SmartAsset: The Economics of The Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco.
Jalopnik: So You Want To Watch Free Motorsports Online?
I watched an IndyCar the other day. All the cars look identical except for color; as a result, there was a video-game quality to it. I found it an excellent substitute for Sominex.
SciAm: Riding Technique Affects Horse Force.
“Researchers filmed dressage riders as they trotted using both techniques. And they found that riders who use the more bouncy ‘rising trot’ actually keep their center of mass more steady when they stand—which reduces the force on the horse’s back.” Never sit like a sack of potatoes. Terrible for the horse.
Guardian.UK: Lance Armstrong sued by US government.
“Armstrong’s salary during that time, excluding bonuses, was $17.9m, the complaint says. The government is suing under the False Claims Act and can recoup up to three times the amount it lost as a result of the fraud.”
Temescalien: 1964 VW Bus race transporter.
Ooooh. Pushes all the right buttons. What the Van lacks in spunk, the racer makes up for.
Guardian.UK: Why the Boston terrorist plot is the least successful in living memory.
Guardian.UK: London Marathon security stepped up after Boston attacks.
My sister will be running.
Eddie Bauer: 50th Anniversary of Everest.
Nice little feature. Jim Whittaker went on to run REI, didn’t he? Unsoeld and Hornbein were real gutsy dudes. One of the many climbing histories that got me to strap into Raichles and Sacs Millet in the 70’s.
SciAm: Crowd Psychology — What Comes After Boston for Mass Public Events?
Hmmm. Perhaps safety would be as simple as asking “Is that your backpack?” at every event. A much larger risk is the simple idiocy of crowds. Motor racing fans will stand at the outside edge of downhill curves … the epitome of Darwin Award stupidity. Just because “everyone’s doing it” doesn’t mean a particular behavior or position is safe.
Guardian.UK: Can shaving your legs offer any advantage for regular male cyclists?
“If you’ve got a little bit of hair on your legs it will turbulate [sic] the air so you get a better flow. Now this in itself creates friction, so you don’t want all your leg hairy you just want two thin strips, each about 10mm wide, just before the sides of your legs – though you will look really stupid.” I shave in-season, without a qualm. It’s only embarrassing on the earliest rides … looking fish-belly white.
ThinkProgress: Explosions At The Boston Marathon.
At least a dozen injured/dead/dismembered, according to reports. Link via KCM on FB.
[I didn’t post this right away because I was checking my sister’s status, who has run the Marathon in previous years. She’s safe at home, planning to run in London this year (Thank GOD).]
Later: An emailer accused me of rumormongering about ‘dismemberments’. #8, beware. Do not view if squeamish.
Vanity Fair: Felix Baumgartner’s Story—Who Is the Man Who Pierced the Sky?
A William Langewiesche article? Instant link.
The Brooks England Blog: The Brooks P13 Peter & F13 Flopsy.
Comfy ride, tailored for outrage (virality), Easter and April Fool’s.
WaxWane: New Balance in the Seventies – The Spirit of the Track.
Back when I was tooling around in my original Nike Waffle Trainers, NB was advertising via those patch ads in the back of the running mags. Hard to imagine, now.
Motoriginal: Five Fifty.
One of the ‘little bastards’, as James Dean dubbed his. Nice shots.
Motorcycle News: Would you buy a sidecar?
Oh hell yes!
ArtDaily: Bonhams to offer Maserati at Goodwood Festival of Speed Auction.
Holy Hannah … I need to win the lottery, bad. A Maserati ordered by Briggs Cunningham? Piece of history.
Car & Driver: Historic Mercedes-Benz W196 F1 Racer Going to Auction.
Fangio alert, once again. One of his rides is up for auction. Will it bring more than Sir Stirling’s Ferrari?
Youtube: Vintage Juan Manuel Fangio.
A must-post. Onboard film of Fangio driving at Monaco!!
CycleEXIF: Bianchi Rekord 920.
I suppose you have to be a real aficionado to love Bianchi green bikes. A color to gag some, and to seduce true believers. If I didn’t have a Merckx, I’d have a Bianchi. In green.
Gizmodo: Why You Should Switch to Clipless Pedals
On my road bike, yes. On my MTB I prefer Power Grips. My riding is not on a competition level, and I enjoy not having to pay a premium for specialized MTB shoes.
NY Times: Justice Department Will Join Lawsuit Against Lance Armstrong.
I figured they’d have to, in the current political climate. A slow-motion edifice wreck. So far, I’ve not seen comment anywhere lately from Floyd Landis. Here’s another link that talks more about the case.
Amazon.com: SKLZ Speed Resistance Training Parachute.
Use one o’ these in NM in the springtime, you’ll either have the thighs of a Titan or you’ll end up tucked in a ball as you get hurricaned eastward past Texas and Oklahoma.
SF New Mexican: Lack of liability insurance forces closure of city’s only motocross park.
A shame. An available track keeps these folks from illegally blasting down our trails.
NY Times: Lance Armstrong Again Refuses to Meet With Usada.
“Armstrong wants to talk to antidoping officials because he would like them to mitigate his lifetime ban from Olympic sports, according to several people who have discussed the matter with him. Those people did not want their names used for fear of retribution from Armstrong.” My emphasis. ‘Contrition’ is from the Latin, ‘to grind down.’ Get out the mortar and pestle, I think he needs a few rounds more.
