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Ryan Brothers torn limb to limb
Solution to suicide bike lanes
Kettlebell at the top of North Fortuna looking west.
Kettlebell complaint
I was an Alaskan river guide. I also guided in N. Carolina (Ocoee, Nantahala, Chattooga) and in Oregon (Rouge/Deschutes) I have summited Mt. Shasta and Mt. Whitney several times and have hiked around base camp at Denali and Rainier. I lived in the wilderness of S. Oregon, Siskiyou, Kalmiopsis for 5 winters w/o running water or electricity. I worked with the Sierra Club’s Holistic Weekends for 9 years up at Foster Lodge in the Cuyamacas and camp each year in the desert, and visit my daughter on 100 acres in S. Washington.
I brought this experience to my reading of “The Kettlebell and the Mountain”, Roam, May 9 by an idiot named Ryan Brothers. First off, I don’t like his writing. He should go back to school and study English literature, especially Hemingway.
Brothers is way over the top with his imagery and what he believes. I can do w/o it. Give me Outside magazine articles by Tim Cahill any day.
But here is my real complaint: he sees some “large fireman” carrying a kettlebell and then decides or feels compelled to carry one up the little hill they call a mountain around here. What??? So, if on Brothers’ next hike, he sees a little person carrying a carburetor or hose, or a lamp, is he going to carry a similar item, litter and pollute the environment with it as well?
I’ve called the Forestry and they stated that he transgressed written and unwritten laws of hiking in our fragile ecosystem. He needs to hike his sorry ass back up there and take the kettlebell back to his lair and place it on a more suitable perch, not next to an information plaque. The Reader should screen his writings. What if everyone who reads that article gets the notion to hike up some trail and leave a memento?
Robert Ballentine
Carlsbad
While the photo accompanying Brothers’ article does show the kettlebell atop an information plaque, the article does not state that Brothers left the kettlebell there when he descended the mountain. —Ed.
E-bike advice
I am very concerned about the guidance provided in this article and ultimately the safety of bicyclists, including E-bike riders. (“The Curious Case of the E-bike”, Cover Story, May 23, 2024) There should be universal training mandated and provided for riders at point of purchase.
Since a bike is a moving vehicle, it should be driven with the flow of traffic, not against it. Use should not be permitted on sidewalks; sidewalks are for pedestrians and handicapped transportation. Perhaps a long pole mounted with a flag should be attached to the rear wheel assembly to improve visibility. Left turns should be made from left turn vehicle lanes, or the bike should be walked through the crosswalks. Road diet construction needs to be universal, including construction and signage. Have you driven Park Boulevard south from the Zoo to Route 163? It is very confusing.
Harry Francis Cullen
Escondido
Bike-in-the-sky thinking
Regarding (“What Gets Lost in a Road Diet”, Cover Story, May 30, 2024), I generally support the social engineering efforts to coax lone automobile drivers into traveling by bicycle. However, painting “suicide bike lanes” along the sides of roadways isn’t really much of an enticement. Errant out-of-control vehicles can easily cross over into bike lanes and cause major damage to both body and bike. And curb barriers or plastic bollards can’t prevent that. Such barriers may even cause an inattentive bicyclist to lose control and crash. And even if bike lanes are protected by a row of parked cars, bicycles still have to deal with cross-traffic every block or so. What bicyclist hasn’t been tempted to cross an intersecting roadway without stopping – even against a red light – when there does not appear to be any obvious vehicle coming from either direction?
No, what is needed are elevated bikeways or “bicycle freeways”. Imagine traveling non-stop across town by bicycle at treetop level without having to deal with cross-traffic or any sort of interaction whatsoever with automobiles. No stopping for stop lights or stop signs! No worry about collisions with heavy vehicles! And there could even be wonderful views as well! Such bikeways could be adorned with planters and other greenery to make them more attractive and visually appealing. Surely, there must be some pilot project grant money available that would allow our community to try out such a possibility. Any ideas on how to pursue this?
J Rodgers, PhD
San Diego
Here's something you might be interested in.
Ryan Brothers torn limb to limb
Solution to suicide bike lanes
Ryan Brothers torn limb to limb
Solution to suicide bike lanes
Kettlebell at the top of North Fortuna looking west.
Kettlebell complaint
I was an Alaskan river guide. I also guided in N. Carolina (Ocoee, Nantahala, Chattooga) and in Oregon (Rouge/Deschutes) I have summited Mt. Shasta and Mt. Whitney several times and have hiked around base camp at Denali and Rainier. I lived in the wilderness of S. Oregon, Siskiyou, Kalmiopsis for 5 winters w/o running water or electricity. I worked with the Sierra Club’s Holistic Weekends for 9 years up at Foster Lodge in the Cuyamacas and camp each year in the desert, and visit my daughter on 100 acres in S. Washington.
I brought this experience to my reading of “The Kettlebell and the Mountain”, Roam, May 9 by an idiot named Ryan Brothers. First off, I don’t like his writing. He should go back to school and study English literature, especially Hemingway.
Brothers is way over the top with his imagery and what he believes. I can do w/o it. Give me Outside magazine articles by Tim Cahill any day.
But here is my real complaint: he sees some “large fireman” carrying a kettlebell and then decides or feels compelled to carry one up the little hill they call a mountain around here. What??? So, if on Brothers’ next hike, he sees a little person carrying a carburetor or hose, or a lamp, is he going to carry a similar item, litter and pollute the environment with it as well?
I’ve called the Forestry and they stated that he transgressed written and unwritten laws of hiking in our fragile ecosystem. He needs to hike his sorry ass back up there and take the kettlebell back to his lair and place it on a more suitable perch, not next to an information plaque. The Reader should screen his writings. What if everyone who reads that article gets the notion to hike up some trail and leave a memento?
Robert Ballentine
Carlsbad
While the photo accompanying Brothers’ article does show the kettlebell atop an information plaque, the article does not state that Brothers left the kettlebell there when he descended the mountain. —Ed.
E-bike advice
I am very concerned about the guidance provided in this article and ultimately the safety of bicyclists, including E-bike riders. (“The Curious Case of the E-bike”, Cover Story, May 23, 2024) There should be universal training mandated and provided for riders at point of purchase.
Since a bike is a moving vehicle, it should be driven with the flow of traffic, not against it. Use should not be permitted on sidewalks; sidewalks are for pedestrians and handicapped transportation. Perhaps a long pole mounted with a flag should be attached to the rear wheel assembly to improve visibility. Left turns should be made from left turn vehicle lanes, or the bike should be walked through the crosswalks. Road diet construction needs to be universal, including construction and signage. Have you driven Park Boulevard south from the Zoo to Route 163? It is very confusing.
Harry Francis Cullen
Escondido
Bike-in-the-sky thinking
Regarding (“What Gets Lost in a Road Diet”, Cover Story, May 30, 2024), I generally support the social engineering efforts to coax lone automobile drivers into traveling by bicycle. However, painting “suicide bike lanes” along the sides of roadways isn’t really much of an enticement. Errant out-of-control vehicles can easily cross over into bike lanes and cause major damage to both body and bike. And curb barriers or plastic bollards can’t prevent that. Such barriers may even cause an inattentive bicyclist to lose control and crash. And even if bike lanes are protected by a row of parked cars, bicycles still have to deal with cross-traffic every block or so. What bicyclist hasn’t been tempted to cross an intersecting roadway without stopping – even against a red light – when there does not appear to be any obvious vehicle coming from either direction?
No, what is needed are elevated bikeways or “bicycle freeways”. Imagine traveling non-stop across town by bicycle at treetop level without having to deal with cross-traffic or any sort of interaction whatsoever with automobiles. No stopping for stop lights or stop signs! No worry about collisions with heavy vehicles! And there could even be wonderful views as well! Such bikeways could be adorned with planters and other greenery to make them more attractive and visually appealing. Surely, there must be some pilot project grant money available that would allow our community to try out such a possibility. Any ideas on how to pursue this?
J Rodgers, PhD
San Diego
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