Confusing Relationships

This past Friday, Charlene, a new-found "Shuder" cousin and her son came down from central Michigan for a visit with me and one of my first cousins. We got acquainted, shared some information, had a good time, and got a bit confused.

Our common ancestors, Nancy Jane Lavering and Isaac Shuder, were related to each other before they got married. As I attempted to explain their relationship and determine our relationship it just got more and more confusing. We finally did get it figured out though, I think. Nancy and Isaac were 1st cousins once removed, and Charlene and I are second cousins once removed, as shown in the image below, which can be read by clicking on it to make it bigger:


The problem I have with the standard relationship charts, is that you have to know your relationship to your common ancestor as well as the relationship of the person you are trying to determine your relationship to. Now, if I'd had the basic information for those ancestors and their children entered into the genealogy software that I use, which is Legacy, it wouldn't have been a problem, but I didn't and still don't. Actually, I did have it entered a couple of years ago, but that's another story. Anyway, Legacy has a neat feature that allows you to display and/or print a fancy chart mapping out these things. It's really a nice chart, but I couldn't use it. . .

Examples of the Standard Relationship chart can be found at:

• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gentutor/chart.html


• http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~hornbeck/chart.htm

A rather nice, slightly different chart with a pdf file available for download is at:

• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kordyban/chart/relationship_chart.html

** Update July 31, .. **

What is a First Cousin, Twice Removed? is an article in the Genealogy.com Learning Center that provides some helpful information on relationships. The Learning Center is a very good resource whether you are just starting your family search or even if you are a more advanced researcher.

Sunrise Splash

Here are a couple of recent shots of Lake Superior waves captured at sunrise. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed capturing them!

Snow time...

Quite a bit of snow has fallen over the past week leaving plenty at Paradise (a solid 2 feet). As you can see in this John Piastuck image, skiers and boarders (32 ants by my count) are "chomping at the bit" to climb Panorama Point for early season turns... This is looking to be a very promising ski season folks. The question is, will it hold; will it continue?

The Washington State Climatologists have something to say about our weather. They just published an interesting report about our 2007 summer temperatures. It points to data that says we're still experiencing a warmer than normal trend (0.01 to be exact for Aug). I also found that they are willing to post an "Outlook" for the fall and winter. Check it out, but don't look for any clarity as it doesn't really predict anything substantial or exciting: "The Climate Prediction Center's 3-month outlook for November-December-January is for equal chances of above, below, or normal temperatures for Washington..."

Whatever the case, we're off to good start and the ants on Pan Point are seemingly stoked. With them are a few climbers who are hoping to find the summit this week. Perhaps they'll successfully weave through the upper mountain crevasses and visit Columbia Crest during this weather window.

If you are planning to climb this fall, here are few safety, registration and camping tips:

• Expect crevasses: Though it's been snowing quite a bit this Sept/Oct, be prepared for lightly covered crevasses on the mountain.
• Avalanche: Yes, slides have killed climbers in the fall on Mount Rainier and it could easily happen again. It doesn't take much to knock a team into a terrain trap (crevasse, cliff, hole) or bury someone. This is especially the case if the wind is blowing which could contribute to large snow deposits.
• Poor weather: Ok, this is a constant on Rainier, but fall is definitely the time when storms linger longer than expected and climbers regret their "fast and light" plans. Be prepared to sit out inclement weather and expect heavy wet snow.

You can register in Longmire at the museum, or self register (i.e. honor system) at Paradise on the front porch of the Jackson Visitor Center. Most teams will select the Camp Muir Public Shelter for high camp accommodations. Over the past few years, that hut has been very accessible... But you should still bring a shovel to dig out the door and always clean up after you leave. On nice/busy weekends, bring your ear plugs (snoring, running stoves, chatter) and expect to breath stove exhaust in the hut.

Perfect bouldering day

Mega new boulder in Glen Nevis which I’ve given a good clean and opened 6 new problems in the easy to mid grades so far. ten minutes walk from the road, yet in complete solitude. I filmed some of them too and will make a wee video and topo shortly. Now the easy ones are done, time to work on the harder ones. This really was a perfect climbing day, great temperatures, great sights and sounds of nature all around, and great climbing. Bouldering above uneven landings was still feeling more like soloing for me right now though. But I am getting slightly more confident.

Independent

Be it food, furniture, clothing or bicycles, there is nothing quite like getting things made by people we know and trust. I am lucky to live in a pocket of the US that has a long history of an independent bicycle industry, and luckier still to interact with some of its members. On the occasion of Independence Day, I would like to feature these people here and invite you to have a look at their work.






When I first met Mike Flanigan of ANT, he was introduced to me as "the godfather of the transportation cycling revolution." Long before Dutch bikes and retrofitted Porteurs began gracing the streets of trendy American cities, Mike was making sturdy roadsters and cargo bikes for his customers under the slogan "Not sport, transport." He made custom loop frames at a time when no other framebuilder saw it as worth their while to offer step-through frames for women. He educated the newgeneration of local frame buildersabout the value of transportation bicycles and continues to share his knowledge with them generously. Today Mike also offers framebuilding classes, which have become extremely popular. Every year he donates a cargo bike that is raffled off at the Redbones Bike Party and Benefit in Somerville.There are other builders now making transport bicycles and plenty of mainstream manufacturers as well. But there is still nothing quite like an original ANT bike.






Of course the new generation makes it look so easy. It's not for nothing that Geekhouse Bikes founder Marty Walsh is known as "party Marty" - combining work and fun is their MO. Or rather, they do not see a distinction. Making colourful bikes that range from track to touring to townie, the boys of Geekhouse work tirelessly on their unique frames and have inhouse powdercoating facilities to boot. Hip segmented forks? Bottle cage braze-ons shaped like lightning bolts? Sparkly powdercoat? They are the ones to see about that. Geekhouse also connect with the local community, collaborating with their peers and encouraging innovation. Most recently they've leased a large space to be developed and shared by local artisans, which is looking more and more exciting each time I visit.





Though still a relative newcomer to the framebuilders' scene, Bryan Hollingsworth of Royal H. Cycles can make pretty much anything, I am convinced of that now. A carbon fiber fabricator at Seven Cycles, his true passion is lugged steel and he has been building frames under his own name for the past three years. I was one of his first customers and watching Bryan work was what inspired my own interest in frame design. After successfully collaborating on a one-off randonneur project last year, this summer we are taking it up a notch and trying to develop a do-it-all mixte model.





Another Seven Cycles veteran, Mike Salvatore of the so-called Sketchy Cycles is the framebuilders' framebuilder and a man of mystery. There is no website. There is no order process. There is no price list. Working by candlelight in the company of his enormous pet rabbit, Mike builds frames mostly for friends and only when the mood strikes him. But the deceptively modest-looking bikes are known to have magical properties. Those who own a Sketchy - and it's quickly becoming a cult of sorts - only smile mysteriously when asked what makes these bikes so special. Will the rest of us ever know? We can only dream.






Speaking of dreams, I certainly felt as if I was in the midst of one when I stumbled unexpectedly upon Cantabrigian Mechanics - the shop of Ricky DeFrancisco - earlier this year. What do they make? That is a little difficult to describe, because the answer is "everything." In a sense they are ghost builders - making bicycle frames and parts of frames, and also objects that have nothing to do with bicycles at all, for manufacturers whose names might be quite familiar to you. Intrigued? It may be possible to satisfy our curiosity soon, as Cantabrigian Mechanics are now developing a house brand called Commonwealth Cycles.





The art of fillet brazing is on the rise in Boston and I am infatuated with the fledgling work of Nao Tomii of Tomii Cycles - a sculptor who, after years of learning the trade, has recently become a full time framebuilder. Nao's bicycles look effortless, liquid and floaty as he combines technical precision with an artist's eye. I will have more pictures of his work featured here soon, and this is surely a builder to watch closely.






Another new fillet brazer of note is Armando Quiros of Quiros Custom Frames. A favourite of the fixie-loving crowd, Armando has won awards for his track bike builds and admiration for his sharp urban commuters.






I met the legendary Christopher Igleheart at a local bicycle show a year ago and was lucky enough to test ride a bike of his. Making many kinds of bicycles, from mountain to randonneuring to city, Igleheart is about lightweight steel, long-distance comfort, and quirky touches. His experience in the industry is vast and his customers rave about his bicycles' ride quality. An old school local favourite.






Seven Cycles are the folks who turned me on to titanium and opened my mind to an aesthetic I was not predisposed to like. There are not many independent bicycle factories left in the US, and I feel incredibly lucky to live just 6 miles from one, to be able to visit it, to know most of the people who work there. Seven Cycles sponsor many local events, as well as several cycling teams. I am still waiting for them to come out with a belt-drive titanium loop frame...






There are other local builders whom I haven't had the honour to visit and photograph, but would like to mention: Peter Mooney, Firefly, Circle A, Chapman Cycles,Ted Wojcik, Independent Fabrications, Parlee,JP Weigle. If there are others I have omitted, please remind me and I will include them.






In stark contrast to the framebuilders, as far as accessory makers we admittedly have a shortage. But Emily O'Brien's famous Dill Pickle Bags - not to mention her personality and fixed gear randonneuring adventures - certainly help make up for this. I made Emily's acquaintance recently and have one of her remarkable bags on loan, which I am now reluctant to return.






Thank you for reading along. I admit that I am proud of ourlocal bicycle industry, and I try to do my best to feature its members here. What is it like in your area? Please feel free to mention your favourite frame builders, component manufacturers, and accessory makers, and post links so that readers might visit them. Enjoy your 4th of July weekend!

Typically Dutch 010: Beschuit met Muisjes

The other week we received a surprise visitor at work, a female colleague who recently gave birth and her 10-week old son.

The ‘Beschuit met Muisjes’ given to me. She gave birth to a son, so it’s white and blue muisjes. When it’s a girl, its white and pink muisjes.

In the Netherlands when there is a birth of a baby, it is customary for the new parents to treat visitors, friends, relatives, neighbours and colleagues with ‘beschuit met muisjes’. It is basically a thick flaky biscuit spread with butter and the muisjes on top. Muisjes are sugar-coated cumin (anise) candies. The butter holds the muisjes together so that is an important ingredient =)

Kids here eat the muisjes as a spread on the bread as well, with the butter of course, for breakfast and lunch.

Bikes, Trains, Sailboats

After months of deliberation and procrastination, we've finally done it: Traveled by train with our bikes. For a while now we have wanted to cycle around Cape Ann, which is a beautiful area about 40 miles North of Boston - accessible by the MBTA Commuter Rail via the Rockport line. A number of people we know have taken this trip with their bikes, so it seemed doable. Also, I was delighted to spot the following notice on the MBTA website: "Commuter Rail re-introduces The Bike Coach on the Rockport line for the summer season." Bike coach! No other information was provided, so I did some research. Turns out they have commuter trains with special cars dedicated entirely to bikes - with bike racks as far as the eye can see, like this.But I could not find any information regarding its schedule, and it seemed that only some weekend trains were Bike Coach trains. A call to the MBTA was fruitless, so we decided to just show up and hope for the best.

The commuter train to Cape Ann leaves from North Station, a 3.25 mile bike ride from our house through some of the busiest parts of Boston.I don't like cycling through the city on a roadbike, but on a Saturday morning the traffic wasn't bad. We arrived early, which was good as there was a line at the ticket machines. There were plenty of other people with bicycles. When our train arrived, the conductor came out and announced that all those with bikes must proceed to the first car of the train. Only those with bikes were allowed in that car. Only those without bikes were allowed in the other cars. The segregation gave us hope that this was the fabled Bike Coach, and we happily headed for the front car along with the procession of other cyclists.

What happened next was rather stunning. The car we were ushered into had no accommodations for bikes what so ever - just a small corner of space at one end where a couple of handicapped seats had been removed. This was definitely not the Bike Coach. Nonetheless, everybody proceeded to drag their bikes on the train - more and more of them, until not only this corner, but the entire aisle was filled with bikes. When even that space ran out, new passengers began to pile their bikes on top of other bikes. Loud clunking noises filled the train as tubes smashed against derailleurs.

Not wanting our bikes damaged in the velo moshpit that ensued, we found a seat near the exit and sort of held our bikes on our laps the entire time. As you might imagine, it was uncomfortable to sit that way for an hour. But the alternative was to accept that a dozen 50lb mountain bikes would be thrown on top of our bicycles - which was not a viable option. So we tried to have a sense of humour about the whole thing and looked forward to reaching our destination while seriously discussing the possibility of Bromptons in the future.

But no sooner had we reached Rockport than the train trauma was forgotten, as we were greeted with perfect weather and glorious coastal views.

The Cape Ann peninsula consists of Rockport, Annisquam Village and Gloucester - each of them with beautiful scenery. Severed from the mainland by the windingAnnisquam River, water views are everywhere.This was our first time in the area and we decided to do an exploratory loop along the coastline instead of a long-distance trip. The Cape Ann loop is about 20 miles, with mild but constant rolling hills, alternating between open water views and tree lined country roads. Especially considering the 4th of July weekend, the area was not crowded. Drivers were courteous everywhere except for the traffic circle in Gloucester, but even that was not too bad. Roads were good on the eastern side of the cape, but terrible on the western side. Navigation was intuitive - just follow the coastline!

My Rivendell is in the midst of a small (but exciting) make-over, so I took the loaner Seven on this trip. Overall it was pretty good, though a burlier bike might have been a better choice on the pothole-ridden roads.We also ventured off road a bit, which was "interesting" on 23mm racing tires!

Cape Ann is even quieter and less commercially developed than we expected, a pleasant surprise. Lots of parks, meadows and nature reserves. Not too many parking lots. And "motel sprawl" is virtually non-existant - at least compared to places like Cape Cod, the NH Seacoast, and much of coastal Maine.

Also, there are apparently sailboat races happening in Rockport - wonderful!

All in all, we loved the area andare now considering staying there for longer, instead of venturing further from home on vacation later this summer. After all - just load up our bikes on the commuter rail, it's so easy!Of course we'd forgotten about our train experience earlier that day. Or at least, we thought, there would surely not be as many bikes on the return trip. Or maybe we would finally get the mythical Bike Coach?

Nope, no such luck. On the return trip, passengers were once again segregated into those with bikes and those without, and this time the "bike car" had a car rack attached in the handicapped seating area. It accommodated 4-5 bikes, tightly squeezed, and was filled as soon as the train began to board.

Minutes later, that pathetic little bike rack was surrounded by dozens of other bikes, stacked and thrown against one another haphazardly.

Exits were blocked, aisles were blocked - no one seemed to care. When passengers with bikes needed to get on or off, they would simply throw the other bikes out of the way and the whole thing was like one huge pile of scrap metal.So we held our bikes on our laps again - hugging them ever closer to our bodies as other passengers kept trying to pile their bikes on top of ours (yes, even while we were holding our bikes on our laps!). It was a madhouse and probably violated all sorts of safety regulations. The MBTA clearly needs to have these alleged Bike Coach cars run with more frequency and on a predictable schedule. As we now understand it, the schedule is random and there is no way to time your trip to ensure that you will get a Bike Coach. Sounds improbable, but that's how it is!

Late in the evening, we rode home from the station along mostly empty city streets, recuperating from the train but also satiated from a day of exploring such a beautiful new place by bicycle. We only cycled 30 miles over all, and the point of the trip was mainly to hang out and get to know the area. Next time we will plan for a longer route.The North Shore is a great starting point for long distance touring: While there is no pleasant bicycle route North out of Boston, from Cape Ann we could just continue to cycle along the coast to Maine. Definitely something to consider, despite the less than ideal commuter rail experience.

What is it like to travel on a train with a bike where you live, and do you do it often?

A Question of Favourites

Having now ridden most of the bicycles profiled here, one question I often get is which are my favourites. If I had to buy a new transportation bike today, which one would it be? While I find it impossible to choose just one, I can tell you which I prefer from each of the categories I described earlier: heavy duty Dutch bikes, lightweight Italian city bikes, and middleweight "classic hybrids."



[image via Gazelle USA]

If I were in the market for a Dutch bike specifically, I think I would buy a Gazelle. Currently producedGazelle bicycles are missing some of the charming details of their predecessors, such as the lugged connector between the curved top tube and the downtube, and the traditional bolted seatcluster. But they still have an attractive lugged fork crown, a predominantly lugged frame, and an elegant overall look. I would buy not the Toer Populair, but the Basic model (3 speed with coaster brake) for $859, and replace the saddle with my own. I prefer Gazelle to Batavus, because it seems better made. I prefer Gazelle to Workcycles, mainly because the Workcyclesis too heavy for me. Also, both Workcycles and Batavus bikes have unicrown forks rather than lugged crown forks, and I just can't bring myself to choose a bike with that feature if I have other options.



One Dutch bike I have not yet tried is Achielle (which now has a US distributor), so I cannot say whether I'd prefer it to the Gazelle. Unlike most other modern Dutch bikes, it is still made in the EU and the pictures look fantastic, but nonetheless it is impossible to know without trying. If anybody's ridden one and can compare it to the other Dutch bikes, I'd love to hear about it.



[image via Bella Ciao]

If I were looking for a light but classic transportation bicycle, the choice is really just between the Italians: Abici andBella Ciao. I would, and did, choose a Bella Ciao, because I prefer its ride quality and frame construction. I find theBella Ciaoto be less aggressive than the Abici, while being equally lightweight andfast - which, to me, makes for a more comfortable ride.And the unicrown fork on the Abici is, again, just not something I can live with. I also prefer the Bella Ciao's chaincase and handlebars, but those points are relatively minor in comparison. Both Abici and Bella Ciaoframes are made in Italy.



[image via Adeline Adeline]

And finally, if I were looking for a midweight bicycle, I would buy a Retrovelo - the 3-speed Klara model for $1,450.Retrovelobicycles are beautifully constructed, with impeccable lugwork and a mouth-wateringly gorgeous triple plate fork crown. And more importantly, I don't know of a single Retrovelo owner as of yet who is unhappy with the bike. Compared to PashleyandVelorbis, the Retrovelois somewhat faster and does better up hills, as well as feels cushier over potholes. The handlebars and stem are not my cup of tea, and I do wish it had a coaster brake and a full chaincase. But the bike is otherwise so nice, that I find these features alarmingly easy to ignore. In short: I want one, but have absolutely no excuse and no money to get it.



While I hope this explains my own selection process, it would be good to hear different opinions. The new bike shopping season is just around the corner and many are starting to research bicycles again. Which bicycle did you choose to buy, or would you now choose to buy - and why? If you already own a classic transportation bike, are you happy with it, or are you considering switching to another?

Gezellig Valkenburg aan de Geul

Two weekends ago Blondine and I were in Valkenburg visiting the Fluweelengrot Christmas Market and it seemed like everyone had the same idea including our German neighbours. A stream of traffic to the city centre received us and because this is the Netherlands, there was no available parking in sight, unlike in Germany where it is as simple as drive, park, pay and go. The Netherlands is helaas NOT a car country, you get punished here for having one.


But that didn’t distract us a bit because I am a lucky gal when it comes to parking. After a few rounds in the parking lot, we found a spot, along with the leaving occupant giving us his parking ticket that is still valid for another 4 hours. Grand. I am indeed lucky.

Valkenburg aan de Geul in December is a lovely and gezellig place, the Christmas lights and beautifications give it the ‘it’, the punch, the vigour that any city would want. Like a flower that blooms all year round and only gets prettier at the end of the year. Heated outdoor terraces thrive at every nook and cranny and shops selling Christmas ornaments are budding with shoppers. The holiday mood hung in the air. I would definitely come back.


Slow moving traffic as we enter into Valkenburg aan de Geul.


One of the remaining gates of Valkenburg, Grendelpoort.


Heated outdoor cafe terraces.

Mt Rainier Route Photos

The heavy snowfall from last week slowed a number of teams, many have not made the summit. Since we're lite on route conditions, I'll share these recent climbing route photos. Here is the Nisqually Cleaver taken on May 30th.

There are a number of climbers at Camp Muir this weekend, none have reported successful ascents. One Seattle party spent 15 hours pushing the route in from Camp Schurman, while another team summited on Liberty Ridge Thursday/Friday. The "Liberty" team took quite a bit of extra time and had to spend at least one night on top... They radioed from Camp Schurman on Saturday to report that one member had 7 digits with frostbite! We remind climbers not to underestimate how physically difficult it is to climb Liberty Ridge.

Photo by Mike Gauthier

Chinooks, aerial images, Brian Massey & Mizuki Takahashi

The U.S. Army has been spending time with the Mt. Rainier climbing rangers over the past few weeks. On May 22nd, we flew to the mountain and performed hoist and other training missions near Echo Rock, Camp Muir and Camp Schurman. While participating, I was able to shoot some aerial images of the climbing routes. Check out the updated route conditions for new information and photos. Chinook cockpit image taken by David Gottlieb.

The New York Times gave their opinion of Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior, and they liked him! The budget outlook for the NPS also sounds good. Of course, time will tell, but it was refreshing to see some positive press.

On a very, very sad and all-too-familiar note, two friends of this blog died climbing on Mt. McKinley last week. Mizuki Takahashi and Brian Massey (both frequented Rainier) fell while traversing high on Denali near the Messner Couloir. The exact details of what caused the accident are unknown; what we do know is that both climbers were well loved in the Pacific Northwest. Mizuki had even contributed reports to our blog last year. I knew her through the solo climbing registration program. Mizuki loved to solo climb the mountain in the winter.

It's been a very rough six months for female alpinists from the Seattle area: Christine Boskoff (owner of Mountain Madness PI), Lara Kellogg (former climbing ranger), and now Mizuki. The loss of these three unique, independent, and amazing women is an emotional setback to many climbers in the region. Our thoughts are with their friends and family. Here is an image that Mizuki contributed to the blog last year.

Regarding Mercedes

While going through my grandmother's papers (again) this weekend, I found this picture, probably taken on the same day as the one at the bottom of this post.

Mae was the adopted daughter of William James Dunfee and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Walker. Jane is my grandmother's sister, Hazlette is my grandmother, and Mercides is the object of my quest in unraveling a little mystery. It's a guess, but I'd say the picture was taken about 1918-1920.

And, another clue, which just goes to show that it pays to look at all of those little scraps of paper! The problem is though, that I don't know when the note was written, but from what I can tell, it was in the late 1960s or early 1970s that Grandma started working on her genealogy. I'm pretty sure that the ACPL (Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne) has some Detroit City Directories. One of these days I'll get to the library...

The note reads:

This is Mercedes
Name & address
Mrs. A. Vinet
13822 French Rd
Detroit 34 -

Sapsucker holes

Sapsucker holes in cedar

Edited to say:
Here's what a yellow-bellied sapsucker looks like. One of these days I might get lucky and get a good bird picture... but not today.

According to most sources, a sapsucker's drilling usually does not harm trees.