Seems topical #cxnats2015 "The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new." 

maybe not fighting, maybe complaining, or being outraged at the old.

how do we move forward and change though

how do we identify problems and issues?

the same way we discover our own limitations.

By having to go through it.

I tell the people that I train on my microscopes, the most important thing to do if something happens and it breaks or stops working: Tell me exactly what you did leading up to it, and tell me as soon as something happens. Accidents happen, my job is to fix it and get it working as quickly as possible and then make adjustments to training/education/signage/rules to prevent it from happening again.  Everyone fucks up. But I need YOU to tell me when you fuck up so we can move on without making it worse for everyone else who depends on the system. 

That's the key. Everyone makes a mistake.

And no one is flawless. Some may be perfect most of the time, but even the most practiced veteran/master of a skill/trade/sport/job/whatever messes up occasionally.

Sign of maturity is acknowledging it and appologizing and asking (even just asking oneself internally if no one else noticed) how to i make a change to keep this from happening again.

Now Keep in mind if you make the same catastrophic mistake twice you're off the system. Two strikes on half million dollar equipment is harsh but I also expect you to pay attention and not repeat yourself. And so far in my 20 years with that policy, no one has made the same catastrophic mistake twice.

THe CX nats disaster is one of these things. Sure the Tree People totally blindsided the event. That is not as outraging as it is unfortunate and sad and very costly for many people. 

As Colin so passionally put it (and backed up this passion with facts) the biggest mistake was the schedule for the girls. 
The more offensive issue is that they have appologized but not admitted it was a decision that was bad, flawed and had a horrible consequence, nor offered any assurance that it won't happen again.

And that I feel furthers the debate rather than ends it and helps move on. 

I wrote the above well before the tree people posted their manifesto and their side of the story. And that changes things, brings into doubt stories by some.  And no, I'm not trying to demonize or hate on USAC, but I would like to see some recognition and acknowledgement of their actions and how it impacted the juniors and how to move on.  

Parbo posted something this morning over on facebook. It resonated a bit. Committees exist for a reason, but it sounded like friends of the commiitee were acting more like an omerta than representatives of the cyclists. "Keep quiet, people are working on it." "Don't rock the boat." "Why all the complaining?" "There are just things you don't know so pipe down."

I'm overlaying some of my own frustrations sure, it is going to happen. But when LVG feels like she's been thrown under the bus, that's just enough to make me feel sick. 

Do I have any aswers? No, that's why I was posting questions and sharing my feelings on twitters and faceplace. Is my audience small and similarly minded? Yes. Do they get tired of hearing the same thing from everyone? I bet they do. Some of them at least.

There was more uproar and anger online after the USAC officials mis-handled the Cat 4 women's race lap times and cards and all that than there seemed to be about the Jr Girls getting relegated to sideshow status. Yes, I know, the grand plan was to give them their own race on the same day as the elites (but no TV coverage, save that for the boys), yes, saving their event for the marquee day of Nationals is pretty cool. Not cool was what happened and how the officials decided to handle it.

The tree stuff?

I've written about the soils. And spent sometime refreshing my woody plant physiology specifically about the roots. Worked a bit to try and figure out what species the trees were that they were all concerned about.  All I can find is that most of the trees there don't need water (they were complaining about needing to water the trees that have damaged roots). None of the roots looked larger than 3" in diameter (the critical size for live oaks). Sure. Will they maybe not grow quite as much this year as they did last year? Possibly. But water? Also mulching tends to promote root rot. So these people trying to protect the trees by watering and mulching them really could actually be doing more damage to them than the CX race ever could. Do I need to explain why watering a native tree is bad? If you water the tree then the tree doesn't spend resources digging down to a sustainable moisture source. If the roots don't spread and explore the ground gets more compacted and water table actually gets lower. Now the nice thing about new root growth into new soil pockets is that it picks up new nutrients. Damage can happen, but damage when it isn't actively growing may not be so bad. Why? Well there is wound response in the trees, and generally it can respond over time. Damage it now, when it starts growing it will respond in that area.

Reaction wood is a great example of that. The winter storms and prevailing winds can influence the growth of reaction wood. Some how these trees know what to do. Hell they've been living longer than most of us. How many generations of being left along by people do trees live? A hell of a long time.

Giono's short story is a great fictional parable. Moral of the story really isn't anything more than to inspire people to plant trees. The story is good because it is based on truths and practice to some degree. Trees though won't reclaim areas they've never grown in, but they can reclaim areas and environments they've been displaced from for a human generation or more. 

I hadn't really meant to get into the trees with this post. But it is an intertwined story.

Solobreak/Negacoach rightfully points out, esp with the US culture, having a CX race in a visible public perfecly manicured "crown jewel" park, well is pretty dumb. But until someone starts buying golf courses and turning them into CX courses, we're going to have to find solutions in land like over in West Warwick and the Riverpoint CX park. Or over in L'ville. Trade offs with both of those. 

What's the solution? who knows really. But if you tell everyone to shut up, they're more likely going to walk away. Tell them what they can to do help, what you're doing to make it better, and what steps are in place so it doesn't happen again. 

Ramble nonsense to get it out of my head. if someone wants to share this vomited pile of characters and thoguhts, great. I'm not going to. But I'm still going to hit publish, read it later, maybe edit it a bit. Maybe.

and hopefully keep the writing momentum up.
heddwch
G

So a while back (shit doesn't seem like that long ago but oct 2010 kind of is i guess) I posted a pancake recipe.

We don't make these more than once a week or so, usually eggs for breakfast or some toast with peanut butter or something else. But the batter i've settled on isn't the sickly sweet flavorless until you top with syrup white pancakes most people think about. And no, it is never acceptable to use non-butter if you're not vegan. No problem with vegan, none at all. But if you are not vegan and you're using something other than unsalted butter for these, ask yourself why. Also that butter better not have have "natural flavoring" aka chemical shit storm because the cream used is gross flavorless stuff from high production industrial cows. Kerry Gold Butter, and most organic unsalted butter are free of the flavoring (thing microwave popcorn taste). Most noticable when you haven't had that type of butter in years. Then you do and you're like "this shit tastes like chemical butter!" Because it is.

Ha, damnit. GeWilli got judgemental a bit. Well you know what? It is a blog. I ain't making you read it. Change the channel. Also I'm not targeting anyone in particular. This is blanket advice for everyone.  Once the consumers realize they're not really tasting stuff they way it is, I think they'll get it.  You lose the nuance of the flavors...  the ingredients in your ingredients matter.

Even with pancakes.

or esp with pancakes?

So the original 1st gen of the recipe is linked above. I'm gonna take that - paste it here and make the changes as I currently make the 'cakes:

Single batch, actually this batter works great for waffles too for you crazy hupcake/belgian wanna be types. Pancakes are just a tad easier to make.

4 eggs (medium)
1 cup Milk
1 cup Yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 tablespoon flax
2 teaspoon salt

Beat the eggs till just blended, add the yogurt and get is smooooth, then the milk and rest of that stuff and blend together. (that vanilla better just be vanilla and booze, Trader Joe's Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract is what is in my pantry).

Next on top of the liquid I pile up (yes I mean in same bowl and I mean on top of the liquids):
1.5 cups of  organic all purpose Whole Wheat flour
1 cup of organic all purpose White flour (makes the pancakes just a touch lighter)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder (aluminum free stuff)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon-tablespoon of cinnamon 

Putting the small dry ingredients on top of the dry stuff and then mixing it all in works really well for me. You could alternatively put the dry stuff in a different bowl, mix them and then dump into the wet stuff - or put the wet stuff on top of the dry. I like only having one bowl to wash and since I do the cooking AND the dishes it is something i think about.

Okay. Mix just until barely integrated. The less mixing the better the pancakes.

Now you should have the skillet warming up. 

In that skillet put 6 tablespoons of butter to melt. Once the butter is just melted pour it all into the batter and fold it in gently. 

Okay.

is the batter too thin? add a bit more flour...
too thick? Add some milk...

how do you know if it is one or the other? Experience.

There ya go.

At this point you can add some frozen blueberries, or chocolate chips before cooking (I totally pretty much put semi-sweet chocolate chips in there, because CHOCOLATE IS AWESOME).  Add the chocolate chips AFTER the butter to avoid melting the chips into large chunks or dissolving totally (experience).

This is still one of my favorite variation:
One nice variation is to substitute 1/2 of the milk with apple cider and add extra cinnamon and then grate an apple into the pancake batter (nice big slot grater).

--

You can use these for waffles (leave of the chocolate chips so you don't mess up the waffle iron), serve with a bit of butter (optional) and topped with some nice Grade B (or whatever it is called now) Maple Syrup.

I use extras as ride fuel/sandwiches. Slap some fresh ground peanut butter in the middle. Boom. instant yummy round "energy bar"

there is enough flavor in these cakes that you don't need the sugar stuff.

Why this why now? Cally asked for the current pancake recipe, and Russ posted a picture of a stack of cakes with a fried egg on top. AND it is sunday and I had a second or two between dishes, lunch, computer consultation about school project, and I felt like it.  

Remember, i'm not judging you or trying to make you feel bad about how you cook or what you bought last time, or everytime. I'm just trying to help, the little things do matter, and they all add up.  Also, be sure you're going to be able to manage the insulin spike with appropriate activity after eating these. They are better than most and all that, but they still shouldn't be an every morning thing. Make them for dinner is better. But they are still grains and will still mess with insulin and those bad cholesterols...  keep it all in mind i guess. Moderation isn't really the answer to be honest. But these are my opinions based on the primary lit i've been reading for the last few years.

No more rambling....  and no tweeting of recipe, solobreak gonna have to find it himself

heddwch
G

My thoughts, yes i have a couple degrees in this stuff, it is okay, i think those facts mean I can be completely ignored.  But I've been watching all this CXNats brewhaha...  and feel compelled to say something.

How do you protect your trees? You managed your turf. Trees don't naturally grow with grass around them. Putting grass to the trunk is as unnatural as sprinkler systems and mowing.

If you want to protect your trees and parks and make them stronger and resiliant to anything humans can do in a week, let the grass do what it does best. Build soil.

Let the grass grow tall. (aka no you can't play golf on it) the roots will grow and expand to feed the blades. Then cut it short (simulate grazing) and the roots die back turning into soil also naturally aerating the soil to match shorter blades.

Let it grow again, oh hey look NEW ROOTS...  aka more carbon matter added to the soil. Also happens to put more atmospheric CO2 into the ground, as well as building a nice cushion around the base of the trees.

Repeat this process, and in a few years you'll have some pretty amazing lawns in your public spaces (I'M TALKING TO YOU GLOUCESTER PROVIDENCE AND AUSTIN- pay attention ASHVILLE AND HARTFORD)

The root of the problem is always below the soil.

Mowing grass on a weekly basis to the same height is pretty much the best way to stress your trees and make your park fragile (as is driving cars on it, but that's a different story).

I firmly believe that you can do what Joel Salatin does on his farm in our parks. Sure maybe you need some pelletized fertilizer (or liquid or some other source of nitrogen/nutrients) BUT, there's no reason why you can't let the grass actually do almost all the work for you. FOR FREE, actually would save money by reducing mowing costs.

--- Okay --- discussion with brother lead to this realization about the trees:


If you mess up the top soil around them (this time of year) while they are dormant. And then replace it with a huge pile of awesomeness (aka good nutrient rich topsoil). The surface roots will prolifetate at a rate that will NOT happen if left alone.

What does that mean? That CX races and repairing after the race is over is probably the best thing that could have ever happened to the heritage trees in the park.

yes. This is the truth and based on sound silvicultural methods.

Counter intuitive? Maybe a little, but give me a few minutes to explain the biological processes and I think I can convince you that cancelling the races today was actually proably not going to amount to ANY difference in the health of any tree.

That said - the fundamentals still stand, turf management is important, and critical to our parks. ...


hopefully won't add too much more to this...  but i won't promise.

-G