Sometimes ya just strike out!

And you have to wonder, What were “they” thinking when this was filmed? It's not the first time I've come across something like this. And I'm sure it won't be the last! [big sigh] Somewhere on this page is the guy I'm looking for...





Index to Deeds, Union County, Ohio for the “A” surname and “W” given name.Family History Library film 571773 accessed February 24, ..

Strange Magic! And a Saddle Conundrum

How on Earth can one bicycle handle like a stately city bike one moment, and like a fast touring bike the next? I have no idea, but I have just experienced it.



At slow speeds, the Royal H. mixte rides like a vintage 3-speed: stable, easy, upright. So nicely it performed as a city bike, that I was almost reluctant to take it on a "real ride" - having gotten used to doing those kinds of rides on road bikes with drop bars. But once out of the city, the bicycle was magically transformed into... I don't even know what, because I haven't ridden a bike quite like it before!



This beauty handled the40 mile ride through the hills of Concord and Lexington as if it were a casual cruise to the beach. We rode fast, but I didn't feel the speed. We climbed hills, but I didn't feel the strain of the climb.



When wrapped as I have them, thePorteur handlebars offer 3 distinct positions: upright when held at the edges, slightly leaned forward when held further down, and more aggressively leaned forward when held at the corners. And the bicycle responds to changes in hand positions very nicely. The Silver shifters installed onto Paul's Thumbies (more about this ordeal later!) are as easy to use as Sturmey Archer trigger shifters. And my positioning on the bike is so utterly perfect that I feel no pressure on my hands whether I am upright or leaned forward.The ride quality - namely its versatility - is strangely magical. I have never met a bicycle that can go from stately to aggressive at the drop of a hat before.



The mixte is not 100% finished yet, though pretty darn close: We still need to install the lights, and the front rack in these pictures is not the one that will ultimately be on it. Butmost importantly, I am not sure what to do about the saddle: Because my position alternates between upright and leaned over, it's hard to decide whether a more narrow saddle would be appropriate or a wider one, and whether springs or no springs. In the pictures, that is a Brooks B17 S borrowed from one of my roadbikes - but I am not certain that it feels right on this bike. What saddle do you have on your mixte, and how do you like it?

Rapha Women's Line... I Don't Get It

Rapha is one of those companies that people tend to either love, or love to hate. Essentially a manufacturer of high-end cycling clothing, but also a magazine publisher, racing sponsor, event organiser, bicycle design collaborator, and general "lifestyle brand," Rapha promotes an unapologetically romantic vision of roadcycling via an endless output of dreamy images as part of its advertising and social media campaigns. Slender, beautifully backlit cyclists suffer exquisitely as they scale mountains - often in black and white, and often to the accompaniment of haunting music, fostering a sense of nostalgia for a time that is not yet in the past. The garments offered are minimalist and expensive. That is Rapha in a nutshell.

Now, let me make it clear that I have nothing against Rapha's marketing tactics. I appreciate an effective advertising campaign achieved through emotional channels, and for this they surely deserve an award. When something inspires suchexcellent parody, you know it's reached iconic status. I also have nothing against brands that are considered luxury or high end, if the quality of their products reflects the price. So what's my problem with Rapha? It's not so much a problem, as a genuine feeling of dissonance - at least when it comes to the women's line. When I encounter their clothing in person, what's in front of me does not match the image cultivated by the impressive adverts.



Take, for instance, theWomen's Stowaway Jacket. Last summer I was desperate for a cycling rain jacket after my old windbreaker came apart. I wanted the jacket to be form-fitting, waterproof, and, ideally, red. Having exhausted the less pricey alternatives, I followed up on a suggestion to try Rapha. The Stowaway happened to be on sale at the Ride Studio Cafe at the time, and I came prepared to buy it. I tried on the jacket. It wasn't bad. I mean, not horrendous. Basically, it looked like a tracksuit top circa 1982 - something you'd expect to see on, say, an East German gymnast of that era. It's an intriguing look if you can pull that sort of thing off,but not especially flattering. The shade of red also strikes me as uninspired: not an exciting bright red and not a classic vintagey-brick either, but a dated crimson that I do not readily associate with cycling.



True to '80s tracksuits styling, the fit is tight in the chest, but mysteriously baggy above the chest - forming strange folds at the collar that threatened to constrict my breathing.



And do you see that bulge in the back? You're probably thinking that's the rear pockets. Nope. This cycling jacket has no rear pockets; that's just a bulge that forms on its own.



Although there are side pockets, they are small - so small, that I had trouble sticking my hands inside. Mind you, none of these design flaws are at all unusual in the sadistic world of women's cycling apparel, and if anything Rapha is not as bad as some of the alternatives. But for me, that is just not good enough given what I was made to expect.



Moving on to the Classic Women's Jersey - which I had considered when looking for wool cycling clothing: The styling in itself is all right, except that the full-length zipper creates artificial "tummy folds," as is common with this type of jersey.



The fabric is described as "sportwool," but as soon as I put it on, it became clear that this was a euphemism for a polyester-heavy blend. I later checked and yup: "sportwool" is 60% polyester.



Though the minimalist design is tasteful and subtle, I would rate the texture of the fabric as average on the rough vs silky scale. And for a hot weather jersey, it seemed somewhat heavy to me.



One nice thing about the Rapha jerseys, is that they come with arm warmers. Problem is (and I am not the only one to have noted this), that the arm warmers seem to be one size smaller than the jersey - rendering them essentially useless for those whose arms are not stick-thin. Too bad, because including matching arm warmers is a wonderful idea.



I could go on about other items in the Rapha women's line, but that's probably enough for now. Suffice to say that I find all of it more or less all right, but by no means extraordinary either in quality or looks. I am supportive of what Rapha is trying to do - create inspiring, classic, tasteful, well made cycling clothing. We can certainly use more brands that create such clothing for female cyclists, so really, I am all for it. But come on Rapha: Live up to your image. Watching all those dreamy backlit videos, I expected some truly "epic" women's cycling apparel... and this ain't it.

Surfer Dudes

One of my favorite things to do while sitting at the beach, is to watch the surfers.



I could sit for hours and hours and hours and still not grow tired of it.

Butterfly wrangling

A Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) was attracted to some moisture on a cardboard box. I believe he was newly emerged, since he looked nearly perfect and wasn't too afraid of me.



His close-up.



He seemed very thirsty.

I had an idea.

I dipped my finger into a puddle then snuck up slowly.



Ta-da!



His feet were very sticky. This really tickles.



I taught my husband how to do it too.



The admiral sunbathed for a moment before he left.



Red Admirals are common and widespread: Guatemala north through Mexico and the United States to northern Canada; Hawaii, some Caribbean Islands, New Zealand, Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East and Asia! I imagine that they do so well because the caterpillar's food plant is the nettle.

More info here, here, and here.

Jefferson OH to Celina OH

Last night we had Rene and Mira over for dinner and then we played Mexican Train with them. We have to get this game down before we head to Alaska with the other champion players. We had so much fun with them. It was hard saying goodbye to them, but we at least know we are very likely to see them again unlike many of the people we meet along the way.



Today we left Thousand Trails in Jefferson to head to Kozy Kamper in Celina, Ohio. We had a very short travel day and it was also a smooth one. We are excited to explore a new part of Ohio, and this one is on what was at one time the largest man made lake in America.



Still living the life in Ohio!

Grateful for Greenways

In my fourth year of cycling in the greater Boston area, I admit that I often get impatient with the greenways that run through the city. Being multi-use paths, they are usually congested with pedestrians. The interruptions are not well thought out. And they don't always take me exactly where I need to go. More often than not, I find myself choosing to cycle on the road instead... which is a shame, because I miss out on the beautiful scenery and the fresh air, all in the name of saving time.





Last weekend the Co-Habitant and I did something we haven't done for almost a year: went on a slow, meandering ride along the Charles River. On a sunny Saturday.Some time ago we'd decided this sort of thing was the stuff of nightmares because of how crowded the trail gets this time of year on weekends. But something in the air made us want to give it a try again.



And yes, it was super-crowded, with everyone photographing cherry blossoms and wandering all over the path without looking where they were going. Dogs on those long, invisible leashes, unattended toddlers making sudden u-turns on trikes, the whole nine yards. We had to ride really, really slowly. We had to be patient. We had to not think of it as cycling, but more like strolling by bike. Every half hour we stopped to sit down on the grass, drink from our flasks, stare at the water, enjoy the sun... It was wonderful!





To think, we were smack in the middle of Boston and not a car in sight. Birds chirping. The smell of grass and flowers. Lovely boats swaying. People sunbathing and having picnics everywhere. Sure we did not do a 50 mile loop through hilly country roads that day. But who cares? It was revitalising. It felt like a mini vacation.



We have several beautiful greenway networks here in Boston, and I truly am grateful for them. Greenways are not merely about getting from point A to point B, but about creating a healthy, flourishing oasis in the middle of a busy city that everyone can enjoy. Yes, they will be crowded on the weekend. And that is a good thing - it means people are using them. Sometimes we all need to take it slow, take it easy, and find a way to share these beautiful resources.

A royal dining experience at Restaurante Museo 1514 in Trinidad

Blondine and I accidentally discovered this wonderful place while walking around in Trinidad. We were looking for a place to dine in the evening anyway so when we stumbled upon ‘Restaurante Museo 1514’ we thought—wow, this is it!

When you walk in, you right away feel the aristocratic ambiance of the restaurant. The tables are dressed regally with antique-looking china (I checked; they were from the USA, perhaps early 1900’s), crystal and silverware.

The setting is in an open garden courtyard that is elaborately designed in aristocratic style, channelling a retail atmosphere of an antique interior design shop specialising in kitchen and diningware. There is also a rooftop terrace that offers nice views of Trinidad. And food is cooked traditionally in the kitchen using wood and coal.

So after a quick tour, we told the waiter that we will be back later for dinner =)

Let me rewind that a bit so I can give you a quick tour as well through my pictures. Here they are!

And of course we came back for dinner! The waiter was very happy to see us.

We eyed the elevated private patio beside the stairs that goes up to the open terrace on the roof. It’s a very beautiful and romantic area of the restaurant and it would have been perfect if we were with our other halves but unfortunately Blondine and I are stuck with each other for this Cuba trip.

The decision was made and we will have fish for the evening. I ordered a fried one and Blondine with white sauce. The food verdict? 4.3 stars out of 5. We enjoyed it very much. It’s really good, above average compared to other Cuban restaurants.

Our little private patio corner.

Our lovely royal dinner experience, except that the food does not really fit the term royal... but the ambiance? YES.

The gay dancer came up to me and said that he likes my attire. Hmmm.

And during dinner we were entertained by a group of musicians and a couple dancing salsa. Then it rained a bit so we moved down to the main house to finish our dinner.

This is probably one of my impressive and unique dinners. I’m the type who is more drawn to the ambiance, the decor and theme, and the views of a restaurant than the food itself. So this one is indeed a success in my book. Dining traditionally the royalty way.

When in Trinidad, check this restaurant out. It is not just about dining, it is about the experience.

Gunks Routes: Drunkard's Delight (5.8-) & Morning After (5.8-)

(Photo: my partner V just after the cruxy start of Drunkard's Delight.)



I recently changed my opinion regarding Drunkard's Delight (5.8-).



My first experience on the route, this past April,was kind of a debacle. I was still pretty fresh off my broken ankle and I was trying to take it easy. So I didn't have any 5.8s in my plans. But we did Bloody Mary (5.7) and I really enjoyed it. For the first time since I broke the ankleIwas feelingpretty good on the rock. And when we got back to our packs after topping out I saw both Drunkard's and Morning After (5.8-) were sitting open, and I couldn't resist.



I looked them both over, and while I knew Drunkard's was famously cruxy right at the start, it looked to me like the pro wasn't bad. Morning After, on the other hand, looked very difficult to protect. I read in the guidebook about a piton somewhere up there, but I couldn't seeany pinsfrom the ground, and the pitch looked like it had few if any other placements in the first 25 or 30 feet.



So I decided togive Drunkard's a try.Imoved up two steps andplaced two pieces right away, a red C3 in the vertical crack system to the left of the greasy, chalk-covered holds, and then a littlepurple TCU in thethin horizontal that runs just above those greasy holds. (One puny cam for each of my half ropes.) Then I edged gently to the right, put my hands on those greasy holds, put my feet on the dime edges beneath, and attemptedan awkward high-step up.



Predictably, I fell. Both little cams held.I was safely off the ground with two feet of clearance. But in the little fall I'd hit my bad ankleon the wall and it didn't feel good. I feared I'd sprained it.



I was pissed off-- Ithought I'd just about made the move. And I also felt the move was really much too hard for a 5.8-.



So I started to try again, but then realized I was being an idiot. Falling from ten feet off the deck on microcams was not in my post-surgery recovery plan. I was supposed to be taking it easy. "Why am I doing this?" I asked myself aloud.



Just then another pair came up, hoping to do the route. I gave them my blessing and we retreated. And then I watched their leader sketch through the move in pretty much the same way I had attempted it.



I limped away from Drunkard's Delight feeling defeated, and hating bouldery starts.



Later, I learned thatI was doing it wrong. Those greasy, chalked up holds right in front of your face when you start the route? Those are sucker holds. Don't use them for your hands. The route starts just to the left, and you can step up one more time before moving right and never touch the sucker holds with your hands. Use those holdsfor your feet. But notyour hands. It's much easier.



A week ago I was up in the Gunks with V and he mentioned that he'd been wanting to get on Drunkard's. I was thrilled to let him lead it and see how it went this time. I gave him my gear beta for the first two gear placements and advised him to skip the sucker holds. And he cruised through it, placing gear where I did and a ton more following the low crux as well (as you can see in the photo above). I believe after the red C3 (out of the frameto the left) anda purple C3 (first piece on the pink rope), he'splaced two nuts and he's working on a third.



When it was my turn to follow the pitch, I found it so much easier than I did in April.I employedthe additional step up before heading right. It's still a balancy couple moves, but not bad. The rest of the pitch features good face climbing, pretty thoughtful most of the way, easing a bit asthe routetrends slightly left to the ledge beneath the break in the large roof. I now recognize that this is a great pitch. I would gladly lead it tomorrow.



There's a pathetic, possibly dying tree with some slings at the end of the first pitch; I'd recommend building a gear anchor.



(Photo: just past the roof on pitch two of Drunkard's Delight.)

Pitch two features the biggest 5.6 roof in the Gunks. It's nearly a body length in size. But no worries, this is a super-juggy fun time. This roof is much easier than the roofs on MariaandShockley's Ceiling. There's a great placement for a threaded sling right in the middle of the business (see photo above), and then it's just an ocean of jugs until you're past the roof. There are many, many more holds than you need. After the roof, the pitch trends a little left and up to the GT Ledge on cruiser climbing.

Once you reach the GT Ledge, there's a good tree from which a two-rope rappel will get you down. If you have only one rope, you have several options: a short walk climber's left on the GT Ledge will get you to the bolts above Kama Sutra, from which you can get down in two single-rope rappels. Or if you walk to the right, there is a rap tree above Rusty Trifle from which you can get down in two single rope raps, using another slung tree halfway down.Finally, you can do the final pitch of Drunkard's Delight, which ascends the obvious 5.4 corner above the belay tree on the GT Ledge. (I haven't tried it.)



(Photo: pitch one of Morning After.)

After we had such a positive experience on Drunkard's, I thought I should give Morning After another look. Andthis timeit looked to me like a reasonable lead. I still couldn't see the piton, but I thought I could tell where it was supposed to be, and it seemed like there was gear nearby. The rest of the way seemed protectable.



Pitch one of Morning After features nice face climbing. The crux moves, which are right after the piton, are not as hard as the low moves on Drunkard's Delight. It's a few moves up from the ground before any pro appears, ina thinvertical slot formed by the little right-facing corner just before the piton. I placed a great little nut in this slot, and then after moving up again a good cam. Then, after stepping up so your feet are even with the piton, you should be able to place another piece in an awkward, flaring pod that opens downward. I worked a gray Alien into this slot, and while I thought it would hold, this was the one piece of gear about which I had my doubts. In order to work it into the slot, I had to place it at a rather strange angle. I should have tried a tricam.



After one more thin step up, you're through the crux. The pitch then angles left through easier territory to some right-facing flakes, then back right to the multi-forked tree that also marks the end of pitch one of Bloody Mary. You can belay at the tree, but you'llhave amuch more comfortable belay stance if you build a gear anchorusing the great cracks in the wall behind the tree.



Pitch two is rated 5.7. It looks like it's going to be a roof problem pitch but it's really another face-climbing pitch. From the belay the pitch climbs up into a corner to the right, then around the corner and up onto the face. From the belay stance you can see a piton at the lip of the overhang, telling you exactly where to go. The climbing here is a littlesteep and exposed but the holds are great. The crux of thepitch comes later, in a thin section right after aperfect horizontal slot with an angle piton. Put in a cam to back it up and you're set.



I regret that we didn't have time for pitch three, as it was getting dark. I hear it's a high quality 5.8 pitch. but based on the first two pitches alone I'd sayMorning After is a great climb. It doesn't have any world-class moments but it features consistent thoughtful moves.



From the GT Ledge you can descend with a single two-rope rappel from the Drunkard's Delight tree,or use any of the single-rope options listed above.