Other Animals at Sea World

Most people know there are whales and dolphin at Sea World. Some know there are manatees and sting rays. There are a few other animals here too. Just a few pictures of the "other animals" we like there.

Almost Ready!

Anyone remember that flood that happened way back in 2006? There was a little damage to some areas of the park, with roads, trails and even whole campgrounds being damaged or disappearing entirely. The lower part of the Glacier Basin trail was one area that was heavily affected by the flooding, and for the last few years NPS trail crews along with hundreds of volunteers have been working almost nonstop on the new re-route of the trail.
Now to the fun part...
The first mile of the new trail is almost ready to be opened! Trail crews are working on the finishing touches like some beautiful bridges to keep your feet dry crossing creeks, and rock walls that not only look cool but actually add to the stability of the trail. They should have the trail open soon, although the actual opening date has not been set, so until they actually open it please respect the closed area so crews can work uninterrupted to get projects finished. For now enjoy some of these photos that rangers were able to take during our sneak preview the other day. Stop by the White River ranger station for the all the latest information on the Glacier Basin trail, or any other trail for that matter.
If you happen to come across a trail crew out working be sure to thank them for all the hard work they do on our many miles of trails here at Mount Rainier.
As for conditions on the upper mountain these days everything is in spectacular condition. Many groups have been out climbing and skiing all over the mountain from Ptarmigan and Liberty Ridges to the standards such as the DC and Emmons. All reports have been of excellent conditions. The sun has been out, winds have been mild, and fun is being had all over, so check out some of the new route updates get your gear together and come climb with us!

In which I am a bad influence

Bwa-ha-ha! If it were a crime, I'd be guilty of aiding and abetting. Two of my friends have new blogs.

My friend Annie is a potter, among other things. Many other things. I've never met anyone so capable. (She comments here sometimes as "weldergirl" so that's one clue.) If you're familiar with Oneonta, Alabama, you've probably visited her downtown shop, where she sells her own beautiful creations as well as other Alabama handcrafts. Including some lovely handmade soap, wink, wink.

She and her husband are building what promises to be an extremely cool passive solar house - with a dogtrot! She's started a blog called Edifice Rex to document it.



My friend Grace is a fellow soapmaker who lives a little north of Birmingham. If you wandered the Pepper Place farmer's market last summer, you may have tried some of her scrumptious-smelling soap.

She's a fellow chicken lover, who's good at keeping me up to date on the antics of Sam - the Rhode Island Red bantam game hen who turned out to be a rooster - and his girls. She has started a blog called Roosterhen Diaries, in which she's committing her hilarious paper journals to the blogosphere.



Go say hi!

-----

Updated: Oops. I was thinking about my own Big Red when I was writing about Sam and called him a Rhode Island Red. Sorry!

Yellow Lillies

Some photos of the yellow lillies that I grew on my sunroom this spring. These have grown from their bulbs, and bloomed and gone, but the orange ones have barely started to grow. Wonder what the difference was since I bought at the same store, same brand and planted at the same time? Well at least these were pretty.

A Wet Week at the Gunks: Stannard's Roof (5.10a), Uncle Rudy (Pitch 1, 5.7+) & A Lesson in Aid Climbing

(Photo: Approaching the big overhang on Stannard's Roof (5.10a).)




I just finished a whole week in the New Paltz area with my wife and kids. It has become our tradition to rent a house in or around New Paltz for a week in July every year. It is my wife's way of indulging me. She likes running in the area, there are great family hikes, and the community pool is nice. But we wouldn't do it if I were not a rock climber.




Last year we got into a nice groove in which I met up with Gail for several days in a row to climb. We would get up early, spend a few hours at the cliff, and then return to our respective families. These short climbing days allowed both of us to climb before it got too hot, and without taking too much time away. This year I hoped to repeat the same system. I was going to climb for one full day on Saturday, June 29, but apart from that day I expected that during our week in New Paltz I'd get out climbing for just a few mornings with Gail.




I hoped to hit several of my 5.10 targets, some old, some new. I wanted to try a second run at Balrog, P-38, and maybe even Simple Stuff or Directississima. And I hoped to flail away at some new ones. Probably my top candidate was Feast of Fools (5.10a).




As the trip approached I made plans to climb on Saturday with Maryana and Nani. I hadn't climbed with either of them outside in a while. As the day neared Gail decided to join us as well, so it looked like we'd have two parties. Maryana suggested we meet up in Lost City, where we could set up top ropes near each other and hang out. I was agreeable, but I knew I wouldn't be happy just top-roping all day. I had some trad-lead goals in Lost City, chief among them two new 5.10's on my list: Lost City Crack (5.10b) and Stannard's Roof (5.10a). I figured we could top rope for a while, but I intended to do some leading when the right time came along.




On Saturday, Gail and I arrived at the parking lot before Maryana and Nani. We headed out on the High Peters Kill Trail until we reached Lost City. We wandered straight up the boulder field to the cliffs and found ourselves in one of the spots I'd previously visited. I later heard another climber call this area the Amphitheater. This area has several easy climbs in the 5.6 to 5.8 range, a rarity at Lost City. Most of the walls at Lost City are so steep that the entry level climbs are 5.10 or 5.11.




It had rained a bit on each of the previous two days but the climbs seemed dry enough. Gail started us off by leading an easy corner climb on the left side of the Amphitheater (mostly 5.easy, maybe 5.5 or 5.6 for one or two moves?), and then I led a very nice vertical crack climb right in the middle of the wall. It starts off steep and committing, up a slanting crack, but then after about fifteen feet a ledge is reached and it gets easier. The angle lessens and there are frequent rests. But the good moves just keep on coming. I really liked this pitch. I would say it is a good Gunks 5.8 (Gail thought maybe 5.9). I don't know if it has a name. We named it the "5.8 Death Warm-Up."




While Gail and I were warming up in the Amphitheater, Maryana and Nani arrived and went over to the Corridor area, setting up a rope on Gold Streaks (5.11b). I've been on that one twice before and although it is really good I wasn't that psyched to hit it again. But I was keen to get back onanother great 5.11b just around the cornercalledForbidden Zone.So I set that one up for us and then nearly sent it on the first go. At the upper crux I missed the key hidden hold and fell off. As soon as I looked up I could see the hold I missed, and then I went up and finished it. Gail did really well on Forbidden Zone. It was her first time on the climb and she got through the crimpy, tense start and the steep, bulgy middle without a fall, struggling only with the technical moves to the hidden hold at the final crux. Forbidden Zone is such a great pitch-- if every top rope were this good I'd consider converting to the top rope lifestyle. I can't imagine ever leading it. I'd have to have it really wired. There is gear here and there, but nothing for the really tough moves right off the deck. The landing is not good: it is a pile of pointy boulders. I think for me it will forever remain a great top rope.









(Photo: Getting ready for the big reach into the ceiling on Stannard's Roof (5.10a).)




Gail and I left our rope on Forbidden Zone for Maryana and Nani and took a little walk around the right side of Lost City, finding a wet, slimy Lost City Crack and discovering faces and chasms we'd never seen before. There is so much exploring one can do at Lost City. By the time we got back to the Corridor I was ready for my big lead of the day. We took a pass on Gold Streaks and headed with Maryana's rope over to Stannard's Roof. This impressive overhang is a bit to the left of the Amphitheater. I had taken a peek at it earlier in the day and it looked nice and dry.




I had asked Gail to bring an extra yellow Number Two Camalot for me because Parker had once told me that the ceiling takes two of them. I'd also heard that the face beneath the roof goes at 5.8 and that the belay right below the roof is optional. That was about all I knew about Stannard's. We got racked up and I started climbing.




The start goes up an easy chimney and then some very nice 5.8 moves take you up a crack through an orange face. Soon the angle eases and you are beneath the huge ceiling, which looks even bigger once you are really up against it. As of this writing there is a small fixed nut in the crack at the back of the ceiling, and you can get up there and clip it, then return to the optional belay stance and think about how you are going to make the first big reach out to the good holds in the roof.




It is very intimidating. This first big move out is committing, and it is the hardest move of the sequence. There is a little creaky flake to grab, and then a big move to the jugs. I looked it over from several different angles. I shifted my gear around so that, in theory, my two yellow Camalots would be easy to reach.




Then I went for it.









(Photo: Fully in it, right hand on the creaky flake, left hand in the jugs.)




Once you do the big reach you are fully horizontal for the remainder of the roof. There is no time to dilly-dally. When you make it to the first good hold you can throw in a yellow Camalot and make the moves to the next great horizontal slot. I managed this first part just fine.




As I reached the next great horizontal, the end was already in sight. I wanted to place the second yellow Camalot and get out. I could see a positive-looking hold at the lip of the roof. If I could get there, just one move away, I figured I was as good as done.




I want to note here, before I go into my old familiar story of failure, that I really should have gotten this route on-sight. My footwork was solid. I had a good plan. I tried really hard. I had a great handhold and a wonderful heel lock. I just needed to plug and go. It kills me that I messed this one up.




Poor gear management was my undoing.




I reached for the yellow Camalot but I couldn't get it free. I struggled like mad to unhook it. I was wearing a gear sling and everything was difficult to reach, hanging way down beneath me.




I know what you're thinking. I am aware that wearing a gear sling is the mark of the gumby. But I have never liked the weight of all the gear on my harness. Usually I prefer using the gear sling, no matter what other people think. But not this time. Under Stannard's Roof the sling turned out to be a big liability. Even though I'd put the yellow Camalot in the first section of the sling, I had a devil of a time prying it loose. It seemed like I was fumbling forever, just hanging in there. My left hand was on a great hold but it was getting more and more sweaty. I could feel my grip getting weaker and weaker. I had to get that cam! Finally I got the cam off of the sling, reached up to place it.....




And it was the wrong Camalot, the green! I had been blindly grasping for the piece, and I grabbed the wrong one. I was officially screwed, and I knew it. I stuck the green cam on my harness and started fumbling for yellow all over again, but my left hand slipped and I took a fall. I had blown it. It was a good little whip but the fall was clean.









(Photo: Trying to place gear on Stannard's Roof, but grabbing the wrong cam.)




I don't know why I didn't just take the yellow cam off the gear sling then and there and put it on my harness, but I didn't think of it. I went back up again, fumbled all over again, and this time ultimately placed the cam. But now I was exhausted and took another fall reaching for the lip. Finally on my third time up I didn't need to place gear and I just executed the moves, getting over the lip and finishing the route. It actually felt easy without all the idiotic fumbling and bumbling.




I can add Stannard's Roof to the long list of Gunks 5.10's that I have failed to get on-sight. Even more than the others, I feel like I can just fire through it next time. It is a three-star experience, for sure. The 5.8 face is really nice and the roof is everything the Gunks is all about. I just know I can do this climb. Next time I'll keep the gear on my harness. And I'll probably split it into two pitches. Doing it as one pitch made for truly horrible drag at the top.




By the time we were done with Stannard's I felt like I'd been put through the wringer. We went looking for our friends but it took a while to find Maryana and Nani. We went to the right side of Lost City to look for them while they went left to look for us. Eventually we found them beneath an incredible-looking finger crack called Resistance (5.10c). But none of us really felt like climbing it. We sat around and talked instead. It was a beautiful afternoon. I wasn't in a rush to do more climbing-- I figured I still had several good days ahead.




Sadly, it was not to be. On Sunday we went out to Bonticue with the kids and did the hike/scramble up the middle to the top. This was our second family trip up Bonticue. It is a beautiful cliff, white like Millbrook, and larger than I remembered. I've never climbed there. It looks like there are lots of fun lines to explore.









(Photo: My son Nate atop Bonticue.)




Storm clouds were rolling through as we did the Bonticue hike and we got just a little bit wet on the way back to the car. Later on, after we returned to our rental house, the skies really opened up. It poured like crazy for the next twenty-four hours. Gail and I had hoped to climb on Monday but we had to call it off.




The rain seemed to stop on Monday evening so Gail and I planned to meet on Tuesday morning. We knew it would be wet but Gail brought her aid gear, figuring we could get some practice aid climbing while we waited to see if the cliff would dry out.









(Photo: I'm not sure I've ever seen it running off quite this fiercely behind the Susie A block.)




When we got to the Trapps the whole area was covered in a misty fog. So we aided a wet Oscar's Variation (normally 5.7, but A0 for us). Gail went first so I could watch and learn. I'd never aid climbed before but it seemed simple enough. Gail was methodical about it, stepping up, placing gear, bounce testing, shifting weight to the new piece, clipping in with a fifi hook, then cleaning the aiders off the last piece and clipping the rope to it. When she finished the pitch she cleaned all the gear so I could lead it fresh. I found it difficult at first to trust the gear and step up, which is funny because I trust it enough to fall onto it all the time! After a few moves I got used to aid climbing and enjoyed it... to some extent.









(Photo: Gail aid climbing pitch one of Oscar's Variation (5.7 or A0).




It started to dry out a bit while we were working on Oscar's Variation. I ran up a slightly damp Ribless (5.6 and not so bad) to the first set of bolts, and from there I could see that the crux of Strictly From Nowhere (5.7) appeared to be dry enough for us. So even though the bottom part of the route was still pretty slimy I led that one too. The crux is always really good, the rest is fairly forgettable. It is much nicer to start Strictly's from the Oscar's corner when it is dry.









(Photo: My first time in aiders, climbing the wet Oscar's Variation.)




Conditions were finally improving but we both needed to leave for the day. There would be no big milestones on this day. We packed up and headed out.




The next day was Wednesday, our departure date. I negotiated with the wife for a few more hours of climbing and hoped against hope that it wouldn't rain overnight. Gail and I planned to meet early so I could get back to our house by check-out time.




When the day dawned I thought we were in luck. It was partly sunny at the house. Maybe the cliff would be dry?




Alas, I was too optimistic. The cliff was again shrouded in fog. As I arrived at the Trapps it seemed to be sprinkling a little. Gail and I headed to the Mac Wall to see if anything was in shape for climbing. When we got there Birdie Party and MF were both seeping. It was wetness everywhere.




Frustrated, I decided to lead Three Pines (5.3) to the GT Ledge, even though it was soaking wet. I just wanted to climb something and I figured it would be good practice. And I guess it was, although I wouldn't really call it fun. At times it felt more like wading through a running river than climbing.




Once I had the rope up we descended to the lower set of bolts and top-roped the first pitches of the two climbs underneath: Something Boring (5.9) and Something Or Other (5.7). These were both new to us. I didn't care much for either one. Something Boring is aptly named. It has unremarkable face climbing and no pro for most of its length. Something Or Other has a bit more to offer. In the early going you are supposed to use a wide crack that is filled with vegetation. I made it more interesting for myself by mistakenly staying right of the crack and doing some hard 5.9-ish moves on little crimpers. Next comes a good 5.7 move off a little ledge up to a jug. Not terrible for a rainy day, but I can't imagine we'll ever do either of these climbs again.




After four crummy pitches it was almost time to go. The sky was brightening but it was still quite wet. Gail and I started walking back to the parking lot, looking for one dry pitch that we could do. It wasn't long before we found ourselves beneath a good candidate: Uncle Rudy (5.7+). I have been interested in this roof-problem pitch for years but have never managed to get on it. (I have done pitch three, and it is really good.)












(Photo: Gail at the crux roof on pitch one of Uncle Rudy (5.7+).)




I liked this pitch. The roof is good, and the pro for the crux is great. The crux is actually two moves: one to get over the roof, and then another thin move up right after the roof. Dick Williams implies in his guidebook that you need a big cam to protect this second crux move, but I found it not to be so. The crack narrows to the right. I got a bomber gray Alien in this crack; lots of other cams would also work.




After the crux, pitch one of Uncle Rudy is pretty dirty and run out, but the climbing is easier. When I got to the belay ledge I considered continuing with Dick's 5.8 PG variation to pitch two, but as it seemed to be covered in wet lichen I decided to leave it for another day.




Uncle Rudy is no great classic, and sending it was no great achievement. But at least it was a pleasant little climb, which was about all I could ask for by the time our wet week was finished.

Monday Mailbox: How to Unclip in Time If Your Bike Stalls Out Uphill?

Monday Mailbox is a weekly post dedicated to questions received over email. Here is one I've been asked by new riders on a few occasions:

I see that you use clipless pedals, and that you do some rides with steep hills. How do you make sure to unclip in time and keep from falling over if your bike runs out of gears and stalls out on a steep climb? I would like to try clipless pedals, but this part makes me nervous.

I am going to answer this question literally - as in how do Ihandle this situation. It may not be the most elegant or standard way to do it, but it works for me.



If I'm in my lowest gear already and a hill is so steep that I sense I am coming to a complete stop, I make one last effort to push on the pedals with all my force and heave the bike forward. This buys me the extra bit of momentum I need to unclip and put my foot down calmly.



But in general, with clipless pedals the key is not to panic. Once you get used to the system, unclipping should be instantaneous. So even if your bike comes to a complete stop and starts falling over to one side, there is still time to unclip - as long as you don't panic and "forget" how to do it.



And on a separate note: If youfrequentlyfind yourself running out of gears uphill to the point of stalling out and having to walk, consider that your bike may have the wrong gearing for your style of riding or ability. Talk to your local bike shop about lowering your gearing; most likely it will mean swapping out the rear cassette and will not be too expensive. Being able to ride all the way up a hill beats having to stop - whether you ride with clipless pedals or not.

Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing

Since it was an extra long weekend, we both were able to pick a thing to go and see/do and then we picked one together. My pick was the Drag Racing Museum that was nearby. I have been excited about this museum since we got here. I love all things to do with cool cars of any type. Nathan is a little less enthusiastic about them. When it comes to them being in a museum, it works out perfectly though because it is the only kinds of museums that I want to spend as long in the museum as Nathan does.



While he reads every single written word in the museum, I look at every single thing on the car that I think is cool. Then I take pictures of every single thing I think is cool. Which means I end up with way more pictures than is reasonable. Then I go home and look at them...over and over again. I really love cool cars.



This particular museum was founded by Big Daddy Don Garlits. His bio is extremely impressive. His cars were extremely impressive. The museum was extremely impressive. We had a great time visiting this place!




There is not a lot of information about the museum online, so I did not know just how much would be here. I was hoping there would be enough that we would feel it was worth the time and money. It went way beyond that, having far more there than we expected and it was laid out very nicely making it very easy to learn a lot along the way. Alongside of the displays were posters, signage and even movie clips.





There was information about the drivers, some of which were women. There were stories about the times when the reality of how dangerous this is reared its ugly head. At one point Garlits had an injury that sliced through his foot, tearing his foot in half. One of the outcomes of that injury was some engineering design changes such as moving the engine behind the driver instead of in front of the driver. There were pieces and parts of the cars that had been in accidents.



And of course there were rows and rows of the awesome cars! We highly recommend this neat museum if you are in the Ocala area. There are two museums on site, I will come back and share about the other one after I get the pictures cropped and edited. That might take days because I took even more pictures at the other museum! Living the life in interesting Florida!

Wool/Poly Blends for Cycling?

While merino wool has become a popular fabric choice for bicycle clothing, it seems that many manufacturers choose to use wool/polyester blends instead of pure merino, believing that the right combination can deliver the best results. Rapha and Road Holland use a fabric called SportWool. Shutt Velo Rapide usesMerinoPerform. Swobo refers to their blend as Merino 753. I am sure there are other proprietary names, but judging by the descriptions of these fabrics the idea is essentially the same: The blend is formulated to have wool fibers on the inside and polyester fibers on the outside, which the manufacturers believe delivers ideal performance properties.






Observing the way these blends have been marketed over the past couple of years, I've noticed an interesting dichotomy. The fiber content shows that merino comprises only 20-40% of it, whereas polyester comprises 60-80%. Yet the names of the blends inevitably feature the words "merino" and "wool," with no mention of the dominant synthetic content. To me this suggests that the manufacturers are eager to promote their use of wool given its current popularity, but in fact do not believe it is possible for wool to be a performance fabric - hence the idea that wool needs to be improved upon (by adding polyester) in order to be used in cycling clothing. All of this has made me highly skeptical about the wool/poly blends. But over the past few months I've had the opportunity to wear several garments made of these fabrics, and gave them an open-minded try. What follows are my impressions.






Having joined a local cycling club last December, I receivedtheir club jersey (right), which happens to be made by Rapha out of the aforementioned SportWool. A couple of months later, I received some items for review from Shutt Velo Rapide, including the Women's Training jersey (left), made of MerinoPerform. Both jerseys are 40% wool, 60% polyester. The texture and weight of the fabrics appear to be identical.






On the outside, the wool blend fabric is smooth and has a slight sheen to it.On the inside it is matte, soft and slightly textured. To the touch, neither the outside nor the inside feels like true merino, but the inside comes closer.




I have worn both jerseys over a (thin, 100% wool) base layer as well as directly next to my skin. I am sensitive to polyester was was curious whether this blend would engage that sensitivity.





In cooler weather, over a base layer, both jerseys feel pretty good. In fact, as mid/outer layers, I have to admit they regulate temperature better for me than the pure wool equivalents I own. I do not experience any sensitivity wearing either of these jerseys over a wool base layer.





However, worn directly next to skin I found the jerseys inferior to the pure wool alternatives. In warm weather the wool/poly blends do not breathe as well for me, and I feel clammy wearing them. I also find them less versatile for temperature regulation when worn on their own. On one ride I found myself too hot in the jersey at 85°F and too cold at the end of the ride at 65°F. I know that my long sleeve 100% wool jerseys are more versatile over the same temperature range.





Rapha, Shutt Velo Rapide and Road Holland each offer lighter weight versions of their wool blend jerseys in an airy eyelet fabric. I've tried the one by Shutt Velo Rapide (above) and it did keep me cool in hot weather. The downside was that as soon as the temperature dropped a bit, I felt chilly. In my experience, pure wool is just more versatile in this respect.





As far as polyester sensitivity, I experienced it with the Rapha jersey when worn directly next to skin, but not with the Shutt Velo Rapide jerseys. I think the reason is simply that the former fits me tighter, so it comes into closer contact with my skin. Either way, after wearing the Rapha jersey in 80°F weather without a base layer underneath, I promptly got a rash under my arms. To be safe, I won't be wearing either of the wool blend jerseys without a base layer again.





Finally, some are probably wondering about the BO factor. Wool is well known for its odor-resistant properties, whereas polyester is known for quite the opposite. I found these jerseys to be somewhere in the middle in that respect, but closer to polyester.





In summary, I have learned that for me the wool/polyester blends function extremely well as outer and mid layers in cool to freezing temperatures. However, they do not function well for me when worn directly next to skin in warmer temperatures - both failing to provide the same temperature regulation as pure wool and activating my polyester sensitivity when coming into close contact with my body.




I am curious about others' experiences with wool/polyester blend fabrics from these and any other manufacturers. How do you find them for cycling compared to 100% wool or 100% synthetics?

Approach and trail running shoes...Salewa?

As I get back outdoors the gear I am using comes to my mind. Thought along with the previous training thoughts I add some commentson shoes. And one shoe in particular. Where I live here on the west side of the Cascades you can generally run trails for 10 months of the year with little heartache. Some do it year around. But not me.We do get a lot of rain and mud however. But that can happen any time of year.



I use a a combination of protective socks (http://www.sealskinz.com/socksand ) and differing shoes to protect my feet depending on the conditions and weather. I hate cold feet.



I have a couple of friends that make fun of runningshoes. We have a long granite ridge traverse in the Selkirksthat we do in the summer.









http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/819415/TR_Selkirk_Crest_High_Traverse#Post819415Trail



Running shoes without sticky rubber can turn that outing into a "run away" mission if you aren't careful. Adding the protection of a good approach shoe for that kind of adventure is just common sense. A hard lesson learned on my first attempt at the traverse.



My Garmont and Selewa approach shoes are better compared to low top lwt boots than my Nike Free running shoes. But they are the appropriate shoe for the Selkirks in comparison to my Brooks Cascadia.



The new to me Salewa Firetail GTX (bottom right) seems to be a unique blend of technology and construction that is a good match to my ownneeds. I have yet to have cold feet in these no matter the conditions an only regular socks.










Here is the Salewa company line on these:




"The Salewa Men’s Firetail GTX Hiking Shoe represents an evolutionary step forward, the missing link between a technical approach shoe and a lightweight trail runner. Specially-designed Vibram outsoles, climbing lacing, protective rands, and a customizable fit enable the state-of-the-art Firetail to handle approaches and descents on the most technical trails with ease and, thanks to the Gore-Tex insert, in any weather."


•Gore-Tex insert keeps your feet bone-dry on rainy days in the backcountry



•3F System distributes the lacing power over the whole foot for unmatched heel retention, so you enjoy a friction-free, blister-free precision fit as well as excellent ankle support



•EVA midsole and PU Shock Absorber cushion your foot on descents, and the Multi- Fit Footbed allows you to adjust the volume of the footbed in the shoe for a perfect fit



•All-around aramidic fiber and rubber rand protects the shoe from impact and abrasion and provides grip when you climb



•Climbing-style lacing extends further towards the front to allow you to dial in your fit



•Proprietary Salewa Vibram Approach outsole provides maximum grip and edging on rocks and helps you put on the brakes on steep descents



•Armored mesh protects the shoe against abrasion while enhancing breathability on hot summer hikes



There are a gazillion different running /approach and trail shoes available. Everyone has their own favorites and styles. So it is a tough market for them and good for us as consumers. The Salewa version was a new one for me as were the Garmonts previous. I'd rather use a running shoe to be honest and a light weight one at that. But for my own use the Salewa has come up with a good combo of protection, additional ankle support, sticky rubber, excellent fitand may be a link betweena "heavier technical approach shoe and a not so lightweight trail runner". It is worth a second look if you require something similar for those full on, long days in the mountains.












SalewaFiretail GTX Hiking Shoe

Bring your shovel, it's still snowing

Here is some cool historical data collected from the Longmire weather station. It was gleaned from the National Weather Services by NPS employee Bret Christoe and graphed by Crystal Raymond.

Bret listed the years when the accumulation (not total snowfall) at Longmire reached at least 60 inches, going back to at least 1932. Although 2007-8 may seem "big" now (particularly as we shovel into our houses and offices) you can see that there is still a ways to go to catch the really big years like 1949. Here's the graph:


Folks, bring your shovels, because according to the National Weather Service, our forecast for LONGMIRE this week is:

Tuesday and Tuesday Night - Snow
Wednesday and Wednesday Night - Snow
Thursday and Thursday Night - Snow
Friday and Friday Night - Snow

It is a tough Spring.......

Photo courtesy of Ben Tibbetts (permission pending)

http://bentibbetts.com/gallery/show/9




First Jon and crew on Everest.



ThenAlly decides to scare the chit out of everyone.

Just when I had convinced myself skiing was a much safer sport.

Ally takes up swimming and cliff diving.

Read Ally's post this willall eventually make sense.



Check Ally'smost recent blog post:



http://allyswinton.blogspot.com//05/swim-on-blanc.html

First Group Ride!

Yesterday, I went on my first group ride. Yes, there were only three of us and we're all friends. But those who were reading this blog last summer understand what an accomplishment this is for me.



Ever since I began to ride a roadbike, I've been whining about wanting to learn how to ride in a group... yet refusing to go on group rides. Yes, it was paradoxical. But you see, I wanted to learn theskillsof riding in a group, while at the same time being afraid of it - convinced that I would perish in a high speed crash, images of the most gruesome bicycle race pile-ups flashing through my mind. I toyed with the idea of joining the women's training rides offered by a local cycling team, but ultimately the entire summer passed and I did not do it - opting for solitary rides and occasional rides with the Co-Habitant instead. I had to be coaxed into joining yesterday's ride, and I did try to back out as usual... but in the end something just clicked in my head and I went. And I'm very glad. Yes, I know you told me so!



My cycling partners were the Co-Habitant on his nearly-finished Surly Cross-Check (notice the fenders!) and our neighbour Somervillain on his vintage 650B conversion.



I was on my Rivendell Sam Hillborne. How happy he was to be out amidst the cherry blossoms!



Though we were riding different bikes, the aesthetic was amusingly similar. We all had candy-coloured frames with fat tires, cantilever brakes, aluminumfenders, leather saddles, classic bar wrap, and even twined water bottles. All three of us were also wearing wool. We looked like a team of eccentric bicycle obsessionists. The plan was to go on a roughly 40 mile loop - starting on the Minuteman Trail, then going through the hilly parts of Lexington, and arriving in Concord, MA - where we would stop before returning along a similar route.



Any nervousness I had about the ride dissipated as soon as the three of us set off in city traffic on the way to the Minuteman Trail. I expected this to be stressful - keeping pace with the others while paying attention to cars and negotiating treacherous intersections - but instead it was easy. Easier than cycling in traffic alone andeasier than cycling in traffic with just the Co-Habitant.I still need to think this through in order to understand why, but possibly because three cyclists really do constitute a group in the eyes of motorists and are thus given more space. Maybe. Whatever the reason, it was great.



For the first part of our ride, we went in an unchanging single file procession - with the Co-Habitant first, Somervillain second, and me last. We cycled fairly closely behind one another, which I did not find problematic. It took me some time to get used to the rhythm with which Somervillain started from a stop, and to time my own starts the same way so that I wouldn't run into him. But otherwise, it was all very intuitive. I did not have trouble pacing myself to maintain the same speed consistently. And I also liked it that they hand-signaled every move they would make on the road. When we cycle alone, the Co-Habitant and I don't do this - which sometimes results in miscommunication.



We went along the Minuteman Trail at 14-16mph, then headed for the hills in Lexington. We've had an especially long winter and rainy spring this year, and I had not done major hills like this since last Fall. I was physically unprepared for them. I also forgot how steep and long this one particular hill was. We began climbing it, and almost immediately I was spinning in a low gear and my speed dropped to 7mph. I just couldn't do any better. It was at this point that we dispersed, so that the stronger riders would not lose momentum. Somervillain took off uphill and the Co-Habitant followed him at a slower pace, but still faster than me. I eventually made it, but the climb was such a huge shock to my system that even the downhill decent that followed made me unable to catch up with them. As soon as the distance between us decreased, came another uphill and I would lose them again. While I found this frustrating, I also appreciated having a true sense of the differences in our abilities. And I certainly preferred them going ahead to slowing down for me - that would have made me feel excruciatingly self-conscious. We cycled over a series of hills in a similar style - the distance between us decreasing on the descent, then increasing again on the ascent - until finally the elevation changes lessened and we were able to cycle in a single file again. I did not have trouble keeping up on flats and mild hills, so that was a relief. The day had been beautiful and sunny up until then, but now it started to rain, which was a relief as well. The raindrops cooled me down.



We stopped in the Concord town center to have lunch and coffee. The sun came out again by then, and the small town looked ridiculously picturesque - blue skies, green grass and cherry blossoms everywhere.



We filled up our water bottles.



And Somervillain showed us his clever iphone-charging system.



The socket is built into the light mount and derives its power from the dynamo hub. He made it himself. I don't own an iphone, but still want this on my bike!



At some point in the course of the ride, the Co-Habitant's brakes suddenly became stronger, solving his brake dilema. Looks like they just needed to wear in.



My writing skills are not strong enough to make the canti-comparison conversation that followed sound interesting, but I'll show you Somervillain's Mafac brakes.



And myTektrobrakes. After a thorough examination of my bike, wemay now have a diagnosis for my complaint about the drivetrain fussiness: bent derailleur hanger, possibly. So I will have to take care of that.



After the town center, we cycled a bit further and stopped by Walden Pond.



Even with lots of people there on a Sunday, it is still such a quiet, meditative place.



We chose a slightly less hilly route home, and the return part of our loop was more casual. We switched places in line frequently, and at times cycled in a cluster instead of a procession - all of which I was fine with. I got a sudden burst of energy on the way back and did not feel tired.



It is fair to conclude that my first group ride was a success. I enjoyed cycling in a procession at a controlled speed, and I did not have problems riding in close proximity to the others. I guess my sense of incompetence in this respect was exaggerated. The losing them on hills aspect I will have to work on, but I think it is to be expected given the differences in physical strength between us.



I looked up the schedule for the women's training rides this summer, and the first one of the season is this Tuesday - tomorrow! Before I lose my nerve, I think I need to just force myself to show up. Will make my best effort - now off to shop for a certain required accessory!