Greetings from... Utah!

It is a gray, gloomy morning with a mix of rain and snow, and fog. Not complaining, just saying. The past 12 days have been absolutely beautiful, filled with blue skies and sunshine. The weather couldn't have been better!

The view as I was leaving Zion National Park this morning.

Earlier last week.

After leaving Chiricahua National Monument on the morning of April 28th I headed north towards Utah. The thought was in the back of my mind that perhaps I could make it to Salt Lake City for at least one or two days of the NGS Conference. In the end, that didn't happen and I missed a great opportunity to renew friendships and meet other geneabloggers. But I am planning on attending the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree in June!

Zion National Park (in southwest Utah) is an incredible place! A big differences between Zion and the Grand Canyon (aside from the obvious one of size) is that at Zion you begin the hikes in the Canyon and go up first. I think I like that better, but coming down isn't always that easy either! Amazing trails. Beautiful weather. Fantastic people. All added up to a great time at Zion!

On Holidays and Travel

With all the talk about skyrocketing costs of airplane tickets for Thanksgiving, many people I know have decided to stay home this year and keep it low key. But rather than being upset about it, they seem relieved: A casual Thanksgiving with the immediate family instead of a full-on family reunion and hours spent in airports? The very idea seems to be an instant de-stresser.

The decision to live far away from friends and family - combined with the expectation that we still ought to be close and get together as frequently as possible - creates an uncomfortable predicament. Though many are reluctant to admit it even to themselves, getting together with loved ones for the holidays often brings more stress than joy, fanning the flames of family conflicts and fostering new resentments. And when it's over? Well, so is the long weekend, and back to work you go.

But people are not built to function like this - moving from one set of stressors to another, with no sense of relief. A holiday is meant to be a break, a time to relax. Airports and airplanes are not relaxing to most people. Neither are hours spent driving. Despite our society's quest for an ever-better quality of life, it seems that we've unwittingly designed our lives to maximise stress.

Why bring this up on a blog about bicycles? Because the travel-induced stress of the holidays strikes me as the same type of problem as the stress of commuting long distances to work in a car or via public transportation.There is a great deal of new research coming out about the effects of travel and transportation choices on physical health, mental health, familial and social relationships, and overall quality of life. In retrospect, all of the findings are common sense - which only highlights the fact that society as a whole has been moving away from common sense notions of well-being. For those of us who are trying to get back to those notions, the bicycle has been a great help - not only in the immediate sense, but also in the sense of helping us realise all of this at the most basic and visceral level.

Veins

A fallen leaf backlit by the Sun.

Mirror, Mirror on the Bike...

Over the past week I've received several emails with questions about bicycle mirrors, so it seemed like a good topic for a post. As with most safety-related issues, opinions on bicycle mirrors are divided. I don't want to reiterate what's already been discussed to death elsewhere, but here is a very brief summary:



The pro bicycle mirror rhetoric is that they allow you to monitor the traffic behind you without having to turn around. The anti bicycle mirror rhetoric is that they are distracting, and that using them can lead to misperceptions of traffic proximity. Furthermore, those who do use mirrors are divided on whether they ought to be handlebar-mounted or head-mounted. Here is a post from Alan on ecovelo that explains why he uses bicycle mirrors. And here is a thread on bikeforums where members explain why they believe bicycle mirrors are dangerous, as other members argue with them.



If you look at pictures of my bicycles, it is obvious that I don't use mirrors. But I am not rabidly anti-mirror either. I just find that they are not for me. They do distract me. And they do interfere with my sense of connectedness to my environment - a connectedness that is the very reason I find cycling in traffic easier than driving a car in traffic. For what it's worth, this is also why I cannot relate to arguments that compare bicycle mirrors to car mirrors. In a car I am closed off from the road and my view is blocked in almost all directions. Also, turning around is tricky, because of the way the interior of the car is structured. On a bicycle, my view of the road is unobstructed and turning to look over my shoulder is much easier. This is why I find mirrors in a car necessary, while I find mirrors on a bike not only unnecessary, but counterproductive. Your experience may differ.



If you are trying to decide whether a bicycle mirror is a good idea, why not buy an inexpensive one and give it a try on a quiet road? That way you will be able to determine how you respond to it and whether you find it beneficial or detrimental. I can't recommend any particular mirror, since I don't use them. I've heard good things about the Zephal Spy Mirror and the German mirror sold by Rivendell, but that's all I know. If you have opinions or recommendations to contribute, that would be most welcome.

Boa Leash by Blue Ice

I've been using leashes long before there were leashless tools. I also carried a third tool bitd. Broken picks and dropped tools are never a good thing.



Grivel and BD both offer a decent leash system. My problem is that they are "systems". I havebeen using a old style Grivel leash that I've had for 5 plus years now. Onoccasion I've venturedout with the newest BD Spinner leash,till it proved itself unreliable.But I own them all, Grivel and BD versions and have usedprototypes that still aren't available.



I'm not much into fancy stuff when simple will work, as well or better.



Do a search for umbilicals on the blog here and see what is currently available. I'll do another comparison soon.



I bought and had a chance to use a pair of the Blue Ice Boa leasheswhile I was here in Chamonix. Liked themenough I have set my old Grivel's aside and am using the Boa now full time.

I like they pull test @550 daN or 1236 lbf. No one else committing to over 800 lbs. BD says 800# but the UIAA test is 450# which is what theBD and Grivel is rated at, so why bother?



Because in climbing gear, more weight, "more better" (strength wise)generally.



More info here:



http://www.blueice.com/en/products/boa-leash



Now available in NA here:

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//04/blue-ice-again.html





Soloing on the Passarelle gully, N Face of the Midi with a Boa leash system hitched to myharness and tools.I'll leave it to you imagination on where the ice really comes from for the start of thisclimb. Fun climb in cold conditions, none the less.



I went rightand avoided the ladder, the crux stick on that exit beinga very old wood cement form. But I did stop fora quick nap on the opposite viewing platform and lunch before heading off to ski the rest of the day. Colinon the same climb a few weeks later. Only in Chamonix!





Boa leash and a Cold Thistle hammer on your Nomic...what more could you need?

Liked them enough that I bought a few extra pairs to bring back to friends in the States. If you are in the USA and want a pair, send me an email. 26.00 € via Pal Pal will get them out to you on priority mail from Issaquah, WA.

Cycling without Fear

I talk to a lot of beginner cyclists who are afraid to ride on the road. Some try to conquer their fears by riding anyway, only to find that they end up being more afraid, not less. The proximity of the passing cars frightens them so much, that their bike handling suffers. This in turn makes them more likely to experience close calls and drivers honking at them, terrifying them even more. It becomes a vicious cycle.




Fear is a nasty, crippling emotion. I don't mean the philosophical kind, where you are thinking "Gee I don't think I can handle this." What I mean is the visceral kind: that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, adrenaline, heart racing,trembling, weak at the knees. It is debilitating and difficult to control. But it can be avoided.




If an aspect of cycling scares you at a strong visceral level, my suggestion would be to take it down a notch - to a point where you do not experience the fear - and work from there. If cycling on busy roads gives you panic attacks, try riding on quiet side streets exclusively, until that feels so comfortable that you are ready for the next step. If even that is too much, stick to bike paths, parks and empty lots until you are ready for side streets. If your neighbourhood has none of these things, try riding in the middle of the night or very early morning (with good lights of course). Even in a busy city, the roads will be nearly empty. Whatever it takes, find a way to ride so that you are relaxed and not in panic mode. I would apply this to every aspect of cycling - from riding for transportation, to learning new skills, to trying drop bars, clipless pedals, and riding off road.




It's also important to understand that when we ride with friends and spouses, their level of comfort may be very different from ours. Without meaning any harm, they might coax or pressure us to do things we cannot handle. When we are ready for it, being encouraged to push ourselves can be a good thing. I've certainly received more than a couple of nudges that were helpful. But overcoming nervousness or timidity is one thing. Intense, limbs-atremble fear is not good and can affect our behaviour in unpredictable ways. It is our responsibility to know the difference.




Conquering one's fears is a worthwhile endeavor. But it takes time and there is more than one way to approach it. In my experience, those who find cycling more frightening than enjoyable, stop cycling. Therefore, I suggest sticking to riding in a way that feels fun and avoiding riding in a way that feels terrifying. Cycling should be a positive experience.

Verbena Bonariensis

My blooming Verbena bonariensis.