Description

An admitted shoe geek waxes philosophical about running, triathlon, and life in general.
Comments welcome!


Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Punched another one through

In a couple previous posts (here, and here), I've documented my habit of building some (unofficial) single track trails on the worksite of my day job. It started just barely over a year ago, and to date I've created about 1.5 miles of new trail where once untamed wilderness (or a decade-plus old cat track) existed.

That squiggly line is the new trail. I began the left
side some 9 months ago, and pushed the last
20 yards today. Sweet.
And today I "completed" the longest single section yet. A half-mile long winding path connecting two otherwise completely uninteresting dirt access roads. I started this particular stretch on the last work day in December of last year. Yep, nine months of 2 or so days a week average, a half-hour at a crack.

I put the word "completed" in quotes because I kind of forced the last roughly twenty yards, where I could see the road at the end. It's passable, but still needs a little work to be clear. That's okay, another day or two and it'll truly be trail.

Yes, there are plans for a lot more, including a couple side trails that connect to this one. It's a long-term project, and actually a nice extension of the riding workout. My back has gotten a lot stronger -- good core work.

My gift to any fellow riders that happen to work here.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Time to get political

I recently had a co-worker at my day job stop by my desk fairly early in the morning, and ask if I was a Trump supporter. I answered with my standard response that there is a reason we have a secret ballot in this country, and I don't divulge my voting habits to anyone. She then said she couldn't talk to me and walked away.

But it wasn't done then, as she came back a few minutes later and launched into a "my candidate is great and why is the other getting a pass for X" search for validation. I wouldn't submit to that thinking, and discussed it in a completely neutral manner.

Fact is, neither candidate is getting a pass on anything, and rightfully so.

But my point with this post is not about which candidate deserves the office, or which one will do the better job of The Highest Office in the USA.

I really have two points to make. So I'll get right to it without much discussion.

One: You cannot vote against anyone.

You get one vote per office, and you can only for FOR one person. That's your voice. It only flips one number in one column, and doesn't affect the numbers in any other column, regardless of what anyone tells you. Your vote is only a "for" vote when it comes to electing anyone to an office. So vote your conscience as you see fit FOR whomever you would prefer to see in that office. Remember, there's always the write-in option if none of them appeal.

Two: I wish there were better candidates.

Truly. Yes, both candidates of the major parties are human, and thus prone to error. To say I support either one would be a gross misrepresentation. I just wish that we had ONE candidate who approached the office of President with humility, treating it as the daunting responsibility to The American People that it is. My wife and elder daughter and I have been watching the new series Designated Survivor. My wife said we need Kiefer Sutherland to run for president. In reality, I think the last president who remotely came close to being a servant of the people was Ronald Reagan ("the actor?" to quote Doc from Back to the Future). It saddens me that this is what we've come to, but here we are, let's make the best of it.

Regardless of where you fall in the political spectrum, exercise your rights as a citizen and vote. Vote your conscience. And come November 9th, when the results are in, let's get together as one people, one nation, and make this thing work.