In article %zmfb.488288$Oz4.332119@rwcrnsc54, Marsh Jones
writes:

My boss (a confirmed motorhead) brought up Cylinder Index the other day
- how many internal combustion cylinders you own, counting lawn mowers,
ATVs, cars, boats, etc.
While I definitely yield to him (104 vs. 9), it did get me thinking
about an equivalent in silent, people powered sports. I'd propose maybe
a carbon index - how many sticks of carbon you own, including bike
frames, ski poles, paddles, maybe even golf clubs. Any thoughts?
Memorable counts?


Infernal Combustion Engines: I hate 'em with a passion. They tempt you with
power, give you the illusion of being in control, and after you finally begin
to trust them, they will fail when you need them the most. How else to explain
the number of fatalities from cars that stall on Railroad tracks?

A couple of years back I bought a pontoon boat to keep at the family cabin.
The boat was fine, but sadly, I found myself in possession of the one thing I
had ranted against for the last 30 years - an outboard motor. More evidence
that life has a really cruel sense of humor. Rarely say never. ( In my
defense, I am considering adding a sail to the pontoon.)

I have always favored human powered craft. Their saving grace is that you if
you can get yourself in somewhere, you can probably get yourself out. Judgement
is clearest when not influenced by gasoline vapor.

Anyone who owns one watercraft has at least one more - or a picture of their
next one circled in a catalog somewhere. As for the Carbon Stick Index - I
have 3. A pair of composite oars and my kayak paddle. My Watercraft Index is
reasonable: 1 raft, 3 IK's, one canoe (my wife's), one paddle boat, and, of
course, the pontoon. But I do have a stack of catalogs with pictures circled.
Next addition is my own personal tripping canoe.

----
Blakely LaCroix
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
RBP Clique member # 86.

The best adventure is yet to come.