Guided trail rides? Experience?

Q. Hi everyone!! Well while i was on vacation, i went on a guided trail ride with my family. I own a horse, and thought it would be fun cause i ride my horse all the time. On the ride, the trail guide said he only has been riding for less than a year.
Then worse happened, there was a thick bush and i totally crashed the bush and went flying off the horse. Sure i was all scratched up and all, and boy did i feel stupid!
Another thing that happened on the same ride was after i got back on after fallling, the guide couldnt control his horse and kept it trotting not knowing how to stop it. With his horse trotting, all of the 6 horses behind began trotting really fast with very very beginners on them.

my question is:

What is you experience with guided trail rides?

Also how many of you have fallen off on a guided ride?

Do you think most of the guides have much experience?

thanks!!

Answer
Okay, back in the late 60's and very early 70's I worked as a guide for Sea Horse Ranch, Half Moon Bay, CA to support my horses. Earl Caudle made sure we all had experience and also had grown adult males normally riding bird dog for most of the trail. A "Bird Dog" was a wrangler who sat out on the trail and would take the ride to the end of the trail from where us "wranglers" took them and assist with any problems us "kids" had with any of the riders.

We had VERY few wrecks at Sea Horse and normally it was the RIDER's fault when they did happen. The WRANGLERS or guides are there for your protection AND the horse's. You'd be amazed at the things rent riders do to some of those horses.

Sounds like this stable doesn't have a CLUE how to train their guides. Even now that Earl has sold his place and the new owners have had it over a decade it's still run basically the same way if not more careful. My best friend took me there for what was my 41st year anniversary riding there last year for my birthday. I noticed that the bumps were taken out of the trail, there's a little bicycle path and cutesy fence on the beach side of the trail. The guides now are Mexican and no habla English too well, not the kids or the old time cowboys anymore. The tack is in dire need of repair (One saddle didn't even have fenders) and they didn't allow you to take cell phones or cameras with you (So they could sell you a CD of the pictures their guy on the scooter took.), but basically it was the SAME trail just more idiot proof.

I've found that at the lower end rental stables they tend to have the lesser experienced staffers, throughout the years. The Mexican, could ride, but his interaction with the riders was minimal unless you happened to habla Espanol...HeHeHe

Need suggestions in buying a new bicycle?

I'm looking to buy a bike so I could ride along with my kids (4 and 7 years old). I'm thinking that a mountain bike would be better than a road bike, due to its versatility. However, I have very limited knowledge in brands, features, wheel sizes, suspensions, etc... I don't want to spend more than $600 on a new bike. Can you offer some suggestions to assist/guide me in shopping for a new bike?

Answer
Start by reading "How to Choose a Bicycle" on this link - http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bicycle.html

I seriously doubt you NEED a mountain bike. Don't buy what you want - buy what you NEED. If you'll be riding on streets & light off road (groomed) trails you don't NEED suspension at all. A comfort and/or hybrid bike would work just as well & be easier to ride. Suspension parts soak up or 'zap' your energy. With every stroke of the pedals part of your energy is lost or soaked up into those suspension parts. Knobby off-road tires slow you down.

Features? Double wall rims and an 8 speed "cassette" rear cog - not a 7 speed "freewheel". The hub (axle) on the cassette is MUCH stronger. Too many good brands to recommend just one or two. See your local bike shop. Tell the salesperson "where & how" you plan on riding. What you NEED the bicycle to do for you.

Extensively test ride a few. The one that rides & just plain feels the best - buy it!

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How much does the Mongoose Scan R10 BMX Bike weigh?

Q. I've searched everywhere, can't find out, looks like a really nice bike I would just like to see how much it weighs, anyone know?

D:!

Thanks!

Answer
You mean this one http://www.mongoose.com/usa/bikes/bmx/freestyle/scan-r10-boys ? Sorry to say it is not something you should consider if you do any kind of tricks, jumps, or other stunts. To answer your weight question, it weighs about 35 pounds. Here is the info straight from the Walmart website http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mongoose-20-Scan-R10-BMX-Bike/26434815 .

Yes, it is a nice looking bike but looks aren't everything. It is a very low level bike sold at department stores, and as such is not intended for tricks or anything. They are just for general riding. The warranty specifically outlines it's intended use and spells out that the warranty is void if it is used for stunts, jumping, or anything else besides riding on the street.

Here is an explanation of the warranty http://www.mongoose.com/usa/faq . Read it and weep.

thumbs up or down for my bike?

http://photos.motorcycle-usa.com/VY9C8152.jpg ninja zx 14

Answer
thumbs up. bikes like that are hot! big turn on for the ladys ;]
and the reason there saying down is because they are mommas boys and dont no how to live.. totally thumbs up!

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How does one size themself for a bicycle?

Q. How do you figure out what size bike to get? I'm an adult and not sure how you figure it? I still have my bike from when I was a kid. Seemed to be pretty big then. Not sure how I'd fit on it now. But was probably looking to get back into riding a bike for exercise or just for fun. So if that one might be too small now, how do I size for a new one?

Answer
Worth the read:
http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html

Short version: You need a frame that lets you adjust to the correct seat height, and has the right length top tube so you're not too stretched out, but not banging your knees on the bars either.

As a kid, you probably had an inexpensive bike with a generic one-size-fits-all frame. If you're average size (5'8" or so), it may still fit with the appropriate adjustments. Of course, as a serious bike person, I think you'd ride more and enjoy it more with a newer machine set up just for you.....

To give you an idea, I'm 5'9". I ride a 54cm tri-bike, and an 18" mountain bike.

How important is setup? A couple years ago, I put together my current mtb from a new frame with a mix of old and new components. Having trained and raced for decades, I have my riding position pretty well set. I took careful measurements of seat height, saddle position, bar height, etc. before dis-assembling the old and reassembling the new.

A couple weeks later, I started having shoulder problems at swim workouts. Pain, crunching noises. At first, I put it down to old age and past injuries catching up with me. On a hunch, I remeasured my bike. It turned out I had somehow put the saddle 1.5 cm further back than intended. Moved the saddle forward, shoulder problems went away in short order.

Obviously you wouldn't know what your setup is SUPPOSED to be, so you might find it worthwhile to have a bike shop do it even if you keep your old bike. Ask questions. As you get more experienced, you may find it necessary to make small adjustments from the basic set up.

For racing purposes, a lot of triathletes pay to have their setup done on a trainer with a power tap and heartrate monitor to make sure they get as close as possible to the performance sweet spot. Top level pros do this in a wind tunnel to add the aero drag component.

Who makes the most comfortable seat for a mountain bicycle?

Q. I'm a guy.

Answer
Saddle comfort is much more a matter of fit than brand. The width of people's pelvic bones varies significantly. If your saddle doesn't fit your pelvis, it will be uncomfortable.

Specialized has an system to measure your pelvic width. Basically, you sit, fully clothed, on a gel pad. You measure the width of the indentations made by your pelvic bones. Then you select the proper width saddle. I found I have a very narrow pelvic structure. (My kids have called me a tight a$$ for years, but that may be a different issue.) In any case, I've been very pleased with the Specialized saddle I have and put thousands of miles on it. Unfortunately, for some long forgotten reason, I put it on my son's bike a few years ago and he has commandeered it. (Perhaps, he too will turn out to be a tight a$$.)

In the meantime, I have been using a WTB saddle. I have also found that Fizzik makes some very comfortable saddles.

Hope this helps.

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If my child laughs during spanking, should I use more force?

Gary

Answer
nope, dont bother. if the child is laughing its not doing what its supposed to be doing (Discipline).

try taking their stuff. they HATE that.

for instance,

1) spanking never worked with one of my kids (the others yes) when my one son was little, if he was angry at me he would smash my stuff (only when he was mad [my ex was an abuser, so he learned all of that from him smashing everything]).

he would smash, then stand there with a firm look on his face, "ha ha" he'd say to me.

i finally went in his room and grabbed the prized bat mobile, and proceeded to stomp on it until nothing left. "ha ha yourself. not so funny now, huh? DONT do it again".

he never did it again. all of the talking talking talking with this kid and THAT was the cure. i wished i had figured that out years ago.


2) when my kids wouldnt use bike helmets i would pull out the tools and take off the front tire of their bike, then lock it in the trunk for one or two days. i'm not upsetting myself, i'll just take it. if they did it again, i would do it for a week.

3) i used to be stupid and take their whole video game set up; games, paddles, etc... until one day i realized one better. i would just walk in and take the JUST the paddles to the video games. i told them they could look at it all they wanted.

they replied 'but now we cant play it'

'bummer' was my reply. :)

4) when they would argue with each other (or me) and slam the bedroom door(s) i would just pop the pins in the door and take the whole dam door (LOL!!). yup. i just put it against the wall in my bedroom.

they would say "hey! thats MY door"
"nope, its mine... the room is still yours" i would say back.


see? why aggravate yourself... you can do far more damage by taking their stuff (they reach an age where you can reason with them and spanking doesnt work anymore). kids HATE when you take their stuff, and more then likely, usualy stop their crap.

yvette
mom of 4 and still standing my ground ;)

.

What can I do about my restless baby?

pinkbutter

I have a baby girl that is almost 4 months old. I have started her on cereal but not yet on baby food. She has been a very restless sleeper lately. She never really has slept all the way through the night since she was born so I'm not really expecting that but now all of a sudden during the day she is up for an hour and then gets really tired and I lay her down for a nap and she only sleep 30 minutes to an hour and is right back up. This continues all day long. I give her a bath and bottle with cereal at 8 and she lays down for bed and sleeps pretty good until about 2 or sometimes 4 and then is almost fully awake. I can get her to go back to sleep but she keeps waking up about every hour after that until finally she wont go back to sleep anywhere between 6 and 8am. What can I do about her sleeping issue? I've tried keeping her awake for longer periods of time during the day before I let her take a nap but that seems to have made it worse because now she wont sleep but only 30 minutes. I plan on starting her on baby food tomorrow but I don't know if that will fix it. Does anyone have any suggestions about getting her to sleep longer and on more of a regular schedule?

Answer
Hang in there. I don't usually answer these parenting questions, it can be like arguing over politics but I seriously think I may have some suggestions to pass on.

My little ones were always of good temperament, because a great pediatrician was simple in her advice - keep it simple, think like a baby & slow down before you react each time & read their tells. We adults get so caught up in all of the possibilities and details beyond eating, sleeping and pooping. Unless there is something truly wrong with the physiology, anticipating the above three events during the day, on a regular boring schedule, day after day is the formula to a happy baby. Sunshine, physical activity, fresh air and swing sets put babies out. Good diets & eating well keeps them asleep.

My first, 3rd & 4th were all good eaters & sleepers immediately. They told me their schedule of how much they wanted to eat & sleep, then I nailed it down to be consistent. My 2nd darling sounds a bit like yours. She would sip at the breast, then crash. Sip & crash 20-30 minutes, up again. I would strip her down to her diaper & use barely cool wash clothes to keep her awake, at least enough awake to eat & fill up for a decent stretch.

Since all she's doing is laying around eating & sleeping, yet her body is growing & brain waking up, she's got energy & needs to be shown how to expel it. Before my pre-one year olds' AM naps, we would have exercise time for 20 minutes or a bike ride. Do the exercise movements for her, move her limbs, do bicycle legs as she lays on her back. Put her on her tummy and put toys just out of reach so she stretches - always let her win the toy, slide it toward her, let her have a few seconds of frustration first so she'll learn how to push through it.

When you're faced with an issue like this, adding food should be considered carefully. Sometimes it can help, other times add discomfort and gas. And just because a baby slaps away a spoonful of food, it doesn't mean they don't like or want it. 4 months is still young to introduce food. I know it's the standard, but it's all estimations. I screened kids 0-5 years old for developmental delays, it's not based upon how many weeks old they are - there is a lot of wiggle room. You don't have to accomplish something on the exact day a pediatrician's chart tells you.

I breast fed primarily, but committed a no-no. I insisted that all my babies taste formula before I left hospital, to see how they tolerated it under controlled conditions. If I were to get a breast infection, or just drop off of the planet, I wanted to know they would be able to tolerate formula. It turned out that 1 out of my 4 could not tolerate dairy well. Some called it colic, but when I eliminated cow's milk products from my own (breast feeding) diet, and tried him on soy, it went away completely. This is what the formula companies don't tell you. Probably because it causes you to buy the ridiculously priced infant antacids! I've helped other mom's "cure" misdiagnosed colic several times. Cow's milk is made for calves, not humans. It's an artificial substitute that works fine for some, but doesn't fit us all - look at how many folks who hit their 40's suddenly become lactose intolerant!

Get her on a schedule - it'll take about 2 weeks. If she cries in the crib, just rub her back, don't take her out unless it's legitimate diaper or hunger. Babies graze and eat as they need it, try to build her up to take 4-8 ounces of formula with cereal in it in a feeding, then you can see if filling her stomach helps, in addition to stimulation & exercise beforehand.

I also put on a very low volume classical music tape with ocean waves in the background, that worked well - kept a few copies of that on hand with all of these babies! But I set the music to shut off so they don't overstimulate & their brains could rest. Even kept a copy of that tape in the car when I had to nap them out, when it was unavoidable to stick to their schedule at home. Between the consistent bedtime snack, say goodnight to the moon, brush teeth, read books, & music tape, we had bedtime very consistent & down to a science. Same thing every day - that music came to mean "sleep" for them for several years, better than a sleeping pill.

It takes time, patience beyond what I knew I had, and commitment. I was on my own with 3 in diapers, I learned that keeping their schedule extremely consistent, with some flexibility built in, I could take care of myself. When I was lax on it, I paid dearly.

Now they are teens - I never thought I prefer the diapers!

I just read my answer to you - I sound like such a "know-it-all", but this is info I gathered that was shared with me, tried, and worked more often than not. I listened to advice some, but mostly to the babies. It's like playing poker at first - reading their tells.

My pediatrician said that she's not so sure that mother's intuition exists, she thinks is women's intelligence - hang around a crying baby long enough & you'll figure out how to stop it!

Good luck. Maybe my long answer will help you get some sleep.

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Should ice cream truck music be banned within city limits?

Berlin Dol

A local vendor is soon to face city council as he was cited for violating the city noise ordinance. He tried using a bicycle bell for a while, but it doesn't have the same effect. Bar music, outdoor music festivals, jackhammers, factory whistles, train whistles, and emergency sirens are all louder than the ice cream truck. The neighborhood kids love the ice cream truck music and get all excited when they hear it. We had an ice cream truck in our neighborhood when I was a child and so did my parents. It just seems like taking a law out of context. Loud music should be banned for personal vehicles, residences and private property, not businesses in my opinion.

Answer
I guess some parents complained about the ice cream company advertising to children, while on a public street. There is a possibility that a child could be injured by a passing vehicle while on the street.

When I was a kid nobody thought of such things, so we had ice cream trucks all the time. We drove our parents crazy by running in asking for money. Nobody I know ever got hit by a car, but it's a different world. Kids aren't running the streets like we did, they have play dates at other kids houses instead.

im 13 years old i need tips on how to ask 14 year old girl out in my neighborhood?

brandon c

she goes to school and i dont im homeschooled and i just moved here and i met this girl i love her help

Answer
You won't know about actual love for a long time. Heck, i'm 22 and probably don't know what real love is yet.

So don't get all serious over it, but that doesn't mean that you still can't be all bf/gf for your age.

Other than that, the only thing i know of how to talk to a girl is to ask them if they want a cigarette (sorry kid, that's probably not good in your situation), and ask them if they want a drink (also not something you can do right now). God, the voice of a female smoker is like a siren singing to drag my boat into the rocky shore. Brody Armstrong sounds like she smokes at least 3 packs a day, and I could listen to her all day.

But I digress...is there a park nearby? idk, do kids ride bicycles these days? Think of stuff to talk about ahead of time, like news, movies, Heath Ledger dying..?

Also, don't do anything behind the parent's backs, they're daughter is probably precious to them, so they'll literally kill you if you touch her the wrong way.

Edit: Literally, they will kill you.

Edit #2: Oh yeah, and ask questions once you get into a conersation. Most of what comes out of your mouth should be a question. Divert all attention away from yourself. I find this helps. I'm extemely awkward, but when i speak nothing but questions this fact gets drowned in the confusion.

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