A month of records: Liam O'Sullivan claims new speed record

Less than a month after Justin Merle broke the speed summit record of Mount Rainier from Paradise to Columbia Crest and back, Liam O'Sullivan, a mountain guide employed by International Mountain Guides (IMG), raised the bar once again, beating Merle's time by 3 minutes with a new record of 4 hours, 46 minutes and 29 seconds (FYI: Both Merle and O'Sullivan had small amounts of supplies cached at Camp Muir and dropped crampons on the descent). O'Sullivan left the upper Paradise parking lot at 4:20:08 a.m. and arrived at Camp Muir 1 hr 24 minutes later, putting him well on the way to a new record. O'Sullivan then beat his own personal time to Columbia Crest by 5 minutes, with a one way time of 3:11:22. On a previous attempt this month, O'Sullivan had been on pace to beat the record, but then faced fierce cramps on the descent which prevented him from setting a new record. This was almost the case again, but he was able to pull through this time.

"Any long or awkward step (which the Cleaver has plenty of by now) would cause me to cramp, so I descended cautiously to Muir, by which time I had lost all but 1 minute of the lead I had gained on Justin Merle's pace. I descended the (unfortunately) still firm Muir Snowfield, reaching Pebble neck-and-neck with Justin's time. Then battling the rocky, stepped trail, I commenced. Below Glacier Vista I kicked, breaking away from the pace, opted for the more direct east side of Alta Vista (complete with skin-shredding steep asphalt descent), and reached the trailhead in 4:46:29!"

Climbing conditions on Disappoinment Cleaver (DC) are some of the best conditions seen in years, which could account for the recent trend of speed ascents this month, including record attempts by O'Sullivan and Alpine Ascents International (AAI) Guide Michael Horst, and an amazing combination bicycle ride and speed ascent by Randall Nordfors. Despite the phenomenal conditions on the DC all summer, the season is moving along and things are beginning to break up, so future speed ascent attempts may be more difficult due to less direct route and slower climbing conditions. However, this may not stop would-be record breakers like Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa, a guide with Alpine Ascents International (AAI) and previous Everest record holder. Check out a recent article by The Seattle Times, covering this new competition for the "Rainier Speed Summit".

In addition to his record breaking climb, O'Sullivan has had a pretty good month - he made his 100th summit of Rainier on a tough Kautz route in less than ideal conditions, he guided Nordfors' Puget Sound to Summit trip and now begins a new path: medical school. After 10 years of mountain guiding on Mount Rainier and around the globe, we wish Liam the best and look forward to hearing more great things from him in the future.

What’s inside Zeus mini supermart?

Last August Dutchman and I went to Zakynthos Island in Greece for a week and a half. It’s our yearly summer beach holiday so basically this is a relaxing we-will-not-be-doing-a-lot holiday.

Our accommodations were all-inclusive which I think we would not do again in the near future. Hotel food is not as enjoyable as dining outside, as well as this type of accommodation does not really help the locals.

Anyway, let’s check what’s inside Zeus mini supermarket in Laganas. We went to these little Greek stores regularly to buy water, chips and other nibbles. They are basically mini hypermarts that serves the tourists on holiday. Locals do not buy here.

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of gods and men.

Mythos lager beer.

Lays, Greek style, in olive oil naturally.

The incumbent president of the Philippines is called NoyNoy (his nickname).

Greek sweet delicacies: Baklava and Kantaifi.

Ouzo flavoured loukoumi with the famous secluded beach spot of Zakynthos on the foto, Navagio and the Caretta-Caretta endangered sea turtle.

The Greeks and the Turks, who are neighbours and who also have a tumultuous relationship with each other historically, share the same food, as well as delicacies.

Tombstone Tuesday :: William and Rachel Alexander

The east end of the Morris Chapel Cemetery in Washington township, Kosciusko County, Indiana. The small stone on the right is that of my 2nd great-grandfather William Alexander. To the left of his stone, hidden by vegetation, is the stone for his wife and my 2nd great-grandmother Rachel Van Curen Hover Alexander. The cemetery is on private land and the brush has been removed several times but it is really something that needs to be done every spring. All photographs taken by me on July 11, ...

Wm. ALEXANDER / 1805 - 1899 William was the son of William Washington Alexander and (probably) Lucy Sprague. I'm not certain that Lucy is William's mother as that information was given to me by another researcher, with only a newspaper article as evidence. I haven't taken the time to either prove or disprove it. It's on my (never-ending) list of things to do.

His obituary was published in the Northern Indianian on April 20, 1899

William Alexander was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, Nov. 20, 1805 and died April 7, 1899, aged 93 years, 4 months, 11 days.

In his early life he was of a roving turn of mind and made many trips down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers on a flatboat to New Orleans, that being their way of marketing their surplus products in those days. During the year 1838, he was married to Nancy Tway and moved to Kosciusko county settling at Chapman's sawmill at the outlet of Little Eagle Lake, where he engaged in the saw-mill business for a short time sawing lumber for the early pioneers that were settling up the country, and while he lived there the first election was held, the polls were opened at Leesburg for the entire county where he cast his first ballot. He was a tailor by trade and did quite a business in that line with the early settlers, making the wedding suit for the late Daniel Groves, father of George Groves, who resides east of Warsaw.

After a residence of four or five years in this county he removed to Bartholomew county, this state, when he lost his wife and married his second wife, Elizabeth Mackadew. After a few years residence there his second wife died. He then moved to Union county, Ohio, remaining there only a short time, moving back to Kosciusko county, and in the year 1859, was married to Rachael Hover. There were born by his first wife four children, the second five, and by the third four; four of whom have preceded him to the spirit land. Father Alexander united with the M.E. church when a mere boy, and was a devoted member of that organization throughout his long life. The last two years of his life was one of great suffering, and he bore his affliction with great patience, always ready to go when the summons came, which was April 7. After an interesting discourse by Rev. Stoneburner he was laid to rest in Morris Chapel cemetery, followed by a large concourse of neighbors and friends.

RACHEL HOVER / LATE WIFE OF / WM ALEXANDER / DIED Dec. 20, 1891 / AGED 67 Y. 3M. 15D.

Rachel Van Curen, daughter of Henricus and Rebecca (maiden name may be Ostrander) Van Curen, was born September 5, 1824 in New York state. Prior to her marriage to George Hover in 1843, she had moved to Kosciusko County, Indiana with her parents. Four of her siblings would also marry into the Hover family. When George Hover passed away on June 14, 1855, Rachel was the mother of six children, ranging in age from 11 years to a daughter about 1 month old.

On June 28, 1859 Rachel was married to William Alexander in Kosciusko County. She was his third wife. William and Rachel would have four children together. Their first child, Amanda Minerva (1860-1950) would marry Samuel Bray Wiseman and they would become my great-grandparents.

The Sisley Family Bible

In May of 1986 my mother and I went on a research trip to Ohio and Pennsylvania. One of our stops was Fayette County, Pennsylvania. All I knew at that time was that my 4th great grandmother, Indiana Sisley, had been born in Fayette County and had married Conrad Stem. It was in the Land Records that I found the names of her parents and siblings. Her father, Lewis Sisley passed away in 1826 and in 1834 the eldest son, John, purchased his father's land. Lewis' wife Margaret was named, as were all ten of the children, and their spouses if they were married, including "Conrad Stein and Indianee".

Fast forward to 1999 and the wonders of the Internet! There I found the Sisley Family website and the reproduction of a history compiled and published in 1974 by Paul and Edith (Sisley) Bongiorno. I contributed the information I had on my "Western Branch" as they called it. Then, as often happens when one connection is made, another comes along. In June .. I was contacted by Marge, a descendant of Amberson Sisley, the youngest child of Lewis and Margaret.

Emails flew back and forth. It was an exciting time, even more so when I learned that they lived less than three hours away, on the south side of Indianapolis! And that Marge had family pictures and documents, including the pages from the family bible! Less than three weeks later we met, spent the day together, got to know each other a little, exchanged information, and I had my first scanfest ;-) The bible pages were fragile but we all decided it would be a good thing to go ahead and scan them.

I was, and still am, amazed and thankful that the bible pages survived at all. And I will forever be indebted to Marge for allowing me to touch them, to feel the texture of the paper, to hold something in my hands that my ancestors had held 175+ years before.

Births [First Column]
Lewis Sisley son of Jacob and Jane Sisley was born July 22. 1765.
Margaret Ellis daughter of Nathan and Mary Ellis, and wife of the said Lewis Sisley was born Dec. 13th 1773.

Births [Second Column]
Births. Of the Children of Lewis Sisley and Margaret his wife
Mary Ann was born December 31st 1789.
Nancy was born May 11th 1792.
Hetty was born Dec. 21st 1795.
Eleanor was born October 4th, 1797.
John Ellis was born April 13th 1800.
Louisa was born April 9th 1803.
Ruhama was born September 19th, 1805
Indiana was born May 18th, 1809.

Births.
Wilson Smith was born Dec. 3. 1811.
Amberson Evans was born Dec. 18th 1814.

Deaths.
Louisa Nutt departed this life August 12th 1823.
Lewis Sisley departed this life February 14th 1826 aged 60 years 6 months and 25 days

[Note: all of the entries up to this point have been in the same handwriting]

Eleanor Lyons died March 15th 1861.
=====
Amberson E Sisley died Feb 16th 1862
=====
Margaret Ellis Sisley died February 13th 1870


Marriages. [first column]
Lewis Sisley and Margaret Ellis were joined in marriage November 4th 1788.
Mary Ann Sisley was joined in marriage with Samuel Shelpler January 3d. 1809.
Nancy Sisley was joined in marriage with Morgan Morgan Jany 18th 1809.
Hetty Sisley was joined in marriage with James M'Crory July 25th 1812.

Marriages. [second column]
Eleanor Sisley was joined in marriage with Robert Lyon September 4th 1819.
Louisa Sisley was joined in marriage with Samuel Nutt Dec. 28th
Ruhama Sisley was joined in marriage with Samuel Nutt July 29th 1824

Note: Louisa Sisley and Samuel Nutt were married on December 28, 1822. She died on August 12, 1823. Samuel then married Louisa's sister Ruhama.

Another Note: At this point is where the marriage of Indiana and Conrad Stem should have been recorded! Was the family bible "put away" after the death of Lewis Sisley, which occurred in 1826? The recording continues in a different handwriting.

Wilson Sisley was joined in marriage with [crossed out and started over]
Wilson Sisley was joined in marriage with Nancy Wells September 11th 1836.

This post was contributed to the 55th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy: Show and Tell
See also Indiana Sisley Stem :: Show and Tell

Selling City Bikes: NYC Case Studies

While in New York City last week, I had a chance to visit two bicycle shops specialising in transportational cycling: Hudson Urban Bicycles (HUB)and Adeline Adeline. These visits were great, but they also evoked some envy. Why do we not have shops like this in Boston? Seriously, there is not a single bike shop in town catering specifically and exclusively to urban transport. A few shops do stock transportation bicycles, but the selection is limited. When I ask why they do not offer more I am told there is no demand. Baffling, because I know for a fact that both New York and Portland, ME(not to mention a number of online retailers) receive a steady stream of Boston customers because there is no local supply.



Based on my observations over the recent years, I do not think there is in fact a lack of demand. But it seems that bike shops that specialise in transportation may be in a better position to sell city bikes than bike shops that are diversified. Visiting Adeline and HUB in New York underscored this idea.






I would say that for shops selling transportation bicycles, location is key. Adeline Adeline is on a small and quiet street in TriBeCa. Hudson Urban Bicycles is on an equally small and quiet street in the West Village. In both cases, there are bike lanes literally just out the door, with protected greenways nearby. This sort of thing is absolutely crucial for beginners looking to test ride some bikes, which is precisely the category many potential customers fall into. They would like to ride in the city, but quite possibly they have never actually done so before. Their first cycling experience in ages might very well be this test ride outside of the bike shop. It makes a huge difference whether the space outside the shop is beginner-friendly.




When I was shopping for my first bicycle in the Spring of , I was not confident on a bike at all and could not yet imagine riding in traffic. I found it impossible to properly test ride a bike in almost any local shop, because the spaces outside were not beginner-friendly. While it's hard for established shops to change that reality, a new shop devoted specifically to city bikes can choose their space with access to infrastructure in mind.






Appropriately informed staff are important to selling transportation bicycles as well. In typical bike shops, most sales staff tend to be avid road cyclists, many of them racers. I have listened to quite a few steer customers by default toward cyclocross bikes with drop bars for commuting. I have also witnessed sales staff actively discourage customers from getting bikes with step-through frames or internally geared hubs, citing performance drawbacks. They did not even ask the customers how long their commute would be before saying such things.




While hanging out at HUB, I watched the owner talking to a couple who was new to cycling, and as they chatted I could see that couple grow more relaxed about the prospect of riding in the city. In shops that do not focus on transportation per se, I often observe the opposite happening: The longer a potential customer talks to a member of staff about commuting, the more concerned their facial expression grows. The "information" they are receiving is obviously scary and confusing. Bike shops that sell many types of bicycles cannot usually afford to hire separate sales staff to handle the city bikes.






No less important is the atmosphere inside the shop. The interiors of Adeline and HUB are heavenly microcosms - worlds where transportation cycling is normal, cool, intuitive, safe, and has an obvious place in everyday life. And the creation of such an atmosphere is a huge public service as far as I am concerned. Even if the customer walks out the door without buying a bike, they will still walk away with the impression that transportation cycling is fun and, above all, normal. They will be more likely to come back, or at least to keep cycling in mind as a valid possibility.When city bikes are mixed together with all sorts of other types of bikes on one cluttered floor space, it is impossible to achieve this kind of ambiance; it is impossible to communicate this message. I do think it's possible for diversified bike shops to present transportation cycling in a similar light by designating a special area to them, and then staging this area as if it were its own boutique. But in actuality this is seldom done.





Several members of the bicycle industry have mentioned to me now that it is easier to start a dedicated city bike boutique in a town that already has a dozen bike shops than it is to get existing shops to carry city bikes. And I have seen plenty of evidence to support this. Aside from the issues already mentioned, existing bike shops tend to err on the conservative side and stick with what they know. Even if they delve into city bikes, they are not going to start carrying 5 new brands right away; they might start with one or two. But that might not be sufficient to be truly effective. Hopefully, some brave entrepreneurs will start transportation-specific bike shops in Boston soon, as well as in every other city that is ready for them.





In the meantime, I may just have to keep visiting NYC for test rides. During this visit alone I test rode four bikes, and there were plenty of others to try. There were also other city bike stores to explore had I not run out of time, most notably Bicycle Habitat and Rolling Orange. For anyone visiting New York, I recommend having a look at those, in addition toAdeline AdelineandHudson Urban Bicycles (HUB).






Aside from bicycles, Adeline specialises in exquisite accessories the likes of which you might not find elsewhere: the latest in bicycle bags, jewelry, books, unusual clothing. HUB on the other hand, boasts an entire show room of vintage bikes in refurbished condition, including loads of pre-1970s English 3-speeds - some with original lighting! I enjoyed visiting both shops, and will be posting reviews of the Achielle, Retrovelo and Jensen bicycles soon.

A Wet Week at the Gunks: Stannard's Roof (5.10a), Uncle Rudy (Pitch 1, 5.7+) & A Lesson in Aid Climbing

(Photo: Approaching the big overhang on Stannard's Roof (5.10a).)




I just finished a whole week in the New Paltz area with my wife and kids. It has become our tradition to rent a house in or around New Paltz for a week in July every year. It is my wife's way of indulging me. She likes running in the area, there are great family hikes, and the community pool is nice. But we wouldn't do it if I were not a rock climber.




Last year we got into a nice groove in which I met up with Gail for several days in a row to climb. We would get up early, spend a few hours at the cliff, and then return to our respective families. These short climbing days allowed both of us to climb before it got too hot, and without taking too much time away. This year I hoped to repeat the same system. I was going to climb for one full day on Saturday, June 29, but apart from that day I expected that during our week in New Paltz I'd get out climbing for just a few mornings with Gail.




I hoped to hit several of my 5.10 targets, some old, some new. I wanted to try a second run at Balrog, P-38, and maybe even Simple Stuff or Directississima. And I hoped to flail away at some new ones. Probably my top candidate was Feast of Fools (5.10a).




As the trip approached I made plans to climb on Saturday with Maryana and Nani. I hadn't climbed with either of them outside in a while. As the day neared Gail decided to join us as well, so it looked like we'd have two parties. Maryana suggested we meet up in Lost City, where we could set up top ropes near each other and hang out. I was agreeable, but I knew I wouldn't be happy just top-roping all day. I had some trad-lead goals in Lost City, chief among them two new 5.10's on my list: Lost City Crack (5.10b) and Stannard's Roof (5.10a). I figured we could top rope for a while, but I intended to do some leading when the right time came along.




On Saturday, Gail and I arrived at the parking lot before Maryana and Nani. We headed out on the High Peters Kill Trail until we reached Lost City. We wandered straight up the boulder field to the cliffs and found ourselves in one of the spots I'd previously visited. I later heard another climber call this area the Amphitheater. This area has several easy climbs in the 5.6 to 5.8 range, a rarity at Lost City. Most of the walls at Lost City are so steep that the entry level climbs are 5.10 or 5.11.




It had rained a bit on each of the previous two days but the climbs seemed dry enough. Gail started us off by leading an easy corner climb on the left side of the Amphitheater (mostly 5.easy, maybe 5.5 or 5.6 for one or two moves?), and then I led a very nice vertical crack climb right in the middle of the wall. It starts off steep and committing, up a slanting crack, but then after about fifteen feet a ledge is reached and it gets easier. The angle lessens and there are frequent rests. But the good moves just keep on coming. I really liked this pitch. I would say it is a good Gunks 5.8 (Gail thought maybe 5.9). I don't know if it has a name. We named it the "5.8 Death Warm-Up."




While Gail and I were warming up in the Amphitheater, Maryana and Nani arrived and went over to the Corridor area, setting up a rope on Gold Streaks (5.11b). I've been on that one twice before and although it is really good I wasn't that psyched to hit it again. But I was keen to get back onanother great 5.11b just around the cornercalledForbidden Zone.So I set that one up for us and then nearly sent it on the first go. At the upper crux I missed the key hidden hold and fell off. As soon as I looked up I could see the hold I missed, and then I went up and finished it. Gail did really well on Forbidden Zone. It was her first time on the climb and she got through the crimpy, tense start and the steep, bulgy middle without a fall, struggling only with the technical moves to the hidden hold at the final crux. Forbidden Zone is such a great pitch-- if every top rope were this good I'd consider converting to the top rope lifestyle. I can't imagine ever leading it. I'd have to have it really wired. There is gear here and there, but nothing for the really tough moves right off the deck. The landing is not good: it is a pile of pointy boulders. I think for me it will forever remain a great top rope.









(Photo: Getting ready for the big reach into the ceiling on Stannard's Roof (5.10a).)




Gail and I left our rope on Forbidden Zone for Maryana and Nani and took a little walk around the right side of Lost City, finding a wet, slimy Lost City Crack and discovering faces and chasms we'd never seen before. There is so much exploring one can do at Lost City. By the time we got back to the Corridor I was ready for my big lead of the day. We took a pass on Gold Streaks and headed with Maryana's rope over to Stannard's Roof. This impressive overhang is a bit to the left of the Amphitheater. I had taken a peek at it earlier in the day and it looked nice and dry.




I had asked Gail to bring an extra yellow Number Two Camalot for me because Parker had once told me that the ceiling takes two of them. I'd also heard that the face beneath the roof goes at 5.8 and that the belay right below the roof is optional. That was about all I knew about Stannard's. We got racked up and I started climbing.




The start goes up an easy chimney and then some very nice 5.8 moves take you up a crack through an orange face. Soon the angle eases and you are beneath the huge ceiling, which looks even bigger once you are really up against it. As of this writing there is a small fixed nut in the crack at the back of the ceiling, and you can get up there and clip it, then return to the optional belay stance and think about how you are going to make the first big reach out to the good holds in the roof.




It is very intimidating. This first big move out is committing, and it is the hardest move of the sequence. There is a little creaky flake to grab, and then a big move to the jugs. I looked it over from several different angles. I shifted my gear around so that, in theory, my two yellow Camalots would be easy to reach.




Then I went for it.









(Photo: Fully in it, right hand on the creaky flake, left hand in the jugs.)




Once you do the big reach you are fully horizontal for the remainder of the roof. There is no time to dilly-dally. When you make it to the first good hold you can throw in a yellow Camalot and make the moves to the next great horizontal slot. I managed this first part just fine.




As I reached the next great horizontal, the end was already in sight. I wanted to place the second yellow Camalot and get out. I could see a positive-looking hold at the lip of the roof. If I could get there, just one move away, I figured I was as good as done.




I want to note here, before I go into my old familiar story of failure, that I really should have gotten this route on-sight. My footwork was solid. I had a good plan. I tried really hard. I had a great handhold and a wonderful heel lock. I just needed to plug and go. It kills me that I messed this one up.




Poor gear management was my undoing.




I reached for the yellow Camalot but I couldn't get it free. I struggled like mad to unhook it. I was wearing a gear sling and everything was difficult to reach, hanging way down beneath me.




I know what you're thinking. I am aware that wearing a gear sling is the mark of the gumby. But I have never liked the weight of all the gear on my harness. Usually I prefer using the gear sling, no matter what other people think. But not this time. Under Stannard's Roof the sling turned out to be a big liability. Even though I'd put the yellow Camalot in the first section of the sling, I had a devil of a time prying it loose. It seemed like I was fumbling forever, just hanging in there. My left hand was on a great hold but it was getting more and more sweaty. I could feel my grip getting weaker and weaker. I had to get that cam! Finally I got the cam off of the sling, reached up to place it.....




And it was the wrong Camalot, the green! I had been blindly grasping for the piece, and I grabbed the wrong one. I was officially screwed, and I knew it. I stuck the green cam on my harness and started fumbling for yellow all over again, but my left hand slipped and I took a fall. I had blown it. It was a good little whip but the fall was clean.









(Photo: Trying to place gear on Stannard's Roof, but grabbing the wrong cam.)




I don't know why I didn't just take the yellow cam off the gear sling then and there and put it on my harness, but I didn't think of it. I went back up again, fumbled all over again, and this time ultimately placed the cam. But now I was exhausted and took another fall reaching for the lip. Finally on my third time up I didn't need to place gear and I just executed the moves, getting over the lip and finishing the route. It actually felt easy without all the idiotic fumbling and bumbling.




I can add Stannard's Roof to the long list of Gunks 5.10's that I have failed to get on-sight. Even more than the others, I feel like I can just fire through it next time. It is a three-star experience, for sure. The 5.8 face is really nice and the roof is everything the Gunks is all about. I just know I can do this climb. Next time I'll keep the gear on my harness. And I'll probably split it into two pitches. Doing it as one pitch made for truly horrible drag at the top.




By the time we were done with Stannard's I felt like I'd been put through the wringer. We went looking for our friends but it took a while to find Maryana and Nani. We went to the right side of Lost City to look for them while they went left to look for us. Eventually we found them beneath an incredible-looking finger crack called Resistance (5.10c). But none of us really felt like climbing it. We sat around and talked instead. It was a beautiful afternoon. I wasn't in a rush to do more climbing-- I figured I still had several good days ahead.




Sadly, it was not to be. On Sunday we went out to Bonticue with the kids and did the hike/scramble up the middle to the top. This was our second family trip up Bonticue. It is a beautiful cliff, white like Millbrook, and larger than I remembered. I've never climbed there. It looks like there are lots of fun lines to explore.









(Photo: My son Nate atop Bonticue.)




Storm clouds were rolling through as we did the Bonticue hike and we got just a little bit wet on the way back to the car. Later on, after we returned to our rental house, the skies really opened up. It poured like crazy for the next twenty-four hours. Gail and I had hoped to climb on Monday but we had to call it off.




The rain seemed to stop on Monday evening so Gail and I planned to meet on Tuesday morning. We knew it would be wet but Gail brought her aid gear, figuring we could get some practice aid climbing while we waited to see if the cliff would dry out.









(Photo: I'm not sure I've ever seen it running off quite this fiercely behind the Susie A block.)




When we got to the Trapps the whole area was covered in a misty fog. So we aided a wet Oscar's Variation (normally 5.7, but A0 for us). Gail went first so I could watch and learn. I'd never aid climbed before but it seemed simple enough. Gail was methodical about it, stepping up, placing gear, bounce testing, shifting weight to the new piece, clipping in with a fifi hook, then cleaning the aiders off the last piece and clipping the rope to it. When she finished the pitch she cleaned all the gear so I could lead it fresh. I found it difficult at first to trust the gear and step up, which is funny because I trust it enough to fall onto it all the time! After a few moves I got used to aid climbing and enjoyed it... to some extent.









(Photo: Gail aid climbing pitch one of Oscar's Variation (5.7 or A0).




It started to dry out a bit while we were working on Oscar's Variation. I ran up a slightly damp Ribless (5.6 and not so bad) to the first set of bolts, and from there I could see that the crux of Strictly From Nowhere (5.7) appeared to be dry enough for us. So even though the bottom part of the route was still pretty slimy I led that one too. The crux is always really good, the rest is fairly forgettable. It is much nicer to start Strictly's from the Oscar's corner when it is dry.









(Photo: My first time in aiders, climbing the wet Oscar's Variation.)




Conditions were finally improving but we both needed to leave for the day. There would be no big milestones on this day. We packed up and headed out.




The next day was Wednesday, our departure date. I negotiated with the wife for a few more hours of climbing and hoped against hope that it wouldn't rain overnight. Gail and I planned to meet early so I could get back to our house by check-out time.




When the day dawned I thought we were in luck. It was partly sunny at the house. Maybe the cliff would be dry?




Alas, I was too optimistic. The cliff was again shrouded in fog. As I arrived at the Trapps it seemed to be sprinkling a little. Gail and I headed to the Mac Wall to see if anything was in shape for climbing. When we got there Birdie Party and MF were both seeping. It was wetness everywhere.




Frustrated, I decided to lead Three Pines (5.3) to the GT Ledge, even though it was soaking wet. I just wanted to climb something and I figured it would be good practice. And I guess it was, although I wouldn't really call it fun. At times it felt more like wading through a running river than climbing.




Once I had the rope up we descended to the lower set of bolts and top-roped the first pitches of the two climbs underneath: Something Boring (5.9) and Something Or Other (5.7). These were both new to us. I didn't care much for either one. Something Boring is aptly named. It has unremarkable face climbing and no pro for most of its length. Something Or Other has a bit more to offer. In the early going you are supposed to use a wide crack that is filled with vegetation. I made it more interesting for myself by mistakenly staying right of the crack and doing some hard 5.9-ish moves on little crimpers. Next comes a good 5.7 move off a little ledge up to a jug. Not terrible for a rainy day, but I can't imagine we'll ever do either of these climbs again.




After four crummy pitches it was almost time to go. The sky was brightening but it was still quite wet. Gail and I started walking back to the parking lot, looking for one dry pitch that we could do. It wasn't long before we found ourselves beneath a good candidate: Uncle Rudy (5.7+). I have been interested in this roof-problem pitch for years but have never managed to get on it. (I have done pitch three, and it is really good.)












(Photo: Gail at the crux roof on pitch one of Uncle Rudy (5.7+).)




I liked this pitch. The roof is good, and the pro for the crux is great. The crux is actually two moves: one to get over the roof, and then another thin move up right after the roof. Dick Williams implies in his guidebook that you need a big cam to protect this second crux move, but I found it not to be so. The crack narrows to the right. I got a bomber gray Alien in this crack; lots of other cams would also work.




After the crux, pitch one of Uncle Rudy is pretty dirty and run out, but the climbing is easier. When I got to the belay ledge I considered continuing with Dick's 5.8 PG variation to pitch two, but as it seemed to be covered in wet lichen I decided to leave it for another day.




Uncle Rudy is no great classic, and sending it was no great achievement. But at least it was a pleasant little climb, which was about all I could ask for by the time our wet week was finished.

Shorter Cranks, Dainty Pedals, and the Ambiguity of Toe Overlap

Last week I was offered the opportunity to trade the Sugino Alpina crankset on my mixte for the exact same model with shorter cranks, and I went for it. The original cranks were 170mm. The ones on it now are 165mm. A 5mm difference is very small, but can be significant. For instance, some say that shorter cranks make for a smoother pedal stroke. But my reason for the change was to reduce toe overlap. I mentioned previously that my mixte has it to a small degree, and that I'd like to get rid of it since I now use this bike mainly for transportation. In theory, that could be done either by converting to 650B or re-raking the fork. But before resorting to such drastic measures, I wanted to try something easier.



In addition to the shorter cranks, I also replaced the MKS Touring pedals with Velo Orange City Pedals. Being smaller, my assumption was that the new pedals would reduce overlap further still - though I am now told this isn't so.



Either way, with the new set-up my toes are about 1/4" further back from the front fender than where they were previously.These are the longest-toed boots I own, and with my foot in its most typical position on the pedal there is no overlap even on the widest turn.



Aerial view.



But the thing about an upright bike that is ridden casually and with no foot retention, is that you can plant your foot on the pedal any which way. Sometimes I am sloppy, and plop it down further forward than typical when starting. In that sense, the toe overlap issue remains ambiguous. I need to ride around with this setup for a few weeks to see whether it still happens on occasion. I am not sure whether I notice any difference between the old cranks and the new ones, but it's possible that my pedaling feels a little "rounder." Or I could be imagining it, because that's what I've been told is supposed to happen. (Crank length placebo effect?)

As for the VO City Pedals, I absolutely love them so far. Ever since having tried them on theRainbow Bike, I wanted them for myself. They don't stab my bare legs and toes the way MKSTouring pedals do, they are grippy, and they are extremely light (228gr per pair).It also does not hurt that they are pretty - though this, of course, is in the eyes of the beholder.



One caveat though, is that these pedals are very narrow (82mm across) and I have heard from a couple of people who find them uncomfortable for that reason. If you have large feet or tend to wear bulky workboots on your city bike, these are probably not the best choice.

So far I am happy with the changes I've made here, and together with the new basket the mixte has definitely turned into a transportation bike. The toe overlap was minor to begin with, so hopefully this will render it insignificant - but we'll see.



If you've ever played around with crank length on your bikes, did you notice a tangible difference? I have bicycles with cranks ranging from 165mm to 175mm, and they all feel fine, so I tend to use things like bottom bracket height and wheel size to determine what cranks a bike should have. But what do I know! Maybe with time I'll be able to tell the crank length of the bike I am riding just by the way it feels to pedal... though I remain skeptical.

Tombstone Tuesday :: William and Catherine Dunfee

The Dunfee Family plot in the Masonic Section of Greenhill Cemetery, Columbia City, Whitley County, Indiana. Starting from the bottom of the picture are the grave markers for Laura Virginia Dunfee, Albert Eugene Dunfee, and Harry Hamilton Dunfee and His Unnamed Twin Brother.

The large stone in the center of the photo is for William Hamilton Dunfee and his wife, Catherine B. Jones. They are my 3rd Great-Grandparents. The little marker next to their stone simply says "Father" and there is a corresponding "Mother" stone on the other side.

The stone to the left of the marker for William and Catherine is for their daughter, Henrietta Rebecca Dunfee (1852-1941), and the next stone is for their son William James Dunfee (1854-1942) and his wife, Elizabeth Walker (1861-1915).

On the south side of the marker is William's inscription:
OUR / FATHER / W. H. DUNFEE / BORN / ADAMS CO. PENN. / APRIL 10, 1822. / DIED / MAY 29, 1888. / AGED / 66 Y's. 1 Mo. 19 D's.

The inscription beneath his age is not legible.

Catherine's inscription is on the north side of the marker.
MOTHER / CATHERINE B. DUNFEE / BORN IN / MUSKINGDOM CO. OHIO / JAN. 15, 1829 / DIED FEB. 17, 1903 / AGED 74Y. 1M. 2D / Dear mother, fond memory / clings to thee.

It was very thoughtful of them to include the location of their births as well as full dates of birth and death!

Catherine came to Whitley County with her mother and siblings in October 1845. At about the same time, William arrived in Fort Wayne where he was working as a cabinet maker. Two years later, William came to Whitley County and became acquainted with Catherine. They were married on March 5, 1848. Of the seven children born to them, only three survived to adulthood. Of those three, their daughter Sophia was the only one to have children who had children. Sophia married William P. Wise. They are my 2nd great grandparents.

Magic Light in the Snowy Forest

Earlier this week after photographing an AMAZING sunrise at Horseshoe Bay on Lake Superior I was walking back to the car when I came across this scene. About 4 inches of light, fluffy snow had fallen the previous night and every now and then a wind gust would kick up and blow snow from the trees. When I saw the sunlight shining through this part of the forest I instantly knew the shot I wanted to get. I set up my tripod and waited for another gust of wind. I didn't have to wait long. About two minutes after I was set up the wind came up and blew a bunch of snow from the trees down into the light. It was a magical scene and I'm glad I was there to photograph it!

Waterspouts on Pamlico Sound

One nice thing about staying put in areas for a longer period of time, is that we learn things from the people there that we wouldn't know otherwise. For example, when I got to work today someone asked me if I saw the waterspouts out there. I had no idea what a waterspout was. They said go and look out the window and look up at the sky. Once I saw it, I had no idea how I missed it on my way to work. I called Nathan and sent him out to take some pictures of them.

Waterspouts are tornadoes that are over the water instead of land. And they are something else to watch.

You learn something new every day!

Regarding Mercedes

While going through my grandmother's papers (again) this weekend, I found this picture, probably taken on the same day as the one at the bottom of this post.

Mae was the adopted daughter of William James Dunfee and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Walker. Jane is my grandmother's sister, Hazlette is my grandmother, and Mercides is the object of my quest in unraveling a little mystery. It's a guess, but I'd say the picture was taken about 1918-1920.

And, another clue, which just goes to show that it pays to look at all of those little scraps of paper! The problem is though, that I don't know when the note was written, but from what I can tell, it was in the late 1960s or early 1970s that Grandma started working on her genealogy. I'm pretty sure that the ACPL (Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne) has some Detroit City Directories. One of these days I'll get to the library...

The note reads:

This is Mercedes
Name & address
Mrs. A. Vinet
13822 French Rd
Detroit 34 -

Pursuing J. W. Hoffman :: Where's THE Book?

About six weeks ago, I had made the decision to do no more new research until I had reviewed all of the documents and information I had obtained in Salt Lake City. But then an email arrived from my distant cousin Bob Hoffman regarding the Hoffman Reunions of nearly a hundred years ago. And, well, that "no new research" resolution fell by the wayside rather quickly!



I am now officially obsessed with Hoffmans. I have gotten virtually nothing done since last Friday except for hunting for information on the descendants of John and Catherine (Coy) Hoffman, my 4th great-grandparents. It's amazing what a few clues can do to boost knowledge of a family line! And those two reunion articles were chock full of clues and even outright "good" information!



It's been fun a fun week, frustrating at times too, but mostly fun. One of the things that really piqued my interest in those reunion articles was the mention of a book on the Hoffman family that was in the works. I wanted to know if a book had actually been published, by whom and when. And, if it wasn't published, what happened to the research files?



On Wednesday of last week I went to the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne and (among other things) re-checked the shelves for Hoffman family history books. There were 15 or so volumes but they dealt with Hoffman families in the Carolinas and in New York but there was nothing on my Hoffman family from Ohio or Pennsylvania.



So then I thought that if I could locate a living descendant...



The 1913 Reunion Article stated "J. R. Hoffman and others interested and entertained the audience. Some of these talks were for the benefit of the family historian who is preparing a book of some 800 pages and dates the family tree to Germany in the 17th century, when Adam Hoffman and his brothers Michael and Robert sailed for America, locating in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania."



Then, in the 1914 article it told us who that historian was: "The late Mrs. A. J. Callahan, the family historian, had collected a fund of reliable history, biography and geneology [sic] which has since passed into the hands of her half-brother and successor, J. W. Hoffman of 5408 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio, who will be pleased to communicate with any member of the family."



In a search of The Mahoning Dispatch at Chronicling America, I found this paragraph in the Washingtonville column published on October 16, 1908: "Mrs. A. J. Callahan of Salem was the guest Wednesday of her sister, Mrs. John Fitzsimmons, when here collecting the geneaology [sic] and scraps of history relating to the Hoffman family; this will be her portion of a book soon to be published. The family name is widely scattered over this country, from the Hoffman house and banking firms in New York, through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and the far western states."



The obituary of Mary Callahan was published on December 13, 1912 in The Mahoning Dispatch gave us the name of her children and confirmed the names of her siblings: "Mrs. A. J. Callahan died of internal tumor at her home in Salem early Tuesday morning, aged 65 years. Her maiden name was Mary Hoffman, the eldest daughter of John and Catharine (Koons) Hoffman, both deceased and late of Washingtonville, Ohio. She is survived by her husband and son Lawrence Callahan and a daughter, Mrs. Charles King, all of Salem. Also a sister, Mrs. J. C. Fitzsimmons of Washingtonville and three half brothers as follows: Oscar Hoffman and William Hoffman of Cleveland, and Joseph Hoffman of Indianapolis, Ind. Another half brother, L. E. Hoffman, lost his life a few weeks ago when his automobile slid off a narrow mountain road in Virginia. Funeral services for Mrs. Callahan were conducted from her late home at No. 38 Maple street in Salem at 1:30 this (Thursday) afternoon."



I still haven't found a "J. R. Hoffman" among the descendants but after this past week of research, I know that Mary Hoffman was Mrs. A. J. Callahan "the family historian" and her sister, Nancy, was Mrs. John C. Fitzsimmons. They were the daughters of John Hoffman, Jr. and his first wife Catherine Koons. Their half-brother, J. W. Hoffman, is John William Hoffman (who went by J. W., John, and apparently also William), was the son of their father by his second wife Tabitha Crane.



As stated in the 1913 Reunion article, John Hoffman, Jr. (son of John and Catherine Coy Hoffman) was married three times and was the father of eight children. By his first wife, Nancy Koons (whose middle name may have been Catharine), he had two children: Mary (1847-1912), wife of A. J. Callahan (aka Abner, Absolam, and Abraham) and Nancy (1849-1930), wife of John C. Fitzsimmons.



John Jr. had four children by his second wife, Tabitha Crane Zimmerman: Oscar Charles (1853-1927), John William (1858-????), Lewis Edwin (1859-1912), and Joseph F. Hoffman (1869-aft1920). By his third wife, Elizabeth Hess, he had two children: Mattie (1874-1938), wife of Grant Greasel, and Curtis Charles Hoffman (1877-1959).



Now, the one child of John Jr. that I was most interested in was John William Hoffman, primarily because he "inherited" the family history from his half-sister Mary Callahan. And wouldn't you know it, he turned out to be a "problem" child. I was able to find the other seven children through marriage records. I found them in nearly every census, and I have record of their deaths. For all except Lewis Edwin and John William, I know who their children were, and most of their grandchildren and even several of their great-grandchildren. Lucky for me they almost all remained in Ohio where marriage and death records are available online for the time period in question.



But what about my "person of interest" John William Hoffman?



In 1860 and 1870 he was living with his parents in Mahoning County. His mother Tabitha died on November 20, 1871 when John W. was 13 years old. Within a year or two his father remarried. In 1880, John W., age 22, was living on St. Clair Street in Cleveland with two of his brothers, Louis, age 21, and Oscar, 27. John and Oscar were brakemen on the railroad, while Louis was a jewelery salesman. Oddly enough, the youngest of the three, Louis, was listed as head of household. His brothers were listed as boarders.



I have not yet found a good candidate for John William in Ohio in the 1900 or 1910 census records. In 1920 John W. Hoffman was a lodger living at 5607 Euclid Street in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County. The page he was listed on (20A) is a "Supplemental" page and did not include the head of the household. There were eight other persons at that address. John W. was listed as age 62, divorced, and worked as a tool maker in a factory. I'm not positive that this is the "right" John W. but he fits as being the right age and he is in Cleveland. I haven't found a good candidate for him in the 1930 census yet either.



If that is the "right" John W. Hoffman, then he was married some time after 1880 and divorced prior to 1920. What was the name of his wife? Did he have children? Where the heck was he in 1900, 1910 and 1930?



On FamilySearch, in the "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953" I did find a record for a likely candidate. This John W. Hoffman was born January 11, 1858 in Washingtonville, Ohio. He died on May 4, 1931 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio and was buried in Washingtonville. His street address was 1634 E. 70th in Cleveland. His occupation was machinist. John W. was widowed and his wife's name was Alice. However, his father was listed as John W. Hoffman and his mother's name appears to be Sarah Corg. Both were born in Washingtonville. The informant was Mrs. F.W. Curtis of Cuyahoga Falls, which is 30+ miles south of Cleveland and north of Akron in Summit County, Ohio. (Cropped portion of the death record of John W. Hoffman is on the right.)



This John W. Hoffman was of the right age, born in Washingtonville, died in Cleveland. His occupation of machinist "sort of fits" with John W. in the 1920 census who was a tool maker. But in 1920 John W. was divorced while this fellow is widowed. Then there is the matter of his mother's name, which should be Tabitha Crane. Who was Sarah Corg? And, who was Mrs. F. W. Curtis?



A search of the 1930 census in ancestry for anyone with a last name of Curtis in Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County, Ohio produced an entry for Fredrick W Curtis, age 51, with wife Ada, age 48, both born in Ohio. They were married about 1915 (when he was 36 and she was 33). Enumerated in the household was Fredrick's mother-in-law, Alice Hoffman. She was 66 years old, widowed, and born in Ohio.



Going back to 1920, I found the Curtis family residing in Cuyahoga Falls: Fredrick W. Curtiss was 40 years old, his wife Ada was 37 and living with them was his mother-in-law, Alice Hoffman. She was 56 years old, widowed, born in Ohio.



In the "Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Marriage Records and Indexes, 1810-1973" on ancestry.com there is a record for Ada L. Hoffman, 33, and Frederick W. Curtiss, 36, who were married on August 31, 1915. That record gives her parents as Alice Snow and John W. Hoffman. No record has been found for their marriage in the databases at ancestry.com or FamilySearch.



Alice and Ada Hoffman were not found in the 1910 census but I did find them in 1900. They resided on Whitney Street in Ward 18 in Cleveland. Alice was born in Sept 1863. Her marriage status was "Dd" which I presume to mean divorced. She was the mother of two children with only one living. She worked as a Janitor. He daughter, Ada was born in July 1882, was single and worked as a Bicycle Clerk. (It should be noted that in 1900 Lewis Hoffman, brother of John William Hoffman, was living in Cleveland and "Bicycle Mfg" was his occupation. Also, in Lewis' obituary of November 22, 1912 it stated that "With his brother, J. W., he was the founder of the Hoffman bicycle business.")



This appears to be the former wife of John W. Hoffman who died in 1931, and his daughter Ada Curtis. The fact that Alice and John W. sometimes state that they are divorced and later widowed is a little confusing but really not all that unusual. I do believe, in spite of his mother's name being given as "Sarah Corg" that this is my "person of interest" and the son of John Hoffman Jr.



But it looks like I've reached a dead end (pun intended) regarding descendants of John William Hoffman. Ada Hoffman married Frederick Curtis when she was 33 years old. They do not appear to have had any children. Ada L Curtis was found in the index of Ohio Deaths on ancestry.com. She died on January 18, 1964 in a long-term care facility in Clark County, Ohio. Her place of residence was Akron, Summit County, Ohio.



And now I'm back to my original questions: Was the Hoffman family history ever published? If it wasn't published, what happened to the research files?



I will, of course, continue to pursue further research on the children of John Hoffman, Jr. (particularly obituaries) hoping to find a living descendant with information regarding the family history research done by Mary (Hoffman) Callahan. Future posts will highlight what has been found on them to date. If anyone reading this is related or has further information on any of these people, please contact me at kinexxions@gmail.com



And if you've made it this far, I congratulate you, and I thank you for reading...



Update June 25, ..: See the post One "loose end" wrapped up! for the death notice of John W. Hoffman. Yes, he really is the son of John Hoffman, Jr!

New "Unoffical" Speed Record Set

On Wednesday morning, July 11, Justin Merle, an avid climber, international mountaineer and current employee as a guide with International Mountain Guides (IMG), broke the Mount Rainier summit speed record with a time of 4 hours, 49 minutes and 35 seconds. Here is a link to a recent article on his climb in The News Tribune.

The previous record holder, climbing ranger alum Chad Kellogg, set the record in 2004 with a time of 4 hours, 59 minutes and 1 second. Like Merle's time, it too was not officially recorded; there was no time keeper available at Paradise, Camp Muir or the summit to confirm the event. However, we do have pictures taken by Merle of his watch before and after the climb and climbers up at Camp Muir also confirmed seeing Merle on his descent. This obviously leaves room for disagreement for all those non-believers, but this level of athletic achievement, in such a challenging sport as it is, and a dangerous location as Mount Rainier can be, deserves a nice tip of the hat and a hearty "congratulations". There is no doubt Merle has raised the bar, and the level of anticipation for those other hopeful climbers looking for a new challenge. So, a lingering question remains, “Who's next?”.

Below is Merle’s account of the trip:

Times 6:00:05 -- left the upper Paradise parking lot
7:33ish -- climbed through Muir
8:30ish -- top of Cleaver
9:27 -- Columbia Crest
9:30 -- left register after signing the book
9:35 -- descended from crater rim
10ish -- Ingraham Flats
10:10 -- Muir
10:30 -- Pebble Creek
10:49:40 -- back in the parking lot
Roundtrip -- 4:49:35

I wore light boots (Sportiva Trango S) and Kahtoola

aluminum crampons, lightweight pants and a lightweight longsleeve top. I carried a BD Bullet pack with 2 liters of Cytomax in a hydration bladder, a light Goretex top, warm hat, and gloves. For fuel I carried 6 Gu packages and a pack of Shot Blocks. Overall, the route conditions and weather were almost perfect. The route was direct above the Cleaver and there wasn't much for traffic aside from the guided parties, who were all quite nice in letting me pass. I went to the tippy top and took the time to sign in at the register. It was quite windy on the crater rim and on the summit; aside from that the breeze was pleasant and I did not have to add any layers except a pair of gloves during the ascent. The descent went well--good snow for plunge-stepping and striding out pretty much all the way down. I did fall once on moderate terrain near 13000' as I was cutting some switchbacks--slid a couple meters before regaining my feet. On the descent, I left my pack at Muir and my crampons at Pebble Creek--thanks to the guides for carrying them down. I timed myself on my Suunto watch, and also used the logbook funtion to record the ascent/descent. The only "proof" I have of the times are a couple of before and after photos of the watch, and video taken with the same camera, before and after (I left the camera in a stuffsack at the trailhead). I did sign the register, and saw a lone climber on Columbia Crest, but did not speak with him.

This was my 106th summit of Rainier, by my best count.

~Justin Merle

Parisian morning: A stroll on the River Seine and a quick encounter with a Parisian stranger

It’s just been 2 weeks since I was in Paris and now it felt like forever. My life is fast-paced, mostly because of my work, so I try to squeeze in a lot of ‘me’ and ‘doing nothing much’ time into my schedule to recover, keep my sanity and put my feet firmly on the ground. Work can sometimes be overwhelming so a short or long trip in between to unwind and forget about corporate slavery is always welcome. I should not complain because this slavery has rewarded me the €€€.

So on our second day in Paris, we will be taking the free boat trip from the hotel but before doing so Bru and I would like to do a typical Parisian stroll along the River Seine, from Bastille to the Notre Dame Church area where we will have coffee.

Here’s some of the pictures we took during the stroll:

Bru and I. Bru does not like the sun. She avoids it more than I do =)

Playing the tourist here.

At the café around the corner of Notre Dame we had coffee. Our table was tactically located for people watching, which I never take any less anyway. We were sitting right on the corner street with a view to the Notre Dame Church.

While Bru was at the toilet freshening herself up, I briefly and awkwardly met a Parisian stranger.

French men by the way are generally not my type. I don’t know why. But they are a charming lot, and romantic and often tell a woman that she is beautiful. Something that the Dutch totally lack. A French man can woo a woman and sweep her off her feet, while the Dutch will never get the hint even if she says, ‘It would be nice if you surprise me tonight with some flowers, or a dinner perhaps.’ But the smooth talker French man has higher chances of taking a mistress on the side than the boring, loyal and reliable Dutch man.

Alright, there goes your stereotypes =). Haha.

Anyway, I was totally embarrassed, red-faced. In front of everyone, this Parisian man just came up to me and declared his admiration. I felt the ground swallowing me up. He even wanted to sit down but I told him that I am with someone. He got the hint and left me with quixotic phrases to mull over about. And I was puzzled like--Huh, what was that all about? These kinds of encounters rarely happen in the Netherlands you know. But I do not go out a lot as well sitting on cafe teracces...

Situations like these always reminds me the risks of a female travelling alone. I’ve had worse encounters with men in Spain and in Italy. But the French remains the ones with finesse. They know the complex art called ‘woman’.

I am a sucker for strategic cafe seating and people watching. Best spot near Notre Dame.

Bru and moi having morning coffee around the corner of Notre Dame Church.

More Paris stories soon! BISOUS.