Heavy Snowfall

Sub-freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall dominate the mountain and complicate the flood recovery. Since Tuesday the 21st, over 77" of new snow has fallen at Paradise; as of Sunday the 26th, there was 71" on the ground (note the compaction). In Longmire, we measured 7" of new today for a total of 26" on the ground and it's still November! Winter has arrived, in full force.

I added a new blog, Flood Photos and More, to address the importance of the event and recovery. At this stage, I haven't been able to organize it, but in the next few days there will be more images and narratives. Stay tuned...

In the meantime, I appreciate your emails and thoughts. Sally Johnson sent this photo (taken last Fall) to say that she misses Paradise, especially during the first few snowstorms that blanket the meadows and trees. But Sally is not the only one lamenting the lack of access. A few of you have even posed some interesting questions in hopes (I think) of getting back on the mountain. So to be clear, we don't need backcountry skiers to test the snow stability near Paradise. Yes, I understand that ski-compacting fresh powder might reduce the avalanche hazard.

Tin Tray

This was a tin tray that belonged to my mom before she met my dad. It has tulips in the design and the handle had other flowers on it. It says it is made by Rodney Kent. Apparently he made a lot of beaten tin items back in the 1920' and 30's. I also have a round plate by him with no design. I found lots of his work on the internet.

Plant Life at White Sands

I was amazed at the variety of plants and vegetation that survive in the dunes of White Sands National Monument. The dunes are constantly on the move, engulfing everything in their path and then slowly uncovering them again. Certain plants have adapted to the environment and manage to survive a little longer – as the sand covers them they grow taller, but when the dune moves on and leaves them exposed they can no longer support their tall growth and then they crumble and die. These are but a few of the plants I saw...



















There was seldom an expanse of the dunes (close to the road) where there were no human footprints. I walked as far as my legs would take me before the knee began hurting and then turned back. There were other footprints in the sand besides those of us humans - - these prints descended the high dune to the ground about 30 feet below and at a very steep angle! Was it a kit fox? They have adapted to the environment by being very small, no more than 5 pounds. They seldom show themselves during the daylight hours.





All photos were taken on Friday, January 6th, ...

On the Vine

This was a big watermelon. We guessed it at about 20 pounds. Biggest we ever raised. And it was good. The next photo down is of it cut open.

Grivel's G20 Monopoint

The crux of the Croz Spur, photos and content courtesy of Dave Searle



So I had a problem.... I had just bought a brand new pair of scarpa 6000's and I didn't have a crampon to fit on them. I prefer using Mono points for mixed climbing and I knew that if I wanted a super-light crampon I only really had two options. The Grivel G20 or the Petzl Dart.



I bought the G20's from a shop here in Chamonix over a year ago now and I have used them for nearly all my climbing. I have used them on the north face's of the Eiger, Droites and Grandes Jorasses. I used them water ice climbing and I have also used them mixed climbing in Scotland as well as using them as my dry-tooling crampon. Are they reaching the end of there life? I'd say so, but hey they have had a good innings.



I knew when I bought them that unlike a modular crampon like the G14 or M10 it would be expensive to change the front section when the front point became to short. I do a lot of climbing and I was willing to take that financial hit for saving the weight and having a more technical crampon. I really wanted a crampon with rear facing secondary points for dry tooling and steep mixed.



These crampons have worked really well in all but one area..... ridges. I know that they weren't designed for that and to be honest any climber who looked at them or used them would say the same thing. If your looking for a crampon that will cover classic alpine routes then look somewhere else. If your looking for a super-light mixed climbing mono then these baby's are well worth a look.



Why aren't they any good for ridge's I hear you ask. Well they are built around Grivels own “mono rail” concept which means that the front of the crampon is attached to the back by a single rail with four teeth along its length. It sits right underneath your foot so when you put your foot on any flat or rounded rock your balancing on one of the rail points which is isn't that stable.



I used these crampons when I climbed the Colton/Macintyre this year and they worked really well on the face, but after we topped out we continued straight into the traverse of the Jorrases, a long and precipitous ridge climb to get to the Canzio Bivi. It was quite hard work with these crampons on but I still managed it ok. I'm not saying you won't be able to climb ridges with them on, all I'm saying is if you want one crampon to rule it all then there are probably better designs out there.



What you loose in stability on that kind of terrain you gain in other area's. For example not having the 4th row of points on the side of your foot means that the 3rd, rear facing points are easier to use when drytooling or steep mixed climbing because there isn't anything in the way on the side of your foot. If you've ever properly used the 'rake' points for there intended purpose you'll know what I'm trying to say. Also having the points underneath your feet on the fixed bar means that if you ever kick your foot out or use it sideways around a icicle you can really get them in because they are so solid on the bottom of your foot.



As can be expected from Grivel these crampons are really well made and I have had no issues with the build quality. I'm not sure what to say about the longevity of them as I personally think they have lasted really well for the use I have given them but some of my friends who have used them as well don't feel the same way. Perhaps I'm better at hitting the ice rather than the rock when I'm mixed climbing?



One thing that Grivel have gone for over Petzl is three adjustments holes for the front bail. This means that you can have the front point super short for technical mixed climbing or super long for ice. Its useful to have that adjustment for when you've filed the front point down a bit as you can push it further forward to get better hold on softer ice or snow.



When I bought these crampons they did not come with the subsidiary horizontal front point that they now come with. I'm not sure how much this will help with grip in snow or soft ice but I haven't had any issues without it. They don't grip as well as a traditional crampon in snow but all you need to do is kick a bit harder up that snow cone before the fun really begins.



I thought that I was going to have some problems with balling up (when heavy wet snow collects under your crampons in a ball, which is heavy and annoying on the flat and pretty dangerous on a slope!). I can honestly say that I haven't had any issues with this with these crampons and that's not because I haven't encountered the right snow for it. I can recount a few times when partners that have been using the Darts have had a total mare of it when its been fine for me. You can buy an anti-balling plate for the front but I haven't felt the need for it yet.



There is only one thing I would change about these crampons. I would get rid of the first point on the mono rail (the furthest forward one). Why? Because I find when I stand on a large spike it takes me a bit fiddling to locate the front of my foot onto it securely. I think if this point wasn't there not only would it be a few grams lighter but it would be easier to nestle your foot on the top of that big granite block your eye-balling.



Pinocchio, Mont Blanc du Tacul

http://searler.com/



"All in all its a great technical crampon that excels on mixed terrain and water ice but also copes really well with big stuff and dry tooling." Dave Searle





Pinocchio, Mont Blanc du Tacul from skigrandbec on Vimeo.









Sometimes you just wear gear out and it simply needs to be replaced

Tuffee and Jade

Tuffee and Jade sharing the food bowl. Yes, Jade actually does get a bit now and then.

The Best Morning Glory

I have been taking photos of my morning glories all summer. I keep taking the photos trying to get 'the best' photo I can of a morning glory. I have posted a lot of the photos I have taken which are the best ones. And I have thrown out many more that were awfull. I have decided I like taking the photos of the flowers from the back as much as from the front. In this one you can see a very tiny bug deep in the flower. For those that don't know morning glories blossoms only last one day and usually only a few hours. So every day there is a huge new bunch of blossoms to take photos of. It can be adicting.

A Moveable View

Staying by the sea, I notice how unaccustomed I've become to a stationary view of any kind. Back in the city, the windows of my apartment offer vistas of a brick wall, a narrow alley, a tangle of branches and telephone wires. And I usually keep the blinds closed when I work anyhow; there is too much commotion outside.



But now I sit on this porch, just yards from the water's edge. A vast harbor is stretched out in front of me. The surface ripples of the cerulean water are like a silk scarf fluttering in the wind. Lobster buoys bob up and down. Now and then a fishing boat goes by. A family of swans travels back and forth along the shore in perfect peloton formation.



It is peaceful and almost improbably beautiful. And as I try to work, I find that it drives me nuts - the unchangeability of it. I am not used to looking at scenery so... passively. My eyes focus on the right outeredge of the harbor, where the rocky shore curves and disappears from view. As I study it, the curve begins to look hard-etched and forbidding, willfully preventing me from seeing beyond the bend.



In fact, I know - roughly at least - what lies around the bend; I have been there many times. A hilly back road winds along the shore's edge sleepily. There is a small patch of dense woods along the cliffs, then a gravel garden path, a wild rocky beach, an abandoned coast guard's tower... Soon I am visualising each of these landmarks in great detail, picturing them as they look when I cycle past them. I laugh at myself, realising that I am enjoying this mental game more than looking at the view in front of me.



I close my laptop, get on my bike and take off just as the sun begins to set, heading for the hilly back road that will take me around the bend. No one else is here. The road narrows and steepens dramatically and I get into my lowest gear. With each pedal stroke I see more and more of the landscape that was hidden from view as I sat on the porch just minutes earlier, and this fills me with an absurd sense of fulfillment. I reach the top easily, unhurriedly, and there sits the patch of woods with its narrow mossy path to the edge of the cliff. I keep going, coasting down the steep hill now at what feels like flying speed, passing all the landmarks I'd recalled. The mysterious garden path, the wild beach. And I remember now also the old sprawling house with a beautiful garden and the "bunnies for sale" sign taped to the green fence. After the coastguard's house I stop and turn around, my urge to experience a movable view satisfied. It seems silly now to have taken this short ride for no reason at all, but I am pleased.



I roll up to the porch as the last of daylight disappears. The vast harbor is still there, its fluttering silk surface now a deep indigo. A green light flickers in the distance. A stray boat is being rowed ashore. The swan peloton is making its last round. I get my coffee cup and turn on the porch light, ready to settle down in the stillness. But I know the moveable view will call out to me again tomorrow, even though I know what's around the bend.

Leaning Tree over the Pigeon River

Yesterday I brought the kayak and went for an evening paddle on the Pigeon River in search of Moose. I did not see any Moose while I was on the river (although I did see a nice young bull in the dark on the drive home). What I did see, however, were several Beaver and some of the nicest clouds I've ever seen over the river. When I came upon this leaning Tamarack tree I knew I had to try and photograph the scene with the tree and the clouds overhead. Even though I didn't come home with any Moose photographs, I did come home with the memory of another beautiful evening spent on the river.

Harry Hamilton Dunfee and His Unnamed Twin Brother

This is the third example of the results of using the "foil technique" for deciphering hard to read tombstones mentioned in a previous post. Here we're looking at the grave stone for the twin sons born to William and Catherine (Jones) Dunfee. The marker is in the Masonic Section of Greenhill Cemetery, Columbia City, Indiana.

The worn, nearly illegible grave marker for twin sons of William and Catherine Dunfee. It faces west and is in the shade most of the day.

The grave marker "wrapped" in aluminum foil and rubbed down. While still not quite totally legible, this technique brings out some of the details, including the two doves at the top of the marker. The inscription at the bottom (beneath the parents names) still is not legible and some of the numbers are hard to read.

According to his obituary, Harry Hamilton Dunfee died on August 26, 1871 reportedly four years, five months and ten days old. If that is correct, then Harry was born on March 16th 1867. His unnamed twin brother died on March 17th 1867, which means he lived for only one day.

However, an earlier transcription of the cemetery states that Harry was 4 years 5 months and 5 days old. And looking at the grave stone, the number of days does appear to be a 5 or maybe a 2. If a 5, that would put their birth date at March 21, 1867. Given that the infant twin died on March 17th 1867 I am inclined to believe the information in Harry's obituary, which was published in the Columbia City Post on Wednesday September 6, 1871.

=+==+==+=

Died, Harry Hamilton, son of William H. and Catharine Dunfee, at Columbia City, August 26th, aged four years, five months and ten days. Little Harry was a bright treasure in the family, and loved by all who knew him. His frail form giving evidence of his unfitness for earth caused father, mother, brother and sisters to lead him tenderly along the path of life, to him made so short, and upon him lavish all of the kindness which love and sympathy could command. Though so very young he seemed to feel the force and intent of his last illness and as if met by some kind angel at the river of death, said, "Mother, I want to go home." Those only who have been called upon to give back to him who gave such treasures can fully sympathize with this bereaved family. Could they but look across that mysterious river, they would find no cause for weeping from that side of the stream. We would say weep not for such, did we not know that the tear goes far toward sweetening that bitter cup.

Kittens and Plants

Since little black kitten decided that this plant was lots of fun to play with and even might be tasty we moved the plant to a high up shelf where we hope she won't find it for a while. But then both kittens decided that the pot the plant had been in, that was to heavy for the shelf, was fun to play in. I have had lots of kittens that wanted to eat lots of houseplants and most are not eatable. In fact most houseplants are poisonious and should be moved to where kittens, puppies or babies can't get to them.

Wedding Day!

Jessica and I got married today! We had a beautiful ceremony filled with friends, family and love. It really was a perfect day. We'd like to extend our thanks to all those that helped make this day perfectfor us. We appreciate and love you all!



Special thanks to Timothy Young for officiating, Staci Drouillard for the incredible cake and our friend Paul for taking beautiful photos throughout the day! And a very special thanks to Carah Thomas, Rod Dockan and Al Oikari of Cook County's Most Wanted for providing the awesome music for our ceremony. You guys were incredible and we totally loved the "Joy of My Life" song... you guys are the best! Thank You :-)

Retrovelo Klara: Cushy, Zippy, Gorgeous

On a recent trip to New York City, I test rode a Retrovelo Klara, courtesy of Adeline Adeline. There are already test ride reports of other Retrovelo models posted here, but the last time I rode one was two years ago and I wanted to see how my impressions of the bike might have changed since. Also, while the Retrovelo I rode previously was the 7-speed Paula, I was curious how the 3-speed Klara would feel in comparison. Finally, my previous Retrovelo test rides took place in Austria and I wanted to compare how the bike handled in a North American city.





Founded in 2003, Retrovelo is a German manufacturer based in the town of Leipzig. True to the company's name, their classic line of lugged, balloon-tire city bikes in muted colours looks almost overwhelmingly nostalgic. But the "retro" reference is more nuanced than what meets the eye: Behind the facade of an elegant European city bicycle, the Retrovelo is actually a remake of an early mountain bike design. I have described an entire category of such bicycles in an earlier post aboutcity bikes with mountain bike heritage.






An interesting fact about Retrovelo, is that they were the first company to use the now very popular Schwalbe Fat Frank tires. In fact these were originally made for Retrovelo and named after its designer Frank Patitz. What made the Fat Franks special when they appeared on the market, is that they have the look and cushiness of vintage balloon tires but are impressively fast rolling - making them ideal for navigating pothole ridden city streets and unpaved trails alike.





The frame is cro-moly steel, hand-built in Taiwan and finished and assembled in Leipzig (The very first batches of Retrovelo bikes were made in Germany from scratch, but production has since been reorganised).







Fully lugged, the most fetish-worthy aspect of the frame's construction is the triple-plate fork crown.





Here is what the seat cluster looks like.





Headtube lug.





Loop and seat tube junction.





The stem and rear rack are custom made for the bike and powdercoated body colour, as are the chainguard and fenders.






The components on the lady's 3-speed Klara model are pretty straightforward: Shimano Nexus drivetrain withfront and rear roller-hub brakes and dynamo hub,wide swept-back handlebars, large Retrovelo-branded bell,






front and rear dynamo lights with standlight feature,





Brooks B67S saddle,







city pedals,




and textured rubber grips.





As a complete package, the Retrovelo Klara comes together nicely, equipped with everything necessary for transportation, other than a full chaincase and dressguards. The men's equivalent of this model is named Klaus and is basically the same except a diamond frame. The Paula and Paul models are the same as well, only built up with either a 7 or 8-speed hub instead of the 3-speed. The weight of the Klara model is listed as 38.5lb. It is available in size 52cm only and in a number of colour options. You can view all the stock colours here. The bike I test rode is ivory.





I rode the Retrovelo Klara around lower Manhattan for a total of about 5 miles. This was my first time cycling in New York City. I started out on the quiet side street where Adeline Adeline is located, then rode along the West Side Highway bicycle path for a while, then got off the path and explored the streets, making my way back to the bike shop. Probably half of my route involved riding with traffic on streets that either had no bike lane, or had the bike lane obstructed by so many vehicles that I took the car lane anyway.



Riding in a new city - and especially a city as hectic as NYC - I would not feel comfortable doing this on just any bike, but the Retrovelo's handling is confidence-inspiring. The front end is exceptionally stable: No twitchiness when starting from a stop or getting up to speed. The bicycle goes where you point it and insists on staying upright.





I would describe the Retrovelo as an intuitive bike that does not require getting used to the way a Dutch bike, or a low-trail bike, or an aggressive roadish bike might. To the typical person of my generation who grew up in North America, I think "mountain bike-ish" handling generally feels pretty intuitive: Many of us rode mountain bikes as teenagers and it's what we are used to. While I was a terrible cyclist back then, I nonetheless used my beater mountain bike to get around and probably on some level that type of handling is still engrained into my procedural memory. Of course the Retrovelo is considerably faster and more responsive than my old mountain bike ever was, as well as far more beautiful. Win/win.



Comparing the Retrovelo Klara to other bikes I have ridden in its class, I would say the handling is most similar to the Scottish Paper Bike and the Swedish Pilen. For me the Retrovelo handles considerably faster than the Pilen but a bit slower than the Paper Bike, while behaving similarly to both as far as balance and maneuverability.





As far as load capacity, the bike is equipped to carry considerable weight in front and rear, including children. Retrovelo owner K., whom I met in NYC, routinely rides with her toddler and a full load of groceries and finds it quite comfortable. She has had her stone gray Retrovelo for a couple of years now and loves it. My friend in Vienna has had her pigeon blue one for about two years as well. Retrovelo owners generally tend to have good things to say about these bikes.



As far as drawbacks, the Klara and Paula models are only available in one size - which happens to fit me perfectly but will not be suitable for everyone. At just under 40 lb, the bike is on the heavy side and could be challenging to deal with for those who plan to store it in a walk-up apartment. The missing dressguards and the lack of a full chaincase could be a deal-breaker for those who require these accessories. And some (myself included) would prefer narrower handlebars, though these can be swapped out.






Having ridden the Retrovelo around hectic NYC, my impression of the bike did not differ significantly from what it had been riding it through the Austrian countryside. Two additional years of cycling experience did not alter my impressions much either. I believe the stable handling makes the Retrovelo a good choice for beginners. The responsiveness and mountain-bikeyness make it a cool ride for more experienced cyclists. The beautiful construction makes it appealing to the vintage lovers and lugwork fetishists among us. For city riding, I felt that the 3-speed model was definitely sufficient, though others might opt for the 7/8-speed. The current retail price for a fully equipped Retrovelo Klara is $1,450 USD.




While personally I still prefer my cruddy vintage 3-speeds to anything modern I have tried in the same genre so far, when it comes to currently produced city bicycles the Retrovelo is firmly among my favourites. Many thanks to Adeline Adeline for the test ride.

Ohio Research :: Joslin in Delaware County

In September .. I spent several days in Ohio. I didn't do hardly any new research, rather went mostly to cemeteries to obtain better photographs of my ancestor's gravesites, most which I had visited way back in 1986.

The first research stop in Ohio was on September 16th in Delaware (in Delaware County), to see what could be found on the Joslin family that I didn't already have. I really didn't think there would be anything new since my last visit in the late 1980s. At that time I had scoured the library and the courthouse. Cemetery records (yes). Land Records (yes). Estate Records (none). Way too early for death records. No church records.

I made it to the library shortly after they opened at 9 am. It didn't take long to look through their small collection of books. Nothing new, at least not related to the Joslins. But they did have microfilms of the newspapers, even those from the early 1800's. There were two items that had been abstracted and published previously (by Carol Willsey Bell in 1980 and Mary V. Reed in 1992) but I had never written to get the actual copies from the newspapers.

Printouts from the microfilms were terrible. Then I remembered a tip from Jasia about using your camera to photograph the microfilm reader screen. The results aren't great, but they are much better than the printed copies.

The first article was a notice by James Joslin in the Delaware Patron of Thursday July 13, 1826. The abstracts by Bell and Reed were slightly different but basically stated “Wife Abigail left my bed and board at Liberty township, will pay no debts.”

The actual article is a bit more verbose but does not really provide any additional information. From the Delaware Patron [Delaware County, Ohio] July 13, 1826:

Caution. Whereas my wife Abigail Joslin, has left my bed and board without just cause, therefore all persons are hereby, forewarned not to harbor or trust the said Abigail on my account as I am determined to pay no debts of her contracting after this date.
James Joslin.
Liberty, June 30th, 1826
320-3w

Abigail would have been pregnant with her second child at the time. Their first child, Lysander (my 3rd great-grandfather), would have been 14 months old. I still haven't found a marriage record for James and Abigail (Goodrich) Joslin but apparently their separation wasn't too long. They would have four more children, but then James disappears after the 1850 census, so perhaps, all was not well between them.

The other article that was published in abstracts refers to the death of Ruth Dyer Joslin. Both abstracts stated that Mrs. Ruth Joslin died on 27th ult, age 59 years. But the abstract by Bell (correctly) stated that she was the wife of Jonas while the abstract by Reed said she was the wife of Johns Joslin.

The article, from the Ohio State Gazette and Delaware County Journal:
Obituary. Died - - In Liberty township on the 27th ult, Mrs. Ruth Joslin, aged 59 years, wife of Mr. Jonas Joslin.

The Delaware County Historical Society and the Genealogical Society have a combined Research Room that was open from 2-4 pm on the day I was there so I spent a pleasant two hours with them.

The Joslin Family cemetery had been destroyed when developers began constructing homes on the old farm. A few years ago, Jean Oldham Heuman had found the gravemarker for Ruth (Dyer) Joslin and donated it to the Historical Society. However, it is virtually impossible to get a good picture of the stone. It stands in the entryway of the museum along with several other stones. The light is poor and the space is dark. I tried with available light and with flash. Neither way really captured the inscription to my satisfaction.

On the right is the gravemarker for Ruth (Dyer) Joslin.

This is the best image I could capture of Ruth's gravemarker. It has been enhanced a bit with a little manipulation of the contrast and brightness. The inscription reads:
Ruth wife of Jonas
Joslin died Aug.
27, 1830 aged 59
Years

Most of the records held by the society were much too late for my family. Jonas is presumed to have passed away between 1850 and 1860 (he is in the 1850 census but not in 1860) and my James and Abigail had moved to Whitley County, Indiana by 1838.

The society did have the papers submitted by Mrs. Oldham and another lady for Jonas Sr. and Jonas Jr. for First Families of Delaware County. I looked through them but found nothing that I didn't already have that pertained to Jonas Sr. They did have a copy of the booklet that Mrs. Oldham had published on the two Jonas' and they allowed me to scan it to pdf rather than make a copy of it (Jean had told me she didn't think she had any more copies). At 25 cents a page, I was grateful that they allowed me to scan it.

Even though I found nothing new in Delaware County, it was still a worthwhile stop on my journey as I was able to obtain copies of previously abstracted records and get a complete copy of Mrs. Oldham's manuscript.