never said i was special. i used to ride like that and until a year ago... i was caught up in a lot of non-essential stuff that went with riding and going to gym. i think many people that are use that much gear have been doing so for a long time and ought to try simplified riding - e.g., no phone, ipod, gps, or other gear. when i did it, i found it quite liberating - riding seriously can take a lot of time and decreasing the prep time can get you more time on trail or road... thats all, no elitism on my part.