A day in the life of Dutched Pinay

When I am not travelling abroad part-time, I am still travelling within the country (Netherlands including Belgium) full-time.

Next week will be a heavy week with Maastricht again and Belgium on the list among other places. Anyway, I have always loved driving. It gives me the rush, the freedom and I actually look forward to long drives. I just need to watchout for speed cameras otherwise I will end up paying lots of penalties every month!

Picture of my car's GPS was taken today during mid day after my first meeting and a quick lunch in Amstelveen (beside Amsterdam). I have simulated here the route for my next meeting in the south of the country which is in Eindhoven. February

Taxing

Singing Ice

This morning was the type of morning that will live on forever in my memory. I only made a handful of images today but more so than the images, it is the sounds of the morning that I will never forget. My friends Roger, Jon and Don were up for a visit and I brought them all down to the Spirit Tree for a morning of photography. It just so happens that this would also turn out to be probably the most magical morning on Lake Superior that any of us had ever witnessed. The morning started out very peaceful. Before the sun rose everything was calm and quiet. The sounds of the snow crunching beneath our boots seemed to echo across the bay. As the sun came closer to breaking the horizon, the sky took on an incredible pink glow.

Below: This piece of ice was only a couple of inches tall. I laid down on my stomach and shot with my Canon G11 in macro mode to make this image.



Sometimes when the sun rises, you have only a few minutes of nice warm light before things become too bright. On this particular morning, however, there was a thin layer of clouds hovering just off the horizon which meant that we had at least an hour of soft, warm and diffused light. Only moments after the sun came up, the ice on the bay started to talk. It started off with just a few barely audible creaks and groans, with the occasional popping noise thrown in for good measure. As the sun got higher in the sky, the wind out on the lake increased. We were sheltered from the wind, but we could tell the wind out on the lake was increasing because before too long the ice was singing. As the wind out on the lake increased, so did the pressure being put on the ice in the bay. Ice can only take so much pressure before it cracks, and when it cracks under such conditions it makes a sound that is almost indescribable. The closest sound I can compare it to is the sound made by high tension wires when they are being buffeted by strong winds. Quite simply, once you've heard it, its not a sound that you will soon forget! Here are a couple of video clips that captured the sounds of the ice... be sure to turn your speakers up to their full volume to get the full effect of these awesome sounds!

http://travisnovitsky.smugmug.com/Video-Clips/Misc-Videos/4207197_KrddQ/1/803688816_hDBAt/Medium

http://travisnovitsky.smugmug.com/Video-Clips/Misc-Videos/4207197_KrddQ/1/803662676_494cK/Medium

Eye to Eye With Nature

As I was editing more pictures of us feeding the elk, I noticed how often we were making eye contact with the animals. I thought to myself that this is probably part of why it touched us so much to interact with them. There is just something so profound about looking animals in the eye and having them return the favor.

Mtn Hardware Minus One Glove

This is a retread from last month that got buried so Ithoughtit worth an update after I got more climbing use out of the glove.









I like a couple of glove manufacturers products. But I have to say I have been really impressed with the most recent OutDry products from Mtn Hardware. (and now the same technology is in the Scarpa boots) The newest glove I have been using is the Minus One..which is a thin, technical glove intended for leashless climbing and dry tooling in moderate temps.



It is a perfect fit for those uses.



It is not climbing but the temps dropped here to -10C over night and I had a bunch of outdoor household chores to take care of as we got several inches at snow and the temps continued to drop. This glove was good enough to use hand tools with and get everything done outside before our pipes could freeze up.



Last weekend I used the same glove on water ice with a good bit of free running water. I intentionally stuck my hands in the fire hydrant size spout of ice water on one climb to see just how water proof the OutDry system was. ( I had dry gloves in my pack and it was an easy day out) These guysreally are water proof. Although depending on the glove it may take some time to actually dry the leather out on the exposed side of the glove. I have since water proofed the leather as well on my Minus Ones. You'll still stay warm and dry either way. But no question the wet leather would freeze if it was cold enough.



Newest ones don't have a palm reinforcement that is pictures in the stock photo below but the thinner palm is awesome on a tight Nomic or Ergohandle. I wouldn't want to do a lot of rappelling in them though as it would get expensive quickly I suspect.



I've since used the Minus one in -20C temps on dry ice and a couple of rappels over a weekend and been satisfied. Then out with them again as my only glove (forgot my spares and approach gloves)in temps from 0C to -15C with everything from running water to a full onwet snow storm while wallowing in crotch deep trail breaking. The kind of day every thing gets wet.



Ten full days of climbing, rapping and belaying on these. I am impressed so far.

Best to save these guys for climbing. Knee deep wallowing will get anything wet, the Minus One being no exception.They will handle your sweaty hands and generally stay dry inside but they can be easily over loaded if you allow snow in from the outside. But they did dry over night internally. Theleather palm soaks up water pretty quickly even after being treated but itgenerally dried fully over night. I have 10 days of climbing on this pare and am happy they are holding up much better than expected so far. They have kept my hands warm even on the chilly days -10C.Much warmer that expected for their weight.



Down side besides price? The rubber strap and velcro closure at the wrist. I find it annoying as it could have been done in nylon just as easy and get in the way less. But minor flaw and I suspect Mtn H was trying to give some added wrist support by using the rubber strap.



Buy them on sale for around $80 is the best I have seen or retail at $100. Great glove for the intended use. I am impressed as a light weight, highly technical, cold weather leashless glove and it is a lot warmer than expected.

Dinner Is Served

Susie Island Sunsets

For the past couple of nights the lake has been so calm I couldn't resist taking the boat out to the Susie Islands to do some shooting despite having clear, "boring" skies. On days where there aren't any clouds I find the most interesting light to be either the hour before the sun comes up or the hour after the sun goes down. Cloudless days can produce a rather beautiful glow in the sky during these times.

(Above and below: Sunset from Lucille Island)

(Above: Sunlit trees on Long Island)

(Above: Twisted tree on Big Susie Island)

(Above: Evening light on Big Susie Island)

(Above: Lichen on Lucille Island)

(Above: Small rock island off the western tip of Lucille Island)

Petzl hammers, one last time!

Seen on some of the most experienced Petzl tools in the world. And much more still to come this season. A truly classic and well tested design worthy of the Nomic.






Summit ice slopes, N. Face of the Eiger and CT hammers.




The current productionrun of CT hammers is not readyyet. But will be sent for heat treat midDecember . Likely the last batch I will produce.Certainly the last batch till at least fall of .They are anothergeneration better and even more user friendly! No dicking
around on the fit. Simply bolt them on with the current Petzl picks. A new
stronger and more durable design. These willfit perfectly on the old or new
Noimcs. They willalso fit on the new Quarks and new Ergo with the current production picks. Milled one at a time from tool steel and then heat treated to specific hammer hardness. Full head coverage,4mm thick and only 32g per hammer with little effect on the tools balance and swing weight.



NOTE! October 22, the last batch was being mailed out.....inventory lasted till Nov. 9. The current production runwill be ready late Dec or early Jan . Best to pre-order if you
want hammers this season. No additional shipping charges for
International orders. Everyone pays the same $7.50 no matter where you are in the world.

Nomic/Petzl options

1 hammer $60.00 USD 2 hammers $120.00 USD 4 hammers $225.00 USD

I Never Asked for a Honeymoon

When it comes to new bike ownership, cyclists will often talk about the so-called honeymoon phase. Symptoms include: lack of interest in looking at other bikes, thinking that everything about the new bike is "perfect," even finding its flaws endearing. It's more than about enjoying the bike. It's like being under its spell. Some describe this as the magic faerie dust effect.



In the past, I don't think that I've gone through honeymoon phases with my bikesexactly. I am by nature analytical and tend to see things from several perspectives at once. Even in the beginning, when I was extremely excited about my first beautiful new bike, I was all the while looking at it critically. Its purchase did not diminish my curiosity about other bikes in its category, but increased it. It was in fact through comparing other bikes to mine and noticing differences, that I became interested in bicycle design. The same can be said for all of my bicycle buying and selling since: There was excitement and enjoyment, but never really a rose coloured glasses type honeymoon period. It was more about experimenting and staying open to other possibilities. Considering my interest in bicycle reviews, design, framebuilding and such, I think this is a useful attitude to have.



So it has thrown me for a loop to realise that maybe, just maybe I am in a prolongued honeymoon phase with my Seven roadbike, which I've been riding since Spring of this year. The symptoms are there: Everything about it feels "perfect." The fact that it's welded and has a carbon fork somehow only accentuates its charm, even as I wax lyrical about lugs. And more disturbingly, I have lost interest in other bikes in its category. This last part is a problem! I would like, in theory to keep trying other roadbikes and comparing them, thereby learning more about the feel of different frame materials and different handling characteristics. But in practice, I don't really want to ride bikes other than my own just yet. If it's a different style of bike for different kinds of riding, I am as enthusiastic about experimenting as ever. But for roadcycling on pavement, I would rather be on my own bike. It's as if I haven't had enough of it yet, even after 2,000 miles. The decals are peeling, but the proverbial luster apparently remains. I hope to get over this soon. Until then, you are unlikely to see much in the way of roadbike test-rides here.



Have you gone through a honeymoon phase with any of your bikes? What has it been like, and what happens afterwards?

Pigeon River Paradise

This image is of the Pigeon River in northeast Minnesota, just downstream from Grand Portage State Park (which is where I work for my "day" job). The Pigeon, like many rivers, is a river of many moods. The majority of the river is characterized by very rugged terrain, with the water tumbling over boulders and through narrow gorges in rapids of varying intensity. Some areas, like the one pictured here, are very serene. The area shown in this image is only about a mile upstream from the mouth of the river.

The Pigeon originates on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and after its mostly violent but sometimes peaceful journey through the rugged valleys of northern Minnesota it empties very quietly and with little fanfare into Lake Superior. As mentioned earlier, this particular spot along the river is just downstream from the state park where I work. It is one of my favorite places along the river and I often stop here after work to see what the conditions are like. On the evening I made this image, I had already gone home for the day but as sunset approached I was very intrigued by the clouds that were lingering in the sky. I immediately thought of this place on the river and how calm the water usually is... little did I know what an incredible sight I would find when I arrived!

This is without a doubt the coolest cloud I have ever seen over this part of the river. This image was made only moments after the sun went down behind me. The point of view in this image is actually looking east/northeast, but as often happens immediately after sunset the clouds took on quite a glow. My outing to the river resulted in an experience (and an image) that I will never forget! Shot with my Canon EF 17-40mm lens, shutter speed was 1/50, aperture f8, ISO 200. Since the sky was a bit brighter than the reflection on the water, I did also use my Singh-Ray 3-stop graduated ND filter in the creation of this image.

Velo Vision

About a year ago, I started to notice that I couldn't see things in the distance as well as I used to. I could read and see up close just the same as before, but things far away were losing their clarity. I noticed this most of all while cycling.The landscape was not as sharp as it once was, far-away roadsigns were more difficult to read, faces of people riding toward me were harder to recognise. As someone who's always had perfect eyesight, I had no prior experience with vision loss and it took me a while to acknowledge what was happening. But finally I went to have an eye exam and the loss of "perfect" status in the eyesight department was confirmed. I was given a prescription for glasses that the doctor said I would need mostly "for driving."






I expected shopping for glasses to be a nightmare, for the same reason finding a decent pair of cycling sunglasses had been a nightmare. But I underestimated modern technology and our neightbourhood's offering of optical shops.Picking up friends' glasses in the past, I remember them being heavy. But apparently eyeglasses today can be made extremely lightweight - with high-tech plastic and titanium frames. There is also enormous variety in shapes and sizes. I had no problem finding some that fit my face and weighed next to nothing.






With cycling in mind, I got a pair with plastic frames and photochromic lenses. They cover a good part of my face, and the lenses turn dark in the sun, but clear at night. I have already worn them on a couple of rides and the fit is very comfortable.But wearing corrective lenses will take some getting used to!Everything in the distance now looks unnaturally sharp, or hyper-3-D. My feel for how close or far away objects are is a little disturbed by this, but I am assuming my brain will adjust eventually.






Another thing that's happening, is that whilethe glasses correct my far-away vision, they do so at the expense of making things blurry up close. On the bike, this means that I can't really see anything that's directly in front of me or at handlebar level (i.e. the cycling computer on my roadbike) unless I take them off or look underneath the lenses. I am still working out how to adapt to this. Meanwhile, it's a relief to see clearly at a distance again.

Earth's Silent Spin

Check out my latest night-time photographic creation at the Spirit Tree. There were lights coming from four different sources in this image... the stars, the moon (which was rising off to the right), the city lights of Thunder Bay, Ontario and that obnoxious bright white light in the center of the photo, which is coming from a couple of spotlights at the U.S. Customs border inspection station. I have been noticing that bright light in several of my recent night images. I kind of like the effect it has on this image, but most of the time I wish it wasn’t there.

Honeymoon Trail, Northeast Minnesota

The colors are fantastic right now! Better get out there and enjoy them while they last!

Big Water Santee

Obviously, we've stayed at a campground or two over the past eighteen months. They tend to blur together after a bit. The one we are at now is one I think will continue to stand out in our minds. The sites are pull through and level and big enough to park our rig and truck on. We have full hook ups with 50 amps. The campground is pretty and on a lake. All good stuff.

What had my heart singing with glee though was the pool area. There is a fish shaped pool. There is a pool that has the baby pool built into one end so you can watch your little one play while being in the deeper end yourself. There is a splash zone. And there is my all time favorite water park feature: a lazy river. I think I spent three or four heavenly hours in this part of the campground. With an hour or so of that time including me reading a book while floating on the lazy river. I may want to stay here forever.





Living the life in South Carolina!

Peach Tree

With the weight of peachs and some wind the top of the tree broke. We proped it up with sawhorses and boards. But then the birds started eating on the peaches and the apples. We tried hanging plastic bags in the trees thinking the moving bag would scare off the birds. NOT. They are still taking a good peck out of each one. How do the people that grow them for market keep the birds out. Oh but our little bags look like cute little ghosts in the trees after dark.

Claret Cup Cactus

I took a series of photos of my claret cup cactus as it is the only thing in my dirty, windblown, dreary yard that is bright and cheerful.