Schuetz

Traffic can be unpredictable, so if you plan to ride your bike in it, you must be alert at all times. It takes times before you can ride on the freeway with confidence, but it is worth it. Bicycles save gas and help the environment, so if you own a bike, you should consider riding it in the city.

Alertness is important if you want to ride your bike in traffic because you need to know where you are on the freeway at all times. You never want to wake up in the morning and then go biking on the freeway, especially if you are a little tired or kind of sleepy. Tired people's alertness levels are low and sounds such as horns and people's voices seem distant. You should get a drink of coffee before you get on your bike in the morning to increase your awareness. If you stay out late and only get a few hours' sleep, you should not ride your bike that morning; use your car instead.

Biking in traffic also requires common sense because most of the things you see on the freeway can be avoided. For example, if you see a car that is speeding and passing other cars in your rear view bike mirror, you should get out of the way. If the car is choosing different random lanes to pass the other cars, when it reaches you, you might get hit. Using your common sense will come in handy many times during your ride in traffic, so always make smart decisions.

Aggression helps in tough spots, so you have to use it if you want a good spot in busy traffic. There will be times when you are in a lane and need to get into another one, but the cars will not give you the space. You have to be aggressive if you want to get into the spot you need so that you do not miss your exit on the freeway. It will not be easy, but once you learn how to stand your ground, you will be able to get the spot you want in traffic.

You must always make yourself be seen in traffic, because if you do not, cars will not know your place on the freeway. Here is a great example, suppose you're riding your bike in front of a dump truck; these trucks are huge and drivers cannot see around them. If a car decides to pass this truck to get directly it front of it, it will not be able to see you because you are riding a bike. A bike is thin and the driver will not be able to see you until he or she gets ready to turn in front of the truck. To avoid this, never ride your bike near a vehicle that makes you unseen; this makes things easier for yourself and other drivers.

Never take risks no matter what other drivers may do to you while you are the freeway. Some drivers may honk their horn at you and you cannot avoid this, but you must not let them make you do something risky. They can honk their horn all they want; it is all bark and no bite so just wave your hand and let them go by.

City biking is not easy, but if you stay alert, use your common sense, be aggressive, be seen and avoid risks, you will be safe riding your bike on the freeway.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Bicycles

The beginner piano lesson is an exciting prospect, but it can be overwhelming as well.

The key is to keep things simple and take one step at a time.

Start with a good method book. This will present concepts one at a time and build on them.

Check your music store for piano instruction series. The staff at the store can recommend a particular method that is right for you.

If you are an adult beginner, there are adult piano methods, but it can be fun to use the children's versions. They are colorful with fun cartoon-type characters. Who says adults can't have fun? So feel free to bypass the stuffy adult piano course for the kids books.

These days the piano method books are available with a CD to play along with. Get one of those--it's a lot of fun! The simple melody you are playing sounds simply grand with a full orchestra behind you! Blast into space with the sound of a rocket and strike up the band with a march!

The CD features two version of each piece, with the piano playing and one without the piano solo line. In addition, there are usually two speeds, slow when you are learning the piece, and fast for when you have the notes down.

Don't feel like you need to rush through the books. Take your time and absorb the material fully.

Be sure to read the introductory material as well. That usually includes information about how to sit, how to hold your arms, and how far away from the piano you should be.

Many popular piano instructions series include companion books on different musical aspects, including music theory, piano technique, and solo pieces. All of them will help you learn more about playing the piano and music in general.

Your music store will probably also have piano instruction videos that you can purchase. Think of these as a teacher in a box.

You can play the video or DVD over and over, watch close-ups, and "schedule" your lesson at your convenience.

Once you have worked through book 1 and possibly book 2 of the piano instruction series you have chosen, you might also want to consider an on-line course. These are many on-line, and many are geared to particular styles of piano playing, including gospel music and jazz.

If you are fortunate enough to be taking private lessons, having a background of working through a piano method book will help you immensely to get more out of your lessons and make faster progress.

Have some fun learning a new skill--playing the piano!

What's the secret to learning to play the piano fast? Check it out...

http://www.cyberflute.com/learn-to-play-piano.html

Of all the heavy bombers that flew in WWII, the B-17 Flying Fortress was without a doubt one of the two most famous, the other being the Lancaster. The prototype first flew in 1935 but it would be another five years before the B-17 was delivered in any quantity. They first saw action with the RAF in 1941. The first order filled by Boeing was for 39 B-17Bs with turbo-charged Wright Cyclone radial engines. The 17C followed with seven machine guns instead of the original five; this modification together with better armor and self-sealing tanks in the 17d resulted from lessons learned in the early bombing raids over Europe. The B-17E and 17F soon followed with a larger tail. The final version came out when head-on attacks by enemy fighters proved to be a definite problem, which the B-17G countered with a chin turret with dual machine guns. This gave the B-17 a defensive armament of 13 machine guns in all.

The Flying Fortress flew with a crew of ten in the 17G model. These were: Pilot, Co-pilot, Bombardier, Nose Gunner, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner, Radio Operator/Gunner, Ball Turret Gunner, Right Waist Gunner, Left Waist Gunner and Tail Gunner.

The B-17 was a heavy aircraft weighing in at 36,000 lbs, with a maximum takeoff weight of 65,500 lbs. With a wing span of 103ft 9in, the length was 74ft 4in while the roof of the cockpit sat 19 feet above ground. The Fortress could operate at 35,800 feet although best operating altitude was in the 25,000 foot range where it could achieve its maximum speed of 287 mph. With a cruising speed of 182 mph, it could carry a 6000 lb bomb load with a range of 2,000 miles. Its maximum bomb load was actually about 17,000 lbs but this was with a minimum fuel load on a short-range raid.

The Flying Fortresses flew in defensive formations that presented an overall curtain of withering machine gun fire to enemy fighters. One German F-109 pilot who shot down 28 fighters but only four light bombers (not B-17s), said that he never returned from an attack on a formation of B-17s without numerous holes in the fuselage of his aircraft. Most of the bombers of any type downed by fighters were stragglers; those that could not maintain or regain their position in formation as a result of damage from flak encountered during their bombing runs.

Built mostly over 3 years from mid-1942 to mid-1945, these four engine heavy bombers once filled the skys. Workers across the US built a total of 12,731 B-17s. After the war, several dozen B-17s lived on as fire-bombers and aerial surveyors until the last one was retired in the 1970s. Today, a few B-17s have been restored to their wartime splendor. Eleven are currently flying in the United States, one in the UK and another one in France.

Keeping a B-17 flying these days is an expensive proposition. Someone once said that a B-17 operates on gas, oil and money. Especially money. A B-17 will easily burn 200 gallons of fuel per hour, plus about 10 gallons of oil per hour. Consumables and wear items cost an estimated $3,000 per flight hour. For each hour a Flying Fortress spends in the air, ten are spent on the ground in maintenance. An engine overhaul can cost $40,000 and FAA required wing-spar inspections and repairs will cost each Flying Fortress in excess of $100,000.

Consequently operating a B-17 is more than any one person can do. As a result, foundations own most of them, or museums set up specifically to keep the Flying Fortress in the air. These organizations are partly funded by corporate donations and air show fees, but most depend on touring. A B-17 tour will take the Flying Fortress from city to city across the USA and Canada, where she will be on display for tours and a lucky few have a chance to take a flight on the B-17. If you hear that a B-17 tour is stopping in your city, please do go check it out, contribute a few dollars and consider taking a B-17 flight. You'll find it will be the thrill of a lifetime. Keep 'em flying.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Aviation

Travel to Las Vegas and you'll likely hear plenty about nearby attractions like the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead. There are even places right on the Strip where you can take part in guided tours of these places. These highly publicized attractions are well worth it and have many interesting sights and are great ways to escape the lights of Vegas. But in addition to these high traffic tourist spots, there are a couple of not so highly publicized areas that are well worth your time, and cost no more than a rental car and a camera.

Red Rock Canyon is located about 15 miles west of the Strip. It is just outside of the city - you can take Charleston Boulevard all the way there. Charleston crosses the strip just north of the Stratosphere. Hop on Charleston and go west. Once you pass Red Rock Casino and Highway 215, you're almost there.

When you first get to Red Rock, there is a visitor's center where you can get out and check out some of the history of the canyon. You can learn about the Native American's who first lived in the area as well as the animals and plants that populate the canyon.

The canyon itself is made up of red sandstone which is very striking in color when the sun bounces off the canyon walls. There are numerous hiking trails that you can stop and hike. They range from easy to difficult. The canyon is also popular to rock climbers, who can often be seen scaling the cliffs and rocks of the area.

From the visitors center you can take the scenic loop, which is a 13 mile loop that winds its way through the canyon with numerous places to stop to either hike or take pictures. One of the stops along the loop is the Ice Box Canyon trail which is a two mile moderately difficult hike that includes some rock scrambling. This trail works it's way back into a canyon which is known for the cooler winds that blow through the rocks. While hiking be sure to look up the canyon walls as you can often see the climbers scrambling up their lines.

Along with the desert vegetation you're likely to see different animals in the conservation area. Bighorn sheep and deer accompany the wild burros that roam the land. The burros are rather tame and will often come up to car windows looking for food - though it is recommended not to feed them as this increases their independence on the tourists of the area. A picture of a burro sticking his head in your car window is often a great picture to share with friends back home.

The great thing about Red Rock is that you can see the sights without ever leaving the air conditioning of your car - or if you're feeling a little adventurous you can venture out on one of the trails and make your way a little off the beaten path. Even though you are just outside the sprawling city of Las Vegas, a trip to Red Rock is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the city - a great way to take a vacation inside your vacation.

Patrick Treadway is a writer living in Las Vegas. His Vegas blog can be read at Free Vegas