Up-lifting Experiences

While a diamond-frame bicycle can be easily lifted by the top tube, a step-through frame does not have one - posing the question of how to hold the bike when picking it up. This becomes especially important when the bicycle is on the heavy side andfrequentlyneeds to be carried up and down the stairs. In the course of owning a number of loop frames, I have found that different bicycles require different approaches in this regard.

My Bella Ciao bicycle likes to be picked up by the rear portion of the curved top tube. This is such a stable position that I can even carry it with one hand without the bicycle buckling.When heldin this manner, I feel that the bike's center of gravity is directly under my hand, which is probably what accounts for the stability of this position.Also, my hand is snugly stuck in that little space between the upward sweep of the curve to one side and the top-downtube connector on the other - an important factor, because this way my hand cannot slip, even if the bicycle is wet from rain.

By contrast, this is what happens when I attempt to lift my Gazelle in the same manner. It's not that the bicycle feels too heavy - in fact, lifting it by that loopy spot makes it feel lighter than otherwise. But something is off in the balance, and the Gazelletries to flip over sideways, onto me, when held in this manner. It feels as if the center of gravity is not under my hand, but somewhere else. With the Pashley Princess I previously owned, this effect was even more pronounced - when lifted by this portion of the frame, the bicycle seemed to twist in my arms and threaten to bring both of us down. On the other hand, the vintage Steyr Waffenrad I rode in Austria was amenable to being picked up by the top tube of its "swan" frame. For reference, my Pashley was somewhere in between the weight of the Gazelle and the Bella Ciao, and the Steyr was as heavy as the Gazelle- so again, it is not merely a matter of weight.



This is how the Gazellewants to be lifted: by the seat tube. It stays stable and does not buckle when grasped in this position, despite feeling heavier than in the previously shown method. Could it be that for bicycles that prefer this method, the center of gravity is more toward the rear?



To get my bicycles home I must carry them up the porch stairs, through a narrow doorway, and then through another narrow doorway,after turning around in a cramped hallway. That may not seem like a big deal to those who have several flights of stairs to negotiate, but consider that I am a female with limited upper body strength and a bicycle like aGazelle or a Pashley is half my weight once it's loaded with bags. Getting a good grip on the frame is key if I don't want to drop the bike or, worse, have it fall on top of me. If you own a heavy step-through bicycle, how do you lift it and how do you carry it up the stairs?

There's Bugis for cheap shopping thrills and souvenirs in Singapore

I have been back in the Netherlands and currently suffering a light jet lag. I slept straight for 14 hours but was awakened when the Dutchman joined me in bed. I was startled at first. I did not know where I was? And I did not know who this man is beside me in bed! Oh dear me, lol.



Then I remembered I am home. I am with the Dutchman. This is what happens when you travel to different countries and staying in hotel rooms and other people's houses.



My last leg of my South East Asian trip was Singapore, and since this city was the most fresh in my mind, I have decided to post an entry about our shopping afternoon there, just the day before I left.



Bugis Street or Bugis Village

Website: Bugis Street









Singapore is a multi-cultural city and country. Everywhere you go they have signs in 4 languages like this at a construction site in front of Bugis: English (so everyone can understand each other, glad its not written in Singlish though!), Mandarin Chinese (74% of Singaporeans are Chinese, although other Chinese dialects are also spoken), Malay (well, Singapore was once a part of Malaysia) and Indian Tamil (another rich history from the past of Indian traders coming to Asia).











It is easy to get to Bugis by car, bus or MRT. Check the website link above for more information.



Some Bugis information and history



Bugis Village is the answer to all our cheap shopping thrills and souvenirs in Singapore. There are more than 800 shops here and is the largest shopping location in Singapore.



The area used to be frequented by hookers and transvestites in the 50's through the 80's. It's near Geylang, another area popularly known as the haven for the other darker side of night life. Things have changed since here at Geylang and Bugis, the area is now home to Singapore's biggest retail happening sans the upmarket signature brands unless you do not mind the quite looking very real work of imitations.



Interestingly, the place is also very local. There were some tourists shopping and passing through, I noticed, but not in big numbers. Bugis is clearly a local thing. Now you have been tipped off!



Trivia: Did you know that Bugis name came from the Buginese people of South Sulawesi, Indonesia? They are a seafaring people who moored their boats in the area and traded with Singaporean merchants.











The mother bought some stuff for the employees back home whilst the father acting as the poor shopping bags carrier, haha. But other than that, my mother likes markets like these. Like mother, like daughter I guess.











Okay, someone was brave enough (not me!) to come to Bugis shopping in flowered blue pants and towering high heels! Respect.









A conundrum!



I can't figure this out, but I simply love to browse and take pictures of local markets, especially if they are outdoor markets, farmers markets, street markets and markets housed in traditional buildings. Modern malls and expensive shopping centres do not interest me that much, although I do go there to buy stuff, sometimes to eat and meet people, but the excitement to visit a local traditional and sometimes kitschy market and partake in the experience is just different. I cannot compare the joy and contentment I get from this than going to a modern shopping mall.



Its a conundrum I suppose because I do rarely buy stuff at these markets, and when I do, I buy just one or two, while at malls and shopping centres, I do buy most of my stuff that I, for example, will really wear or use.



And if you have no appetite for shopping? Bugis have takeaway food and 'hawker' food stalls too! =)







They are selling fresh fruit juices but my favourite is chilled soya milk =)









Got so curious so bought a stick. They are fried chicken fingers wrapped in seaweed wrappers. They were... mwah.







From the same store we bought egg tarts but they were not near to the egg tarts in Macau. The Macau egg tarts were also not as par as the real egg tarts (Pastel de Nata's) in Portugal. At least I can say, I have tried them and can compare them to the original ones.



When you are in Singapore, do check Bugis Village or Bugis Street out!

Hotel Florida in Havana and what happens when you put your foot down

Havana is literally a colonial architecture dump. Time stands still in Havana, frozen during the majestic 18th century and fast forward into the 1950’s. Cuba in faded glory. So obviously our voyage into this island country was to experience what time warp is like in the 21st century. A stay at one of the historical hotels in Old Havana otherwise known as ‘Havana Vieja’ to the locals will be a great start.

I initially eyed Hotel Nacional de Cuba but this lovely hotel was tucked away far from the heart of Old Havana. We want a historical hotel in the centre where plazas and important sights are easily reached from our doorstep. Hotel Santa Isabel at Plaza Armas was also in my list but they were fully booked. I still have three other hotels to choose from and in the end the decision was placed on Hotel Florida, mainly because I love its colonial courtyard and its white and green colour scheme.

Before I booked this hotel online at Cuba Travel Network (you pay upfront) I researched high and low to make sure I made the right decision. It was when I learned about the drama on the missing windows in many hotels in Havana. So I specifically noted in my reservation—‘We need a room with a window or balcony please.’

Arriving quite late in Havana, I began to worry about the room without a window scenario. Well it seems that the stars have misaligned because we were assigned to Room 101—one of the notorious rooms indeed in Hotel Florida without windows.

NO FREAKING WAY. I simply cannot accept a room without windows after a crammed 10 hours flight?!

So I demanded my room with a window, and I stood my ground and never flinched. Hello? I PAID FOR A ROOM WITH A WINDOW gaddammit. I really and seriously put my foot down, not leaving the desk and nagging at the poor receptionist. Well, it paid off. She finally came to a solution and offered a junior suite at no extra charge for the next day before 10AM. Unfortunately the hotel was full and Room 101 is the only room available for the night. OK fine. I accepted her offer.

Here is the 4-star Hotel Florida on the legendary Calle Obispo, one of the prime streets in Havana Vieja:

The colonial atrium courtyard lobby of the hotel.

This is the second floor where the suites are located.

On the right picture is the door to our room.

The view from the second floor's hallway down to the courtyard lobby.

And here is our junior suite:

Because its a suite they do not have 2 separate beds but a king size one which is fine as its big enough for us. I can stick to my own corner =)

Our own private sitting room and moi on the balcony. I love high ceilings.

The marble bathroom, antiquated and honestly I felt icky here but I have no choice. I felt icky in all the toilets of Cuba except for the one in Trinidad as it was fairly new.

Fire tree and view outside from our suite's balcony.

Florida Hotel's restaurant where we took our breakfasts.

The marble statue at the entrance of the hotel and the hotel's male mermaid doorknob.

As for Room 101? The room actually looked elegant but I almost had a nightmare after seeing the bathroom that I didn’t even think of taking a shower that night considering that we had just a long transatlantic flight. Trust me, I didn’t want to touch anything in that bathroom! The ceiling and walls were in a grand moldy state. Stale odour was also emanating out of the air-conditioning. How on earth can you breathe with recycled air? I need fresh air otherwise I will suffocate. I am also very sensitive to sanitation affairs because my skin can quickly irritate, and it did.

So we woke up early in the morning and made a bee-line for the hotel reception desk. Luckily, we were told that they are now cleaning our new room and they will bring our luggage to the suite once it’s done. We were relieved. We had breakfast and a stroll around Havana Old Town before coming back to the hotel to inspect our new room.

TIP: When booking a hotel room in a historical hotel in Havana, always check if they have windows because many hotels have rooms without one. Havana is very humid and hot, and when there are no windows but only air-conditioning and recycled air, this makes the room damp and stale. Consider as well that the buildings in Havana are old and are not that well maintained. This is granted, helaas. Most rooms in fact have traces of mold spores and bathrooms have dark tile linings.

Petzl Nomic and Petzl Ergo comments.

As much as I like the Nomic I climbed all of last winter in North America with the new Ergo. And for the most part loved every minute of it. We had the earliest ice and some of the latest ice I have ever seen..



For everything I got on the Ergo was big fun. Even easier to climb with on steep terrain than the original Nomic. With a single exception.



There were a few times (OK be honest more than a few) that I was flagging on. I was getting tired. When that happens I get sloppy. Or it was just really cold. I get sloppy then too.







Somewhere we were soloing easy terrain and I was both cold and tired. And I had big gloves on. When all that happens with a pair of Nomic I now realise that I will often drop my little finger (and sometimes even my ring finger)out of the grip and let them hangbelow the rotation point on the tool.



But let me back up a bit here. Petzl has gone to great lengths to add a serrated stainless blade to the pommel of the newest tools. With varying levels of success mind you over two seasons. But what we have now allows you to use the Nomic or Ergo on moderate terrain easier and just as importantly (may be more so) add some stability to the tool on steep ice after a pick stick.



Call the serrated blade in the pommel a good thing. Except when it is not.





New Ergo on the left with theolder style and smooth pommel piece



New Nomic and the new serrated pommel on the right

I and many others have used the originalNomic in alpine terrain to good effect. You adapt and use the tool differently on moderate terrain. But the serrated pommel allows even more use of the Nomic in the mtns. The pommelchange is an improvement in normal conditions.



But on technical ground not so much in a verylimited circumstance. Here is why I think so. Even if I don't drop a finger out of the grip, I want as much rotation from the tool as possible. One reason I think the Fusion is an inferior tool for most in comparison to the Nomic. The spike of the Fusion and the serrated blade on the Nomic will eventually limit the rotation of the tool in the palm of your hand.



I might accept that in the Nomic and have with the newest tools and while climbing with the new Fusion and the spike attached.. But on the Ergo...not so much. Changing picks today on my Ergos I got to thinking..."the Ergo would be a better tool for me on really difficult climbing with the older,smooth and non serrated pommel". Easy change. Now if I drop a finger or two I won't mutilate them at the end of the swing. The stainless serrated pommel will do that and shred a pair of gloves as well if theyget between your finger and the ice.



That experiencecan be painful and indelible.

Easy answer? "Does that hurt?" "Then stop doing *IT*!" If I worked at it Icould always keep my hands and arms in the bus. But being tired comes with the game as does cold temps and big gloves. Generally if I have my Ergos out I am likely to get bit again. So I changed the pommels to the original style. Depending on what the climb is I might even change out my new Nomic's pommelsas well.



Not the typical response when looking at the old or new Petzl tools but something to think about if the parts are available. Everyone seems to wantthe new serrated pommel on their old tools. I prefer having the option of both style of pommel. And if I had to chose between the two for every condition I'd stay with the smooth, original ones. I know I'll get tired again and I won't keep my hands and arms inside the bus.



Back to the issue of the pommels themselves.



It is not like I am making this stuff up! What happened to the "old days" when a broken grip rest was the rare and onlyissue with a Nomic?



The new improved - tools just became available again recently in Europe and now here in the US and North America. Already I am getting reports in ofloosepommels.



this is typical:



"Interestingly though I've had mine for 1 month now. Bought a brand new pair at full retailas soon as they hit the shops here in Chamonix. The bottom griprest has already started to wobble on me. Pretty annoying but I was just wondering if you knew of anyone who has had the same issue?"



The answer is, yes. Theone pictured below is not the first I have heard about or seen.



photo courtesy of a CT reader



A fewfailures reportedboth loose inserts andinserts coming out early thiswinter soit is already obvious the "fix" isn't good enough. A liberal application of steel based epoxy kept my Ergos going all of last winter. Only one size grip though because of it. I'd suggest doing the same to your new tools. And I really hate adding this...as dumb as it might sound.......but be gentle with your pommels. You can imagine just how careful I am with mine when mixing and matching pommels. Which has to be analmost acertain recipe for failure until Petzl decides to do this right again.



Petzl reports the new pommel at double the last versions strength.



"How strong is the GRIPREST?



GRIPREST strength was doubled to withstand loads of 300daN."





http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/news/events-0//10/12/newly-modified-versions-nomic-and-ergo-ice-axes-are-available





pommel photos courtesy of Dave Searle

We Could Talk for Hours

An interesting novelty about cycling with other people for me has been the talking. And I mean hours and hours of non-stop talking. Now, I am not an introvert per se. I can talk. I can even sit next to a stranger at a dinner party and have a perfectly pleasant chat.




But while it's one thing to chat over dinner, it's quite another to spend 5 hours talking non-stop while pedaling and watching each other sweat and scowl. It brings out a different kind of conversation. A sense of bonding can take place with what in retrospect seems like alarming speed.




In adulthood, we do not typically make friends as easily as we do in our younger, more innocent days. With the years we grow more protective of our private lives and more jaded in our views of human nature. At least to some extent, cycling seems to dismantle those defenses and encourage an openness that - in my experience at least - is outside the norm of casual social interactions. Maybe this comes from the physical exertion. Exhausted from pedaling, we have no energy left to remain guarded and aloof. Maybe it comes from the sense of sharing a unique, beautiful and painful experience that no one else is there to witness and to understand as we understand it.




Whatever the reason, conversations flow. Bonds form. The cyclist becomes a keeper of other cyclists' stories, lots and lots of stories.




I still think of myself as predominantly a solitary cyclist. But now something funny is happening: When I ride alone, I find myself retrieving memories of my riding partners, remembering different snippets of conversations. It's unexpectedly difficult to go from non-stop talking on a bike for hours, to riding on my own in silence.

Annual totals for registration

If you look at the past 5 years of registration on Mount Rainier, you'll notice that the numbers are declining, from 13,114 in 2000 to 8,927 in 2005. However, when you look at the trend over the past 15 years, 1998-2002 appear more as a spike. Certainly, the sport gained a lot of momentum during the 90's. Here are the numbers.

On a another note, Washington State D.O.T. have their hands full on highway 123 (that's the road between Cayuse Pass/hwy 410 and US 12 and the Packwood area). Access along the east side of the park may be delayed this spring if there is a lot of road damage; stay tuned...

The Belay Jacket Tutorial

Ryan Johnson bundled under a Fisson SL and a Dually layered over an "action suit" base, photo courtesy of Clint Helander





I write about, study, worry about,buy and use a lot of belay jackets. It hasn't always been so. And until relatively recently (only the last 10 years) in my own climbing career never actually used a "belay jacket". While at the same time for the last 30 yearsI have been intentionally tryingto climb "light and fast", all while not freezing my ass off. With varying amounts of success.



Sure, on the rare occasion I have carried what some would refer to now as a "belay jacket". But they were really just part of my sleeping system that allowed me to carry a lighter bag. Not anything Iintentionally wanted to climb in. And even then it would have to be pretty darn cold for me to be able to climb in those same jackets without over heating.







With out a belay jacket, and more importantly, without the knowledge of how to properly use a belay jacket, the idea of "light and fast",generally will mean something other than: light, fastand no sleep till you were off the hill.



At some point your endurance and your gear willlimited what you do in the mountains. The limit (which seems pretty well proven @ this point) for us was 40 hrs of continuous climbing. Better plan on a nap by hour40. Oreven better, a good bit of sleep to recover and better rehydrate from the effort.



It is the decision that you will likely go over 40 hrs that will determine what additionalgear you'll need for the required nap. Andhow much you'll likely suffer for the decision.



From the email the blog generates and the typical Internet traffic on "belay jackets" I see, it is obvious to me that there is some confusion on how a "belay jacket" is best used.



If you have any doubts the first thing you should do is read Mark Twight's EXTREME ALPINISM. The current crop of belay jacketswere specifically designed around theideaon a "action suit" for climbing and easily added over layers of insulation ( the "belay jacket") when stopped, to maintain body heat.



But here is the rub. Like many great ideas, it is how that idea is applied that counts.



Coolmuscles work more efficiently than over heated muscles.

If you don't believe that or don't understand it try a simple test. With the same clothes and effortrun a 10K in the rain @ 50F degrees and runthe same 10K @ 95F degrees



Now apply that lessonto your own climbing. Sure you need to survive. So you'll want to take the amount of insulation required to do so. But you also want to be efficient in your own climbing. Which will mean cool musclesare much better than over heated ones. Take theleast amount of weight that enablesyou to succeed.What you need and nothing more.



A jacket designed for a 60hr ascent of Denali's Solvak route is not likely the same jacket you will need for your local 6 pitch mixed line in the lower 48.



The belay jacket is part of your belay system. It is not, by defnition,a part of your "action" suit.

One is for climbing. Theother is an addition to your climbing suit, to retain the body heat you have just generated by climbing, to limit theeffects of nomovement while belaying.



It is important to differentiate between the two. A 60g Atom LT or a Gamma MX shell that are the major part of your upper body "action suit" are not part of your "belay jacket" system. In the opening picture for this blog Ryan is using a Fisson SL (76g) and a Duelly (152g) as his "belay jacket" system. That is a full 200+ g ofArcteryx's Therma Tek insulation! Early Spring can be prettycold in the shade on the Kahiltna.



The Atom LT Ryanclimbs in or the soft shell you climb inas a the main upper layer of your "action suit" is not a "belay layer". My guesswhereclimbersget into trouble is by thinkingthat a 60g Atom LT and a 100g SV...as good as the combo is to climb in...will then be aswarm as a Atom LT and Duelly combo. The 60/100 g combois not going to be as warm. You are talking 160g verses 230g combos.Seems obviousdoesn't it? But I have seen others suggesting exactly that.



It is bad math to add your action suit insulation to your "belay jacket" insulation. In other words take the insulation required in yourbelay jacket....just don't take any more than required.



It should be obvious by now that could be 60g or 260g depending on your objective.



I can't tell you how many times I have regretted not taking my own advice. Freezing my ass off at a belay, and then because I was chilled, leaving my belay jacket on to follow the pitch. Then almost immediately over heating mid pitch because of thatmistake. That is with just100g insulation for my Belay Jacket, even @ -30C!I would have been better off to start off cold and warm up on the pitch by climbing. My clothes would have stayed drier. I would have stayedbetter hydrated. And most importantly I would have been stronger overall on route. I am a slow learner. But I do eventually learn from my mistakes.





Here is a list of what is available from Arcteryx and Patagonia as an example of insulation in their various models. Depending on the temperatures any one of them, or any combination of them, could be used as the perfect "belay jacket".


Arcteryx:



60g coreloft Atom LT

100g corloft Atom SV

140g Coreloft Kappa SV

153g of Therma Tek Duelly

153g of Therma Tek Fission SL with GTX Pro Shell



Patagoniua:



60g of Primaloft 1 Nano Puff Series

100g Primaloft Sport Micro Puff Series

170g Primaloft 1 DAS (/ version)

Weekend Outlook for SWPA ice climbing

Laura and I went out yesterday to climb a little and check local ice. Here's a photo recap and suggestions for those seeking to climb the best conditions that SWPA has seen so far this season.






South Connellsville Rod and Gun Club

On most years this small privately owned crag forms up some of the best mixed climbing in SWPA. Its always high on my "hit list" when formed up. Current conditions have rarities "in" and ready for takers. It's been a number of years since I've seen these mixed lines look like this. The classic ice lines of NRA, Cave Shot, and Double Barrel need a couple more days of cold to bring them "in". The mixed lines Internet Connection, Alpine Ascent Gully, Cocked and Loadedas well as others are all in good shape. They look at least as good as when the lines were first climbed. New water routes and the recent cold snap has formed up some new unclimbed M lines that will help ease the pain of our dismal season.

This 50M line really caught our eye

Another new formation for

Internet Connection climbs up the center of the photo

Laura below Skymonkey and Internet Connection

Mixed options galore with Skymonkey and Internet Connection on R end.

L to R Cave Shot, NRA, Double Barrel

New untouched lines on the Pistol Whipped Wall

Meadow Run and Ohiopyle State Park

Here's some photos of Lower Meadow Run. Its really not "in", but top rope options do exist. Please take care not to destroy barely touched down pillars. As usual the mixed lines are looking good for ascents at any time. Hemlock will go as will the Main Flow. An easy to get to crag with easy rigging. A good option this weekend.




We didn't check Upper Meadow, but I'd bet it has top rope lines to be done.




Victoria Flats would most likely have ice in the Gullies.




The always fun bolted "ice" climb Winter Dutchman at Schoolhouse wall would be a good shot to try as well.

Laura below Anger Management at Lower Meadow Run

Irishtown

There are some climbs in at Irishtown as well. The Prow is in pretty good shape, Mouth of Madness is out. We climbed Dynamite yesterday and found the topout to be thin despite its appearance. Dirty T is in really good shape, with bolts possibly hiding under the new ice.

Dynamite at Irishtown

SWPA has some ice to be climbed. Better than these areas have seen thus far this season! Hope this helps those of you looking for climbs in SWPA this weekend...