A review of the movie, "The Pinnacle"

"In one legendary week on Ben Nevis in 1960 Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith climbed six first winter ascents on consecutive days, including the mini Alpine-route, Orion Face Direct. They also made the first one-day winter ascent of Point Five Gully, went for a long walk and got arrested over an incident with some dominoes! Exactly 50 years later Dave MacLeod and Andy Turner pay tribute to Smith and Marshall by setting out to repeat all the routes that were climbed in that famous week. This film tells the story of the original events and follows MacLeod and Turner as they discover exactly what an achievement it was."



I have mentioned this film several times on the blog. Last year I really wanted to be in Scotland for the Premier. Formost of us Yanks that was a pipe dream even without a volcano in Iceland.



My copy showed up on Christmas Eve! I was stoked!! In the lastweek I have had a chance to view "Pinnacle" and all the extra footage on the DVD twice.



It should beobvious thatI am a student ofour sport'shistory. That interestis one of the reasons I started the blog. Waterfall climbing started in the late 60s and early 70s in my part of NA and Canada. I was lucky enough to latchon to the last bit of it and even luckier to see the sport transformed in the years that came after. The grand scale of it, now 40 years later, for me is some what akin to having done the West Buttress on Denali in a 3 week slog and then go back years later to do it again in a day.



Your perspective is forever changed by the events you witness.



I have no history of ice climbing in the 60s. But I knew "my sport" was born there and we all learned how to walk from that beginning. Sure there were great things done in the Alps the previous 40 years to 1960 but none fired the imagination that Scotland did if for no other reason we were made more aware of it by the British climbing publications, both magazines and books.



I grew up with the stories of Point Five Gully and the Orion Face as much as I did with Annapurna, the Eiger and Everest.



The film maker, Paul Diffley has taken a truly amazing story of one week's climbing in 1960 and one of the originalclimbers involved and woven a intricate, humorous and touching adventure story from the facts of 50 years ago.



The extras on the interview and other bits of climbing footage just enrich the experience. This is a film that had me smiling, laughing, enthralled and at one point brought a tear to my eye. It is a film I will ponder and reflect on for a long time to come. And one I will pull off the shelf on occasion and sit with a glass of Scotch and watch again, when I need to remember it all myself.



Likely part of that reverence I attach to this film is the fact that I saw much of the climbing pass in front of me over the last 40 years. And I know that I won't always be pulling down on cold hard ice myself. But for the moment I am. And I can still respect the climbersthat came before me. It is obvious they earned it.



Diffley's editing is nothing short of superb. The camera footage is some of the best winter climbingI have seen on film . And it is not hard to image Smith and Marshal being just as comfortable and complimentary as MacLeod and Turner are in their partnership. Both were easy to relate to and enjoyable to watch on film. Not always easily donefor climbers.



Marshal and Smith is the true stars of the movie. And Smith never utters a word in the entire program.



I suspect if you are on this blog for any of its content,you'll want to see this DVD......more than once and on the biggest screen you can find.



You can order it here:



http://www.hotaches.com/films.htm#Pinnacle







5 Star Review - Climb Magazine -

"A beautifully crafted film"







"The Nevis scenery and the climbs are completely exquisite; rarely has the Ben looked so ethereally beautiful or sugar icingly-enticing."

- Colin Wells - Climb Magazine



"The film is a rare jewel of climbing history and a visual treat for the guilty armchair mountaineer! ... it leaves me with a feeling of profound longing for those special mountaineering moments that become ever more rare and inaccessible."

- Stone Country



•People's Choice Award:

Kendal Mountain Film Festival



•People's Choice Award:

Dundee Mountain Film Festival



•People's Choice Award:

Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival



And a review much better than mine I just had a chance to read plus two links on Robbin Smith:



http://tohatchacrow.blogspot.com//11/iron-in-soulthe-pinnacle-review.html





Most of the trailers and much of the modern climbing is linked here on the blog as well. Easy enough to find by checking the "climber, video" in the labels at the bottom right hand corner of each post.

How a Grocery Store Won Me Back

There is a grocery store nearby that I've always neglected despite its proximity. They did not have a great selection of foods. They often sold stuff that was spoiled or expired. At thethe checkout, the cashiers would argue with me when I declined plastic bags. And the bike parking outside was iffy. This store is so close I could easily walk to it, butcarrying bags of groceries is just easier on a bike. And since I did food shopping by bike anyway, I figured I might as well shop at the stores I preferred, even if it meant riding further.




I suspect that other residents of our neighbourhood felt similarly, because about half a year ago the nearby store began to aggressively reinvent itself. They cleaned up, reorganised their merchandise, added an organic foods section. They expanded their selection ofproduce. The quality control is much improved. They now sell reusable shopping bags and don't argue when customers decline plastic.




But best of all, they allow me to roll my Brompton inside and use it as a shopping cart. No questions or comments, other than the occasional "Look, it's a bike and shopping cart in one!" Considering that othershops have thrown me out even when I've walked in with the bike fully folded, the permissive attitude of this store came as a pleasant surprise. Walking in with a small-wheel shopper is really no different from pushing a huge shopping cart; they get it. Now I shop there almost exclusively. Not only have they improved their store, but they've made shopping by bike a breeze.




While those of us who ride small wheel shoppers are in the minority, many cyclists report that their shopping preferences are guided by the store's bike-friendlieness. This can refer to a number of things, from adequate bike parking, to the parking lot being safe to navigate, to the location itself being reachable via a bike-friendly route. Do these considerations play a role in where you do your grocery shopping?

The Last Will and Testament of Francis Caruthers

Francis Caruthers (Carruthers, Carouthers, Crothers, Cruthers, etc.) is my 5th great grandfather. His daughter, Elizabeth, married William Alexander who died in service during the Revolutionary War.



Research on this family was conducted by sisters Lynda Alexander Fonde & Marsha Alexander Groff (and others) and published in .. onpages 427-435in "American Patriot...The New Frontier : Alexander, Sprague & Related Families, Volume II".



In 1766 Francis purchased 166 acres of land from John Steel "lying on the west side of Elk River, North Milford Hundred" in Cecil County, Maryland which was part of a tract called New Munster. A hand-drawn plat map of the area shows that on the east side of Elk River were the lands of seven Alexander families. ("American Patriot" pages 428-429)



Francis Caruthers wrote his will on January 27, 1801. It was entered into Probate Court on December 14, 1805 in Cecil County, Maryland and is recorded in Will Book 6 pages 397-400. Scanned images were obtained from microfilm 013868 on February 13, .. from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. My transcription below varies slightly from that published in "American Patriot." They may have had a copy of the original will, while this is a transcription recorded in the record book.




==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==

No. 216 Francis Caruthers December 14, 1805



In the name of God Amen - I Francis Caruthers Senior, of Cecil County State of Maryland, being weak of body, but of sound disposing Mind and Memory, do make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following - viz - Imprimis



I give and bequeath to my well beloved Son Robert the sum of twenty dollars, each and every year, during his natural life, to be paid him by my son Walter, out of that part of my real estate herein bequeathed to him.



Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughters Elizabeth Ann Rachel & Leah each the sum of Five pounds, and it is further my will that if my said daughter Elizabeth, should be dead or not claim the above legacy in five years - in that case that the same should go and be paid to her son William Washington Alexander -



Item. I give and bequeath to my Grandson Francis, son of Walter the sum of five pounds.



Item. I give and bequeath to my well beloved son Walter, his heirs and Assigns forever (after the payment of the aforementioned legacies) all that part of my real estate, whereon he now lives, with the appurtenances there unto belonging. - lying on the south side of the Line beginning on the bank of the Big Elk-creek at the small May pole marked with Six notches, and about thirteen and one fourth perches, below the mouth of a run implying itself on the same Side into said creek, and said beginning is about five and a half perches, below a bunch of May poles, on the opposite side of said creek, and is a Corner of James Garretts and James Alexander lands - and thence from said beginning, South forty nine Degrees, West, twenty eight perches, to a marked poplar, thence south sixty seven degrees and forty minutes west - until it intersects the most Westerly line of said tract, and the New Munster line - at the small white oak standing on the same and now marked with three notches, on the east side thereof.



Item. I give and bequeath to my well beloved son Francis, his heirs and assigns forever, all that part of my real estate with the appurtenances thereunto belonging, whereon he now lives, and lying on the north side of the affore described line - and it is further my Will and desire that all of my just debts and funeral expenses, be paid equally by my Sons Walter and Francis.



and lastly I do constitute my two sons Walter & Francis sole executors of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former Wills - ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and testament. - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty seventh day of January eighteen hundred and one Francis (his mark) Caruthers {Seal}



Signed, sealed, published and delivered, by the said Francis Caruthers, as and for his last Will and testament in the presence of us, who at his request and in his presence, subscribed our names as Witnesses.

Fras [sic: Francis] Hindman

Josiah Alexander

Rebeccah Alexander

Henry Reynolds



Cecil County Ss

On this 14th day of Dec. 1805 personally came Francis Hindman and Henry Reynolds two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing Will and said Francis made oath on the holy evangels of Almighty god that he saw Francis Caruthos [sic] late of said county deceased, sign and seal this Will, that he heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of his apprehension of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that he subscribed his name thereto as a witness at the request and in the presence of the Testator: and the said Henry being one of the people called Quaker did solemnly sincerely and duly affirm in words to the like effect. Sworn & affirmed before D. Smith, Regr.



Cecil County Ss

On this 19th day of December 1805 came Francis Caruthers and made oath on the holy evangels of Almighty God that the foregoing is the whole and true last Will and testament of Francis Caruthers late of said county deceased that hath come to his hands and possession and that he herewith [knows] not of any other and further that publication has been duly made of this Will and that he doth not know of any objections being made against the probate being taken. Sworn before David Smith, Regr.



Cecil County Ss

On this 19th day of December 1805 came Josiah Alexander one of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last Will and testametn of Francis Caruthers late of said county and made oath on the holy evangels of Almighty God in the same words and to the same effect as before Sworn by Francis Hindman before David Smith Regr.



Walter Caruthers on the 14th of Dec. by a Note in writing under his hand renounces his right and claim to the administration and Francis in like manner on the 19th day of December also renounces his right and claim to the administration. Test [sic: Testator] David Smith Regr

==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==


I wonder why Walter and Francis declined to accept the duties and responsibilities as administrators of their father's estate? It sounds rather intriguing to me. Since I don't have copies of the estate file, future research plans include obtaining those documents as well as deed records and (of course) any other records that can be located for him and/or his children in Cecil County, Maryland and neighboring areas.



The New Munster area of Cecil County, where Francis Caruthers (and the Alexander families) resided, was in the upper northeast corner of Maryland bordering Chester County, Pennsylvania and New Castle County, Delaware.








The Last Will and Testament of Francis Caruthers (page 1 of 4)

Dated January 27, 1801 and probated December 14, 1805

Cecil County, Maryland Will Book 6 pages 397-400

Family History Microfilm 013868 accessed and images scanned on February 13, ..







The Last Will and Testament of Francis Caruthers (page 2 of 4)







The Last Will and Testament of Francis Caruthers (page 3 of 4)







The Last Will and Testament of Francis Caruthers (page 4 of 4)

Lessons Learned

Larwill, Indiana combined 3rd and 4th grades, 1936-37 class. Mom is the 4 child from the left in the top row, she was in the 3rd grade. Two of her classmates are still good friends and they attended the birthday open house for mom's 80th birthday last Saturday.

Larwill, Indiana was (and still is) a small rural community about six miles west of Columbia City. Mom's family had moved there in 1935 and she attended the Larwill School for the rest of her school years. Classes for all grades, 1st through 12th, were held in one building, which was only a few blocks from their home.

Of course, mom learned reading, writing and arithmetic in school, along with history, home economics and social studies, but she was an "average" student, and according to her she didn't excel in anything, except making friends! Mom was the middle of five children and since their home wasn't far from school, it was the natural gathering place for all of their friends.

Along with the book learning, she learned how to do housework and help take care of her younger sister and brother. Life lessons learned through firsthand experience that served her well when she had children of her own after graduating in 1946.

When the time came for her to go to work outside the home, she was more than ready! Her first paying job was working in a factory, Playtime Products, in Warsaw, where they made toy baby buggies. Then my grandmother opened a restaurant in North Webster and mom went to work there. Her social skills came in quite handy while working with the customers and the other employees. In 1964, the restaurant was sold and mom got a job in another factory, North Webster Products. They made electrical wiring harnesses for refrigerators, freezers and other appliances. It wasn't easy work, but she was good at it. The company went through many changes over the years, but mom made it through all the lay-offs and downsizings and retired in 1993 after 29 years of service.

One of the most important lessons I learned from mom and the secret to her success, she says, was flexibility and a willingness to learn. Whenever she was asked if she had ever done a certain task, which she hadn't ever done before, instead of just saying "no" she always said "no, but I can give it a try" and invariably she would do just fine, not always, but most of the time. Many of her co-workers were women and many of them refused to even try a new task but she was always willing. She wasn't a perfectionist, but she always did the best that she could. Another lesson learned.

This post was written for the 48th Carnival of Genealogy whose topic is "Mom, how'd you get so smart?"

A Sock for Your Lock?

image via thelocksock.com

A while ago, some of us began noticing knitted "u-lock cozies" on bicycles, and I always thought it would be neat if someone were to start selling them. Turns out a Lovely Bicycle reader recently did.



The Lock Sock is a hand-knitted sock that will fit a mini or standard u-lock - its function to prevent the lock from scuffing the bicycle's frame. I think these things are adorable, but never made one for myself because I don't use u-locks.



If you do use a u-lock and are longing to dress it in a knitted sock, one of these could be yours. Leave a comment describing how you lock up your bike and include your email address, and I will pick the recipient at random. Deadline is 11:59pm tonight, Pacific Standard Time. You will be able to choose a sock from the colors available and Stephen of The Lock Sock will mail it to you directly from Brooklyn, NY.



Thanks for reading and have a good weekend!

Native Clematis

This is a California native clematis, Clematis lasiantha.

A Monster at Sunset...

One evening I drove up to Massai Point (6,883 feet above sea level and one of the highest points in Chiricahua National Monument) for the sunset and played with some shots of one of the stone formations...

The glowing “eye” sure made it look creepy.

But the glowing mouth was really weird.

Walking off into the sunset...

Sure doesn't look the same in the light of day!

'Twas another glorious sunset!