About me

me









Claire MacLeodThanks for coming to have a look at my site. I’m Dave, I’m a climber from Scotland and I live in Letterfinlay in the Scottish highlands with my wife Claire and my cat Puss Puss. This is my blog about my climbing, my life and my work. My work these days is climbing, writing, coaching, lecturing and making films.I started climbing when I was 15 and climbed most of the hard rock and winter climbs in Scotland. For the last decade I’ve been making first ascents of as hard routes as possible in most climbing disciplines but especially trad, bouldering, sport climbing and winter climbing. My route Rhapsody was the first E11 graded climb in the world. My hardest climbs, Echo Wall (E11) and Anubis (XII) could be among the hardest summer and winter trad climbs in the world. I’ve also climbed 9a in sport climbing, V13/14 in bouldering and onsighted E7.People in the wider world of climbing tend to hear about my climbing through the well known films E11 or Echo Wall or my book 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes.

A review of the movie, "The Pinnacle"

"In one legendary week on Ben Nevis in 1960 Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith climbed six first winter ascents on consecutive days, including the mini Alpine-route, Orion Face Direct. They also made the first one-day winter ascent of Point Five Gully, went for a long walk and got arrested over an incident with some dominoes! Exactly 50 years later Dave MacLeod and Andy Turner pay tribute to Smith and Marshall by setting out to repeat all the routes that were climbed in that famous week. This film tells the story of the original events and follows MacLeod and Turner as they discover exactly what an achievement it was."



I have mentioned this film several times on the blog. Last year I really wanted to be in Scotland for the Premier. Formost of us Yanks that was a pipe dream even without a volcano in Iceland.



My copy showed up on Christmas Eve! I was stoked!! In the lastweek I have had a chance to view "Pinnacle" and all the extra footage on the DVD twice.



It should beobvious thatI am a student ofour sport'shistory. That interestis one of the reasons I started the blog. Waterfall climbing started in the late 60s and early 70s in my part of NA and Canada. I was lucky enough to latchon to the last bit of it and even luckier to see the sport transformed in the years that came after. The grand scale of it, now 40 years later, for me is some what akin to having done the West Buttress on Denali in a 3 week slog and then go back years later to do it again in a day.



Your perspective is forever changed by the events you witness.



I have no history of ice climbing in the 60s. But I knew "my sport" was born there and we all learned how to walk from that beginning. Sure there were great things done in the Alps the previous 40 years to 1960 but none fired the imagination that Scotland did if for no other reason we were made more aware of it by the British climbing publications, both magazines and books.



I grew up with the stories of Point Five Gully and the Orion Face as much as I did with Annapurna, the Eiger and Everest.



The film maker, Paul Diffley has taken a truly amazing story of one week's climbing in 1960 and one of the originalclimbers involved and woven a intricate, humorous and touching adventure story from the facts of 50 years ago.



The extras on the interview and other bits of climbing footage just enrich the experience. This is a film that had me smiling, laughing, enthralled and at one point brought a tear to my eye. It is a film I will ponder and reflect on for a long time to come. And one I will pull off the shelf on occasion and sit with a glass of Scotch and watch again, when I need to remember it all myself.



Likely part of that reverence I attach to this film is the fact that I saw much of the climbing pass in front of me over the last 40 years. And I know that I won't always be pulling down on cold hard ice myself. But for the moment I am. And I can still respect the climbersthat came before me. It is obvious they earned it.



Diffley's editing is nothing short of superb. The camera footage is some of the best winter climbingI have seen on film . And it is not hard to image Smith and Marshal being just as comfortable and complimentary as MacLeod and Turner are in their partnership. Both were easy to relate to and enjoyable to watch on film. Not always easily donefor climbers.



Marshal and Smith is the true stars of the movie. And Smith never utters a word in the entire program.



I suspect if you are on this blog for any of its content,you'll want to see this DVD......more than once and on the biggest screen you can find.



You can order it here:



http://www.hotaches.com/films.htm#Pinnacle







5 Star Review - Climb Magazine -

"A beautifully crafted film"







"The Nevis scenery and the climbs are completely exquisite; rarely has the Ben looked so ethereally beautiful or sugar icingly-enticing."

- Colin Wells - Climb Magazine



"The film is a rare jewel of climbing history and a visual treat for the guilty armchair mountaineer! ... it leaves me with a feeling of profound longing for those special mountaineering moments that become ever more rare and inaccessible."

- Stone Country



•People's Choice Award:

Kendal Mountain Film Festival



•People's Choice Award:

Dundee Mountain Film Festival



•People's Choice Award:

Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival



And a review much better than mine I just had a chance to read plus two links on Robbin Smith:



http://tohatchacrow.blogspot.com//11/iron-in-soulthe-pinnacle-review.html





Most of the trailers and much of the modern climbing is linked here on the blog as well. Easy enough to find by checking the "climber, video" in the labels at the bottom right hand corner of each post.

The La Sportiva Spantik

On the right, the Golden Pillar on Spantik

Love them or hate them the La Sportiva Spantik is without doubt one of the lightest double boots currently on the market. Although the new Scarpa 6000 should be a good competitor to that claim when it is available this fall. The Spantik was named after an amazingly beautiful mountain.

"This stunning ridge line is located on Spantik (7027m) in the Karakorum Range near the Hunza Valley, Baltistan in northern Pakistan. The route was first climbed in 1987 by an international team of mountaineers which included Victor Saunders and Mick Fowler, among others. Fowler’s photo of the arete highlights the extreme rock and ice climbing involved in their ascent. Spantik is considered one of the finest and hardest mountains in the world."

To purchase the photo look here:

http://www.topworldbooks.com/detail.aspx?s=24587

The boot's retail price currently is $700 but with some smart online shopping the going price over the last three years seems to be around $500.

The Spantik is exceptionally high tech. Unlike the typical double boot the Spantik is two distinct layers of insulation by design. In other words both the inner boot and the outer shell offer a certain degree of insulation. Not the first attempt at such technology but so far the most successful. That technology is what allows such a "small" profile boot to be so warm in comparison. "Small" might not be the right descriptor there as no question in any size the Spantik is a BIG boot. The innovative lacing system was designed to offer an easier system to use one handed or with gloves on. How well that was accomplished depends on the opinion of the end user. I find it hard to get the boot really laced tight across the instep when I want to cinch it down for harder climbing and eliminate heel lift. But I can, with some effort, get the lace system to work well enough even on my skinny ankles. But it doesn't eliminate the worry of a broken lace or eyelets. A better system? Not imo.

Here is the La Sportiva spiel :

"The Spantik is perfect for 6-7000 meter peaks or anywhere that you need a toasty warm performance fit. It is step-in crampon compatible and provides excellent technical climbing capabilities.

WEIGHT: 44.48 oz • 1261 g LAST: Nuptse CONSTRUCTION: Outer: Board Lasted Inner: Slip Lasted OUTER BOOT: PU-Tech transparent PU-coated embossed Benecke CeraCom® PUR leatherette/ Water-repellent Lorica® with Antiacqua™ external coating/ Vibram® rubber rand/ Molded TPU ankle backstay reinforcement/ PE micro-cellular thermal insulating closed cell foam lined with a thermo-reflective aluminum facing coated with an anti-abrasion flockingcoated with an anti-abrasion flocking INNER BOOT: Micro-perforated thermo-formable PE/ Water-repellent Lorica® with Antiacqua™ external coating INSOLE: 5mm thermal structure carbon fiber and aluminum insulation MIDSOLE: TPU/ Dual-density Micropore EVA SOLE: Vibram® Montagna"

Weight? Even in my size 45s aka 11.5 US you should be right at 5# for the pair. Which is very good.

"Step-in crampon compatible"? Well, may be not on every crampon. The Spantik has an extremely wide heel and getting some crampons to fit perfectly is a PITA. Trimming the heel on a grinder is one solution. Black Diamond Cyborgs, Grivel G12s and Petzl Dartwins with lever locks seem to fit with no hassles. The rest (and those I have listed as well) I would check first and not assume anything.

Besides the extra wide heel the Spantik has an extreme rocker on both ends of the boot sole which makes a perfect crampon fit a little tedious to accomplish with some/most 'pons. The intention was to add rocker to the boots so we could walk more naturally on easy ground




I am on my 3 season with the Spantik. And hard to believe but also on my fifth pair of boots! The first 3 I broke inner boot eyelets on. When you start playing with the inner and outer lace system you realise they are Spartan at best. Missing an eyelet might work in a pinch high on a winter wall but isn't a good sales point if they are breaking in your office or the parking lot at Lake Louise while just lacing up.

Thankfully breaking eyelets seems to be solved these days. My 4th pair I eventually realised were just too big. My suggestion now (and it has not always been this way) is buy the same size Spantik as you wear in all the Sportiva boot line. I seem to be a 45 across the board with Sportiva.

But the real reason I have a new pair of Spantiks is not that I think they are the end all double boot. Nor do I think they are the best technical double boot Sportiva builds...it is simply the lightest.

Palau's Inner boot web site:
http://www.palau-boutique.com

It was the French foam inner boot made by Palua for the the other La Sportiva double boot, the Baruntse, that made me think of trying the Spantik again. The Palua inner is truly heat formable by any good ski boot fitter and had given me an exceptional fit in the Baruntse. Which made me think, 1st, maybe I was buying Spantiks in too large of size and 2nd, that that same inner boot was lighter (than the Spantiks inner or a Intuition) and just might fit perfectly in a smaller size Spantik shell. Which in turn might make a wider array of crampons fit better.


I was right on all counts.

As a side note if anyone has had success with heat molding the original Spantik inner boots would you please post your thoughts and the details in the comments? While the Sportiva literature claims the Spantik liner is heat formable I don't know of anyone who has done it and I could not get Sportiva NA to give me any direction let alone written instructions. The expert boot fitters I showed the liners to refused to take on the job because of the worry of wrecking an expensive pair of inner boots....but had zero issues molding the simpler Baruntse liner or the Intuition liners with perfect results.

(update 4/28/10 I actually broke down and bought a high quality, professional heat gun and attempted to heat form my Spantik inner boots with almost ZERO success. I worked as a ski boot fitter at one time so not something I would suggest to everyone. Yes they fit a tiny bit better but there just isn't enough foam there to really get a custom fit. On the other hand my Baruntse inners, which do have enough foam, fit the Spantik shells perfectly with a much better fit on my foot and less weight. )

I only wish La Sportiva USA offered spare Baruntse inner boots...at the moment they do not. (They do as of 9/1/) I'll get into the details of the Baruntse in an other review. Short version? If you are looking for a cold weather double boot specifically for technical climbing....the Baruntse is an unqualified success imo. I'd give it a 5 star rating no question. Only a small part of that story but take a look at the over all weights of both Spantik and Baruntse in the previous weight blog as a first comparison. You will likely be surprised. Sportiva's sales comment abou tthe Baruntse at one time was, "less technical than the Spantik ". It is not. And in many ways it is the better technical boot on steep ice and hard mixed.


There have been many, many hard, technical and cold climbs done now in the Spantik. Just not on Nanga Parbat as most will assume from House's youtube clip of what he "used" on Nanga Parbat. That was the Nuptse another La Sportiva double boot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIkmYiwbZWg

House/Anderson photos






More on Steve House and Vince Anderson

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?slc=en_US&sct=US&assetid=1662

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?slc=en_US&sct=US&assetid=34437

The Spantik has routinely summited Denali on quick trips with no over boots. You can use a very thin sock with the boot. And because the inner boots don't breath also work as VBL liners and keep your feet warmer and the inner and outer boots don't freeze.





The minimal lacing system on the outer shell collects little snow and in turn allows you to have warmer feet in really cold and deep snow conditions. The extra layer of foam in the sole also helps insulate you from the cold coming through the sole of the boot and your steel crampons working as a heat sink.


The down side of that same foam mid sole is you can collapse the mid sole if you over tighten your crampon bindings. Take a close look at the mid sole when you snap the lever in place and be conservative here. Enough of a problem on my size 46 Spantiks that I never really trusted most of the crampons I could fit to the boots. Thankfully the 45 shell is easier to fit.


You'll want to check here just under the heel clip...it is obvious when snapping the clip on and when in position if you are collapsing the mid sole. Either change 'pons or loosen the heel lever to an acceptable level of retention for boot integrity and crampon retention. The gap in the crampon heel fit is obvious in the picture as well. The crampons pictured are a perfect fit for what it is worth. Just a 5 to 6mm gap between the back end of the boot and the base of the crampon because of the additional built in sole rocker. Smaller gap up front depending on the crampon and bail style. A little disconcerting on the Spantiks until you get use to it.




Admittedly I have a difficult foot to fit. Long and narrow in the heel. And because of the added leverage of a size 12 foot I don't tolerate heel lift well. The 45 Spantik, using a thin insole and a custom fitted, heat molded Baruntse inner boot fits me as well as almost any double boot I have used. The side flex is almost non existent in the Spantik which i like and the progressive forward flex is tolerable. The Baruntse's flex is better in both areas for my needs and has a solid midsole. But by ditching the factory Spantik liner I can get a lighter and more comfortable Spantik and use a smaller shell, which is saying a lot.





Still not convinced the Spantik is THE best dbl boot available. And not in love with the Spantik as some of its supporters are. But at least I no longer hate it. And I do admit it is ONE of the best dbl boots available from a very short list. Just don't let the high tech lace system and fancy looks fool you if you can't get a an acceptable and hopefully perfect fit.



Spantik with a light weight, Black Diamond Sabertooth/Never crampon set up. Size 45 boot and crampon combo weights in at 3lb 10oz for a single side. Which sounds heavy but is actually pretty good :)








Here is a cautionary tale on the Spantik from a buddy. I mentioned the crampon fit and how the mid sole will collapse if the crampon fit is marginal.

Daniel Harro's comments and photos:

"As far as the spantiks go here is what I had to go through.
Before the resole. Obvious cracks in the toe piece.....10-15 days of use....maybe."



"After Dave Paige did the Resole. Note that I had to pay $100.00 bucks and of course La Sportiva does not import the Spantik sole, hence the Nepal sole on my Spantik boot... Short story don't buy boots direct from the company or they will screw you, like they screwed me. Dave Paige did do a good job for what he had to work with. First pair he has ever had to do."




The bright side of Daniel's resole? He now has some of the advantages and all the EXTRA weight of the of the Baruntse midsole. I think the Baruntse is a better technical boot than the Spantik becasue of the stiffer mid sole. Just a tough way to get that advantage and still have the heavier liner. It is the worst combo you could hand out imo.

My caution.... like Daniel's...is never, as in, never ever, buy boots directly from a boot manufacturer, or their state side wholesaler. All the best climbing boots are made out side the US and imported...getting any of the US importers to stand behind defective boots is damn near impossible and expensive. Vasque, La Sportiva, Raichle and Kayland have all been problems that I have personally whitnessed with ZERO satisfaction.

The bastards laugh at us all the way to the bank is my thought. But hey if you work for a importer I'd love to here your side of the story. Happy to publish it here. My suggestion is buy your boots from a reputable retailer with a unconditional guaranteee...Like REI, Backcountry.com or Zappos.

Summer Storm Cloud

Yesterday while harvesting some cucumbers from our plot in the community garden this really cool cloud drifted by overhead. I thought for sure it was going to drop at least a little bit of rain on us, but it passed us by without getting us wet. Clouds are awesome and I love how they always have the potential of making you stare at the sky in disbelief at what your eyes are seeing.

Views from the Valpolicella wine country

Taking refuge in a soothing and green environment with splendid views, somewhere perhaps on a mountain top overlooking the vineyard valleys and the lake, was the finishing holiday therapy we needed to bring this Italian getaway to a close. And true enough, I found this little town in Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella called San Giorgio di Valpolicella sitting on a hilltop that bids only breathtaking views as far as Lake Garda.



So after a relaxing lunch in Sirmione we drove to Valpolicella, one of the notable vineyard regions in northern Italy, just 15 minutes away from Verona. You might not be aware of this but the Veneto region has contributed to the world of wine pleasures through its dry and sparkling easy-on-the-pocket rival of champagne, Prosecco. I would have loved to stay in Treviso where the Prosecco town is located but since we were flying out in Verona, we chose a nearby alternative, the Valpolicella wine country.





This is the mountain top village in Valpolicella where we stayed the night over, San Giorgio di Valpolicella. Great views as you can see in the next foto. The locals call San Giorgio - 'Ingannapoltron' which means this place is not fit for the sluggish types because reaching the mountain top would entail climbing the steep and winding roads (if you are hiking).



Breathtaking scenic views from San Giorgio di Valpolicella, a village in Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella in the Veneto region.



More of Valpolicella views here and next foto is an Almond plantation, lovely Almond flowers in bloom.



More fotos taken in San Giorgio di Valpolicella and around the area of Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella. It is really lovely here I would to come back.



Here is a barbaric Romanesque Parish Church in San Giorgio di Valpolicella dating back to the end of the 12th century and the archaelogical ruins beside the church believed to be around the 4th century BC.



We followed a snaky ride up to the mountain top and when we reached the small plaza we saw cars and people wandering about. Why, even here the throng of tourists is following us! We quickly found out that they were locals out for a walk and enjoying the beautiful panoramas from the mountain top as explained to us by the chef, the son of owner of the restaurant we had dinner that night in Sant’Ambrogio. It’s Easter Monday so people are out.



We walked around San Giorgio and had coffee in the neighborhood cafeteria. Outside the cafeteria was a riot, the locals were singing, cajoling each other and laughing the whole time, the whole atmosphere of little town San Giorgio was very cheery indeed and carefree. Then we went down the mountain and drove around Sant’Ambrogio while admiring the scenic views expand before us. We were quite early for the vineyards and we can only see the trellises lined neatly down the valley and in some areas we sighted almonds. Very pretty!



The little village center (plaza) of San Giorgio di Valpolicella with locals singing and having fun. I paid €4.20 for a double espresso, a capuccino and 2 biscuits that looked like donuts. Cheap here!



Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella wines, product of the Valpolicella wine region. In the middle foto is the church in Sant'Ambrogio, the street in between the bell tower and the church is the road going up to San Giorgio. Right foto is Spritz, a popular Venetan aperitif drink, prepared with white wine or prosecco, a dash of campari, some mineral water and garnished with a slice of orange, voila!



The cafe terrace where we enjoyed our cold glass of Lugano wine before we moved on to Spritz in Al Covolo Restaurant in Sant'Ambrogio. Next foto is the cheeseplate we had for our dessert. I love aged and sharp-tasting cheese paired with a full bodied red wine. Yummy!



We chilled out in this café terrace on the main road of Sant’Ambrogio while sipping on a cold Lugano. We were probably the only foreigners in town. Everyone was local or Italian who is visiting and they seem to know each other pretty well which is quite nice to observe how they interact with each other. I love going local, it gives you a glimpse of other people’s cultures and customs which adds substance to traveling.



After dinner, we stayed the night over in San Giorgio in a traditional house that runs a trattoria and a bed and breakfast. The owner was very friendly; he woke up early the next day to fix us breakfast.



While stepping inside the car and driving down the winding road en-route to the airport, we took our last peek at the amazing views and bid our goodbyes to beautiful Italy. We wished we could stay longer but I got work waiting for me in Amsterdam.

Rain, Rain...Go Away

We have had a few days of solid rain with lots of wind, and here is the end result:



I know I said we were right on the water before, but I was speaking figuratively. It is about to become a literal statement:





Hopefully the rain has stopped...or we'll be switching sites!



Living the life in wet and cloudy Virginia!

Reaching a Non-Cycling Audience

I received a copy of the first issue of Anthology magazine in the mail today - sent to me, because they ran a feature on Lovely Bicycle. I knew they'd made some illustrations based on my photos, but I did not expect to see a cartoon version of myself and the Pashley Princess(depicted complete with cream tires!) cycling through a cartoon version of Boston. Funny! Unlike the real me, my cartoon self likes to cycle in high heels - so perhaps she can teach me a thing or two!



The story they ran included an edited version of my "Bicycles for Everyday Cycling" page, which I hope will be helpful to readers of the magazine who are considering purchasing their first bike.



I think it's neat that Anthology presented the information as an "anatomy lesson" and made its own hand-drawn illustrations (by Kris Atomic). This makes the text a lot more engaging than my original version (I read it with interest!) - and achieving that is important for print publications trying to compete with online media. I can imagine somebody who is not into cycling at all picking up this magazine in their local coffee shop or book store and getting drawn into the article, becoming curious about bicycles as a result.



In addition to the "Anatomy of a Lovely Bike" article, there was also a beautiful feature on Meligrosa of Bikes and the City with her cool mixte, as well as a helpful piece on shopping for bicycles and accessories.



One reason I am pleased to be featured inAnthology, is because they are not a cycling publication, but a more general lifestyle magazine. Before I began Lovely Bicycle, there was a period of a year or so when I vaguely wanted a bike but did not know how to even begin looking for one that was right for me. There was a disconnect between the sort of bicycle I wanted and what was available in most bike shops at the time, and I simply did not know where else to get information. A series of bike-related articles like the ones Anthology published would have helped me, and I hope that they can now help others. Besides, I just love the idea of things like dress guards, chain cases and "lugged steel construction" being presented as standard features. I hope that women walk into bike shops and ask for them, as casually and matter-of-factly as they would ask for cake in a bakery.

South Bethany 1968

Doubling Down?

When I was specifying the build for my Rivendell Sam Hillborne just over a year ago, I had no experience with these types of bikes, and went with recommended specs for the major components. For the most part, this has worked out well - with the possible exception of the drivetrain. This Spring I would like to replace theShimano Deore rear derailleur with the Shimano XT "Shadow," and I am also wondering, whether I would be better off with a double, instead of my current triple crankset. I've mentioned before that I find shifting on this bicycle to be somewhat high maintenance for my taste, with the front derailleur being especially difficult to get into that perfect position where it doesn't rub. I am given to understand that this is fairly typical for a "triple," and that if I want low maintenance I need to switch to a double crankset. With just two chainrings in the front, there is more room and less rubbing.



Switching my triple crankset to a double is something I am willing to undergo, as long as I can keep my current range of gears. This bicycle is used for hills, and I need to keep it that way. And while that is doable in theory, I am not sure what my options are as far as modern cranksets go. The chainrings on my current triple (Sugino XD2) are 46x36x2426 - so I would need to find a double crankset with just the 46x26 rings. Is that even possible? I know that it can be done with vintage-style TA cranksets, but I think I have a cognitive deficiency when it comes to understanding how exactly to buy those: It seems like every single part needs to be purchased from a different seller and they are all super-expensive and frequently out of stock. What other options are there? Someone has suggested simply removing the middle chainring from the current crankset, but I am pretty sure that's not how it's done.If you have a double with a wide touring range, I would love to know what your set-up is.

Cars

Cars have always been a big part of my father's life. He once bought a house- one half of a duplex with 9 garages. You can still see them on the alley - between Van Ness and Upton Streets. He can tell you about every car he has ever owned starting with the Model T Ford he bought on the sly with the money he earned from picking up golf balls and selling papers. His father thought he was too young to have a car, but that didn’t stop my dad. He lied about his age, forged his father’s name, and got a permit when he was only fifteen. Then his friend, Fred Brown had to hide the car at his house until it was too late for my Papou to stop the deal.

Before he had his own car, my Dad would steal my Papou's car- a maroon Chevrolet with black fenders. Papou kept it in a garage about a block away. Dad swiped the keys to both the garage and the car. He never put gas in it, and Papou never figured out why the car got such bad mileage. He even took it back to the dealer to complain. Later on, my brother would follow unwittingly in his shoes. Not knowing of Dad’s escapades, he’d climb down the tree outside his bedroom window on Davenport Street and “borrow” the car at night. The difference between father and son here was that my brother got caught . Our dad checked the mileage.
My brother’s only recourse was to buy his own car with the money he made from a temp job at the post office. He got a 1939 Buick, shaped like a torpedo. What little paint it had was blue. There was an antenna in the middle of the windshield. No brakes, no insurance, and once again, a forbidden purchase. He’d park it about a block away and walk home. He didn’t get caught until about 9 months later when Dad found a traffic ticket in his wallet.

Anyway after the Model T, my dad upgraded to a 1927 Chevrolet-2 door coupe convertible and from then on it was convertibles all the way. He wanted to modify the Chevy so he went up to the Friendship depot and got a straw bench from a retired streetcar. Then he cut the trunk lid, reversed the hinges, and made his own rumble seat. The next car was a 1932 Desoto with black fenders. He bought that one from a chef from Altoona who was working for Papou at Macomb Cafeteria.

Just before WWII, he got a brand new 1940 Hudson V8 with back windows that buttoned in when the top was down. That was it for new cars for a while. The factories stopped making cars and started making war machines. Those were dark days for my father. During the war, he pre-ordered four cars- and as they started rolling off the assembly line he was right there. The first was a 1947 green convertible Studebaker which he sold when the green convertible Buick came in. Next was the maroon Town and Country Chrysler which he totally loved until the emerald green Cadillac showed up. From then on, it was Cadillacs right on up to the seventies when Cadillac stopped making convertibles. Even then my cousin, Peter Sclavounos, managed to find him a custom made red Eldorado- which turned out to be the last stallion in line, and Dad’s personal favorite with its chrome spoke wheels and big white side walls. But Dad eventually got the fever for a new car again- and it had to be a convertible. That’s when my all American Dad converted to BMW, and it was somewhere around then that he got the bright idea of buying my mother “her car” for their anniversary. My mother didn't learn to drive until her late twenties, and she doesn’t particularly enjoy it, but she wanted her freedom. She avoids the Beltway at all cost, although I have to say she’s a little bit of a lead foot for a supposedly timid driver. She drives to get there, and she does just that. She’s always hated the top down for the unspeakable things that happen to her hair, but she’s always driven a convertible because that’s what Dad loves, and Mom has always "gone along with the program". Even now-just this year- for their 71st anniversary, Dad went out and bought her a bright red Toyota Salera convertible. My mother was totally gracious about it, too. She said she liked the color. And just like when he was a kid, Dad got away with it.

Chiricahua National Monument

If you should happen to be driving along Interstate 10 in southeast Arizona, you need to turn south onto highway 186 in Wilcox. Your destination is a little over 30 miles through the desert, uphill. It is the same terrain you have been driving through from Texas and New Mexico and you're wondering why or how this will be any different. But when you reach the little road that takes you into a canyon, you enter a different world. A delightful, surprising one.

There was green grass. And trees. Not just the little scrub bushes but real trees. And it was cool. And there was a stream with flowing water. Of course, it was early spring. There had been a lot of snow during the winter and it was melting. The first time in many years that there had actually been water flowing in Bonita Creek, according to one of the Park Rangers.

This fascinating place is Chiricahua National Monument. I had never heard of it until I saw a sign on the Interstate. I'm so glad that I took that road. The campground was pleasant with some sun making its way through the trees. It was refreshing to return to after several hours of hiking the trails, which were created by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

My Campsite.

The Erickson/Riggs home at Faraway Ranch, Bonita Canyon.
In 1887, this remote canyon became the home of Neil and Emma Erickson. Swedish emigrants, they met at Fort Craig, New Mexico. He was a sergeant in the Army and she was a a maid and companion to the Colonel's wife. Neil was often away from home, working, and Emma tended to the children and the ranch. In 1903 he became a forest ranger, which took him further away from Bonita Canyon. In 1917, the eldest daughter, Lillian, began inviting guests to the ranch and it became the getaway destination. Her husband, Ed Riggs, became foreman of a CCC Camp and helped build the trails used by visitors today. They did an amazing job on the trails. Faraway Ranch is now a part of Chiricahua National Monument.

Beyond Bonita Canyon are the mountains. The trails wind through the incredible rock formations – pillars and balancing rocks galore! It is a wondrous place, indeed.