Border Collie

Tuffee thinks she is herding Sunny. Sunny says he is way to old to pay attention to a little dog.

Scarpa Phantom Ultra?

I got an email pointing out a mistake I made identifying the "Phantom Ultra" as a "prototype Phantom 6000" in Jon Griffith's photo of Steck on le Droites. Thanks for the heads up Will!


Way beyond the sales hype. Jonathan Griffith's photo of Ueli Steck soloing the Ginat on Le Droites early in in what appears to be the super lwt version of the Phantom single, the "Ultra" which is down around 1600g in weight per pair for a 42, where the Guide is 1800g and the 6000 is 2000g in that size.





This boot is not available in North American that I can find but is in Europe and England. The over all weight is getting down to an ounce or so of the slightly more traditional fabric "silver bullet" boot, La Sportiva's Trango Extreme Evo Gortex. With a full boot gaiter though the Ultra offers much more protection in nasty, wet, cold conditions. The Ultra looks by the numbers to be lighter and LESS expensive than the Phantom Guide. That could be any where from 3 to 4 ounces per boot in a size 12us/45. Or another 8oz altogether!
Part of the weight savings is using the thinner and lighter sole/mid sole system also used on the Phantom 6000 and noted in that review earlier. Lacing inside the Ultra looks to be the same system that is used in the Guide. Slightly different material on the Ultra's gaiter for reinforcement and durability with crampons. While making inquiries about these boots, Scarpa NA and several retailers who stock the Ultra in England gave similar replies."Re: The Ultra,Boot is less stiff and less warm than the Guide. Sole is very fragile. Sole is not as durable as the Guide. Only the Guide is available in 1/2 sizes." Me thinks they protest too much. No retailer wants to carry such a specialised alpine climbing boot in a full size run (and 1/2s) which would sell directly against the Phantom Guide even if the Ultra is $50. less expensive. I might even swallow the "less durable" issue with the boot soles as they are a lwt version also used on the Phantom 6000. Not a boot I'd use on a lot of rock but might well be a nice advantage to drop another pound off your feet on alpine ice and mixed routes where you'd be wearing 'pons anyway.
BTW, both the Guides and 6000 boots I got this year came with Gortex and Primaloft tags. Spring of next year () they are suppose to be lined with "Outdry" at Steck's suggestion, replacing the time proven Gortex liner. Not a huge amount of added info but I used the new Mtn Hardware gloves that are again Steck's designs and lined with Outdry all of last winter and was happy with them. I've not seen Goretex in a glove system do as well.

"SCARPA announced they have teamed up with OutDry in order to make my all time favorite technical mountaineering boots even better. OutDry's waterproof breathable technology will appear in SCARPA's Phantom Collection for Spring .





Both SCARPA and OutDry worked with renowned alpinist and speed-climber Ueli Steck on the design of the new Phantom Collection. Steck wanted a technical mountaineering boot with improved waterproofness that would cut down on the boot's "wet weight" while climbing in wet snow conditions.

OutDry is currently used in gloves from Mountain Hardwear and footwear from Lafuma among others. OutDry uses a three-dimensional laminating technology to adhere a windproof and waterproof breathable membrane to the inside of the outer most layer of shoes, boots and gloves. The permanent membrane bond creates a flawless fit with no folds, seams or the requirement for seam-sealing tape.

The waterproof breathable membrane will be laminated directly to the inner side of the K-tech boot upper on the SCARPA Phantom technical mountaineering boots. The use of OutDry in the boots also allows the addition of Primaloft for increased insulation qualities.

OutDry will be featured in all the new SCARPA Phantom styles including the Phantom 6000, Phantom Guide and the Phantom Ultra."

By the numbers:
upper S- TECH
lining : WATERPROOF - OD /
MESH
insole : FIBER - PRO XT
sun : PENTAX SPEED
Last : AG
sizes: 37-48 ( WITH 1 / 2)
weight : 800 GR (42 - 1 / 2 PAIR )
Read more and make your own comparisons:

http://it.scarpa.net/prodotti/high-altitude/phantom-ultra/


http://www.thegearcaster.com/the_gearcaster//08/scarpa-teams-with-outdry-for-phantom-collection.html#ixzz10iCmi1aH



Will's photos:

Pet projects

"You never show Beaker on your blog," my sister complained.



Yes I do.



And Geckie too.

You can read more about Beaker, including a list of the things he says, here.

I had to give him his own web page since he flirted with so many soap customers on the phone. ("That's not me asking for a kiss, it's the bird. Really. He's on the web site.")

The picture is not exactly tack sharp, sorry. I only had lamp light... the flash would've been too close (not to mention too scary for him).

I probably should never have let him develop the habit of wanting to tear up tissues. Now that it's allergy season he's in budgie heaven. You can't blow your nose in peace.

When trying to name the leopard gecko, we started laughing about the method our young niece uses to name her pets: Hermie the hermit crab, Turtie the turtle, Hammy the hamster, and so forth. And somehow "Geckie" just stuck.

Geckos shed their skin every month or so. They usually eat the entire thing, although from time to time we find an eerie ghost foot in the tank.

Ray of Sunshine

After a night of snow that continued through the morning, I thought for sure this would be a day of working at home. Then suddenly the snow stopped and it grew warm and sunny. And just as I stepped outside to get some coffee, the Co-Habitant came home early due to a change in his schedule. Our eyes met and we knew at once what the other was thinking: Bike ride!

This was the first time we've been on a real ride together in weeks. The Pashleys were ecstatic to finally roam freely in each other's company.

It grew so unseasonably warm, that the snow was all but melted by the bright sunlight.

Only this treacherous footbridge really posed a problem, as it was covered with patches of ice and hard snow. The Co-Habitant sped through it as if it was nothing, but I was more cautious after seeing one jogger after another slip on the ice patches.

When the sun began to set, it was one of those golden sunsets and the views were just beautiful.

I especially love the sun's reflection in the ice formations on the Charles River.

Sunlit cityscape in the distance, with that massive field of cracked ice stretching towards it. So magical.

As the sun set, we rushed to complete the trail loop so as not to be caught there in the dark. The Co-Habitant rides like a maniac, even on the slow and stately Pashley. He is much too fast for me, but I am too arrogant to ask him to slow down - so I brace myself, lean forward on the handlebars (this must look quite comical), and pedal as hard as I can. This time I even passed him a couple of times, which made me realise that riding the Pashley exclusively over the winter months, if only for commuting, has had some effect on my strength. He also complimented my improved leaning technique on turns, which pleased me immensely. Leaning on turns is one of those things that didn't come naturally at all. I guess now I finally got it, because I no longer have to think about it - the lean just happens and I even hold the inner pedal up without realising that I am doing it. It must seem silly to be excited by this, but you have no idea how uncoordinated and unathletic I am. The next goal is to conquer the "steer with your hips" thing. Maybe.

Our sun-drenched afternoon gave way to a surprisingly frigid evening, and after getting off the trail we hurried to seek shelter in a cafe. Once inside, I collapsed on the armchair - realising that I was completely depleted of energy. I was revived by hot coffee and a piece of dark chocolate, but unfortunately once we got outside it was even colder than before. We rode home with incredible speed just to warm up. My legs are now mush and I am so tired I can't think straight - but the ride was a welcome surprise in what has been a decidedly low-intensity season.

Next week I am leaving for Austria again and will be there for a month. Hopefully, when I return to the US spring will be in the air and I will be able to go on long rides again as often as I like. In the meantime, today's wonderful ride will be a nice thing to remember while I am abroad. And I have reason to believe that this time I might actually have a bicycle of my own while in Vienna - the person whose place I will be renting might have a spare. Either way, Lovely Bicycle shall continue relatively uninterrupted as it goes international again.

Oh, This Old Thing?

The Co-Habitant teases me for my tendency to love decrepit old bicycles despite having modern options. My Mercier in particular is not only old, but quite crusty - with dulled paint, visible rust, and various other signs of wear. And yet this bicycle is so comfortable and charming, that I have been on an obsessive quest to make it "perfect" in its own unique way.

Pictured here are my latest additions: fenders, front rack, bell, and stem shifters.

For fenders, I chose the inexpensive stainless steel fenders from Velo Orange. The idea (aside from saving money) was that the plain polished fenders would go nicely with all the chrome parts on this bicycle. I think it worked out well.

And this is the tiny, adorable vintage TA front rack, designed to attach to the Mafac brakes on the Mercier. These come up for sale occasionally online and from fellow collectors at reasonable prices.

The rack, while very cute, is so small that I am not sure what I will put on it. A classic touring handlebar bag does not really fit the look of this bike, but I will keep thinking. What did the French put on bicycles with these handlebars?

Finally, we replaced the original Simplex downtube shifters with Suntour stem shifters (this part was done at Harris Cyclery, while the fender and rack installation we did at home). Downtube shifters just did not seem appropriate for this bicycle and reaching all the way down there in traffic did not feel safe. The little stem shifters are perfectly placed and very easy to operate.

In addition, I have begun converting the Mercier to a 5-speed - so the left shifter (leading to the front derailleur) is no longer connected to anything. The left shifter and front derailleur will come off once I get the situation completely sorted, and a vintage French chainguard will be installed. I will explain why and how I am doing this in a separate post - but hopefully it will work out.

All of this does sound like a lot of fuss about an old bike. But in a way, it is the Mercier's decrepitude that liberates me: Had the original paint been in better condition, I would not have dared re-paint the lugs by hand to this nice green-gray from the original black. Had the components been higher-end, I would not have been willing to experiment with a 5-speed conversion. There is a lot of fun to be had with an old bicycle. The main thing, is that you like the ride quality and care enough to gradually improve the rest.

Royal H + Lovely Bicycle: Un Petit Projet

First an idea. Then a frame. Now finally a bike!



For those unfamiliar with this project, I have been collaborating with Bryan Hollingsworth of Royal H. Cycles to create a classic French randonneuring bicycle for a customer who was as curious as we were about how these mythical creatures handle.



It's become popular to call all sorts of bicycles "rando bikes." Framebuilders and manufacturers will sometimes use this term to mean "a fast bike with fenders and racks that's meant for long distance." However, we mean something very specific: the classic low-trail geometry design with wide 650B tires, in the tradition of the early French constructeurs - as described and enthusiastically recommended by Jan Heine in the Bicycle Quarterly (see my earlier post about BQ here). We found Jan's descriptions of these machines intriguing: They promised the comfort and convenience of a fully equipped, wide-tired touring bike with the speed and responsiveness of a racing bike. Could it really be?



Jan Heine and a couple of my personal contacts in France were immensely helpful with the process of figuring out the geometry. Jan also advised on the choice of tubing and a number of other details. We specifically wanted to consult with him on these matters, because the whole point was to try the sort of bike he recommended.While our bicycle is not a constructeur (the racks and other parts were purchased, and not custom-made for seamless integration), it is a fine handbuilt frame, fully equipped with fenders, front and rear racks, and internally wired lighting. I would also like to acknowledge that we had some help from Harris Cyclery with the finishing touches of the build.



Naturally the frame is lugged, and for me the aesthetics of the bicycle are strongly defined by the lugwork in the headtube and the fork crown. I was happy to see that these lugs remained a strong focal point even once the frame became "cluttered" with components and accessories. Notice also the tiny lug where the wire for the lighting enters the downtube. There is a matching one on the left chainstay, but I don't have a good shot of it just now.



I am not going to go into details of the frame construction and internal lighting right now, so that will have to be a separate post. Some of the components are pretty interesting - such as the Nitto lugged stem and the Grand Bois Maes handlebars - and I may write about them separately as well.



Will also write about combiningShimanodrivetrains withCampagnolo shifters, which we have done to two bicycles so far.



The bicycle as shown here is not entirely complete: It's getting a handlebar bag in a few days, as well as bottle cages, a bell and a computer installed. I will be thoroughly test riding it over the course of the next month before it is sent off to the customer, and writing up my impressions in an article for Bicycle Quarterly. The BQ article will be different from, and more detailed than the posts here, so reading it will most definitely be worth it for those interested in the topic.



Yesterday I took the randonneur on its first ride: 40 miles consisting of the hilly countryside, a crowded bicycle path, and urban areas with heavy traffic. Some might say I should not be riding this type of bicycle without a handlebar bag at all, but I think it's important to get a sense of how it handles without any weight on it - even if the design is optimised for a front load, it seems worthwhile to compare the handling both with and without. The size of the frame is more or less right for me. If it were mine I would make the seat tube 1cm shorter, but probably would not change much else. I am particularly pleased that even on such a relatively small frame there is absolutely no toe overlap - in fact there is over an inch between the tip of my toe and the fender.



Because countless people have told me that low trail bicycles are a "love it or hate it" sort of thing, I expected to have an extreme reaction to the randonneur's handling. However, that did not happen. It rides like a bike, basically. A nice bike. Different from other bikes I've ridden, but not as radically differently as I expected from some of the dramatic descriptions I've read and heard. The most distinct qualities I've noticed so far are the the way it turns (different), accelerates (excellent) and climbs hills (oh my...). But I need some time to make sense of it all and put it into words, so please stay tuned.

In collaborating on the randonneur, my main agenda was to satisfy what had become a burning curiosity about this particular type of bike while also helping create a custom bicycle from scratch in keeping with my aesthetic vision - all of which was in line with what the customer wanted. We have no expectations about whether ultimately we will like or dislike the handling, since that is the whole point of the experiment. I will have the randonneur until September and am thankful for the chance to gain a firsthand understanding of these bicycles over the course of my temporary guardianship.

Attach of the Birds

Everyonce in a while we have a big flock of blackbirds come in to water.

It is that time of the year...

It is indeed that time of the year. I was hoping for some rebate luck but looks like this year will be a dry one with no change, but maybe I am wrong with my math. We will see. My suspicions are there's more blue envelopes coming down to visit my mailbox.

This year the Belastingdienst (Dutch Tax Department) is penalizing tax payers who do not file their taxes on time. I am cramming!

We pay incredible high taxes in this country, with 4 tariff brackets depending on income: 33.45% (only if you are earning below 18K euros a year), then the normal brackets starting at 41.95%, and then 42%, and finally, the highest income tax bracket, 52%. Yep, we pay 52% tax.

Plus more taxes if you decide to spend less and save more. With the new tax return the government wants the account number/s of your bank/s and the corresponding moolah in it, beginning of year and end of year. Tsk, tsk, tsk...

I just hope my tax would be put to good use by the government. Or maybe that is a joke.

Land of the Lily

Taken along the Pigeon River in Northeast Minnesota. I love lilies, but taking a nice photograph of them is a challenge. This was shot from my kayak without looking through the camera's viewfinder. I held the camera as close to the surface of the water as possible and pressed the shutter button… “shooting blind”, so to speak. It took several tries to get a level horizon!

The Huffman/Hoffman Kinexxion :: Susannah & John

Twelve years ago I received an email from Maggie Evans in response to my Genealogy Forum query regarding the parents of Susannah Huffman who married John D. Berlin (my 4th great grandparents). Maggie is a descendant of Susannah's sister, Elizabeth. A second email from Maggie included some family group sheets that had been prepared in 1987 by a 2nd cousin of her father. They provided the names of Susannah's parents (John and Catherine Coy Hoffman) as well as her grandparents (Detrick and Susannah Alder Hoffman) and her great grandparents (Michael and Maria Engel Hoffman). I was thrilled while at the same time a little disappointed - the information on the family group sheets was not documented and Maggie didn't have any additional information.



There was no doubt on my part that Susannah's maiden name was Huffman since family Bible records and her obituary (published May 6, 1880 in the Nappanee Weekly News of Elkhart County, Indiana) provided that information: “Mrs. Susan Berlin, wife of John D. Berlin deceased, died at the residence of her son-in-law, L.B. Winder in Locke, Elkhart County, Ind. April 22, 1880, aged 76 years, 1 month and 13 days. The deceased was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, March 9, 1804. On the 16th of February 1826, she was married to John D. Berlin, her maiden name being Huffman...” Death records and obituary notices for some of her children corroborate that information.



It should be noted that the “Huffman” surname has been found in documents with various spellings such as Hufmon, Hafman, and Huffan but more commonly as Hoffman. I will be using the spellings as found in the documents.



In the intervening years I was contacted by another Hoffman/Huffman descendant, Kathy Foster, who among other family documents, provided copies of the estate file for John Hoffman. John's will (probated in 1860 in Columbiana County, Ohio) only named a daughter Catherine, and two sons, Jacob and John. The latter two were appointed administrators of his estate.








The will of John Hoffman dated January 26, 1860

Columbiana County, Ohio Estate Packet 4992

I John Hoffman Snr of The Town of Washingtonville County of Columbiana in the state of Ohio. (Being weak of Body but sound of mind and memory.) Do make and Publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as Follows.



First it is my will and I hereby order that my body be decently buried and that Suitable Tomb Stone with inscriptions be put up at my grave, and that all my just debts and funeral Expenses be duly paid as soon as conveniently can be done after My decease.



Second I give and bequeath unto my daughter Cathrine Hoffman all that certain House and lot with the buildings and appertenances thereunto belonging in the town of Washingtonville and marked Number (29) Twenty Nine in the original Town plat and I further will unto my said daughter Cathrine One White heifer now in my possession (and if said heiffer should not live after my decease, My Executor shall furnish one of Equal Value out of my Estate. and I further will unto her all my household and Kitchen Furniture now in my possession.



Third I will that my Executors herein after named. Sell at public sale Two Lotts of ground Lying North of Town adjoining the A. & N. Rail Road and also all other property not herein before devised and the proceed thereof to be added to the remainder of my Estate.



Fourth, 4th) I will that the remainder of My Estate both Real personal or mixed, after the above bequest be satisfied and paid shall be Equally Divided among all my children Share and share alike And it is my will that the amounts already received by my children for which I Hold their notes shall be deducted out of the share due them severally and individually.



And Lastly, I nominate and appoint My sons Jacob Hoffman & Jacob D. Hoffman to be my Executors - of this my last Will & Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal this (Twenty sixth. 26) Day of January AD one thousand Eight hundred & sixty.



Johan Hoffman Senr [seal]"

Uriah C. Helman, John Ryan {witness present at signing & Sealing}

John's will named his executors as his two sons, Jacob Hoffman & Jacob D. Hoffman but his sons were actually named John and Jacob D. as shown in the Letter of Administration dated February 13, 1860.







Although John's will did not list all of his children, there was a document in the estate file that listed the amounts paid to the heirs: Mary Walker, Susan Berlin, Elizabeth Stauffer, Catherine Huffman, Margaret Weikart, Hannah Ruckman, Henry Huffman, Sarah Pfeiffer, Jacob Huffman, and John Huffman, Jr.








All three images are from Columbiana County, Ohio Estate Packet 4992

Family History Library Microfilm 2033366, scanned May 26, ..


As with my Rupert and Switzer families in Columbiana County, I did very little research on the Hoffman family since receiving those documents - primarily due to lack of easily available resources. But having spent “a little” time at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City in the past year I've been able to follow up on the information provided by other researchers.

Blowin' in the Wind

For much of the past week the winds have been blowing in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. On Sunday (April 10th), after wandering in the dry, arid desert, fighting the 25-35 mph winds (with gusts up to 60mph), seeing nothing but brown earth and beige colored skies, I did an “about face” and headed eastward.



Yes, I know. That's the opposite direction I've been going. But there is another reason for the about face – a doctor's appointment awaits me in Indiana in less than two weeks. It is one that was made in February as a follow-up to the sinus and ear infection I had after Mom's funeral and an appointment which I never canceled. So I knew that if I was going to keep it, I didn't want to get too far west and have a really long drive back. The wind, the brownness, and the wind were just the things that turned me back a little sooner than anticipated.



I had thought about canceling the doctor's appointment, but with the way my leg has been acting up, figured I had better take advantage of it to find out what is going on. I think it is just a pulled muscle, but who knows?



I will admit, I terribly missed the green that I left behind a week ago. I'm not sure why the desert conditions bothered me so easily this time. Last year I spent more than two months in Texas, Arizona and the deserts of California. Perhaps it was a part of my state of mind this time around – thinking a lot (too much) about my Aunt Phyllis, my Mother, and my friend Lorene. Realizing that I will never see them again...



So, I'm going back to Indiana. At least for as long as it takes to find out about what is going on with the leg. And then? Well, I'll let you know when I know! But "The Journey" isn't over yet!





Brantley Lake State Park, New Mexico. April 7th.



Driving conditions east of Amarillo on Sunday, April 10th. The sky was really much more beige colored than gray as this photo shows. This was typical of the drive on Sunday. I was just glad I was going east – the wind was coming from the west. The hundred miles or so that I had to drive north was a real challenge!





Great Plains State Park April 10th. Compliments of Mother Nature throwing a hissy fit – the sand and dust in the air makes for a great sunset filter!





Great Plains State Park April 10th. In southwestern Oklahoma on the shore of Lake Tom Steed, a reservoir that provides water for the area.

SLO Town View

slo town view, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

It was a stormy day in San Luis Obispo, but that meant for dramatic skies. Indeed, sunset proved to be an amazing time, with fast-moving clouds and beautiful shades of pink and orange. The non-native grasses, which can be seen in the foreground, are already drying up, despite all the late-season rains we've been having.

Getting schooled in Chamonix.

Intitial gully of the Burnier-Vogler, N. Face of the Midi, yesterday.





A year ago while climbing in the Rockies, myclimbing partnerasked, "Where would you go to learn "alpine climbing"?



My quick answer was Chamonix. Every good alpine climber that I have admired over the years has spent some time here. And I have always thought that what they learned here was a major influence on their climbing careers.



I've been here 12 days. In that time we've had 40cm of snow, in two dumps. And as much as I know alpine climbing is all about conditions, I've generally ignored that and climbed anyway. Wallowing in cold dry snow has followed. While wearing all the clothes I own. A few interesting lessons for me already.



No Neve to be found here :) There was however lots of waist deep snow being shed off thehard, dryice.







It could be worse. But at the moment this has been the onlyresult of being slow on route. Bivy in the WC on the Midi station. Breakfast and a coffee in town followed after the first lift down the next morning. If nothing else climbing in Chamonix is sureal.