Part One

"It's just over that next rise. I think you'll be pretty surprised at what you see, and amazed."

The two men continued walking up the brush-covered incline. Legend had it that there was once a great city nearby, part of a huge civilization that once spanned the entire continent. But that was long ago, and there was only myth and shadow and the sparse evidence left of that ancient civilization. Building foundations and skeletal frames were visible in some places, and there were deep trenches and strange pipes that seemed to lead from nowhere to nowhere. Deep holes were found here and there, seemingly carved from solid rock, and a few short sections of stone-carved tunnels could be found scattered around. Every now and then someone would stumble upon some ancient artifact, and the people would try to divine a little bit more from that artifact, try to add a little more color to the stark outlines of what they knew, or thought they knew, of the previous inhabitants of that land. Mostly, though, nature had reclaimed whatever once existed of the ancient people. No remains of the ancient people had been found, and no pictures of them were known. How they had lived, how they had died, where they might have moved to: these things could only be guessed at, speculated upon. And in this manner, the people who lived there now had put together their own beliefs and legends regarding the ancient people and their grand civilization.

"We've been walking all day, and I still ain't seen nothin' interesting. You say it's over the next rise, but you been saying that for the past three rises. You sure you saw anything?"

"I know what I saw, and I tell you it's over this rise. Just a few hundred yards to go, and you'll see something you've never seen before, something amazing. Let me ask you, you ever been out this way, this far? No. No one has. We've been goin' right up to the edge of that gulley for years, but no one ever bothered to venture across to the other side, until I did it. And now you. Good thing we brought food and water. We may need to make camp and sleep out here tonight. You got the shelter in your pack, Jeb?"

"Yeah, I got it. And the noisemakers too. Sure wish we could be back home tonight, inside. This had better be worth a night in the wilderness, Zeke."

"It is. And don't worry about the wild ones. I stayed out here overnight and didn't see or hear a thing. Didn't smell nothin', neither. Why, I ain't even seen their tracks nor any other sign o' 'em. Like I said, they don't hang around here. Why, I'm not convinced that they hang around anywhere. I ain't never seen one, and them that claims to have, well, I ain't met a reliable witness yet. I heard the stroies, though, and I've heard some strange noises some night, but there's lot's o' things that make noises at night. Anyway, like I said, I ain't heard no strange noises at all last time I was out here at night."

Zeke and Jeb continued up the incline in silence. It had been a long hike to the gulley, then the climb down one side and up the othere, then more hiking. The ground had been mostly level with a few rises an dips, but the last few miles had involved a lot of uphill hiking. They were near the top now.

"Oh, this is gonna be good, " Zeke said excitedly. Just a few more yards. This is the spot. Here we are. What did I tell you? Is that incredible, or what?"

"Wha...is that...but...Oh my..." was all that Jeb could manage, as he stood, mouth open, transfixed by what he saw. He had never seen anything like it before, never even conceived of anything like it. Yet there, below him on the other side of the rise, was the most amazing thing he had ever seen...

To be continued?
bIsh

Back in The Saddle Again, Again

Well, I am back in the saddle again, again.

In a previous post, I told about how I am back on my Mountain Bike. I am now back on my road/commuter bike, also. This bike was down for a while due to rear wheel replacement surgery. Both of the wheels on that bike had come down with a bad case of worn-out braking surface - something I had never seen before in all of my years of bike doctoring. The braking surface on the rim of each wheel was thrashed, to the point where the brake shoes were picking up and retaining flakes of metal from the rims, in turn causing more thrashing of said rims. The front tire replacement went smoothly - I chose the (relatively) inexpensive Mavic Crossride, a standard 26" wheel. When I ordered a Crossride for the rear wheel, I found out that it is no longer available, except as a disk-specific wheel (I don't have disk brakes on either of my bikes). This being the case, I chose the Mavic Crossland - a slightly more expensive wheel, and definitely not a standard 26" wheel (unknown to me at the time). The Crossland arrived, and I tried to mount the rear tire and tube, but was not able to do so. A little reading of the manual revealed that I could not use just any 26" tire; I needed an ERTO-spec tire. I had never heard of ERTO before, so I did some research and discovered that ERTO is a European tire spec that uses milimeters instead of inches. The ERTO size for a 26" x 1.5" tire is 40-559 - 40 being the tire cross-section, and 559 being the wheel diameter (in mm). Thus, my standard, American 26" tire is slightly too small to fit over the rim of a 559mm wheel. After much searching online, I found a retailer selling an ERTO-spec tire in my size (26" x 1.5"/40-559). The tire came two days ago, and even though it is ERTO, it is a pain to mount and unmount. Long story short, the tire is mounted, the wheel is mounted, the brake shoes are new, and I'm back in the saddle again.

This was definitely a learning experience for me, and in the future I will probably not choose Mavic for my wheels.

Time to ride.
bIsh

Flight, Erosion, Flood Evidence

As I was flying to Kansas City, MO, for a weekend business conference, I looked out the window at the terrain below, and I was amazed at how much of the land looks like it was formed by massive erosion; as though a huge flood had covered the entire countryside at some point in the past, left behind deposits of dirt and rock, formed them into the hills, valleys, and mountains that we see today. All around us is evidence of the flood from Noah's time. Praise be to God for leaving this lasting witness, this timeless testament to the truth of His Word. Praise be to God that He has promised not to destroy the earth with a flood again.

Praise the Lord.
bIsh

Back in the Saddle Again

Well, I'm back in the saddle again. I finally got my replacement fork installed on my Santa Cruz a few weeks ago, and I went riding with some guys up at Wilder Ranch. It felt good to get back out into the hills and valleys on my bike.
I'm back to this blog, too. I've been away from it for a few months, but I'm back. I hope to be posting a few times a month.

Stay tuned.
bIsh

Dis A Pear, Please

In my continuing quest to explore Pear-dom, I came across an odd little pear called the Asian Brown. How is the Asian Brown odd? First, in its shape: the Asian Brown is not at all pear-shaped. It is round, with no neck. Second, in its skin: it is tannish/brownish, with speckles. Third, in the taste and texture of its flesh: taste is bland, watery, not pear-like at all (with perhaps a subtle melon-like hint); texture is hard and crunchy and only slightly pear-like. Fourth, in its packaging: the Asian Brown is typically sold in a styrofoam netting or sleeve, the only pear I've seen that is sold this way. Why the Asian Brown is sold as a pear, I don't know. Perhaps it is genetically a member of the pear family, but the pear-ness of the Asian Brown is hidden and not at all obvious. This one goes to the bottom of my pear list, and I do not plan to buy any more of them.

I know there are those who like the Asian Brown, or they would not be sold, but I am not among those.

Not all is happy in Pearville
bIsh

A Pear of Winners

Well, folks, in addition to the Red Anjou pear, there is the Green Anjou pear, also called the Anjou (without color reference). Everything I said about the Red is true of the Green, except for the skin and color. The skin of the Red is a little rougher in appearance than is the skin of the Green. The Green Anjou is, as the name implies, green in color - light green like a Bartlett - with speckles. In shape the Green is similar to the Red - shorter and squatter than the classic pear shape, with a short neck. The flesh is soft and moist, juicy and succulent. Concerning taste, the words sparkly, zesty, and lively apply. The Green Anjou is one excellent pear. The main difference between the Green and the Red is the skin color and texture. Both of these pears are at the top of my list of favorite pears.

Which came first, the Green, the Red, or the
bIsh

**Bonus pear fact/observation: I have observed that the ideal time to consume a pear is typically between 3 to 7 days after bringing it home from the store. This is because the pears in the store are typically not fully ripe, and they continue to ripen after arriving at the house. Pears eaten before this ideal window tend to be harder and crunchy, and after tend to be mushy and bland in flavor. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Encore A Pear Ance

A red pear? Surely they were joking. That red thing in with the other pears couldn't be a pear, or could it? This I had to see. Yes, indeedy, it was a red pear - a variety called the Red Anjou. Who woulda thunk it? A red pear. Very interesting. I got a couple, and I ate them (at home).

The Red Anjou is an excellent pear. In shape it is shorter less "pear-shaped" than your traditional pear. The coloration is dark red, with a hint of a yellowish undercoat showing through sometimes. From a distance, it almost looks like a slightly mis-shapen pomegranate. Inside, it looks like a normal pear. The flesh is soft, and juicy beyond belief. And the taste. The Red Anjou is a very sweet, succulent pear. It is very easy to eat one very quickly. Whey you taste it, you will want to just keep eating and eating. Mmmmmmm... Where was I? Oh yes, right. Moving on. The skin is very thin and soft, soft enough for a fingernail to accidentally pierce, and it's a little gritty.

So far, the Red Anjou is my favorite pear. Try one today, and you'll be hooked. They're that good.

Bet you can't eat just one.
bIsh

** Bonus pear fact: You can judge the ripeness of a pear by gently squeezing the neck (the thin part by the stem). If it's soft, the pear is ripe. Of course, you've got to decide if you want to squeeze a bunch of pears that other people are going to eat. ;)

Now A Pear Ing

How about them pears? I haven't really paid attention to pears for some time, but there they've been all along, waiting for me to heed their call. I never really took notice of the different varieties, either, but this has changed. I am now aware. One thing I have found is that, although I like a crisp apple, I prefer a soft pear. I can't abide a soft, mushy apple, and I don't care for hard-packed pears.

Two interesting things about pears: The core is very slim, allowing for prolonged taste enjoyment; The skin of a pear tends to be thin. Indeed, when I peeled the stickers off of the pears I ate recently, the skin peeled off, too.

I had a couple of standard Bartlett pears recently, and I was very pleased. The Bartlett is a nicely-sized pear, although the two I consumed were not the prototypical "pear" shape. They were slightly less rotund in the lower portion, and slightly out-of-round. I do not know if this is a seasonal issue or a species issue, but the shape had no apparent effect on the taste or texture. It has a light green skin, with small green speckles sprinkled liberally about. The flesh is generally very soft and juicy, but it can vary from soft to hard in a single pear. Flavor is your basic "pear" flavor, varying from sweet to bland, sometimes with just a hint of sharpness. I did not taste any sourness or tartness, and I would be suprised to find these in a quality pear. The skin of a bartlett is a little gritty, and I could really feel it grinding between my molars and bicuspids. All in all, the Bartlett is a very satisfying pear.

Pear, the other apple.
bIsh

Farewell to Bedrock

I noticed it the other day as I drove by. I usually drive by it once or twice a week, but this time I looked, took notice, perceived. And I did not like what I saw. I did not like what they had done to it. It used to be a place of beauty and sanctuary. Now it's just...just...it's...well, I should probably back up a little and give some background.

At the end of a range of hills there was a place that the locals called Bedrock. This Bedrock was so called because of the underlying...bedrock. It was a place of solitude in the midst of suburbia, an escape to the peace and quiet of nature. Once you got up to the top area, no one down below could see what you were doing. It was a place suitable for many outdoor activities - paintball, hiking, meditating, riding, praying, comet watching - but I will focus on MTB'ing at Bedrock.

It was at bedrock that I got my first taste of "real" moutain biking. I remember that as a teenager and young adult we (me, my younger bro, and our neighbor, Jack) would ride about 7 miles from home just to get to Bedrock, then we'd ride up in the hills for a while, then 7 more miles home. When I re-connected with a longtime friend, it was at Bedrock that we rode. At Bedrock I learned to do a boulder-fall, also called a drop. At Bedrock I learned the art of gracefully flying over the handlebars while braking too hard going downhill.
At Bedrock I witnessed the proper technique of using the feet as brakes on long downhills. My friend Eric, yes that Eric, had lost his brakes one day, so he put his feet down to control his speed. It worked - he survived - but his shoes' soles were worn flat - I can picture it still. On another date, on the same slope I think, this same Eric executed the most perfect splash through a mud puddle that I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. I remember it clearly: Eric was a little ahead of me, to my left, and he positioned himself and aimed his splash perfectly. I don't think it would have been possible to give me a more thorough soaking in that situation. It was a beautiful moment.

I was never sure if we were trespassing, or if the land was officially open to the public, but there were no ranger, no cops, and a lot of people went up there.

I remember the last time I rode at Bedrock. It was after the land had been sold to private owners and fences were put up. My friend, Paul, and I decided to have one last ride up at Bedrock. I don't remember how we got inside the fences, but we went on up and had our last visit.

And now it's gone: no more old-growth Oaks, no more turkeys, no more Miwok Indian caves, no more bike paths, no more boulders to fall over, no more poison oak. Now, it's just green, artificially maintained grass and sand - a golf course. A golf course. Prime MTB land was sold and turned into a golf course, but we will never forget what once was.

Farewell, Bedrock - gone, but not forgotten.
bIsh

**If I am ever rich enough to buy the land, I think I'll tear out the golf course and let the land return to its natural state. Then I'll build a MTB course for me and my friends.**

Pure Apple-y Freshness

Our subject for this evening's discussion is the Fuji Apple. A common variety is the Fuji, easily found at any grocery store, available most of the year. Coloration. The Fuji has a yellowish or pinkish base, painted over with red vertical stripes and vertical dashes. There is also a layer of red speckles that is visible if one looks closely. There is a close resemblance to the Gala apple. The flesh is firm, but not very cohesive. That is to say, it is crisp when bitten into, but it does not lend itself naturally to biting off big chunks. When fresh, the Fuji is not mushy or soft, but this may change if refrigerated for an extended period. Flavor varies from sweetish to sharp, often in the same apple, with no tartness or sharpness. All in all, a Fuji is a good, flavorful apple when fresh. As with most apples, organic is my recommendation, if available.

Comparing apples and...
bIsh

Have you lost weight?

Have you lost weight?

Over the past couple months, a few of my co-workers have asked the above question. I have lost a few pounds over the past months, and it's nice to know that other people notice without my saying anything about it. In fact, this past week I've been wearing my belt one hole tighter than I used to. How did I do it? You might say I'm on the Bish's Slow and Gradual Weight Loss Plan. What's that? Well, first a little background on dieting in-general. Despite all of the nutritional and medical knowledge we have today, there is still only one way to lose weight (excluding surgery or loss of a body part) - burn more calories than you take in. Fancy fads, special eating programs - Weight Watchers, Atkins, Jenny Craig, et. al. - are designed to do two things: 1) Help and motivate people to burn more calories than they take in. 2) Make money for someone. There's nothing wrong with these programs, and many have been helped by them. Understand, however, that they are merely variations on the same theme.

A while ago I made some small changes to my diet, and initiated an increase in my weekly and monthly exercise. Nothing drastic, nothing too time-consuming, nothing that most everyone can't do. But the results are real. People have noticed. I have noticed. The scale has noticed. How did I do it?

Diet: Nothing too drastic here. Basically, I decided to cut back a lot on my sugar intake and increase my fruit intake. Notice I didn't say, "give up sugar". That would be drastic, and a bit more difficult. There are many areas of the diet in which it is easy to eliminate refined sugar, but I will focus here on four: Bread, Peanut Butter, Pasta Sauce, and Salsa. I also started using honey (raw and uncooked) as a sweetener for my tea in place of sugar.

Bread. There are a lot of good breads available that have no sugar and no hydrogenated oils (think vegetable shortening - very bad for the health). It may take a little looking, but the major grocery stores do carry such bread. Two excellent brands that I eat are Beckmans and Alfaro's. Your region of the country (world) may have its own varieties.

Peanut Butter. I find it amazing how much junk is in most peanut butters. Read a few ingredients labels for yourself. I have found that the "natural style" peanut butters (such as Adam's) taste better and are more agreeable to my gustatory system. In my opinion, the only things that should be in a proper peanut butter are peanuts and/or salt (and maybe peanut oil). Sugar and hydrogenated oils have no place here. I know the objections - you have to stir it up, you have to keep it refrigerated - and in my opinion these are weak objections. I will stir and refrigerate my peanut butter if it means better health. Some alternatives to peanut butter (not necessarily carried by the major grocery chains) are cashew butter and almond butter. In my case, peanut butter at all became progressively disagreeable with my digestive tract and I switched to cashew butter, with no problems to date.

Pasta Sauce. I only buy pasta sauce with no sugar and no hydrogenated oils. As with peanut butter, it's amazing what some brands put in pasta sauce. In my experience, a good pasta sauce doesn't need sugar to improve the taste. Sometimes I make my own pasta sauce, starting with plain tomato sauce as a base. It's not hard to do, and it can be most satisfying.

Salsa. The salsa I buy consists primarily of vegetables, seasonings, and spices. As such, I believe it is a good way to get a good serving of vegetables. Why spoil perfectly good chilies, peppers, tomatoes, etc. by infusing them with artificial chemicals and "natural flavor"? There are some excellent salsas on the market that have no sugar or hydrogenated oils. Again, read the ingredients lists. I usually have no trouble finding a salsa that fits. Chipotle salsa and salsa verde are two varieties that I am especially fond of. I prefer medium heat.

Exercise: Again, nothing extreme. I ride a bike to work 3 to 4 days a week, and I take long rides on weekends. When daylight savings kicks in again I'll be able to ride after work sometimes. I love riding. One benefit of living where I do is the close proximity of hills and mountains in which to ride. It's nice to get out of the city and into nature. I've also been doing push ups several nights a week. My goal right now is 50 good push ups, 5 to 6 nights a week. I'm close to that, and I have noticed a difference.

These are just a few ideas that have helped me. My main point in all this is that it doesn't take drastic changes in lifestyle to lose weight and get in better shape. It might take longer doing it my way, but it has worked for me, and by integrating these small changes into my daily life, and making them habits, the results should last and I should continue to improve.

Your calorige may vary.
bIsh

What's With The Apples?

Tonight we will be discussing the Pink Lady Apple. This is a smaller variety with a nice round form. Primary colors for this apple are yellows, pinks, and some red, like a Pacific Rose, but with a different distribuation and more yellow. Flavor is a nice level of apple-y sharpness. To my palate, it is just about right - not sour or tart at all. The flesh is solid and compact - there's no mushiness here. All in all, a good choice for a smaller apple.

A blog a day keeps the doctor away.
bIsh

Lament For Windows Defrag

What's up with Windows Defrag? I remember back in the day (we're talkin' Windows 95, 98, ME - a group fondly referred to as Windows 9x, or Win9x) when watching a disk defrag was an entertaining thing. I remember watching the individual blocks being scanned, moved, consolidated into one solid mass. I remember the colors, too. Light blue and grey were for blocks that had yet to be scanned and moved; yellow was for blocks being read; red was for blocks being written; dark blue was for blocks that had been scanned and moved; white was for empty space. There were a few other colors, too. It was actually fun to watch. I remember there were options - you could choose the level of defraging, and you could choose to do a Scandisk at the same time.

But no more. Times have changed. The old, entertaining Defrag is gone. Gone since Windows 2000 (also called Win2k, or Win 2k). The big, scrolling display of individual blocks has been replaced two horizontal colored graphs - a "before" and "after". These graphs consist of colored vertical bands and stripes; blue (there's only one blue) is for data that Windows doesn't think needs defraging; red is for data that Windows will defrag; lime green is for data that Windows can't (or won't) defrag; white is still for empty space. Watching Defrag these days is about as exciting as watching water freeze. Yeah, you can watch the stripes change from red to blue, and move around a bit, but it's not the same - not nearly as interesting. And there are no options. It's either defrag or don't; no levels of defragmentation to choose from.

Why? Why? Why did they have to change good old Defrag? Why couldn't they leave it alone? It was one of the few things you could depend on in Win9x (most of the time). On the other hand, with HDD capacities quickly approaching 1TB (yes that is a "T" in front of the "B"), you'd be spending a lot of time watching those blocks move around. Hmmm....

They just don't build 'em like they used to (thank goodness).
bIsh