DG's blog: Tales from the Trails, MUP PErpaTratorS
08-23-20, 01:58 PM
#76
Senior Member
At a risk of dragging this off in another direction--but it's your fault because of that Chuang Tzu quote--I was just this morning by-the-way listening to a darma talk by Ram Dass (as, oddly enough, I was getting all my new rechargeable bike lights set up to recharge in one big bank of lights [too many layers of metaphor here to unpack!]). He was talking about being in India, having just come from his commune in the US. The commune was of course one of those back-to-simplicity things of the late 60s: back to the land, away from all modern complications, yada yada. So he's in India, wandering, and he comes upon this idyllic hamlet which is quiet and still, surrounded by green fields of gardens, no noise and not hubbub. He thinks: "This is it. This is really it."
I couldn't help but thinking: sure, from the outside, it's "really it." That's what Americans see when we travel. Either the Unconsciously Good Natives or the *****hole Untouchables. So what he saw was the Unconsciously At-One-With-The-Earth Natives: They avoid overcrowding, air pollution, heart attacks, muggings, stress, anxiety, noise, light pollution. So they have wonderful lives, right? But what you can't see is an ocean in which they're immersed and can't avoid: hunger, malnutrition, being at the mercy of the colonial and post-colonial governments that fed off them and neglected them, death in childbirth, child weddings, patriarchal sex abuse, **** culture, inability to create a better life for their children … and all of the other things that the pre-Liberal PC world steeped in.
And here we are talking about rechargeable lights and MUPs. As Ram Dass would say: Far out.
OK, so back on the subject. I personally would find your thoughts about the trail very interesting. You could start at mile 1 and do an in-depth tour guide of what the trail is, what's on it and off of it, even where the problem areas are. And by the way, Dig, there is non decent map of the SMT. I sketched one out for my own use because even the one on line is pretty sucky. I don't know what you do for a living, but there might be a real business opportunity here while you were doing something of (more Ram Dass talk, sorry) service to the community.
Just a thought. If anyone can do it you can.
I couldn't help but thinking: sure, from the outside, it's "really it." That's what Americans see when we travel. Either the Unconsciously Good Natives or the *****hole Untouchables. So what he saw was the Unconsciously At-One-With-The-Earth Natives: They avoid overcrowding, air pollution, heart attacks, muggings, stress, anxiety, noise, light pollution. So they have wonderful lives, right? But what you can't see is an ocean in which they're immersed and can't avoid: hunger, malnutrition, being at the mercy of the colonial and post-colonial governments that fed off them and neglected them, death in childbirth, child weddings, patriarchal sex abuse, **** culture, inability to create a better life for their children … and all of the other things that the pre-Liberal PC world steeped in.
And here we are talking about rechargeable lights and MUPs. As Ram Dass would say: Far out.
OK, so back on the subject. I personally would find your thoughts about the trail very interesting. You could start at mile 1 and do an in-depth tour guide of what the trail is, what's on it and off of it, even where the problem areas are. And by the way, Dig, there is non decent map of the SMT. I sketched one out for my own use because even the one on line is pretty sucky. I don't know what you do for a living, but there might be a real business opportunity here while you were doing something of (more Ram Dass talk, sorry) service to the community.
Just a thought. If anyone can do it you can.
Last edited by Elbeinlaw; 08-23-20 at 02:03 PM.
08-23-20, 02:03 PM
#77
Senior Member
Just want to note that my previous post was censored. (1) An allusion to a geographical label originated by the President of the United States, "eloh****" countries (right to left, please) and (2) the phrase "r8pe culture," which is not in the least obscene or objectionable anywhere else! What's wrong with these people?
09-23-20, 10:44 PM
#78
Society Dropout
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Originally Posted by Digger Goreman
Early morning and the planets nearly aligned! Had to be interrupted by an old fart in a painters truck that couldn't buy a clue on Wheel of Fortune.... Juliette Rd., ofc....
Otherwise, sweet ride to either side (and throughout) the 6-7am hour
11-01-20, 07:34 PM
#80
Quidam Bike Super Hero
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Late August to earliest November (Happy New Year/Samhain) and nothing has changed... it is still life threatening to traverse the Stone Mountain Trail. Recycle everything above.... I even had rare occasion to motor the area and watch the gas guzzler fiasco-***-killing fields that pass for "driving".... Complete with ignored bike crossing warning signs and senseless behaviors. Just one example: I am in car and approaching the multi-lane crossing, with cyclist on my right about to enter WITH the proper light. So, I slow to allow him to proceed before turning right. Car from approaching direction, failing to scan crossing or my signal, turns and almost plows the poor biker! Then forces through behind him and illegally in front of me! Unloaded the (car) horn on that... fool....
Nothing changes....
However, as a public service announcement, there are two dangerous infrastructure problems going unsolved: Just to the east of the major intersection (Mountain Industrial meets North Hairston), I believe "Litton Rd", a crew removed the navigable edges of the road and the sloping, disabled people friendly slopes. The removed sections are left unpaved AND CURBS HAVE BEEN ADDED!!! I used to easily make 20mph+ through that section and, if you aren't familiar with the crossing, you might miss the lack of signage and wreck your rims or worse.... Be extra careful, please....
Just east of that, there is a parallel grate on the downhill left lane (uphill right). Been that way since I started using the trail....
Be safe....
Nothing changes....
However, as a public service announcement, there are two dangerous infrastructure problems going unsolved: Just to the east of the major intersection (Mountain Industrial meets North Hairston), I believe "Litton Rd", a crew removed the navigable edges of the road and the sloping, disabled people friendly slopes. The removed sections are left unpaved AND CURBS HAVE BEEN ADDED!!! I used to easily make 20mph+ through that section and, if you aren't familiar with the crossing, you might miss the lack of signage and wreck your rims or worse.... Be extra careful, please....
Just east of that, there is a parallel grate on the downhill left lane (uphill right). Been that way since I started using the trail....
Be safe....
