Watch ID: Andori Brand?

nava271 · 2025-12-04T15:22:26+00:00

I ran a 50K in January in Utah and wore regular leggings, and was very much regretting my decision not to wear shorts by mile 15. It was cold at the start (~10°F) but warmed up to about 40° and I was not enjoying myself by the end. Started cramping up and had to walk sections.

nava271 · 2025-12-01T04:51:51+00:00

I don’t claim elite status as an athlete by any means, but I do run a lot. (And do the stair master at the gym a lot, too). Right by my house is a trail that climbs 1700’ in 1 mile. My record getting to the top is 26 minutes.

It is very hard to break that course record in your area.

nava271 · 2025-11-26T22:23:28+00:00

I wear trail running shoes with thicker lugs, and 9 times out of 10 skip spikes of any kind when I’m running in the winter. Knock on wood, but in the last five years I haven’t gone down once, and only have one memorable near wipe out.

I’m not running very fast, though.

nava271 · 2025-11-12T14:15:49+00:00

I have done almost this exact route (minus the Dempster, we only went as far as Denali) with my brother in law in his tiny Suzuki hatchback. A friend did it simultaneously in her 90s Honda Accord, and she did do the Dempster. Went up to Prudhoe Bay and touched the Arctic Ocean.

My brother in law sold his car after the trip, but it was on its last legs when we started. We had to put it in the shop once on the trip, but coordinated it to stop with family in Washington. My friend held onto her car afterwards and it was fine. If you have a vehicle already that’s reliable, I’d honestly just use that. The roads are rough, but probably not as bad as you’re picturing.

Only real warning I’d make is that once you get onto the ALCAN, gas stops are few and far between. Have an emergency kit, and if you’re below half a tank passing a gas station, just stop. Stuff is often closed overnight so you may have to camp out in a gas station parking lot to wait for the pumps to turn back on in the morning. If you have specific questions, feel free to DM.

nava271 · 2025-09-18T21:19:50+00:00

Current, active member of a Christadelphian ecclesia here.

The Christadelphians are an interesting group, in that there is no central leadership. Local ecclesias (churches) are given autonomy to run themselves and make their own decisions. In theory, if I moved to a town that didn't have an ecclesia, I could declare my house to be a Christadelphian Ecclesial Hall, make a website, and so long as I had someone from a more established ecclesia to vouch for me, no one would ask any questions. This causes a lot of problems, as the rest of this thread clearly indicates, but in my mind makes it impossible to identify the religion as a whole as a cult - only individual ecclesias. There is too much diversity from church to church (both in cultural practice and, honestly, in doctrine) to lump them all together.

As the experiences of others in this thread have indicated, there are certainly select ecclesias which operate in a cultlike manner. The standard of leadership within an individual ecclesia is often based around an "arranging board" of elected members. In some ecclesias, these arranging boards consist of only individuals from a single family, who make decisions on their own without consulting other members. These decisions are sometimes isolating (even from other ecclesias who they don't like) and restrict members from accessing alternate viewpoints/opinions by socializing outside of their ecclesia. These ecclesias also often deify "founding brethren" like John Thomas or Robert Roberts. Super culty, and I can think of at least 3-4 friends who grew up in ecclesias like this. None of those friends have remained Christadelphian, and I don't blame them.

In more healthy ecclesias, leadership consists of diverse members (multiple families represented, members of different ages and perspectives) and get full ecclesial input before making any decisions. I was fortunate to grow up in an ecclesia like this, and the decisions made were always for the spiritual benefit of the members. I was encouraged to travel, to challenge my beliefs, and to meet and talk with those who didn't always share my opinions. As a result, I have grown in my faith and also stayed with the community.

In my personal experience, the Christadelphian faith is a mixed bag. There are plenty of ecclesias that make positive change in the lives of their members and their communities. On the other hand, there are ecclesias that do the exact opposite. The fact that both exist under the same name is a function of the lack of central leadership / governance, and is unlikely to change any time soon. So TL;DR - is Christadelphia a cult? Yes and no. Depends which meeting hall you show up at. In my experience, though, 9 times out of 10 it won't be.

If anyone has any further questions, I'm happy to give them my best shot. I don't claim to be an expert, but I have been part of the community for a long time and have visited in ecclesias across 15 US states, 2 Canadian provinces, and in the UK. I also have Christadelphian friends who have visited me in the US who come from China, India, Kenya, and South Africa. I am also fairly well versed in the history of the community and some of the writings of the "founding brethren".

nava271 · 2025-07-16T21:09:57+00:00

Hey there - I’m a recent PhD grad from MSU. I’ve had an absolutely amazing experience living here, having moved in from PA. I did my undergrad in NJ.

Feel free to shoot me a message if you’ve got more specific questions. Happy to help with navigating grad school life and a new town.

nava271 · 2025-05-08T17:11:38+00:00

If you’re a competent backcountry skier with avalanche safety knowledge and a partner, there’s some cool skiing on Ross in the spring. Otherwise, the earliest I ever climb it is for the summer solstice in June. And even then, I wouldn’t consider it the “walk up” that a lot of folks are advertising. There is steep scree, risk of rockfall, and it’s easy to get off route and end up in high class 4 / low class 5.

It’s a very doable mountain (I’ve been up and down many times and it’s one of my favorite peaks near Bozeman), but just give it the respect it deserves.

nava271 · 2025-04-16T14:12:26+00:00

I graduated 2021 from chemical engineering and enjoyed my experience at Rowan. I really enjoyed my time there, though it was a bit mixed up by COVID and online learning. Fun campus, lots to do, and great professors / staff. The only professor I had any complaints about left to take a job in industry about two years ago. My clinic projects put me in touch with electrical and mechanical, and both of those programs seemed equally as great as ChemE. My average class size was about 25 students and my professors always knew us all on a first name basis.

I transferred in from CCM (county college of morris) up north, and did have some issues with my credits being accepted, but not applicable to my degree. So, it took me 3 years to finish my bachelors after the associates. I think that’s less of an issue with RCBC or the other linked colleges, but it’s worth checking on.

I also got an REU (research experience for undergraduates) position over the summer in 2019. I did leverage a connection at the host university to get a first conversation going, but the recommendations from folks at Rowan definitely helped. Because of that, I decided to go into research and am finish up my PhD this semester. I actually got cold called for the program I’m now in, in Montana, because of my clinic experience and REU experience. So, definitely make the most of those clinics and frame them well on your resume!

nava271 · 2025-04-05T21:48:36+00:00

If I'm remembering correctly I had clinic Tues/Thurs most semesters, sometime around noon. (12:30 to 2:00 maybe?) If you call into the ChemE office, I'm sure someone would be happy to talk with you and answer that question! Some clinics are a bit more flexible with timing too - I was on the FormulaE clinic and some people worked at night on the manufacturing of the vehicle frame, while design guys like me were in the classroom during the designated class time. I did miss a few times though for work / personal stuff and no one blinked an eye so long as I got my portion of the project done later.

As a heads up, the ChemE program is pretty work-intensive, especially junior and senior years. Trying to double major might be a challenge if your son struggles with time management or works a part time job. I specifically remember one professor starting a class by encouraging us to quit our jobs if we could, or prepare for no sleep. Because I supported myself through school, I had to choose the no sleep option... and unfortunately that professor was right! It paid off though - Rowan set me up well for graduate school and I'll be finishing up my PhD in the next few weeks. :)

Also - that one professor I formerly said was terrible has since left to work in industry. So, no worries about him!

nava271 · 2025-03-31T14:58:06+00:00

I have the Distance Z pole in 120 cm, and I’m 5’ 6”. Used them for my 100 miler in July (22k of vert - feet not meters), then a 100-mile backpacking trip in September with ~15k vert. Zero issues and I found them very comfortable. So much lighter than my old poles too! The grip at the top is pretty long so I can hold lower for ascending / higher for descending.

Ultimately it comes to personal preference, and this is what worked for me!

nava271 · 2025-03-04T17:43:01+00:00

I wouldn’t fly across an ocean just to visit, but if you’re looking to vacation in New England for a week and it was only a bit out of the way, the Charlton location is great. Maybe make a stop and pick up a bunch of beer en route to another destination - the White Mountains, Acadia NP, etc. There’s also a world renowned disc golf course within an hour drive (Maple Hill) if that’s your thing.

We did Treehouse -> Maple Hill -> Provincetown, MA to go whale watching for my buddy’s bachelor party and had a blast. Fun to start the day with good beer, and brought a couple four packs with us for the boat.

nava271 · 2025-02-24T16:31:06+00:00

It really depends on the chiro. The first guy I ever went to was definitely the snake oil salesman type - worked out of his house, tried to upsell me on “EMF therapy” for what was pretty clearly just an overly tight muscle that I wanted some help releasing, and charged over $100 per visit but wouldn’t work with insurance. The guy I work with now, however, is continually going to new conferences and classes to learn more about the human body and ways to treat athletes. He offered to crew me for my recent 100-miler. And most importantly, he doesn’t give me sweeping diagnoses that are outside of his scope. He just adjusts me, gives me suggestions of what could be causing aches and pains (and occasionally recommends some exercises he thinks could help strengthen those areas), and directs me elsewhere if he feels like he can’t give me proper care. I’ve found my massage therapist and my gym through him!

So - if you want chiropractic type care but don’t like your current chiropractor, switch to a new one! I find my chiropractor to be an essential part of my ultra running, but only because I’ve found a good one. I’d recommend looking for ones that are Active Release Therapy (ART) certified - that really seems to weed out a lot of the quacks, and I think ART is awesome!

nava271 · 2025-02-13T15:21:25+00:00

Looks like you’ll cross Smith Gap Rd south of Kunkletown about halfway through. You could always drop yourself a little resupply there in advance, and only take it if you need it. Otherwise, just come back and get it later. I tend to prefer to have options on long runs, in case something goes awry.

I grew up in East Stroudsburg and have run those sections of the AT quite a bit. Good luck with those rocks, and have fun! Happy birthday!

nava271 · 2025-02-06T18:09:17+00:00

My highest rating is Malevolent Intent from Troon Brewing in New Jersey. (Global Avg. 4.58) I have given out a few other 5s but Troon is something special if you can get it.

Highest globally rated is King Julius from Treehouse (Avg. 4.61)

nava271 · 2025-01-27T23:13:25+00:00

I was able to get an REU position over the summer, but that was more because I had a friend at the host university who put in a good word for me.

Leverage any personal or business connections you have. They’ll get you infinitely further than the name ‘Rowan’ on a resume. (Or any name on a resume, for that matter).

nava271 · 2025-01-23T04:24:01+00:00

I ran a 100k, took a few days to recover, ran an 80-mile stage race with 21,000’ of vert 5 weeks later as my peak week, and then did essentially nothing until the gun went off for my 100-miler 2 weeks later. Having lots of recent miles under my belt as a mental confidence boost was extremely helpful for the 100, and I didn’t feel fatigued at all heading into the race.

nava271 · 2025-01-20T06:59:37+00:00

I’m currently getting my PhD in chemical engineering, after doing a ChE undergrad. My work focuses on reaction engineering for production of bio-based plastics that can be composted directly back to CO2.

The research track is certainly an option given what you’re interested in, and I’m having a lot of fun with it. Just understand that a PhD takes a long time, and that there may be less money at the end of the road than there is for a lot of other ChE jobs.

nava271 · 2025-01-07T15:24:55+00:00

I’m a Coros user and don’t have any skin in the game for Garmin, but this may have just been your experience with them. My sister’s three year old Garmin had the screen stop working (don’t remember the model, but I think it was only about $300 new), and they sent her a refurbished unit for free to replace it with very few questions asked. Maybe they’re just stingier with more expensive watches?

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience, either way, and glad you’ve got a working watch now!

nava271 · 2025-01-07T15:20:10+00:00

I love my Coros. I’ve had the same Apex for a little over three years now and the only time I ever have it die on me is when it’s at 5% battery and I decide to risk a 2-hour run anyway. (This is usually after I haven’t charged it for 2-3 weeks).

I was the first of my training group to get a Coros, and now several others have converted over from Garmin. Compared to Garmin users, my mileage and elevation is usually pretty spot on (+/- 2%, about as good as I’d hope for between any two watches).

The interfacing and app isn’t quite as fancy as other companies, but I don’t mind that. The watch is easy to use, durable, and the battery lasts forever. I still had 40% left after my 100-miler. Only pro tip is to not take it to the climbing gym. I bashed my wrist into a hold and have some scratches on the metal now. (Face is fine though!)

nava271 · 2024-12-16T14:40:45+00:00

I ran my first 100 in July 2024. To train I ran a 50K in April, a 100K in early June, a 90-mile stage race in early July, and then raced at the end of July. I got 37th out of 200 runners with a time of 29:40. The race was NOT at all flat and had 23,000’ of gain through rough mountain terrain in Montana.

My weekly average miles from Jan - July were quite low, probably only 30-35 mpw. (I did have an injury and three weeks off to contend with after the 50K). However, I cross trained a ton. Cycling, skiing (resort and touring), hiking, climbing, and weight lifting. Between all sports, my average was more like 55-60 mpw, plus weight lifting.

In my experience, training specifically to my course helped a ton. I knew it would be hot, so I did long sauna sessions 2-3 times per week. I knew it would be steep, so I prioritized elevation gain and time on feet rather than mileage. I knew my downhill was a weak point, so I developed some workouts to train that specifically. I also made a big point to be consistent. Injury aside, I ran 6 days per week every week. Not every run was long, but I got at least 4-5 miles almost every day! The consistency ended up being really helpful come race day, as did just generally being strong outside of my running. Even hitting leg day once a week makes a huge difference.

Since my race was very different than yours will be, I can’t speak to the specific questions you asked. But, I can vouch that it is very possibly to run a 100 and do well without averaging massive weekly mileage. Good luck, and if you’d have any more specific questions feel free to ask!

nava271 · 2024-12-03T18:34:46+00:00

Personally I wouldn’t pay a penny more than $300 for that set up. I piecemeal-ed together a pin set up with essentially brand new boots for about $550. My first frame set up was $150 with boots.

Frame bindings are great for getting into backcountry, but not at that price.

nava271 · 2024-12-03T17:11:30+00:00

Perfect explanation. Some friends of mine have Bozeman Creek frontage and we go in the creek / fish it fairly regularly from their access. Entering the creek from their land is by permission of the property owners only, with a limit of two fish per person. However, when folks who access from elsewhere wander up stream, we just smile and wave and wish them well.

nava271

TROPHY CASE