Posted by Benjamin Schardt on June 21, 2003 at 10:03:14:
In Reply to: Air quality posted by Brian C on June 20, 2003 at 13:06:04:
I've lived here in mile-high Colorado for just about a year now, and when I went back down to Stockton, California (12 feet in elevation) for the Winter break, I felt like a monster on the instrument, even though I was playing a borrowed Kallison from my former teacher. Then I went back again to California, with my own horn this summer, and expected the same. However, Stockton in the summer has very poor air quality, as it is in a valley, and gets drifting smog everywhere from Fresno to Bakersfield to Sacramento. Anyways, I think that my enhanced respiratory power and the effects of the poor air quality cancelled eachother out. I'm sure that if I had stayed there for a lengthy period of time, the advantage of coming from a much high altitude would have disappeared altogether.
When I participated in strennuous physical activity in California (running 8 miles, playing basketball, etc) I really felt the air quality effects. My stamina was, extremely surprising, less than what it typically is here in Colorado, a full 5600 feet in elevation. I'm sure that those effects are directly translated into playing as well.
But, in all honesty, nothing is going to happen anytime in the remotely near future concerning the air quality in those aforementioned locations, except get worse. It's too bad.
Benjamin