Ice Roll

[cam@nsmb.com]

Ed Snyder lives and rides across the border in Washington State.

This is his second contribution to nsmb.com - with his wife Beck behind the lens.

Stoked to have them aboard!

Ice Roll (http://www.nsmb.com/trail_tales/iceroll_01_07.php)

[gary j]

thank you

[the Master Plan Dan]

Great story...

Dan

[thad]

Complete. Sentences. Buddy. Does. Not. Believe. In. Them.

I thought it was close to unreadable.

Not all feedback is pretty.

[RubberSideDown]

Ya know, I just hate it when somebody does something tike that. Here I sit and think dark thoughts obout how cold it is and how much I would love to go ride, and then you throw it in my face about what a wuss I am. Now I have to go oil my chain and ride.

Thanks!

[biggles604]

Complete. Sentences. Buddy. Does. Not. Believe. In. Them.

I thought it was close to unreadable.

Not all feedback is pretty.

I think I'm with you on this. I didn't really get it. I'm more an analytical person, I like things clear and logical, not artistic and stylised, so it was somewhat lost on me. Your experience may differ.

That said. I love it whenever anyone shares a ride story :)

[cam@nsmb.com]

This is one of those pieces that I knew wouldn't appeal to everyone. If you try to please all you end up pleasing nobody. There are those who prefer straightforward prose and others who appreciate a style that is more reminiscent of verse. This is pretty clearly meant to echo the way thoughts arrive in our consciousness. Not many of us think in complete sentences - with commas and semi-colons - and it seems to me that Ed's piece is an effort to communicate his own experience of the ride without being restricted too much by literary convention.

Not for everyone? That's the way I like it.

Thad - always cool to share your thoughts here. Calling the piece 'close to unreadable' didn't seem necessary to me. Some people don't appreciate or are challenged by writing by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (me for instance - I generally need a tighter narrative thread to keep my ADD brain engaged) or Michael Ondaatje, but that doesn't make them unreadable. Not aimed at some people's taste or wiring? That's fair for sure.

*Pre-emptive note - I am not comparing Ed's writing to G.M.C. or M.O. - just using their writing to illustrate my point.

[wesleymantooth]

I thought the article was excellent. I enjoyed the way it was written and really got into it - it was perfect for my morning zone-out while surfing the web before getting down to business. Thanks.

[thedude]

It communicates the feelings and inner thoughts one usually has about riding.

I liked it. Couldn't read things like this all day but it was kinda cool.

I loved:

Phone breaks up the revolution blaring from the stereo. Glance at the number without really needing to, knowing it’s today’s partner in crime. Only one question… late or bagging? Only delayed. Mental sigh of relief.
I've had that happen on occasion.

[biggles604]

This is one of those pieces that I knew wouldn't appeal to everyone. If you try to please all you end up pleasing nobody. There are those who prefer straightforward prose and others who appreciate a style that is more reminiscent of verse. This is pretty clearly meant to echo the way thoughts arrive in our consciousness. Not many of us think in complete sentences - with commas and semi-colons - and it seems to me that Ed's piece is an effort to communicate his own experience of the ride without being restricted too much by literary convention.

And it's that open minded attitude that seperates this page from the rest. Thanks Cam, after your post I did go back and re-read it (although it's still not my thing).

[HIBuLlitT]

I enjoyed it, thanks...

[Fluid]

I really enjoyed the way that it was written. The lack of 'complete' sentences didn't even really register with me. I guess I was benefitting more from the feelings it stirred rather than the structure by which they were delivered.
Cool write-up. Thanks! :)

[Rexthespeedster]

Not for everyone? That's the way I like it.

A cool attitude. :)

Calling the piece 'close to unreadable' didn't seem necessary to me. ... Not aimed at some people's taste or wiring? That's fair for sure.

I had basically the same reaction as Thad. I thought it was almost unreadable, but not in a disrespectful way. A few times I skipped ahead hoping to find a more developed sentence. I've now re-read the piece and I still found it difficult. I wouldn't say that this article represents the way I think, and it's certainly not what I'm accustomed to reading.

[sAFETY]

haha:

"slip the surly bonds of driveway"

[Straw]

The style is not for me. I found it too flowery and ambitious.

The hounds’ breakfast dispensed, your fingers perform their ritual, subtle alchemy...

I did notice that things seemed more stop and start at the beginning, maybe to reflect one just waking up.

[powermutant]

A refreshing change from the straight-forward prose normally found. A couple of spots where the flow was lost, as with riding, but on the whole very readable, especially when given a concentrated re-read. I would call it a success, a feel for the ride, even thought it's 35C outside.

[cam@nsmb.com]

I had basically the same reaction as Thad. I thought it was almost unreadable, but not in a disrespectful way.

I guess it's about the term 'un-readable.' I think a better way to say it might have been difficult to follow or perhaps challenging.

Either way there are no hard feelings from either Ed or myself. You have to be thick skinned to be willing to present your version of reality to the wolves. And as I said - feedback is always good.

[corey@nsmb.com]

I liked it.

You know, we're mountain bikers, not literature nerds (not that there would be anything wrong with it if we were...). In my humble opinion, I think its refreshing to take 5 away from a hectic work schedule or lifes obligations to sink into a bike related article.

If its written academically, right on.

If its written like I've tapped into someone's head while they are out for a rip, right on. Why? Because when you cease picking the article apart for reading as something that is different, you begin to appreciate that it reads more like you might think while you are doing something that the other 99% are not fortunate enough to enjoy.

These are fun, bike related articles intended to put a smile on your face, or take you away from it all and back to the trail at a time when you can't be out there. If we were looking at research papers or a thesis, then yeah, sure, let's disect it. But when we're looking at someone's product of taking the time, risk and effort to share a bike experience, it makes more sense to take it for what it is. Drop back into the open minded, f*ck everything else but the bike and this quiet trail and escape from the daily grind mindset that we all get to enjoy on two wheels.

Pretty good read now if you ask me. :beer:

[DaveM]

I liked it, the writing is pretty much the format that I think in so it was easy for me to comprehend.

Any ride story is a good story, especially in the winter.

[markg]

Ed, Thanks for the story. Cam, thanks for creating the forum to make it possible. This is my first post at NSMB, I love the diversity of the site and the different views - something for everyone. I can appreciate the story, I live at 9200 feet in the middle of the Colorado Rockies - 5 major ski areas within 30 minutes of my driveway. I have not had the crowds on the trails Ed referred to, unless you count the people on skis and snowshoes, I'm pretty much it. Just glad to see that other folks are out there that don't stop riding when the snow starts falling. Some of my best rides of 2006 have been on snow-packed trails. Thanks NSMB for keeping the fires stoked year-round! Happy trails.
Mark

[Lady Gravity]

nice. i enjoyed the writing style as well as the story...made me feel like i was along for the ride, without the chill :D

[Big_Hipp3r]

props

[PT-Colin]

Ed, Thanks for the story. Cam, thanks for creating the forum to make it possible. This is my first post at NSMB, I love the diversity of the site and the different views - something for everyone. I can appreciate the story, I live at 9200 feet in the middle of the Colorado Rockies - 5 major ski areas within 30 minutes of my driveway. I have not had the crowds on the trails Ed referred to, unless you count the people on skis and snowshoes, I'm pretty much it. Just glad to see that other folks are out there that don't stop riding when the snow starts falling. Some of my best rides of 2006 have been on snow-packed trails. Thanks NSMB for keeping the fires stoked year-round! Happy trails.
Mark


Welcome aboard Mark! Are you in Colorado Springs?