A thread for miscellaneous stuff...

[masraum]

Scarcely believable!

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a62330229/tara-dower-appalachian-trail-record/

Minutes before midnight on Saturday evening, Tara Dower emerged from the forest on Springer Mountain in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Trudging through the darkness, the 31-year-old wore a headlamp to navigate the last section of the Appalachian Trail—a beacon in the homestretch of a legendary journey.

With thousands of miles behind her, Dower fell to her knees and put her hands on the finish, a bronze plaque that reads, “A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness.”

On September 21, Dower became the fastest person in history to complete the Appalachian Trail, a 2,189-mile path that traverses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.

The professional ultrarunner, who lives and trains in Virginia Beach, Virginia, covered the trail heading southbound in 40 days, 18 hours, and five minutes, the fastest known time (FKT), pending verification. She beat the previous overall record by 13 hours.

Prior to Dower’s trek, the fastest known time was held by Karel Sabbe. Heading northbound, the Belgian runner finished the trail in 41 days, 7 hours, and 38 minutes in 2018. Dower’s performance also returns the FKT distinction to a woman for the first time since 2015, when Scott Jurek eclipsed Jennifer Pharr Davis’ then-record by three hours, according to Outside.

While navigating notoriously difficult sections on rocky terrain with a total vertical gain of 465,000 feet, Dower ran and hiked an average of 54 miles each day with consistent support from her mom, Debby Komlo, and friend Megan Wilmarth, in addition to volunteers who paced her through different sections.

Her days began with a 3 a.m. alarm (usually from a tent close to the trail) followed by a quick breakfast. After taping blisters and sores on her feet, she set off in the dark around 3:30 a.m. For the next 17 hours or so, Dower only stopped for a couple of short breaks for meals, 90-second “dirt naps,” and pacers rotating in and out until 8:30-9:30 p.m.

Dower estimated she only ran solo for 20 percent of the time. When she did, she listened to audiobooks and movie soundtracks, like La La Land and Moulin Rouge, often singing to herself to stay awake.

Dower and her crew were so focused on time efficiency and staying close to the trail, she only took three showers throughout the entire thru-hike. Instead, they relied on baby wipes, clean clothes, and friends to help detangle her hair. “There was a time when I was itching my skin and clumps of dirt and Icy Hot were under my nails. I was like, this is really gross,” she said.

Though she got off to a strong start, Dower had to summon extra strength in the second half to match the pace set by Sabbe. On the section of the trail that hits New Jersey, Dower and her crew realized she was falling behind by 100 miles or so and decided to increase her daily mileage from 43-54 to 55-60. In tough moments, Wilmarth reminded her friend that she’s capable. “Tara is really good at doing hard things, and that’s what I would tell her this whole time,” she said.

In the last 129 miles, with the FKT well within reach, Dower didn’t even stop to sleep. That last stretch proved to be the hardest physically and mentally. “I had this huge crew that was with me that was putting everything into this, their time and money, and bodies into this effort. I was nervous I would fall and mess it up,” Dower said while describing how she bounced back from several tumbles on the trail. “I didn’t believe [the FKT] would happen until the last three miles.”

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Today is 2/5/25...or...2525 one of the goofiest songs ever written.

Yes, but I remember that it was an instant hit. I bought the 45 right away.

[HobieMarty]

So, I got these to snack on during the Superbowl. They taste a bit burnt. I am wondering if a batch got overcooked and they decided to market them as "extra toasty" because they were... burnt.

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[oldE]

The length of time it takes to source packaging would preclude such a strategy.
Unfortunately that means the disappointing taste you experienced was on purpose.

Best
Les

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by oldE

The length of time it takes to source packaging would preclude such a strategy.
Unfortunately that means the disappointing taste you experienced was on purpose.

Best
Les

True unless they have an "in house" source or one that allows better than "just in time" shipments.

However I agree that it was likely purposeful like the "new Coke" debacle.

[HobieMarty]

I tried to give them away, but no one would take them. The pups love them, so doggie treats they will be.

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[flatbutt]

The Kingda is dead. I rode this sucker many times and it never ceased to thrill me.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/rip-kingda-ka-2005-to-2025-long-live-the-king/ar-AA1A0hkx

[flatbutt]

Well this is a new one...at least in my experience.

My neighbor got a new SUV last month. The other day I noticed a different car in the driveway for several days so I asked what's up. She said the new one needed a bit of repair. OK.

Then the hubby told me why. As she was backing out one day she needed to run back into the house for something. She did so but forgot to put the tranny back into park leaving it in reverse. For whatever reason she didn't notice the car rolling backwards when she jumped out. It rolled down the driveway (at idle) into and across the street, across the neighbors lawn and into a tree hard enough to damage the tailgate.

It needs a new tailgate. Jeez talk about being pre-occupied.

[rockfan4]

It wasn't a Jeep Cherokee, was it? That's how the actor Anton Yelchin died, thought his was in park, got out, went behind it to close a gate or something and it was still in reverse.

My wife got a newer vehicle last year. We looked at several, some with pushbuttons to shift, some with a dial, one with a funky joystick where you had to push a button or something to put into park, and we ended up with a 2021 Chevy Blazer. Good old shifter on the console, probably just hooked to a switch, but at least it was a familiar interface. One quirk it has is sometimes when you push the start stop button, it doesn't turn off. It might be a flaky button.

I don't understand the need to reinvent controls. Give me a regular shifter, a volume knob on the radio, headlights and wipers I don't need to read a manual for 20 minutes to operate. I thought I saw somewhere that some manufacturers were going back to buttons for things due to the public's distaste for touchscreens.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

It wasn't a Jeep Cherokee, was it? That's how the actor Anton Yelchin died, thought his was in park, got out, went behind it to close a gate or something and it was still in reverse.

My wife got a newer vehicle last year. We looked at several, some with pushbuttons to shift, some with a dial, one with a funky joystick where you had to push a button or something to put into park, and we ended up with a 2021 Chevy Blazer. Good old shifter on the console, probably just hooked to a switch, but at least it was a familiar interface. One quirk it has is sometimes when you push the start stop button, it doesn't turn off. It might be a flaky button.

I don't understand the need to reinvent controls. Give me a regular shifter, a volume knob on the radio, headlights and wipers I don't need to read a manual for 20 minutes to operate. I thought I saw somewhere that some manufacturers were going back to buttons for things due to the public's distaste for touchscreens.

No not a Jeep a Nissan.

Give me good ol' push buttons anytime, everytime.

[oldE]

I mentioned a few months ago I drew a Nissan Pathfinder as a rental. Picked it up after dark, and after starting it up and adjusting seat and mirrors, gave the shifter on the console a tug and I was away. When I attempted to back into a parking space, I couldn't get it out of drive. After pushing, lifting and poking the shifter, I realized there were buttons for park, neutral and reverse on top of the handle. Why the engineers thought a mix of two control types was a good idea I don't understand.

Best
Les

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Well this is a new one...at least in my experience.

My neighbor got a new SUV last month. The other day I noticed a different car in the driveway for several days so I asked what's up. She said the new one needed a bit of repair. OK.

Then the hubby told me why. As she was backing out one day she needed to run back into the house for something. She did so but forgot to put the tranny back into park leaving it in reverse. For whatever reason she didn't notice the car rolling backwards when she jumped out. It rolled down the driveway (at idle) into and across the street, across the neighbors lawn and into a tree hard enough to damage the tailgate.

It needs a new tailgate. Jeez talk about being pre-occupied.

I’m guilty…

I bought my first brand new truck, a 99 Dodge ram quad cab 4 x 4 on a Saturday.

Leaving for work Monday, I realized I left the inside door open. I pulled back in the garage, put it in park, jumped out, only to find it was in reverse. With the engine, being cold, RPMs or a little higher. And with the door open, it proceeded to push/drag me to the space between the garage door doors.

It bent the door, to the point it wouldn’t close. I took it to the Dodge body shop, and when the guy looked at it, he looked at me and said, you hit the garage door, didn’t you? lol

I took my old 86 Nissan hardbody to work that day, and when everybody asked where my new truck was, I told them there was a little incident that morning and they all busted out laughing!

Since 1999, I have set the parking brake every time I get out of my trucks.

[rockfan4]

I got stuck in the mud last night.
No, not in the car, just me and my dumb boots.

The wife doesn't have a functional set of mud boots, so I went with her last night for her riding lesson. Going out to retrieve the horse wasn't a problem. It was a little muddy, but it's not like I was sinking in. While she was riding, it started raining. Hard. When I went to take him back, I barely got him through the gate and went to turn around. Nope, I was stuck. My boots are probably too loose and any attempt to lift my foot meant the boot was going to stay. It didn't help there's no light near this gate. It probably took me 5 minutes to walk 20 feet back to the gate. Didn't lose a boot. Didn't tip over.

Picture for attention. His feathers are a filthy mess. This is after cleaning him.

[CurtEgerer]

This documentary came up in my YT feed yesterday so I gave it a watch. Wow! The subject is the Takata airbag fiasco and it features a former Takata engineer who did the initial forensic evaluations and figured out the design problems. Very well done docu and with some eye-opening situations that the general public was never made aware of by either Takata, the auto manufacturers & dealerships or our government.

I had a Takata airbag recall and the Honda dealership told me "don't worry about it. That only happens in humid states. We'll call you when we get some replacements in". Me: umm, this certified letter from Honda says my car can kill me without warning at any time. I'll be needing a rental car today. They got me one for 4 months while waiting for parts.

[911boost]

Originally Posted by oldE

I mentioned a few months ago I drew a Nissan Pathfinder as a rental. Picked it up after dark, and after starting it up and adjusting seat and mirrors, gave the shifter on the console a tug and I was away. When I attempted to back into a parking space, I couldn't get it out of drive. After pushing, lifting and poking the shifter, I realized there were buttons for park, neutral and reverse on top of the handle. Why the engineers thought a mix of two control types was a good idea I don't understand.

Best
Les

Les, BMW's are like this too, my dad has a newerish X5 and it is the same thing, there is a stick but it has buttons on it as well. I hate it with a passion.

I rent cars a lot and it sometimes takes me a moment to figure out something that should be easy.

One of the reasons I love my 200 series LC is because it has an actual shifter in it.

[HobieMarty]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

I got stuck in the mud last night.

No, not in the car, just me and my dumb boots.



The wife doesn't have a functional set of mud boots, so I went with her last night for her riding lesson. Going out to retrieve the horse wasn't a problem. It was a little muddy, but it's not like I was sinking in. While she was riding, it started raining. Hard. When I went to take him back, I barely got him through the gate and went to turn around. Nope, I was stuck. My boots are probably too loose and any attempt to lift my foot meant the boot was going to stay. It didn't help there's no light near this gate. It probably took me 5 minutes to walk 20 feet back to the gate. Didn't lose a boot. Didn't tip over.



Picture for attention. His feathers are a filthy mess. This is after cleaning him.

Well, even with messy feathers, he's a handsome looking fellow.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[masraum]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Well this is a new one...at least in my experience.

My neighbor got a new SUV last month. The other day I noticed a different car in the driveway for several days so I asked what's up. She said the new one needed a bit of repair. OK.

Then the hubby told me why. As she was backing out one day she needed to run back into the house for something. She did so but forgot to put the tranny back into park leaving it in reverse. For whatever reason she didn't notice the car rolling backwards when she jumped out. It rolled down the driveway (at idle) into and across the street, across the neighbors lawn and into a tree hard enough to damage the tailgate.

It needs a new tailgate. Jeez talk about being pre-occupied.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

I don't understand the need to reinvent controls. Give me a regular shifter, a volume knob on the radio, headlights and wipers I don't need to read a manual for 20 minutes to operate. I thought I saw somewhere that some manufacturers were going back to buttons for things due to the public's distaste for touchscreens.

Yep. I've got a 10 yo Pioneer Avic NEX 7" touchscreen, but I like the fact that there are 2 buttons for volume up and down. I think many/most modern head units don't have anything tangible for volume.

[Scott Douglas]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

This documentary came up in my YT feed yesterday so I gave it a watch. Wow! The subject is the Takata airbag fiasco and it features a former Takata engineer who did the initial forensic evaluations and figured out the design problems. Very well done docu and with some eye-opening situations that the general public was never made aware of by either Takata, the auto manufacturers & dealerships or our government.

I had a Takata airbag recall and the Honda dealership told me "don't worry about it. That only happens in humid states. We'll call you when we get some replacements in". Me: umm, this certified letter from Honda says my car can kill me without warning at any time. I'll be needing a rental car today. They got me one for 4 months while waiting for parts.

Thanks for posting that video.
I'm going to seriously look into getting the airbags out of my cars.

[flatbutt]

That you can get a BS in old car restoration?

https://www.mcpherson.edu/autorestoration/

"The Automotive Restoration Technology Program at McPherson College was established in 1976 through the generosity and foresight of local entrepreneur Gaines H. “Smokey” Billue. His gift of over 125 classic and antique cars provided initial funds for the program. Mr. Billue, the Templeton family and others contributed toward the construction of Templeton Hall, which continues to serve as the home to the world-renowned program."