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Have You Seen This? Wind ruins bike race
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There are strong winds and then there's what these cyclists in Cape Town experienced. - photo by John Clyde


WIND TOWN I own a road bike.

Please note, I did not say I ride a road bike, I stated I own one. It is currently hanging up in my garage begging to be sold to someone who will use it.

It's not that I don't like it, it's just that I'm fairly lazy and my body isn't really great for biking. My 200-plus pound frame (you don't need specific numbers, people) has a hard time making its way up hills or even along flat ground on a bike. Downhill, however, I own downhill.

The reason I bring this up is because when I saw this video of cyclists being stopped dead in their tracks by strong winds during a race in Cape Town, South Africa, I didn't get the big deal at first. When I saw these athletes struggle to get momentum and then just stop, I thought to myself, "Yeah, that's me when I get about 100 yards from my house." Then I realized these people were going up against nearly 70 mph winds, and the realization that I'm a terrible cyclist and wickedly out of shape came crashing down, hard.

Regardless of my current life status, this video is pretty incredible. If you look around YouTube you'll find dozens of videos of the race, and they're all pretty entertaining. Check out the video, and let me know if you want to buy a bike.
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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