jgradyc

Since the OP is probably not going to wear spandex cycling shorts, let me suggest padded underwear like this.  Quality padded bike shorts (or underwear) makes a HUGE difference in comfort.   http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sports-Cycling-Silica-gel-Underwear-Briefs-with-pad-Body-Protection-MTB-Road-/181125696412?pt=US_Cycling_Clothing&hash=item2a2beecb9c   You can wear these under regular shorts. I have some like this, but not this exact brand. I paid about $13.99 for them on eBay as I recall expecting them to be junk and then being pleasantly surprised. I like them as much as my spandex $130 Pearl Izumi Microsensor cycling shorts. I wear them under a quick dry cargo short.   Even if you decide you're too tough for padding, your wife will want a nice pair of padded bike shorts.

Slightly off topic, but I went to Eastside Cycles in east Nashville a couple of days ago and talked to Scott (the owner? co-owner?) He says the 29ers are so superior to the 26 for single track riding in the places we can ride around Nashville that he doesn't sell 26 inchers any more. I'm sure he sells them for other type riding, but all his serious mountain bikes were 29ers. He had a nice Giant Anthem size small for $1,799 discounted 20% to... what would that be... calculating... $1,440 plus tax.

+1 on the helmet.  A few years back, I went out for a test ride not planning on leaving our gated retirement community... very low speed casual ride.   I went down a cul-de-sac and made a u-turn at the end and hit a small piece of wood tossed on the road by a lawn mower. I was barely pedaling, but it tossed me over the bars and I landed on the back of my head.  It cracked my helmet and I had headaches for weeks, but no permanent damage. I ALWAYS wear a helmet, gloves, and sunglasses.

I'm also in the market for a good size small mountain bike. I just lost a bid on eBay tonight on a 2013 Cannondale that sold for $1,435... about $1,250 is all I'm willing to spend. However, I am looking for a good single track off-road bike that will never see pavement that will be ridden hard and fast. Your desired type of riding is different.   I your case, I'd agree with the assessment of a hybrid bike. They should do just fine on the greenway and should have enough off-road ability to meet your needs. I haven't looked at these bikes recently, so I can't cite a price, but I'd guess you could find a decent bike in the $600 range. I'd start out by checking out the local bike stores. Fit is critically important in a bike. REALLY IMPORTANT!!!!  If the bike doesn't fit, a $2,000 bike will be harder to ride than a $500 bike that does fit. If you are just starting out, you really can't figure out fit on your own.   If you ride a lot, the "fit" you started out with will no longer fit. As you become a better rider and learn how to ride, your fit will change slightly.

It's probably this. Eighteen rounds of 45 ACP goodness.

What are your favorite websites and forums?  And why (unless it's apparent from the name) I'd like to expand my favorites list. Obviously, we can skip TGO because we're already here.  :up:  I'll start.   www.BudgetLightForum.com   A great forum on LED flashlights and how to mod them. Very helpful. www.KTOG.com  All things Kel Tec and Kel Tec modifications. Some other gun discussions. www.DrudgeReport.com   News headlines from a mostly right wing perspective. www.RunningAhead.com   An interactive website that lets me measure and save any running, cycling, or hiking route.

You might want to draw a 60 mile circle around Nashville and see what you find within that area. I live 6 miles west of the Nashville Gun Club out towards Ashland City. It's a rural atmosphere, but only 15 minutes to downtown Nashville... not that you would ever want to go to downtown Nashville... maybe if you're a hockey fan or you need a place to entertain visiting relatives.   There's a small private gun club a few miles away from my house just off of Eatons Creek Road.  I've never been to it, but from Google Earth it doesn't look like it has much more than 100 yards if that much. There's a gun range at Cheatham Wildlife Resources Area. It's kinda hard to get to since you have to drive to the west side of the area and then drive into it.   I just shoot in my neighbor's backyard. Everyone out here just shoots in their yards. We have mountains as backstops. When we have the first warm Saturdays each spring, it sounds like a small war is going on in the valley.   South of Nashville is Brentwood, Cool Springs, and Franklin. It's a bit more like CA in terms of restaurants and shopping. Home prices are a lot higher, but not high by CA standards.   The weather is a lot different depending where you are in Nashville. It suffers from urban heat effect in the summer. It's not uncommon for me to leave the Vanderbilt (West End) area of Nashville at 9PM and the temperature drop from 90 to 75 in the summer in the 15 minute drive to my home NW of Nashville. The Clarksville area seems to get a lot more storms than Nashville.   Nashville is in a bowl with mountains to the west, north, and southwest. Those mountainous areas are cooler in the evening than Nashville and areas to the east and southeast.   Winters are moderate in Nashville, but not CA moderate. The good thing is that when it gets really cold (20-25 degrees) there's typically no wind and very little snow. We get enough snow to cover the ground for a couple of days about once every two years.    Do this. Call up Nashville on Google Maps. Switch to the satellite view.  Now, see all that dark green area to the west of Nashville?  That's mountains extending from Pleasant View on I-24 to the northwest down to Spring Hill to the southwest. I'd look in that area first. Good luck.

EDITED: Oops, I had two windows open and posted in the wrong one so I deleted this post.   To the OP, I'd talk to an attorney. It could save you a world of problems later.

The beamshots at fasttech are against a wall, so you can't really tell how bright it is, but it does have a large center spot. That is, it's not a complete floody but it's not a tight spotlight either.   For the money, it looks like a pretty good light.   To really compare lights, you need beamshots taken at night at the same exposure with 2-3 different LED flashlights.

This is very disturbing. I'd suggest getting your dad a digital tape recorder or camcorder and record one of these outbursts. I'm not an attorney, but "protected speech" does not allow slander. I'm pretty sure it does not allow threats of illegal acts.  Repeated following can be considered stalking and is also illegal.   The guy is probably crazy and is probably doing some other crazy stuff. I'd bet there is a lot to be discovered by asking the members of the nearby church. They probably live nearby.   Just a quick aside. We had a bad neighbor in a campground a couple of years ago. We let a couple of incidents slide. Later, we learned at a community meeting that lots of other people were doing the same thing. We all complained and continued to report them. They finally got kicked out.  My point is that this crazy guy is probably doing other crazy things that aren't getting reported. The church community needs to come together to help their church caretaker.

This article should be titled... In a Desperate Move to Remain in the News, Occupy Wall Street announces...

sorry... it's www.BudgetLightForum.com

Ah, here we go for $33...  http://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10000663/1059701-trustfire-tr-3t6-cree-xm-l-t6-3800lm-5-mode-memory   This is the same light, but with an extension tube to use either 2 or 3 18650 batteries. The reviews at fasttech are good, but one of the reviewers points out that while it's bright, it's more like 1200-1500 lumens. It also tends to get hot, but most high lumen lights get hot.   You need to pretty much use lumen ratings as a "brighter than/not as bright as" system. Most will only put out max lumens for a couple of minutes anyway.

I tend to only buy lights that have been reviewed positively at BLF.

If this is not a fake and is a real Trustfire, it's a good deal. You can find a review of the Trustfire CREE 3800 over at www.blf.com. (EDITED: Sorry, it's www.BudgetLightForum.com ) It will be more a flood light than a spotlight... most triples are more floody than spots.   I would not buy the Ultrafire batteries and charger for $8.97 advertised on the same page. They're probably junk. Expect to pay at least $5/battery.  Buy Sanyo, Panasonic, or Trustfire Flame batteries. I'd trust www.FastTech.com for the batteries. FastTech also has 3 LED lights, but they'll be a lot more than $26.   I've never had any dealings with Yugster. You might want to post over at BLF and ask about their reputation.   EDITED: Oh, and about the lumens... take that 3800 with a grain of salt... maybe a block of salt.

I'm just going to sit in the car and lock the doors. I'll look for a way to cross the median and go back the other way if possible. I'm not getting into a d*ck-measuring contest with a mob.   One thing I learned for sure after the Zimmerman trial is that I'm not going to risk escalating a situation. If someone attempts to break into my car and drag me out, then I'll laser him in the eyes. In addition to being blinded, most of these guys are cowards when push comes to shove... so they'll probably go somewhere else.

Meh... I skipped last season... not enough zombies. Too much Hollywood thinking.   Rick carries a 6-shot revolver.... please. Why wouldn't he carry at least a 17-round Glock?   A crossbow in a tactical situation?  "Umm... just a second, Mr Zombie... I have to reload my crossbow..."  How many arrows could you carry... realistically... maybe 20 tops? I never see more than six on the crossbow.   Riding a motorcycle with ape hangers on a gravel road?... come on... go steal a decent bike. At least they get this right on Falling Skies where they ride dirt bikes.   ARs without sights?   Where do those zombie bodies go after they kill the zombies just outside the fence?   And my favorite... where are the fat, overweight zombies?

I carry either a Kel Tec P3-AT or a Kahr PM9 in front pocket in a super thin holster I made myself. With pleated front shorts, they don't print very much at all.

I'm looking to replace my keychain knife and would like some recommendations. It needs to be small and light. By small, I mean 2" to 2.75" blade... nothing bigger. By weight, I mean not much more than a couple of ounces... 60 grams.  An added plus would be for it to be thin.   Here is what I have (in keychain knives).   I have an old Spyderco 1 3/4" blade that weighs only 15 grams (0.5 ounce). It's too small. It needs to be longer and hold an edge longer.   I have a Gerber 2" cheapo knife that weighs 30 grams (1.0 ounce). It would be perfect if it held an edge longer.   A straight blade or partially serrated would be okay. I don't want a fully serrated or a tanto blade.   My EDC around the farm is a Kershaw 1920 multitool with a 3" inch blade. It probably weighs 7 ounces or so.  If I need a bigger knife, I'll use it.

Good for you.  Bad guys pick up on the "I'm armed, don't mess with me vibe" pretty quick.  Since most people are oblivious to their surroundings, it's easier for the bad guys to just move on to a softer target. It would be interesting to see if there were any muggings in that area last night.

Prayer sent...

Run time: How long the light will run in each mode.  I have a GREAT $7 14500-powered light, but the brightness comes at a cost. It runs for about 15-20 minutes.   Drop off: Regardless of the claimed lumens, most lights will drop off in brightness after the first couple of minutes. Then, they'll maintain that slightly lower brightness until the life of the battery is almost gone.

Yes, they are better. But.... above $50-$150, you start paying more just for a brand.

Hi TankHC,   Lumens aren't a very reliable measurement. A better evaluation is to look at night shots (called beam shots) taken at the same exposure settings. That will show the width of the center beam, the throw, the overall brightness, and although not completely accurate, an indication of the color (warm white, neutral, or cool white).   Fenix is considered a good brand and you can probably find some beam shot comparisons at Candlepower Forum www.candlepowerforum.com or Budget Light Forum www.budgetlightforum.com .  Of the two, I much prefer BLF. CPF is heavily moderated. It's hard to make a post without violating one of their rules... and there are so many, they are listed by number.   Anyway, I can't comment much on that specific light. I like that the SOS mode is hidden... that mode is a total waste, but at least you don't have to cycle through it every time you use the light. The strobe is useful only in a tactical mode, but for it to be a tactical advantage you have to KNOW for sure the light is in the strobe mode. I keep one very bright LED light in strobe mode by the bedside. It is incredibly disorienting if you're flashed with it, but from the user end you can get used to it with practice.   I'd bet if you join BLF and ask about the LD22, they'll tell you more than you could possibly want to know about it. Be sure to post why you want a light and how you plan to use it. It matters a lot.   If you want bright (not always a good thing) the most brightness you can get for your money will be with lights that use 3.7v batteries instead of 1.5v AA batteries.  You can get 3.7v batteries the same size as AA batteries. YOU CANNOT use a 3.7v in a 1.5v light. My point is that you can get a brighter light the same size as the Fenix LD22 by getting one that uses 14500 3.7v rechargeable batteries.   A 16340 battery has the same dimensions as a CR123A. A 18650 is the same size as 2 CR123As.  These 3.7v batteries are expensive and a lot of them are junk, so you have to be careful what you buy. EDITED: A 14500 is the same size as a AA battery. There are some lights that will allow use of 14500 or AA, but if so, it will be specified in the battery specifications.   Bottom line: The Fenix LD22 is reported to be a very good light. I think you'll like it. I'd buy it before I would buy a Surefire and pay three times as much.

Nashville Metro parks are no-carry zones. The city went around and around on this about three years ago. However, two Metro parks are excluded due to their remote nature: Beamon and Bells Bend Parks out towards Joelton and Ashland City respectively.   By the way, how were the ticks on the GSMNP trails?  I found dozens on my two dogs and myself after my last hike in Bells Bend a month ago... I haven't been back. :yuck: