I spent some time with my son today. We had a great time making our snowman!!!
Merry Christmas To All!
December 24, 2007
December 22, 2007
O Christmas Tree
Russ: "Dad, didn't they invent christmas tree lots so people wouldn't have to drive all the way out to nowhere and waste a whole saturday?"Clark: "They invented them Russ because people forgot how to have a fun old fashioned family christmas, and are satisfied with scronny, dead, overpriced trees that have no special meaning."
Audrey: "My toes are numb."
Clark: "You see kids, this is what our forefathers did."
Audrey: "I can't feel my leg."
Clark: "They walked out into the woods, they picked out that special tree and they cut it down with their bare hands."
Audrey: "Mom, I can't feel my hips!"
Ellen: "Clark."
Clark: "Yes, honey?"
Ellen: "Audrey's frozen from the waste down."
Clark: "Ah, it's all part of the experience, honey."
~National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
December 21, 2007
Sometimes "Super" Sucks
I'm going to tell you something that my wife has known for years. Just because it has "super" in the title doesn't mean it's better. When I say this I'm referring of course to the super centers (ie. Super Target, etc). This time of year the only "super" thing about them is that they are a super pain in the ass.
You pull up to the super center. You park a mile from the store because everyone and their brother is trying to get their shopping done. When you finally make it to the store you are bumping elbows with the same "everybody and their brother" that beat you into the store and parked closer. Getting in the store is only half the walking. You then need to walk another quarter of a mile because the department you need is on the other side of the store, which happens to be the size of a small city. When you get to the department you get disappointed because the same "everybody and their brother" that beat you into the store and bumped elbows with you as you walked to the department also wanted the same thing and bought them all so the item is out of stock...
An hour later, 3 miles of walking, and several elbows to the gut later you are finally back in your car with nothing to show for the past hour of effort. Oh, the joys of Christmas shopping!
From one procrastinator to potentially another. Do yourself a favor and look for the store that doesn't have "super" in the title. Even if that means shopping at "Target" instead of "Super Target." I guarantee they will be stocking the same thing for the same price and without nearly the traffic.
Even if the cost is a bit more at the non "super" center, consider the extra charge a fee for hassle free shopping. A fee that I feel is well worth the couple extra bucks.
December 20, 2007
The Brain: Friend or Foe?
While driving home yesterday a spotted a young girl on the side of the road. I didn't think anything of it as my headlights illuminated her, until she raised her thumb. I was pretty shocked. Here is a young girl, in the dark, hitching a ride from strangers. I pulled over.
I was ready to drive her back to her place and lecturing her on the dangers of hitch hiking. When I got to her place I intended to let her parents know what she was doing. However, that all changed as she approached my vehicle.
Instead of seeing the ignorant little girl, I saw a girl who was sobbing tears and obviously in a state of panic. I quickly shook off my parenting mode and asked what was wrong and how I could help.
She stated how she was trying to find her way home, but got lost and couldn't figure out how to get home. At that moment I totally understood how she felt.
Several years ago while hiking on a mountain trail I came to a point where the trail became obstructed by deep snow. I continued hiking on top of the snow for several hundred feet. I turned around to try and locate where the trail was when I became disoriented in the trees. At that moment I had a surge of adrenaline that effected my thinking.
The mind is a powerful tool that can be a person's biggest asset. At this particular time; it was my biggest adversary . As I frantically scanned for the trail, the adrenaline continued to flow, the panic increased, and an irrational fear began to take over.
This happened to me as an adult when I was only a couple hundred feet from a trail. Fortunately, I was able to harness my thoughts and was prepared with a map and a GPS. Within a couple minutes I was back on track.
When this same series of events happens to an undeveloped mind I can easily imagine why the little girl was in a state of panic. As she sat in my truck I could visibly see her fear decrease. She stopped crying and within a few minutes she was able to orient herself. Mind you, we hadn't driven anywhere yet. The difference was her mind was able to think clearly when she felt in control. It was amazing to see.
The good news is that we were able to find her home and she was a good distance from it. I drove away and today I'm still amazed at how the brain, which gives us our sense of reason is able to turn on us at times when we need reason most of all.
I was ready to drive her back to her place and lecturing her on the dangers of hitch hiking. When I got to her place I intended to let her parents know what she was doing. However, that all changed as she approached my vehicle.
Instead of seeing the ignorant little girl, I saw a girl who was sobbing tears and obviously in a state of panic. I quickly shook off my parenting mode and asked what was wrong and how I could help.
She stated how she was trying to find her way home, but got lost and couldn't figure out how to get home. At that moment I totally understood how she felt.
Several years ago while hiking on a mountain trail I came to a point where the trail became obstructed by deep snow. I continued hiking on top of the snow for several hundred feet. I turned around to try and locate where the trail was when I became disoriented in the trees. At that moment I had a surge of adrenaline that effected my thinking.
The mind is a powerful tool that can be a person's biggest asset. At this particular time; it was my biggest adversary . As I frantically scanned for the trail, the adrenaline continued to flow, the panic increased, and an irrational fear began to take over.
This happened to me as an adult when I was only a couple hundred feet from a trail. Fortunately, I was able to harness my thoughts and was prepared with a map and a GPS. Within a couple minutes I was back on track.
When this same series of events happens to an undeveloped mind I can easily imagine why the little girl was in a state of panic. As she sat in my truck I could visibly see her fear decrease. She stopped crying and within a few minutes she was able to orient herself. Mind you, we hadn't driven anywhere yet. The difference was her mind was able to think clearly when she felt in control. It was amazing to see.
The good news is that we were able to find her home and she was a good distance from it. I drove away and today I'm still amazed at how the brain, which gives us our sense of reason is able to turn on us at times when we need reason most of all.
December 19, 2007
Take It On A Spin
Wanted to share my most recent CD purchase, which has been getting a lot of spin time in my CD player. The new CD by Ryan Adams called Easy Tiger has been on my "should I get this" list for a while. I've heard a couple of his songs (Two, Everybody Knows) played repeatedly on KBCO for the last couple months. This past weekend I made the decision to buy it. I've been putting it in my various players these last couple days in an effort to listen to the entire disc. I do this because I don't want the CD to listen to two songs. I want to be able to stick it in the player, forget about it, and enjoy it.
After the first couple plays I was a bit concerned that I wasn't going to like it. However, I've listened to it 6 times now and each time I've enjoyed it more. I have a feeling this will be a regular for a while.
Next on my list is Strangers Almanac by Whiskeytown (also Ryan Adams). A friend/co-worker saw Easy Tiger on my desk and offered Strangers Almanac. He praised it as one of his favorite albums of all time. With that kind of praise I'm going to have to take it on a spin.
December 18, 2007
2007 Post-Mortem
Post-Mortem: discussion of an event after it has occurred.
In the tech industry this term is used primarily to describe the meeting that takes place after a code release. All those involved (Developers, QA, Product, Etc.) get into a room and talk about every aspect of the last release cycle. The cool things about these meetings is that not only is every aspect talked about, but all perspectives have representation in the meeting. During this meeting everyone has a voice to discuss what went right and what went wrong.
Sometimes - in poorly organized meetings - it becomes a blame game and everyone points fingers. In environments where employees are able to check their pride at the door and accept "constructive criticism" these meetings can be incredibly useful.
The whole point of the Post-Mortem is to take an honest look and see where strengths are and where areas of improvement are needed. Both are equally important to recognize in yourself.
It is easy to gloss over success stories, but time should be given in order fully understand why those were success stories. This analysis will help you learn your strengths and as importantly, where there were breakdowns that could be further optimized. Looking at strengths will also reconfirm that things are going well. As humans we tend to need that reassurance.
Areas of improvement can be a touchy subject, but the thing to remember is that nobody and no process is free from its scope. Even the best success story has ways in-which it can be improved the next time. This is where egos need to be checked at the door and a willingness to learn has to take front and center. Plus, it only does good if you are willing to tell it how you see it. At times people are too sheepish to express how they feel; thinking that it will cause a ripple in the pond. However, during the next cycle they will most likely see it happen again until they face the deprecated process, analyze it, then optimise it.
So why am I telling you all of this?
Go back and read this again, but this time apply it to cycling. Think of your last release as the 2007 cycling season. It is time to look back at your past success and failure. Only then, if you are honest with yourself, will you be able to begin to plan for next season.
There is more to a Post-Mortem meeting than analysing strengths and weaknesses. There are action items and goals, but i think I will be taking this in stride. In fact, I'll be taking baby steps and my first step will be to analyse my 2007 cycling season.
More to come...
In the tech industry this term is used primarily to describe the meeting that takes place after a code release. All those involved (Developers, QA, Product, Etc.) get into a room and talk about every aspect of the last release cycle. The cool things about these meetings is that not only is every aspect talked about, but all perspectives have representation in the meeting. During this meeting everyone has a voice to discuss what went right and what went wrong.
Sometimes - in poorly organized meetings - it becomes a blame game and everyone points fingers. In environments where employees are able to check their pride at the door and accept "constructive criticism" these meetings can be incredibly useful.
The whole point of the Post-Mortem is to take an honest look and see where strengths are and where areas of improvement are needed. Both are equally important to recognize in yourself.
It is easy to gloss over success stories, but time should be given in order fully understand why those were success stories. This analysis will help you learn your strengths and as importantly, where there were breakdowns that could be further optimized. Looking at strengths will also reconfirm that things are going well. As humans we tend to need that reassurance.
Areas of improvement can be a touchy subject, but the thing to remember is that nobody and no process is free from its scope. Even the best success story has ways in-which it can be improved the next time. This is where egos need to be checked at the door and a willingness to learn has to take front and center. Plus, it only does good if you are willing to tell it how you see it. At times people are too sheepish to express how they feel; thinking that it will cause a ripple in the pond. However, during the next cycle they will most likely see it happen again until they face the deprecated process, analyze it, then optimise it.
So why am I telling you all of this?
Go back and read this again, but this time apply it to cycling. Think of your last release as the 2007 cycling season. It is time to look back at your past success and failure. Only then, if you are honest with yourself, will you be able to begin to plan for next season.
There is more to a Post-Mortem meeting than analysing strengths and weaknesses. There are action items and goals, but i think I will be taking this in stride. In fact, I'll be taking baby steps and my first step will be to analyse my 2007 cycling season.
More to come...
December 14, 2007
Collaboration Is Key To Revival Of Extra Dirt!
Over the course of the past two years a section of TrailCentral.com called Extra Dirt! has undergone several identity changes. At first it was a news and review section, then it was kind of a catch all for any trail write-ups that didn't fit in the Trail of the Month, then it had several great reviews and interviews written by Kyle Henley. However, it never produced enough content on a regular basis to make it interesting for visitors to TrailCentral. As a result it has hit rock bottom in terms of the number of views it receives on a daily basis.
I hope to change that and I believe that collaboration is key to the revival of Extra Dirt! I would like to collaborate with several other authors who have a passion to write about mountain biking or have a strong personality that mountain bikers would find interesting to read.
I've already spent time revamping Extra Dirt! this past week and I've made it easy for anyone who wishes to contribute!
I know what some of you are thinking, "What's in it for me? Sure, you get content, but what do I get?" Over the past several months TrailCentral has again become my passion and more importantly a hobby. I'm able to handle the costs of hosting and I love to develop it, so I'm not interested in the business side, which requires that I make money from the site. In fact, I'm proposing that I don't make any profits from your content. Instead, I hope you make profits from your content posted to Extra Dirt! on TrailCentral.com and this is how I propose to do that.
Those who submit content will need to have a blog and a Google AdSense account. When visitors click on your article in Extra Dirt! they will view your glorious written words as well as dynamically generated ads by Google. When those ads are click, you (not I) will get credit since it is your AdSense ads being served. In addition, links to the original article and the blog from which it came will be included.
This seems like a win-win situation for the author, doesn't it?
So let me recap in super simple bullet type formatting.
All you need:
I hope to change that and I believe that collaboration is key to the revival of Extra Dirt! I would like to collaborate with several other authors who have a passion to write about mountain biking or have a strong personality that mountain bikers would find interesting to read.
I've already spent time revamping Extra Dirt! this past week and I've made it easy for anyone who wishes to contribute!
I know what some of you are thinking, "What's in it for me? Sure, you get content, but what do I get?" Over the past several months TrailCentral has again become my passion and more importantly a hobby. I'm able to handle the costs of hosting and I love to develop it, so I'm not interested in the business side, which requires that I make money from the site. In fact, I'm proposing that I don't make any profits from your content. Instead, I hope you make profits from your content posted to Extra Dirt! on TrailCentral.com and this is how I propose to do that.
Those who submit content will need to have a blog and a Google AdSense account. When visitors click on your article in Extra Dirt! they will view your glorious written words as well as dynamically generated ads by Google. When those ads are click, you (not I) will get credit since it is your AdSense ads being served. In addition, links to the original article and the blog from which it came will be included.
This seems like a win-win situation for the author, doesn't it?
So let me recap in super simple bullet type formatting.
All you need:
- Blog with an RSS Feed (Blogger, WordPress, TypePad, etc...)
- An AdSense Account
- Written Words: reviews, write-ups, news, personal training log, industry thoughts, whatever!
What you get:
- Your Google AdSense ads displayed whenever your article is read.
- All money generated from your articles goes into your pocket.
- Links from Extra Drit! to your blog, thus increasing your blog traffic (read: You are potentially making money to attract visitors. The more you write the better chance you'll make money.)
- A filtered look at your blog. You can write about your pet dog on your blog and not worry about it showing up in Extra Dirt! However, write about cycling and it will appear in Extra Dirt!
What I get:
- A revitalization of Extra Dirt!
- A repository of some of the best sport specific content in one location.
- A collaborative effort that will introduce me to new people and friends that love the sport.
If you are interested (And I hope some of you are) in becoming a contributing author, please let me know by contacting me at [trailcentral at gmail dot com].
December 11, 2007
Tour Trails Live Using Google Earth
A couple weeks ago I read about a new mashup Lijit had created called Lijit Live 3D. This mashup place marks searches done on the Lijit Network and flys you to the location on Google Earth. I downloaded the KML file and it was indeed entrancing for a couple minutes. I honestly thought, "That is cool! I don't understand why they did it, but it is cool." I envision it being one of those cool ways to display your success in an office foyer.
Much like Google would project all the searches currently being done on a wall. I imagine this to be a 2.0 version where those same searches are now being represented geographically. A cool approach to display information that is otherwise pretty boring.
While reading the blog post (Lijit 3D Live With Google Earth), it stated that development of this mashup was "trivial." That intrigued me. I don't necessarily know why that sparked my interest. I consider Google to be masters of simplicity. I've never known them to over-engineer the apps they allow hack developers like me to play around with.
After I closed the KML file for Lijit Live 3D I didn't expect I would revisit the mashup.
Throughout the next week it was business as usual, but every now and then I would think of the word "trivial" as used to describe the ease in which the mashup was created. Oddly, the term "trivial" turned into "How did they do that?" Finally, curiosity got the best of me and I decided to sit down on my computer and figure out how they did it.
A couple trips to the Lijit website, a few minutes reviewing the Google KML documentation, 2 cups of coffee, and 1 hour later I had it figured out and working on TrailCentral. I then spent another 5 hours making it pretty.
So would I call it trivial? Yeah, I think that was a good choice of words. The amount of work done for the amount of "cool" you get makes the development "trivial."
So imitation is the highest source of flattery, but in today's world you need to not just imitate, but build upon. Obviously my website is a directory of trail information, maps, and local bike shops, which is much different than what Lijit does.
Lijit has a large user base which makes the Google Earth map zip around the globe. TrailCentral is Colorado based and focuses on mountain biking. During the month of December it receives about 1/17 the visitors it gets during the peak seasons of Spring, Summer, and Fall. So currently it lacks the zippity-zip-zip that entrances visitors of the Lijit 3D map, but there is a silver lining.
The live map I created basically allows those who view the map to take a tour of TrailCentral, while being guided by visitors currently browsing the website. It will lack the zip, but in its place I've added information about the last trail or bike shop visited on TrailCentral.
This currently isn't live on my website (meaning not everyone can access it). I'm currently only giving those who read this blog the ability to take it for a spin. (read: Aren't you special....)
However, I can talk about it all day or you could just download the KML file and check it out yourself.
For those interested, here are a few details:
Much like Google would project all the searches currently being done on a wall. I imagine this to be a 2.0 version where those same searches are now being represented geographically. A cool approach to display information that is otherwise pretty boring.
While reading the blog post (Lijit 3D Live With Google Earth), it stated that development of this mashup was "trivial." That intrigued me. I don't necessarily know why that sparked my interest. I consider Google to be masters of simplicity. I've never known them to over-engineer the apps they allow hack developers like me to play around with.
After I closed the KML file for Lijit Live 3D I didn't expect I would revisit the mashup.
Throughout the next week it was business as usual, but every now and then I would think of the word "trivial" as used to describe the ease in which the mashup was created. Oddly, the term "trivial" turned into "How did they do that?" Finally, curiosity got the best of me and I decided to sit down on my computer and figure out how they did it.
A couple trips to the Lijit website, a few minutes reviewing the Google KML documentation, 2 cups of coffee, and 1 hour later I had it figured out and working on TrailCentral. I then spent another 5 hours making it pretty.
So would I call it trivial? Yeah, I think that was a good choice of words. The amount of work done for the amount of "cool" you get makes the development "trivial."
So imitation is the highest source of flattery, but in today's world you need to not just imitate, but build upon. Obviously my website is a directory of trail information, maps, and local bike shops, which is much different than what Lijit does.
Lijit has a large user base which makes the Google Earth map zip around the globe. TrailCentral is Colorado based and focuses on mountain biking. During the month of December it receives about 1/17 the visitors it gets during the peak seasons of Spring, Summer, and Fall. So currently it lacks the zippity-zip-zip that entrances visitors of the Lijit 3D map, but there is a silver lining.
The live map I created basically allows those who view the map to take a tour of TrailCentral, while being guided by visitors currently browsing the website. It will lack the zip, but in its place I've added information about the last trail or bike shop visited on TrailCentral.
This currently isn't live on my website (meaning not everyone can access it). I'm currently only giving those who read this blog the ability to take it for a spin. (read: Aren't you special....)
However, I can talk about it all day or you could just download the KML file and check it out yourself.
For those interested, here are a few details:
- When you click to download the KML file you will be asked how you want to open it. Open it with Google Earth. If you don't have Google Earth, download it here.
- You will be automatically taken to the last trail, map or local bike shop that was visited on TrailCentral.com
- Google Earth will check for an updated location every 60 seconds. Remember, this is a tour, sit back and relax. Nobody likes to be rushed while touring a place.
- While you are viewing the last location, click on the place marker. This will give you "Facts at a Glance." The most important information about the place mark as well as a link to go directly to that web page to learn more.
Don't believe it is real time? Have Google Earth open in one window and Visit TrailCentral.com in a second window. Visit a couple of the trail or local bike shop pages and within seconds you will be flown to that location. Here are a couple links to make it easy for you.
- Local Bike Shop - Dean Ultimate Bicycles
- GPS Map - Grays Peak
- Trail Page - Slickrock Trail
Finally, I gotta give my kudos to Lijit for making such a cool mashup. Cool enough for me to want to imitate it. For those that view the TrailCentral Tour, I'm sure you will enjoy it for a couple minutes and then never visit it again.
I on the other hand love to have the ability to view what is happening on my site in semi-real time while grounding cyberspace to specific place marks on Mother Earth.
December 10, 2007
Cold Days = Movies and Coffee
The cold and snow we've had on the Front Range these past couple days has kept me indoors, huddled under a blanket, watching movies and drinking coffee.
Here is what I consider must see movies during the Christmas season.
Here is what I consider must see movies during the Christmas season.
- It's a Wonderful Life
- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- The Grinch (Cartoon)
Plus, my wife got me hooked on a poor man's mocha.
- 8 Ounces Freshly Brewed Coffee
- 1 Tablespoon French Vanilla CoffeMate (Powder)
- 2 Andes Mints
This is yummy and strangely addictive. I've had several cups, which is why I'm wired at 11PM. Oh well, it is worth it. I'll just pop another movie in the player...
December 7, 2007
Terrain View on GPS Maps!
A couple days ago I wrote about how much I loved the new Terrain view offered by Google, but I misspoke when I thought the view wasn't yet integrated into the Google Maps API.
A simple comment posted by Pamela Fox revealed a single line of code needed to implement the Terrain view on my GPS Maps.
5 minutes later (it took 4 minutes to login to my server) and the change was made, making all my maps in the GPS Maps section of TrailCentral default to the new Terrain view. It looks great! Thank you Pamela!!!
Check out some examples:
Monarch Crest - Multiuse Trail
14ers - Grays and Torreys Combo - Hiking Only
Update: For those that don't read the comments, I wanted to draw your attention to a good write-up ( v2.94: Terrain and a New MapTypeControl to show it off!) regarding the terrain view via Google Maps API, written by Pamela Fox.
A simple comment posted by Pamela Fox revealed a single line of code needed to implement the Terrain view on my GPS Maps.
5 minutes later (it took 4 minutes to login to my server) and the change was made, making all my maps in the GPS Maps section of TrailCentral default to the new Terrain view. It looks great! Thank you Pamela!!!
Check out some examples:
Monarch Crest - Multiuse Trail
14ers - Grays and Torreys Combo - Hiking Only
Update: For those that don't read the comments, I wanted to draw your attention to a good write-up ( v2.94: Terrain and a New MapTypeControl to show it off!) regarding the terrain view via Google Maps API, written by Pamela Fox.
December 6, 2007
Local Bike Shop Directory Overhaul
About the time I posted that I would be taking a break from my computer, I got a huge flow of creative juices that I have captured and used as midnight oil to burn into the wee hours of the night.
To be honest it started with this email, which got me to thinking about my site and the experience I would like others to have on it. TrailCentral has always been a place where visitors could come and post their feeling about trails and bike shops freely and anonymously. The email I refer to was from a visitor that felt a shop was being unfairly reviewed and felt a need for users to be registered before allowing them to post reviews.
My initial reaction was, "Hell No!" Mostly because I felt that TrailCentral was a small website and part of the charm was that visitors could leave anonymous feedback. Matter of fact, I still do think that, but I must say my initial reaction changed a bit.
When I responded to the email, I stated that I believe visitors of TrailCentral could easily spot poor reviews. To prove this I wanted to implementing a way for users to rank comments.
When I started panning out the details on how to do this I found that my general attitude changed a bit. I did some coding and as a result I came to the conclusion that I would only allow registered users to submit reviews. However, my dilemma was that I wanted them to still feel "safe" by posting anonymously... Hmmm.
The answer was pretty simple. I opted to omit the form to non-registered users and only display the form to review a shop to those who are logged into the system. When submitting a review users are able to change their username and instead use an alias.
This would give a certain degree of credibility to the review since they are only submitted by those registered with TrailCentral, while giving them the sense of anonymity if desired when posting a review. If a review is submitted with an alias, there is no way to backtrack to who submitted this review.
Back to the original reason I started to work on the code in the first place. I wanted to add the ability for visitors to rank reviews based on how useful they are.
I truly feel that those that visit TrailCentral are intelligent individuals that are able to spot bogus reviews. To ensure this, I wanted to add a comment ranking system that wouldn't require a lot of coding while still being powerful. Most importantly it needed to be seamless to the user. Basically, I didn't want to cause a refresh each time a visitor ranked a review because I didn't want the load on the server and I wanted it to be extremely usable. Thankfully, I was able to use AJAX and the result is a kick-ass rating system that works similarly to the rating stars you would find on big sites like NetFlix.
So, once I got that working as I wanted I started looking around the rest of the local bike shop directory, which lead to a waterfall of ideas and motivation to fix things that I've been working around for a long time. Many late nights later and I think the local bike shop directory has been sufficiently overhauled... for now.
If you get a minute, please take the time to visit the Local Bike Shop directory and rank a view reviews, click around the directory, and most importantly let me know what you think. I'm all ears.
Major changes to the Local Bike Shop Directory:
To be honest it started with this email, which got me to thinking about my site and the experience I would like others to have on it. TrailCentral has always been a place where visitors could come and post their feeling about trails and bike shops freely and anonymously. The email I refer to was from a visitor that felt a shop was being unfairly reviewed and felt a need for users to be registered before allowing them to post reviews.
My initial reaction was, "Hell No!" Mostly because I felt that TrailCentral was a small website and part of the charm was that visitors could leave anonymous feedback. Matter of fact, I still do think that, but I must say my initial reaction changed a bit.
When I responded to the email, I stated that I believe visitors of TrailCentral could easily spot poor reviews. To prove this I wanted to implementing a way for users to rank comments.
When I started panning out the details on how to do this I found that my general attitude changed a bit. I did some coding and as a result I came to the conclusion that I would only allow registered users to submit reviews. However, my dilemma was that I wanted them to still feel "safe" by posting anonymously... Hmmm.
The answer was pretty simple. I opted to omit the form to non-registered users and only display the form to review a shop to those who are logged into the system. When submitting a review users are able to change their username and instead use an alias.
This would give a certain degree of credibility to the review since they are only submitted by those registered with TrailCentral, while giving them the sense of anonymity if desired when posting a review. If a review is submitted with an alias, there is no way to backtrack to who submitted this review.
Back to the original reason I started to work on the code in the first place. I wanted to add the ability for visitors to rank reviews based on how useful they are.
I truly feel that those that visit TrailCentral are intelligent individuals that are able to spot bogus reviews. To ensure this, I wanted to add a comment ranking system that wouldn't require a lot of coding while still being powerful. Most importantly it needed to be seamless to the user. Basically, I didn't want to cause a refresh each time a visitor ranked a review because I didn't want the load on the server and I wanted it to be extremely usable. Thankfully, I was able to use AJAX and the result is a kick-ass rating system that works similarly to the rating stars you would find on big sites like NetFlix.
So, once I got that working as I wanted I started looking around the rest of the local bike shop directory, which lead to a waterfall of ideas and motivation to fix things that I've been working around for a long time. Many late nights later and I think the local bike shop directory has been sufficiently overhauled... for now.
If you get a minute, please take the time to visit the Local Bike Shop directory and rank a view reviews, click around the directory, and most importantly let me know what you think. I'm all ears.
Major changes to the Local Bike Shop Directory:
- Visitors or logged in users are able to add bike shops.
- Visitors are no longer able to give a review until they register or sign in.
- Visitors are able to rank any review.
- Google Maps API was updated to include more features on State, County, and City search pages.
- Google Map added to each of the shop pages for better visual representation of the shop location
December 5, 2007
Terrain View Added To Google Maps
I'm going to go tech on you for a couple posts...
About a week ago I started reading posts about how Google Maps has added a "Terrain" option to their lineup of map views. I took a look and instantly fell in love. This is what I've wanted for TrailCentral since I added their API a couple years ago. The only way they could make me happier is if they added topographical information to the terrain view. Then those of us that use the Google Map API for outdoor sports (specifically trail information) such as my website, TrailCentral.com or a much bigger website, MotionBased.com will be able to offer the best level of trail detail to our visitors.
Unfortunately, the terrain view option is only available on Google Maps and has not yet been integrated into the Google Maps API. When it does, I assure you that the default map setting of the GPS Maps on TrailCentral will be updated from satellite imagery to the new terrain view.
About a week ago I started reading posts about how Google Maps has added a "Terrain" option to their lineup of map views. I took a look and instantly fell in love. This is what I've wanted for TrailCentral since I added their API a couple years ago. The only way they could make me happier is if they added topographical information to the terrain view. Then those of us that use the Google Map API for outdoor sports (specifically trail information) such as my website, TrailCentral.com or a much bigger website, MotionBased.com will be able to offer the best level of trail detail to our visitors.
Unfortunately, the terrain view option is only available on Google Maps and has not yet been integrated into the Google Maps API. When it does, I assure you that the default map setting of the GPS Maps on TrailCentral will be updated from satellite imagery to the new terrain view.
Here is an example of the terrain view centered on Boulder, CO:
View Larger Map
November 26, 2007
Newest MTB Trails In Boulder County
Distance (mi ) 17.32Moving Time (h:m:s) 1:29:27 at 7:02 pace
Moving Speed (mph) 8.5 avg. with 25.1 max.
Elevation Gain (ft) +1,160 / -1,481
Temperature (°F) 39.8°F avg. and 42.8°F high
Wind Speed ( mph) SSE 9.6 avg. and SSE 11.5 max
Link: Trail Information
Photos: Images of Trail
GPS Map: High Plains - Doudy Draw
This past weekend I felt as though I needed a ride. The temperature was kinda cold for my thin blood, but unfortunately my road bike is currently out of commission, which meant I wasn't able to ride my trainer. My mountain bike needs a lot of work and I've made a decision that before I ride that bike again I need to put some money and elbow grease into it. This meant my single speed would be my steed for the day.
Riding my single speed proved to be a good choice. A recent snow storm had left the Front Range trails covered with snow or mud, which were not ideal conditions for a bike with gears. However, a couple Boulder County trails recently opened to mountain biking stood the best chance of being clear. High Plains Trail and Doudy Draw Trail both cut through the meadows of the Boulder County land mote.
I started my ride on the High Plains Trail and headed west towards the Green Belt Plateau trail head. This single track is a joy to ride, complete with rolling meadow terrain. The only challenging part of the trail was convincing the occasional cow to move off the trail so I could keep riding.
Once I reached the next trail head I crossed Highway 93. This was a safe crossing since there is a light at the intersection. Once I crossed the road, I opened up a fence and a wide section of trail connected me to the Doudy Draw Trail.
At first I was a little disappointed with Doudy Draw Trail. It was a wide dirt road. Sure the views were nice, but I was curious why it had been closed to mountain bikers. I thought if it was only a dirt road then what damage could we cause?
Well, about a mile later I got to a fence and a small patch of trees. From this point on the Doudy Draw Trail turned into a single track descent. The descent was on a north face and packed with snow. As I got further down the hill the trail got muddier and muddier.
On a side note, I wouldn't want to ride this trail any time this week as the snow is melting and turns into mud. The trail isn't hard packed dirt and where it is muddy there is a good chance it is deep mud, which could do a bit of damage to the trail if not careful.
After the descent I reconnected with the Community Ditch Trail and rode that back to Highway 93, were I took my life in my own hands and crossed the road. That road scares the hell out of me! People drive so fast on it and I felt like Frogger as I leaped across the road, dodging speeding vehicles.
I safely made it across the road, continued on Community Ditch Trail to the connector trail, which connects Community Ditch and Green Belt Plateau. I connected with Green Belt Plateau Trail, and rode the dirt road back to High Plains Trail. I then rode the High Plains Trail back to my vehicle at the trail head.
All in all I got 17.32 miles of riding on two new Boulder County trails. Both trails were very enjoyable and I'm certain that both trails will be part of my regular training. Even when most of the other Front Range trails were covered in snow these two trails were relatively dry and ready to be ridden. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to ride the Doudy Draw trail in a counter-clockwise direction. Doing it in this direction would put a single track ascent into the ride, which is far more fun than the short descent it offers if ridden clockwise.
The Grinch
So I live in a neighborhood that has a lot of teenagers, many of whom can't drive yet. So the cool thing to do for these kids is to walk the neighborhood in the middle of the night. Often times that leads to kids becoming bored and what do kids do when they get bored? They break stuff, paint stuff, and have a general disregard for other people's personal property.
Earlier this year my back fence was painted with all types of foul language, which I spent the following day removing with a power washer. I've been lucky as others in my neighborhood have had their house broken into and far worse done.
The reason I bring this up is because a neighbor friend of mine recently decorated his house and his yard with Christmas decorations. Unfortunately the warmer November weather of this year is drastically different than the cold weather of last year. Without the snow and the cold, those same troublesome kids are out and about, and causing trouble.
I just heard through the grape vine that my friends house was recently vandalized in the middle of the night. In a very Grinch like act, several teens took a baseball bat to several of his lawn decorations and wire cutters were used to cut through several of the LED strings of lights. Roughly one hundred dollars worth of damage was done. Believe me it could have been a lot worse, but the act is no less than a stab in the back of the holiday spirit.
I have a yard display that spent a great deal of time with over the weekend and I know I would be very upset if a couple teens with no respect for personal property, or more importantly the holiday season, use my yard display to vent their frustrations with being bored.
However, I won't let the Grinch steal Christmas from me. In the back of my head I feel as though I will be posting about this subject again, only next time my yard will be the focus of the post. None the less, if the cords are snipped and the decorations beaten, they are after all only the peripheral of what this holiday season is about. I'll be pissed and I won't likely replace them, but like the Who's, I will still celebrate the season fully!!!
In the meantime, a baseball bat resides next to my door...
Earlier this year my back fence was painted with all types of foul language, which I spent the following day removing with a power washer. I've been lucky as others in my neighborhood have had their house broken into and far worse done.
The reason I bring this up is because a neighbor friend of mine recently decorated his house and his yard with Christmas decorations. Unfortunately the warmer November weather of this year is drastically different than the cold weather of last year. Without the snow and the cold, those same troublesome kids are out and about, and causing trouble.
I just heard through the grape vine that my friends house was recently vandalized in the middle of the night. In a very Grinch like act, several teens took a baseball bat to several of his lawn decorations and wire cutters were used to cut through several of the LED strings of lights. Roughly one hundred dollars worth of damage was done. Believe me it could have been a lot worse, but the act is no less than a stab in the back of the holiday spirit.
I have a yard display that spent a great deal of time with over the weekend and I know I would be very upset if a couple teens with no respect for personal property, or more importantly the holiday season, use my yard display to vent their frustrations with being bored.
However, I won't let the Grinch steal Christmas from me. In the back of my head I feel as though I will be posting about this subject again, only next time my yard will be the focus of the post. None the less, if the cords are snipped and the decorations beaten, they are after all only the peripheral of what this holiday season is about. I'll be pissed and I won't likely replace them, but like the Who's, I will still celebrate the season fully!!!
In the meantime, a baseball bat resides next to my door...
November 25, 2007
Is it a job or a hobby?
I ask that question because sometimes I forget. At times the fun and joy of TrailCentral becomes work. Recently I received an email that turned it into work. I received the email on Friday and I let it stew for a couple days before I responsed.
Let me summarize very quickly. Allegedly there are some false comments being made about a shop and it touched the nerve of a visitor to TrailCentral who wanted me to remove the comments.
Email From Visitor
(I've removed the shop name, name, and username so you could understand the email without knowing who it was from)
In the reviews, you should remove the two reviews about (name)who is referred to as the owner...there has never been a (name) that has been an owner...i believe these are malicious reviews attempting to bad mouth the shop...same with the comment from (username) ... (username) works at the shop down the street...there have been numerous attempts on various sites to leave negative feedback which was all traced back to the bicycle shop down the street and a terminated employee. Thanks for looking in to this. I think some sort of more secure sign on system/registration is needed to keep this from happening more. Malicious and made up review are very easy to spot.
My Response
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to send the updated address. This has been changed on TrailCentral.
I appreciate your feedback and I did look into the reviews you brought to my attention and I have some good and bad news.
The bad news is that I won't be removing the reviews. Unfortunately, there is no way I can validate that the comments you made are true anymore than I can validate the comments on the shop listing are false. (I did try to validate your comments by searching google and looking at the shop website. I came up empty handed) The shop listings are an open forum for comments and I can't get into the business of censoring peoples opinions based on the opinions of others. That being said, I do have some good news.
I would recommend several things.
#1 You have the ability to review the shop. In your review, I would point out your argument that a person nameddoesn't own or work at the shop, while adding good points as to why you rated it as you did.
#2 Tell valid customers of the shop about this rating tool. Maybe link to it from your website. Allow them to rate your service and get a very good idea of what the customers think of this store. Soon these "bogus" reviews, which seem to happen about once a year will quickly not matter.
#3 Your comments did bring up a good point and although I don't think that a registration system for reviews is the answer, as it will not make it any less likely for stuff like this to happen, I do now see a flaw in the system. Many other sites allow people to rate the reviews in terms of how helpful they are. Your comments have put that ball in motion and I will do the same. Obviously this will take some work on TrailCentral and I can't deliver an ETA on when that functionality will be added, but I will save this email and when it is complete I will notify you of the new functionality.
Finally, I ask that you have faith in those that visit TrailCentral.com. As you said, "Malicious and made up reviews are very easy to spot." I truly believe that visitors to TrailCentral have the ability to spot and weed out the bad reviews.
Thank you and I'll be in contact,
www.TrailCentral.com
Colorado's Online Mountain Bike Resource
Let me summarize very quickly. Allegedly there are some false comments being made about a shop and it touched the nerve of a visitor to TrailCentral who wanted me to remove the comments.
Email From Visitor
(I've removed the shop name, name, and username so you could understand the email without knowing who it was from)
In the reviews, you should remove the two reviews about (name)
My Response
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to send the updated address. This has been changed on TrailCentral.
I appreciate your feedback and I did look into the reviews you brought to my attention and I have some good and bad news.
The bad news is that I won't be removing the reviews. Unfortunately, there is no way I can validate that the comments you made are true anymore than I can validate the comments on the shop listing are false. (I did try to validate your comments by searching google and looking at the shop website. I came up empty handed) The shop listings are an open forum for comments and I can't get into the business of censoring peoples opinions based on the opinions of others. That being said, I do have some good news.
I would recommend several things.
#1 You have the ability to review the shop. In your review, I would point out your argument that a person named
#2 Tell valid customers of the shop about this rating tool. Maybe link to it from your website. Allow them to rate your service and get a very good idea of what the customers think of this store. Soon these "bogus" reviews, which seem to happen about once a year will quickly not matter.
#3 Your comments did bring up a good point and although I don't think that a registration system for reviews is the answer, as it will not make it any less likely for stuff like this to happen, I do now see a flaw in the system. Many other sites allow people to rate the reviews in terms of how helpful they are. Your comments have put that ball in motion and I will do the same. Obviously this will take some work on TrailCentral and I can't deliver an ETA on when that functionality will be added, but I will save this email and when it is complete I will notify you of the new functionality.
Finally, I ask that you have faith in those that visit TrailCentral.com. As you said, "Malicious and made up reviews are very easy to spot." I truly believe that visitors to TrailCentral have the ability to spot and weed out the bad reviews.
Thank you and I'll be in contact,
www.TrailCentral.com
Colorado's Online Mountain Bike Resource
November 23, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
Those that read this blog know I have a weakness for food. Why else would I be racing clydesdale? Well, Thanksgiving is the mother of all holidays when it comes to consuming calories. This year was a record breaker!
The feast was terrific, but the climax of the evening was the annual "Man Pie" competition where each of the men in the family bake a pie, but not just any pie... These are pies that are engineered by the men to fully show the potential of an everyday pie. It was a stiff competition this year, but my brother won, hands down, with this behemoth apple pie!
The 2007 Champion!
The feast was terrific, but the climax of the evening was the annual "Man Pie" competition where each of the men in the family bake a pie, but not just any pie... These are pies that are engineered by the men to fully show the potential of an everyday pie. It was a stiff competition this year, but my brother won, hands down, with this behemoth apple pie!
Have you ever seen an 18 apple, apple pie?
Now you have!
The 2007 Champion!Check out a couple other entries by visiting the below link:
November 21, 2007
Light Reading From Here On...
Well, the Google Reader has gone under the knife. I trimmed off all the fat and I'm left with only the meat. Over a hundred MTB feeds were in my reader when I logged in this morning and when I was done, only 7 remain.
The MTB meat in my Google Reader:
Racing Green
Scott's Singletrack Mind
Singletrack's Mountain Bike Blog
Slip Angle
Google News about Mountain Biking
Grizzle that may get cut off, but may stay in the reader for a while longer:
Stories from the Front Range
The mountains call, and I must go.
The MTB meat in my Google Reader:
Racing Green
Scott's Singletrack Mind
Singletrack's Mountain Bike Blog
Slip Angle
Google News about Mountain Biking
Grizzle that may get cut off, but may stay in the reader for a while longer:
Stories from the Front Range
The mountains call, and I must go.
November 20, 2007
Route 66
Cadillac Ranch
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
So, what did I do while I took a break? Part of it was on a road trip. This is Cadillac Ranch off of Route 66 in Amarillo, Texas. This is the kind of random stuff I love.
I spend my spare time and money creating a mountain biking website. This farmer spent his time and money burying 10 cadillacs nose down in his field. As they say, "Different strokes for different folks... "
This is part of what got me thinking I'd like to change gears a bit. I'd love to walk away from TrailCentral for a while and go burry 10 Cadillacs in the dirt. Of course I can't 'cause it has already been done, but you get my point. Sometimes it would be nice to try something completely random and different.
It Has Been A Long Time...
Well, if absence makes the heart grow fonder, anyone reading this blog should be loving me right now.
It's been a while since I've posted. It has been on purpose. I've taken a bit of a break from being so "connected" to the world.
For three weeks the home computer wasn't even turned on and emails went unanswered. I'm slowly finding myself wanting to reconnect, but I'll be going very slowly.
During my break I've come to several conclusions:
It's been a while since I've posted. It has been on purpose. I've taken a bit of a break from being so "connected" to the world.
For three weeks the home computer wasn't even turned on and emails went unanswered. I'm slowly finding myself wanting to reconnect, but I'll be going very slowly.
During my break I've come to several conclusions:
- I really enjoy reading other blogs, but my Google Reader is going under the knife tomorrow and I'll be weeding out a lot feeds.
- I really want to focus on my body and my bicycle next year. My main focus will be nutrition and training, which means I won't be racing Clydesdale's next year if I stick to my plan.
- TrailCentral is a hobby and it will be treated as such. I love it, but gone are the days of coding into the wee hours of the morning. OK. That will still happen from time to time, but like any hobby it is because I love to do it.
- My participation on multiple websites will be limited to a minimum.
In conclusion, my time on the computer will be much less than it has been in years past. I honestly think by being less "connected" I'll be more productive while being more connected with my own goals and pursuits.
October 16, 2007
24 Hours of Moab is in the Books
24 Hours of Moab
Moab, Utah
October 13 - 14, 2007
October 13 - 14, 2007
The 24 Hours of Moab has come and gone and it was great fun! Starting with the LeMans start at noon on Saturday... **All types of riders show up to the 24 Hours of Moab. Some are in a hurry and jump the gun, while others are not so much...
**Yep, that is a dog on the course as the riders run back. No doubt he is either trying to figure out which one is his owner or thinking that mountain bikers shouldn't try to run in the dirt. That is better left to dogs...
And ending with a second place finish in the Clydesdale category with a team that I'm very proud to have been a part of
Ballistic Stillness
Left to Right
Bill, Brady, Nigel, Nancy, Keith
September 28, 2007
Tour de Front Range - Jersey Ceremony
This past week 23 riders showed up at the White Ranch trailhead near Golden, Colorado to begin an urban epic coined The Tour de Front Range. Of those 23 riders (many of who where part of the A-list of mountain bike racing) only 7 persevered and finished the ride. These seven riders pedaled over 52 miles, climbed 9,209 ft, and they did all of it on a sunny day with temps in the 90 degree range.
All Grand Tours have special jerseys that symbolize special achievements. Well the Tour de Front Range is no different. This year we are providing virtual jerseys to our finishers.
The Tour de Front Range, unlike other Grand Tours, does not have a yellow jersey. Instead, All jerseys have a yellow stripe. The yellow represents the spirit of the Tour and no one person can harness that. All riders that are honored with a jersey have the spirit and for that reason all jerseys have a yellow stripe.
The Jerseys:
Red Polka Dot - Richard Eddy: The climbs are what make the Tour de Front Range a challenge. The steep, loose rock trails make the Front Range a suffer fest. The hill climbs are difficult when you have a support system of other riders. Take that support system away and it is just the rider and the mountain, which is enough to make grown men cry. After lunch, Richard rode the final climbs solo, determined to finish the Tour. Richard took on these solo ascents in 90 degree heat, and a full face mask helmet. Richard was driven to finish and he did so with great style; earning him the Polka Dot jersey.
Green - Chris Plesko: Aggressive riding is what the color represent. However, Chris was not aggressive in the sense of bumping elbows with fellow riders. His aggression took the form of doubling the number of miles he rode. At the trailhead before the ride, I asked Chris how many miles he had already ridden. He casually replied, "Forty miles and I plan on riding all of this." At the lunch break Chris had a stifling 60 miles and over 10,000 ft of vertical climbing. And in Morrison he was only ten miles short of a century. He opted to ride to the restaurant in order to hit the century mark. By the end of the day, Chris rode over 100 miles and 13,000 vertical feet of elevation. Chris, you deserve this jersey!
White - Bill Henderson: The white jersey represents the best performance by a first time Tour de Front Range participant. Bill gets this honor due to a comment that he made at lunch. When asked how he was feeling, he said, "I feel great! This is the longest ride I've ever done." When asked if he meant the longest ride this year, he replied, "No... Ever!" Bill has cycling in his genes and even when the Tour finished in Morrison, Bill kept on riding his bike and rode to the restaurant to enjoy Mexican Food. Well done, Bill!
Blue - Scott Zarret: The Blue jersey is worn by the man who puts down the most amount of liquid. The heat was a big factor and Scott complained about a headache during the lunch break at Matthews/Winters. Filling up his camel back, he hit the trail again to ride Red Rocks and Morrison Slide. By the time he started the base of Mount Falcon his camel back was again empty! After the Tour, Scott was unable to join us for the post ride Mexican food because of a concert he was going to attend, where he would put down even more liquid libations.
Gray - Jim Bergman: The Gray jersey is worn by the rider with diesel like commitment to the ride. Once the engine is wound up and running smooth, Jim did not want to take a break. Jim finished the Tour with a diesel like pace that he could have maintained for another hundred miles if he wanted. Even when stopping for lunch, Jim did not dismount his bike. He stood there, straddling his bike, ready to ride for 15 minutes. Like a diesel locomotive, there was no slowing Jim down once he gained momentum.
Black - Steve Sieders & Tony Shouse: Two riders share this jersey. This rider represents those riders that with stealth like ability finish the ride without me getting a chance to know them better. These dedicated riders flew under my radar, attacked the Tour de Front Range course, and came out smiling at the end. Before going into Stealth mode Steve could be heard at the white Ranch trailhead encouraging the men into battle by blowing on the duck call that was attached to his bike. Tony, only came out of stealth mode long enough to introduce himself at lunch. Without lunch he rode towards the finish with the same diesel like determination as Jim. To both these stealth riders, I salute you! You did a great ride!
To all the finishers, wear these (virtual) jerseys with pride! You have earned them and you will forever be immortalized in the annals of the Tour de France history as men that took on the challenge and made it look easy...
All Grand Tours have special jerseys that symbolize special achievements. Well the Tour de Front Range is no different. This year we are providing virtual jerseys to our finishers.
The Tour de Front Range, unlike other Grand Tours, does not have a yellow jersey. Instead, All jerseys have a yellow stripe. The yellow represents the spirit of the Tour and no one person can harness that. All riders that are honored with a jersey have the spirit and for that reason all jerseys have a yellow stripe.
The Jerseys:
Red Polka Dot - Richard Eddy: The climbs are what make the Tour de Front Range a challenge. The steep, loose rock trails make the Front Range a suffer fest. The hill climbs are difficult when you have a support system of other riders. Take that support system away and it is just the rider and the mountain, which is enough to make grown men cry. After lunch, Richard rode the final climbs solo, determined to finish the Tour. Richard took on these solo ascents in 90 degree heat, and a full face mask helmet. Richard was driven to finish and he did so with great style; earning him the Polka Dot jersey.
Green - Chris Plesko: Aggressive riding is what the color represent. However, Chris was not aggressive in the sense of bumping elbows with fellow riders. His aggression took the form of doubling the number of miles he rode. At the trailhead before the ride, I asked Chris how many miles he had already ridden. He casually replied, "Forty miles and I plan on riding all of this." At the lunch break Chris had a stifling 60 miles and over 10,000 ft of vertical climbing. And in Morrison he was only ten miles short of a century. He opted to ride to the restaurant in order to hit the century mark. By the end of the day, Chris rode over 100 miles and 13,000 vertical feet of elevation. Chris, you deserve this jersey!
White - Bill Henderson: The white jersey represents the best performance by a first time Tour de Front Range participant. Bill gets this honor due to a comment that he made at lunch. When asked how he was feeling, he said, "I feel great! This is the longest ride I've ever done." When asked if he meant the longest ride this year, he replied, "No... Ever!" Bill has cycling in his genes and even when the Tour finished in Morrison, Bill kept on riding his bike and rode to the restaurant to enjoy Mexican Food. Well done, Bill!
Blue - Scott Zarret: The Blue jersey is worn by the man who puts down the most amount of liquid. The heat was a big factor and Scott complained about a headache during the lunch break at Matthews/Winters. Filling up his camel back, he hit the trail again to ride Red Rocks and Morrison Slide. By the time he started the base of Mount Falcon his camel back was again empty! After the Tour, Scott was unable to join us for the post ride Mexican food because of a concert he was going to attend, where he would put down even more liquid libations.
Gray - Jim Bergman: The Gray jersey is worn by the rider with diesel like commitment to the ride. Once the engine is wound up and running smooth, Jim did not want to take a break. Jim finished the Tour with a diesel like pace that he could have maintained for another hundred miles if he wanted. Even when stopping for lunch, Jim did not dismount his bike. He stood there, straddling his bike, ready to ride for 15 minutes. Like a diesel locomotive, there was no slowing Jim down once he gained momentum.
Black - Steve Sieders & Tony Shouse: Two riders share this jersey. This rider represents those riders that with stealth like ability finish the ride without me getting a chance to know them better. These dedicated riders flew under my radar, attacked the Tour de Front Range course, and came out smiling at the end. Before going into Stealth mode Steve could be heard at the white Ranch trailhead encouraging the men into battle by blowing on the duck call that was attached to his bike. Tony, only came out of stealth mode long enough to introduce himself at lunch. Without lunch he rode towards the finish with the same diesel like determination as Jim. To both these stealth riders, I salute you! You did a great ride!To all the finishers, wear these (virtual) jerseys with pride! You have earned them and you will forever be immortalized in the annals of the Tour de France history as men that took on the challenge and made it look easy...
September 16, 2007
Colorado 14er - Torreys Peak Summit
Torreys Peak
Elevation: 14,267'
Here are a couple highlights of my hike to Torreys Peak on September 12, 2007
Elevation: 14,267'
Here are a couple highlights of my hike to Torreys Peak on September 12, 2007
September 15, 2007
Totem Pole Celebration
~ Black Elk
Today I spent time with my family at a Totem Pole Dedication & Celebration. An event which included a free lunch, a fun inflatable playground for the kids, and entertainment by Native American dancers. It was an enjoyable way to spend the early afternoon with my family.
- The Watchman - They are placed on a totem to guard and watch for trouble. The rings on his conical hat are symbols of inner wealth.
- The Coyote - A crest of the Raven, known for its stealth and cunning on the hunt, it's an honor to have coyote as a protector.
- The Eagles Nest - An eagles crest with two eaglets standing on the rim of a nest. Often used to depict a persons "oneness or closeness" with their children.
- The Frog - One legend says when earth was born sun was in the bottom of the sea. The world was dark. Thunderbird wanted to bring sun into the sky, but could not hold his breath to the bottom of the sea. Frog with his long arms brought sun to the surface so Thunderbird could bring sun into the sky, so there would be light all over the world.
- The Raccoon Holding Fish - Raccoon is equally at home in rural or forested areas. With a dark mask, he is unperturbed. He is here holding onto fish.
- The Wolf - The wolf spirit is the crest of the Raven clan. Known for its stealth and cunning on the hunt, it's an honor to have Wolf as a protector on this pole.
- The Haida Eagle - They claimed their Eagle was the most powerful and useful because it could fly higher than any other bird and could detect an enemy at great distance. Here in Eagle's chest sits the Columbine, Colorado's state flower.
- The Thunderbird - The Kwakiutl Tribe said its Thunderbird was so powerful that when it flapped its wings, there would be thunder all over the world. When it blinked its eyes there would be lightning and it had claws so powerful it could lift an attacking enemy off its feet.
- The Beaver - This industrious animal was famous for his energy and craftsmanship. Beaver is readily identified by two large incisor teeth and round nostrils. He is here holding a stick showing he will always be building and improving.
- The Owl - This great bird is placed on this totem to grant wisdom.
- The Turtles - In the beginning there was only water. These magical turtles dove to the bottom of the sea and dug a very large hole. They then crawled into the hole and raised up a very large piece to the surface, thus giving the people a place on earth.
- The Fox - His ability to hunt and hide was an inspiration to every tribe.
- The Bear - A Raven crest, he was so strong he could destroy another tribe, so powerful, he could turn into a warrior and do battle.
Symbolism of the totem courtesy of City of Westminster
September 13, 2007
Colorado 14er - Grays Peak Summit
September 11, 2007
Summit a 14er or Bust!
A little over a year ago my brother and I set out on a hike that would take us to the top of Longs Peak. The night before we hiked it the first snow of the year hit the mountain making all the routes extremely technical due to the layer of snow and ice that covered the stony path to the summit.We made it past the boulder field and through the keyhole, but once on the other side of the keyhole snow and ice got really bad, forcing us, and many other hikers to submit to the mountain, give up, and go home.
Since then I've wanted to revisit the mountain. I had planned to hike it tomorrow with my brother. Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen.
I recently injured one of my ribs, leaving me in a lot of pain when I try to breath, laugh, sneeze, cough, etc. I figured climbing the boulder field, which required some arms and legs would be a bit much.
Plus, when I called the Back Country Ranger Station to get conditions for the mountain; they reported that all routes on Longs Peak have snow and are are now classified as "technical."
Well, I won't be hiking Longs tomorrow. Instead, I'll be hiking Grays and Torreys.
The weather is suppose to be beautiful so I hope to get some great pictures while I'm up there.
I just finished packing my backpack. I'm only carrying the bare minimum to keep the pack light and to keep some of the pressure from the backpack off my ribs.
Tomorrow will be one of the few times I look forward to waking up early on a work day. Instead of work I'll be enjoying a beautiful day in the high country! With any luck I'll double my goal of hiking just one 14er this year and summit both Grays and Torreys.
*Image of Longs Peak taken during my summit attemp last year.
September 10, 2007
2007 TdFR - History of the Tour - Part I
The Unauthorized History of the Tour de Front Range - The Beginning
It all started a few short years ago when a few men had a dream of creating a ride that would ensnare the senses, capture the spirit, and demand the utmost respect from riders that dare take on their challenge. Their challenge was known as the Tour de Front Range.
In part one of this unauthorized history of the TdFR; we visit the roots of this epic event held every September.
During the summer of 2004, two men (Kyle and Stu) sat in a living area and drank beer. A lot of beer. As they drank, they began to think about all the great trails at their access. As most dreamers do, they started using their mind's eye to connect those wonderful trails.
Most dreams come up with ideas to find solutions that make things easier and less burdensome. These two had different plans. They began to plan a ride that was not easy. In fact the purpose of this course would be to ride as many trails as they could, while riding as little pavement as possible. Plus, because they were a bit drunk, they wanted the pain factor included in the ride as well.
Those that understand mountain biking, understand why they wanted the pain factor. With pain comes a sense of satisfaction once the pain is over. With this in mind; they planned the first ever Tour de Front Range.
After a long long night of drinking the men decided on the course and went their separate ways.
Tune in next time for Part II of the Unauthorized history of the Tour de Front Range entitled "Then there were three."
Learn more about this urban epic coined "The Tour de Front Range" by visiting the 2007 TdFR forum on TrailCentral.
It all started a few short years ago when a few men had a dream of creating a ride that would ensnare the senses, capture the spirit, and demand the utmost respect from riders that dare take on their challenge. Their challenge was known as the Tour de Front Range.
In part one of this unauthorized history of the TdFR; we visit the roots of this epic event held every September.
During the summer of 2004, two men (Kyle and Stu) sat in a living area and drank beer. A lot of beer. As they drank, they began to think about all the great trails at their access. As most dreamers do, they started using their mind's eye to connect those wonderful trails.
Most dreams come up with ideas to find solutions that make things easier and less burdensome. These two had different plans. They began to plan a ride that was not easy. In fact the purpose of this course would be to ride as many trails as they could, while riding as little pavement as possible. Plus, because they were a bit drunk, they wanted the pain factor included in the ride as well.
Those that understand mountain biking, understand why they wanted the pain factor. With pain comes a sense of satisfaction once the pain is over. With this in mind; they planned the first ever Tour de Front Range.
After a long long night of drinking the men decided on the course and went their separate ways.
Tune in next time for Part II of the Unauthorized history of the Tour de Front Range entitled "Then there were three."
Learn more about this urban epic coined "The Tour de Front Range" by visiting the 2007 TdFR forum on TrailCentral.
September 9, 2007
Fall is Coming
"Fall is my favorite season in Los Angeles, watching the birds change color and fall from the trees."
~ David Letterman
Fortunately, I live in Colorado.
September 6, 2007
2007 Winter Park MTB Series Maps Added to TrailCentral
The 2007 race courses used for the WP MTB series have been added to TrailCentral.com.If you raced the complete series as a sport rider; your series stats would look like this:
Series Total Distance: 98.74 miles
Series Ascent Total: 52.03 miles
Series Flat Total: .33 miles
Series Descent Total: 46.39 miles
Series Minimum Elevation: 8,758'
Series Maximum Elevation: 11,222'
Series Total Elevation Gain: 17,823'
Series Total Elevation Loss: 15,545'
Note: The above is based on GPS data and not official course data from EpicSingletrack.com.
Analyse each course individually on TrailCentral:
Hill Climb Kick-off (Link)
Mountain Circuit (Link)
Cross Country Super Loop (Link)
Valley Point-to-Point (Link)
Cross Country (Link)
King of the Rockies (Link)
Thanks to Curt (cwilhelm) and EpicSingletrack.com for helping make the trail listings for these courses complete on TrailCentral.com.
September 5, 2007
Bathroom Business
A lot of business takes place in a mens bathroom. I mean to say that more than just your typical "bathroom" business happens there. I'm talking about real honest work.
I'm guessing that the mens restroom takes second place only to the water cooler in terms of spontaneous meetings with co-workers. The only difference that I see between the two is that when you are around the water cooler, the topics tend to stray from business and it becomes a break. Whereas, in a restroom, you stick to the topic. The only reason a man is going to be caught talking to another man while in the restroom is because of business. For this very reason topics in the restroom are very business focused.
I'm not sure if the womens restroom is equally as productive, but I assure you that when men appear to be taking a long time in the bathroom it may not be because they had Mexican food and a lot of beer the previous night and their stomach is upset. They may be hashing a business plan with their co-worker or boss.
The reason I bring this topic up is because I was part of an impromptu business meeting in the mens restroom today.
In restroom meeting etiquette it is OK to begin a conversation after the facilities have been used and you are washing your hands. At that point, if you feel it necessary to continue talking; only a few small steps backwards are needed to allow room for other restroom patrons to wash their hands after their "load balancing" has been completed, so to speak.
Our meeting ran longer than the typical hand wash so it was imperative that my co-worker, boss, and I take a few steps back from the sink.
I'm a bit of a germ-a-phobe and I believe a person should wash their hands no matter what kind of business they have done in the restroom. I typically - when not in a meeting - will wash my hands, dry my hands with a paper towel, grab a fresh paper towel and wrap it around the handle to avoid contact with any germs that may have collected on the door handle. Some may call me paranoid, but I have just cause for doing this.
During my meeting I had a clear view of the restroom sinks. As I participated in the discussion I couldn't help but notice the hand washing practices of others that use the restroom.
Let me give you a few examples of the types of people I saw:
Guy #1 - I don't wash my hands guy." This is the kind of guy that will zip up and head straight to the door. Leaving his germs on the handle. I cringe whenever I witness it. I want to remind these people to wash their hands, as if they have forgotten, but I'm not that bold.
Guy #2 - "My body is a temple guy." This guy washed his hands before he used the restroom; as if his hands were too dirty to do his business. After he used the facilities I noticed this guy looking at himself in the mirror, never washing his hands before leaving. Again, leaving his germs on the handle and most likely picking up a few germs from Guy #1.
Guy #3 - "Extreme germ-a-phobe guy." This guy came into the restroom with the sole purpose of cleaning his hands. He scrubbed his hands, dried them, and then bare handed reached for the same handle that guy #1 and #2 had touched. This made my stomach sink. If he only knew...
In total, the restroom meeting lasted less than 5 minutes.
Being the closest one to the door I felt it necessary to hold the door open as the three of us exited the restroom. With dry hands I reached for a paper towel, wrapped it around the handle, and opened the door.
My boss looked at me a bit oddly; as if I was a bit paranoid. However, I'm sure if he had seen what I saw in the last five minutes; he would start carrying a bottle of Lysol and a roll of paper towels everywhere he went.
I didn't bother mentioning what I witnessed. As some people say, "Ignorance is bliss."
I'm guessing that the mens restroom takes second place only to the water cooler in terms of spontaneous meetings with co-workers. The only difference that I see between the two is that when you are around the water cooler, the topics tend to stray from business and it becomes a break. Whereas, in a restroom, you stick to the topic. The only reason a man is going to be caught talking to another man while in the restroom is because of business. For this very reason topics in the restroom are very business focused.
I'm not sure if the womens restroom is equally as productive, but I assure you that when men appear to be taking a long time in the bathroom it may not be because they had Mexican food and a lot of beer the previous night and their stomach is upset. They may be hashing a business plan with their co-worker or boss.
The reason I bring this topic up is because I was part of an impromptu business meeting in the mens restroom today.
In restroom meeting etiquette it is OK to begin a conversation after the facilities have been used and you are washing your hands. At that point, if you feel it necessary to continue talking; only a few small steps backwards are needed to allow room for other restroom patrons to wash their hands after their "load balancing" has been completed, so to speak.
Our meeting ran longer than the typical hand wash so it was imperative that my co-worker, boss, and I take a few steps back from the sink.
I'm a bit of a germ-a-phobe and I believe a person should wash their hands no matter what kind of business they have done in the restroom. I typically - when not in a meeting - will wash my hands, dry my hands with a paper towel, grab a fresh paper towel and wrap it around the handle to avoid contact with any germs that may have collected on the door handle. Some may call me paranoid, but I have just cause for doing this.
During my meeting I had a clear view of the restroom sinks. As I participated in the discussion I couldn't help but notice the hand washing practices of others that use the restroom.
Let me give you a few examples of the types of people I saw:
Guy #1 - I don't wash my hands guy." This is the kind of guy that will zip up and head straight to the door. Leaving his germs on the handle. I cringe whenever I witness it. I want to remind these people to wash their hands, as if they have forgotten, but I'm not that bold.
Guy #2 - "My body is a temple guy." This guy washed his hands before he used the restroom; as if his hands were too dirty to do his business. After he used the facilities I noticed this guy looking at himself in the mirror, never washing his hands before leaving. Again, leaving his germs on the handle and most likely picking up a few germs from Guy #1.
Guy #3 - "Extreme germ-a-phobe guy." This guy came into the restroom with the sole purpose of cleaning his hands. He scrubbed his hands, dried them, and then bare handed reached for the same handle that guy #1 and #2 had touched. This made my stomach sink. If he only knew...
In total, the restroom meeting lasted less than 5 minutes.
Being the closest one to the door I felt it necessary to hold the door open as the three of us exited the restroom. With dry hands I reached for a paper towel, wrapped it around the handle, and opened the door.
My boss looked at me a bit oddly; as if I was a bit paranoid. However, I'm sure if he had seen what I saw in the last five minutes; he would start carrying a bottle of Lysol and a roll of paper towels everywhere he went.
I didn't bother mentioning what I witnessed. As some people say, "Ignorance is bliss."
September 4, 2007
What I'm Reading Now... "Care of the Soul" by Thomas Moore
About a month ago I had a stomach bug that left me immobile for several days. During that down time I started reading For me, finishing one book a year is about average. However, for some reason I've since decided to double my average and started reading a new book called "Care of the Soul" by Thomas Moore.
I started reading the book shortly after a trip to see my grandmother. My grandmother is progressing in years and to pass time she reads a lot of books. I wanted to surprise her by bringing her several new books by her favorite author, but it was difficult getting a title that she hadn't already read. Instead, I opted to take her to a bookstore so she could browse and choose several books she wanted to read.
While my grandmother browsed; so did I.
I came across a book that was called "Care of the Soul" by Thomas Moore. I didn't know anything about it, but for some reason I was drawn to the book and wanted to read it.
As I read about the author I realized that I may be biting off a bit more than a guy with a one book a year track record should. Thomas Moore is a psychotherapist with a lot of education; including a BA, two master degrees, and a Ph.D. Add twelve years of being a Catholic monk and you got yourself a guy that is going to write using big words...
Hell bent I dove head strong into the book. I'm currently a third of the way through the book and my assessment of the author using big words was 100% correct. I would be two thirds of the way through the book, but I find my self reading the same paragraph multiple times to fully understand what he writes. Like any other challenge I find myself compelled to finish even though it may not be a simple passage.
For me the concept of one's soul encompasses a vast scope and to try and understand it can be intimidating. I'm not certain that this book will enlighten me and make the scope any less vast, but I think by reading this book I'm making a conscious effort to to think about it. And truly, that is a baby step in what I feel to be the right direction.
August 30, 2007
WP Courses Will Be Represented on TrailCentral
My current project involves a colaberative effort, which is always fun to work on.I recently posted about a simple tool that converts KML to GPX because I had a problem reading a file that a friend sent me of the King of the Rockies race course, which I raced last weekend.
I was overjoyed when a community member piped up and wrote that he had uploaded all his GPS data to MotionBased. He also included that I was welcome to use them to create maps on TrailCentral.
I was of course thrilled and started thinking. After thinking about cake for 15 minutes; I never said I started thinking about something relavent; I wrote an email to the WP Competition Center.
I asked if I could republish their course descriptions on TrailCentral along with the new maps I was creating. My email got forwarded to Jon, the race director, and we ended up exchanging several emails. Long story short, Jon is a great guy and allowed me to repuplish his trail descriptions on TrailCentral.
Last night I started the project and I got two of the six courses posted to TrailCentral. Between the GPS data supplied by Curt and the trail descriptions from EpicSingletrack; I have no doubt that the Winter Park MTB Series courses will be well represented on TrailCentral.
I'm still thankfull for the generosity of Curt and Jon. What may seem like small contributions to them are not to me. Their generosity is well received and it made my day.
Thanks guys!
What I have currently posted:
Hill Climb Kick-off
Mountain Circuit
August 28, 2007
Convert KML to GPX
Yesterday I had an urge to do some coding. I've taken a couple weeks off and I find that idle hands lead to an idle mind. So, I spent a couple hours creating a VERY simple tool that will parse a KML file, saved from Google Earth, and format it as a GPX file.
So what good is that?
Lots of mapping tools will read GPX, but only Google Earth with read KML. The original problem and why I created the tool can be read here.
Some Details:
This is not a robust tool. What this tool does is looks at the polyline from a KML file. Anyone who enjoys viewing trail data on the web, knows that the polyline is where the bulk of the trail beta lies. On that line you have latitude, longitude, and elevation data.
What I did is parse the KML file and pull the data from the polyline. I then reformat the data and download a GPX file to the users computer. This allows me to use the KML data in a lot of other mapping software that doesn't import KML, but does import GPX. More importantly, it allows me to upload the GPX file that was created from a KML file to TrailCentral, which was my original reason for creating the tool.
I left the tool active, because I figured there may be others that would find a simple tool that converts a KML file to a GPX file useful.
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