digital natives = slugs
#1
cyclepath
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: "The Last Best Place"
Posts: 3,550
Bikes: 2005 Trek Pilot 5.0, 2001 Specialized Sirrus Pro, Kona Lava Dome, Raleigh hardtail converted to commuter, 87 Takara steel road bike, 2008 Trek Soho
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
digital natives = slugs
Children born into the digital age, aka digital natives, are pathetically out of shape and I think there's a definite connection. Probably not earth shaking news to many of you.
I recently went on a two day ride on a 15 mile rail/trail with a different set of about 30 teenagers each day. Not a single one of them could even come remotely close to riding with me. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't out asking to race them, I could just tell. When some actually had to turn around and go up a light, light grade, forget it. A couple of kids did challenge me and it was sad. Like playing with a 2 year old.
I don't know whether to feel good about myself or sorry for them. When I was in high school I don't think there's any way some 50+ guy could have beaten me or many of my friends.
BTW, many of us could be called DSL or digital second language while some are DD's or digital dinosaurs. That would be my wife.
I recently went on a two day ride on a 15 mile rail/trail with a different set of about 30 teenagers each day. Not a single one of them could even come remotely close to riding with me. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't out asking to race them, I could just tell. When some actually had to turn around and go up a light, light grade, forget it. A couple of kids did challenge me and it was sad. Like playing with a 2 year old.
I don't know whether to feel good about myself or sorry for them. When I was in high school I don't think there's any way some 50+ guy could have beaten me or many of my friends.
BTW, many of us could be called DSL or digital second language while some are DD's or digital dinosaurs. That would be my wife.
__________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
#2
Third World Layabout
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Costa Rica
Posts: 3,136
Bikes: Cannondale F900 and Tandem
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 397 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 32 Times
in
22 Posts
Well - I got beat by two kids today riding together - and it wasn't a tandem. Man we were flying - what made it worse, I was completely geared up and they were about as basic as you can get. Even though I am not fat, I probably weighed more than both of them put together.
I was holding back though - running full tilt toward a fence on a slightly nuts horse has always unnerved me - but what I couldn't believe is they beat me bare back - two of them on the horse.
I was holding back though - running full tilt toward a fence on a slightly nuts horse has always unnerved me - but what I couldn't believe is they beat me bare back - two of them on the horse.
#4
just keep riding
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Milledgeville, Georgia
Posts: 13,560
Bikes: 2018 Black Mountain Cycles MCD,2017 Advocate Cycles Seldom Seen Drop Bar, 2017 Niner Jet 9 Alloy, 2015 Zukas custom road, 2003 KHS Milano Tandem, 1986 Nishiki Cadence rigid MTB, 1980ish Fuji S-12S
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 173 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
22 Posts
I agree with your basic point, but my 12 y/o could hang with you on a rail/trail, leave you behind in the hills and absolutely pulverize you on Madden 2007.
#5
Banned.
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 20,917
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
10 Posts
On the Ride the Rockies, it is embarrassing when a 13 year old pounds you into the ground. And, they do! Like all aspects of life, some are fit and some are not.
#6
Banned.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Post-partisan Paradise
Posts: 4,938
Bikes: GF Wahoo '05, Trek T1000 '04, Lemond Buenos Aires '07
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
2 Posts
My son kicks my fanny regularly when we are biking. And he does love his Facebook.
#7
cyclepath
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: "The Last Best Place"
Posts: 3,550
Bikes: 2005 Trek Pilot 5.0, 2001 Specialized Sirrus Pro, Kona Lava Dome, Raleigh hardtail converted to commuter, 87 Takara steel road bike, 2008 Trek Soho
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I don't doubt there's plenty out there that could kick our butt. I bet not as many as there used to be though.
__________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
#8
Shredding Grandma!
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,803
Bikes: I don't own any bikes
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 46 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm a hiking/biking docent for The Nature Conservancy/Irvine Ranch Conservancy. We regularly take out school age children on hikes and bike rides. I'm sorry it's really sad. The most developed body part of most of these kids are their thumbs from working their GameBoys. Plus they have little interest in what nature has to offer. We saw a mountain lion on a hike and the kids were totally unimpressed. I guess if it were a giant yellow Transformer with an Ax and Sword it would be different.
Sortof glad I grew up in the 50's when we actually had to use our imaginations to play. Kids no longer get to fantasized - the computer provides everything.
Sortof glad I grew up in the 50's when we actually had to use our imaginations to play. Kids no longer get to fantasized - the computer provides everything.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Space Coast, Florida
Posts: 2,465
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 21 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
My 15-year old son calls me Steroid Man when we get on bikes, but he smokes me in the swmming pool. When I was younger, I remember getting whipped by a 12-year old in the backstroke, and me throwing up afterward. Maybe biking is more of a skill for older folks. Teenagers can make it in the NBA, but bike pros come of age in their 30s.
#11
Grumpy Old Bugga
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 4,229
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 370 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
My lad's a fit as a mallee bull. He plays club soccer plus school soccer plus anything else he can get into. He wants to do track cycling over summer to keep himself fit for next soccer season. Mind you, his soccer coach also reckons he's far and away the fittest player in the team. But most of his school friends aren't intersted in playing sport at all and even in PE, he's always complaining that only two or three of his class are actually trying to play whatever game it is they're playing. Part of their PE is a run around the school, against the clock. He does it in 4 minutes and reckons that only a handful do it under 5 minutes and there are still some who can't run the full distance despite having all been doing the run since Feb.
Richard
Richard
#12
cyclepath
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: "The Last Best Place"
Posts: 3,550
Bikes: 2005 Trek Pilot 5.0, 2001 Specialized Sirrus Pro, Kona Lava Dome, Raleigh hardtail converted to commuter, 87 Takara steel road bike, 2008 Trek Soho
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
So is there a connection between the digital age and physical fitness? I think there is. Doesn't the younger generation have a big problem with obesity too? Oh well, as long as they hang around long enough to pay into our social security I don't care I guess.
__________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
#13
just keep riding
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Milledgeville, Georgia
Posts: 13,560
Bikes: 2018 Black Mountain Cycles MCD,2017 Advocate Cycles Seldom Seen Drop Bar, 2017 Niner Jet 9 Alloy, 2015 Zukas custom road, 2003 KHS Milano Tandem, 1986 Nishiki Cadence rigid MTB, 1980ish Fuji S-12S
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 173 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
22 Posts
I'm sure the electronic factor is part of the complex set of issues contributing to the health issues of the children of today - and their parents. Cars, air conditioning, cheap, plentiful food, full of unhealthy sweeteners and chemicals, schools that don't require physical education. There are many contributors.
Fortunately there are exceptions. Not all the kids are fat and lazy. But too many are. I'm afraid that much of their money that should pay for our retirements will have to pay for their health care.
Fortunately there are exceptions. Not all the kids are fat and lazy. But too many are. I'm afraid that much of their money that should pay for our retirements will have to pay for their health care.
#14
Time for a change.
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England
Posts: 19,913
Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
Our road is full of kids aged from 7 to 13. Last year I made the mistake of taking a 12 year old lad on a 6 mile ride to a cafe and Back. Big Mistake- I did not allow for the speed he could make to the cafe up a gentle slope, nor for the speed he could make with the slope to his advantage. Let me just say that I had to work to kep him alongside me. The biggest mistake though was how much he ate at the cafe- Nearly emptied my wallet and this is a skinny lad that plays Soccer at every oportunity. His elder brother bought a cheap bike to Commute to work and he does ride every day- whatever the weather and it is only about 5 miles each way. He passed me one morning on his way to work and I am glad he is not one of my riding partners the speed he was going- Now their dad is a different matter. He tires after about 25 miles.
The rest of the road- Forget about and that includes the adults.
The rest of the road- Forget about and that includes the adults.
__________________
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,760
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1109 Post(s)
Liked 1,200 Times
in
760 Posts
I didn't do much of anything physical when I was a teenager. Neither did my sibs or friends.
If my kids and their friends are any indication, kids these days are harder working and more fit than me or anyone I hung out with in HS or college.
I always roll my eyes at these "kids nowadays" stories. stereotypes all.
If my kids and their friends are any indication, kids these days are harder working and more fit than me or anyone I hung out with in HS or college.
I always roll my eyes at these "kids nowadays" stories. stereotypes all.