Bem Vindo Porto! Welcome Oporto!

What can I say? I have fallen in love with Porto (Oporto in English)! I could not believe I have waited this long to discover her. She is a gem.



Transavia direct flight, Amsterdam to Porto



So I arrived here Friday night after a 2-hour flight delay. There were technical problems, something to do with the sensors of the plane and they have to be replaced. Everyone was already strapped on their seats inside the aircraft when the pilot announced the bad news. We really had no choice but to sit tight, complain and get bored.





Here in the car, Dutchman sending me off to the airport.





Flight delay, we were trapped in the aircraft for almost 2 hours. No where else to go. What to do? I ordered red wine and did FB and read BBC on my iPhone. Everyone was doing the same thing, busy with their smartphones.



Porto brand spanking new airport







I did not checked in my bag but because the plane was full and I was one of the last to board, they had no more space for me. So they took my bag and told me I will get it at the baggage belt. Not like!







I took a cab from the airport to my hotel, quick and easy. I heard that the metro is cheaper but with the flight delay, I ran out of patience figuring out how to buy a ticket and the route. I just want to get to my hotel ASAP and go out and meet Porto!



Porto postcards



Here are a few Porto postcards for you...























Tomorrow I am off to the Douro River Valley and its charming vineyards and villages.



Visit Period: March

Destination: Porto (Grande Porto), Portugal

Star Pony

A close up of my Star Pony with my new camera. I got a new camera for Christmas so thought I would take a few shots of different things to see if I like the way it works. So far so good. But the software has sure slowed down my computer and I don't know what to do about it yet.

Staying warm generally means staying dry...

After I had made this post my buddy Daniel Harro asked I add this:



"Here is a Marmot Helium 15 degree down sleeping bag after spending three nights on Peak 11,300 in less than ideal conditions. Two things that helped get the down soaked..... 1. Their is no way to stay dry climbing through waist deep / chest deep snow for three-four days, if you were not getting wet from the snow you were sweating from the huge effort of moving upward. 2. these bags are nylon which have no water resiliency what so ever so any snow / water that touched the bags they simply absorbed. Over all a great learning experience!"











Eric Williams back at Mountain House base camp. Harro photo









Couple of thoughts come to mind on staying warm. Climbing in a wet snow storm all day will get you wet if you are dressed wrong. Or being over dressing for the conditions will get you wet from perspiration.



I've used my synthetic parka to dry my soft shell out in wet snow conditions after I got chilled on a belay. I couldn't get myself dried while stopped without added insulation. I also have used a base layer to do the approach in, knowing I would soak it and then changed to dry clothing to do the climb. That is a lighter and much warmer tactic over all for me.



The major issue of winter climbing is moisture management. Be it boots, clothing or sleeping bags. The reason it is an issue from what I have seen is people over dress for the activity level, just as likely use the wrong piece of kit or simply don't pay attention to the details like getting into a down bag with wet clothing on. Current soft shell technology in a snow storm (done it myself) is not the smart option. Doesn't matter what it is made of, wet gear is a poor insulator. You stay warm by staying dry and hydrated.



There are climbs I wouldn't take a down bag on and climbs I wouldn't take anything but a down bag on. It depends on the amount of care I can/want to dedicate to the bag and amount of space in my pack.



Some times a very light synthetic over bag is a good answer for keeping your down bag dry and being able to dry your gear at night. Put the wet gear between your down bag and the liner. But climbing into a down bag with all your wet clothing on is a sure way to soak your down bag no matter what high tech shell material the manufacturer used to keep it dry. Climb "cold" so you aren't sweating and have less clothing to dry at night. Use Synthetic insulation in bags and jackets where appropriate. Staying dry and warm is a thinking man's game that should be played 24/7 in the mtns.

Who Wants a T-Shirt?

The other day I received a couple of t-shirts from Jon Gehman (maker of the Roadster Rack I wrote about earlier). These come in funky colours and are made based on his pen and ink drawings of wacky bike cartoons. I have more t-shirts than I know what to do with, so I thought it would be fun to give them away! Here is what I got:



"Biker Chick". This t-shirt is sage green and features a drawing of a Mennonite(?) woman in a bonnet and apron, riding a step-through bicycle with a basket and baby chicks on the rear rack. (Take that, WSJ!) The size is marked "M", but I would say it is an XS-S - suitable either for ladies size 0-4, a child, or a very scrawny man. It is longish in the torso. 100% cotton.



"Go Gitcher Bike, Let's Roll!" This t-shirt is bright turquoise and features a drawing of a mischievous boy, about to take off on his 1950s banana seat cruiser. The size is marked "L", and I would say it is a ladies' L / men's M. In the picture I am cinching it at the waist, but in actuality it is loose throughout. 100% cotton.

If you'd like one of these t-shirts, please leave a comment with the funniest, or silliest, or stupidest, or cleverest bicycle-related slogan you have seen (or came up with yourself), and don't forget to mention which of the two shirts you want. I will pick a recipient for each t-shirt at the end of this weekend. Continental USA only please (unless you are willing to pay for the shipping). As some of you know, I am very bad with mailing stuff, but I promise I'll be good on this one and will try to send the shirts to their rightful owners quickly!





[Edited to add: The recipient of the green t-shirt is sarahgringa. Turquoise shirt goes to MandG. Please email your mailing address to: filigreevelo-at-yahoo-dot-com! ]

Winter on the Snowfield

A strong high pressure system over Mt Rainier led to some incredible weather last week! It felt like summer up at Camp Muir, with clear skies and warm temperatures. Unfortunately the snowfield was hammered by consistent moderate to strong winds, causing significant transport of the relatively dry snow left by the last major storm. The upper snowfield and Cowlitz glacier were laden with heavy sastrugi. and thick sun crusts and ice layers were exposed in many areas, making uphill ski travel difficult at times.The lower portion of the snowfield (below Panorama Point) had heavier snow and was less effected by the wind, and was actually quite enjoyable to ski.






Travel to Camp Muir can still be an enjoyable venture, as long as folks bring appropriate equipment to safely deal with the terrain, and areprepared for the harsh weather often encountered during the winter.Ski crampons or a set of light weight boot crampons would have been nice for getting to Camp Muir. If you expect to make use of the public shelter at Camp Muir, be prepared to spend time digging out the doors, as they were nearly completely buried by drifted snow when we arrived. Do not count on other parties to have dug them out recently, and certainly bring at least one sturdy shovel.




In addition to creating heavy sastrugi on the snowfield, the winds and heavy sunlight last week created significant spacial variability in the snowpack around Camp Muir. Some ridgelines had been scoured nearly to the ground, while others had generated large cornices, like those typical of the east side of the snowfield during the winter and spring. A few large wind pillows were noted along the ridgline above Camp Muir heading to the Beehive and Gibralter Rock, whereas other areas of the upper cowlitz were scoured down to last year's snow. We dug a snow pit above Camp Muir, and although we found no major red flags in the snowpack, the huge spacial variability in the area makes it difficult to draw any reliable conclusions about the overall snow stability. If you are going to venture up to Camp Muir and beyond, always get a detailed weather and avalanche forecast before you leave the trailhead, but also know that these forecasts are not an adequate replacement for good observations and decision making. Be prepared to make your own assessments about the safety of the terrain you are traveling in. Oh, and please remember to register for overnight trips so we know you're up there.


Have a great winter, get out and ski, be safe.

The Keweenaw Peninsula :: Breakfast Nook

Monday, August 8th - - As nice as the weather was, I decided to leave the Keweenaw Peninsula and move on to other places. The campground was great – in full shade for the most part, which would have been really nice in warmer temperatures. But as it was, with temps in the mid-70s and lots of shade, it was a little cool. (Yeah, I know, some people are never satisfied!)



I left the campground early without eating breakfast, hoping to find a nice warm spot in the sunshine.





A beautiful spot for breakfast!



A few geese were the only things around.



How do these things manage to find a foothold, and survive?



It was a most enjoyable interlude.

Bubble Reflection

My reflection in a bubble on Hollow Rock Creek. I was out photographing some small waterfalls on the creek and watching all these bubbles float by. After watching them for a moment I realized that the trees and sky were reflecting in the bubbles. When I stood up and looked straight down on the bubbles, I could see my reflection as well. I decided to have some fun with it :-)

We Have a House

Yesterday I had a conversation with someone and in the midst of the conversation the other person said some things that left me in a state of being completely stunned. They shared their view on some aspects of our life and what they believed to be true. Now, this is just a part of life. People spout their views and assumptions all the time. Some more than others.




This was a person who has been around us enough, though, that I didn't realize until that conversation they did have many assumptions about us and our life that were just not true. At all. I started to share the truth as I see it, but then a voice inside of me said: Do.Not.Even.Try so I hit the backspace button and deleted it and just let them know I heard what they shared.




They then went on to share something they did, that I think they were sharing was the same as how we have lived for four years now, and given it was not even in the same ballpark, my brain really went on full tilt. I'll be honest, I'm still reeling from that conversation trying to truly wrap my brain around some parts of it.




As I was pondering it today, Dr. Phil's "you either get it or you don't and you're not getting it" popped into my head. Sometimes we just don't get it in life. All of us. But then I pondered my experiences where I have wanted to get it and am starting to get it and just need a bit more information to understand it. So while Dr. Phil might have some wisdom on that topic, I don't think it represents the whole truth. Sometimes we are simply on our way to getting it and in between those two places.




I remembered how much research I did before we decided to be full timers. I remember how it took us about two years from the time we first considered it, until we really did it. And I needed, desperately needed in fact, to hear how it really worked. I wanted to get it. I just needed others to be willing to share the nitty gritty of it all. I needed to know this was not only possible, but what would our lives look life if we did do it.




I had this fear that doing this might be this unstable, bizzaro world experience...one that would have me deeply regretting it. I wondered just how much doing "this" would change everything. We are on year four with this now and so today I understand a few things that I didn't know then.




To me, how we live our life is very simple and easy.




We have a house. This is what it looks like:



To us, it is just like our last house that looked like this:



It is a place where we eat, sleep and hang out some. No, the houses are not exactly the same. They both served the same purposes in our lives though. One has wheels that allows it to go with us as we move from place to place. The other doesn't. We sold the one because it didn't have wheels. We bought the other because it did. That's it.




Other aspects of our lives are pretty much the same. We needed love, peace, joy, community and family before. We need those things now. We needed food, shelter and some material goods before and we do now. We needed income of some sort to provide those things then, and we do now.




We had a job that provided income when we lived in our last house. And even though we had an unexpected job and income loss last year, except for three weeks in between "jobs", we have had a job that we worked to provide income since we moved into our current house.




We aren't rich. We aren't retired. And as much as we joked last year about maybe having to get a J.O.B., that was about us being spoiled and both being able to be home all day long with our kids while making money and today one of us leaves the house for some hours of our day to make money. Someday both of us might have to leave our house for a few hours each day to make money. While that is not our preference, we are mature enough to roll with that if it does happen. That might happen no matter what kind of house we choose to live in.




We would and do pick jobs that we think would work well for us. We think that is only fair to ourselves and our employers. We have both been in positions of management so we get how truly awful it is for a place to have employees that aren't happy there. So we have pretty much always done that. Again, no difference there in our view.




For those that are considering this lifestyle and do wonder, how does it work when you are a bit younger than the normal full timer: if you have a job that you can do from home, you most likely have a job that you can do from a home with wheels-even if you do move around with that house. Yes, you might have to figure out what is necessary to do so, but isn't that true of any job? Jobs with insurance are available to both. Jobs that don't have insurance are available to both.




If we want to settle down meaning stay in one place, we will and more importantly, we can. We are doing that now in fact.




If we want to move around, we can.




We don't think that limits our options because we have done the math and when you have a house that will allow for both, we think that means that increases your options. In this economy, we think it is a smart choice to increase your options as much as possible. If we were in a different field of work, this might not apply. We trust most adults to be able to tell the difference between the two. We believe we know the difference between the two. If we didn't, we would not have been able to live for four years on the road.




Even when I thought I'd try this for a year, we did not do this to get a vacation. We did not want or need to escape our "life", even if for a season, so there was no need for a vacation. We had a goal long before doing this to not live a life that we needed a vacation from. We reached that goal long before we ever did this.




We did this to take our life that we already enjoyed and moved it to this space to continue to enjoy it. We hoped we would more fully enjoy it. I have shared time and time again, we just took our life we already had on the road. And for the most part, it really is that simple.




We did want less of some things (stress, material goods and working hard to maintain those material goods) and wanted more of other things (time with our kids and each other) and we wanted to see our country up close and personal and learn tons while doing so.




In many ways, even though we took our life on the road, we do live a very different life today. But it still isn't so much that we strive to not live our old life.




It's that we fully immerse ourselves in our new one. And in doing so, we have in fact experienced a whole new way of living, being and interacting with each other and the world than we did before. Wouldn't it be wise to do that no matter what your circumstances though?




For us, we took the route that worked for us because of who we are. We have seen others leap and do this in ways that would have struck terror in my heart. We have seen others do it in ways that we deeply admire and still it would strike terror in my heart to do the same.




We do what works for us today. We see others doing the same. My guess is both of us are pretty much the same people we were before and both of us have grown and changed in some ways since. Again, I think that is true of people that live in houses too. It really is that simple.

Poppies

Some photos of a few poppies I took yesterday morning. The early sunlight was really showing them off nicely.

SST (That's Sorting, Scanning, Trashing!)

For the two weeks prior to my mother's 80th birthday much of my time was spent in removing the pictures from several of her albums, scanning those pictures and then putting them into archive albums for her. This resulted in approximately 575 scanned image files! I then selected the "best" and printed out perhaps 75 images for display at her open house. I'm very happy to say that the photo-montage was a big hit and well worth the time and effort.

With that project completed I (finally) began the task of sorting my own pictures that have been stored in three "shoeboxes" (not really, but photo storage boxes about the size of a shoebox) into chronological order. I'm trashing the out-of-focus, really bad shots, and giving away duplicates. I did get a good start on scanning some of those pictures the first part of this week but got sidetracked onto another project the latter part of the week.

On Monday and Tuesday I scanned nearly 350 images working about 12 hours total. These were all 3 1/2 x 5" pictures so I could put 5 photos on the scanner bed at once. Of course, I still scanned each one individually but the fact that there would be a series or group of pictures that had been taken at the same event helped to speed things up to where I could scan about 40-45 pictures per hour at times. I also discovered a neat feature of the scanner software that allows me to set a prefix for file names so that all the images from a group or series could automatically be given the designated prefix. Eventually I'll go back and add identifying information to each picture, once I figure out how it is done. The entire process is both fun and tedious. Yeah, right! No, really, it is! So I keep telling myself...

Of the three "shoeboxes" of pictures, half of one box has been scanned. I considered sending the pictures out for commercial scanning, particularly using the free offer at ScanMyPhotos.com that Apple used. The thing is though, after sorting and selecting the pictures to be sent out, there were only about 300 that were of the 4x6" size, which was what was required for the free offer.

While sorting the pictures into chronological order I realized that I had only had prints made of a few of the pictures from my trip through the western states that I took after getting out of the Navy. Those pictures were slides. Prints from slides were expensive back then, compared to the cost of prints from negatives. And I didn't have a job at the time. Anyway, now I'm trying to locate a slide scanning service here in the Midwest. There are lots of places on the west coast. Some that do the scanning onsite and others that send them off to India or some other country. Really, really don't want to send them overseas. And would prefer someplace closer than California.

I've got seven 3-ring binders that each have 500 or so slides in protective pages. That's 3500+ slides, and no, not all of them will be sent out for scanning! Selecting the slides to send out is problematic. I'm trying to figure out a way to jerry-rig a light box or possibly find someone who has a slide viewer. I did scan a test slide on my HP Scanner that has slide/negative scanning built into the lid. I don't have the time or patience to scan those at the rate it took to pre-scan and scan the test slide (several minutes). The scanner added an overall bluish tint to the slide as well. I was able to adjust the image after scanning to get a usable picture, but it took a lot of time to get it close to the original.

The "other" project that I got sidetracked on this week was sorting through the four HUGE boxes of mounted and framed photos that haven't seen the light of day since they were boxed up in 1996! These are mostly photos that were taken while working on my bachelor's degree from Indiana State University. As part of each assignment we had to mount our work "professionally" for presentation to the class. Needless to say the stack of matt board (nearly 4' high) was far more impressive than the photographs themselves. The majority of the photographs were saved though and the matt board went to the recycling center today.

My plan now is to continue scanning the pictures in the shoeboxes, several hours a day, with a goal of completion by June 30th. (I'm setting a goal hoping it will keep me on track and motivated.) Devise a method for selecting the slides to be sent out for scanning; get them selected and sent out as soon as possible. And there are still all those boxes in the garage that need going through! And all those ancestral genea-documents to be scanned. And, well, lots of other things too.

What I've found while doing all this sorting, scanning, and trashing is that it is difficult to wrap my mind around the task of writing. I've stated before, I'm a slow writer, it takes time for me to put together a decent post. I guess the muse has left the building. As a result, posting has been sluggish. Most posts lately have consisted of recently scanned photographs. They don't take much thought, and are somewhat entertaining. Hopefully my few faithful readers will still be around when the muse returns and I get back to writing and, also hopefully, you will be interested in whatever it is I have to say. In the meantime, I hope y'all enjoy the pictures!

Somewhere along the Oregon coast, June 1979.

Padre Island :: Sunset

Another one of my favorite places in Texas – Padre Island National Seashore. Photo taken December 13, .. - a delightful 75 degrees! Oh, yeah....



But things are not always what they seem. Apparently the “Red Tide” had invaded the Gulf waters. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife website it “is a naturally-occurring, higher-than-normal concentration of the microscopic algae Karenia brevis. This organism produces a toxin that affects the central nervous system of fish so that they are paralyzed and cannot breathe. As a result, red tide blooms often result in dead fish washing up on Gulf beaches. When red tide algae reproduce in dense concentrations or "blooms," they are visible as discolored patches of ocean water, often reddish in color.”



I didn't see the Red Tide, but I did see the results.... Along the upper edge where the tide reaches its highest level, the beach was lined with dead fish. Trust me. It was not a pretty site. And the smell? Well, lets just say that it left something to be desired. It really wasn't too bad once you got past the line of dead fish – which included several varieties of Jelly Fish.



According to a pamphlet handed out at the entrance station, Red tide can cause problems with breathing, coughing, sneezing, and teary eyes – especially with windy weather conditions and rough surf – the exact conditions when I arrived and spent a couple hours walking along the beach!



That night I developed a cough and was sneezing quite a bit. I hadn't yet read the pamphlet so just thought it was the cool, damp night air. But it continued to get worse the next day and when I read the material provided at the entrance station I realized what it was. When I left for several hours and went into Corpus Christi, the symptoms abated somewhat. I had already paid for the second night so decided to stay.



The campground (using the term loosely – it was basically a paved parking lot) was just a few feet from the beach somewhat protected by a ridge of dunes. The smell of decaying fish was negligible once you were off of the beach. I enjoyed the sound of the surf hitting the shore and was lulled to sleep with it each night. There is something that can't be explained about that sound. It's primeval. Coupled with watching the waves coming onto the beach, moving in and out... well, it is mesmerizing.



I had planned on staying here at least five days, but with the symptoms I was experiencing, I reluctantly decided to cut my visit short. I'm happy to report that within a few hours (8-10) of leaving Padre Island, the coughing and sneezing stopped ;-)

New England Bicycle Expo!

Last weekend we visited the New England Bicycle Expo - held right here in Somerville, MA. We weren't sure what to expect: Would it be a handmade bicycle show? or a trade show of larger manufacturers? Turns out, it was a bit of everything: a mix of local framebuilders, artisans, manufacturers, and various cycling-related organisations. The show was relatively small and had a "country fair" feel to it - which was pleasant and personable.

The Expo was held at the Armory - an old military structure, refashioned into a community arts center. I did not have the right lens on my camera to photograph the entire building, but you can see ithere. The Armory basically looks like a cartoon castle, and I always get excited upon seeing it in what is otherwise a normal, residential neighbourhood. It's just so unexpected: House, house, house...castle!

Booths were set up pretty much all over the place, making use of the interior's pre-existing structures.Some areas were well-lit, while others were cavernous, which created interesting contrasts and a sense of mystery, but made it all darn difficult to photograph.



Some exibitors set up their spaces inside tents, which contributed to the country fair vibe. Wandering around the tents, I found myself craving a corndog on a stick. Ciclismo Classico had a large information tent.



Geekhouse booth - shaped like an actual house, with an actual geek in it. Those guys do not disappoint.



Royal H. Cycles took the stage - literally. There is a stage in the Armory, and that's where he set up. Naturally, the crowd kept expecting a performance.



Instead, they got to look at Bryan's beautiful bikes, including the Randonneur we are collaborating on.



Those curious about framebuilding got to see a frame in progress, with filing marks visible and flux still caked onto it.



Icarus shared the stage, the delicate details stunning anyone who examined the flawlessly fillet-brazed frames.



The finishing on Icarus frames is just amazing.



Tiny stainless steel feather details in unexpected locations on the frame and fork are his trademarks.



Folk Engineered displayed a very memorable bicycle that was designed to look like it was stitched together.



Like this!



The seams are not painted on; this is a fully tactile experience. And I believe that's a rendering of New Jersey on the seat tube.



ANT had some new mixte basket-bikes built up, with lots of nice custom touches. A few of us rode one of the bikes and I will write about that at some point in the future.



An aerial view of "ANT Bike Mike" (the framebuilder Mike Flanigan), looking very cool in his shades and cap.



And another local framebuilding legend, Christopher Igleheart.



I was impressed with the Igleheart bicycles we saw on display - in particular this unique Randonneur, built especially for Paris-Brest-Paris.



Notice anything unusual here? Hint: Look at the handlebars. There are two sets of shifters, enabling the cyclist to shift both while on the hoods and in the drops, without changing hand positions. You would think such a set-up would be clunky, but here it is executed so elegantly, that nothing even seems out of the ordinary until you look closely.



Two sets of shifter cables, neatly routed.



Another interesting feature this bicycle had was this button built into the stem. It's a switch for regulating the headlight beam. I want!



More Igleheart work. How about these dropouts!



Dynamic chainless bikes were giving presentations.



These bicycles use shaft drives and have enormously wide bottom brackets. People were test-riding them outside, but we didn't have a chance to.



Alongside the framebuilders and bicycle manufacturers were makers of cycling accessories. I really liked the Alchemist wool jerseys.



2nd Suit cycling caps were on display, made of thrifted garments.



I found the colour and textural combinations they used appealing.



Very popular at the Expo was this belle of bicycle helmets. Belle helmets are handpainted in acrylic, with the coolest motifs. Although you may have noticed that I neither promote nor wear this particular accessory, I can't help but want to promote a fellow artist.



There is one painted like an apple. An apple!



An apple(!!) The ridiculously realistic rendering is just awesome. It makes me imagine some giant accidentally biting off a cyclist's head.



Speaking of edibles, Zipcar was at the expo, giving away mints. I reviewed my experience with Zipcar here earlier.



And a cafe was set up by the entrance, selling coffee and surprisingly healthy food.



Lots of people brought their own interesting bikes to the show as well.



Owners of the above Bullitt- Brian P. of Bummels and Jaunts, with family.



Interesting wooden trailer, belonging to another family.



Vintage cruiser advertising a gas and oil company.



And a true piece of history - an 1895 Eaglewith curved seat tube.



Wooden grips and spoon brake. There are many more picture of this bicycle here, if you're curious; it's really something.



Expo organiser, Rob Hill. This was a great event he put together, and I hope it continues for years to come.



If I have to assess how the expo turned out, I would describe it as small, friendly and low-key. The upside of that, is that the atmosphere was comfortable, open and inviting. The downside, is that it was perhaps too small and low-key for what the name of the event suggested. Frankly, I think the expo could have been promoted more extensively, and could have benefited from more media coverage. Boston has a huge cycling culture, and I saw only a small fraction of it reflected among the attendees. Many people I told about it locally simply did not know it was happening, but would have loved to go. Perhaps that is something to consider for next year - and I hope very much that there will be a next year! This was an exciting and promising beginning that I would love to see become a local tradition.

Additional images of the New England Bicycle Expo can be viewed here. There are more coming, and they will be added to the same location.