Congrats Sally!

We just want to send a "Big Ups" to Sally Jewell for her recent confirmation to the office of Secretary of the Interior! Sally is a longtime friend of the Rainier climbing rangers, even letting her son work with us for a few years. We wish her all the best in her new job.

Photo courtesy of Biden office

Putting it all together.

I love a good collage, who doesn't? All those pieces somehow related but somehow not complete.

That's S'matt up theremaking sense of a wild collection of very cool moves.

(click to enlarge)

More About our Bok Tower Gardens Trip

As I said, this was Nathan's first trip to see Bok Tower. It was really overcast and looking like rain, so there wasn't a big crowd there. Which made it a nice day to visit.



As soon as you enter the front of the visitor center, you can see that this is going to be a pretty place.







Clearly this was a personal goal of Mr. Bok, as is shown in the quote over the entrance.



I think he definitely achieved it with this place.



The main attraction is still the tower, with the beautiful carillon music coming from it each day.

Mercersburg PA to Springfield VT

Today we arrived in Springfield VT. This is the same town that the Simpson movie did it's premiere in. Pretty cool, huh? We left yesterday, stopped at the Lake Timothy Outdoor World and got here rather late tonight.



It's been a whirlwind of busy since we left Tennessee. We are still adjusting to the new job, which is going very well, but it's still different. We are adjusting to being in parks other than the Thousand Trails system. We miss the people we have come to know and love and thought we'd have time with this summer. The people at the last park were so wonderful, and the people at this park seem the same. So we're hoping to settle in and find new people to meet. We're still biased when it comes to TT's, but surely there are other wonderful people out there beyond the parks we've visited so far. Right?



I'm excited to see more of Vermont. We had a far too brief visit here when we first hit the road. I'm looking forward to a visit where we can dig in and see more and learn more. Oh, and the temps seem fabulous here after all the hot weather we endured in Virginia! Big bonus points there!



Living the life in wonderfully moderate temperatures in Vermont!

Going Away Dinner at Paul's Kitchen

Since we have been coming to Peace River, we have enjoyed one of the local restaurants here. The place isn't fancy. The food isn't really fancy. But it is good food at great prices and we love the comfortable feeling of the place. The restaurant is named Paul's Kitchen but I think of it as Paul's House because the place is in what used to be a small house and it just feels "homey" to me.





The staff is always great here. Pleasant and efficient. It is decorated in a simple style, but it neat and clean. The most remarkable thing about this place though is the size of the meals. They give you an insane amount of food for the price. I love it because that means I never have to worry about lunch the next day!



Last night, many of the pickleball players gathered here to have dinner with Keith and Marie who are heading out today. They are such a popular couple they ended up with a whole crowd, seventeen in all in fact! Because the meals are so giant, they normally have to give you two plates each to hold it all. So it was kind of comical seeing all of us trying to fit our meals on the table with so many of us. They were so accommodating of our giant group, they even gave us free carrot cake for dessert. I can't recommend this place highly enough. It is the kind of place I would love to see our oldest daughter Ashleigh own someday!



I didn't get pictures of our time together, but you can read more about it and see pictures at Donna's blog here: Florida Picklers. I can be really lazy with picture taking when Donna or Faye are around because they always take pictures too! And my kids don't hide their faces behind their hands when they are snapping shots so I manage to get a few great pictures of them too.



After dinner, Karen, Buddy, Nathan and I hit the courts to burn off our giant meals. We had some great games with each of them being very evenly matched. We are loving our time here this winter so far! I look forward to many more great times as we move through the season.



Living the life in Florida!

We're All Doing It Right: Thoughts on Grant Petersen's Just Ride

Earlier this year, Rivendell founder Grant Petersen published a book, Just Ride - a collection of short essays serving as a "radically practical guide" to cycling. After readingJust Ride over the summer I was not sure how to review it, so I held off. But at this stage I've been asked so many times whether I've read it, or been told that I ought to read it,that I figured I should share my thoughts.




To provide some background, I am a huge fan of Grant Petersen's writing; can't get enough of it. I have been an avid follower of the Rivendell Reader and "blug" over the past 4 years. I'll even read the product descriptions on the Rivendell website just for fun. My admiration of his writing has nothing to do with whether I agree with everything he has to say; these are two separate things. But as a writer, I think he is uniquely gifted at creating engaging narratives and at establishing a sense of a shared perspective between himself and the reader. Just Ride has some of that magic, and that's what makes it stand out amidst the other bike books out there. At the same time, the book is quite short and largely reiterates what some of us have already read in Rivendell's literature over the years. I would like more! When discussing the book, Grant has mentioned that initially he had written a much longer, rambling manuscript that he and his publisher later nixed. I can't help but be curious about that earlier version. Maybe a longer, more in-depth book is in the future? I sincerely hope so. Grant Petersen is more than a bike industry guy; he is a writer.




But getting back to Just Ride: I would describe it as a friendly, engaging guide to cycling that is aimed at beginners and those getting back into riding later in life. Just Ride aims to portray riding a bicycle as a fun and uncomplicated activity, and seeks to free it from the seriousness that has been imposed on it by the racing, fitness and advocacy cultures.Each chapter offers advice on some concrete aspect of cycling. For the most part I agree with the advice, and the details I don't agree with don't really matter: You get a handful of bike people in a room and there is seldom a consensus. The important thing, as I see it, is that the advice feels accessible and appealing to beginners and makes them wantto start riding, makes them feel that cycling is for them. Once they get into it, they can form their own preferences about specifics. The main thing is to make them feel inspired and comfortable in the first place, and Just Ridedoes that.




The one thing that distracts from this, is that the book described as "the manual for the unracer" in fact focuses too much on racing, in my view. Even the term "unracer" itself suggests that racing is really the dominant type of riding, so much so that regular riding must be described in terms of what racing is not. Why not just call bike riding "bike riding," instead of turning it into a negative? It seems that the author assumes his readers have already been inundated by the racing culture and all the lycra/clipless/carbon/laterally stiff clutter that entails. But while this may have been true 5+ years ago, today I think it is far less likely. With plain-clothes bicycle commuting being covered by major US newspapers, I do not think racing is necessarily the prism through which novices perceive cycling these days. By mentioning racing constantly Just Ride makes it seem important, sending a mixed message to readers.




But my more serious critique of the book has to do with its interpretation. Namely, I notice that some readers are interpreting Just Ride to mean that there is a very specific way to "just ride," and that those not following Grant Petersen's advice to the letter are doing it wrong. Seriously: Since this book came out, every time I mention clipless pedals, a carbon fork, padded cycling shorts, riding with a club, or enjoying watching a bicycle race, sure enough someone will throw the book at me - telling me that I must read Just Ride and mend my wayward ways. I am pretty sure this is not the spirit in which the book was intended by Mr. Petersen, but nonetheless that is how some folks are seeing fit to use it. And to them I have this to say: We do not need more "you're doing it wrong" narratives in this crazy, fragmented bicycle culture. What we need is more inclusivity. As far as I am concerned, if you are enjoying riding your bike, you are doing it right - regardless of how high your handlebars are or what material your bicycle is made of. Let's all just ride our bikes in ways that make us happy, and not pass judgment on others.




Just Ride may be available at your local bike shop or book store, or it can be purchased from Rivendell direct.

Wordless Wednesday - One of the Joys of Summer!

August 1998. Digitized ...Copyright © 1998/.. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman

New Perspectives on Hemlines

In a local clothing shop yesterday I overheard a conversation between two young women.

Young Woman 1: This dress is cute, but I totally can't wear it on my bike (lifts hem and stretches it to show how narrow it is).

Young Woman 2: Yeah it sucks when a skirt is too tight and I can't bike in it. I'm like always looking for A-lines and pleats now.

YM1: Yeah I know! Or pants.

YM2: Nah I'm not really into pants. Oh but the stretchy miniskirts are good too.

YM1: Oh yeah! I just saw some over there (points at some shelves and they walk off in that direction).

Eavesdropping on this exchange, a few things went through my mind. First, that cycling really is becoming an ordinary thing in our area. These young women - the way they dressed, carried themselves, talked - did not stand out from other women their age; there was nothing identifying them as part of a cycling "subculture." And yet both used bikes to get around. That is like kind of cool, right?



Second, to me this conversation underscores the fact that women's attire - more so than men's - really does call for "bikability" considerations. There are some in the cycle chic camp who argue that we can cycle in absolutely all of our ordinary clothing, and that to look for cycling-specific features is to overly complicate things. But in my experience, even the most stylish women on bikes do not always feel that way. Skirts can be too narrow, trousers can be too constricting, shoes can be slippery, even blouses and jackets can pull at the shoulder seams making cycling uncomfortable (a co-worker in Vienna once tore her top this way cycling to work). Much of this has to do with the fact that apparel designed for women is more form-fitting than that designed for men; there is simply less leeway and less give. Women's apparel also tends to be made of more delicate, flimsier fabrics, more prone to wear and tear. For most women I know who ride a bike, cycling-specific considerations play an important role in their wardrobe selection even if their clothing appears "ordinary" (i.e. not cycling-specific) to the outside observer.



But the more interesting question for me, is that of whether and how clothing manufacturers will respond to cycling-specific demands of their target market, as this increasingly becomes a popular concern. I am not talking about designing cycling-specific lines of clothing; that would be unnecessary. But how about simply designating existing articles of clothing as "bike friendly" when appropriate? Particularly when it comes to online shopping, I think that could be such a useful feature that I am surprised no one has done it yet. When ordinary women start to choose hemlines with cycling in mind, this could be the beginning of something interesting.

Remembering the one and only Ted Cox!

Last Sunday Mount Rainier National Park and the Rainier Climbing Community lost yet another long time friend. The following is from our Chief Ranger Chuck Young and former climbing ranger Mike Gauthier. Thanks Guys. A memorial service honoring the life of Ted will be held this coming Thursday, August 16th around 6 pm at the Community Building in Longmire, WA. Everyone is invited to come and help us celebrate the life of our friend. It is a potluck so along with stories bring some food and beverages to share. If you would like more details about the location or event please email us, we will try to be timely in our response.

We are saddened to report that MORA Protection Division employee Ted Cox 
has passed away from complications related to an aggressive form of 
cancer. Ted, 70, passed away this Sunday in the company of dear friends 
and loved ones; he had worked for the past 10 years as a seasonal Trails 
Laborer at Camp Muir. 

Ted’s career at Mount Rainier was defined by meticulously taking care of 
the waste and water systems for Camp Muir, arguably one of the world’s 
most difficult utility systems to maintain.  He did so with pride, 
dedication, and joy, which earned him the unofficial and affectionate 
title of "Mayor of Camp Muir."  By doing his duties so well and with 
such disarming charm, the climbing rangers were better able to focus on 
the pressing needs of public safety and resource protection. Each week 
in the late spring and summer, Ted began his work shift by hiking to the 
10,000 foot high camp where we would reside for four days. Each trip, he 
would pack and haul heavy loads of supplies and materials; often he 
performed arduous and physically demanding tasks at high altitude which 
is always an impressive feat. This is something that Ted did with 
gleeful pride up until his diagnosis this June. 

With a playful and light-hearted grin, Ted often said that maintaining 
the critical waste system at Camp Muir was his “life’s work.” He was 
serious about that too, as he loved the mountain community and the 
unique personalities that he would meet day to day.  Ted did more than 
just maintain a utility system, however; he also cared for the staff as 
a non-judgmental friend and confidant, and always kept the peace amongst 
a dynamic crew of with equally dynamic personalities and situations. Ted 
was the person that rangers and guides could rely upon to help maintain 
cohesiveness and peace within the sometimes intense and stressful 
situations that can exist at 10,000 feet.  Before Mount Rainier, Ted 
worked at Olympic National Park in the maintenance division, and in the 
off-season, lived in Sequim, WA and in Talkeetna, Alaska.    He will be 
sorely missed by the guides, rangers, his friends, and the public who 
had the good fortune to meet Ted at Camp Muir or while hiking up or down 
from Paradise.

Hardee County Wildlife Refuge

Last night we went to a Happy Hour at Rich and Donna's place. I forgot to take my cameras so you will have to go to Donna's blog to see how much fun we had. I hope we have Happy Hours every single week this winter because we have time to chat with each other and the food is fabulous!



Today Austin discovered some very sad news. He and Lee, the manager here, were the first on the scene of a very bad accident a few days ago. Austin was understandably very shook up over what they witnessed there. There were some very serious injuries involved. He read in the paper today that one of the victims, a thirteen year old boy, passed away. My heart ached over this news even without being a witness to the accident. It is the kind of news that kicks every Mom right in the gut. To be honest, I cried and cried when he told me. I hate that this happened. I hate that it happened because someone decided to drink and drive.



I decided to grab my camera and go visit one of my favorite Peace River places. The wildlife refuge across the street. Although there are many neat animals there, my favorites today were the cats that were there. We had to make nice to get past the ones guarding the boardwalk.



Once they saw we were determined to move forward, they formed a gang. The black one was rather feisty.



Some were sitting on the guardrail, meaning they were pretty much everywhere.



They cheered me up a bit immediately. I think it was mostly due to the babies.



Have you ever seen a cuter thing than a baby kitten face?



Or maybe it was seeing the Momma with her babies. It reminded me that although death is a tragedy that is gut wrenching when it involves a child, there is also always new life to celebrate.



I hate that any mother would have to know the pain the mother of this boy is living through right now. I hate that my boy is feeling a portion of that pain due to his involvement. I love that there is always new life. And that it is how the circle of life is, sad and happy at the same time sometimes. It's just one of those weird things in life.



Austin will be attending the viewing and the funeral. I am proud of his compassion and willingness to offer comfort during this horrible time and because I am his Mom, I'm worried about how this is affecting him. So please send all the love and comfort you can for everyone involved. Kiss your kids and tell them you love them. Remember that no matter how hard it is to be a parent, it is a wonderful thing to have our children here with us. They are always our baby kittens, no matter how old they get. And every single minute we have with them is precious.

Chilling out in Mactan at Crimson Beach Resort & Spa

Come to think about it, it is barely a month and a half since we were in Cebu, Philippines. It felt now like it has been forever. Time flies so fast indeed when you are busy (and enjoying) with life.



I am looking forward to visiting my hometown again next year.









Now, when Dutchman and I arrived in Cebu from Seoul (more entries of our trip to Seoul to come soon, just switching to Cebu for now) last October, my parents deposited us the next day at the 5-star Crimson Beach Resort & Spa in Mactan Island, Cebu. It’s their welcome to Cebu treat for us.



Well, it’s nice to have a sponsor sometimes so Dutchman and I are not complaining =)



After a 5-day city trip in Seoul this is a nice and timely respite. We basically did nothing here but chill. Maximum chill. We spent most of our days at the bar by the pool and beach. I made a separate entry about this a while back, go here: Hanging out at Azure Pool Bar



Trivia: Did you know that most beach resorts in Mactan Island have man-made white beaches?





























Food here is okay. It could be better considering that this resort has a 5-star rating.



I have to tell this story though since it had to do with food. There was this middle-aged American guy relaxing beside us at the Azure Pool Bar. He was alone, and he complained incessantly about his food not being cooked well and so forth. I was actually having a nap when I was roused by this man during one of his many attempts at complaining. Americans tend to have high-pitched louder than normal voices, so yes, his high-pitched voice woke me up from my slumber.



Nevertheless, the waitress had to bring back his hamburger order 3x to the kitchen! And she was apologising profusely to him like he is god almighty. American guy said it is not her fault and he will personally go to the kitchen and complain to whoever has authority there.



Dutchman and I were looking at each other with WTF written across our faces, haha.



I dont know who to feel sorry for? The American who did not get what he wants? Or the waitress who could not stop apologising?



The next day we saw the American guy again at the Saffron Restaurant sitting across us during breakfast. Guess what he was doing this time? Complaining again about his food! He even went to great lengths lecturing the wait staff manning the buffet on what needs to be done.



Oh dear me. All I can think was--Such a difficult person to please, I am glad I am not dating this guy!







On the second night, the whole family had dinner at the Saffron Restaurant in the resort. We took one of those private rooms so we can have some privacy.



We ordered ala carte instead of availing the buffet. You know, you can only eat so much.







Service personnel were very courteous, as usual. Filipinos by default are courteous and very hospitable people . Perhaps an overkill because I had an overdose of it. I mean at every corner I turn to I see a Crimson personnel, who upon seeing me, drops whatever he or she is doing and greets me excitedly—‘Good morning/afternoon/evening maám!’ with his or her hand placed across the heart.



At first it was—‘OhWOW, how nice and courteous these people are!’But multiply that 50x a day and at some point you really get dizzy of the act.I know, Filipinos just do not know when to stop (being nice), huh? LOL



Dutchman was getting tired of it as well and he finally asked me, ‘Why do they do that? Place their hand on their chest when they greet guests?’



I told him—It is supposed to mean that their greeting is coming from the heart.



Well, with all due respect, it looks like a SOP thing already. It’s like having a call centre agent on the line who is following his or her call script. Please, it is not natural anymore. It is OA (overacting).



Tip to the management at Crimson: Your service personnel do not have to greet your guests every second around the clock nor place their hand across their hearts. A big and friendly smile or nod will do!







Our room—it is quite big with a little garden view from the tub. The bed was lovely.



The downside at this resort is the internet. They say that they have free internet but it is uber slow. And they also lock many internet addresses. For example, I cannot load my blog using their internet access. I get a message saying that the site is not accessible so I asked reception about this and was informed that I will have to go to their IT and request for access of the said internet address.



What the heck? It is just a blog, not a porn site, ok? Nevertheless, since I am by no chance like the American guy who would go to great lengths in the complaining department, I just shrugged off my hopes of using the internet at this resort. There’s better things to do, or not to do.





















All in all, we had a very nice and relaxing stay at Crimson Beach Resort & Spa. This is a place to chill out, not a place to be on active holiday because there is not much to do inside, outside and nearby the resort.



Thanks again Mom and Dad for the lovely treat!

Trends I'd Like to See in the Bike Industry

With Interbike coming up this week, discussions regarding what trends to expect have been coming up. Last year was big for transportation cycling, but where will it go from there? To be honest, I have no idea. At the small but influential New Amsterdam show earlier this year the biggest specific trend I could spot was an increase in casual reflective gear. Hopefully Interbike will surprise us with something more substantial.



Meanwhile, instead of making predictions I thought I'd list some of the things I'd like to see myself. In no particular order...




Transportation bicycles for long distance

Most transportation-specific bicycles on the market today are designed for fairly short trips over easy terrain. But for a huge segment of the population, longer commutes over hilly terrain are more typical. Granted, cycling is not feasible for everyone. But I believe that for many, undertaking a long commute by bike is possible without sacrificing personal style and enjoyment. With that in mind, I would like to see more performance-oriented yet transportation-specific bicycle designs. While road, cyclocross and touring bikes can be adapted for long-distance commuting, it is exactly that: aftermarket adaptation. For every person who goes through the trouble, there are probably 100 who will not bother. A transportation-specific design will both validate the possibility of long distance transportation cycling, and make it easy to actually do it.


Affordable, quality dynamo lighting packages

The options for bright LED dynamo lights and light-weight, no-drag dynamo hubs have never been better. However, that's the good stuff and it is very expensive. And the inexpensive stuff - particularly what tends to be bundled with typical city bikes - is not great. Consumers complain about the dim halogen headlights, the heavy, lackluster hubs. It would be good to have an affordable middle ground. Bike shops that specialise in fully equipped bicycles tend to agree, and some have taken to modifying stock bikes with upgrades. But to see an across-the-board improvement in quality of bundled lighting packages, the initiative must come from the manufacturers.





Decent cycling trousers

Normally I wear my everyday clothing when riding for transportation and do not feel a need for cycling-specific designs. One exception is trousers. As it stands, I ride mostly in skirts and avoid trousers, because the crotch seams on most of them - particularly jeans - cause me discomfort in the saddle on anything but the shortest rides. Considering the growing selection of cycling-specific trousers on the market, it amazes me that virtually none of them aim to address this issue (which I know others experience!), focusing instead on bells and whistles such as U-lock pockets and reflective tabs. Somehow the idea of a seam-free gusseted crotch either escapes the designers or does not seem important, but I hope to see this feature in future.


Easy to use mini-pumps

When I talk to women about self-sufficiency on the road, a lot of it comes down to finding the equipment physically difficult to use. This is particularly true of portable bicycle pumps. A few months back I attended a "fix your flat in 5 minutes flat" clinic, and most of the women present admitted they were unable to use the mini-pump they carried with them on the bike - telling stories of roadside frustration, ripped out valves and ruined tubes. In fact there is exactly one mini pump I know of that is agreed to be fairly easy to use, but the complaint is that it's heavy; few are willing to carry it on their pared-down roadbike. It would be great to see manufacturers come up with designs that are both easy to work and lightweight; it would be a game-changer for many.



Road component groups designed for low gearing

For those who prefer low gears on their roadbikes forclimbing-intensive riding,it is not easy to achieve a build that is in equal measure modern, lightweight, and perfectly functional. Road component groups tend to be optimised for racing and therefore geared on the high side. Setting up a bike with truly low gears (I am talking sub-1:1 here) usually means resorting to mixing and matching components and brands, switching out chainrings to non-native ones, installing mountain bike derailleurs, sourcing vintage parts, and so on. While I am sure some will disagree, according to my observations and personal experience it is rare that these hybrid drivetrains will function as flawlessly as dedicated component groups where everything is designed to work together. This year SRAM has begun to venture into the low gearing territory with their "WiFli technology" - lightweight road derailleurs designed to accommodate wider cassettes. I can't wait for others to follow suit.





Mainstreaming of 650B



There has been talk about the rising popularity of 650B for years, and I am looking forward to this wheel size finally becoming mainstream and unremarkable for both road-to-trail and transportation bicycles. Increasingly, cyclists are choosing bikes built for 650B wheels: Framebuilders are being asked to make more of them, DIY 650B conversions are all the rage, choices for 650B rims and tires are expanding, andsome fringe manufacturers are offering dedicated 650B models. There are benefits to 650B wheels, including wider tires and no toe overlap. But there is also concern about the longevity of the trend, as well as about mainstream bike shops not stocking relevant parts - which could pose problems for those experiencing mechanical issues on long trips. I hope it is only a matter of time before affordable and mainstream manufacturers normalise 650B and put those concerns to rest.



So that's my wish-list. I don't think anything here is especially radical or too much to hope for. Mostly I am guessing it is a matter of time, but hopefully sooner rather than later. What trends would you like to see in the bicycle industry in the years to come?

Should I Care About Cadence?

Thanks to the Co-Habitant's love of gadgets, I now have a new cycling computer with an extra feature that measures cadence (the rate at which the cyclist is pedaling). He thought it would be neat to know what mine is, because of my apparently peculiar tendency to not get out of breath while cycling. Even if I am going quite fast (I got my speed up to 20-25mph on flat groundover the course of last summer), my legs get tired, but at no point am I out of breath. For a while, I thought that this was normal and that cycling was inherently an anaerobic activity. But some road cyclists have since told me that if my heart rate is not elevated, then I am "doing it wrong" and need to measure my cadence.



Well, all right. So I have the special computer now and can measure it. I switched to a lower gear and pedaled as fast as I could to see when my heart would start to beat faster. It happened after I reached a cadence of 90 and stayed there for 3.5 minutes. I am out of shape now compared to how I was over the summer, so back then I am sure it was higher. Because I don't like feeling out of breath, my natural rhythm on the trainer is a cadence of around 75-85 - at which point my heart rate is just a tiny bit elevated and I can keep pedaling for quite a long time while absorbed in a movie.



So: normal or unusual? As often happens, attempts to look it up have produced wildly different answers.I have a fairly low resting heart rate (in the 50s bpm), which might also account for why I am not usually out of breath when cycling. But for the most part, I would just like to understand what I should be aiming for in terms of cadence, and whether it is even important to a non-competitive cyclist. For those of you who ride a roadbike: Do you know what your cadence is, and do you care?