Spiral Curve Turn
I have laid out and/or built and experienced my share of circular turns, but also spiral and logarithmic. Recently I built a spiral 180 based on the Golden Ratio or Fibonacci sequence. More on turns here. First, I’ll say that I am a skeptic, but thought it would be fun to experience the Golden Ratio
Ask a Trail Builder
It’s not exactly rocket science, not even close, but there are some things I take for granted while curious outsiders might have serious questions on why and how trails are built and maintained. I assume other builders are in the same boat, or maybe shoes is a better idiom to roll with. I also assume
Hyperacuity on trails
Hyperacuity is our ability to discern very small angle differences and misaligned lines (see links below). Our vision doesn’t have to be good, and a vision test (visual acuity(sharpness)) doesn’t test this ability as the brain does a lot to amplify or help line things up or see misalignment. Sometimes I question whether I spend
Cherokee Trails, This Man is Reclaiming Them
Many of our roads and probably some trails were Native American routes in the past. I stumbled upon this guy who thinks he is finding and mapping old Cherokee routes. There is some info on trail marker trees here, and old trails here. More on Cherokee networks here.
Backpacker Magazine interview
Jack Daleo from Backpacker magazine contacted me to ask some questions about what it takes to build trails. I was most relieved when he asked who else he should contact. I gave him some names, but really didn’t know where to begin, or rather end. He contacted some of those people. You can read the
“Grand” Reopening
It’s been at least 5 years since I had to close shop and move (more than once). To open the shop again I had to opt for not printing things myself. I might print a few select items in the future, but for now the printing and shipping happen in up to nine different locations
Tools and Machinery of the Granite Industry
The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc. Vol. 59, No. 2: Tools and Machinery of the Granite Industry by Paul Wood A brief history of quarry drilling Ancient Egyptian Stone-Drilling Plug and feather
A Bridge to Wildlife
is still a bridge…Granted it is just a log, but…
Springtime Shot Against Lyme Disease?
Coming Soon: Human Testing Of Springtime Shot Against Lyme Disease: wbur.org-lyme-disease-shot-2020 more: Lyme disease vaccine update Tick Info and Safety
Pedal Strikes on Rollers
Recently failing with this because the rollers were too steep and abrupt, not flowy, the next logical limit is to consider pedal strikes as an option for roller peaks. A 100% strike-free roller isn’t possible because once you start to angle the bike from vertical/upright the pedal can strike the roller, especially if pedals are
The Fastest Rollers?
I added a little more to the Jump (and roller/drain) Design page by exploring the Brachistochrone and its application for rollers (more):
A “straightforward way to curtail the spread of Lyme disease…”
tick populations and the risk of Lyme disease can be cut substantially by maintaining the deer population below about 10 deer per square mile. When the population is below four deer per square mile, even the secondary effects of climate change become irrelevant to Lyme risk. Yet, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife