in the fall.

So.... I saw a budget biking tour in Washington state, California, and in Hawaii. Hopefully we might be able to do one of them next year.

See link: http://www.bicycleadventures.com/info/faq.php#potato

I am really excited about it. I love to travel but with kids, family, and work, plus aging parents, my time is very tight along with the money! :lol:

Well, I am glad that you are into being in the out of doors. Maybe we will meet someday biking. In the meantime I will let you know how I do this weekend. I am going to practice, practice, practice!

If you feel the earth rumble, you know I fell off! :lol:

Have a great weekend Mark!

 

I don't ride as much as I used to; mainly just ~10 mile rides to (try to somewaht) keep in shape. I sold my Trek road bike last year and got a Trek FX (sort of a hybrid of a road bike with more of a mountain bike frame geometry; not what they usually call a "hybrid" bike which is a mountain bike with narrower tires). It's a really good compromise for general riding as some of the roads where I live aren't in the best shape and this bike has 700x28c tires which can go offroad a little bit. I also have a mountain bike that I ride occasionally (not that we have many mountains in RI). I used to have a recumbent, which I sold as I wasn't riding it much, but I probably will get another 'bent at some point.
Now that this threa as turned to biking, it's become more interesting.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Mar 30 2007, 04:27 PM) [snapback]415079[/snapback]</div>

I used to ride and walk all around the C & O Canal. Washington D.C. was my backyard in McLean. I would go down the George Washington Parkway, ride up to the Smithsonian...good times. Congrats on the 25th, by the way. My wife and I will have 15 this year...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(larkinmj @ Mar 30 2007, 05:32 PM) [snapback]415125[/snapback]</div>

I want to get a bike again...I used to own one, but I gave it away. I want one of those old school bikes...


Like that.

 

Well, who'd a thunk it? The warring factions find some common ground in cycling. Ride on! B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Mar 30 2007, 02:27 PM) [snapback]415079[/snapback]</div>

More important than practice, believe it or not, is fit. If you can afford the $30-$50 a bike shop would charge you to "fit" the bike to you, it's worth every dime a hundred times over. Fitting the bike means adjusting the distances from saddle to pedals, saddle to handlebars, and saddle rake (fwd or bkwrd tilt) so that the bike "fits" you like a comfortable pair of shoes. On a fitted bike you'll be able to ride to the extremity of your stamina without being the least bit sore, just tired. A fitted bike is what makes 100 miles a day (or even 200 miles) within reach - you're tired as hell, but not "worn out" (although you probably won't be doing centuries for at least a few months unless you're already in pretty good shape).

Once you've ridden a fitted bike a few months, you'll be amazed how far you can go without "feeling" it!

Mark

 

Windstrings, why did God create man with foreskin on his penis? We seem to think it's unnecessary, was God's creation imperfect?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(maggieddd @ Mar 30 2007, 06:58 PM) [snapback]415187[/snapback]</div>

:lol: :lol: :lol: ...Just when everybody was getting along... you couldn't stand it could you?? :lol: :lol: :lol:

LoL!.. I didn't know you were preoccupied with my foreskin maggie?.... LOL!!!



Anyway... not sure if your serious about the answer or not or just being funny!....



I'll give you a clue and ask you a question.....



Do you know the "meaning" behind the reason for circumcision?



In case you say of course.. I'll give you one a little harder:



Did you know that intimate relations are more "sensitive" and pleasurable than when "not" cicumcised?



Do you know the meaning and significance of that too?



Please don't tell me your an expert either!.... LOL!



BTW... God never said he made us perfect... he only said "good".

We are quite vulnerable and frail and made of the earth and so are very earthy.... not perfect at all...



And once sin has its effect on us.... we aren't even good.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(windstrings @ Mar 30 2007, 05:08 PM) [snapback]415192[/snapback]</div>

You got that right, lad: like Mae West said, we're better! :lol:

MB

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Mar 30 2007, 05:39 PM) [snapback]415126[/snapback]</div>

I like! I like!

Congrats on the 15th!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Mar 30 2007, 06:48 PM) [snapback]415182[/snapback]</div>

No, I am not in the greatest shape, but I will be. That's why I bought the bike. Suprised the dickens out of my spouse! :lol:

It's a 21-speed. I just wasn't keying correctly!

I got the bike from a reputable bike store, with helmet, stand, and bike it was close to $400.00 but that's my gift to myself. I am so worth it!

Yeah, the bike shop guy fitted the bike to me. Since my spouse rides, I wanted to ride too, so I figured that I would just get a bike. Maybe sometime in the future I can do some serious biking.
Right now I just want to develop bike legs! You know how sailor's have to have sea legs? Something like that!

TJ, you have sailor legs don't you?

I like to do a lot of things, but really wanted to spend more time outside. My spouse will be running in the Boston Marathon in 2 weeks. Spouse ran the Baltimore Marathon first time ever in their life and qualified this year and next for the Boston. Pretty good for a person that's how old? :lol:

Thanks for the tips Mark. I really appreciate it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Mar 30 2007, 05:39 PM) [snapback]415126[/snapback]</div>

TJ, how long ago was it that you rode a bike around the Metropolitan area?

I mean you are talking about George Washington Parkway?!!!! Boy, I tell you traffic is pretty bad these days. I don't go down that way much but the beltway on 495 in DC and 695 in Baltimore, plus Route 270 and Interstate 70 are :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: Crazy!!!!!

I guess back when you rode the bike, the traffic probably wasn't so bad.

Do you have any place down where you live that you would like to ride a bike?

 

Hey Windstrings, do you bike or rock climb? What do you like to do? Any outdoor sports?

I love baseball, not much on facts, but I go to the homegames here in town. Minor leagues. Lots cheaper than the major and besides I can go to more of them that way.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Mar 30 2007, 07:29 PM) [snapback]415264[/snapback]</div>

You're more than welcome.
One more tip, having to do with all those gears (21 "speeds").

You really have 7 "speeds", not 21: the 7 gears of the rear wheel "cluster" are your true "speeds".
The 3 gears of the pedal "chainring" are NOT there to turn 7 speeds into 21, but to keep the tooth ratios appropriate as you use the 7 gears. Basically, what you do is select which of the 7 gears you want to be in, THEN select the appropriate chainring, using the rule of thumb: "keep the chain running as parallel to the frame as possible" So, if you select the lowest gear of the 7 (the biggest one), you must also select the lowest gear of the chainring (the smallest one), thereby putting bike into the lowest gear (for climbing). And the chain is then kept running parallel to the frame.

Conversely, for jetting downhill in high gear, you'll select the highest gear of the 7 (the smallest one), and the highest gear of the chainring (the biggest one), again, keeping the chain running parallel to the frame.

As the slopes of changing terrain force you to gear down or gear up, always think in terms of where along the 7 gear cluster you'll be most comfortable, select that gear, and then select the chainring that keeps the chain running most parallel to the frame.

If your gear shifters have numbered the gears for you, the LOW numbers correspond to LOW gearing; and the HIGH numbers correspond to HIGH gearing. To keep the chain parallel, you'll want to keep both numbers close to each other in terms of relative highness or lowness. So choosing gear #1 in the rear will match with choosing gear #1 of the pedal chainring (putting you in LOW gear). Or choosing gear #7 in the rear will match with choosing gear #3 of the pedal chainring (the highest possible of each choice, putting you in HIGH gear).

Finally, one more mnemonic: keeping the chain close to the frame is "easy" pedaling (LOW gear); pushing the chain away from the frame makes pedaling harder (towards HIGH gear). Or "Close in for SLOW Climb; Far out for FAST cruising."

After a while this'll all become second nature and you won't even think about what you're doing as you rapidly shift gears, but to get started those "21" speeds can be bewildering and intimidating, so hopefully this tip will help.

Take care -

Mark

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Mar 30 2007, 09:46 PM) [snapback]415275[/snapback]</div>

Almost of off them!.....

Have you seen my picture?

I love hiking in the mountains, streams with my telescoping fishing pole, caves etc etc.
I like dirt bikes to go where no man has gone before!

Haven't mountain biked yet though.... never got in shape for that.. but I can hike all day long uphill with 50lbs on me no prob. as long as I get flat spots to recoup.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Mar 30 2007, 07:55 PM) [snapback]415213[/snapback]</div>

:lol: .. thats funny, but it does show how our thinking gets turned upside down where good is bad and bad is good, up is down etc....

"Your so good when your bad!".... don't know who said that one......probrably Maggie!.... LOL!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(windstrings @ Mar 30 2007, 06:08 PM) [snapback]415192[/snapback]</div>

you've got foreskin? Icky!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Mar 30 2007, 09:35 PM) [snapback]415264[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, I had sailor legs, but as I get older, it's not like it used to be. In fact, I even got seas sick once on a glass bottom boat that went out to the coral reef. Weird. I have been on all kinds of tubs, but never got sick till I was on the glass bottom boat. I was fine until I looked down through the glass.

I grew up in McLean. No kidding, when I was there, there were farms out near Tysons. I used to ride up and down Rt. 123. And traffic was not so bad then. The CIA, I used to ride around. I would use the paths they had there. I once road right up to the main door, and asked to use the bathroom. They let me in, I did my thing, left. I can't imagine doing that today.

The Kennedy's were close by, and friends of my mom and dad. Things were quite different in the old days.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Mar 30 2007, 10:05 PM) [snapback]415284[/snapback]</div>

Thanks Mark. I made a copy of the information. It's late Saturday, and I spent some time with my folks. Took mom to see dad. He's in a nursing home. But it was a good visit. He has Alzheimer's. He was glad to see mom and me although he doesn't remember our names, he remembers us and that we love him. And that's a good sign. So I didn't have the chance to ride today. Hopefully tomorrow in the afternoon will do.

Thanks once again! I will look them over and report back! :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(windstrings @ Mar 30 2007, 10:16 PM) [snapback]415290[/snapback]</div>

Yes, and I think it's cool. But what the heck is a telescoping fishing pole? Let me guess. It's a scope that goes underwater and then you can see where the fish are, so you know where you can fish. That's it!

I have a sister who worked as a waitress many years ago and the guy she married works in a state park. She can out walk, and out hike him anyday. But he can sure shoot a deer with bow & arrow as well as with his rifle.

I love the mountains, the forests, and streams. I love Michigan in the summer time. It stays light out until 10 at night; and it's the only place where "Hell" freezes over, and it's not too far from "Paradise." Don't believe me? Check it out!!!!!!!

Yep, there's a Hell and a Paradise in Michigan. I love the Mighty Mac, and Traverse Bay/Traverse City; plus Mission Peninsula. Really pretty places. One day I will go back to the UP and visit, the upper thumb part of Michigan. They have wonderful cherry festivals in July, and blueberry festivals in August. Plus lots of public golf courses. But I am not one for hitting the ball.

Oh, and BTW, yes, circumcision is the cutting away of the flesh; and it gets right to the heart of the matter. It is not only "a bloody thing" according to Moses' wife, but also a very visual reminder of the covenant between God and His chosen people. But it also serves as another reminder of the fact that not only do we die to our flesh, but that God sees our heart.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Mar 30 2007, 10:58 PM) [snapback]415311[/snapback]</div>

So TJ, how did you end up in Florida? Through the Navy? I've been to Coral Springs in Florida and thought the glass bottom boats were cool! I've been to visit Florida several times years ago, but thought it was way too hot in Tampa for me. Was there on the honeymoon with the spouse. I like things on the cooler side without the humidity. The New England states are beautiful and so is Canada.

And you're probably right, CIA won't let you in.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Mar 30 2007, 06:26 PM) [snapback]415166[/snapback]</div>

Well, what kind of horse, I mean bike DO YOU RIDE? :lol:

Do you ride a bike Silver?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(loveit @ Apr 1 2007, 12:04 AM) [snapback]415814[/snapback]</div>

You can find them at GI Joes and such.. they don't cost much.... the are made up of about 4 or 5 sections and when telescoped down.. they are only about 12 inches long... with Reel and all attached.. then when you telescope it out, its about 5.5 feet or so.

You can stick it down the back of your pants or belt and climb down into ravines that are so steep and brushy that carrying a normal rod you would surely break or at the least slow you down like crazy... then when you get to the bottom.. do your fishing down stream.. hopping the bare rocks of late summer and avoiding the devil thorns and thick thickets of washington states wetland areas.... I use a very tiny hook and a tiny piece of worm and with no weight or very little and let the stream and current take my bait downstream and as it gets pulled in behind the eddys of a big rock.. there is always a tasty trout waiting!......
Then I pull out my ziplock bag and throw him in and continue my journey... after about a mile or two downstream... I have my limit plus some and again compress my rod back down to carrying size and hike out.

Sounds crazy, but its quite lush and beautiful down in those holes with thick moss and beautiful rocks and vegetation down in the middle of nowhere.. and the trout are really stupid since no one fishes them... lots of fun!
Very tasty too.... the small six to 8 inchers.. you can gut them and cut off the head.. bread and fry them and eat the whole fish like a jo jo.... bones and all!.... the fish and bones are so tender you don't even notice them as they are very tiny and fragile and become part of the meat... quite delicious too!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(windstrings @ Mar 30 2007, 10:16 PM) [snapback]415290[/snapback]</div>

You and your foreskin scare me.

 

Just started reading "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins.

After an upbringing in the Catholic Church and 12 years of catholic school, this book is resonating.

I am sure it is the #1 book in the catagory of "Demonolgy" to some here, I think it is quite timely.