NEW BLOG: "Greg Rides Trails (....and talks about life)."

Creative Expression

Creative expression: it has always been crucial to who I am as a person. Much of it began to take shape in the form of a newspaper that I published all by myself (with a little help from my Mom) back when I was in elementary school. I wrote all the articles, designed the pages, printed it off, and distributed to all of my friends and friends of the family.

In early and late high school, it manifested itself in awesome hair, adamant musical tastes (which I still hold), and pursuing sports just because I thought they were sweet.

Since then, much of my personal self expression has taken place through the sports that I have poured my time and energy into. Skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing… I love them all! But as a purely creative outlet, my blog was my primary method of expressing and creating. Beginning as an independent website named “Randomer” in 10th grade, spreading out to a straight-up blog by the same name later on, it was an important part of me continuing the trend of being me, and saying what I want to say in a way that I thought was cool.

Hopefully this sort of self expression will make the jump to this new blog of mine, and transform itself on the way over. I want to take it to an HNL. To a semi-professional level of quality, while still maintaining the “me-ness” of it all, and not caring too much about where I put all of my commas.

Welcome to “Greg Rides Trails (…and talks about life.)”

A call to post trails

Originally posted here as a call to other Singletracks members to post their local trails and to continue making Singletracks.com the best mountain bike site on the internet.

So this is a post I've been meaning to write for a while. But basically, if you've ridden trails that aren't up here on Singletracks, you should post them up so everyone can know about them!

Of the half dozen or so guidebooks that I own, each of them includes trails that aren't posted here on singletracks. I've done my fair share, and every trail I've ever ridden is up here on the website for all to see. But there are so many out there that need to be added!

Near where I was living in Montana, I know there are a dozen or so awesome trails that I didn't get a chance to ride that needed to be added. There are so many more all over that state that need to be on here!

I was reading the latest issue of Bike Mag, and they were talking about the hundreds of awesome trails up in BC. We have less than 25 trails from BC listed here on Singletracks.

So let's keep on making this the best mountain bike site on the internet! And post those trails!

Currently Reading: "The Philosophical Quest: a Cross-Cultural Reader"

Currently Reading: The Philosophical Quest: a Cross-Cultural Reader.

It has some pretty heady stuff in it, that's for sure. I've really been enjoying my philosophy class, though. Very stimulating discussion. Very interesting. It takes some effort to attempt to understand different peoples (philosophers) viewpoints.

Hypocrisy in the Church: a commentary on two short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne

I saw much of what Michael Lancaster and Margaret Dukes wrote about in their posts, but I primarily saw Hawthorne taking this subject of sin a slightly different direction. From the subject matter of both of these texts, I believe that Hawthorne was speaking out against what he saw as rampant hypocrisy in the church of his day.

Starting with The Minister's Veil, it soon became apparent that the minister himself had a great sin to hide. He refuses to confess it to God, and go forward living a life of joy in the forgiveness and grace given by Jesus on the cross. Instead, he attempts to cover it up, and atone for it on his one through some sort of lonely suffering. The people of the town were both convicted by his hidden sin, and on the other hand condemnatory of the minister, even though they themselves had sins that the would never reveal to the world.

Secondly in the story of Young Goodman Brown, they hypocrisy of the leaders of the church is clearly evident, much more blatantly so than in the previous story. The deacons and the ministers were revealed to actually be consorting with the devil. The old lady that had taught the protagonist his catechism was, in fact, a witch. I believe it was the deacon that was quoted as saying he would rather attend that night's evil gathering than attend any sort of sunday service. While young goodman brown eventually resisted the urge to join the evil ranks of the devil, he was haunted for the rest of his life by the knew knowledge that he had of the secret evil inside everyone. He snatched the young children away from the old catechism lady, and shunned the minister and the deacons. He could not even trust his wife, because he did not know what had happened to her that night, or what her secret sin even was.

This recurring theme is one that I believe many of us can resonate with. The question is, we will be part of the problem, or part of the solution?

So it's not any size then is it?

I can't believe people actually buy these

Sometimes I hate people

Going to ride the Frady Branch... and then I got SHUT DOWN

Got up early and drove 50 miles to ride, and then:






What a let down!

21 years

Posing in my new UWEC sweater that my sister sent me for my birthday!



I'm celebrating 21 years alcohol and tobacco free today... and going to keep it that way!

Doctor almost intentionally kills 2 cyclists

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/road-rage-doctor-guilty-of-assaulting-cyclists

That's right!! Convicted on all counts... from what I've heard, he's facing 5-10 years. More on the story here:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclists-trial1-2009nov01,0,159992.story

Currently studying

Currently: studying biology and apologetics at the same time... hoping i have enough time to gather good information at a sufficient rate to refute all of the bad science. but with a secular TEXTBOOK THAT CONTRADICTS ITSELF, it's not too hard.

Lethargy

Lethargy: the quality or state of being drowsy and dull, listless and unenergetic, or indifferent and lazy; apathetic or sluggish inactivity.

(from dictionary.com)

We can not live our lives in state of television-induced lethargy.



American Lethargy: More Contagious than the Swine Flu

(My latest english essay)

The Horrors of Writing

I hate forcing out an essay... just hate it. But that's the way life goes. Nothing ever happens just like you plan on it happening. No, you've always got to be on your toes. That's the way life goes.

And it is hard. Yes, Life is hard. That is life. That is writing.

Dust and Bones video

Stinking sweet trailer... and the intro is so good, make sure you have your volume up.


More bike videos on BikeMag.com

GSC starts tomorrow!

Classes officially start tomorrow at Gainesville! I am so excited about going back to school, its pretty ridiculous! I don't have class until Tuesday, so I've got an extra day to wait... but it is going to be so exciting to get at it! I wish I didn't have to work though, and all I had to do was class, studying, ministry, wedding planning, biking, and Summer time (of course). But I have to work in there too... oh well. That's my life, haha!

So yeh yeh for college getting started back up!

Email Update

When I was back in Wisconsin, I had several people ask me whether or not I was still writing/emailing updates/blogging etc., and I actually have been updating my blog frequently... very frequently. However, since I've been updating and working on the creative side of things so much, the administrative side has gone a little slack. So here's a quick update for you.

I haven't been writing nearly as much lately. Randomer's focus has shifted even more heavily towards photography, or at least pictures (as many of them don't measure up to Mr. Meurett's expectations of photographs... that would take A LOT of creative energy).

I have written a few interesting things lately:
Miracle Mercy
706 update
You Gotta Want It!
Practice Makes Perfect

Also, remember when you get on Randomer, you can browse for posts by topic, such as "quality" for all of the best posts, mountain biking, rock climbing, a commentary on life, and Jesus Christ (although all of the writing links are most of the recent "Jesus Christ" posts).

Other items of note...
I AM ENGAGED!!!!!! Most of you probably know that, but that is so HUGE that I CAN'T GO WITHOUT MENTIONING IT!!!


Also, was just up in Wisconsin for a visit, and I'm in the process of uploading the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of photos from my trip.
You can find the first couple of rounds of rock climbing photos from Red Wing, MN here, here, and here.



Also, some shots from mountain biking back at Levis here.



If you browse back a little ways, you will probably run across a load of photos from past mountain biking exploits, such as this one from a trail up north of me a little ways:


And there are many, many more pictures on there way (including a whole bunch of rappelling pictures!) So check back often, glance through some snap shots of my life, and have a good day! (Oh, and shoot me an email if you want!)

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice makes perfect. How many times has your mom or your coach told you that? But it is so true: the more you practice something, the better you get at it. This holds true across a vast spectrum of activities. If you practice mountain biking all the time, you are going to end up riding farther, faster, and more skillfully than you have ever done. If you practice studying at school, you are going to get really good grades. If you practice being diligent at work, you are going to be a hardworker, and people are going to notice.

Conversely, if you practice sitting in front of the TV every night, you are going to get fat. If you practice putting off your homework enough, it won't get done. If you call in sick to work all the time, your boss is going to have a very bad opinion of you.

In the most important realm of our lives, however, this rule: "Practice makes perfect" still applies. If you practice praying your guts out and seeking God's will, your heart is going to be transformed to mirror His will! But if you practice putting other things in front of God, distracting yourself with the things of this world (entertainment, sports, etc), you will wind up being very good at straying far from God.

People, this is the issue: practice following Jesus, and you will get good at it! Practice wandering away, and you will get good at that too.

You gotta want it!

Jesus' amazing love has the power to transform our lives... But only if we let Him. Friends, we must allow Jesus to do his work in our hearts and lives; we need to WANT to change before change will take place. Nothing will happen without the desire. Find the desire to let Jesus do the work that only He can. As Jim said, ''your desire (to change) must be greater than your disability.'' Don't wait around to find that desire... Go out and get it now!

Tree Hugger advertising gimics

Yeah... it's now half the size, but not to be eco-friendly oh gullible one.
Do you realize how much money they are saving by being "eco-friendly?" It's all about the bottom line!

Stickered Nalgene