Model Train Hobby Collection Guide

Archive for May, 2009

Cross-country skiers live longer.” This popular German saying highlights the value many see in the winter sport of cross-country skiing. Indeed, in many lands where winter snow abounds, the winter countryside is often crisscrossed by a gridwork of ski trails. In some lands, distances between towns and villages are often posted, and many trails have artificial lighting so that skiers can use them to commute between home and work.

Practiced by relatively few before the 1960’s, cross-country skiing has in recent years become popular in many places throughout the world. Some estimate that as many as four million people a year enjoy the sport in North America alone! The secret of its appeal and charm? Its low cost and apparent simplicity. Compared with its better-known cousin—Alpine, or downhill, skiing—some aspects of cross-country skiing are uncomplicated. The downhill skier needs specialized, costly equipment and clothing. He has to travel to specially maintained ski hills or mountains where he may be confronted with both the purchase of expensive lift tickets and long lines for the ski lift. Downhill skiing also demands a certain athleticism that is beyond the grasp of many beginners. Cross-country skiing, on the other hand, can be enjoyed by virtually anyone at any age. The only things needed are a few inches of fresh snow, a little training, and relatively inexpensive skis, ski boots, and ski poles.

Cross-country skiing can be an exhilarating experience! The skier can go virtually wherever he wishes—through fields and meadows, over frozen lakes and icebound streams, into silent forests and snow-covered valleys. Cross-country skiing can lend itself to meditation, reflection, and thought, which can give us a chance to confide in our Creator and thank him for the wonders of life. Winter puts a unique stamp on Jehovah God’s creation. A glistening blanket of snow brings a hush to the landscape. The earth seems fresh and clean, as if awaiting discovery. Gliding through a forest, the trees laden with frost, is soothing to the heart and mind. The stridency of our mechanical world fades away, and soon the only sound is the whooshing of skis.

If shared in by a family or group of friends, cross-country skiing becomes a social outing that bonds and unites. In northern European countries today, some families ride 10 or 20 miles [20 or 30 km] by train and then ski home together.

The Origins

Some may think that cross-country skiing is a recent innovation, but it is far from new. In 1927, rock carvings thousands of years old were found on the Norwegian island of Rødøya. One drawing shows a hunter who is evidently wearing a rabbit mask. He seems to be gliding on a pair of very long skis. More recently, in the peat bogs of Scandinavia, workers uncovered hundreds of ancient skis in excellent condition. Skiing was an essential form of travel for early Nordic peoples during the long, snowy winters. It was such an integral part of their way of life that they even worshiped and honored a ski god and goddess! Today many towns and villages in Norway and Sweden carry the remnants of those bygone pagan beliefs in their names. Why, the very name Scandinavia may refer to the goddess of skiers, Skade.

While skiing has been a necessary part of Nordic life for centuries, the popularizing of cross-country skiing as an international sport had to wait until the 19th century. At that time Norwegians improved the traditional skis by shaping, tapering, and refining them. They also developed a system of heel straps and toe straps that were the forerunners of modern binding systems. In Telemark, a mountainous area of south-central Norway, they soon initiated a series of competitions. The first recorded and timed cross-country ski race is believed to have been held there, with the winner covering the three-mile [5 km] course in about 30 minutes. Cross-country ski racing became popular in northern European countries soon thereafter, but it was another event that introduced it to the rest of the world.

In 1888 the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen led an expedition across Greenland on skis. He subsequently wrote a book about his experience that in 1891 was translated into English, French, and German. The account, which described his grueling journey across the stark Arctic landscape, captured the imagination of its Victorian readers. It stirred romantic notions of conquering the untamed wilderness.

In the 1960’s, family ski touring was organized and launched on a major scale. Ski centers that specialized in cross-country skiing began to spring up. Manufacturers took note, and new, sophisticated equipment appeared. Fashion even entered the picture, making cross-country skiing chic. The demand by the public for areas in which to ski saw many municipalities scrambling to groom any available land, including golf courses and city parks.

Physical Benefits

Cross-country skiing is considered to be one of the safest of the popular sports. Although falling can result in minor sprains, serious injuries are rare, and they usually occur only when the cross-country skier ventures into steep terrain and backcountry.

Because the movements involved in cross-country skiing are fluid and rhythmic, there is very little overuse of or shock damage to joints and muscles. Sports doctors will often prescribe cross-country skiing as therapy for those injured by jogging or cycling. It is one of the few activities that uses almost all the body’s major muscle groups, so the skier receives a complete workout. The heart and lungs benefit greatly, and active skiers usually have blood pressure and pulse rates lower than those of inactive people. Cross-country skiers are thus regarded as some of the fittest athletes in the world.

The combination of low risk of injury with smooth, dynamic movement also makes cross-country skiing an ideal endeavor for older ones. In some northern European countries, it is very common to see individuals in their senior years out for a ski.

Skiing generates a tremendous amount of body heat, so it is possible to be quite comfortable in relatively cold conditions. On the coldest of days, ski racers routinely compete in thin, one-piece racing outfits, often without gloves. Nonprofessionals, however, must take adequate care to protect their extremities from the cold. Experienced outdoor enthusiasts generally dress in layers, starting with a woolen or synthetic underlayer and finishing with a waterproof and windproof outer shell. This enables them to regulate their body temperature and personal comfort. They just remove or add layers as needed. Wise parents do well to make sure that their little ones are properly attired, as children’s small bodies get cold much quicker than adults’. Since they lose heat from their skin very rapidly, they are susceptible to frostbite.

Add to Your Winter Experience

“If you can walk, you can ski” is a common catchphrase among cross-country skiers because the movements of the sport are so closely related to walking. While this statement is true to some degree, most of us would benefit immensely from an hour or two spent with a qualified teacher. Ski centers offer private or group lessons, and in a short while, the novice can learn the fundamentals of skiing cross-country—cruising the flats, skiing uphill, negotiating downhills and, of course, stopping! Once shown these basic skills, most people are equipped to go out and tackle the terrain.

“Nothing hardens the muscles and makes the body so strong and elastic,” said Fridtjof Nansen in 1890 regarding cross-country skiing. Perhaps you too would enjoy the sport. It could very well add excitement to your winter experience.

YOU have an appointment with the doctor, so you leave home with what you think is plenty of time to spare. But you did not count on running into a traffic jam. As the minutes tick by and your car slowly crawls along, you begin to get more and more anxious. Finally, you make it to the doctor’s office a half hour late.

One of the greatest frustrations of city life is traffic, especially the bumper-to-bumper traffic that clogs the streets and poisons the air. Unfortunately, this daily tribulation experienced by millions of city dwellers shows no sign of letting up.

The Texas Transportation Institute reported concerning the United States: “Congestion has grown everywhere in areas of all sizes.” The report added that the authorities are simply not able to devise solutions adequate for coping with the growing demands of city travelers. The situation is similar all over the world. Several thousand motorists in China recently found themselves stuck in a 60-mile-long traffic jam that took the police several days to unravel. In Mexico City a 12-mile drive through the city center can take over four hours—longer than it would take for the average pedestrian to walk the same distance.

The reason why city roads are clogged is not hard to find. Cities keep on growing relentlessly, and now about half the world’s population live in urban areas. As cities grow, so do the numbers of vehicles. One writer put it this way: “Too many people own too many cars, and they want to drive them in the same constricted space.”

Why Traffic Problems Are Hard to Solve

Mankind’s reliance on the motorcar means that cities must cope with growing numbers of vehicles. With a population of about four million, the city of Los Angeles, in the United States, now has more cars than people! Other cities may not have gone that far yet, but few can cope with the growing influx of vehicles. “Cities have not been conceived for the automobile,” states Carlos Guzmán, president of Madrid’s Urban Commission. Ancient cities with narrow streets suffer the most, but even in modern metropolises, wide roads quickly become snarled, especially during the morning and evening rush hours. “Large cities are now congested most of the day, and congestion is getting more acute,” observes Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue in his report “Urban Transport Problems.”

Since cars sell much more quickly than governments can build highways, a rapid growth in the number of vehicles can overwhelm even the best road system. “In the long run,” explains the book Stuck in Traffic—Coping With Peak-Hour Traffic Congestion, “building new roads or expanding existing ones does not reduce the intensity of peak-hour traffic congestion to any extent.”

Lack of sufficient parking facilities also leads to congestion. At any given moment, a significant number of the cars on city streets may be circulating merely for the purpose of finding somewhere to park. It is estimated that air pollution caused by traffic—mainly in cities—causes the death of some 400,000 people every year. According to one report, air contamination in Milan, Italy, is so bad that spending one day breathing the air of the city streets is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes.

The cost of traffic congestion must also be measured in the hours wasted and the stress suffered by drivers. The emotional toll is hard to quantify, but one study in the United States calculated that the economic cost of traffic jams in 75 of the country’s largest cities amounted to about 70 billion dollars a year. Can anything be done to relieve the situation?

Some Solutions That Ease the Burden

Various cities have already taken drastic measures. Singapore, which has one of the greatest concentrations of vehicles in the world, controls the number of automobiles that consumers may purchase. Historic cities, including a number of Italian cities, have banned cars completely from the city center during most of the day.

A solution proposed by other cities is a “congestion fee,” whereby drivers must pay to enter the city center. In London this plan has managed to reduce traffic delays by 30 percent, and other cities seem keen to follow suit. In such places as Mexico City, Mexico, cars are allowed access to the center only on certain days, based on the registration number of the vehicle.

City authorities have also invested huge sums in updating public transportation systems, improving highways, and building ring roads, or beltways. They use computerized systems to control traffic lights and to alert police to handle accident bottlenecks quickly. Special bus lanes and lanes that change direction according to traffic needs also help ease the flow of traffic. But success still depends largely on the cooperation of citizens.

What Can You Do Personally?

Jesus Christ said that you should “do for others what you want them to do for you.” (Matthew 7:12, Today’s English Version) This wise advice could help alleviate some of the worst traffic problems. If, on the other hand, everyone just thinks of his own personal convenience, even the best schemes may flounder. Here are a few suggestions to help you to cope better with the traffic congestion in your city.

For short distances, walking or cycling may be the best solution. In many cases either alternative will prove quicker, easier, and healthier. For longer distances, public transportation might be the ideal option. Many cities are trying to improve bus, metro, and rail services to entice people to leave their cars behind. Using these services may also mean saving money. Even though you may have to drive part of the way, you could possibly use public transportation for accessing the city center.

If you must drive, consider the possibility of carpooling. This is one of the most effective ways of reducing rush-hour traffic. In the United States, 88 percent of all commuters use automobiles, and about two thirds of these travel alone. Convincing a significant percentage of people to travel together to work “could produce dramatic effects on the levels of delay and congestion during peak periods,” states Stuck in Traffic. Furthermore, in many places fast lanes have been designated for cars with two or more persons. Cars with only one person are not allowed to use such lanes.

If you have some control over the time when you travel, try to avoid rush-hour traffic. This will make things easier for you and for other motorists. And if you park properly, your vehicle will not impede the free flow of traffic. Of course, even the best plans will not guarantee that you don’t get stuck in a traffic jam. At such times, having the right attitude can do a lot to ease the frustration.

KEEPING CALM IN Traffic Chaos

Jaime, a taxi driver in Madrid, Spain, has had to live with traffic jams for over 30 years. Here is how he keeps cool in aggravating situations:

I take something with me to read. Then if the traffic doesn’t move at all, I don’t get so frustrated.

When the traffic is crawling along, I listen to the news on the car radio or to a recording of the Bible. In this way I have something other than traffic to think about.
As a rule, I never use the horn, since it just disturbs others and serves no purpose. By showing courtesy to other drivers, I avoid stress and help others to do the same.
I try to be calm when I encounter aggressive drivers, and I give them a wide berth. There is no substitute for patience.

Although I attempt to find alternative routes, I let my clients know that sometimes the heavy traffic will cause a delay in their schedule. City driving and punctuality are not always compatible.

Clearly, if you live in a large city, you will have to live with traffic congestion. Nevertheless, by individually taking responsible measures and by displaying courtesy and patience toward other drivers, you can learn to cope with the trials of traffic.

WHAT vehicle is cheaper than most others, faster than a car in many urban areas, better for your health, and fun? A bicycle. Cycling is good exercise that combines practicality with pleasure. In an age when many people are concerned about their health, travel on two wheels is well worth your consideration.

Baron Karl von Drais, a German inventor, is credited with the invention of the bicycle. His scooterlike contraption, appearing about 1817, was basic in design. The draisine, as it was called, consisted of two wheels, a seat, and a handlebar for steering —but no pedals. Self-propulsion appeared in 1839 when a Scottish blacksmith, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, attached treadles connected by levers to cranks on the rear wheel. Then came a turning point in the popularity of two-wheeled transport. A French father and son, Pierre and Ernest Michaux, fitted pedals to cranks on the front wheel and made the velocipede (from the Latin velox, “swift,” and pedis, “foot”), a faster and more manageable machine.
 
Speed increased as the front wheel size grew. The ordinary bicycle, also known as a penny-farthing, was developed in England and had an enormous front wheel with a diameter of five feet [1.5 m], which contrasted sharply with a small rear wheel. It was called a penny-farthing bicycle, based on the contrast between a large penny coin and the much smaller farthing.

Next was the safety bicycle, a cycle that offered riders the versatility of the ordinary but with a lower center of gravity and wheels of equal or nearly equal size. In 1879, Englishman Henry Lawson exhibited a machine in Paris that had a rear wheel driven by a chain. This model was eventually known as the bicyclette.

Most modern bicycles have a front wheel the same size as the rear one. Thus, the basic design has changed little. Today’s family of utility, touring, racing, and mountain bicycles offers riders comfortable mobility on two lightweight wheels with rubber tires.
  
Healthy Fun

Noiseless, pollution free, often quicker than motorized traffic over short distances, bicycles are transport workhorses in many lands. In Africa, Asia, and elsewhere, bicycles have become “carryall” transportation, as their riders —or pushers— use them to take their wares to market. Not infrequently, the bicycle carries more than one rider, as relatives and friends straddle the crossbar or perch on an uncomfortable luggage pannier.

In Western lands, where the automobile holds pride of place for personal transport, growing health concerns coupled with a desire to escape the urban treadmill have renewed cycling’s popularity. Specially reserved bicycle lanes or paths have sprung up along numerous thoroughfares. In Britain, for example, many local government authorities pride themselves on the miles of paths they reserve for cyclists.

Discounting possible pollution from exhaust fumes, cycling can be healthy. It “is a protection against cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death and premature death in the UK,” observes transport consultant Adrian Davis. Cycling requires a higher intensity of effort, some 60 to 85 percent of a person’s maximum capacity, compared with the 45 to 50 percent used when walking. With minimal weight on a cyclist’s limbs, the risk of damage to the bones is also less than when pounding the streets on foot.

Yet another health benefit of cycling is the good feeling it gives the rider. Research reveals that the exercise involved triggers the release in the brain of chemicals called endorphins, which can enhance mood. Apart from a feel-good factor, cycling certainly offers a look-good factor. How so? “At a moderate speed the pedaller [of a bicycle] will burn off roughly seven calories [30 joules] per minute, or 200 calories [800 joules] in half an hour,” reports The Guardian newspaper. The consequences? Maybe a trimmer waistline and an end to flabby thighs.

Safe Fun
 
A growing concern in automobile-dominated lands is the safety of cyclists. For example, should one wear a safety helmet? Taking precautions is surely wise. On the other hand, simply wearing a helmet does not ensure that the cyclist will be safe from injury. Columnist Celia Hall drew attention to a study of 1,700 cyclists of varying ages who all wore helmets. One of the startling findings of the study was that wearing a helmet gave the riders a false sense of security. Worse still, 6 percent of them wore helmets that did not fit properly. In an accident, an ill-fitting helmet increases the risk of injury by 50 percent. If you wear a safety helmet, make sure that it fits. Check your child’s helmet regularly. Too big a helmet can be fatal.

Drivers of vehicles frequently view cyclists as an irritation and tend to ignore their presence. Therefore, make yourself seen. Wear safety clothing —fluorescent by day, reflective by night. Your bike also needs to be visible, even in the dark. Reflectors on the pedals together with clean front and rear lights are often legal requirements and are certainly wise precautions. Be sure that your choice of safety equipment meets the legal standards in your country.

A well-maintained cycle is vital to safety. Check it out, and clean and service it regularly. After taking all these precautions, you may find it wise in your area to cycle “off road.” But to do this safely, you will need the right type of bicycle.—See the box “The Right One for You.”

Cycling as a Sport

For some, cycling is a sport. Recent scandals surrounding the famous Tour de France have linked cycle racing with drug taking and deception. Time magazine, in an article entitled “May the Best Drug Win!,” claimed that the race was “in a shambles.” Amid debates about doping and chemicals that enhance performance, the reputation of the sport has been marred.

Wise cyclists carefully consider how much time and effort they spend on their sport. Even when health benefits make cycling appealing, balanced people recognize that exercise is simply one factor in achieving a long and healthy life. However, the next time you mount your cycle to ride, enjoy the healthy fun of riding on two wheels!