We're far enough into this now that the end of pandemic, or at least "opening" is even a topic. I've sure had some collected thoughts.
It's quiet. Air travel has clearly diminished to the point that I look up at every plane that's on its long approach to the airport, 20 miles to the west. Traffic is sparse and I can't help but see those out driving and wonder what essential function they represent with their travel or if they don't care and are just doing what they want. I'm amazed by the large numbers resoundingly represented by the emptiness of the streets. Like other social norms, degrees of individual adoption of instructions and information are visible. Being in healthcare I realize my professional practice make me a critic of degrees of protective preparation for public tasks if not to standard. The open display of waste using disposable PPE incorrectly, without it having a chance of providing the benefit potential to users who wear them, is maddening. Worse are those who appear to elevate PPE like a spiritual protective icon and display such poor discipline in public that they must believe in supernatural powers of their nitrile gloves, face shield masks and (i'm not kidding) ponchos. People want to believe in something and this situation has made it visible in public. Brand names or branded items had been a way people differentiated themselves, now it seems to be the procurement and display of PPE. I learned and used closed loop communication in critical moments in the military and healthcare. It gives closure and verification that what you said was heard, acknowledged, responded to in act and completed. It's ingrained enough in me that I think the public health posture at all levels needs to look at what they see on the street as their feedback because they won't see much of their message being acknowledged intact. I hope the quiet majority who are out of sight, at home, not touching things, not flaunting disposable PPE but rather preserving them for the moments when its precious use is necessary or using alternatives like bandannas suffice. Makes me think of Hopi Kachina dolls that are given to those who will be respectful and care for them responsibly. I ride my bike to and from work because it provides opportunity to connect with the world while separating from both home and work while en route. Most people at the end of a hard day have a little black cloud over their head that goes right into their car with them to go home, little chance for separation. I enjoy what the dark, the cold and the wet contribute to those ends. Even more so these days. I have found a much more clear appreciation of cycling these days and to my observation, so have many others. they are doing it in pursuit of the act itself, in normal clothes, going places. The performance riders in their kit and spacebikes seem to have reverted to Peloton in their basements. We've "quarranteamed" with our young friend in her last semester of nursing school. As the pandemic got foothold in the US and local actions were imminent we reached out and invited to her to spend it with us at our house for a number of practical and psychological reasons. It's been very helpful for all of us to have a bit bigger table set for for meals and daily life. She did insist on bringing her bike and we have been on many rides to maintain perspective. I have had a lot of thoughts on cycling for myself these weeks and I hope as things resolve and open up I'll be able to realize them, with great value. Andy Cheatham Pittsburgh On Friday, April 10, 2020 at 7:20:52 PM UTC-4, aeroperf wrote: > > > It’s the first time I’ve started a thread, but I’d be interested to hear > about what you’ve learned that’s new to you. > > I live on a 93 mile bike trail that’s now closed. The bike trail, being > rails-to-trails, had no corners (or real hills). So for five years I’ve > been cranking away in relatively straight lines. > > Now that I’m riding 4 laps through a small neighborhood, I’m learning how > to take corners at speed without pedal strikes. > My 2015 Sam had no problem. My 2019 Homer taught me that you had to > either open up the corner a little or “outside foot down, inside foot up” > coast through it. They have the same 170mm crank arms, so it is probably > both the bottom bracket drop and the smaller wheels - 650 vs 700 - that put > me lower. And 15mph might not be “speed” for others, but it is interesting > in tight quarters for me. > > So what have you learned? Riding Zwift is fun? Riding solo is no fun? > Cleaning clothes is easier without chain grease? > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/b96914ad-3024-4fd3-9277-9293cb64111d%40googlegroups.com.
