Originally Posted by
hokie cycler
A few comments:
1. No I cannot walk away from the power grid nor do I want to, period. I'll live with the risk of an EMP attack, whatever the heck that is. Take the doomsday prepper talk somewhere else, I'm sure there's a forum for that somewhere on the interwebs.
EMP = electromagnetic pulse. It's the latest "scary" thing for many people who are afraid of the end of the world...or, at least for people who fear the end of the Internet
. An electromagnetic pulse can be as common as lightning...yes, it's an EMP...or as uncommon as a thermonuclear explosion (a NEMP), especially one that is transatmosphere. That's the one that the preppers fear. A thermonuclear EMP can fry
some electronics but not all. Our military has known and has planned for this kind of NEMP for decades.
With the exception of China and Russia, none of the other bogey men listed above can launch a transatmosphere NEMP. They don't have the rocket technology capable of that kind of launch.
Originally Posted by
hokie cycler
2. Riding 14 hours a day is insane. I love riding my bike, but not that much. Someone like that has let bike riding consume their life and their is no time for anything else. It's a case study in OCD.
Yes, it is insane. Kurt Searvogel took time from his business and is spending many tens of thousands of dollars to pursue this goal. His wife (I think his
ex-wife) is handling the business while he is away.
Originally Posted by
hokie cycler
3. Riding 7-8 hours a day, every day is a bit extreme, but hey, to each his own.
It's okay on tour but you are correct about doing it every day. Some of us have a life.
Originally Posted by
hokie cycler
... touring which is something I have never done but would like to try.
Don't wait. Get out there and do it. Whether you go ultralight (just don't tell us how wonderful you are for doing so
) or more traditional, there is no time like the present (well, next summer) to get out and do it. As the wise Pee Wee Herman said, "We all have big buts, Simone. Let's talk about yours."