Zipcar... Not at All Like Bikeshare

So, we have finally signed up for Zipcar, and I thought it might be useful to share my impressions. While I had imagined a motorised version of a bikeshare program, Zipcar is a different thing entirely.



Here is how it works: First you buy a yearly membership. It is worth noting that some employers have programs for employees to try it free, which was the case with us - but otherwise it's $60 per year plus a $25 application fee (so essentially you pay $85 to sign up). You are then able to rent a Zipcar by the hour at rates that start at $7.50 per hour. The rate depends on the type of car you need. So, for instance, a compact sedan might be $7.50, but a truck or SUV would be more like $12. You can also rent a Zipcar for an entire day, and the daily rates start from $69. To use a car you must reserve it, which can be done online or via smartphone. You specify in advance the exact time you will be getting and returning the car, and when finished, you must return the car to the same location from which you got it.



I can see how this system would be useful for those who need a car for short and pre-planned trips to the grocery/ hardware/ furniture store, or for meetings with clients that are short and finite in nature. However, our needs are different and there is no way Zipcar would work for us in most circumstances.



Scenario 1: We need to go to our photo studio or to a photoshoot in a far-off location, and to bring a bunch of enormous equipment with us. We will then be staying there for 5 hours working, maybe longer - depends how it goes. And it's the weekend.



Problems: We'd have to rent the car for en entire day, because at the hourly rate it would not be worth it. Either way, the rate would be quite high, because we'd need a large vehicle. Additionally Zipcar's weekend rates are higher than weekday rates, which would make the fee greater still. Car rental makes more sense than Zipcar.



Scenario 2: There is an urgent situation and we need a car right away.



Problems: We check the Zipcar reservation site and there are no cars available in any locations within 2 miles from us for the next hour and a half (This is true: I just checked). We also do not know for how long we need the car - could be 45 minutes, or could be 3 hours.A taxi makes more sense than Zipcar.



So... since 90% of the times we need a car, it is one of the above scenarios, Zipcar is not really the right choice for us. However, I think that if Zipcar worked more like a bikeshare program, it could be more useful for everyone.In many areas, there is a dense grid of Zipcar locations - so why not make it so that a car can be checked out from one location and returned to another? I am sure there are good logistical reasons why this is not done, and as always no system is perfect. I hope this was useful for those considering a Zipcar membership and wondering how the system works.

Cycling Fever?

I had this question when I first began doing strenuous rides and recently someone asked me the same thing: Is it normal to run a fever after cycling?



The short answer is: Yes. It happens to some people. Not to all, but to some. I am one of them, and I now know a few others who experience this with regularity - always have. The evening after a strenuous ride, I will often run a fever and might even develop a sore throat. While it's happening it can feel very much like the flu. But the next morning all symptoms will be gone, so it is not a case of actually getting sick.



My understanding is that this is a normal reaction that some people simply have to certain types of exertion. It may have to do with how our bodies engage in muscle repair. Or it may have to do with circulation issues. No one seems certain, but it does happen.



Regardless of how or why it happens, I have noticed there are things I can do to alleviate it. For instance: takinga hot shower or bath after a ride, takingan NSAID oracetaminophen concoction, eatingwarm "comfort food" such as soup or scrambled eggs, drinking lots of fluids, and tryingto get as much physical rest as possible.Basically treating it like the flu works for me. It dulls the symptoms while they are happening, so that I can still be productive with the rest of my evening. And the next day I feel good as new - only the muscle soreness remains.



If you experience fever or flu-like symptoms after strenuous cycling, how do you deal with it?

Dark Clouds Overhead

Storm clouds have moved in towards late afternoon each of the past few days. Sometimes rain falls, sometimes it doesn't. Southwest Montana July 12, ...

Ice Climbing at the Asbestos Wall

I am really feeling like I’d like to get more into ice climbing.



Perhaps I should have said this before my last post about ice, but better to say it late than never: I know very little about ice climbing. The last thing I want is for someone who actually knows a lot about ice climbing to stumble upon these ramblings and come away thinking that I regard myself as some kind of real ice climber because I’ve toproped short, picked-out beginner walls on four occasions in my life. Obviously, I know I am a beginner. In offering my thoughts I hope to offer a beginner’s perspective on ice, and not much more.



With that out of the way, let me tell you about my day with V at the Asbestos Wall in the Catskills.



As the day approached, I watched the weather, hoping it would stay below freezing this time. On my last ice climbing day the temperature had spiked up into the mid-forties, leading to very wet and potentially worrisome conditions. This time around there appeared to be no problems in that regard. The high for the day was projected to be just 14 degrees, which is less than the ideal temperature, since when it is so far below freezing the ice can be brittle and chip off in plates when you stick your axe in it. But at least I could expect that this time it wouldn’t be so difficult to stay dry, and I wouldn’t have to worry about melting chunks falling on our heads.



I proposed to V that we check out the Asbestos Wall, mostly because I believed it would be easy for us to set up topropes. Neither of us was planning on leading. I of course have never led on ice, and while V has the screws and used to do it, our trip was going to be his first time on the ice in at least three years. So he just wanted to get a feel for it again and told me he’d prefer it if he didn’t have to lead.



I had never been to the Asbestos Wall, and in fact had never really considered trying it before because it has a reputation as an overcrowded nightmare, full of loud, inconsiderate gumbies hogging routes and hacking the ice into oblivion. It is also a very sunny wall and the ice tends to bake and get that milky/cloudy appearance that can signal poor conditions (hence the wall’s name). But since we were heading up on MLK Day, which is a Monday and a workday for many, I hoped it wouldn’t be too crowded. And with a forecasted high temperature well below freezing, this sunny area seemed like just the ticket.



When V and I arrived we immediately saw why the wall gets so crowded. The approach is incredibly easy. The ice is visible from the parking lot and the slope beneath the climbs is neither steep nor unpleasant. And although the sections of the wall aren’t terribly high—the tallest ones are maybe 40 feet, tops—they are generally vertical, with very few ledges or broken-up sections. Add to these virtues the ease of access to the trees atop the cliff and the place becomes a beginner ice climber’s dream come true.



All of this is provided, of course, that you have enough room to climb without fear of getting a rope dropped on your head. We met a woman at the wall who had tried to come the previous day (i.e., Sunday). She said her party had given up after being at the wall for less than an hour because they found the crowded conditions so miserable.



But on this holiday Monday we had no such issues. The woman I just mentioned was part of a group of three. There was a guided party and I think two other pairs at the wall all day. We found plenty of ice to share with this small group of climbers and had ourselves a great time. We set up ropes on three different sections of the wall over the course of the day, and at each section we were able to pick out three or four different lines to climb. We had no trouble getting a section of the wall to ourselves any time we wanted it. There were ample signs of the wall’s popularity; most of the climbs we chose had obvious pick markings, and some would have benefitted from some time alone to recover. In the most extreme cases there was evidence that fragile lower sections of the wall had been kicked out by clumsy, rough climbers who came before us. But there were some fat columns we climbed on which there was no evidence of prior climbers, most likely because these particular sections have so much water flowing through them that holes fill in and freeze over very quickly. We tried to find the least hacked-up lines we could, and took care not to cause further damage to any of the more fragile features we found. We had a fun day, one I’d repeat without hesitation. Even though the temperature was quite low we were in the sun until the late afternoon, and had no trouble staying warm, which of course presents another issue with this wall on warmer days, when it must be difficult to evaluate whether the ice is in good condition.



So I would recommend the Asbestos Wall highly, but only to beginners, and only on a weekday, and only when it is quite cold. It really is a sign of how popular ice climbing has become that you can find five parties at this wall on a weekday. I would guess that a decade ago you might not have found so many parties at this wall over an entire weekend. Now, it seems the weekend crowding is so bad that this wall becomes unbearable. Even during the week, I can’t imagine what this wallwouldoffer a solid leader on ice. There are better, longer, less-crowded climbs within a very short distance of this wall. But for easy access to steep toprope climbs, it’s pretty hard to beat.

Winter 4.0

In the final weeks of my thoughts were full of everything that's happened over the past year and my dominant emotion was depletion. Two days ago I finally finished making a bicycle frame, and the experience took its toll: Getting so completely absorbed in something at which I am so completely mediocre led me to question my sanity. This train of thought then spread from framebuilding to cycling itself. My progress on the bike has not been impressive by any standard, making it both funny and ridiculous that I am so utterly into it. I also could not help but question what would happen if and when I finally move beyond the constant struggle to both understand the bicycle and master riding it. Will it no longer be absorbing? Will the excitement and wonder eventually fade?




In the midst of all this brooding, it began to snow. It snowed and snowed all through the night, and the next morning I ventured outside. On a Sunday the plowing had been minimal. Side streets crunched with hard-packed snow. Grassy lots offered vast, undisturbed snowscapes. Modest city parks turned into enchanted forests. I wandered around by bike through the preternaturally white landscape. As my face began to tingle from the frost, my head cleared. Slip-sliding my way through the at once familiar and unfamiliar streets, everything began to make sense. I abandoned my attempts to take stock and draw conclusions. I stopped thinking about the past year and started looking forward to the year ahead. This is my fourth winter cycling, and yet everything feels utterly new, utterly exciting.




Happy New Year, everyone. Thank you, as always, for reading.




---

In keeping with the New Year's Eve cocktail tradition, I offer you:




The First Snow Ride

Ethereal gin

St Germain liqueur

Lindt white chocolate

eggwhite

ice




In a cocktail shaker, mix 2 parts gin and 1 part St. Germaine over ice. Pour (hold the ice) into a cold cocktail glass. Whip 1 eggwhite until super-frothy. Finely shred white chocolate and sprinkle the flakes into the froth. Add mixture to the drink's surface. Serve and enjoy the ride!

Coco the Super Hero

I wrote about the less than obedient Coco the other day, and while resizing some pictures, I realized that although she has her own agenda at times, she is so much fun to take hiking because she turns into a super hero when we go.



We could sit and watch her run for hours.



We think it is especially cool to watch her leap into the air while jumping over things:



And then there is that not so obedient part again...where she runs into the water and drinks it...and gets sick from it. Leaving messes that Nathan has to clean up. She knows she is in trouble:



And being the dutiful grandmother, I have to share a beauty shot of her. I'm forcing myself to shoot in manual mode since I'm about five years overdue on it, and she is doing a great job of being my favorite model for the time being.

Ok, enough about the dog. Because although I love this dog, it is pretty ridiculous when I have two blog posts about her this week and none of the kids!



Living the life in oh so sunny and WARM Florida!

Slush Cup

Well, it seems that "Slush Cup" went big time this year. While we climbers were trudging up the Emmons variation of the DC, the folks from TAY were skimming across a pond on skis and snowboards, courting NPR radio reporter Tom Banse. Was it perhaps the slick video that attracted the attention of the rangers and media? Somehow, they turned a damp gray day below Pinnacle Peak into radio propaganda for those who pursue "turns all year." That is, turns all year, year after year after year after year...

Which begs the questions, what constitutes "turns"? It seems that strapping on your boards for "sand dune" turns in eastern Washington could actually qualify you for the honor; however carving Mt. Hood's salty slush in August may not. There are rules and qualifiers for everything. Go figure! Photo provided by Ron Jarvis, who frequently haunts Rainier's slopes in pursuit of skiable snow (what a surprise.)

And regarding mountain climbing... there is little "new" news to share. Climbers are successfully ascending the primary routes, so things must be holding together. There are ranger patrols on the Kautz and Emmons glaciers. Look for those reports later this week.

Indiana Sunset

These were taken less than an hour ago (at about 7:10 p.m.) just a few feet outside my back door. . .

Looking west - The two "hills" in the center are piles of dirt left behind after land was cleared for the foundations of a building.

Looking northeast - It has a rather painterly, soft-focus look to it as there really wasn't enough light for the camera to focus on anything specific.

Zion National Park

The first full day at Zion, I played tourist. I walked along the 1.7 mile fairly level, paved Pa'rus Trail that follows the Virgin River through the Zion Canyon. I hopped on the shuttle bus and got off and on at every stop along the way to the end of the line. Then I walked along the River Trail for another mile or two and a few hours later, caught the shuttle bus ride back to the campground. It was a gorgeous, relaxing day and I enjoyed every moment of it.

The view from the valley floor, midway along the Pa'rus Trail.

The peak known as "The Watchman" towers over the Lower Canyon. The Virgin River flows through the canyon and over thousands of years has helped create this marvelous place.

The wind-whipped water from one of the waterfalls in the Upper Canyon.

A grove of trees in the Upper Canyon area, caught in the fleeting rays of sunshine.

The view from my campsite, near sunset.

Campobello Island :: Mulholland Point and Seals in the Narrows

Thursday, September 20th - - In 1958 the governments of Canada and the United States entered into an agreement to construct a bridge across the Lubec Narrows to provide easy access to and from Campobello Island.






The Roosevelt Memorial Bridge was opened for operation in 1962. A portion of Campobello Island can be seen on the left while the town of Lubec, Maine is on the right. Taken from Mulholland Point.





There is a small park at Mulholland Point, which includes the Mulholland Lighthouse. Several signposts provide information about the bridge, the lighthouse, and give a brief history of the town of Lubec, Maine.



But what fascinated me, not visible in that first photo, was the high waves caused by the out-going tide. And then, there were those little black specks in the water, which upon closer examination with the help of the zoom lens, turned out to be seals!





I happened to arrive just as the tide was starting to go out. The water was moving very fast out in the middle of the narrows where the waves were the highest.





The larger seals would fight their way up the current and then rapidly float back downstream. They were certainly having fun, and I was certainly enjoying watching them.





There were probably about 25-30 seals in the group. I'm guessing that it must have been a good feeding area. The seagulls were flying all around also dipping in and out of the water.





The seals were continually diving and disappearing into the water, resurfacing some distance away from where they went under.





The next morning on my return to the United States, I stopped to get a shot of the Mulholland Lighthouse and the town of Lubec, Maine on the other side of the narrows. Even though the tide was low and not moving rapidly, there were seals floating in the water. I even saw an eagle flying amongst the seagulls.

Mazama Bowl Snow Pit

Well here it is...a snow pit featuring the infamous 'MLK crust'. As of January 19th, the crust has yet to freeze solid, and with the recent and forecasted warm temperatures, it's unlikely to do so any time soon.




Stability tests performed onSunday, Jan. 25:
Alta Vista, Aspect 90o; Slope 30o; evel 5800'.


ETCX
CTH(22) @ 30cm Q3
STM @ 10cm Q3


Also, there were 4 to 5 loose snow slides (sluffs off the south face of Panorama Point. These point-releases resulted from the intense sun melting and weakening the top layer of snow and occurred on Saturday, Jan. 22around 'high noon'.


Tuesday and Wednesday (1/25 and 1/26) should be mostly sunny and warm, so come on up to Paradise and enjoy some spring skiing in January!

Queen's Day

So Dutchman and I went out for Koninginnenacht (Queens Night) last night in Utrecht Centre albeit quickly because I cannot handle the maddenning crowds anymore, all these (drunken or want to get drunk) kids screaming-pushing-dancing-jumping and running around. ARGH. They are making me dizzy. I am so getting old, I do not fancy these street parties anymore and when Dutchman asked me if I want to see the free market, I was like—'What free market? You mean the RUBBISH???'

Managed to take 2 fotos last night in Oudegracht and by the Dom Tower grounds.

So today, Koninginnedag (Queens Day) I am staying inside the comforts of my home pretending that the rest of the Netherlands is not celebrating. Anyway, there is always TV to reconnect to reality if need be...

As for the Dutch Royal family, they are visiting Thorn and Weert in the south of the Netherlands. They always visit 2 towns every year during Queens Day, see foto slideshow from NU.nl website here: Dutch Royal Family during Queens Day . I am not a royal fan (the William and Kate royal wedding madness yesterday I thought was silly and over the top) although I see them as an integral part of Dutch culture and soceity, however, since we are not anymore in the Middle Ages, I believe these mega rich royals need to start paying tax. We cannot be forever subsidizing their lavish and sometimes frivolous lifestyles just because they were born noble.

And here is a foto slideshow on NU.nl website of the event as well happening in Amsterdam today: Koninginnedag in Amsterdam

Next post will be my Jordan travel diaries!

A Dubai Orientation: Dubai's Districts

For a quick guide about Dubai, I have here the districts of the city. Because I only had a day to experience Dubai (there will be another time I am sure, when it is not summer and Ramadan!) I settled to explore where my heart’s desires were leaning towards to, and that is the old part of Dubai. What can I say, I am a full-pledged culture freak and it is important for me to see the remnants of the real Dubai before all these modern-day Disneyland infrastructure was put in place. I however managed to venture out to Jumeirah area and Dubai’s Downtown Centre, so that’s a plus.



Dubai in a nutshell is evolving. The city is a neverending contruction site, a constant work in progress, although it is currently going through a tough time with the financial crisis since the credit crunch (staging a comeback somehow?) and the current political instability in the Gulf Region. So it is just a matter of project, an economic boost, some militant investor willing to throw money in, and time obviously, that the city will have another enclave, or district or better yet, an artificial island.



I found this map in Dubai Mall but couldn’t take a whole shot of it as it it too wide, so I cut them into 3 shots. These are the popular districts of the city and the map goes from left to right:







BUR DUBAI – Dubai’s historical district situated on the Dubai Creek. This is part of Old Dubai where Bastakiya (old Dubai Ruins) is located, the Dubai Creek Walk, Dubai Museum and the Textile Souk.



DEIRA – Dubai’s old financial centre and the old downtown Dubai. It is separated from Bur Dubai by the Dubai Creek. This is where the Gold and Spice Souks are located.



KARAMA – A mixed commercial and residential district, somewhat a Little India and Little Manila because of the high concentration of Indians and Filipinos living in the area. Lots of cheap retail shops here and international food places.



MIRDIFF – A commercial and residential district for the well-to-do.







DOWNTOWN DUBAI – Dubbed as the ‘New Dubai’ and home to the biggest mall in the world, the Dubai Mall and the stunning previously tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa (she is indeed very stunning, much stunning than the Petronas Towers in KL, Malaysia), and the biggest dancing fountain as well in the world, the Dubai fountain (bigger than the one in Las Vegas, USA).



INTERNATIONAL CITY – A residential area in the middle of the desert next to Chinatown (construction currently undergoing, it is said that the project includes a Forbidden City).



SATWA – Another of Dubai’s Little India and Little Manila due to the high concentration of Indians and Filipinos living here. I cannot stress this enough... there are so many Indians (and Indian-looking, Pakistani, Bangladeshi?) and Filipinos in Dubai! It’s like everywhere I turn to I bump into an Indian or Filipino.







DUBAI MARINA – Hosts the Jumeirah Beach Walk and is home to the largest concentration of western expatriate. I wanted to go to Madinat Jumeirah after my afternoon tea at the Burj al Arab but did not have the time anymore.



JUMEIRAH – Home to the famous Jumeirah Beach and the Dubai Mosque (northern part). Along this beach you can find the Palm Jumeirah (southern part) and other artificial archipelagos such as The World (not totally completed, project put on hold) and The Universe (project put on hold). Oh, care for a trip around the Universe my dear? It cannot get any crazier than this in Dubai! lol



JEBEL ALI – A new area developed located after the Dubai Marina with equally mind-blowing projects.



So that's it! If you are reading this and have been to Dubai or are from Dubai and I have made some mistakes (or would like to add another district that I have not written), please let me know and I shall correct this entry.



Shukran! Assalaam Alaikum =)

What Makes a Bicycle Shop Good?

A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to discover Open Bicycle in Somerville, Mass. Recognising a good bicycle shop is similar to meeting a person you really like for the first time: It's hard to describe the feeling, but when it's there you know it. That is how I felt when I walked into Open Bicycle.



Open can best be described as a bicycle shop, art gallery and community project in one -- executed in the most unpretentious and inviting way possible. In addition to the regular bike shop stuff, there is a lounge area with a sofa and coffee table, and an adjacent exhibition space that is home to the Chorus Gallery. The cavernous shop is softly lit and exudes a club-house coziness. The merchandise is lovingly arranged and placed on display like specimens of a precious personal collection.



A gorgeous display case of saddles, hubs and cranksets.



Nitto handlebars.



Hand-sewn leather U-Lock cozies!



A treasure chest of grips.



Leather helmets!



A lovely tool-wrap and wool socks. Other products include crocheted gloves, leather toe clips, cycling shoes, messenger bags, and clothing. The items for sale sport typewritten tags, and some are wrapped in twine like little gifts. Even if you are not looking to buy anything, just viewing these things is an aesthetic treat.



Oh yes: and they sell bicycles too. Open focuses on urban and commuter needs, offering mainly quality vintage bicycles and new bicycles made by local frame-builders, including Icarus, Royal H Cycles, and Independent Fabrication. There is a strong fixed gear vibe, but roadbikes and touring bikes are available as well.



If you are looking for a custom project involving building up a vintage frame, or having a unique bicycle made by one of the local frame-builders, Open will guide you through it (pictured above is a prototype frame by Icarus). They also repair bicycles with a good turn-around time and give honest advice. Their product prices and labor fees are very reasonable, and their customer service is top notch. The staff is enthusiastic about bicycles and caring about customers.



As an artist and a velo-lover, I truly appreciate what Open are doing for the local cycling community. If you live in the Boston area, you really must visit this wonderful shop. They are having a gallery opening this Saturday, so that's a great opportunity to stop by!

Fruits de Mer at Hotel New York Rotterdam

After much googling of possible cool with great reviews places to eat seafood in Rotterdam, I came across Hotel New York’s Oyster (& Seafood) Bar. Ah, give me seafood anytime and I am a very happy island gal.



Fruits de Mer at the Oyster Bar





Platter of Fruits de Mer.





Souvenir shop of vintage items at the Hotel New York Rotterdam located beside the entrance of the restaurant.



So glad MadamE could join me for Saturday lunch when I was staying in Rotterdam for a weekend. She told me that she had some clairvoyance moment, that she was picturing herself eating seafood very soon. Well she’s right.



We arrived at the height of lunch time and it took awhile before we were led to our table. This place is incredibly buzzing! It is hands down a super popular place for people from all walks of life to lunch during weekends. I cannot blame them really because the Oyster Bar alone is enough to tempt and beckon seafood lovers like moi.



Finally we were seated and pouring over the lunch menu.





Cheers for chardonnay!



It didn’t take a long time to decide what lunch will be. MadamE beamed in delight when I ordered the fresh seafood platter, ‘Plateau Fruits de Mer’. Oooooh, we cannot wait.



While waiting for the seafood bounty, our Chardonnay drinks arrived. Cheers! Proost!





Busy preparing for our fresh seafood platter?





And here she is. Plateau Fruits de Mer. Love.











I wished I ordered an extra half dozen of fresh oysters.



Creme Brulee



For desserts, we both had creme brulee which was quite good. Creamy, and the sweetness is bearable. Then I had coffee of course as well. Lunch is not complete without this.







I love the ‘Oyster Bar’ at Hotel New York Rotterdam. I can come here every week!!! I will definitely come back.



Hotel New York Rotterdam



Here’s some history of Hotel New York Rotterdam, excerpt taken from their website:



“In earlier times, many Europeans escaped poverty and/or religious persecution by leaving from Rotterdam. These emigrants usually left for North America, hoping for a better life. In 1873 the Nederlandsch Amerikaanse Stoomvaart Maatschappij company was founded, officially renamed ‘Holland America Line’ in 1896. Emigrants embarked in Rotterdam in large numbers, most of them debarking in New York City on arrival in the ‘Promised Land’ of America.



In 1971, after more than 100 years of transporting passengers, the Nieuw Amsterdam left the city on the Maas for its last crossing. An important episode in Rotterdam’s nautical history had come to an end.”



The New York Hotel Rotterdam was previously Holland America Line’s headquarters. And New York City, USA was previously called New Amsterdam.



And the pictures of this bygone yesteryears hotel:















So there, some history lesson about Rotterdam. The hotel, a bit nostalgic isn’t she?



It was a lovely fresh seafood lunch and catch up with MadamE that spontaneously got extended to having tea in North Brabant.