Pets

A few new photos of some of our pets. Ziva, a 3 year old shepherd mix.




And this is of Ziva, Tuffee, our 9 year old Border Collie, and Murphy, an 11 year old black cat.





This is Cassie trying to see what the weather is going to be according to the TV weather man.

Queen's Day

So Dutchman and I went out for Koninginnenacht (Queens Night) last night in Utrecht Centre albeit quickly because I cannot handle the maddenning crowds anymore, all these (drunken or want to get drunk) kids screaming-pushing-dancing-jumping and running around. ARGH. They are making me dizzy. I am so getting old, I do not fancy these street parties anymore and when Dutchman asked me if I want to see the free market, I was like—'What free market? You mean the RUBBISH???'

Managed to take 2 fotos last night in Oudegracht and by the Dom Tower grounds.

So today, Koninginnedag (Queens Day) I am staying inside the comforts of my home pretending that the rest of the Netherlands is not celebrating. Anyway, there is always TV to reconnect to reality if need be...

As for the Dutch Royal family, they are visiting Thorn and Weert in the south of the Netherlands. They always visit 2 towns every year during Queens Day, see foto slideshow from NU.nl website here: Dutch Royal Family during Queens Day . I am not a royal fan (the William and Kate royal wedding madness yesterday I thought was silly and over the top) although I see them as an integral part of Dutch culture and soceity, however, since we are not anymore in the Middle Ages, I believe these mega rich royals need to start paying tax. We cannot be forever subsidizing their lavish and sometimes frivolous lifestyles just because they were born noble.

And here is a foto slideshow on NU.nl website of the event as well happening in Amsterdam today: Koninginnedag in Amsterdam

Next post will be my Jordan travel diaries!

Smokin' Truck

Recently our friends called when their old Ford pickup caught on fire at the local Walmart. It was quite and experience for them. Hubby went took our hay trailer down and hauled it back to the house.

They had called 911 to get the fire department to come put out the fire. But the pumper on the firetruck didn't want to work at first. Heck of a thing when a firetrucks pumper don't work. Last photo shows inside the cab of the truck where the whole dash was burnt to a crisp. Everything under the hood (bonnet - if your in England) was crispy critters, too. The fire was so hot it melted the windshield, and most of the wiring. Just glad they were in a parking lot when it happened instead of how the highway or a street where it could have been worse. And that they were able to get out of the truck with out getting hurt.

Later when the guys looked at it closer they thought that some of the wiring had caught fire right over the fuel hose and burned the hose into so that raw gas was pouring out really causing the truck to burn. I understand the flames where really high. The guys have been working to overhaul another Ford truck that our friend had picked up recently. After the one truck burned they found a rats nest of sticks and grass in the other truck. They wondered if it was possible that a rat had a nest in the truck that burned, also. Neither had been driven all winter so it is possible.

Eventually it will be dismembered and hauled to a metal recycle place.

So remember if you haven't driven your vehicle for a while check for rat's nests in them. You never know when your Ford truck will be Found in Road Dead like this one was. (Only it was a Walmart parking lot).

I Don't Want You, But I Need You... When Bike Love Turns Irrational

Once in a while, I see a bicycle that is completely unnecessary for my lifestyle, and perhaps even impossible to ride given my skill level... And yet, that bicycle fills me with desire. Here are three bad-boys that evoke these conflicted feelings. (For maximum enjoyment, I suggest playing "You Really Got a Hold on Me" as background music.)

[Rivendell Bombadil, fitted with cream Fat Frank tires. Image from Bearded Peter]
The Bombadil is a clear-coated, lugged steel mountain bike from Rivendell. It is completely rigid (no front or rear suspension), and comes with a double-top-tube frame. I see myself as a Warrior Princess seated high over the fearsome double top-tubes and hopping over roots and rocks with wild abandon - my hair fluttering in the wind like a fiery trail and my face streaked with dirt (attractively accentuating my cheekbones)... Of course, I really should learn to at least mount and dismount a bike properly before entertaining such fantasies...

[A.N.T. Basket Bike, lady's frame, in blue-gray. Image from antbike]

Here is my most recent forbidden love: the A.N.T. Basket Bike, lady's frame. I do not require a specialised basket bike. But every time I look at this photo, I want to cry. It is so beautiful, and I have never seen anything quite like it. (Yes, I know that the idea of a transport bike with a small front wheel is not new, but they did not usually come with such graceful frames.) I absolutely love the classic Porteur chaincase, and that slate gray is one of my favourite colours. The overall look is at once so vintage and so modern and so... poetically eccentric, that my very soul cries out for it. Yes, my soul. These are some heavy feelings I am sharing with you.

[Royal H. Cycles, track bike. Image from Royal H.]

And finally, the most bizarre crush I've had: This is a track bike by Royal H. Cycles. The enormous frame is painted cream, and the lugs are meticulously outlined in a rich orange. I can't explain why I have such a strong reaction to it. I can't ride fixed gear to save my life, and I don't like orange. But I look at it, and it just seems so... perfect. If I gaze at it for too long, I feel the need to learn how to ride fixed immediately. And also to stroke it and feed it caramels while whispering sweet nothings in its ear... Is that wrong?

Monday Mailbox: What is a High Nelly?

Monday Mailbox is a weekly post dedicated to questions received over email. Here is one, for a nice change of pace:

It's been fun discovering what to call different styles of bikes through your blog... diamond frame, step-through, loop frame, mixte, truss frame, Frascona curve! But what exactly is a High Nelly?

I have wondered about this myself, especially about the term's origin.




Used predominantly in the UK and Ireland (and not very common anymore), in a general sense "High Nelly" describes upright bikes. More often than not, the term refers specifically to women's bikes, and particularly to vintage ones. So, for instance, an old fashioned loop frame with swept-back handlebars up higher than the saddle might be called a High Nelly - similar to what an omafietsis to the Dutch.





But in Northern Ireland last summer, I was treated to a more detailed explanation. I was told that originally, "high nelly" referred to a specific style of a woman's bicycle frame, where the head tube was extended considerably past the height of the seat tube. This ensured that the handlebars could be set up as high as possible, for a fully upright and ultra-ladylike position. Apparently, only frames thus constructed are true high nellies.






Interestingly, in manufacturing its popular Lady's Tourist model, some time in the 1940s Raleigh switched from the original extended headtube design to one where the headtube was more or less level with the seat tube. The measurements of my 22" 1973 DL-1 frame are almost identical to the measurements of my 22" 1936 Lady's Tourist frame, save for this aspect and the resulting difference in posture.So, going by the explanation above, only the very early Lady's Tourists can be considered high nellies, whereas the later DL-1s (as well as most other post-war English 3-speeds) are not. And according to the same definition, lots of modern bikes can be considered high nellies, since extended headtubes are now quite popular.




Unfortunately, I cannot find any written information about the origins of the term, so I can't cite my sources beyond "conversation with collectors." And sadly, who exactly this Nelly was, for whom I assume the style of bicycle was named, remains a mystery.

Thomas Edison and Henry Ford Winter Estates

We missed another get together with good food and good people in order to get out and do some sight seeing yesterday. It was the warmest day for some days to come, and I was getting very stir crazy!



We headed down to a neat place south of us. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford had winter estates in Ft Myers, Florida. Their homes were on the same piece of land and Edison had a lab there also. We've been here a few times before, but we had not seen all of the museum yet. It had the usual cool Edison inventions that I enjoyed seeing. I think the first two pictures were my favorite things to see this visit:



and a picture of Helen Keller and her autograph which reads: To Mr. Edison Not loudness but Love sounds in your ear my friend. Helen Keller

For those that don't know, he was almost completely deaf.



Some of his inventions:





I love all of the cars on display there:



My very favorite thing here by far though is the Banyan tree. All of this is the same tree, and I didn't begin to capture all of it because it was raining by the time I took these shots:





Living the life in chilly Florida!

Assateague Island :: More Wild Ponies

Stopped traffic was a common sight whenever ponies were spotted along the roadside. I wasn't immune to their allure either, almost always stopping when I saw a group. This day I was riding my bicycle out to the bridge, which was a little over 3 miles from my campsite. This is at the intersection to the main road out to the Island.

Pickleball and Line Dancing

It is very rare for us to not do quite a bit of sight seeing, but this past few weeks it has been so cold we have not even wanted to do that. I am beginning to get a bit stir crazy from it but there has been a nice upside. It has given me more time to spend getting to know our fellow pickle ball players. I have really enjoyed that!



After pickleball, I came back to the RV just long enough to take a shower and start some laundry. Then it was back to Torrey Oaks for line dancing. This was my first try at line dancing and I had a blast. It was much more fun than I even expected it to be. It was really nice to have time with other women. I have really missed having another female around since Auburn has moved out, so it is nice for me when I can hang out with other women. Donna, Sherry, Tracy and her daughter and I went. Faye and Sally were already there since they are at Torrey Oakes and there were other Torey Oakes members there.



Thank you, Donna, for sending me your pictures! I did not take any at either event, so I'd have been pictureless without you.





Living the life in way too cold Florida!

Wool for Swimming?

We are staying on the North Shorefor a while, and the weather is unbelievable. Yesterday began with a thick, frigid fog, giving way to blinding sunshine and oppressive heat, followed by a sudden darkening of the skies and a mini-redux of the previous day's violent downpour with a temperature drop of at least 20F - all in rapid succession and repeated every several hours. It was as hilarious as it was frustrating, as we kept scrambling to start one thing after another, only for our plans to be thwarted by the elements. Food was rained on, warm clothing was shed no sooner than it was donned, camera equipment was hastily put away no sooner than it was set up, several pairs of shoes now needed drying, and my hair was a hopeless rat's nest of a mess. Others might have given up at this point, resigned to spend the day under a blanket with a bottle of rum. But we are stubborn - and also perversely delighted by the irony of finally being able to get away in August like normal people (instead of September as in previous years), only to be greeted by Autumnal weather as usual. Maybe freezing, stormy holidays are just "us" and we shouldn't fight it. Also, the closest town is a dry town (!) and there is no rum.

Anyhow, just when I thought the day was shot, something wonderful happened: I went swimming in the ocean. Not the type of tentative Northern New England "swimming" where you stoically spend five minutes in the water before your limbs start to go numb. No, I swam with abandon in the warmest salt water I've experienced around these parts. After yet another storm, the sun came out again at about 5pm and we happened to be near a beach. I took my shoes off to walk in the shallow water, and was taken aback when it did not feel like ice. I waded further in and it just kept getting warmer and warmer.Maybe the storm brought forth some rare tropical current? Just an hour earlier it had been cold out and I was wearing layers upon layers of wool, including Ibex long-johns and an I/O Bio Merino sportsbra. Deciding that these were decent enough to pass for swimwear, I removed everything else, went right in the water and swam until the late afternoon sun lost its warmth.

While I'd thought my improvised wool swimsuit would be bulky and uncomfortable, it turned out to be anything but. The fabric clung to my body as well as my synthetic swimsuits and kept me warm not only in the water, but also once I got out and air-dried without a towel in the cooling evening air. Pretty amazing. I liked it so much compared to wearing my normal bathing suit, that I think I'll just keep wearing this if I ever get a chance to swim here again. The beaches are not especially glamorous around these parts, so I don't think anyone cares. But this makes me wonder whether anybody actually makes contemporary wool bathing suits. I don't mean nostalgic/retro 1920's style garments, but a normal, "athletic coverage" type of swimsuit that's a mix of wool and spandex. A preliminary search has not yielded anything promising (though the Ibex website shows young ladies frolicking on a boat in their wool underwear), but I will keep looking. Has anybody else tried swimming in wool?

Workcycles Bakfiets Long

A year and a half ago I tried a Bakfiets at a friend's bike shop in Vienna. These iconic Dutch cargo bikes are available in two lengths and the one I rode then was the short version. Now a bike-friend in Boston has acquired the Bakfiets Long, and I've had a chance to ride that as well. Aside from the larger size, I was curious how a bike like this would translate locally. Compared to the center of Vienna, our part of Boston is both hillier and less bike-friendly. Would I feel comfortable mixing it up with car traffic on a bike like this? What about cycling up the inclines I regularly encounter even on shorter commutes? These are the aspects of the bike I mostly focused on this time around.







To recap: The term bakfiets (plural: bakfietsen) literally translates to "box bike." The modern incarnation of this front-load hauler was designed by Maartin van Andel of bakfiets.nl. Those machines branded with the Workcycles name have been outfitted with upgraded components by the Amsterdam-based concern, but are essentially the same bikes (you can read about the Workcycles version of the bakfiets here). The steel frames are manufactured and powdercoated by Azor. Prices for complete bikes are in the $3,000s range, depending on options.






A handsome plywood box sits low upon the extended frame, between the rider and the 20" front wheel (the rear wheel is 26"). There are essentially two head tubes, connected by a linkage system.In my previous write-up readers requested shots of the steering linkage, so I made sure to get them this time.





Here you go.





And here. And here.







As the rider turns the handlebars, the steering is activated through the linkage and the front wheel turns.








Like most traditional Dutch city bikes, the bakfiets comes equipped with fenders, a full chaincase, dress guards, and a rear rack.






Dynamo lighting with standlights is included, front and rear,






as well as enclosed roller brakes and hub gearing (Shimano Nexus 8-speed with twist shifter).





The 4-point Stabilo parking stand supports weight evenly.







The handlebars are mildly swept back.






The long cargo box is about 100cm x 60cm at its widest points, tapering from back to front. It is rated for 80kg (176lb), in passengers or cargo.






Many of those who purchase these bikes do so to transport small children. There is a little folding bench in the box for this purpose. The bench fits two, though the box itself is rated to fit 4 (I believe a second bench can be installed for those who plan to do this).






The bakfiets can also function as a work bike, hauling anything from huge loads of groceries, to heavy industrial supplies. In Europe I have seen these in use by professionals such as florists, caterers, construction workers, and sculptors, just to name a few. For those who use the bike in that capacity, a waterproof cargo cover is available. Unlike the structured, canopy cover for transporting children, the cargo cover stretches flush over the box.






The bakfiets owner - known online as "cycler" - has had it for just over two months now and uses it about twice a week as a supplement to her main city bike. On her blog, Biking in Heels, it has been a sort of recurring joke how much stuff she'd often end up carrying on her bike - thinking up various creative, but sometimes precarious ways to secure it all. After years of this, cycler decided to take the plunge and buy a cargo bike. She test rode a few and felt immediately at ease with the Dutch front-load model. So bakfiets it was. She ordered the bike directly from Workcycles in Amsterdam, powdercoated silver and dark orange to her specs. In fact, its purchase is partly to blame for inspiring her to ...drumroll... open up her own local bike shop. But more on that another time.






I've ridden cycler's long bakfiets twice so far. First in her presence on some neighbourhood MUPs. On a later occasion I took the bakfiets away and rode it on my own along my local commute route, mostly on streets without bike infrastructure.






On both occasions, I arrived on my Brompton folding bike, which I typically ride front-loaded, like a mini cycle-truck. In a sense, switching to the bakfiets felt like riding a much larger and heavier version of the same bike. Of course in many ways they are wildly different - but the front end handling is not dissimilar. Particularly with less weight in the front, the steering is quick and light, requiring a gentle touch. Once you get used to that, the bike feels natural and intuitive to control. When making turns or adjusting its line of travel, the bakfiets is surprisingly nimble. Having the front wheel so far in front does feel disconcerting at first, but becomes natural once you get used to it. Some riders report that the linked steering takes getting used to, but I did not feel any effects specific to the linkage system. Others have described that the bike does not lean easily on turns, but I find that it leans fine. Overall I suspect that a rider's first reaction to the bakfiets depends on their riding style, inherent sense of balance, and the kinds of bikes they are already accustomed to. Some find it intuitive right away, others need practice.






The seat tube angle on the bakfiets is quite relaxed and the handlebars high, placing the rider in an upright position. But the "cockpit" is not as tight as it is on some Dutch city bikes (i.e. the handlebars are unlikely to hit your thighs on turns). A low bottom bracket combined with the slack seat tube allows for full leg extension while pedaling and easy toe-town stopping while remaining in the saddle.




One thing that is consistently said about the bakfiets is that it feels weightless in motion even when loaded, and I think that's an accurate assessment. The bike is not fast, but on reasonably flat terrain it is easy to propel forward, without any sensation of pushing or struggling. It just kind of floats as you pedal, boat-like. Henry of Workcycles attributes this quality to weight distribution: Because the box sits behind, rather than over the front wheel and fork, the weight is kept very low to the ground and does not affect steering. With a design like this, the weight is effectively part of the downtube.






With a large heavy package and some other items thrown into the box, I rode the bakfiets on a 4 mile loop along the Cambridge/ Somerville line, mixing with car traffic most of the way. As far as stability - both in motion and at starts and stops - I did not experience any problems. The bakfiets was very easy to keep upright and, steered with a light touch, it felt downright relaxing to ride. After gaining some confidence, I began to play around with the steering. It felt like the only thing that could make this bike fishtail was the expectation that it would fishtail. But really it wanted to ride where I pointed it, and was very responsive to changes in course. So even if I did make it fishtail intentionally, the wobble was easy to correct. Just a few minutes into the ride I felt like I had excellent control of the bike. Riding with weight in the box does not feel any more challenging than without. And steering the long-box version did not feel any different from my recollections of the short version.




The main difference really between riding the bakfiets and other bikes I am used to, was that I had to be cognisant of its size - mainly the width - when passing cars and making maneuvering decisions. While surprisingly maneuverable, it is simply a big bike with a wider turn radius than what I am used to (including the Xtracycle long tail). For instance, on the same street I can make a U-turn on the longtail easier than on the bakfiets - though possibly with practice I could become more proficient at the latter.




As far as hills... Geared low, the bakfiets handles reasonable inclines well, retaining its momentum and that easy floaty feel. But as soon as I tried it on a real hill (say an 8-10% grade spanning half a mile - Spring Hill for locals) - it just refused to keep going at a certain point, even in 1st gear. I have seen bakfiets owners stand up and mash on the pedals furiously to get over short hills. But on longer hills on the outskirts of town, I imagine this could get exhausting for anyone but the strongest of cyclists. Me, I would need a cargo bike that could go long distance reasonably fast and get me up a 14% grade without standing, so a bakfiets would not be the best choice. But for those whose commutes are limited to flatter, shorter routes this would not be an issue.






Over the past couple of years, I have spotted 6 distinct bakfietsen in active use around the greater Boston area. That is actually an impressive number, considering there has been no local dealer. Whenever possible, I've talked to the owners about their bikes. The general feedback is that they love the comfortable ride, the hauling capacity, and how easy it is to dump things into the box without having to secure every item. Those who have children have said their kids prefer sitting on the little bench in front to sitting on the back of a longtail (some families have both types of bikes, or have switched from one to another). On the downside, storing and parking the bakfiets can be a challenge given its size, as is maneuvering it along the sidewalk. And then, of course, the hills: "Not the best bike for hills" is the consensus.




I enjoy the way the bakfiets rides, and I think that it looks adorable. By all accounts it is a tough, all-weather transport machine that holds up well in rough conditions and retains its value well when sold used. For many it is a car replacement, which more than justifies the cost. As far as transporting substantial cargo, the bakfiets is just one of several ways to carry similar amounts of weight - the others popular options being long johns, long tails, and box trikes. Which method a rider finds preferable will depend on their circumstances - including handling preferences, terrain and other factors. As I've mentioned before, I love seeing more cargo bikes in our city, and I welcome cycler's new addition. Full picture set here.

Everybody Loves a Lovely Bicycle

Sometimes, between trying to squeeze in 30-mile rides, obsessing about components and taking close-ups for product reviews, I forget the big picture: Beautiful bicycles can lift our spirits.



These two ladies areIsha Ware and Caroline Robinson, from the neighborhood, and they reminded me of why I like bicycles in the first place.



Today I fitted my bikeMarianne with a very funky new set of dressguards (from Simeli) and dragged her outside to photograph. On three separate occasions, women walking down the street stopped to ask me about the bicycle. They were clearly happy to see such a bike - eccentric and undeniably "girly", with a colourful "thingie" on the wheel, flowers on the handlebars, and a shiny bell. Isha (pictured above) was wearing an outfit that was the exact same colour as Marianne's frame, and so naturally this had to be documented.



One young woman (not pictured here) told me that she wanted to buy a bicycle, but found bike shops to be male-oriented and intimidating. I remember lots of stories like this from 1-2 years ago, but I thought that things were a lot better now. Apparently they are not completely better; at least not yet. One of my main goals for Lovely Bicycle, is that ladies who have been disappointed or intimidated by bike shops can find the information they are looking for here.



A nice bicycle can make even people who are not into bicycles at all - just people who are passing by - smile and want to pet it. The very form of a nicely designed bicycle is welcoming; the texture of its components inviting. Maybe it's a "woman thing". Or maybe it's universal. But it sure is nice. Lovely bicycles for all!