Officially autumn

I was on the road today to Venlo, a city in the south of the Netherlands by the German border. On the A12 highway in Gelderland near Wageningen I saw lovely colours of autumn.

This is only a small part of the beautiful autumn colours that I was able to snatch a foto. I was not quick enough to grab my camera that is in my bag.

My skirt:

Believe me, it is actually not so bad when I stand up.

Year in Review

We thought you devoted readers of the Mount Rainier Climbing blog would enjoy reading a 2007 Year in Review. We know, this should have been posted in December, but I was busy. Anyway, better late than never, right?

So, without further ado, my talented assistant Rebecca Agiewich and I present: Mount Rainier 2007: a blogosphere perspective of climbing on Mount Rainier.

January and February

CLOSED! Basically, every major road in the park was wiped out (to some degree) by the epic rainfall (18 inches in 36 hours) and subsequent flooding of November 2006. Fixing that sort of damage completely was too much for a meager NPS budget to handle, which created quite the buzz about how it was all going to get cleaned up. So much so that acclaimed cartoon satirist, David Horsey, poked fun at the park’s desperate financial situation. Despite Horsey’s pointed jab at government priorities and politics, Congressman Norm Dicks came to the rescue by reallocating 36 million dollars for flood repairs from the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Interior. NICE eh?

As for mountain climbing? Very little happened early in the year because of the difficult access.

The Tacoma News Tribune reported extensively on the damage. They even took time to poke a little lighthearted fun at me. The fact, however, remained: little changed in February and climbers weren’t scaling the peak. Therefore, this blog devoted more time to the flood recovery (i.e. a specific “Flood Blog” and photo gallery) than to climbing. Things were so slow around here that I took a trip to South America for an ascent of Aconcagua. Recommendations? Visit Mendoza, it’s wonderful.

March

This month started off sadly. A devoted married couple drowned in Ipsut creek while on a backpacking trip. Frances "Annette" Blakeley slipped while crossing a log over Ipsut Creek. Her husband Robert tried to rescue her by immediately diving in. Tragically, both were swept up in the torrent and caught in a “strainer” (log-jam).

On the lighthearted side of things, former Mount Rainier climbing ranger Mimi Allin was noticed by the Seattle Times for her work as the Poetess of Green Lake. See what sort of career opportunities exist post-climbing-ranger employment?

The Seattle Times judged the National Park Inn in Longmire “one of the most exclusive hotels in the world”. Such distinction!… Well that was the case for a little while, but that was because the inn stayed open even as park roads remained closed. Those visitors were shuttled into Longmire via a back Forest Service road and were allowed to "enjoy indoor plumbing in the park's largely unpeopled wilderness."

April

Road re-construction continued at a feverish pace as preparations commenced for the park to “re-open.” During that time, the Mount Rainier community mourned the loss of former climbing ranger Lara Kellogg. She fell while descending Mt. Wake in Ruth Gorge of the Alaska Range. Her death was a significant loss for the local climbing community as she was a wonderful person and significant social hub.

Meanwhile, outdoor writer extraordinaire Greg Johnston wrote about his experiences climbing Mount Rainier for the Seattle PI, which included witnessing a rescue at Camp Muir. He also wrote an article about changes at the park from due to the flooding.

Most notable of Greg’s articles, however, was the piece about the historic change in the guiding concessions on Mount Rainier. This, perhaps, was some of the biggest mountaineering news on Rainier in the past decade. For the first time in over 30 years, RMI would be sharing their exclusive guiding concession privileges. Into the scene entered Alpine Ascents and International Mountain Guides. Now prospective climbers have three guide services to choose from for mountaineering services. All routinely offer summit climbs and other expedition experiences on the mountain and beyond, truly connecting Mount Rainier to the international mountaineering circuit.

We also posted the 2006 "Mountaineering Report" in April. It includes a variety of interesting statistics such as the overall success rate for 2006 (63%) and the amount of human waste carried down from the mountain (four and a half tons). As an aside, we’re working on the 2007 report, so hang tight!

May

And with great fanfare, the primary road into the park re-opened on May 5th. More interesting for you upper mountain lovers, ski sicko Sky Sjue and partner Christophe Martine made what is probably the first ski descent of the Fuhrer Thumb. Thanks Sky for your continued cool reports from the upper glaciers. Everyone loves them.

Meanwhile, more sad news came out of Alaska when mountain climber Mizuki Takahashi and Brian Massey -- well-known climbers in the Seattle area who both loved to climb Rainier-- died while on Mount McKinley. They fell on the upper reaches of the West Rib route.

June

911 is not a climbing information service. Amid a flurry of climbing activity, a number of climbers dialed those sacred three digits when they probably shouldn't have. Because of it, they received a lecture about when and how to use the “emergency service.” We also used the blog to remind some climbers about the importance of not leaving sick or slow-moving partners behind.

While on the topic of emergencies, an actual tragedy struck off of the mountain yet in the park. Hiker Jeff Graves fell to his death when he became disoriented on Eagle Peak. Clouds and heavy snowpack were contributing factors to his getting off route.

Less dramatic, the door to the outhouse blew away over at Camp Schurman (three times). This made for a cold – yet scenic -- potty experience.

July

Bill Painter strikes again! Washington State’s famed 84-year old climber made yet another successful ascent via the Emmons Glacier route, resetting his own record as the oldest person to climb Mount Rainier.

Speaking of fame, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell visited Camp Muir and chatted up some of the climbing rangers. Imagine a sitting U.S. Senator getting the inside scoop on the park from a group of mountain climbers (I’m glad she didn’t call 911 for such questions!). Anyway, this wasn’t the last of Senator Cantwell, as she reappears in August for a summit climb.

The "no-rescue" streak (for the upper mountain) that began in 2006 ended in July when a climber broke his ankle practicing self-arrest at Camp Muir. Afterward, there were a few other minor incidents later in the summer, but it is worth noting that no significant accidents or injuries occurred in 2007. There were a number of great trip reports in June and July, so check out the archives.

August and September

Park superintendent Dave Uberauga and Deputy Superintendent Randy King made a successful summit attempt. Along the way, they caught up on the progress of hut repairs at Camp Muir and checked up on the new guiding operations. In this busy climbing month, lots of folks went up the Emmons/Winthrop Glacier route.

There was a flurry of helicopter activity around the upper mountain during a mock-rescue operation in late August. KOMO TV and other media types went along for the ride. Senator Maria Cantwell returned to the mountain for a summit climb -- a trip that was reported on by the Puget Sound Business Journal. She would have likely made the summit, but a longer route and team dynamics thwarted the attempt. Perhaps she’ll try again in ?

October, November and the end of 2007

There was a touching story about two “old-time” mountain rescuers who revisited the mountain. In September, they were flown around Camp Schurman on a special flight. Back in the early 60’s, they helped to build the Camp Schurman hut (read about it yourself.) Some climber/skiers did a trip on the Kautz Glacier and although they didn't meet their objective they posted a funny trip report with lots of photos.

As a video-game devotee, I was thrilled to discover Mount Rainier featured in the new X-Box 360 version of Halo 3. And then there were those two lost hikers on the Muir Snowfield, whose butts were saved by a Canadian climbing guide Phil Michael. Go Canada! Not so lucky was Pickles, the famed fox of Mount Rainier. Poor Pickles had to be euthanized after being hit by a car. Other November news can be found here.

December kicked the winter off with intense snowfall (198 inches) which then created long periods of exceptionally high avalanche hazard. That hazard caught hiker Kirk Reiser. Kirk and his best friend Troy Metcalf were descending to Paradise from when Kirk was caught and buried in an avalanche in Edith Creek. It was a terribly sad way to close out 2007.

Mothers and Grandmothers

Left: My Mother Right: Me and Grandma with cousins Jim, Mike, Kathy and Tom.


My 2nd Great Grandmothers, Malissa Joslin Brubaker Bower and Lovina Berlin Yarian with my aunt Phyllis Phend, about 1924.

Today being Mother's Day, I spent most of the day with Mom, just the two of us. It was a very pleasant day. That being said, my tribute for Mother's Day will not be for her, but for all the mothers that came before to get us to this time and place... some known, some unknown. Here are the known, through my Mother and back eight generations:

Hazlette (Brubaker) Phend Dunn Ferguson (1902-1984) Indiana

Maude Catherine (Wise) Brubaker Yontz (1877-1953) Indiana
Susie Lula (Yarian) Phend (1872-1956) Indiana

Louisa (Fisher) Phend (1827-1898) Germany, Ohio, Indiana
Lovina Viola (Berlin) Yarian (1845-1932) Ohio, Indiana
Malissa Mariah (Joslin) Brubaker Bower (1849-1937) Indiana
Sophia Elizabeth (Dunfee) Wise (1850-1916) Indiana

Susanna (Kübli) Phend (1785-1856) Switzerland, Ohio, Indiana
Christenia (Houck) Fisher (1805- ? ) Germany, Ohio
Elizabeth (Switzer) Yarian (1815-1894) Ohio
Susannah (Hoffman) Berlin (1804-1880) Ohio, Indiana
Sarah (Foster) Parkison (1818-1904) Ohio, Indiana
Lydia (Robison) Joslin (1825-1899) Ohio, Indiana
Malissa Ann (Stem) Wise (1833-1901) Ohio, Indiana
Catherine (Jones) Dunfee (1829-1903) Ohio, Indiana

Catharina Phend (1754-1797) Switzerland
Verena (Laederich) Kübli (1747-1824) Switzerland
Eva (Rupert) Yarian (1786-1866) Pennsylvania, Ohio
Mary Catherine - wife of Jacob Switzer (about 1790 - ? ) Pennsylvania, Ohio
Juliana (Dietzler) Berlin (about 1772 - ? ) Pennsylvania
Catherine (Coy) Hoffman (1779-1852) Maryland, Ohio
Nancy (Neel) Brubaker (1797-1851) Ohio
Margaret "Peggy" (Myers) Foster (1797-1820) Ohio
Abigail (Goodrich) Joslin (about 1805-after 1882) Ohio, Indiana
Anna - wife of Henry Robison (about 1794 - ? ) Ohio, Indiana
Christena - wife of Peter Wise (1801-1884) Ohio, Indiana
Indiana (Sisley) Stem (1809-1888) Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
Sophia Elizabeth (Hazlett) Dunfee (1794-1864) Ohio, Indiana
Elizabeth (Helms) Jones (1804-1883) Ohio, Indiana

Magdalena (Tschiemer) Phend (1722-1797) Switzerland
Anna (Frutiger) Kübli (1720-1790) Switzerland
Margaretha (Williams) Yerion (1745-1833) Pennsylvania
Susan (Wagner) Berlin (about 1744 - ? ) Pennsylvania
Susanna (Alder) Hoffman (about 1760 - ? ) Pennsylvania, Ohio
Mary - wife of Henry Coy (about 1755 - about 1785) Maryland, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth (Steinweg) Brubaker (about 1765-about 1821) Pennsylvania
Rebecca (Franks) Neel (1768- ? ) Pennsylvania, Ohio
Magdalena (Daniel) Foster (1755-1823) Virginia, Ohio
Margaret - wife of John Myers (about 1770- ? ) Ohio
Ruth (Dyer) Joslin (1771-1830) Vermont, Ohio
Sally (Church) Goodrich (1780-about 1831) Connecticut, Ohio
Margaret (Ellis) Sisley (1773-1870) Pennsylvania
Mary - wife of George Dunfee (about 1760 - ?) Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio
Elizabeth - wife of Jonathan Hazlett (1762-1848) Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio
Mary (Swigart) Helms (1777- ? ) Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana

Barbara (Zwahlen) Phend (1701- ? ) Switzerland
Margreth (Egger) Tschiemer (about 1695- ? ) Switzerland
Maria Magdalena - wife of Mathias Jurion (1705-1763) Pennsylvania
Anna Margarita (Euler) Berlin (about 1720-about 1807) Pennsylvania
Anna Elizabeth (Andriges) Kau (about 1720- ? ) the Pfalz ?
Christina Barbara (Kleist) Daniel (1734-1770) Pennsylvania
Sarah (Tarbell) Joslin (1741-1810) Massachusetts
Abigail (Price) Goodrich (1754-1827) Connecticut, Ohio

Lucy (Wilder) Joslin (1715- ? ) Massachusetts
Elizabeth (Bowers) Tarbell (1707-1756) Massachusetts
Sarah (Dewey) Goodrich (1712-1782) Connecticut

[note: Updated with some links and additional names May 11, ..]

How We Roll in Greater Boston

It amazes and delights me to see so many people on beautiful, functional and unique bicycles in the Boston area - from refurbished vintage finds to locally built custom frames. A mere two years ago this was far from a common sight, but today I might be stopped on the street and asked things like "Hey, are those Porteur bars?" by a complete stranger. People recognise me on occasion as well, as do I them - which is always funny. "You're Lovely Bicycle!" "And you're the girl who parks her ANT in Harvard Square!" After that we don't know what else to say, but we are both ridiculously happy. Yesterday I had another such encounter, and this time I had my camera out.



On my way home from Lexington I had taken a detour to photograph my mixte in a field at sunset, when out of the corner of my eye I saw the glow of a dynamo-powered headlight. As it moved toward me - gliding across the grass in the fading evening light - I could make out shellacked bartape and a rider clad in what was almost certainly a vintage wool jersey, astride a gigantic lugged steel bicycle.



Turns out it was JP Twins - whom I had never met before, but have known for some time as a reader of this blog. And that with him is an enormousRaleighMarathon (what is that, a 65cm frame?..), which he has transformed into an all-weather long distance commuter, Boston style. Behold:

A vintage frame with character.

Nitto Noodles, Cane Creek levers, shellacked cloth tape, brass bell.



Single speed conversion.



Two chainring sizes, just in case.



Dynamo lighting with the wiring neatly zip-tied to the fork.



And of course, full fenders, rear rack and a set of panniers.



30 mile commute? No problem. This is how we roll in greater Boston. What about your town?

Blue Ice, the new Warthog alpine pack!

Finally back to some alpine climbing content! It is almost August after all...skiing has to stop some time right? Well for the moment anyway...I want another run from the top of Rainier beforeI am done skiing for the season!



If you have seen this:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//01/my-climbing-pack.html



You know I am into really basic climbing packs. And I continue to use really simple climbing packs. Once in awhile I get side tracked and try the newest options that interest me. Of course I have used the olderBlue Ice packs, the 45, the 30 and the Mono among others. But I am pretty set in what I think works.



The Mono has kept my attention but I've been too lazy to get that review done. Some how it seems a conflict of interest since I sell Blue Ice gear as well. And the fact my wife has stolen my personal Mono. Hard to write it up. I'll work on that review when she is out of town and I have my hands on the Mono again.



But the new Warthog is hard to ignore (as you can see by the color). No way anyone is sneaking this one off without me knowing. So I am going to give you my take on it now before it happens.



If you look at the custom CCW packs I have Randy make for myself(30L) you'll likely notice the similarities of theBlue Ice Warthog (27L)my custom packsand the original, stellarCCW Ozone. First is they are very close in size, with the Warthog being the smallest of the bunch.. Second they are are really simple packs with very complicated and intricate patterns, which takes ahigh degree of skill to sew.



I'd really like to take credit for some of the Warthogs design work. But sadly I can't. Not even a tiny bit. I first saw the early prototypes of the Warthog at the Blue Ice officeslast March. I was impressed then because it is a pack I mighthave designed if given the chance. More impressed now that I have one in hand.



I probably mentioned this once before. Back in Marchone of my partners was looking in Snell's (all over Cham actually) for a new climbing pack. Randy wasn't interested in more pia custom work. So Matt was out of luck on a custom CCW piece. Of the two walls full of new packs at Snells' only oneGrivel and one Blue Ice offering interested him. Which should tell you a lot about the currently available climbing packs. He made a trip to the Grivel factory first. And his choice in packswas eventually found worthy on the Ginat among other climbs that winter and spring.



As good as the pack he has is, too bad he didn't get to see this one.



I try lots out a lot of gear. But having a full set of made to order customsacs kinda limits my interest in other climbing sacs. It isn't easyto live up to my admittedly harsh and very critical standards for a climbing pack. I have put a lot of thought and money into what best works for me. There is no reason to take second best into the mtns.



Enter the newest, Blue Ice pack, the Warthog!



Love the color. I Iikethat the pack issmall, lightand simple. It actually fills the "small pack"gap in my pack line up. Same kind of sac both Randy and I like a lot but no one seems to be able to sell consistently.Good shoulder straps on this one and a easily adjustable sternum strap on sliders.





the Sternum straps misaligned on purpose

Two different thicknesses on the foam used in the shoulder strap. The thicker stuff is set high in the strap where it can take the bulk of the load. Straps areattached to the bagvia small wings sewn tothe pack body. And sewn cord loops on the straps as well. Nice detail.The narrowand unpadded waist belt is tape with a buckle and easily removable. The perfect choice for this pack. The bottom of the bag is reinforced but not dbl. layered. All the tie in points are reinforced and ARE dbl layered. Nice detailing. I'll say that a lot in this review. It is worth repeating.





reinforced sewing and taped seams

All the seams are taped internally. Shoulder straps tighten by pulling them down.There is a full size (water bladder) internal hydration pocket that has been pleated and bellowed. It makes a full badder easy to fit.





Hydration pocket and more taped seams

Again nice detailing. A Velcro hydration hose holder as well.

Thin foam pad is sewn into the pack.Call it a bivy pad or just pack padding. Either would be accurate. But it is not removable.





The packs back has a definitive "S" cut to the back panel. Huge advantage for fit on asimple climbing pack.

The rather pronounced S shaped bottom of the back panel from the side



Single lid strap for hold down. Lid is sewn on tightly to the pack's top hem. And the straps are the right length. Elastic keepers on every strap, shoulders, waist and lid. Another great detail. Lid isperfectly sized to covera fully loaded pack with the skirt drawn tight. None of this stuff is easy to do or more importantly, easy to do right. There is a hole for your hydration hose through both pack and lid. And a single rope strap that is fixed via a Fast Tex style nylon buckles made by Duraflex. Pack is actually sewnin Vietnam under Blue Ice'sand Giovanni's personal supervision..The lid has three (yes three) pockets all YKK zippers Two of them are on the out side and one underneath the lid.



The small back pocket also holds a net of sorts that is easy to deploy or store back in the pocket when not in use. It is made to attach your helmet easily to a full pack. Helmets aren't the only itemthe netwill hold, just the most obvious. Jackets pants, skinsor crampons can just as easily be stashed under the net Slick design work on this one. Did I mention I like the color combo. It is going to be great for pictures:)



The "hair net" on top of the pack



Crampons can go under the lid, with the rope strap holding them in placewith the pack body offering some protection from sharp points.There are two traditional ice axe holders on the pack..both with reinforced dbl layering sewn through attachments. Easy enough to securely lash on a toola little less traditional. A small quick link in place of the mini biners would be evencleanerbut I was going with a quick"green" solution. A little imagination here will go far if you are using the newest technical tools. Should be little worry onthat one.





Wow! Some sweet looking Nomic hammers there :)http://coldthistletools.blogspot.com/





The pack closeson a 3" skirt with a single draw string closure. The haul loop is flat 3/4" nylon tape that is folded in thirds and sewn to make an easier to managehaul loop which can be connected to the axe upper tabs as well for a 3 point lift. Again a nice detail. The backpanel on my early production pack is a full 18". Surprisingly, it is a size I can work with on this pack. Long shoulder straps and a good pattern on the back panel allow it to fit my long back.



Short or tall most will be able to get a good fit with this pack. It is a climbing pack, and there is plenty of head clearance while looking up with the helmet of your choice when the pack is fully loaded up.



Cost: 78 Euro

Directly from Blue Ice (it should be close to that here in the US)

Weight is 1# 10.4oz or 750g...on my digital scale. Right on!

Pack material is Cordura, with a pack cloth externally and a smother material against your back and skin on the shoulders.

I can carry 20 to 25 lbs this one. That is more than Iwant to climb with for weight. Less is always better given the option.





Rope strap, hydration hose hole and short skirt

How big is 27 Liters? The pack will just hold two 60m 10.5 ropes in the main bag. With two ropes you can still get the cuff closed, if only barely. A one liter water bottle, will fit in thetop lid pocket witha tiny bit of spaceto spare for the odd packet of GU to keep you running or the odd bite to eat if you pack small. Pull out the netfor your helmet or other pieces of gear/clothing as required.





John Bouchard BITD with a Karrimore climbing a new mixed route onthe Grands Charmoz, August 1975 withSteve Zajchowski.

I need to add a few words aboutBlue Ice. I am pretty sure everyone in the office climbs. Easy when you live and work in the best alpine climbing environment i nthe world! Easy to see the influence by the design work, like the Boa, the Chouca and now the Warthog that the designers know what they are looking for. By my acocunt some serious energy and effort went into this pack. It is the first off the shelf, production,alpine pack I have seen in several decades that I will climb with. For those that do remember the old Karrimore Joe Brownpackor a Chouinard Fish pack,the Warthogis better done than either and in modern materials but very similarfor what they weredesigned for.It is a simple sac. And for those that actually know what it is to be used for (single push alpinism) it is simply a stellar design, with a great attention to detail and sewn very well. It is obvious to me it comes from a group of climbers serious about making good kit...not just any bit ofkit. Bravo to Blue Ice forthe effort!



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//02/light-is-always-right-part-duex.html



The party line?



Weight:



720 gr. (mine came out a bit more @ 750g)

Features:

■helmet holder

■top lid with external & internal pocket

■chest buckle with security whistle

■rope attachment under the lid

■dual ice axe holders

■hydration-compatible

■removeable hipbelt

■safety pocket with key holder



Finishing:

■high quality Duraflex buckles

■durable YKK zipper



Fabrics/material:

Main: 500 denier CORDURA®

Reinforced bottom: 1000 denier CORDURA®

Lining: Nylon ripstop 210D



To build a highly resistant pack we have chosen to work with CORDURA®. CORDURA® is one of the most durable nylon fabric manufactured to date and it is widely used for high end applications and for producing gear where tearing and abrasion resistance are crucial. Moreover, the CORDURA® we use, is certified by Blue Sign, which is an important factor for our philosophy of minimizing our impact on the environment. Read more about CORDURA® on our technologies page.



Product overview:Minimalist backpack for fast and demanding one day ascents.





Design & features:The Warthog 26L is a light, extremely resistant backpack with all the essential accessories you need and nothing more. This is the ideal backpack for light and fast one day climbs on technical routes: it is compact to allow freedom of movement and it is super resistant for the most demanding conditions.



As the larger Blue Ice packs the Warthog can hold two ice axes. The simple system of webbing loops and cord locks allows not only a quick attachment but also a steady hold. Additional features are rope holder, helmet holder, exit for hydration tube and a removable hip belt.



Thanks to its stability, shape, volume and comfort it has proven an excellent pack not only for climbing but also for back country days when skis are to be kept on the feet during the whole ascent.

Ideal uses: single day climbs, mountaineering







(Agreed 100% btw on that observation and bet you'll see someCham ski guidesusing the Warthog next winter. Might be a wise color choice if so ; )



No way it could be just this easy though to put ski on this pack...or could it? My Se7en Summits strapped right on like the Warthog was made for them. Next test is to see if the axe loops can haul a 6# ski set up.

838 State Street

I don't know exactly what year my grandmother and her family moved to Traverse City, Michigan but they were living there in 1909 and 1910. At some point they moved to a small house at 838 State Street – the 1910 census shows the family residing on State Street. Grandma recalled those days in Traverse City fondly when she wrote her autobiography. They were there only a few years when the family had to return to Indiana in December 1910, due to the death of her father's brother, Hale Brubaker.





Written on the reverse side of this photo, taken about 1950, is “This is the house we lived in – Traverse City, Mich. 40 years later.” The lady standing in front of the house is my grandmother, Hazlette Brubaker Phend.



This week I had the opportunity to pay a brief visit to the house...





The house at 838 State Street as it appeared on July 27, ... The perspective isn't exactly the same but it appears to be the same house as in the previous photo. The front porch has been removed and the roof has been extended over the side porch. And the trees have gotten bigger. And there are more houses in the neighborhood.





The side view.



The red “A” marks the location of 838 State Street, Traverse City, Michigan.



The big purple blob on the right marks the location of Traverse City State Park where I spent the night. The little blue blob is at 838 State Street. I was at a McDonald's on the corner of Front and Hope Street (a block west and north of 838 State Street) when I learned exactly where the house was located!



Once you get off the main road (U.S. 31 aka Front Street) Traverse City is a pretty quiet place. A nice “little town” that I'm sure my grandmother would no longer recognize.

Seymour Blueskies

As some have already noticed, I recently acquired one more bicycle that I have not yet written about. It is a vintage Trek roadbike - fast and aggressive, with super-responsive handling. Don't ask how I got the bike; sometimes these things just find you. It was in exactly my size, and came along at a time when I had begun to experiment with more aggressive road cycling. I wanted to try a "real" roadbike without spending more money, and here was my chance.



So please allow me to introduce Seymour Blueskies. He is a Trek 610, built in 1982. The lugged steel frame is made with Reynolds 531 tubing, and cro-moly fork and stays. The frame is 52cm, with 700C wheels.It is an interesting blue-gray colour that Trek called "gunmetal"in its catalogues.



The 610 was a higher-end model, and the previous owner built it up with nice components - though over the years they had become somewhat of a medley.



The wheels were handbuilt using Rigida racing rims with a gunmetal finish, a Campagnolo rear hub, a Suntour XC 9000 front hub, and double butted spokes. The drivetrain is Suntour Sprint 9000, with Suntour downtube shifters. The stem is vintage Nitto and the handlebars are ITM. The bicycle also came with a Brooks Finesse Titanium(!) women's saddle.



I have kept all of the components as they were, except for the brakes and brake levers, which we replaced with newTektros.We also added cork bar tape, installed SKS fenders and a bottle cage, replaced the original clipless pedals with MKS Touring pedals (withPowergrips), and attached my Zimbale bag and a Crane bell from another bike.



I prefer cloth tape on handlebars, but these bars have a weird, squared-off shape to them with a carved-out channel for cable routing. This can all be felt though cloth tape, making the bars uncomfortable to hold without a layer of cork. They are also a bit too narrow for me, and if the Trek ends up being a keeper I would like to replace them with something like Nitto Noodles, or a vintage equivalent.



The reasoning behind the SKS fenders was initially budget-driven, but I am very happy with this choice. They are quieter and less fussy than Honjos; I hardly even notice them. The Co-Habitant hates SKS fenders, because he thinks they are "ugly". I do not find them "ugly"; just more sporty than Honjos - which was exactly the look I was going for here. Incidentally - even with the fenders, saddlebag and waterbottle, the Trek is the lightest bicycle I own.



After a few weeks of ownership, I have also justreplaced the original Michelin 25mm tires with 28mm Panaracer Paselas in white. The Michelinsthat came with it are supposed to be fantastic, but they felt hard as rocks and made for a very harsh ride. The Paselas, on the other hand, feel as if I am riding on a cloud. 28mm tires are probably the widest this bicycle will fit with fenders, and that is fine with me.



Now, for the ride quality... The vintage Trek handles very differently from the Rivendell Sam Hillborne. The best way I can describe this bike's behaviour, is that it wants to go fast and does not like to go slow. At slow speeds the Trek feels unstable and difficult to maneuver, especially when cornering. It took me a few rides to learn how to handle this without panicking, but eventually I got used to it. By the same token, it becomes amazingly stable and precise at fast speeds: Once I exceed 16mph, it seems to magically "relax" and almost floats above the asphalt. Accelerating is easy - almost too easy! One turn of the pedals, two turns - and before I know it, I amflying. This is great fun now that I am more or less comfortable on a roadbike, but even a couple of months ago I would not have been able to handle this kind of cycling. When riding the Hillborne, I feel that I am exploring - I can go fast, or I can go slow. Riding the Trek, I feel that I preparing for a race - going slow is not really in the cards.



All other factors remaining equivalent (road and traffic conditions, my energy levels, etc.), the Trek is a faster ride than the Rivendell. I cannot tell how much faster exactly, because conditions are never identical on any two rides - but when the Co-Habitant accompanied me, he said the difference in my speed on the two bikes was noticeable. One explanation for this could be that the Trek's handlebars are set lower, but it could also just be that the bike is designed to be a bit racier. On the flip side of the speed advantage, the Trek is not as comfortable as the Rivendell(which is insanely comfortable) and encourages over-exertion - leaving me feeling far more exhausted after a ride. One curious thing about how I feel on the Trek, is that my hands always hurt at the beginning of a ride - but stop hurting as the ride progresses and I pick up speed. This is surprising, because when something hurts at the start of a ride, it typically only gets worse the longer I cycle - so each time I get on the bike I have to suspend disbelief and remind myself that my hands will stop hurting in a few minutes. And thankfully, they always do. I also find it challenging to hold the drop portions of the bars on the Trek (something I have already mastered on the Rivendell) without losing some control of the bike or at least weaving a bit. I am sure this will feel comfortable eventually, but I am not there yet. Just yesterday, I was finally able to use the downtube shifters for the first time - after having tearfully declared that they were "impossible" time after time on previous rides. Everything takes practice.



When I first got the Trek, I was not at all sure that I would be keeping it. We modified it just enough to make me comfortable, and it would be easy to resell this bike at no loss. I wanted to experience a "real" roadbike without the coddling qualities of the Rivendell, and now I have. So what next? Well, I don't know yet, but I don't really want to let it go. It has been bewildering to discover that I kind of, sort of might actually be good at road cycling, and I would like to see this discovery through. Depending on how much time I have in a day for a ride, I take either the Rivendell (for long rides), the Trek (for medium, but fast paced rides), or the fixed gear Moser (for shorter, intense rides) - and together they are helping me understand my potential.