Edmunds Headwall and Romance

A pair of climbers took on the Edmunds Headwall last week. They opted for the climbing line after witnessing a fair amount of rockfall off Ptarmigan Ridge and Mowich Face... It seems that the west face of Mt Rainier is melting rather quickly.

On the fun side of things, I found this. It seems that romance for the broken hearted is alive and well on Mt. Rainier. According to Seattle author and dating maven "Breakup Babe" (AKA Rebecca Agiewich,) climbing could be good for your personal life (or not)! Of course, you’d have to read the book to find out how and why. But one fan was compelled enough to carry his copy to the summit. Maybe Ms. Agiewich will send us her Rainier trip reports for public consumption???

The weather looks quite good this weekend; the standard routes seem to be in good climbing shape.

Valentine and Anti-Valentine Give-Aways

It has been pointed out to me via email by a helpful reader that I forgot to commemorate St. Valentine's Day with a give-away, a cocktail recipe, or at least a ridiculous post. Well, to tell you the truth, that's because I am not big on celebrating it. Exchanging gifts and going out to "romantic dinners" on a prescribed day feels forced to me and I prefer to just ignore the whole frilly pink business of it. But you are right: That's no reason to deprive my readers of a give-away. So, I will offer a little something both to those who observe Valentine's Day and to those who do not.



For the observers: A red hand-knitted hat. I have too much red yarn and it's a Valentine's theme after all, so it must be red. A second colour might be involved as well, but red for the most part.



For the non-observers: A black bicycle bell. No trace of red or pink what so ever; just liquid darkness over brass, and the promise of a shrill sound. Would look great on an all-black city bike.



To participate in the give-away: Simply leave a comment identifying yourself as either an observer or a non-observer of Valentine's Day. The 14th observer and the 6th non-observer will receive the appropriate items. You have until 6am of "the morning after" to post your comment. I will not publish comments until it's over, so you won't know what number you are until the end.

Out Little Beach Bum

The Drawing Board

I find it enormously satisfying to follow the framebuilding process from the drawing board. Maybe it is because as a painter, I have grown accustomed to "needing to know" the process that underlies the finished object.

You can always spot a painter among the crowds in a museum or an art gallery: They are the one trying to get close enough to a painting to see the brush strokes, examining the side of a canvas, looking for cracks in the paint, possibly even sniffing at it.

This habit has followed me as I explore the world of custom bicycles. In the photo above is a drawing board of a local frame builder whose work I greatly admire - the same person responsible for this lovely bottom bracket.

Sunshine Yellow?

On an overcast day, the Vienna Citibikes really stand out! But are they too bright to ride? I admit that I have avoided renting these, because I don't fancy riding around looking like an enormous advert for a bank.

Here are the tamer blue versions on the left, but they too are covered with enormous adverts. What do you think? More bout Vienna Citibikes here.

Rise and Ride

I both am and am not a morning person. I do like to wake up early. But mornings are a still, quiet time, and while my mind is active (I can get a full day's work done before 9am), my body is not. So I sit and work, and drink endless coffee, until my body starts to feel more energetic and I am ready to face the world. Riding a bike before that point is not something I feel compelled to do. And yet, lately I've been doing it. Group rides tend to meet in the mornings, and friends with 9-5 jobs can only ride before work. My desire to join them has lured me onto the bike at some ungodly hours.




There is a lot to be said for early morning cycling. It's quiet.There is hardly any traffic.And it's beautiful - in a magical and almost eerie way that makes you feel special to be there. The world is allowing you to see it in its softest, least aggressive state. Once I am out there pedaling, I am glad to be doing it. But getting myself out of the house in the early morning can be difficult.






What I found helps, is to force myself to be organised and todevelop a routine. I check the weather and lay out everything I will need for the ride the night before - everything, from socks to jersey and chamois cream, in one accessible pile. This way I can shower and immediately get dressed without thinking. I fill my water bottle at the same time as I fill the kettle to make coffee in the morning. I put my phone, keys, and money in my jersey pockets as soon as I put it on, so that I don't have to scramble and search for them at the last second when I can potentially forget something. Then I eat breakfast, top up the air in my tires, and go. Things that I put on right before leaving - such as gloves and sunglasses - I keep inside my helmet by the door.


If meeting up with another person or a group in cold weather, I've learned to make sure the meeting point has the option of seeking shelter. Somebody's house, a cafe, a building with a lobby, or at least a gas station that will let you wait inside with your bike. This way, if someone is late you do not have to wait in the freezing cold - it is extremely difficult to stand still in the cold for long, particularly first thing in the morning.



Now that it's spring and the days are longer, more rides will be scheduled for the afternoons. But I am still glad to have developed a morning routine, and it will especially come in handy once it gets really hot out. What time of the day do you usually ride?

The Death of Ruth Joslin :: 1830

Official death records were not kept in the early days in Ohio. Then, as now, people often relied upon the local tabloid for news of their friends, neighbors and relatives.

Carol Willsey Bell compiled "Delaware County, Ohio Genealogical Abstracts" in 1980 and on page 51 we find the following entry, citing the Ohio State Gazette: "Sept. 16, 1830 - Died in Liberty Tp. on 27th ult, MRS. RUTH JOSLIN, w/o Jonas, age 59 years." The term "ult" refers to the previous month, i.e. Ruth died on August 27th 1830.

In 1992, Mary V. Reed compiled "Abstracts from Miscellaneous Delaware County Ohio Newspapers 1821-1857" and on page 49, citing the Ohio State Gazette and Delaware County Journal of September 16, 1830 is the entry: "Died in Liberty Township on the 27th ult. Mrs Ruth JOSLIN, aged 59 years wife of Mr. Johns JOSLIN."

From another "Joslin" researcher, I found out that Ruth's tombstone resides within the confines of the Delaware County Historical Museum, or at least it did several years ago. The inscription was transcribed as "Ruth wife of Jonas Joslin died Aug 27, 1830 aged 59 Years."

In this online listing, Ruth is shown as having been buried in the "Joslin Cemetery" along with Jonas Sr. The cemetery is shown as #9 on this map and was located in the southern portion of Liberty Township near the Franklin County line. From its location, I am presuming that the cemetery was on the Joslin farm.