Sun & Fun Museum

We headed out late today and made it barely in time to see the Sun & Fun Museum in Lakeland. We'll have to come back and visit again since we had so little time.

Mostly, we were going to see some special friends. We were in the Peace River TT and they were still in the Orlando TT, so we met in the middle. We met up with Kati, Auvi, Zoe, Kelby and Conner. Zoe is Austin's non-girlfriend. We can't figure it out. He wants to spend all of his free time with her and yet still gets mad when we say she is his girlfriend. I guess we can just say she is his friend that he deeply admires in every.single.way. She told me that he lets her think she is in charge. I think they are off to a great start!



We met this family through FOTR, which is a group we are in for families that travel. Most travel full time. We have made plans to meet up with them a few other times, and it just didn't work out. We finally met them at the rally. We are really enjoying our time together.



At this point, I handed off my camera to Auvi so she could play with my camera. Here is some of her work:

Aren't they cute? I love this picture of Zoe. Great work, Auvi!

Living the life in Florida!

The Children of Sophia Hazlett and James Dunfee

I thought that before going further back in time, I'd provide a brief synopsis of what is known of the (presumed) children of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee. If you are a descendant and you see this, you will contact me, won't you? Please leave a comment or send me an email at kinexxions “at” gmail “dot” com. Especially if you can provide additional clues on the parents of James Dunfee and Sophia Hazlett. Future posts will provide details on these families.





This chart, created by my grandmother in the 1960s, shows what she knew of the family of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee and was the starting point for my research.



In the 1882 biography of Jonathan S. Dunfee it stated that he was one of 13 children. I am fairly confident that the 10 listed below are the children of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee though I have found no substantiating “proof” for several of them. I am "missing" 3 children. If anyone knows who they are or where they lived, I'd appreciate hearing from you ;-)



A letter, written in 1849 by Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee to William and Catherine Dunfee mentions six family members, presumed to be their children: George, Mary, Jonathan, Henry, Lucy, and Sarah. And of course, the letter confirms that William is their son, giving us the names of seven probable children. The letter also states that William's baby was their 21st grandchild. I have found 16 of those 21 grandchildren who were born by the time the letter was written. In all, I have found 58 grandchildren of James and Sophia, born 1837-1879!

• Eliza Dunfee. Census records put her year of birth at 1811, 1813, or 1815 and place of birth in Maryland or Pennsylvania. Eliza married Aquilla Hoff on September 4, 1851 in Ashland County, Ohio. They were the parents of one son. A little over a year ago I wrote about a response I received on an 11 year old query posted on Eliza and Aquilla. In the 1850 census of Ashland County, Eliza Dunfee was residing in the household of Jonathan Hazlett. Eliza Hoff died on August 6, 1876 in Lagrange County, Indiana. I have no “proof” that Eliza is a daughter of James and Sophia. The fact that she was living with Jonathan Hazlett in 1850 is really the only connection.

• George Dunfee was born November 22, 1814 in Pennsylvania and died November 3, 1871 probably in Dekalb County, Indiana. He is buried in Corunna Cemetery, Fairfield Township, Dekalb County, Indiana. His wife's name was Nancy and they were the parents of five children. On February 21, 1848, Jonathan S. Dunfee of the county of Holmes, State of Ohio, sold 160 acres of land in Dekalb county, Indiana to George Dunfee of the county of Ashland, State of Ohio for $600. (NW 1/4 S24 T35N R12E). This land was not far from that of David and Sophia Dunfee McNabb.

• Mary Dunfee was born March 19, 1816 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. She was first married to Isaac Bonnet on March 25, 1836 in Wayne County, Ohio. He died on February 2, 1846. Two years later she was married to James Hanson Lovett. Mary Dunfee Bonnet Lovett died on March 25, 1900. She is buried in the Pioneer/Old Sixteen Cemetery in Lake Township, Ashland County, Ohio next to her first husband. Mary was the mother of eight children, five with Isaac Bonnett and three with James Lovett.

• Catharine Jane Dunfee (known as Kitte Jane according to my grandmother's notes) was born April 13, 1818 in Pennsylvania. She married Moses Tryon on December 29, 1836 in Wayne County, Ohio. She died January 5, 1893 in Noble County, Indiana and is buried next to her husband in Allen Chapel Cemetery in Allen Township, Noble County, Indiana. They were the parents of ten children.

• William Hamilton Dunfee was born April 10, 1822 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was married to Catherine B. Jones on March 5, 1848 in Whitley County, Indiana. He died May 29, 1888 in Columbia Township, Whitley County, Indiana. William and Catherine are my 3rd great grandparents. They were the parents of seven children of whom only three survived to adulthood. Their second child was Sophia Elizabeth Dunfee (named after her grandmother, Sophia Elizabeth Hazlett). Sophia Dunfee married William Pythagrus Wise. They are my 2nd great grandparents. They named their fourth and last child Hazlette, turning a surname into a first name - and, my grandmother was also named Hazlette.

• Sophia Dunfee was born August 13, 1824 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. She married David McNabb on October 18, 1842 somewhere in Ohio (no record has been found in the areas where the family lived). They moved to Dekalb County, Indiana prior to 1850 and were the parents of eight children. Sophia died on December 31, 1905. She and David are buried there in Corunna Cemetery in Fairfield Township. The 1885 biography of David McNabb (History of Dekalb County, Indiana Vol 2, Interstate, p577-578) states that she is “a daughter of James and Sophie (Hazlett) Dunfee who moved from Adams County, Pa., to Ohio in 1833.” In addition, the WPA publication of Dekalb County Death Records 1899-1920, p214 gives her father as James Dunfee, born Pennsylvania, and her mother as Sophia Hazellet, born Pennsylvania.

• Jonathan Smith Dunfee was born June 9, 1826 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was married on October 19, 1848 in Holmes County, Ohio to Mary Ann Quick. They moved to Whitley County, Indiana prior to 1860 where they raised their family of seven children. Jonathan died on April 22, 1900 and he and Mary Ann are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Jefferson Township. The 1882 biography of Jonathan (Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana; Goodspeed, 1882 p394-395) states that he “is a son of James and Sophie (Hazlett) Dunfee.” His death record lists his parents as Jas. Dunfee and Sophia Hazelot.

• James Henry Dunfee (aka Henry or J. Henry) was born about 1828, probably in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was married on June 25, 1854 to Elizabeth Moores (Moor in the marriage record) in Ashland County, Ohio. They moved to Whitley County, Indiana shortly after their marriage but at some point moved to Aboite Township, Allen County, Indiana where he died on July 3, 1872. James Henry and Elizabeth are buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Columbia City, Whitley County, Indiana. They were the parents of eight children. A land transaction links James Henry to James and Sophia but does not conclusively prove that he is their son: James H. Dunfee and his wife Elisabeth sold two acres to James Dunfee for $10 on March 15, 1855.

• Lucy Dunfee was born September 17, 1834 in Ohio. She came with her parents to Whitley County, Indiana about 1855. She died there on December 28, 1870 and is buried near her parents in Evergreen Cemetery, Jefferson Township, Whitley County, Indiana.

• Sarah Ann Dunfee was born August 27, 1839 in Ohio and also came with her parents to Whitley County, Indiana about 1855. Sarah was married to Charles Henry Gillespie on August 7, 1862 in Whitley County and they had one child. It is not known what happened to Mr. Gillespie but on June 8, 1873 Sarah was married to John Robinette in Whitley County. They were the parents of three children. Sarah died on August 8, 1914 and is buried next to husband John in the Sandbank-Jefferson Chapel Cemetery in Jefferson Township, Whitley County, Indiana. The transcribed Whitley County, Indiana Death Records for Sarah Robinette gives her father as James Denfen and her mother as Sofia Hasht. I viewed the record book but was unable to obtain a copy of the record. The names looked to me like James Dunfee and Sofia Haslet.

For additional information see Dunfee Family :: Index to Posts

The Full Spectrum of Gloves?

When the rock does this to a set of picks in a few pitches...think what it will do to gloves?







How every alpine glove eventually ends up.





One of the topics that came up in the requestswas more glove info. Most of us are on a constant search for a better glove. That might be a warmer, more durable, more water proof or easier to dry glove. It depends on your need at that moment for that particular adventure. If anything it is worth noting that few of us climb in the same gloves. And there are a gazillion manufactures out there. I am about as anal on my glove choices as I am on my boots so..as always buyer and reader beware ;-)





Here are some examples of the glove styles I use constantly.

full leather gloves

glove liners, both wool and synthetic

wool gloves or mittens

all synthetic gloves

leather and synthetic combination gloves





Dave in his prefered BDs.

(I own mittens but so seldom use them I'll leave them out of the conversation)



The brand names that I prefer at the moment are Outdoor Research and Mountain Hardware. My partner's (all of them) most commonly used glove is one form or another fromBack Diamonds. And I have used BD glovesmyself.





The flip side to Matt's pair of BD gloves above.



And all better now ;-)



It wouldn't have been my first choice but still good enough to get Matt up the Ginat last week in less than stellar weather.



The brand name gloves I have useda lot in the past are:

Dachstein

Helly Hensen

Gates

Chouinard

Black Diamond

REI



Here is how I divide up my glove choices and there is some over lap generally. But easy to get somecash wrapped up in gloves.



Liners/approach gloves

leather/rap or bush whack (think 10' highslide alders or Devil's club)

XC ski

DH ski

tech climbing gloves

alpine climbing gloves

cold weather gloves



My first go to glove is the BD Polartec liners either Midweight or the Heavyweight. And I generallyloose them before I wear them out. And I wear them out by melting them on a stove. Awesome glove. Works for approaches, XC skiing, spring DH skiing, as a lwt tech glove or a warm weather alpine glove or nasty bush wacking. Many designs like them but these are the best I have used.



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



Leather?I use them in the alpine on bush wacks and on nasty steep raps with 7mm twins My favorites are a pair of thin steer hide I buy at Lowe's. But they have to fit perfectly and they aren't cheap. They generally last 4 or 5 years with consistent use with a chainsaw and around the yard. I'm also partial to the Metolious full finger belay glove. Although i never use them for belaying. I like a glove you know isn't going to come apart in use. This is the glove I usefor the free rap off the Midi's bridge in cold winter temps. It is awesome and cheap. Mine are now 10 years old and just getting broken in. Nice glove!



http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/belay_glove.html











I use my gloves for all sorts of stuff but the only skiing specific gloves I use are made by these guys:http://www.lillsport.com/

I generally have pretty warm hands and seldom sufferthrough the scream'in barfies even in pretty cold weather. So a lwt XC glove often gets used for DH skiing. I like Model ”S” 0103-00 for what it is worth.These make a decent thin dry tooling glove as well.



Thomas Smiley photos: www.smileysmtphoto.com



ALPINE CLIMBING GLOVES

Alpine climbing for me generally means winter. In spring, summer and fall any combination of gloves on this list can and generally do get used. But winter I have some old favorites. Mtn Harware and OutDry are my favorites along with a couple of pair of the OR gloves. You canread more on the Mtn Hardware Hydra and the OR Vert in earlier blogs.

I have found the OurDry to keep my hands dry even when the entire outer shell and insulation is soaking wet and frozen stiff. Not the best situation but then my buddy's are often in some version of the Black Diamond Gortex or BDry and have wet hands and frozen gloves. Some difference but not a lot. OutDry seems more durable as it is harder to punch a hole in the water proof liner..."I think". But nothing scientific here just anecdotal evidence.

The one thing I have convinced myself of is that thin gloves like the Hydra work very well in some pretty cold conditions. When it gets colder I used to be convinced a removable liner was mandatory. Not any more. Truth is when it gets really cold and I need a warmer glove, I really need moreinsulation. Liner may or may not be useful depending on how good the glove is and how easy it is to use. If it is that cold drying the glove out hasn't been a problem as the inner of the glove doesn't get verywet.

I used the Mtn Hardware Typhon this winter as my back up, warmer glover to the Hydra. Dave was using the MtnHardwareJalapeno when he got cold or wet enough. I thought the Jalapeno easier to use and justas warm as my wool lined Typhon. Typhon's liner comes out, the Jalapeno's doesn't.

From Mtn Hardware Inow use the Minus One, the Hydra, the Torsion and theTyphon depending on temps, useand need.. I'll likely start using the Jalapeno next winter.

I like a thinner glove with leashless tools so I don't have to remove my gloves for any reason. But get cold enough and the thicker gloves require me to pull the gloves off more than I want. Removeable liners that stay on when you pull the shells work well there. Big gloves, the Typhon and Jalapeno for example, are like good double boots, a pain in the ass to climb in...but without them you (me anyway) wouldn't still be climbing.

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/

One of the things I found interesting this winter is the gloves I can generally climb with in Canada just weren't warm enough in the Alps this winter. That was a surprise. Thankfully I took some warmer gloves along but I wasn't happy climbing in them generally. It took so getting use to the thicker and stiffer gloves on technical ground and with my (tight) Nomic or Ergo handles. I used the Quarks with a more open grip some specificallyfor that reason. While I didn't have cold hands on that trip it was PP planning all around on my part. Look around andtry what you think will work for you. When you find some that do, be smart and buy 2 pair. Gloves are like climbing footware you'll want the RIGHTpair for every occasion

Pray you don't end up with this glove collection! And these are just the good ones ;-)

From Holsters to Corsets: The Cycling Accessory Fetish

Entering the Brooks booth at Interbike was an experience that I can only describe as "trippy." Not only did I feel as if I'd stepped into a Skittles commercial - or at least a Brooks + Skittles "collabo" (Ride the Rainbow...), but I was seeing objects that, at first glance, distinctly resembled gun holsters - in a variety of lollypop shades.

Upon a closer look it became apparent that these were in fact tiny handbags shaped like Brooks saddles. The representative cheerfully explained that Brooks had the idea to make leather saddle covers to class up bikes that came with plastic saddles. But the project did not work, so they turned the would-be saddle covers into handbags - and thus we have the Victoria bag.

I am not sure what I have a harder time imagining - someone buying a leather cover for their plastic saddle, or someone carrying a neon leather saddle-shaped purse. And while at first I thought the gun holster comparison was just in my head, I soon heard others voice the same sentiment as they walked by the display. What do you think, would this match your work outfit?

And lest you be wearing trousers on a bike with no chaincase, a leather strap in a matching shade could be just the thing.



As long as it all matched your handlebar tape. And your apple-green saddle.



Of course if you're not a fan of colourful accessories, Brooks offers the subdued "paratrooper" look in tasteful shades of gray and beige.



Okay, I really don't mean to tease Brooks so much. They had "normal" stuff too, like their regular line of saddles, a promising rain cape and their new city leather grips (which I would buy if they didn't have those cold metal sections at the ends). But something just felt a little off about their booth - as if they were on the verge of losing perspective.



Taking the classic route to fetish-appeal, Klean Kanteen draped itself in caramel leather, for a look suggesting vintage flasks. I like it. But the one problem I see with this, is that the outside of these bottles tends to always get wet and the leather is bound to get discoloured and misshapen as a result over time - something that does not happen with shellacked twine, because the shellac waterproofs it.



This particular Klean Kanteen had a wooden inlay on the lid with a Brompton logo on it, and may have been a limited edition model made especially for Brompton bicycles.



Sculptural bicycle pumps from Lezyne in stainless steel and wood. People couldn't stop touching them, running their hands against the surface.



A bicycle pump that makes you want to use it by appealing to your sense of touch? Okay, I admit I want these. You got to me, Lezyne.



Po Campo's new "self-referetial" print is really too lighthearted to be truly fetishistic, but deserves a mention. Obsessed with bicycles? What a better way to show it than to get a bicycle bag with pictures of, well, bicycles on it. Should leave no doubt as to your love of cycling.



Alternatively, you could opt for the new Logan Tote - a pannier shaped like a dainty doctor's bag and designed to carry anything from diapers and formula bottles to camera equipment and the i-Pad. The myriad of belts and buckles that come with Po-Campo bags contribute to the visual curiosity factor, particularly when a tiny bag ends up capable of securing things like heavy jackets and yoga mats.



The Brompton "Oratory" cycling jacket has gotten both praise and slack in the press for being useful/ unnecessary (pick one), sparking debate as to whether urban cycling-specific designs overcomplicate matters and undermine the whole idea of being able to ride in regular clothing.



Not sure where I stand on that issue, but regardless - the Brompton jacket has a number of fine details that appealing regardless of whether one even needs a jacket at all.



The jacket is corduroy, with a wicking bamboo lining depicting a drawing of the Brompton Oratoryby English graffiti artist, Kid Acne (Get it? Graffiti for an urban jacket? Graffiti of a building instead of on a building? Oh the cleverness of it!..).



But no tale of accessory fetishism is complete without a visit withBerthoud. I have an odd relationship with Berthoud bags, in that I tend to lose my mind when I see them - especially several in the same place at the same time. The shades of gray fabric and caramel leather are just right, the straps are perfectly proportioned... But when it comes down to it, I cannot bring myself to actually buy one of the bags. It's not just the price, but something about the look would make me self-conscious to have it on my own bike.



A case of being too perfect? Maybe!



And then there are the panniers. These are available in many sizes and use the R&K Klick-fix system, which I love. But I can't get over the "corset" look of the side expansions - which, although obviously purpose-driven, to me seem to be the ultimate symbol of our tendency to fetishise bicycle accessories. It's not a bad thing per se, if it makes us happy and makes us ride our bikes more. But we each have different comfort levels. I'll go for leather, wood and twine, but will stop short of holsters and corsetry.

Independent

Be it food, furniture, clothing or bicycles, there is nothing quite like getting things made by people we know and trust. I am lucky to live in a pocket of the US that has a long history of an independent bicycle industry, and luckier still to interact with some of its members. On the occasion of Independence Day, I would like to feature these people here and invite you to have a look at their work.






When I first met Mike Flanigan of ANT, he was introduced to me as "the godfather of the transportation cycling revolution." Long before Dutch bikes and retrofitted Porteurs began gracing the streets of trendy American cities, Mike was making sturdy roadsters and cargo bikes for his customers under the slogan "Not sport, transport." He made custom loop frames at a time when no other framebuilder saw it as worth their while to offer step-through frames for women. He educated the newgeneration of local frame buildersabout the value of transportation bicycles and continues to share his knowledge with them generously. Today Mike also offers framebuilding classes, which have become extremely popular. Every year he donates a cargo bike that is raffled off at the Redbones Bike Party and Benefit in Somerville.There are other builders now making transport bicycles and plenty of mainstream manufacturers as well. But there is still nothing quite like an original ANT bike.






Of course the new generation makes it look so easy. It's not for nothing that Geekhouse Bikes founder Marty Walsh is known as "party Marty" - combining work and fun is their MO. Or rather, they do not see a distinction. Making colourful bikes that range from track to touring to townie, the boys of Geekhouse work tirelessly on their unique frames and have inhouse powdercoating facilities to boot. Hip segmented forks? Bottle cage braze-ons shaped like lightning bolts? Sparkly powdercoat? They are the ones to see about that. Geekhouse also connect with the local community, collaborating with their peers and encouraging innovation. Most recently they've leased a large space to be developed and shared by local artisans, which is looking more and more exciting each time I visit.





Though still a relative newcomer to the framebuilders' scene, Bryan Hollingsworth of Royal H. Cycles can make pretty much anything, I am convinced of that now. A carbon fiber fabricator at Seven Cycles, his true passion is lugged steel and he has been building frames under his own name for the past three years. I was one of his first customers and watching Bryan work was what inspired my own interest in frame design. After successfully collaborating on a one-off randonneur project last year, this summer we are taking it up a notch and trying to develop a do-it-all mixte model.





Another Seven Cycles veteran, Mike Salvatore of the so-called Sketchy Cycles is the framebuilders' framebuilder and a man of mystery. There is no website. There is no order process. There is no price list. Working by candlelight in the company of his enormous pet rabbit, Mike builds frames mostly for friends and only when the mood strikes him. But the deceptively modest-looking bikes are known to have magical properties. Those who own a Sketchy - and it's quickly becoming a cult of sorts - only smile mysteriously when asked what makes these bikes so special. Will the rest of us ever know? We can only dream.






Speaking of dreams, I certainly felt as if I was in the midst of one when I stumbled unexpectedly upon Cantabrigian Mechanics - the shop of Ricky DeFrancisco - earlier this year. What do they make? That is a little difficult to describe, because the answer is "everything." In a sense they are ghost builders - making bicycle frames and parts of frames, and also objects that have nothing to do with bicycles at all, for manufacturers whose names might be quite familiar to you. Intrigued? It may be possible to satisfy our curiosity soon, as Cantabrigian Mechanics are now developing a house brand called Commonwealth Cycles.





The art of fillet brazing is on the rise in Boston and I am infatuated with the fledgling work of Nao Tomii of Tomii Cycles - a sculptor who, after years of learning the trade, has recently become a full time framebuilder. Nao's bicycles look effortless, liquid and floaty as he combines technical precision with an artist's eye. I will have more pictures of his work featured here soon, and this is surely a builder to watch closely.






Another new fillet brazer of note is Armando Quiros of Quiros Custom Frames. A favourite of the fixie-loving crowd, Armando has won awards for his track bike builds and admiration for his sharp urban commuters.






I met the legendary Christopher Igleheart at a local bicycle show a year ago and was lucky enough to test ride a bike of his. Making many kinds of bicycles, from mountain to randonneuring to city, Igleheart is about lightweight steel, long-distance comfort, and quirky touches. His experience in the industry is vast and his customers rave about his bicycles' ride quality. An old school local favourite.






Seven Cycles are the folks who turned me on to titanium and opened my mind to an aesthetic I was not predisposed to like. There are not many independent bicycle factories left in the US, and I feel incredibly lucky to live just 6 miles from one, to be able to visit it, to know most of the people who work there. Seven Cycles sponsor many local events, as well as several cycling teams. I am still waiting for them to come out with a belt-drive titanium loop frame...






There are other local builders whom I haven't had the honour to visit and photograph, but would like to mention: Peter Mooney, Firefly, Circle A, Chapman Cycles,Ted Wojcik, Independent Fabrications, Parlee,JP Weigle. If there are others I have omitted, please remind me and I will include them.






In stark contrast to the framebuilders, as far as accessory makers we admittedly have a shortage. But Emily O'Brien's famous Dill Pickle Bags - not to mention her personality and fixed gear randonneuring adventures - certainly help make up for this. I made Emily's acquaintance recently and have one of her remarkable bags on loan, which I am now reluctant to return.






Thank you for reading along. I admit that I am proud of ourlocal bicycle industry, and I try to do my best to feature its members here. What is it like in your area? Please feel free to mention your favourite frame builders, component manufacturers, and accessory makers, and post links so that readers might visit them. Enjoy your 4th of July weekend!