$earch and re$cue

Moab is largely known as a holy spot in this religion of mountain biking, one in which people often get lost and need rescuing. Because of only collecting tax from 8500 residents in that county, search and rescue teams will be billing the rescued people. $275 to send a rescue team out, $75 for an ATV, $350 for a boat, and $10,000 for a helicopter.

Mark Mechau had to pay $650 to be rescued after becoming lost one night in his Jeep. He complained that too many people were sent out to find him.

"I'm a little upset about it," he said. "The bill was exorbitant, and I really didn't feel that it was equal to the task."

Search and rescue commander Rex Tanner defends his decision to send five rescuers.

"If we had not been successful in rescuing him, somebody in the family probably would have questioned or, you know, responded with the fact that you didn't send enough people," Tanner said.

So he's complaining about a $650 bill after these guys probably saved his life?

Others are completely ok with the search and rescue bill, saying "And it's worth every penny . . . These guys earned every bit of it."

Tour operators are said to have started search and rescue insurance for $15.

read article

So the Big Change Happened

Beware: there is some technical stuff and some of it can be considered TMI

Haven't updated this since this past Tuesday because I've been spending all my free time on getting the new forums setup. Well they're up now and I think reactions have been mixed. Some really like it, some are skeptical. I knew there would be a time period while everyone gets comfortable with the new forums, all the bugs are worked out, and everything is customized to how we want it.

The transfer of data from the old forum went fairly smoothly. All members, avatars, posts, threads, forums came over easily and accurately. Since the photo gallery we had was an add-on hack, the importer software didn't work with it. I just finished uploading the photos to the new gallery, which is run on the Photopost PHP software. All photos have username 'admin' and 'imported' as the title. If i find a way to spend less then 2 hours changing the username and description to the 200+ photos, I'll do it.

My two next things I want to concentrate on are the calender and trail conditions reporting/forum. The old calender was a great tool to easily view upcoming rides - I want the same functionality in the new forums. As far as the trail conditions go, it has to be easy, simple and effective to share information on trails and view that information.

After all the basic functionality and stuff is in place, I can put some more attention on the details such as custom buttons and colors and stuff like that.

visit STR forums powered by vBulletin and Photopost PHP

Trabuco Canyon: Man Shoots Mountain Lion

"I grabbed my gun and as I looked back, I'm looking about 20 feet, 15 feet from this cat and it sees me, crouches down, bares its teeth," he said. "I don't hear any growling or anything and at that time it started to move and I just instinctively cranked off two rounds at it. The first one I know I hit it because ... the way it jumped."

I know there are two different opinions on this. If indeed this was self defense I'm not too angry about this, although I know some people will be. Since mountain lions are protected, an investigation will determine whether or not this shooting was legal.

Article

Bush to Bike with Belgian Prime Minister

PRESIDENT BUSH: You're probably wondering what the Prime Minister is sharing with me. First of all, welcome. We're talking mountain biking -- actually, he's talking about the Tour de France. He's a huge advocate and a follower of the bike scene around the world. He's also an avid mountain biker. And one of these days he and I are going to ride; he's going to give me a lesson on how to ride a mountain bike.

Article Warning: Most of it is not bike related.

Ned Overend's Bike

Some guys from a shop in Florida setup Ned Overend's bike for the 50 miles of the Tour de Felasco and snapped a new photos of it.

2006 Specialized S-Works Carbon Epic

More Pictures

Big Changes are Coming to STR

STR will undergo some large changes soon. First of all we'll be moving away from the current forum software to the awesome message board system utilized on socalmtb. Second of all there will be 10 more ads, all of them popups and some of them covering over 50% of the screen. And last but not least, Steven Jackson will be given administrator status!

But seriously . . . some changes are coming. But they will be good changes though!

Don Boehly Bikes Across America

Don Boehly has been riding his bike for 16 months now in an effort to raise money for policemen, firemen, and American troops. He's promoting his website www.9-11usa.com which directs people to charities. So far he has logged 15,092 miles and hopes to reach New York on September 11th.

Boehly says, "If I didn't have a gel seat I'd be in big trouble."

Article

Rain Silences Most Trails

Michael Eckert is Worried He'll Like it Too Much

What? You mean you don't know who Michael Eckert is?!?!

I have a skinny-tired road bike that I've ridden thousands of miles - but only on pavement.

What's even stranger is how I've avoided the mountain-bike craze. I'm worried I might like it too much.

Sure, I worry that once I start off-roading, I would like it too much and never actually ride fast again. And then my road bike would resent it, I'd feel guilty and there'd be bad feelings all the way around.

Read the Article Here

Very Nice Hupple Telescope Image

Yes I know this has nothing to do about biking, but I just thought it was pretty neat.

This is a 6000x6000 image of the Orion Nebula. If you click the Hubblesite link below, you'll have the option of a 18,000x18,000 resolution image!

In one of the most detailed astronomical images ever produced, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured an unprecedented look at the Orion Nebula. This turbulent star formation region is one of astronomy's most dramatic and photogenic celestial objects. More than 3,000 stars of various sizes appear in this image. Some of them have never been seen in visible light. These stars reside in a dramatic dust-and-gas landscape of plateaus, mountains, and valleys that are reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. The Orion Nebula is a picture book of star formation, from the massive, young stars that are shaping the nebula to the pillars of dense gas that may be the homes of budding stars.

Full Resolution Image at HubbleSite

For You Health Conscious Riders

The Washington Post recently informed us of two changes that will affect nutrition labels on food products. These changes started on January 1st. This will require companies to display two additional pieces of information on their nutrition labels.

The first change will be information on foods commonly linked to allergies such as milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts and peanuts, wheat and soybeans. These foods account for 90% of food allergic reactions. In addition, this information will have to be in 'clear language.'

The second change will be that trans fat will also have to be displayed. Some say that companies will replace or minimize trans fats with saturated fat.

Washington Post Article

The Luna Team Adds Two New Members

For 2006, the popular LUNA team will include two additions to their roster. The first addition, two-time olympian Jimena Florit will be helping the team race XC to defend their national titles. The second addition, Georgia Gould is labeled a "rising star."

LUNA Team
News Article

A [mountain biker/photographer]'s Best Friend

Like many people, I used to have my camera stashed away in my Camelbak's pocket. In order to use it I would have to take my camelbak off, take the camera out, snap some pictures, put the camera back in the pocket, and snap my camelbak back on. Not very convenient.

Awhile ago, Pete (pshloss on STR) and I bumped into each other at Turnbull Canyon. Among the many things he showed/taught me that day was a little camelbak pocket that attaches onto the Camelbak's straps using velcro.

Simple and extremely useful, Camelbak's "Phone Pocket" allows me to have my camera easily accessible at all times during a ride. This leads to faster and easier picture snapping and as a result, more pictures taken. The phone pocket velcro's in 4 spots for very secure attachment. It sits a little below shoulder level, depending how you have your camelbak adjusted.

I got my phone pocket at Jax Bicyle shop in Long Beach in their little Camelbak section. Here's a link for the REI product page - it's $10. The new phone pocket looks a little different then mine, not sure if it's smaller or larger. My camera, an Olympus D-560, fits snugly while measuring 4.2" x 2.2" x 1.6".

If you like taking pictures while on the trail, this is a simple, inexpensive, and convenient addition to the gear you use.

Snow Riding

Yes, I know that we don't get much snow here in Socal although there are some trails that do get it sometimes. BUT - snow riding sounds like a lot of fun and for those of you who don't know much about it, I found a good news story from the AP's Patrick Condon. In an effort to fully understand riding in the snow and ice, he tried it for himself.

But with the pain came a feeling of hard-won confidence, and it propelled me as my destination grew closer. I started to think, “This really isn’t that bad.” The last few blocks, I really hit my stride, and by the time I got to the office I wanted to keep riding. It’s a feeling, I discovered, that’s common to many winter bikers.

Read More

Fat Bikes from Surly

Fat bikes, also known as adventure bikes, have huge 4inch tires and are made to ride well in snow, sand, and mud. This bike from Surly is appropriately named "Pugsly."

Dave Gray from surly claims that the massive tires increase traction and float on snow while distributing weight over a larger contact path - kind of like what snowboards do. In addition, the tires provide absorb up to 2.5" on the rigid frame.

Although custom bike builders have been making these types of adventure bikes before, the Pugsley will be the first mass produced one.

Surly Website
Billings Gazette

New Article: Shock

So I cranked out another first aid article, this one covers shock. If you're new to STR - I have been working on getting first aid articles written, geared for mountain bikers. I'm not a doctor but according to the Red Cross, I am a professional first responder.

Here are the links to shock and the previous articles.

Intro and Basic Care
Hypothermia and Frost Bite
Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
Shock

The POS hardtails we all love

The majority of mountain bikers start off with a hardtail when we first try out the sport. I know I did and so did a lot of the people I talk to. I started off on a Trek 3700 and although it is a POS compared to the Yeti 575 I ride now, it was a bike that introduced me to the sport. Sure I crashed a lot on the 3700, sure it shifted all funky, and sure it was a 33lb hardtail - but without it I wouldn't of become a biker. And for that I love my POS hardtail and I'm sure a lot more riders love their POS hardtails for that same reason.

Porshe Mountain Bike

Not sure how many have seen this but stumbled upon it today. Porshe carbon fiber mountain bike called the FS Evolution. 140mm of travel from an upside down fork and 25.5lbs. And it can be all yours for a measly $10,612!

read more

Man, 62, dies while biking

Ojai man collapses, dies during mountain bike ride

December 30, 2005

An Ojai man died of unknown health problems while mountain biking with a friend
Thursday, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department said.

Robert Smith, 62, and a female friend were taking a morning ride on Cozy Dell
Trail in Ojai when he suffered what might have been a heart attack, officials
said. The cause of death will not be determined until an autopsy is performed,
authorities said.

The woman performed CPR on Smith while emergency personnel responded,
authorities said. A helicopter lowered a deputy and a paramedic to the trail,
where several attempts to revive Smith were unsuccessful, officials said.

He was pronounced dead at 9:05 a.m. Thursday, sheriff's Capt. Ron Nelson said.

Ventura County Star

3 IMBA programs and Shimano Assistance

The IMBA along with the National Park Service announced a new partnership that will

bring mountain bikers and park officials together for on-the-ground teamwork and to develop models for future collaboration

Three new pilot programs at Fort Dupont Park, Big Bend National Park, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park. These programs will study mountain biking in the parks in an effort to learn about the effects and benefits of it.

Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crews also announced that they'll be visiting up to nine national parks in 2006 to provide expert advice on trail etiquette and rider education, managing mountain bikes, trailbuilding and trail repair. The Crews will work with local mountain bike clubs, other trail user groups, community leaders and park staff to foster communication and collaboration.

The parks include:

• Big South Fork National Recreation Area (Tennessee)
• Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (Minnesota)
• Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
• Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, Cochran Shoals Unit (Georgia)
• Homestead National Monument of America (Nebraska)
• Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (Tennessee)
• Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (California)
• Mammoth Caves National Park (Kentucky)
• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)

Shimano Provides Assistance

Shimano will sponsor the UCI World Cup in 2006 and also offer 'netural technical assistance.'

From 2006 the changes of rules decided by the UCI will authorise 'external technical assistance' by mechanics during Mountain Bike Cross-country and Marathon events. Shimano will provide the neutral technical assistance service at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships and UCI Mountain Bike World Cup events.

More on IMBA's program
More on Shimano and the UCI World Cup

A Little Thing About Gifts

Cyclists love cycling gifts. I know I do! Nothing shows you care like a good set of El Caminos or some shiny new Hope skewers to breathe some life into a bike. Which is exactly what I got from my girlfriend this year for Christmas! Sure she thinks I spend too much time on this passion and she doesn't particularly care for me being dirty, smelly, and hurt sometimes - but above all that she knows what I love and she makes sure I'm happy.

The bag on the right is one she used for one of my gifts a few months ago. Best gift bag ever!

Moral of the story: forget the sweaters and gift cards, just give us gear!

The Mother of ALL Contussions

Today, Jared shared with us some pictures of the damage done by the mighty crash this past Friday. Like he said, they aren't for the faint of heart! One picture shows a very dark blue and purple bruise from the side of his stomach going down and covering half his thigh.

A few words on bruises

Bruising is what is considered a closed wound. (Duh?) A contussion and a bruise are the same thing. Contussions occur when you subject a part of your body to a hard blunt force. The blunt force damages soft tissue layers and blood vessels under the skin. This causes internal bleeding. The colors that we see is the blood and other fluids which seep into the surrounding tissue. For a few different reasons, some people bruise easier then others.

Really violent forces can not only damage soft tissue damage but also larger blood vessels, deeper layers of muscle tissue, and even organs. Any of these can lead to profuse internal bleeding.

Go here for the pictures

hello world

First of all, I want to thank Lety for coming up with the "As the Wheels Turn" name for this blog. Without that idea this would have been "Confessions of a Rider." I think it's much better to rip off a fellow rider then a cheesy movie, right?

What to look for in the future from As the Wheels Turn

Lots of mindless rambling about SocalTrailRiders.org, my biking life, and a tiny bit about my life away from the ride. Hopefully we can also get some other people to post on this blog also. Note that STR might be used instead of Socaltrailriders.org, just because it's a lot shorter and easier to type.

Thank yous

I want to take a moment to thank everybody that has ever graced our humble website. Seems like just yesterday it was just a few sketches in a notebook and now it has become a thriving community full of awesome people. Most of my good friendships have been formed because of the website - so I guess I'm also indebted to my own creation.

Stay safe and I'll see you on the trail!