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From the Archives - Daily Peloton: Everest Challenge 2009 Stage 2
IntroductionThis post continues the saga, from my archives, of the 2009 Everest Challenge stage race. This originally ran in the Daily Peloton. (My dp stories were lost after a server meltdown, so over...
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The Case Against the Metric System
IntroductionIt’s easy to argue the merits of the metric system—its ubiquity in the developed world, the ease and elegance of doing calculations with it, etc.—but this is not very interesting....
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Ask a Morning Person
Dear Morning Person,This early rising habit … is it so you can watch the sun rise? Justin D, San Francisco, CADear Justin,That’s a nice idea, but honestly, I can’t say that I do. It would be pretty...
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Pretty Good Guacamole
IntroductionIt’s still summer, which means it’s time for guacamole. If you’re interested in learning how to make it, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t bother with any of the recipes you’ll find...
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Biased Blow-By-Blow - 2021 Vuelta a España Stage 14
IntroductionYear after year, the Vuelta a España ends up being way more exciting than the Tour de France, so it’s well worth following. And you’ve come to right place: with my totally unprofessional...
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Biased Blow-By-Blow - 2021 Vuelta a España Stage 18
IntroductionWhy is it that when the governing body of a sport, in this case cycling’s UCI, decides to allow widespread fraud, the media have to nevertheless adhere to the highest standards of...
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From the Archives - Death Ride 2007
IntroductionThis year marks yet another when I didn’t ride the Markleeville Death Ride. It used to be too hard to get a spot, it being oversubscribed, but now it’s just too expensive. Almost the last...
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Ride Report - DIY Everest Challenge
IntroductionI just realized 2021 is the first year since 2007 during which I haven’t done a single bike race. That’s a shame. Worst of all, I haven’t done the Everest Challenge since 2014… but then,...
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Can COVID Anti-Vaxxers Be Reasoned With?
IntroductionI came across some crudely written graffiti recently, spray-painted on a pillar. It read, “ANTI-VAXXERS PIE.” I was like, huh? Another pillar a quarter mile away had the same thing but the...
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Biased Blow-By-Blow - 2021 Paris-Roubaix
IntroductionIf I were on Twitter, and you bothered to get up at 5:30 a.m., you’d get this report in dribs and drabs and wouldn’t have to fret about how long it is. But think about these poor riders,...
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From the Archives - My Front Derailleur Tragedy
IntroductionIn some ways, 1995 was a tough year for me. After the beautiful freedom of the cross-country bike tour that had taken most of the previous year, I was hunkered down and working hard in a...
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How to Select a Camera - and Why
IntroductionI have a perfectly good point-and-shoot camera but I’m in the market for a new one anyway—not because I’m a consumerist sucker, but for my kid. For her eighteenth birthday, she is very...
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How to Select a Camera - Part 2
IntroductionIn my last post I explained why it still makes sense to buy a real camera, notwithstanding (and partly because of) the sophistication of smartphone cameras. I described the main types of...
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Ask a Northern Californian
Dear Northern Californian,Is it true you Northern Californians say “hella” all the time?Margo F, Bozeman, MTDear Margo,Yes, it’s absolutely true, we hella use that word here. (See!?) A UC Berkeley...
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From the Archives - A Rather Hostile Letter
IntroductionI am very careful in these pages to respect people’s privacy. I don’t quote people, even anonymously, without permission. The only exception so far has been in the case of my late father...
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Wrestling Tournament Frequently Asked Questions
IntroductionWith kids back at school and certain pandemic-related restrictions easing, lots of varsity sports are going again. If, like me, you suddenly have kid on the high school wrestling team, and...
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Family Shibboleths: a Glossary of Albert-isms
Last week I hosted my mom, two brothers, assorted nieces, and a nephew for Thanksgiving. My niece Laura brought this custom-made Bingo card:(A little explanation: CAlbert means a California Albert;...
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2021 Online Holiday Gift Guide
IntroductionWell, as the pandemic drags on for another holiday season, it kind of makes sense to do our gift shopping online. But where do we start? This year I consulted a number of gift guides in...
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From the Archives - Bits & Bobs Volume I
IntroductionI’d say albertnet isn’t really a blog, per se, in the sense of a “web log” (i.e., diary or journal). I try to write essays, reports, or humor pieces that have a point otherthan simply...
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2021 in Review - the Quiz
IntroductionAs I close out 2021, I thought I’d give my readers a little quiz. You can consider this open-book (because after all, how could I police this anyway)? Or, for an extra challenge, try it...
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