I've Been Out Walking

Before I started cycling, I used to walk a lot - and I mean a lot. It's a habit I picked up during childhood and carried all through adulthood, no matter where I lived and no matter the season. Whether wandering through industrial neighbourhoods, rambling through the woods, or strolling down endless beach roads - it didn't matter, as long as I walked. I walked fast and I could walk for hours. I exhausted friends who innocently asked to join me on my excursions, after which they no longer believed me when I'd say that something was "just a short walk from here." I horrified dinner party hostesses when they - upon seeing I had not arrived in a car - asked if I'd taken a taxi, by replying "Oh no, I just walked." "But you live an hour from here and you're wearing heels!" "Yes..."



Fast forward to a couple of days ago. With some snow and ice on the roads, I had not been on the roadbike for a few days and was feeling stir crazy. I decided to take a nice walk. It was 20°F out, so I donned my new unpadded bib tights (I am determined to get all the milage I can out of those!), some layers, and set off. This was the first time I'd attempted a real walk since maybe November, but it did not even cross my mind that it would be in any way challenging. I mean, I've always walked. Walking is what I do! Plus I've been cycling like crazy so I was in good shape.




Now I used to hear about this sort of thing from cyclists, but thought it was nonsense until it happened to me. Too much cycling can make you unlearn how to walk? You have got to be kidding me. ButI kid you not. After a pathetic half hour of brisk walking my feet and legs were aching, and I could feel some weird muscles around my knees straining as I tried to take my usual long strides. Like these muscles had gotten all scrunched up now from making pedaling motions instead of walking motions. I turned back, and then for some reason decided to run the last few blocks home. Within seconds there were shooting pains in my ankles and I arrived at my door practically an invalid. Unbelievable.


From now on, I am going to make it a point to walk several times a week. The very idea that something I think of as a lifelong ability and a physical strength of mine could atrophy so quickly is astonishing. I will get my walking groove back this winter and will try not to lose it again. Cycling isn't everything.

Ice Cave at Hollow Rock

This "window" of ice is looking out on the little island known as "Hollow Rock", which has been the subject of more than a few of my previous blog entries. I feel very fortunate that I now have this image in my portfolio, since the decision to head out and shoot that morning could have easily gone the other way. We had spent 5 hours snowshoeing the previous day over some very rugged terrain, and our bodies really didn't feel like going out early in the morning and shooting again so soon after the snowshoe workout. The decision was made to head out, however, and boy am I glad that we did as several good images were made on this morning.
The sunrise over Hollow Rock was very nice, with some interesting clouds to spice things up. The real treat, though, was finding two small ice caves to photograph. This particular image is of the second ice cave that I found, and when I stuck my head into this little cave I couldn't believe the view I found with Hollow Rock visible through the hole. It was as though mother nature had tailor-made this ice formation for a curious photographer to stumble upon. There wasn't much room to work inside the cave to get this image. It required crawling into the cave head-first on my stomach then propping my elbows on the rocky ground to brace the camera for this shot. There was no room at this angle to use my tripod. I shot this hand-held with my Canon EF 17-40mm lens, shutter speed 1/60, aperture f16, ISO 200.

A day in York: Bars and walking the York ruin walls

When I am travelling alone I can cover many things quickly mainly because I love walking. When you walk a lot, you see a lot. However, I also tend to spend my late lunches really slow, like at least 2 hours. Another perpetual habit is sitting down in a cafe terrace with a spirit in hand watching the world go by.

Anyway, after visiting the York Minster Cathedral, I went to check out the Roman wall ruins. I was not really sure which part of the city wall ruins to start exploring with, however, I noticed that it doesn’t really matter because all over the city I can find the ‘bars’ connecting the ramparts.

In England, bars are portcullis, a fortified gateway usually made of stone. Nowadays they are a medieval attraction but in the past they served as the city’s defensive stronghold from invaders.

I climbed the portcullis of High Petergate and walked on the stone walls to the rear direction of York Minster. Although I did wander a bit in the gardens of the cathedral I was quite curious what lies behind it. My curiosity was met with a beautiful scenery. I lingered a bit here taking fotos and enjoying the green views. At the end of the fortification I reached the Monk Bar, another portcullis and a famous one in York as well.

The Monk Bar is now a little historical museum. There is a statue of the short-lived King Richard III (King of England 1483-85) wearing black tights. Wow, what can I say, he was a very fashion forward man, considering I am wearing the same thing! Haha

High Petergate.

Walking the stone walls.

Here are the views from the ramparts:

Above foto is the Treasurer's House I believe. Pretty!

Here is the Monk Bar:

Inside the Monk Bar, King Richard III was fashion forward wearing the same black tights I am now wearing. The velvet fabric of the coat is also an all-time classic trend while those shoes, I see lots of teenagers wearing them now.

Monk Bar and Goodramgate.

Non-Clipless Cycling Shoes: What Do You Look For?

For those of us who don't use clipless pedals on our roadbikes, it would seem that the issue of cycling shoes is simple: Just ride in whatever shoes you like. However, at least for me it doesn't really work that way. The shoe has to feel right to cycle in, or I am miserable on a long ride.

The most obvious factor I look for is sole stiffness: My feet must be able to push the pedals without the soles of the shoes bending over the edge; otherwise it feels weird and tiring over the course of a strenuous ride. This is why most types of sneakers and casual slip-ons don't work; they are too flexible.The shoe must also be made of a breathable, yet waterproof material. It is uncomfortable to cycle in soaked cloth shoes in the rain. It is also uncomfortable to cycle in leather dress shoes, because my feet get too hot.Finally, the shoes should not be bulky, so as to fit into my Power Grips and generally not take up more space than necessary on the pedals.

I've been wearingAdidas running shoes on the bike, which have considerably stiffer soles than other sneakers and are also less bulky. They've been working well, except for one thing: the shoelaces. I tie the laces as securely as I can, then tuck them in under the "vamp" of the shoe to keep them away from the drivetrain. Mostly they stay there, but once in a while they come out and then I have to either stop the bike to fix them or risk getting them caught. And I have gotten the laces caught on the crankset a couple of times, so I am paranoid about it. Particularly on my fixed gear, the cranks are very narrowly placed and my feet are close to the drivetrain. I really do not want to get anything caught in there, and having to constantly watch for my shoelaces coming loose is annoying. So I reverted to childhood and bought velcro shoes. I've actually managed to find a pair of Adidas Originals, a special edition made with velcro instead of laces. Same stiff sole and breathability only nothing seems in danger of getting caught in the drivetrain. They look kind of silly, but as long as they work for me I don't care.

What shoes do you wear on the bike if you don't ride clipless?

The Florida Crowd Lands in Chesapeake

It is feeling like a little mini-reunion here to us.

Last year, we hardly saw any of our winter friends, even though we hoped to. This year we had low expectations in this area, so we've been thrilled beyond words to have Florida friends around since we left Florida. Granted, it will not stay that way, but we are loving it for now.

Jack and Diane and their family Jim and Marlene are still at the park. Tracy and Jim are still here too. They had landed here while we were still here last time, with Lee and Judy, but I didn't see them. It was great to see then again.On top of that, Karen and Tom are here. I have to stop and share a story about Karen here. Austin was telling Aric about Karen, because he hadn't met her yet. He says she is sooooooo nice. I compared her to someone else who I thought was sweet in the same kind of way and Austin said oh no, she is way sweeter. She is in a class all of her own. You can't compare Karen to ANYONE else. I think he has a little crush on her. Not that I can blame him because she is in a class all of her own, both inside and out.

We have enough people to play pickleball each day. Today we played twice in fact. It was hot in the morning and then cool in the evening. I prefer evening play, not only because of the weather, but because I hate playing in the morning due to my hating to be awake in the morning.

Our travel buddies are supposed to come tonight and that will just add to our contentment of being surrounded by enjoyable people.

Living the life in now sunny Virginia!

Is He or Isn't He?

The question being, is Jacob Switzer #2 a son of Jacob Switzer #1 and his wife Elizabeth?



Jacob #1 did not leave a will nor was there a probate file found for him, thus we do not know with any certainty at this time who his children were, which was discussed in this post.



There is only circumstantial evidence that might connect them, and, to be honest, rather flimsy evidence at that!



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When were they in Columbiana County and where did they live?



Jacob #2 born January 4, 1788 was married on February 26, 1811 in Columbiana County to Caty Brinker. He was 23 years old at the time. He initially lived in Fairfield Township on the land inherited by his wife Catherine from her father Andrew Brinker. In 1838 they purchased land in section 33 of Salem Township and they were living there in the 1840 census. This land was not far from where Jacob #1 and Elizabeth Switzer lived in section 23, also in Salem Township. Jacob #2 easily “fits” in as one of the older children of Jacob and Elizabeth, who were reportedly married on February 19, 1786. They had a daughter, Elizabeth, reportedly born on December 25, 1786 so it is possible that Jacob #2 could be their second child.



But then, so could Jacob #4 who was born November 8, 1788. However, he does not appear in Columbiana County census records until 1830. He is listed in Fairfield Township from 1830 through 1850 where he presumably lived until his death on March 25, 1859. He was already married to his wife Catharine when he arrived in Columbiana County. Yes, he was born the same year and died the same year as Jacob #2, and they both had wives named Catharine.



Then there is Jacob #3 born December 25, 1794 who arrived in Columbiana County about 1815. He was 21 years old when he married Polly Skelton on January 16, 1816 in Columbiana County. In 1824 they sold their land and moved to what later became Ashland County, Ohio. So he was only in Columbiana County a few years, about 1815-1824.



So far, no evidence except that Jacob #2 was in Columbiana County earlier than the other two and he lived closer to Jacob #1 than the others.



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Well, what about naming patterns of their children?



The first two daughters of Jacob #2 were named Barbara and Elizabeth. Barbara was presumably named after Catherine's mother, Barbara Leatherman. Could Elizabeth have been named after her “grandmother” Elizabeth, wife of Jacob #1 ? Or was this merely coincidence? The other three known daughters of Jacob #2 were Rebecca, Susan, and Sarah.



Neither of the other two Jacob Switzers have a daughter named Elizabeth. At least, not that we know of anyway.

• Known children of Jacob #3 were John, William, Nancy, Margaret, and Lewis.


• Children known of Jacob #4 were Ann, Sophia, Benjamin, Lydia, Eliza, and Susan.

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What does the term “Junior” really mean?



On page 133 of the 1828 Ohio Tax Records for Chattels (i. e., personal property) is an entry for a Jacob Switzer and Jacob Switzer (indexed as Junior). The first one listed appears to have an “S” after his name (first line in image). But I can't figure out what it is after the second Jacob Switzer (at the bottom of the image). In any case, in 1828 there were only two Jacob Switzers known to be in Columbiana County – Jacob #1 and Jacob #2.





Also, in his will, Andrew Brinker refers to the husband of his daughter Catharine as Jacob Sweitzer Jr.





Of course, back in the day, “Junior” sometimes simply indicated a younger man with the same name. It didn't necessarily mean that “Junior” was the son of the elder man.



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And that leaves us with what? Not much, I'm afraid. Mostly wishful thinking on my part. Obviously, a whole lot more research will be needed before I can claim Jacob #1 and his wife Elizabeth - if ever - as ancestors! At this point, I guess I'm “beating a dead horse” as the saying goes, rehashing the same information over and over.



So, for now, this concludes the saga of my research on the Switzer families of Columbiana County, Ohio.... until something new shows up!



All posts related to the Switzer families are summarized in this Index to Posts. If anyone doing research on these families is interested in collaborating, please contact me at kinexxions@gmail.com - Jacob #2 and his wife Catharine are my 4th great-grandparents.

Where Was Your Bicycle Made? ...and Does It Matter?

There are those who object to bicycles built in the Far East (specifically, China and Taiwan*), and the objections tend to fall into three categories. First, it is possible to get very cheap (as in both inexpensive and poor quality) goods mass-produced in that part of the world. So "made in China/ Taiwan" is interpreted as synonymous with flimsy, "soul-less" production methods and low quality materials. Second, the same factories that practice these production methods typically also have labour laws that are considered inhumane by western standards: long hours, low wages, child labour, air toxicity. Finally, these factories tend to use environmentally unfriendly processes, dumping pollutants into the surrounding landscape. These concerns have, understandably, made some wary about buying products made in that part of the world, bicycles included. However, they have also led to overgeneralisations and misunderstandings that result in unfair prejudices.



Aside from the obvious point that Taiwan and China are not the same, one thing to keep in mind when considering where your bicycle was made is that geographical locations are not factories and knowing the country of manufacture alone does not tell you much. Certainly there are factories in Taiwan where flimsy, generic bicycle frames are mass-produced in poor conditions. But there are also factories that employ highly skilled artisans, use quality production methods and the best materials, pay working wages, and are environmentally friendly. Typically, one can easily tell the difference by looking at the end product. And the cost of manufacturing differs considerably, despite both types of factories being located in Taiwan.



Many of the best bicycle manufacturers today outsource at least some aspect of frame production to Taiwan. These include favourites such asRivendell, Retrovelo, Workcycles, Pilen, Soma,Surly andVelo Orange, among others.These manufacturers have close relationships with the "good" kind of factories there. The resulting products are indistinguishable from domestic products in quality, because the same processes and materials are used, and because the manufacturer's specs are followed with precision.



We tend to assume that outsourcing is a cost saving measure, but it may surprise you to learn that cost is not always the reason for turning to Taiwanese production. One very real problem, is that there is a shortage of European and North American factories capable of producing bicycle frames at high volume. This is an issue manufacturers almost inevitably run into when they begin to expand production. The remaining old-school builders are small and are often unable to expand their workspace, buy additional equipment, and hire sufficiently skilled employees. There are some factories in Eastern Europe - namely Poland and the Czech republic - that are more versatile and can handle medium volume, but it's still often insufficient. Short of establishing their own factories domestically from scratch at astronomical costs, going to the Far East can be the only viable option for manufacturers. Furthermore, some manufacturers complain that the domestic factories they've tried produce inferior work to the "good" Taiwanese factories, and claim that moving production to Taiwan is a means of improving quality.



All of this is not to "defend" Taiwanese production, but to give my readers a better sense of what it actually means, so that they can make more informed decisions regarding their own stance on this issue. Personally, I prefer it when a bicycle is made as part of a small production run, by hand, and within a culture that I have some personal connection to. It's just more interesting to me that way. But I have nothing against Taiwan or China per se, as long as the specific factory provides good working conditions, employs environmentally safe practices and uses high quality methods of production.



On a separate note, I also feel that manufacturers should clearly and truthfully disclose where and how their bicycles are made. If they are going to go the Taiwan route for the very legitimate reasons described, then they ought to "own it" and not obfuscate the fact. It annoys me to no end when manufacturers boldly state on their websites that their bicycles are "proudly built in European Country X" only to reveal in some obscure small print buried deep on their site that the frames are made in Taiwan, and what they really mean by "built" is "designed and assembled." It leaves a bad taste in my mouth when manufacturers come across as trying to hide or distort the facts in this manner.



What are your thoughts on the subject? Does it matter where, or how your bicycle is made?



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*Edited to add in response to some of the comments: This post does not mean to imply that I believe the People's Republic of China and Taiwan to be politically similar, or to have the same labour and environmental standards. I include both countries here, because people do group them together under the "made in the Far East and therefore bad" label (interestingly, Japan is now exempt). And while factory conditions in Taiwan are typically better than those in China, the point of this post is that country does not matter. It is possible for a "good" factory to exist in China. It is not about labeling geographical locations as good vs bad, but about being aware of what process is used - regardless of location.