Friday, January 31, 2014
Charleston SC From My Window
Although we already left here, I wanted to share a few shots from this fabulous city that I took on Sunday. I loved this city. We have already put this on our list of places to come and stay in!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Vehicles of Equality
[image via cnn]Last week many of us were following the #women2drive campaign in Saudi Arabia - a move organised via social media, where about 40 Saudi women drove cars in protest of their country's ban on female drivers. Saudi Arabia is the only country where it is currently prohibited for a woman to drive. The ban has become a symbol of gender inequality, while driving has become a symbol of freedom and women's liberation. It is unclear as of yet what effect the protest will have on Saudi policy toward women drivers. Meanwhile I've received an email from a cycling activist, asking whether I thought bicycles would at any point be incorporated into the movement.
[image via wn]To clarify, women in Saudi Arabia are not permitted to cycle just as they're not permitted to drive. That is, they are allowed to be passengers on a bicycle, but not operators. The point of the ban is to prevent women from going off on their own, and so it applies to any vehicle that facilitates travel. However, I doubt that Saudi women will be getting on bicycles and staging a #women2ride movement any time soon. While in some cultures there is now a trend to associate cycling will freedom (freedom from dependence on fuel, from being stuck in traffic, from having to find parking, from hour-long commutes, from financial strain, etc.), the bicycle does not symbolise any of those things in Saudi Arabia. Neither does it symbolise travel, in the contemporary sense: A car can travel further and more efficiently if fuel is not an issue.In order for a group to protest not being able to engage in an activity, that activity has to be perceived as desirable. And I just don't think cycling has that status in Saudi Arabia.
[image via rfe/rl]There areother issues to consider as well. Operating a bicycle is deemed "too sexy" by some government and religious figures in conservative Middle Eastern countries. In Iran there is technically no travel ban in effect for women, but the Iranian Women's Cycling Team was stopped by the police while training last October and told that the activity is not permitted in public, as it is too provocative.
There is also the question of safety. Driving in protest is safer than cycling in protest, as on a bicycle a person is more vulnerable to recognition, apprehension, and potential attack.
[image viabikehugger]While in Western cultures the bicycle became a symbol of gender equality in the Edwardian era, I don't think that this can be applied to today's situation in countries where basic women's rights are being debated - particularly in the Middle East. The circumstances are too different. Should cycling activists feel threatened by the#women2drive initiative? I think that would be highly misguided. But the question of how to make bicycling more accessible to women in this region is worth considering.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Featured
Yesterday I was pleased to learn that my mad little velo-world was featured in an article called "Bicycle Glamour: Everyday Cycling vs. Competitive Sport" on deepglamour.net. This was most unexpected - first, because Deep Glamour is not a bicycle-related publication, but even more so because I am familiar with the author's writing.
Deep Glamour is a weblog run by Virginia Postrel, who is a contributing editor of the Atlantic Monthly and the author of several books including The Substance of Style: How the Rise of Aesthetic Value Is Remaking Commerce, Culture, and Consciousness. I like Ms. Postrel's work very much, and so you can imagine how nice it was to discover that she wrote about my website. To my further delight, the article mentioning Lovely Bicycle was not only interesting in itself, but quoted me properly and did not distort the meaning of my words. I've had bad experiences with journalists in my non-bicycle life, and frankly I expect the worst when anything is written about me in publications - so Hurray for journalistic integrity!
Deep Glamour is a cultural commentary blog that "explores the magic of glamour in its many manifestations" - something I suspect many of my readers might find appealing. I appreciate Ms. Postrel's writing about bicycles in the way they deserve to be written about - in the context of glamour and romance.
Deep Glamour is a weblog run by Virginia Postrel, who is a contributing editor of the Atlantic Monthly and the author of several books including The Substance of Style: How the Rise of Aesthetic Value Is Remaking Commerce, Culture, and Consciousness. I like Ms. Postrel's work very much, and so you can imagine how nice it was to discover that she wrote about my website. To my further delight, the article mentioning Lovely Bicycle was not only interesting in itself, but quoted me properly and did not distort the meaning of my words. I've had bad experiences with journalists in my non-bicycle life, and frankly I expect the worst when anything is written about me in publications - so Hurray for journalistic integrity! Deep Glamour is a cultural commentary blog that "explores the magic of glamour in its many manifestations" - something I suspect many of my readers might find appealing. I appreciate Ms. Postrel's writing about bicycles in the way they deserve to be written about - in the context of glamour and romance.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
The Moro Rock Trail
One of the shortest trails in Sequoia National Park, at only one-quarter of a mile in length, the Moro Rock Trail is also one of the steepest, climbing 300 feet in elevation. The path twists and turns around, over, and through the rock as it rises to the top. The views are stupendous!
A sign at the bottom of the trail warns that even though it is short, the trail is strenuous. Some of the steps have been, quite literally, carved from the rock.
Approaching the top of Moro Rock. It is a pretty safe trail with railings in place, where needed, for safety's sake. It's not scary, unless you decide to look over the edge!
Plants seemed to be growing in nearly every crevice.
It really wasn't dangerous, but glancing over the side and straight down did cause a bit of dizziness.
Looking south, toward the entrance to Sequoia National Park.
At the top of Moro Rock.
Spectacular views in every direction.
Just a few of the steps that have been carved from the rock.
A sign at the bottom of the trail warns that even though it is short, the trail is strenuous. Some of the steps have been, quite literally, carved from the rock.Approaching the top of Moro Rock. It is a pretty safe trail with railings in place, where needed, for safety's sake. It's not scary, unless you decide to look over the edge!Plants seemed to be growing in nearly every crevice.It really wasn't dangerous, but glancing over the side and straight down did cause a bit of dizziness.Looking south, toward the entrance to Sequoia National Park.At the top of Moro Rock.Spectacular views in every direction.Just a few of the steps that have been carved from the rock.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Roadster in the Rain
My Co-Habitant never tires of tantalising me with photos of his Pashley Roadster, while I suffer here alone and bicycle-less in distant lands. Here are some close-up shots in the rain...
Oh how the raindrops do glisten on that chrome ding-dong bell...
and on the Sturmey Archer 5-speed hub...
and on the Brooks Glenbrook bag...
Brooks saddles come with this convenient rain cover. Don't know whether I think they look cool or perverse! Either way, I am completely envious.
Oh how the raindrops do glisten on that chrome ding-dong bell...and on the Sturmey Archer 5-speed hub...and on the Brooks Glenbrook bag...Brooks saddles come with this convenient rain cover. Don't know whether I think they look cool or perverse! Either way, I am completely envious.Monday, January 20, 2014
Battle at Little Bighorn
Sunday, August 28th - - 135 years ago, late in the afternoon of Sunday June 25th, a battle took place here that has been mired in controversy ever since. It was in this area that 210 men in five companies of the Seventh U.S. Cavalry were killed in action by Lakota (Sioux), Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors.
“Custer's Last Stand” took place on this hillside where 42 of those 210 men, including George Armstrong Custer, lost their lives. There was supposed to be a three-prong attack but the other two columns of soldiers were delayed. In other skirmishes in the area that day and the next, an additional 58 soldiers and Indian Scouts were killed. It was called the Battle of Little Bighorn by the United States and Battle of the Greasy Grass by the Lakota (Sioux), Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people.
Custer vastly underestimated the size of the Indian encampment in the valley below; it numbered in the thousands though not all were warriors, there were many women and children as well as older men. (Figures I've seen at various websites put the number anywhere between 6,000 and 12,000 Native Americans camped in the valley.) Thinking that his troops had been discovered, Custer felt that the element of surprise had been lost and that the Indians would quickly leave their camps. So he attacked, splitting his troops in an attempt to surround the encampment. Obviously, that didn't work!
In about a five mile stretch, along the ridges and in the gulleys, the spots where soldiers and some of the Indian Warriors were killed are identified with markers, although in most cases, not with specific names.
Many of the soldiers and the Indian Scouts were mutilated and scalped. However, Custer was not. Some say it was because he was dressed in buckskins rather than a uniform; he had been shot in the temple and in the left chest.
At the top of the hill where Custer made his “last stand” is the memorial to the soldiers and Indian Scouts who lost their lives during the two days of fighting. Their names are inscribed on the sides of the monument.
It is estimated that about 60 Indian Warriors were killed in the fighting. The spots where 14 of them were killed have been identified with reddish-brown markers. These two are for Cheyenne Warriors “Hahpehe'Onahe” aka Closed Hand and “A'Kavehe'Onahe” aka Limber Bones who “fell here on June 25, 1876 while defending the Cheyenne way of life”.
The Battlefield is dotted with interpretive signs that help in understanding what took place and when. This sign is across the road from the memorial to the fallen soldiers. The visitor center also has a 17-minute video and park Rangers give a 20-minute talk every half hour or so. The video and talks are quite interesting.
Across the road and a short distance from the memorial to the soldiers, is the Indian memorial, which was authorized in 1991 along with a law that changed the name from Custer Battlefield National Monument to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. A large circular area contains the above sculpture as well as a wall of displays embedded in black granite. It was quite impressive and very informative, presenting just a little bit of the battle from the perspective of the Native Americans.
A detail of the sculpture.
Some of the Indian Scouts in the employ of the U.S. Army and with the 7th Cavalry were members of the Crow nation. The Crow considered the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho people to be their enemies because, among other things, the Sioux tribes were encroaching on what had traditionally been Crow territory.
The panel above depicts the scene of the Battle of The Greasy Grass as drawn by White Bird of the Northern Cheyenne.
On August 10, 1983 a prairie fire swept over the battlefield, burning nearly 600 acres of dense, thick vegetation. For five weeks in May and June of 1984 the National Park Service conducted a systematic archeological survey of the battlefield. They recovered 1,159 artifacts including arrow heads, bullets, cartridges, buttons, coins, soldier skeletal remains, boots, military and horse equipment, and personal items of soldiers and warriors. Archeological evidence, used in conjunction with accounts of the battle participants and placement of soldier bodies help in reconstructing the battle. Additional archeological surveys were conducted in later years and will continue in the future.
A four mile drive along the ridges of the battlefield provides some idea of the extent of the battle and the challenges wrought by the terrain.
The markers for an Interpreter Guide “Neesirapat” aka Bloody Knife and two Indian Scouts “Hukos-ta-rikus” aka Sgt Bobtail Bull and “Naahukoos Ciripaslt” aka Little Brave who fell here “while defending the Arikara way of life”.
Much has been written about the Battle of Little Bighorn with various interpretations of the events leading up to the battle and of what actually occurred during the battle – just do a search for it and I'm sure you'll come up with quite a variety of websites! It seems that History is always open to new interpretations, so regardless of your own feelings and ideas of what happened here I'm also sure you will learn something new - I know I did!
“Custer's Last Stand” took place on this hillside where 42 of those 210 men, including George Armstrong Custer, lost their lives. There was supposed to be a three-prong attack but the other two columns of soldiers were delayed. In other skirmishes in the area that day and the next, an additional 58 soldiers and Indian Scouts were killed. It was called the Battle of Little Bighorn by the United States and Battle of the Greasy Grass by the Lakota (Sioux), Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people.
Custer vastly underestimated the size of the Indian encampment in the valley below; it numbered in the thousands though not all were warriors, there were many women and children as well as older men. (Figures I've seen at various websites put the number anywhere between 6,000 and 12,000 Native Americans camped in the valley.) Thinking that his troops had been discovered, Custer felt that the element of surprise had been lost and that the Indians would quickly leave their camps. So he attacked, splitting his troops in an attempt to surround the encampment. Obviously, that didn't work!
In about a five mile stretch, along the ridges and in the gulleys, the spots where soldiers and some of the Indian Warriors were killed are identified with markers, although in most cases, not with specific names.
Many of the soldiers and the Indian Scouts were mutilated and scalped. However, Custer was not. Some say it was because he was dressed in buckskins rather than a uniform; he had been shot in the temple and in the left chest.
At the top of the hill where Custer made his “last stand” is the memorial to the soldiers and Indian Scouts who lost their lives during the two days of fighting. Their names are inscribed on the sides of the monument.
It is estimated that about 60 Indian Warriors were killed in the fighting. The spots where 14 of them were killed have been identified with reddish-brown markers. These two are for Cheyenne Warriors “Hahpehe'Onahe” aka Closed Hand and “A'Kavehe'Onahe” aka Limber Bones who “fell here on June 25, 1876 while defending the Cheyenne way of life”.
The Battlefield is dotted with interpretive signs that help in understanding what took place and when. This sign is across the road from the memorial to the fallen soldiers. The visitor center also has a 17-minute video and park Rangers give a 20-minute talk every half hour or so. The video and talks are quite interesting.
Across the road and a short distance from the memorial to the soldiers, is the Indian memorial, which was authorized in 1991 along with a law that changed the name from Custer Battlefield National Monument to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. A large circular area contains the above sculpture as well as a wall of displays embedded in black granite. It was quite impressive and very informative, presenting just a little bit of the battle from the perspective of the Native Americans.
A detail of the sculpture.
Some of the Indian Scouts in the employ of the U.S. Army and with the 7th Cavalry were members of the Crow nation. The Crow considered the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho people to be their enemies because, among other things, the Sioux tribes were encroaching on what had traditionally been Crow territory.
The panel above depicts the scene of the Battle of The Greasy Grass as drawn by White Bird of the Northern Cheyenne.
On August 10, 1983 a prairie fire swept over the battlefield, burning nearly 600 acres of dense, thick vegetation. For five weeks in May and June of 1984 the National Park Service conducted a systematic archeological survey of the battlefield. They recovered 1,159 artifacts including arrow heads, bullets, cartridges, buttons, coins, soldier skeletal remains, boots, military and horse equipment, and personal items of soldiers and warriors. Archeological evidence, used in conjunction with accounts of the battle participants and placement of soldier bodies help in reconstructing the battle. Additional archeological surveys were conducted in later years and will continue in the future.
A four mile drive along the ridges of the battlefield provides some idea of the extent of the battle and the challenges wrought by the terrain.
The markers for an Interpreter Guide “Neesirapat” aka Bloody Knife and two Indian Scouts “Hukos-ta-rikus” aka Sgt Bobtail Bull and “Naahukoos Ciripaslt” aka Little Brave who fell here “while defending the Arikara way of life”.
Much has been written about the Battle of Little Bighorn with various interpretations of the events leading up to the battle and of what actually occurred during the battle – just do a search for it and I'm sure you'll come up with quite a variety of websites! It seems that History is always open to new interpretations, so regardless of your own feelings and ideas of what happened here I'm also sure you will learn something new - I know I did!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Finally went to Ephesus yesterday!
Ephesus is an ancient Greek city (later became a Roman city during the Roman Empire), one of the largest cities in the 1st century BC and very famous in the Christian world because of Paul's ministry. The apostle Paul lived here for sometime (see Ephesians book in the New Testament, Bible).
Trivia: Did you know that Saint Paul was not officially part of Jesus' Twelve Disciples? He gained the title Apostle Paul because of his work and dedication in spreading Christianity outside of Jewish territory. Before Paul, Christianity was strictly for the Jews, a tributary religion of Judaism, although Judaism never acknowlegded Jesus as the messaiah (son of God), they are still waiting for the messaiah to come. Judaism even saw Jesus as one of the false messaiahs albeit the most influential of them all.
I have always seen Paul as the best sales person and marketeer in the whole wide world. Without him, there would have been no Christianity today. This would have been an extinct religion.
Now John, one of twelve desciples of Jesus, also known as John the Baptist, the Beloved Disciple (or the disciple whom Jesus loved), John of Patmos, John the evangelist, wrote the Book of Revelations (New Testament, Bible) here in Ephesus. He wrote the rest of the book in Patmos Island but I am not going there because its a 2.5 hours boat ride from Samos Island where we are staying.
The ancient city of Ephesus was also the site of the Temple of Artemis (also known as Temple of Diana) completed around 550 BC, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world but there is nothing left to see of the temple really except for a small cut-off column.
Nowadays, Ephesus is a big touristy attraction and a pilgrimage site as well. Roman Catholics visit the House of Virgin Mary nearby. Artists such as Sting, Elton John, etc have performed at the grand theater.
The city ruins are now part of Turkey.
I will post a more thorough entry about my visit to Ephesus another time, with lots of pictures of course.
Trivia: Did you know that Saint Paul was not officially part of Jesus' Twelve Disciples? He gained the title Apostle Paul because of his work and dedication in spreading Christianity outside of Jewish territory. Before Paul, Christianity was strictly for the Jews, a tributary religion of Judaism, although Judaism never acknowlegded Jesus as the messaiah (son of God), they are still waiting for the messaiah to come. Judaism even saw Jesus as one of the false messaiahs albeit the most influential of them all.
I have always seen Paul as the best sales person and marketeer in the whole wide world. Without him, there would have been no Christianity today. This would have been an extinct religion.
Now John, one of twelve desciples of Jesus, also known as John the Baptist, the Beloved Disciple (or the disciple whom Jesus loved), John of Patmos, John the evangelist, wrote the Book of Revelations (New Testament, Bible) here in Ephesus. He wrote the rest of the book in Patmos Island but I am not going there because its a 2.5 hours boat ride from Samos Island where we are staying.
The ancient city of Ephesus was also the site of the Temple of Artemis (also known as Temple of Diana) completed around 550 BC, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world but there is nothing left to see of the temple really except for a small cut-off column.
Nowadays, Ephesus is a big touristy attraction and a pilgrimage site as well. Roman Catholics visit the House of Virgin Mary nearby. Artists such as Sting, Elton John, etc have performed at the grand theater.
The city ruins are now part of Turkey.
I will post a more thorough entry about my visit to Ephesus another time, with lots of pictures of course.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Springy
Red admiral butterfly on Sweet cicely. (Vanessa atalanta on Osmorhiza longistylis.)
This is the same type of butterfly from last year's butterfly wrangling post.
I know that they are widespread, but somehow it still surprised me to see a picture of one on a blog from Israel that I ran across recently. (Lots of nice flower and cat pics there too.)
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Technical note: Yesterday's bluebird post was MIA for most of the day due to Blogger problems, sorry!
It will probably be Rurality Lite for a while due to several things (none of which are bad news). Some obnoxious bragging coming up soon about one of them.
Thug life and ice conditions!
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I'm sure my skis have been feeling neglected due to all the ice climbing, so with miserable ice conditions I decided to treat them to some time on the snow.I spent the last week hanging out in the Terrain Parks at Seven SpringsWe went up for some sessions of body battering and severe pain infliction a.k.a. (Jibbing) For those not in the know jibbing is freestyle skiing (doing stunts) on man made obstacles like hand rails, boxes and many other items.Similar to what skateboarders do in thecitys, but on snow skis at ski resorts see the link.Fun Stuff!Skiing was cold and windy most days, but with the recentbuild of The Spot, it was worth cold digits.They'vebuilt the half pipe, jump line and set up two tiers of new rails. What can I say... They did a great job and things are sweet. Each day the weather was foul on one side of the mountain or other. So we got to spend a couple days eachsessioning The Alley and The Spot. Today with seriously sore legs and many other body parts, I decided it was time to take a break from the parks andcheckconditionsto see how the ice rebuild was going. I can happily report that the ice has rebonded to the walls in most places and is looking good for the weekend. Here are some photosof current conditons.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Bike Shadow
It kept following me around, so finally I took a picture.Ever photograph your own bike shadow?
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
An Illinois Round Barn
Tuesday, May 3rd - - As I left Argyle State Park this morning, I turned right instead of left thinking that the road would loop around back to US 136. It didn't. But I came across this neat old Round Barn. I would have loved to take a look inside but it was some distance from the road and it was on private property. As you can see, blue skies and sunshine were in abundance! It was a cool 41 degrees but there was no wind so it was actually rather comfortable.
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