Riding a Fixed Gear Does NOT Connect You to the Road

I hear fixed gear riders talk all the time about how they are so connected with the road. They talk about having ultimate control over the speed of their rear wheel like it matters. I think it's especially silly when they say that kind of stuff without being clipped in.

I feel connected to the road when I tune in to that feeling.  When I pay attention to the feedback that I get from the bike.  When I feel the uneven pavement beneath my tires.  It doesn't matter if I have a more complex drivetrain on my bike; I feel the same.  Don't get me wrong, each bike provides different kinds of feedback (for instance, the mountain bikes have a front suspension).  But beyond mechanical efficiency, there is no inherent superiority in a fixed drive system.

I've been riding a fixie for over a year now, so it's not that I'm so new to the bike that I can't connect.  I have 4 bikes now and each of them feels different.  I can appreciate those differences and hopefully use the bike that best suits my needs.  The Diamondback 26" is great for getting around, hauling small stuff, having fun, and light off-roading.  The Kona 29er is great for off-road and kind of a bear to push on pavement.  The Trek 1200 is my choice for long rides.  The KHS fixie is a great commuter.  Each bike works different leg muscles.  Each bike responds differently to flying down a hill.  Each bike has its own unique personality (although I'm still getting acquainted with the Kona).

If you want to feel connected to your bike, just ride it.  Ride it a lot.  Everywhere.  Every day.  You can connect with your cruiser, recumbent, hybrid, TT, road, mountain, fixed, single speed, or vintage bike.  You can get high on cycling while retaining the ability to coast.  I encourage you to do so.

What Happened to the Victory Garden?

Back in WWII, our country's debt to GDP ratio was around 120%, which is higher than even today although our current ratio of about 100% is nominally larger. We are fortunate that the government has not imposed on us a rationing system (other than the prices that serve to ration goods in a market system).

When the nation was in deep debt during WWII, residents were encouraged to grow their own food in a back yard "victory garden." The name comes from the idea that we'd be able to better feed our troops and domestic residents with the assistance of such gardens. I want to know why there's not a push for more victory gardens today.

Growing a substantial amount of one's own food encourages saving, which we will need to pay off some of this debt. There are also positive environmental effects of eating extremely locally. The country could save some on fuel costs from transporting produce. With more mouths fed at home, we could export more of our industrial agriculture, thus helping the balance of trade.

Overall, we would be more productive at home. We could have more household saving and use some of that to pay down our national debt. Victory gardening is something that you can do even if you're unemployed or lack the resources to save in other ways. All you need is a little bit of dirt and water.

Pick #258

Wale - "Mama Told Me" from Attention Deficit

My Tri Family

Tonight was the first meeting of the new school year for my beloved triathlon club. I got brain drained in my office, so I showed up about 15 minutes early to the meeting. It was so nice to see everyone. I've not had contact with some of these people since the spring semester ended, but we're all such a close team that it really feels like a family. No matter how long you go without seeing your grandmother, she's still your grandmother. I guess it's like that with the tri team. Kind words were spoken of Tommy B and I feel like even someone as long gone as Dan C can still give off that family vibe.

The new officers are doing a great job and it's nice to sit back and admire from a distance now. I'm confident that the club will be in great shape when I leave. The new race director is doing an amazing job. I will be an enthusiastic participant. I hope to make it to an OK number of workouts. I fear that my newfound focus on school is going to get in the way of some of that. I might just have to re-prioritize to spend time training with the fam.

There were also a lot of new faces. I hope that they feel welcome and get involved, thus becoming a part of the family.

Otra manera de enseñar español a un nivel de la escuela secundaria

Con una meta de que los estudiantes aprendan la idioma y empiecen a hablar, tengo una idea de una nueva manera de organizar las clases de español en una aula de la secundaria.

Al principio, el profesor tiene que hablar en español y repetir la misma frase en inglés. La repetición es muy importante para poner las palabras en la mente de los estudiantes. El currículo debe enfocar en interacción entre los estudiantes y la lengua. Por ejemplo, una tarea es que tienen que ver por lo menos 1 hora de la televisión en canales de español cada semana. Escriben notas en que han visto. Durante el año, el conocomiento de las escenas crecerán.

Ganan "dinero" por cumplir las tareas y por las marcas de los exámenes. Este dinero se puedan usar para comprar cositas del mercado de la clase. Este mercado puede tener opciónes como puntos de extra crédito o dulces o trozitos de la cultura (por ejemplo un tapíz o una calabaza del día de los muertos). El precio de los artículos puede cambiar con las fuerzas de la oferta y la demanda. Se puede tener subatas en que los estudiantes tienen que ofrecer "dinero" y combatir con los otros estudiantes para ganar el artículo.

Es más, estudiantes ganan dinero durante la clase por su participación. Tengo una idea de una actividad. Empiezo y pregunto algo a un estudiante. Dicho estudiante tiene que responder sin usar inglés y eligir otro estudiante para preguntarle otra pregunta. El último estudiante que no ha usado inglés gana lo más dinero.

Finish Tags

Perhaps you've heard of Finish Tags. They're trying to compete with Road ID. They have a slightly different layout and plan for disseminating the medical info. There is no subscription with Finish Tags like there is with the Road ID interactive. I got a set of Finish Tags for free from a Facebook promotion. I decided to buy the "Sprint" which is basically a long nylon strap with velcro on it. It will fit just about any sized wrist and athletically sized ankles. It has some advantages and some disadvantages over Road ID. All around, Finish Tags are cheaper and if price is what's holding you back from Road ID, I definitely recommend getting the Finish Tags.

As for the receipt of emergency medical info, you can either enter an individual ID # online, call/fax it in, or text it. I texted my "lifepin" to the specified number and I got TWENTY NINE texts back with information about myself. That would totally suck if someone did not have an unlimited texting plan. Some of the texts were very short. Others weren't. Overall, it was pretty helpful and it would be easy enough for a first responder to get good info about a victim from the Finish Tags.

I'm not giving up on my Road ID. I like the wrist band way better for the Road ID. I haven't taken the Finish Tags swimming yet, but I imagine that it won't stay on the wrist as well.

ZipCar at FSU!!

If you haven't heard yet, FSU has a ZipCar program now! It's a car sharing club. You pay $25 to become a member and you can use the car for $7/hour. I think you can get it for $65/day or something like that and you can drive up to 180 miles without additional charge. There's a card in the visor that you use to pay for gasoline. You don't have to pay for maintenance or insurance or any of that. It's super cool and you should check it out, especially if you live on campus and sometimes need a ride.