Entering Oregon

Exploring by Bike: Alternative to Touring

While I both travel and cycle a great deal, I have come to the conclusion that bicycle touring is not for me. This is not to say that I have anything against bicycle touring at all; it sounds like fun for those who enjoy it, and I love reading others' accounts of it. But it does not appeal to me personally for the same reason I've never liked touring in general: I am not satisfied passing through places. For instance, the idea of touring Ireland - that is, trying to see as much of the island as possible by going from town to town - would leave me feeling disoriented and empty. I enjoy getting to know a place, connecting to it in some way. And I don't feel that I can do that via sight seeing and moving on.






The way I see bicycle touring, is that it is first and foremost about traveling by bike. But what if we want to delve deeper rather than go further? Exploring by bicycle could be a rewarding alternative.






My idea of exploring involves choosing a location of significance, and committing to staying there for whatever length of time is sufficient in order to feel settled. For me that means a minimum of a week. The key is then to have something to do there other than sightseeing in of itself. A work-related project. An artistic, literary or research pursuit. Relatives or friends to visit. Something that anchors me to the place and provides an occupation.






Long ago I've noticed that when we approach a trip as a vacation, we expect the place we are visiting to entertain us. But that approach cannot possibly reveal what this place is truly like. For that we need to actually experience it in a real-life setting, as a temporary resident with a purpose rather than as a tourist. We will still get to see all the sights while there, but everything we see will attain a far greater sense of context and personal meaning.





We will also be much more likely to notice nuances that might have otherwise evaded us.







So where does the bicycle come into all of this? Well, to me the bicycle makes an ideal tool for exploring, in that it allows me to set my own pace and to vary that pace spontaneously. I can go as fast or as slow as I like. I can cover long distances or I can ride around in circles. I can carry all that I need with me for the day, transitioning easily between cycling for the sake of cycling, exploring, and transportation. On my first day on the Antrim coast my travel radius was tiny, but I rode quite a bit. Another day I might find myself 50 miles from my home base.





On my bike, I can feel the landscape open up and reveal itself to me as it never does with any other mode of transportation. I can also ride to the grocery store - or to the pub, or to the library, or to a meeting, or to a friend's house.







The bike allows me to feel at home, comfortable, and entirely independent in the place I am exploring and I couldn't ask for more. Maybe I will tour some day. But for now I prefer to stay put and go deep. The bicycle is as perfect of a companion for this kind of travel as it is for touring. The possibilities are endless.

The Devils Claw Seed Pod

This is a green seed pod from the devils caw flower. You can see the 'claw' as it clings to part of the stem and the other end has the dried flower on it. Later it will turn a dryed brown color and have little seed in it. These big seed pods work great in dryed flower arrangements.

Eddie Bauer BC MicroTherm Down Jacket

BC Micro Therm Down Jacket with a Patagonia Knifeblade soft shell and R1under it @ -18C, Canada Rockies.



If you look at Eddie Bauer's advertising the First Ascent Hyalite Jacket gets some serious play as THE technical "climbing jacket" in their speciality line. On the other hand I couldn't wait to get rid of mine and exchange it for something I might actually use skiing and as a second thought climbing. No stretch that I could discern in the FA Hyalite compared to a Gamma MX for example and no warmer. I have any number of state of the art garments with synthetic and down insulation to chose from. Getting me into an unproven garment to ice climb in is difficult. Getting me into one made of down is even more difficult.



Adding a water proof and breathable shell to a light weight down insulated piece makes a lot of sense. Even more so if you value light weight warmth over the ability to get it dried out and usable again if you are going to be working hard in the same jacket.



I climbed some in Hyalite Canyon using a Patagonia Down full zip Hooded Sweater last winter and loved it right up till it really started snowing hard and I was breaking trail in 4 feet of snow. I stayed warm but the jacket got wet and lost a lot of its insulation. Lesson relearned for the umpteenth time.



I am not a sweat hog. I don't sweat any more or any less than the rest of my climbing partners generally. My adventures arebest equippedwith very breathable and really light weight upper body clothing forwalking into winter climbs. Being able to change out to at least a dry top and then layer up for the climbing in generally mandatory if I want to be comfortable. The last layer will seldom get worn but is generallysome sort of "belay jacket". It's warmth will depend on the temps and moisture involved.



Our last trip to Canada I reverted from my tried and true climbing garment combos and went backwards in some sense to the more durable "soft shell" uppers as an action suit topover and R1 or a Merinowool version of the same hoodyand the required "belay jacket" over all of itto keep me warm once I stopped.



The combo is really a little heavier than it needs to be. But it is a well proven combo and is only three layers.



This trip one of the jackets I use exclusively for belay duty and climbing whilecold was the BC Micro Therm. I even used it on a couple of short approaches just to see how wet I could get it and still dry it out why climbing. Much to my surprise I even liked climbing technical ground in the Micro Therm when I was pretty chilled.



The hood was one reason. Its pattern is intentionally cut prettybig and easily fits over my helmet choices. The other is the sleeve size/length and being able to pull the Velcro cuff tabs and pull the jacket sleeves up past my elbows.











Not something that I could ever do previous to the chemo diet. But the sleeves fit a lot better (bigger) now and allow one to vent some serious heat if you can pull up the sleeves in your size. The other feature I really like is both side pockets are vertical vents straight to the body's core. Unzip the pockets...from the top or the bottom and you can work pretty hard in this jacket and still not over heat. I really like the simple design features and how well they work. Make sure you aren't going to dump your pocket contents though!



As far as I can tell the shell material, which is water proof and breathable 2-LAYER SHELL called

WeatherEdge® Pro, 1.7 oz 12-denier fabric with StormRepel® DWR finish; rated to 20K/20K" really is water proof. And no question it breathes very well from my testing as I could always get the down dried out on the belays from my own body heat. The long sleeves, the hood and the pocket ventsare easy to notice in use. It is a very good mid weigh piece of insulation and physically lwt weight belay jacket. My XL weighs in at 1# 5 oz. May be even a better cold weather ski jacket on the lifts or side country compared to many others jackets available and easily the best of the EB ski specific jackets imo.



It also comes in a women's specific version which I hear gets high ranks on fit and warmth as well.

No question the women's colors options are better!



Here is more of theEB spiel:



WATERPROOF/BREATHABLE 2-LAYER SHELL



WeatherEdge® Pro, 1.7 oz 12-denier fabric with StormRepel® DWR finish; rated to 20K/20K



800 FILL PREMIUM EUROPEAN GOOSE DOWN

Down-packed micro-baffles keep you warm with minimal weight and bulk



DUAL-FUNCTION CHEST POCKETS

Provide storage and double as heat-dumping core vents



INTEGRATED HOOD

Fits easily over a ski or climbing helmet



WEATHER-SEALED ZIPPERS AND CORDED PULLS

Eliminate need for flaps; more durable, slide more smoothly and make it easier to grab with gloves on



ERGONOMIC POCKETS AND ARTICULATED ELBOWS

Harness and pack compatible; facilitate easy movement



LOW-PROFILE CUFFS AND 1 INCH LONGER

Adjust for snug fit; provides more coverage to keep you warmer



SIZED A BIT MORE GENEROUSLY

Looser fit provides more room for layering; works for a wider range of body types



CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Machine wash

100% nylon waterproof/breathable 20K/20K shell; 800-fill down insulation

Center back length: Reg. 29 1/2", Tall 31 1/2"

Weight: 1 lb., 3.54 oz. (1 lb., 5oz. or 595g and 2.5" of loft for my XL)








Louise Falls photo courtesy of http://www.rafalandronowski.com/




After all I have a closet full of "real" mid weight climbing specific jackets. This one is a good fine to add to that list. A decent price (on sale) for a water proof and lightly insulated down jacket. One that I have used a good bit now and will again.



EB sez:



"Combining the microchannel construction of the MicroTherm™ Down Shirt into the lining of this fully waterproof and breathable shell rated to 20K/20K, we’ve built a warm, insulated jacket that is lighter than many non-insulated shells on the market. This jacket is built to be the minimalist, lightweight piece that our First Ascent guide team requires in the most challenging environments where every ounce counts. Highly packable. Two large cross-body vents double as pockets. Harness friendly design. Now one inch longer and sized a bit larger through the torso to provide more room for layering and fit more body types. Across the board, this piece was the alpine guides’ personal favorite, hands down."



http://www.skinet.com/skiing/photo-gallery/shell-games



http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/product.jsp?ensembleId=40146&oessoa=6046151&cm_mmc=CSE-_-Google%20Product%20Search-_-First%20Ascent%7CMen%27s%20First%20Ascent%20Jackets_and_Vests-_-1020706&CAWELAID=941026515





The video covers it all again:

Pytchley - Broughton - Badsaddle Wood - Pytchley

Friday 3 June . With Marta. Around 7 miles - almost 3 hours. Sussing the scene for a Monday walk.

Conditions, hot, sunny, bit of wind, very dry underfoot.

Wildlife - another hare.



The walk is adapted from the series Walking Close to - the River Ise nearKettering booklet, by Clive Brown, with the starting point at Pytchley.








Espaliered pear tree on a house in Pytchley.


1. Park opposite the Overstone Arms, walk up to the crossroads, turn left along the High Street. take the right fork to Top End, walk to the end of the End, and turn left through a farmyard.



Turn right after a black barn, and take a bridleway past farm buildings and then between fields. Follow the bridleway between hedges as it swings left. As this ends you come to a field where you bear right to cut across the corner, through a gap in the hedge, then follow the right hand edge of the field, keeping trees to your right.




A well-earned rest - after - ooh - half a mile! And only space for one of us.


2. The track goes down to Underwood's Hill Spinney, then across a footbridge and up a slope to the right to join a bridleway. Turn left and follow the bridleway to a gate. There is a gap in the hedge leading to a narrow overgrown path - follow this to the stile at the other end and turn right. (There are plenty of notices here telling you to keep to the footpath!)


Over another stile and along a narrow fenced-in path. Another stile, and the path continues between walls, through what looks like a private yard, and out through someone's garden, more or less.Broughton church is on our right.






The clock face is red. Lots of local ones are blue.








3. Walk down the path to Church St, join High Street and the Northampton Road.








This sign shows the Broughton Tin Can Band in action, chasing away evil spirits - or it's rumoured it was once gypsies?







Is this one of the evil spirits?


Walk to the end of the houses and there is a garage.




The latest superpowered police car?


Opposite is a footpath sign through a gate. Turn left and cross the field - you can see the paths cleared through the crops. Walk with the hedge to your left, until you come to a stile part way along the field edge - you cross this and continue in the same direction, but with the hedge on your right. You cross two footbridges - both over dry stream-beds this time.



4. Go through a gap in the hedge, and turn right, crossing the field diagonally to the left to a gate in the opposite corner. Cross the minor road and walk along the farm track, continuing past the farm (Pytchley Lodge) which you pass on the left.



5. Continue for 400yards, ignoring a wide track to the right, until you reach a waymarker pointing right. Follow the path across the fields, over a footbridge and round to the left of abandoned Badsaddle Farm. Follow the grass bridleway to the left, which takes you down the right-hand side of Badsaddle Wood. Keep on through the welcome shade and you reach the A43 at a lay-by.



6. Go through the lay-by, turn left along the first wide track leading down the right hand-side of a large field. We couldn't see a sign post for this footpath. At the end of the field there is a cross-paths. You go ahead, turning slightly to the left, then joining a farm track - grassy rather than metalled. You cross a farm road, close to a pylon, and in the next field keep to the left, with trees on your left.



7. At the bottom of a slope, turn right for about 30 yards and cross a serious footbridge. Continue in the original direction, keeping the trees on your left. You walk along a bridleway between hedges ( a bit overgrown) until you reach a minor road (Orlingbury-Broughton). Cross the road.



8. Head slightly diagonally left to the hedge corner and carry on with the hedge on your left. In the next field, move away from the right hand edge, following the path through a dip and line of trees to a gate. Carry on through field to a gap in the hedge, and across another field of flax.




In a few days time, this may look like a lake from a distance .




You reach a stile just past some farm buildings.



9. Turn left through the small farmyard, and down a path between the house and a wall. You emerge at the corner of Butcher's Lane. Follow this to High Street, passing the primary school with its raised veg beds and mini-pond. Follow the High Street back to the Overstone Arms.





Once more, with thanks to Clive Brown's booklet Walking Close to the River Ise near Kettering.

Happy Birthday, Brother

My Brother, Jack Lynn Wiseman, was born on this date in 1949. In the picture below, I was 17 months old, Doug was 28 months old, and Jack was about 3 weeks old. He probably won't see this, but I was thinking about him. . .

James Joslin :: 1837 Land Purchase

The earliest record found so far for James Joslin in Whitley County, Indiana is his purchase of land from the U. S. government on September 20, 1837 and which was patented on August 20, 1838.

In September .. a distant cousin, Richard Kutz, sent me copies of the land entry files he had received from the National Archives. The Original Patent Records can be searched and viewed online at the General Land Office Patent Search site but only the patent record is available online. The land entry file for James Joslin included the application for purchase as well as a receipt for payment.

A portion of the left side of the application for land purchase is cut off. I've added what I think it should say in square brackets. Text displayed in bold face is written on the application, the other text is printed.

Land Office, Fort Wayne, Ia. Sept 20 1837

I, James Joslin, [of] Delaware County, Ohio do hereby apply for purchase E ½ NW ¼ Section numbered 25 in Township numbered 32 N. of Range number 8 E. containing 80 [acres], according to the returns of the Surveyor General, for which I have agreed with the Register to [pay] at the rate of One Dollar and Twenty-five cents per acre.
for James Joslin
Price Goodrich
I, Robert Brackenridge, Register of the Land Office, do hereby certify that the lot above de-[scrib]ed, contains 80 acres, as mentioned, and that [the p]rice agreed upon is one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre.
R. Brackenridge, Register.

The interesting thing about the land entry application is that the entry was signed by Price Goodrich "for James Joslin" indicating, perhaps, that James didn't make the trip to the land office. I wonder if he even saw the land before he purchased it or did he rely on Price to select good land? Also, did you notice the abbreviation "Ia." was used for Indiana?

This record also confirms the speculation noted by Irwin Joslin in his letter to my Grandmother on July 29, 1969 that James was "of Delaware County, Ohio" indicating that he was indeed living there, at least in 1837.

The receipt for payment is also dated September 20th 1837 and it shows that James paid $100 for his 80 acres.

The land purchase was not filed in Whitley County until October 14, 1885. It was found, after an extensive search, in Whitley County Deed Book 15, page 314. Two paragraph breaks have been added to the transcription to make it a bit easier to read.

[page] 314 certificate No. 20721 } United States to James Joslin.
Filed Oct. 14" 1885 at 3 P.M.

The United States of America, To all whom these Presents shall come, Greeting: Whereas James Joslin of Delaware County, Ohio has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Fort Wayne where by it appears that full payment has been made by the said James Joslin according to the Provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th day of April, 1820, entitled "An Act making further provision for the sale of Public Land" for the East half of the North West Quarter of Section twenty five in Township thirty two North of Range Eight (8) East in the district of land subject to sale at Fort Wane Indiana, containing eighty acres, according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands, returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General, which said tract has been purchased by the said James Joslin.

Now know Ye, That the United States of America, in consideration of the Promises, and in conformity with the Several acts of Congress in such case made and provided, Have Given and Granted and by these presents Do give and Grant unto the said James Joslin, and to his heirs, the said tract above described. To Have and To Hold the same together with all the rights, priviliges, immunities, and appurtenances of what so ever nature, thereunto belonging unto the said James Joslin and to his heirs and assigns forever.

In Testimony Whereof, I Martin Van Buren, President of the United States of America, have caused these letter to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the twentieth day of August in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight and of the Independence of the United States the sixty third.

By the President: Martin Van Buren
By M. Van Buren Secy.
Jos. S. Wilson acting Recorder of the General Land Office
Ad interimRecorded. Vol 42 Page 127

A set of plat maps drawn from the "Original Land Entries of Whitley County, Indiana" was published in 1981 by Stuart Harter, Churubusco, Indiana. Below is the southeast portion of the drawing for Troy township. In the upper left corner of Section 25 is the land of James Joslin. Among his neighboring landowners were James Goodrich and Price Goodrich. In Section 22 is the land of Bela Goodrich and two more properties for James Goodrich. In Section 23 is the land of Ralph Goodrich which borders that of James Goodrich in section 22.

Of course, just because James Joslin purchased land in Whitley County does not necessarily mean that he ever actually lived in the county. There were land speculators back in those days too... but he wasn't one of those speculators.

Happiness

And so remember this,
life is no abyss,
Somewhere there's a bluebird
of happiness.

-----

Eastern Bluebird (of my happiness), Sialia sialis.
Song lyrics by Edward Heyman and Harry Parr Davies.

Plumeria is Open

The long-awaited plumeria has bloomed.

Year in Review

We thought you devoted readers of the Mount Rainier Climbing blog would enjoy reading a 2007 Year in Review. We know, this should have been posted in December, but I was busy. Anyway, better late than never, right?

So, without further ado, my talented assistant Rebecca Agiewich and I present: Mount Rainier 2007: a blogosphere perspective of climbing on Mount Rainier.

January and February

CLOSED! Basically, every major road in the park was wiped out (to some degree) by the epic rainfall (18 inches in 36 hours) and subsequent flooding of November 2006. Fixing that sort of damage completely was too much for a meager NPS budget to handle, which created quite the buzz about how it was all going to get cleaned up. So much so that acclaimed cartoon satirist, David Horsey, poked fun at the park’s desperate financial situation. Despite Horsey’s pointed jab at government priorities and politics, Congressman Norm Dicks came to the rescue by reallocating 36 million dollars for flood repairs from the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Interior. NICE eh?

As for mountain climbing? Very little happened early in the year because of the difficult access.

The Tacoma News Tribune reported extensively on the damage. They even took time to poke a little lighthearted fun at me. The fact, however, remained: little changed in February and climbers weren’t scaling the peak. Therefore, this blog devoted more time to the flood recovery (i.e. a specific “Flood Blog” and photo gallery) than to climbing. Things were so slow around here that I took a trip to South America for an ascent of Aconcagua. Recommendations? Visit Mendoza, it’s wonderful.

March

This month started off sadly. A devoted married couple drowned in Ipsut creek while on a backpacking trip. Frances "Annette" Blakeley slipped while crossing a log over Ipsut Creek. Her husband Robert tried to rescue her by immediately diving in. Tragically, both were swept up in the torrent and caught in a “strainer” (log-jam).

On the lighthearted side of things, former Mount Rainier climbing ranger Mimi Allin was noticed by the Seattle Times for her work as the Poetess of Green Lake. See what sort of career opportunities exist post-climbing-ranger employment?

The Seattle Times judged the National Park Inn in Longmire “one of the most exclusive hotels in the world”. Such distinction!… Well that was the case for a little while, but that was because the inn stayed open even as park roads remained closed. Those visitors were shuttled into Longmire via a back Forest Service road and were allowed to "enjoy indoor plumbing in the park's largely unpeopled wilderness."

April

Road re-construction continued at a feverish pace as preparations commenced for the park to “re-open.” During that time, the Mount Rainier community mourned the loss of former climbing ranger Lara Kellogg. She fell while descending Mt. Wake in Ruth Gorge of the Alaska Range. Her death was a significant loss for the local climbing community as she was a wonderful person and significant social hub.

Meanwhile, outdoor writer extraordinaire Greg Johnston wrote about his experiences climbing Mount Rainier for the Seattle PI, which included witnessing a rescue at Camp Muir. He also wrote an article about changes at the park from due to the flooding.

Most notable of Greg’s articles, however, was the piece about the historic change in the guiding concessions on Mount Rainier. This, perhaps, was some of the biggest mountaineering news on Rainier in the past decade. For the first time in over 30 years, RMI would be sharing their exclusive guiding concession privileges. Into the scene entered Alpine Ascents and International Mountain Guides. Now prospective climbers have three guide services to choose from for mountaineering services. All routinely offer summit climbs and other expedition experiences on the mountain and beyond, truly connecting Mount Rainier to the international mountaineering circuit.

We also posted the 2006 "Mountaineering Report" in April. It includes a variety of interesting statistics such as the overall success rate for 2006 (63%) and the amount of human waste carried down from the mountain (four and a half tons). As an aside, we’re working on the 2007 report, so hang tight!

May

And with great fanfare, the primary road into the park re-opened on May 5th. More interesting for you upper mountain lovers, ski sicko Sky Sjue and partner Christophe Martine made what is probably the first ski descent of the Fuhrer Thumb. Thanks Sky for your continued cool reports from the upper glaciers. Everyone loves them.

Meanwhile, more sad news came out of Alaska when mountain climber Mizuki Takahashi and Brian Massey -- well-known climbers in the Seattle area who both loved to climb Rainier-- died while on Mount McKinley. They fell on the upper reaches of the West Rib route.

June

911 is not a climbing information service. Amid a flurry of climbing activity, a number of climbers dialed those sacred three digits when they probably shouldn't have. Because of it, they received a lecture about when and how to use the “emergency service.” We also used the blog to remind some climbers about the importance of not leaving sick or slow-moving partners behind.

While on the topic of emergencies, an actual tragedy struck off of the mountain yet in the park. Hiker Jeff Graves fell to his death when he became disoriented on Eagle Peak. Clouds and heavy snowpack were contributing factors to his getting off route.

Less dramatic, the door to the outhouse blew away over at Camp Schurman (three times). This made for a cold – yet scenic -- potty experience.

July

Bill Painter strikes again! Washington State’s famed 84-year old climber made yet another successful ascent via the Emmons Glacier route, resetting his own record as the oldest person to climb Mount Rainier.

Speaking of fame, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell visited Camp Muir and chatted up some of the climbing rangers. Imagine a sitting U.S. Senator getting the inside scoop on the park from a group of mountain climbers (I’m glad she didn’t call 911 for such questions!). Anyway, this wasn’t the last of Senator Cantwell, as she reappears in August for a summit climb.

The "no-rescue" streak (for the upper mountain) that began in 2006 ended in July when a climber broke his ankle practicing self-arrest at Camp Muir. Afterward, there were a few other minor incidents later in the summer, but it is worth noting that no significant accidents or injuries occurred in 2007. There were a number of great trip reports in June and July, so check out the archives.

August and September

Park superintendent Dave Uberauga and Deputy Superintendent Randy King made a successful summit attempt. Along the way, they caught up on the progress of hut repairs at Camp Muir and checked up on the new guiding operations. In this busy climbing month, lots of folks went up the Emmons/Winthrop Glacier route.

There was a flurry of helicopter activity around the upper mountain during a mock-rescue operation in late August. KOMO TV and other media types went along for the ride. Senator Maria Cantwell returned to the mountain for a summit climb -- a trip that was reported on by the Puget Sound Business Journal. She would have likely made the summit, but a longer route and team dynamics thwarted the attempt. Perhaps she’ll try again in ?

October, November and the end of 2007

There was a touching story about two “old-time” mountain rescuers who revisited the mountain. In September, they were flown around Camp Schurman on a special flight. Back in the early 60’s, they helped to build the Camp Schurman hut (read about it yourself.) Some climber/skiers did a trip on the Kautz Glacier and although they didn't meet their objective they posted a funny trip report with lots of photos.

As a video-game devotee, I was thrilled to discover Mount Rainier featured in the new X-Box 360 version of Halo 3. And then there were those two lost hikers on the Muir Snowfield, whose butts were saved by a Canadian climbing guide Phil Michael. Go Canada! Not so lucky was Pickles, the famed fox of Mount Rainier. Poor Pickles had to be euthanized after being hit by a car. Other November news can be found here.

December kicked the winter off with intense snowfall (198 inches) which then created long periods of exceptionally high avalanche hazard. That hazard caught hiker Kirk Reiser. Kirk and his best friend Troy Metcalf were descending to Paradise from when Kirk was caught and buried in an avalanche in Edith Creek. It was a terribly sad way to close out 2007.

Lilac Blossoms

What is it?

Speaking of foals. An email friend sent me a photo recently of a foal that is a cross between a zebra and a donkey. Now that critter is really cute. I WANT ONE.

Bicycle Bans in Parks and Cemeteries

A number of public and private parks in the Boston area do not permit bicycles on the premises. Some cyclists complain about the ban, because the green spaces make for pleasant and convenient shortcuts through congested parts of town - for instance, thePublic Garden and Harvard Yard. Others find it perfectly reasonable that some parks are reserved for being enjoyed at walking pace. I am mostly in the latter camp, and so it did not bother me to learn that the historicMt. Auburn Cemetery I planned to finally visit this weekend did not allow bikes.





Amorbid paradise of Victorian design known as America's first garden cemetery,this enormous park offers visitors miles of roads andwinding trails. There are ponds, botanical gardens, wild woodsy areas, birdwatching opportunities, and a number of remarkable architectural landmarks. Although the cemetery is still active, the administration promotes it as a park andencourages both local visitors and tourists. A brief list of rules asks to be respectful and refrain from activities such as picnicking, sunbathing, jogging and cycling. However, as I learned during my visit, motor vehicles are allowed. The ban on bicycles is not part of a vehicular ban, but a recreational one, whichputs things in a different light. What of those who use bicycles for transportation? The reasoning behind cars being permitted, is that it can be challenging for the average person to explore the vast grounds on foot. The noise and exhaust fumes the cars produce, as well their effect on the pedestrian visitor experience (those walking must stop and move aside in order for a car to pass on the narrow roads) are all excused to accommodate their transportational function. Would bicycles really be more of anuisance? It seems to me the logical and fair solution would be to either close the park to vehicles entirely (except for maintenance work and funeral processions, of course), or to allow both cars and bicycles.



Rules regarding bicycles in parks are a reflection of cultural perceptions. Are bicycles inherently offensive in a cemetery because the very sight of them suggests recreation? Or are they legitimate vehicles that - unlike cars - will help protect the tranquil nature of the grounds, flora and fauna?

Shenandoah National Park

After leaving the Hebron Lutheran Church in Madison, Virginia I drove south on U.S. 29 to Charlottesville then west on Interstate 64 to Waynesboro where I spent the night. The next day (Monday, October 26th) the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park beckoned me. The first 20 miles were still quite pretty with brightly colored foliage but further north and in the higher elevations, the trees were nearly bare though there were patches of brilliant yellow here and there.

That notwithstanding, the next several days were spent traipsing through the forest (or perhaps I should say, huffing and puffing) on several trails. The weather was not very cooperative with heavy fog and intermittent rain on Tuesday. It gave me an opportunity to catch up on writing blog posts (but I've fallen behind again – can't believe it's been two weeks already).

I was staying in the Big Meadows Campground, not far from Hawksbill Peak (the highest peak within the park) and hiked to the summit on Wednesday. The rain had stopped during the night and the fog had lifted mid-morning. The trail was just 1.7 miles long with only a 500 foot elevation gain, but it sure felt longer and higher!

Wednesday afternoon, I made a short detour out of the park to Luray to try and track down a church where two of my ancestors served (more about that in a future post) then returned to the park and spent the night at Mathews Arm Campground. It was cloudy on Thursday morning and more rain was in the forecast. I took advantage of the offer made by my Aunt in Silver Spring, Maryland and spent the weekend at her place.

10/26 near Bacon Hollow Overlook

10/26 Moorman's River Overlook

10/28 Fog Rising at Fisher's Gap Overlook

10/28 from Hawksbill Summit

10/28 Crescent Rock Overlook

10/29 Gimlet Ridge Overlook