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Did some Googling just now: Pfizer’s worldwide known erectile dysfunction product Viagra generated around 500 million U.S. dollars in revenue in 2019.

Refinishing and staining our butcher block countertops. Thanks to @Chief for recommending using Danish oil to stain/seal them. Admittedly I'm looking forward to these "projects" coming to an end😖

Did some bench cutting today on a new section on Black Trac created with the help of the TMBRA PayDirt folks. This will be a series of ~10 switchbacks gaining about 50' over a quarter mile. It should be completed shortly. This section passes the new Water Station 3, which has a great view and some shade to sit in. Ought to make a fine spot to hang out while making the loop. Here's a pic.

At some point I have to acquiesce to the fact that I can no longer do the things I used to. Not that I just haven’t kept in shape, but I just can’t. Some people try to extend that time with money, others changes their goals. Pick a side.

Wife and I were discussing e-bikes yesterday on our ride at reimers. She was opposed to us ever buying bikes as long as we are physically able to without assist. When i suggested we rent an ebike just for her during our next out of state trip that involved 20+ miles of trail, she had a change of opinion. While we're nowhere close to ever buying an e-bike, it'd be great for her to even the playing field a bit and be able to keep pace, and most likely outpace me on big rides. I really enjoy having her with me, and removing some of that anxiety from the trip would make it a lot more fun. To me, ebikes are tool. Just like any other category of bike. You take your DH rig to the bike park but aren't silly enough to try and ride it on regular trails. Same should apply to ebikes, but human nature will almost always have us taking the path of least resistance. Nice thing about the trails here is they are all pretty much the same. If one doesn't allow ebikes, a rider really isn't missing out on much😁

Sections of the greenbelt? Which? I was actually going to use the greenbelt as example of the lack of power that "they" have to close a trail system down. As we all know there is but one trail that is sanctioned there. Probably represents about 20% of the system. The other 80% blowing and going. I'm not advocating banditry, just pointing out a fact. And yes, the BCCP sucks. They hate people. But they don't control even close to all the trails. City Park is not a very good example of ebikes being the reason it will ever be shut down. Ya know, motorcycles and all. But they sure try, don't they? I laughed when I read an article from one of their henchmen that had a picture of "out of control erosion" at City Park. It was a small ledge literally 4" tall. Ridiculous. BUT, unsuccessful in their efforts. I get the concern. But even if a land owner did close a trail because of this, I think it could be reversed. Let's take Maxwell Slaughter Creek trail for example. "Too many ebikes are using this, we are closing it to all use." This would be like the "no dogs" problem that has been addressed. "We will close this if we see dogs out here." The community has been engaged to educate and inform the dog people that they are not welcomed. Success so far. So the mountain bike community would tell the Water Quality Protection folks that we will self police and educate to the fact that ebikes are absolutely forbidden on this trail. They would say, okay, we'll try it again.

It is both age and the condition of the heart that causes max heart rate to decline. I'm no doctor, but perhaps a better indicator of longevity, at least from a heart muscle perspective, is resting heart rate. I've known incredibly fit folks who died in their forties and incredibly unfit folks who've died in their nineties; so there are plenty of other things in play when it comes to predicting the end. True max heart rate though is in fact measured through exertion; so if you're not exerting yourself to the max, you don't even know what your max is.

Out with the 70s flooring for the old girl.

Good job there. Carpeted bathrooms are wicked gross.

Last time I was there I came upon a hiker going in the wrong direction (the bike direction), with over-the-ear headphones AND an off-leash dog.

You are fortunate down in the Southlands to have probably not dealt with those who manage the Balcones Canyonland Conservation Plan. A proliferation of eBikes in some of the areas they covet might be just the excuse they are looking for - to put up a nice black fence.

"They" are not going to suddenly shut down every trail to mountain biking because of ebikes being "caught" on a trail somewhere. Let's start giving the "we'll lose access" argument more credence if and when it actually occurs on a single trail. And it probably won't. What a land owner would do is just step up the enforcement of their no ebike policy. But if it does happen then it can be said, "They shut down xyz trail because of this. So our concerns are valid."

Sitting around thinking about some of the differences of my experiences when comparing riding standard and "E" bikes I remembered one factor from riding the acoustic bike (the Brit's name for standard) was managing heart rate. As we age, most should know how max heart rate declines. "Max" being where the heart is being stressed at a level that could shorten its operating lifespan, and ipso-facto, its owner's lifespan as well. Pushing things to the max on a regular basis is asking for trouble as we get older. Knowing this, for the past several years I've used my watch to monitor heart rate while I ride and this has happily led to developing a good feel for noticing when I was getting out of the yellow and into the red zone. It has become second-nature for me to feel when I was pushing too far, then verifying this on the watch. My SOP for managing this was to stop (often mid-climb) and wait a couple of minutes for the HR to come back into the yellow before moving on. An added advantage derived from this tactic is how I've become quite adept at resuming a climb from a standing start on the acoustic bike, rather than pushing it up the hill. Because I do enjoy riding and want to continue to do so for as many years as possible, it seems like a good idea to not overwork the cardiovascular system. It is well out of warranty and this strategy is as close to an extended warranty that I've been able to find. Besides, the manufacturer never was all that good at responding to warranty claims anyway. Fast-forward to pondering about the eMTB and how the realization struck me that while still using the feel I've developed to gauge whether I'm punching near the red zone, instead of stopping the ride I can just bump up the assist level a notch. Then, bump it back down as soon as I feel my heart rate is back into the yellow zone. Being able to keep the flow of a ride going without stopping to manage HR levels has been much more enjoyable. I am able to get the workout I desire, get more time and distance riding, and I'm enjoying riding in a way I haven't experienced in a decade or two. The phone app (Specialized Mission Control) allows fine-tuning of the support levels, and I've been dialing them down as my fitness improves. This results in extending the range I can get from the battery as my muscles take on more of the load. I've found this to be a good thing as the miles of new trail we've added to Rocky Hill are getting to the point that two laps now use up most of the battery. YMMV