Mouth guard while riding?

[pale scotsman]

Please tell me it ain't so.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/05/22/bush.fall/index.html

:bike:

[slowgoing]

You may be assuming, possibly incorrectly, that it's only while riding.

[pale scotsman]

And here I was thinking the reason his eyes are so close together is so the puppet master can fit his hand in there easier. Now I might have to re-think this mouth guard bit as well. :banana: :banana: :banana: :beer:

[Dr. Doofus]

not a political judgment:

dork

Mouthguard????????????

[Louis]

BBC News

Bush bruised after bicycle bang

George Bush fell off his mountain bike on Saturday, grazing his chin, upper lip, nose, both knees, and his right hand, a White House spokesman said.

The president was 16 miles (26km) into a 17-mile ride on his ranch when he hit some loose soil while riding downhill. In addition to a military aide and Secret Service agent, Mr Bush was with his doctor, who treated him on the spot and has pronounced him "fine". Mr Bush is due to give a prime-time speech on Iraq in two days.

Mr Bush suffered "minor abrasions and scratches" during the fall, Trent Duffy told reporters. He was wearing a bike helmet and mouth guard, he said. "It's been raining a lot and the topsoil is loose," Mr Duffy said. "You know this president. He likes to go all out. Suffice it to say he wasn't whistling show tunes." Mr Duffy added that the president had refused an offer to drive back to the house, and had cycled home.

Mr Bush was due to attend a graduation party on Saturday night for Jenna, one of his 22-year-old twin daughters. And in two days' time he is scheduled to give a televised prime-time speech explaining America's "clear strategy" in Iraq in the face of continuing violence and shocking revelations of abuse by American soldiers.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3739515.stm

Published: 2004/05/23 02:59:30 GMT

© BBC MMIV

[Roy E. Munson]

I find wearing a mouthguard while mountain biking LESS dorky than wearing arm and knee pads while riding a road bike.

[Dr. Doofus]

Is Ross Perot out there somewhere, riding a recumbent with elbow pads, knee pads, and a mouthguard?

[BumbleBeeDave]

He manages to crash a Segway scooter, he manages to crash his mountain bike, he manages to crash our foreign policy and reputation around the world . . .

Yep. Battin’ 1.000 . . . .

BBDave

[Ahneida Ride]

Thank God we are still the US and not the UN.
Opps, we reverting to the old forum.

[Kevin]

I think that he is required to wear the mouth guard at all times unless Chaney is holding his hand.

Kevin

[SBash]

Just think what could of happened if he was chewing gum!

[Ginger]

I find it quite funny that there wasn't much coverage of Bush's biking until Kerry showed up on a road bike...

[BumbleBeeDave]

I think male ego plays a much larger part in Bush’s actions than we may have considered. Think about the incident with him landing on the carrier in a fighter with full flight suit . . . He seems very uptight about his “macho.”

I have never heard word one about Bush on a bike of any kind until now. It would not surprise me at all if he climbed on one solely on the advice of some handler who thought the “mountain” bike would outdo Kerry’s “sissy” road bike.

It would also not surprise me if he was wearing the “mouth guard” because somebody knew damn well he was inexperienced and might do a face plant. I have not been out on the trail that much, but I do read the mags and have been to, what, 6(?) Pedro’s Fests and I have never seen ANYONE wearing a “mouth guard” like a football player while riding, in real life or in media--even little kids. Can you imagine being a kid and having your mommy force you to wear a mouth guard while riding your mountain or BMX bike? Hoo, boy . . .

Falling while riding is bad enough, but to do it while wearing a safety device like that really makes him look foolish. It’s like the lady with cerebral palsy that comes into the bagel place I frequent--she wears a football helmet in case she has a siezure and falls. Entirely appropriate in her situation, but this makes Bush look like a real prize dork if you think about it. Of course, this also reminds me of how we no longer see any photos of him out running. There’s some pretty stylish running duds available out there, but every pic I ever saw of W out running showed him in a white T-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts--looked like he was running in his underwear.

I think he needs to call BICYCLING magazine and hire Style Man.

BBDave

[Kevin]

Considering that it was little George's first ride without training wheels, I think that Chaney made a good decision requiring Bush to wear the mouth guard.

Kevin

:fight:

[Ginger]

What I really want to know is if Mr. Bush is into mountain bikes and riding trails why haven't the IMBA and the local mountain biking associations benefited from this interest? Why haven't sustainable, shareable trails been an integral part of his environmental stance, perhaps even showing up in his speeches? What better vehicle to get all those tree hugging hikers, horsemen, and bikers on his side?

Of course, he just might not have wanted to piss off the hikers and the horse lobby...they're bigger than the mountain biking advocacy groups...

And I suppose if he just rides on his ranch...why would he care for sustainable shareable trails in our nations parks?

Until I see a picture of the knarly trail he fell on? I suspect he was on a gravel road...some of my worst road rash on the mtb has been from riding on gravel...well...falling on gravel....

Mary Ann Martin
Prez, Holly/Flint Chapter
Michigan Mountain Biking Association
(yeah, we're an advocacy group actually...Building the best trails in America, in Michigan!)

[Richard]

Take a look at the little picture with my posts and you'll see that his fall is the result of Chaney letting go.

[SBash]

Bush on a mountain bike is all politics!

[Elefantino]

This is discouraging. How can we vote for someone who can't stay upright on a bicycle? Our choices are:
-- Kerry, a Serotta rider who can't take corners, falls on his brand-new Ottrott on the first ride out of the shop and cracks his Modolo carbon bars.
-- Bush, who biffs on a mountain bike.

Come to think of it, perhaps this isn't his first fall on an MTB. Remember, he did once wave at Stevie Wonder.