Matt Hengst walks huge distances (age 42, cuz let's admit you're wondering that) but part of the tradeoff is to eat utter crap and to never slow down and never read history signs or look at edible flowers. Not that he isn't interested in nature and vistas, but he's on a schedule. As I always say, his big walks are slung between winters. I'm not super focusing when you discuss the cross-America route as I wouldn't want to get excited until it was possible for me.
Your slowing down on the word [w]ri[d[t]]ing noted.
I wonder if that C&O is the same thing that Matt walked on the ADT. It sure looked like something that would be better to bike than walk. If they let me back into America, I think it would be fun to walk that backwards. Seems flat enough. I could have half an old hockey helmet to just cover the back of my head. Or even use a knee pad back there.
I've been walking backwards, for no reason other than I heard they used to do it in China. Although look at the air pollution in that country. But anyway, it just feels like it could re-set things neurologically. It just hit me now listening to you that I could do this safely while walking a bike, because although the bike couldn't protect me from sideways falling, it could protect me from backwards (i.e. forwards) falls. And be a gentle ab workout too.
As for dying, yeah, it's better to die on the way up the mountain rather than down. Way nicer for the cleanup crew. Church of the Outdoors? Wait, do they have baptisms? As for what's right and what's wrong, most Americans know what's wrong--participating enthusiastically in car culture--but they do it anyway.
I'm usually lost on the internet, but if this is the space where we leave a note for Bill, that's good. I salute anyone who makes any attempt to sidestep car culture. As The Last Great American Hitch-Hiker, I figured out a way to travel by car using only an estimated three gallons per continental crossing (cars braking would use a tablespoon of gas, and my weight used something, and drivers would sometimes go out of their way for me). Great respect for transcontinental riders. If you die in the attempt, let me know and I'll write an epitaph about traffic and you. Right now I'm following Matt Hengst of the "Church of the Masochist" as he walks the American Discovery Trail, and good God it looks awful. He's basically just walking in heavy car and truck (mountaintop removal) traffic, and subsisting on pizza and whatever he can scrounge in Dollar Generals. A true vision of hell. I guess he's discovering America. But I did think that if he could just hop on a bike he could cut the hellacious parts by half an order of magnitude. With a bike and a willingness to get up at 4 a.m. you could enjoy America way more. Alas, when it comes to walking in America, the situation follows my old adage from walking in England (a tiny country ironically set up better for walking than here in our land-rich continent) back in the day and it's this: all roams lead to road. --dave
have cat, will travel
Awesome
That's the first time I ever got fifteen likes except for that time a bunch of astrologists liked me, possibly by accident.
Sounds like the helmet is an upside-down Buddhist monk's bowl and people can put charity into it in order to help themselves to spiritual power.
I'm not going to look it up, but the title "Zen and the art of cycle maintenance" comes to mind.
Man, don't cut out the coffee.
Matt Hengst walks huge distances (age 42, cuz let's admit you're wondering that) but part of the tradeoff is to eat utter crap and to never slow down and never read history signs or look at edible flowers. Not that he isn't interested in nature and vistas, but he's on a schedule. As I always say, his big walks are slung between winters. I'm not super focusing when you discuss the cross-America route as I wouldn't want to get excited until it was possible for me.
Your slowing down on the word [w]ri[d[t]]ing noted.
I wonder if that C&O is the same thing that Matt walked on the ADT. It sure looked like something that would be better to bike than walk. If they let me back into America, I think it would be fun to walk that backwards. Seems flat enough. I could have half an old hockey helmet to just cover the back of my head. Or even use a knee pad back there.
Women, whoah.
I just turned one of my notes to you into one of my endless Linked In articles and the Linked In spellchecker didn't know the word "bicyclist."
I've been walking backwards, for no reason other than I heard they used to do it in China. Although look at the air pollution in that country. But anyway, it just feels like it could re-set things neurologically. It just hit me now listening to you that I could do this safely while walking a bike, because although the bike couldn't protect me from sideways falling, it could protect me from backwards (i.e. forwards) falls. And be a gentle ab workout too.
As for dying, yeah, it's better to die on the way up the mountain rather than down. Way nicer for the cleanup crew. Church of the Outdoors? Wait, do they have baptisms? As for what's right and what's wrong, most Americans know what's wrong--participating enthusiastically in car culture--but they do it anyway.
Yeah I'm like that about cars. I love driving, but I know that cars are iniquitous as frick.
I just found that radio thing where you're at breakfast or whatever.
You're having "dim sun," which is I guess a Chinese breakfast developed in a country with air pollution.
I'm usually lost on the internet, but if this is the space where we leave a note for Bill, that's good. I salute anyone who makes any attempt to sidestep car culture. As The Last Great American Hitch-Hiker, I figured out a way to travel by car using only an estimated three gallons per continental crossing (cars braking would use a tablespoon of gas, and my weight used something, and drivers would sometimes go out of their way for me). Great respect for transcontinental riders. If you die in the attempt, let me know and I'll write an epitaph about traffic and you. Right now I'm following Matt Hengst of the "Church of the Masochist" as he walks the American Discovery Trail, and good God it looks awful. He's basically just walking in heavy car and truck (mountaintop removal) traffic, and subsisting on pizza and whatever he can scrounge in Dollar Generals. A true vision of hell. I guess he's discovering America. But I did think that if he could just hop on a bike he could cut the hellacious parts by half an order of magnitude. With a bike and a willingness to get up at 4 a.m. you could enjoy America way more. Alas, when it comes to walking in America, the situation follows my old adage from walking in England (a tiny country ironically set up better for walking than here in our land-rich continent) back in the day and it's this: all roams lead to road. --dave
As for your photo, it's nice to see a black man participating in cycling culture.