A Good Descent Means No Falling Down, or Don't Trip: Have a Nice Trip

[Jeff Gross]

There is no distinctly Native American criminal class, save Congress.-- Mark Twain

  Palomar Mountain â€" June ride

The NCCC Century Training Series is coming up on the penultimate (I love that word) ride over Palomar Mountain. It is rarely mild on the mountain, so be prepared for either blistering heat on the ascent like the Amgen Tour had, or cold so intense that you will have to stop on the descent multiple times, like I did with Tom Emerick (above) last week, just to keep from blacking out due to hypothermia. It will be a 90 mile ride, and we will ascend the East grade to avoid motorcycles, and descend the South grade, where our speed will minimize the effect of passing vehicles. Please do not participate if you have not done any of the prior century training series. This restriction is to avoid novice riders who are unprepared for the ride, and to avoid having an onslaught of more elite riders jacking up the ride.

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.



There but for the grace of God go I.

Another cyclist was killed in Santee, the 4th cyclist killed in San Diego County this year.
http://www.swrnn.com/2013/05/03/bicyclist-struck-killed-in-santee/

You can avoid the most common bicycle-car collisions because they happen in intersections. The typical cyclist stays near the curb, and is invisible to traffic, rather than positioning out in the lane like a car or motorcycle, where visibility and control of the lane are improved. Cycling in traffic is a dance you lead

The rear-end runover is the collision that the cyclist has no control over. That how Eric Ringdahl was killed on El Camino a week ago. It is how Jim Schwartzman was killed on the Coast Highway in Leucadia a couple years ago. It is how a cyclist on Mullholland landed on his head a week ago(http://road.cc/content/news/82251-video-british-cyclist-rear-ended-motorbike-california-amazingly-no-bones-broken).  It is how my friend Mike Natalie was put in a coma. It is how I got sent to the emergency room and what broke my bike. Please don't tell cyclists that the rear-ender is insignificant because it is one of the least common car-bike collisions. It is the most dangerous, and is the type of collision that is most responsible for cycling fatalities.

We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.

  Delusions of Safety - Bike Helmets

I assumed all along that my bike helmet would protect me from a concussion. Bike helmet safety standards are designed to protect the head from a lethal accident. Turns out that is a very different thing from concussion protection. Junior Seau football meets bicycling, and you are now acutely aware of the dangers of minor concussive injuries to long term brain damage. (Read more at http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/pdf/Fact_Sheet_ConcussTBI-a.pdf) Bike helmets are not designed to prevent concussions. They would have to be much larger to accomplish that task. Get back to basics - the three rules (there are always 3 rules) in NCCC bicycling are: "Don't fall down." "Have fun." and "Be predictable."

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.-- Winston Churchill

  Buyers Will Pay Extra for These Features

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Some home shoppers say they are willing to spend thousands of dollars above the price of the home in order to have certain interior features.

The most coveted home features tend to center around the kitchen, such as stainless steel appliances and a kitchen island, says Errol Samuelson, president of realtor.com.

24/7 Wall St. used data from the National Association of REALTORS® to determine some of the most desired home features. Here are eight features that made the list and how much extra, on average, buyers say they’re willing to pay for having that feature in a home:

• Central air conditioning: $2,520
• New kitchen appliances: $1,840
• Walk-in closet in master bedroom: $1,350
• Granite countertops: $1,620
• Hardwood floors: $2,080
• Ensuite master bath: $2,030
• Kitchen island: $1,370
• Stainless steel appliances: $1,850

Jeff's notes: If you are planning to sell a house, does it make sense to invest in these upgrades to get a better sales price? Check out my ballpark figures below.  If the current features are in satisfactory condition, NO. Upgraded features cost more than they return in value. If the current features need replacing anyway, YES. If you are living in the house, get the features now while you can enjoy their use, rather than when you sell when your profit margin will be questionable.

• Central air conditioning: $2,520 (Installation - $9,000 with existing ductwork, $20,000 without)
• New kitchen appliances: $1,840 ($2,000 fridge, $1000 range, $1000 dishwasher, $300 range hood = $3100 - $6600)
• Walk-in closet in master bedroom: $1,350 ($200 to build an interior wall - $10,000 to expand exterior walls)
• Granite countertops: $1,620 ($5,000 - $6,000)
• Hardwood floors: $2,080 ($3,000 = $3 per sq ft X 1,000 sq ft)
• Ensuite master bath: $2,030 ($30,000)
• Kitchen island: $1,370 ($2,000)
• Stainless steel appliances: $1,850 ($100 added to cost of a new refrigerator)

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.-- Thomas Jefferson

  Follow the Boomers

If you want to make investments grow, the rule for our lifetime is: follow the boomers. Baby boomers are like an elephant being devoured by a boa constrictor, to paraphrase "The Little Prince." We put a strain on every part of the body as we pass through. Where are boomers retiring? What are their health care needs? What are their investment strategies? What will they buy, and from whom?

The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.-- Mark Twain

Bike lots,
Jeff Gross
jeff@fullcommitment.com