this is good news for me....

I was cruising one of my favorite bicycling websites the other day (www.velonews.com) and came across this article that was talking about cyclists rights in different states. The author of the article quoted missouri's law regarding cyclists:

Missouri-Missouri Revised Statutes Section 307.188: "Every person riding a bicycle or motorized bicycle upon a street or highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle..."

I like this, now it means that I don't have to worry about vehicles giving me a hard time when i ride. Seeing as there are hardly any shoulders on the roads around where I live, I like knowing that I have the same rights and duties as the suckers in cars...

cool medical paintings

I found this great artist on the National Library of Medicine's web page. His name is Jose Perez and he does these great illustrations of the different aspects of medicine.

my next summer trip?

Last week I turned down a chance to go to South Africa on a Medical Mission trip to a community called Atlantis outside of Cape Town. There was something about the the organization of the group, it's leadership, and the trips goals that I didn't feel right about. It wasn't that I felt like it would be a bad experience. There are definitly people there that are in need of basic health care. I just didn't feel like the trip was the right fit for me. Anyway, I turned down my spot on the team hoping that something else would come up. Where one door shuts, another opens... or something like that. A friend of mine in school got hooked up with an organization called Himalayan Health. They are sending people on a trip to the edge of the western Tibetian Plateau, an area called Spiti. It turns out that I was offered a spot on the team. This photo is one of the villages where the team will be visiting and providing basic health care. The trip is amazing, a little pricey (I still got to figure out how I am going to pay for it all) but will surely be an incredible experience and opportunity, a great way to finish off my 1st year of medical school.

Debut of the Salt Sea Pirates...

Salt Sea Pirates
Originally uploaded by sethgunderson.

2005 was the debut year of "Sky Captain and the Salt Sea Pirates" cycling squad with full custom kits featuring a flaming zepplin. Our team began as an group of close friends and family organizing a team for the 2005 MS 150 (a benefit ride for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society held all over the country). We started with only a few people but ended up with a team of 12 that raised >$4000.00 for the Society. We may not have been the largest team, but we were dripping with style, panache and sprezzaturra. Thus began the reign of the "Salt Sea Pirates". Randomly throughout the year we will have rides that act as "feats of strength" and riding with fellow pirates always make the ride that much more enjoyable and humorous. This pic is from the 2005 MS 150 with THE "Sky Captain" in the middle, me on the left and my wife peeking in on the right. Look for more Salt Sea Pirates photos as cycling season starts again and defiantly we will be present in the 2006 MS 150 in Utah.

Kiowa

DSC00906
Originally uploaded by sethgunderson.

This is probably my favorite pic of our dog Kiowa. She is an 4 year-old Alaskan Malamute and a part of our family. I will likely post her lastest frustrating behaviors (she gets moody when we don't give her enough attention or exercise, not to mention the little bit of seperation anxieity she won't let go. her latest maneuver was practically shredding the blinds in our front room so she could see out the window while we were gone.) There is something about her eyes in this picture that makes it may favorite.

my new hypermegacybernetblog

so i am new to this. i never thought that i would actually be interested in having or keeping a blog. i moved to missouri in august and have realized that this may be a good way for families and friends to keep in touch with my and my family's life. but here i am gaining my first bit of intraweb fame posting this first blog entry not really knowing what to write. i am working on getting a way to publish photos here for all to see. enjoy and hopefully i will have something of substance here soon...