I *love* Satie’s directions. Another favourite is the enigmatic direction at the beginning of Einojuahi Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus: ‘think of autumn and Tchaikovsky’. Tickets for Foyle’s duly booked. Brace yourself for ‘more an observation than a question’.
Oh, and my exhilaratingly expensive pencils arrived a couple of days ago, thank you very much, and instantly became a lot less expensive, because included in the box was a copy of TRFM.
Your comments about Conan Doyle reminded me of my wife's family association with him. My wife's Great-great-great-grandfather (I may be off on the number of greats) was one William Hope, of the Crewe circle. Quite noted for his photographs of recently departed relatives showing up in his family portraits. He was widely exposed as a fraud by Harry Price. Conan Doyle, ever the spiritualist, wrote an essay in support of his work. The astonishing part? This was not really mentioned until I had known my wife for about ten years. My mother-in-law then revealed the whole story and that most of the books, photographic plates, correspondance with Conan Doyle(!) had been sold to Richard Lancelyn Green (now there is an interesting person to Google!) in the 70s and 80s. Their reason for not mentioning it? "Well, we didn't think it was that interesting or important."
I have just realised that I must have got into the Holmes stories around the same time I learned to change the inner tube on my bike, because I always assumed there was a tread pattern in the track that indicated the direction of travel. Of course this is also very much assuming that whoever put the tyres on the bike paid attention to the little arrows indicating which way on it goes ... and that late-19thC tyres had directional treads ... which are perhaps two assumptions too far. But as far as the question of overlaid tracks go, the direction of travel seemed self-evident.
My copy arrived today (to Germany, so it's fine that it took a few days longer) and made me do a little happy dance. Can't wait for the next pandemic to try and solve it!
As pointed out in https://thatsmaths.com/2015/10/08/which-way-did-the-bicycle-go/, once you know which is the back wheel it is highly likely that you CAN determine the direction of travel by the following process. Take a stick about a meter longer than the likely distance between the axles and put it on the ground tangent to the back tyre track. Mark off the distance along the stick from the tangent point on the rear tyre track to the intersection of the stick with the front tyre track in the suspected direction of travel. Repeat a few times. If this was indeed the direction of travel the marked distances will be pretty much the same, representing the distance between the axles (or more precisely, the distance between the points of contact with the ground). If the guess is wrong the distances are likely to vary and the bike was travelling in the opposite direction. Mathematics is your (our) friend. And so are sticks.
I thought ACD was quite correct because this is a boggy moor and the weight of the rider would push the rear wheel down into the mud more than the front wheel. Assign the tracks A and B. If track B is deeper than A it must be the back wheel. Track B will sometimes obliterate or cross track A as that's the front wheel mark. Thus track A must also always be in front of track B (back wheel) - this indicates the direction (assuming there is only one set of tracks of course).
The key environmental factor is boggyness - if it's not soggy and muddy enough then the difference in track depths is not significant enough to note.
The autobiography AC-D wrote before his death is nothing compared to the one he wrote after it. Ivan Cooke was kind enough to edit it for him, Arthur evidently finding interaction with his Underwood No. 5 troublesome in his non-corporeal form.
Omg I was blaming Aliexpress bc I had to pay an unexpected customs fee (I bought something from them last week but there was no note it came from the UK), and it turns out it was for the mystery box!!! Should be here tomorrow I’m so excited to get it!
Although the tyre tread on my Mountain Bike Tyres would tell the direction of travel as they are cut differentially; as are most off-road tyres. So I assume Holmes was being both smart and prescient.
Man, I finally scrounge enough skinny to visit Big Smoke for the first time in years, and Finnemore misses my itinerary by five days* with his event. How's that for being born under a bad sign.
*stated passive aggressively as is my training; it's a Wisconsinite rite of passage
Pleased to say that my copy arrived directly from Unbound over a week ago now, and normal life has come to a stop as I wrestle with those perplexing cards. I see that there is an answer form in the booklet, but no mention of a closing date, or an address to send it to, much less any mention of a prize! An oversight, I assume?
I *love* Satie’s directions. Another favourite is the enigmatic direction at the beginning of Einojuahi Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus: ‘think of autumn and Tchaikovsky’. Tickets for Foyle’s duly booked. Brace yourself for ‘more an observation than a question’.
I've a sudden urge to commit a crime with a significantly lighter accomplice in tow, and make our getaway on unicycles.
Oh, and my exhilaratingly expensive pencils arrived a couple of days ago, thank you very much, and instantly became a lot less expensive, because included in the box was a copy of TRFM.
Your comments about Conan Doyle reminded me of my wife's family association with him. My wife's Great-great-great-grandfather (I may be off on the number of greats) was one William Hope, of the Crewe circle. Quite noted for his photographs of recently departed relatives showing up in his family portraits. He was widely exposed as a fraud by Harry Price. Conan Doyle, ever the spiritualist, wrote an essay in support of his work. The astonishing part? This was not really mentioned until I had known my wife for about ten years. My mother-in-law then revealed the whole story and that most of the books, photographic plates, correspondance with Conan Doyle(!) had been sold to Richard Lancelyn Green (now there is an interesting person to Google!) in the 70s and 80s. Their reason for not mentioning it? "Well, we didn't think it was that interesting or important."
I have just realised that I must have got into the Holmes stories around the same time I learned to change the inner tube on my bike, because I always assumed there was a tread pattern in the track that indicated the direction of travel. Of course this is also very much assuming that whoever put the tyres on the bike paid attention to the little arrows indicating which way on it goes ... and that late-19thC tyres had directional treads ... which are perhaps two assumptions too far. But as far as the question of overlaid tracks go, the direction of travel seemed self-evident.
Absolutely spectacular news about Cambridge – ta!
My copy arrived today (to Germany, so it's fine that it took a few days longer) and made me do a little happy dance. Can't wait for the next pandemic to try and solve it!
As pointed out in https://thatsmaths.com/2015/10/08/which-way-did-the-bicycle-go/, once you know which is the back wheel it is highly likely that you CAN determine the direction of travel by the following process. Take a stick about a meter longer than the likely distance between the axles and put it on the ground tangent to the back tyre track. Mark off the distance along the stick from the tangent point on the rear tyre track to the intersection of the stick with the front tyre track in the suspected direction of travel. Repeat a few times. If this was indeed the direction of travel the marked distances will be pretty much the same, representing the distance between the axles (or more precisely, the distance between the points of contact with the ground). If the guess is wrong the distances are likely to vary and the bike was travelling in the opposite direction. Mathematics is your (our) friend. And so are sticks.
It arrived today!!!! (9/6) I can now work on it until I am forced to admit defeat. 😉
I thought ACD was quite correct because this is a boggy moor and the weight of the rider would push the rear wheel down into the mud more than the front wheel. Assign the tracks A and B. If track B is deeper than A it must be the back wheel. Track B will sometimes obliterate or cross track A as that's the front wheel mark. Thus track A must also always be in front of track B (back wheel) - this indicates the direction (assuming there is only one set of tracks of course).
The key environmental factor is boggyness - if it's not soggy and muddy enough then the difference in track depths is not significant enough to note.
Mine arrived today!
The autobiography AC-D wrote before his death is nothing compared to the one he wrote after it. Ivan Cooke was kind enough to edit it for him, Arthur evidently finding interaction with his Underwood No. 5 troublesome in his non-corporeal form.
Omg I was blaming Aliexpress bc I had to pay an unexpected customs fee (I bought something from them last week but there was no note it came from the UK), and it turns out it was for the mystery box!!! Should be here tomorrow I’m so excited to get it!
Although the tyre tread on my Mountain Bike Tyres would tell the direction of travel as they are cut differentially; as are most off-road tyres. So I assume Holmes was being both smart and prescient.
Man, I finally scrounge enough skinny to visit Big Smoke for the first time in years, and Finnemore misses my itinerary by five days* with his event. How's that for being born under a bad sign.
*stated passive aggressively as is my training; it's a Wisconsinite rite of passage
Pleased to say that my copy arrived directly from Unbound over a week ago now, and normal life has come to a stop as I wrestle with those perplexing cards. I see that there is an answer form in the booklet, but no mention of a closing date, or an address to send it to, much less any mention of a prize! An oversight, I assume?
Maybe figuring out where to send it is part of the mystery...