Static Point Lost Charms ..

Julie and I headed out to Static Point on Saturday to do the only route there we could complete. The 5.9/5.7 A0 Lost Charms. It supposed to be six pitches of 5.7ish climbing with a 5.9 move which can be aided by grabbing an old Leeper buttonhead bolt. (Yipe!)

It was our first time to Static Point, and we found the approach a little vague. (In reality, the approach was pretty straightforward.) Approach beta differs for this crag, but most of it is pretty similar. However, recent work in the area means that you cannot drive the road to the boulders blocking further progress. Now the road ends earlier with high berms blocking progress. This involves more road walking and once you hit the boulders it is a mile in on the overgrown road. The turn off the road to reach Static Point is obvious, but there are a few rabbit trails that we sadly followed just as others had before us. The real trail seems further than it should, and was marked by a cairn, and a pipe 1/4 full of dirt. Other pipes were just decoys.

We eventually made it to the base of the climb which involves a small bit of 4th class scrambling on slabs to get to. Julie led out the first pitch which was supposed to be up and right, and we wound up at the Spencer's Spaceport anchor. I led up and left to get us back on route. The second belay had a bolted anchor at the bottom of the "Pillar". Since it was after noon and we were on a big ledge, we opted to eat lunch. Julie led out on the next pitch up and across the "Bridge Flake" which had a few exciting moves just before gaining the flake. (The topo actually listed that section as 5.8.) I led out on the next pitch which had a barely finger crack on it and set up a belay at the top. Julie got to lead the crux pitch up and over "The Great Flake" and set up a belay after. I followed up to her location and then back down a bit to a traverse left and then up to a set of bolts. There is supposed to be another pitch that takes you to the trees, but we opted not to go, as there were some guys rapping from Online off a dead tree up there. We weren't interested. We rapped Online with 3 double rope raps. (Actually, most of the bolts we rapped on were older hardware, and I was under the assumption that Online had been rebolted.) Perhaps we rapped some other route.

Overall the route was enjoyable on great rock. It was not as run-out as I was expecting. It takes decent gear, and I was happy we packed double of aliens from blue to yellow. (The finger crack pitch I would have liked a third blue alien, but made a nut work.) It is fairly easy for the leader to French the 5.9 move, but as the follower, I would have found it difficult to remove a biner/gear from the bolt after making the move. I also think that it is probably about two moves of each foot, and not just "one move" of 5.9. It is a short steep featureless section just below "The Great Flake." Once through the move, my heart was pumping and remained that way through the rest of the pitch. (I didn't find a large creaky flake very confidence inspiring.)

I didn't have a camera. (Jennifer has it in NJ.)

Following the Bridge Flake

More of Julie's pics here.

Better than Ueli Steck? Frank Jourdan

Even Steck admits to an on sight climb as being the betteraccomplishment. Jordan didn't require pre inspection or multiple laps in the alpine.



And a bit of tongue in cheek when I say "better" as both are obviously incredible athletes. Just wanted a little shock value as most haven't heard of, or understand Jordan's accomplishments in North America. Some perspective? Manyof these climbs take a full day's walk just to get to the base. Most if not all, have rock much worse than on the Eiger. There are no trams,no cell service, no fixed gear with few climbers out compared to the Alps. And finally only the easier routes have seen much traffic. Almost everything Jordan did was an early solo ascent if not the 1st solo ascent.I've never heard of anything remotely comparable having been done by one climber in such a short amount of time in North America. You would have to look long andhard in the Alps to find anyoneso eager, capable and most importantly committed today, let alone in 1994.Read on if you want to know more.



Pictures are literally only of Jordan's "easy" routes from these trips!



Frank Jourdan?



David Dornian wrote the following about Frank Jourdan's summer for the Calgary Mountain Club World News' alpine report in 1994.



"A stiff little reminder of what can be accomplished when you put a few caffeine pills into your butt bag, hang a couple of ropes and your shoes off your harness, and get out whilst everyone else is still "waiting for things to come into condition"



What did YOU do on your summer vacation? In July, visiting German alpinist Frank Jourdan managed a quick two-week trip to the Canmore/Banff/Jasper corridor to finish off a North American tour.



Discovered sleeping in his car at the ACC clubhouse parking lot in Canmore, he was taken into town by staff, coffeed up, and the following amazing tale was extracted in halting English.



It seems that a few days previously, Frank had driven north to the Columbia Icefields where he soloed a route he referred to as "Skyladder Direct" on Mt. Andromeda. He then descended the line, crossed the glacier to the northeast, and ascended "The Shooting Gallery". From there, he traversed the summit of Andromeda, climbed down one of the "Practice Gullies" and moved across too the base of "The Andromeda Strain".





The gully of A-Strain



In the dark now, he ascended the "Strain" by headlamp, carried on past the Andromeda/Athabasca col, over the summit of Athabasca in blowing conditions and what he called "...very strong snow" and arrived back at the parking lot 45 hours after he had left.



There's more.



Moving north a bit, Frank then soloed the Robinson/Arbic on the North Face of Cromwell.



And more...



Next, he attempted the North Face of Alberta. Going up without a rope, Frank decided he didn't like the inconsistent nature of the rock band above the icefield, and so he traversed off the face and descended the NE ridge. As a consolation, he bagged the peak by the Japanese Route before returning to the highway.



And still more...



He drove to Jasper and had a look at the North Face of Edith Cavell, coming down because of wet rock and unconsolidated snow.



And finally.



Returning south past Mt. Kitchener, where he soloed the Grand Central Couloir - "Only to be climbed ven zer's eis..." - apparently spending over an hour tunneling through the summit cornice.





N. Face of Kitchner

Wait...



After resting and cragging around Canmore for a few days, Frank decided that he wanted "...perhaps one more peak" before he headed home to Germany. When he showed up at Acephale around noon on Sunday, looking for Todd, we mercilessly insisted that he have a go on Mirror Stage 12b. Heh, heh. After all, we pointed out to this quiet little guy in the pilled fleece, there was already a rope on it; he might as well give it a shot. Protesting that he was "probably quite tired...", he dutifully pulled on a pair of shoes and sent the rig first try. A little while later, he did the same to Bleu du Ciel 12b, loosing his feet during the hideous sloper match at the crux and simply pulling up and locking off while he reached across for the next crimp edge in the sequence.



Now willing to let him be our friend, we engaged Frank in conversation. Turns out he had spent the day before climbing the Blanchard/Robinson on the North Face of Howse Peak, avoiding the A3 chimney and block via the ice in the gash out right (which he admitted was slow going and "very technical" [and which Peter Arbic, the only other person to go that way, reportedly characterizes as "Death" - ed.] and had been forced to sleep on the mountain that night, prior to descending and running up to meet us at the crag."



Dave Dornian





There is more...



From:



http://www.alpinist.com/



Frank Jourdan



Posted on: December 1, 2004



http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP09/climbing-note-jourdan







The east face of Mt. Assiniboine, showing Cheesmond-Dick (V 5.9 A2, ca. 1200m, 1982). Frank Jourdan soloed the route in July for its second ascent. It was his third trip to Canada; in July 1994 he soloed a direct variant to Skyladder Direct, then climbed The Shooting Gallery, and then climbed The Andromeda Strain, all on Mt. Andromeda, car-to-car in forty-five hours. He then soloed the Robinson-Arbic on the north face of Cromwell. Next, after attempting the north face of Alberta, he climbed the Japanese Route; then attempted the North Face of Mt. Edith Cavell; then soloed the Grand Central Couloir on Mt. Kitchener; then soloed the Blanchard-Robinson on the north face of Howse Peak. His 2004 tour showed his enthusiasm to be undiminished. Photo courtesy of Raphael Slawinski



in his own words



"In July I traveled for the third time to Canada. In spite of bad conditions on the alpine faces I picked off a couple of good routes. After installing a bivy cache at Eiffel Lake I succeeded in climbing the Greenwood-Jones (V 5.8 A1, ca. 1400m, 1969) on the north face of Mt. Temple,





2000m N. Face of Temple

then, after a bivouac at the cache, the Supercouloir (IV 5.8, Lowe-Jones, ca. 1200m, 1973) on Mt. Deltaform (the final pitches of which are especially brittle).







Dave Cheesmond photo of Tim Friesenon Deltaform's crux



Deltaform's 2000m N. face. Cheesmond's picture above is the lastbit of rotten rock on top of that narrow ice gully.



Two and a half days later, when I was feeling more confident with this type of rock again, I headed to the glacier at the base of the east face of Assiniboine (the longest "twenty-kilometer" hike I ever did). This impressive mixed face was not in good shape either. After resting at the base I started climbing the Cheesmond-Dick (V 5.9 A2, ca. 1200m, 1982) at 2 a.m. I gained height pretty fast, but around 8:30 a.m. I got stuck just below the start of the upper, steeper sections because of intense rockfall. I searched for shelter and waited for dropping temperatures. At 4 p.m. (!) the rockfall abated and I kept going as fast as I could. In some sections, especially the steeper waterfall pitches, the snow and ice were almost gone. Therefore I was forced to climb very tricky, scary, loose and wet mixed terrain with sketchy pro. A ramp system and a traverse to the left leads to a steep rockface which is usually the crux, but, compared to the lower sections, the rock was not too bad. Using free, aid and drytool techniques I reached the easier exit slopes. A final, vertical, ice-and-soft-snow pitch through the cornice at the top made me shit my pants. The face took me thirteen hours to climb (with the stop, twenty-one hours). Another longtime dream was fulfilled.



After some rest days and a twelve-day visit to the remote Waddington Range, where I managed to solo three routes (the Flavelle-Lane route [TD+: 55 degrees 5.8, 980m] on Waddington; a possible new route [5.9+, ca. 650m], left of Perseverence, on the south face of Combatant; and the Southwest Face [TD+: 5.8, 1450m] on Tiedeman), I headed farther north to the main goal of the trip: the 2000-meter unclimbed northwest face of Devils Thumb, the ultimate challenge for a fast solo push. From Petersburg I flew in, highly excited to look at the face, but what a mess: there was no snow and ice at all, only very broken and chossy-looking rock (especially in the lower part). I realized that there is no way to climb this vertical quarry. I left for Canada, where I sat in my car near the river ready to start another attempt on the north face of Mt. Alberta (which I had attempted in 1994, failing below the upper rockband, which scared me too much at the time)—but I hesitated. The last weeks had hurt my knees and back painfully. The stress of being alone in a lot of scary situations had blown my mind, and I decided to not go: I was not motivated or calm enough any more. I started the car, anxious to get back to life, to my friends, to share my beloved red wine... and realizing that once again, I had been lucky to survive."



— Frank Jourdan, Pforzheim, Germany





Some holiday :)

Old Bird

this is a very old Christmas decoration that my mom gave to me when I first had my own home. She had the birds long before I was born, so I am not sure how old they really are. Maybe early 1940's.

Leicestershire Round 12 - Hallaton to Foxton

Warning - this post contains frequent references to rain and nettles!





With Marta. Hard work because of rain, wet crops in some fields and two or three places where nettles obstructed the path. One of those rainy days with dry intervals. 810 ft of ascent. Just over 12 miles. Excellent pub for lunch - The Bell at East Langton.


We start by walking past the large church along Churchgate, following it round to the little cemetery. Just after this we go through a kissing gate, taking the path close to the hedge on our left. We cross the stream and make our way over fields, with the site of Hallaton motte and bailey to our right

The motte and bailey

We did wander from the path once or twice when we couldn't see the waymark posts. The rain made it more difficult to keep consulting the map or guide book! Too many raindrops to wipe off. So two graceful curves instead of a straight line on the garmin trace around Horseclose Spinney. After that point we managed to follow the route as far as Cranoe church for an earlier-than-planned stop for coffee in the church porch, watched by a couple of carved heads. Some one has been at them with the felt-tip, but this is clearer on the photos than in real life!











The lion on the outside of the porch has been left alone.























From Cranoe to Glooston involves road walking, but the road is very quiet and the surface a welcome respite from the wet fields. The rain is not stopping, and we take sanctuary in Glooston church porch for our second rain-pause in just over a mile.







We didn't set out with the intention of studying carved heads today, but here are another two.



We walked the route from Glooston to Hallaton quite recently, so find our way easily to Stonton Wyville. We become aware that water has seeped from wet crops down into our boots - squelch, squelch. By the time we reach Stonton Wyville, we're too wet to care, so after a quick adjustment of boots we head for Langton Caudle. Its fine views are visible but rain-hazed. We could still do with one extra LR marker up here, but we reach the trig point without problem, since we know the way!

We came, we saw, we conquered!

We follow the path from the trig point keeping close to the hedge on our right, and go downhill, through a long pasture to the ford. Here we turn left along the bridle path to Thorpe Langton. We cross the main road and take the street leading to the church. We turn right along the footpath. This church offers us no sanctuary from the rain - even the porch is locked.



So it's over the fields to the farm road, turn left and at the end into a field and right through the gate in the hedge just after the shelter! Onwards more or less east until we arrive at East Langton. We'll make the small detour to the pub.



They are remarkably pleasant to us even though we resemble drowned rats, and are quite happy for us to remove boots and socks in a side room before we order some lunch. The barman does offer us the choice of "waterlogged sandwiches", but we decide we prefer the ciabatta - served with salad and chips. It's excellent. £6.95 for the meal + £2 for a drink. I recommend The Bell.



The last three miles or so are flat and shouldn't present much of a challenge - we think. And at first it's just like that - through meadow/pasture land - a herd of Lincoln Red cattle, or choc cows and calves, who look but aren't interested. Then there are sheep, and we go under the railway line. So far so good.



Two fields later we hit a small section of woodland. The path goes through here, but it looks as though the vegetation has had a growing binge. Luckily I have my trekking pole on my back-pack. I rarely use it, but it works as a substitute machete, and we force our way through along the marked path.



We're going to head for the factory on the horizon. All goes well until we're within 100 yards, and we have the same problem with lush weeds. This time it defeats us before we start. I know there's another route. We go back, and just before we join the B6047, we face a similar problem. Tall wet nettles and umbellifers, and yes, LR waymarkers lead straight through this jungle.



We get there. Then we have a slightly hairy 200 yards or so to walk on the pavement next to the busy road, dodging cars and vegetation. It's a relief to reach the canal. We've decided to make our own way to Foxton Locks. rather than tackle more soggy fields.







A short distance along the towpath, and a large willow tree has split and a bough has fallen on top of a narrowboat and is blocking the waterway. No one has been hurt, and they're planning to get it cleared soon. We can walk underneath it.



Now things are looking smooth - the rain has stopped, we're beginning to dry out, and the prospect of a coffee at Foxton Locks is inviting. A good path, water alongside, no nettles to fight. Life is sweet.





Of course, just before we arrive at the Bridge 61 pub near the Locks, the rain begins in earnest, and we get soaked again. We stay inside until there's another dry interlude, and walk up past the flight of locks to complete the circle of the Leicestershire Round.

Mr. Nosey

A very curious squirrel checking me out with an intense look as I made this photograph of him.

Wordless Wednesday :: It's not a sunset...

Cumberland Island National Seashore, St. Marys, Georgia
December 27, ..

Demo days?

It is big fun for me to get together with a few fellow gear geeks with the same size boots and demo every one's skis side by side. Even better if you can demo the same ski in different sizes which is what Brian Harder and I did recently. Also wanted to thank both La Sportiva and Dynafit for throwing a few extra pair of skis we hadn't skied our way for comparisons. The resulting Hang5 review comes in part fromthe loan of the first pair of Hang5s. Also a big thanks for all the support fromDynafit and the loan of the Cho Oyu recently to make that review possible as well. I can'tbuy every pair of skis I like but I sure am happy to ski on any loaners that are being passed around.





More on Brianhere:

http://www.getstrongergolonger.com/

Peace Lilly

My Mother's Peace Lilly is blooming and I wanted to share. It's so beautiful... and appropriate for today, I think.

Cycling without Fear

I talk to a lot of beginner cyclists who are afraid to ride on the road. Some try to conquer their fears by riding anyway, only to find that they end up being more afraid, not less. The proximity of the passing cars frightens them so much, that their bike handling suffers. This in turn makes them more likely to experience close calls and drivers honking at them, terrifying them even more. It becomes a vicious cycle.




Fear is a nasty, crippling emotion. I don't mean the philosophical kind, where you are thinking "Gee I don't think I can handle this." What I mean is the visceral kind: that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, adrenaline, heart racing,trembling, weak at the knees. It is debilitating and difficult to control. But it can be avoided.




If an aspect of cycling scares you at a strong visceral level, my suggestion would be to take it down a notch - to a point where you do not experience the fear - and work from there. If cycling on busy roads gives you panic attacks, try riding on quiet side streets exclusively, until that feels so comfortable that you are ready for the next step. If even that is too much, stick to bike paths, parks and empty lots until you are ready for side streets. If your neighbourhood has none of these things, try riding in the middle of the night or very early morning (with good lights of course). Even in a busy city, the roads will be nearly empty. Whatever it takes, find a way to ride so that you are relaxed and not in panic mode. I would apply this to every aspect of cycling - from riding for transportation, to learning new skills, to trying drop bars, clipless pedals, and riding off road.




It's also important to understand that when we ride with friends and spouses, their level of comfort may be very different from ours. Without meaning any harm, they might coax or pressure us to do things we cannot handle. When we are ready for it, being encouraged to push ourselves can be a good thing. I've certainly received more than a couple of nudges that were helpful. But overcoming nervousness or timidity is one thing. Intense, limbs-atremble fear is not good and can affect our behaviour in unpredictable ways. It is our responsibility to know the difference.




Conquering one's fears is a worthwhile endeavor. But it takes time and there is more than one way to approach it. In my experience, those who find cycling more frightening than enjoyable, stop cycling. Therefore, I suggest sticking to riding in a way that feels fun and avoiding riding in a way that feels terrifying. Cycling should be a positive experience.

Gunks Routes: P-38 (5.10b)

(Photo: Past the low crux overhang and into the awkward corner of P-38 (5.10b).)


Gail and I recently got out for a little weekday fun in the Gunks.



We saw little reason to stray too far from the Uberfall. There were lots of people around, to be sure, but nothing approaching the weekend crowds.



The spring weather was delightful and my only big goal for the day was to hit at least one 5.10 from my list. After spending a few pleasant hours in the Frog's Head area we decided it was time. We headed over to P-38 (5.10b). Gail had followed it before but it was years ago. I had never tried it so it was to be an onsight attempt for me.



Sitting as it does within spitting distance of the outhouse known as the "Über Pooper," P-38 is for most climbers a familiar sight. The slanting crack that defines the climb is obvious from the road below.



I wanted to do it because of that crack. I expected it would provide good gear. About the climbing, I guess I knew very little. I thought, not unreasonably, that I was in for a crack climb. But it turned out that there isn't any crack climbing on P-38, which is cool because I'm no good at that anyway!



I was hoping that maybe, just this once, I'd onsight one of these 5.10's. I have not had much luck with getting them clean. Over and over again I've had to work the cruxes a bit, or on some occasions I've even had to back off.



The first hard move on P-38 comes right off the deck, as you attempt to surmount a little overhang that is just over your head as you stand below the climb. There is pro here, and I actually placed two pieces as I stepped up and down, several times, working out the opening move. Eventually, after several reconnaissance missions, checking the gear and making plans, I executed my little sequence and made it up over the little roof.



Success! Maybe I was on my way to victory.



I was surprised by the next few moves. I thought the climb would be sustained and awkward. And it is sort of awkward, but after the opening moves it is really pretty easy up to the crux. There are jugs outside the crack and you can actually wedge your leg into the crack as you move up, providing opportunities to place gear, rest and shake out.



Soon enough I arrived at the crux sequence. You'll know it when you arrive there. There is a delicate step left to a little dish for your toe, and then a couple of thin moves up to a tantalizing ledge, so close but yet so far.



I placed what I thought was a bomber purple Camalot and then made the step left. As I tried to move up I thought about placing more gear but the climbing was pumpy and insecure. I just wanted to move-- the rest stance was in sight-- and so I did, without dealing with any more placements. I moved up once, feeling like I was barely in balance, just holding on. I thought that if I could make one additional move, a high-step to a polished pebble, I would be through the crux.



I was just a move away, but as I tried to get my toe on the pebble I lost the grip and took a fall. It happened suddenly and caught me a little bit off guard. I meant to yell "falling!" But instead in the moment said "take!"



Of course it happened so fast that Gail couldn't take; she just caught me as I took what turned out to be a pretty good whipper. The Camalot held just fine and the fall was totally clean. It is steep there and the gear is a little to the right so there isn't much risk of the rope catching your leg. It is about the best fall you could hope for.



Still I was a little taken aback by how far I fell and as I went back up, onsight already blown, I decided to place more gear before trying the crux again. I ended up getting a higher cam from the rest stance and then, after moving left again, I placed a great red Alien from the delicate position after you step up into the crux sequence. I ended up hanging a couple of times as I placed the additional gear and then, as I got set to try the final crux move again, I took a couple more falls as I rushed it trying to get back to the crux move and then failed at the crux when I tried to repeat the same sequence I used the first time.



Hanging there, I told myself to focus. I had come closer to success on my first try than I had on my subsequent fumbling efforts. I needed to execute my beta to get to the final move, and then try something new. I visualized exactly what I planned to do and then tried to be precise and patient.



And this time it went like butter. I danced up to the final move. Then I switched feet and stepped through up to the polished pebble, and it flowed. It actually felt easy, and I found myself at the rest stance, wishing I'd thought to try the move this way the first time. I came so close to the onsight! One little pebble away from victory.



I seem to find myself saying this every time, but now that I've worked it out I think I can go back and get the redpoint. I remember the whole sequence and I think so long as I'm careful I can climb it without a problem. The only question is whether I will be able to do it while placing the extra gear mid-crux. This gear isn't strictly necessary but I'd like to have it. If I decide to place it the crux will be a little bit harder.



Once the crux is over, P-38 eases off considerably. There is an easy traverse left and then a few 5.8 moves over a bulge to the finish. Some describe this section of the pitch as run out, but I did not find it to be so. I placed a couple of Tricams along the traverse and a nut in a flake right below the sloper holds that take you over the final bulge.



Once up on the finishing ledge, I was surprised to find the traditional belay tree long gone. There is no tree, just a rotting stump, which is obviously not a suitable anchor. I arranged a belay with gear placed between the huge boulders on the ledge, but you could also go to the top and belay from a living tree. The walk-off down the Uberfall is very close if you choose to go all the way to the top. If you belay on the ledge as I did you can use the Radcliffe descent which is right there behind the climb. This was my first time down Radcliffe and it is a little more exposed at a couple of spots than the Uberfall descent.



P-38 is a really good little climb. I will go back to send it. It has two stiff cruxes, one at the opening move and then a harder, more technical crux above. It has some unusual moves for the Gunks, good gear, and it could hardly be more accessible. I am bummed out that I didn't figure it out the first time, but I shall return!

Canyonlands National Park

If you like the canyon country but the thought of the insane crowds at the Grand Canyon turns your stomach, then Canyonlands National Park is for you! Featuring canyon vistas no less impressive than those of the Grand Canyon, Canyonlands is a heavenly park. Near Moab, Utah the park is easily accessible by car. However, if you want to fully appreciate this park (something I have yet to do) you need to spend at least a few days here and explore the park away from the main road. Canyonlands is a vast park with many things to see, but it takes time to see them and appreciate them. On my next trip to the southwest I hope to spend at least a few days here.

Above: These 2 images are actually from Dead Horse Point State Park, a short detour along the same road that brings you into Canyonlands. Dead Horse Point is a beautiful place with impressive canyon views to both the east and the west, making it a fantastic location for either sunrise or sunset shooting.

(Above and below: A sampling of some of the views available from the main park road.)

Gunsmoke

Newspaper photo of James Arness who played Marshal Matt Dillion on Gunsmoke. There was a question from someone wanting to know if he was too big to ride a horse. Apparently they never watched the show or they would have known the answer.

It's Still There!

What's still there, you ask? The residence of John Brubaker, my 3rd great grandfather, that's what! Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful fall day here in northeast Indiana and I couldn't resist taking advantage of it. After running some errands, it was about 2:30 in the afternoon by the time I got to Huntington County. A few minutes later I was in the area where I thought the house should be, and there it was! It didn't quite look the same as in the image from the atlas, but I was pretty sure it was the right house. I pulled off to the side of the road and took a couple of pictures. The sun was in the "wrong" position for a really good shot, but it does show some of the details. The house is some distance from the road. Thank goodness for zoom lenses!

Comparing the two images, the first thing I noticed was that the pitch of the roof is steeper in the old image (artistic license perhaps?), several of the chimney's have been removed, and the brick exterior has been painted. The porch has been extended to the full depth of the offset and a sloped roof replaces the railed deck. There is only one entrance off of the porch into the house. The door going into the south facing section has been removed. The second window above the porch was actually a door. It too has been removed as has the "front" door (the empty space below the 3rd upstairs window). Modern insulated windows have replaced the originals, and the decorative thing-a-ma-jigs above the windows are gone.

Cropped portion of the picture used in the 1876 atlas, shown in a previous post.

Looking southeast, showing the room that was added onto the southwest corner of the house and some of the out-buildings.

After taking the pictures, I did something that I've never done before. I saw a car in the driveway so I drove up to the house. I was greeted by a very friendly black lab and a small golden haired retriever-mix. They didn't bark or make a sound, which I thought was odd. Anyway, I petted them for a minute and then went onto the porch and knocked on the door. No answer. I peeked around behind the house thinking perhaps someone was outside, but there wasn't anybody there. Went back on the porch and knocked on the door again. Still no answer. Waited a few minutes, knocked again. No answer. So I left. As I was driving down the lane out to the road, the school bus pulled up and dropped off several children. After speaking with them for a few seconds, I turned around and went back to the house, where their mother was waiting on the porch!

She hadn't heard me knocking on the door. She was very nice and friendly. I showed her a copy of the picture of John's house and she confirmed that it was the same house. She said that she was told that the house had been built in the early 1850s. She and her husband purchased the house eight years ago from a couple that had bought it about 1970. She didn't know who they had purchased it from.

After a few minutes of chatting on the porch she invited me inside. The walls are solid brick, at least 12" thick. It's hard to see from the pictures above, but the house is really two rectangular "sections" that are offset by the depth of the porch. So the back, or south facing section, is only as long as the north facing section. We didn't go down into the basement but I didn't think to ask whether it was a full or partial basement or whether its walls were stone or brick.

There are two fairly large rooms on each floor of the front section. There is just one large room in the back section on each floor but the enclosed stairway is also on that side of the house. At the top of the stairs there is a large landing area that has been converted into a closet and a hallway. I was surprised by the height of the rooms upstairs as they have 8' ceilings. I was expecting them not to be as high as those downstairs. There are no fireplaces left in the house.

The only change to the original footprint of the house is the addition of a room at the back, southwest corner, downstairs. It is actually two small rooms. One is being used as the laundry room and back entrance and the other is a galley-type kitchen.

All in all, I must say, it was a very nice day!

Hard Core Bicycle DIY: Is It Worth It?

Over his year and a half of adult bicycle ownership, the Co-Habitant has progressed from not knowing much about bicycles at all, to completing two full bicycle builds from scratch. In the course of that time, knowledge was gradually gained, tools were purchased one by one, and increasingly complicated procedures were mastered. I helped when I could, but mainly the mechanics are his thing. I will stick to writing about it, thank you.



It certainly would be nice to write an inspiring post about what a rewarding and empowering experience it is to do one's own bicycle builds and overhauls. But the truth is, that I do not necessarily believe that to be so - which is why I do not do it myself. Assuming that we are speaking ofserious DIY here, beyond simple maintenance, these projectsrequire the investment of considerable amounts of time, energy and money.At the risk of coming across as discouraging, here is how I see it:

It is worth doing your own bicycle mechanics if...

...You truly enjoy it and look upon it as a hobby to fill your spare time with. That is the #1 reason in my view. If you do not enjoy it, the process can be extremely frustrating. Also, keep in mind that like any hobby, this one will require spending money on supplies - some of which will be wasted on trial and error. You will surely ruin cables and cable housing, possibly even components. You will order the wrong parts and will need to return them. Sometimes you will only realise that they are the wrong parts after you try to install them and scratch them up - making returns or exchanges impossible. You will have to make multiple, unexpected trips to bicycle shops and hardware stores for things you will suddenly realise you need. All this better be enjoyable, or it makes no sense.

...You own multiple bicycles, plan to build up multiple bicycles, and/or foresee yourself frequently changing components on your bicycle(s). Only then does it make financial sense to invest in the many tools you will need to do your own overhauls and builds - and to go through the learning process before you actually get good at it. Things like a proper bike stand and a standard tool kit will already cost more than most bicycle shops charge for a bike build. And then there are the less common, but often necessary tools, such as headset presses, cotter presses, bottom bracket tools,dremels, and so on, that raise the cost of DIY even higher, if you properly account for it all.

...You are good at bicycle mechanics. If not, then it is just plain dangerous to work on your own bicycle. While some mistakes make for good learning experiences, others - especially when it comes to brakes, steering and the drivetrain - can have disastrous consequences.

...You are, at least to some degree, a control freak and like everything about your bicycle to be "just so". Sure, a bike shop may do an all right job. But you would just feel better if you trued those wheels or tensioned that chain or installed that bottom bracket yourself.

Ifall of the aboveapply, then by all means - full speed ahead with the DIY. You will enjoy it, and it will be rewarding. However,if your primary goal is to save money, I would suggest you think twice. It is not just about buying all the necessary tools that you may seldom have occasion to use again, but also about time. While on the surface it may seem that I would save money by doing abicycle build myself, in economic terms this is actually untrue. In the time it would take me to build up a bicycle, I could insteadtake on an extra freelance project in my own line of work - and the income from it would be greater than the money I'd save by building the bike myself. Financially speaking, the wise thing to do would be to allocate that work to an experienced mechanic while using the time saved to earn money in my own field of expertise.

I am fortunate to live with someone who enjoys working on bicycles (see his description of his travel tool kit!) and is quite good at it. I am also fortunate that he had some time off this summer and actually wanted to spend it working on bikes. Now that he has accumulated all the tools he needs and sufficient experience, we can do pretty much anything bicycle-related at home - and I appreciate that very much. But I by no means think that it is every "real cyclist's" duty to be able to do these things on their own, just like I do not think it is every "real home owner's" duty to be able to do their own plumbing and electrical work. If you are passionate about bicycle mechanics and are good at it, then certainly it can be fun and rewarding. Otherwise, it is best left to the experts - for the sake of your nerves and your wallet.

15 Swoonworthy Velo-Valentines

Just over a week ago, I announced a Give-away for Valentine's Day - inviting readers to submit bicycle-themed Valentines for a chance to receive a beautiful, bright red Bobbin Birdie. Over 70 submissions were made, and I have looked at and read them all at least twice. All were beautiful and thoughtful, and I sincerely thank everybody for sharing them. I would now like to present 15 Valentines that, with difficulty, have been selected as the final entries. They are numbered (in no particular order) and your feedback is welcome. While this is not an outright "readers' choice" vote, your selections will be taken into consideration in the final decision. Thanks for looking, and enjoy!




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1. "Be Mine" Submitted by Park Girl: "'The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets' - Christopher Morley".




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2. "Together We'll Go Far ... On Love & Bicycles." Submitted by Stephen Lee Ogden.




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3. "Bicroscopic Valentine." Submitted by Jessi: "Portraits sourced from the Commons, Bobbin Birdie bike, and original photograph of silk threads under glass slide, taken with a Nikon 1970's microscope mount. Everything but the silk fibres are halftoned, because that is how I roll."





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4. "Diamonds are a girl's best friend. But my valentine is a mixte."Submitted by Mindy: I wanted to draw a picture of my bike, because I do love my mixte! The text still works even if you're not familiar with the mixte/diamond frame thing (see what I did there?)."







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5. This evocative poem was submitted by Robin.




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6. "A day with... is better than a day without..." There is another side to this card, and it is shownhere. Submitted byWillie Bailey.



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7. "Hip hoppin' & Bobbin' for you, Valentine!" Submitted by Julie: "My dog, Bonnie, is a little shy and eccentric, and is always the star of our "family" greeting cards. She was going to make a Valentine anyway, but she decided to go with a flashy Valentine theme in hopes of winning her dear mother, me, a pretty new Lady Bike."




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8. "All I want to do is make tricycles with you." A collage submitted by Michelle B.




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9. "The story, context, high-res sharable files (including vector) for anyone who wants to have fun and make their own for someone can be discovered here." Submitted by nandapocentric.




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10. An embroidered Valentine! Submitted byyn0405:"My entry, inspired by the little Birdie"




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11. "The two things in this world that are true: my sturdy lugged frame and my love for you!" Submitted by LT: "When I read your latest post this morning I thought immediately of my favorite old family photo, so I added a few bits to the photo to make it a vintage-themed Valentine."




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12. A poem submitted by William B. The text reads:



"Said the front tire to the rear

Follow me; I’ll lead my dear.

Round and round we’ll roll together.

‘Cause when you push I steer better.

If miles from here the road’s not fair

We’ll just let out a little air.

I will not shimmy, I will stay true;

That is the promise I make to you.

At dusk, to emphasize our genders,

We’ll slip into some silver fenders.

Your tread is slick; your spokes are fine;

You’ll always be my valentine."




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13. "Sending you... Love." Submitted by Margaret.






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14. "I wanna ride with you."Submitted byAinsleyW:"Happy Valentine's Day!! Here's my entry, designed specifically in the likeness of mine and my sweetie's bicycles."





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15. Submitted by Audrey W., the poem reads:




"true love

discouraging, tiresome
amassed frustrations
quick release–
escape
restore sanity?

true love, loyal to
youth, to health, to
the beating-
heart

celebrating curves,
bearing pain and
bliss–
eternal"





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So, what do you think? List the numbers of the Valentine(s) that appeal to you in the comments, and your feedback will help determine the recipient. There are no rules by which to judge the Valentines, these things just sort of have to "hit" your love receptors. How much work went into making them is, of course, worth considering as well. The recipient will be announced on Valentine's Day, February 14th. Please feel free to contribute to the comments up to the eve of that date. Thank you everybody for looking, reading and participating. Have a lovely weekend!