Second Thoughts on First Impressions

It was one month and one day ago that I mused about my first impressions of the Fujitusu ScanSnap S300 document scanner. To say that it has exceeded my expectations would be a gross understatement.

The above print screen from the ScanSnap manager shows that 8,335 pages have been scanned!

In just one month.

Only one paper jam. Only one sheet of paper got "scrunched up" a bit because of it. No real damage done. Impressive, indeed.

2.1 gigabytes of data generated in 1,363 files of varying sizes, ranging from 1 to 200 pages per file.

Confession time. I've been scanning the "easy" stuff first! The stuff that is already somewhat organized. Also a five-volume set of books on the Berlin family - soft-cover, spiral bound. Easy enough to remove the binding without causing damage. They aren't listed in the online catalog of the Allen County Public Library so the books will be donated to them. Maybe someone else can get some use out of them. And several other books that will be passed on to other researchers. I certainly don't want to get into any trouble over copyright issues, so to put that issue to rest, the scanned copies are strictly for my own use, they won't be given to or shared with anyone else, except perhaps for a few pages.

The scanning is amazingly quick. I'm using the laptop computer to do the scanning since it is newer, faster, and has USB-2 capability. The output is quite acceptable but, to state the obvious, the quality of the output is dependent upon the quality of the pages being scanned. Just think of the adage "Garbage In - Garbage Out" which is true with most things! On average, it takes about half as long to generate the searchable pdf file as it does to scan the documents (i.e., an hour of scanning will take about half-an-hour to make the files searchable). If the pages are double sided text it will take twice as long to make them searchable.

The software that comes with the ScanSnap creates the searchable pdf files without the need to have the full version of Adobe Acrobat. If you have pages with very small type or with the older style fonts (think old newspapers) the software doesn't do that great a job with the OCR but I've been impressed with how well it does overall. The software also allows you to add or remove pages from a pdf file (if it was created by the software) so you can scan in small batches and then combine those into one file. I'm not sure how much data the scanner will store in memory so if I'm scanning a large number of pages I usually do a maximum of about 30 pages to one file. After all the pages for that particular document are scanned, I merge them into one file, then delete the small files. It's really not as complicated as it sounds.

To make some space for the scanned stuff, I had to spend a couple of days cleaning up the hard drive of my desktop computer. Basically I created an Archive folder on my laptop and on the external drives used for backups and moved a lot of older files to that folder. They are still accessible to me, just not on the desktop computer.

Well, I still have lots of files left to scan, though there are now some "blank spots" on the shelves! Progress is being made... and, believe it or not, it really isn't that tedious. One advantage to having the files digitized is that, in most cases, the information is easier to read. Another is if the pdf files are made searchable then the text can be copied and pasted into a word document or into my genealogy database, saving on some typing.

If you are thinking about digitizing your genea-documents, I highly recommend this little scanner. It is a bit pricey for a scanner, but in my opinion, well worth the money! It won't replace your flatbed scanner for scanning photographs since that isn't what it is meant to do. But it does what it was designed to do - scan documents - and does it very well.

Florida Critters and One of My Children Are Really Great!

One thing that is neat about traveling cross country is you get to experience the locals as in the people, and you get to experience the locals as in the animals that live there too.



I know I might be biased but I still think some of the Florida critters are the coolest of all. Really, it's just not everywhere that you can go outside and see this:



When I first moved to Florida, I would be so disturbed by these interesting critters. We had one that liked to hang out in a tree behind our house. And then he'd fall to the ground randomly. With a very loud THUD! Too much drinking is the conclusion I came to. In time I went from that is one freaky dude to that is one freaky but cool dude and made peace with the fact he might fall on me and give me a heart attack. I mean, we did invade their space after all.



The main reason I wanted to talk about these divine creatures though is that yesterday I took a lazy day which is like a sick day but I do it on my day off instead of a work day. A lazy day for me means one of two things. I spend the whole day editing pictures or I spend the whole day doing digital scrapbooking. Ok, make that three things because yesterday I did both.



I spent so long editing pictures, I had time to go back and look at old pictures to edit. Really old. As in, 2004 pictures. These gems were in a folder labeled "Kids Pics" which means one of my children took these beauties. Somehow in the course of attending to five children's needs daily, I neglected to realize at least one of them has some skills in this area. So I am sharing these pictures, but have no idea which one of them I am bragging on.



To those of you that have less than five kids that are horrified by my admission, that's ok. I am used to horrifying parents of one or two or even three children on a regular basis. It's my paybacks for telling my Mother who had seven that I'd never have a lot of kids like she did!



Back to the pictures and figuring out who did in fact take these shots. (Because this is what Moms of five do when four have left home and they have a few minutes to ponder such things!) These were taken at Miami Seaquarium which means it would not have been Ashleigh or Ambir because they were teens then and far too cool to do family fun days. Auburn might have taken them because she is our animal lover. Aric and Austin might have taken them because they are guys and these are about as cool as things go when it comes to guys. That is as good as my guessing gets.



So if any of you three remember taking these pictures, please let Mom know so I can properly give you credit!



In the meantime, I am going to be glad that these particular Florida critters have never made it inside where we live. I do have some boundaries left still.

Random Laurel Highlands trail running and training

The bearded Woodz Ninja @ Middle Fork overlook

The weeks are flying by and I've been running as much as I can. Training has been improving with my increased intensity. The last couple of weeks have been productive as recent runs reflect. I've begun light weight work on my shoulder without any pain. Lots of time to get it healthier before the ice begins to form later this year. I feel like things are setting up for continued running and a good winter climbing season (weather permitting).Running has been a lot of fun lately. Miles have been blurring together, each run more fun than the last. I've enjoyed sharing trail time with my wonderful girlfriend Laura. We spent a few days hiking on rest days from separate solo runs. Several days were spent in Quebec Run on the great trails that reside there. Hill training has become a staple once again. I love climbing, rocks, ice whatever. It's only natural that I like the climbs in running as well. My focus has been on the larger vertical rises in the region. I've spent a few heart pounding days doing hill repeats (4 mile laps) down and up "Heart Attack Hill" on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (mile 8 to 6 then back up to 8). Great for building hill climbing efficiency and endurance. "Heart Attack" along with many other up and down runs are helping a lot.



Statistics for July:

Miles - 185

Duration - 40:48

Elevation - Gain 39,362' - Loss 38,539'



Miles per week is down, but elevations have greatly increased.



Some run highlights since last post:

July 19

Bear Run Nature Reserve, I went and ran the super fun 5 mile trail sprint we call the "Tiny Tulip Traverse" This was my second time running this challenge. I lowered my record to 44:16 from 45:41. A slight improvement.



July 22


Ran 14 miles of the LHHT. Gate to 7 and back in 2:46 for a pace of 11:51. Elevation: gain 3700' loss 3700'





July 25

On a whim, I enjoyed a nice long run from Ohiopyle to Hickory Flats Road (38miles). Thursday night around 11:00pm I was talking to Laura, telling her I wanted to do a long run, but was uncertain where I wanted to go. Laura offered the idea that I should run as much of the LHHT as possible, she'd support along the way. I quickly accepted and stayed up a few more hours. With 3 hours of sleep, Laura lovingly dumped me in Ohiopyle the following morning. Early on I could feel my elevation workouts paying off. I starting slow and calm, but couldn't help kicking it up a notch on the long climbs. A 15 minute or so emergency bathroom stop and chaffing had me burning and doubting early. This was around Maple Summit. Luckily an emergency Vaseline tube kept things only slightly uncomfortable until Laura saved the day with some Mission Anti-friction cream and replacement shorts at Route 653 trail head. The rest of the run I ran at a comfortable pace enjoying the views, cooler temperatures and empty trails. I was expecting to get water at 7 Springs, but upon arrival the faucet was damaged and running. The continual flow was spewing nasty, orange iron water. Skipping the refill and stretching what I was carrying sent me to Route 31 parking area and Laura with clean water. My 50K time was 6:18 despite my breaks. A slight discomfort was developing in my left foot. I was aware, but not concerned. I refilled and continued on as did the pounding on my left foot. I met Laura at Hickory flats Rd. (MP 38) where my foot was considerably more tender than before. Fearing that continuing might lead to missed running days ahead, I finished there and ended with an elapsed time of 7:45. I was happy with how fresh and spry I was feeling, but disappointed random pain kept me from continuing. A good nights sleep and a couple easy days had my foot back to normal and doing "Heart Attack Hill" repeats again. In retrospect it was a good call! Here are some photos from my run. It was one of the sunniest, driest days in the last couple weeks. It was great to enjoy a long section of the trail on a glorious uncrowded weekday. Elevation: gain 7100' loss 5500'

Clouds over the Youghiogheny River valley

Overlook of Middle Fork at mile 21.3 on the LHHT

Turnpike bridge over the PA Turnpike mile 36.75

Trail sign at Firetower Rd., Rt. 31 intersection.

July 28



I recently signed up for Strava GPS run tracker and have been having fun with their "segments." Runtastic is my normal GPS of use. (I find both equally inaccurate, but help in tracking elevation). I'm new to using Strava so I don't understand all of it, but segments appear to be short challenges (segments) created by Strava based on runs by users. You can compete against all others that have completed each "segment." Many segments exist along the LHHT due to Laurel Ultra racers using Strava on race day. I decided to set my sights on some of the current Strava records for local "segments". The segment I was excited to try was named "Conn Rd Climb." This segment starts at Bidwell Rd. and climbs 1.6 miles and 1,264' of elevation to Conn Rd. It has an average grade of 15.4%. There have been 19 recorded users on the segment. The record of 25:27 was held by Jim Trautmann of Pittsburgh. He set the record on June 12, . Seventeen runners have done the segment since him. I would be number 18 to try. I parked at Conn Rd. and walked to milepost 8 to begin. I did 2 slow warmup laps of MP 8 to 6 to 8 repeats sans GPS. I used my watch to clock splits. On my way back up on repeat 2 (mile 7.25) I stopped and grabbed my phone. I started it at mile post 8. My third time down to 6 I picked up the pace increasing my cadence as well as stride adjusting to the high turnover about to commence for my record attempt up. I turned around at milepost 6 and started the long grind up with vigor. I ran close to red line for quite a while until I broke to a power hike. I kept attacking "Heart Attack." The grade backs off just before MP 7. I picked back up into a sprint at the shelf and continued past 7 and up to the next steep section. I ran all I could from MP7 up to the finish at Conn Rd. I wasn't sure where it ended, so I kept my effort up all the way to MP8 where I ended my lap. I uploaded my run and it was official. I squeaked by the old Strava record for Conn Rd. Climb. My time was 24:56. A minor record, but still cool in my eyes. I'm sure its been run faster by others. It would be cool to get a King of the Climb going on for "Heart Attack Hill" Mile post 6 to 8 which I officially clocked (with a watch at mile posts) 27:56. After spending some time looking around Strava I've noticed that Jim did quite a few quick trail runs on the trails in the Laurel Highlands. How cool! Hope to see you out there some day...



July 29

I decided to run the Route 31 to Route 30 section of the LHHT. Another glorious day with plentiful sunshine and temps around 68°. I had the trail to myself. I passed one lone hiker on this roughly 15 mile section. This time I went with limited water, no electro replacement capsules and only 1 gel as a slight handicap. The whole section went well and I cruised along at a good pace finishing the section in 2:35. Elevation Gain 2805', Loss 3202'. The trail was recently maintained in this section and is in wonderful condition where thick spots usually exist.




So many good runs recently, I could mention them all. To end this and save you from a longer post. I'll leave with some recent photos. Happy trails!

First Copperhead I've ever seen on the LHHT! I can't believe it...

Quebec Run, Hess trail

Quebec Run, Hess trail, Photo L. Hahn

Laura and Elmo
Grove Run Trail head, Linn Run State Park

Exploring by Bike: Alternative to Touring

While I both travel and cycle a great deal, I have come to the conclusion that bicycle touring is not for me. This is not to say that I have anything against bicycle touring at all; it sounds like fun for those who enjoy it, and I love reading others' accounts of it. But it does not appeal to me personally for the same reason I've never liked touring in general: I am not satisfied passing through places. For instance, the idea of touring Ireland - that is, trying to see as much of the island as possible by going from town to town - would leave me feeling disoriented and empty. I enjoy getting to know a place, connecting to it in some way. And I don't feel that I can do that via sight seeing and moving on.






The way I see bicycle touring, is that it is first and foremost about traveling by bike. But what if we want to delve deeper rather than go further? Exploring by bicycle could be a rewarding alternative.






My idea of exploring involves choosing a location of significance, and committing to staying there for whatever length of time is sufficient in order to feel settled. For me that means a minimum of a week. The key is then to have something to do there other than sightseeing in of itself. A work-related project. An artistic, literary or research pursuit. Relatives or friends to visit. Something that anchors me to the place and provides an occupation.






Long ago I've noticed that when we approach a trip as a vacation, we expect the place we are visiting to entertain us. But that approach cannot possibly reveal what this place is truly like. For that we need to actually experience it in a real-life setting, as a temporary resident with a purpose rather than as a tourist. We will still get to see all the sights while there, but everything we see will attain a far greater sense of context and personal meaning.





We will also be much more likely to notice nuances that might have otherwise evaded us.







So where does the bicycle come into all of this? Well, to me the bicycle makes an ideal tool for exploring, in that it allows me to set my own pace and to vary that pace spontaneously. I can go as fast or as slow as I like. I can cover long distances or I can ride around in circles. I can carry all that I need with me for the day, transitioning easily between cycling for the sake of cycling, exploring, and transportation. On my first day on the Antrim coast my travel radius was tiny, but I rode quite a bit. Another day I might find myself 50 miles from my home base.





On my bike, I can feel the landscape open up and reveal itself to me as it never does with any other mode of transportation. I can also ride to the grocery store - or to the pub, or to the library, or to a meeting, or to a friend's house.







The bike allows me to feel at home, comfortable, and entirely independent in the place I am exploring and I couldn't ask for more. Maybe I will tour some day. But for now I prefer to stay put and go deep. The bicycle is as perfect of a companion for this kind of travel as it is for touring. The possibilities are endless.

Volcano's Out

Climbing rangers have recently been spotted in the park. Check back soon for some updates related to climbing, skiing, and park access. Hope everyone had a good winter!

Mirror, Mirror on the Bike...

Over the past week I've received several emails with questions about bicycle mirrors, so it seemed like a good topic for a post. As with most safety-related issues, opinions on bicycle mirrors are divided. I don't want to reiterate what's already been discussed to death elsewhere, but here is a very brief summary:



The pro bicycle mirror rhetoric is that they allow you to monitor the traffic behind you without having to turn around. The anti bicycle mirror rhetoric is that they are distracting, and that using them can lead to misperceptions of traffic proximity. Furthermore, those who do use mirrors are divided on whether they ought to be handlebar-mounted or head-mounted. Here is a post from Alan on ecovelo that explains why he uses bicycle mirrors. And here is a thread on bikeforums where members explain why they believe bicycle mirrors are dangerous, as other members argue with them.



If you look at pictures of my bicycles, it is obvious that I don't use mirrors. But I am not rabidly anti-mirror either. I just find that they are not for me. They do distract me. And they do interfere with my sense of connectedness to my environment - a connectedness that is the very reason I find cycling in traffic easier than driving a car in traffic. For what it's worth, this is also why I cannot relate to arguments that compare bicycle mirrors to car mirrors. In a car I am closed off from the road and my view is blocked in almost all directions. Also, turning around is tricky, because of the way the interior of the car is structured. On a bicycle, my view of the road is unobstructed and turning to look over my shoulder is much easier. This is why I find mirrors in a car necessary, while I find mirrors on a bike not only unnecessary, but counterproductive. Your experience may differ.



If you are trying to decide whether a bicycle mirror is a good idea, why not buy an inexpensive one and give it a try on a quiet road? That way you will be able to determine how you respond to it and whether you find it beneficial or detrimental. I can't recommend any particular mirror, since I don't use them. I've heard good things about the Zephal Spy Mirror and the German mirror sold by Rivendell, but that's all I know. If you have opinions or recommendations to contribute, that would be most welcome.

Hardee County Wildlife Refuge

Last night we went to a Happy Hour at Rich and Donna's place. I forgot to take my cameras so you will have to go to Donna's blog to see how much fun we had. I hope we have Happy Hours every single week this winter because we have time to chat with each other and the food is fabulous!



Today Austin discovered some very sad news. He and Lee, the manager here, were the first on the scene of a very bad accident a few days ago. Austin was understandably very shook up over what they witnessed there. There were some very serious injuries involved. He read in the paper today that one of the victims, a thirteen year old boy, passed away. My heart ached over this news even without being a witness to the accident. It is the kind of news that kicks every Mom right in the gut. To be honest, I cried and cried when he told me. I hate that this happened. I hate that it happened because someone decided to drink and drive.



I decided to grab my camera and go visit one of my favorite Peace River places. The wildlife refuge across the street. Although there are many neat animals there, my favorites today were the cats that were there. We had to make nice to get past the ones guarding the boardwalk.



Once they saw we were determined to move forward, they formed a gang. The black one was rather feisty.



Some were sitting on the guardrail, meaning they were pretty much everywhere.



They cheered me up a bit immediately. I think it was mostly due to the babies.



Have you ever seen a cuter thing than a baby kitten face?



Or maybe it was seeing the Momma with her babies. It reminded me that although death is a tragedy that is gut wrenching when it involves a child, there is also always new life to celebrate.



I hate that any mother would have to know the pain the mother of this boy is living through right now. I hate that my boy is feeling a portion of that pain due to his involvement. I love that there is always new life. And that it is how the circle of life is, sad and happy at the same time sometimes. It's just one of those weird things in life.



Austin will be attending the viewing and the funeral. I am proud of his compassion and willingness to offer comfort during this horrible time and because I am his Mom, I'm worried about how this is affecting him. So please send all the love and comfort you can for everyone involved. Kiss your kids and tell them you love them. Remember that no matter how hard it is to be a parent, it is a wonderful thing to have our children here with us. They are always our baby kittens, no matter how old they get. And every single minute we have with them is precious.

Hurricane Ridge

We have finally made it to the day when we will see Hurricane Ridge. Hurricane Ridge is about 20 miles from Port Angeles. You wouldn't have thought of a high mountain being that close to a port with huge ships coming into it. There is a visitors center that had an old cabin like was used back in the days when Lewis & Clark first came to this area. The only totum pole on my whole trip was there as seen in this photo, and it was an old one, as well as an old dug-out canue. There are some nice photos of Port Angeles and Hurricane Ridge at this web site http://www.portangeles.org/phototour.html

Morning Dance

As the sun rises each morning over the Platte River in Central Nebraska, it is a regular activity for the cranes, as they are waking up, to stretch their wings and sometimes do a little dance for their partners or potential partners. After they stretch they will often jump up and down in the air, flapping their wings and exhibiting a number of other "dance" moves for any partner that might be interested :-)

Winter Wardrobe: Transport and Sport

I get a lot of requests for a comprehensive winter wardrobe post. Since it snowed again today, this seemed like a good time. I won't call this a "guide" and I don't assume that what works for me will necessarily work for others. But in the midst of Winter 4.0, this is the stuff that keeps me comfortable cycling even on the coldest days in greater Boston. For reference, our temperatures are typically in the 20s-30s F range, although it does occasionally get colder.



A few quick disclaimers: I am dividing this into "transport" and "sport" sections, because for me the two rarely intersect, not because I think others must keep them separate. Also, you will find that some things here are female-biased, because, well I am female. Finally, I linked to some companies and products, because readers tend to ask for specifics. As always, none of the product mentions are endorsements or "monetised" in any way; they are just there for your info.





TRANSPORT

Pictured here is the sort of thing I normally wear when getting around by bike, either for work or errands. I will start from the inside out.



Underwear

Worn closest to the body, underwear plays a crucial role in temperature regulation. So before I worry about bundling up, I make sure to get this part right. In my experience, underwear made of wool, silk, lycra/spandex and some technical polyester-based fabrics, is generally good at regulating body temperature and wicking moisture. Underwear made of cotton or acrylic is not. Out of the fabrics that work I prefer wool and most of my undergarments are from Ibex: I like their modern and stretchy wool/lycra blend. Icebreaker and Smartwool also offer some good options, as does Winter Silksif you're looking for budget-friendly silk.



Everyday Outfits

My everyday clothing ranges from casual to formal, but, especially in winter, it almost always involves skirts and dresses. This is because I find it easier to add warm layers under a skirt (wool leggings or legwarmers over tights), than to deal with layering under trousers or jeans. Also, if it rains or snows, tights with knee-high boots are a highly effective way to keep dry. After several winters of experimenting, most of my cold-weather outfits are now wool. I knit wool skirts myself in variety of styles. And I wear wool sweaters over wool or silk base layers. 100% merino is harder to find now in mainstream stores than it used to be, but J. Crew remains a good source and they have frequent sales (like right now). I also alternate between several wool dresses, mostly handmade. And I still own a few wool skirt-suits from my suit wearing days.If I want to wear an outfit that is made of a non-temperature regulating fabric, I will wear a wool or silk baselayer under it and it'll be fine. But to me, wooly stuff just feels overall warmer and cozier.



Tights

When buying cold-weather tights, I look for wool and nylon/ lycra/ spandex content, and I avoid cotton and acrylic content - because, as with baselayers and underwear, the latter does not wick moisture or regulate temperature well. Smartwoolmakes decent all-around winter tights (and socks). Falke is a European favourite, but expensive. Another option is to wear dense nylon tights (such asthese), with wool leggings or legwarmers over them, which can be later removed indoors.



Footwear

Both on the bike and off, I am a fan of waterproof boots rated for freezing temperatures. For years, I have been wearing La Canadienne boots that are exactly that. I have a pair of their ankle boots and a pair of knee-high boots that look reasonably professional and feminine, while being absolutely winter-proof. The soles have excellent traction on snow and ice, which is also useful for when my bike pedals turn slippery. With the knee-high boots, the additional benefit is that they keep my legs extra warm, and protected from slushy splash-back.



Coats

On the bike, I favour wool 3/4 length coats with an A-line shape, so that the hem does not constrict pedaling. The coat should fit loosely enough to allow layering underneath, and should not in itself be too warm. When I am walking, I will sometimes wear a down-filled coat, but I find it too bulky when cycling. The down-filled coats can also be slippery on the bike saddle, whereas wool coats stay put. My current coat is about 6 years old and I no longer remember where I bought it.



Hats

Usually I wear a wool beret or hat that I knit myself. I take care that the stitching is dense enough to be wind-proof, and that the hat covers my ears.



Gloves

My favourite gloves for cycling are wool and grippy. They are perhaps not the most elegant choice, but their functionality has won me over.



Scarves

After some experimenting, I have taken to wearing a shawl-like wool scarf which I wrap around my neck once and then tuck the rest into the front of my coat for an extra layer of warmth over the chest. This really helps when cycling against an icy headwind. Beware of long, flowing scarves on the bike,for obvious reasons.



Want more winter wardrobe advice from genuine cycling fashionistas? Dottie of Let's Go Ride a Bike has excellent tips from snowy Chicago. Here is her latest post on the topic and a more general guide for winter dressing. Also, this excellent Bikeyface post will not disappoint.





SPORT

With roadcycling, I find getting dressed in the winter easier, simply because there is less creativity required. I can wear the same thing over and over! Here is my formula:



Base Layers

I like thin, long sleeve wool base layers. There are many options to choose from now.Rivendell has come out with a nice US-made one recently. I also wear a wool/lycra sportsbra underneath (see "Underwear" earlier).



Tights

In winter temperatures, I wear fleece-lined full length tights. I have triedbib tights, but ultimately I find them too fussy to get in and out of. I prefer the padded winter waist-high tights from Capo, and wear a model from a few seasons ago. In addition to being super warm, these are also somewhat water resistant. I have made do without rain or snow pants so far, and have not felt the need for them.



Socks

I love the simplicity and longevity ofDeFeet wool socks. Of all the wool and wool-blend socks I've tried; they have been the most durable. When it gets particularly cold, I wear two pairs.



Mid Layers

My midlayer is a winter-weight long sleeve cycling jersey. As long as I wear a wool baselayer, it does not matter to me what the midlayer jersey is made of, as long as it insulates. I own a few now, but my favourites have become the wool/poly blends from Rapha and Shutt Velo Rapide. These are wool on the inside, with some high-tech poly coating on the outside. I do not like how they feel against the skin, but as midlayers I find that they offer the best temperature regulation.



Outer Layers

Winter outer layers are tricky. A windbreaker/shell type jacket is not enough. A jacket that's too warm can be even worse. Last winter I bought a Rapha winter jacket on the recommendation of some of the women I rode with, and it is just right, even for the coldest temps around these parts. This is a painfully expensive jacket, but it does go on sale occasionally and stalking it was worth it.



Gloves

DeFeet Duraglove. I have tried fancier and supposedly more weather-proof gloves, but prefer the DeFeets. Gosh, I hope they never discontinue these.



Neck Warmers

These are called various things, depending on the manufacturer, including neck gaiterandcollar. I have a few and find them very useful. For extremely cold rides, I have tried a balaclava, but it is not my cup of tea; I prefer to wear a neck warmer and pull it over my mouth instead.



Hats, Etc.

I wear a tightly knit wool winter cycling caps with brims and ear flaps. I buy these instead of knitting them myself, because I can't get the weave tight enough by hand; it has to be machine-made. Several companies offer these hats now. I have one from Bicycle Fixation and another from Ibex. I usually wear a helmet on my roadbike, and find that this adds to the cap's warmth, while also helping to keep it firmly in place.



Shoes

I do not own winter cycling shoes at the moment, though I hear there are some wonder-boots from Lake that are pretty good and I might save up for those eventually. I have some overshoes on loan from theRide Studio Cafe, but I have to admit they scare me, so I have yet to try them. Instead I just wear multiple pairs of socks for now. My toes have only frozen a couple of times so far...



Want winter wardrobe advice from more experienced roadies? The Blayleys have an excellent series of posts on this topichere, here and here. As they probably spend more time on the bike in the winter than off, they are the best source I know.



Keep warm and enjoy yourself on the bike this winter, whether in sport or transport!

is two!

Two years ago today, I wrote my first blog post, which was no masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a beginning. So, now, can I say I'm one of the Old Timers?

It was while lurking on the blogs of those Old Timers, and being inspired by them, that I decided that, hey, I could do that too! And I'm so glad that I did. It's been fun, educational, challenging, and immensely satisfying. For me, one of the best parts of blogging has been making connections, not only with extended family, but with other bloggers and readers. There is a definite sense of community, a sense of belonging to something good, that cannot be surpassed.

In September, as part of the Genea-Blogger Games, I wrote a summary of what kinexxions is all about and just a few days ago reviewed my "best" or favorite posts of last year, so I'm not going to include another list of "favorite" posts here.

Thank you everyone for reading kinexxions, for leaving your comments, for providing help and moral support when needed, for the inspiration, and for the great research tips! It's been an interesting two year journey. It's not over. Hopefully the best is yet to come!

Special Sunday Drive

I haven't been blogging due to an unfortunate laptop and hard drive death that has me grieving for a few days and then working hard to get my new laptop set up the way I want it for several more days. I did grab the camera yesterday and determined to blog our Sunday drive.



This one was extra special because Nathan got to pick what he wanted to do in honor of his 46th birthday that is happening in a few days.



We headed out bright and early and started out towards a new destination. New to us at least. We stopped at our local raw honey supplier first.



We encountered a neat little plane that flew right in front of us, very low to the ground. Since we were in the country and there were no cars, Nathan stopped long enough for him to do another pass in front of us.



Then we passed one of FPL's power plants.



We passed the really neat Railroad Museum that the guys took the kids on the hobo train ride while Diana and I did scrapbooking together.



If anyone who knows this area has not figured out where we were going yet, the next few clues should give it away. We went on a very cool bridge. That is even cooler when driving with the convertible top down.





And we landed here:



We spent the whole day there, visiting the Sunken Gardens, eating a special dinner and then heading over to Fort De Soto county park. We some some really special things while at the park, but I'll have to share that later because I have far too many pictures and words to fit them all in one blog post. We had a great Sunday drive and Nathan said his pre-birthday celebration day was wonderful.

Tunnel Cliffs and Sunday School Crag conditions

Winter wonderland... for now

I woke up this morning feeling a little sore from my past several days efforts. Needing a rest day, I decided to go check ice conditions high up on the ridge at the coldest areas in the region as well as get in some winter hiking and views. I loaded a light pack with minimal gear. Tools, crampons, extra gloves a puffy and the normal lid contents. I brewed a pot of elixer for my thermos and set off up the mountain to Tunnel road. The road was maintained part of the way making the driving easy. From there on out to the top of NO DRIVE hill (parking area) the snowmobiles had it packed to reasonable passage. I parked there and hiked down the 1.25 miles to the climbing. It was looking pretty good, but I was surprised that the top outs were still looking very wet and boney. Here's a couple of shots...

Hard to believe this is Tunnel cliffs from the ice farming days circa 1999

I like the no maintenance of the new version...

but liked the natural non tiered version better

Here's the beta on the NEW Tunnel Cliffs. I would suggest only using this area on Sundays and keeping a low profile. Since this is the first year I've been back here in years and this one sucks, I'm not really sure of the potential here. Its basically short benches (30'?) that can be climbed in short "pitches" or linked all together. Its a great place that seeps continually from a natural spring and parts are in full shade. It is one of the highest crags as far as elevation goes and comes in quicker than most other areas. This should be a great location with lots of moderate climbing. I don't expect to be climbing here that often, so this is my effort to share with fellow ice climbers an area. I would expect that it will become a good asset for both local and visiting climbers. You can find Tunnel Cliffs in Griz's Ice climbing Pennsylvania guidebook. It'll help get you there, but the routes are obviously different. Unlike the old days of serious efforts required to "farm" ice and climb here, TC has now been transformed into an ice making machine that requires no maintenance. Climbing at Tunnel back in those years was not a problem and could be accessed at any time. Now given its current condition going on days other than Sunday may ruin it for all. Please don't be "that climber" and lets keep this place climbable. Thanks and enjoy! I snapped a couple pics and left quickly as not trying to be the person I just mentioned. I wanted to get a couple pics with it a little thicker than I've seen it thus far and to gauge what it takes for this place to come into shape to help y'all out. I've always enjoyed the walk down into and out of Tunnel cliffs. Its a long gradual hill that goes through some beautiful forest. Its quickly contrasted by the new climbing area as you will see if you visit (some Sunday). Keep this one on your hit list if leading WI3ish climbs is what your after. Keep in mind if not leading that there's not much in the way of anchors (trees, etc) for easy top roped climbing. In addition the ice may be hard to reach from the top and may not offer easy access for screw anchors either.



After my hike up out of Tunnel Cliffs I visited Sunday School Crag. The conditions there look promising. If the cold weather continues it'll be fat by next weekend. If it warms up its going to be very unstable. Unfortunately the forecast is calling for a warm up and rain. I spent a couple hours walking around checking out the climbs enjoying our brief winter experience. Here's what it looked like and a few random shots for your enjoyment.

60 meters of chossy alpine fun

South Park Wall

Near where New Years Revolution once stood.

Looks harder than WI4+ though.

It's waiting for us when you're ready Matt!

New Years Reunion WI?

Dumbfounded self portrait. It was a wonderful 13°

and felt good in the sun

Pennsylvania Alpine? Who remembers the approach?

Another 60meters of more strenuous fun.

Who's coming with me man?

There you have it the ice is looking better than it has yet, but has some building to be considered FAT. Lets hope for some mercy on the warm fronts and colder temps hit the area with fury. I know I'm ready to get some serious climbing done. Mother nature has a different plan. Hard to believe its 44° and raining now just hours later. What a bitch!