Garden Flowers

All the garden veggies are flowering. We are eating zucchini, and yellow squarsh, cucumbers, and have green tomatoes. The corn is tassling and we hope we get some this year. Apple tree and peach tree are loaded with the branches hanging down to where they almost touch the ground. Just waiting for them to get ripe enough to eat.

Aiguille du Chardonnet Direct Gabarrou

Dachstein Wool

Don't hate me because I still have an original ;-) They made two versions, a "standard" as shown and a Lwt version. Significant price difference back in the day between the two. I first bought the Lwt version telling myself it was "thinner" and more useful.Both were stout versions of a "sweater". But not moth proof which was my sweater's demise. I now think I made a mistake on the thin version as being more useful.







Funny thing about the Dachstein's. I first saw the mitts in the local climbing shop and the early '70s GPIW catalog. Likely the only way to keep your hand warm in really cold weather back then. I went through half a dozenpairs over the years. And I later used them in combination with other mitts (generally Helly Hanson pile lined shells) up till the early'80s.









Dachstein mitts and the luxurious gloves (not the GPIW Walker wool gloves mind you) were the bomb back in the day. Still are if you have a use for them. Fun to see Andy Turner climb with Dave MacLeod whileusingDachstein mitts and Nomics..















Mil Spec version above.

Mitts "shrink to fit with use".



My size Euro sized 52 Dachstein weighs in at 3# 4 oz. So it is no light weight. A jacket of comparable performance (well sort of comparable anyway) is the Arcteryx Atom Lt @ ajust over 14.4 oz. Well less than a 1/3 in weight.



But it isn't just the numbers that tell the story here. The Dachstein sweater can be a decent rain jacket, an amazingly good wind shell,a stretchable and extremely breathable layer all in one. Someof the weight just gets ignored. But no question you notice you have something on! Stuck out side for an unplanned over night? The Dachsteinis the garment I'd choose. May be not for all the time use but it is fun once in a while in the right conditions. Cold, dryand windy?



Herman Buhl used one.







Michael Kennedy did as well. Here after thenight out, on the 1st ascent of the Ames Ice Hose.





Photo courtesy of the "Lou Dawson, Steve Shea, and Michael Kennedy" collection found online.











I dumped mine for the first Patagonia red pile. Now I have all sorts of climbing sweaters I really like. The SherpaAGear, Mantra is one, the E. Bauer Hooded Down Pullover another along with the Arcteryx Atom Lt. All different weights and materials but all useable.



But none of the "sweaters" named besides the Dachsteinwill I throw over a synthetic t shirt (don't believe anyone who tells you boiled wool doesn't itch. It does.) and wearsidehill skiing in marginal NW spring weatheras my only piece of clothing onmy upper body.



And be happy doing it!



Well happy till it is totally full of water anyway ;-) Not sure I could pack the 50# around of a totally soaked Dachstein.. Better used where it won't rain all day on you I suspect. But this sweateris the"original soft shell". It will still do most of what we required and do it better than even the best of the new versions of "climbing sweater". Not everywhere mind you. But not the worn out old war horse to be abandoned either.

Mountain 33 (March 1974.) No photo credit given.More here on that story:http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?tn=20&topic_id=395619









The retro kool factor can not be denied. Like how many guys do you know that have actually even seen a Dachstein sweater let alone worn one? EBs in Bard's "hopeful" hands BITD in case you wondered.



All is not lost. The Austrian Armycontracted to havemanufacturedboth pull over and zip front Dachstein sweaters for years. Also known as the "GUIDE" version. Those can be had on the after market for reasonable prices these days. ORTOVOX now sells the gloves and mitts of boiled wool. And they are nice. But they aren't of the same quality as the originals imo. But they are close!









Places to find the "Dachstein" versions still available? Often times a Google search for "Austrian Military wool sweater" will bring surplus military sweaters up as well.. These things rock as the ultimatewool sweater. $40 plus shipping seems to be the going price as I write this on Ebay and online for the surplus version, used and new. Last made in the early '80s I believe. Likely the best $40 you'll ever spend for usable but somewhat funky climbing clothing

Current sources for Dachstein style wool items:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280657136079



http://www.ortovox.com/classic-wool



http://www.bradleyalpinist.com/dachstein.html





MEN'S sizing conversions off the Internet which seems to fit my 52 Dachstein / 42 US conversion



Suits and overcoats



European 46 48 50 52 54 56 58



UK 36 38 40 42 44 46 48



USA 36 38 40 42 44 46 48



size 52 is:

63" wrist to wrist

24" arm pit to arm pit

19" at the waist



The military surplus siz largeI just bought but haven't seen yet is:

62"

22.5"

19"



Close enough to a size 42 to work for me.



A Dachstein sweater won't replace anything I own or get very used oftenbut they are a fun bit of quality kit that isn't easy available today.



A short history of the Dachstein area:



http://www.ramsau.com/en/information/history.html





More on the modern sweater versions here:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//12/climbing-sweater.html



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//04/patagonia-nano-puff-pull-over.html



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//02/arcteryx-atom-lt-hoodyjust-how-good-is.html

Chiricahua National Monument

If you should happen to be driving along Interstate 10 in southeast Arizona, you need to turn south onto highway 186 in Wilcox. Your destination is a little over 30 miles through the desert, uphill. It is the same terrain you have been driving through from Texas and New Mexico and you're wondering why or how this will be any different. But when you reach the little road that takes you into a canyon, you enter a different world. A delightful, surprising one.

There was green grass. And trees. Not just the little scrub bushes but real trees. And it was cool. And there was a stream with flowing water. Of course, it was early spring. There had been a lot of snow during the winter and it was melting. The first time in many years that there had actually been water flowing in Bonita Creek, according to one of the Park Rangers.

This fascinating place is Chiricahua National Monument. I had never heard of it until I saw a sign on the Interstate. I'm so glad that I took that road. The campground was pleasant with some sun making its way through the trees. It was refreshing to return to after several hours of hiking the trails, which were created by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

My Campsite.

The Erickson/Riggs home at Faraway Ranch, Bonita Canyon.
In 1887, this remote canyon became the home of Neil and Emma Erickson. Swedish emigrants, they met at Fort Craig, New Mexico. He was a sergeant in the Army and she was a a maid and companion to the Colonel's wife. Neil was often away from home, working, and Emma tended to the children and the ranch. In 1903 he became a forest ranger, which took him further away from Bonita Canyon. In 1917, the eldest daughter, Lillian, began inviting guests to the ranch and it became the getaway destination. Her husband, Ed Riggs, became foreman of a CCC Camp and helped build the trails used by visitors today. They did an amazing job on the trails. Faraway Ranch is now a part of Chiricahua National Monument.

Beyond Bonita Canyon are the mountains. The trails wind through the incredible rock formations – pillars and balancing rocks galore! It is a wondrous place, indeed.

And still they come

Outbound Immigrationin New Zealand havea hangboard.If you canstick tothe two finger slopers, for more than a minute, they let you pass.Oliver Miller is the latest to get through to Australia.





First they sent Matt Eaton to put up the cave's then hardest line

"A Knee Bar too Far" 8a 29



Frey Yule came on the same boat I think.



After Matt becameinjured they put Sebastian Loewensteijn on the plane.



In a moment of overkill they sent the original Kiwi Krusher -

Nick Sutter



Now we get the crimp fiend Oliver Miller.



All right we get it. You've got a factory over there.











He was sent specifically to bring down the Antoine Moussette open project, working title, "Taking Care of Business."









He just may be the one to do it.



His passport says he is 24. He's been climbing for 12 years, predominantly at Castle Hill.12 years? Can that be right? Probably in some harsh government run climbing camp where they force kids to train in brutal, freezing conditions.And feed them nothing but fush.

We are honoured to have you Oliver.Do what you were sent for.

Like a Track Suit Top with Rear Pockets

So, be honest please: Do you ever wear a cycling jersey off the bike? My first time was unintentional. I was returning from a ride later than expected and had no time to change before meeting someone. So I threw on a skirt, changed my shoes and went - wiping my forehead with a napkin on the way there. I know, classy. My jersey's rear pockets still contained my keys, credit card and ID, so I didn't even need a bag. And that's when I noticed how darn convenient it is to wear these things. The person I was meeting did not seem aware of anything odd about my outfit, so why not? I began to experiment. The key is for the fit to be on the looser side, and for the colourscheme to be acceptable for "business casual." No team names or sponsor logos obviously. Muted colours. Long sleeves. A drapey fit. I own a couple of jerseys that fit the bill nicely, and so I started to sneak them into my wardrobe.




I had no idea whether anyone even noticed, until a woman in a cafe approached me last week. "Excuse me, but I really like your top. Where did you get it?" She was English, so I eagerly explained that it was a cycling jersey from England.




"You couldn't tell it was a cycling jersey?" I asked, "I feel silly wearing it, but it's so convenient."




"Oh no," she replied, "it's lovely! Like anhaute couture track suit top with rear pockets..."




Fashion designers, take note!

Orcas Island ..

In a stroke of luck I had off for two days while my father in law would be camping in the San Juan Islands. So Jennifer and I hatched the plan to join them on Orcas Island.



After Jennifer got home from work on Sunday we packed up and drove up with the intention of Mirabelle sleeping in the car. It worked and soon we she was running around on the Ferry having the time of her life, interacting with others, and enjoying the wind and views.



After the hour boat ride, a reasonable car ride got us to our campsite in Moran State Park. We had grand ambitions of heading to the summit of Mount Constitution for the sunset, but by the time we were done preparing dinner, we were all ready to call it a day. Our guests would be meeting us the following morning and we wanted to be ready.



I awoke early and went for a hike near the campground while waiting for them to wake up. When I got back we had breakfast and then attempted to hike to Cascade Falls from our campground. We stopped a tenth of a mile short of the falls at a small waterfall where Mirabelle got to play with rocks and leaves before we headed back to the campground.



At the campground we found our relatives and hatched the plan to drive to the false summit of Mount Constitution and hike to the summit to give Mirabelle a nice nap, and conserve energy so she could walk down the trail. Mirabelle slept from early on to the Summit Lake and then proceeded to do her own hiking for most of the final mile on her own. Making the hike a bit longer than anticipated to reach the summit.







We stayed a while on the summit taking in the fantastic views while Mirabelle played with a new friend on the rocks.






Mountain Lake and beyond






Mount Baker and the Twin Sisters group



Then Mirabelle got into the pack for the significantly shorter hike back to the car. We then drove into town (Eastsound) and had dinner before retiring to camp.



The following morning we were leaving, so we opted for a short hike to the beach at Obstruction Pass State Park. Mirabelle did the hike in by herself, and played/explored on the beach while we explored and took dips in the refreshing water.



Then we made a quick hike back to the car and an even quicker ride back to the ferry to be on time at the dock.



This was Mirabelle's first two night camping trip and she loved it! Hopefully we'll get a few more trips in the next weeks before it may get too cold for her.

Anise Swallowtail

Here is a picture of an Anise Swallowtail I took last summer.

Bells Are Ringing, Car Doors Flinging... Holiday Time in the City

Just as I start to think of myself as a seasoned transportation cyclist, something happens to throw me off my game. Yesterday I had one of the most stressful rides ever. It was a 10 mile route out to the suburbs that passed through several town centers. Despite it being the middle of a work day, traffic was unbelievable and I kept trying to figure out what was going on. Then it hit me (almost literally - as two car doors swung open simultaneously directly in front of me and a pedestrian jumped into my out-of-the-doorzone line of travel at the exact same moment): It's holiday shopping time and people are on their lunch breaks.



Don't get me wrong: I am glad to see so many shoppers patronising establishments in their local town centers instead of going to the mall or shopping online. I've heard campaigns on the radio promoting local holiday shopping, and I am certain that I am seeing more of this trend now than in previous years. The lively community feeling seems to be returning to places where it had been absent for years; it's fantastic. But assuming that most of the holiday shoppers are indeed local (why else would they visit tiny stores selling things like bespoke stationery, knitting yarn, baby clothing, and jewelry crafted by women who teach at the local arts center?) it is ironic that they choose to drive. Parking alone must eat up a good portion of their lunch hour, which probably explains why they run in and out of the shops like mad, swing open their car doors without looking, then shout in irritation at cyclists like me merely for being there and almost getting killed by them. They would probably be happier if they walked, as would the rest of us. I know that some town centers have considered banning parking or car traffic during peak shopping times, but there is resistance from business owners - who believe this will deprive them of customers.



Anyhow, I write this not so much to complain, as to warn those who are new to cycling during the holiday rush: Be careful out there and take alternative routes if possible. After almost getting doored for the nth time, finally switching to a trail for the last portion of my return trip was a welcome relief. Peace and quiet and dirt and gravel and no swinging car doors: I'll have that on the rocks, please. And I'll walk or ride to do my holiday shopping.

Abandoned Gear

In the 05/06 winter, three separate climbing teams reported being caught in significant storms. Two were below Camp Muir, and one was higher on the Ingraham Glacier.

While getting lost or pinned down in a storm on Mount Rainier isn't that unusual given the time of year, it was interesting to note that all three teams retreated to snowcaves. Pure and simple, shovels are mandatory. And that means one for each person. One team said that they broke three of their shovels while digging. Thankfully, there were four of them!

These teams were helped by their size; two were 4-person, one was 5. It’s a lot easier to pull through a storm with extra people around. And as the storms relented, each team made their way back to Paradise without assistance, but not without some cost.

Two of the teams abandoned a significant amount of equipment; gear such as tents, bags, stoves and pads. Each stated that they could not retrieve all of the equipment because of the intensity of the storm and snow accumulation. Tents, for example, were nearly impossible to dig out. To them, it seemed safer to retreat; this is a tough decision to make.

It can’t be overstated, winter AND spring storms can be particularly fierce on Mount Rainier. If you’re pinned down and must abandon camp (high winds, snowfall, avalanche/icefall exposure), do all you can to retrieve at least your stove, pad, clothing and bag. One tip is to pack your pack before exiting the tent.

Though a rapid exodus to Paradise or Camp Muir may seem appealing given the current circumstances, it has also led to many notable accidents and fatalities. Caught on the mountain with only a shovel and few odds and ends is a downright brutal experience to live through.

Photo by Mike Gauthier

Ah, Spring!

It's that time of year when Mother Nature can't decide whether it is should still be winter or if she'll let us pass into warmer weather. Last night saw thunder and lightening along with quite a bit of rain come through northeast Indiana. Then I heard it turn to sleet and freezing rain. I looked out the back door about 11 p.m. and there was at least an inch of slush on the patio. By then the mixture had turned to snow. The front of the apartment, which faces the south and which is where the flowers are, didn't get near as much snow/slush as the north side.

So, will my daffodils bloom when their time comes?


As always, click on the image for a larger version...

Fortress of Ice

This ice formation was photographed along the Grand Portage shoreline of Lake Superior a few days ago. It never ceases to amaze me the endless forms that ice can take along the shores of this great lake. This "fortress" of ice formed over the top of a large mound of rocks. As the rocks get pounded by the waves the water freezes and forms into ice. Every year the ice looks different, as it never freezes in the same exact shape. Often times even from one day to the next it will look different as new waves add new layers of ice, or warm days melt a layer of ice.

Acadia :: Carriage Roads and Bridges

From 1913 to 1940, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. was instrumental in constructing the beautiful carriage roads on Mount Desert Island, which would later become part of Acadia National Park. There are 45 miles of carriage roads (including 17 stone-faced bridges) available for walkers, bicyclists, equestrians and even carriages. In the winter, they can also be used for cross-country skiing.



The 'problem' with walking on the carriage roads is that the bridges are sometimes difficult to view. (This website has more photos of some of the bridges.)

It was easy walking along the carriage roads, even the uphill grades weren't too bad, and it was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.







This bridge was at the southern end of Jordan Pond.




The roads and bridges were constructed
with manual labor. At times, there was a crew of 300 men working on
these roads.





Each of the bridges is different but
built to 'fit in' with the surroundings. This group of riders stopped
after we told them they were riding over a bridge. When you're on the
road it is sometimes difficult to know that you're on a bridge. Many
areas have the large stones bordering the roadway.






Another view of the same
bridge in the previous photo.




Some bridges, like this one, were
constructed with viewpoints that extended off to the side of the
road, which were nice so that you could actually see the bridge
itself.






This little bridge was
near the Bubble Pond.

It's Still There!

What's still there, you ask? The residence of John Brubaker, my 3rd great grandfather, that's what! Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful fall day here in northeast Indiana and I couldn't resist taking advantage of it. After running some errands, it was about 2:30 in the afternoon by the time I got to Huntington County. A few minutes later I was in the area where I thought the house should be, and there it was! It didn't quite look the same as in the image from the atlas, but I was pretty sure it was the right house. I pulled off to the side of the road and took a couple of pictures. The sun was in the "wrong" position for a really good shot, but it does show some of the details. The house is some distance from the road. Thank goodness for zoom lenses!

Comparing the two images, the first thing I noticed was that the pitch of the roof is steeper in the old image (artistic license perhaps?), several of the chimney's have been removed, and the brick exterior has been painted. The porch has been extended to the full depth of the offset and a sloped roof replaces the railed deck. There is only one entrance off of the porch into the house. The door going into the south facing section has been removed. The second window above the porch was actually a door. It too has been removed as has the "front" door (the empty space below the 3rd upstairs window). Modern insulated windows have replaced the originals, and the decorative thing-a-ma-jigs above the windows are gone.

Cropped portion of the picture used in the 1876 atlas, shown in a previous post.

Looking southeast, showing the room that was added onto the southwest corner of the house and some of the out-buildings.

After taking the pictures, I did something that I've never done before. I saw a car in the driveway so I drove up to the house. I was greeted by a very friendly black lab and a small golden haired retriever-mix. They didn't bark or make a sound, which I thought was odd. Anyway, I petted them for a minute and then went onto the porch and knocked on the door. No answer. I peeked around behind the house thinking perhaps someone was outside, but there wasn't anybody there. Went back on the porch and knocked on the door again. Still no answer. Waited a few minutes, knocked again. No answer. So I left. As I was driving down the lane out to the road, the school bus pulled up and dropped off several children. After speaking with them for a few seconds, I turned around and went back to the house, where their mother was waiting on the porch!

She hadn't heard me knocking on the door. She was very nice and friendly. I showed her a copy of the picture of John's house and she confirmed that it was the same house. She said that she was told that the house had been built in the early 1850s. She and her husband purchased the house eight years ago from a couple that had bought it about 1970. She didn't know who they had purchased it from.

After a few minutes of chatting on the porch she invited me inside. The walls are solid brick, at least 12" thick. It's hard to see from the pictures above, but the house is really two rectangular "sections" that are offset by the depth of the porch. So the back, or south facing section, is only as long as the north facing section. We didn't go down into the basement but I didn't think to ask whether it was a full or partial basement or whether its walls were stone or brick.

There are two fairly large rooms on each floor of the front section. There is just one large room in the back section on each floor but the enclosed stairway is also on that side of the house. At the top of the stairs there is a large landing area that has been converted into a closet and a hallway. I was surprised by the height of the rooms upstairs as they have 8' ceilings. I was expecting them not to be as high as those downstairs. There are no fireplaces left in the house.

The only change to the original footprint of the house is the addition of a room at the back, southwest corner, downstairs. It is actually two small rooms. One is being used as the laundry room and back entrance and the other is a galley-type kitchen.

All in all, I must say, it was a very nice day!

Gaitered mtn/ice boots? Batura / Phantom / Ultra

Just for the sake of convenience I thought all these should be in the same place for easy reference.



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//02/the-scarpa-rebels-part-one-ultra.html



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//01/scarpa-phantom-ultra-vs-la-sportiva.html


http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//02/new--la-sportiva-batura_14.html



http://coldthistle.blogspot.co.uk//04/scarpa-phantom-guide-vs-la-sportiva.html



6000 specific



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/search?q=6000