Ben R. Hodges

But what about a fish on a bicycle?

You forgot to account for age-distance dilation and age-time compression. As you get older, miles get longer and hours get shorter. You're probably going way faster!

Yeah, don't know what you need for that. I'm on park trails where there's not much more than 20 feet in a straight line, so stronger lights don't help. And I've just got rabbits and spiders to battle.

For trails, I use 2x300 lumens on handlebars and another 500 lumens on helmet. Make sure you don't look at anyone directly in the face with your helmet light!

Another problem with an electric pump-- if you're biking in high temps (mid 90s or higher, think summertime Texas) the pump may shut off after only 3 or 4 seconds of use due to excess heat. Rather frustrating when you're baking out there.

Yes, it's visible. I also replied.

Yes, it's visible.

My example of extra snark in the Alt bsky.app/profile/h2od...

We need to make extra snark in the Alt text a bluesky thing. It's like finding an Easter egg in a game (but easier)

Update. Kicker died due to a bad bearing that you can't fix yourself. Sending it in was gonna be $300, so bought a new Saris. Been very happy with it (much quieter). They advertise made in the US with replaceable parts.

Photo of a turquoise pool with white water cascading over a natural dam formed by two large boulders and trapped woody debris. A wooden walkway is precariously attached to the left wall of the narrow slot canyon and extends upstream around a bend.

One more at Wolfsklamm showing the turquoise waters

Further upstream at Wolfsklamm. The sound is so loud you almost need to shout.

Small rushing stream in a rocky slot canyon. On the right is a wooden walkway that bridges the stream in the distance. Sunlight is bright high in the canyon but is indirect at the bottom.

Biked downstream along the Inn river today. Mostly flat on bike lanes, with typical non-joining sections. Stopped for a hike at Wolfsklamm -- well worth the time...

I think this shot was looking up the valley of the Sill (towards Brenner Pass) from the sides of the valley of the Ruetz

Gravel road surrounded by tall fir trees with dappled sunlight that dazzles the camera lens. A cyclist can just barely be seen in the distance

Cycling some of the back roads out of Innsbruck is magical

Mountains in the background and bright green meadow in the foreground with a gravel road slashing across the frame. WHY DO PHOTOS NEVER SHOW HOW BLOODY STEEP THE ROAD REALLY IS?

Gravel biking out of Innsbruck. Map says 7% grade, but road is 14% up and 7% down. Great example of how averages don't tell you much about actual energy costs. But a beautiful day despite the steep grades.

Is it ridiculous that these are the bikes for 2 people for one weekend?

The forgotten verse of We Didn't Start the Fire...

There's a variety of jobs that are subsidized by tax dollars, one of them should be large-appliance repairman. It would be to society's benefit if a washer could be fixed for the cost of parts --- it's almost always the labor cost that sends the washer to the landfill.

Long black chalkboard with engineering scribbles.

First class of the semester, going old school

Map of the entire Wee-Chi-Tah trail that looks like just a colored-in blue mess

Zoomed in map of Wee-Chi-Tah trail showing dense trail lines thru the park.

The Wee-Chi-Tah bike trail trail is so dense you can't really see it unless you zoom in

Mountain biker riding over a wooden bridge, with lots of green foliage in the background. Biker has a big smile.

MTB bike trail race at Wichita Falls. Hot, and challenging technical course, but a lot of fun.

Picked up an age group 3rd place* in the 23 mile Wee-Chi-Tah MTB race that's part of Hotter N Hell weekend.

*4 men signed up in the 60+, and I think 1 didn't show

I got no summers to waste...

5 bikes in the back of a Honda Ridgeline pickup

Loaded up for the Hotter N Hell weekend of rides: 23 mile MTB Friday, 100 mile road on Saturday morning and 43 mile gravel Saturday night

I was well past middle age before I realized this truth:

Turns out that you can get chaotic evil alignment in AI by a roll of the dice.

www.velominati.com

...and no Waffle House

A map of Texas with the outline of France superimposed on top. The French map also shows France’s TGV network and largest cities.

I saw some “America is too big for HSR” discourse on Threads so I thought I’d resurface this image.

The four largest cities in Texas have two million more people than the four largest cities in France, and they’re closer together.

There are lots of places in the US where HSR would work great.