What Took Spirituality Out of Religion
Posted: June 30, 2009 Filed under: Random Thoughts | Tags: Outdoor Recreation, religion, road trips, Rock Climbing, Spirituality Leave a comment »
I was listening to an interview on NPR this weekend while driving to Pittsburgh with my wife and daughter. It’s an eight-plus-hour trip and it quickly became a blur of interstate rest stops and half-decent restaurants, so I can’t remember the person answering the questions, but he said something that got me thinking in a way that can only happen on long road trips.
He said, “I am not really a religious person – I don’t practice any more, but I still feel intensely spiritual.”
I think this stuck with me because I am pretty much the same.
I grew up Catholic (hence the picture of Vatican City) but never really connected spirituality with sitting in a huge ornate hall listening to old hymns and sermons that were re-hashed over and over again. It’s not that we lacked good priests – I have been entertained and inspired by several of the Catholic priests I have seen throughout the years. Read the rest of this entry »
Grayson Highlands
Posted: June 22, 2009 Filed under: Hiking, Outdoor Recreation | Tags: Hiking, Outdoor Recreation, Virginia Leave a comment »So, on the way home from my wife’s 20th high school reunion, I was able to make a quick detour to Grayson Highlands State Park In VA this weekend. This is definitely my second favorite hiking spot on the east coast (#1 is Linville Gorge).
A view on the road to Grayson Highlands
For starters, it’s just fun to drive up there. Hwy 58 is one of those roads where the posted speed limit is 45, but there is no way you could average that speed on four wheels unless you’re in a Porsche. Plus, it’s beautiful mountainous farmland. 58 is part of The Crooked Road Music Trail, so there are some pretty amazing views and dozens of historic landmarks along the way.
Once you get there, the park is even more amazing. It’s one of the few high concentrations of natural balds in the Southeast. Most of the hiking is up above 5,000 feet, and it links up to the Appalachian trail, so technically, you have access to thousands of miles of trails. All technicalities aside, there is more trail mileage in the park than most folks could cover in a weekend. It’s also the best gateway to Mount Rogers, the VA State High point. Read the rest of this entry »
Personal Transportation
Posted: June 17, 2009 Filed under: Cycling, News Leave a comment »A lot of folks who make their living buying and selling companies (or helping others buy and sell companies) read a little website called TheDeal.com religously. It’s a great site. They always cover breaking news for the deal community, and when they re-hash a story from a larger and more well-funded newspaper, they always put their own unique spin on it.
They ran a story recently: Rethinking the Personal Transportation Industry. It’s interesting that a publication like TheDeal, which really has nothing to do with cycling, public transportation, outdoors, or the environment, is looking at the automotive industry in this light. Maybe it has finally hit home – America doesn’t need cars at all.
TheDeal article mentioned ZipCar and also highlighted Detroit’s pending decision to stop its attempts to push as many cars as they can possibly manufacture down our throats. Of course, they did not mention many other alternatives to the car. Maybe the people who invested in auto manufacturers should start looking at more creative solutions. My personal favorite is still bike commuting.
Rise and Fall
Posted: June 15, 2009 Filed under: Footwear, News, Outdoor Recreation Leave a comment »Two years ago, Crocs were huge. Ugly bright foam footwear was everywhere and retailers couldn’t get enough. The company could basically throw shoes in a box and ship them out as fast as possible and they would sell.
The company grew from 50 employees to over 5,000 in a few short years. Unfortunately they alienated a lot of their retailers along the way.
At a recent investors conference, Crocs new CEO, John Duerden recognized the challenge he faces and has plans to repair some of the damage. He said that of the biggest reasons for Crocs revenue decline has been the failure of the retail business and he wants to prioritize reconnecting with Crocs retailers.
I’ve gone out to Crocs offices outside of Boulder and met a couple of the folks runing things. They couldn’t be nicer or more considerate. They are also making some decent product now.
But is it too late?
Bar Tape
Posted: June 10, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Cycling, Ethics, Work Leave a comment »I just re-wrapped the bars on my bike last night and I started thinking about this act. It’s almost a moment of zen – performing a simple task and trying to achieve perfection.
When I first started working in bike shops I was the only roadie in a shop full of mountain bikers. As such, I was the guy who built all of the road bikes. Building a road bike requires time and precision, and at the time, wraping the bars just made it a chore.
After a year at this shop, I decided I wanted to work at a more road-oriented shop, so I headed to one of the besthigh-end road racing shops in town and applied for a sales/jr. mechanic position. I got the job.
Then I met Andrew. He was a cocky former track rider with a hell of a sprint. He taught me a lot about training, bike handling and race tactics. He was also a damn good bike mechanic. He took pride in wraping bars perfectly.
It was fascinating how something as simple as wraping a bar with a strip of cork could be perfected into an art form. Most people don’t notice their bar tape, but when Andrew wrapped a bar for someone, they always commented on how great it looked.
I watched and learned. Now wraping a bar is almost an escape for me. I don’t work in a bike shop anymore, so I only do it once or twice a year. I am sure there is a greater life lesson analogy in here, but I won’t pretend that it applies to everyone. For my personal journey, this seemingly mundane act helps me focus. It comes to mind when work seems like drudgery and helps me focus.
