Wild Flowers

Two different white wild flowers that we have in our yard. These guys are some of the few that really seem to like the dry sandy soil we have.

Wild Lupine

Here is a close up of the wild lupine flowers that bloom in the mountains.

Way too long, lots of climbing

All is good on Mount Rainier these days (despite my inability to update this blog!) Climbers have been scaling up and down the mountain by a variety of different routes over the past two weeks. One of the most impressive ascents was by a team of climbers who pushed their way up Ptarmigan Ridge after a long march.

The May 5th opening went by without issue. Yeah, the parking lot filled and U.S. Rep Norm Dicks and U.S Rep Dave Reichart showed up to help swing the gate (TNT). But most folks seemed more focused on getting to the mountain... which brings us to the important topic at hand, what's been going on above 6K on Mt Rainier?

Recently, there has been a lot of skiing, boarding and climbing. Here is a pretty awesome shot by Rainier ski-fan Sky Sjue... These images are from his recent descent down the Fuhrer Thumb with climbing/ski partner Christophe. I think, btw, that this is a first ski descent of the Fuhrer Thumb. I bet Lowell Skoog will be interested. Anyway, the Fuhrer's Thumb is the "climber's left" variation on the Fuhrer Finger route, OR "climber's right" of the Wilson Headwall, i.e. STEEP!

There is quite a bit of snow to carve between 5K-10K for the skier/boarder. Keep in mind that the recent weather has been great which means that the snow is melting fast! More than snowmelt, however, make sure you consider the avalanche conditions if you're headed out into the backcountry. You should personally check the snow conditions and snowpack before jumping into anything hairy. There have been numerous reports of slide activity between 5K-11K on 30-45 degree slopes. Of course, bring your avalanche equipment (beacon, shovel, probe, etc) and reliable partners.

Not to be outdone, the climbers have been having a great time on Mt. Rainier too. Our Updated Route Conditions page is getting filled with all sorts of cool reports... So far, folks have successfully ascended Liberty Ridge, the Ingraham Glacier, Gibralter Ledges, Emmons Glacier, the Tahoma Glacier (more on those two later) and a few other lines to boot. As stated, we have a FANTASTIC report about Ptarmigan Ridge!

The Berlin Family :: Introduction to The Letters

John D. and Susannah (Huffman) Berlin are my 3rd Great Grandparents. I've been researching them, their children, and their descendants off-and-on for nearly twenty years.





John D. Berlin and Susannah (Hoffman) Berlin.Photographs from the Solomon Berlin Family Bible.In possession of Carolyn Gentzhorn Rensberger in 1997.

In 1995, while visiting the Public Library in Nappanee, Elkhart County, Indiana I “discovered” a collection of old letters that were on display. Somehow they had been overlooked on previous visits. These letters just happened to be from "my" family! Most of them were written to Elizabeth “Lizzie” Berlin Coppes, sister of my Great-Great Grandmother, Lovina (Berlin) Yarian.



There were thirty-five letters written, starting in 1862 and going through 1871, then there is a twenty-year gap with one letter from each of the years 1892 and 1895. The letters were donated to the Heritage Room of the Nappanee Public Library by Elizabeth's granddaughter, Helen Mutschler Chapman (1902-1990).



The Library allowed xeroxcopies of the letters to be made, and after a considerable amount of time spent in deciphering them, they were transcribed and posted on my (now defunct) website. I'm posting the transcriptions here on the blog so that they remain available to descendants as well as to other researchers. Images of the letters will not be included here due to the fact that many of the copies were of poor quality. And, also, although I did obtain permission to publish transcriptions of the letters, I never received permission to use images of them.



Every attempt was made to present the letters as they were written, including “errors” in spelling and grammar. However, some punctuation and many paragraphs breaks have been added to help improve readability. Many of the letters were one continuous sentence with little or no punctuation to separate thoughts, hopefully I've made the “breaks” at the right spot! The writers also often wrote in the margins in an attempt to use as much of the paper as possible. Some of the letters were very difficult to decipher.



There are several letters written by soldiers on the front lines during the civil war that describe the war as well as the tedium and boredom of waiting for something to happen.



The letters from one sibling to another are much like those you would write today to a family member (that is, if you still write letters, lol). They tell of deaths and births of family, friends, and neighbors; of the general day-to-day events of life, of joy and of grief. They provide a brief glimpse into the hardships of life in the mid-1800s yet they remind us that those things that are important to us were just as important to them.



What struck me was that “home” was where their parents were! For example, Sarah (Berlin) Greene remained in Portage County, Ohio when her parents and several siblings moved to Elkhart County, Indiana and several times she addresses letters to “Friends at Home” and other times says she would like to “visit family at home”.



(Links will be added as the two items below are published.)



A list of the people mentioned in the letters as well as some information about each of them can be found in The Cast of Characters.



A List of the Letters includes the date of the letter, the location where it was written, who wrote the letter and to whom it was sent.

Ringling Museum of Art

Today we headed over to Sarasota. We stopped off at one of my favorite Florida museums, the Ringling Museum. We only had time to see the Art Museum, which we are always impressed by. If you have never visited this museum, I highly recommend it.

After our visit there, we ate at an overpriced restaurant that we are still talking about. On the way home we played 20 questions. I love that the guys are still able to be entertained by such simple fun things. I hope they never outgrow that. Living the life in Florida!

A Hint of Autumn

Monday afternoon. The first "bright" color I've seen in the area. There's still hope for a colorful fall after all.

The last of the "old" Nomics"

Hey if you are one of the last to jump on theolder stle Nomic's in late summer or fall of you may have scored more than you first thought.



I bought a spare tool recently for a trip and wanteda mate for my original pair of old style Nomics. Found a fewon saleand ordered from a small retailer the last one they had in stock. It showed up and to my surprize the head was the new version which is able to take the newest Petzl hammer and adze. Pretty cool bonus from Petzl.



Not that big of deal because I use the C-T hammer.Not everyone's choiceso I think it is very cool that some of these older tools made it out with the factoryhammer option available.I really like thenew, and bigger,carabiner clip in the head. Makes it much easier to rack the tools on a biner. Win, win on this one.



Check out the head differences on your tool if it is a recent purchase (Fall of '10) and a old style Nomic.

A Walk Along the Erie Canal

One of the many nice things about staying at the campground we are at right now, is that it's next to the Erie Canal. There is a very nice bike/walking trail next to the canal. The weather has been wonderful for walking. All of which makes me happy.

One of my kids even gave in to my pathetic begging to come and walk the path with me. I'll let you guess which one since I was not allowed to take pictures of that person even if they were kind enough to walk with me.



It is just so beautiful here. The perfect place to walk and see the area.



There is red rock along the shore of the canal.

And it is really educational. There is a long, interesting history to this canal. I already have a few books to dig into so we can learn some of that history. We might actually get to those books now that I'm taking a day's break from cooking to catch up on blogging and do some other things. In the meantime here is an overview of this fun place: New York State Canals



Living the life in New York!

Workcycles Bakfiets Long

A year and a half ago I tried a Bakfiets at a friend's bike shop in Vienna. These iconic Dutch cargo bikes are available in two lengths and the one I rode then was the short version. Now a bike-friend in Boston has acquired the Bakfiets Long, and I've had a chance to ride that as well. Aside from the larger size, I was curious how a bike like this would translate locally. Compared to the center of Vienna, our part of Boston is both hillier and less bike-friendly. Would I feel comfortable mixing it up with car traffic on a bike like this? What about cycling up the inclines I regularly encounter even on shorter commutes? These are the aspects of the bike I mostly focused on this time around.







To recap: The term bakfiets (plural: bakfietsen) literally translates to "box bike." The modern incarnation of this front-load hauler was designed by Maartin van Andel of bakfiets.nl. Those machines branded with the Workcycles name have been outfitted with upgraded components by the Amsterdam-based concern, but are essentially the same bikes (you can read about the Workcycles version of the bakfiets here). The steel frames are manufactured and powdercoated by Azor. Prices for complete bikes are in the $3,000s range, depending on options.






A handsome plywood box sits low upon the extended frame, between the rider and the 20" front wheel (the rear wheel is 26"). There are essentially two head tubes, connected by a linkage system.In my previous write-up readers requested shots of the steering linkage, so I made sure to get them this time.





Here you go.





And here. And here.







As the rider turns the handlebars, the steering is activated through the linkage and the front wheel turns.








Like most traditional Dutch city bikes, the bakfiets comes equipped with fenders, a full chaincase, dress guards, and a rear rack.






Dynamo lighting with standlights is included, front and rear,






as well as enclosed roller brakes and hub gearing (Shimano Nexus 8-speed with twist shifter).





The 4-point Stabilo parking stand supports weight evenly.







The handlebars are mildly swept back.






The long cargo box is about 100cm x 60cm at its widest points, tapering from back to front. It is rated for 80kg (176lb), in passengers or cargo.






Many of those who purchase these bikes do so to transport small children. There is a little folding bench in the box for this purpose. The bench fits two, though the box itself is rated to fit 4 (I believe a second bench can be installed for those who plan to do this).






The bakfiets can also function as a work bike, hauling anything from huge loads of groceries, to heavy industrial supplies. In Europe I have seen these in use by professionals such as florists, caterers, construction workers, and sculptors, just to name a few. For those who use the bike in that capacity, a waterproof cargo cover is available. Unlike the structured, canopy cover for transporting children, the cargo cover stretches flush over the box.






The bakfiets owner - known online as "cycler" - has had it for just over two months now and uses it about twice a week as a supplement to her main city bike. On her blog, Biking in Heels, it has been a sort of recurring joke how much stuff she'd often end up carrying on her bike - thinking up various creative, but sometimes precarious ways to secure it all. After years of this, cycler decided to take the plunge and buy a cargo bike. She test rode a few and felt immediately at ease with the Dutch front-load model. So bakfiets it was. She ordered the bike directly from Workcycles in Amsterdam, powdercoated silver and dark orange to her specs. In fact, its purchase is partly to blame for inspiring her to ...drumroll... open up her own local bike shop. But more on that another time.






I've ridden cycler's long bakfiets twice so far. First in her presence on some neighbourhood MUPs. On a later occasion I took the bakfiets away and rode it on my own along my local commute route, mostly on streets without bike infrastructure.






On both occasions, I arrived on my Brompton folding bike, which I typically ride front-loaded, like a mini cycle-truck. In a sense, switching to the bakfiets felt like riding a much larger and heavier version of the same bike. Of course in many ways they are wildly different - but the front end handling is not dissimilar. Particularly with less weight in the front, the steering is quick and light, requiring a gentle touch. Once you get used to that, the bike feels natural and intuitive to control. When making turns or adjusting its line of travel, the bakfiets is surprisingly nimble. Having the front wheel so far in front does feel disconcerting at first, but becomes natural once you get used to it. Some riders report that the linked steering takes getting used to, but I did not feel any effects specific to the linkage system. Others have described that the bike does not lean easily on turns, but I find that it leans fine. Overall I suspect that a rider's first reaction to the bakfiets depends on their riding style, inherent sense of balance, and the kinds of bikes they are already accustomed to. Some find it intuitive right away, others need practice.






The seat tube angle on the bakfiets is quite relaxed and the handlebars high, placing the rider in an upright position. But the "cockpit" is not as tight as it is on some Dutch city bikes (i.e. the handlebars are unlikely to hit your thighs on turns). A low bottom bracket combined with the slack seat tube allows for full leg extension while pedaling and easy toe-town stopping while remaining in the saddle.




One thing that is consistently said about the bakfiets is that it feels weightless in motion even when loaded, and I think that's an accurate assessment. The bike is not fast, but on reasonably flat terrain it is easy to propel forward, without any sensation of pushing or struggling. It just kind of floats as you pedal, boat-like. Henry of Workcycles attributes this quality to weight distribution: Because the box sits behind, rather than over the front wheel and fork, the weight is kept very low to the ground and does not affect steering. With a design like this, the weight is effectively part of the downtube.






With a large heavy package and some other items thrown into the box, I rode the bakfiets on a 4 mile loop along the Cambridge/ Somerville line, mixing with car traffic most of the way. As far as stability - both in motion and at starts and stops - I did not experience any problems. The bakfiets was very easy to keep upright and, steered with a light touch, it felt downright relaxing to ride. After gaining some confidence, I began to play around with the steering. It felt like the only thing that could make this bike fishtail was the expectation that it would fishtail. But really it wanted to ride where I pointed it, and was very responsive to changes in course. So even if I did make it fishtail intentionally, the wobble was easy to correct. Just a few minutes into the ride I felt like I had excellent control of the bike. Riding with weight in the box does not feel any more challenging than without. And steering the long-box version did not feel any different from my recollections of the short version.




The main difference really between riding the bakfiets and other bikes I am used to, was that I had to be cognisant of its size - mainly the width - when passing cars and making maneuvering decisions. While surprisingly maneuverable, it is simply a big bike with a wider turn radius than what I am used to (including the Xtracycle long tail). For instance, on the same street I can make a U-turn on the longtail easier than on the bakfiets - though possibly with practice I could become more proficient at the latter.




As far as hills... Geared low, the bakfiets handles reasonable inclines well, retaining its momentum and that easy floaty feel. But as soon as I tried it on a real hill (say an 8-10% grade spanning half a mile - Spring Hill for locals) - it just refused to keep going at a certain point, even in 1st gear. I have seen bakfiets owners stand up and mash on the pedals furiously to get over short hills. But on longer hills on the outskirts of town, I imagine this could get exhausting for anyone but the strongest of cyclists. Me, I would need a cargo bike that could go long distance reasonably fast and get me up a 14% grade without standing, so a bakfiets would not be the best choice. But for those whose commutes are limited to flatter, shorter routes this would not be an issue.






Over the past couple of years, I have spotted 6 distinct bakfietsen in active use around the greater Boston area. That is actually an impressive number, considering there has been no local dealer. Whenever possible, I've talked to the owners about their bikes. The general feedback is that they love the comfortable ride, the hauling capacity, and how easy it is to dump things into the box without having to secure every item. Those who have children have said their kids prefer sitting on the little bench in front to sitting on the back of a longtail (some families have both types of bikes, or have switched from one to another). On the downside, storing and parking the bakfiets can be a challenge given its size, as is maneuvering it along the sidewalk. And then, of course, the hills: "Not the best bike for hills" is the consensus.




I enjoy the way the bakfiets rides, and I think that it looks adorable. By all accounts it is a tough, all-weather transport machine that holds up well in rough conditions and retains its value well when sold used. For many it is a car replacement, which more than justifies the cost. As far as transporting substantial cargo, the bakfiets is just one of several ways to carry similar amounts of weight - the others popular options being long johns, long tails, and box trikes. Which method a rider finds preferable will depend on their circumstances - including handling preferences, terrain and other factors. As I've mentioned before, I love seeing more cargo bikes in our city, and I welcome cycler's new addition. Full picture set here.

So Random Things We Found Today

While we were out looking at covered bridges, we came across a few things that make you go hmmmmm.



The first was not that unusual of a thing, except for where it was located. We saw a pair of abandoned shoes on one of the bridges. I wondered as a mom, what happened here? Did they get home and wonder where they left their shoes long after they forgot where they left them? Did they hate the shoes and want them to be lost? Or did they want to leave them there as a symbol of something?

This wasn't a random thing, but we also saw this beautiful creature here:

After we left this bridge, we saw something else that caught our eye. This was the funniest thing we've seen in quite awhile. We had some interesting conversations about who could own this fine piece of machinery. Someone full of life I bet.

Yes, that is Super Scott's car. Isn't that the coolest car? I can see Austin wanting something like this for his first car!



You just never know what you'll see when you drive around looking for local sights.



Living the life in Ohio!

Vehicles of Equality

[image via cnn]

Last week many of us were following the #women2drive campaign in Saudi Arabia - a move organised via social media, where about 40 Saudi women drove cars in protest of their country's ban on female drivers. Saudi Arabia is the only country where it is currently prohibited for a woman to drive. The ban has become a symbol of gender inequality, while driving has become a symbol of freedom and women's liberation. It is unclear as of yet what effect the protest will have on Saudi policy toward women drivers. Meanwhile I've received an email from a cycling activist, asking whether I thought bicycles would at any point be incorporated into the movement.



[image via wn]

To clarify, women in Saudi Arabia are not permitted to cycle just as they're not permitted to drive. That is, they are allowed to be passengers on a bicycle, but not operators. The point of the ban is to prevent women from going off on their own, and so it applies to any vehicle that facilitates travel. However, I doubt that Saudi women will be getting on bicycles and staging a #women2ride movement any time soon. While in some cultures there is now a trend to associate cycling will freedom (freedom from dependence on fuel, from being stuck in traffic, from having to find parking, from hour-long commutes, from financial strain, etc.), the bicycle does not symbolise any of those things in Saudi Arabia. Neither does it symbolise travel, in the contemporary sense: A car can travel further and more efficiently if fuel is not an issue.In order for a group to protest not being able to engage in an activity, that activity has to be perceived as desirable. And I just don't think cycling has that status in Saudi Arabia.



[image via rfe/rl]

There areother issues to consider as well. Operating a bicycle is deemed "too sexy" by some government and religious figures in conservative Middle Eastern countries. In Iran there is technically no travel ban in effect for women, but the Iranian Women's Cycling Team was stopped by the police while training last October and told that the activity is not permitted in public, as it is too provocative.



There is also the question of safety. Driving in protest is safer than cycling in protest, as on a bicycle a person is more vulnerable to recognition, apprehension, and potential attack.



[image viabikehugger]

While in Western cultures the bicycle became a symbol of gender equality in the Edwardian era, I don't think that this can be applied to today's situation in countries where basic women's rights are being debated - particularly in the Middle East. The circumstances are too different. Should cycling activists feel threatened by the#women2drive initiative? I think that would be highly misguided. But the question of how to make bicycling more accessible to women in this region is worth considering.