An Update...

After having arrived at my friends place in Louisiana last Friday evening, I've been off the road for a few days. I'll be here for a couple more days but am planning to leave on Sunday. Even though it has been cold here (highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s) I'm thankful that I'm not further north and that I don't have to endure the snow and colder weather! And even more thankful for friends that provide a place to stay out of the weather!

I've been taking advantage of the “down time” to work on a little project... I've decided to “dismantle” my website. It has been more than two years since I've added anything new so I think it is time to let it go. The Whitley County pages are going to be moved to the website of the Genealogical Society of Whitley County (which is now at its new location on the web) and some of the family data will eventually be moved here to this blog. Yesterday, I finished modifications to the Whitley County pages and got them sent off to their webmaster.

Now I've got to consider how and when family information will be posted to the blog. There is my Grandmother's autobiography, a series of 30+ letters written to the Berlin family in the 1860s and 70s, and a lot of obituaries that I've transcribed. Those things will keep me busy for a while ;-)

But mostly, I'm just takin' it easy.... and thinking of warmer days...

Weight? All it takes in money! Dynafit ski porn.....

By comparison Liposuction might be cheaper! I' bet therewould never be as much satisfaction though!



Race parts for the Porscheor the Cervelo ( or just the frames of either to get started) are light in weight and expensive. Also known to have a short life span when used as intended.







My first dedicated "lwt" ski system was a BD Prime, Dynafit Speed bindings and a pair of Fisher Asymmetrical ski in a "stiff" version and 178cms. Even what I don't own now of that kit I'd bet is still going strong.



My favorite system recentlyas a "lwt" ski system was a TLT Mtn (shell is lighter than the P version) with the lighter foam TF liner,DynafitLow Tech Race bindings with a steel spring (no Ti) and a 167cm Broad Peak ski.



Which is a really fun all mountain rig. Anything I can ski with in reason, I can ski on that set up.



Likely pushing my skills this winterI have recently dropped another 20.35 oz PER foot with new gear!



All Dynafit. Same Low Tech Race bindings. All 115g of them









NewEVO PDGboots and the shortest ski but not the skinniest ski I have been on.....are these Snow Blades?














The Dynafit PDG ski, selected over some other -800g skiis for the added durability I hope. A drop of 8oz per boot froma stripped TLT5 Mtn and no tongue. The skis drop 12.25oz.A full 1.25 # per foot. 2.5# (1134g) total weightdrop off the feet. Or like dropping 17.5# off my back.



A tough diet and more exercise would becheaper yet! Just no serious weight to be lost from my feet short of beginning tochop off mytoes :)



More on why the weight on your feet is important.



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//05/the-weight-on-your-feet.html



Short version of Eric's research?



"At a vertical speed of 16m/min for example, with the TLTs my HR would be around
180. With the Evos at the same speed, HR is around 145."



That HR drop is is huge.

Really interested in seeing just what I can ski year around on our maritime snow pack with these kind of dimensions:

Length:	161
Weight (g):	800
Sidecut:	99-65-80
Radius:	25.5/20

It is a rig I have wanted for a while now but could never justify the expense. Really looking forward to skiing them and then writing about the experience. And not getting rid of the TLT and Broad Peak combo just yet. Although I would really like a new pair of the Nanga Parbat ski @ 1000g. per pair. Thatwould be a setup I would really like to try for longer mid winter tours.



Back to the Weight? I could have gone lighter and spent more money. But at some point a 13# Cervelo is wasted on me. Same deal here.....couple of grams isn't going to matter too much for me. And ifit is does? I'll just pass on, or pass, something :)

Spagetti or gallstone?? What do you think a gallstone might weight?

cactus

My cactus bloomed.

Snow in Backyard

A Most Profound Short Speech

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address given on this date in 1863...

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

The Gettysburg Address at The Library of Congress

November 19th - Today in History

A new image has been found of Lincoln at Gettysburg.

Lincoln Picture and Image of First Draft from http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/gadd/

The Bozeman Ice fest!

MSU's, Dr. Jerry Johnson on "Home Field Advantage", styling as one of the many "old school guys" hanging out for the weekend.



















Ice master, "Big WallPete" Takeda enjoying the steller and fat "The Thrill Is Gone."



Pete, is just one of the many world class climbers here climbing for fun or giving clinics for their sponsors. Arcteryx, Black Diamond, Petzl, Mammut, La Sportiva, OR, Sterling Ropes and Northern Lights Trading Company all have a presence here supporting the Ice Fest.



Ladies clinic, "The Ultimate Isis" on Genesis.

http://montanaice.com/node/611

You should be here!



Next year?



Supportthose that support the Ice Fest!



The Western Heritage Inn, Bozeman ;-)

Happy Colours, Rainy Touring

I don't have much leeway in choosing when to go on long rides, so lately I've been doing my "tour training rides" in the rain. The first time getting caught in the rain was an accident: the forecast said no rain, but it lied - and 13 miles from home the downpour began, "baptising" my Sam Hillborne and teaching me a thing or two about how to make a rainy tour comfortable. Since then I have not really been resisting rain, but enjoying the empty roads and the fresh air it brings.



My old "lobsterman yellow" waterproof windbreaker. If you are horrified by the neon, I will explain that I see touring in the rain as different from transportation cycling. The latter is a relatively short, urban ride for me on an upright bicycle, and I wear my regular clothing. If it is raining, I wear my trenchcoat and that keeps me dry. I turn on my lights and that keeps me visible. For long-distance rides, I feel that this is not enough - because I cycle through rural areas where my bike and I blend into the landscape much more than in the city. When it is raining, I am practically invisible to cars traveling at high speeds, and in the daytime lights are not always sufficient. So I feel safer wearing brightly coloured clothing in this context.



Having observed the visibility of other cyclists, I would say that bright yellow and red look especially striking against the green-gray backdrop of woodsy and countryside areas. Other popular colours - like purple, turquoise, pink and green - not as much, even if they are neon.



My lobsterman windbreaker is falling apart from old age, so I am looking for a new rain jacket that is specifically designed for long-distance cycling: long in the back and form-fitting around the torso to prevent billowing. And I'd like it to be red. Haven't had any luck so far, and most of the ones I've tried in bike stores seemed ill-fitting. But I will keep looking and welcome any suggestions.

Rolling

Traveler is the only one of our horses that insists in rolling in the manure pile. I don't know why.

Functionality, Comfort, Aesthetics

A couple of my recent posts have generated some engaging commentary on "form vs function" and the validity of aesthetic preoccupations in cycling. I put the phrase "form vs function" in quotation marks, because I do not view it as a dichotomy that needs to be resolved. For me, the two concepts are in a symbiotic relationship, whereby one enhances the other and is incomplete without the other. I readily acknowledge my interest in aesthetics. But I stop well short of putting aesthetic factors before practical ones, which I hope comes across clearly throughout Lovely Bicycle.



There are three basic qualities that matter to me in a bicycle, and these qualities are functionality,comfort,and aesthetics. All three are essential for me, and I could not love a bicycle if either were lacking.



To me, functionality means that a bicycle must be good at what it was designed to do. For instance, a racing bicycle is designed with the goal of winning races. It therefore must possess qualities such as the ability to gain speed quickly and extreme maneuverability. Anything in the design of a racing bicycle that detracts from its ability to win races is a functional flaw. By the same token, an urban transport bicycle is designed to serve as a viable means of transportation for the city dweller. It therefore must possess features that enable the cyclist to comfortably and conveniently travel in everyday clothing, to observe their surroundings, to securely transport their bags and packages, and to travel in the dark. Anything in the design of an urban transport bicycle that detracts from this is a functional flaw.



Because functionality is a factor of individual needs, it is subject to great variability. Just as there are different types of bicycle racers, so are there different types of urban commuters. A diplomat who wears crisp skirt-suits and freshly-polished shoes to work and has a 2-mile commute will likely require different features from a transport bike than a computer programmer who wears jeans, sweaters and sneakers and has a 12-mile commute. A bicycle's functionality can only be evaluated in the context of its intended use.



And of course, regardless of what kind of cycling a bicycle was designed for, functionality means that everything should be working properly: structurally sound frame, proper assembly, and quality components.



The notion of comfort is equally important, and equally subjective. We need to be comfortable on a bicycle in order to enjoy riding it, or even to tolerate riding it. The more comfortable we are, the more we ride, and the safer our cycling behaviour. An uncomfortable bicycle can make commuting, touring and even racing a nightmare.There are many, many factors that go into what makes a bicycle comfortable - from the geometry and material of the frame, to the positioning of the saddle and handlebars, to other, more elusive aspects.



Being comfortable on a bicycle involves, first and foremost, being pain-free. In particular, pain in the hands, knees, butt, crotch and neck are the sort one should not be experiencing while cycling, as it can cause injury.



Comfort also means that a cyclist should feel good about their ability to control and handle their bicycle: to mount and dismount, to balance, to pick up speed in the manner they want, to handle turns, to climb hills, to control descents, to make emergency stops, to carry a load, and to cycle through traffic. And while to an extent all of this certainly depends on the cyclist's skill level, it also very much depends on the bicycle. A given cyclist may be comfortable doing these things on one type of bike, but not on another. I am a firm believer in finding a bicycle that both feels good to ride, and matches your skill level and comfort zone, rather than attempting to adapt to a bicycle that does not feel right.



Finally, I believe that the aesthetics of a bicycle are no less crucial in the enjoyment of the overall cycling experience. Put simply, aesthetics is how appealing or attractive we find the bicycle to be. Do we enjoy looking at it? Does it fill us with excitement and pleasure? Do we feel compelled to touch it, to ride it? It is about an emotional response, and it is about individual definitions of beauty.



Though some are more aware of it than others, the aesthetic experience is a natural part of our everyday lives. As we move through our environments and go about our daily activities, we are always looking and always responding with some degree of emotionality - whether it is positive, negative, or some form of confusion. Almost nothing leaves us entirely indifferent, unless we do not notice it. We prefer certain colours over others, certain shapes over others, certain spaces over others, and certain faces over others. Aesthetics are not just for the frivolous or the rich; they are not something you are aware of only when looking at paintings or choosing expensive curtains. All ordinary objects and everyday experiences have aesthetic qualities, and being able to extract these qualities can bring joy and fulfillment to the way we experience life.



Needless to say, what we consider "aesthetically pleasing" is extremely subjective, probably even more so than comfort and functionality. To some extent, it has to do with our inherent sense of harmony, symmetry, and balance, as well as with the associations evoked by the given object. Suffice to say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.



The importance of functionality, comfort and aesthetics in the cycling experience extends beyond their individual roles; it is the interaction of the three that is crucial. How useful is the functionality of a bicycle that is not comfortable? How useful is the comfort of a bicycle if it is not functional? What good is a beautiful bicycle that is either uncomfortable or non-functional? And how sad it is for a bicycle to be functional and comfortable, but not excite you or make you smile?The most successful bicycle design is one where functionality, comfort, and aesthetics intersect.The graceful sweep of a loop frame is not only visually pleasing, but allows easy step-through. A handle bar bag secured to a randonneur-style front rack is not only handsome, but extremely useful on long trips. Form and function are best enjoyed as a happy couple.



In my posts on Lovely Bicycle, I do not pretend to be "everyman" or the voice of other cyclists. Far from it! I am a kooky, peculiar person with an unconventional lifestyle and profession, and I am comfortable with that. Neither do I make prescriptive statements about what kinds of bicycles other people should like or should be riding.Personally, I love bicycles that are functional, comfortable, and beautiful - and that is what I write about. You may relate, or you may not. Life is all about personal preferences.

Adjustable Stem!

When I wrote about wanting a longer stem on one of my bikes, several people suggested I get ahold of a vintage adjustable stem. I did not know that such a thing existed, but clearly there is much I don't know.

Long story short, I am now in the temporary possession of a 3ttt Record Regolabile adjustable stem, on loan courtesy of Jan Heine of the Bicycle Quarterly. I decided to use it not on my own bike, but on the Royal H. randonneur collaboration - it just looked so appropriate.

Produced in the 1970s byTecno Tubo Torino of Italy, this elegant stem adjusts from (I think) 6 cm to 12 cm. Here is more information about it and some close-up pictures. The beauty of this system is that it combines the vertical adjustability of the quill stem with the horizontal adjustability of the threadless stem (with the latter you can swap out stems without redoing your handlebar set-up). Why are things like this not being made anymore? Those of us who constantly change our minds about handlebar positions would find it extremely useful. Right now I have it adjusted for 8 cm, but who knows what the future holds - I am looking forward to playing around with this!

So Random Things We Found Today

While we were out looking at covered bridges, we came across a few things that make you go hmmmmm.



The first was not that unusual of a thing, except for where it was located. We saw a pair of abandoned shoes on one of the bridges. I wondered as a mom, what happened here? Did they get home and wonder where they left their shoes long after they forgot where they left them? Did they hate the shoes and want them to be lost? Or did they want to leave them there as a symbol of something?

This wasn't a random thing, but we also saw this beautiful creature here:

After we left this bridge, we saw something else that caught our eye. This was the funniest thing we've seen in quite awhile. We had some interesting conversations about who could own this fine piece of machinery. Someone full of life I bet.

Yes, that is Super Scott's car. Isn't that the coolest car? I can see Austin wanting something like this for his first car!



You just never know what you'll see when you drive around looking for local sights.



Living the life in Ohio!

Glen Canyon NRA - Alstrom Point

I wasn't really looking forward to today, since the forecast was calling for some pretty miserable weather all day. That's just how it started out, too. I stayed in Kanab, Utah last night and when I woke this morning it was going back and forth between rain and snow. When I got in the car and decided to head towards Page, Arizona it was hailing... actually more like kind of a slush coming down. Kanab isn't a very big town, and by the time I drove from one side of town to the other my car was covered in this hail/slush mix and I had to pull over to clear my wipers of the mess. Once I got a few miles outside of town, the clouds parted and the sun came out. It was sunny and warm (65 to 70 degrees) the rest of the day!

On my way out of town I stopped at the Kanab visitor center for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. I ran into a very helpful older man with a white beard who has lived in the Page/Kanab area for the past 30 years. I told him I was interested in trying to get to Alstrom Point on Lake Powell, but wasn't sure of the way since the route is off the main roads. He gave me directions on how to get there and we visited for quite a while about other areas of interest as well. Once I had my fill of local knowledge, I thanked him and headed for Page and Lake Powell.

For those of you who might not know, Lake Powell is a man-made lake, created from the construction of the Glen Canyon dam in Page, Arizona. The dam is in Arizona, but the majority of the lake lies in Utah. Lake Powell and the surrounding land makes up what is known as the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. There are a couple of marinas on the lake, and houseboating is big business there. If you drive near the main marina you can see row after row of houseboats.

I spent a good part of the day just exploring the part of the lake that is right near Page. It certainly is a beautiful area... I could easily see myself living here. I wanted to shoot the sunset from Alstrom Point, and based on my "local knowledge", when 5:30 rolled around I figured I better get started on those backroads to get to the point. My directions told me it was about 25 miles to the point, which turned out to be spot-on. My GPS read 25.2 miles once I got there. I was told the way would be "relatively" easy so long as the clay portion of the road was dry. And it was, for the most part. There was only one section about 100 feet long that was a little bit wet but my Honda Element made it through without any problem, although not before flinging up a decent amount of mud and getting my car good and dirty.

Alstrom Point was sublime. I chose to walk the last mile and a half or "road" which went right out onto the point itself. I could have driven it, but it was easier to walk. The road at that point was more suited for a high-clearance Jeep. The sunset turned out to be the best one of the trip so far. The rocks seemed to glow as the light hit them, and the clouds were vibrant hues of pink and blue. After this amazing light show was over, I ate my Subway sandwich that I had brought along for supper, then opened the rear hatch on my car and rolled my sleeping bag out on the floor. I camped in the car for the night, since I didn't feel like driving back out on that road in the dark. It was a wonderful night and it was warm enough that I left the hatch open while I slept (no bugs here.... yay!!!!!), with the warm Arizona breeze keeping me company all night long.

The PBR

The PBR or Professional Bull Riders is the only sport I really follow. I always said I would never get involved in a sport like some people do with football, basketball, baseball, soccer, golf (did you notice all of these are 'ball' games). The people who follow theses sports know all the players, and all the winners, and all rules, and all the big moments in the sport.

Well, I did get involved with a sport. But it is the 'roughest sport on dirt'. Most of the riders start in the minor rodeo events and work their way up to the PBR. It is a rough, hard climb to get there and most of the rodeo riders never make it. The top 35 riders in the rodeo bull riding events are allowed to compete in the PBR. They have to win points and money to qualify. Another words they have to be good at what they do and not be afraid of getting hurt. It isn't if you get hurt, it's when, 'cause it will happen.

I have been following the PBR since it was started 20 years ago and always wanted to go to the Ty Murry Event when it is held each March here in Albuquerque, NM. I finally got to go last Sunday for the last day of the 3 day event. It was fantastic.

The event might have been fantastic but my photos aren't. I'm still not that good with my new camera and in the flashing lights, spinning, whirling, bucking, bulls made for hard to take photos so I didn't get any really good photos. But here are a sample. The videos I took with the same camera did come out better but I can't get them to download.


There were a lot of noise and on the ground fireworks when it first started.



This is the cowboy and horse who's job it was to rope the bull and get it out of the arena if the bull didn't leave on his own. The area is the University of New Mexico Basketball arena. They bring in heavy tarps, then plywood, then tons and tons of dirt and the chutes for the bulls. It is the smallest arena of all the PBR events. It looks small on TV but looks even smaller when you are there.








The rider is getting onto the bull in the chute. The men with the rode are ready to open the gate when he says to.In the red shirt is Shorty, one of the 3 bull fighters that keep the bull off of the rider when he comes off. The ride is only for 8 seconds, if the rider can stay on that long, and usually they don't.







Flint Rassmussen is an ex-bull fighter turned comedian who entertains the fans while the riders are getting ready to ride.



This is Crag Hummer, a well known sports announcer, and Ty Murry, 7 time world champion all-round cowboy, who started the PBR, and announces with Crag. They are the ones that do the TV announcing but there is a different announcer that you hear if you are actually at the event. Our seat was just 6 rows from where they were sitting to do the TV part.



Got these out of order here, this is the winner of the event, Joao Ricardo Vieiro, one of the Brazilian riders, and his first event win. Since this is an International event there are riders from the US, Brazil, Canada, and Australia. And we like them all. Many people are fans of the bull more than the riders. At this event were the two most popular bulls, Bushwhacker and Asteroid, who have each won the Bull of the Year award.



Here is a view of the arena and the seats. Thats 40 very steep steps down to the bottom and we were close to the bottom. Great for seeing everything up close but climbing out was a workout.







After an event the bull riders circle the area signing anything you want them to sign. I got the autographs of 3 riders and as I was leaving the I almost ran into a retired rider that I have always admired, and whowon the PBR World Title of 1997,Michael Gaffney, who was nice enough to autographed my program.

If you want to know more go to www.pbr.com

Horse Won't Herd

Tuffee was trying to herd Nita. Now she looks at me as if to ask "What do I do now? She won't herd."