Sauce and we aint talking Pizza!

Should be obvious that I never tire of looking at me ;-) Really I need a better set of models or some friends because this is getting embarrassinglyold.I'm trying to get these three locals to model for me but haven't heard back yet.May be it was the low pay or the obviously stolen photo? I'll have to ask again.





Fred, Saucy?





I am still trying to get organized and stuff put away and seeing what is missing from either being lost,stolen or just not deliveredyet fromthis trip.



Couple of Buffs are gone, a bunch of climbing gear, some clothing and one favorite hat. But thankfully not my Sauce! Bought this thing inBozeman @ Northern Lights during the'11 Ice fest. $30...not cheap but I liked the colors and the detailing. No clue who the company was or where they were until a hour or so ago.



By the numbers:

Chill Toque, $30.00

The Chill Toque is a fleece lined hat. Designed for warmth in cold weather, this is the warmest piece in the Sauce collection.



•Perfect for casual winter wear and low intensity winter activity

•The swirl closure, unique to Sauce Headwear, provides an escape for excess heat.

•The fleece lined headband, and double layer Meryl® upper will wick moisture and provide resistance to wind.



The Chill Toque is available in two sizes.

•Small/Medium for women with average or small heads and youth.

•Medium/Large for men or women who prefer a looser fit.



http://www.sauceheadwear.com/main.php



I have climbed some init and skied a bunch in it.







Awesome colors, nice size, thicknessand warmth. Only down side is the black took a beating in the sun's UVover the last few months, Dec thru March. But I liked the hat enough (and more than one person wanted it) that I went looking for another. Hard to find in the right color and size this time of yearso I went to the source of Sauce, Shayla. Got what I needed. Another loud and brightly colored print that won't fade in the sun is on the way.



Shayla is one of the poor Canadian immigrants trying to make her way in the cold commercial American outdoor industry. She is one of us...a skier. Cool hats.Worth the coin and if you can keep your light fingered friends away from them shouldlast a long time. Couple of models available and they make freak'in head bands as well! Everyone needs a new hat!



Hard to believe but I am just writing about gear I really liked and used a lot this winter. The Sauce "Chill Toque" (Canadian for hat, knucklehead) was one of the few.



And yes, the new Ergos are sweet!

Climbers Climbin'

So it seems like we are in the middle of an extraordinary stretch of good weather for late April in the PNW. Some motivated people have been making the best of it and getting out for some really fun looking climbs. Rangers have been mostly in pre-season training and prep work so thanks to those who sent in some conditions updates and photos, we will continue to live vicariously through your reports until we hit the mountain full time in a couple of weeks. Check out recent beta on the Ingraham Direct, Fuhrer Finger, and Muir Snowfield posted in our conditions page.

Climber on the Fuhrer Finger - Photo by the Next Adventure crew

If you are heading up for any overnight stays on the mountain make sure you register for a permit. Self registration is still available all hours at the Paradise Old Station but the Climbing Information Center will be open this coming weekend May 4th and 5th from 8:00am to 3:00pm. Stop by to say hello, talk to a ranger and get any last minute info you need for your trip. Also remember if you are parking overnight at Paradise the overnight parking is in the lower parking lot. Please follow the signs to keep your car and wallet out of trouble.



For those of you wanting to access other areas of the park, it looks like Cayuse Pass (SR 410/123) will be opening this Friday May 3. Chinook pass is still a few weeks out so don't try to go to Yakima this way yet. The road to WR campground is still closed to vehicles but should be mostly clear for those who want to bicycle in for an Emmons climb.



For those of you who want to know if its sunny at 10,000' the Muir webcam is back in operation!

DEEP THOUGHTS WITH COLIN HALEY

By: Steve House



http://www.sportiva.com/live/page.php?id=48&at=24



More here:



http://colinhaley.blogspot.com//11/exocet-solo.html

Sunrise Splendor

Here is my favorite shot from this morning. December is my favorite time of year to shoot sunrise at Hollow Rock because you can catch the light coming through the hole in the rock. Today I had the magical combination of ideal sunrise conditions and awesome waves. Too many clouds and the light would not have shone through the hole. Not enough waves and the light wouldn't have reflected so strongly on the water. It really was one of those mornings that a photographer dreams about!

Wordless Wednesday :: Snowplant

In Our Winter Garden March 27, ..Copyright © .. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman

Brake Cable Guides Along the Top Tube

I've been curious about the different styles of rear brake cable routing along top tubes. If you look at vintage roadbikes and some currently produced classic bikes, they tend to have three guides along the top, with the brake cable passing through them enclosed in housing.






On the other hand, modern bikes tend to have two stop guides underneath the top tube, with the exposed inner cable stretched between them.






There are variations to this, such as routing the two stop guides along the side of the top tube, as well as possiblyalong the top. There is also internal routing and a variety of methods for bikes without top tubes, but that is a separate story. The three through-guides along the top vs the two stop-guides (usually) along the bottom seem to be the dominant methods as far as I can tell.






From a purely tactile standpoint, my own preference is the top routing. I don't like feeling the exposed brake cable along the bottom when I pick up the bike by the top tube. And when it's routed along the side I can sometimes feel it with my leg, or my clothing catches on one of the stop guides. Some say they prefer the vintage style because the brake cable is safer from the elements when enclosed in housing. Others explain that the two stop-guides method improves rear braking and saves weight - while others still argue that the differences are not significant enough to be of real advantage.I've also heard horror stories about people's genitals getting torn on the cable guides along the top, which is supposedly why this style is no longer the norm.I have no idea how legitimate any of these reasons are. Is there is an official explanation of the advantages of one style over another? Which do you prefer?

Ringing Them Bells

The bicycle bell is a useful, cheerful and inexpensive accessory. There are many styles available now: large and small, traditional and modern, subdued and colourful. But looks aside, bicycle bells can differ in their functionality - which is something we don't always consider when choosing one. Last week I received an email from a reader who found the big, beautiful bell she bought for her city bike difficult to use and wanted to know what other options were out there. I will take this as an opportunity to describe the different styles of bells I have used over time.






The prototypical classic city bike bell is the "ding dong" bell. It is huge. It is shiny chrome. And it makes a distinct, loud sound, hence the name. Ringing it involves moving the lever with your finger. The first bell I tried of this kind was on thePashley Princess, and like the reader I heard from last week, I must admit I found it difficult to use. The lever required a lot of pressure to depress. Sometimes I could not ring it fast enough, or would hurt my finger doing so. I adjusted the angle of the bell several times, but it didn't help; it was really the pressure required that gave me trouble. Additionally, the enormous chrome surface would blind me when riding the bike in direct sunlight. Overall I was not a fan of this bell, despite its iconic looks.






Of course similar bells exist that use the same mechanism but are easier to use, because the lever requires less pressure. It might just be be a matter of looking around and trying them if possible.






And if the highly reflective surface of chromed bells bothers you, consider a painted bell or one with a matte surface. You could even hand-paint it yourself.






Not all traditional city bikes come with lever-operated bells. Pilen Cycles and a couple of other Swedish manufacturers offer a spinning bell that is extremely easy to use. Simply tapping the top portion lightly makes it spin and the bell produces a ringing sound, no pressure required. The ring is not as loud as that of the "ding-dong" bell, and sounds more like a continuous trilling, but I find it sufficient. Though in the US I have only seen these bells branded with specific manufacturer names (here is one from Kronan), it might be worthwhile asking an importer whether generic ones are available.





Another popular style is the striker bell. The Japanese brass bells that have become abundant in recent years are usually available with this mechanism. You pull back the lever, let go and it strikes the surface with a crisp, loud ring. On all the bells in this styleI've usedso far, the lever has been easy to pull back, not requiring a great deal of finger strength. Another thing I like about these brass bells, is that their surface is not as blindingly reflective as chrome. While they can be polished to a high shine, they can also be kept matte for those who prefer a less reflective surface. Overall, the striker brass bell is the one I now gravitate toward.





Striker bells are available in less traditional forms as well, such as this teapot bell that came bundled with the Paper Bicycle. Though I can't vouch for its durability,I found the plastic lever very easy to use. The sound was loud enough, and the small bell took up little space on the handlebars.







The classic brass bell also comes in a spring-operated version: Pinging the spring with your finger makes it ring. These bells tend to be smaller in size than the striker variant, and the sound they generate is on the quiet side, gentle and zen-like. Some find that the ring is not sufficiently loud for the city, so you may want to try it out.






Most of the bicycle bells I've seen - while varying in materials, size, and aesthetic - use one of the mechanisms described above. However, there are other styles I have not tried yet but would like to, such as the twist bell and the bar-end bell. I am sure others exist as well. Do you have a preference as far as bicycle bells? Feedback on the ones you've used would be most welcome.

Our History?

"In one legendary week on Ben Nevis in 1960 Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith climbed six first winter ascents on consecutive days, including the mini Alpine-route, Orion Face Direct. They also made the first one-day winter ascent of Point Five Gully, went for a long walk and got arrested over an incident with some dominoes! Exactly 50 years later Dave MacLeod and Andy Turner pay tribute to Smith and Marshall by setting out to repeat all the routes that were climbed in that famous week. This film tells the story of the original events and follows MacLeod and Turner as they discover exactly what an achievement it was."

For those that think Chouinard, Jeff Lowe or Will Gadd invented ice climbing or modern mixed climbing you might want to look further. Tools and clothing have changed to make climbing easier but the beginning of our sport can certainly be traced in part to Scotland. Jimmy Marshal and Robbin Smith weren't the first obviously but they are part of the foundation. Curved tools and Terrordactyls came later and then the Chacal. But the original difficult routes in Scotland and the Alps were often done with a straight axe, a good wool coat and hob nail boots. Hard for most of us to even remotely relate to that beginning. Few could or would suffer through just how miserable and difficult it really was.

The story is well told by the Jimmy Marshal in person and the modern climbers, who 50 years later repeated the same classic Marshal/Robbins winter climbs. But there was no way to duplicate the original experience.

I offer a humble bow to Marshal and Smith for the effort.
7 climbs in 8 days! Conditions much have been in :)

The Great Chimney (IV,5) 6th February 1960
Minus Three Gully (IV,5) 7th February 1960
Smith's Route (V,5) 8th February 1960
Observatory Buttress (V,4) 9th February 1960
Point Five Gully (V,5) 10th February 1960
Piggot's Route (V,6) 12th February 1960
Orion Direct (V,5) 13th February 1960





The film can be ordered here:

http://www.hotaches.com/films.htm#Pinnacle

I've posted about this before but now the entire film is available and there are a number of teasers on you-tube as well.












This final bit isn't from the the original '60s climbs but a good look at what hard modern mixed in Scotland is today. Enjoy!

OUT

Tuffee knows when I tell her OUT she is to get out of the horse pen. This is her slipping out the gate. She knows how to push it open just enough she can get out.

Albuquerque

This was my best photo actually looking down at Albuquerque, NM from Sandia Crest. It was hazey this day, on better days you can actually make out buildings and streets in Albuquerque, and with field glasses you can see my house way, way west, almost 100 miles west of the mountains.

The Incredible Journey :: Favorite Places

September 1, .. through December 19, ... One year, 3 months, and 18 days. 58, 727 miles. 38 States and 4 Canadian Provinces. 23 National Parks-Monuments-Seashores.



It has been an amazing ride! “What's your favorite place?” is the question I've been asked the most. It is a difficult question to answer but some places and “adventures” do, for various reasons, stand out from the rest. But I can honestly say that there hasn't been anyplace that I haven't enjoyed. Sure, the weather is sometimes uncooperative, the facilities might not be the greatest, and weird things that you have no control over do happen. But it is all part of the adventure! Even if I could, I wouldn't change any part of it!!





Niagara Falls. New York. I played the part of the perfect tourist by going to The Cave of the Winds and riding on The Maid of the Mist. And I had great fun doing it!











Maine. Visiting my cousin whom I hadn't seen in over 15 years. Kayaking. Acadia National Park. Driving along the beautiful coast.











Assateague Island. Maryland. The horses. The Sunrise. Quite simply, a most wonderful and relaxing place.











Big Bend National Park. Texas. It was here that I got my first taste of “real” hiking. And it was here that I discovered I was physically capable of more than I thought. And it was here that Mother Nature really turned it on – 80 degree temperatures one day and snow the next! I loved the range and diversity of the landscape. The mountains and the desert.



Chiricahua National Monument. Arizona. A delightful surprise with challenging trails. I was so enchanted by this place that I visited it twice! The first time was in the second week of March with a return visit six weeks later.









Death Valley National Park. California. Beautiful wildflowers. Sand dunes. Desert. Mountains. And a surprising up-close encounter with a coyote.









Grand Canyon National Park. Arizona. Specifically The Bright Angel Trail. I met my friends Sue and Fred for an unforgettable journey into the Grand Canyon. It was my first night sleeping out in the open, beneath the stars. And my first overnight backpacking hike. It was challenging and at times I wasn't sure I would make it back up to the rim!









Zion National Park. Utah. Angels Landing Trail. I surprised even myself with this little hike! Challenging. Frightening. Thrilling.













Hovenweep National Monument. Utah. There was a mystical quality about this place that captured my imagination. Thought provoking.









Mesa Verde National Park. Colorado. The cliff dwellings were indescribable. Not far from Hovenweep, they too had a mystical quality about them. At times I felt that the Ancient People were walking alongside me.







Montana. After ten months on the road, I was in need of a break. Thank goodness for friends! Susan and Don allowed me to rest and relax in their vacation home in southwest Montana for almost the entire month of July! Then it was north to Glacier National Park before heading even further north.







Alaska! The culmination of a long-awaited dream. The Big Adventure. A seemingly never-ending drive through Canada. Soggy weather. Denali. Kayaking. Glaciers. Whales. Bears. Unforgettable.







A special highlight of the Journey was being able to meet other Genealogy Bloggers in person: Apple in Snowville. Denise in St. Augustine in .. and again in ... Carol in Pensacola. Kathryn, Steve, Sheri, and Craig in California. Sheri for a second time in Stockton. A bunch of bloggers at the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree and at the Family History Expo in Pleasanton. And, last but not least, Miriam in Spokane. There was one other blogger that I met with but for some reason it never got posted and for that I apologize – you know who you are!





left photo: Miriam, footnoteMaven, Becky, Kathryn, Cheryl, Denise, Elyseright photo: Thomas, Joan, Becky, Randy, Miriam, Craig, and Susan



A "Page" for "The Journey ..-.." has been created that lists the States and some of the places I've visited. It can be accessed directly from the tab at the top of the blog.



I know that a lot of you - my readers - have come along with me on this journey across our marvelous country and I'd like to know if YOU have a favorite place, adventure, or photograph that I've posted. What did you like the most? Was there something specific that didn't you like? Tell me about it!

Into the Mountains

Wednesday, April 6th - - After leaving Monahans Sandhills I continued west on I-20 about 130 miles to Van Horn where I turned north onto Texas Highway 54, which runs in-between several mountain ranges – the Boulder and Delaware are to the east while the Beach and Sierra Diablo rise up in the west.



The photos below were taken shortly after leaving Van Horn. These mountains were on the west side of the highway – a variety of interesting peaks.

Multicolor Rose

A fluorescent rose in my garden.

dc space reunion/benefit for Tom Terrell

DC Space, 2005
Originally uploaded by IntangibleArts There is a home town party this weekend at the new 9:30 Club in the form of a dc space reunion party/ benefit for Tom Terrell, who is fighting cancer. The 9:30 Club and dc space were located in what once was a forlorn F Street shopping district during the late 1970s and through the 1980s. The Hecht's Departent Store is now a Macy's, and Woodies is going to be an outlet for Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. The 9:30 Club has since moved to V Street, near Howard University, and now that area, too is coming back.

dc space, once on the corner of 7th and E, closed in 1991, but it's spirit is still alive. ( Yes, it's a Starbucks, but at least they didn't tear it down. Workers found an old office upstairs that once belonged to Clara Barton.) Over fifty artists, including the founders of both 9:30 and space, are gathering to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary, and in the spirit of the ole place, are donating their talents this Sunday, July 29th. Doors open at 4. Twenty dollar donation. Performances including music, poetry and film go on until 1 a.m.

Solstice!

Soon the longest day of the year will be upon us. For climbers this is significant not only because there are a lot of festivals, parties and music happenings throughout the area, but also because this is the time of the year when the long daylight hours allow us to climb headlamp free for many, many hours.



This year the actual Solstice is on June 20 at 23:09, however its effects will be noticed for a much longer period of time and are in fact currently being observed. Since the 20th is a weekday you can actually make it to the Fremont Fair and the associated parties going on this weekend, get down, recover and STILL get out in the wilderness or wherever else you enjoy being for the actual day of Solstice. (Just assuming wilderness is your thing since this is a blog about climbing Mount Rainier.)



The forecast for the upcoming week looks like a mixed bag with some sun and clouds, but no major storm events are on the horizon. Hopefully we are done with those for a while. Climbers have recently been summitting via all the standard routes, so check out the updates for the DC, Emmons, and Liberty Ridge among others. Don't forget your sunblock and stay hydrated out there!

In the Woods

We took our first trip to the Jemez Mountains last Thursday to start woodcutting for the winter. When we got there we had to sit in the truck and wait for a rain shower to pass before we could start cutting. After the rain I noticed this nice pine tree with lots of green moss on the left side and the log and rock at it's base to make a nice photo.

Cuddle Time

I paid a visit this morning to Loon nest #2 and was delighted to see that one of the chicks had been born! Loon chick #1 was born either last night or early this morning, but the adult continued throughout the afternoon to sit on the second egg, which had not hatched yet as of 6:00 PM this evening when I left the nest. This photo was taken right after the adult called the baby back to the nest. The baby apparently did not want to wait for its sibling and decided to take its first swim on its own!

Fluttering About: the Papillionaire Sommer

One of the newer members of the upright city bike club, the AustralianPapillionaire (a sponsor of this blog) has recently opened its doors in the USA and sent me a bicycle to try - their step-through Sommer model in the aptly named "Boston" colour scheme. Based on a traditional European loop-frame design and available in a range of candy colours, the lugged steel Sommer also comes with an attractive price tag - starting at $429 for a basic single speed bicycle, including fenders, chainguard and rear rack.






Founded in by a brother and sister team in Melbourne,the Papillionaire name is based on the Latin word for butterfly (papillio)- reflecting their philosophy that "riding should be easy and fun and of course look good at the same time."






The bicycle frames are designed at Papillionaire's Australian office and manufactured in Taiwan to their specs, along with the rear racks, and custom leather grips and saddles. The finish is powdercoat.The stated weight of the complete bike is 29lb.






The cro-moly frames are lugged and the fork features an attractive crown with cutout detail.





Here is a look at the seat cluster.







And the junction of the curved top tube with the seat tube.





The bottom bracket is the only lugless joint on the frame, and it is done smoothly.







The horizontal dropouts in the rear accommodate hub gearing and incorporate braze-ons for rack mounts, fender mounts and chainguard bracket.






Braze-ons for both fenders and front rack on the fork dropouts as well.






The Sommer comes in two sizes: standard and small.Aside from the curved top tube, a main distinguishing feature of this model is its handlebars: Somewhere between North Roads and Apehanger on the upright spectrum, the bars have quite a rise to them. This has the interesting visual effect of making the rest of the bike appear miniature, almost toy-like in comparison. In fact the bike is normal sized, with 700C wheels to boot - it's just that the handlebars are quite massive - intended, in combination with a short top tube, to achieve a super-upright riding position.






View of the bars from the rider's perspective.





And a side view of the rise. Note that the stem here is shown lowered to maximum capacity.







The test bike I received was set up as a 3-speed, with a Shimano Nexus hub and twist shifter, front and rear caliper brakes,






Papillionaire's leather grips (a copy of the Brooks version, it seems), a silver bell,






a Peterboro front basket (big enough to fit a handbag or similar),






and a sprung leather saddle (looks to be Gyes-made), embossed with Papillionaire's logo. Note that the saddle here is shown sitting pretty far forward, with the clamp not allowing further backward movement. A setback seatpost is now available to get the saddle a bit further back.






The Sommer's rear rack is rated for 18kg (40lb) of weight. No lighting is included with the bike, but the rear fender is drilled for a tail light, and a rear reflector is included. The fenders, rack and chainguard are all powder-coated to match the bicycle's frame.





The alloy touring-stlye pedals come with reflectors.









The 700Cx35mm Kenda West city tires are available in gumwall or cream.






The Papillionaire was delivered to a nearby shop, the Bicycle Belle (read about it here), where I test rode it on a 4 mile urban loop simulating some of my usual local commutes.


Nothing about Papillionaire's branding suggests a focus on performance and speed, and so the bicycle's tame handling was consistent with my expectations. The Sommer is a bike for fluttering about town, not for "super commuting" 10 miles up hilly country roads. At the same time, the gearing is set quite low - so reasonable urban inclines are not difficult to tackle. And the roomy, integrated rear rack is a convenient standard feature, making it immediately possible to attach panniers, as well as rack-top bags and baskets to the bike.





On the whole, my impression of the Sommer was dominated by its bolt-upright positioning and tight "cockpit." Seated upon the saddle, my back was as straight as if I'd been sitting in a chair, and my hands gripped the handlebars just forward of my ribcage. The new setback seatpost alters these proportions, but only slightly: The Sommer was deliberately designed to be extremely upright. Those looking for that sort of fit will appreciate that, while those seeking a more leaned-forward, active position, may find the proportions limiting.








Another notable feature of the Sommer is its very high bottom bracket. Those who enjoy being perched as high as possible on a city bike so as to "see above traffic" will appreciate this. Those who like to stop with a toe on the ground without getting off the saddle, may not: The high bottom bracket will make it difficult to set the saddle height to make this possible whilst achieving full leg extension on the downstroke when pedaling.




While Papillionaire refers to their bicycles as "Dutch-style," theSommer is not a typical Dutch Omafiets. They do have the upright positioning in common. But the Sommer's frame angles are not as relaxed and the fork is not as raked-out - giving it a more compact, less boat-like - and also less cushy - feel than that of a traditional Dutch bike. The Sommer's combination of tight frame, 700C wheels and wide tires also leaves very little toe clearance with the front wheel; some riders may experience toe overlap.




The 29lb stated weight figure feels pretty accurate; for a bike of its kind the Sommer is on the lightweight side. But note, that (to be fair, like most bikes in its price category) the Sommer does not come with lighting options - something I hope Papillionaire (and other manufacturers) will consider remedying, since the bike is intended for regular commuting.





Since Papillionaire expanded its market to the US, I'vereceived regular emails from readers asking how it compares to the popular Bobbin Birdie(see reviewhere).As far as apples-to-apples comparisons with other city bikes, I think this is a fair one: Like the Sommer, the Birdie isa Taiwan-made lugged cro-moly loop frame with hub gears, fenders, chainguard and rear rack, at a similar price point. As far as quality, I find the bikes equivalent - from the finish, to the components, to bike shop mechanics' feedback on the quality of the from-the-factory assembly. As far as frame design and ride feel, there are notable differences: The Sommer is a considerably more upright bike, and it is fitted with 700C wheels, whereas the Birdie is a 26" wheel bike with a position that (while still firmly in the upright category) is more aggressive, and to me feels more responsive. So the choice between the two will likely rest on the type of fit and ride quality a cyclist prefers. Go with Papillionaire if you want to be more upright and higher off the ground; with Bobbin if the reverse. Price-wise both are pretty good deals. I get so many inquiries from readers looking for new, but "vintage-style" upright bicycles at reasonable prices. It's great to have multiple options in the sub-$700 price range.





The Papillionaire Sommer as shown here (the 3-speed version, with leather accessories and basket) is priced at $629, and is available to test ride at the Bicycle Belle in Somerville, MA. Aside from the Sommer model, Papillionaire also offers a diamond frame and, most recently, a mixte. You can check out the specs and colours of all their modelshereand see the complete Sommer picture set here. Many thanks to Papilllionaire and Bicycle Belle for the opportunity to try this bike!