RR: Yesterday

Ride-A-Lot said:

You people make me sick with all your mountains and powder! I dare
you to come ski the freshly handmade ice in the Poconos!

You want ice -- been to Blue Knob?!?

When I first moved to CA in '82 and went skiing, I'd hear people [censored]
about "icy conditions" and I had to laugh. They don't know what /real/ ice
is!

Bill "learned how to hold an edge, at least" S.

Ride-A-Lot said:

MattB said:

Shawn said:

MattB wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

>
>
>
> Hope you feel better! Did you see that slide that closed Monarch and
> stranded some cars? Lucky for me it was on your side!
>
> Yeah it is some weird weather lately. I skied Monarch yesterday (in
> a raging blizzard) and it was unusually warm, like 30* in the
> morning, but as the storm took hold the temps dropped quite a bit.
> They got another 19" last night...
>
> Yesterday at Monarch:
> http://mattb.net/images/galleries/2004-01-11/DSC00595.JPG

Nice pic, were you on Ricochet?
I heard about the slide on the radio. Glad nobody got trapped.
19"! Better there than here. We got 1/2" last night.
I think I burned this bug out of my system. Pretty nasty, only the
cats and my daughter seemed to have been spared. If my son is well
enough to go to school tomorrow, I'll try to hit Monarch.

Shawn

I actually never skied the park at Ricochet - that was that pointy
rock at the very top of High Anxiety. Terrain parks just don't grab my
interest like deep powder and boulders and cliffs do.

I'm sure it will still be great tomorrow. We skied Gunbarrel first and
last run yesterday and it was great for first run and even better for
last run!

Have fun if you get out!

Matt (will likely be back there this weekend)

You people make me sick with all your mountains and powder! I dare you
to come ski the freshly handmade ice in the Poconos!

Hey I went on a ski vacation in the Poconos when I was a kid (lived in
Delaware then). Course I was so sick I never got out of the hotel.
Hmm, sounds like I'm sick all the time-not true, just coincidence.

Shawn

Bill Sornson said:

Ride-A-Lot said:

You people make me sick with all your mountains and powder! I dare
you to come ski the freshly handmade ice in the Poconos!

You want ice -- been to Blue Knob?!?

When I first moved to CA in '82 and went skiing, I'd hear people [censored]
about "icy conditions" and I had to laugh. They don't know what /real/ ice
is!

Bill "learned how to hold an edge, at least" S.

Yikes, they've gotten less snow this season than Monarch's had since
yesterday! One of many reasons I'm glad my family left Altoona
(although I hear it's much nicer these days).

Shawn

Shawn said:

Bill Sornson said:

Ride-A-Lot said:

You people make me sick with all your mountains and powder! I dare
you to come ski the freshly handmade ice in the Poconos!

You want ice -- been to Blue Knob?!?

When I first moved to CA in '82 and went skiing, I'd hear people [censored]
about "icy conditions" and I had to laugh. They don't know what
/real/ ice
is!

Bill "learned how to hold an edge, at least" S.

Yikes, they've gotten less snow this season than Monarch's had since
yesterday! One of many reasons I'm glad my family left Altoona
(although I hear it's much nicer these days).

Shawn

Are we starting a thread on "Why I don't live in PA anymore?"
Bet my list is longer than yours.

Craig of the Berks County Brossmans.

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
remove "mydebt" to reply

Craig Brossman said:

Shawn said:

Bill Sornson said:

Ride-A-Lot wrote:

> You people make me sick with all your mountains and powder! I dare
> you to come ski the freshly handmade ice in the Poconos!

You want ice -- been to Blue Knob?!?

When I first moved to CA in '82 and went skiing, I'd hear people
[censored]
about "icy conditions" and I had to laugh. They don't know what
/real/ ice
is!

Bill "learned how to hold an edge, at least" S.

Yikes, they've gotten less snow this season than Monarch's had since
yesterday! One of many reasons I'm glad my family left Altoona
(although I hear it's much nicer these days).

Shawn

Are we starting a thread on "Why I don't live in PA anymore?"
Bet my list is longer than yours.

Craig of the Berks County Brossmans.

Not me! Never lived there, but my grand parents and parents were born &
raised in Altoona. My sis was born there too. They upped and split
for Jersey by the time I came along. Not that NJ is generally seen as
an improvement. :-)

Shawn

Shawn said:

Craig Brossman said:

Shawn said:

Bill Sornson wrote:

> Ride-A-Lot wrote:
>
>> You people make me sick with all your mountains and powder! I dare
>> you to come ski the freshly handmade ice in the Poconos!
>
>
> You want ice -- been to Blue Knob?!?
>
> When I first moved to CA in '82 and went skiing, I'd hear people
> [censored]
> about "icy conditions" and I had to laugh. They don't know what
> /real/ ice
> is!
>
> Bill "learned how to hold an edge, at least" S.
>
>
Yikes, they've gotten less snow this season than Monarch's had since
yesterday! One of many reasons I'm glad my family left Altoona
(although I hear it's much nicer these days).

Shawn

Are we starting a thread on "Why I don't live in PA anymore?"
Bet my list is longer than yours.

Craig of the Berks County Brossmans.

Not me! Never lived there, but my grand parents and parents were born &
raised in Altoona. My sis was born there too. They upped and split
for Jersey by the time I came along. Not that NJ is generally seen as
an improvement. :-)

Shawn

Hey! No Jersey bashing!

Altoona = Pennysticks = Great Pretzel Sticks

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Per Craig Brossman:

Quoted message said:

Are we starting a thread on "Why I don't live in PA anymore?"
Bet my list is longer than yours.

Having lived in Hawaii for about nine years - and most of the rest near
Philadelphia PA....I'd offer up that one advantage of this area is that you
don't get jaded.

When I was living in Hawaii, in spite of the fact that we used to go on in the
vein of "Waikiki, Armpit Of The Pacific" and sort of indulgently chuckle at the
tourists who just couldn't believe how *beautiful* and *clean* everything was...
just about everywhere else seemed like a comedown.

OTOH, living near Philly, even the New Jersey Shore looks great to me...in fact
just about every place I've been has seemed pretty good to me. Geeze, I spent a
week in Chicago once and thought it was really nice.....

OTOH, if I could somehow magically uproot my entire extended family, find them
jobs/houses......New Zealand, here I come....

--
PeteCresswell

(Pete Cresswell) said:

Per Craig Brossman:

Quoted message said:

Are we starting a thread on "Why I don't live in PA anymore?"
Bet my list is longer than yours.

Having lived in Hawaii for about nine years - and most of the rest near
Philadelphia PA....I'd offer up that one advantage of this area is that you
don't get jaded.

When I was living in Hawaii, in spite of the fact that we used to go on in the
vein of "Waikiki, Armpit Of The Pacific" and sort of indulgently chuckle at the
tourists who just couldn't believe how *beautiful* and *clean* everything was...
just about everywhere else seemed like a comedown.

OTOH, living near Philly, even the New Jersey Shore looks great to me...in fact
just about every place I've been has seemed pretty good to me. Geeze, I spent a
week in Chicago once and thought it was really nice.....

OTOH, if I could somehow magically uproot my entire extended family, find them
jobs/houses......New Zealand, here I come....

I don't mean to put down PA, I have very fond memories of the area and
still have lots of relatives there.
The big difference that I noticed when moving out of eastern PA almost
20 years ago (and still notice when I visit) is the general lack of
enthusiasm for outdoor activities, really any physical activities (like
mountain biking) at all.
Of course generalizations are not fair, and there are plenty of folks
here who "get at it" in the woods and mountains of rural PA, but it is
much less common than in an area like, oh I don't know, Durango.
Oddly enough, in the 15 years of mountain biking, I have never ridden a
trail east of the Mississippi ... and I would really like to.

BUT, you just can't beat the sub sandwiches of eastern PA, not the diners!!!

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
remove "mydebt" to reply

Craig Brossman said:

(Pete Cresswell) said:

Per Craig Brossman:

Quoted message said:

Are we starting a thread on "Why I don't live in PA anymore?"
Bet my list is longer than yours.

Having lived in Hawaii for about nine years - and most of the rest near
Philadelphia PA....I'd offer up that one advantage of this area is
that you
don't get jaded.

When I was living in Hawaii, in spite of the fact that we used to go
on in the
vein of "Waikiki, Armpit Of The Pacific" and sort of indulgently
chuckle at the
tourists who just couldn't believe how *beautiful* and *clean*
everything was...
just about everywhere else seemed like a comedown.

OTOH, living near Philly, even the New Jersey Shore looks great to
me...in fact
just about every place I've been has seemed pretty good to me. Geeze,
I spent a
week in Chicago once and thought it was really nice.....

OTOH, if I could somehow magically uproot my entire extended family,
find them
jobs/houses......New Zealand, here I come....

I don't mean to put down PA, I have very fond memories of the area and
still have lots of relatives there.
The big difference that I noticed when moving out of eastern PA almost
20 years ago (and still notice when I visit) is the general lack of
enthusiasm for outdoor activities, really any physical activities (like
mountain biking) at all.
Of course generalizations are not fair, and there are plenty of folks
here who "get at it" in the woods and mountains of rural PA, but it is
much less common than in an area like, oh I don't know, Durango.
Oddly enough, in the 15 years of mountain biking, I have never ridden a
trail east of the Mississippi ... and I would really like to.

BUT, you just can't beat the sub sandwiches of eastern PA, not the
diners!!!

Actually, the clubs in this area do very well. JAR has over 70 paid
members, DTS is hovering around 50, and Lehigh Valley MBC is 50+, I
believe.

Wissahickon Valley Park gets more use than you would imagine. This
inner-city park averages 800-1200 MTBers per week.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

"Ride-A-Lot" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Wissahickon Valley Park gets more use than you would imagine. This

inner-city park averages 800-1200 MTBers per week.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

For a city with a 1.5 million population (city only). I suspect a million
more in the metro area ??

Philadelphia was recently named the 2nd "fattest" city in the US, second
only to Houston. Must be all those cheesesteaks.

Seriously, though, the trails in the area are pretty damn good. And in my
area, usually pretty empty ;-). I say keep eatin' those cheesesteaks and
watchin them Eagles. Makes for fewer people on the trail....

TS

troutboy said:

"Ride-A-Lot" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Wissahickon Valley Park gets more use than you would imagine. This

inner-city park averages 800-1200 MTBers per week.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

For a city with a 1.5 million population (city only). I suspect a million
more in the metro area ??

Philadelphia was recently named the 2nd "fattest" city in the US, second
only to Houston. Must be all those cheesesteaks.

Seriously, though, the trails in the area are pretty damn good. And in my
area, usually pretty empty ;-). I say keep eatin' those cheesesteaks and
watchin them Eagles. Makes for fewer people on the trail....

TS

I don't like cheesesteaks. Never did and never will. Now give me a
Dinic's roast pork sandwich with roasted hot peppers and sharp
provolone. Haven't had one in a year and don't plan on it. They are
too addictive and fattening.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

troutboy said:

"Ride-A-Lot" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Wissahickon Valley Park gets more use than you would imagine.

This

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

inner-city park averages 800-1200 MTBers per week.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

For a city with a 1.5 million population (city only). I suspect a

million

Quoted message said:

more in the metro area ??

Philadelphia was recently named the 2nd "fattest" city in the US,

second

Quoted message said:

only to Houston. Must be all those cheesesteaks.

If you think that number of ice cream and pizza places, weather, and
number of sporting goods stores are good ways to measure if a city is
"fat" or not, then sure. This "study" by Men's Fitness Magazine --
basically the men's version of Cosmo -- is little more than junk
science.

I'm currently a graduate student in the sciences and statistics. The
criteria Men's Fitness uses is, at best, a shaky guess. There also
could be other factors... for example, cities with more pizza and ice
cream places could also mean those areas have more children.

On the other hand, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) did a more
scientific study where BMIs from a sample size of the population were
considered. I don't know why that one gets no publicity, while the junk
science does. The top cities are a little different.
http://www.obesity.org/subs/fastfacts/cities.shtml

And here are a few comments from last week's Houston Chroncle:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2979999
"One minute Mayor Bill White debunked Men's Fitness magazine's
methodology for labeling Houston the nation's fattest city, and the
next minute he announced a new wellness initiative to combat the label.
'It's calculated with voodoo and fraud,' White said of the rankings of
50 cities across the nation featured in the magazine's February issue.
To determine the rankings, the magazine staff does not actually weigh
anyone, but examines 14 elements of city life, including the number of
fast food and pizza restaurants.
'The rankings themselves are flawed,' White said at a City Hall news
conference Wednesday. He questioned the fairness of not counting delis
as fast food places in New York or Chicago, but counting Smoothie Kings
as fast food places in Houston. Results of the creative formula differ
from the findings of more official medical research, such as that from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

So I would take the Men's Fitness rankings with a grain a salt. Well,
maybe I wouldn't even give them that. It's just a marketing ploy to
sell more magazines.

Per Craig Brossman:

Quoted message said:

I don't mean to put down PA, I have very fond memories of the area and
still have lots of relatives there.
The big difference that I noticed when moving out of eastern PA almost
20 years ago (and still notice when I visit) is the general lack of
enthusiasm for outdoor activities, really any physical activities (like
mountain biking) at all.

I put it down every chance I get. Third-world roads, filthy city....drivers
that don't seem to even know their car has turn signals, people graduating from
high school unable to do simple arithmetic or write a coherant
sentence....Geeze, I think I'm starting to foam at the mouth....

My brother was in Temple Med with a lady from Hawaii. One day during a lab she
sort of sidles up to him and said "John, you grew up here in Philadelphia,
right?" He says "Yeah, so?" She says "Does it seem like it always rains on
weekends here"? Broke him up.

One of the strongest impressions I had when returning to Philly after 9 years
was how often people complained about the weather. Maybe there's a link there
with outdoor activity...

I view that lack as an advantage. The places I ride would probably be largely
off-limits to bikes if enough people rode for the one-percenters to be a factor.

--
PeteCresswell

JP said:

So I would take the Men's Fitness rankings with a grain a salt. Well,
maybe I wouldn't even give them that. It's just a marketing ploy to
sell more magazines.

Certainly, but eastern PA is still pretty heavy.

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
remove "mydebt" to reply

"JP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If you think that number of ice cream and pizza places, weather, and
number of sporting goods stores are good ways to measure if a city is
"fat" or not, then sure. This "study" by Men's Fitness Magazine --
basically the men's version of Cosmo -- is little more than junk
science.

Geez man, nobody takes that Men's Fitness poll seriously ;-) (except the
cities that get rated top and bottom - Philadelphia actually hired a full
time staffer and fitness guru to combat the image).

But the one fact from the website you cited that stood out for me.....
The city with smallest percentage of overweight adults still has almost half
it's population overweight !

Can you supersize that for me, please.

T

troutboy wrote:
<snip>

Quoted message said:

But the one fact from the website you cited that stood out for me.....
The city with smallest percentage of overweight adults still has almost half
it's population overweight !

Can you supersize that for me, please.

T

Yeah, that jumped out at me too. That's horrible.

"We're #1! Only 50% of our population is overweight!"

Matt