Heavyweights, Middleweights, and Lightweights: a Loop Frame Taxonomy

The "Manufacturer Profiles" page linked in the upper left corner lists popular manufacturers that produce quality ladies' bicycles which I believe to meet the urban commuting criteria described here. Fairly often, I am asked about the differences between the bicycles featured on this page - particularly in terms of weight, speed, and their ability to handle hills. Happily, I have now ridden almost all of these bikes, and am able to provide this type of feedback. If I had to classify the higher-end loop-frame bicycles currently available on the market, I would say there are three main categories: the heavyweights, the middleweights, and the lightweights. Each category has its strengths and weaknesses, its benefits and its drawbacks. I will try to describe my experience of them here.

The Heavyweights



In this category I place the traditional Dutch bikes: the classic models produced by Gazelle, Azor/Workcycles, Achielle, and Batavus. They have long, super-relaxed frames, high handlebars and 28" wheels. They are very heavy. They have heavy-duty racks and are designed to haul serious weight. They place the cyclist in a bolt-upright position. And their basic design has remained unaltered for nearly a century.



The benefit of the "heavyweights" is that they are supremely comfortable and stable. On a proper Dutch bicycle, you can expect to glide along even the most treacherous urban surfaces: You will not feel potholes, bumps, or cobblestones to nearly the same extent as you do on other bikes. You can load your rear or front rack with as much weight as you like without feeling the difference. You can give your friends rides on the rear rack while transporting your toddler on a handlebar-mounted childseat if you like - these bicycles were designed to handle that.



The drawbacks that come with these wonders are the weight (over 50lb - with the Workcycles/Azor being heavier than Gazelle and Batavus) and the wide turning radius. The weight of bicycles is not a problem for the Dutch, because they keep them parked outdoors. If you are not willing to do that and live in a 2nd floor apartment, consider whether you will be able to drag that much weight up and down the stairs every day. As for the handling, it is natural to expect that a long, relaxed bike will make fairly wide turns and will not want to weave aggressively though traffic. To some, this means that Dutch bikes are not sufficiently "maneuverable." Some also complain that because of their weight and relaxed position, it is difficult to cycle uphill on a Dutch bike - especially a prolonged hill.



Conclusion:These bicycles will give you unparalleled comfort and stability at the expense of weight and maneuverability.



The Lightweights



At the moment, the only loop frame bicycles in this category are the Italians:Abici and Bella Ciao. They are more nimble and sporty than their heftier cousins, with smaller frames and large-ish 700C wheels (a size typical of roadbikes).With their distinct curvature and clean lines, these bicycles are elegant, coltish and fast.



The benefit of the Italian lightweights, is that they are as light and zippy as you can possibly get on this type of city bicycle. Typical weight is 30-35 lb depending on gearing and lights. They do well on hills, they are easy to lift and carry, they are maneuverable.



On the downside, the ride quality is not quite as smooth as on the Dutch bikes. You will feel the road to a greater extent and you will not be as oblivious to the potholes and bumps. Because of their light weight and sportier geometry, these bicycles also have a limited load-carrying capacity. You can carry your bag and panniers, but you probably won't be able to wheel around your boyfriend and your toddler as you would on a Dutch bike. I am not even sure about the toddler alone.



Conclusion: These bicycles will give you lightweight speed and agility, at the expense of extra cushioning and hauling capacity.



The Middleweights



As you may have guessed, bicycles in this category are somewhere in between. They include the English Pashley, the Danish Velorbis, the Swedish Skeppshult and the German Retrovelo. Their frames are not as relaxed as the Dutch bicycles, but not as sporty as the Italians. They are typically fitted with 26" wheels. Sometimes these bicycles are specifically marketed as lighter-weight "improvements" compared to Dutch bikes or classic Roadsters.



I am going to combine the benefits and drawbacks of this category into one narrative, because they are not quite so clear-cut. In a very general sense, the benefit of these bicycles is that they are somewhat lighter than the Dutch bikes (40-45lb+), while also being somewhat sturdier than the Italian bikes. As for smoothness and cushiness of the ride, there is variability. I have found thePashley and the (non-balloon tire)Velorbis to be about the same in terms of cushioning as Bella Ciao, while also being nearly as heavy and just as difficult on uphills as some of the Dutch bikes. So in the case of these two, I do not feel as if the decrease in cushiness (in comparison to Dutch bikes) is adequately balanced by an equally significant decrease in weight. On the other hand, in the Retrovelo this problem seems to have been solved with theFat Frank balloon tires - the ride is almost as cushy as on a Dutch bike, with some of the weight shaved off and some maneuverability added. I have not tried the Velorbis balloon-tire bikes and cannot say how they compare. And I have not tried theSkeppshult at all.



Conclusion: Overall I am not sure what to make of these bicycles. Having ridden the Pashley, the Velorbis, and the Retrovelo, I would say that Retrovelo has the nicest ride quality of the three and Pashley the second nicest. But to me the bikes in this category do not feel that much lighter than Gazelle or Batavus.



While this method of classification cannot begin to compete with the benefit of firsthand experience, I hope that it at least very generally suggests what to expect. The Dutch bicycles are obscenely comfortable, but cumbersome. The Italian bicycles are light and nimble, but do not offer the same sprawling sense of luxury. And the bicycles in between are a mixed bag. When considering which bicycle is right for you, the closest to "advice" I can give is to take very seriously your priorities and your limitations. It's not just about the weight and handling of the bicycle - but about what you need those factors to be like. We all need something different, and each of these bicycles is perfect for the right owner.

The Pigeon River: Winter in the High Falls Gorge

This is the gorge in Grand Portage State Park, just a little ways downstream from High Falls, the tallest waterfall in Minnesota. I took a walk along the river yesterday and really enjoyed being able to walk right ON the river. The ice was thick enoughalong the edge of the bank that I did not have to worry about it breaking. There have been reports of a mink hanging out along this section of the river over the past month, and I've been heading up almost daily to hopefully get a glimpse of him (and possibly a photo!). After many attempts, I have yet to see the animal but I have seen plenty of its tracks. Maybe one of these days our paths will cross :-)

The Cliffs of Shore Acres

On this blustery winter's day with snow falling from the sky I find my thoughts wandering back to our mid-November trip to the Oregon coast and the beautiful weather that we encountered. Yes, it did rain as it so often does on the Oregon coast this time of year. But, we did also have some beautiful weather, as shown here at Shore Acres State Park near Coos Bay. Shore Acres is known for the massive ocean waves that frequently hammer the cliffs shown in this photo. On the day we visited, however, the ocean was about as calm as it gets. We would have loved to hang around into the evening to experience the amazing christmas light display that the park is also known for, but unfortunately we were a little too early in the season for that.

Can you date this axe?

Here is an interesting axe. Grivel for sure. Pre 1980 but how pre 1980?50cm and looks unaltered except for some sharpening. I asked Grivel for a production date.



"This axe was in producton between 1978 and 1985 (more or less). The shaft is in rexilon.

Ciao,

Alexis

Grivel"







This week I was told Grivelwas offering a similar axe as early as 1970. Virtually the same time as Chouinard had hisPiolet available, which was late fall of 1969 by Doug Robinson's recollections. I'll look into that further.



"Certainly by the next catalog the date of introduction of the Piolet is listed as 1969. And by October of that year Yvon delivered to me on the edge of the Palisade Glacier the hickory-handled 70 cm one (and that hand-forged Alpine Hammer) that we put to good use on the V-Notch the next day."

Doug Robinson, Jan 2 '09



http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=382806&tn=0&mr=0



Up date #1



The Grivel axe is a 45cm.not a 50cm. Really short for those days. Teeth and 2nd notch along the pick blade are all original. Import date into the USA is unknown at the momentbut first varified sighting of something similar in the USA was Sept. 1970.



"I first saw the axe in September, 1970, at Dakins Vermont Shop where Vermont products like cheese and maple syrup were sold. Helmut Lenes had a corner of the shop where he sold european climbing gear. I didn't buy that axe because it was too expensive and weird looking. Too short and too curved." JB



More to come asap.



But I suspect, this and another story I am working will put a couple of long standing ice climbing myths to death.

Gravity - Caught in the Act

Gravity - Caught in the Act, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

For years I have wanted to capture the parabolas the show up when a ball bounces to the ground. With a 39-cent light-up bouncy ball I was able to do just that.

The Unicrown Fork

Those who have been reading this blog for some time, are no doubt familiar with my rants against unicrown forks. "The bike is nice... if it weren't for that unicrown fork," and so forth. When the topic comes up, some agree, others question my fixation on this detail, and others still want to know what a unicrown fork is. Now that I am temporarily living with a unicrown forked bike, the time seems right to elaborate.

A vey basic primer in bicycle fork construction: A traditional fork on a traditional lugged steel bike is made up of two blades and a crown, whereby the blades and crown arebrazed together - just like the tubes and lugs on the frame itself. There are many fork crown designs in existence, but the general concept is the same. Now, a unicrown fork is constructed differently in that there is no crown. The two fork blades are bent towards each other at the top, then (typically) welded together at the steerer tube. A unicrown fork is simpler and less expensive to make than a lugged crown fork, which is why it has become so ubiquitous among contemporary bicycle manufacturers.

For some time now I've been trying to figure out the history of the unicrown fork, and I keep reading about the first mountain bikes, BMX bikes, and the quest for rigidity - suggesting that its origins were in the 1980s. But then I see antique bicycles- like this ancient Sterling pathracer at the Larz Anderson show last summer - which to me look like they are sporting hundred year old versions of unicrown forks. I have also seen what I can only describe as antique crownless flat-top forks - which appear to be similarly constructed, but are squared-off, rather than round. Would someone care to educate me on their history?



The thing about unicrown forks, is that I don't actually dislike them per se, at least not in of themselves. What I dislike is when they are incongruent to the overall design of the bicycle. On a welded frame, a unicrown fork looks perfectly natural - integrating harmoniously with the bicycle frame. Just like I prefer lugged frames to welded frames, I similarly prefer lugged forks to unicrown forks. But objectively speaking, a unicrown fork looks fine on a welded frame - like on the D2R Boogie above.



Unicrown fork on a welded DBC Swift, also looks appropriate. The frame joints and the unicrown fork match, and all are filed equally smoothly.

Unicrown fork on an ANT mixte. Now, if I were getting an ANT, I would opt for his segmented fork or his dual-plate crown fork - just because I prefer those styles and they are kind of his specialties. But I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with ANT using unicrown forks on TIG-welded bikes - again, the overall design is harmonious.



The only time a unicrown fork actually bothers me, is when it is attached to a lugged frame - which is done quite frequently nowadays. Azor/Workcycles puts unicrown forks on their lugged frames, as do Batavus, Velorbis (balloon tire models only) and Abici (above), just to name a few. The reason is most likely a cost-cutting measure, undertaken perhaps with the hope that most customers simply won't notice. And it bothers me, not because I think that unicrown forks in themselves are "bad," but because I feel that a traditional lugged bicycle - especially when the manufacturer takes pride in describing it as such - calls for a traditional lugged fork. When the frame is lugged but the fork is not, the overall look of the bike comes across as disjointed to me; it doesn't "flow." It's only my opinion, but I think it's a fairly simple and logical notion as far as design goes.



Do you care what kind of fork your bicycle has? What do you think of unicrown forks - in of themselves, and in combination with lugged frames?

Ladies and Diamond Frames

Lots of ladies ride diamond frame bicycles, even in a skirt. The lovely Charlotte of Chic Cyclist and the good women of Bike Skirt are just some examples. Recently, I tried riding diamond frames for the first time in my life.

Here is the Co-Habitant's vintage Raleigh. I had to wear platform shoes, because I can't otherwise clear the top tube of his 24" bike.

And here is an Origin8 Cykel, which I tried at the Bike Stop in Arlington, Mass. This time the frame was just the right size, though those super-wide handlebars took some getting used to.

My feelings about diamond frames are mixed. While cycling, I actually find them very comfortable: The horizontal tube helps me feel balanced and in control of the bicycle. But by golly, I don't understand how to mount and dismount gracefully. The Co-Habitant swings his leg over the back in one fluid ballet-like motion, but I seem to be incapable of executing this maneuver without faltering. Plus, in a skirt this can't be done without hiking it up first.

I've tried leaning the bicycle over toward me until the frame is low enough to step over, but that does not seem right either. Ladies, how do you do it? And when you're wearing a skirt?

UPDATE: The graceful Charlotte of Chic Cyclist has now posted a photo-tutorial showing how she rides her diamond frame in a miniskirt. Enjoy!

Thoughts on Bar-End Shifters

When I was getting my first new roadbike in spring , I had it built up with bar-end shifters. This decision was arrived at via a process of elimination. I had ridden a couple of vintage roadbikes before with very limited success and found the classic downtube shifters too challenging. I had also tried to test ride some modern roadbikes and found their combination brake/shifter levers ("brifters") to be so uncomfortable that I had trouble using the brakes. Other cyclists I knew recommended bar-ends - an older style that had grown popular again in recent years. Rivendell - the manufacturer of the road frame I was having built up - was also strongly recommending this setup. And so that is what I went with.






A bar-end shifter is exactly what it sounds like: a gear-changing lever installed at the end of the handlebar. There are different styles. Some are longer, others are shorter. Some are friction, others are indexed. I have tried a few now on different bikes, and my favourite remains what I went with originally: Silver friction shifters. The length and shape make them easier for me to operate than other models; I get more leverage. I find the friction mode easy and intuitive to use, and I like the control it gives me. If a gear is imperfectly adjusted, I can simply move it a tiny bit manually. I can also shift multiple gears at a time quite easily.






The shorter, indexable Shimano bar-ends are another popular choice for this style of shifters. The Co-Habitant uses them on his bikes and loves them. But personally I find them more effortful and less comfortable to use that the Silvers.






Over the time I rode with bar-end shifters, I was more or less fine with them. I was able to switch gears and I was able to install the brake levers I liked, since they were independent from the shifters. But I did find two things about the shifters less than ideal. One was that they required me to dramatically change my hand position(s) on the bars in order to switch gears. I got better and quicker at this over time, but nonetheless I was never "in love" with the process. The other issue was that when stopped or off the bike the shifters would often poke me and give me bruises. But both of these points seemed relatively minor at the time, and I was not considering a different lever setup.





My switch to combination levers was a product of accidental discovery. I was discussing test riding a Seven roadbike with the staff of the Ride Studio Cafe, and all their demo models were set up with modern brifter-type levers. I told them about my inability to brake using brifters when I attempted to ride other modern roadbikes. Rob Vandermark asked which specific makes and models I'd tried. It had not occurred to me until then that this could make a real difference. I'd tried quite a few, all of them by Shimano and SRAM. Rob looked at the Tektro short reach brake levers on my own bike, and suggested I try Campagnolo; apparently the shape is very similar. And so it was. I test rode a demo bike with Campagnolo ergo shifters and it was as if my brain became integrated with them immediately. I resisted making a rash decision to make the switch on my own bike, but a couple of months later I finally did switch and have not looked back.






So what do I think of bar-end shifters in retrospect... Pretty much the same thing as before. I have no desire to "bash" them or to proclaim the superiority of brifters; it is really a matter of individual preference. I still like bar-ends and I am fine riding a roadbike set up with them. I especially love the friction mode. If given a choice of models, my favourites are the Silvers; they feel great in my hands. I imagine that bar-ends are well suited for those who prefer their shifters to be separate from their brake levers, who wish to have the option of friction shifting, and who have no problems moving their hands to the edges of the drops swiftly and efficiently when they need to change gears. I am sure there are other contexts in which bar-ends are the preferred choice, and those who have things to add on the subject are welcome to chime in. To me, bar-ends will always be associated with my first road cycling experiences, and I retain a fondness for them despite having switched to another system.

Lugged Non-Steel?

[image via the IF Blog]

I have been curious about bicycles that are lugged, but not made of steel. The first ones I noticed were the lugged carbon fiber frames made by our local Independent Fabrications.I have seen a couple of these in person, and they are beautifully done. The picture above is a detail from the XS model. The lugs are painted titanium, over a clear-coated carbon fiber frame.



[image via theIF Blog]

Here is a detail shot of a cyclocross model where both the lugs and the frame are carbon fiber.



[image via theIF Blog]

And here is a Corvid model frame, from a bicycle built for Boston Celtic Ray Allen - the carbon lugs painted a metallic Celtics green. The lugs on the Independent Fabrications bikes are molded to incorporate the stylised crowns in the company's logo, so the look is especially striking.



[image via Alchemy Bicycles]

Though I have never seen their frames in person, Alchemy Bicycles seems to be doing something similar - carbon fiber frames with aluminum lugwork.



[image via Bruce Gordon]

And Bruce Gordon takes it one step further by making his titanium-lugged carbon fiber frames look like true classics.



Reading the manufacturers' descriptions of the construction, I am wondering how IF and Alchemy integrate the lugs with the frame. I am nowhere close to knowledgeable when it comes to these manufacturing techniques, but don't the lugs run the risk of making the infamously brittle carbon fiber even more so? Is a lugged carbon frame "safe"? And is there any purpose, other than decorative, to lugging these frames? After all, I had thought that the very benefit of carbon fiber construction, was that it enabled the frame to be built in a single mold.



[image via aj_the_first]

But carbon fiber is not the only non-steel material being used in lugged bicycle construction. The above detail is from a wooden Porteur made by a small frame builder.



[image viaaj_the_first]

The lug sleeves here are parts of actual lugged tubing, the lugwork rather elaborately done. Have a look at the flickr pictures that show his process - it's fascinating.



[image via Urban Velo and Sylvan Cycles]

And a lugged faceted frame, made bySylvan Cyclesout of composite wood. The faceted tubing reminds me of this vintage lugged aluminum Caminade bicycleI wrote about earlier. It must feel interesting to ride a faceted bike. I have never heard of Sylvan Cycles before, but apparently they are made in Massachusetts. Amazing how many interesting local builders there are in our vicinity.



[image via antbikemike]

And speaking of local builders and wooden tubing, I still can't get over the antique wooden showbike by ANT.



[image viaantbikemike]

The lugsleeves are copper-plated steel and they were designed to attain the aged look - which makes this bicycle seem wonderfully "alive" to me.



But, same as with carbon fiber, I am wondering whether these wooden bicycles are truly ridable, and what effect the lugwork has on them structurally. Does it improve things, or is it mainly there for the "wow" factor? I would love to try a lugged wooden bicycle or a lugged carbon fiber bicycle some time, and would be interested to hear from those who have ridden one. These construction methods do not receive a great deal of attention, but they are certainly intriguing - and beautiful.

Road to Trail: Speed, Skills and Bikes

Among the people I ride with it is popular to mix stretches of dirt roads, paths and trails into what are otherwise fast road rides (well, they call the rides "social pace," but there is a certain level you have to reach in order to be social at that pace!). At first I would only join the rides that promised not to do any off-road whatsoever, but now I am gradually starting to ease into riding stretches of dirt trails.



Doing this in the company of experienced cyclists has given me a different perspective than riding in similar terrain alone. The biggest difference is that they go fast, whereas on my own I used to see cycling off road as something to be done cautiously and slowly. Now I am noticing that going fast can actually make things easier.Riding on rock-strewn dirt and gravel requires more effort and lower gearing than riding on pavement, particularly when going uphill. Ride too slowly, and the bike can get bogged down. But maintain speed, and the momentum "carries" the bike through sections that might otherwise seem difficult or scary. It's counterintuitive for a beginner, because the natural inclination is to slow down if the terrain gets challenging. And this is where riding with a group is helpful: following their pace means quickly learning the "faster is easier" lesson through experience. Of course partof it is also psychological. When I am focused on trying to keep up with the group, I don't really have the opportunity to worry about every single ditch and rock and root formation - my instincts kick in and somehow I end up riding through sections I would have considered too challenging if given a chance to think.



As far as skills, I am finding once again (as I did with roadcycling earlier) that I improve quickly with others and very slowly, if at all, on my own. I've ridden on dirt trails before, but now I feel that all those rides taken together did nothing for me compared to the single stretch of off-road I did as part of a ride last weekend. It wasn't a long section, but it had a bit of everything that terrifies me: ditches, rocks, mud, a bit of climbing and descending, even a tad of residual snow and ice. We rode through it quickly, and afterward I suddenly felt like I "got it," whereas on all of my slow and cautious lone rides previously I wasn't really getting it at all.



It seems to me that a good bike for transitioning from road to trails and back needs to be fast, light, responsive, and ideally to have wide tires. Last year I would probably have started with "wide tires" and listed everything else as optional, but recent experience makes me reconsider. I have found it easier to "push" a faster, lighter bike through dirt, especially uphill, than a slower and heavier one. And I have found it easier to avoid obstacles on a quick-responding bike than on a stable but sluggish one. And while wide tires would make things better still, it seems to me that those other factors are crucial.



My impression is that for a while there was a tendency in the bicycle industry to associate wide tires with more relaxed, heavier and slower touring-style bikes - the reasoning being that if you want wide tires, you probably do not need to go fast. Therefore, it was difficult to find bicycles that both had clearance for tires over 25mm and were sufficiently fast and aggressive. That began to change with the rising popularity of cyclocross, and with people like Jan Heine reviving interest in the classic randonneuring bicycle. Races and other competitive events with both road and dirt sections have become more mainstream over the past several years as well. I am not sure whether in the long run any of this will be relevant to me, but it is an interesting development. More builders and manufacturers are starting to specialise in fast road-to-trail bikes, and locally this type of riding seems to be all the rage. Whether I have what it takes to take part in it remains to be determined.

Perfect Just the Way You Are

In describing my experience in a paceline training ride earlier, I had written that my Rivendellwas not the right bike for that ride. Subsequently, I've received some suggestions for how to make it faster - including getting narrower tires, installing "brifters," removing the saddlebag, rack and fenders, and stripping off the dynamo lighting. While I appreciate the advice and agree that all of that may indeed improve my paceline performance, I do not plan to make any changes to this bicycle. Right now, I have a bicycle that is perfectfor me as a touring bike. Why turn something that's perfect for one activity into something that's okay but not ideal for another?



In stating that my Rivendell was not the right bike for a racing team-sponsored paceline ride, I was by no means criticising it or expressing unhappiness with it. I was merely reiterating a simple fact: Touring bikes are not racing bikes.



A touring bicycle is about exploration and about experiencing one's surroundings. You cannot do that when cycling 6" behind someone's rear wheel at 20mph.



A touring bike is about the long haul and about going at one's own pace.I use the computer as a handlebar-mounted clock and odometer more than I use it as a speedometer - because "how far" is a more interesting question for this bike than "how fast."



A touring bike is about the freedom of going anywhere, without having to cultivate the handling skills of a pro racer. Comfortable geometry and stable handling enable novice and experienced cyclists alike to ride. My bicycle is easy, and its wide, cushy tires make me immune to most of the fears that plague cyclists on modern roadbikes: potholes, rain, sand, uneven terrain - bring them on. I can even wear nice clothing while I'm at it, because the fenders will protect me from road grime. And with my bright, dynamo-generated lights I can cycle through the night and not worry about batteries.



A touring bike is a home away from home. In my saddlebag, on the day this picture was taken I carried: a large DSLR camera, a sweater, a hat, an apple, a notebook, a fountain pen, a bar of chocolate, a saddle cover, gloves, sunscreen, a lock and a mini pump. And that's nothing compared to what I could have brought had I also attached my handlebar bag. Setting off on a racing bike limits you to a training ride and nothing more. On a touring bikea ride can start out as one thing and morph into another. Groceries can be involved, or a spontaneous visit to a friend's house. Who knows!



Riding a touring bike is an organic experience. My Rivendell'ssteel, brass, canvas, leather, twine, shellac and rubber fit harmoniously with its riding style and with my enjoyment of exploring nature. It is not about competing with nature with ever-more-efficient materials and aerodynamic postures, but about simply existing.



In turning this bicycleinto a performance-oriented bike, I would essentially be giving up the very things that make it special. And that would be a shame.



Sure, we may be curious about pacelines and racing.



But not at the expense of smelling the flowers. Some bicycles are perfect just the way they are.

Fruitlands: a Ride of Passage

It was a remarkable day that I want to be sure to remember. Pamela must have sensed this before I did, because she offered to take a picture at the top. I didn't even know there would be an "at the top." I thought we were riding to yet another small town in the next county over. Nobody warned me it would be so beautiful.






It seems like sooner or later, every roadcyclist in Greater Boston does the ride to Harvard. Not Harvard the university half a mile from my house, but Harvard the town in central Massachusetts. Depending on the club or event, these rides are called things like "Hammer to Harvard" or "Hills of Harvard" or "the Harvard 100K." There are several routes and all involve some climbing at the end. I guess it's a rite of passage of sorts. The ride reports I'd read tended to stress the distance, pace or climbing. But Pamela's attitude was nonchalant. "I'm going to try out a new lunch spot in Harvard on Thursday, would you like to join me?" She was essentially just inviting me for a bite to eat. Well, why not. A girl's got to eat.






So here is the straight dope about the Harvard ride from a cyclist of my meager abilities: Forget milage, speed, climbing. Just forget that stuff for a second. What you need to know about this ride is that it is a gorgeous destination. You will be stunned. You will be grateful. Take one of the harder routes, take one of the easier routes, hammer, meander, ride however you like. But know that the destination is worth it. And for the love of the universe, don't stop at the Harvard General Store and turn around - you will only be cheating yourself out of a breathtaking view. Continue to Fruitlands, which is the true destination. Adjacent to the formerutopian agrarian commune (now a museum) is a scenic overlook with a view of every mountain in proximity. That's six mountains!






As we lunched at the surprisingly fancy Fruitlands Cafe (patio seating with a view, pretty silverware, reasonable prices) I was almost too stunned to make conversation. Pinch me, was I dreaming? Why did nobody tell me what a glorious place this was? The land, densely forested, spread out in front of us in shades of blues and greens. There was Mt. Wachusett, a flat-top stodgy thing. And there was the Monadnock range in New Hampshire, hazy and delicate. They all seemed so close, so inviting. The special thing about this destination, I realised, is that it inspires to ride further.It turned out to be an 80 mile day for me, a distance I'd never before done so casually.And though we rode home after lunch, one day I'd like to keep going - toward and across those other mountains.

Close Encounters :: Devils Tower

Friday, August 26th - - After spending a couple of hours at the Mammoth Site the trail lead northward once again.





Mother Nature put on a fantastic display of clouds, constantly changing with the wind. Several times I just “had” to pull off onto the side of the road to take a few quick shots. Shortly after this picture was taken, there was hardly a cloud to be seen in the sky!



It was just a few hours drive to my next destination – one that I had wanted to visit for quite some time - Devils Tower National Monument in northeast Wyoming. It's hard to believe that it has been more than 30 years since “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” was released - I've loved the movie and Richard Dreyfus ever since!





A tantalizing southern view of Devils Tower from the drive into the campground.

It was late afternoon when I arrived and the temperature was in the low 90s. I was thankful that the campground was full of trees that provided plenty of shade, and there was a light breeze blowing. After selecting my campsite and grabbing a bite to eat, I drove up to the visitor center, which is near the foot of the Tower.





I had planned on walking the 1.3 mile trail around the base of the Tower the next morning when it would likely be cooler. But I walked a short distance up the trail and just kept going. There were few people on the trail and the only sounds you could hear were of the wind blowing through the trees, a few birds now and then, and those of your own imagination. Far above the top of the Tower there were birds floating on the airstream.





In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt designated Devils Tower as our first national monument. One of the most popular Native American legends tells of the origin of the Tower:

One day, an Indian tribe was camped beside the river and seven small girls were playing at a distance. The region had a large bear population and a bear began to chase the girls. they ran back toward their village, but the bear was about to catch them. the girls jumped upon a rock about three feet high and began to pray to the rock, “Rock, take pity on us; Rock, save us.”

The Rock heard the pleas of the young girls and began to elongate itself upwards, pushing them higher and higher out of reach of the bear. The bear clawed and jumped at the sides of the rock, and broke its claws and fell to the ground. The bear continued to jump at the rock until the girls were pushed up into the sky, where they are to this day in a group of seven little stars (the Pleiades). The marks of the bear claws are there yet.

Scientists say that the Tower is actually the core of a volcano that has been exposed after millions of years of erosion brought on by the Belle Fourche River as well as the wind and rain. The rocks and boulders around the base of the tower are actually broken pieces of columns that have fallen from the sides. Read more about Devils Tower on Wikipedia.



The light was quickly fading as I finished my hike around Devils Tower. Heavy clouds had moved in and off in the distance I could see flashes of lightning. As I walked across the parking lot to Van Dora I felt a kind of chill even though the temperature was still in the upper 80s. The wind had picked up and a strong breeze was blowing.



Returning to the campsite I watched the lightning flashing through the clouds. It wasn't your “normal” streaks of lightning, rather it caused a kind of glow in and around the clouds that made them stand out in the growing darkness. It rained for about 45 minutes and the front moved through, which cooled the air somewhat. However, it was rather eerie given the location – all we needed was the colored lights to go along with the thunder and lightning!





Saturday, August 27th - - Above, Devils Tower in the early morning light. It rises 865 feet atop the hill upon which it stands.





This sculpture titled “Circle Wind – Circle of Sacred Smoke” by Junkyu Muto stands near the entrance to the campground. Devils Tower is a sacred place to Native Americans.





Probably the most “recognizable” view, from the east side, this was taken as I left the area later in the morning.