Being in Nature

Walking into an outdoor clothing and gear retailer today, we invariably see an expanse of merchandise that is stylised to portray outdoor pursuits as highly technical activities. Fabrics of unnatural textures emitting an otherworldly sheen, colour schemes that don't exist in nature, motifs based on jarring geometric forms, aggressive logo placements - the overall feel is decidedly inorganic. And perhaps that is the key to why I find the aesthetics of today's outdoor industry so disturbing: How can clothing and gear designed for an intimate relationship with our natural surroundings be made in a way that is so at odds with them?



As a teenager in the 1990s I noticed that it disconcerted me to go hiking and see other hikers decked out in this high-tech gear. Watching them move through the landscape, they seemed to be invading nature, not striving to be a part of it. I found myself wondering how long those garments would take to decompose once discarded after a season or two, and what effect their decomposition would have on the beautiful scenery. It particularly disturbed me that outdoor enthusiasts did not seem to be aware of this contradiction. Carrying food and drinks in a myriad of plastic containers, they tramped through meadows and forests clad in aggressively styled garments made of artificial fabrics - an alien presence in their own world.



No doubt as a direct reaction to this I found myself drawn to natural fabrics and materials in everything from clothing, to furniture, to the everyday products I used, and also drawn to aesthetics that harmonised with my surroundings. And early on I felt that content and form went hand in hand here: When a particular aesthetic style becomes popular, it informs what is socially valued. And this has a huge overall impact on what kind of things get made and on how they get made. The aggressive, sporty, techie look has grown absolutely ubiquitous in outdoor gear - so much so that wool outdoor clothing manufacturers looking to become mainstream have taken to imitating the look of artificial fabrics in order to visually convince that their product is equally functional. The fact that what makes wool functional is its natural properties is laughably lost when this tactic is employed.



But recently the outdoor industry has experienced a small but noticeable backlash against the high-tech, and this includes the realm of bicycles and bicycle-related products. The growing public awareness of fringe brands such as Rivendell Bicycle Works and Archival Clothing have made both consumers and manufacturers rethink the aesthetics of an outdoor lifestyle. Some interpret this phenomenon as nostalgia-driven, and some see it as a form of consumer elitism. But I believe there is at least some element here of a rising collective desire for products that are more harmonious with our natural surroundings. Reverting to traditional looks, fabrics and manufacturing processes is simply the byproduct when things are made in this manner. The return of the steel bicycle with the waxed canvas bag is not so much about "re-enactment" as it is about rethinking ways of being in nature.

The Cows Are Out

As a child I lived in farm country long enough to hear the phrase "The cows are out" plenty of times. We lived on a pig farm for a bit and we also learned to hear and say, "the pigs are out" with equal parts frustration and weariness. So I don't find it odd that each time I drive down a certain road here, there is a cow on the side of the road. This cow is always in the same spot, close by the fence and not looking like it is going to move for anything.



Today, once I got past that cow I encountered a different cow. This one was not so much on the side of the road and near the fence. This one was running away from home.



As I crept closer, he moved in to check me out. I think he was contemplating whether or not he could hitch a ride with me. Like maybe if we put the top down, he'd fit just fine.



I decided that it might be best to just put the car in park and sit there until he decided what he wanted to do. I also decided that was just fine because there were horses in the field and I could take pictures of them.



I start to think this time spent sitting there in the road is just fine with me. I was getting to talk to horses and that is always a good thing. I was so distracted by the beauty of the horses that I lost track of what my buddy the cow is doing. Until I see this in my camera lens:



Turns out he did not want a ride after all, he thought he was a super star and I was the paparazzi. I completely confused him when I was taking pictures of the horses instead of him. As soon as I took some more pictures of him, he started off down the road in search of other groupies or cameramen.



Living the life in Cowville Florida!

More rambling, and a recipe

More natural graffiti

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Stu, Ron, and Chris all did the same "Things I've Done" type meme. I noted that there were three things I'd done that none of them had.

Since I'm anal, I had to also list the things they'd all three done, that I hadn't:

23. Gotten drunk on champagne (Tipsy, maybe. I don't like getting drunk.)

24. Given more than you can afford to charity (Nope. Geez I sound cheap. On the other hand, I can't remember spending "more than I could afford" on anything for me either.)

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (Giggling fits, yes, worst possible moment, no.)

29. Asked out a stranger (Too shy, shy.)

36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (I think in my dancing days I was always pretty self-conscious about it.)

84. Performed on stage (Not unless you count grammar school stuff. I was brilliant as the tail end of a horse in that Girl Scout skit, though.)

85. Been to Las Vegas

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

132. Petted a cockroach (Roach petting is apparently more common than I'd imagined.)

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Mom's Peach Crumble

Crumble:
1 egg white
1/2 C sugar (100 g)
1/4 C chopped pecans (40 g)
1/2 C rolled oats (use the one minute type) (45 g)

Pudding part:
1 - 1.1 oz fat-free sugar-free vanilla pudding mix (31 g)
1 C skim milk (240 ml)
1 - 8 oz nonfat vanilla yogurt (Mom uses peach instead) (228 g)
4 medium peaches, peeled & sliced

Beat egg white until stiff. Add sugar, mixing until creamy. Fold in pecans and oats. Spread mixture thinly on cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 10 - 20 minutes. Should be a little brown on top. Remove from sheet to cool. Crumble.

Mix milk & pudding. Stir until thick. Add yogurt & stir. In a small casserole dish, alternate layers of peaches and pudding mix. Top with crumbles. Chill & serve. 8 servings.

I think the crumbles should be held til right before eating, since the pudding makes them soggy before long.

The better the peaches, the better the whole Crumble. I don't think it would be the same with canned peaches. (Come winter I might have to try it though.)

To be so healthy, it's actually really good. I may start listing more of my recipes here since I seem to be developing a tendency to misplace them. (If you've seen my recipe that involves lentils, couscous, an onion, and lots of cumin, please let me know! I thought it was from Prevention but I can't find it on their site.)

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For non-American cooks, I used the recipe conversions found here.

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Never mind about the lentil recipe - found it!

Bicycle Quarterly: The Art and Science of Velo-Fetishism

[Edited to add: Bicycle Quarterly became a sponsor of this website in December . This post was written 1 year prior to that time.]



As a holiday gift, I received a subscription to Bicycle Quarterly and a set of back-issues containing articles I had been wanting to read for some time. The Winter issue and the older set arrived a little while ago, and I have been in a BQ-induced trance ever since. To describe this publication is challenging, as it defies easy classification. Part quasi-scholarly journal, part illustrated adventure book, something like this could only have been created by somebody with the mind of the relentlessly tenacious scientist and the spirit of the boy explorer. The result is wild, spectacular, engaging and maddening all at once - which is probably more emotion than any periodical has gotten out of me, ever. For that alone, the Bicycle Quarterly is worth every penny of its $30/year subscription fee.



Bicycle Quarterly focuses on randonneuring and cyclo-touring, and on theclassic and vintage bicycles designed for these forms of cycling. Its content includes elaborate bicycle reviews, detailed historical articles, technical articles on frame building and ride quality, travel stories, book and product reviews, and much more in the same vein. But to leave the description at that would be to understate the unique nature of this magazine. First, there are the hand-drawn black and white illustrations. And then, there is the inimitable narrative voice of Jan Heine - both the publisher of Bicycle Quarterly and the author of most of the articles. Dr. Heine writes like a research scientist who, without the pressure of having to publish in peer-reviewed academic journals, has given free reign to his poetic side. With scientific phraseology interwoven with florid descriptions and subjective assertions, it is like some fantastic tapestry that draws me in with the eccentricity of its patterns.



To be sure, the Bicycle Quarterly contains a wealth of carefully researched information, which I find invaluable to my own learning experience. The author is detail-oriented and analytical, conducting in-depth research and getting to the very heart of the matter in every topic he explores. In particular, I have found the rare historical information, and the many articles examining the geometries of classic bicycles extremely useful.The information provided is not something that can easily, if at all, be found online, and so it is a priceless resource. I will be storing these back issues carefully and using them as reference material in the future.



At the same time, Dr. Heine has a very distinctperspective, which must be kept in mind when reading his assertions, reviews and critiques. He favours a specific kind of (1950s French randonneuring) bicycle design and is convinced of the superiority of this design to a degree that, in my view, makes him deeply biased. He also has a number of theories - such as that on "planing," on the virtues of low-trail geometry, and on the superiority of flexible frames - which he tends to treat as fact, or at least as self-fulfilling prophecies. As a trained researcher myself (psychology and neuroscience), I cannot agree that the tests and reviews printed in Bicycle Quarterly are "scientific" - Yet they are presented that way to readers, and that is my biggest criticism of the magazine. Bicycle Quarterly has much to offer - as long as the author's assertions are not taken as gospel by the eager novice. It is the art and (pseudo-)science of velo-fetishism at its best, and I am addicted.

Tower Galaxy

I haven't been doing much shooting so far this November, so lately I've been working on more photos that were taken earlier this fall. This particular photo was made on the night of September 4, at about 1:00 in the morning. The Milky Way was so bright that night it looked like it was jumping out of the sky at us. This was a 40 second exposure taken with a Canon 5D Mark II camera and Canon EF 17-40mm lens. The lens aperture was set at f4 and the camera's ISO was set to 6400.

Mountain Snowpack Begins to Build Again

The recent storms have brought almost 40" of fresh snow to the mountain and more is expected in the near future. While this bodes well for the upcoming climbing season, the inclement weather does nothing to help with the road reconstruction effort underway. Still, the forecasted reopen dates remain in effect: April 1st for the opening to Longmire and May 1st for the opening of the road to Paradise. Unfortunately, with road reconstruction in full swing, there really isn't public access to Paradise... Even if you have the energy and determination to ski or hike the road. More on Access

Over the weekend rangers climbed to Camp Muir to inspect conditions and dig out facilities. I've included several photos here from this trip to whet your appetite.
While things are quiet here at the Park, this might be a good time to get a jump on things and purchase your 2007 climbing pass and cut down on the time you will spend during registration. Complete the Climbing Pass Purchase Form and fax it to 360.569.3131.

'Where's My Bike?' and Lights Too Bright

I've finally had the "where's my bike??" moment of panic a couple of nights ago. I'd left Jacqueline chained to one of the bike racks at the huge intersection in the Museumsquartier and went out for dinner with a friend.



Afterward, I went to retrieve the bike, but was horrified not to see it at the rack where I remembered leaving it.



This is a large, busy intersection that has between one and three bicycle racks on each corner. It was possible I'd left it on a different rack from the one I remembered. I started checking them all, with my friend's cheerful encouragement: "Relax, no one wants to steal your junky bike!"

While I don't appreciate the implication that Jacqueline is undesirable, I am glad that she was indeed safely locked up to a bike rack down the road. The shape is so recognisable, that I spotted her as soon as we approached. Immensely relieved, I vowed to pay more attention to where I leave her.

On a separate note, the headlight bracket on Jacqueline snapped over the weekend (you can see it positioned at an odd angle here), and we do not have a replacement. So we've removed the headlight altogether now and I am using the LED battery-operated lights I brought with me from the US. Cycling with those at night, a couple of times now local cyclists have commented that my tail light is too bright. It's not that it blinds them, but more like they just find it disconcerting - not typically associating that level of brightness with a bicycle. Interesting, because in Boston the same tail light is not considered too bright at all; in fact in the past I've used two of them whereas here I am only using one. Just goes to show how different cycling "culture" can be, even in terms of light intensity preferences.

Conversations with flowers

Why can't you be more photogenic? I do love the clasping leaf, but there's this gap where a petal should be. You look like a gap-toothed flower. Snaggletooth!

You just didn't get my good side.

The light's too bright. I had to stand here to shade you.

Not my fault. You could have brought an umbrella or something.

It's hard enough sneaking off without a large curious dog in tow. I didn't have time to pack a lot of photo equipment.

Not my problem. You should just be happy to greet the first bloodroot of the spring.

Well OK then.

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Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis).

Downtown Disney

Today we went to visit Downtown Disney so we could see Alice and Wonderland there. We loved the movie and we had fun on our visit.

Stormy Morning

With brisk overnight winds coming from the southwest I thought it would be a good morning to go out and catch some waves hitting the Lake Superior shoreline. I went to the shoreline in front of my parents house, which has a rock ledge that extends out into the lake and is aligned such that when the waves are from the southwest they crash right over this ledge. It sure is fun sitting on the rocks and watching the waves pound the shore!

We All Fall Down?

[image via Nationaal Archief]

Girl on Roadbike: So you've never worn clipless shoes?

Me: Nope.

GOR: Oh you should just do it! It's really easy, honest.

Me: Really?

GOR: Oh totally!

Me: So how did you get the hang of it?

GOR:Well, I fell down all the time at first!

Me: [horrified silence]

GOR:Yeah, it was pretty funny. I'd come to a stop and just go plop!

Me: Oh my God...

GOR:But don't worry, after a couple of weeks you'll be fine!



You see, that right there is what separates me from "normal people" who've grown up playing sports: I see being guaranteed to fall and being told not to worry as completely incompatible notions.



Hopefully I won't jinx myself by writing this here, but I've never fallen off my bike as an adult. When I tell this to experienced cyclists, their reaction is usually "Oh, that's not good. You need to get used to falling." The idea being that, if I have no concept of falling - and more importantly, of how to fall "correctly" - then when it actually happens (the use of "when" instead of "if" is in itself alarming), it's going to be bad. I've been given advice such as to go out and practice falling on some grass, but honestly I cannot imagine doing that unless someone holds a gun to my head... and even then, I'd probably be trying to talk my way out of it!



What exactly scares me about falling I don't know. I don't have a fear of pain, so that's not it (I sat though an emergency root canal without novocaine yesterday, which was honestly not so bad!). Maybe I have a strong self-preservation instinct, and the physical sensation of the fall triggers it. Either way, when I am told that a specific behaviour - like learning to ride clipless - is pretty much guaranteed to make me fall multiple times, I am highly motivated to avoid that behaviour.



How do you feel about the idea of falling off your bike? Is it something you view as an inherent part of cycling (be it for sport, recreation or transportation), or do you believe that it can (and should) be avoided?

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1914

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

June 25, 1914
the sixth reunion.

The Fisher reunion was held at McNaughton park in Elkhart. in which their were about 40 present. dinner was served on tables under the trees, near the river. their being no program.

Officers were elected as follows
C. D. Phend. Nappanee Pres[ident]
J. J. Phend Bremen Vice [President]
Mr and Mrs Frank Wehrly Nap[panee] Secrethry

No Births.

Katherine Phend and Rueben Pletcher
Surelda Phend and Barton Thornton
Evelyn Fuller and Walter Shaw.
married.

Samuel Fisher died.
Mrs John Ringenberger died

Wauchula FL to Cape Canaveral FL

We are attending a rally with other FOTR (Families on the Road) so we drove over to Cape Canaveral where it will be at. We are staying at Jetty Park which is right on the beach.





We arrived much later than we'd planned so we haven't done much beyond a short walk to the beach, getting set up and having dinner. It is still sooooo cold here.





I'm hoping it warms up so we can enjoy the rest of our time here with weather that is more favorable. The campground is nice and you really can't beat the location so we only need the weather to make it fabulous!

The Beautiful Old Barn

When we drove by this beautiful old barn, I snapped a few drive by shots. I mentioned to Nathan that it was one of those things that I would love to take 20 pictures of. So he went back. And I took 20 pictures of it.



I really love old barns like this one. They are so classic. They have so many stories to tell. I remembered my own stories of being in barns. I remembered the smell of hay that goes along with being in a barn. I remembered how scratchy that hay feels on bare summer feet and legs. Nice memories go along with barns.





Truth be told, after I took my 20 shots, I then took 23 more.



I could have easily taken 43 more.



Living the life in sunny Florida.



A PS to this post. My MIL recently sent some beautiful pictures like these and told us that my FIL had wanted to take pictures of old building and make a book with them. She said perhaps I could pick up that project. I think it's very likely that I will do just that!

Lebanon, PA to Williamsburg, VA