Frozen Lemon Custard

Frozen Lemon Custard, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Here's a delicious dessert that I made earlier this summer. It's great for a hot day, when you just don't feel like you can stand the heat anymore. The graham cracker crust is tasty...

Morning Harebells at the Spirit Tree

Sometimes it pays to force yourself to try something different. On a recent sunrise shoot at the Spirit Tree, I used only my Canon G11 point-and-shoot camera and not my usual "big" camera - the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Using the G11 forces me to look for different compositions, something more “unique” than the typical landscape shots that I tend to look for when using the Canon 5D Mark II camera. This image is the result of that morning’s search for something different. I always notice the Harebell flowers when visiting the tree in the summer, yet I’ve never before tried making an image that shows both the flowers and the tree. The G11 with its rotating viewfinder screen allowed me to make this image. Since the flowers were on the side of a rock and very close to the surface of the water, I don’t think I would have been able to compose this shot using my bigger camera.

Silver Salt and Pepper Shakers

Inside the Nature Center

Inside the Nature Center is an information center where there is always someone to explain about the center. There are displays explaining about birding and about the Rio Grande River. There are big windows where you can look out and see the river and the ducks, geese or other small birds that come to the Center. The first two photos show a bird in the corner that is not real. The

nest is the area where there is furnature where you can sit and watch the birds in front of a huge window show in the next photo. The birds can not see in to get upset by the people looking out at them. The last photo is a shot of the big room with the big window that sits out over part of the river that I took from one of the small 'blind' window.

Domesticating the Transportation Bicycle?

[Bowery Lane bicycle, made in Brooklyn; image via bowerylanebicycles]

When a skirt-wearing woman is photographed astride a step-through bicycle, she is inevitably described as riding a "European bike."Transportation bicycles in North America are to a large extent synonymous with European bicycles, and the cause is understandable: Most classic bikes currently on the market are indeed imported from the EU. But ultimately, how good is this association for the fate of transportation cycling in North America? Tom Bowden taps into this idea inHow to Talk About Cycling to a Conservative, where he suggests to"refrain from gushing praise of European cycling culture, e.g. the Dutch, the Danes, or whoever. Conservatives are not inclined to emulate pre-colonial imperialist has-beens - at least not consciously." Funny, but true. And in my view not limited to conservatives. The US "as a whole" (inasmuch as there can be such a thing) prefers to be a cultural trendsetter, not a follower. Is it realistic to believe that bicycles are immune to that?

[vintage Schwinn, made in Chicago; image via eva.lu]

A separate issue is that of cultural affiliation. Does a European bicycle really mean anything to the majority of the North American population? Are images of Amsterdam, romantic as they may be, really of personal significance? I don't see how they could be. Images of a glowing midwestern girl riding a '50sSchwinn through the noisy streets of Chicago, or a carefree Californian on a beach cruiser, are likely to be more relatable. And thatbrings me to yet another point: the US has its own upright bicycle manufacturing tradition. From Victor Bicycles and Iver Johnson in Boston, to Worksman Cycles in New York and the aforementioned Schwinn in Chicago, the history is there and the cultural associations are there. Can new American manufacturers emerge from these historical roots?



[ANT basket bike; made in Holliston, MA]

Please don't misunderstand: Obviously, I love European bicycles. English Roadsters, Dutch bikes, French mixtes, Italian city bikes - I am crazy about them all. But in addition, it would be exciting to see the US revamp its own distinct cultural specimen. To some extent, Mike Flanigan of ANT does this nicely - but he is a custom framebuilder and not a manufacturer. Perhaps over time, someone will step up to the plate and we shall see the classic (lady's!) transportation bicycle domesticated.

How I measure insulated down jackets?

I've looked at a lot of down jackets here at Cold Thistle. Synthetics I generally use the weight of the insulation, 60g per square meter as an example or 100g per square meter.



Down jackets I want to know a couple of things.



Construction? Fully box baffled or sewn through. There can be a lot of different combos along with that. But that is the first. What is the construction?



SecondI want to knowwhat the quality of the downused. The fill rating? 750 cu inch per ounce or 800 fill or 1000 fill?



How much actual down fill, as in ounces used? And the jacket's size. Most importantly how that size fits me personally.



Three additional measurements matter to me. Cana full size climbing helmet EASILYfit inside the hood?



Length of the jacket's back from shoulder seam, @ the base of the hood to the hem.











And finally the height of the insulation measured 1/2 way between the neck and the point of the shoulder with the jacket laid flat and completely zipped up. It means little other than as a comparison of loft in the jacket one to another. This number could easily be fudged to gain or loose insulation depending on your bias and sway the charts.( even the pictures are difficutlt to read accuratly so I don't post them intentionally) I know that and try to make a consistent and realistic measurement so that I show no favorites here. It is also why I don't go smaller than 1/2 inch in differences.






Close up of the height of insulation at the shoulder. This jacketactually has 3" of loft Although the angle of the camera shows almost 3.5". You have to be consistent on every measurement and honest when you postthe numbers.









Shoulder between point of shoulder and the hood on ajacket

Mother Natures Whims

All the morning glories I grew this year were volunteer seeds that had fallen from last years plants and been planted by the whims of mother nature. These photos show the same area there were growing in last year and most of those were also volunteer seed plantings. This landscape design by mother nature couldn't have been better. The plants formed a pathway up to the patio and the plants in front of the patio grew in a nice circle around the first post. The plants by the middle post climbed up, round and around and managed to grab hold of the last years gourds that were hanging from the roof line.
But! Now all those morning glory plants, as well as the marigolds, zinnias, and tomatoes are now gone. We pulled them out today, scattering seeds hither and yon. We have plans to enclose the patio making it a sunroom. But it probably won't be done by next spring when the morning glories start growing again.

All Legs

Well, I finally watched the Triplets of Belleville. For those who have not seen it, this is a French animated film about cycling, music hall singers and sinister men in black - surreal and somewhat disturbing (in a good way). No subtitles required even if you do not understand French.



There are many fascinating details in this film, but I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't watched it. Instead I just want to note one hilarious element: the caricatured cyclist's body.



Ah, the gaunt, emaciated cyclist. Sunken eyes, protruding cheekbones. Head bobbing up and down as if the straining tendons of the neck can barely support it. Hunched back and shoulders. Spaghetti arms. Non-existent waist, narrow hips...And then, suddenly - bang! An explosion of thigh muscle, bulge upon bulge, tapering at the knees before exploding again into freakishly well defined calves. I have seen such exaggerated renderings before, but none as expressively done as in this film. The half-soulful, half-dead look on Champion's face completes the archetype.



I have now met a few real-life cyclists with similar body types. They disguise it surprisingly well when wearing regular clothing, but once in lycra the leg explosion is revealed.Seeing such marvelously distorted proportions in person,I try not to stare. But it's kind of awesome, and awe-inspiring. Gives "all legs" a new meaning.



PS: You can tell it's winter, because I'm falling prey tocycling movies. Any recommendations besides the usual suspects? For now, I'll just have to live with "Belleville Rendez-Vous" stuck in my head...

Sholom Park in Ocala Florida

Today was the girls turn to do a day trip, so Donna and I headed out to find some fun things in the area to see. We were going to a botanical garden in Gainesville, until I realized last minute that it was the one that Nathan and I had already visited. So we scrambled a bit to figure out what else we could do. We ended up visiting a place listed on a website for botanical gardens in Florida, a place in Ocala named Sholom Park.



The park was built to capture a place of peace and was named Sholom to honor Sidney Colen's grandfather's name. The place was in fact very peaceful. It had many paths to walk along and everywhere we went it was peaceful.



It is the kind of place that if I lived nearby, I'd go there often to just walk to get a little bit of exercise and the chance to unwind. After visiting the park, we headed over to Chick-fil-a where Donna ate her first ever meal there. I didn't have my camera inside with me so I did not get a picture of her eating her first chicken sandwich there. We then headed out to see what else we could find to do. More on that in the next blog post!

"Queensland - The Steep State" The Crux Magazine story

Featuring the Phil Box photo that went to number one in the U.S. for 3 months on rockclimbing.com

Click on the story to enlarge and read.





The Rock! mag story







Poster that appeared in Crux 4



Photo: Neil Montieth





"Call of Duty" 28 Coolum Cave The very long and very steep "Call of Duty" is an extension of the original Gareth Llewellyn line "Weapon of Choice".





Photo: Antoine Mousette

Devils Claw Wild Flower

Each summer I get a couple of these Devils Claw Wild Flowers. They are more common in other areas of the Southwest states than here, so I try to keep some of the seeds to replant. This is the leaves and blossom on one.

Brooks Saddles: Demystifying the System

Lately there has been some discussion about Brooks saddles in the comments sections of the posts. We have Brooks saddles on all six of our bicycles, and we have learned a lot about them. So I offer these notes for those riddled with indecision about which Brooks to get.



When choosing a Brooks saddle, there are really only two main factors to consider: width and spring. I will try to explain the role of each.



WIDTH



The basic rule is: The more upright your riding position (handlebars above saddle level), the wider your saddle needs to be. Brooks saddles come in several width categories.



For upright riding: The B72, B66, B67, B68, and B73 are all pretty much the same, generous width and are all appropriate for a an upright bicycle. Which one of them you will prefer depends on your preference for sprung vs unsprung saddles, and whether your bicycle has a modern or an old-style seat post (for example, the B66 and B67 are identical, except the latter is designed to fit modern seat posts).



If you are heavier than 200lb and are riding a completely upright bicycle, you may want to consider the B33 or the B190. These are extra heavy-duty saddles and can take even the weightiest of riders on long upright trips.



If you are female, love Edwardian design, and have a bicycle with very relaxed geometry, there is also the B18 "Lady". This is a very wide and short saddle, designed to be ridden by women wearing skirts and sitting completely upright on a bicycle with an extremely slack seat tube. See here for a detailed discussion of this saddle.



For leaned-forward riding: If you are riding in a forward-leaning position so that your saddle is right at or above the level or your handlebars, in my opinion there are only two Brooks saddles to choose from unless you are a very aggressive cyclist: the B17 and the Flyer. These are in fact the same saddle, only the Flyer has springs and the B17 does not.



In my view, all the other Brooks roadbike saddles (the B17 Narrow, the Team Pro, the Swift, and the Swallow) are too narrow for the majority cyclists who are likely to be reading this post. Many do not want to hear that, because those racing saddles often have the coolest aesthetics and come in all sorts of crazy colours and special editions. But cycling forums are full of people who bought the narrow saddle and are not able to ride them - either due to discomfort, or because the saddle falls apart under the rider's weight. The cycling style of a serious road cyclist is so aggressive, that their butt really only floats on the surface of the saddle, rather than actually sits upon it. That is what these saddles were designed for. If this does not describe your cycling style, I urge you to get a B17 or a Flyer.



SPRINGS



Sprung saddles provide suspension, the benefit of which is that you feel more comfortable going over bumps on the road. The drawback of suspension, is that you have less "control" over the ride. Which you prefer can be only decided via trial and error. For an upright bicycle, I would venture say that most cyclists tend to prefer the sprung saddles. For a more aggressive bike, it could go either way.



It is worth pointing out that not all sprung Brooks saddles are sprung equally. The B72 has minimal springs. The Flyer has larger coils, but they are very tight and provide a feeling of shock absorbtion rather than full spring. So if you are considering putting a Flyer on a roadbike but are worried that it may be too bouncy, it may not necessarily be the case. The B66-67 is generously sprung. The B33 and B190 are monstrously sprung, so choose these carefully.



"MEN'S" vs. "WOMEN'S" SADDLES?...



You may notice that many saddles are offered in a "woman's" version, where the saddle number is followed by the letter "S" (B66 vs B66S). I think this system is often misunderstood. The "S" stands for "short", and these saddles are simply shorter than their non-"S" counterparts - making them somewhat easier to mount and dismount while wearing a skirt without the skirt getting caught on the nose. I have ridden on both "S" and non-"S" saddles, and am still not sure whether the skirt-snagging difference is significant.



SPECIAL FINISHES



As for things like "Special," "Aged" and "Imperial" versions of the saddles, there is some debate whether they improve the saddle or not. The "Special" finish is more attractive and hardy than the regular finish, and features copper rivets. However, I and others have found saddles with the "Special" finish to be harder to break in. The "Aged" saddles are supposedly treated with some polymer, which some cyclists say improves their softness, while others say worsens it. And be careful choosing the "Imperial" versions of saddles, with cut-outs, because while some find those cut-outs helpful, others find them extremely painful. In short, my impression is that when in doubt it isa safer to go with standard finishes - unless you have a chance to try the saddle extensively.



To summarise it all:

If you need an upright saddle, choose one of these. If you will be cycling in a forward-leaning position, choose one of these. And unless you are an aggressive road cyclist, stay away from these. Sprung vs unsprung, and "S" vs non-"S", are personal choices within each category. Of course in the end everybody is different, but I believe this summary is applicable in the majority of cases.

Grand Portage Bay Ice Dreamscape

The clouds over the bay in front of my house the other night were surreal to say the least. Sometimes you just don't need color in the sunset to have a compelling image. This photo was made at the usual sunset time, but because of the heavy cloud cover the sky was a mix of blue and gray. I walked down to the beach in front of my house and found lots of ice chunks floating around in the waves. If you look closely at this photo you'll see that the small ice chunks are actually floating on a larger sheet of ice that was rocking around in the waves. It was a lot of fun to watch the ice rolling with the motion of the lake.

Strange Magic! And a Saddle Conundrum

How on Earth can one bicycle handle like a stately city bike one moment, and like a fast touring bike the next? I have no idea, but I have just experienced it.



At slow speeds, the Royal H. mixte rides like a vintage 3-speed: stable, easy, upright. So nicely it performed as a city bike, that I was almost reluctant to take it on a "real ride" - having gotten used to doing those kinds of rides on road bikes with drop bars. But once out of the city, the bicycle was magically transformed into... I don't even know what, because I haven't ridden a bike quite like it before!



This beauty handled the40 mile ride through the hills of Concord and Lexington as if it were a casual cruise to the beach. We rode fast, but I didn't feel the speed. We climbed hills, but I didn't feel the strain of the climb.



When wrapped as I have them, thePorteur handlebars offer 3 distinct positions: upright when held at the edges, slightly leaned forward when held further down, and more aggressively leaned forward when held at the corners. And the bicycle responds to changes in hand positions very nicely. The Silver shifters installed onto Paul's Thumbies (more about this ordeal later!) are as easy to use as Sturmey Archer trigger shifters. And my positioning on the bike is so utterly perfect that I feel no pressure on my hands whether I am upright or leaned forward.The ride quality - namely its versatility - is strangely magical. I have never met a bicycle that can go from stately to aggressive at the drop of a hat before.



The mixte is not 100% finished yet, though pretty darn close: We still need to install the lights, and the front rack in these pictures is not the one that will ultimately be on it. Butmost importantly, I am not sure what to do about the saddle: Because my position alternates between upright and leaned over, it's hard to decide whether a more narrow saddle would be appropriate or a wider one, and whether springs or no springs. In the pictures, that is a Brooks B17 S borrowed from one of my roadbikes - but I am not certain that it feels right on this bike. What saddle do you have on your mixte, and how do you like it?

Coq au Vin - Finished

Coq au Vin, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Here's the completed coq au vin, with pearl onions, mushrooms, and little pieces of bacon. The chicken became unbelievably tender, and so did the pearl onions. Coq au vin is fairly easy to make, and a great dish for a cold winter night.

Scenic Cycling: National Seashore, Cape Cod

Cycling on Cape Cod is a remarkable experience. Earlier I wrote that we had been looking forward to the Cape Cod Rail Trail. We have now been on it twice, but to tell the truth it is not my favourite place to cycle on the Cape. Don't get me wrong: It is a nice, long trail through attractive wooded areas with relatively few interruptions. It is a great resource. But the special thing about Cape Cod is its abundance of coastland: the open ocean and bay views, the coves, the miles of saltwater marshes and sand dunes. The rail trail bypasses all of that, and so I feel that cycling on it does not capture the essence of the area. For a real "wow" experience, I recommend cycling along the National Seashore - a 40-mile stretch of coastal nature reserve with breathtaking views. You will have to cycle on the road with motor vehicles, but the route is very bike-friendly.

If you are hesitant to share long stretches of the road with cars, you can arrive to the National Seashore via the Rail Trail (pdf map here). Towards the very end of the trail in Wellfleet, turn right on Marconi Beach Road (above two photos) and this will take you right to the dunes. This road is spacious, virtually free of traffic, and breathtakingly scenic. It ends at Marconi Beach and the Marconi Station Observation area.

At the end of Marconi Beach Road is this beautiful landscape of sand dunes, tall grasses and miniature trees - on a hill overlooking the ocean.

Lucy and Rodney, our vintage Raleighs, found the area very romantic. Here they are enjoying the view of the dunes.

And here they are gazing at the ocean.

The Co-Habitant joins them in Thoreau-like meditation.

Here is Lucy Threespeed on her own, posing in front of the Marconi Station exhibit. Guglielmo Marconi is commonly credited with having invented the radio, and the Marconi Station in Wellfleet MA is the site of the first successfully completed transatlantic wireless communication between the U.S. and England in 1903.

There are many beautiful sites to photograph, but we were too busy cycling. These photos should give you an idea of the area's natural beauty.

Exhausted but pleased, Lucy and Rodney look forward to their next visit to this unique and wonderful place.

Interlude...

Saturday, September 17th - - After leaving Yellowstone National Park I traveled toward the small town in southwest Montana where I stayed for most of July last year. It looks much different here now than it did then – the “hills” are mostly brown providing quite a contrast between the lush, green areas that are irrigated or those along the rivers, which are lined with trees. The weather has been rather nice with lots of sunshine but the skies have mostly been the “hazy-white” variety, which isn't conducive to obtaining “pretty” pictures of the scenery.





I've been here almost two weeks and have been taking advantage of the time to “catch up” on blog reading and writing, a little research (very little), and going through the pictures I've taken this year. Much of my time has been consumed/absorbed with work on the netbook. So much so that I feel like I've been sucked into the vortex of the computer, which is a never-ending cycle!



As mentioned in a previous post, I've been looking for a new camera and hadn't had much luck with finding one in stock. The stores had the ones I was interested in on display but didn't have them available to purchase. I finally gave up going to a “brick and mortar” store and bought one online! I went with the Nikon P500. The other camera that I was looking at was the Canon SX30. They both have similar features but the Nikon just “felt good” in my hands. It arrived a little over a week ago and I've been having some fun playing with it and learning some of its features. It will take some practice to get used to what it can do; it's amazing to me what all they've packed into this thing!



After the camera arrived and it took five hours to charge the battery in the camera, I realized I would need another battery and an external charger. Those were ordered and arrived here on Tuesday. It still takes about 2 ½ hours to charge a battery but that is better than 5 in the camera!



One of the things that I really wish came with the camera is a printed manual, but nowadays that is not likely to happen. The pdf manual comes on a CD and it's easy to find what you are looking for, but it's just a little difficult to look things up when you are “out in the field” using the camera!



So far, I'm quite happy with the camera.

Hodge Podge

Pink Peony.



Yellow ?



Mauve Rose.



Petunias.



Temple Square Gardens – Tuesday, June 7th