For Those of You Who Have Never Ridden a Seesaw

04.3.2006 | 12:11 pm

I should be in my car right this second, driving to the airport. It’s my first day of work, in a different city, at a different job.
 
But I just couldn’t leave Saturday’s post — reruns of comments, essentially — stand as the Monday post.
 
I’m that dedicated.
 
So, here are a couple of pictures of Bob and me, riding one of the seesaw stunts in the Tapeworm course (or maybe it’s Mr. DNA).
 
Up
You’ve got to approach a seesaw with more speed — and confidence — than feels natural. You can’t just coast up — too steep — and if you just inch up, you’ll start wobbling and fall off the side.
 
As Bob shows here, you’re pretty far up before the seesaw starts tipping. He’s over the fulcrum, and the seesaw is just about to go.
 
 
Down
When the seesaw tips, it goes suddently and violently. You go from hardly moving at all, trying to balance, to being in what feels like free fall. You feel an urge to bail out — clearly, you’re not going to make it — but before you do, the seesaw has hit the ground with a thump that travels through your spine, arms, and shoulders, and you ride away, giddy as hell.
 
Here I am, just as the seesaw hits the ground. You can see I only barely avoided rolling off one side.
 
 
I’ve got to build one of these in Utah.

Comments (15)

 

May I Have the Envelopes, Please

04.1.2006 | 6:43 pm

Whaddaya say we give away all this stuff I’ve been promising all week? Below are the winning comments (chosen randomly, using www.random.org to select the winners) and what they’ve won. Winners, please email me with your name and address, so I can send your prizes your way.

 

Friday’s Messenger Bag Contest

You can do it Fatty!

I just discovered your blog on my msn home page and as a person who wishes to lose weight by cycling herself about town have found some problems with rain. Lots of record setting rain here.

You have become the new standard bearer for my effort, above Lance Armstrong because of where you are coming from. I much better relate to your effort.

Keep on pedalling.

—Robyn

But you know, Robyn, if you use me as your role model, you’re much less likely to win the Tour de France.

 

Paris-Roubaix Video Contest

Insert sarcastic yet humurous comment about your weight and lack of riding ability here.

—Conejita

Insert sarcastic-yet-humorous comment about how I hope you find this video more watchable than I did.

 

Wireless Desktop

Okay, I voted for you…  Hope you win, I could use the stuff!!!

—gregcolorado

Well, OK, you win. But only because you used three exclamation points.

 

Office 2003 Professional

You want my vote for a $5 bag?  Pah!

Next time please present a bribe in line with my over-inflated sense of self-importance.

—buckythedonkey

Like, maybe, a $500 software package?

 

Prototype Messenger Bag

That was very rude. Just because you aren’t good at something doesn’t mean you have to put it down and everybody else who does it. I know that it is your own opinion and I respect that. But in my opinon a triatholon is a sport. My defintion of a sport would be something that gets you physically and  mentally healthy. It should also be fun and swimming is. Even if you are doing it in a competetion it is still fun because its heart racing and its a challenge. A challenge is something everyone should want. If you keep winning all the time because its too easy its not fun. Also all sports are dangerous. In cycling you could trip, fall, or collide with someone. Every sports has its risks but that’s something you assume to be able to do it.

One last thing Poker you consider that a sport?

—5061

Well, would a poker-playing zombie be life-threatening? You bet it would. Therefore, poker is a sport.

 

The Incredibly Belated Winner of the “Help My Son with His Science Project” Contest

And, finally, congratulations to NicholesTruth, the randomly lucky winner of the 85 people who submitted their results in my son’s Reaction Time experiment. NicholesTruth wins a just-released Banjo Brothers Pocket Messenger Bag.

(And to everyone else who helped on the experiment: thanks!)

Comments (13)

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