I lived in Las Vegas in my late 20’s and my next door neighbor was a woman about 28 or so who was a high-end call girl–articulate & smart (worked directly at the behest of casino pit bosses for high-roller clientele). She had a 4 year old son that I took care of a few evenings when she couldn’t get her regular child-care person on short notice. At her age, she owned her home outright, had a new corvette and most of her son’s college money in the bank. I must say she was stunningly beautiful and yes, the thought crossed my mind quite often.

Not sure the gnarly part fits, but I’m 72, been riding MTB 24 years and still riding a couple days a week most of the time. I have to admit I am slowing down and being much more careful as I have noticed my balance has gotten a bit sketchy the past year or so. However will still keep cranking away, even if it isn’t on the tough stuff anymore.

Anyone remember the “tie-died” titanium spokes–haven’t seen those since about 1995

Yeah, that is pretty amazing. I have no idea how it works, but then I have not idea how computers do what they do except work when I turn it on (most of the time anyway) 😀

just curious, but are most of the pop-up ads on iPads?

I am on here all the time on my PC and I don’t get any.

I’m in the USA, but don’t think that would make any difference

Outland — They developed the VPP suspension design and later sold the license to Santa Cruz.
Their problem was that they used bushings at all the pivot points instead of cartridge bearings. When the bushings wore out, the frame became sort of a “flexible flyer” and the only way to get bushings was to have them machined as Outland had gone out of business.

I had one and, to this day, still one of my favorite bikes.

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/general-discussion/632093d1312851175-outland-vpp-suggestions-please-img_0797.jpg

Hit 70F here in the Southwest USA today. We always get what Mrs busydog calls a “sucker spring” about mid February then back to winter. Forecast is for chance of snow by Wednesday.
Out riding today and saw several rather lovely, fit, young ladies running on the trails in shorts and tank tops 😯

I live in New Mexico and have ridden just about everywhere in Colorado except Fruita. Don’t think you can go wrong just about any area. Crested Butte is really great. As mentioned above, in August watch out for the afternoon thunderstorms. If you go out for a morning ride and get back by early afternoon you will likely miss most, but the lightning in the high peaks is pretty scary (and awesome).
Agree with above that Moab will just be too hot that time of year. Morning rides are OK, but by 11AM it is blazing.

As others have mentioned above regarding changing bulbs.

I started to change one of the front turn signal bulbs (also doubles as the daytime running light on the front) on my Toyota Tacoma and after reading the directions realized it took some major disassembly from inside in front of the engine, so decided to save myself some aggravation and took it to the Toyota dealer—they did it in about 10 minutes.

So very sorry to hear that–really gut-wrenching. Wishing the best for your son and your family through a difficult time. As so many above have said, stay strong

Jack Daniels isn’t Bourbon.

Robz is right on that, it’s sour mash whiskey and the “Old number 7” is still my favorite–much prefer it to bourbon. I also must say I like a good single malt as well.

I have a recurring dream about flying. It’s always very similar – it starts off when I’m running, and you know sometimes you get into sort of a lope when running where it feels a bit like you float between steps? It starts like that, the floats get longer and longer, until I’m running but not quite making contact with the ground. Then it turns into the ability to gently float upwards while standing still

I have had an almost identical dream over many years. Sometimes go for months without it then it comes back fairly regularly. For some reason it doesn’t seem to work as well when awake.

And here in the state of New Mexico it has been snowing all day and likely through the night as well as most of tomorrow (was 60F yesterday)

Cattle ranch, herding said cattle and fixing/maintaining fences

Headhunter/recruiter –do a lot of work globally, so working at home helps accommodate time differences worldwide.
Have worked at home for the past 11 years and can’t imagine going back to an office setting. Does take a little discipline, but also allows a quick MTB ride as there is a trail that begins 300 yards from the front door.

When I was in the Navy (US) in the 65-68 time frame, we were able to buy brand-name, sea-store cigarettes from the ships commissary for $1.00 a carton or 10 cents a pack. No wonder almost everyone on the ship smoked.

I’d recommend hiking down

This^^ if you have the time. I have hiked into the canyon several times and it is pretty spectacular.
The North Rim is really cool as well–very remote (you access it by going up into Utah from Vegas and across to the East).
As I recall, there are only one or two motels/lodges (small).
You can hike along the north rim (bike as well) without all the crowds at the South Rim (but in October you should encounter fewer people).
I have camped, hiked and biked the North Rim and there were days when I never saw another person. Last time I rode there, I did run into a buffalo herd that roams the north rim.

You don’t sweat in new Mexico?

Yeah, but I ride so fast it dries instantly 8)

Unless you get waterproof ones

Generally not so much of an issue in New Mexico 😆

best vote for Medicare, then

Finally am able to collect on that from all the taxes I paid into it for so long, but it doesn’t cover hearing aids (covers hearing test, etc,) 😥

If any of you wear them when riding, do you have any issues with wind noise? I have read that wind noise can be bothersome, but maybe the new digital ones have been able to handle that better.

Thanks for feedback. Your comments confirm what I have read about the digital ones being the way to go.

They sure aren’t cheap, and as I am in the USA, I don’t expect the NHS would be kind enough to let me in 😀

I’m not vain, so that isn’t an issue and I expect once I have them I will wonder why I didn’t get them before.

OK at the top of this page there is a picture of the car. 2 men either side of it and a leg and head of a third person protuding from the car.

I thinks that is just a loose shoe that fell out as I recall in the original video that one of the guys picked it up and threw it back in the car when they got back to the car and ready to leave.

LOL@

Our old dog ate most of a towel. Once about six inches reappeared I got him to sit down, put my foot on it then
threw his ball for him, problem solved.

Edit–the visual image is priceless—too bad it wasn’t video’d as would go viral on YouTube

The extra 4 numbers are just an “enhancement” of the postal zip code that most people don’t bother with. Not sure exactly what it enhances, but I think it is supposed to add to the accuracy of the optical scanning process when being sorted—–most people here in the USA don’t use the extra 4 numbers and the mail seems to get there just fine.

Edit: since you are sending from the UK, I would go ahead and use the extra 4 numbers

The location of Walter White’s house in “Breaking Bad” is 2 miles from where I live in Albuquerque. As I understand it, the production company leased it from the owners for the entire series filming.

Hard to believe another year has gone by. 23 years of mountain biking and it all seems like a blur.
Happy New Year to everyone on STW, wherever in the world you are and I hope 2015 treats you very well indeed.
Ride on!!

We have had a tempurpedic memory foam for the past 6 years and I’d never go back to a coil-spring. I know that, for some people, they are hot, but we use a sheep-skin mattress cover and the heat is a non-issue (plus it makes a great bed even more comfortable). After 6 years, the mattress still shows no sign of body-imprint sagging.

I think STW is much better than any of the biking websites we have in the USA (that I am aware of). As Furrner said above, MTBR has gotten too massive and doesn’t have the “personality” of STW. In addition to a lot of good biking info, I find STW thoroughly entertaining and it has more of a “personal” feel to it.
Local clubs and bike shops will be one of the best sources of info for a given city/area.

Not disaster movies per se, but horses run at a full gallop for many miles, through tortuous terrain, never stumbling or just collapsing from exhaustion

surely—shirley

Merry Christmas to everyone at STW from part of the USA contingent!!!

Thanks for the continuing fountain of knowledge, humor, advice and empathy when needed!!

For some reason, Mrs busydog still thinks I am doing work on the computer all day long.

Always liked his music–unfortunately we keep seeing more of that generation of musicians passing.

My daughter-in-law’s father is a custom home builder who lives in Montrose, Colorado, not far from Joe’s ranch in Crawford, Colorado and he did some of the work on his house when it was built years ago. He said that Joe was just a down-to-earth guy and very friendly with everyone working on the house.

At work (sort of) in New Mexico, USA

Mrs busydog’s boss had one around 2006 and he referred to it as his
PT Crapper and sold it after 6 months.
From what I saw, quality control was pretty shoddy and as someone mentioned above, “plasticky”.

Not many rides go by here in New Mexico that I don’t see a snake on or crossing the trails. Mostly Western Diamondbacks and bullsnakes. The largest diamondback I have seen was about 6 ft and a body girth about the size of my forearm. I have ran over a couple of bull snakes, but fortunately haven’t hit a rattler yet.

If you can call getting passed “riding with”, then John Tomac. I was riding with a couple of guys in Sand Canyon near Cortez, Colorado a few years ago and he overtook us about a third of the way up the canyon, then met us on his way back not long after we got past the halfway point. Sort of put our “epic” riding skills in perspective.

Welcome to the group.

I’m another in the US (New Mexico)

I’m in Colorado

Mtbcoach–where in Co are you?

The most recent bladder I bought has an anti-microbial in the compound and after 2 years has never gotten gunked up, but I do drain it and hang it upside down after each use. When my older bladders got funky, I put about 1/8 cup of bleach into the bladder full of water and let it sit overnight. It cleans everything out. Just be sure to rinse thoroughly before refilling and using.

Well, I’d bet that there goes the MANY millions of our New Mexico state tax dollars that the former governor spent on the Spaceport facility specifically for the VG spaceflight operations. The VG flight operations status has already been delayed several times and I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole thing is scrapped. Don’t know what else they could do with the facility as it is in the middle of the desert, close to nothing.
State politicians will have a free-for-all with that.

Easy – Labradoodle

Second that choice. We have had 3 and they are truly great dogs. Bright, kid-friendly, very engaging. I spent 25 years with German Shepherds and loved them all, but wouldn’t go back after having the doodles.