newbie checklist...

[pikato]

Um, what exactly is a bento box?? I mean, I've seen the bento box style food containers,but I'm not really getting how that would strap onto a bike....

[Tuckervill]

Really popoki? You ride while listening to your ipod? That just seems so dangerous to me, not being able to hear oncoming cars or maybe others on bikes trying to pass you.

On a ride on Sunday, my 12 yo son, riding ahead of us, missed the turn for the trail we were on, and continued up a hill on the road. We didn't know where the road went, so I whistled for him to come back, but he had already crested and I couldn't see him. A cyclist taking a break at the Y said that the trail meets the road again up ahead, so rather than climbing the hill hubby and I went down the trail and waited for him at the intersection.

He never came. We assumed he stopped at the top when he heard the whistle, so hubby went back up the trail in case he had turned around, while I waited there. Some guy was riding by going the opposite direction on the road, so I called to him to tell the kid waiting at the top to come down.

The guy had earphones on--had heard me holler but didn't understand. He pulled out one earplug and I said it again, and he still didn't understand, and then he SLOWED, turned around in the middle of the road on a blind curve , pulled out the other earplug and then said, "Sorry, I just had to unplug."

I apologized profusely for interrupting his ride, said that it didn't matter and I felt guilty that he stopped. But later I was annoyed that he had earphones on at all. I shouldn't feel guilty. He could have ignored me and kept on riding, although I did think it was nice of him to stop. If he can't hear me though, what else can't he hear? Oh well, it's his melon to smash, I guess.

Karen

[Popoki_Nui]

Really popoki? You ride while listening to your ipod? That just seems so dangerous to me, not being able to hear oncoming cars or maybe others on bikes trying to pass you.

I don't have it blasting away if I'm in heavy bike or vehicular traffic, and often I'll shut it off if things get really hairy. Otherwise, on trails and paths, listening at a reasonable level, I can still hear everything that's going on around me.
On long rides, I get bored so I find good kick-a** music provides that motivation to keep me going!

~S.