Packed

"If your bike has couplers, or if you have a spendy bike case, or if you pay a shop to pack your bike, or if you have a folding bike, shipping a bike is still a pain in the ass for everyone involved."

That is what one of the wisest blog posts of all time has to say about mailing bikes, and I am sure they would apply the same to travel. Based on the stories I've heard about traveling with bicycles, it certainly seems to be more often a pain than not.


So I am going abroad again, and this time I'm taking a bike along. Never done this before and I'm getting really nervous! It almost feels as if I am doing something illegal by putting a bicycle in a suitcase. "Can I get away with it?" I find myself thinking as I glance over my shoulder furtively.




Well, I guess I am about to find out for myself how much of a pain it really is. Will write about it once I cross the Atlantic!

Update from Salt Lake City :: One Month

Yep! A month ago today I arrived in Salt Lake City. The time has literally flown by. A lot has been accomplished – over 300 microfilms and 40 books (and 1 microfiche) have been pulled and viewed. Of course some of them only for a few minutes and others for a longer period of time, depending upon what the film contained. It's been exhilarating and exasperating – depending upon what was found or not found.



Various documents (wills, estate records, deed records, tax records, baptism records, etc.) on 25 different surnames – not all types of documents for every surname, more on some than others, but something for each surname. Some things were expected (I “knew” about them) but some new things have been found too. I'm at the point now where the “low hanging fruit” has been obtained and will be entering “new” territory next week, exploring surnames and locations that I've not done much research on previously.



One of the earliest documents found is the 1739 Land Warrant issued to Andreas Brinker. Born on July 9, 1699 in Rümikon-Elsau, Zürich, Switzerland as Andreas Brungger, he was married to Regula Hester in 1721 and they had six children, five of whom were born in Swizerland. On June 28, 1735 Andreas and his family arrived in Philadelphia onboard the ship “Mary” having sailed from Liverpool, England. They settled in Saucon, Bucks County in what would become Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Andreas and Regula are my 7th great grandparents.





Land Warrant of Andreas Brinker, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Family History Library microfilm 021686 scanned November 1, ...

By the Proprietaries.

Pennsylvania, SS. Whereas Andreas Brinker of the County of Bucks hath requested that We would allow him to take up Fifty acres of Land Situate between to Hills adjoining George Hertzley at Sacoon in the said County of Bucks for which he agrees to pay to our Use, within the Term of six Months from the Date hereof, at the Rate of Fifteen Pounds Ten Shillings, current Money of this Province, for every Hundred Acres; and also to pay the yearly Quit-rent of one Half-penny Sterling for every Acre thereof, to us, our Heirs and Assigns for ever: These are there to authorize and require you to survey, or cause to be surveyed unto the said Andreas Brinker at the Place aforesaid, according to the Method of Townships appointed, the said Quantity of Fifty Acres, if not already surveyed or appropriated, and make Return thereof into the Secretary's Office, in order for Confirmation; for which this shall be your sufficient Warrant: Which Warrant and Survey, in case the said Andreas Brinker fulfil the above Agreement within six Months from the Date hereof, shall be valid, otherwise void. Given under my Hand, and the Seal of the Land-Office, by Virtue of certain Powers from the said Proprietaries, at Philadelphia, this Fifth Day of March Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and thirty nine. Signed Thos Penn



To Benj Eastburn, Surveyor General.

[Written on the left side]

To George Palmer DS

Execute this and make Return of Survey into the Surv Gen'l office as Soon as possible.

for John Sukins Esq

Edw Lynch

Two Below Sunrise

I just got back from spending the early morning along my favorite lake in the world... SUPERIOR! It was a chilly morning, but it felt nice compared to the much colder temps we had earlier in the week. Everything cooperated with this morning's shoot: the clouds, the wind, the light, the ice, the sea smoke... it was all good! This is the first time I've photographed sunrise at this location, and I can say with absolute certainty that I will be going there again for sunrise. It is a wonderful location to shoot the sunrise, especially this time of year.

Heirloom

Heirloom, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

These 'Grandpa Ott' morning glories are so great...they bloom every day and grow like crazy.

I will have plenty of seeds later to start next years' crop!

First Snow Report

I have been looking forward to testing myBella Ciao ("Patricia")in winter conditions, and with the arrival of the season's first snow I finally got my chance. Before I go on, I will preface with the disclaimer / mini-announcement that I have begun collaborating with Bella Ciao on a special edition bicycle, which will be sold by Harris Cyclery in Spring . I will have more details about that soon, but just wanted to make that affiliation known in the meantime.



Though I love the way my Bella Ciao "Corvo Citta" model handles, I don't ride it as often as I'd like, because I haven't yet installed a rack and lights. Now that winter has begun in earnest, that will be my next project - I just wanted to first make sure that I'd actually be able to ride this bicycle comfortably in snowy conditions.At just over 30lb, the Bella Ciao is considerably lighter than the likes ofGazelle and Pashley, and - justifiably or not - I am weary of lighter bikes when it comes to cycling in poor weather. To my relief, I had nothing to worry about and Patriciahandled just fine after the first snowfall: She remained stable on slush, on slush mixed with salt, and on thin layers of packed snow.



As with other bikes I have ridden in such conditions, I switched to a lower gear and went slower than usual. The bicycle remained sturdy and cooperative. When braking in slush, I used the coaster brake only, which I find easier to modulate on slippery surfaces. The bike also did well cycling on the slippery stretch of brickwork that was part of my route. As far as safety goes, I feel comfortable using the Bella Ciao as a winter commuter in Boston and will get on with the lights/ rack installation so that I can use it more this winter.



While the brave Patriciaperformed admirably, my first snow commute of the season was not entirely stress-free. Driver behaviour was chaotic and there were few cyclists out on the roads. Several times, I got spooked by a car's ambiguous maneuvers and ended up cycling through a mess of wet snow by the curb. Based on last winter's experience, I know that things will get better once drivers get into their "winter mode". Meanwhile, perhaps there is a reason why most cyclists seem to have chosen to wait it out!



What I found fascinating about the Boston "bike scene" last winter and also noticed yesterday, is that often the only bikes on the streets seem to be those that are least suited for winter cycling - for instance, aggressive roadbikes with narrow tires and no fenders. Where are the fully equipped city bikes? Where are the rugged vintage 3-speeds?



It could be, that the aggressive roadcyclists are the ones most likely to brave these conditions, while, ironically, having the worst possible bikes for doing so. That's too bad, because winter is the time when features like fenders, stable handling, wide tires, internal gearing, and an upright sitting position, really make themselves felt. Last winter, I was extremely appreciative of the Pashley I used to own, and this winter it looks like I will do equally well on the Gazelle and Bella Ciao.



Though Patricia and I did not have many companions on our first snowy commute of the season, we hope that the winter wonderland will coax more cyclists outside soon. Once the drivers calm down, it is really not so bad: Just take it easy, dress warmly, ride a sturdy and properly equipped bicycle, and enjoy the beautiful landscape!

Lugged Non-Steel?

[image via the IF Blog]

I have been curious about bicycles that are lugged, but not made of steel. The first ones I noticed were the lugged carbon fiber frames made by our local Independent Fabrications.I have seen a couple of these in person, and they are beautifully done. The picture above is a detail from the XS model. The lugs are painted titanium, over a clear-coated carbon fiber frame.



[image via theIF Blog]

Here is a detail shot of a cyclocross model where both the lugs and the frame are carbon fiber.



[image via theIF Blog]

And here is a Corvid model frame, from a bicycle built for Boston Celtic Ray Allen - the carbon lugs painted a metallic Celtics green. The lugs on the Independent Fabrications bikes are molded to incorporate the stylised crowns in the company's logo, so the look is especially striking.



[image via Alchemy Bicycles]

Though I have never seen their frames in person, Alchemy Bicycles seems to be doing something similar - carbon fiber frames with aluminum lugwork.



[image via Bruce Gordon]

And Bruce Gordon takes it one step further by making his titanium-lugged carbon fiber frames look like true classics.



Reading the manufacturers' descriptions of the construction, I am wondering how IF and Alchemy integrate the lugs with the frame. I am nowhere close to knowledgeable when it comes to these manufacturing techniques, but don't the lugs run the risk of making the infamously brittle carbon fiber even more so? Is a lugged carbon frame "safe"? And is there any purpose, other than decorative, to lugging these frames? After all, I had thought that the very benefit of carbon fiber construction, was that it enabled the frame to be built in a single mold.



[image via aj_the_first]

But carbon fiber is not the only non-steel material being used in lugged bicycle construction. The above detail is from a wooden Porteur made by a small frame builder.



[image viaaj_the_first]

The lug sleeves here are parts of actual lugged tubing, the lugwork rather elaborately done. Have a look at the flickr pictures that show his process - it's fascinating.



[image via Urban Velo and Sylvan Cycles]

And a lugged faceted frame, made bySylvan Cyclesout of composite wood. The faceted tubing reminds me of this vintage lugged aluminum Caminade bicycleI wrote about earlier. It must feel interesting to ride a faceted bike. I have never heard of Sylvan Cycles before, but apparently they are made in Massachusetts. Amazing how many interesting local builders there are in our vicinity.



[image via antbikemike]

And speaking of local builders and wooden tubing, I still can't get over the antique wooden showbike by ANT.



[image viaantbikemike]

The lugsleeves are copper-plated steel and they were designed to attain the aged look - which makes this bicycle seem wonderfully "alive" to me.



But, same as with carbon fiber, I am wondering whether these wooden bicycles are truly ridable, and what effect the lugwork has on them structurally. Does it improve things, or is it mainly there for the "wow" factor? I would love to try a lugged wooden bicycle or a lugged carbon fiber bicycle some time, and would be interested to hear from those who have ridden one. These construction methods do not receive a great deal of attention, but they are certainly intriguing - and beautiful.

Monnickendam in a nutshell

Monnickendam is located north east of Amsterdam and is part of the Waterland municipality, a group of towns and little cities of the glorious Dutch medieval past situated by the water. I came here by car which is probably the easiest way to come here, but there are buses as well that regularly ply the area from Amsterdam.

My list of things to do and see in Monnickendam:

(1) Climb the Speeltoren – This was on my plan to visit, I even checked the tower inside from the ground but didn’t buy the ticket to go up because I wanted to first go around town on foot and then have my beer at a café. I guess I people watched too long with my beer at the café that I lost track of time. Before I knew it, the tower was closed.

(2) Visit the Grote Kerk (Church) – Located by the entrance to the village. There will be a separate post about this.

(3) Tour the town on foot to enjoy the architecture – The town is small so it’s easy to walk around. Do pay attention to the houses, their details, the houses here are famous for their ‘puntgevel’ and ‘trapgevel’ (step-gable roofs) as well as for the ‘gevelstenen’ (sculptures on the facade) on top of the doors. In fact, many houses and buildings here are classified as rijksmonument, meaning they are state preserved. You can find these houses and buildings on the 3-fork street: Noordeinde, Middendam and Kerkstraat.

(4) Enjoy as well the canals and the petite wooden draw bridges.

(5) Check out the haven and then have lunch or drink here – There are choices, from the Waag Huis restaurant to a couple other terrace restaurants dotting the little inner haven and Middendam street.

Let me give you a little walking tour of Monnickendam through my fotos below:

This is one of the main streets, the Kerkstraat, the street that leads to the center.

Dutch architecture on Noordeinde and Kerkstraat.

The most popular gevelsteen in Monnickendam, the Gulden Hand. Gevelstenen are sculptures mostly found on top of the doors.

The Speeltoren on the left, an old house with a beautifully carved door canopy.

More period style details, another beautiful gevelsteen.

This snake balustrade at the entrance to the raadshuis (city hall) reminds me of the pyramid of Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico.

Wooden draw bridge in the residential part of the town and this is how the locals live here, very quaint.

Moi by the Speeltoren and the Raadshuis (city hall).

Another wooden bridge - this has to be manually pulled when bigger boats pass by.

The inner haven, looks busy, and the Waag Huis by the haven which is now a restaurant.

Houses by the haven on Gooische Kaai and more cafe terraces.

Love this foto of an old man drinking beer under a colourful parasol.

The 'Langebrug' in the haven, actually a narrow wooden bridge connecting each side of the haven. Paling is a sort of fish the Dutch specialize in, they are usually smoked, and although fishing is not anymore a main industry in Monnickendam as such in the past, the town has, in a way, kept the fishing culture alive.

The haven taken from the Gooische Kaai.

Canals and some Dutch souvenirs, as usual, yellow clogs and wooden tulips.

It is best to come to Monnickendam during late Spring, Summer of course and early Autumn when the weather is bettter (although unpredictably gloomy at times) and when the (cafe) terraces are open.

You can also combine this outing with a trip to Broek in Waterland (another pending entry with loads of fotos) and Marken, both are quite near to Monnickendam. As well as Volendam and Edam, not as near as the earlier choices but they are not too far.

The 'Lady's Bicycle': Descriptive, Offensive, or Merely Obsolete?

[an unsuccessful attempt at parody]

There has been some discussion lately about how appropriate it is to refer to diamond and step-through frame bicycles as men's and ladies' bikes. After all - gender roles are flexible these days, women are no longer expected to wear elaborate skirts, and a low standover height can be convenient for everyone. So why use gender specific terminology? Am I just intentionally being quaint?



Well, not exactly. You see, when a bicycle model exists in both diamond frame and step-through designs, the latter is usually not just about lowering the standover height. It is also about taking the female anatomy into account. For example, have a look at the pictures below and see whether you notice anything interesting.



[image via Gazelle USA]

These are the Oma and Opa versions of the current production Gazelle Toer Populair bicycles. If you look closely, you will notice that the Oma on the left has a considerably higher headtube than the Opa on the right. This is done in order to set the Oma's handlebars higher, so as to accommodate the typically shorter torsos and arms of female cyclists. The bikes are named "Grandma and Grandpa," because they are, in fact, gender-specific. The expanded headtube tactic is used by many manufacturers on their step-through models, while others use the alternative tactic of shortening the virtual top tube. Either way, more often than not the step-through version of a given bicycle model is designed for the female body. This is not to say that men cannot or should not ride step through frames, but only that step-through frames are typically optimised for female proportions.



Of course, one could ask: Why confound gender-based anatomical differences with preferences for standover height? After all, some women may prefer diamond frames, while some men may prefer step-throughs. That is where statistics and market research come in. Most manufacturers cannot afford to make two versions of diamond frames and two versions of step-through frames within the same model. And statistically, women are considerably more likely to wear skirts and are thus more likely to prefer a step-through transportation bike. Therefore, it makes more sense to optimise the step-through design for the female anatomy, while optimising the diamond frame design for the male anatomy. Naturally, there will be some females who prefer the diamond frame and some males who prefer the step-through. Furthermore, not every woman has a short torso and not every man has a long torso. But when it comes to manufacturing decisions, it's all about tendencies and probabilities - not about individuals.



And speaking of statistics, perhaps we could indulge in another poll (a weekly tradition?). No purpose for this other than my own curiosity, and possibly yours:









In my own vocabulary, I use terms like "lady's bike" or "woman's frame" when I am referring specifically to the bicycle's suitability for females - be it anatomically, or in terms of their ability to accommodate skirts. On the other hand, I use terms such as "step through," "loop frame," and "mixte," when I am describing frame geometry. And while some worry that referring to bicycles as "women's bikes" makes them seem inferior or less valuable, I am not on board with that line of thinking. After all, what is considered "standard" frame geometry in the industry, is in fact optimised for the male anatomy. We are female, we are wonderful, and we need bicycles designed for us. To me, that is neither offensive nor obsolete - it's just common sense.