"A Gaze Blank and Pitiless as the Sun" 30 Summit Caves, Tibrogargen

project



Photo: Lee Cujes

jjobrien

Forgive me for:

A. Asking your name more than once when we meet at the crag.

I want to get to know everyone but I'm not great with names.



B. Blogging photos of myself. I'll keep it to a minimum.



C. Plus the usual stuff, coveting neighbours asses, trespassing, etc.





The loss ofanother of our precious own last week re-enforces my quest to know and value every one of you out there.

We are bound by our compulsion to climb harder and higher. It's not a trivial activity. It gives meaning to life. Clint gave more meaning to his life and ours through his climbing.


Getting involved in your striving for excellence is what enriches my climbing.













Scott Hailstone and I got up early to get these shots.

"Black Leather Dungarees" 26 at Coolum Cave has been untouched for years. Such an impressive route.

It's high and steep.

Years ago I made a start on developing this route.

I couldn't make sense of such crazy terrain and calledon the expertise of Lee Cujes to map it out and send it.







Don't do this move.















Climbers, many things make us different butthis is what makes us the same.

We love the fight, the struggle and swinging around high off the ground.













Wardrobe: models own.

The T-Shirt features an ancient Buddhist text refering to the nature of the world as illusion.

Illusion or not, I'm in.




















That shoe I'm putting in your facewould be the Red Chili Carona VCR

You don't have to watch the ads.




It's a big deal for me.

I am nowhonoured to be part of the Wild Country teamwith my own special pageon their UK site.

















That's the Wild Country Elite Ultralite harness andHelium quickdraws.

It's just the gear you want for redpointing a route like BLD.

Radicallylightwith superior action.



















Here I am representing Red Chilion the Expedition Equipment site.




Brisbane climbers, you can get this amazing gear from local rockstarOliver at K2











I know you wanted to see a kneebar.

This one is bomber, and I never thought to use it when I first sent this route.

Age brings cunning.

It also brings laziness, senility and incontinence, but we make the most of it.





















All photos: Scott Hailstone


Scott is about to embark on a year long journey

through the worlds most amazing places.

Take care. Everyone.

Thanks Scott

Secret egg deposit revealed

No wonder I thought the hens had stopped laying.

My husband had put some excess hay in a big box, to get it up off the ground while he hosed down the shop porch. Then, as things tend to happen around here, it just got left there.

Somebody else (it might have been me) put some more empty boxes on top, to keep them above Jasmine-munching level. Said someone then never actually got around to moving the boxes the next week, after the near-overflowing garbage can had been emptied.

Turns out that was much more inviting than some old lovingly handbuilt nesting boxes in a super-deluxe chicken coop.

But now that someone moved the boxes that made the roof of this cubbyhole, it's apparently not so inviting anymore. They've moved the secret stash somewhere else. I haven't found it yet.

---

We've been losing critters again, I think to coyotes. One of our muscovies and several chickens. My favorite chicken. The only one we had left who was laying the green eggs. We have lots more Easter Eggers but they're still young pullets.

Leghorns start laying incredibly fast, at about four months of age. Our Ameraucanas/Easter Eggers were late bloomers, not laying until they were six to eight months old. Now that they're all gone, it'll be two to four months before we see green eggs again.

I've come to the conclusion that Jasmine thinks her job is to guard us instead of the animals. The chickens make it worse by insisting on staying in the woods, where it's cooler, but where Jasmine can't see them, and where the coyotes can pick them off with ease.

Trip to the Jemez

We took a trip to the Jemez Mountains last week. There are two ways to get into the forest area where we prefer to go but this time we went in by way of the Gillman Tunnels. Gillman is a little town that is near the tunnel area. During the early 1900's a railroad was built up through the forest to bring out the logs. Two tunnels were blasted through an area that was solid rock with a small rocky canyon below them with a creek going through it. Eventually the railroad line was taken out and a narrow dirt road still allows cars to make the same trip. The tunnels are still there. This is a photo going into the first tunnel.

Please, Do Your Family a Favor...

My Mother passed away last week (Tuesday, February 15th) and due to her foresight and thoughtfulness, the days following her death were somewhat less stressful than they might have been.



You see, back in January of 1999 Mom planned her own funeral, decided where she was going to be buried, selected the grave marker – and paid for it all!



She purchased the cemetery plot and grave marker outright and got an “insurance policy” to pay for the funeral services. Premiums were paid for three years and guaranteed the cost. She also discussed those arrangements with me, so I knew what she wanted.



She had selected only one song for the service so we chose several more that we knew she liked. The only things that were left to decide and pay for were the flowers for the casket, the funeral cards, thank you notes, and the obituary notices.



The other thing that Mom did that made our decision for us when the time came, was that she discussed her wishes in regards to “heroic measures” or life support in the event that she became terminally ill. It was a heart-wrenching decision that was by no means easy, but essentially one that she had made and we were bound to honor that decision.



Last November, Apple wrote about the process she went through in pre-planning her Mother's funeral as well as selecting a burial site and grave marker. Tough decisions were made and it was stressful, but imagine having to make those decisions in a very short period of time and under even more stressful conditions.



It is definitely not an easy task, but one which your family will forever be grateful. So, if you can, get your funeral planned. At the very least, discuss your wishes with your family. And, if at all possible get it paid for. Now.



Thank you, Mom, for this gift that you gave us.





Mom was cremated and the cremains were buried in the plot shared with her sister at Lakeview Cemetery, Larwill, Indiana. Mom selected a bench marker so that we might have a place to sit when visiting her.

Jemez Mountains

Another photo from our day in the Jemez Mountains in the Ponderosa area.

Star Trails over the Sage Creek Wilderness

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

Why Fixed Gear?

I have been riding fixed gear bicycles for about a year and a half now, and enjoy it so much that it is hard to talk about without getting embarrassed. Here in the Boston area, fixed gear is associated with a distinct cultural attitude and fashion sense, and I do not fit the mold. Seeing me on a bicycle with a fixed drivetrain often seems to surprise people, and I've been told on more than one occasion that I "don't seem like the type." While I suspect this is mostly used as a conversation starter by men, it still succeeds in making me self-conscious. What is it about fixed gear that I like so much and why do I "need" this type of bicycle?

I first tried a fixed gear bike in June . I was staying in Vienna and pining over the nearby velodrome's summer closure, and a friend offered to teach me to ride a track bike so that I could ride around the velodrome building (this seemed very funny at the time - around the velodrome, get it?). I was afraid to try it at first, but as soon as I got on the bike I didn't want to get off it. It felt so natural and intuitive. My friend ended up leaving the bicycle with me for the duration of my stay in Vienna and I rode it in the park after work every chance I got. Cycling slowly due to the lack of brakes, I must have looked like an idiot, but didn't care. I discovered that on fixed gear, my bicycle handling skills somehow improved. I could make tighter turns, cycle through narrow spaces, control my speed better, and just be more in control. It felt as if I suddenly gained a better understanding of how a bicycle worked. The custom Italian track bike made for a now-retired racer felt unexpectedly comfortable, save for the curvature of the handlebars. I could ride this thing for hours with a silly smile on my face. It became clear during those rides that I needed a fixed gear bike of my own once I returned to the US. A friend of a friend sold me a good road frame for fixed gear conversion, and I mailed it to myself in Boston before leaving Vienna.

Waiting for the road frame to arrive (it took over 3 weeks!) I couldn't stop talking about my experience with fixed gear, and just for the heck of it one weekend the Co-Habitant and I converted the Motobecane mixte I then owned to a single speed with a fixed/free flip-flop hub. Doing this was easy and inexpensive. We picked up a budget wheelset, modified the existing crankset, shortened the chain and that was pretty much that. I rode this bicycle around the city and out to the countryside, and it was great fun. But I mostly thought of it as a novelty. On an upright bike, I preferred a freewheel. This bicycle was a great hit around the neighbourhood though, especially when I fitted it with some colourful dressguards. The woman who later bought it planned to use it as a freewheel single speed, but liked the idea of having the fixed option by flipping the wheel.

Finally the vintage road frame I'd bought in Vienna arrived in the mail, and we quickly put it together. You might recognise this as the previous incarnation of theMoser I now ride as a geared roadbike. The tires here look huge, but they are 28mm Panaracer Paselas - the frame had just enough clearance for them if I did not use a rear brake. I rode this bike a lot, and particularly enjoyed it once it began to get cold. There was something about cold and dreary days on a fixed gear that was just magic.But while I loved riding the Moser, it became apparent over time that the frame was not really suitable for fixed gear conversion due to its very low bottom bracket. As my speed on the bike increased I started to get pedal strike when cornering on bumpy or uneven roads, and did not feel that this was safe. Last winter I began to look for another frame, which did not prove to be very easy given my criteria (lugged steel, horizontal dropouts, high bottom bracket, small size,and no toe overlap). I considered getting a frame from Royal H., but could not afford it. I considered the new SimpleOne from Rivendell, but learned that they would not be making one in my size. And that is how I came to be in possession of a Mercian.

By the time I ordered this bicycle from Mercian, I had a good idea of what I wanted in a fixed gear. I did not want a track bike, but a comfortable and somewhat relaxed roadbike that just happened to have afixed gear drivetrain. I wanted to fit it with 28mm-32mm tires for road and occasional trails. I wanted it to have tame handling without feeling sluggish. All of this was done. When I began to ride this bicycle after we put it together, it was just the feeling I wanted. It is comfortable, intuitive, has no toe overlap or pedal strike, and I can ride it for quite a long time without getting tired.

So why fixed gear and what do I like about it so much? If I have to pin it down, there are two distinct elements of this type of bike that I enjoy. First, I simply find it soothing and pleasant. The motions my legs make on a fixed gear feel different - more circular and rhythmical.In that sense it is really not about speed at all, but about being able to ride with smooth and regular pedal strokes and enjoying the state of mind this puts me in. I find this to be very relaxing when I am stressed out. Even just riding in circles around the neighbourhood, the magical sensation of the drivetrain never fails to calm me down and clear my head.

Second, I feel that riding a fixed gear roadbike helps me with technique. My movements feel more elegant and precise, and I can sense that I am developing a more intuitive sense of balance. I play games where I try to keep the bike going at all costs - slowing down to a crawl before a traffic light rather than stop as I wait for it to turn green. I also like to see how fast I can accelerate under different circumstances, and play "sprinting" games until I get out of breath. This is much more interesting to do on a fixed gear than on a freewheel bike, because once you get the drivetrain going it feels as if it "helps" you. All this may sound silly, but somehow I feel that things like this really help. Fixed gear bikes feel playful and very safe, which encourages me to try all this stuff that I would not normally try. Slowly but surely, I can tell that it improves my geared roadcycling skills - including the somewhat "duh" realisation that if I continuously pedal and feather the brakes instead of coasting, then I will feel more in control of my geared roadbike as well.

But all this talk of technique is probably beside the point. When it comes down to it, we do things that we enjoy and fixed gear is for me simply one of those things. I can't imagine not owning a bike like this. I begin to get fixed gear cravings if I don't ride one for more than a week. Luckily, that should not be a problem.

Just One More Iris Photograph

I promise, this will be the last Iris picture posted this year! It's such an unusual color, least one I've never seen before. These are hybrids that we bought a couple of years ago that I brought with me when the house was sold. They didn't bloom last year but according to my mother that's normal as they don't usually bloom the year they are planted. This is the only one that is this color, all the others are the light blue/pale purple color.

Orchids & Kitties

These are some photos of the orchids I bought the other day. They had been $12 and marked down to $3 because they didn't have the sence to water them and they had wilted badly. I was surprised at how well they came back. some of the blossoms were all dried up and fell of but the ones that were just kind of limp opened back up once they had some water.



















Cassie



Twinkie

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1920)

[page 1 - no date]
The 11th Annual Reunion of the Phend - Fisher families was held at the home of John Phend at Tippecanoe Ind. with fifty three members and eleven friends present among whom was Rev. Harper and family of Tippecanoe. Many more would have been there had it not been such a rainy day.

After singing "Blest be the Tie that binds," Rev. Harper offered Thanks and then each one proceeded to help himself or herself to the basket dinner.

In the after-noon a quartet composed of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wherley and Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Phend sang several selections after which the secretary's report was read and approved and several short talks were given.

The following officers were elected.
Jacob Phend Pres.
Will Phend Vice Pres.
Fred Ernest Sec.
Christ Phend Tres.

[page 2]
Iva Wherley was chosen as chairman of the entertainment committee. A collection of $4.20 was taken to pay for several minor expenditures. It was decided by vote to hold the next reunion at the home of John Ernest at Elkhart.

Fred ErnestSec. The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

Tech bindings again?

I switched over to all techbindings for inbounds and out of bounds skiing on everything I own 4 seasons ago.. I have a quiver of skis and a boot quiver as well to cover the full spectrum of my own skiing needs.



DPS 138s in a 192cm to my 167cm lwtBroad Peaks.




Tech bindings are an acquired taste and not for everyone.

But if you have an interest in lwt high performance ski gear this is well worth a read:



http://www.earlyups.com/featured/gear-dynafit-radical-ft-12-review/#.UYE2hKqjXOw.facebook



or dig around in here as it is all done ontech bindings:



http://www.coaststeepskier.com/wphome/



http://www.getstrongergolonger.com/

Zion National Park :: Revisited

Tuesday, November 29th - - Since there was quite a bit of snow at Bryce Canyon, I left there in early afternoon and drove the relatively short distance to Zion National Park. They had recently closed all of the campgrounds in the park except for one loop, which is normally for RVs only and has electrical hookups. There weren't a lot of campers when I arrived but by evening the loop was filling up.



Wednesday, November 30th - - As it turned out, I really didn't need heat during the night but it was nice to have it in the morning to take the chill out of the air. The road through Zion Canyon is normally closed to traffic during the summer season but I took advantage of the opportunity to drive through since the road was open.







Of course I had to get a photo of Angel's Landing. I still find it hard to believe that I actually made it to the top!





It was a short visit but very pleasant nevertheless. Though not much I've done could compare to my visit there last year.

More rando boot reviews worth a look...

If you ever wonder what I look at and pay attention to forreviews here are a couple that would have helped with my own decision making.



http://outerlocal.com/skiing/scarpa-alien-1-0-vsdynafit-dy-n-a-evo-review



http://outerlocal.com/skiing/scarpa-alien-review



http://tetonsandwasatch.com//dynafit-dyna-pdg-boot-review/



http://tetonsandwasatch.com//scarpa-alien-1-review/



http://l-caldwell.blogspot.com//11/dynafit-dyna-pdg-boot-review.html



http://outerlocal.com/skiing/scarpa-alien-1-0-review2-review