Seoul street food: Grilled Squid

Yesterday Dutchman and I were in Itaewon, a really cool and trendy neighbourhood in Yongsan-gu, Seoul and I bought my first street food—‘Grilled Squid’!







They were grilled directly on coal.







Yummy! They are going at 3,000 KRW a pack (about EUR 2).









Will be posting more street food stuff soon!

Tall Boots, Zippers, and Mixte Stays

If you ride a mixte with twin lateral stays and wear tall boots with zippers along the inseams, you may notice that the zippers can rub against the stays as you pedal, which, over time, can damage the paint. This was a big problem on my vintage mixte - whenever I would wear boots like these, the entire length of the zippers would rub. On theRoyal H. this is less of a problem -either the stays must be closer together, or my feet further apart on the pedals. The zippers themselves clear the stays and only thepull tabs hit them occasionally. Still, it won't do to have metal tabs repeatedly hit parts of the frame.



I am going to try covering the pull tabs with black electrical tape or something similar. If that doesn't work, then I guess I just can't wear these boots on the mixte. Unfortunate, because I don't own that many pairs of footwear. My previous pair of tall boots had zippers along the back, but after wearing them out I was not able to find a replacement with the same design. Just a little glitch to be aware of when it comes to mixtes and tall boots!

Towers

One of the first things you see when you get to the top of Sandia Crest is all the TV and Radio towers that tower over the Crest. Many of them have been there more than 40 years, and others are newer. It seems to be the best place to have these communication towers. You frequently see men working on them. This day there were several trucks from Qwest Telephone Company which supplies all the landline phones in Albuquerque and most of NM and some other places.

Other End of Tunnels

This is the other side of the tunnels. The canyon with the creek at the bottom is on the left hand side.

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.

The Infinite amount of snow

Today was another great day of climbing. Despite the 36" of snow that fell upon the Laurel Highlands, Joel joined Laura and I for some fun at SCII. As soon as we could see the cliffs, we knew we were in for a treat. The cold weather the past week had built up some great lines that were begging to be climbed. We slogged through the knee -to -waist deep snow down to the cliff. We were treated to some great climbing in a pristine setting. The clouds cleared and provided us with some bluebird skies on several occasions. The ice was new and untrodden, presented many challenges and left us all (except Laura) pumped. It was one hell of a good time. Dr. Bob and Regina showed up before noon, dropped a line on the centrals and enjoyed the fun as well. We were hiking out as it was getting dark... Heres the photos that Laura and I snapped during the day... Enjoy

Bicycle Shopping: What Do We Expect?

Last week, I wrote about my sister's search for a basic, comfortable roadbike and in the post I explained that she is looking for a "normal" bike - That is, for a bike that is neither vintage, nor classic, nor lugged, nor artisanal - just a regular bike in the sense that one could walk into a bicycle shop off the street and buy it for a reasonable price. Once again I thank you all for the feedback, which was immensely helpful, and I will post an update regarding what bike she ends up getting. But on a separate note, I was intrigued by the category of replies that "pathologized" the way I described my sister's criteria - a few even questioning whether she ought to be buying a bike at all under the circumstances. Those comments made me think about expectations when it comes to bicycle shopping. And frankly, I think that "we" - i.e. those of us who are "into" bicycles, and especially into classic and vintage bicycles - can be out of touch with what people who "just want a bike" expect. Here are some of my observations about first time bike buyers' expectations that I've gathered from personal conversations and reader emails over the past two years:



It's toocomplicated

I think it is accurate to say that most people off to buy their first bicycle as an adult initially expect for the experience to be fairly simple. They envision being able to walk into a bike shop, to ask for some advice, and to walk out with a nice shiny bike. And I don't think that this attitude makes them "lazy" or "not committed to cycling." I think it is an entirely normal and healthy attitude. Unfortunately, hopes for simplicity are all too frequently crushed as bicycle shopping turns frustrating. The bicycles suggested at bike shops are often uncomfortable or otherwise unappealing, and the customer does not know how to express what exactly does not feel right. Purchasing a bicycle should be simple. But I believe that both bicycle shops and the industry at large are out of touch with what customers actually need.



It's too expensive

I receive lots of emails from people looking to buy their first bike, and the figure $500 comes up over and over again as theupperlimit of their budget - regardless of how well off the person is. While that expectation is unrealistic, I think that from the customer's point of view - assuming that they are not familiar with the industry - it is reasonable. Once they get to know the market a little better, chances are that they will come to terms with spending considerably more on a bike than they initially expected to. I blame this discrepancy on the industry and not on the customer being "cheap." In theory, large manufacturers could churn out attractive and functional bikes for $500, but for a variety of reasons, they do not.



I don't want to be a bike expert, I just want to rideI hear this one repeatedly, and I agree. Wanting to buy a bike should not require one to become an expert in bikes first. There is a difference between cycling and being "into bicycles," and it is perfectly normal to be the former without becoming the latter.

The fact is, that those of us who enjoy customising bicycles, building up bicycles from the frame up, hunting for rare parts and refurbishing vintage bikes, seeking out unique and unusual bicycles that are only available in specialty shops, and so on... are not in the majority, and I think we need to respect that. Most people - even those who are excited about cycling - just want to go to a "regular" bike shop, buy a bike, ride it without problems, and fiddle as little with it as possible. There is nothing wrong with that, and I think it would be misguided of me to try and convince everyone I meet that my preferences are "better." And in fact I don't think they are better; they are just different.



I would venture to say that a large percentage of would-be cyclists in North America are turned off from cycling by the discrepancy between their expectations and their actual experiences, when it comes to buying their first bicycle. And it seems to me that rather than blame the "victim," it would be more useful to rethink how the bicycle industry approaches potential customers. I have spoken to way too many people at this point who've told me that they'd love to cycle but are having terrible luck finding a bike. And that just isn't right.

Changing Seasons

So if you haven't already heard, summer is fully upon us here on the Mountain. Since the beginning of this month we have had thousands of climbers and skiers coming out to play on Rainier. Looking around the mountain last week from the side window of a Chinook helicopter we saw evidence of people climbing and skiing almost everything around. There were ski tracks down all the standard routes, plus a good many down some more technical non-standard routes. This was pretty amazing considering all of it was happening in mid to late July, a time of year people usually put away their skis and stop attempting routes like Mowich Face and Liberty Ridge.

With all of the beautiful weather we have been blessed with over the past few weeks our large snowpack is starting to morph into its usual mid-summer condition. This means that while most routes on the mountain are still in very good shape and holding lots of snow, climbers may start to encounter some ice poking through the snow in steeper areas, and some crevasses opening up forcing climbers to do a little more routefinding and endrunning of large cracks.

Over the past week Climbing Rangers have been out climbing Mowich Face and Ptarmigan Ridge along with all the standards like the Emmons and DC. Reports have been of excellent conditions in all places. Want to get an early August ascent of some steeper west side routes? Now is the time! With great snow-free trail conditions making for fast approaches and snow still clinging to most everything above 10,000' the stage is set for some great climbing. Just be aware that with warm days rockfall and icefall hazard increases, so climb at night when it's cool and be aware of what and who is above you at all times. Ya know, like when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em, when to climb and when to run. Speaking of running check out the fracture on Lib ridge below Thumb Rock! Although not normal at all for this time of year it is a testament to how much snow we have received and how warm the days have been.


Check out the new route updates and photos from the past week of climbing, training (always), and flying. Come on up and enjoy this seasonal transition with us here on Rainier!

Alpental ..

Used my other free pass for Alpental today. A completely different experience from when I went a few weeks ago. All the lots were full when I arrived at 10am! For my first ride on chair 2, I probably waited 20-25 minutes. This was probably one of the busiest days at Alpental all season. The crowds were somewhat disappointing.

Even the snow was somewhat disappointing. By the time I got to the top of the mountain, most everything was tracked out. I did not get to practice my deep powder skiing like I was hoping to. However, the skiing was great, and after being turned off by the wait for chair 2, I rode chair 1 most of the morning with very short lines. I explored a few runs that I had not been down before on the lower mountain as well: Ingrid's Inspiration and Dom. Ingrid's is a really nice run that can be done in the trees, or just under the cliffs. I was really enjoying that run.

Once Noon rolled around, I figured people would be heading home, or at least breaking for lunch. I jumped back on chair 2 for a few more runs down from the top. One of which was my first double black diamond run, Schluct. I eyed it up last time, and again today on a few rides up the lift. It didn't look significantly harder than the single blacks on the mountain, so I figured I'd give it a go. Once in the chute, I quickly realized the difference between single and double black diamond. (Even if Schluct is a mild double black.) There was a 20-25' section of the chute that was noticeably more steep, and it was narrow as well. I skied it without falling, but not without a little stalling. It wasn't my prettiest run of the day, but it was fun to ski it.

After my experience on Schluct, I headed for the lodge to end on a high note. My legs were tiring, and I had logged over 10000' of vertical again. When I got to the lodge, I ended up doing two more runs up chair 1 as I was attempting to get to my car in the high lot without having to take my skis off.

Overall, it was a fun day and great to be out. Nothing gets you practice on skis more than lift serve. Also, the powder was so deep today, that I saw no less than three people digging in the snow trying to find a lost ski. Yipe.

First ride up.

Top of chair 2.

Edelweiss Bowl.

Kitten in a TrashCan

New Visitor Center Sneak Peek

Being a "Mount Rainier VIP" (did you realize that volunteers are labeled "VIPs" because they are "Volunteers In Parks?") allowed me to recently take a private tour of the new Jackson Visitor Center and remodeled Paradise Inn.

Both are still under construction (which has consumed the Paradise upper lot for the last 2 summers) but thankfully, that construction is drawing to a close this year. The Paradise Inn will re-open in May and the new Jackson Visitor Center is scheduled to re-open this October.

Exploring the bowels of a major construction site was a fascinating and educational experience. The first notable surprise was how many people were actually involved in the project, and the variety of different tasks they were all doing.

Project safety manager Derek Burr (my tour guide) says there are about 30-40 people working on the visitor center site on any given day. The various specialists include (but are not limited to!):

• Heavy equipment operators
• Carpenters
• Pipe fitters
• Sprinkler pipe fitters
• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Sheet rock workers
• Earth workers
• HVAC technicians
• Iron workers
• Sheet metal workers

Another interesting fact about the visitor center construction site is that it features a "Dance Floor." Not your Saturday Night Fever variety, but a giant platform -- nicknamed the Dance Floor -- that is suspended 24 feet in the air. Above that false floor is another 24 more feet of scaffolding that enables workers access to the fifty-foot high pitched ceilings.

Burr notes that working on the high ceiling was one of the most challenging elements of the project. The Dance Floor was created because they couldn't fit a "lift" inside the doorway of the building.

Another cool feature of this project -- designed to address the weather challenges of Paradise -- is a scaffolding that extends beyond the roof-line by 10 feet. "That way that people can work on the outside of the building from the inside, without being killed by snow falling off the roof,” says Burr.

There are even more people working at the Paradise Inn-- 40-50, says Burr. The goal is to rehabilitate the 86-year old building so that it retains its rustic feel but can better withstand the ravages of time and weather.

To make the building stronger while keeping the historic atmosphere, many of the original beams, planks, and logs in the walls and floors were taken out, reinforced with concrete and steel, and then put back. The Inn has seen a lot of wear and tear over the years. Earthquakes and large snow-loads have made the floor uneven, pushed on the walls and created gaps and even some trenches throughout the structure.

One such trench in the corner of the dining room was so big that Burr wondered if “they were gonna dig up some skeletons?” Seriously though, an NPS archaeologist did examine the area and thankfully, no skeletons were found (Remember... Redrum...).

One big challenge for this type of construction project is to keep employees working at Paradise. "It's not an easy job," says Burr. To those of us who visit Paradise for those gorgeous views and hikes, it might be hard to imagine what could be so difficult about working there. (It beats a cubicle, doesn't it?) But the commute is quite long and many of the workers reside in temporary housing. And then of course, there is always the threat of crashing your truck on a slick icy road that is threatened by avalanches, or the joy of digging it out of the snow daily.

Burr, however, has enjoyed the job and his surroundings. "Some people don't even like to look at the view. But I take as many pictures as I can." Photos by Burr, Agiewich and NPS.

No Mojitos at Winkel van Sinkel

Blondine and I had lunch at Winkel van Sinkel yesterday Saturday. Blondine had the salmon bagel while I had some omelette. They were OK--4 stars out of 5.

The meet up is not just for our usual girly lunch update but to also further excite ourselves (now that sounds like this sentence needs some censoring, lol) for our up and coming CUBA TRIP which will happen in 2 weeks’ time. Yep, 2 more weeks!!! Flights have been booked 2 months ago. Hotels have been booked last week as well. Right now I am checking out the rental car.

Winkel van Sinkel, quite busy during lunch.

A quick trip to the WC (toilet). This is the basement of the restaurant that used to be a warehouse exiting to the wharf. In the old times, businessmen trade their wares by coming to Utrecht on boats and loading the wares on the below the street level wharfs.

Nevertheless we are bursting with desolate anticipation. WE CANNOT WAIT TO GO TO EXOTIC CUBA!

You know, Blondine and I have promised ourselves that we will go to Cuba before the country changes. Cuba right now is time warped. In the 50’s. We all know that Fidel Castro won’t live forever, so who knows, before we know it, Cuba might look like Miami? Oh dear, please no. So NOW is the TIME TO GO.

Now, we chose to meet up for lunch at Winkel van Sinkel because we’d love to have some Cuban introduction: MOJITOS. Trivia: Did you know that Mojitos originally came from Cuba?

The Winkel van Sinkel restaurant on Utrecht’s Oudegracht is famous for its salsa dancing and Caribbean cocktails. However, since the restaurant was packed with diners for lunch, they had nobody to concoct the cocktails for us. The waiter probably thought--Silly girls ordering Mojitos at this early hour. Haha.

Let’s just say that Sauvignon Blanc saved the day.

The facade of Winkel van Sinkel at night. Foto from http://themeet140.com/

Tonight, we might check out the free market and Queen’s Night celebrations (Koninginenacht) in Utrecht Centrum.

Visit Period: April

Dungeness Crab, a must when visiting San Francisco

Before the trip, I knew about the ‘Dungeness Crab’ specialty in San Francisco, so I made sure that I treat myself to these delectable crabs. It is by far the most popular and most commercially important crab in the western states of America. A lot of people depend their living on this ten-legged creature, as well as the palates of many gastronomic sea food lovers, like me.

And although these crabs are not as massive as the king crabs you see on Discovery Channel’s ‘The Deadliest Catch’ series (I have watched this quite a few times, like, last night), they are still quite big for individual consumption. OK, maybe their size is just good enough =)

So where to go to get this sea fare goodness?

I like eating them at home or somewhere where it is not awkward to make your hands dirty and stinky, and your cheeks spattered with crab juice (eww, I know! haha), but for this Dungeness crab experience, I thought it’s best to eat them raw, right on where it was originally marketed, on the streets of San Francisco’s fishing harbour. That means heading off to the Fisherman’s Wharf.

There is a row of seafood stalls or crab stations that are still selling steamed Dungeness crab traditionally on the streets of the Fisherman's Wharf. Back then, crab food was for the poor, but this has changed nowadays when a piece of crab can fetch you $18, like my first crab order! Here, you can order your crab to-go or eat it on the spot while standing. There is also this ledge, a sill along the corridor where people can place their food fares and eat while they stand. Much better; I have actually done this =)

The other option is to sit inside a restaurant just beside the food stalls which was a no go for me as I prefer to be outside. Luckily, I found this crab station called Tarantino's located right on the main street with little coffee tables outside, thus on my second Dungeness crab for lunch (on a different day of course) I chose this place. Much easier to sit while eating than standing. The Dutchman who does not eat anything from the sea disappeared and scampered off to a nearby American fast food chain for some moo.

So what are my taste bud impressions? 5 Stars! Literally, I could not get enough of the Dungeness crab. So fresh, so meaty and just simply delicious.

In summary, the ‘Dungeness Crab’ experience is a MUST DO and MUST EAT when in San Francisco, unless of course you are like the Dutchman who is a sea food snob. He actually called me a ‘Crab Murderer’! Says it is hearltess of me to break the crab into pieces just to eat its white meat. I must admit though that on certain occasions I have similarly pitied the animals that met their fate on the human food chain, but tell me, what can I do when these yummylicious Dungeness crabs were actually beckoning, silently at me, saying, ‘Please! Eat me! EAT ME NOW!’—LOL.

Crab prices ($10 - $25 per crab) are based on weight, so the bigger it is, the more expensive.

Fotos of my Dungeness Crab experience:

Fresh Dungeness crab catches of the day. These are already steamed, thus are ready to eat.

Moi here enjoying my first Dungeness crab for this holiday.

The evidence against this crab murderer, haha.

The man who prepared my crab on the sea food stall, the Tarantino's where I had my second Dungeness crab on a different day of course, showed me the real thing:

These poor crabs are still alive and we actually saw them moving. Dutchman thought it was so sad. Aw.

Then they are thrown one by one into this big boiling water tanker to be cooked and then scooped out when ready.

Here are fotos of the rest of Fisherman’s Wharf sea food stalls and what they are selling:

Row of sea food specialty stalls or crab stations as they are popularly called locally. You have the option to eat the sea food fares outside while standing or sit in the restaurants inside or have them to-go.

The buzzing activity of the fish vendors in the Fisherman's Wharf . Many accept credit cards here as well, so convenient.

If you fancy Dungeness crab less, then you have a plethora of other sea food fare choices.

Tip: If you come very early in the morning at the Fisherman’s Wharf, you might see the fishermen at work in their fishing boats, as they unload their day’s catch at the marina.

I have actually wanted to do this but was too lazy =( to get my butt up very early in the morning. Helaas...