a date which will live in infamy

photo - remember December 7th poster
http://www.umkc.edu/lib/spec-col/ww2/aboutimages.htm#phposter

photo - USS Bennington
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/u030000/u036055.jpg
The USS Bennington (CVA-20) passes the wreck of USS Arizona (BB-39) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Memorial Day, 31 May 1958. Bennington's crew is in formation on the flight deck, spelling out a tribute to the Arizona's crewmen who were lost in the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Note the outline of Arizona's hull and the flow of oil from her fuel tanks. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

• University of Missouri - Kansas City Voices of World War II
  
• USS Arizona (BB-39) Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
  
• National Park Service USS Arizona Memorial
  
• USS Arizona Preservation Project
  
• National Park Service Photo Gallery
  
• The University of Arizona Library
  
• USS Arizona and Pearl Harbor Remembered

Who Did What? The Closing Ceremonies!

Thomas has posted the Genea-Blogger Games: Closing Ceremonies with some interesting tidbits about the games as well as the flags of all medal winners along with their medal count.

Among other interesting facts regarding the games that Thomas provided is that 35 of the 38 people who entered the competition were able to complete one or more events as planned and earn at least one medal. A total of 120 medals were awarded, of which there were 40 Platinum, 33 Diamond, 24 Gold, 10 Silver and 13 Bronze. Be sure to read the rest of his post for more information and to see who did what. Great job, everyone! Are you ready for ..?

So, how did I do? The details are here. . .

• Cite Sources: Bronze
• Back Up Data: Gold
• Organize Research: Platinum

• Write, Write, Write: Diamond
• Genealogical Acts of Kindness: Platinum

Price Comparisons: All Things Considered

[images via Linus Bikes and Gazelle USA]

It's Spring again, and I am receiving more emails with questions regarding which new bike to get. I notice that lots of readers are comparison shopping, and that's fantastic. But when doing price comparisons, the key is to compare like to like - which is not always what happens. Take one of the emails I received this week, from a reader who was trying to choose between a Gazelle and a Linus. She wrote that she has a hard time "justifying buying a Gazelle for three times the price, when a Linus is a perfectly nice bike."



When I checked out the prices online, it became clear that the reader was comparing the $425 Dutchie 1 (Linus's single speed,entry-levelmodel) to the $1,299 Toer Populair (Gazelle's 8-speed, deluxe model loaded with extras). But comparing the cheapest model from Brand X vs the most expensive model from Brand Y is hardly fair - especially since these manufacturers offer more equivalent models: The Linus Dutchie 3 and the Gazelle Toer Basic (pictured side by side above). Both are 3-speeds, with the Gazelle toned down a bit and the Linus fitted with some extras, somewhat leveling the playing field between them. The cost of the Linus Dutchie 3 is $589, whereas the cost of the Gazelle Basic is $849: a difference of $260. Still unjustifiable? Let'ssee what each bike offers at those price points.



[image viaGazelle USA]

At $849, the Gazelle Toer Basic offers: a lugged frame,enclosed drum brakes front and rear, dynamo lighting,a full chaincase, a matching rear rack with huge load capacity, dress guards, and a wheel lock.



[image viaLinus Bikes]

At $589, the Linus Dutchie 3 offers: a welded frame, rim brakes, no dynamo lighting or battery lights, a partial chainguard, a rear rack with lesser load capacity, no dress guards, and no wheel lock.



Even if we leave frame construction and ride quality out of it, the Gazelle's extras alone are worth over $500, which more than makes up for the $260 price difference.Are lower-end bikes a bargain? The only way to determine that is to do the comparison fairly: Have a look at all the models available, choose equivalent models for the comparison, and make a list of all the features included in each.

Moultons, Modern and Vintage

Local bike shopHarris Cycleryhas begun carrying Moulton bicycles, and I had not seen one up close until now. They had a dove gray one in the window that called out to me, so I took it outside for a closer examination and test ride. Jon Harris then brought out another Moulton - one of his personal bikes made in the 1960s, that had once belonged to Sheldon Brown. It was informative to see the two models side by side.





The new Moulton is the TSR 9 model, manufactured by Pashley-Moulton.





Moulton bicycles have a complicated history. Production initially began in 1962, then ceased in the 1970s and resumed in the 1990s - with some models produced under license byPashley.





This bicycle has a Moulton headbadge on the head tube and a Pashley headbadge on the seat tube.





The frame design is called a space frame, and it allows for greater rigidity and lighter weight in comparison to traditional steel frames.





Moultons are not folding bicycles, but are "separable" and can be disassembled for travel.





In addition to their unique geometry and small wheels, Moultons are distinguishable by their suspension system - which they had originally implemented decades before it would become common.





Components on the Pashley-Moulton models are modern and off-the-shelf, which keeps the price "reasonable" (this one is just over $2,000) compared to the higher-end models.





My impression of the space-frameMoulton is somewhat confused.I find it architecturally interesting and beautifully constructed. However, I do not quite understand what makes it a good bicycle.I mean, is one expected to buy it because it is unusual looking and has a cool history, or does it have unique characteristics that make it superior to other bicycles? By moderns standards, it is not a lightweight bike by any means (26 lb without pedals), which somewhat defeats the small wheel construction. And the complicated frame structure - while beautiful to look at - makes me worry that I'll get my foot stuck somewhere in there while attempting to step over it. It just doesn't seem like a very practical design to me. Also, to my eye the handlebar set-up on thismodel clashes with the frame, and it seems to me that some effort could have been made to keep the price down while finding more elegant components.





I tried to ride the bicycle, but the front suspension felt so powerful that I did not feel comfortable test riding it in the winter. The Co-Habitant rode it briefly and did not feel stable on it, which may have to do with the suspension as well - neither of us is used to it. The conditions on this day were not ideal for properly test riding bikes, so I'd like to try it again when it gets warmer. But on first impression, the Moultonspace frame bike did not feel entirely welcoming.





On the other hand, I was surprised by how friendly and accessible the vintage "F-frame" model felt in comparison. This is one of the original models, introduced in the early 1960s - the Major Deluxe. It came with a 4-speed hub, front and rear rack, and a large bag mounted on the rear. Here is a neat promotional video from when these bikes first came out.





Despite being somewhat heavier than the currently produced space-frame, I found the vintage f-frame easier to lift and carry.





The step-over is considerably lower as well. In other ways too, the vintage Moulton just felt like a better fit for my proportions; it felt very natural.





And of course the classic components are absolutely charming.





The North-roadish handlebars are more comfortable than the straight bars on the modern production bikes.





The fenders and racks are extremely useful, and the bag is huge. In essence, it is a small, practical bike - not as visually striking as the later space-frame, but more user-friendly.





I appreciated the opportunity to have a closer look at the Moultons, and would like to properly test ride the modern production bicycle once Spring arrives. While I can see myself owning and riding the vintage F-frame model, I findthe newer space-frame model intimidating and somewhat impractical, though visually compelling. Moulton owners and enthusiasts are welcome to contribute their impressions.

Joy in Nature

"Thank you for the lovely photos of flowers and nature. It makes a great start to my day."



this is the comment left on my post about Wild Flowers in the Mountains. It made my day. Now I know I have helped at least one person have a few moments of joy in nature. I hope it helped calm, relax, or give peace to who ever it was, since they didn't leave a name. It was the best post I think I have ever had.



Yesterday on the news I saw a report about how calming and relaxing it is for people to get out and just walk or sit in a park with lots of trees, flowers, and nature around them. It helps a lot of people get on with their day. Some said they couldn't get out so looked on the internet for nature photos to give them the same feelings. I know I get these relaxing feelings by being in nature and seeing photos of nature.



It is good to know that maybe I am helping people by taking the time to put all the photos I take on my blog so that some people can see them and have a little joy in them as I did in taking them.

The Art of the Ride Report: a Touring Bicycle Give-Away

Thinking about the best way to give away the refurbished vintage touring bike "for women who fear roadbikes," I kept coming back to the connection between cycling and the Ride Report. If you've spent any time browsing blogs and websites about bicycles, you are no doubt familiar with the genre. While at its most basic level, a ride report is simply a description of a bicycle ride, it is really so much more. Some are infused with a seriousness and depth of analysis that is normally reserved for historical descriptions of war battles. Others are light-hearted and hilarious. Others still are impressively dull, filled with endless lists and technical descriptions. A Ride Report can resemble a travelogue, a parable, a newspaper article, or an entry in a physical fitness diary. A Ride Report can be self-aggrandising or self-depricating. A Ride Report can describe a 1,000 mile tour or a 1 mile trip to the grocery store with equal degrees of drama and suspense. At the heart of it, a Ride Report tells us less about the ride itself than about the cyclist - and the cyclist's relationship to their surroundings, their bicycle, and the very experience of riding a bike.



Not all of us excel at the Ride Report. I for one can seldom think of anything interesting to write about the rides I take - possibly because I space out and daydream through most of them! But a good Ride Report is a thing of beauty, and so I invite you, challenging as it may be, to try your hand at it. Here are the rules:



Submission Rules

In a narrative style of your choosing, describe a bicycle ride that is memorable or significant to you. It can be any sort of ride - transportation, recreation, sport, whatever. Please limit the length of the writing to what would constitute a typical blog entry. Accompanying images are a plus, but not required. Submit your Ride Report either by putting it online and posting a link to it here (preferred!), or by emailing a document to "filigreevelo at yahoo" with the subject header "Ride Report." You are welcome to submit even if you are not entering to win this bicycle. I will compile a sampling of entries and post it for everyone to enjoy. Submission Deadline is 18 September, .



Give-Away Details

With the support of Harris Cyclery, Velo Orange, and a number of my readers, I am giving away a refurbished vintage touring bicycle to a woman who might benefit from it. Pictured above, this bicycle is described in elaborate detail here. Please read that post carefully to decide whether the bike is for you, and feel free to ask any questions in the comments here.



The bicycle is a 52cm frame with 27"x28mm tires and a longish top tube. It is best suitable for persons 5'6" - 5'8", depending on your proportions and how high you like to set up the saddle. The dusty-lilac, early 80s Japanese cro-moly frame is in "good" used condition. It is fitted with mostly modern components (Velo Orange, Nitto, Tektro, MKS, etc.) and iscompleted with fenders, a bottle cage, a saddlebag and a small air pump. The frame has comfortable relaxed angles, and no toe overlap. The bicycle is a 12-speed. For additional details and lots of pictures, once again please see this post.



This bicycle was built up with a female in mind. The ideal candidate is a cyclist who would like to ride a bike with drop bars, but has found roadbikes difficult, painful, intimidating, or otherwise problematic. The bike being given away is more tame than what you are likely to find on the market today, be it new or secondhand, without spending a fortune, and I hope that it will allow someone out there to enjoy a new form of cycling by easing into it gently and gradually.



Once again, the entry deadline is 18 September, . Good luck, and thank you for taking part!



[Edited to add: The recipient has now been announced here. Thank you everyone for taking part!]

It's been raining

and I'm taking a few people on the walk described on Friday 3 June, ...

and today it was cloudy, but dry and warmand the whole walk is a bit over 7 miles without the detours.

All the same I ended up with muddy trousers, wet almost to the knee, from walking through a wheat field after last night's rain.

Possibly one or two more inclines than I recalled.













With Sue, Kate, Barry and Eddie.

Wordless Wednesday :: Another Hoosier Farm

Noble County, Indiana. Summer of 1982.Sepia toned infrared photograph.Copyright © 1982/.. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman

Mt. Rainier, Tahoma Glacier

We had been wanting to climb the Tahoma Glacier for quite a while and finally got our chance. We started out on a Friday at a locked gate on the Westside Road. Two of us walked while two rode mountain bikes for the first 3.5 miles of the closed section of the old Westside Road. It seems like climbs with long approaches have great scenery along the way. This was no exception. One of the first sights were these towering Columnar basalt cliffs that are hundreds of feet high.



Crossing a footbridge over the South Puyallup River.



Avalanche Lilies growing alongside the trail.



Our objective: the Tahoma Glacier, flowing from the summit down the west side of Rainier. This photo was actually taken after the climb. On our ascent, we had to find our way up the Puyallup Cleaver (left of center) in the fog and wind. We finally climbed out of the fog at the 8,000' level and found a place to bivy. After 2 hours of "sleep," when most people we know were just going to bed, we got up and continued up the cleaver to the 10,000' level. It took quite a while to find a way around the cliffs and down onto the glacier. That's when the real fun began...finding a way through the maze of huge crevasses.



A drop-off on one side and a deep crevasse on the other! Mt. St. Helens in the background.



There were huge crevasses everywhere! Each one is different and amazing. You just want to stand there and look at the layers of snow, icicles and giant features of snow and ice that hang and span from one side to the other. There is nothing like seeing one of these up close and in person.



Our rope team moving up a steep section.



Ron climbing a snow ramp to the upper lip of another big crevasse.



The team crossing a snow bridge to get by another one.



Slow and steady progress on a smooth part of the glacier.



Ron, David, Doug (and Mark) on the summit.



This debris filled crevasse was easy to cross.



We wanted a challenge and we got it! With a low camp and a lot of route finding challenges, we ended up summiting late and then spent a couple of hours on the descent that afternoon postholing up to our knees in soft snow. The 3 quarts of water that we each started out with was not enough. We ate a lot of snow on the way down. We finally made it back down to camp 24 hours after we started! Needless to say, we slept really good that night! Since we summited on Saturday, we were able to take our time getting up and heading out on Sunday. We were all smiles as we headed back down to the treeline, stopping to look back at least a dozen times. This climb starts way lower than most on Rainier and it has a lot of big ups and downs. When we got back to the trailhead, the GPS unit indicated that we had climbed 15,000 vertical feet over a distance of 32 miles. It's no wonder we were tired. It was a weekend well spent making memories with good friends! Out of all the climbs we have done, we all agree that this was one of the best!

Arches National Park :: A Few More Views

These pictures were taken on the morning of May 17th on my final drive-through of Arches National Park. It was another beautiful day!