Pets at Work

Every time I visit Circle A Cycles, I sift through my pictures of the shop afterward only to discover that they are mostly cat portraits. But who can blame me, when they have such a fabulous shop cat. BT's job is mainly reception, customer serviceand PR. When it comes to being petted, she is an equal-opportunity practitioner - diligently making her way from one visitor to another, ensuring that everyone gets their fair share of stroking her silky fur and scratching her velvety ears. When this task is done, she slinks around delicately amidst the machinery, inspecting the quality of her colleagues' work.




I've tried to invite my own cats into my workspace. There was that one time I attempted to have them in the same room while I painted. Minutes later, they'd already managed to dip their little paws into some paint, and were now proceeding to spread it around the entire room while swatting brushes off of shelves and batting at jars of turpentine playfully. Oh how I paid for their visit with hours of cleanup. Oh how they squirmed and squealed as I quarantined them in the bathtub and scrubbed their paws with soap.




On another occasion, I tried to scan negatives around my whiskered friends. Their curiosity in this task made the scanning process unnecessary, since the strip of negatives was quickly rendered unusable.




Working on bikes in the same room is excitingly risky. They are intensely interested and make a show out of being very good, so that I allow them to be there. And they are good, up to a point. Until a particularly attractive part catches their eye and they challenge each other to a soccer match. The speed and elegance with which they can cause damage are admittedly impressive.




I can work from home on my laptop, but just barely. The cats like to stealthily make their way onto the table and slowly wrap themselves around the keyboard, until both my wrists are resting on some part of cat and my typing is constricted. "At least help me type if you're going to do that," I try to reason with them. They ignore me, purring triumphantly. Later a friend explained that this really is their way of helping me write: The purring functions as a metronome of sorts that helps me keep rhythm and type faster.Shop cats they are not, but perhaps I underestimate their value as office cats.

Goathead Weed

This is another of the horrid weeds we have here in the desert. I have no idea of any other name for it besides Goathead which really makes people that don't know what it is wonder until they experience the terrible thing. It doesn't look that bad. Doesn't seem to cause allergies. Has a cute little yellow blossom. Grows in a circle that some people, at first, think is a nice growncover as it will grow with no water what so ever. Until you find the seeds which give it it's name, Goathead. The seed are round with two 'horns' that want to break of into the food or hand of what ever encounters it. And it HURTS. Boy does it hurt. I have known of several people who have had to have the 'horn' off of one of these seed surgically removed after it has become infected. One man I know of almost had to have his foot amputated. I was unable to find a seed to take a photo of as I try to keep them all picked up and all plants pulled. They are easy to pull and will die when it freezes, but leaves the seeds to sprout next spring. And each and every seed will sprout. I fight them constantly. Each seed is sent to the trashcan and each plant without a seed is pulled and turned with the root up to die. Several of my neighbors fight them but a lot of people don't fight them and they will stick to anything and make their way back to mine or your yard. They love to hitchhike of car and truck tires and on the rubber soles of shoes, as well as bike tires. They are death to bicycle tires. If you ride a bicycle in the desert you are sure to go buy the special tubes that can't be punchered by the 'goathead seeds'. And of course dogs and cats hate them as well as those of us that try to get rid of them. Again this weed is not native to the desert but I don't know where it did come from

Bike Shadow

It kept following me around, so finally I took a picture.
Ever photograph your own bike shadow?

Finally some real ice in South western Pennsylvania

The south western Pennsylvania woods are finally looking like winter

Laura and I decided to take our chances and head into Sunday School Crag to try and climb one of the new lines I found last week. It was a warmish 29° when we left the house and made our way up to the parking area. Upon arrival it was 23° which made me feel more optimistic that the line would have held over the warmer days this past week.

Parking area for Sunday School Crag

During our hike in to the climbs we were breaking through the crust that the recent ice storm left in its wake. I knew this recent ice crusting might be of some concern on the lines we were going to try and attempt. Sunday School Crag is the most alpine like crags of south western PA.

Coming out of the woods and into the crag

The temps are always colder, the wind is always howling and is usually downright uncomfortable. The ice lines are a lot more committing than most other local crags, with traditional gear being involved in most ascents. Most lines I've climbed here commonly involve some sort of barely held together limestone choss with varying thicknesses of verglas beteween sections of ice pillars and runnels. In other words some seriously fun climbing that might make you stain your drawers and then smile about it after its done.

On the way in we scoped out some of the lines. Here's a couple we want to try in the near future.

Laura below one of several unclimbed lines we eyed

One of the top options for the day!

Not sure if I should be excited or terrified for this one.

Either way its an incredible looking mixed climb that I want to try.

After checking all the other options, we headed to the long alpine looking corner route I found last week. I was really hoping it was in. I had thought about it all week and couldn't wait to get on it. We rounded the corner and it came into view and was looking at least as good as it did last week. I was afraid that the water might have started to wash it out from behind. The temperatures must have been quite a bit colder here that at our house. The climb had very little water running off of it and looked as if it were good to go. The climbs to the right were running hard with water and were dropping some rather large chunks of ice.

Standing near the bottom of our chosen climb

The climbs to right on this wall were running hard and dropping ice

We didn't waste much time. I've never been on this line and had seen it for the first time last week. I looked it over and scoped out a potential line and racked up accordingly. Going ground up is always a little more exciting and I find over-racking is better than under. The line looked a little boney so it was mostly 13cm screws. I also racked some quick draws, a few runners, screamers, a half rack of nuts, and 3 cams. Plus belay coat and gloves, belay device, thread tool, cordage, spare biners, a 22cm screw for a thread if necessary/possible. I recently received a set of the new Petzl dry T rated picks (which is a whole other post in itself). I'd been anxiously waiting to try them on an "ice" route. I resisted the temptation to take them dry tooling and dull the hell out of them over the past couple of weeks. Also new was a shiny pair of Grivel G4 crampons, complements of Rob "Griz" Ginieczki for helping with the second revision of Ice Climbing Pennsylvania (available for purchase soon). All this new gear to try and on a new line, How cool! I'd used the previous versions of the Rambo's over the years and always liked their rigid frame for pure ice. My last pair were hijacked by Laura (who likes them a lot as well) and I just hadn't replaced them when Griz surprised me with these. Thanks again Griz.

Racked and excited to get on some real ice!

The climb was well... Awesome! What a great first ice route of the season. It went well. The ice was mostly very thin. There were plenty "eyelids" on the bulges from the ice storm as expected. Lots of new ice and snow to be cleared as I ascended the runnels that flowed down the 200' cliff. Even with a "soft" swing attitude today I still managed to put falcons beaks on both of my new picks. They performed well and I can say that the new picks perform better on ice than the old Astro picks that I loved so much. Now that I've used them on an ice route I can go out and trash them at will. I have a few more sets coming my way. I'm definately NOT a fan of the new washer design that has now made changing picks in the field a big pain in the ass. Right up there with Grivel's three bolt system. The crampons were sweet as expected! Grivel has the rigid design and point configuration nailed. The extra weight seems to help drive them into the ice with much more authority than the Petzl Darts I've become used to.

We named the line Late Bloomer. We thought it a fitting name for our current season being the worst ice season in area history. Climbing this line today almost made me forget how unproductive local ice has been this season. I'm a little hesitant to grade the line. I'm sure it'll be much easier during a normal season of cold, producing plentiful ice. Today it felt like a commiting WI4+ in lean condition. Protection was a little sparse and I would not recommend this climb for the budding WI4 leader. What it lacked in vertical sections it made up for in sparse protection and lack of ice. Here's the photos of us on the climb.

Starting up the line it got thin early on

Short thin pillars with a few mixed moves, very alpine feeling

I'm in the middle of the photo, Giving scale to the climb

Just another day in the Pennsylvania alpine

Laura moving over a lower angle snow/ice slab

Even enough ice for a V thread rap!

Laura is all smiles on this one!

Late Bloomer WI4+

South Western Pennsylvania

Is there more? There's always more here in SWPA

The End!

So south western Pennsylvania ice season has officially begun for us. Who knows if February will contain colder temps and provide us with more lines to try this year. Hopefully it does. Keep checking back for all our PA climbing nonsense. With some luck we'll be able to send a few more of the new lines at this crag. I hope everyone got as lucky as we did this weekend! What a blast... cant wait to get back for more!

Let’s go for a ride with OVI…

To gorgeous Granada!!! So we’ve just collected our rental car that was special delivered to us at our hotel, and now we are on the road! I was actually getting worried when all the rent-a-car shops we’ve visited didn’t have a car available for us until we hit our luck. August is a terrible month to rent cars because most cars are taken, its high season obviously and the agency we’ve hit our luck with says he blames it on the Italians.

On the road, we see for the first time the exquisite countryside views of Andalusia. It reminds me of Crete, Greece for its rolling valleys of olive tree plantations and white-washed villages and Nevada, USA as well for the dessert-like expanse and the rock mountains.


Now, to help us get to our destination (Granada) in time we have my trusted ‘Free’ OVI Maps on my Nokia Mini N97 mobile phone. No need to buy or rent a GPS with the car when traveling, it’s on my Nokia phone! I can drive or walk to my set destination, there is a canned version of Lonely Planet and Michelin, as well as handy apps like weather and events. I am not a gadget geek so I have yet to really tinker around on these functionalities; so far I mainly use the ‘drive to destination’ thing.

So my OVI review:

(1) I used Route66 with my defunct Nokia Navigator phone so I had to get used to with the OVI Maps layout.
(2) Very easy to set a destination if going to a place. No need for a ‘specific’ address like in Route66, I just write—Granada and the GPS automatically picks it up leading me to the core center of the city.
(3) Sometimes the voice and map timing is delayed (maybe 5-10 seconds) with the actual driving position. It’s annoying when you are in an intersection and you don’t know if you should turn right, left or go straight!
(4) I love it when the GPS announces that I am driving above speed limit and especially when it’s warning me of a traffic camera ahead!
(5) GPS loses satellite connection if driving on a street flanked with buildings (at least 8-storey and up buildings) on both sides. A problem in the cities with tall buildings side by side.

OK, we’ve just arrived in Granada, the city known for its hip nightlife and the infamous Alhambra, and now looking for parking. See you on next entry.

White River Opening

So the latest news from White River is that the road to the campground and the ranger station will be opening this Friday around 7:30, barring some unforeseen event. The road to White River Campground is currently clear but still gated at Hwy 410. Climbers can gain access behind the gate by bike or foot to get an early start on the weekend.

Fuhrer Finger Sunrise

For the remainder of the season the White River ranger station will be open from 7:30 - 4:30 Sunday through Thursday, 7:00 - 7:00 on Fridays and 7:00 to 4:30 on Saturdays.



So it seems the weather is taking a break from summer and freshening up the skiing conditions for a bit! Remember to always be careful in stormy weather and bring your map/compass/GPS with you for when the visibility gets low.



Check out a great report on the Fuhrer Finger sent to us by some Utah climbers. Also, many thanks to those who have sent feedback on the Google translate feature. It appears to be a pretty rough translation, which doesn't surprise us, but could maybe be of use in certain situations. We will keep evaluating it.



Hope everyone has some great adventures planned for the upcoming holiday weekend!

Update from Salt Lake City :: Nearing the End

Two more days... then the Research Marathon will be over. It has been an incredible seven weeks (and a few days) and I feel so fortunate to have been able to spend so much time here. Now all I have to do is find (or take) the time to go through all of the stuff that I've gathered.



The majority of my time was spent on the second floor using the microfilms – nearly 500 rolls have been pulled and reviewed. Of course, some of them were used only for a few minutes but others yielded numerous documents. Everything was scanned – microfilm to jpg files and books to pdfs, which resulted in nearly 2,000 new files. Several estate packets yielded 40 to 90+ documents and confirmed relationships previously found in undocumented publications!



Midst all the wonderful documents collected there was some degree of frustration now and then. Microfilm images were not always of the greatest quality. Some were downright awful - faded or extremely dark or handwriting that was totally illegible. And then there were the record groups you wanted to view but were not available at the library. Yes, believe it or not The Library does not have everything! LOL.





This is one of the better quality images – clear and sharp. But the handwriting leaves a little to be desired. The sixth entry from the top is my guy – Christian Schuder/Shuder in the 1842 tax list for Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. The only way I knew for sure it was him is the first name is legible as is the description of the land '5 3 25 26' (R5 T3 S25 & S26) that he owned.



But just being here and having the opportunity to access so many records in one location was absolutely marvelous. All in all, I've tremendously enjoyed my stay here in Salt Lake City and have gotten a lot accomplished - almost everything that I had hoped to get and so much more. Of course, there is always more research that could be done but I think I need to spend some time to review and absorb all that was gotten – and get the information entered into my Legacy database!



I'll be leaving Monday morning – heading south, hopefully toward warmer weather in southern Arizona or perhaps southern California. I haven't decided on a specific destination yet but do know that I'll be returning to Salt Lake City in February - for the RootsTech conference! I'm excited about that. I was really disappointed to miss it last year. It couldn't be helped and hopefully nothing will come up that will keep me away this year! I'm looking forward to the conference, attending the sessions, and seeing some of my genea-blogging friends again!



Speaking of genea-blogging friends, I'd like to thank A. C. Ivory for stopping by to say “Hello” whenever he was at the library (did you hear about his sky-diving escapades?). Also, thanks to Ruby Coleman for spending time with me when she was here in October working on her new book. It was great to see you both again!

There is a lot to Smile about at the Carnival

footnoteMaven has posted the Fourth Edition of Smile for the Camera at Shades of the Departed. The prompt this time around was "My Favorite Photograph". This edition is a biggie, with lots of new participants. The contributions were, as fM said "Some amusing, some loving, some rare, and some heartbreaking for how important they were to you." My contribution to the festivities was favorite foto - really?

And, then there is a call for entries for the next edition. "The word prompt for the 5th Edition of Smile For The Camera is Crowning Glory. Show us those wonderful photographs of hairdos and maybe even a few don'ts. Don't limit yourself to just hair fashion through the ages, got a great photograph of a hat, helmet, bonnet, or some other interesting headgear? Share!" There's more information for contributing to the carnival at the bottom of the post. Image courtesy of fM.

Leveling the Playing Field

File this under "duh" if you will, but I need to acknowledge this out of fairness to Rivendell, and as a means of providing information to others wondering just how much of an effect one's positioning on a bike can have on pedaling effort and speed. Earlier I described being considerably faster, particularly uphill, on the Seven bicycle I have on loan in comparison to my Rivendell Sam Hillborne. It was widely agreed that there were many factors involved in this difference - from frame geometry, to weight, to positioning. For some time now I'd been considering making changes to my Rivendell, and finally it's been done - thus somewhat leveling the playing field between the two bikes, with interesting results.



You may spot a number of other alterations in these pictures, but for now I will talk just about the difference in positioning. Namely, the bike now has a longer stem (8 cm, instead of 6 cm as previously). The handlebars have been positioned slightly lower as well.



We've also reduced the amount of setback on the saddle by about 2 cm (not just by moving the saddle forward, but by replacing the seatpost). The overall effect is that my lean has increased by a small amount, my weight on the bike has shifted forward, and my hips are move directly above the cranks.



It's important to stress that I would not have found this position comfortable a year ago, so making these changes is not so much "admitting a mistake," as altering the bicycle's set-up to reflect my changing skill level and preferences. I very much find this position comfortable now - comfortable and fast.



We rode to Lexington, MA to try some hill intervals. I did not attach a saddlebag, so that I could get a sense of how the bike itself performs. And it performed well - albeit differently from the Seven.

Here is my amateur description of what happens on the two bikes when I cycle uphill: The Seven allows me to very easily "attack" a hill - to cycle up it at a fairly high speed, until I run out of steam toward the end and am forced to slow down. In comparison, the Rivendell does not like to "attack" and forces me to slow down earlier. In its previous state, this slowing down happened almost immediately and drastically. Now it happens half way up, and the speed drop is considerably smaller. Cycling on flats, the new positioning makes the Rivendellfaster to accelerate than previously. Not as fast as a racing bike of course, but I no longer feel as if I am sitting "behind the bike" unable use my weight efficiently.

Once I attach bags, that will no doubt slow it down some. But I have a strong feeling that the change in performance is due to the forward placement of my weight more than anything else - when I ride the bike now it feels inherently different - more responsive and more efficient. I am not trying to convert the Rivendell to a Seven and I am not considering taking it on paceline rides. I want to keep the wide tires, the fenders, the rack, the bags, the lighting - there is no compromise possible on that end, as these features are extremely useful to me. But the Seven's positioning (and my enjoyment of that positioning) has most definitely affected my expectations in terms of performance, and I don't think I can go back to short stems and seatposts with generous setback. Not that there is any reason I should - It's all about what you are comfortable with at any given point in time.

Rated R in the Gunks: The Blackout (5.9-), Ape Call (5.8) & Raubenheimer Special (5.7)

Last Monday (Labor Day) was the third consecutive half-day of climbing in the Gunks for Gail and me. We arrived at the cliffs early and without much of a plan. We had talked about maybe doing Apoplexy (5.9) or Retribution (5.10b). But we hadn't discussed a warm-up route.




As we walked into the Trapps I suddenly thought of The Blackout (5.9-), a climb that Gail had introduced me to last year. This climb sits right in the middle of a very popular part of the cliff, near Jackie (5.5), Betty (5.3), Baby (5.6), Son of Easy O (5.8), and others. But no one is ever on it. Last year I had tried the first two pitches (which are both 5.8), combining them in one lead. I got a bit befuddled at the overhang on the traditional second pitch. I stepped up and down several times before committing to the move, getting worn out and then taking a hang during the traverse that came afterwards. I knew I could go back now and do better. And I thought it might be worth looking at the third pitch, which has a G-rated 5.9- roof crux but some allegedly R-rated climbing off the belay ledge up to the roof.




This time around I combined the first two pitches again. They are both very good. The first pitch starts with a fun bulge right off the ground and then, moving a little to the right, presents lower-angled thin face moves up to a ledge beneath the second pitch overhang and traverse. On Monday I brought my red C3 with me because I remembered that last year I found a funky sideways placement for it in a seam to protect the thin face moves.




Everything went well on the first pitch. I found the seam and the funky red C3 placement and danced up to the ledge, enjoying the climbing and feeling good. But Gail insisted that I went too far to the right. She was sure that last year I'd found a different seam, a different funky red C3 placement, and different thin face moves up to the ledge.




Was she right? Who knows? Either way there is pro for the moves and fun 5.8 climbing.




I continued straight into the traditional second pitch, without any hesitation this time around. This is in my opinion the best part of the climb. Once you pull the overhang a balancy move up and right to a pin presents the crux. Then a pumpy traverse right with good holds brings you to yet more steep climbing straight up on jugs to the belay ledge. The pro is good throughout. Save your red and yellow Camalots for the traverse, you'll be glad to have them. This is a really nice sequence. It looks very intimidating from below, but it's all there.




After Gail joined me atop pitch two I walked over to have a look at the R-rated beginning to The Blackout's third pitch. I could see why it is rated R. There is a bolt just over the lip of the overhang but no obvious pro on the face beneath the roof. Any fall before clipping the bolt would send the leader straight down to the ledge. Dick Williams says this unprotected face is 5.8.




As I looked it over, though, it appeared far easier than 5.8 to me. I decided to make a few moves up to evaluate the climbing and see if I could finagle any placements. I figured I wouldn't do anything that I couldn't reverse until I was sure about continuing.




It turned out to be really easy. Maybe I've just been climbing a lot lately and my view is skewed, but I really didn't think it was harder than 5.6 getting up to the bolt. There is this one little reach to the good hold under the roof. I placed a worthless nut over to the left before making this move. The nut immediately popped out but it didn't matter. I knew there was no way I was going to fall off the move, so I wasn't worried. Once I had the good hold in hand I clipped the bolt and it was well-protected and juggy the whole rest of the way. I thought the roof was straightforward and easier than 5.9.




I like The Blackout. The first two pitches are really nice, and different from each other. I am sure I will do them again. I'd feel comfortable going back to do the third pitch as well, but I don't know that I will bother. It just isn't interesting enough. There are much better roof pitches in the Gunks.




Once we got down to the ground I decided maybe I should take a look at another R-rated climb I'd never considered before: Ape Call (5.8).







(Photo: Gail about to make the crux slab moves on the first pitch of Ape Call (5.8).)



Ape Call is just around the corner to the left of The Blackout. The first pitch begins with an R-rated slab. The second pitch ends with a huge roof. Both pitches are 5.8. I've always been attracted to the roof but scared away by the protection rating on the slab. But after my experience on The Blackout, I thought maybe I could check out Ape Call the same way. I could take it one step at a time, not doing anything irreversible, and just climb back down if I thought it was too risky.



It turns out the first moves are no big deal. You quickly find yourself at a stance just a couple of moves from the top of the slab. At just above waist level is a small horizontal seam, with two narrow pockets that take tiny gear. I fiddled with these pockets for a while and got a black Alien to the left, and a purple C3 to the right. I think I got them both well set. I gave these cams some hard tugs, and while there is only so much you can tell from this kind of gear testing, they didn't budge. I thought they were good.







(Photo: Bomber, dude! The crux gear on Ape Call (5.8).)



Then I evaluated the move. Above me was an obvious hold. I figured that if this hold was positive, I could make the one step up and over pretty easily and then place better gear above the lip of the slab. If I reached up and didn't like it, I could still step down and bail.



I stepped up and tested it once, and wasn't sure I liked it, so I stepped down.



Then I stepped up and tried it again and it felt really good. That was all I needed. One step up, plus an easy-does-it step to the right, and I was in good shape. I could reach up and place a perfect cam in the corner above the slab.









(Photo: Gail attacking the huge roof on the traditional pitch two of Ape Call (5.8).)




I really enjoyed the slab. And the rest of Ape Call is better than good-- it is awesome. I ran the two pitches together in one. The remainder of the traditional pitch one has some steep moves up the corner above the slab. Then mellow climbing takes you further up the corner system to the roof. Once beneath the overhang you have to move left to get the good handholds below the lip of the roof. Here you should be careful, because there are several loose blocks that are covered in chalk along the way. Negotiate the traverse left, and then the fun really begins. Move back right, getting fully horizontal under the big roof, grab the jugs in the notch and go!




Ape Call is a great route. It has one of the best 5.8 roofs in the Gunks. And if I am right about the gear then I don't think the start is really R-rated. I would lead it again.




Having done these two R-rated routes, I just had to check out Raubenheimer Special (5.7), another R-rated climb that is in the same area, between Ape Call and The Blackout. I had to do it. It was sitting right there. I'd never been on it before, but Gail had led it and she said it was no big deal. How could I not complete the R-rated trilogy?




Raubenheimer's turned out to be the scariest route of the three, in my opinion. It is a clean route, with good low-angled climbing up an arete and face. But the crux thin move, about 25 feet up, comes above a ledge you will hit if you fail. There really isn't anything much you can do about it. I worked a nut into a shallow placement in a seam to the right, and maybe this nut was good. But the actual climbing is a ways over to the left at the arete, and if you blow the move I don't think the nut will keep you from an ankle-tweaker of a fall. And after stepping up at the crux you need to place a piece in the horizontal over your head from a rather fragile stance. The climbing is rated just 5.7, but I felt I was in much more jeopardy on this route than on the other two. I felt the moves were less secure, less certain. I'm not sorry I did it once but I don't know if I will ever go back.




In writing this post I don't want to encourage you to do something stupid. Please don't go climb one of these routes just because of whatever I may say about them. You have to make your own judgment about the risks.




Really the key insight I gained from climbing these routes is that the decision to climb an R-rated route involves the same sort of thinking that governs every other step you take as a trad leader.




You don't protect every move when you lead, even when the opportunities are there. You need to conserve gear and slings. With every step as a leader you evaluate whether you need to place some protection, or whether you can go a little further. The distance to your last pro figures into the equation, of course, but so too does the difficulty of the terrain. If you're sure you are not going to fall you will be much more inclined to keep running it out a little longer. And so if you are climbing a route with a 5.9 crux, for example, you are going to be making sure you protect the 5.9 moves. And you will be less inclined to place pro during the stretches of 5.6 or 5.7 between the cruxes. You will enter R-rated territory frequently, by choice, when the climbing is beneath your limit. You have to, or you will run out of gear.




The analysis when negotiating an R-rated route is thus similar to any G or PG route. You have to ask yourself with every move whether you are confident you can continue without pro. The only real difference is that if the answer is no, you don't have the option to place a piece. You have to be prepared either to make the move and take a risk, or to bail. If you find yourself unable to do either one, you've made a big mistake.




After I finished Ape Call, Gail asked me how I was feeling while leading the slab. I had to say I just felt good. I wondered aloud about whether courting danger added to the experience, or even represented the heart of the experience of climbing. I'm sure for some people it does.




I have never thought that risking injury was at the core of climbing for me. But it can be hard to know for sure. I like to push my limits. And I surely feed off of the adrenaline rush I get from powering through a tough sequence. If I am, either consciously or unconsciously, flirting with danger becauseit gives me an even bigger rush, then I think I am in an unhealthy place and need to reevaluate what I am doing.




But I like to think I am not in such a place. I enjoyed The Blackout and Ape Call because I evaluated them carefully and continued with the climbing when I was sure it would be okay. I solved both puzzles and felt satisfied physically and intellectually. On Raubenheimer Special, by contrast, when I felt for a fleeting moment that maybe-- just maybe-- I was taking too big a risk, it didn't give me a rush or make me feel good. It actually made me feel a little sick. It was not a feeling I wanted more of.




Labor Day weekend ended my summer with a bang. I hope to get in a few more 5.10 leads before the end of . The autumn,aka Gunkssending season, will soon be upon us. Even if I don't succeed on any new 5.10's, I feel like I've had some good progress this year. The 5.9's all feel pretty good and occasionally I hit a 5.10 just right. My climbing has improved a lot, I think, and I hope to stay healthy through the fall and winter so I can again take it to the next level.

Bike Lane Etiquette?

Having just returned from our stay on Cape Cod, I am greeted with a remarkable development: There are now bike lanes on one of the most hated stretches of road near my neighborhood. While normally I avoid this road, today I found reasons to travel along it multiple times just to experience its Disneyfication - for the city has also planted trees and installed decorative streetlights, in attempts to disguise the faded vinyl-siding of the multi-family homes and the peeling storefront signs that say things like "Used Tires". Why if Boston keeps this up, soon the last of the gritty neighborhoods will turn shiny and pleasant and there will be nothing to complain about!



Apparently, we are hardly the only town experiencing such shocking advances in bicycle infrastructure. A friend from Virginia has written me with the news that there are now bicycle lanes in Harrisonburg, and he - a lifelong cyclist sans lanes - does not quite know how to behave in them. Where is one supposed to pass? How to deal with joggers in the lane?



While I am by no means an authority, I will contribute my ideas on bike lane etiquette. Please note that although these contain commentary on safety, they are meant as thoughts on polite behaviour and are notsafety tips.



1. Positioning within the bike lane

It is a good idea to cycle in the left half of the bike lane, as this positioning places you out of the "door zone" (i.e. you will not get struck by a car's door, should one suddenly fling open). Occasionally, a misguided cyclist or driver may shout at you to scoot over to the right, so that they can pass you easier - but don't allow yourself to be guilted into listening to them. Instead, politely explain about the door zone and why your positioning in the lane is necessary.



Try to keep to a consistent line within the bike lane; don't weave. Drivers and other cyclists can get freaked out by weaving cyclists, and in turn behave irrationally.



2. Passing other cyclists

Passing other cyclists should be done on the left, never on the right. If you pass on the right, you endanger both yourself and the cyclist you pass, by nullifying the distance between the two of you and the door zone. Pass the slower cyclist by going around them on the left (into the traffic lane), naturally checking that the lane is clear first. Should another cyclist attempt to pass you on the right (you can sometimes sense them coming up behind you), I think it is perfectly fine to tell them not to do this ("Please don't pass on the right" or "Please pass me on the left").



3. Yielding to turning vehicles

Yield to turning vehicles in the lane, be they cars or other bicycles, instead of attempting to go around them as they are making the turn. Even if you manage to do this safely, it is disturbing to the vehicle to suddenly see you beside them as they attempt to execute a traffic maneuver.



4. Yielding to pedestrians

If the bike lane intersects a crosswalk, yield to pedestrians in a way that makes them feel safe - don't just cycle around them within inches of their person... And please don't even think of ringing your bell at pedestrians to make them cross faster (I have witnessed cyclists do this in Boston).It is the pedestrian's right to be in the crosswalk and your obligation to yield.



On the other hand, it is not the pedestrian's right to be in the bike lane itself, whether they are jogging or rolling a baby carriage, or whether it is a group of people caught up in chatting. If a pedestrian is blocking a bike lane, I think it is only fair to ring your bell and/or politely say something like "Excuse me, bike lane!" so that they move out of your way. It is rude of them to block the lane; it is not rude of you to point out that they are blocking it and ask them to move.



5. Positioning when stopped at intersections

When stopped at an intersection, stop before the crosswalk - as opposed to blocking it (as shown above), as some cyclists do in order to get a head start. It's not very nice to make pedestrians go around you as they attempt to cross the street.



If other cyclists are already stopped at the intersection when you arrive, it is generally considered polite to stop behind them - as opposed to next to them, in an attempt to compete for who goes first when the light turns green.



6. Turning

Communicate your intention to turn by signaling and merging into the turn lane early on, rather than at the last moment, so that drivers are not surprised and can yield to you properly.



Observe the same rules as if you were a motor vehicle: When making a left turn, yield to oncoming traffic; when turning right on red, yield to pedestrians crossing and to cross-traffic.



7. Wrong way in the bike lane?

I think the reason some cyclists engage in this behaviour, is to make an easier left turn. However, it is wrong and inconsiderate to"salmon" in the bike lanes; please don't do it. And I think it is perfectly acceptable to ask other cyclists not to do it.



8. Cycling onto the sidewalk

Upon reaching their destination, some cyclists transition onto the sidewalk and continue to cycle - dismounting when they reach the bike rack, or the front door of the building they will be entering. My view is that cyclists should dismount upon reaching the sidewalk, and walk their bike thereafter.



9. Speed

As while driving, it is common sense and common courtesy to slow down when executing delicate maneuvers in traffic. It is also common courtesy not to jeopardise the safety of other cyclists, even if you are in a hurry. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow of bicycle traffic, even if technically you are capable of going faster.



10. Interaction with drivers and other cyclists

Please... just be polite. If you are annoyed or frightened by a driver or another cyclist, it is never a good idea to express that sentiment by immediately insulting them or shouting obscenities. An urgent tone of voice does not need to be abusive. "You almost killed me!" in an alarmed voice is more effective than "You almost killed me, you goddamn idiot!" in a hostile voice. While it may be tempting to shout the latter version, consider that doing so can actually escalate conflict and further endanger you.



With more cities across the US creating bicycle lanes, the numbers of new cyclists out on the roads is growing. And while different states have different degrees of regulations when it comes to cycling, I think there are certain aspects of using the bike lanes that are a matter of common sense and courtesy. I hope my suggestions are useful to new users of bike lanes. Your feedback, whether in agreement or disagreement, is welcome.

Monday Image

A classic Mount Rainier image to start the week, taken last Friday after the last major snow. More soon...

Tartarian Cherry Tree

I love cherries. They are my favorite fruit. And I love fruit. There are lots of kinds of cherry trees. The Bing is the most common but my favorite is the Black Tartarian. I have two of them and usually only get a few of the cherries as the birds get most of them.

Minty frog

American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

I had to look this one up, and was a little surprised that she turned out to be a bullfrog. Not enough meat on this one to bother with gigging for fried frog legs.

No, I don't do that, but my grandfather did. As a kid I thought that eating frog legs was a real treat.

This one is a female; on a male the tympanum (external eardrum) would be much larger than the eye.

I imagine that this gal has no problems with bad breath, living in the ditch amongst the mint.