the person behind the bear?

wow bear, looks like you have pissed someone off

HEY, I RIDE A SCHWINN!!!!!!!!

ha! that's funny

I have one to add to the "retired" category...

"Retired and crotchety yet somehow likable Newbie Triathlete with too much time to spend looking up answers in Google searches..."

So Bear, are you gonna give up your secret? Which are you...all, some, or none, of the above.....

Edited by CindyK 2004-09-01 8:57 PM

And me? I think the poll should be deleted. The poll was authored by a regular poster who re-registered to dig at a contributor to this web site. Whatever.

I believe the policy is to email Ron if you feel you've been dealt with harshly. This is an attempt at humor with a laser jab and I believe polls like this will kill the site. The web is full of tri sites that engage in flame wars on a regular basis. I like this site because we don't do that.

Hey now,
I know "the bear" personally. He's a cool guy. He's actually a cycling coach at home, new to triathlons, but a pretty experienced runner and cyclist. In any case, he welcomed me as a memeber of a cycling group he rides with, which is always great for a beginner like me. I think he's very excited about "tri-ing."

i agree. he has helped me out tremendously! he has also introduced me to locals!

Wow...Aikane, being the naive person that I am I assumed it was goodnatured teasing, but I have to concede your point.

Bear, I hope you know that for me at least, that was meant in genuine good spirits. If it hit a vein I apologize.

Cindy

I wish someone would tell me what in the hell is wrong with my schwinn....

There is nothing wrong with your Schwinn. I am the proud owner of a Schwinn Prelude touring bike with a Suntour gruppo . I ride it whenever I go out with the kids I love it.

Ah, an ally to my schwinness....  Schwinn passage and proud of it!

Your shwin? It is ugly--and slow! But what do I know? I'm new to biking which brings me to my point. I didn't see many lovable poll choices about our bear. Hasn't he offered many valuable tips about biking?

If we are, in fact, beginner triathletes, why are we tearing each other down? May I recommmend Slowtwitch.com as a much better venue to flip a neighbor off?

In case you, as a 'new' user, did not read the Guidelines for this discussion board I've pasted a relevant portion of it here:

"It is a given that flaming, rude comments, and personal attacks are not acceptable here.

Consider that you are joining a community marked by good will and a shared committment to learn and to help others learn. Thus it is expected that all discussion participants will:

- read others' posts with care and deliberation
- strive to understand the position of those who disagree with you
- value your own experience and knowledge, and allow the same for others
- write your own posts with care and deliberation
- don't hog...keep your posts to a size and frequency which allows others an equal place in the discussion
- respect the intention of the person who originally posted and keep discussion relevant to the topic or question if that is his/her expressed wish, or the wish of others engaged. Always feel free to begin a separate question yourself if a tangent seems particularly interesting or important.
- feel quite free to disagree, but engage in friendly disagreement
- remember that humor and a friendly manner can go far in encouraging your readers to 'hear' your opinion
- and, make your posts helpful to the whole community by following the rules of good scholarship below. "

Hey, does this make me famous?

Rather than finding this offensive, I find it strangely flattering, that someone would take time to single me out like this. I know I've offended several people on here with some straight-forward answers, frankly Scarlett, i don't give a rat's lipstick. I've had several posters thank me publicly on the forums and in PMs, Ron has even approached me about writing articles for the site. I am obviously helping others, learning a lot about the sport , and thoroughly enjoying myself.

If it is, as Aikane says, an existing poster hiding behind an alias, it's a pretty gutless way of voicing opinion. I'll leave it up to Ron whether or not he wants to leave it.

Regrdless, thanks to those that posted the kind words. Carry on.

Shoot, a double post.

If anyone is really curious about my background, Dorian (only poster on here who has met me personally) gives a brief but accurate synopsis, you can also dig out my "introduction" from a couple months ago, or PM me and I'll gladly provide a resume.

Anyone caring to meet me in person to judge my validity themselves is welcome to come on down. As Dorian said, we do have a regular ride on Wednesdays and welcome any and all riders. Guts are optional.



Edited by the bear 2004-09-02 6:32 AM

Bear,

You're not doing anything worthwhile if someone's not taking shots at you. Frankly, your posts are informative and, well, frank. Its funny that this poll came out cause I was going to do something similar, but with a little more tact and under my own name. I was going to ask if, instead of a human being, you were really one of those internet search engines like "Ask Jeeves" since you have such a wealth of knowledge. You know plenty!

Keep up the great posts and don't let the rascally swamp 'gators get you down.

Tom, Schwinns are great, my first bike was a schwinn chopper, banana seat and sissy bar...it didn't climb hills very well, though.

Edited by Motivated 2004-09-02 8:06 AM

It seems to me that the only people who are really offended by my poll are those who live in or near Cajon Country; maybe the "toothless Cajon" stero-type was a bit too much, but you have to admit the choices are funny. I was just trying to point out, in a humorous manner, that a newbe to BT, like myself, gets the impression that the bear thinks he knows all. Hey Bear, what kind of times have you posted thus far - in a Sprint, Oly, 1/2IM, IM? If you are fast, you must be doing something right, therfore your comments will seem more valid. Personally, I can't stand when someone claims to know all about anything, but then that same person can't succeed at what they advise others about. Anyway, I am sorry that I offended some of you bayou-dwellers, but I was just trying to lighten things up, and get some info on the bear. There is nothing wrong with checking sources. Well, I am going to hit the pool, and by the way...........SCHWINN's KICK ASS!!!!

Why would you think that someone has to be fast in order to have the correct information? I'm a VERY slow runner, but I've been running for YEARS and I consider my information on the subject to be very valid. I guess you'd think that's wrong? Sorry, but your last post comes through in the wrong tone. Why am I suddenly reminded of Clydesdale?

Situation: You are out of shape and decide to join a gym. They tell you that you get to pick a personal trainer for three free training sessions. There are two trainers to choose from: the first guy is thin, muscular, and strait-up ripped, but only has two years experience; the second one is a fat slob who has worked at the gym for 15 years.

I take the fit trainer, you, I assume take the slob.

Do you get my point?

Yellow,
just because you have run for years does not mean that you have GOOD advise on the subject. If you have run for years surely you would have made progress/improvements; but if you say that you haven't, then you are certainly doing something wrong. I personally would double, or triple check and advise that I got from a slow, fat, or out of shape person (if the advice pertained to fitness).
By the way, I am not trying to sound rude, it is just the nature of argumentative conversation.
Now, I must go to the pool.

I’d take the one whose personality I got on with. The trainer isn’t doing my gym work for me – I am.


I had a feeling the bear wouldn’t be offended by this.

Nothing in the options about the bear just catchin fish.


He’s up there to be shot at because he’s up there answering stuff. This site wouldn’t be much without a combination of fact, opinion and humor and the that the bear contributes. If you don’t like his facts – tough – if you don’t like his opinions – don’t read them and if you don’t like his humor – don’t laugh.

Good come back Mike! ;-)