0% Alcohol Beer and Garlic

Last Friday I was in Eindhoven (south of the Netherlands about 120KM fromAmsterdam) having a little kick-off with my partner. I managed to get my messageacross during my presentation and the food was a success. We had Spanish tapas and booze.

Since I am in the Noord Brabant region which is where Eindhoven is and where Bavaria beer comes from, I had to say no to wine and drank the local beer. Firstly, I had the normal Bavaria beer, then for my second bottle I tried the 0%alcohol Bavaria wit beer. I was curious of course.
One thing I know: It may be the beer for Hugh Hefner and his old comrades (the TV advert of this beer) but IT’S NOT FOR ME. It tastes funny.
After the kick-off party, I didn’t realized that I was carrying with me a very strong garlic accent. Blame the gambas al ajillo, cooked in oil and garlic! The gambas were literally swimming in ground garlic but it was sooooo yummy, I came back for a 2nd serving.
Thus the consequence: When I got home in the evening Dutchman was complaining that I completely stunk.
Oooops, sorry. LOL

'So My Husband Wants Me to Get a Bike...'

Since the start of the Spring season, I have been getting emails from women that read something like this:

My husband/boyfriend is a cyclist and he wants me to get a bike so that we can ride together. I am not very good at cycling, or sports in general. What bike do you recommend? My husband/boyfriend sent me a link to your blog and said that you would know.

Nice. Notice that the phrasing is not "I would like to get a bicycle so that I can accompany my husband/boyfriend on rides," but that the desire and intent are attributed entirely to him. This is something he has probably been convincing her to do for a while, and finally he sent her to my website, as if to say "See? Other women can do it!" (Great way to make her hate me, fellows!)




Of course if he does succeed in convincing her to buy a bike and join him, I can already see how that will go. He: the man dressed like a professional racer on a $2,500 road bike. She: the woman in ill-fitting bike shorts, cotton tank-top and sneakers, on a $600 hybrid. He: stern and professorial, explaining the importance of proper cadence and posture in a tireless monologue. She: red in the face and panting, sneaking longing glances at the families picnicking on the grass. Eventually it ends in bickering and tears - or worse, a fall. I see this on the local trails all the time. Please, don't be that couple.






If you are a cyclist and want to share your favourite pastime with your spouse, that's fantastic. But please understand that in order for someone to enjoy cycling as much as you do, the interest must come from within - and that you are essentially killing any chance of that happening by pushing too strongly or making the person's first cycling experience too difficult and stressful.




So what should you do instead? Well, for starters don't try to be your spouse's teacher or mentor. Unless she has absolutely never pedaled a bike before, there is no need to "instruct" her, as tempting as that may be. Even if you think she is "doing it wrong", leave it. She did not sign up for a bicycle course; she just wants to have fun with you out in nature. Give her that, and she will associate cycling with the nice time she had - and therefore will want to do it again.



Also, even if you have been cycling since age 5 and can compete in timed half-centuries in your sleep, consider downplaying your prowess and adapting a "leisure cycle" mode. Don't kit up. If you have an old beater bike, ride that when you are together instead of your super-fast roadbike. I would even go so far as to suggest buying an old vintage upright-ish bike for yourself, to match the level of the bike your spouse will be riding. This will even out the playing field between the two of you and will make you less intimidating.



In general, I think that getting your spouse to cycle is not about what she should do to keep up with you, but about what you should do to make her comfortable with her current level of skill. If it's going to work, that's the only way. Only if she enjoys cycling, will she become motivated to improve her skills, and perhaps will even start asking you for advice - giving you plenty of opportunity to play "coach" when the time comes for it. But that initial enjoyment is key, and it is up to you to set things up in a way to make it happen. Think about it from that perspective, start slow, let her figure things out for herself... And perhaps before you know it, your special lady might delight you by becoming a bona fide obsessed cyclist, entirely on her own accord. She may even start a blog.

Ice Chandeliers

Anyone getting sick of ice abstracts yet? I know I certainly never tire of photographing them! Here's one from Saturday morning along the "Iceberg Coast", a section of the Lake Superior shoreline that has small "mountains" of ice sticking up out of the water along the beach right now. On the side of one of these "mountains" was this intriguing icicle-filled scene. Thanks to the incredibly calm conditions that morning the icicles were reflecting beautifully in the Lake Superior waters. As the morning light illuminated these icicles it reminded me of really ornate crystal chandeliers.

Grand Canyon :: Bright Angel Trail to Indian Gardens

Prior to our little adventure yesterday we had gone to the Backcountry Permit Office to see what was available for an overnight trip. Somehow, Sue and Fred had talked me into a little backpacking hike and an overnighter. It really didn't take much convincing on their part as I was ready for a little adventure. Sue and Fred have hiked all the way to the river previously, spending a night at Phantom Ranch, then stopping off a second night at the Indian Gardens campground, making the trek to the top the following day. They have also done a lot of hiking and backpacking to various other places. They had also “trained” for this trip. So they were “old pros” at this backpacking thing. Me? Never backpacked. Never slept under the stars. There's a first time for everything!

As it turns out, there was a spot open at the Indian Gardens Campground for the next day, Tuesday. We were warned that there was a chance of precipitation Monday afternoon, possibly even some snow Monday night. We went ahead and made the reservation anyway.

Monday afternoon, after our return from Cedar Ridge, the temperature dropped dramatically. It had started raining in the late afternoon but that rain quickly changed to snow! Big flakes. Wet flakes. Lots of them. At first it didn't stick, but we soon noticed it accumulating on the branches of trees. By the time we went to bed Monday night, there was about two inches of snow on the ground. And it was cold. It got even colder during the night. And the snow was still there on Tuesday morning.

The scene we awoke to on Tuesday morning.

It was pretty, but we really could have done without it! I guess Mother Nature just wanted us to be able to experience all facets of the Grand Canyon.

By the time we had breakfast and double checked to see that we had everything, the sun had come out. It was about 8:30 when we left for the trailhead. Fred dropped Sue and me off, parked the car in the overnight lot, and returned within a few minutes. Then we walked to the trailhead. When we got to the Canyon, another surprise awaited us!

Fog! Filling the Canyon! Yes, snow, we had expected. But fog? One amongst our party, who shall remain nameless (not me), wasn't sure that we should continue. It would be too slippery. We couldn't see. But the other two of us took the positive attitude (or perhaps, were a little crazy) “It will get better. The fog will go away. The snow won't be very far down.” On we went. This picture was taken at 8:42 a.m. just beyond the first turn into the canyon.

Sue and Fred at the first tunnel, just .18 miles from the rim and ten minutes into the hike. The tunnel is visible in the previous photo. It was slow going. It was slippery. We took our time. Others had gone down that path before us, so it had to be okay, right?

The view of the rim from the trail, 20 minutes into the hike.

One of the worst patches of the trail, about 30 minutes into the hike. Beneath that fresh layer of snow was a very thick layer of slippery ice. This section of the trail gets little, if any, sun.

To be continued... part two

Water as Smooth as Glass

Beverly Beach State Park north of Newport, OregonSeptember 28, ..

Ash-throated Flycatcher Bird

When I was a child my mom always wanted to know what kind of bird it was that made a noise that, to her, sounded as if it was saying 'come here, come here'. Since she thought it sounded like it was saying that I have always thought so, too. We could always hear the bird but could never get a good look at one. Usually we only hear this bird when we would go camping, or hiking in the mountains or desert. Since we have moved to the Tumbleweed Crossing I have discovered what the bird is. It is the Ash-throated Flycatcher. There are lots of different flycatcher birds all over the world and several different kinds in the US. All are similar and I didn't know what the proper name for our kind of flycatcher was until recently when I finally found it on the internet. These interesting little birds are kind-of built like a swallow only larger. They are mostly grayish on back, wings, head, and tail, but have a dull yellowish color to their belly area. Males and females look alike. They disappear in the fall and winter. I assume they migrate south probably to somewhere in Mexico. But the come here to nest. I usually have one or two pairs near my house each summer. They usually build their nests in a cholla cactus just on the edge of our property but this year they built in a cottonwood tree next to the horse pens, and hay shed. Every time I walk by it they fly off yelling 'come here, come here'. But return quickly and watch what I am doing as I feed, water, or pet horses. I had seen the nest before I knew which bird was using it. I had thought it might be an English sparrow nest as it had so many pieces of string, paper, tumbleweed sticks, and a piece of cloth in it. It was a couple of days before I actually saw a flycatcher on it which can't be seen in the photo of the nest. I welcome all flycatchers as they eat lots and lots and lots of flying insects especially flies which is where they get their name. I have seen them perched on a tree or power line and suddenly fly down to scoop up an unseen insect and then back to their perch they go. They will do this over and over. They come in to the water I keep in hubcaps in the back yard each evening.

California :: Point Mugu

While serving in the Navy, I was stationed at Point Mugu during the years 1974-1977 and lived nearby at Port Hueneme and Oxnard. The last time I was there was in 1979 upon my return from Japan.

Many things have changed, but unlike a few other places I've revisited, I also found that some things were the same.

My apartment was only a few blocks from the beach and the park at Port Hueneme. The park has been expanded and improved. In fact, there was work going on during my visit. Condominiums and large apartment complexes have been built along the shore. Surprisingly my old apartment building was still there as was the shabby motel and strip shopping mall.

My drive from the apartment to the base took me down Hueneme Road. It really hadn't changed all that much. There are still fields of strawberries – I used to stop at a stand nearly every day when they were in season – and acres upon acres of vegetables being grown. That part of the valley was mostly agricultural and still is.

From what I could see on my drive past the base, not much has changed there either. The housing visible from the road looked the same as it did 30+ years ago.

Driving on down Highway 1 beyond the base was “the rock” and the coast, where I spent many an hour watching the waves crash against the shore. Ah, memories.

The Point Mugu Rock, seen from the south, with Highway 1 passing through the opening.

And from a distance, along the shore.

Northward Bound

Tuesday, April 19th - - After four lovely days of visiting friends in northeast Louisiana, I headed north on Sunday morning (April 17th). My goal was to get back to Indiana without traveling on Interstate Highways at all and to avoid four-lane highways as much as possible. That I have done thus far but I'm only halfway there!



I stopped at the Civil War Interpretive Center in Corinth yesterday (a post is forthcoming on that visit). Last night I stayed at this beautiful State Park in Mississippi – the Natchez Trace Parkway runs through it – and got on the Parkway this morning.





My campsite alongside the lake at Tishomingo State Park in northeast Mississippi.



The sun had been hidden by heavy clouds all day but showed itself for a few minutes late in the evening.







I just love the “green” all around. Delightful. And easy on the eyes.

Photo Studio - Light Tent

Earlier this week Nikki-Ann purchased a mini photo studio for taking pictures of some of her collectibles. She has a couple of nice examples of the results. The "studio" she mentions sells for about $80 here in the states.

We all have things we'd like to photograph but maybe the cost doesn't quite fit into your budget, can't be justified or perhaps you only have a few things to photograph. The alternative to buying a mini studio is to make one yourself!

Sure. Well, I found two versions of a photo studio/light box you can build yourself and both seem do-able. One is of a temporary nature and is created from a cardboard box while the other is more permanent and uses a frame constructed with PVC pipe. Both sites provide excellent directions. With a little ingenuity, I think these could even be used for taking pictures of photographs that can't be scanned, such as those pasted in albums that would be destroyed if scanned or those too large for the scanner. The light boxes should help eliminate hot spots usually caused by harsh, direct lighting.

I think I might give the cardboard box a try next week. A box, a little tape, and some tissue paper. What could be easier? We'll see.



The photos above show the studio that can be purchased, one that is made from a cardboard box, and one made with PVC pipe. The pictures were obtained from the following sites:

commercial site: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=312182
from a box: http://strobist.blogspot.com/../07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html
from PVC pipe: http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

Arlington :: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Changing of the Guard.
Impressive. Meticulous. Solemn. Ceremonial.
Photos taken Sunday October 11, ..

Clermont From My Window

Since I haven't done this in a bit, I snapped some shots while we were out this weekend. The weather has been much warmer and we are enjoying it!

More Rodeo

Bareback bronc riding, my one photo of the team roping, and barrel racing.

The Forest

The Forest, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Here's a small sample of the forest at Redwood Regional Park...obviously redwoods, with a few California bay trees mixed in.

As for the garden...not much is happening right now. Some of the daffodils are starting to bloom, and a few magnolias as well, but that's about it. We are patiently awaiting rain here in California - it is needed if we wish to avoid a severe drought...

William and Minerva (Joslin) Knight

On September 10, .. I visited the library in Iola, Allen County, Kansas where I was able to find cemetery transcriptions and newspaper obituaries for some descendants of Minerva Fatima (Joslin) Knight, daughter of my 3rd great-grandparents Lysander and Lydia (Robison) Joslin.

Minerva Fatima Joslin was born January 7, 1859 in Whitley County, Indiana. At the age of 17, on March 16, 1876, Minerva was married in Whitley County to 20 year old William John Knight. The minister who married them was Price Goodrich, the brother of Minerva's grandmother, Abigail (Goodrich) Joslin. The next year Minerva and William moved to Barton County, Kansas along with her parents and the majority of her brothers and sisters. (Her sister and my 2nd great-grandmother, Malissa Joslin Brubaker, was the only sibling that remained in Whitley County, Indiana.)

A William Knight was found in Beaver Township (page 490) in the 1880 census with wife Mary (this is presumed to actually be Minerva). Also listed with William were two daughters, Mary A. age 1, and Nina G. age 5/12. These fit the ages of their first two children, a son Merlin Andrew was born in October 1878 and a daughter, Nellie Gertrude was born on December 22, 1879. If this is really the right family, the census enumerator sure had some difficulty with their names! (A third child, Hale Vernon would be born August 12, 1896.)

In May 1899, Minerva and William were living in Keighly, Butler County, Kansas (when her father died at her home on May 1st). However, the family was found in Reeder Township, Anderson County, Kansas (page 305) in the 1900 census. Listed was William (head of household), his wife Minerva, 3 year old son Hale, and a boarder, William Beck.

They must have moved to Iola, Allen County, Kansas soon after the 1900 census as that is where William passed away on January 2, 1902 at the age of 46. After William's death, Minerva was married to J. N. Storey (date and place of marriage not yet known) and reportedly died on May 12, 1905 (also at age 46) in a wheelchair on the street in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I was unable to find an obituary for Minerva in the Iola newspaper. I haven't checked the Hot Springs newspapers yet. After their deaths, their young son Hale lived with his sister Nellie and her husband, Bert Sutton. Minerva and William are both buried in the Old Cemetery in Iola, Allen County, Kansas.

The notice of the death of William John Knight was published on January 6, 1902 in the Iola Daily Register.

W. J. Knight, who lives in Brooklyn Park, and who has been employed as a carpenter at the Standard Acid Works, dropped dead from heart failure as he was preparing to begin work at 7 o'clock this morning. The doctor and coroner agree that death was instantaneous and the remains were taken to Culbertson's undertaking rooms.

Mr. Knight seemed to be in his usual good health when he appeared at the works this morning. He greeted his fellow workmen pleasantly and at the sound of the whistle laid his had on an upright beam, preparatory to ascending to the place where he was working. Then the blow came and without an outcry he sank to his knees and then to the floor. Several men saw him fall and hurried to his side. Apparently he was dead when they reached him, but they carried him to the open air and did what they could in the hope of reviving him. Dr. Coffman was telephoned for and soon arrived on the scene, but could do nothing and he stated that Mr. Knight must have died almost as soon as he reached the ground. Coroner F. D. Teas was notified and viewed the remains, later authorizing the removal to an undertaking parlor.

Large center stone with father and mother stones to the left and right. In the Old Cemetery in Iola, Allen County, Kansas.

Knight (across top of the stone)
W. J. KNIGHT / 1855-1902 / AT REST
MANERVA F. / HIS WIFE / 1859-1905

Another stone, that of a great-grandson, is set in the same plot, in front of and to the left of the “Father” stone. Ronald was the son of Helen Sutton and her husband, Gerald Curtis.

RONALD STEVEN / CURTIS / APR 1, 1943

William and Minerva (Joslin) Knight had three children:

1. Merlin (Merle) Andrew Knight was born in October 1878 and died March 8, 1930. He was married on October 26, 1899 in Butler County, Kansas to Carrie Thompson. She was born in August 1881 and died in October 1971. They had four children: Harry, Leota, Ruby, and Opal Knight.

2. Nellie Gertrude Knight – will be the subject of a future post.

3. Hale Vernon Knight was born August 12, 1896 in Butler County, Kansas and died on January 30, 1947. He was married to Alma (maiden name not known) about 1918 and they had three children: Hester, Hale and Mary Knight. An online obituary for Alma (The Wichita Eagle dated May 23, 1992) stated that she died May 20, 1992 at the age of 96 and was a retired teacher. Survivors included a son Hale of Everett, Washington and a daughter Mary K. Merrill of Harlingen, Texas. Also six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

A JP Weigle Classic

A week or so ago, I came across a picture of a beautiful J.P. Weigle bicycle that got my attention because of its small size - "small enough for me to try!" was of course my immediate thought. And that is when I noticed something else: The location of the photo looked familiar... Could it be? Good Lord, this bike was in Boston! Turns out the owner (Mark) was not only local, but "wicked local" - his woodworking studio is 10 minutes away from my art studio. A visit was swiftly arranged and soon I was swooning over this bike in person.





Connectictut-based J.P. Weigle is a legendary framebuilder best known today for his exquisite randonneuring bicycles.





With a multiple year waiting list and prices to match the builder's status, Weigle bikes don't exactly grow on trees. I was extremely excited to see this one.






Based on the aesthetics I had assumed this was a recently made low trail 650B randonneur. But in fact the frame was built in 1982 as a sports-touring bike with 700C wheels, narrow tires and mid-trail geometry. This bike has an interesting, bitter-sweet history. It was made as a birthday gift for Mark's father - who at that point was in his 70s. Shortly before he passed away, he gave the bicycle to his son. Prior to this Mark had not been especially interested in cycling, but inheriting the bicycle drew him in. The bike was comfortable, fast, beautiful, and served as a tangible reminder of his father.






Over time Mark rode the bike more and more, eventually getting the frame repainted and updating the components. The current set-up is comfortable and racy in equal measure - reflecting the owner's enjoyment of spirited cycling, as well as his preference to ride in everyday clothing.





As I examined the bicycle, it was overwhelming to realise that the frame was 30 years old - a testament to the builder's commitment and consistency.






The lugwork, the craftsmanship and the overall aesthetic are impressive.






There is a crispness, precision and sense of harmony to everything that is just right.





And this is carried through in everything from the lugwork to the colour scheme and decals.







Mark's choice of components enhances the elegance of the frame further still.





A harmonious, personal, functional and beautiful build.






Being a custom frame, the proportions were made to suit the original owner - who was of short stature with a long torso. Mark's proportions are similar, though perhaps he is a bit taller. Having quickly measured the frame, the figures I got are 50cm x 54cm, which makes sense given how this bicycle felt to me. With the saddle set back and the handlebars considerably lower than the saddle, I was leaning forward much more than I normally would.





To say that I test rode this bicycle would be to overstate the fact. I rode it up a gentle hill, circled around a pothole-ridden parking lot, then rode it back downhill. Mark's saddle height was just right for me. The brakes were difficult for my hands to squeeze, but doable. The downtube shifters I did not even try, not that I needed them for the duration of this ride. The ride felt great over potholes, very easy uphill, and stable downhill. The tires felt much more cushy than 23mm, which was interesting. The bike did not have toe overlap with the 23mm tires and fenders. Though I would need to make some adjustments before I could confidently take this bicycle on a proper test ride, I can certainly see why the owner enjoys it so much.





It is not every day that one gets to see, let alone ride a 30-year-old J.P. Weigle that has been passed on from father to son, and once again I feel extremely lucky to live in a region where such a thing is within the realm of possibilities. I enjoyed meeting Mark, the bicycle's owner, who is an interesting person and makes some beautiful chairs I now crave. Some day I hope to meet Mr. Weigle and talk to him about his work, which I have great respect for. More pictures of this bike here!