This morning's fun: storm was coming in, so I went out for my long run before that hit. The new toy was still in the driveway; I figured it could handle being rained on. About four miles from home, the storm hit like the wrath of an angry god, and large limbs were getting ripped off treed in front of me and thrown into the middle of the street. AG was at the gym and it lost power for a while. Suddenly I remembered there was a big tree above the driveway and I could just see getting back to a smashed-in roof after less than a day and sobbing on the couch. Turned on the jets, got home (everything was fine) and discovered that yes, the truck does fit in the garage. It takes care, and the park assist complains multiple times in the process, but it fits. It'll probably only go in the garage when I have time and no distractions and am not in a rush and hungry, but it fits, which is good.

You run too much.

Thanks! But as for the gas, I calculated it: for the amount I drive per year, the GX literally takes an additional 50 gallons or less over the 4Runner. Or $100-$150/ year of ownership cost. Even in another gaspocalypse that's $200/ year. The big problem is shoving a brick through the air, because even the 4cyl Element is only a couple of mpg better than the 4Runner, and it's crazy slow in exchange for that, and not half as capable.

I just finished watching Tour of Flanders, on Youtube. Will I find the same, or similar sevice for the Giro, Tdf, and Vuelta España? Really no point in NBC or Euro subscriptions if that proves true.

Not all fake. Only 50-50. Wisdom is knowing which is which. Trust me.

Whoa. Boundaries. :wtf:

I know, I'm working on it.

OMG I love this, and we own 2 of them. :lol:

:love:

We were expecting the heavy weather, but I think we dodge the bullet as it moved north. Hope all is well there.

I can't speak re: SUVs, crossovers, and the like, but as far as mid-size sedans are concerned, I am really impressed by the gas mileage vs. performance tradeoff. It doesn't feel like much of a tradeoff at all. Our Acura TLXs routinely turn in 34 mph on the highway at 70-80 mph instant speeds from a very peppy 4- cylinder engine. It is all we would ever need as far as highway competence is concerned. There are four performance level settings ranging from economy to super-duper, but we have never changed it off of normal. Never needed to.

I completely agree that it isn't the popular understanding of the term, but it is the psychologically correct one. And it is the more instructive one. The popular meaning doesn't help you to identify and understand folks that are having trouble dealing with social situations unless the problem is so severe that they are either absent or catatonic (intentional hyperbole). The technical definitions of extrovert and introvert help you to understand what is going on inside folks who are there and are either really turned on or off, respectively.

Yeah, it cleared up faster than it was supposed to this morning, and the fury was mostly over not long after I got the truck in the garage and showered (of course). But now the sun is out and all that water must be evaporating and making it a sauna out there, so it's an indoor day for the rest of the day.

Aero, as any tri geek could tell you, is just about everything at those speeds. A nice, low, sleek TLX is going to cheat the air, and in fact part of the reason a lot of cars have broadly similar shapes these days is they're all designed in the wind tunnel (tempered by crash ratings), which doesn't exactly reward differentiation. It's why an Accord doesn't do much worse than a Civic on the highway, despite being bigger, heavier, and more powerful.

Yep.

From what I can tell, all of the 2017 sedans came off the same line, as far as body style is concerned.

Just saw the Tour of Flanders. Wow. Glory for one, tough break for another. No spoilers.

Fins. Not enough fins.

Yay! An average speed thread with a poll! I wonder how long before it jumps the snark?

On a Sunday? Hours.

Tom Boonen's last Flanders! It's an end of an era with Boonen and Cancellara retired/retiring.

It's good to see Vanmarcke is back with Cannondale.

Another event that demonstrates to me cycling has without any doubt the worst fans. This is the only sport in which fans cause injuries to athletes on a consistent basis or pose as danger in every event, absolutely the worst dickheads.

It was his own fault, in this instance.

No one forces them to ride on the gutter.

Fans had nothing to do either, did they?

Leaning over the fence, hanging their jackets on the fence, shoving their arms, hands and flags into their faces, overall behaving like *******. Yeah, i'm sure it had nothing to do with it.

WARNING SPOILERS INSIDE

Spoilery Link