ou know what happens when an expensive lightweight bicycle attached firmly to the top of a two-ton vehicle moving at approximately five miles per hour hits an immovable house? Figure 1 shows the results of transforming an expensive bike into a figurative ball of aluminum foil.
It all began in a hot tub at some conference or another. The scene included four rather out-of-shape middle-aged developer/speakers, and one thirty-something-in-training-for-a-marathon interloper in far better shape than the rest of us?it wasn’t a particularly pretty sight. As often seems to happen at these get-togethers among old friends, we headed down the path of, “What do you want to make sure you do before you go?” (In this case, “before you go” referred to the “final” go.) I usually keep my opinions to myself at these times, but I couldn’t help but mention my goal of riding a bicycle across the continental US before the final conference session, metaphorically speaking.
The excitable young one (I’ll call him “Steve Forte,” just to keep the identities anonymous), suggested that to get in training for the long ride, we should ride from Los Angeles to San Diego after Microsoft’s PDC conference in November. In a crazed moment, we all agreed. At that point, I didn’t even own a bicycle.
Flash forward a month, and I’ve purchased a very expensive touring bike (two of them, to be exact?there are two cyclists here at home) and we’ve gone out for a ride around Pasadena. It’s a lovely summer day, we’ve had a great ride, and have firmly, nay, semi-permanently attached the bicycles to the also expensive bike rack on the roof of the car in preparation for the trip home. Upon arrival at the family manse, we’re talking and joking around as we do what we always do?open the garage door with the remote opener and pull into the garage. At this point, however, we are rudely surprised with a grinding, crumpling noise as we drive in. It takes a second for the horrible truth to sink in, and as we climb out of the car, I was living in some fantasy that we’d find the bikes intact somehow. I’m not sure how this could be physically possible, but that’s what I dreamed. Figure 1, as you’ve seen, shows the wreckage that we found, spread out for your spectation. (No, I didn’t make up that word. I heard it one day as the radio traffic announcer described all the folks slowing down to watch the scene of a wreck, as in, “The freeway traffic has slowed to a crawl due to the large amount of spectation.” No kidding. But back to the story…)
About Our Editorial ProcessAt DevX, we’re dedicated to tech entrepreneurship. Our team closely follows industry shifts, new products, AI breakthroughs, technology trends, and funding announcements. Articles undergo thorough editing to ensure accuracy and clarity, reflecting DevX’s style and supporting entrepreneurs in the tech sphere. See our full editorial policy. About Our JournalistCharlie Frank Charlie has over a decade of experience in website administration and technology management. As the site admin, he oversees all technical aspects of running a high-traffic online platform, ensuring optimal performance, security, and user experience. View Author Is Online Bookkeeping the Ideal Side Gig for Remote Workers? Philip Piletic April 18, 2024 Global stock stability amid rising US interest rates Rashan Dixon April 18, 2024 Rivos Inc. raises $250 million pre-launch for AI chips Noah Nguyen April 18, 2024 Goldman Sachs advises caution in predicting Bitcoin prices Cameron Wiggins April 18, 2024 Predicted rise in social security benefits amid inflation Noah Nguyen April 18, 2024 Gold prices dip amid assertive fiscal comments Johannah Lopez April 18, 2024 Is Online Bookkeeping the Ideal Side Gig for Remote Workers? Philip Piletic April 18, 2024 2:49 PM Global stock stability amid rising US interest rates Rashan Dixon April 18, 2024 1:44 PM Rivos Inc. raises $250 million pre-launch for AI chips Noah Nguyen April 18, 2024 1:19 PM Goldman Sachs advises caution in predicting Bitcoin prices Cameron Wiggins April 18, 2024 1:14 PM Predicted rise in social security benefits amid inflation Noah Nguyen April 18, 2024 1:09 PM Gold prices dip amid assertive fiscal comments Johannah Lopez April 18, 2024 11:46 AM Vorlon raises $15.7M to strengthen API security Noah Nguyen April 18, 2024 11:28 AM Last April social security disbursement approaching Johannah Lopez April 18, 2024 11:16 AM Rippling to pursue substantial funding round Johannah Lopez April 18, 2024 8:33 AM Simpson’s lawyer battles to protect estate from Goldmans Noah Nguyen April 18, 2024 8:31 AM April’s Social Security retirement payments underway Cameron Wiggins April 17, 2024 5:54 PM Rivian develops software to rank EV chargers Rashan Dixon April 17, 2024 5:50 PM Simpson’s will leaves Goldman family uncompensated April Isaacs April 17, 2024 5:26 PM Framework grapples with software sustainability issues Noah Nguyen April 17, 2024 3:44 PM Surprising economic growth attributed to China’s robust exports and domestic demand Rashan Dixon April 17, 2024 3:04 PM COBOL at 65: still a powerhouse in the tech industry Cameron Wiggins April 17, 2024 1:59 PM California’s minimum wage hike worries restaurateurs Noah Nguyen April 17, 2024 1:05 PM IRS introduces user-friendly, free tax software ‘Direct File’ Johannah Lopez April 17, 2024 11:10 AM Social Security COLA rise expects to strain retirees’ finances Rashan Dixon April 17, 2024 7:11 AM Rising living costs force seniors back to work Rashan Dixon April 16, 2024 5:28 PM Gershanok leaves McKinsey, discusses workplace challenges April Isaacs April 16, 2024 3:31 PM India’s economy hangs on election outcome Noah Nguyen April 16, 2024 3:28 PM Tech-Infused Real Estate: The Future of Property Management DevX-Admin April 16, 2024 1:51 PM Samsung disrupts Apple’s dominance in smartphone market Noah Nguyen April 16, 2024 11:52 AM Sony’s XR beats Apple’s Vision Pro in performance Noah Nguyen April 16, 2024 11:42 AM |