Data Mining :: Who is Who? And how do they fit?

This is going to be a long post... it has taken far more time to compile than anticipated and I wasn't sure how to present the information. Hopefully it will be somewhat clearer than mud and will be of help to someone besides myself! If you are doing research on these Rupert families, please contact me – kinexxions@gmail.com



These past three weeks I have consumed “quite a few” hours searching for tidbits regarding Rupert families in Columbiana County, Ohio - in online family trees, FamilySearch, Ancestry dot com, Footnote, and other sites as well as spending three full days at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne.



A considerable amount of time has also been spent in evaluating what had been found at the Family History Library in addition to the new stuff. A lot of “information” has been gathered with more than a few “Huh?” moments, especially with the family trees but also in “official records,” which has resulted in a bit of confusion which in turn has caused some degree of frustration because the records that are needed are not immediately available. More information = more questions that need answered.



In trying to sort out the Rupert families in Columbiana County, it certainly helps that the two “biggest players” (Adam and John) both left wills that named their children, though perhaps not all of them and, of course, some of the names are the same! However, John did not give us the married names of his daughters, just their first names, which certainly complicates matters. I do appreciate the fact that he listed his children but why oh why couldn't he have given us their married names?



For now, my goal was to attempt to determine how many Rupert families there were in Columbiana County and who belongs to whom. At this time it is a “best guess” and more research is needed to confirm or deny any assumptions. I have not, by any stretch of the imagination reviewed all of the family trees online that are out there for these people nor have I done an exhaustive search (though this has been a bit exhausting!) for all records.



FamilySearch has been putting the Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 online. They are only 17% complete and include just 11 counties for the years 1816 through 1838, but one of those counties happens to be Columbiana! The neat thing about the years 1816-1820 is that they listed the original owner as well as the current proprietor.



In addition, the microfilm of the Ohio Land Records (Roll 136) for the Register of Certificates 1800-1812 for Steubenville Land Records was viewed at the Allen County Public Library. The records for the “original owners” (Adam, John and William Rupert) were transcribed.



The Tax Lists, along with Census Records and Land Patent Records have identified men with the Rupert surname who either owned land in Columbiana County, Ohio or resided there. For the early years (prior to 1828) the township names were not included on the tax list. I've used the land description (Range and Township) to determine the actual township. An example, from the 1816 tax list for Columbiana County, Ohio is shown below.





1816 Property Tax List, Columbiana County, Ohio



Portion of the Ohio Townships map (pdf) found at the Ohio DNR website.

For reference purposes: Hanover Township is left of Center (where the “OLU” is in Columbiana). Unity Township is in the upper right corner. Columbiana County originally encompassed the southern tier of townships in Mahoning County as well as the eastern tier of townships in Stark and portions of Carroll and Jefferson Townships.



Below is a compilation of the Ohio Tax Lists available at Family Search for the years 1816-1836 and the early federal census records (1820-1840) for Columbiana County for the surname Rupert, or variations (Rooperd, Rupart, Ruper, Ruperd, Rupert, Ruppard, Ruppart, Ruppert, and Ruport) To save space, I've omitted the surname from the Property Tax abstracts. The Tax Lists for Personal Property have not been included but I found no additional names for the years covered.



I'm not sure what, if any, conclusions can be drawn with this information. Examination of the actual Deed Records could provide additional information. I'm hoping that someone with more information will see this and contact me! kinexxions@gmail.com



=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= John =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

• John Rubert, resident of Columbiana County, Ohio was issued Patent Certificate 1145 on December 1, 1804 for 159.4 acres in R4 T15 S26 through the Steubenville Land Office. Final Certificate 1347 was issued to him on November 25, 1808.

• John – Tax List - Hanover Twp (R4 T15 S26) – original owner - 161.3 acres - 1816, 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820 (80 acres), 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836

• John Rupert - 1820 - Hanover Twp p5, one male over 45 and one female over 45.

• John Ropert - 1830 - Hanover Twp p19, one male 80-89, one female 20-29, one female 70-79 [This is the father of my ancestor Eva Rupert Yarian. The 1830 census puts John's date of birth between 1741 and 1750. The female age 20-29 is most likely a caretaker or housekeeper.]

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Richard, son of John =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

• Richard Rupert - 1820 - Hanover Twp p5, one male under 10, one male 16-25, one female 16-25 [He is most likely Andrew Richard who sold land in 1824 along with his wife Mary and John Ruppard and wife Barbara and the Richard mentioned in John's will. He may be the Andrew Rupert listed in the 1830 census Sandy Twp, Stark County, Ohio p1.]

• Richard - Tax List - Hanover Twp (R4 T15 S26) - original owner: John Rooperd – 80 acres - 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1825

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Adam =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

• Adam Rupert, resident of Columbiana County, Ohio was issued Patent Certificate 1350 on April 26, 1805 for 313.2 acres in R7 T19 S11 through the Steubenville Land Office. Final Certificate 1445 was issued to him on April 12, 1809.

• Adam - Tax List - Unity Twp (R1 T8 S17) – original owner - 324 acres – 1816, 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829 [apparently sold land to Adam Jr and Jacob]

• Adam - Tax List - Canton Twp (R8 T10 S25) - original owner: John Nichols - 160 acres – 1819, 1820 [Canton Twp is now part of Stark County. Do not know if this is the same Adam Rupert]

• Adam - Tax List - Unity Twp (R1 T8 S5) – 50 acres - 1824

• Adam Rupert – 1820 - Unity Twp p5, one male under 10, two males 16-25, one male 45 and over, one female 10-15, one female 16-25, two females 45 and over.

• Adam Rookart Sr - 1830 – Unity Twp p17, one male 70-79, one male 80-89, one female 10-14, two females 70-79. One person in the household is blind. [Am assuming this is Adam Rupert Sr. as he is otherwise not enumerated in the census for Unity Township. On the same page as Adam Jr. and Jacob Rookart. Indexed as Adam Rookard Junior.]

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Jacob, son of Adam =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

• Jacob - Tax List - Unity Twp (R1 T8 S17) - 160 acres – 1830, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836 [Apparently purchased or received half of the property that was owned by his father.]

• Jacob Rupert – 1820 - Unity Twp p5, one male under 10, one male 26-44, one female under 10, one female 16-25. [He is listed on the line immediately after Adam. Jacob was not named in the will of Adam Rupert but it was mentioned in several online trees that he was given a share of the remaining undistributed assets of Adam's estate.]

• Jacob Rookart – 1830 - Unity Twp p17, three males under 5, one male 5-9, one male 30-39, one female under 5, one female 5-9, one female 30-39. [Am assuming this is Jacob Rupert. He is enumerated on the same page as Adam Rookart Jr and Sr.]

• Rebecca Rupert - 1840 – Unity Twp p19, two males 5-9, one male 10-14, two males 15-19, one male 20-29, one female 10-14, one female 15-19, one female 40-49. [Rebecca is the widow of Jacob]

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Adam Junior, son of Adam =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

• Adam Jr - Tax List - Unity Twp (R1 T8 S17) – 160 acres – 1830, 1832, 1833, 1835, 1836 [Apparently purchased or received half of the property that was owned by his father.]

• Adam Jr - Tax List - Unity Twp (R1 T8 S11) – 160 acres – 1834

• Adam Rookart Jr - 1830 – Unity Twp p17, one male under 5, one male 20-29, one male 30-39, two females under 5, one female 5-9, one female 20-29. [Assuming this is Adam Rupert Jr. as he is otherwise not enumerated in the census for Unity Township. Listed on the line just below Adam Sr. Indexed as Adam Rookard Junior]

• Adam Rupert – 1840 – Unity Twp p19, two males under 5, one male 5-9, one male 10-14, one male 20-29, one male 30-39, two females under 5, three females 10-14, one female 30-39, one female 80-89. [This is Adam Jr as the elder Adam passed away on April 22 1840.]

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= ? ? ? ? ? ? =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=



Then there are these fellows, none of which are mentioned in the will of John or Adam Rupert. Are they related or are they “strays” that don't belong to either John or Adam?



=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= ? ? William Rupert ? ? =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=



The actual census pages were viewed and William is not listed in the 1820 or 1830 census for Green or Beaver Township.

• William Rupert, resident of Frederick County, Maryland was issued Patent Certificate 627 on October 20, 1803 through the Steubenville Land Office. Final Certificate 1104 was issued to him on February 16, 1804.

• William - Tax List - Green Twp (R3 T16 S1) – original owner - 690 acres - 1816, 1817 (delinquent), 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822 (non resident), 1823 (non resident), 1824 (non resident), 1825 (non resident) - entry shows S11, 1827 (no first name listed), 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835 (delinquent for 1833 & 34), 1836

• William Rupert, resident of Frederick County, Maryland was issued Patent Certificate 628 on October 20, 1803 for 628 acres in R3 T16 S8 through the Steubenville Land Office. Final Certificate 1103 was issued to him on February 16, 1804.

• William - Tax List - Green Twp (R3 T16 S8) – original owner - 640 acres – 1816, 1817 (delinquent), 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822 (non resident), 1823 (non resident), 1824 (non resident), 1825 (non resident), 1827 (no first name listed), 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836 (delinquent for 1835)

• William Rupert, resident of Adams County, Pennsylvania was issued Patent Certificate 2516 on October 23, 1806 for 159.82 acres in R2 T13 S18 through the Steubenville Land Office. Final Certificate 1754 was issued to him on November 18, 1809. [May not be the same man who purchased land in Green Twp. There was another Rupert family in Beaver Township. See below.]

• William - Tax List - Beaver Twp (R2 T13 S18) – original owner - 160 acres – 1816, 1817 (delinquent), 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822 (non resident), 1823 (non resident), 1824 (non resident)

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= ? ? Christian Rupert ? ? =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

• Christian Rupert – 1820 - Centreville p2, one male 26-44, one female 16-25. A marriage is recorded for Christian Rupert and Mary Steller in Columbiana County ( v2 p12) on September 1, 1818. [The town of Carrollton was originally called Centreville. The name was changed when Carroll County was organized in 1833.]

• Christian - Tax List – Washington Twp (R5 T14 S23) – 3 acres – 1826, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1832 [This land is now part of Carroll County.]

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= ? ? George Ropert ? ? =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

• Geo Ropert – 1830 - Hanover Twp p19, one male under 5, one male 20-29, one female under 5, one female 20-29. [George is in Hanover Township, same as John.]

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= ? ? Beaver Township Ruperts ? ? =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=



And then, there is another Rupert family residing in Columbiana County - in Beaver Township. In 1846, Beaver Township became a part of newly formed Mahoning County. On pages 790-791 of the “20th Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio and Representative Citizens” edited and compiled by Gen. Thos. W. Sanderson, 1907 there is a biography of Jacob W. Rupert born August 13, 1840, in Beaver township, Mahoning County, Ohio. He is a son of Benjamin and Catherine (Wonsetler) Ruppert. Benjamin “was born in Beaver township and was a son of Jacob Ruppert, who came from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and settled first just north of North Lima, removing from there to a farm of 200 acres, northeast of Canfield, on which he lived for the rest of his life.” This Jacob does not appear to be part of the John or Adam Rupert families, but, who knows? I do have some additional information on this Mahoning County Clan but haven't had time to fully review it yet.

• Jacob Ruperd - 1820 – Beaver Twp p2, five males under 10, one male 26-44, one female 26-44

• Jacob - Tax List- Beaver Twp (R2 T13 S22) - original owner: Christian Klinker - 163 acres – 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1825, 1826

• Jacob - Tax List - Beaver Twp (R2 T13 S14) – 10.25 acres – 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832

• Jacob Rupert – 1830 - Beaver Twp p9, one male under 5, one male 5-9, one male 10-14, one male 20-29, one male 40-49, one female under 5, one female 30-39.

• Jacob - Tax List - Beaver Twp (R2 T13 S11) - 10 acres - 1831, 1832

• Jacob - Tax List - Beaver Twp (R2 T13 S8) - 72 acres – 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836

• Jacob - Tax List - Beaver Twp (R2 T13 S7) - 59 acres – 1836

• Samuel - Tax List - Beaver Twp (R2 T13 S18) – 160 acres – 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1831

• Jacob Rupert - 1840 – Beaver Twp p7, one male 10-14, three males 15-19, two males 20-29, one male 40-49, one female 10-14, one female 40-49.

• Benjamin Rupert - 1840 – Beaver Twp p3, one male under 5, one male 20-29, one female 15-19.

• Eli Rupart – 1840 - Beaver Twp p17, one male under 5, one male 20-29, one female under 5, one female 15-19.

• William Rupert – 1840 - Beaver Twp p17, one male 20-29 [born 1811-1820], one female under 5, one female 20-29.

Blue Ice :: Portage Glacier

A mutual decision was made to leave Denali National Park a day early, partially because the time that Sue and Fred had in Alaska was limited and, without advance reservations, we had pretty much done what we could in the park. We drove south on Wednesday (August 11th) through Anchorage and part way around Turnagain Arm to Chugach National Forest and the small town of Portage.

We found a campsite at Williwaw Campground in the National Forest then immediately drove to Portage Glacier Lake and caught the last tour boat of the day for our first close-up look of an Alaska Glacier!

In the late 1800s there were four glaciers in this area that came together. Miners and other hearty souls used the glaciers as portage routes. Portage Lake was formed about a hundred years ago when the glaciers began receding. All four glaciers still exist but three of them are called “hanging glaciers” since they have receded so far and no longer come down into the valley.

Our vessel was the 80-foot Ptarmigan, shown here coming in to shore prior to our tour.

From the visitor center, Portage Glacier is hidden behind the mountain outcropping on the right.

Portage Glacier is on the right. It is called a valley glacier since it goes all the way into the valley. It is 450 feet deep but since there is nothing to give it perspective there was no way to really judge how high it was.

Photographs certainly do not do it justice! The rocks facing us in the center are 175 feet high!

A portion of the face of the glacier.

The closest we got was 300 yards away because of the possibility of calving – where ice breaks away and drops into the water. We didn't see any calving but felt the wake of a shooter – where a piece of ice breaks off beneath the surface and pops up out of the water.

There was a Forest Ranger on board who provided some scientific information about glaciers but, honestly, I wasn't paying attention! The blue color of the ice was intense and amazing. If you want to know more about why the ice is blue, check out this Causes of Color website.

In some places the ice hangs over the surface of the water, thus the “dark line” where the ice meets the water.

To put it into perspective, the Captain showed us a photograph taken a few years ago. He let me take a picture of that photograph and it is being used with his verbal permission. The Ptarmigan (the tour boat we were on) is floating in the middle of the bay amongst smaller icebergs in the same location as we were in – 300 yards away from the face of the glacier – and the boat (the largest of the floating objects) is merely a speck in the water.

Little Wild Horse Canyon

For the majority of our honeymoon Jessica and I explored the canyonlands of southern Utah for a couple of weeks. We had beautiful weather for the majority of the trip and did 16 hikes that added up to a total distance of 64 miles. We wanted to stay away from the large crowds that often plague national parks of the southwest, so we focused primarily on exploring and hiking within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This monument is administerednot by the NPS (National Park Service)but by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). The monument consists mostly of dirt backroads leading to trailheads with trails that have little to no maintenance but lead to some incredible canyons. Most, but not all, of our hikes were within this monument.



Our first canyon hike was in Little Wild Horse Canyon, not far from Goblin Valley State Park. We left our motel in Green River early in the morning hoping to be the first ones at the trailhead. Our plan worked as we were the only vehicle in sight when we arrived at the start of the trail. The trail was beautiful right from the beginning as it headed up the wash. Before long we were in the canyon, but it was quite wide at that point. Not long after hiking up and around a dry fall, we were in the canyon narrows. This is where it got really interesting. The canyon had several nice sections of narrows and in the narrowest section we had to turn sideways in order to make it through. Eventually we came to a few boulders wedged in the canyon that put a stop to our forward progress. At this point we turned around and returned to the trailhead via the same route we came in on. It was a wonderful start to our canyon adventure!

Wood Ducks on spring pond

This evening Jessica and I went to a friend's house to use his photography blind in hopes of seeing the Wood Ducks on his pond. We were told that each day there were anywhere from two to sixteen ducks using the pond. We went into the blind at 5:30 PM and the first pair of Woodies landed at 6:00. They were only on the pond for about 20 to 30 seconds, then they walked up into the woods on the opposite side of the pond from us. We didn't see any more ducks until 7:00 PM, when a group of 4 more landed. When they flew over the blind we could hear the "whooooooosh" or air under their wings. 5 minutes or so later a few more landed. Ultimately we ended up seeing a total of 9 Wood Ducks and 4 Mallards. We also saw the resident Muskrat swim back and forth across the pond several times. Oh, and there was a Ruffed Grouse drumming throughout the evening in the nearby woods. We left the blind at 7:30 PM, just as the spring peeper frogs were starting to sing. It was an unforgettable spring evening in the Minnesota Northwoods!

Things Change and Stay the Same

image from the tentacles of the magnificent octopus

With upon us, I would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe, exciting and all around fulfilling New Year, full of cycling and all the other things you enjoy.

I've been trying to think of "resolutions" for next year pertaining to this blog, and in the process I am realising that I don't have any. This may not sound very exciting, but more than anything I would like for things to remain as they are: to ride bikes, learn more about bicycle design, overthink everything as usual, make mistakes in the process, and write about it all without getting overly self-conscious about how silly I might sound. This year I was upset and surprised when two of my favourite bicycle blogs were discontinued. But I also understand why it happened, and I can easily see how the same could happen here. For that reason I feel that it is especially important to keep things low key and not overextend myself. This is something I will try to bear in mind throughout .

Other than this, I am quite happy to keep it open-ended. I have been cycling for transportation more or less daily since the start of this blog, and over time I've become increasingly interested in roadcycling. Within these two realms there are so many possibilities for exploration, that I feel as if I've barely scratched the surface. My interest in bicycle design continues, and it's been fascinating to learn about materials and methods of construction other than the lugged steel I love. There's just... so much to it all! As new people get swept up into this obsession every day, there are also those who've been at it for decades - no less enthusiastic now than they were in the beginning. I hope that will be me in future.

I've had some requests for a New Year's cocktail like last year, and so I offer you the following:

The Slideways:. real pomegranate juice. dry champagne or white sparkling wine. gin (of course). small lime. sprig of mint. ice

In a cocktail shaker, combine ice, 1 shot of pomegranate juice, 1 shot of gin, 2 shots of champagne, and a generous squeeze of lime. Keep a tall champagne glass in the freezer to give it that frosted look. Strap the cocktail shaker to a rear rack of a fixed gear bicycle, then pedal forward and backward, rapidly changing direction. Unstrap the shaker. Remove champagne glass from freezer and pour in the contents immediately. Garnish with mint. Recline on your bicycle, side-saddle, while drinking and listening to this. Repeat as necessary.

A hat tip to Andy Arthur for his adorable illustration of my clumsy bike handling skills, and my sincere thanks to everyone I've crossed paths with via this blog in - be it virtually or in person. A Happy New Year to all!

Moving On :: Anchorage to Glennallen

Friday morning (August 20th) arrived with mostly blue skies. And sunshine for the third day in a row! There was very little wind as I drove along Turnagain Arm, on my way once again to Anchorage and points beyond.

The lack of wind made for extremely calm waters, perfectly reflecting the blue sky. This is where Turnagain Arm joins the Cook Inlet, south of Anchorage. What may look like clouds where the water meets the sky are actually the snow-capped mountains on the far western shore of Cook Inlet!

It was after noon by the time I left Anchorage (after stopping at McDonalds for two hours to use their wifi, and eat lunch, of course). By then clouds had begun to move in over the mountains.

After weighing my options, I decided to head for Haines on the north end of the Inside Passage. From Anchorage, I took Highway 1 (also known as the Glenn Highway) east towards Glennallen, a distance of about 190 miles. This is the same route that Sue and Fred took on Tuesday (the 17th).

A portion of the Glenn Highway is designated a National Scenic Byway. It was a nice drive. The road was in fairly decent condition but it did have several rough sections. I hate to say it, and I certainly don't want to alienate any Alaskans, but at times it was also rather boring. I'm sure that when the road was first constructed the views were magnificent. But the trees have grown taller and sometimes it is like driving through a channel of green. All you can see are the trees on either side and the sky overhead. It is the same way on many highways, not just those is Alaska.

I've gotten “frustrated” more than once upon seeing a sign that says “View Point” or “Overlook” or one that has a nice graphic of a camera indicating a photo-op ahead and then, when you get there, what do you see? Nothing but trees. Now, I have nothing against trees. I love them. We need them. And I don't expect highway departments to cut them down just so I can get a nice photo, but, well... Anyway, every once in a while you do get see a wonderful view and then you appreciate it even more.

For much of the way, mountains rise on either side of the Glenn Highway. This is the Matanuska River Valley, formed many, many years ago by a glacier of the same name, which, at one time, extended all the way to Palmer (about 100 miles west).

Merely a “shadow of its former self” the Matanuska Glacier still exists and is still changing the landscape. The glacier is 27 miles long and it averages 2 miles in width. The “face” of the glacier, what I'd call its “front” and is technically called its terminus, is 4 miles wide! It's one huge chunk of ice!

Matanuska Glacier is accessible from the privately owned Glacier Park. I drove down the steep, winding, narrow one-mile long dirt road and crossed over the river on a rickety wooden bridge to the park office. There I found out they charge an admission fee of $20, which allows you to hike a trail to the ice that takes about 15 minutes... but in listening to her describe the trail to someone else (very, very muddy due to all the rain they've had) , I decided not to go on that hike. Hopefully, sometime during my stay here in Alaska I'll get “up close” to a glacier.

I drove on to Glennallen, at the junction of Highways 1 and 4, and stopped at the Northern Lights RV Park and Campground. It was one of the nicer RV Parks I've stayed at since leaving Montana. Unlike most, it wasn't just a parking lot with hookup stations. There was some degree of privacy, which was nice. Also flush toilets, showers and wifi. And although the wifi wasn't the fastest, it was okay and I was able to get a couple more blog posts scheduled.

Another California Poppy

I just can't get enough of these.

Celestial Fantasy

It looked like the sky might be clearing to the northwest so I decided to head that direction in search of openings in the clouds. The first break in the clouds that I found was along the Arrowhead Trail whichmeanders through Grand Portage State Forest just out of Hovland, MN. I found this nice shooting location just past Irish Creek on the Arrowhead Trail. The clouds were breaking up just enough to let the aurora shine through, and it was magnificent! Light fog along the ground added an extra bit of mystery to the scene and all around me the spring peeper frogs were singing full blast as the lights danced overhead. I even heard a couple of Barred Owls talking to each other in the distance. Similar to seeing the lights back at my house, they were visible only for a few minutes before the clouds closed in again and blocked the view of the sky.

Mt. St. Helens, Worm Flows

Foursquare Mountaineering split up and climbed 2 different mountains on the same day. This group went south and climbed the St. Helens winter route. What a view!






Pete M. and Dan on top.



Brian, Matthew, Diane, Andrew, Todd and David on the summit.

It was a great day to climb a mountain!

Gunks Routes: Easy Overhang (5.2) & Son of Easy O (5.8)

It was one of those treasured weekdays in the Gunks. I was going climbing with Margaret, one of my longest-running climbing friends, but with whom I somehow haven't climbed outside in years. She wanted to do some easy leads. I just wanted to climb and didn't much care what we did. And with a heat wave rolling through and temperatures in the high 90s, easy leads sounded pretty good to me.



After I warmed us up with a run up Rhododendron (5.6-) we took the quick walk over to Easy Overhang, which neither of us had ever done and which Margaret wanted to lead.





(Photo: Almost through pitch one of Easy Overhang, having gone in and out of the 5.1 chimney.)



Pitch one is rated only 5.1, but the opening move (up a little flake and left to the chimney that makes up most of the pitch) sure feels harder than that. Neither Margaret nor I were at any risk of falling off, of course, but it was kind of a wake-up call. I get this same wake-up call whenever I do a super-easy climb in the Gunks. There's always a move somewhere that makes you think a little, no matter what the rating is. On Easy Overhang it comes right off the ground. It's just hard enough, I imagine, to give a brand new leader pause about what's to come, and it could cause real problems for a totally inexperienced climber. After we finished the climb, in fact, I saw a young girl of perhaps twelve or thirteen struggling mightily with these first moves of the pitch while her belayer/dad chatted on his cellular phone, oblivious. I gave her a little beta and she eventually got through it, but not without some skidding feet here and there.



Once you are established in the chimney the climb is as easy as advertised up to the bolts at the belay ledge. I thought it was pleasant, good fun. When I got to the bolts I looked up at the 5.2 pitch two and it too looked like another entertaining sandbag. The holds appeared to be plentiful but the climbing looked quite steep, and not just at the namesake overhang(s).





(Photo: Pitch two of Easy Overhang.)



Margaret set off and made quick work of it. As I followed her, enjoying the moves, I tried to imagine Hans Kraus leading it in mountain boots in 1941 (or perhaps sneakers, as he wore for the first ascent of the crux pitch of High Exposure that same year). It wasn't easy to envision. I tried to picture what this cliff was like without the lines already drawn in. I attempted to see this hunk of rock as a blank slate, as Kraus saw it; to find the line without outside influence, as he had found it. And it was hard for me to imagine that a person could look at this particular line and think it would be easily climbed with the tools of his day: clunky boots, a few pitons, hemp ropes. I resolved to try it one day-- not with hemp ropes or pitons, but maybe in mountain boots, as one internet climbing forum participant proposed somewhere a few months ago. Easy Overhang seems like the perfect climb for it. The going is steep in places, but rests are plentiful and there are great edges for stiff soles; no need for smearing. I think primitive footwear would work well, and that leading Easy Overhang in them would scare the crap out of me, in a good, safe way.



After we were done with Easy Overhang it was my turn to lead something. I couldn't resist hopping on Son of Easy O (5.8). I led it two years ago, just a few days before I broke my ankle. When I looked back on it I remembered the thin face climbing on pitch one as rather tough going, and the pitch two overhang as a surprisingly easy pleasure.



I was eager to get back on it because I've been feeling so good on the 5.8 climbs lately. I wanted to see if pitch one would seem easier this time around. I also wanted to check it out again because a few weeks ago in this space I declared Birdland to be perhaps the best 5.8 in the Gunks, and the reason I qualified my praise with that word "perhaps" was that I thought possibly Son of Easy O deserved the honor instead.



Well, pitch one was still tense the second time around. Maybe the heat was a factor. Maybe my performance was also affected by the fact that the party before us elected to rap from the pins near the top (this requires two ropes or a 70 meter single) and dropped their rope on me while I was negotiating the crux. (They were actually nice guys; they realized this was an error and then waited until I said it was okay before they dropped the other end.) Whatever the reason, I thought this was one of the hardest, and best, 5.8 pitches I've done at the Gunks. It just doesn't stop coming. It is steep for 15 or 20 feet, with thin moves past the pin and the little left-facing corner. Then the angle eases but the thin moves continue. You are over your feet so you don't pump out, but there isn't much in the way of a rest stance until you are practically at the ledge. It's just one thoughtful move after another, with great, abundant pro, the whole way. So good.



I wonder if this pitch feels harder than it used to because it is so popular. The route is polished, so much so that you can pick out the line from the carriage road by the streak of polish going up the wall.



I know it is fashionable these days to combine pitches one and two but it was so hot out I thought it might be nice to take a break between the pitches. I also wanted to experience the traverse over to the overhang at the start of pitch two again, and this traverse is skipped when the pitches are combined. So I angled up left at the ledge and belayed at the traditional spot at the end of pitch one. After Margaret arrived at the belay ledge (remarking as she finished climbing that she couldn't believe pitch one was only a 5.8) I set off on pitch two.





(Photo: In the thick of pitch two of Son of Easy O (5.8).)



Again my impressions of two years ago were more or less confirmed. After a slightly dicey step into the traverse, which requires a move or two before you can get good pro in, the pitch is steep, with great holds and gear as you move up into the overhanging corner. Then it is over before you know it. I made the traversing moves, thinking things were getting pumpy in a hurry. Then I stepped up to the pin, telling myself I'd better keep it moving. I placed a dynamite back-up cam to the right of the pin. I moved up and placed another cam in a horizontal. I thought about whether it was worth the energy I would have to expend to improve this last placement... and then I looked to the right and realized the hard stuff was already done. One step around the corner to the right and the pitch was in the bag.



Having done both pitches of Son of Easy O again I have to say it is a close call, but I don't think it is the best overall 5.8 in the Gunks. If the second pitch were just a bit longer it might get the nod. The first pitch is amazing, the second is only very good. In addition, the climb is a victim of its own popularity; it is getting quite polished on the first pitch. Regardless of these small caveats, it is certainly still among the best 5.8s, and it deserves of every one of its three stars.



But Birdland remains the champ as far as I'm concerned.

John Caspar Stoever and Hebron Lutheran Church

The charming little town of Madison, Virginia lies on U.S. Route 29 about 10 miles south of Culpeper and 25 miles north of Charlottesville. A few miles north of Madison there is a small church that is significant for several reasons. The Hebron Lutheran Church is the oldest Lutheran Church in continuous use in the United States. Built in 1740, it is one of the few wooden churches surviving Virginia's colonial times. The first pastor of the congregation was my 6th great-grandfather, Johann Kasper Stöver aka John Caspar Stoever, in my father's lineage, on his mother's side.

Baptized January 18, 1685 in the Lutheran church at Frankenberg, Hessen (in present day Germany), Johann Kasper Stöver was the son of Dietrich and Magdalena (Eberwein) Stöver. Along with his son of the same name, he arrived in Philadelphia on September 11, 1728 aboard the ship James Goodwill with David Crockett as the ships Master.

Several years earlier, after fulfilling their obligations at the Germanna Colony, a group of German Lutheran colonists purchased land near what would later become the town of Madison. They settled there and carved out lives for themselves and their families. And in 1726, they built a small log chapel along the Robinson River. It wasn't until the spring of 1733 that they were finally able to secure the services of a minister - the Rev. John Caspar Stoever (Senior).

His time as pastor of Hebron, was short - only about a year and a half. But in that time he laid the foundation for the future growth and prosperity of the church. A new house of worship was badly needed. The chapel in which he preached had become too small for the growing congregation and unsuitable for church purposes. The means of his people were limited. After paying their pastor's salary and taxes for the support of the established church, they felt that the burden of building was too great for them to bear alone. It was finally decided to ask for help from their brethren across the seas. Thus it was that in the fall of 1734, Pastor Stoever, Michael Smith (an elder), and Michael Holt (a member of the congregation) were sent to Europe to solicit funds to aid in building a church, establishing a school, and supporting an assistant pastor.

The fund-raising trip was quite successful. Sadly though, on the return voyage to Virginia, in the spring of 1739, Pastor Stoever became critically ill and died at sea. Though constructed in 1740, after his death, the church building is part of the legacy of John Caspar Stoever as is a school built in 1748 - the first school for German speaking colonists in the South – that was used for 100 years.

This historical marker is on the right side of the road when traveling north on the Blue Ridge Turnpike (Virginia Route 231) and is a little south of Hebron Church Road (County Route 638).

The inscription reads “Nearby stands Hebron Lutheran Church. This cruciform church was built in 1740 and is America’s oldest church in continuous use by Lutherans. The congregation was formed by 1725 by German families, some of whom arrived to Virginia in 1717 to work at Germanna, Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood’s frontier mining community. The church was enlarged about 1800 and a pipe organ crafted by David Tannenburg of Lititz, Pennsylvania, was installed. The interior of the church has elaborate frescoed ceilings painted by the Italian born artist Joseph Oddenino. It was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.”

It was on Sunday morning (October 25th) that I was given a tour of the church by its historian, Mrs. Judy Ann Fray. Due to poor timing, I arrived after services were over but was extremely fortunate that Mrs. Fray was still there. And even more fortunate that she was gracious and willing to take the time to show me around.

Hebron Lutheran Church, Madison, Virginia. The parish house is to the right (east) of the church. The cemetery and stone fences date from the early 1900s.

The south side (front) of the church was added between 1790 and 1802. The small platform in front of the church was used for mounting and dismounting from horses and carriages. There are three of them, the one in front and one on each of the east and west sides.

The north side of the church (now the back) was built in 1740.

The pews and balcony on the east side, part of the original church building.

Installed in 1802 and restored in 1970, the Tannenberg organ is still in use today.

The southern side, added between 1790 and 1802. In the balcony area, where the organ was installed, you can see that the church originally had a high barrel-shaped ceiling.

The ceiling was lowered and plastered during renovations in 1850. In 1884, the ceiling was painted by Joseph Oddenino of Turin, Italy. Additional renovations were made in 1961.

Sources:
History of the Hebron Lutheran Church, Madison County, Virginia from 1717-1907 by Rev. W. P. Huddle, Pastor. New Market, Virginia, 1908. Pages 23-30.

Stover-Stoever-Staver-Stiver, An Account of The Ancestry and Descendants of Johann Caspar Stoever of Pennsylvania by Vernon Stiver & Patricia R. Donaldson. Saline, Michigan, 1992. Pages 11-49 provide an interesting and detailed accounting of the life of John Caspar Stoever, Sr.

Pamphlet published by the Hebron Lutheran Church, Madison, Virginia. No Date.

The Best Gear of /

I am lucky enough to see a lot of new gear. The "new" generally gets started at the Outdoor Retailershow in January where products are shown for Fall delivery of that year, 9 or 10 months later.But that is only half the story as many of the European manufactures don't import everything in their production lines (or show them at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City) into North America or sometimes just not into theUSA. You have to keep up on the Web sites or make a visit to Chamonix to see what is really being used and collecting a buzz..



For the first time and not the last here is my list of the best gear of /. My season is generally broken up by the Fall delivery of new ice gearso I'll try to do update the listevery year justas summer gets started.



But unlike the yearly picks of some of the magazines once you make the list it is going to take a new and most importantly, a better piece of kit."in my opinion" to get knocked off THE list.



My list here is gear I actually choose to use over all the gear I have available to me. Nothing listed here that I don't have multiple choices of and have tried or still use some of those other options. But when pushed what I have listed is the"best of the best" for my own use. Once in a while price point helps make that decision but not often. But it has on this list so it is worth mentioning.What is listed hereis what I would cut my gear room down to if I have to make the hard choices choices or just own one. No surprise if some of this stuff isn't on your own list. That is what makes a horse race and keeps every one in business. Feel free to share your list as well in the comments or tell me why I missed the mark. Some categories are still missing, stoves, tents and sleeping bags for instance. And some times I have just skipped categories as it gets really confusing even to me.If there is not category listed I have yet to make up my mind or haven't used the gear enough to make a knowledgeable comment.. At some point I'll get to those as well but in a blog effort first before adding them to the list.



If you haven't read this blog first for context, you should:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//01/gear-smear.html



"Remember what works for me may not work for you. Always take my comments with a grain of salt and trust your own observations. I can only write what I see or experience. I don't pretend to know much, let alone know everything. Do your own research...learn through your own experience when you can what works for you. Then compare notes with anyone you can find that has similar interests, experiences or goals. Type it into Google. And always consider the original source."



If you have read much of the blog...few of these will come as any surprise.

What I have reviewed on the blog is marked (reviewed). You should be able to find those reviewswith the search function.







CLOTHING (the outstanding pieces)



long under wear bottoms (available again fall '11)

Costco Paradox

http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/09/?pg=51#pg51



base layer top

Mountain Hardware Integral Long Sleeve Crew



http://www.mountainhardwear.com/mens-clothing/mens,default,sc.html



lt hoody (reviewed)

Sherpa Adventure Gear Khushi Merino woolhoody (available fall '11)

http://www.sherpaadventuregear.com/



med hoody (reviewed)

Patagonia R1 Hoody

http://www.patagonia.com/



pants

Arcteryx Gamma Lt

http://www.arcteryx.com/?EN



Bibs

NW Alpine Alpinist bib (reviewed)

http://nwalpine.com/



Sweater (reviewed)

Arcteryx Atom Lt Hoody

http://www.arcteryx.com/?EN



Insulated jacket (reviewed)

Arcteryx Atom SV

http://www.arcteryx.com/?EN



Down sweater (reviewed)

EB hooded sweater

http://www.eddiebauer.com/home.jsp?siteId=2



Down Jacket (reviewed)

Norrona Lyngen

http://www.backcountry.com/mens-down-jackets

http://www.norrona.com/



Shell

Westcomb Epoc in Neoshell (available Fall '10) (reviewed)

http://www.westcomb.com/



glove liners

Black Diamond Med weight Liner

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/



gloves

Mountain Hardware Hydra (reviewed)



http://www.mountainhardwear.com/mens-clothing/mens,default,sc.html



Head gear (reviewed)

Sauce

http://www.sauceheadwear.com/main.php



Eye Wear

Smith goggles

http://www.smithoptics.com/products/#/Snow+Goggles/



Native glasses

http://www.nativeyewear.com/



Socks

Wigwam

http://www.wigwam.com/







BOOTS

single boots

Scarpa Phantom Ultra (reviewed)



http://it.scarpa.net/prodotti/high-altitude/



double boots

La Sportiva Spantik (reviewed)



http://www.sportiva.com/products







TECHNICAL GEAR



Biner (reviewed)

Trango Super Fly wire gate

http://www.trango.com/carabiners_draws/SuperFly-carabiners



Locking biner (reviewed)

Trango Super Fly

http://www.trango.com/carabiners_draws/SuperFly-carabiners



Belay biner (reviewed)

Black Diamond Gridlock

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/



Belay device (reviewed)

Petzl Reverso 3

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Brass Stoppers (hard to find in the USA)

RPs

http://www.climbinganchors.com.au/products/RP%27s-Brass-Nuts-Individual-Nuts.html?utm_source=getprice&utm_medium=cpc



http://rockandice.com/articles/how-to-climb/article/1129-the-guy-whose-nuts-revolutionized-climbing-rp



Stoppers

Wild Country Rocks

http://www.wildcountry.co.uk/



Cams

Wild Country Helium Friends

http://www.wildcountry.co.uk/



dbl ropes

Beal Ice Twins

http://www.beal-planet.com/sport/anglais/index.php



Single rope

Beal Joker

http://www.beal-planet.com/sport/anglais/index.php



Pitons

Black Dianmond Bugaboos

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/



Ice tools

Petzl Ergo (reviewed)

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Crampons

Petzl Dartwin (reviewed)

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Ice Screws

Grivel Helix (reviewed)

http://www.grivel.com/



Umbilical

Blue Ice Boa (reviewed)

http://www.blueice.com/en



Accessory

Cold Thistle Hammer (totally biased opinion)

http://coldthistletools.blogspot.com//08/ice-climbing-gear.html



Helmet

Petzl Meterior III

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Harness

Petzl HIRUNDOS

http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor



Gear sling

Metolius (reviewed)

http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/



Dynamic sling

Mammut Shock Absorber Dyneema

http://www.mammut.ch/#



Tech watch

Polar

http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/



Small Pack

Cold Cold World Ozone (reviewed)

http://www.coldcoldworldpacks.com/



MOUNTAINEERING SKI GEAR

Boot

TLT 5 Mountain TX (version not currently available in North America but two other TLT 5s are)

http://www.dynafit.com/products-winter/boots.html



Hard snowski

Dynafit Se7en Summit SL

http://www.dynafit.com/products-winter/skis-skins.html



Soft snow ski

La Sportiva Hi5

http://www.sportiva.com/products(availalble Fall '10)



Bindings

Non DIN

Dynafit Low Tech Race

http://www.dynafit.com/products-winter/bindings.html



DIN (well not DIN but releasable)

La Sportiva RT

http://www.sportiva.com/products



Best piece of retro gear

Dachstien Mitts

http://www.ortovox.com/classic-wool

Dancing with the clouds

Moonrise on January 9, . Had great fun last night watching the moon dip in and out of the clouds as they passed by. The first thing I thought of was "It looks like the moon is dancing with the clouds!". Voila! Another image title :-)



Last night as the moon was rising the light on the surrounding landscape was sublime. The moonlight, clouds, stars and snowy landscape made for quite a memorable scene! I know I've said this many times before, but I can't help myself by saying it again: "I LOVE living here!"

Old English vs New English

When I first posted about buying my vintage Raleigh Lady's Tourist, a reader commented that it looks like "the Pashley's grandma" and I replied that they were indeed pretty similar. But after riding the vintage Raleigh around on a daily basis for the past week, I no longer think so. Sure, the overt similarities are there: the loop frame, the upright sitting position, the enclosed chaincase and the general aura of lady-like stateliness. But the ride quality is so very different, that I was compelled to conduct a more thorough comparison.

Those of you who "know bikes" can probably see straightaway that there are significant differences in proportions and angles. The vintage Raleigh's seat tube is considerably more slack (leaned back) than the Pashley's. In the photo above, this difference is undermined by the fact that I've shoved the Pashley's saddle all the way back on the rails in attempts to replicate the other bike's geometry. But if you try to block out the saddle and just look at the seat tubes, you can see it. The other major difference, is that the vintage Raleigh is "all weels", with a relatively short headtube. The Pashley has much smaller wheels and a tall headtube.

Here is a close-up of the wheels and head-tubes, with my body in between for a sense of scale. If you think there is not much difference between 26" wheels and 28" wheels, look again! The vintage Raleigh's wheels are monstrous compared to the Pashley's. Traditionally, both men's and ladies' English Roadsters, as well as Dutch bikes, were built with 28" wheels. However, lately a number of bicycle manufacturers - including Pashley, Velorbis and Retrovelo - have been fitting the ladies' models with 26" wheels, believing this to be a better proportioned choice. I am not sure whether I agree with them. What do you think?

Additionally, there is more space between the saddle and the handlebars on the vintage Raleigh than on the Pashley. The difference is not quite as drastic as the angle of this photo makes it seem, but it is there.

The stem and handlebars are not part of the frame itself, but differences between them should still be noted. The Pashley's stem is taller and has an additional upward-sloping extension (like the Nitto Dirt-drop/ Periscopa stem), to make the handlebars higher. The vintage Raleigh has a classic stem with a horizontal (flat) extension, which positions the handlebars slightly lower. The handlebars themselves are different as well: On the Pashley, the gripping areas are flared outward more than on the vintage Raleigh.

As you may have noticed in the undertones of the past several posts, I prefer the vintage Raleigh's geometry to the modern Pashley's. Of course the Pashley has superior gearing and brakes, but the vintage Raleigh puts me in a more comfortable sitting position, and is faster and lighter than the Pashley. Yes, the 40-year-old clunker is faster and lighter - isn't that just bizarre? I can easily ride it for 30+ miles without being out of breath, whereas on the Pashley I often feel tired after much shorter trips. I am not certain which aspect of their anatomical differences accounts for this. It cannot be due to the 28" wheels alone: Batavus and Gazelle have 28" wheels and I find them to be slower and less comfortable than my Pashley.

In an attempt to make my Pashley more anatomically similar to the Raleigh DL1, I have made some changes: The saddle has been raised and pushed back on the rails as far as it would go, and the handlebars have been tilted downward. I did not take a "before" shot, but on this photo from a few months ago you can see the difference.

The Pashley does feel more comfortable this way, and my leg is almost entirely extended on the pedal now while still enabling me to touch the ground with the tip of my toe if need be. However, the Pashley is still as difficult to accelerate as it was prior to the changes. Hmm. If I had a magic framebuilding wand, I would build a bicycle that would replicate exactly - and I mean exactly! - the frame geometry of the Raleigh DL-1, while adding modern brakes and gearing. As far as I am concerned, the perfect bicycle already exists; someone just needs to start making it again.