Wald Rear Folding Baskets Up Close

I am being asked lots of questions about the Wald Rear Folding Baskets, so here are some details and close-up pictures:

The Wald folding baskets are perceived as practical and inexpensive, but unglamorous. People tend to put them on their old 3-speeds and beater bikes, but rarely will you find them a "nice" bike. I too would have been reluctant to install them on the Pashley. But having used these in Austria on Jacqueline, I saw that they can look elegant on the right bicycle.

Anyhow, here they are on the Pashley now, and you can judge for yourself. To answer some questions: Yes the baskets are "heavy": according to the specs, they are 2.75lb each. And no, they do not jiggle or make noise. Whether empty or full, I don't even really feel them. What's especially nice, is how integrated they are with the Pletscher "Athlete" rear rack; all together it almost looks like one unit.

The Co-Habitant carries one of those multi-use tools at all times, so he installed the baskets for me as soon as we bought them.

Each basket mounts to the rack via 3 bolt-on metal brackets (which are included): two on top and one on the bottom.

Here is the bottom one. Some people use zip ties in addition to or instead of the brackets.

The baskets lie flush with the bicycle's rear rack when folded. To unfold, you lift a metal tab on top and pull out the sides.

Then lower the bottom, click it into place, and voila!

Here is the basket transporting my workbag - which houses my laptop, documents, and about a dozen other things. The bag is very secure in there, much more so than in the front wicker basket of yore. For me, this system really works. When cycling for transportation I prefer to keep my things in my normal, favourite workbag, and then to be able to place the bag into some form of container on the bicycle. Click-on panniers that double as laptop bags or handbags don't really do it for me, because I want to be free to carry any bag I want when off the bike - including my photo bag. Of course, an additional benefit of a metal basket, is that I can leave the bike anywhere and not worry about its bags being pillaged or removed.

Here you can see the position of the baskets in relation to the rider. It's a very tidy system.

On my Pashley there is no foot strike or leg rub when pedaling, but this really depends on a bike's geometry.

The practicality of the Walds is so seductive, that I have lost my ability to tell whether they suit the Pashley or detract from its loveliness. Your honest opinion?

Cutting the Tree

We decided that since we wanted to get one more load of firewood we would also cut us a Christmas tree this year. We stopped at the Jemez Ranger Station to buy the permit to cut the tree then went up the mountain to cut wood. After we had the wood loaded we searched till we found the perfect little tree and cut it and loaded it on top of the wood to bring it home.

Herrmanns' Royal Lipizzan Horses

We visited this amazing place last year and loved it. Aric wasn't with us, so he didn't get to see it then. So today we drove over together to see it. He loved it too.



I will have to write more tomorrow, because I'm too tired to write much detail tonight. Here are a few pictures in the meantime.

New Pickleball Recruits

Yesterday I played pickleball all day long. As much as I love the sport, it is really hard for me to play for that long because I'm not in good enough shape to do it. Why did I play that much then? Because in the morning, I played with some of the regular players.



This is Carol, Austin, Lou and Buddy.

I just met Carol and Lou. I'm not sure how I just met them because they've known Austin and Nathan for years. Or most likely almost two years since that is how long we've been full timers. Buddy is someone I briefly met last year. This year I was able to get to know him better. I can't believe I missed not knowing Buddy better last winter because he is the best. He has a great smile, a great laugh and a great attitude towards life. He's pure sunshine. As much as I adore Buddy, he is not why I played all day long though.



This guy was:



That is Connor. He is one of our new pickleball recruits. He's about ten years old and he already plays almost as good as me. He rocks.



Then there is this guy:

That's Kelby. He's twelve and he was the first in the family to be sucked into the world of pickleball. He's awesome after only one day of playing. And he's really fun to play with. He's definitely worth playing past my physical comfort level!



Of course if they play, then Dad has to join in the fun.

Vern is not only great at the game already, he is one of the most entertaining people I've ever watched play. He dives, he spins, he runs in circles, and moves his feet like a skilled dancer. You just have to see it in person. In the meantime though, this gives you a taste of it:

I love it when we have new recruits. It is so much fun to play with them. Especially when they are as cool as these particular recruits.



Living the life in Florida!

Reading and Riding

When I started cycling I never dreamed of getting into bicycle-themed literature. In fact, I intentionally avoided it. I guess I wanted to think of myself as "normal," didn't want to get obsessed, you know?.. Just a person who rides bikes, and nota person who is so defined by them that even her reading list is bike-themed.Fast forward several years, and my coffee table is littered with books and magazines about... you guessed it, cycling. My laptop has browser windows open to cycling-themed reading material. I'm a goner for sure. And you know what's worse? For some reason, most of the stuff I like is roadie themed. Let me explain: There is some truly excellent writing in this genre. Not just writing that seems good because I am into bikes. But writing that is so genuinely compelling in its own right, that it has gotten me interested in topics I had otherwise been indifferent to. Here is a sampling of my favourites, by category:



Book: The Rider by Tim Krabbé. I posted a sort-of review of it last winter and it remains my favourite. It is ultimately a novel about human introspection. That just happens to also be about bicycle racing. By the end, you may not be able to separate the two.



Writer: Limiting myself to just one, I would have to sayGraeme Fife. "I'm not greatly interested in results, frankly but the metaphysics and aesthetics of cycle racing excite me enormously," this man once said in an interview.



Magazine: I started readingRouleurbecause it was available at the Ride Studio Cafe libraryand I was looking for something to leaf through with my coffee. After a couple of issues I was hooked. The articles have an unexpectedly brooding, almost dark tone to them that lured me right in. I had no idea what I was reading about half the time, but it was gorgeous, so I kept reading until it gradully began to make more sense. That's how they got me.



Blog: Red Kite Prayer. This is a roadie blog that I really have no business reading. But the entries are so thoughtful and well written that I keep checking in and finding common threads, sometimes even patches of common ground.



Blog Entry: Favourite cycling blog post of all time is a masterpiece by a girl named Beth Newell. Now, this is a girl who went from riding her first roadbike to turning track national champion in just a few years, all the while documenting it hilariously. But my favourite post of hers has little to do with cycling, and focuses instead on a student exchange trip to Hungary. So, if you're having a dull night, do yourself a favour: Pour a nice glass of wine, click here, then search for the phrase "perhaps the most traumatic story about my calves dates back age twenty" and start reading from there. You will not regret it.

The Skinny ropes?

I would prefer to use one of the modern lwt single ropes given the choice in most situations. Lots of them available these days. No surprise I am a big fan of the Beal Joker pictured above and own two of them.



But on any route I need to rappel off of I would prefer a twin or maybe a double rope. But generally a twin. I find the twin format easy enough to use on most ice routes I am doing and "safe enough". A double rope will generally add to the safety factor while adding some weight. Many of the better modern ropes will allow you to use them as a twin and a double and in some cases a twin, double and single.



But you need to play close attention to the following on all these ropes.

Falls/ Impact Force/Elongation/Extension



The down side of the skinny twin ropes now available (or at least the pair I have been using for a while now) is they are really skinny and themore common belay plates can be problematic. Too fast on steep rappels for my taste and too stretchy sometimes if loaded as a single rope.



My current twin rope system is a pair of Beal Ice Twins @ 7.7mm and 37g per meter. There are other great ropes and I have used most of them. I just happen to be on Beal at the moment. My first and more than half of them bought at retail fwiw.












I saw a few new ropes at OR this summer. Some of them held great interest for me. Enough interest that I may change a good part of my ice climbing system for some (but not all) projects.














TheEdelrid Flycatcher was one @ 6.9mm and 35g per meter. And no question the skinny winner! I comes with a specifically designed belay device...which it needs IMO. All of the ropes mentioned here need extra care on the belays and rappels. More on this rope system specifically coming up shortly.



More here on my take on ropes:

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//03/ropes.html













Beal also has the new 7.3mm Gully @ 36gram per meter. Twin and Dbl ratings. Late Jan, 2014 delivery. 36gram per and 7.3mm? Interesting trade off on the already thin and light weight Ice Twin at 38gram per meter and 7.8mm. Another rope I will be using as a comparison to my Ice Twin when I get the chance.









Petzl has a new 7.7mm twin. Sorry unsure what the weight was on the Petzl. I would suspect it is close to the Beals offerings. Mammut has at least onetwin @ 42grams per meter.











" Monster Ropes by Metolius are
7.8mm and 38g/m and a double or twin. They are a contender."



Thanks Brian!



I should have more infoon all these ropes shortly.









Trangowith a 8.1 that is both a twin and a double @ 42gramsper meter. Theyarea very clean set of ropes and available now.



No doubt I missed a few of the new "skinny ropes". But things keeping getting lighter and more fragile...truly "race parts" in gear these days.



Problem is..high performance "race parts" fail in a spectacular fashion. And cost a lot in $ to maintain. Ask anyone who races cars.The twins in particular are not "beginners" ropes IMO.With the current technology I thinkwe are pushing the envelope on ropes. Sometimes, in some places/circumstances bigger and heavier might just be better and much safer. I know it is always cheaper.



I like soloing on ice. Take a look at these ropes yourself. Decide for yourself just how close you are to soloing.



But you really need to check the ratings (Falls/ Impact Force/Elongation/Extension)on all these ropes to see if they are appropriate for your own use. YMMV

A Swedish Guest

Last week I received a new bicycle for an extended test ride and review: a Pilen Lyx. The distributor (BoxCycles) gave me a choice of colours and I took a gamble once again instead of just asking for black. This time the gamble paid off: The unusual shade of blue looks as stunning in person as it did in pictures. It is an ethereal "northern skies after an afternoon storm" sort of blue that I just want to keep staring at.



A small Swedish manufacturer, Pilenhas been producing bicycles since 1998. The worksmanship looks outstanding.



The finishing on the TIG-welded frame with lugged fork crown, seat collar, and capped seat stays is up there with the quality of high-end custom frames.



Iwill cover the frame details in the review after I've had more time with the bike, but so far I am pleasantly surprised.



Nice headbadge, too. Pilenmeans "arrow" in Swedish.



The lady's frame is available in one size only and it is huge: 56cm or 58cm (22"+), depending on how you measure it. At 5'7" I had to slam the saddle down, but I'm used to that: my GazelleandRaleigh DL-1 arethe same size.



Here are the Gazelleand the Pilentogether. The Pilenwill be kept outdoors for the duration of its visit, which will allow me to test its resistance to the elements. The distributor assumed this as a matter of course, since that is how he keeps his own bike and that is howPilenswere designed to be stored.



I've been riding the bike since Friday, but am not ready to describe the ride quality yet. It is not like a Dutch bike, and neither is it like an English roadster, so I am trying to "understand" it. I am also still messing with the handlebar and saddle positions and will hold off on my impressions until I get those just right.



But wait, there's more...



In their generosity, the distributor has given me the green light to give this bicycle away once I am finished reviewing it. There are no strings attached: I can just give it to one of my readers in any way I see fit. This is exciting, and I already have an idea for a contest that is kind of kooky, but hopefully fun. So if you are a taller lady, the Pilencould be yours!The final review will probably be ready in 3 weeks' time, and that is also when the bicycle will be given away.Stay tuned and I will post more about the contest next week!

I Love Being Mimi

The hardest thing about being gone for seven months was not seeing the kids and grandkids. The really great thing about being Grandma or Mimi is that they miss you almost as much as you miss them. Or at least they tell you they do!



We were able to see our gorgeous grandchildren today, after seven long months. That is like a lifetime in Grandparent time. One of the first thing Liv does is show me that she has drawn a picture for me. Liv is an artist so I always love her art work. Here is one of her masterpieces that has "everyone" in it, according to her.



From left to right: Mimi, Auburn, Austin, Papa, Olivia and Gabe and the second row has Dad and Mom.





Nathan is highly offended by this picture and I just don't see why? Just because I am much bigger than him, first in line and colorful does not mean a thing. Ah, Liv always knows how to make my day. She even made our hair the same, complete with matching flowers.



Not to be outdone, Gabe asked to use my camera and took some pictures with it. He has shown real skills in this before, and I see that he's still as good as ever which just tickles me pink. Here is some of his work of Coco and their dog Jaeger and their gorgeous Mom, Renie:







They are just the coolest kids ever. I think Papa kind of likes them too:



Truth be told, he adores them as much as me. And it always so endearing to me to watch him interact with them. We are hoping to have lots more fun with them over the next few months.



Living the life in Florida!

Internet Connection sees 2nd ascent

Yesterday I made plans to climb with my friend and health/rehab advisor, Andy Shriner and his friend Brad from Morgantown, WV. Andy is a motivated rock and ice climber who moved to Morgantown from Cincinnati, OH this past year. Andy has been chomping at the bit to get out on the local ice I've told so many stories about. Actually Andy is fortunate to be climbing any ice this season after having been caught in an avalanche at the base of Pinnacle Gully in NH earlier this winter. Luckily he walked (limped) away with experience, a banged up knee, and a story to tell. Laura, my girlfriend/climbing partner decided to take a rest day Sunday, so I took a long shot and called Tom Thomas, a climbing friend from here in SWPA to see if he wanted to join our crew. I figured he'd already made plans with others and was going to decline. Either way I know he loves harder mixed climbs and called to invite him. The phone conversation went something like this... Hey Tom it's Tim, what's up? TOM: Tim, great to hear from you. I've been climbing a lot, like the last 6 days. ME: Awesome, glad you've been getting out. Want to climb some cool mixed stuff tomorrow? TOM: HELL YEAH! Where and what time do you want to meet? ME: How about Valley Dairy in Connellsville at 9:30? TOM: Perfect, see you in the morning... What do I need to bring? Never mind, I'm coming with you, who knows what we'll be getting into, I'll bring lots of shit for anything! Cool...




So the day was set. We met at the SWPA climber meeting spot of Valley Dairy Restaurant in Connellsville. Introductions were made and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast telling climbing tales and getting stoked for the day ahead. After breakfast we went outside to pile into vehicles to head for the crag. I followed Tom to his car to help shuttle his gear over to my car for departure and I received my first glimpse as to what Tom meant by "I'll bring lots of shit for anything." Let me just say, he was truly prepared. In addition to a normal "kit", his car contained multiple boots, ropes, racks and bin full of pins, bolts, shuts, drill, etc... Kudos Tom for some true climbing preparation! Although we didn't use much of your massive pile this outing, we'll be needing it for establishing new test pieces when things come back in.

Andy and Tom getting ready for the long approach

We made the short 10min. drive to the South Connellsville Rod and Gun club from the restaurant. Everyone was amazed as we pulled into the shooting range and the ice appeared in front of us. The Pistol Whipped Wall was looking even better than a few days prior. As much as I want to get on these they getting plenty of sun and were about ready to crash down as we were leaving. More for future outings as usual (not a bad thing in my eyes).

The Pistol Whipped Wall, before the sun

We walked down range to check out the lines and develop a game plan. Everyone was stoked with the appearance of the climbs and we opted to climb in the Internet Connection area. We went back to the car and loaded up what was needed for the days events (a very nice luxury at The Gun Club).After packing up and walking back over to the climbs, Tom was debating whether to get on Internet Connection for a send or just top tope it. With 6 consecutive days of climbing behind him, I could easily understand his serious debate. Internet Connection WI5 M7is an intimidating line that starts with overhanging moves and a heel hook off the ground to get established on thin ice which is followed by many heady and powerful moves all the way to the finish. I'm not sure I'd want to get on it without feeling reasonably fresh. After discussion with the group and himself aloud, Tom opted to tie in and give it a go since it has only formed twice since 2007.

Tom and Brad weighing the options

Good thing he did... Tom put on an impressive display of climbing, both mental and physical. He inched his way up the line through sections of delicate moves, followed by powerful moves that involved verbal displays that would make Chris Sharma proud. In the end Tom put in effort and got the job done. He successfully sent the line becoming the 2nd ascentionist since Laura and I first sent the line back in 2007. Here's a photo recap of Tom sending the line while being belayed by Brad.

Mixed start to thin ice

Exceptionally fat ice through this section

Nearing the top of the "Gully"

An airy, overhanging traverse to thin ice

Tom Thomas says "You really have to try this"

Working up delicate terrain

Great work on a proud send, Tom Thomas on Internet Connection WI5 M7

After Tom's great send, Brad who is relatively new to ice, but a seasoned, veteran outdoor athlete and longtime New River Gorge local; had the opportunity to second this exciting climb. Brad put in great efforts and made his way up the line. With a little practice and experience Brad will be a sending machine as well. Here's a few photos that Tom snapped of Brad going up after his climb.

Brad on Internet Connection, photo T.T.

Brad on Internet Connection, photo T.T.

Brad on Internet Connection, photo T.T.

After watching Tom lead Internet Connection, Andy and I walked over to climb the Alpine Ascent Gully M4 in the fattest conditions I've ever seen. This normally boney line reminiscent of the 2nd pitch of the Black Dike, had fat ice on it. Andy took the sharp end and led this short, but sweet line up to the ledge. From there we dropped a top rope on a rare former I've eyed over the years. We all took turns trying this new line and having a great day filled with sunshine. Despite my newly injured right shoulder, I managed to join the fun and climbed Internet Connection and the top route line without hurting myself further. I even managed to get some more mileage on my Lowa Ice Comp GTX "fruit boots." It was a great day with friends. Tom snagged the 2nd ascent of Internet Connection, Andy and Brad swung picks into some of the best SWPA ice of the season and I had the luxury of a fun day with some good friends.

One of the many options at The Gun Club yesterday, photo T.T.

But, the story doesn't end there... Long time friend and local legend, Ray Burnsworth showed up with his pal "Stink" the dog. I called him early Sunday telling him of our "crew" heading out to the club and invited him to come hang out. He showed up and met the guys hanging out and helping to guard us from those coming to shoot and not seeing us on the wall downrange. Thanks Rayman for keeping us alive from additional dangers most ice climbers don't have to consider... Well there's a story after the story. Ray not only had to protect us today, but another friend of his. "Ig" Read Ray's recap of our climbing day and his additional craziness on his Wildfilm Blog.

Local icon Ray Burnsworth, "don't mess with IG"