How Many Bikes Are You Riding?

Lately I've been testing and experimenting with many bikes, and some have asked which ones I ride on a regular basis. Or do I ride a different one every day? Well, definitely not that. Despite a penchant for accumulating temporary and permanent bicycles, I prefer to ride the same ones over and over, and the fewer the better. The rotation changes, but the pattern has been three bikes at a time. Now that it's the hottest part of the summer, I've been riding the mixte for transportation, as well as a roadbike and a touring bike for sporty rides. As the cold season approaches I will start riding the mixte less and my hardy 3-speeds more. For roadcycling I will probably switch to a fixed gear as the days grow shorter, because it packs more punch into shorter rides. But all in all, it's pretty much no more than three bikes at a time for me, one of which is always a fully equipped transportation bike.



Giving this some more thought, I can see how I arrived at experimenting with multiple bikes. I don't drive, so every time I leave the house to do anything it is on a bike. But I don't have a consistent commute either, instead traveling between different places numerous times a day. The destinations vary, the distances vary, even the terrain varies. And that's all just for transportation. Add an interest in touring and roadcycling to the mix, and it's easy to see how things can get out of hand!



How many bikes do you have in rotation at a time? Do you enjoy switching from one bike to another, or are you a creature of habit who prefers to stick with the same one(s)?

The Age of Ascent

Ian Elliottis a modern sport climber.

Heclips bolts, he grabs draws, he uses tricks, sticks andkneepads.





But he's no slouch.

Tenacity like a cockroach. He comes back from injuries again and again. The kind of stuff that would stop someone half his sons age.











He's known almost exclusively as Old Ian. Not sure how he got that name.



Style:Gandolf meets Harry Butler. Rocking these Arthritis support kneepads in blue, poly pro underwear in black, and red polar tech beanie by Hot Tuna.

He gets the covetedjjobrienclimbing tick.











Ian channels Bhagwan Shree Rajnessh as he works the moves on "Weapon of Choice" 27, Coolum Cave.Spooky, huh?



I somehow feel proud that the cave has such a climber as Ian, as though I gain some prestige just by association.Climbers, I have to confess to being ageist. I know, coming from me! Old people, they gamble, they take drugs, they drive like maniacs.But then there are exceptions that give us an alternative model.







I could watch it again and again:The scene where this kindly old gentleman shows a Forester load ofbumpy boyshow to do the route they've been dogging all day. And then offers to retrieve their draws.Priceless.









Grow old, stay strong.jj

Ice Cave Sunset

This view was the perfect end to a beautiful day. I had spent a couple of hours photographing ice along the shoreline when I came across this small cave. The cave had a rock in it that was just the right size and shape to make a comfortable seat. When I sat down on the rock inside the cave, the view looking back out along the shoreline was magical. The sun was just starting to dip below the trees and the hanging ice framed the scene beautifully. Like I said earlier... the perfect end to a beautiful day!

Milk Jug Toy

No - it is not a dog fight. They play that way all the time. This is Tuffee and Ziva our dogs, and their favorite toy is an empty plastic milk jug.

The Days Ahead

The pre-Christmas blizzard has come and gone, leaving in its wake a patchy landscape of snow, slush, ice, and mud. Yesterday the weather was mostly good and we went for a ride along the Charles River Trail - our first real ride together in weeks. In the afternoon everything looked lilac and utterly beautiful; it was a wonderful ride.

The previous night it had rained and much of the snow had washed away. Though the river bank was snowy and the river was iced over, the trail itself was mostly clear, save for a few stretches. What surprised me was how utterly impossible it was to cycle through those stretches.

Having ventured out in the blizzard last week, I thought that I "knew" snow - and with that thought, I proceeded to cycle straight through a snowy patch. As a result, I almost took a spill - twice. Apparently, the fresh, evenly distributed powder through which I rode last week was nothing compared to the lumpy mess of slush, ice, and crusty snow of varying density through which I now attempted to pass. Let's just say, the Marathon Plus tires said "No". And I don't think studded tires would have helped in this kind of snow either - though feel free to correct me if you disagree.

The Co-Habitant checks my tires whilst enjoying the view of Boston across the river. I love this picture, because it captures the feeling of living in this area in a way I can't quite explain verbally. And I have a funny story about my tires, but will hold off on that till the next post.

After yesterday's ride, I think the realities of winter have finally hit me: My God, I won't be able to cycle "normally" again for the next 3 months! Sure, on good days I may feel safe enough to cautiously ride from Point A to Point B. But I can pretty much forget those fast long rides I have grown used to over the Summer and Fall. During the warmer months, I probably averaged around 100 miles per week on the bike, over 80% of them recreational. It should come as no surprise then, that the comparatively minimal cycling I am doing now leaves me wanting more. So what do I do, get a trainer? That's not the same as "real" cycling, and I just can't see myself getting into it. Instead, I think I simply need to accept the limitations of winter, and to stay positive by planning for the next season. Since I enjoy long rides so much, perhaps I should try to develop my endurance and challenge myself - set some goals, devise a training schedule, think of some local destinations I would like to cycle to, and so on.

A year ago, I could not have imagined that I would ever develop an interest in the "athletic" aspect of cycling - but there you have it. Those are my thoughts on cycling as we head towards the New Year. What are yours?

Fountain

I do not remember this large fountain being in the Patio Market the last time I was here but it looks like it has been here forever. Inside of it somewhere was a pump that kept the water constantly circulating so that it looked like the bucket was always spilling water out.

Fun in the Winter Sun

I have bragged in the past about the Co-Habitant's wonderous winter commuting skills. But truth be told, is that really so impressive to accomplish on a cushy modern Pashley? Yesterday, he tried riding Rodney - his vintage Raleigh DL-1 with rod brakes - and reports his experience:

In a vintage bike, the freezing temperatures can really effect the brakes and steering. The cold stiffens the grease in the headset, making the steering extremely stiff. Of course you can rebuild the headset, but this takes either skill and time, or money to spend at the bike shop - so it is yet another issue to take into consideration when buying old bikes. Similarly, old brake pads tend to harden in the cold, compromising braking performance considerably. On regular caliper brakes, the brake pads can be replaced with new salmon KoolStops to remedy the problem. But rod brakes are incompatible with the KoolStop pads, so there is not much that can be done really.
So there you have it: a vintage bicycle with rod brakes is great in the snow... unless you need to stop or safely turn. Of course none of that prevent the Co-Habitant from riding it around the neighborhood - though thankfully, he does not plan to commute on it to work.

And we're out there having funin the cold Boston winter sun

A group of Horses

Big Metal Vase

There were these big metal vases or pots by the entrance to one shop.

(dis)Comfort Bike Blues

Only two weeks left until I return to the US, where the Co-Habitant, our two kitties, and our small flock of bicycles await me expectantly!



That is the good news. The bad news, is that I will not be cycling for the remainder of my stay in Austria. Apparently, I have managed to mildly injure myself by cycling too fast and too much (60-80 km rides) on a bicycle that was not designed for it. I was warned that this could happen, but my enthusiasm for the trails got the best of me and I did not heed the warnings. Now I need to take a break and heal completely, if I want to be able to cycle for the rest of the summer. Grrr.



So I guess this is Good-bye to the rental comfort bike I have been riding here for the past 2 months. We've had some good times together, but she just was not made to cope with my demands.



It's not that comfort bikes are categorically "bad" bicycles. Short trips feel marvelous, and they can handle a wide range of town and country terrain. But the longer the trip and the faster you attempt to ride, the more you begin to feel the limitations of their anatomy. Whereas the road bike is built for speed, the mountain bike for off-road use, and the Dutch-style bike for utility, the comfort bike manages to combine components of all three in a way that provides the full benefits of neither.



Clever Cycles has an excellent article that compares the anatomies of different types of bicycles and explains why comfort bikes can feel the opposite of what their name suggests:

Ergonomically, I think comfort bikes ...are sort of a disaster. They have the steep-ish seat tube angle of a mountain bike, and simply bring the bars much closer and higher... This results in a very shallow torso angle so the buttocks can’t help much with pedaling. You see riders of these bikes bobbing their torsos forward with each pedal stroke trying vainly to enlist more muscles to the aid of their smoking quadriceps. The saddles are appropriately broad to support the upright rotation of the pelvis, but all that broad tragic squishiness leads to chafing because the seat tube angle puts the pedals too nearly below the hips. A common compensation is to set the saddle too low, which only makes the other problems worse.

This describes exactly the problems I was having with the rental hybrid. At first it feels quite comfortable, as it does give you a fairly upright posture. But the longer you cycle, the more you feel that the seating tube angle, the handlebars, the space between the different parts of the bike, etc., all sort of work against you rather than for you as you attempt to go long distance, climb a hill, or pick up speed. And, if like me, you keep at it despite feeling the bike's limitations, the inevitable results are pain and possible injury.



If you are shopping for a bicycle, be aware that what are called "comfort bikes" do not have the same construction as traditional relaxed frame bicycles such as the old English 3-speeds and the Dutch-style bicycles.



It will be difficult not riding a bike for 2 whole weeks now that I've gotten so used to it! But no doubt this period of velo-abstinence will make me appreciate the bicycles waiting for me at home all the more.

Childs Cup

These cups were very popular in 1950's. The little bird on the handle is a whisle and it says 'Whisle for Milk' on the bottom. This one was mine. I found them on line and they are worth about $5.00 now and sold for 39 cents orginally.

Tea Pot

Tea Pot from the 1930's and worth about $50.00.

Happy Thanksgiving

Everyone here at the Tumbleweed Crossing wants to wish everyone anywhere a Happy Thanksgiving.

We Have a House

Yesterday I had a conversation with someone and in the midst of the conversation the other person said some things that left me in a state of being completely stunned. They shared their view on some aspects of our life and what they believed to be true. Now, this is just a part of life. People spout their views and assumptions all the time. Some more than others.




This was a person who has been around us enough, though, that I didn't realize until that conversation they did have many assumptions about us and our life that were just not true. At all. I started to share the truth as I see it, but then a voice inside of me said: Do.Not.Even.Try so I hit the backspace button and deleted it and just let them know I heard what they shared.




They then went on to share something they did, that I think they were sharing was the same as how we have lived for four years now, and given it was not even in the same ballpark, my brain really went on full tilt. I'll be honest, I'm still reeling from that conversation trying to truly wrap my brain around some parts of it.




As I was pondering it today, Dr. Phil's "you either get it or you don't and you're not getting it" popped into my head. Sometimes we just don't get it in life. All of us. But then I pondered my experiences where I have wanted to get it and am starting to get it and just need a bit more information to understand it. So while Dr. Phil might have some wisdom on that topic, I don't think it represents the whole truth. Sometimes we are simply on our way to getting it and in between those two places.




I remembered how much research I did before we decided to be full timers. I remember how it took us about two years from the time we first considered it, until we really did it. And I needed, desperately needed in fact, to hear how it really worked. I wanted to get it. I just needed others to be willing to share the nitty gritty of it all. I needed to know this was not only possible, but what would our lives look life if we did do it.




I had this fear that doing this might be this unstable, bizzaro world experience...one that would have me deeply regretting it. I wondered just how much doing "this" would change everything. We are on year four with this now and so today I understand a few things that I didn't know then.




To me, how we live our life is very simple and easy.




We have a house. This is what it looks like:



To us, it is just like our last house that looked like this:



It is a place where we eat, sleep and hang out some. No, the houses are not exactly the same. They both served the same purposes in our lives though. One has wheels that allows it to go with us as we move from place to place. The other doesn't. We sold the one because it didn't have wheels. We bought the other because it did. That's it.




Other aspects of our lives are pretty much the same. We needed love, peace, joy, community and family before. We need those things now. We needed food, shelter and some material goods before and we do now. We needed income of some sort to provide those things then, and we do now.




We had a job that provided income when we lived in our last house. And even though we had an unexpected job and income loss last year, except for three weeks in between "jobs", we have had a job that we worked to provide income since we moved into our current house.




We aren't rich. We aren't retired. And as much as we joked last year about maybe having to get a J.O.B., that was about us being spoiled and both being able to be home all day long with our kids while making money and today one of us leaves the house for some hours of our day to make money. Someday both of us might have to leave our house for a few hours each day to make money. While that is not our preference, we are mature enough to roll with that if it does happen. That might happen no matter what kind of house we choose to live in.




We would and do pick jobs that we think would work well for us. We think that is only fair to ourselves and our employers. We have both been in positions of management so we get how truly awful it is for a place to have employees that aren't happy there. So we have pretty much always done that. Again, no difference there in our view.




For those that are considering this lifestyle and do wonder, how does it work when you are a bit younger than the normal full timer: if you have a job that you can do from home, you most likely have a job that you can do from a home with wheels-even if you do move around with that house. Yes, you might have to figure out what is necessary to do so, but isn't that true of any job? Jobs with insurance are available to both. Jobs that don't have insurance are available to both.




If we want to settle down meaning stay in one place, we will and more importantly, we can. We are doing that now in fact.




If we want to move around, we can.




We don't think that limits our options because we have done the math and when you have a house that will allow for both, we think that means that increases your options. In this economy, we think it is a smart choice to increase your options as much as possible. If we were in a different field of work, this might not apply. We trust most adults to be able to tell the difference between the two. We believe we know the difference between the two. If we didn't, we would not have been able to live for four years on the road.




Even when I thought I'd try this for a year, we did not do this to get a vacation. We did not want or need to escape our "life", even if for a season, so there was no need for a vacation. We had a goal long before doing this to not live a life that we needed a vacation from. We reached that goal long before we ever did this.




We did this to take our life that we already enjoyed and moved it to this space to continue to enjoy it. We hoped we would more fully enjoy it. I have shared time and time again, we just took our life we already had on the road. And for the most part, it really is that simple.




We did want less of some things (stress, material goods and working hard to maintain those material goods) and wanted more of other things (time with our kids and each other) and we wanted to see our country up close and personal and learn tons while doing so.




In many ways, even though we took our life on the road, we do live a very different life today. But it still isn't so much that we strive to not live our old life.




It's that we fully immerse ourselves in our new one. And in doing so, we have in fact experienced a whole new way of living, being and interacting with each other and the world than we did before. Wouldn't it be wise to do that no matter what your circumstances though?




For us, we took the route that worked for us because of who we are. We have seen others leap and do this in ways that would have struck terror in my heart. We have seen others do it in ways that we deeply admire and still it would strike terror in my heart to do the same.




We do what works for us today. We see others doing the same. My guess is both of us are pretty much the same people we were before and both of us have grown and changed in some ways since. Again, I think that is true of people that live in houses too. It really is that simple.

More Balloons

Phantom Ultra vs the Trango Extreme GTX

Scarpa Phantom Ultra size 45 weight 35.5oz



La Sportiva Trango Extr Evo GTX size 45 weight 35oz



(how much do your gaiters weigh?)



These are two of my favorite lwt single boots for winter use.For those that missed it in the Hot Aches Production of "Pinnacle", MacLeod was wearing the similar Phantom Guide (slightly heavier and may be a bit warmer/harder to dry,than the Ultra)whileTurner was using the Trango Extreme GTX.



Given the option of either boot it is a hard decision on whichto choose when looking at temps that will easily allow either.



Let me do a run down of my thoughts on each and let you choose.



I have long skinny feet with very narrow ankles. I a Size 45 in either boot. The Ultra has a slightly bigger toe box. Enough to notice. The Trango a slightly more snugfit in the over all foot. The Ultra a better fit in the heel for me...zero heel lift tightly laced or even a bit loose.



The Ultra offers marginally more ankle support...but the Trango certainly offers enough for steep ice and both offer great flexibility.



Both boots offersuper sticky rubber soles with minimal lug height. Makes both brands of boot a little slick in some snow conditions. I have heard continual complaints now of the Trango having too narrow of a foot print and being unpleasant on trails..an "ankle twister". Hog wash was my first thought...but I heard it more than once and all from people I trust using the boot. Not something I personally experienced though.



The Ultra is a OutDry lined boot. The Trango a Goretex lined boot.



Both stay dry if you keep the water below boot top height. The Trango seems to retain more moisture from foot sweat. Both boots are difficult to dry once wet. The Ultra has a removable insulated insole, the Trango a removable, thin foam insole. The Ultra seems to dry slightly easier, to much faster.



The Ultra obviously offers more weather resistance with the built in gaiter than the very traditional Trango's open tongue andlace system. To make up for that I believe the Trango offers more insulation.



I think both boots really require an over the boot gaiter or pant gaiter. I have been using "pant" gaiters with both boots and done well insome very sloppy conditions. The Ultra will always fair better here as you have one more layer of protection from the elements.



The Trango is much, much easier for me to lace and manage the laces,. The Ultra has a zipper (which everyone seems to worry about) and a gaiter to deal with as well as the sorta complicated and super slick Dyneemalaces. Advantage on ease of lacing and keeping your boots tightgoes to the Trango I think.



The sole has some flex on the Ultra. But they are super easy to walk in and just stiff enough in my size 45s to climb vertical water ice very well, mixed even better. What really saves this boot imo is the added ankle support and exceptional heel fit on technical terrain 'cuz I reallydo wish they had a stiffer sole platform.



The Trango has a rock solid mid sole. I don't flex this boot's sole which is comforting. But the ankle offers almost zero support in any direction. Great for mixed, not perfect for long bouts of steep ice.But the super stiff sole also makes this boot a little unpleasant to walk in. I think it is a far better fitting boot than its stable mate, the Batura.



No question the Ultra can be laced very close to the foot. Almost like a rock shoe. And if you are not careful way, way too tight. None of those problems, even with a great fit and a tight boot inthe Trangos.



The Trango will give you an almost perfect fit in any current crampon made. The exception is some crampons (Petzl) will bite the back of your ankle when you flip up the binding lever. BD heel levers don't and will fit most any full binding crampon, including Petzl's.



I have yet to find an off the shelf crampon that fits the Ultra perfectly or even very well. The front toe profile on the Ultra is super thin and very narrow. To date I have tried Grivel G12s, G20s, Rambo IVs, BD Sabers, Seracs,Neve, Cyborgs, Camp Utralitesand Petzl Darts and Dartwins. Petzl and Scarpa tell me there is no problem Others have repeated that matra. BD admits it is an issue with their current bail. So they will beintroducing a totally new bail.



Ueli Steck on the le Droites in Dartwins and the Ultras...gotta say I don't particularly likethat boot crampon combo. That crampon/ boot combinationfit is poorimo. And I really like both the boot and the crampon and have used the combo a good bit myself as have others. It works but could be bettered on the Ultra.

Creatures of the Night

As others are noticing, summer is slowly ending and darkness is descending earlier and earlier each day. Today I spent most of the daylight hours working on a difficult photo shoot(nothing to do with bikes) that in the end may or may not have been successful. Let me tell you... even if you love photography, it can be frustrating. Spontaneous pictures are fun, but when you have to get something just so or the whole project is no good, and there is a timeline, and you are working with medium format film photography... well, it can get just a tad stressful. I got home after dark and with every fiber of my body felt that I had to ride the Gazelle toclear my head. So I rode in slow motion to a cafe, drank coffee while staring out the window, and rode back. I felt better.



The bottle dynamo lighting on the Gazelleis not the brightest, but for now I think it will do. And I like the soothing, barely audible swishing/hissing/whistling sound that the bottle makes as it rubs the tire. Riding along and listening to it, I feel such a direct connection between myself and the light that illuminates the road. That's me, making light with my feet... how nice that is. (Andwhen such thoughts run through my mind, I know that I must be tired!)



From a more practical perspective, I will eventually need to either supplement the existing dynamo with LED lights, or upgrade to a stronger system. I have been considering the Dymotec 6. Any experiences with it or suggestions for alternatives? Autumn is coming, and increasingly this bicycle will become a creature of the night. Just imagine the tire sidewall singing this to the dynamo bottle...

More Petzl Nomic pick feed back?

This from Petzl America recently:





"- We are NOT bringing back the Cascade pick for the Nomic. Perhaps this rumor is based on availability of the Cascade pick for the previous generation Quark, which is still in production.



- Same story for the 1st generation Griprest. We have no plans to bringthis one back, although there still may be some stock out there which could be feeding these rumors.



- There is no new Griprest on the horizon, however, the latest (post* Quality Alert) generation of the Nomic Griprest will fit the 1st Gen Nomic."



The still available 1st gen Quark Cascade picks can be easily cut down and used in any version of the Nomic for those that preferless "stick" water ice pick. And for durable dry tooling the old 4mm T rated Quad pick will work with little effortas well. Quad is my choice in the alpine if a lot of rock is involved. Might be better tothink of the Nomic as having 4 different picks available directly from Petzl.








Ally's originalQuad pick in a 1st gen. Nomic with a CT hammer. Winter of '10/11in Chamonix.




Either way easy enough to copy the Nomic blade pattern and reshape the lower back section of the older Quark picks to fit the Nomic. Only adding the clip inhole, if required, is difficult. The Quark Cascade pick tooth and back edge patterns are exact copies of the older Nomic Cascade picks. A few minutes work with a grinder and files. Add a spacer,bolt the new pick in and you are ready to rock!








Older Quark Cascade pick on the bottom, Nomic Cascade on top.

Obvious where you need to remove metal on the earlier picks to fit.

Jemez Springs Church

When we came back through Jemez Springs we stopped at this gift shop (which was closed) as the pink flowers on the flowering plum tree in front of the church caught my eye. You can see how close to the main street of the town the church is. Not sure how old this church is but think from the 1940's or there about.