Comments for The Average Visitor

Comment on The Life of Grad Students: Field Equipment Testing by Andrew Durso

Andrew Durso — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:38:35 +0000

Great stuff! We might have to borrow one of Dave’s cameras to use on our cat.

Comment on Research activities as a means of protection? by blog animaux

blog animaux — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:38:34 +0000

Bonjour! Juste pour te dire que je trouve ton blog vraiment sympa. Les artciles sont rédigés avec bcp de soins et sont la pluspart du temps très pertinents.. j’aimerais bien avoir la même inspiration J’édite moi aussi un blog .. a bientôt, Julie

Comment on The Survey Experience: Perspectives from an Introvert by stressingoutstudent

stressingoutstudent — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:10:30 +0000

Oh goodness, I know how you feel! When I first entered college, I jumped right into student government, feeling that this would “help” with my introversion. And boy, did it Lots of clipboarding work, dealing with rejection (it definitely does suck), and that joy of persuading someone to stop and listen!

Great post

Comment on The Elevator Speech by The elevator pitch: more harm than good? | Small Pond Science

The elevator pitch: more harm than good? | Small Pond Science — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:23:11 +0000

[...] lots of advice out there that scientists need an elevator [...]

Comment on Knitting Meets National Parks by Ashley D

Ashley D — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:29:54 +0000

Macrobe – So glad that you enjoyed this post! I, too, mostly knit with natural colors and tones (although recently I have been drawn to deep, dark purples as well). I’d love to see your finished New Mexico desert socks and a shawl in red/oranges of the Utah red rock country would be absolutely lovely. I may have to keep my eyes out for a variegated yarn with that color scheme. Thanks for sharing your ideas and love of knitting!

Comment on Knitting Meets National Parks by Macrobe

Macrobe — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:17:58 +0000

I enjoyed this post. A biologist recently retired from academia, I now have time to knit! I find myself gravitating to yarns that reflect natural colors, such as variegated or tonal reds, blues, and other colors found in the desert. It would be fun to label projects with specific landscapes (or parks), such as my in-progress New Mexico desert socks. I can see a shawl or cowl in the reds and orange hues of the Utah canyon lands.

Comment on Does mountain biking always cause more impact? by Ti-Wiz

Ti-Wiz — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 02:50:57 +0000

The Great Gazoo really doesn’t like mountain bikers does he? What he’s saying is (unfortunately) largely true but I believe it only applies to trails close to urban areas where the local downhill crew are using the same area constantly and have access to tools. However, mountainbiking isn’t all about screaming down hill at speed wearing body armour. I’ve been a cross-country mountain biker and a hiker for decades, I ride responsibly, don’t skid, don’t cut new trail, and avoid riding after heavy rain to avoid trail damage. I’m certainly not alone in having this attitude. Back country mountain biking is as valid as hiking as a passtime and, I would suggest, no more destructive to the environment in these circumstances. Bizarrely, I am still denied access to thousands of kms of firetrail through wilderness areas due to the perceived erosion issue despite the fact that 4WD’s are used in all weathers on the same tracks for ‘maintenance visits’! Access to singletrack trails is even more restricted. I live in Australia – given the space available, access to land is pathetic. For an enlightened approach to trail management which appears to work for all, take a look at the New Zealand system.

Comment on Recreation Ecology Around the World: Part 1 – East Asia by Logan Park

Logan Park — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:23:11 +0000

Hey Ashley, great writeup! Yu-Fai is a thorough researcher and author. During our trip this summer to some of Japan’s parks, we saw evidence of this high-use high-hardening approach. If I may speculate, the driving force was the centuries of development occupying every flat (and not-so-flat) area. So, parks as we recognize them here in the West were relegated to very mountainous areas. Beautiful and rugged, but remote. Thanks for the post!!

Comment on About Ashley D by Manfred Wilder

Manfred Wilder — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 16:22:32 +0000

Nice work, Thanks

Comment on Does mountain biking always cause more impact? by Great Gazoo

Great Gazoo — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 20:34:51 +0000

Mountain bikes are akin to motorized dirt bikes. Plain and simple fact. They do more damage to the trails, and off trail, due to the fact so many public landowners have been brainwashed by the “they are only bikes” and bikes are a “green” mode of transportation. With their duals suspensions, and disc brakes, fat knobby tires, full face helmets and body armor, and their riding habits, they are not different than the motorized yahoos on the trails. There is a lot of mountain bike backed studies out there. The real science proves that mountain biking is destructive on and off trail. They can go further, and higher on a bike than the average hiker. As you can see for yourself, in the video, does mountain biking seem like a passive, non-destructive sport to you. There have been wildlife collisions and mortality due to mountain biking. You can’t respect nature from the back of a speeding mountain bike and full face blindering helmet. You might as well say that ATV’s and mudbogging does not have an effect on the environment. Mountain bikers build more trails and structures, causing tree mortality, for starters. Still want to tell us that “trail management” will be the answer. Sanctioned trails have never stopped mountain bikers from building secret and illegal trails, either. They have fooled a lot of people. Just say no, and place mountain biking inside an old quarry or mining pit. They don’t need nature for their thrillsport, in order to have fun. They just need a lot of amusement park structures, dirt mounds and the like. All those things damage the forest floor, take away critical topsoil, and mineral earth, and of course damage a lot of tree root structures and just do a hell of a lot of damage. There is no merit in this kind of bike sport. You can’t manage mountain biking. It just ends up managing you. You can’t minimize the impacts of mountain biking. I have been studying this sport for ten years, and can vouch for the fact it is full of scofflaws, and nature-deficit individuals who are passing their destructive nature onto the younger generation inside mountain bike camps.