Wagon

I'm sitting on what I think is part of an old wagon for hauling out the logs that were cut in this little canyon all those years ago.

Eagle Landing

Just one of the 4 Eagles that I saw flying around the visitor center at work today. This immature Eagle was coming in for a landing on one of the Birch trees along the banks of the Pigeon River.

Snow Radish

It was with some regret that I set off to return the Xtracycle Radish after a long term test ride. I had several errands to run and left early in the morning, rear bags filled with items to drop off in the course of my travels.The day was gorgeous, the air fresh, and the temperature not too low. More than a week had gone by since our last snowfall, and the multi-use river path looked like it had been cleared. I chose the path over the road, wanting to make the most out of my last ride on this bike.




We rode for a few miles along the plowed path, until gradually patches of uncleared snow and ice began to appear. I had the opportunity to get off the trail and rejoin the road, but decided to wing it.






At length, we hit a section of the trail that was completely unplowed. The hard, crusted-over snow made for an uneven surface. I was not in an adventurous or experimental mood, as I had my camera on the bike without a great deal of padding to protect it. Still, I thought that I would try to continue riding and see how it went. Cycling on crusty, uneven snow feels not unlike cycling on rough dirt roads, provided that there is no ice. The more I try it, the more I like it, and I enjoy trying it on different bikes and tires to compare. The 26x2" tires on the Radish have some tread to them, and it was enough for me to feel a difference between how theyrode on this kind of surfacecompared to the slicker Grand Bois Hetres. Bike choice aside, I think my ideal tires for this terrain might be some fat 26" or 650B knobbies.






It was a windy morning, and the wind picked up in the course of the ride. Naturally, it was a headwind, and the strongest gust coincided with an uphill stretch. I bent my arms until my face was just above the handlebars, put my head down and pedaled, eliciting cheers from a Super-Commuter headed in the opposite direction. Later on the road, a man at a stop light asked what it was like to drag "a bike like that" uphill. "You must be either very fit, or very miserable!" None of the above, mister.






It's funny, because I could sense that I got a lot of respect every time I rode the Radish. But it was undeserved: The bike rides easy, and winter conditions did not reveal any weak spots in handling. I think that for those in cold climates contemplating cargo bikes, that's an important consideration. Cargo bikes have a way of making you dependent on them. And once that dependency forms, you want to be able to use the bike comfortably and safely year-round. I have not tried other cargo bikes in the snow, but I am glad to know the Xtracycle affords that freedom. Throw on some winter tires of your choice, and you may not even have to worry about whether the paths are plowed.




Against the backdrop of a winter wonderland I said farewell to my longtailed friend, and rode home on a vintage Raleigh Roadster- contemplating differences in bike handling and dreaming of future snow rides.

More Pictures of Watkins Glen State Park

All Done!

Herding job over, Tuffee is given the "All Done" command and she leaves the pen with the horses.

Enjoying a ‘canchanchara cocktail’ and a serenade at the La Canchanchara Bar in Trinidad

I mentioned previously that Blondine and I drank our way through Cuba. We literally sampled all alcoholic concoction that is being thrust in front of us. Now, we are happy to report that we both like Trinidad’s famous fresh cocktail drink called ‘canchanchara’.

Canchanchara is a mixture of rum, honey, lemon juice, water and some ice. The base of a Cuban cocktail drink is always rum. You can enjoy this drink everywhere in Trinidad and in Cuba actually, however, in Trinidad, there is the ‘La Canchanchara Bar’ faithfully offering this drink to visitors.

Blondine and I went there of course and after ordering our canchancharas, we were exclusively serenaded by some locals. Very sweet! And we met the funny ‘Jose’ as well! It was late in the afternoon so there were not many people in the bar. We almost had the place to ourselves =)

Inside the La Canchanchara bar... not busy as it was very late in the afternoon. Trinidad is not like Havana. It is not rundown with tourists.

Canchanchara is a very refreshing cocktail drink. You will have to stir the drink until the honey at the bottom mixes with the drink.

And we got serenaded!

The serenade video at La Canchanchara Bar in Trinidad.

Jose was such a funny guy! He makes us laugh the whole time.

We were told that it gets lively here at the La Canchanchara bar in the evenings. There is music, dancing and all. Jose even told us that he will personally teach us salsa and cha-cha-cha dance if we come back in the evening.

Well, after dinner that night, Blondine and I were so tired, so we opted instead for a relaxing evening back at our farm hotel. A bit boring eh?

Mite Damage on Camellias

Southern Red Mites love the southern garden evergreen staples: Japanese Camellia, Japanese Holly, Magnolia and Azlaea. It seems to be attracted to the Japanese Camellia (Camellia japonica) more than the others, causing the leaves to become dull and silvery.

When I get called into a garden that is infested with the Southern Red Mites, it is most commonly confused with Sunscald.

This tiny pest (you need a hand lens to see them) is dormant right now, but once the temperatures cool down a bit, it will be back. All of the damage you see now actually occurred last winter and spring- it's frustrating.


If you had this pest in your garden or nursery last year, they will be back. The best product to use is Horticultural-Grade Oil (sometimes sold as "Ultrafine Oil"). Spray the leaves and stems with oil a few times in the fall and winter to essentially smother them.

*Southern Red Mites do not affect Sasanqua Camellias, only the Japanese Camellias