Papa Finch

This is a photo of the male redheaded finch that I got when he lit for a second on the elk horns that are on top of the fence post we use as a stop for the gate when we open it.
The female doesn't have the red on it's head and front and is mostly gray.

Anastasia Island :: Birds on the Beach

Tuesday March 15, .. - - After spending the day with Denise and Apple, I spent an hour or two that evening on the beach. Surprisingly, even though the campground was full, there were not a lot of people roaming the shore. Seemed like there were more birds than people. And yeah, that was rather nice too...

Vermont and New Hampshire Barns From My Window

And my favorite barn that we've seen so far. It wasn't the prettiest, but I loved its endurance and character!

And while I'm writing, can I say how good it is to be back? When we were in PA, we had no cell phone service and very limited internet. As in, I could not even read Pioneer Woman's blog. So I didn't bother doing much posting there. I'll have to see if I can go back and cover what we did see and do there sometime.



I have missed blogging so much though. I told Nathan tonight that it truly helps to cultivate gratitude for my life when I blog. When I'm going throughout the day, I can easily fall into a mindlessness about what we are doing. When I look at the pictures and write the words to capture the day, it makes me stop and be very mindful of this wonderful life we are living right now and all of the neat things we see each day. It's good for my soul!



Living the life in Vermont!

A Question of Favourites

Having now ridden most of the bicycles profiled here, one question I often get is which are my favourites. If I had to buy a new transportation bike today, which one would it be? While I find it impossible to choose just one, I can tell you which I prefer from each of the categories I described earlier: heavy duty Dutch bikes, lightweight Italian city bikes, and middleweight "classic hybrids."



[image via Gazelle USA]

If I were in the market for a Dutch bike specifically, I think I would buy a Gazelle. Currently producedGazelle bicycles are missing some of the charming details of their predecessors, such as the lugged connector between the curved top tube and the downtube, and the traditional bolted seatcluster. But they still have an attractive lugged fork crown, a predominantly lugged frame, and an elegant overall look. I would buy not the Toer Populair, but the Basic model (3 speed with coaster brake) for $859, and replace the saddle with my own. I prefer Gazelle to Batavus, because it seems better made. I prefer Gazelle to Workcycles, mainly because the Workcyclesis too heavy for me. Also, both Workcycles and Batavus bikes have unicrown forks rather than lugged crown forks, and I just can't bring myself to choose a bike with that feature if I have other options.



One Dutch bike I have not yet tried is Achielle (which now has a US distributor), so I cannot say whether I'd prefer it to the Gazelle. Unlike most other modern Dutch bikes, it is still made in the EU and the pictures look fantastic, but nonetheless it is impossible to know without trying. If anybody's ridden one and can compare it to the other Dutch bikes, I'd love to hear about it.



[image via Bella Ciao]

If I were looking for a light but classic transportation bicycle, the choice is really just between the Italians: Abici andBella Ciao. I would, and did, choose a Bella Ciao, because I prefer its ride quality and frame construction. I find theBella Ciaoto be less aggressive than the Abici, while being equally lightweight andfast - which, to me, makes for a more comfortable ride.And the unicrown fork on the Abici is, again, just not something I can live with. I also prefer the Bella Ciao's chaincase and handlebars, but those points are relatively minor in comparison. Both Abici and Bella Ciaoframes are made in Italy.



[image via Adeline Adeline]

And finally, if I were looking for a midweight bicycle, I would buy a Retrovelo - the 3-speed Klara model for $1,450.Retrovelobicycles are beautifully constructed, with impeccable lugwork and a mouth-wateringly gorgeous triple plate fork crown. And more importantly, I don't know of a single Retrovelo owner as of yet who is unhappy with the bike. Compared to PashleyandVelorbis, the Retrovelois somewhat faster and does better up hills, as well as feels cushier over potholes. The handlebars and stem are not my cup of tea, and I do wish it had a coaster brake and a full chaincase. But the bike is otherwise so nice, that I find these features alarmingly easy to ignore. In short: I want one, but have absolutely no excuse and no money to get it.



While I hope this explains my own selection process, it would be good to hear different opinions. The new bike shopping season is just around the corner and many are starting to research bicycles again. Which bicycle did you choose to buy, or would you now choose to buy - and why? If you already own a classic transportation bike, are you happy with it, or are you considering switching to another?

But Where Are the Cyclists?

It was a beautiful, warm October Sunday on the Charles river trail. But as I cycled serenely past the glowing foliage and the glistening water, I had a distinct feeling that something was missing...

Ah yes, the cyclists! Where are they? On a long weekend, the Charles River trail is usually swamped with cyclists of all shapes and sizes. But this weekend, it was comparatively empty.

Out of curiosity, I stopped by the side of the trail to count the number of cyclists riding past - and waited 5 minutes before these two rode by. A month ago, a random shot of the trail on a Sunday would probably capture a dozen or so cyclists passing through.

I did see this lovely cyclist on an orange cruiser with cream tires and a basket. She matched the leaves quite nicely! But for the most part, the trail was almost abandoned.

Can it really be that the recreational cycling season is already over? With temperatures in the low 60s, strings of sunny days, and the Autumn leaves nearing their peak, it seems that this should be prime cycling time - but apparently not. Or is there an alternative explanation, like everyone being away for the weekend? It was good to have the trail to myself for large stretches, but also a little sad to think that others are missing out on such beautiful days.

Kangaroo Temple ..

Weather wasn't great, but we managed to summit in a long day. No real issues during the day other than some rain showers passing through. We stopped for the first shower, but climbed right through the following. The approach was a little difficult to follow through the talus fields, but it didn't seem to slow us down that much. We did don crampons for the snow up to Kangaroo Pass, but they did not seem necessary. (All these minor 'issues' seem to add up.) Slightly off route on the first pitch caused an intermediate belay. Then smooth route finding on the rest of the climb. The step around move was not as intimidating as I thought it would be, but it is never comfortable climbing without solid hand holds. We introduced an extra rap to get to the summit rap anchors, and found the descent route description to be somewhat off. ("Two double 50m raps to the packs.") The rap from the summit is a single 60m and the second rap is a double 60m back to the notch. Overall, a fun climb on decent rock, despite the rain.

Summit shot (photo by Julie Labrecque)

For more pics, click here.

Jessica's pics here.

Nene Way 3 Sixfields to Billing

8.8 miles. One unintentional detour turned a mile or so of the walk into the A45 Way. Just about ok if you were cycling, but noisy and unpleasant for walking. Dry, fine, no sun today.



Lots of birdlife today - from terns hovering and diving, to several families of swans, moorhens with big-footed chicks, coots, a heron, and a flock of goldfinches taking off from a patch of teasels. Canada geese flying in a mob - how does an individual goose decide whether it'll join those on the wing or stay with the gang on the ground?








We started from Sixfields, crossed the road to Duston Mill Lane and walked down to the disused Mill and the path by the lakes of Storton’s Pits Nature Reserve. We saw terns hovering above the water and diving in – but my photographic skills weren’t up to capturing them, alas. `

Express Lift tower - the 'lighthouse'

The Express Lift Tower, otherwise known as the ‘lighthouse' is visible on the left for a large part of this section of the walk. The area is left to grow pretty wild, and is an important wetland habitat

Chicory?

As we walked we noticed that the ‘lighthouse’ appeared to be on our right – we had walked round the end of one of the flooded gravel pits and missed a left turn where the Grand Union Canal Walk joins the Nene Way. As much by luck as judgment we found the Canal Bridge where the Nene Way doubles back at a right angle then over a bridge with iron rails across the river and then turned right to walk under the railway viaduct.















The path continues at the back of a shopping centre, then under the A5123. At the Carlsberg brewery, with its silos, the path turns to the left and then back on the other side of a short channel. There is a bridge, and the banks have several large willows.

Looking over the Nene from behind the Carlsberg brewery

Shortly after this there is a long high wall which forms part of the flood defences.













These decorative bricks are part of theflood defence wall in Northampton.












According to the plaque 'Local children from Delapre Middle School engraved the bricks using both the local environment and the celebration of the Queen's jubilee year as their themes.'


The plaque shows some of the industrial history of the Nene, and its importance as a commercial waterway, along with the nearby Grand Union Canal.








































The Nene Way then goes into Beckett's Park














We followed the path over a footbridge and through the Barnes Meadow Nature Reserve and site of the Battle of Northampton in 1460







The path brought us to the Bedford Road, and what I imagine is part of the Nene Whitewater Centre.

Bedford Road water control system - is this linked to the White Water centre? No one there when we walked by.

Just after this point we were diverted/distracted and followed signs for Billing via the cycle path. A mile of the Nene Way we hope to come back to - away from the heavy traffic noise and smell of the A45!

A welcome sight after our detour along the cycle path and through the shopping park.

A fine avenue of beech (?) trees in the area behind Riverside retail park.

moorings and huts along the river

Approaching Billing Aquadrome - spectacular gardens for mobile homes








Back to base . . .
















A photo taken last week. Behind the pub at Billing.

Shiloh

We made a trip to Shiloh over the weekend. I have umpty-million photos to download, but so far this one is my favorite.


Spotted fawn in the Union cemetery. (Click to enlarge.)

His cute little fuzzy close-up:



Awww.

-----

It was a very birdy weekend. This wasn't really a birding trip, but we did have our binoculars, so we looked every time we happened to see the branches moving. The list of warblers we saw without even really trying:

Yellow-throated
Black-and-White
Magnolia
Canada
Chestnut-sided
Redstart
Pine
Palm
Brewster's (!)
Tennessee

The gorgeous male Canada warbler was a special treat since we hadn't seen one in so long. And the Brewster's, wow! They are a hybrid between the Blue-winged and Golden-winged warblers, and we'd only seen one once or twice before, at Dauphin Island.

If we'd had more time, we'd have turned it into a birding trip until the migration fallout ran dry, and finished exploring the battlefield later. The weather was beautiful - the first fall-like days of the year.


Just resting.
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis).

Gunclub day II

We awoke to more snow and terrible roads, so we opted to head to the Gunclub again to do some different lines, since we got so drenched on NRA yesterday. We decided to start on Caveshot WI 4+. It was running just like NRA. We climbed it and got soaked just like NRA. The ice was a little more consolidated and the line climbed much better than NRA. After bringing Laura up to me on the belay ledge, everything was frozen solid and we opted to rap down and head out. On the way down I shot some cool shots of a near iceless Internet Connection WI5+ M6/7. (It climbs the overhanging wall with the blobs on it to the right of the rope). We had a blast even though it was 15° and running like crazy. Can't wait to get out on Sun day.

The Tree Knot

Different view of the odd knot on the juniper tree.

Unique RV in Tennessee

As we headed to the National Park today, we stopped at the Visitor Center to grab maps. This truck/RV pulled in next to us. I've seen a lot of different RV's over the years, but this one was the first of its kind.



I just had to jump out and snap some pictures and talk to the creator of this interesting space.

Lucky for me, the guys was more than happy to show and tell. This made my day. I love stuff like this!

Star Trails over the Sage Creek Wilderness

Here is another shot from my trip to the Badlands and Black Hills. This was taken in November on a chilly night, temp was just below freezing. My friend Roger and I were camping in the Sage Creek Campground of Badlands National Park and spent a good portion of the night photographing the stars. This photo was made a few hundred yards away from our campsite. It is a 24 minute exposure and is one of several star trail images that I made that night.

The Heart of a Frame

They say that the bottom bracket is "the heart of a bicycle frame".