Roadie Lads and Lasses: Suggestions for Sunglasses?

Almost as soon as I began cycling long distance, I realised that sunglasses were a must for me - not only to protect against the sun, but also to shield against insects that seemed to be irresistibly drawn to my lashes. When I rode exclusively upright bicycles, I simply wore my regular shades - preferably large ones that covered half of my face. But as I began cycling faster and on roadbikes, those no longer worked so well. Don't know about you, but I find regular sunglasses to be too heavy and also not sufficiently stable when I attempt to wear them on a roadbike. They bounce, slip, and generally feel uncomfortable - even starting to hurt the bridge of my nose and my temples over time.



As someone who is talented at losing sunglasses, I could not imagine buying those expensive ones that bicycle stores sell in glass displays. Instead, I got the cheap ones from the bin at the register (you know the ones, every bike shop has them). These worked somewhat better than regular sunglasses, but they still slipped and felt painful over time. So this summer I think I am ready for the real deal and would appreciate your advice - as I am sure would others seeking this information. I mainly want them to be as lightweight as possible, so that I don't feel them pressing the bridge of my nose and digging into my temples. And, of course, I also want them to be stable while I am cycling fast on a roadbike. There are so many makes and models to choose from - what do the roadcyclists among you wear?

Adieu, Crooked River

Georgia has been left behind. I won't say I'll never go back, but after 2 weeks and 2 days at Crooked River State Park in St. Marys, Georgia I think I've had enough of it for now. Crooked River is a very nice park. It has lovely trails. The people were friendly. For the most part, I enjoyed my time there. But it was cold. And it rained. A lot. Seemed like every other day it was raining.

But a change in location does not always mean there will be a good change in the weather. I came south, into Florida hoping for a little more warmth. The first (and second) morning here I woke up with frost on the windows! Night time temps have been in the low 30s and daytime highs have been in the low 50s all this year. I can say that “this year” because it is only five days into the new year. I sure hope I'm not able to say that for very much longer!

I didn't take a lot of pictures at Crooked River. Like my friend TJ says, a tree is a tree, a river is a river, and one pretty much looks like another. I didn't take many sunset or sunrise photos either. The campsite was in a shaded area and it was hard to tell when the sun was coming up, when it finally decided to show it's face. There were a few sunsets that had a nice “after glow” but, well, they didn't get photographed either.

I took a lot of walks, just to keep warm. And spent a few hours in the library, but it was closed half the time I was there. Silly Holidays, you know?

I'm into my fifth month of traveling. It's really hard to believe that so much time has gone by. Speaking of time, I have no concept of time. I seldom “know” what time of day it is. Or how much time has passed since the last time I ate. I eat when I get hungry, not according to some established schedule.

Many of my posts while on the road have mentioned the weather. Actually, most of them have. Thing is, the weather is what governs what I do and when I do it and whether I enjoy it or not. And, the weather is the one thing that I have no control over. There is nothing I can do about it. I don't affect it, it affects me. It is what it is.

This morning I awoke to the sun rising over the tree tops. A short while later I saw clear blue skies. So, even though it was 30-something I went for a walk in the woods. The movement warmed my blood. The trees and birds and unknown somethings scurrying in the underbrush warmed my soul. The sun is shining. It's a beautiful day. What more could I ask for? (Warmer temperatures, that's what!)

My campsite at Crooked River State Park. The tent was purchased that morning. After coming back to the campground the previous night and finding someone had pulled their rig into my site (even though my tag was on the post and my bicycle chained to the picnic table), I decided that I needed a “presence” in camp even when I wasn't there. It's been a godsend, especially with the cool/cold weather. A small electric heater makes it a cozy place in the evenings. And, no, I don't sleep in the tent – a cot and warm sleeping bag in the van are my nightly resting place.

A tree is a tree. But these are at Crooked River. Really.

The roots of a tree that was long ago downed, by what? The forces of Nature or those of Man? Even in “death” it is Magnificent.

A palm frond, after the rain.

Pristine, Pink, Breathless

That's what it was like on the mountain this weekend. I made it to Camp Muir Saturday, my first opportunity in over two months. Finally, time to survey the camp and search for possible storm damage (and test the snow conditions on the Muir Snowfield).

Things looked normal for early December. There was access to the public shelter, but the toilets were drifted in with deep snow. As for obvious signs of rain and wind damage, it seems that only the NPS suffered. We lost two storage boxes. The weather telemetry equipment for the NWAC appears to be working. It's my hope that once the power resumes at Paradise, the weather data will come back up online.

I was a bit surprised that there wasn't more snow cover between 7-11k. Everything looked wind scoured, i.e, lots of exposed rocks along the eastern edge of the Muir Snowfield, Cowlitz Cleaver, Muir Rock, etc. As for the upper mountain, the Nisqually Glacier looked very, very good. And while we're talking, so did the Nisqually Cleaver and Gib Ledges. Plenty of snow and ice in those rocky steep sections

After surveying the camp, it was time to confirm the conditions on the Muir Snowfield. And it was just as I thought it would be: 4,500 feet of untracked packed powder, with a few rocky areas around McClure. As you can see, the mountain turned pink for our descent. Top photo by Ethan McKinley

JUST IN: The Camp Muir and Paradise weather telemetry data are back up. I hope they last! I know that they ran the generator at Paradise today.

Individual Perspectives

It always interests me to know how a person arrives at their preference for a specific bicycle, especially people of different skill levels. Unlike me, the Co-Habitant is naturally athletic, handles a roadbike like it's nobody's business, and loves speed. And yet, he chose a sedate, stately roadster as his daily commuter - complete with such distinctly non-sporty features as full chaincase and dressguard.

To be honest, when we first bought the Pashleys I assumed that he was getting the Roadster mainly for my benefit - so that we'd have matching bikes. When we later got roadbikes, I expected him to gradually transition to riding his roadbike to work, and to only ride the Pashley when out with me. But nothing of the sort happened. He loves his Roadster and has been commuting on it faithfully for over a year now, snow days included. When I ask him why he prefers such an enormous and heavy bicycle to his faster and more agile roadbike, his answer is that the Pashley is "the most comfortable bike [he has] ever ridden." A straightforward enough reply that explains how two cyclists with different skill levels can ultimately choose similar bicycles for their practical, everyday needs.

The terms "commuter bike" and "practical bike" can mean completely different things to different cyclists. There is a school of thought out there positing that relaxed and upright bicycles are mainly for those who are inexperienced, afraid of car traffic, or lack physical stamina - and that as a rider grows more confident, they will naturally come to prefer a faster and sportier bike for commuting. But clearly that is not the case. A runner can still prefer walking as a means of getting around in their everyday life, and a bicycle racer can prefer commuting on a beach cruiser in flip-flops. It's really all about individual perspectives.

A second opinion on the Scarpa Rebel Ultra

Patrick in his new Ultras.

Photo courtesy of P.J. Cooke



a guest blog by Patrick Walsh



As one would imagine, I was very very excited when I found out I
was going to own these boots. I had my reservations purchasing them
sight-unseen, not knowing if they would be the right size and/or fit my feet
properly. I figured worst case the boots should be pretty easy to re-sell if
nothing else.



My first reaction, and that of most to the Rebel Ultra, has been
“what are those, can I see them?” This is followed by “holy crap those are
freakish light.” They are more akin to a sneaker than an ice boot, and often
the next questions are “what size are they? Can I try them on!?” This initial
excitement is soon followed by “but are they warm enough?”



At this point i have spent twelve days climbing in these boots.
I was fortunate enough to receive them just before an end of season trip to the
Canadian Rockies. I have now spent eleven back-to-back days and one single
day on the east coast in these boots. Although this is not a long time to
have spent with a boot, I feel it has been enough time to offer some real
feedback having spent the better part of two weeks in them day in and day out.



I guess first we should talk about fit. I have what had been
described as a fairly low volume foot with a high arch. My feet measure US 11.5
left and 12 right. The first thing I did was toss the factory insoles and throw
the gamut of off the shelf offerings at the boots in an attempt to get the
perfect fit. In doing so I soon came to understand that these boots are not
your average ice boot, and that bit of toe wiggling room one usually looks for
in a attempt to stay warm and ward off black toe nails is not what this boot
wants to do. This boot wants to fit more like a rock shoe (think "all day
trad shoe") resulting in a boot that feels like a warm blanket but
performs like tightly fitted sport climbing shoe. I went back and forth with
insole/sock combos searching mostly for the ideal fit regarding volume. I kept
coming back to a fit that allowed me to just barely stuff my feet into the
boots without my toes bashing off the ends or cutting off my circulation, thus
leaving little need to crank down on the laces to keep my foot in place. Fit
this way, the boots offered an amazing combination of support and dexterity,
all the while feeling much more like a overbuilt running sneaker than an
uber-light ice boot of any sort. With so little to the upper of this boot, it
really needs to be fit this way in order to offer the support ones desires in
an ice boot. Had I fit the boots with room to wiggle my toes and cold weather
circulation in mind, the boots would begin to feel a bit sloppy and lack the
support I would want in a boot I planned on climbing ice in. Fit as I had them,
the boots offer the perfect combo of support and all day comfort and
performance.



My first impression of this boot was that it was a niche item. I
figured it would be one more tool in my quiver of gear probably reserved only
for warm and or fast and light days on moderate ice in moderate conditions.
Having now done everything from long alpine days on both hard and easy terrain
to a few short days spent ice cragging and even some mixed climbing in both
warm and cold weather, I have to say these are a do everything boot and a does
everything well boot. I would go as far as saying these are a do everything and
does everything better boot. Yes on a couple cold days high on a route with
wind whipping my feet got cold. But so did both of my partners’ feet in Nepals
and Baturas. Add to that the fact that I fit them with a lightweight Smartwool
PHD ski sock more akin to a cycling sock than a wool winter sock of yesteryear
and I think, although far from a warm boot, the boots are pretty darn warm. On
a coupe of high-teens to mid-twenties Fahrenheit days, my feet felt downright
warm. These boots both approach and climb so well that even days i expect to be
cold I still choose to wear them because they just climb that much better than
any other boot I have worn, and I have worn them all. I simply no longer want
to wear any other boot as my feet just love climbing in this boot.


In summary, this boot is crazy crazy light and built incredibly well
regarding craftsmanship and materials! The boot makes me feel more like a
spider monkey climbing ice simply on his way home rather than a giant ape
clumsily making his way up the Empire State building only to be shot down by fighter
planes in a attempt at freedom. For me at least this boot is a game changer and
one I might go as far as saying you will have to "pry from my cold dead
hands."



more feedback via previous emails:



On New England Ice?

"Boots are great! I can climb anything in them. Meaning they climb hard ice
just fine if not better than my other boots. Not sure if it is in my head but I
suspect a little of both. They might be a 1/2 size small but only cuz I have
had to run my high volume custom orthotics in them.

In all reality I am pretty sure these boots made me a better climber for
real. I pretty much have stoppedkicking as I can just place my feet on the
smallest of features. What once felt like a tiny ledge now feels like a
giant shelf.I am in love!! They will be cold on cold cold days but it is
clear this is not a cold weather boot. Still though it will be very
very hard to ever want to climb in anything elseever!"




Two weeks later:

"So we had a great first trip to the Canadian Rockies. We ended up
getting out 11 daysstraight.
The boots rocked. I brought my Phantom Guides and never once wore
them. I have only great things to say about the Rebels."






The original Cold Thistle review is here:

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//02/the-scarpa-rebels-part-one-ultra.html

New York Landscape From My Window

I've gotten fairly good at shooting pictures from my window in a moving truck. Today I called Diana while out with Nathan so that I could tell her how wonderful it is here and ask her to come and visit us. Nathan wasn't about to wait around for me and my marathon long phone call, so I managed to shoot and talk on the phone too. I'm sharing that to explain why I managed to catch the rear view mirror in almost every single picture today.



This area really is so beautiful. I'm glad we got to visit here. Did you hear that honey? I'm glad we came here. I really didn't want to come to New York this year...but so glad we did now that I'm here.

The colors are just gorgeous here. Not quite fall colors yet, but right on the brink of that change.

I've been fascinated by cornfields this year. Maybe it is because we were out west last year and didn't see any there. Maybe it is because we stayed in one place long enough to see them growing. Either way, it just feels like summer and feels like America to me when we drive by them.

I'm also feeling sentimental about farms since I lived in an area surrounded by them at one point in my life.

I think I'm going to feel a bit sad when summer seems officially over this year. On the other hand, I love Fall when we are in the northern areas so maybe I will just be thrilled to enjoy the fun of that too.



Living the life in New York!

Dusk in the Afternoon

Cycling home the other day, I caught a glimpse of a clock in a storefront window. At 4 pm it had already grown dark. Like other signs of winter's approach, this gave me a pang of anxiety.The early onset of darkness restricts my mobility, and after two winters as a cyclist I still have not found a good solution.

The main issue for me, is that the two major "commuter trails" we have in the Boston area - the Charles River Trail and the Minuteman Trail - are completely unlit. When it gets dark they turn pitch black. This directly affects my long-distance bike travel, because I regularly use these trails as "highways" to get to suburban destinations 8-12 miles away, both for transportation and for roadcycling.At one point I was determined to conquer the darkness with super bright lights. I was pleased to find that it was indeed possible to cycle on the trails after dark with a strong enough headlight. I would go slower than usual, but it was good enough. However, the one issue I had not considered seriously enough was safety.On the Charles River Trail, I've now been startled several times by intoxicated men in my path. And on the Minuteman Trail last week a group of highschool boys stuck branches in my spokes as I cycled past them. There were maybe six of them, and they'd been sitting on the edges of the narrow path, smoking and waiting for a cyclist to ride by so that they could do this.Under the cover of darkness people who are capable of violence tend to lose their inhibitions, which makes unlit trails problematic. But the alternative routes to the destinations to which the trails take me are along busy roads, and I do not find them viable to use on a regular basis.

So what am I planning to do about this?.. Probably nothing, other than making sure to make it home before dark if I am using the trails, which basically means restricting my mobility again for the duration of winter. Oh I know, I know. I could "be braver" and do those long trips on busy roads. Or I could become a "bring lights to the trails" activist and dedicate my life to getting petitions signed and funding allocated. But the reality is that most cyclists who find themselves in this position simply give up. We should not be faced with those choices just because we want to continue cycling safely and conveniently as the days grow shorter.

Thorp Lookout ..

Jennifer's birthday getaway.

We had lofty ambitions to go hiking/camping in the North Cascades, but the 30% chance of thunderstorms scared us away. I was hoping for views, while Jennifer was hoping for lake swimming. In the end we found a combination that should work just fine; Thorp Lake and Thorp Mountain Lookout.

We got a leisurely start and drove up to the trail head arriving around 11am. Unfortunately, the signage is not ideal and we drove to what is listed in the book as the shortcut. This is a trail at the end of a logging road that leads to the lake. After we geared up and started up the trail we immediately noticed a sign stating it was not the trail. We opted to continue as the trail looked well used (and there was more than a half dozen cars at the "trail head.") However, a few hundred meters from the parking lot we made a right instead of a left. This put us in some open clear cuts and following some trails that looked like game trails. There was flagging tape, so we figured we were heading in the right direction.

After a while of not seeing tape, we stopped for lunch. I scouted ahead, and did not like what I saw. We decided to head back down to the parking lot and hopefully pick up the trail somewhere in between. It was difficult to retrace our steps, and the way down was more slippery than coming up. We slipped a bunch and had to bushwhack even more. After reaching the parking lot elevation, we traversed through some devils club and rejoined the trail. But not after a fair amount of suffering.

Fruits of our labor

This time we noticed the correct trail heading left and followed it. It was nice being on a real trail, and in no time, we were at the lake. Jennifer felt that the two hours of off trail travel was good because the actual trail to the lake was too short. (Mind you, this was the "shortcut" trail.)

Once arriving at the lake we noticed what we often do every time we go in the woods for Jennifer's birthday: the bugs. The mosquitoes at the lake were voracious. Fortunately, it wasn't that hot and we were able to put on jackets and pants to keep ourselves somewhat protected. On the flipside, it did not make us determined to do anything outside, so we hung out in the tent a bit to escape.

Home sweet home

After a bit of relaxing in the tent we got out and scouted the route to the top of the mountain for the next morning. We also took a path part way around the lake to a boulder field and watched the pikas who were apparently watching us. When we returned to the camp, we made dinner.

After dinner, we did a bit more local exploring before retiring to the tent. (The mosquitoes were driving us crazy and we had no repellent.) It was early, but Jennifer felt she could use the sleep.

When we awoke in the morning, the mosquitoes were not as bad. But as we ate breakfast, they became worse. We figured we had to move quickly once done and hopefully the higher we went, the better off we would be.

We started the hike to the lookout and kept moving because stopping made you a target. It was fairly humid, and for the most part going higher did not result in more breeze. It was warm, but I opted to keep my pant legs on to keep the bugs off. There were a few trail intersections, including the one for the real trail to the lake. For the most part the trail switchbacked through subalpine meadows below cliffs.

Flowers
In what seemed like a very short time we were at the lookout, greeted by the lookout, Lori, and her dog Grace. We took in the views and ate snacks, then chatted with Lori for a while before signing the register and heading back down. The lookout had told us the view was better than the previous day, so we were fairly happy that we waited until the morning to come up to the lookout. Rainier was under the clouds, but the Snoqualmie peaks to Dutch Miller Gap were visible as well as Hinman and Daniel. Mount Stuart was just a shadow in the haze.


The hike back down to camp was warm and uneventful. When we arrived back at the lake, we considered swimming, but we cooled off fairly well with the breeze off the lake. We also weren't sure about subjecting more skin to the swarms of mosquitoes. So we packed up and hiked out. While trying to find the trail out, we stumbled upon the toilet. We passed the not so obvious real trail head on the drive out.

I think this is a nice trip for families, but if you needed to do more and just a day trip, there is a nice loop that can be done incorporating Little Joe Thorp Lake as well. It seems to me the ridge trails there would also be nice options, but we didn't consider them at the time.

Murphy

Murphy admiring a couple of the last morning glories we had just before all my annuals froze. I already miss the new flowers that were waiting for me to see them each morning when I got up.

Mount Si Standard ..

~3300' elevation gain
8+ miles RT
Left car: 1:15 pm
High Point: 3:40 pm
Back at car: 5:30 pm
4.25 hours car to car

I decided in the cold dry spell to make a quick run up Mount Si and see what the haystack looked like in winter with a coat of snow. Spent the morning in the gym, came home and ate lunch and then drove out.

I left the car making great time blasting through the first mile in under 20 minutes. I was looking at a sub ninety minute time to the haystack if I could keep it up. I continued with this pace until I came upon the frozen trail. At first, it seemed like packed frost or just frozen dirt, but as I went higher it became more snow and ice like reflecting where the sun hit it. Lots of nervous people coming down were sliding on their butts, grabbing trees, and using sticks for balance. I watched a guy take a spill and start cussing. I thought about donning crampons, but figured this was good practice (for what, I don't know.)

Compacted snow on icy trail

The left hand switchbacks deeper in the woods were worse and my pace had slowed to barely a walk. I leapfrogged with another guy who was in trail runners. He seemed to have better footing, or was just more confident than me. Nearing the end of the trail, the snow was softer and we both started moving well again. We stopped to let a group head down crawling and hugging trees. He looked at me and asked, "Trade you my legs for your heart and lungs?" I guess that's a compliment, but the pace I was going for a long time on the snow didn't require much cardio work for me at all. I could have used some shorter legs and a lower center of gravity.

Up out of the woods I left everyone else behind and headed to the haystack. Apparently I was the only one with this intention who was on the mountain at this time. I moved quickly on the snow that was less compacted over to the start of the scramble. Even with the slow going on the icy trail I arrived at the base in around one hour forty five minutes. I stopped to drop my poles and put on a helmet and a jacket as I was on the cool north side. Then I started up.

Base of the haystack

If I was going slow on the icy trail, I was hardly moving through the scramble. I made a decision to stay on the rock as much as I could. This was difficult, because not much of it was without snow or ice. With forty feet or more to the summit I made a move I didn't think I could duplicate heading down. I checked my watch, I'd have to turn around as to avoid hiking out in the dark. Things weren't going smoothly and so I pulled out my axe to add something to hold onto and picked my way down. I was glad to be back on flatter terrain. I stopped at the bench to have some snacks and call Jennifer before I started back down the trail.

Looking down from my high point

The trail was good going at first, and then in the woods a way I just didn't like how slow I was going in an effort not to fall. I stopped and put on the crampons. Wow! I blasted down the compacted snow effortlessly, passing more sliders and tree huggers. At some point the snow started looking fairly dirty and I opted to remove the crampons. About one switchback later and the continuous ice ended. There were a few more right hand turns in the woods that were slippery, including one where I skated for five feet with incident. After that it was just a matter of hoofing it back to the car.

This was a fun trip. I have never been up Si in the winter before. The trail conditions were abysmal with the compacted snow. I'm surprised people weren't being carted out of there. I am somewhat bummed about not making the top, but I am also happy I at least made an attempt of it. I think if I started up with crampons and my axe out I could have stayed on the snow/ice and made better time, as well as feeling more secure. But from the bottom the rock looked like a good option. The higher I went the more snow and ice covered the rock making it less of an option. At my high point I contemplated donning the crampons for a summit push, but realized I had burned up too much time to that point. A second tool may also have helped, but I didn't feel like lugging one up the mountain. Being alone was a contributing factor as well. I spent almost ninety minutes without seeing or hearing another person while near the haystack.

Merry Christmas!!!

To the readers of Tumbleweed Crossing.
May you have Joy in your Heart, Pease in your Soul, and Happiness, and Freedom forever. From the Desert Windwriter of Tumbleweed Crossing

Bert and Nellie (Knight) Sutton

Nellie Gertrude Knight was the daughter of William and Minerva Fatima (Joslin) Knight. Minerva was my 2nd great-grandaunt. Obituaries and tombstone photos were obtained September 10, .. on a visit to Iola, Allen County, Kansas.

Nellie Knight was born on December 22, 1879 near Great Bend, Barton County, Kansas. According to Barton County marriage records, She was married on July 13, 1897 to Bert Alva Sutton. The photo below is a scanned image that I received from one of my distant Joslin cousins. It was labeled Nellie and Bert Sutton, and is presumed to be their wedding photo.


Nellie's obituary, published on July 28, 1947 in the Iola Register [Allen County, Kansas] states that she moved to Iola in 1907 with her husband. At the time of her death, just two weeks after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, they were residing at 201 N. Sycamore Street. It also gave the names of two daughters that survived her.

As often happens, the obituary for the husband contains much more information. Published on February 17, 1964 in the Iola Register.

Bert Alvie Sutton, 90, resident of Iola since 1907, died at his home at 605 North Washington Saturday afternoon after a prolonged illness. He had been seriously ill for more than two months.

Mr. Sutton was born in Princeton, Mo., Sept. 25, 1873, the son of William Turner and Berthena Wall Sutton. He was married to Nellie Gertrude Knight in El Dorado in 1897. She died in 1947.

Three children were born to this union, Mrs. Hazel Sailing of Long Beach, Calif., Harmon Sutton, deceased, and Mrs. Helen Curtis of Wichita. Eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren survive.

Mr. Sutton was twice married. On Aug. 6, 1949 he was married to Eula Geniva High of Ottawa, of the home, who survives, known to her husband, relatives and friends as Polly. He had one step-daughter, Mrs. Ann Melton of Ventura, Calif.

Mr. Sutton grew to manhood on a farm (part of sentence is illegible). He worked for the Frisco Railroad for seven and a half years. He came to Iola in 1907 and was employed by T. B. Shannon Hardware. Then he went into business for himself and operated the Iola Plumbing Co. for 38 years, retiring in November 1948.

Mr. Sutton was a member of the First Christian Church, the Chamber of Commerce for many years, and the Iola Lions and Elks clubs. He was a long-time member of the Kansas Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Association and held an honorary membership in that association from the time of his retirement.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tomorrow at the First Christian Church with the Rev. Chester Werbin officiating. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery. The Waugh Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

The Sutton family plot in Highland Cemetery, Iola, Kansas.

BERT ALVA SUTTON
SEPT. 25, 1873
FEB. 15, 1964

NELLIE G.
WIFE OF B. A. SUTTON
1880 - 1947

Three children were born to Bert and Nellie (Knight) Sutton:

1. Hazel Marie Sutton was born March 2, 1896 and married Mr. Saling. She lived in Long Beach, California when her mother died in 1947 and in 1964 when her father died.

2. Harmon Harold Knight Sutton was born April 2, 1902 and died March 24, 1945 in Compton, California. A future post will provide some additional information on Harmon and his family.

3. Helen Juanita Sutton was born November 29, 1910 in Iola, Kansas and died December 19, 1984 in Wichita, Kansas. She was married in 1933 to Gerald Leon Curtis (1910-1982) and had three children: Judith, Ronald, and Gary.

Mossy Cascade

A very green and mossy cascade in Las Trampas. I hiked to this green cascade in January, .

The Veterans in my Family

Vietnam Era/pre-Korea

• Charles Douglas Wiseman (brother). US Navy 1964-1968. Doug served as a Hospital Corpsman and was stationed with the Marines at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina.


• Jack Lynn Wiseman (brother). A Hospital Corpsman in the US Navy 1969-1973, Jack was stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Station and with the Marines in San Diego, California.


• Gary Wiseman (cousin). US Navy 1969-1973. Enlisted at the same time as my brother, Jack, on the "buddy" program, which meant they got to go through boot camp together. Gary saw shipboard duty.


• Rebeckah R. Wiseman (that would be me). US Navy 1969-1979. Photographer's Mate stationed in Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Iceland, California and Japan. I hesitated to include my name in the list, but what the heck, I am a vet! Read the letters from Boot Camp that I sent to my mother.


• William Roland Conrad (cousin). US Navy Radioman. Served four years in the late 50's and early 60's. He was stationed in Alaska in January 1959 when it became our 49th state.


• Kenneth Eugene Fawley (distant cousin and husband of first cousin). Enlisted in the Army in June of 1957, right after high school. After Basic Training at Ft. Polk, Louisiana Kenny attended camera repair school at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey. In December 1957, he was assigned to the 97th Signal Battalion, Photo Platoon, in Boblingen , Germany where they had two camera repairmen, 7 or 8 photographers, and some lab fellows. Kenny spent 30 months in Germany and attained the rank of Spec 5. He was discharged in June of 1960. The 97th Signal Battalion has a reunion group, which meets once a year at different locations. [Added December 4, ..]

Korea

• William Henry Phend (uncle). Bill joined the Army in March 1951. After basic training he was sent to Camp Stewart, Georgia. There he received training as a Combat MP (Military Police). Three times his name was put on the list of those who were to go to Korea, but for some unknown reason he was never sent. He was honorably discharged in March 1953.

World War II



Emery, Perry, and Jack Wiseman - WWII

• Jack William Wiseman (father). Enlisted February 19, 1943. 511th Parachute Infantry, 11th Airborne Division. He saw combat duty in the Pacific and would have been part of the invasion forces in Japan but instead, thankfully, was a member of the occupation forces. Born in Tippecanoe Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana on January 29, 1924 to Elsie Shuder and Charles Wilson Wiseman he died December 18, 1995 at Warsaw, Indiana. I have my father's discharge papers and have found some information on the 511th on the internet but sadly do not have any information on the World War II service of my uncles.


• Perry Martin Comfort Wiseman (uncle). Enlisted April 14, 1942. Perry was born August 3, 1906 and died July 9, 1968. On February 6, 1954 he was married to Retha Juanita Rindfusz Wallace. They did not have any children.


• Emery Emerson Wiseman (uncle). Enlisted in the Navy. Emery was born August 1, 1922 and died November 23, 1971. He lived in Kosciusko County, Indiana all his life. On February 24, 1946 he married Jean Ruth Bailey. They had three children.


• Robert Glen Reiff (uncle). Enlisted in the Army on February 27, 1943. Bob was born March 10, 1924 and died February 17, ... He was married on June 17, 1945 to Patricia Eileen Phend. They had four children.


• Carl Emmert Conrad (uncle). Carl was born December 4, 1917 at Nappanee, Elkhart County, Indiana and died October 15, 1970. He was married to Fern Louise Wiseman on September 22, 1939. They had one daughter.


• Glenn Roland Conrad (uncle, and brother to Carl Emmert Conrad) was born March 2, 1913 at Nappanee, Elkhart County, Indiana and died October 30, 1949 in Elkhart County. Glenn went into the Army on November 29, 1944. After basic training at Ft McClellan, Alabama, he was went to Fort Ord, California. On May 17, 1945 he went to Manilla leaving there on July 9, 1945 for Luzon where he started driving a 1 1/2 ton Dodge and also a Jeep. In October 1945 he was involved in the occupation of Japan, in the town of Tachigi where they destroyed war equipment. He was discharged April 4, 1946 and landed in Seattle, Washington. He was T/5 in the 158th Infantry, 1st Batallion. Glenn married Jessie Dell Wiseman (sister of Fern who married his brother Carl) on April 1, 1938 in Kosciusko County. They had two children: son, William is mentioned above and Caroline - the cousin who has done a lot of the research on the Wiseman lineage. (Added November 24, ..).
  
  

World War I

• Rolland Victor "Vic" Phend (grandfather). Enlisted Sept. 19, 1917 and discharged June 19, 1919. Served in France.


• Charles Romain Brubaker (great grandfather). Enlisted but dates of service not known. He was 48 years old in 1919 and was not required to register for the draft. I have not yet found record of his service but his gravemarker and his obituary both state that he was a veteran of WWI.

Spanish American War

• Charles Romain Brubaker (great grandfather). Enlisted in Company K, 160th Indiana Volunteer Infantry in June 1898 in Huntington County. He served in Cuba as a Mess Sergeant.

Civil War

• William Brubaker (2nd great grandfather). Enlisted April 21, 1861, in Company E, 17th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, serving three years and two months in Wilder's Brigade, Army of the Cumberland. In a skirmish he was wounded in the thigh, being disabled for several months and sent to the hospital. After discharge he veteranized in Company I, 152nd Regiment, was made sergeant of his company and served until the close of the war. Pension Claim 69407. On April 28, .. William was inducted as a part of the Charter Member Class into the Society of Civil War Families of Indiana, a program sponsored by the Indiana Genealogical Society.


• Jacob Wise (3rd great grandfather). Was drafted and mustered in on October 5th 1864, at Kendallville, Indiana. He served as a Private in Company "C" of the 30th Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. His widow's pension application states "and having served Honestly and Faithfully with his Company to the present date, is now entitled to a Discharge by reason of Death in Hospital at Nashville, Tenn. on May 17, 1865 of chronic diarrhea." Widow's Pension Application 101.119. On April 28, .. Jacob was inducted as a part of the Charter Member Class into the Society of Civil War Families of Indiana, a program sponsored by the Indiana Genealogical Society.


• Eli Yarian (2nd great grandfather). Enlisted January 28, 1862 and served as a private in Battery D, 1st Ohio Light Artillery. Mustered out July 15, 1865. His brother, Benjamin Yarian also served in Battery D and was mustered out at the same time as Eli. Another brother, David Yarian enlisted with Battery A, 1st Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery on August 11, 1862 and was discharged with the regiment in 1865. Yet another brother, Jonathan Yarian. Served with Company A of the 35th Indiana Regiment of Infantry. Jonathan enlisted in September 1864 while living in Noble County, Indiana. On December 16, 1864, during the second days battle at Nashville, he was severely wounded and taken to Cumberland Hospital, where his left leg was amputated. He was honorably discharged on May 26, 1865.


• Jacob Berlin (2nd great granduncle). Enlisted in Company C, Ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry on September 5, 1861. He was killed on April 7th, 1862, during the second day's fighting of the Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburgh Landing, Tennessee). The Nappanee G.A.R. Post was named in his honor.


• Henry Robison, Jr. (3rd great granduncle). Enlisted in Company I of the 30th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Wounded on April 7, 1862 at Pittsburgh Landing. Served through the end of the war.


• William Klingaman (husband of 2nd great grandaunt). Served in Company F of the 142nd Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Moved to Jefferson County, Iowa in 1867.

War of 1812

• Conrad Yarian (4th great grandfather). Served as a Lieutenant in Martin Sittler's Company, from Columbiana County, Ohio along with his brother Mathias.


• Bela Goodrich (5th great grandfather). Served from August 24, 1812 until October 4, 1812 and from May 4, 1813 until May 27, 1813 in Israel P. Case's Company from Franklin County, Ohio. In 1855, applied for Bounty Land. File 143.039.

Revolutionary War

• William Alexander (4th great grandfather). Lived in the area of Cecil County, Maryland and Chester County, Pennsylvania. Enlisted July 24, 1776. By March of 1777, he was a 1st Lieutenant of the 7th Battalion of the Maryland Regulars Regiment. He served in the 5th Company. He was killed on Aug 27, 1777 on the 2nd day of battle at "Landing Head of Elk" Maryland.


• James Ball (4th great grandfather). At age 27, enlisted on August 20, 1776 at Hampshire, Virginia in Captain William Voss' company, 12th Virginia Regiment. Served for three years. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Stoney Point. Received two wounds at the battle of Brandywine. Pension claim W8336.


• Henry Bray (5th great grandfather). Signed "Patriot's Oaths of Fidelity and Support" on March 16, 1778 in Washington County, Maryland. Accepted as DAR patriot. File number 3185877.


• John Bray (4th great grandfather, son of Henry Bray). At age 16, enlisted in September 1777 at Romney, Hampshire County, Virginia. Served as a Private in Captain William Voss' Company, 12th Virginia Regiment. Was wounded during the battle of Brandywine (Delaware) and fought at Monmouth and Stoney Point. Discharged in 1780 in Yorktown, Pennsylvania. Pension claim W4145.


• Andrew Brinker (5th great grandfather). He served as a Private in Lieutenant Colonel Cochin's 4th Company, 4th Battalion, of the Northampton County, Pennyslvania Militia. He moved to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania between 1785-1790 then to Columbiana County, Ohio about 1806 where he died in 1828. [Added November 10, ..]


• Johann Heinrich "Henry" Coy/Kau/Cow/Cowe (5th great grandfather). Served from Washington County, Maryland and Franklin County, Pennsylvania along with his brothers Jacob and Frederick.


• John Goodrich (6th great grandfather). Marched for the relief of Boston in the Lexington Alarm April 1775. Served as a Private in Capt. Hezekiah Wells' Company, Colonel Erastus Wollcotts' Regiment January-March 1776. DAR No. 592151 through Juanita (Mrs. Eugene) Beard.


• Joseph Joslin (6th great grandfather). On page 125 of the "The Jocelyn-Joslin-Joslyn-Josselyn Family" (1961), Edith Wessler says that Joseph was a Lieutenant in the Revolution. On page 106 in "Blackman and Allied Families" author Alfred L. Holman says that Joseph was a Sergeant in the Revolution. Joseph's tombstone says "In memory of Lieut. Joseph Joslin..." I've not done any further research to prove or disprove these claims so if he served during the revolution, I don't know where or when or in what capacity.


• Thomas Sprague (4th great grandfather). He resided at Union, Tolland County, Connecticut and Mt. Vernon, Knox County, Ohio. Served as a private in Capt. Christopher Banister's Company, Col. Ezra May's Regiment; enlisted September 20, 1777; discharged October 5, 1777, service 21 days on expedition to Stillwater and Saratoga.


• Jacob Van Keuren (6th great grandfather). Served in the Fourth Regiment from Ulster County, New York.

I'm pretty sure I've listed all of my ancestors and their siblings that have served in the military from the present day through the Revolutionary War.



Other relatives who have served:

• Veterans in my Family :: the War of 1812 and the Civil War


• Veterans in my Family :: Spanish American War and World War I


• Veterans in my Family :: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam

Doggie In the Flowers

Tuffee walked through the field of lupines

Right Up Front

Some readers notice that I always have the front brake lever set up on the right handlebar on my bikes and ask me why, since the opposite arrangement is more typical in the US. The quick answer is that I find the "right front" setup more intuitive and more convenient. I have owned bikes with both "left front" and "right front" setups, and consistently began to notice that I prefer to have the front brake lever on the right handlebar. So at some point we rerouted all of my bikes to have the front brake on the right side, and I've been happy since.



Some reasons why I prefer the "right front" set-up:



. My right hand is slightly dominant to my left, and it makes sense to squeeze the front brake - which is the dominant brake - with my dominant hand.

. On bikes that are coaster brake or fixed gear andhave only the front handbrake, it likewise makes sense to squeeze the sole handbrake with my dominant hand.

. Using the right hand for braking leaves my left hand free to signal turns and traffic maneuvers.

. This one is tricky to describe, but under some conditions I use the front brake as a "stop rolling" device when quickly dismounting my bike, and this maneuver works best when the front brake lever is on the right.

There are different views out there regarding which set-up makes the most sense, and Sheldon Brown has a nice write-up about it here. Ultimately, I think it is up to the individual cyclist to determine which feels more natural to them. And if the setup with which your bike came from the store doesn't feel right, be aware that this is something that can easily be changed by re-routing the brake cables.

Wild Rose and Pine Forest

The skies were gray today and there was a light rain coming down throughout the day. Perfect for getting under the forest canopy and making some images of wildflowers!



Above image: Water droplets on a blade of grass after a rainy night. Shot with a Canon EF 100mm macro lens.

Mt Rainier Route Photos

The heavy snowfall from last week slowed a number of teams, many have not made the summit. Since we're lite on route conditions, I'll share these recent climbing route photos. Here is the Nisqually Cleaver taken on May 30th.

There are a number of climbers at Camp Muir this weekend, none have reported successful ascents. One Seattle party spent 15 hours pushing the route in from Camp Schurman, while another team summited on Liberty Ridge Thursday/Friday. The "Liberty" team took quite a bit of extra time and had to spend at least one night on top... They radioed from Camp Schurman on Saturday to report that one member had 7 digits with frostbite! We remind climbers not to underestimate how physically difficult it is to climb Liberty Ridge.

Photo by Mike Gauthier

Pickleball and More Pickleball

Today,we settled in a bit with the normal first day here stuff. Did some daily around the house stuff. Some learning took place. We played pickleball with friends.

Then we had dinner and then came back for more pickleball.

The Bradshaws are here and there two cutie pies came over to play pickleball with us too. What fun!

There's Bugis for cheap shopping thrills and souvenirs in Singapore

I have been back in the Netherlands and currently suffering a light jet lag. I slept straight for 14 hours but was awakened when the Dutchman joined me in bed. I was startled at first. I did not know where I was? And I did not know who this man is beside me in bed! Oh dear me, lol.



Then I remembered I am home. I am with the Dutchman. This is what happens when you travel to different countries and staying in hotel rooms and other people's houses.



My last leg of my South East Asian trip was Singapore, and since this city was the most fresh in my mind, I have decided to post an entry about our shopping afternoon there, just the day before I left.



Bugis Street or Bugis Village

Website: Bugis Street









Singapore is a multi-cultural city and country. Everywhere you go they have signs in 4 languages like this at a construction site in front of Bugis: English (so everyone can understand each other, glad its not written in Singlish though!), Mandarin Chinese (74% of Singaporeans are Chinese, although other Chinese dialects are also spoken), Malay (well, Singapore was once a part of Malaysia) and Indian Tamil (another rich history from the past of Indian traders coming to Asia).











It is easy to get to Bugis by car, bus or MRT. Check the website link above for more information.



Some Bugis information and history



Bugis Village is the answer to all our cheap shopping thrills and souvenirs in Singapore. There are more than 800 shops here and is the largest shopping location in Singapore.



The area used to be frequented by hookers and transvestites in the 50's through the 80's. It's near Geylang, another area popularly known as the haven for the other darker side of night life. Things have changed since here at Geylang and Bugis, the area is now home to Singapore's biggest retail happening sans the upmarket signature brands unless you do not mind the quite looking very real work of imitations.



Interestingly, the place is also very local. There were some tourists shopping and passing through, I noticed, but not in big numbers. Bugis is clearly a local thing. Now you have been tipped off!



Trivia: Did you know that Bugis name came from the Buginese people of South Sulawesi, Indonesia? They are a seafaring people who moored their boats in the area and traded with Singaporean merchants.











The mother bought some stuff for the employees back home whilst the father acting as the poor shopping bags carrier, haha. But other than that, my mother likes markets like these. Like mother, like daughter I guess.











Okay, someone was brave enough (not me!) to come to Bugis shopping in flowered blue pants and towering high heels! Respect.









A conundrum!



I can't figure this out, but I simply love to browse and take pictures of local markets, especially if they are outdoor markets, farmers markets, street markets and markets housed in traditional buildings. Modern malls and expensive shopping centres do not interest me that much, although I do go there to buy stuff, sometimes to eat and meet people, but the excitement to visit a local traditional and sometimes kitschy market and partake in the experience is just different. I cannot compare the joy and contentment I get from this than going to a modern shopping mall.



Its a conundrum I suppose because I do rarely buy stuff at these markets, and when I do, I buy just one or two, while at malls and shopping centres, I do buy most of my stuff that I, for example, will really wear or use.



And if you have no appetite for shopping? Bugis have takeaway food and 'hawker' food stalls too! =)







They are selling fresh fruit juices but my favourite is chilled soya milk =)









Got so curious so bought a stick. They are fried chicken fingers wrapped in seaweed wrappers. They were... mwah.







From the same store we bought egg tarts but they were not near to the egg tarts in Macau. The Macau egg tarts were also not as par as the real egg tarts (Pastel de Nata's) in Portugal. At least I can say, I have tried them and can compare them to the original ones.



When you are in Singapore, do check Bugis Village or Bugis Street out!