Tombstone Tuesday :: Hazlette & Ray Ferguson

FERGUSON
HAZLETTE A. / 1902 - 1984
RAYMOND A. / 1890 - 1967
Hazlette Aileen Brubaker Phend Phend Dunn Ferguson, whom I and my siblings and cousins called Grandma Dunn and later Grandma Fergie, is buried in the Scott-Keister Cemetery in Etna Troy Township, Whitley County, Indiana near other family members. Grandma was married four times but only had three husbands! She was married to my grandfather, Vic Phend, twice.

The record of her marriage to Harold Dunn has eluded me but I found their divorce record in Dekalb County, Indiana which stated that they were married on September 8th 1945. That marriage lasted less than two years. In 1964, grandma married Ray "Fergie" Ferguson. It wasn't until a few years ago when I obtained their marriage record that I found out that they were married on my birthday! I suppose he must have been a decent fellow but I didn't much care for him. He passed away in April 1967.

Myths About the Mixte

With the Renaissance of the Mixte still going strong this year, I find myself in frequent discussions over its benefits and drawbacks. And inevitably, I catch myself over-stressing the drawbacks - but it's only because I want to make sure that those who dream of mixtes look at them realistically and not through rose-coloured glasses. There's this idea that the mixte is the perfect do-everything bike, because it can be used both as a roadbike and as a city bike - but I do not entirely agree. So here are some "myths" about the mixte, which I would like to supplement with a more realistic set of expectations:

1. The mixte is a roadbike and a transportation bike in one



In theory yes, in practice not really. The typical mixte frame has roadbike geometry, combined with a lower step-over height than a diamond frame bike. The road geometry is what makes it light, fast, and suitable for being set up as a roadbike. The lower stepover is what makes mounting and dismounting easier, thus making it suitable for transportation.



But while the mixte frame design may work as a roadbike or a transportation bike, you can't actually set it up as both simultaneously. If you set up your mixte with upright handlebars, it will be faster than a heavy, upright city bike, but it will not perform like a roadbike with drop bars. On the other hand, if you set it up with drop bars it may perform like a roadbike, but the positioning will be too aggressive for a city bike. The mixte frame construction has the potential to be either, but you still have to choose.



2. The mixte is easy to mount and dismount



That depends on where you are coming from. If you are used to diamond frame bicycles, then yes it is easier: On a mixte, you don't need to swing your leg around the back, but can lean the bike toward you and step over. However, if you are used to step-through and loop frame bicycles, the mixte may disappoint you. On step-through and loop frames, the top tube is low enough to just freely walk through. The mixte's stepover is considerably higher and requires leaning the bike toward you, then bending your leg at the knee in order to get your foot over. The construction also does not allow you to hop off the bike sideways as you're coming to a stop, as some get accustomed to doing on a step-through.



For comparison: The standover height on my Gazelle loop frame is 18.5", whereas the standover height on my Royal H. mixte is 24" - a substantial difference. Some find the mixte standover to be too high for the easy on-off they seek in a transportation bike.



3. The Mixte is Comfortable



Don't count on it. I've discussed this in an earlier post about buying a vintage mixte, but I still get lots of "I got this nice townie bike, but it's so uncomfortable!" emails, so I wanted to bring it up again. Mixte bicycles look cute and so we tend to assume they are easy to ride. But most of them are essentially roadbikes with upright handlebars, and road geometry does not make for the most relaxed and comfortable ride. Roadbike geometry also presents logistical problems, such as short chainstays making it more difficult to carry panniers, and toe overlap making tight turns trickier.



It is not impossible to find a comfortable mixte. If you're buying vintage, look for one that is a touring and not a road model, and is made of cro-moly steel. If you're buying new, I know that the Rivendell Betty Foy is a comfortable bike, and I've heard good things about the Soma Buena Vista's ride quality as well. And then of course there is the custom route, where the framebuilder can ensure that comfort is a priority. But there is nothing about the mixte design that is inherently comfortable; you will need to put some time into research and test rides.



I hope that all of this does not come across as overly negative. Having gotten one custom made, I am obviously a fan of mixtes. But I do think that it helps to have a realistic understanding of what sort of bicycle a mixte is - which includes not only knowing its benefits, but also its limitations. If you are a mixte owner, what make and model do you ride? how have you set it up? do you use it for transportation or recreationally? and what benefits and drawbacks would you say it has?

Touchy-Feely

I have a funny habit of touching bicycles. It starts innocently enough: First a glance, then a closer look, then a quick stroke or two. But before I know it I am engaged in an orgy of tactile exploration that has been known to shock by-standers. Slowly and affectionately I will run my hand over the frame, tracing the outlines of the lugwork, closely examining the joints, touching the braze-ons one by one, visibly savouring every moment of it. Those who know me in person tease me about this, and apparently even discuss it behind my back good-naturedly. At Interbike last year, I was giving a bike a furtive fondle when the manufacturer snuck up behind me, laughing: "They toldme you were going to do this!"



When it comes to other people's bikes, I do ask permission - much as I would ask for permission to pet someone's dog or cat. "May I?" My voice andmy outstretched handtremble with anticipation. The owner is amused and delighted, if somewhat taken aback by the intensity of my interest.



But though my case may be extreme, I am hardly alone in the bike-fondling affliction. Even without asking, strangers will often stroke my bikes absent-mindedly - their hands drawn to a leather saddle, a headbadge, some shellacked twine, lugwork. "This part here..." an acquaintance suddenly said mid-conversation, pointing to the top of my bike's fork. "It's so... cake-like! What is it for?" Excitedly I began to explain about fork crowns, but stopped myself as the poor person's eyes glazed over. They didn't want to know. But they did want to touch.



I think that bicycles - particularly bicycles with all sorts of interesting or organic-looking bits on them - tend to invite tactile attention. Say what you will about looks mattering or not mattering, but when a bicycle draws us in physically, surely that is a good thing.



Are you touchy-feely when it comes to bikes? Do others tend to touch your bike, and do you mind?

The 45 Minute Mystery

The furthest I typically travel for transportation is about 10 miles from home, and over time I've noticed something kind of funny: It takes me around 45 minutes to get there pretty much every time, no matter what bike I am riding. I have done the ride on several upright bikes, road and touring bikes, mixtes, single speeds - and it's always the same. If I happen to be a little slower or faster on any given day, it seems to depend more on traffic patterns than on the bike I am riding.

This is not to say that some bikes are not faster than others; clearly there are enormous differences. But when riding for transportation through densely populated areas, I find that more often than not these differences simply do not matter. Because I follow traffic laws and stop for red lights and stop signs, being on a fast bike just means that I am riding faster between those enforced stops. Maybe once in a while I'll make a green light that a slower cyclist would not, but somehow it averages out and in the end I don't really "win" any time.

Of course there are other benefits to being on a faster bike. Hills are easier. Accelerating is easier when going around obstacles or starting from a stop. All things considered, I prefer to commute on a bike that is fast - as long as it's also upright, comfortable, and fully equipped for transportation. But the faster bike does not deliver me to my destination any sooner; the 45 minute rule always applies.

What Our Hands Can Do

Looking over these photos from the Friday after Thanksgiving, I noticed something interesting: Almost everything pictured here is hand-made.The dress I am wearing was made by my mother. The hat and scarf were made by me. Even the bicycle was hand-made by an Italian frame builder for Bella Ciao. This combination was not intentional, but once I noticed it, I found it striking.

My mother knitted this elaborate wool dress for herself in the early 1980s and wore it all through her 20s and 30s, after which point she gave it to me. The dress suited her much better, but that has not stopped me from wearing it since I were a teenager. It only occurred to me recently how remarkable it is for a dress like this to survive being worn for three decades by two different women - neither of whom are at all gentle with their clothing. And yet here it is, still looking fresh and current.The tailoring, the textural variation, and the attention to detail are incredible by today's standards - and my mother made tons of this stuff when I was a child, while being a busy career woman, too. (I remember seeing her knit while speaking on the phone and reading a book about mathematics at the same time... )



While my own attempts at knitting are fairly pedestrian compared to my mother's past projects, they do have one feature in common:longevity. I knitted this scarf back in grad school, and 8 years later it remains alive and well, while countless store-bought ones have since fallen apart. My friends, for whom I've made clothing as far back as high school, give me the same feedback - some of them still wear the things I made in the mid-'90s. Noticing this was a big reason why I started to knit and sew again this year: I am not that great at it, but the stuff I make lasts and fits me better than store-bought.



Over this past year I have done something a little nuts: I've sold or given away most of my clothing - stuff that I had collected and saved for more than 10 years. When I was younger, I was into edgy fashion and quirky designers, but lately that interest has all but faded - replaced by a curiosity regarding how far I can go making things on my own. Aside from knitting, I have been cutting up some of my remaining old clothing and handsewing "new" clothes out of it. Hopefully I will get a sewing machine for the holidays, which will allow me to take things further. In the past I have dabbled in making my own fountain pens as well. And eventually - maybe, just maybe, I would like to try my hand at building bicycle frames - or at least designing them à laGrant Petersen.



While my framebuilding days are not yet on the horizon, I do have enormous respect for bicycles hand-made by others, and an insatiable curiosity about the process. Whether independent framebuilders such as JP Weigle, Peter Mooney, Royal H.and ANT, or small manufacturers such as Mercian, Rivendell, Velo Orange and even Pashley andBella Ciao - I am impressed by the sheer amount of work and consideration it takes to get the design, the construction, and the finishing just right. The more I learn about the process, the more overwhelming it seems. In a world of homogenous, mass-produced goods, it is amazing to witness what our minds and our hands are capable of creating.

Fire in the Sky

While driving down an old logging road off the Arrowhead Trail one evening, I came across this opening that had a grouping of trees that stood out nicely against the sky. I was passing by right after the sun had gone down and the sky behind the trees was filled with this beautiful orange glow.

Peter and Christina Wise Family in Gilead Cemetery

Gilead Cemetery, Perry Township, Miami County, Indiana. North Section, Row Five, looking Northeast.
Photographs taken by Becky Wiseman on February 5, ... It was a foggy and rainy day. The "blurry" spots are rain drops on the lens of the camera. As always, click on the images for larger versions.



The first marker in the foreground, is the first one in the row, near the roadway that runs through the cemetery. Starting with that marker, we have Mary Ann Wise, Wealthy A. Wise, Newton O. Wise (wife and children of William Wise). The fourth tall marker is for Peter and Christina Wise. The small marker on the right has the initials "P.W." and another identical marker on the left has the initials "C. W."

According to the cemetery transcription books, there is another marker, in the same row but in the south section for Elizabeth Wise who died May 24, 1854 at age 17y 4m. However, I was unable to locate it. Perhaps on a nicer day that is a bit warmer, I might be able to make out some of the inscriptions that I was not able to read during this visit.



The Wise family markers, looking south west. The marker for Peter and Christina, in the foreground, stands well over six feet in height, probably closer to seven. The other two tall markers are about five feet high while Mary Ann's is about four feet high.



Peter's inscription is on the west side of the marker: PETER WISE / DIED / JAN. 29 1875 / AGED 77 YEARS.
The inscription "FATHER & MOTHER" is on the north face of the marker.
Christina's inscription is on the east side of the marker: C. WISE / DIED / APR. 25, 1884 / AGED 83 Y's 1 Mo. 24 D.



NEWTON O. WISE / DIED / DEC. 10 1874 / AGED 26 Y 11 M & D

WEALTHY A. / daughter of / W.& M. A. WISE / DIED / Jan. 21 1871 / AGED / 21 Y 2 M 20 D's

MARY ANN / WIFE OF / WM WISE / DIED / Jan. 5 1870 / AGED / 43 Y. 6 M. & 27 D. Barely discernible is four lines of text beneath the main inscription. Under the right lighting conditions it may be possible to get a good image for reading the text.

A Ride with Irene

And so we have weathered the storm. Here in Boston, the general attitude toward Hurricane/ Tropical Storm Irene has mostly been one of sarcasm. Sure, there was some anxiety - stocking up on water and that sort of thing. But for the most part it's been a collective rolling of the eyes, a general feeling that the whole thing was unnecessarily hyped up by the media. One local establishment posted a handwritten sign stating "Closed tomawrah due to wicked bad hurricane!" Other businesses ranted against the public transit system for shutting down - drafting "Closed for the Day Thanks to MBTA" signs explaining that their employees have no way of getting to work - but that otherwise they would have happily remained open.

My own feeling was that the hurricane/ storm was not so much intentionally overhyped, as unpredictable - and there was a conscious decision to err on the side of caution. I also felt that it was insensitive of some to make light of a potentially destructive phenomenon just because it did not cause havoc in their neighbourhood. We live on the border of Somerville and Cambridge, MA, where the storm felt mild - but it did damage even here. Around mid-day Saturday, a large tree toppled over onto a major road around the corner from us, knocking out power lines and blocking part of the street until the city cleared it away. Had anyone been walking, cycling or driving on that side of the street at that exact moment, they could very well have been killed.

Today we carefully cycled around the neighbourhood and discovered more trees uprooted and large branches strewn across side streets.The strange thing is that the wind did not feel all that strong even during the worst of it, so we were surprised to see some fairly large trees knocked over. Does this mean they had shallow root systems?



Powerlines were downed in quite a few places, too. One local coffee shop that decided to stay open lost power on Sunday afternoon, yet remained operational for as long as some pre-brewed coffee remained. Customers would come in and sit with their drinks and pastries in the dark - quite happily, since this was one of the very few places open.



Surveying the damage in our neighbourhood, I think that the calls for caution were justified, even if the storm did not reach hurricane level. Overwhelmingly, motorists chose to stay off the roads here and the streets have been mostly empty - which I am certain accounts for the lack of injuries and casualties, considering the fallen trees and dangling powerlines. Cap'n Transit wrote a post a couple of days ago about the connection between driving and hurricane deaths that is worth reading.



I hope that all my East Coast readers are doing well, and that the storm has not been too severe for you. Has anyone been cycling?

Sixteen Hands Horse Sanctuary

Back in , thanks to my niece Lauren, we stumbled across a horse sanctuary. Diana asked that day if I minded if we stopped to check it out for Lauren's sake. I did not mind at all. We got out, talked to someone and made a decision to come out for a day to do some work. I blogged about that day here: Helping at the Horse Refuge. What I did not know that day was how much the place would stick with me and draw me back for more.


Last year, as soon as I realized that we were in fact going to stay in one spot for a bit and that my last child was leaving home, I decided I'd better find something to do that would help me adjust to both things. I remembered how much I loved the "feel" of Sixteen Hands and started there. Then a series of health issues and a computer crash halted my attempt. Still, I knew I needed to get going with something or it would potentially be a very ugly scene when Austin did in fact move out. I thought maybe I should find something closer, something I had experience with, something that fit our lives when we started moving around again. So I looked around at my options. And kept coming back to Sixteen Hands. I'd tell Nathan that I still wanted to do it. But just did not get around to doing what I had to do to make it actually happen.



The first week I set up a booth for Thousand Trails at Friday Night Live in Wauchula, I see the lady next to us setting out items with horses on them. I say to Nathan, "I still want to do volunteering at Sixteen Hands" and then set out to go be friendly and talk to my neighbors just to make nice. I get to the front of the booth and am shocked to see it is Sixteen Hands. I most likely overwhelmed them with my excitement as I talked to Robin and Diane. I get the information again and this time, I know I'm going to follow through no matter what. I do. And the rest, as they say, is history.



I always knew I liked horses, but was not what I'd consider a "horse person". I wasn't obsessed with them like my niece Lauren or my Mom. I thought I'd enjoy being around horses. I had no idea I'd fall head over heels in love with them though. Or that I'd want to spend as much free time as possible with them. Or that I'd talk endlessly about them until poor Nathan's eyes rolled back into his head from sheer boredom.



I still love the 'feel" of Sixteen Hands. Probably more so than our first visit, because I know all that is involved with what creates and preserves that peaceful environment. I'm honored that they let me come out, completely green and stupid in all ways, and so patiently allowed me to find my way during this new chapter in my life. I'm guessing you will see lots about the horses and SHHS because it is where I spend a good bit of my time while we are temporarily planted!



Living the life in FL!

Bluewater Creek Canyon

We took a road that we had seen deer, elk, and turkey on many years before. It was rough and got rougher until we found we had come to the end of the road. We decided to step over the barbed wire fence where others had done the same before us. We walked out to the edge of a canyon and looked down, or tried to. We couldn't see the bottom. We could see many miles to the northwest beyond the canyon. The rock ledge was intriguing. There were black streaks down the almost smooth rock at one place. I wondered what could have caused the streaks like that. Had it been water falling over the ledge some time in the past when there wasn't the drought we are having now?

Suddenly we heard an eagle scream. The big bird did it over and over. And then we saw the birds flying against the side of the ledge. Knowing that they are such big birds they looked small up against the side of the huge rock wall. They disappeared but then were back to fly right over our heads. We were so interested in looking at the eagles we almost forgot to try to get some photos and the only one I got was blurred.

It was a wonderful experience to see the eagles. I think they were golden eagles. They just didn't lookright to be juvenile bald eagles that have the dark heads. We agreed thatrock wall would make the perfect place for an eagle nest but as much as we looked we couldn't see any sign of one. But we could only see the wall across from us and not the one right under our feet.







































When we got back I goggled around until I found out that the canyon was the head of Bluewater Creek Canyonthat runs into Bluewater Lake that is just west of Grants according to the Cibola National Forest website. There is a hiking trail along the creek that is about 2 miles long. I would love to be able to take the hike but old age doesn't make for goodhikes.

Salewa Pro Gaiter Mountain boot?

This is a boot Salewa first showed at the summer OR show in . It still hasn't hit the dealers shelves yet but thought it worth mentioning some of the things I know about it from the samples I have.



The most obvious it this little guy and flex adjustment for the sole.

And a closer look at the internals that make it possible











With my friend Eric giving us a tour of the boot at OR this summer.



What is missing here and easy to not see with all the new technology is the last and human engineering that has gone into this boot. To be honest most climbers are not into fluff. And it might be easy to pass off Salewa's newest technology as fluff in a hardcore mtn boot.



What impressed me even more (and surprised me as well) was the last (actually two lasts) of the new Salewa.



In long email conversations with one of Salewa's and Dynafit's boot designers, Federico Sbrissa it became clear as to why.



I easily saw the design, lastand fit similarities to the new TLT5 Dynafit ski boots and the new Pro Gaiter from Salewa. The emails back and forth to Federico Sbrissa just confirmed that guess on my part.

What I have here is the performance fit. It is tight and form fitting. I really like the fit but would prefer what I think will be a warmer boot the INSULATED PLUS FIT in this boot. Only because I know something of the Dynafit/Salewa design collaboration and trust the end results. Only time will tell if I am right.



But if I am correct the Pro Gaiter might well end up being a dominate player in full on technical boots just as the TLT has become in BC and touring boots. The TLT has done that so thoroughly that few are even in the same game right now. Salewa is betting a lot on this new technology.



The new Pro Gaiter isn't the lightest "super gaiter" style boot out there with even more to come from the major players, new and old. But if a boot truly fits well I am willing to give up a lot of things. And I suspect this boot is going to fit my foot exceptionally well. A few ounces being one of the things I am willing to accept for a perfect fit.



I am really looking forward to giving this boot and several others a real test.











A close up look at just two of the newest boots that will be available by early summer of .

Bicycle Trainers and Winter Withdrawal

[1884 trainer, image via Wikipedia]

I am curious to know how many of you out there use bicycle trainers. I am now seriously considering one, as mywinter roadcycling situation is truly dire. The frequent snow is making it impossible to plan rides, and all the muscle tone I'd built up over the Spring, Summer and Fall is slowly but surely disappearing. I am starting to feel lethargic and out of shape. There is a lot ofpininggoing on -and it's only the start of January!



Bicycle trainers are a new concept for me and I have no idea what to expect. To what extent does being on one resemble actual cycling?Can they be used with fixed gear bikes?Is fluid necessarily better than magnetic? I don't want rollers, I don't want the trainer to be noisy, and I don't want anything overly complicated - but otherwise I have no idea. Please chime in, and no doubt your comments will be useful to others who are considering this as well. A trainer cannot replace the thrilling experience of riding a roadbike on the open road, but it can at least help me stay in shape while still interacting with my own bicycle. It's going to be a long winter...

Big Bend :: Snow in the Chisos

It doesn't snow that often at Big Bend but the day after my aborted trek to Laguna Meadows, it snowed. The high temperature reported on the 22nd was 86° though I didn't think it got that warm. But in the early hours of the morning of the 23rd the temperature plummeted. I awoke to snow on the windshield. I stayed in my sleeping bag for quite a while but once my feet got cold I had to get up and moving, which was no easy task since I was stiff and sore from two days of hiking!

I started up the van to get warm while eating some breakfast. Once I got warm and added several more layers of clothing, I actually felt quite comfortable. Until I got into some wind. I went to the Visitors Center and looked at the exhibits, again. Then I went out and took some pictures.

Looking west toward the window. 11:11 am.

Casa Grande. 11:17 a.m.

Creepy tree with Casa Grande in the background.


What do you do if it is too cold to just sit around the picnic table and you don't want to go for a hike? You go for a drive, to lower elevations and hopefully some sunshine.

About halfway down the mountains. 3:11 pm.

The Chisos Mountains, from the northwest side. 4:00 pm.

The Chisos Mountains, from the east side. 5:16 pm.

Casa Grande. 5:57 pm.

The only trace left of the snow in the evening was in the trees in the high elevations.

Photographs taken February 23, ...