The US..a poor international citizen..again. - Page 12

Look out for a new thread entitled, "Could Boogers have survived in Sparta?" It would be a case of a martial arts society trying to assimilate a cyclist who a professional vocation out of pacifism: Of course, they didn't have bikes back then.

My "surviving" in Sparta donkeys years ago has nothing to do with the fact that you are a lying dullard.

As for me surviving in Sparta, warriors are **** all use without food, medicine, shelter and weapons. Without folks (eg: like me) providing that stuff there's no fighting.

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Free Beer !

From everything I have seen/read, California (and San Francisco in particular) is a beautiful part of the world.

Carneros, Livermore, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Napa County are something to be seen, I believe.
I've no doubt that it is expensive - but one day I hope to visit that part of the world.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

That's the snag. Technology has made most of us physically less adapted. People have come to rely on cars, trains and even lifts to such a degree they've suffered physically. I'm not saying technology is a bad thing but it can lead to dependence.
Modern warfare doesn't involve physical fitness or strength but technology. That's why the average American marine (believe it or not) wouldn't have stood much of a chance against a Spartiate in any kind of hand-to-hand combat. That's because the Spartiates trained the whole day long, running, swimming, boxing and wrestling so there were no out-of-shape Spartiates. Neither was there much junk food to be had.
Of course, those of us who cycle are on the right track. It's much better to cycle to work than to take a bus or ride by car - unless you get knocked off like I did a few weeks back.

I believe Marina Del Rey is a nice part of California to live. I'm also persuaded by John Denver's music that Colorado has some wonderful rocky mountains.

On the contrary I suspect a modern soldier would stand a very good chance against a Spartan in unarmed combat at least. For a start they would be much stronger, have longer reach and they would have the benefit of killing techniques that have been honed with infinitely better anatomical knowledge.

That is pure conjecture on your part.

Same again. Maybe no McDonalds, but they are likely to have hit the lard sandwiches when there's no meat to be had. Fat was a valuable source of calories way back when - which would be of particular interest to those guys if they spent all their time training and fighting and no time farming.

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Free Beer !

I believe that the Roman legionnaires were also much fitter than soldiers of today.They could march 40 miles in a day,carrying an equivalent load and build a fortified camp at the end of the day.The difference was,they did it every single day.
People generally were fitter,stronger and physically tougher a thousand years ago than people of today.

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Drink!Feck!Arrse!Girls!

the intellect of people today is also in question as to being superior to those of that time.

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"The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present...As our case is new, so must we think anew and act anew"
Abraham Lincoln, in his address to congress dec. 1st, 1861

a good ride, the "noon ride"
meet at old page mill rd. near foothill expressway in palo alto, 40 miles of hilly terrain in 1hr 40min.

expect some attacks and stiff headwinds, the slight uphills turn into death marches...

mon-fri noon sharp. this is legendary, and will still be there when any of you are.

tues/thus are the fast days. all the locals with aspirations frequent this.

there is one sprint at the woodside/portola limit, either get to the front or take great care to avoid a tangle...

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"The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present...As our case is new, so must we think anew and act anew"
Abraham Lincoln, in his address to congress dec. 1st, 1861

Some time ago I wrote an article on gladiators for a website and still have the article, as well as the pics (genuine paintings found in Pompei and other areas). These were professional martial artists who trained in schools known as "ludi", adored by female fans and admired by the public as fighting machines.
They would probably have been quite short, except for the Gauls who were taller.
Again, it needs to be stressed they would have been more physically robust than an American marine even if they were shorter. The pics I have, for example, depict some pretty mean-looking gladiators who were used to taking on bears and lions in the arena, not just other human beings.
The odd thing was, it was all so popular, there were riots between fans of the different factions of gladiators and it wasn't done to admit you supported net and trident fighters as these were seen as sissy boys - even though the women were crazy over the net men.

In the profession of bare-handed fighting a man with longer reach, more strength and comparable skill levels will usually beat his opposition. That is particularly apparent in Boxing for example.

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Free Beer !

Spin - sounds fantastic and really nice pedalling country too.
Pedalling by vinyards - nice weather etc.
Why am I torturing myself! Sure isn't the rain/cold/breeze just fine here!

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

(Idawhore)
made me laugh, good one roadhog..

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HARD
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i remember driving to LA coming back from Phoenix and (my geography is a bit shaky so bear with me) we entered CA somewhere near these hundered and thousands of wind turbines somewhere near Palm Springs. We were headed west and the sun was setting and the San Bernardino mountains looked spectacular...

i'll never forget it...

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HARD
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i find the more i travel the more the appeal of california holds sway for me...
though parts of colorado, utah, and new mexico have had their appeal, too.

much of the western us is actually desert.

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"The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present...As our case is new, so must we think anew and act anew"
Abraham Lincoln, in his address to congress dec. 1st, 1861