Earthrise 1.0

Forty four years ago today, on the 23 of August 1966, the first views of earthrise over the moon were viewed by humans.

Lunar orbiter I transmitted the above image to an eagerly awaiting gaggle of geeks back on earth. This mission to the moon experienced several glitches, the most serious of which was in the star-tracking system used for navigation. It is difficult to imagine the spectacle of a early 60s technological anomaly sputtering and sparking across the vastness of space.

Mankind looked back for the first time at our planet rising over the horizon of a distant lifeless world.

On that planet a new generation of Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracuda was popping up in showrooms across America. Those cars that would sputter and spark across the new interstate highways were the embodiment of technology to most people. People could smoke their pre-cancer cigarettes, and feel the summer air lapping at their large polyester lapels through the open window of their huge “mid-sized” next generation Dodge Dart. Half a million Americans were an unimaginable distance away wondering how you even pronounced the name Laos. A quarter of a million miles away man watched a new type of dawn.

Somewhere in California a music executive signed the last papers for the next day’s release of the first (and self titled) album by the group that called themselves “The Doors”. The first song on that album was “Break on through to the other side”, and the last song was “The End”.

The sickness from outer space

There have been studies that link high levels of exertion with lowered immune response. The longer the exertion the worse the compromised immunity. Aside from the sparse number of refereed articles attesting to the after event immune response there are a smattering of articles that describe a pre-race increase in sickness related potentially to tapering. Both of these phenomena are well known. I've heard “Push yourself too hard and you will get sick” from many people (many of whom would never push themselves too hard because they know better.). “I caught a cold just before my A race” is a unfortunate refrain that many athletes mutter in defeat. Somewhere not too far down the road is a place where anytime one sweats one is at increased risk for disease. I would like to rally stats to show that there is some sort of continual health benefit that in its accumulation outweighs the event specific immune difficulties. I would like to but I have been quite ill. I got ill a couple of days after the White Rim Trial ride.

It has been a good illness if you are partial to those things. I don't think I have been really sick for more than four days in a row for...I can't remember. Two days off work clutching my stomach. I think I read most of an entire novel while sitting on the toilet. Great fever symptoms too. I woke drenched with sweat on Wednesday. I had to peal the sheets off of me. On Thursday I experienced such intense bloating that I repeatedly found myself picturing the scene in Alien where the proto-creature sprouts from John Hurt's stomach.



I think I was told about the connection between the ride and my illness more times than I was wished a speedy recovery. I like to make the connection between the fact that my eldest was sick when we drove to Moab and the illness is more a testimonial to koch's postulates than voodoo exercise physiology. This has become easier now that my SO has started in with the symptoms.

Maybe I will make popcorn and tea so we can have an after diner movie night and watch Alien together.