Thursday, May 29, 2008

First Thunderstorm of



Ah, the joys of spring! Even if it is a bit early, I do love the signs of spring. Perhaps the most exciting sign of spring (for me, anyway) is the return of the thunderstorm. Last night we had a whopper of a thunderstorm make its way over Grand Portage. This was a very localized storm, with brief but heavy rainfall and some medium-sized hail. Oh, and an awesome display of lightning! I was up late last night working on editing some photos when I started seeing flashes of light outside my living room window. At first I thought I was seeing things. I thought "That can't be lightning... it's only mid-March!" But, sure enough, as time passed I noticed more and more flashes and soon it was apparent that it was indeed lightning. I grabbed my camera gear and headed out to do some shooting.








I went to a location just a half-mile from my house, one that afforded the best view of the approaching storm and one that would allow me to photograph the storm before any potential moisture hit. After photographing the lightning flashes for about 15 minutes, I noticed something that is not often discernible with an approaching thunderstorm in this area. I could HEAR the rain and hail approaching! Before the storm hit shore the conditions were incredibly calm, not a lick of wind and the lake was smooth as glass. But, out behind the island, the hard rain and hail was hammering the surface of the lake. What I heard was an ever-increasing sound, a haunting WHOOOOOOOOOOOOSH as the lake was pummeled by the rain and hail. Soon the sound was quite loud and when the lightning flashed I could see that at any moment the moisture was going to hit shore. A good time to get back in the truck, I thought! So I packed up my camera and walked back to the truck. No sooner had I taken just a few steps when the rain started to fall. It was only about 100 feet back to the truck and by the time I got there it was pouring. By the time my gear was put away in the back seat and I was sitting in the driver's seat, the sound of hail was all I could hear as it pelted the sheet metal of my truck. I drove around to the other side of the bay to see if I could get a different angle on the storm, and it was barely raining just two miles away! Short but sweet, as they say. The rest of the night we had a crystal-clear sky exploding with stars.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

The Estate of Jacob Switzer (My Guy) :: Executors Bond

My 4th great-grandfather, Jacob Switzer, died November 2, 1859 and his estate was entered into Probate Court in Columbiana County, Ohio on November 7, 1859 (packet number 4962). Unlike John Rupert's file, there was no will in the probate file of Jacob Switzer.



The bond was a printed form. Text shown below that is bold and italicized was hand-written in the document. Daniel Deemer was the son-in-law of Jacob Switzer.



=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

Know all Men by these Presents, that we Daniel Deemer, Daniel Stouffer, Joseph Wallance and Abtill Sturgeon of Columbiana County, State of Ohio, are held and firmly bound to said State of Ohio, in the sum of Ten thousand Dollars, to which payment well and truly to be made, to said State, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, and every of them, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents. Signed and sealed this 7th day of November A. D. 1859.



The condition of this bond is such, That if the above name Daniel Deemer Administrator of the Estate of Jacob Switzer late of said County, deceased.



First – Shall make and return into the Probate Court, for said county, on oath, within three months, a true inventory of all the monies, goods, chattels, rights and credits of the deceased, which shall have come to his possession or knowledge; and also, if required by said Court, an inventory of the real estate of deceased.



Secondly – Shall administer according to law, all the moneys, goods, chattels, rights, credits of the deceased, and the proceeds of all the real estate that may be sold for the payment of the debts of the deceased which shall at any time come to his possession, or the possession of any other person for him.



Thirdly – Shall render, upon oath, a just account of his administration, within eighteen months and at any other time or times when required by said Court or the Law.



Fourthly – Shall pay any balance remaining in his hands upon the settlement of his accounts, to such person or persons as the Court or the Law shall direct; and



Fifthly – Shall deliver the letters of Administration into said Court; in case any will of the deceased shall be hereafter duly proved and allowed; then this bond to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue in law.



Attest:

W. E. McLaughlin



[signed by]

Daniel Deemer

Daniel Stouffer

Joseph Wallace

Abtil Sturgeon





Executors Bond. Estate of Jacob Switzer. Probate Packet 4962. Columbiana County, Ohio.

Jurassic Way 6 Sibbertoft to Braybrooke

With Marta. 9 miles, including a couple of (intentional) detours. Weather fine, overcast. Ground muddy in places. Our biggest obstacle was a rapeseed field!




We set off from Sibbertoft, opposite the church.




Sibbertoft church






An easy to miss footpath sign!

From here the path was easy to follow across fields and then downhill into a short section of woodland, between Mount Pleasant and The Lawn. Slippery mud underfoot made it hard going.




Looking back up the slippery slope

The path was easy to follow, slightly downhill until we met a road (Dick's Hill). We crossed this and followed the path round the lower slope of a hill until we reached a field where the path was marked, but completely hidden by the crop of rape. I don't think the rain and wind had helped, as the plants were leaning every which way - but this was the only field where we couldn't keep to the path, or even see where it ran. We walked round the edge of the field - easier but still something of an obstacle course.




That a way?



At the other side of the field we found the way markers. The dotted line just to the left of the red dot shows the route we should have taken. From here, with the map and way markers everything went smoothly until we hit another rape field. This time we followed a clear path cutting across diagonally - we should have followed the field edge. However we were able to adjust our route without much trouble and arrived in East Farndon.



There's a large farm/ hall(?) with good views over the countryside. East Farndon is on a hill.




View of the church and part of the village from the disused pits/ earthworks. The signpost shows the loop of the Jurassic Way here.

Time for a coffee break - there's a convenient bench under a tree near the church.




Just in time for coffee!

After this we walked through the churchyard, and out across a coupe of fields. The path took us to the Oxenden Road.




The cows were lying down peacefully right next to the gate we had to use. Curious, but not too curious.

We noticed a viewpoint on the map, a few hundred yards down the road out of our way - Rupert's view over the Naseby battlefield. It looks fairly new.















We returned to walk along the Oxenden Road, then made another detour towards the deserted medieval village of Little Oxenden - it's supposed to be a superb site, and we could see a few bumps and hollows, but we wanted to get on, so we may not have gone far enough. Another day?

We followed the road into Great Oxenden, taking a path to the left, parallel to the road. This brought us out right where we wanted to be, opposite The George, where we stopped for lunch. We sat outside, under shelter which had been erected for the Jubilee, and ate to the sound of the one heavy shower of the walk.



We turned right out of the pub, then took the footpath to the right just before this house name post. We walked over the Great Oxenden Tunnel on the Brampton Valley Way and walked through a short patch of woodland, and then fields.






We passed a farm called Waterloo Lodge, and crossed the road to the farm.











From here we continued to follow the path until we came to a T junction with another path - there's bench half hidden in the vegetation here. We turned left and followed the path until it became a wider track and swung round into Braybrooke.












A previous visit to Braybrooke - April


Sunday, May 25, 2008

Pulling the Trigger vs Doing the Twist: Thoughts on 3-Speed Gear Shifters

On bicycles with internally geared hubs, we typically see two types of gear shifters. The trigger shifter (pictured above) is a small gadget with a lever that is moved up and down. Today, this style of shifter usually accompanies Sturmey Archer hubs (though in Europe I have seen some lesser known models as well).



The twist shifter (pictured above) is a plastic and rubber enclosure that is built into the handlebar grip itself. To switch gears, you grab the rubber part and twist forward or backward. This style of shifter usually accompaniesShimanohubs.



After using both types of shifters on various bicycles I've owned to more or less the same extent, I have developed a strong preference for trigger shifters. When I tell people this, they tend to assume it has to do with "vintage aesthetics" - but actually, it has to do with comfort. A trigger shifter takes up very little space on the handlebars, as it is attached with a narrow bracket. This means that the shifter does not interfere with the gripping area, and allows me to install full-length grips on the handlebars.



By contrast, having a twist shifter installed effectively cuts your gripping area in half. Notice that the right handlebar grip on the Bella Ciao above is shorter than the left grip - necessary in order to make room for the shifter. Granted, you can also keep your right hand on the rubber portion of the shifter itself - but it's not very comfortable, especially as there is a tactile break between where the real grip ends and the shifter begins.



But why is it important how long your grips are, as long as you are able to fit your hands on them? The reason, is that having room to move your hands around on the handlebars, even a little, can be essential for hand comfort - especially on long rides. If you ride your bicycle for just a couple of miles or so at a time, then you might not get the urge to move your hands around. But the longer your ride is, the more fatigued your hands will get if you keep them in the same position. Some people are more sensitive to this than others, and those who have nerve damage in their hands (like yours truly) are particularly prone to it. The feeling can range from numbness, to "pins and needles" to a more severe sensation of electric current running through the hand. It is not good to experience this problem, and having room on the handlebars to move your hands around allows you to avoid it. Long gripscan also help you switch between a more relaxed and a more aggressive position on your bike (by holding the grips further forward or further backward) - giving you some added control over speed.



Getting back to shifter styles, here is my right hand on the shortened grip that is integrated with the twist shifter on my Bella Ciao. As you can see, my hand covers the entire grip, with no room to move around - unless I place it on the shifter itself, though even then it is limited. And I had the same problem with this shifter on my previously-owned Pashley, which came with the 7-speed Shimano hub I innocently selected.



On the other hand, here is my hand on the grip I installed on my Gazelle. As you can see, there is room for another handful - which is only possible because of the trigger shifter.



I will note that one benefit of the twist shifter, is that it is more integrated with your hand position - which can be a plus if you switch gears very frequently. But on bicycles with internally geared hubs - especially 3-speeds - I have found that I tend to stay in one "ideal" gear most of the time, switching to a lower gear only when going uphill, and switching to a higher gear only when cycling very fast or downhill. Having to reach with my finger to pull the trigger has not caused me any inconvenience in comparison to using the twist shifter. Your experience, of course, may differ.



While I am not suggesting that everybody ought to run out and demand trigger shifters with their 3-speed bicycles, I am hoping that this comparison will provide some food for thought to those who are getting a new bike, or deciding which hub to select with a new build. I would also like to ask whether anybody knows where I can find a trigger shifter that is compatible with a 3-speed Shimano Nexus hub? Even if it involves rigging something up with a "thumbie" derailleur-style shifter, I am up for it. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Little Brick Lichen



Little Brick Island - Grand Portage, MN. We had really nice clouds the whole evening, which made it one of the most enjoyable photography outings I've ever had to the Susie Islands. The sun was at my back and behind the clouds when I made this image, which meant that the foreground was very dark. I used my Singh-Ray 3-stop reverse-grad neutral-density filter to help balance the exposure. I got some nice images of the sunset as well on this outing, but this is my favorite image of the day. This was taken about an hour before sunset.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Modern Times (5.8+) and the Alleged Gunks Sandbag



(Photo: Holy bird poop, Batman!! That block on the High E ledge is really coated with guano at the moment.)



After beginning our day with the amazing double whammy of Erect Direction to CCK Direct, Dana and I started walking down the cliff. Dana was thinking about leading Obstacle Delusion (5.9).



But we didn't make it to Obstacle Delusion. Our journey was cut short at the High E buttress when Dana asked me an innocent question.



"You've done Modern Times, right?"



I had to admit that I had not.



It was a big hole in my climbing resume. Honestly, how can any self-respecting Gunks blogger NOT have climbed Modern Times (5.8+)?



It just never seemed like the right moment, I guess. On October 25, , I had driven to the Gunks determined to climb Modern Times with Nani. But the climb was soaking wet after the previous night's heavy rain, so we went and did Insuhlation (5.9) instead. And you know, dear reader, how that worked out.



Since then I had never made Modern Times a priority. I figured I'd get around to it some day, but whenever I thought about doing it the climb was occupied, or I was with someone who'd done it recently, or (I may as well admit it) it seemed a little too scary.



So there we were, Dana and I, on this beautiful Saturday, standing before the climb. And it was wide open. Dana said I had to do it, and that having just led CCK Direct I would be absolutely fine.



This was just the encouragement I needed.



Dana was up to lead pitch one if I wanted him to. But it was old hat for him so he offered both pitches to me. I was more than willing to lead them both. As I set off on the 5.7 pitch one, I felt a little bit tingly all over. This was a big deal, and we'd just sort of stumbled into it. It hadn't even occurred to me that we might climb Modern Times today, on March 17, right at the start of the season.



Does any other climb have such a reputation for high quality, and for difficulty beyond its grade?



From the ground, it certainly looks terrifying. A gigantic arch guards the top of the cliff. The climber must exit to the right through the roofs at the top of the arch. The moves look huge. And these moves are above big air. It is a sheer drop of hundreds of feet to the ground.



I'd heard all the tips and the rumors. I knew not to get suckered into wasting my energy going up to the distinctive sideways tree that sits above the initial overhang. It was better, I'd heard, to stay low and move to the right. I was also aware that some kind of secret rest supposedly existed in the middle of the overhangs. I had been told, as well, that short people couldn't grab the final shelf without cutting their feet loose. Finally, I recalled hearing something about the finishing mantle being difficult, but couldn't quite remember the details. Would I find it easier to mantle up if I hand-traversed far to the right along the final ledge? Or was there some hidden pebble for my toe that I was supposed to look for?



These issues could wait, since I first had to dispense with pitch 1.



I found this pitch to be kind of humdrum. The climbing is clean and pleasant in much the same way that the 5.4 pitch one of No Glow is clean and pleasant. Which is to say it is rather unremarkable. And it seemed a bit soft to me for 5.7. The little ceiling at the end of the pitch, which I suppose is the crux, is easier in my opinion than the one on first pitch of the neighboring climb The Last Will Be First (5.6). Nothing wrong with the pitch, but nothing to write home about either.





(Photo: I asked Dana to get a photo of me on Modern Times, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt: a blurry shot of the overhang, sans climber. Now I have no proof I actually climbed it!)



Here's another dark secret about Modern Times: pitch two isn't the greatest either, at least until you get to the overhang. All the climbing up until the crux is pretty easy, and the pro isn't optimal. You start up a right-facing corner. I got in a little nut near the bottom. You could put gear at the top of the corner as well, but I chose not to because I didn't want unnecessary drag as I moved to the right. Then as the climb moves towards the top of the arch you ascend a massive left-facing flake, which turns out to be less a flake than a big stack of blocks leaning against the face of the cliff. These blocks probably aren't going anywhere (they are quite large), but still I wasn't thrilled about the idea of placing any pieces in between them, instead finding the few placements I could in the wall to the left and behind the blocks.



If I arrived at the crux wondering what the fuss was all about, my doubts were immediately dispelled by a glance at the next sequence.



The path upward is easy to spot-- I don't know why anyone is suckered into going up to the tree. Probably these tree-huggers know they are making a mistake, but don't wish to confront the alternative: committing to the correct path by leaning waaaaay out over an empty expanse to the first holds, which takes quite the gut check.



I certainly hesitated a bit, though less than I did at the crux of CCK Direct. The pro is great. I placed pieces (with extended slings) in both the undercling crack under the roof and out by the first of the roof holds before I committed to the moves.



And once I leaned out to the first hold, it was on! A quick couple of moves on jugs led to the mid-point, where I was able to place another dynamite cam-- you have a big horizontal and a vertical crack to work with here.



I think this is the "secret rest" spot, and I may even have unlocked the secret by propping up a left foot on a high hold and dropping my knee while I placed a cam. But I didn't stop afterwards to try to contrive a real rest, because it was just one more move to the final overhang. The end was near and there was no reason to wait.



Moving up to the final shelf, I saw absolutely no need to cut the feet-- the footholds were great throughout, actually. And there was no trick to the mantle either, as far as I could tell. There is a great little horizontal crack for a high step at any number of locations. Get your weight over the high foot and push up, people!



I hope that by attempting to dispel a few myths about Modern Times I don't make it sound like the climb is not wonderful. To the contrary, the crux sequence consists of four or five of the most exhilarating moves the Gunks has to offer. I found the crux absolutely thrilling. Once I successfully mantled up to the shelf, I let out the biggest yell ever.



And the shelf onto which you emerge is perhaps the best belay spot in the Gunks. You are still 20 or 30 feet from the top, and you can keep going and belay above in the trees if you like. If you have any doubt about your partner's ability to climb through the roofs, however, you'd be advised to belay from the shelf so you can coach your partner on the art of prussik ascending when he or she falls off and can't get back on.



I had no such doubts about Gunks institution Dana Bartlett, of course, but I couldn't resist building a belay and having a seat on this perfect little park bench in the sky. Sitting there, I could reflect on the scenery and the sensational climbs we'd already knocked off on this great early season Saturday.





(Photo: Looking down pitch one of Carbs and Caffeine, which is either 5.8 or 5.9-, depending on who you believe.)



As I sat there reflecting, I decided that Modern Times is not a sandbag at 5.8+. I came to the conclusion that it was easier for me than CCK Direct so I guessed the 5.8+ was about right. The crux of Modern Times also features the type of climbing (overhanging jugs) that we gym climbers of today are accustomed to, so really the rating should be uncontroversial. I think the only reason people consider it such a sandbag is its rather incredible position and exposure, which don't exactly make the moves more difficult but which certainly add to the overall challenge.



I actually think I experienced two bigger 5.8 sandbags in the very same weekend I climbed Modern Times.



The first was Dirty Gerdie, the supposed 5.8+ that ascends the middle of the face of Gerdie Block. I had put a toprope over this climb twice before, the last time two years ago. This year's attempt (on my wet Friday in the Gunks with Franz) was the first time I ever managed to climb it cleanly on the first try. It is tough to get the first crux move, which involves matching a foot to one hand while trying to reach ever-so-slowly with the other hand up a featureless face for an invisible, tiny crimp. The next move, smearing the feet on nothing at all while locking off and reaching for a jug, is no picnic either.



5.8+? My ass.



The second 5.8 sandbag of the weekend was the first pitch of Carbs and Caffeine, which Dick simply calls plain old 5.8-- no plus sign. I led it later in the day with Dana after Modern Times. It was my first time doing the pitch and if you take a look at the picture above (click on it to enlarge) you may notice that I placed a rather large number of protective pieces. This was because I thought it was hard and that I might slip off, pretty much the whole way up! The entire pitch involves off-vertical thin face climbing, and I felt insecure, especially at the crux finishing moves, where the hands are not so positive and the footholds are the tiniest indentations. The protection crack at the crux takes only micronuts; I managed to slot two of them. Luckily I didn't slip and test the nuts, but I thought they were good.



I felt sandbagged by Carbs and Caffeine, maybe even more so than by Dirty Gerdie. When I found out that Swain calls it 5.9- I felt somewhat vindicated.



But maybe I was wrong about both Dirty Gerdie and Carbs and Caffeine. Maybe these climbs just involve specific skills that I'm less comfortable with. The foot/hand match that I employed on Dirty Gerdie, for example, is a popular solution to many Gunks climbs with long reaches between good edges, and the entry level for this move seems to be 5.8. (Think of both Arrow and Three Doves.) You won't find this move much in a gym, which adds to its unfamiliarity for today's climbers. To the experienced Gunkie maybe it isn't a big deal at all.



And of course the same can be said for less-than-vertical thin face climbing. You won't find anything like it in a gym, so it's no surprise a climber like me feels insecure doing it. When I lowered to the ground and watched Dana follow my lead of Carbs and Caffeine I learned that slabby climbing can feel more slippery than it really is. I could see just how much of his shoe was in contact with the rock in the places where I thought I was standing on nothing. Maybe I wasn't as close to sliding off as I feared I was.



It all depends on what you're used to. But Modern Times? We're all used to the type of climbing you'll find on that one. It's really exciting, but it's no sandbag.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Off to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Hi, I am off to Jordan in the Middle East and I am quite excited about this trip but I must admit I did feel a little bit apprehensive of the current unstable situation of the region. I booked this trip last December, before the uprising in Tunisia and Egypt and ever since I have been hooked to BBC World News everyday following the Middle East status quo. So far nothing on the news has convinced me to pull back.







From what I understand, Jordan is a secular, modern and advanced Arab nation. The King with the lovely wife is the boss, like Bahrain, it is a constitutional monarchy country. So far the protests were quite peaceful except for the clashes that happened in Amman last Friday but this is minor in comparison to its neighbours.



According to the Global Competitiveness Report, Jordan ranked 1st in the region in terms of police services reliability and 14th in the world. For prevention against organized crime, Jordan ranked 1st again in the region and 9th in the world. Quite impressive!



So yes, apart from the recent clash I did my research and do feel safe about this trip.



Sunday, May 11, 2008

Wander round East Village

I met Morton, who took me on an impromptu guided tour of the East Village, after lunch at the Café Rakka in St Marks Place.




St Marks Place





Inside Two Boots Pizza - which began on Avenue A 25 years ago. It was named because its founders had roots in Italy and Louisiana, both boot-shaped, and the restaurant serves unusual pizza toppings. It has also always been notable for its child-friendliness, which was rare in the eighties. The area was pretty run-down when they started, but is now a safer, vibrant part of the city. Two Boots has branches in lots of other places and other cities now.



The counter is a collage of posters, photos and other ephemera.







The New York City Marble Cemetery was founded in 1831, after an epidemic of yellow fever caused concern about normal burials in the earth. One block west is the New York Marble Cemeteryfounded in 1830, which is entered via an alleyway with iron gates at each end. The funeral home nearby is a four-storey or so high building, on the roof of which is a strange stone or iron (?) owl with apparently cloth or similar wings.







List of interesting places - Tomkins Square Park, Avenue B and A, Two Boots Pizza, Marble Cemetery, funeral home building with spooky owl on top, Colonnades on Lafayette(?) , Cooper Union building, TD Bank with old photo of 2nd Avenue 'el' and corner of St Marks, La Mama theatre and others . . . Stuyvesant St, Hamilton Fish House, First Houses public housing . . .


Fall wildflowers

I found these pictures of flowers that I took during the fall. I'm a lot bigger fan of the spring ephemerals than other wildflowers. Maybe because they're the first ones to appear, or because so many of the autumn ones look so much the same. There seem to be five million species of goldenrods. Ten million asters. But in the winter I start craving wildflowers of any sort. And unlike the Ontario Wanderer, who seems to have the uncanny ability to find any number of blooms in winter... in Canada... all I've got is these memories from the computer.


A Helianthus. Or maybe Heliopsis. Or something.


Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). Lots of people have this one in their garden. It really is this red! In the wild it seems to like damp places.


Something in the aster family.


Ironweed (Vernonia sp.) & goldenrod (Solidago sp.).