Snowflakes at Night

Lee took this shot of my dads elk antlers about midnight the night it snowed. The white dots are snowflakes.

Roads to Nowhere

Walking around on Christmas day, the streets are almost completely abandoned. This offers a rare opportunity to observe during daylight hours how things are laid out. I cycle past this particular intersection several times a week, but always approaching from the other direction, and it is usually very crowded. So I've never fully processed its design from the opposite direction until now. And the design is really something. I don't know how well my pictures demonstrate this, but there is a bike lane running against traffic that guides cyclist directly onto a brick island at the intersection.



Once the bike lane reaches the island, there is no entry point. But the markings invite cyclists to hop a 4-5" curb, at an angle. Some of you are probably thinking "Well okay, I can take that at speed on the right bike." But wait, not so fast.



There is a bicycle stop sign just before the intersection, so you really don't have that much room to accelerate. In addition, remember that this bike lane is against car traffic, so you also need to watch the blind turn as you make your way toward that 5" curb. I am no expert, but this might be worthy of some sort of "cycling infrastructure fail"award. And it certainly explains why I see confused, flailing cyclists approach the intersection from this direction whenever I cycle through here.



Lately I've been reading Brown Girl in the Lane's delightful rantsabout Vehicular Cycling advocates. She considers these fellows to be the "spawn of Satan" because they are against cycling infrastructure. Of course, their reasoning is that they are against it precisely because the sort of thing pictured here is what cities will do to cyclists when designing said infrastructure. Carving out a middle-ground position in this debate is tricky and I am not going to try right now. I only wonder whether there is a way to put a system in place whereby those who design cycling infrastructure (1) are required to consult with experts who are actual cyclists, and (2) have some accountability over the type of layout they create. We should not have to choose between harmful infrastructure and no infrastructure at all.

DEEP THOUGHTS WITH COLIN HALEY

By: Steve House



http://www.sportiva.com/live/page.php?id=48&at=24



More here:



http://colinhaley.blogspot.com//11/exocet-solo.html

Peruse our Virtual Album and Tickle Your Funny Bone!

Welcome to the 6th Edition of Smile For The Camera ~ A Carnival of Images!

Show us that picture that never fails to bring a smile to your face! An amusing incident, a funny face, an unusual situation. Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that tickles your Funny Bone. . .

A big Thank You goes out to everyone who participated in this edition of Smile for the Camera, there were 29 posts by 28 contributors. As you peruse the pages of our virtual photo album, I am sure you will find more than a few pictures that will tickle your funny bone!

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Leading us off today is Midge Frazel of Granite in My Blood. She reminds us to "Never forget that your parents were once young, crazy and impulsive; even if they are gone, laughter about them will endure forever." Good advice, indeed. Her contribution to the carnival is My Parents Tickle My Funny Bone and it's likely to tickle yours too!

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Amanda Erickson presents Photo of my grandfather having fun posted at Random Ramblings. Two pretty girls and a "drunken" young man. Is it for real, or just pretend? Amanda's grandfather reveals the truth.

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Sheri Fenley, The Educated Genealogist, provides a "word picture" of her "Mummy Dahling" as "a lovely woman, a little uptight, a lot of prim and proper" but does that really describe Sheri's mother? Seems there is a funny side to her mother too, as shown in It Must be Genetic.

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Linda Stienstra, blogging at From Axer to Ziegler, presents some recent family pictures in These Just Tickle my Funny Bone!. A happy, laughing family with a little guy whose laughter is contagious and another of a couple of goofballs! When I viewed Linda's second contribution, Wouldn't this make you laugh out loud? I did, laugh out loud that is.

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Normally, you wouldn't think that a picture taken of a man in the hospital would be funny, but Elyse Doerflinger shows us that it can be with Hilarious Pictures Of My Family posted at Elyse's Genealogy Blog. Be sure you find out what he's reading!

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Wendy Littrell gives us "Scream" for the Camera posted at All My Branches Genealogy. Wendy says "Yes, we are a bunch of sick individuals! This picture shows just how twisted we are." Well, it is Halloween after all.

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Jasia, the lady with the Creative Gene has some new-found cousins with a sense of humor. And it shows in It Tickles My Funny Bone..., which is also a very nice tribute to a WWII Navy veteran.

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At I Dream of Genea(logy), Amir Dekel presents us with a photograph of his paternal grandfather that shows "an amazing blend of extreme happiness, some sadness, pain and sheer terror". And given the circumstances, I agree! You'll find it posted at I Dream of Genea(logy): Smile for the Camera.

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T.K. asks "The funny bone is in the ear? Who knew?" Check out Tickle! posted at Before My Time. A wonderful, amusing portrait of mother and son!

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Colleen M. Johnson presents Pouty Laughs posted at CMJ Office Blog. Colleen has a right hook that had her grandfather laughing. And a second photo has Colleen admitting that "Pouty faces tickle my funny bone."

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Summer is officially over and autumn has set in. Where has the summer gone? Miss Jocelyn presents her Summer '08 Memoirs posted at A Pondering Heart that will have her smiling with remembrances for a long time.

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Bob Franks presents Yawning for the Camera? posted at Itawamba History Review: The Itawamba Historical Society. Bob says "From the first time I saw it many years ago, this photo has always brought a smile to my face. To me, it looks as if the subject was caught yawning the moment the photographer captured the image with the camera."

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Julie Cahill Tarr recently went antiquing and rescued some orphan photos. One in particular, Funny, Ha-Ha posted at GenBlog, made her chuckle. Their expressions are priceless.

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Terry Thornton, of Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi, presents A photographic essay of an orphan --- a visitor at Christmas. He says, "A few years ago, Sweetie and I "adopted" an orphan. During the few weeks the orphan was at our house, he took over our household. He was out of control --- and in need of a Ten Step Plan for rehabilitation. We sent him on his way and our household returned to normal --- what a relief. All we have left of that time are these photographs."

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One picture says it all! Donna Pointkouski combines all of the suggestions given in the prompt for this edition: "an amusing incident, some funny faces, an unusual situation" in her contribution My Father, the Comedienne posted at What's Past is Prologue.

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With My Dad, the Birthday Boy - But on a Horse?? posted at Attala County Memories, Janice Tracy wonders was a horse, a car, a tractor, and a wagon pulled by a goat all “accepted” as normal places for photographing children “way back when"?

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"Is this your grandma? Let's see, height, about 6'4", clean shaven, broad of shoulder... hmmmm..." Well, Sheri Bush says that Kind Of A Drag . . . posted at TwigTalk is an orphan photo but I wonder if she is just embarrassed to claim it as one of her family?

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Melody Lassalle presents Look! It's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! posted at The Research Journal. Melody says " I can’t help but look at that fake city background, then the car, and laugh."

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With The Chart Chick: The smile on a little girl's face. posted at The Chart Chick, Janet Hovorka, shows us several of her mother's favorite pastimes, well, maybe one isn't quite so much a favorite.

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John Newmark presents Smile For the Camera: Funny Bone posted at TransylvanianDutch. A grandmother who hides behind a large pair of sunglasses and a grandfather who prepares to dive into the water - aren't candid photos the best?

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Msteri River says "This family line is full of silliness!" and you can see the truth of that statement in It Tickles My Funny Bone posted at Heritage Happens.

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Carol presents 6th Edition Smile For The Camera - Funny Bone posted at iPentimento In Your Reader. She says, "I can’t say this picture necessarily makes me laugh, but it does make me smile :)"

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M. Diane Rogers, blogging at CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt' says " Here's a family photo that always makes me smile!" Funny Bone - Smile for the Camera.

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At Taylorstales-Genealogy, Pam Taylor authoritatively states Laughter really is the best medicine! and gives a short, loving tribute to "two people who loved to share a smile and a laugh."

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Randy Seaver presents Family Photographs - Post 26: The Kids posted at Genea-Musings. According to Randy, "Children always make me smile, and laugh, and appreciate the gift of unconditional love between parent and child, and grandparent and grandchild too. These are my favorite people in the world."

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Over at Destination: Austin Family, Thomas MacEntee wonders if it is Funny, Embarrassing or a Cruel Joke? What? You ask? I'll just say it involves a cake and a 13-year old girl on a special day.

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footnoteMaven shares a special photo of Mr. Denver Colorado posted at footnoteMaven. There's more to the tale than a tall hat!

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And, rounding out this edition of Smile For The Camera, is my contribution Funny face, I love you! posted right here at kinexxions.

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The word prompt for the 7th Edition of Smile For The Camera is Oh, Baby! Show us those wonderful family photographs of babies, or those you've collected. Share the ones that are too cute for words, or those only a mother could love. Your favorite of grandma or grandmas' favorite. Grandpa on a bear skin rug or grandpas' little love. Everyone has a baby photo, so let's see it!

Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that is the epitome of Oh, Baby! and bring it to the carnival. Admission is free with every photograph!

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Deadline for submission is midnight (PT) November 10, ...

There are two options for submitting your contribution:

1. Send an email to the host, footnoteMaven. Include the title and permalink URL of the post you are submitting, and the name of your blog. Put 'Smile For The Camera' clearly in the title of your email!
2. Use the handy submission form provided by Blog Carnival.

Photographing clouds over Speckled Trout Lake

A couple of shotsfrom last weekend in Northern Minnesota. We had gone out paddling on a local lake mostly to look for Loons (of which we did find two) but also just to get out on the water and hopefully get some nice pictures. As sunset approached we were treated to some very nice clouds which reflected quite nicely on the super-calm waters of the lake.

Fun memories.....and the Vuarnet Cateye sun glass

Mugs Stump soloing on Thelay Sagar, 1986. Photoby Micheal Kennedy (courtesy of Patagonia's archives)




I had just returned from the head. There were several tables of us crowded around in the Road House that had just gotten off Denali after a big storm cycle went through. Everyone at the table had beenstuck at 17K for a few days. Mugs and I had dug out each others tents a few times as the clients stayed in doors.We were all happy,hungry and glad to be out of the mountains (at least I was anyway).



I sat back down and found my pork chopmissing along with most of my mashed potatoes. When my jaw dropped opened and my temper started to flare, Mugs and the rest of the table had a deep and well deserved laugh at my expense. Great way to finally relax a bit, get warm and drink a beer or two.



I didn't have enough money in my pocket to buy another dinner.May be an extra beer. Of course they had already ordered and paid for one of both for me. And I quickly realised how much of a dick I was being but not quickly enough. Mugs could be hilarious in a social setting. I eventually had a good laugh as well. Mug's story of the coldon the Moose's Tooth bivy was funny and frightening. He toldus his headwent numb from the cold. Ithad me rolling on the tent floor. "No? Really? Your head hu?"Or maybe it was the whisky. Likely both. Great story either way. I was never sure if he was pulling my leg. But I didn't think so. Damn, that would be really, seriously,COLD ;) Bet he is still laughing about that one! Yep, "my head went numb!" May be it was Bridwell's bivy stash that did that?



Hard for me not to remember Mugs and smile when I see a pair ofVuarnets. Maybe it was the picture above and the Patagonia's Capilinead. It is a picture that still defines alpinism for me even today. And you have to remember Michael Kennedypulled out a camera to get the shot while soloing as well!





We all went over the 'shrund together when Mugs and Paul Aubry did the Moonflower. Brad and I failed on our proposed route. Mugs was wearing Vuarnets in the bright sun that day as well.May, 1981.



Much more about Mugs here:

http://www.thecleanestline.com//02/the-dream-a-journey-of-the-spirit-with-mugs-stump.html



Anyway Vuarnets are a funmemory for me. Mugs and I would see each other on and off in Alaska every season fora few years. He introduced me to Wild Things gearand by example, harder climbingthan I had ever imagined possible.



Now that I think about it, even Doug Klewin had a pair or two of Vuarnets bitd. Doug was wearing blackframed, Cat Eye, Nuatilux lens Vuarnetson the 1st ascent of the North Buttress of Hunter! Hard to believe that tiny bit of important NA mountaineering history (trivia) might have be lost! :)






Doug Klewin racking up mid "Shaft" on the 1st ascent, N. Butt of Hunter, Todd Bilbler photo




Anyway when I was doing the sunglass review earlier two things I found very exciting. The first was my original Vuarnets had lasted 35+ years. They cost$58 at the time, which was a pot full of money for me. My Galibier Mountain glasses had only been $38 a couple of years earlier. So the Vuarnets were a big step up for me. In my mind they were my first pieceof "man jewelry". Gas was .63 centsa gallon in 1978! I havebroken three frames in those 35 years. They are easy enough to replace if you have an oven or even boiling water handy. But my lenses have no scratches and only one tiny pit on one lens from being dropped flat onto fresh pavement from about 6 feet up. They are the only piece of my originalclimbing gear I still use. More importantly one of the few pieces I still really like. They have been "everywhere" with me climbing. I had them on for my first 5.10 lead. And all but one of the walls I did in the Valley. Most every ice climb I had done in Canada up til 1990 as well. And with few limitations theyare as good as any thing available today I think. Fewwould think of a $100 pair of sunglasses as jewelry today.



The second thing I find exciting? I had looked around and saw Vuarnets selling for anywhere between $200+ and $350. Crazy money IMO for a retro pair of glasses no matter how good the lens.

Maybe not so muchcrazy money if I remember how long they have lasted.



But then I found them, where else, but on Ebay. Direct from France in all styles and lenses and at decent prices. Nothing over $150 that I actually wanted and most a few bucks less.



For some reason I kept digging around on the Internet and found a US dealer who specialises in repairing vintage Vuarnets and selling parts as well as complete sunglasses for $105 including the shipping.



On a serious note. The Vaurnet glass lens give excellent sun protection for your eyes. There are multiple lenses available to fit most every one's needs. I can attest thatall theglasslenses are really tough and durable under hard useconditions. The original nylon "cat eye" frames are robust and tough. Most importantly for me is they fold almost flat and are easily carried/stored in a pocket on longmountain trips (like Denali). Same place modern sunglasses can be bulky and hard to pack and fragile while living in the confines of a tent.



"Vuarnet lenses filter out all harmful UVZ, UVB and UVC radiation. Their multi-layered anti-reflective coatings eliminate glare and bounce-back light.




All Vuarnet lenses are made from the finest glass, ground and polished on both sides to ensure distortion free vision, and are heat tempered for impact and scratch resistance.



They meet the most stringent quality control standards and exceed all the performance criteria imposed by European, American and Australian consumer legislation.


















Skilynx Brown Silver Gradient Mineral lenses: PX4000, The Original and Legendary Vuarnet Ski Lens. Amber yellow base, brown & anti-reflective coatings.




Double gradient silver exterior filters to absorb white light glare, especially on or around snow and bright light conditions. Eliminates glare and reflection, enhances contrast and depth of field.




The essential lens for mountains activities and at sea. The Skilynx lens blocks nearly all of the violet and blue light, thus reducing glare and eye strain, while allowing more of the yellow-orange-red end of the spectrum to pass through to the eye, enhancing contrast, depth perception and sharpness of vision, making distant objects visually clearer.



This lens benefits from chemical tempering in order to make it secure. Besides the excellent adherence of surface treatments, it benefits from an outstanding longevity.



Each lens is engraved with the letter , symbol of authenticity Vuarnet."







Here are the links that I found for Vaurnet. I have recentlyordered from both companies and been happy with their service and products. Enjoy!









JMARGIFTS.....a USA based company based in Saint Paul, MN.

Repairs, spare parts, and new sunglasses they can build you to your spec/color/lens on some styles, the Cat Eye in particular. Quick service. $105.00 for a new set of Cat Eye Skilynx (Mugg's choice in the mountains) or Nautiluxincluding the shipping in the US!

http://www.jmargifts.com/index.htm



SHOPEYEWORLD....a French based company in Courbevoie, France

New glasses and spare framesin most every (all?) originalVaurnet styles. Decent prices and free shipping if there are multiple purchases at once. Hit or miss on the speed of delivery though. You'll need to be patient. Typically $150 for the same Cat Eye Skilynx here but frames and some of the other Vuarnet lens tintscan be had cheaper oron sale here occasionally.

http://stores.ebay.com/shopeyeworld





I suspect Mugs would get a laugh out of the fact Vuarnets are still around and that I'm suggesting here they are a good pair of glasses :)But I am not pulling your leg. And I'llremember to hangonto my pork chop!

Last Woman Standing

Pushing my bike uphill, I am high off the ground and high on happiness.




"Look, look! I can stand out of the saddle!"




My riding companion's face registers confusion, then bewildered comprehension.




"Oh my God. You mean all this time you couldn't?!"

"Nope!"




Funny that she hadn't noticed - although many people I ride with don't seem to notice my deficiencies in cycling skills; I guess I find ways to disguise them. But privately I remain acutely aware of those deficiencies. And ever since I started riding as an adult, I've been trying to master this particular "skill" - something most riders seem to take for granted as just being part of riding a bike. Standing up when a gear feels too high is simply the natural thing to do for them. Pedal sitting, pedal standing, what's the difference?




For me there was a big difference. Since childhood, I've had problems with balance and proprioception (the awareness of one's body in space), both of which made riding a bike in anything but a rudimentary manner seem unattainable. 4 years ago, I could hardly swing a leg over a top tube without toppling over. But my irrational love of cycling made me persistent. Things are much better now than they used to be, to the point that I can almost pass for "normal" on a roadbike - all the more reason my few remaining difficulties are so frustrating.




So what was the problem getting out of the saddle?.. The physical memory is disappearing now, but try to imagine this: Whenever I'd try to stand up, I would lose the sense of where I was in relation to both the bike and the ground. Not only did I have no intuitive notion of how to hold my body up when no longer seated, but I'd start to experience general disorientation and mild vertigo. Not surprisingly, these sensations would make me anxious, which in turn made the whole thing worse; a vicious cycle.Verbal instructions from well-meaning riding companions did not help. This was obviously just something I needed to work on myself. And I did keep trying.




But the first break-through came when I wasn't trying at all. It was a couple of months ago. I was riding an Xtracycle Radishone day, up a gentle hill. Just before I was about to reach the top, I stood up and leaned forward instead of downshifting. My mind was elsewhere and the whole thing was unintentional; it just happened. After I realised what I'd done, I was so happy I almost had to pull over on the side of the road to laugh or cry or something. My mind was blown!I tried it again later, this time intentionally. It was not quite as natural as the first time. I was jerky in my movements and my legs grew tired quickly,but for a few pedal strokes at a time it worked.




Several days later came the 300K brevet. I was losing time on a long climb, and in a moment of frustration I tried standing up again so that I could push a bigger gear. This did not feel the same as it did on the Xtracycle and I nearly fell off my bike. After that I decided to give my standing attempts a little rest.




And I did, until one day - on my roadbike in Northern Ireland - it "just happened" again on its own. I simply stood up, absent-mindedly on a short hill. This time I decided to harness whatever impulse had enabled me to do this. Continuing to ride on rolling terrain I stood up again and again, rather than switching gears, until I began to trust that I could do it. After a week of this, I was no longer hesitant or nervous to stand up at will.




A few days ago I pedaled over to County Tyroneto visit a friend. It was a 100 mile day with around 6,000 feet of climbing over the "shoulders" of the Sperrins mountain range. I stood up whenever I wanted, and finally, in the course of this ride, it began to feel as I imagine it's felt to other riders all along - normal.




One thing I realise now, is that in addition to whatever balance issues were involved, another problem was weak legs. At first my legs would start to quiver after just a short time out of the saddle; I felt like one of those newborn colts learning to walk. On a serious hill, I still get worn out quickly when standing. So even though thebalance and proprioceptionproblems are gone, I continue to practice just to develop more leg strength. And finesse. At the moment, my technique is not exactly elegant. I don't throw the bike from side to side needlessly, but my pedal strokes are jerky and awkward compared to how I pedal seated.




As my last two years of roadcycling have shown, it is possible to do even long distance rides without ever standing out of the saddle. And there are, after all, experienced riders who simply prefer not to stand. I do not know whether I am one of them yet. But once I form a preference, it will be exactly that - a preference, and not a limitation.

Fastrider Deluxe Shopper Pannier from Bicycle Muse

I received this Fastrider Deluxe Shopper Bicycle PannierfromBicycle Muse(a sponsor in July-August ) as part of an equal value exchange. Prior to trying this bag, I was not a big fan of single panniers and have never found one that I liked. But when I received the Fastrider, I changed my mind.



Here is a front view of the pannier. You can see that it does not interfere with the lines of the bicycle, which I like very much.The setup allows me to leave the beautiful custom rack on this bike unobscured, while enjoying the benefit of a roomy container that can be attached or removed in seconds.

To my eye, this pannier has a classic, timeless look to it that will go nicely with any vintage or classic bicycle. The style may be too quaint for some, but it suits my taste perfectly. One reason I have not been able to find a pannier I like, is that they tend to be either too industrial looking, or too "girly" - in the sense that they come in bright colours and highly stylized patterns like florals or polka-dots or paisley. Now, imagine showing up to a dinner and discovering that you are wearing the exact same outfit as one of the other guests. If it's a grey suit you are both wearing, the coincidence is not even noticeable. But if you're both wearing the exact same brightly coloured print, it's embarrassing. That is more or less how I feel when it comes to bicycle accessories, which is why I like mine to be subdued. Plus, a neutrally coloured pannier will match your outfit no matter what colour it is. A pink paisley pannier will not.



The pannier material is water-resistant woven pine. The surface is tactile, yet smooth. The colour is a warm caramel (there is also a lighter colouravailable). Underneath the flap (which secures with velcro strips allowing for different degrees of fulness) is a zipper opening. The flap and zipper together pretty much ensure that the closure does not let in water. (These panniers are made by the Dutch company Fastrider, so I am guessing water-proofing was a top priority.)



Not sure whether my pictures portray this adequately, but this pannier is huge. Dimensions are: 15.5" width, 14.5" height, 6.3" depth. The fabric-lined interior is enormously deep, and has what I initially thought were dividers for compartments, but are in fact stiffeners (I nonetheless use them as compartment dividers and find that they work in that capacity!). There is also a large, zippered internal pocket (large enough to fit a medium notebook and other accessories) and a smaller pocket that will fit a wallet or phone. You can see how much room is left over inside the bag after I place my Macbook Air inside it. If you are compulsive about your laptop, you will probably want to get a sleeve for it, as my makeshift "dividers" do not reach all the way to the top. That is the one drawback to the design - but then, it was meant to be a "shopper,"not an office bag. Otherwise, everything is fantastic for my purposes. This bag will easily fit my laptop, work-related documents, and a few days' worth of groceries.



The pannier attaches to a bicycle rack with a system of 3 plastic hooks on metal spring hinges. They are quick and easy to attach and remove; the process takes just a few seconds.



Here is a close-up. The middle hook curles under to firmly clasp the rack's tubing and can be adjusted to be tighter or looser. The two outside hooks act as extra weight supports. Plastic hooks are another reason I had been staying away from single panniers - they all seem to have them. But again and again I am told that these types of hooks are safe and are designed to withstand the weight. So - fine. I like this pannier so much that I am ready to believe that. (Any words of assurance or admonition?)



View from the non-pannier side. The handles flop to the sides, but they are not long enough to get stuck in the spokes, so leaving them that way is fine.



Pannier in motion. It attaches firmly to the rack, and there is no jiggling or movement, as far as I can tell.



It is pretty clear at this point that I love the pannier.Bicycle Museoffered me a choice of products, and I am glad to have selected this one.My plan now is to transfer the contents of my work-bag to the pannier, and share it between several bicycles. Of course, time will tell how the pannier will hold up, and I will update regarding durability once sufficient time passes.



edited to add: It is 6 months later, and I love the pannier. To my embarrassment, it took me a while to figure out that what I thought were dividers were in fact compartment stiffeners, and I've changed the text of the review so as not to mislead. Having gone through the rainy Autumn and part of winter with this pannier, I am pleased with how waterproof it is and how resistant to abuse. There is some minor fraying of the "wicker" near the hooks, but I think that is to be expected. I wish there were a smaller, equally classic version of a Fastrider pannier available in the US that would fit bikes with shorter chainstays.



edited to add: Over 1 year since the review, and the bag is no worse for wear. It survived a New England winter unflinchingly and the hooks are holding up fine so far. I own a couple of other panniers now, but this one is my designated "shopper."

What one learns and Second Chances...

In the past few weeks I have learned a good bit about myself.



With some after thought I guess I have learned more about myself, people in generaland our relationships when I have been injured.



In early September I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Tonsillar Cancer which is HPV P16 driven. If you are going to get Tonsillar cancer, pray it is HPV P16 driven. (more on second chances in a minute)



http://www.komonews.com/news/health/132764463.html?tab=video



Up first was a "radical neck dissection" to remove the tumors. I was pulling 5.10 a week after surgery so how "radical"can it be? Now Radiation and Chemo follow. I'll be fine in the end. A little worse for the wear and tear may be but pounds lighter and seconds faster. It won't hurt my climbing in the long run is my guess at this point.I will come out of this even healthier and more fit than I have been in a long time. But not a fitness and weight loss program I would recommend either.



So I get a second chance. A cancer they can cure. And a new lease on life witha rebuilt body after loosing 25% of my body mass from chemo and rad.



We all make promises. Some you intend to keep and others you know you will unlikely be able to keep. Most of us do what we can and with some effort more than we might have thought possible until pushed.



I had first intendedto keep my health issues quiet. But as I realised there wasn't an easily accessed body of knowledge on how to get through this I started asking for beta from any of myfriends (and their friends) that might have some insight into a this particular cancer and treatment that would eventually strip me of 25% of my body mass. It all seemed pretty damn scary at the beginning. A little less so now even after dropping 20# in the first six days of treatment. And my friends pulled through for me. Thank you, THANK YOU!



To pay back that debt I will eventually start a new blog documenting this entire experience in detail so it will hopefully bea little less scary for the next guy.



Ten days ago I was unsure if I would ever be able to walk again let alone climb. The initial chemo shattered me physically and mentally in a short 6 days. Not something I easily admit to, but there it is.

Water boarding? Shit, try Cysplatinum.



I, like many who ride a bike, often wonder if Lance did drugs to win those Tours. I don'tneed to wonderany more. Lance did weeksof Csyplantium. I'm only required to do a fewdays. Lance has been requiredto suffer more than most can ask to endure. I suspect that is how he won Tours. Chemo drugs may have taughthim the secrets of sufferingbut no one in their right mind wants the education.







My friends, familyand and our extended climbing family have been the BEST. People have reached out to help and support me, someI hardly know. But I "know" them now. It means a lot to me and I am more than grateful. When you can't move and someone offers a helping hand they are a more than human...more than a kind soul. How anyone does this by themselves hopefully I'll never have to know, thankfully.



Like climbing we seldom do anything alone. And there is a time when we are all alone and a required to dig deep and run it out. That comes as well. But we never get their by ourselves. Some one helped us get to that.



I rushed to get the shell review done before all this started. I was happy with the end result. It was one more off the tick list of "to dos". I have a huge assortment of gear review projects currently in the works. But they are going to have to wait tillI can write (without chemo brain) and get outside again. Those sorts of thingswill be on hold for a bit as I get through this. Future plans?Cham and maybe the Kahiltna again this spring.I am antzy to this over and get to THAT future. But for now I am living cancer. It will bemy way of life for a short time. The experience willenhance me, not define me.



I learned (again) to never take a day for granted. Never forget you have friends. Take care of them, even when you don't have the time. And be thankful every day above ground. Use those dayswisely! 2nd chances are a wonderful thing :)

Gamble Plantation State Park

We visited this neat place last year, and enjoyed it so much. It is a antebellum mansion that sat on a sugar plantation. It is the only surviving plantation in South Florida. It is a beautiful building and it has beautiful grounds. We enjoyed our visit this year too.



You can read more about it here: Gamble Plantation

School for Creative Procrastination

Click for easier title viewing.

This was fun. I didn't have time to get artsy¹ with it, but since I'm a cum laude graduate of the School for Creative Procrastination, I made an entry for LibraryThing's March bookpile contest².

I wrote a little blurb to go with it:

I find myself planning one million and one projects every spring.

I dream of getting into peak condition, staying on a diet, and cooking healthier. I can't wait to plant the garden, finish the spring cleaning, and get that chick order in. I'm determined to read educational blogs, brush up on my Shakespeare, and learn Italian. I want to key out every wildflower. Identify each bird, snake, and butterfly that flaps, slithers, or flitters by. Plus of course I plan to have plenty of spare time to lie in the hammock and relax with seasonal poetry, a garden memoir, an herbal mystery, and a flower confidential.

Hope SPRINGS eternal.

(Yes, it's corny! But I couldn't resist the need to explain to the imaginary critic over my shoulder why I had Conversational Italian and so forth in a pile of spring books.)

I didn't actually get a chick order in though. We decided that since we actually are on a diet³ and not eating many eggs, that we probably didn't need 25 more chickens (the minimum order). I thought we might just pick up a few chicks⁴ at the co-op, but they didn't get any this year.

-----

Part of the fun was putting in books that you might recognize. Like Susan's or Amy's or a few others that May have been mentioned here before.

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¹I believe the technical term is artsy fartsy.

²You can too, but hurry because the deadline is tomorrow noon.

³I've lost 15 pounds. Woohoo! Only (mumble, mumble) left to go.

⁴Heh.

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Edited to add:
Woohoo! I won 3rd runner up! Thanks Susan for pointing me to LT.

Southwick circular

Led by Barry, with Maureen, Eddie, Gordon and me. Fine, coldish wind. 8 miles approx. I managed to screw up my garmin trace. The route is similar to the one we did on 19th September, but slightly longer, and walked in the reverse direction.



We started from Southwick church, and followed the lane where the two benches are. At the bottom end of the lane, if you look to the right, you will see Henrietta, of whom more later.









The lane crossed the stream via a bridge just beyond the ground of the Hall. The path wends its muddy way across the field straight into the woods, but we turned right (east) instead of straight ahead, then later left (north) through Howe Wood.





We followed the path around the wood, turning left alongside the wood, then right along a field boundary. The huge Apethorpe Grange came into view, and we followed the 'diverted bridleway' around the small lake, where we saw three herons, as well as a few gulls. The path took us round more or less three sides of a square, coming out near Lodge Farm. We climbed up gradually pausing for a break at a 'bothy'. (Not often you find a flush toilet out in the sticks!)

The walk continued past Morehay Lawn and into Holey Brookes, where we turned right, then left just before Southwick Wood. The path runs slightly south-west, alongside the wood, and past Boars Head Farm and Cottage, and becomes a surfaced track, leading gently downhill, past Crossway Hand Farm, down to the Southwick Road.



Across the road, we crossed a bridge and followed the path uphill along the hedge as far as the derelict Tottenhoe Lodge. Here we turned left following the hedge, then through a gate and diagonally across the field to another gateway. Here the path dips down into the hollow. There is a stream marked on the map, but even in January, there was no more than a muddy trench with the odd puddle. A bit of a drag up hill to the farm at Provost Lodge, where we walked between two outbuildings, then followed the road until at the top of a slight rise there is a gate, and the path turns left. We continued along the path beside the dried bamboo, past the Short Wood Nature Reserve and emerged on the Glapthorn Road, near the Water Tower. A short half-mile down the road, and we were back at our start point.





Eddie wanted to dip his wellies in water. I wanted to photograph Henrietta (see above). Off we went to the bridge where we met a man with a dog. He told us he'd made the figure, inspired by Henrietta Moraeswho was a 'muse' of Lucian Freud, and Francis Bacon. Bacon's portrait of her is being auctioned at Christie's next month, as it happens.





Bill Richardson, a resident of Southwick for 76 years, also showed me these two works representing the changes in agriculture over the period.



































I was reminded of the implement gate we saw at Holly Lodge near Moulton, on Monday 8 August . No connection apparently.





Bill Richardson also made the stone village sign, which I'll photograph later, and produced a book (The Arm of Coincidence?) under the name of Bill James.



- health warning - chunk in middle where I'd switched tracker/timer off, and chunk at end part of homeward car journey

Winter Registration Information

Fall is officially here and winter is not far on its tail. Mother nature has already brought rain, snow and high winds to the Mountain -Paradise received about 4 inches of snow over the past 24 hours and we're expecting both significant rain and snow over the next few days. The National Weather System has put out a winter weather advisory for the next few days; we're expecting 6" - 10" of snow from this evening through Wednesday and then the freezing level is rising to between 8000' - 9000' and we could receive potentially 6" - 14" of rain. Sound eeriely familiar...? Check out some of the photos from blogs on the flood of 2006 to refresh your memory. Let's hope no such catastraphe befalls us this year.

Currently, the road to Paradise closes at Longmire only when the freezing level drops to below 4000 ft and precipitation is expected. The gate at Longmire will begin closing nightly at 5:00 pm once the weather turns toward consistent freezing and snow (usually around Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter). The road re-opens in the morning only after our road crew has come through and cleared the road of snow and then deemed it safe enough to drive. There is a sign on the gate, which states the estimated time of opening that day. During the winter, traction tires are needed for travel in the Park at all times and drivers should always carry tire chains in case of road restrictions during inclement weather. For weather forecasts and/or road updates call the Park's information line at (360) 569-2211 and select #1.

Climbing registration processes also change in the winter. While you wait for the gate to open to Paradise, climbers can register and get updated weather and avalanche forecasts at the Longmire Museum - open daily from 9 am until 4 pm. On weekends and holidays, climbers can go to the JVC II, which is open from 10 am until 5 pm. Self-registration is also available up at Paradise (NOT Longmire), located outside on the porch of the old ranger station. However, it is still preferable that climbers register in person to ensure the park has all necessary information about a climbing party and their itinerary, which allows park staff to respond more effectively in the case of an emergency.

Overnight parking this winter up at Paradise is not yet solidified, but most likely there will two locations - one in the upper lot across from the Paradise Inn by the old station and the second overflow lot will likely be in the lower part of the lower parking lot, facing the center island snowbank (same location as last winter). Check back to the Overnight Parking blog in the Access and Roads section for winter parking updates; and if you still have questions, feel free to ask a friendly ranger at the Entrance Station or Longmire Museum for details on where to park at the time of your visit.

Rangers staffing the Museum at Longmire and the JVC are helpful, informative and eager to assist with your needs, but they may not be a climber. Unfortunately, climbing rangers are not on staff regularly this time of year either, so before you come to the park, be sure to check this blog for updated climbing information and route conditions. For questions and/or issues regarding this blog or related to climbing at Mount Rainier, call the Climbing Program at (360) 569-6009 or contact Mike Gauthier at the email provided at the bottom of this page. Any general inquiries or questions specifically related to park policy or procedures can be directed to the Longmire Museum at (360) 569-2211, extension 3314 or by email at MORAinfo@nps.gov.

Enjoy the Fall while it lasts and since sunset is now MUCH sooner, be sure to start those hikes and climbs earlier to take advantage our limited daylight. See you on the Mountain!

Murphy's law of chickens

Given: In the beginning there are 30 or so free-range chickens, three of them male.

Given: There is a little predator problem.

Murphy's law of chickens:
By the time you get down to nine chickens, three of them will still be male.


All that's left of the next-to-last Marans.

Since the last chicken update in April, we've lost five more hens.

We have two chickens still left from our original batch (from spring ..), Stewpot and a white leghorn hen.

The others are survivors from spring ..:
1 Rhode Island Red rooster
1 Easter Egger rooster
1 Marans hen
3 Easter Egger hens

The Easter Egger hens are my favorites - they're sweet (and apparently more predator-proof) and they lay cool greenish-blue large eggs all year long. (They don't stop laying during the molt or during the winter like some breeds do.)

We decided that if we get more chicks next spring we'll have to build a run for them around the coop and stop the whole free-range idea, or at least limit its hours. These chickens are just too fond of the woods (a.k.a. coyote and bobcat central).

Let me know if you want a rooster.

Not One, Not Two, Not Three, but Four of Them!

My apologies in advance. This is going to be a very long post. I thought about making it into four separate posts but the information seemed “fractured” that way. It has helped me to compile this “report” and to see all of the information together in one spot. It is my hope that it may help others in sorting out the Switzer families of Columbiana County. If you are a descendant of any of these fellows, please contact me at kinexxions@gmail.com and let me know how you are related. I'd love to hear from you, especially if you have any documentation to prove or disprove my theories.



In my previous post The Three Jacob Switzers I identified three men by the name of Jacob Switzer who lived in Columbiana County, Ohio at the same time. I was having a bit of a problem deciphering the census records for 1820, 1830 and 1840 as they didn't seem to make sense in regards to what little information I had. It appeared that families were being enumerated in townships that were different from where their land was located – and they were! The Ohio Tax Lists added somewhat to my confusion. As it turns out there were actually FOUR Jacob Switzers in the county but only three living there at any one time during those years.



A “breakthrough” of sorts came with an application for First Families of Ohio on Jacob Switzer who married Polly (Mary) Skelton and also with the Estate File of the “other” Jacob who was the same age as “my” Jacob.



As a recap, with corrections, and adding the fourth Jacob (he's actually #3), here are the “players” involved.

1. Jacob Switzer, born February 28, 1761 and died October 27, 1841. His wife was named Elizabeth (maiden name possibly Hoke and possibly married February 19, 1786).


2. Jacob Switzer, born January 4, 1788 and died November 2, 1859. He married Catherine “Caty” Brinker on February 26, 1811. [This is my family. I am descended through their daughter Elizabeth who married Jacob Yarian.]


3. Jacob Switzer, born December 25, 1794 and died August 29, 1849. He married Polly Skelton January 11, 1816. He is in Columbiana County by 1817 and is gone by 1830.


4. Jacob Switzer, born November 8, 1788 and died March 25, 1859. His wife was Catharina Mummert. He appears in Columbiana County in 1830.

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The Ohio Tax Lists for 1816-1838 at FamilySearch were downloaded and compiled into a spreadsheet. (In the land description, R=Range, T=Township, S=Section.) It should be noted that the spelling of the surname in these records was usually Switzer, but occasionally Switser or Schwitzer.



The Tax Lists were then compared to the Deed Records and abstractions that I obtained in June while at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as well as some Deed Records that were viewed and abstracted earlier this month at the Recorders Office in Lisbon, Ohio.



Comparing the information from the Tax Lists, Deed Records, and Census Records I came up with some semblance of an idea of who lived where and the makeup of their respective families. In three out of four cases, Deed Records and Estate Records were instrumental in the identification of family members, though not necessarily all of their family members. For various reasons, for this initial analysis, I chose not to rely on the various online family trees for these families, especially those for the elder Jacob Switzer, which are numerous and for the most part sourceless.



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From 1816-1831 Jacob Switzer (#1) was taxed on 156 acres in the NE ¼ R3 T15 S25 (Salem Twp). Patent Certificate 883 was issued to Jacob Switzer of Jefferson County, Ohio for this land in 1804. The final certificate number 1976 was issued in 1808. In 1832 this land was sold by Jacob and Elizabeth to Daniel Switzer, presumed to be a son, with provisions, which were quite interesting. I may have a future post on that transaction.



Jacob and Elizabeth had another parcel of 20 acres in the SW ¼ of R3 T15 S23 (Salem Twp) which they purchased in 1812 from Baltzer Kulp and sold in 1820 to John Pepple.



Census records show that Jacob and Elizabeth lived in Salem Township.

• 1820 p65: Jacob Switzer with one male 16-25, one male 45 and over, one female 10-15, two females 16-25, one female 26-44 and one female 45 and over.


• 1830 p435: Jacob Swetser with one male 60-69, one female 40-49, one female 60-69


• 1840 p116: Jacob Switzer with one male 70-79 and one female 70-79

Making the assumption that all those listed are children of Jacob and Elizabeth, their family may have included, among others (keep in mind they were reportedly married in 1786, and if so, there are likely more children):

• one male born 1795-1804


• one female 1805-1810


• two females 1795-1804


• one female 1776-1794


• one female 1781-1790

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From 1820-1838 Jacob Switzer (#2) was taxed on 213 acres of land in the SE ¼ of R2 T12 S12 (Fairfield Twp). This was the land that Jacob's wife Catherine inherited from her father, Andrew Brinker, who was the original proprietor. As I understand it, Andrew had deeded this land, as well as various lands to his other children, some years before his death as mentioned in his will. Numerous Quit Claim deeds were recorded in 1832 between and to each of the heirs. (Yes, future posts!) Jacob and Catherine owned this land until 1849 when they sold it to Thomas McCoy.



Apparently, Jacob and Catherine did not live on the land in Fairfield Township the entire time until it was sold. In 1838 they purchased 80 acres in the south half of the NE ¼ of R3 T15 S33 (Salem Twp) from John Froth. They sold the Salem Township land to their son-in-law Daniel Deemer in 1847, with specific provisions and a little twist, which will of course be the subject of a future post.



The final account found in Jacob's probate file listed four daughters as heirs. Biographies of several family members indicated that Jacob and Catharine did not have any sons. Based on that premise, I believe this family in 1820 in Centre Township (p83) is the right family. I have no idea why they would be listed in Centre Township but Andrew Brinker (Jacob's father-in-law) was also enumerated there on the last line of the previous page and his lands were also in Fairfield Township. It's possible that he also owned land in Centre Township but I haven't reviewed his records yet.

• Jacob Switzer with one male 26-44, three females under 10, and one female 26-44.

Even though there is a male age 20-29 included in this family in 1830 in Fairfield Township (p345) I'm pretty sure it is the family of Jacob #2. The 20-29 year old male is most likely a hired hand or other relative, possibly even a brother.

• Indexed as Jacob Smither with a correction to Jacob Switzer: one male 20-29, one male 40-49, one female under 5, one female 5-9, two females 10-14, one female 15-19, and one female 40-49

The 1840 (p118) and 1850 (p14) census records show the family residing in Salem Township, probably on the land that was purchased in 1838.

• 1840: Jacob Switzer with one male 50-59, one female 10-14, one female 15-19, and one female 50-59


• 1850: Jacob Switzer, 65, Farmer, Real Estate valued at $1700, born Pa. with Catharine A. Switzer, 65, born Pa. [Note: The Daniel Deemer family is listed immediately following Jacob.]

Again, disregarding that one male age 20-29 in 1830, the family of Jacob and Catherine (Brinker) Switzer seems to have consisted of:

• one female 1826-1830 [Susan born abt 1826]


• one female 1821-1825 [Sarah born 1823 and died 1842]


• two females 1816-1820 [Elizabeth born September 1815 and Rebecca born abt 1820]


• one female 1811-1815 [Barbara born abt 1814]

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In the 1819 Tax List, Jacob Switzer (#3) is taxed on 50 acres in the SE ¼ of R5 T16 S14 (West Twp). He purchased the land in 1817. In 1824 Jacob Switzer and Polly, his wife, sold the land. I have no idea why he is in the tax lists only in the year 1819. The deed for this transaction was included in the First Families of Ohio application along with information that stated that Jacob came to Ohio in 1815. After selling the land in Columbiana County, Jacob and Polly moved to Wayne County, Ohio and settled in Orange Township, which became part of Richland County which later became part of Ashland County.



Although enumerated in Fairfield Township in 1820 (p62) I believe that this is Jacob and Polly Switzer, even though their land was located in West Township. The family makeup more closely resembles what was found in the First Families of Ohio application.

• Jacob Switzer with one male under 10, one male 26-44, two females under 10, and one female 26-44. There was also one Foreigner not naturalized.

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Jacob Switzer (#2 or #4 ?) was taxed on 80 acres in the W ½ of the SW ¼ of R2 T12 S16 (Fairfield Twp) from 1830 to 1838. Jacob was issued a Patent in 1833 from the state of Ohio (given the year it was probably the date the final certificate was issued). I did not find a record of the sale of this land in the grantor index going up to the year 1897, therefore I cannot conclusively state which Jacob owned this land. And even if I had found a record of the sale by Jacob I may not have been able to determine which one it was – they both had a wife named Catherine!





Above is a portion of the image from the 1837 Property Tax List for Fairfield Township, Columbiana County, Ohio. It shows two listings for Jacob Switzer (2nd and 3rd from the bottom) with the second entry being “Do” for ditto. I know for sure that the 213 acres in R2 T12 S12 was owned by “my” Jacob (#2). If I'm reading this correctly (and I could be wrong), the 3rd column from the right indicates that there was a house on the property in Section 12, while there was none on the 79 acres in Section 16.



In the years 1830-1838 the tax lists show the two properties on the same page usually consecutively as shown above and in each case there is no value in that column 3rd from the right.





This is the upper half of the 1841 Atlas (referenced below) that shows “Switzer” in Section 12 (to the right of the “2” in 12 on the right side of the map) and “J.S.” in Section 16 (above and to the left of the “R” in Fairfield).



If Section 16 was also owned by Jacob #2, then where was the land located that was owned by Jacob #4? He obviously had land somewhere... the 1850 census (see below) shows that he had Real Estate valued at $2400 while Jacob #2 had Real Estate valued at $1700. The land records noted thus far are the only ones I found for “Jacob Switzer” during this time period.



The “Combined Atlas of Columbiana County 1841-1860” published by the Columbiana County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society in 1984 (compiled from previously published works) shows that in 1861 the 79 acres in the W ½ of the SW ¼ of Section 16 were owned by “Keyser.” Obviously, I've got a little more work to do in regards to this land.



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Jacob Switzer #4 did not show up in Columbiana County until 1830 and then he is listed in the census records for Fairfield Township from 1830 through 1850.

• 1830 (p353): Jacob Switzer with one male under 5, two males 5-9, two males 10-14, one male 40-49, two females under 5, one female 5-9, one female 10-14, one female 15-19, and one female 40-49


• 1840 (p229): Jacob Switzer with one male 10-14, one male 15-19, one male 50-59, two females 5-9, one female 10-14, one female 15-19, one female 50-59


• 1850 (family 492): Jacob Switzer, 61, Farmer, Real Estate valued at $2400, born Penn. with Catharine Switzer, 61, born Penn, and Anna, 21, Sophia, 18, and Lydia A., 16, all three born Ohio.

The family of Jacob and Catherina Mummert Switzer seems to have consisted of at least:

• one male 1826-1830


• two males 1821-1825


• two males 1816-1820


• two females 1826-1830 [Anna born 1829 + one other]


• one female 1821-1825 [Sophia born 1822 and Lydia born 1824]


• one female 1816-1820


• one female 1811-1815

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In addition to the four Jacobs there were other Switzers in the tax lists for Columbiana County: John 1820-1838 with several properties in Elkrun Township, Martin 1829-1838 with various properties in Elkrun, Fairfield and Salem Townships, and Daniel 1830-1838 in Salem Township (the land purchased from Jacob and Elizabeth). They were also recorded in the census records for the county.



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Do John, Martin and Daniel fit into the family equation? If so, how? Are they sons of Jacob and Elizabeth?



All three of the younger Jacob Switzers are of the right age to be a son of the elder Jacob and his wife Elizabeth. Is one of them their son? If so, which one?



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See Switzer Families :: Index to Posts for additional information on the Switzer Families of Columbiana County, Ohio.