LUNA-TICS TEAM ROOM: Year-round "Looney" fun.

[brotherjim]

Way to row Kona!!!! Congrats for completing the HC!!!!!! A new reindeer joins the thundering herd!

[Kona2]

Luna (K2)

Whoop, whoop and hooyah ! The first 100 is in the bank....all $ 2.02 of it !
AND


Jupiter (Dave H)

Congratulations, Dave - your $ 2.04 donation is so noted ! Woot !

Dasher (Jim)
... Jim's earned the red harness (100K after the antler lights)...and he's put $ 8.58 in the Concept2 donation


Olive (Cathie) has her antler lights ! She's put in $ 6.57 !

[Dave_H]

Jupiter (Dave H)

Congratulations, Dave - your $ 2.04 donation is so noted ! Woot !

Thanks Jan...

And Baz, mud on an equestrian course... what are the chances of it being high in organic matter?!(about the colour of this print?)
A wise choice by Janet!

[BAZzy]

Well, that was all a bit of fun, 6 kilometres over the equestrian course, with all the obstacles and plenty of mud. There were a few serious runners, but there were people dressed up as pink pigs, a few people in tennis whites (well white for a few moments), and we even saw goldilocks (was actually a bloke!)... A fabulous Sydney day, lots of sun, and plenty of mud!

Janet is even threatening to be on the start line next year...

A couple of before, and after shots follow!

The sun is getting low in the Western sky, and haven’t had a stout for weeks, now might just be the time,
Cheers, BBB & TomO

Ps Oh my gawd, I just read Dave H’s comment about organic matter...too late now (need that stout fast!)

[brotherjim]

Baz-looks like you and TomO had a fun time. What a great way to spend a day with your son, wish I could attempt something like this. Thanks for posting the photos, I enjoyed them. You are a great Dad.

[Kona2]

Woohoo! Tammy has joined in the reindeer games ! And earned $ 2.13 for the Concept2 donations !

Aurora (Tammy)

[Kona2]

20 or 21 days to go !



24

Concept2 Challenge Donations Earned:

Luna-Tics Team = $ 101.72

Concept2 Overall = $ 1270 FOUR PERCENT !!!

Speed posting today....do have to say that I don't remember another day when we had four people post 11,111 m ...planetary alignment....

Season meters as of 217 / 365 = 85,659,384 m

Total meters on the day = 511,527 m - wowzer, I like these cool half millions !

Oars in space (participation) = 27 percent

MILESTONES...Bragging Rights...Celebrations:

4.2 MM Ron
3.75 MM Cathie
2.95 MM Minnie
2.5 MM Jim (and he posts a red giant - which is 50K plus meters in a day)
2.45 MM Ronnie
2.25 MM Baz
800 K Dave H
650 K Ted

Thanks to all who rowed today ! Spectacularly awesome !

Ethan 908 m
Ashlee 1,002 m
Kaylee 1,145 m
Marty 4,400 m ..... so close to earning the donation $$$
Bobbie 4,500 m
Harold 5,800 m
David T 6,000 m
Sam 6,420 m
Danno 7,000 m
Mike G 9,179 m
Kristine 10,000 m ... also close to getting her reindeer
Greg C 10,520 m
Tammy 11,000 m
Ted 11,101 m
K2 m
Richard T m
Tony m
Wim m
Zander 12,500 m ...AND he passes the 100K milestone in the Holiday Challenge!
Roger 12,510 m
Anita 12,900 m
Gail 15,000 m
Rosi 15,111 m
Ronnie 15,580 m
Dave H 16,501 m
BJ 16,659 m
AJ 17,867 m
Baz 20,000 m - great photos! Thanks for posting them !
Jay 22,000 m
Bernie 22,068 m
Minnie 22,234 m
Michelle 22,260 m
bg 22,499 m
Cathie 26,240 m
Ron 33,097 m .... and another half marathon
Jim K 52,902 m ...a red giant row of 50K plus ! wowzer!

Row row row .....FABULOUS that we've raised $100 as a team !

[Rumping]

I just figured 11111 was a nice number to row last night. I liked it so much, I just did another 11111 .

With a whole bunch of runners in this forum, I have a non-rowing question: I'm planning on buying my wife a treadmill for Christmas, as she's dropped the hint numerous times (before informing me that they are way too expensive so she doesn't want one).

I've been doing my research, and it's confusing with all the paid for fake reviews out there. It doesn't help that any negative reviews on treadmills from users tend to be deleted or not shown on the various sites either. For example, the NordicTrack stuff gets great reviews and best buy recommendations but in runners forums I read nothing but horror stories and repairmen (self-claimed anyway) saying that they have a 60% failure rate in the first few months.

So I've been shopping around locally and found some nice treadmills (I think), but still don't know what's best or what to stay away from. Currently I'm considering the Spirit XT485, True PS75, Precor 9.27 or LifeSpan TR3000i. They're at the top of my price range and all cost the same. The first 3 come with free delivery and installation, which gives them points in my book. Warranties are similar, although the first 2 come with 2 years labor, which gives them points in my book too.

Feature wise, the LifeSpan has the most features, followed by the Spirit. Downside of the lifespan is that the plastic seems cheap and the handlebars squeak if I touch them (not even putting any pressure on them). Precor seems a bit bare for features but still has everything I really want (heart rate control). The machine gets rave reviews and they boast a strong motor yet at low speeds if I'm walking on it I can hear the motor strain it seems.

The Spirit and True seem very solid machines. No squeaky parts anyway. I do like the speed/incline buttons on the handrails on the Spirit as well as its 60" long deck vs the 57" of the True. The Spirit weighs 36 lbs more than the True (232 vs 268lbs).

So things are pointing at the Spirit XT485 for me it seems. Until I read reviews from people saying that the Sole machines made by the same manufacturer use higher quality parts and are cheaper. Of course, I have also read reviews saying the opposite (Spirit uses the higher quality parts).

What frustrates me the most is the sheer amount of BS reviews out there. It is very hard to find actual objective reviews of treadmills on the Internet as the manufacturers have figured out that if you spam the net with glowing positive reviews and recommendations that it'll make any negativity pretty hard to find (have your employees click on the paid for sites a lot, and they show up higher in Google too, etc).

So, my question is: Anyone know a good reason to stay away from the Spirit and go with one of the others instead? Or know of a better option altogether that I didn't consider? I know it's off topic, but we're here to burn calories one way or another.

[just27]

Well, that was all a bit of fun, 6 kilometres over the equestrian course, with all the obstacles and plenty of mud. ... A fabulous Sydney day, lots of sun, and plenty of mud!

Ah, boys and their mud - such a wonderful combination! It looked like you both had a very fun time. BTW, Baz, is that an interesting looking tat on your right shoulder, or just some random equestrian "mud?"

[Drivetofast]

20 or 21 days to go !



24

Concept2 Challenge Donations Earned:

Luna-Tics Team = $ 101.72

Concept2 Overall = $ 1270 FOUR PERCENT !!!

Speed posting today....do have to say that I don't remember another day when we had four people post 11,111 m ...planetary alignment....

Season meters as of 217 / 365 = 85,659,384 m

Total meters on the day = 511,527 m - wowzer, I like these cool half millions !

Oars in space (participation) = 27 percent

MILESTONES...Bragging Rights...Celebrations:

4.2 MM Ron
3.75 MM Cathie
2.95 MM Minnie
2.5 MM Jim (and he posts a red giant - which is 50K plus meters in a day)
2.45 MM Ronnie
2.25 MM Baz
800 K Dave H
650 K Ted

Thanks to all who rowed today ! Spectacularly awesome !

Ethan 908 m
Ashlee 1,002 m
Kaylee 1,145 m
Marty 4,400 m ..... so close to earning the donation $$$
Bobbie 4,500 m
Harold 5,800 m
David T 6,000 m
Sam 6,420 m
Danno 7,000 m
Mike G 9,179 m
Kristine 10,000 m ... also close to getting her reindeer
Greg C 10,520 m
Tammy 11,000 m
Ted 11,101 m
K2 m
Richard T m
Tony m
Wim m
Zander 12,500 m ...AND he passes the 100K milestone in the Holiday Challenge!
Roger 12,510 m
Anita 12,900 m
Gail 15,000 m
Rosi 15,111 m
Ronnie 15,580 m
Dave H 16,501 m
BJ 16,659 m
AJ 17,867 m
Baz 20,000 m - great photos! Thanks for posting them !
Jay 22,000 m
Bernie 22,068 m
Minnie 22,234 m
Michelle 22,260 m
bg 22,499 m
Cathie 26,240 m
Ron 33,097 m .... and another half marathon
Jim K 52,902 m ...a red giant row of 50K plus ! wowzer!

Row row row .....FABULOUS that we've raised $100 as a team !

Kona you r one nice person to do all this for us Thank You Richard T

[just27]

Kona you r one nice person to do all this for us Thank You Richard T

Your first post, Richard? Good on ya.
And, yes, it is wonderful that Kona keeps us stirred up to such a high level of interest!

[Kona2]

Knew Kaptain Kristine would be in the hunt today! Well done, Kristine! Another reindeer (number 25 for the team) trots on out of the stable!

Moonstone (Kristine)

[Dave_H]

Baz-looks like you and TomO had a fun time. What a great way to spend a day with your son, wish I could attempt something like this. Thanks for posting the photos, I enjoyed them. You are a great Dad.

Couldn't agree more! Looks like you guys had a ball.

[Kona2]

Five percent....actually 5.4 percent towards the overall Concept2 donation goal...woohoo for the Concept2 rowing community ! Similarly, we've completed 5.4 million holiday challenge meters! Way to row !!!

Thanks, Richard T - great to see new postings!

Lucked out with this latest snow storm - never know when you're going to have to get the plow fired up, or worse...the snowblower just to get to the plow. Aaaack. Definitely looks like Reindeer Central up here at Grand Lake (haven't seen anything with antlers just yet...couple of foxes, though). Too many clouds to be able to see Milky Way tonight, but the moon at half-full looks really good.

Row, row, and repeat!

Btw - great photo of Anita with her skijoring dogs. Not sure what kind of dogs they are, but they look like they are really ready to run with their cold weather muttluks on. Just put some on my two dogs and it is not easy to get them used to wearing something on their feet.

[Kona2]

Woohoo! Another reindeer busts down the door of the stable! Congratulations, Ted, on making those meters count for donation dollars!!

Supernova (Ted)