Joslin Rendezvous :: Cemetery Walk

Saturday, August 20th - - Each time the Joslin Clan has visited the homestead, they stop by the small Cedar Butte Cemetery where about ten people are buried including two of their Hutcheson relatives, brothers of their mother/grandmother Mary Matilda Hutcheson Joslin.





George and Jim opening the gate to the cemetery.



And each time they visit, they have to go hunting and digging for the gravestones! Many years ago someone planted a few Iris near the graves and they have multiplied and multiplied until they cover a rather large area, including the two graves. A little poking and prodding and the graves were found.





SOLDIER REST THY WORK IS DONECORNELIUS MBORN JAN. 5, 1896DIED APR 3, 1930



OUR LITTLE ONEROBERT W.BORN OCT 1, 1918DIED AUG. 17, 1923



And each time they visit, they take home a few of the Iris bulbs. It was quite a chore digging up the bulbs with a little garden trowel, but Fred persevered.





The Iris patch. In the center, to the left and right are the two Hutcheson graves.



The Joslin Clan – Babs, Richard, George, Joann, Ruth, Tim, Jim, and Sue.

Mackinac Island~The Island

Today we drove up to visit Mackinac Island. I have wanted to visit here for years so I was very excited to be finally doing this trip! The weather was just perfect and the island was just gorgeous. This is definitely one of my favorite things we have done so far! We had a great day and lots of fun together.



Mackinac Island is an island covering 3.8square miles in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European exploration began in the 17th century. It served a strategic position amidst the commerce of the Great Lakes fur trade. This led to the establishment of Fort Mackinac on the island by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the scene of two battles during the War of 1812.



In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony. Much of the island has undergone extensive historical preservation and restoration; as a result, the entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark. It is well known for its numerous cultural events; its wide variety of architectural styles, including the famous Victorian Grand Hotel; its fudge; and its ban on almost all motor vehicles. More than 80percent of the island is preserved as Mackinac Island State Park.

Snowdepth Record at Paradise

Starting on the 7th of August this year, we have more snow at Paradise than ever recorded since 1916. The world-record snow years in the early 1970's made for similar snow packs this time of year, but the cool weather has caused the snow to melt more slowly than usual. Our total snowfall for the winter of was approximately 907 inches - not a world record, but one of the five biggest snow years Paradise has ever seen.



What's different is our cool summer we've had this year. Just today, I skied all the way to Camp Muir from the Paradise parking lot. That's amazing. It's August and we should be enjoying the flowers.



I anticipate that our record breaking trend will continue a few weeks. It never really cleared off today at Paradise. The moist, marine-layer that has Seattle fogged in is strong enough to push all the way to Paradise.





Here's the data break down:

Mixte vs Mixte: What's the Difference?

Mixte-frame bicycles have become popular again over the past couple of years, with many women buying them, or considering buying them. But what kind of bicycle is it that they are looking for? Mixtes can differ from one another considerably, both in looks and in ride quality: You cannot assume that because you have ridden one, you know them all. Just to give you an example, I have prepared a side-by-side comparison between my custom Royal H. mixte and the Rivendell Betty Foy.It takes some time to train your eye to differentiate between bicycles that may seem similar at first glance. But see whether you can get a sense of the differences just by looking at the pictures.

To break it down, I will describe the most obvious and significant differences between these mixtes' geometries. And as an aside to the experts out there: If you are cringing at my explanations, please keep in mind that I am trying to make this as visual as possible, as opposed to as technical as possible!



Overall proportions

Take a close look at the overall "body types" of the two bicycles. Despite their being the same size in relation to me, my custom mixte has a "short and fat" look to her, whereas the Betty Foy looks "tall and skinny". That is because my mixte is dominated by the round forms of the large wheels, whereas the Betty is dominated by the angular forms of the large frame. The Betty Foy has smaller wheels, so the frame automatically needs to be larger in order for the overall bicycle to be the same size as mine. This also explains why my mixte frame is 52cm and the Betty Foy frame is 58cm - yet when the bicycles are assembled they are both my size.



The "short and fat" vs "tall and skinny" difference between the two bikes is accentuated by the position of the handlebars. The handlebars on the Betty Foy are set higher, with some stem showing - which further elongates Betty's "body." The handlebars on my mixte are pushed almost all the way down - which accentuates the round look. Both bicycles were designed to be set up with the handlebars in these respective positions.



If you look at the vintage René Herse mixtes in this post from last year, as well as at some modern bicycles that emulate them, you will notice that they all have similar proportions to my custom mixte. Not a coincidence, because that is the look I was going for. The Rivendell Betty Foy, on the other hand, is a more contemporary take on the mixte and does not conform to this traditional design. Other modern framebuilders have taken a similar approach - playing with proportions to create their own versions.



Wheelbase

"Wheelbase" is the distance between the center of the front and the rear wheel of a bicycle. But to get a more concrete idea of what that means, look at the space between the wheels.On my custom mixte (left) you can see that the wheels are fairly close together, while on the Betty Foy (right) there is an enormous amount of space between the wheels.



Another easy difference to spot is the length of the chainstays. The chainstays are those skinny tubes on the frame that run parallel to the ground along the rear wheel. If you look closely, on the Betty Foy these are considerably longer than on my mixte.



Angles

The angles of a frame are actually directly related to the wheelbase, but I am not going to go into this here and will discuss angles separately.



Even without measuring, you can see in the side by side pictures, that both the seat tube and the head tube on the Betty Foy are more relaxed (they lean further back) than on my custom mixte. The difference in angles is actually very small (1 degree difference in the seat tubes and 2 degree difference in the head tubes), which makes it all the more interesting that it is visually apparent. Even a small difference can be important.



Step-over height

Not related to any of the previous factors, but worth mentioning, is that the Betty Foy top tube is lower than my mixte's twin lateral stays. On the Betty this was achieved by virtue of not continuing the top tube in a straight line after the seat post, but angling it a bit. This angle produces a similar effect to creating a "swoop" or slight loop in the frame's top tube. It is still not as easy to step over as a step-through, but it is lower than other mixtes out there.



Ride quality

If you have managed to read this far and not fall asleep or close your browser window, you are probably wondering how these features affect ride quality. After all, it is useful to be able to look at a bike and have an idea of how it rides compared to other bikes.



Speaking very generally and summarily, bicycles with a longer wheelbase and more relaxed angles tend to feel more comfortable and stable, whereas bicycles with a shorter wheelbase and steeper angles tend to feel more aggressive and maneuverable. Of all these qualities, comfort is the most subjective - and also depends on other factors (such as tubing material and tires) that are independent of geometry. I would say that my custom mixte is equally comfortable to the Betty Foy - which means that the builder must have done something to enhance comfort despite the steeper angles and shorter wheelbase. As for the other factors, my mixte is indeed aggressive in comparison to Betty, with a ride quality that feels more "zesty." Both bicycles are fast and stable, but mine is quicker to accelerate and a tad more responsive, whereas Betty is more even-tempered.



Either of those qualities can be considered a virtue, depending on the cyclist's needs: A mixte like the Betty Foy is a better idea if you are looking for a relaxed, even-paced ride, whereas a mixte like mine will be more enjoyable if you want something more racy. And it helps to recognise which is which by looking at them.

Advice from Fixed Gear Experts? And a Look at MKS Stream Pedals

I have been riding my Francesco Moser roadbike as a fixed gear since July. I love this bicycle and ride it considerably more than I thought I would. For an aggressive roadbike, it is puzzlingly comfortable and easy. My bicycle handling skills have improved thanks to this bike and I have grown very attached to it.



But here is the problem - or rather what I keep hoping is not a problem, and would like your opinion about: The frame has a low bottom bracket. In our innocence, we did not notice this when we were building it up, and I don't even think the person who gave me the frame noticed quite how low it was. The bike originally came with skinny tubulars, but we fitted the frame with 700C wheels and 28mm tires - which raises the bottom bracket off the ground more than originally.



The cranks are 165mm, which is already as short as I can reasonably go with here, and just recently I switched the pedals (originally MKS"Touring") to the narrower MKS"Stream". All of this has helped ward off "pedal strike," but I still worry whether it is safe. A couple of people have taken one look and told me that I should get a different bike, with an expression of concern on their faces. Others have told me that it's not too bad and there should be no problem as long as I am not too aggressive on turns and don't take it on the velodrome.



So my question: Is there an objective way to tell? How high should the bottom bracket be off the ground in order for a fixed gear bike to be "safe"? And "aggressive on turns" seems like such a subjective concept. I think of myself as a bad cyclist and I think of my speed as slow - but I am not sure how to quantify these things. Once I get going, I like to ride 15-18mph on this bike. But I am consciously very careful on corners and slow down on them due to paranoia over this issue.



So far, the MKS "Stream"pedals (purchased from Cambridge Bicycle) seem to have made a big difference, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that perhaps they solved the problem. This is what the lean of the bike used to be in order to get pedal strike, but the Streams have improved things considerably.



Here are the MKS"Touring" (left) vs the MKS"Stream" (right) pedals side by side. As you can see, they are very similar except for the size.



TheMKSStreams are basically touring-style pedals that are the size of track pedals. They are comfortable and accept both toe clips and Power Grips. I was worried that my feet might feel cramped on them, but I have felt absolutely no discomfort so far.



Here is another size comparison.



And notice the difference in teeth. The Streams are more grippy.



The ride quality with the new pedals feels the same as previously, with the benefit of additional "room to breathe" on turns. But is it enough? If I do need to start thinking about a new frame,I doubt that I can find something as good as theMoser (Columbus tubing, Italian quality) in anything resembling a reasonable price range. My best bets are probably to look into Mercian or to wait for the Rivendell "Simpleone". And if you can recommend a vintage model that resembles the Moser in ride quality but has a higher bottom bracket, I am of course all ears. I do not want a new fixed gear roadbike. I love this one and would prefer to ride it forever. I just want to know whether that is a good idea.

Braking: Not Always Your Friend

The other day I was cycling on a busy road where the city has recently installed those raised-platform intersections to make the cars slow down before crosswalks. Ahead of me, I saw a cyclist brake just as she entered the intersection - probably hoping to reduce the impact of the bump. Watching her, I somehow knew what was going to happen next and winced. And then it happened: As her wheel hit the raised platform, her bicycle flipped over, and she with it. All this occurred at a slow enough speed, so that she wasn't hurt and was soon back on the bike. But I suspect that she has no idea why the fall happened, which means that it might happen to her again.

To me, it has always seemed self-evident that it is "bad" to brake while going over bumps, and watching the cyclist's fall confirmed that. But were there actually any facts behind this belief? I got home and looked it up, stumbling upon Sheldon Brown's explanation.

Bumpy surfaces. On rough surfaces, your wheels may actually bounce up into the air. If there is a chance of this, don't use the front brake. If you apply the front brake while the wheel is airborne, it will stop, and coming down on a stopped front wheel is a Very Bad Thing.

Okay, that makes sense. It has also since been pointed out to me that braking transfers the weight of the bicycle forward, so braking on the bump drives the front wheel right into it. Makes sense as well. So, we essentially have two forces working against us when braking over a bump.

When we find ourselves hurdling towards an obstacle n the road that we cannot avoid, naturally the reflex is to slow down. But this should be done before going over the said obstacle, not during. Braking is your friend, but only when done correctly (brake before the bump, then release before going over it). I would also venture to say that most casual cyclists who use handbrakes do not differentiate between front and rear.

Of course, this is just one more reason why I love coaster brakes for cycling in the city. If you're used to braking with a coaster brake in order to slow down, you do not rely on the front brake as much and are not likely to squeeze it while going over a bump. I know that some will not agree with me on that one, but that is how I see it, and the coaster brake has been a reliable ally for me in pothole-ridden Boston Metro.

The Desert

This is out on the desert near where I sometimes ride. On this day I walking my Border Collie Tuffee. You can see the Sandia Mountains in the distance. Albuquerque is hiden between us and the mountains down along the Rio Grande valley.

Honoring Those Who Served

Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Kansas May 6, ..

Today is Memorial Day, The Day in which we honor those Veterans who have given their Lives for our Freedom.



Thankfully, I've had only a few ancestors who actually died while serving their country, but (also thankfully) I've had a lot of ancestors and family members who have served in the military.



I've written a bit about them before so here are the links to those previous posts:



The Veterans in my Family ~ Immediate family members and ancestors who have served from before Vietnam to the Revolution.



More Veterans in my Family - Part One~ Siblings of ancestors who were Veterans of the War of 1812 and the Civil War



More Veterans in my Family - Part Two~ Spanish American War and World War I Veterans who are related to me in some way.



More Veterans in my Family - Part Three~ Veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. A few of these I actually have met!



To all of the men and women now serving in the United States and around the World to protect our Freedom, I say Thank You! And to all those young men and women who have given their lives while serving our country, Thank You is not enough, but I say it anyway! Thank You.

A meeting at the Belgian Beer Museum in Brussels

Last month I was in Brussels for work and we had a meeting at the first floor of the Belgian Beer Museum (no. 10—the ‘den Gulden Boom’ building) on the Grote Markt (Grand Place). It’s a gorgeous building, it’s façade adorned with gilded elaborate designs.

I’ve been to Brussels many times and I’ve seen Brussels at its loveliest. January wasn’t the best month though as I was met with rain and overcast.

After the business meeting, we had a short beer history lesson in the basement of the building. Like many beer museum visits, I was really expecting a beer tasting session afterwards but unfortunately that did not happen, well, not at least right away. In fact I was quite confused on what's next on the agenda and I accidentally followed the women who were going to the chocolate making session held a few blocks away. I did not know that the beer tasting session is at the same building but at the first floor where we earlier had the business meeting. Oh well.
If I was to turn back the clock, I would have stayed for some beer. Anywho, I was able to taste a locally brewed trappist beer during lunch though.

And to be honest, I don’t think I will recommend quickly a visit to this Beer Museum. There are so many notable beer breweries and outstanding abbeys where a grand beer tour and tasting, are in my opinion, better experienced.

Here are a few pictures of the Grote Markt (Grand Place) on a gloomy January day.

View to the Grote Markt / Grand Place from the Belgian Beer Museum building

Belgian beer history lesson

More buildings on Grote Markt / Grand Place.

The Belgian Parliament.

One thing I would like to add... traffic in and around Brussels is HORRIBLE. The only advantage in going by car to Brussels is parking. A whole day parking costs only 14,50 EUR. For this amount you pay under 3 hours parking in Amsterdam and Utrecht.

Hyak Nordic ..

Jennifer and I went out to Hyak Sno Park to ski again. She had a good time last time and she is eager to get some type of exercise while pregnant. Fortunately Nordic Skiing is pretty low impact, and we went to Hyak due to the extreme flatness of the trail. (It is a converted railroad grade.) Jennifer is concerned about falling on anything remotely hilly, so the flat trails fit the bill.

Momma zipping along

Conditions were windy when we got out of the car. Not surprising being at a mountain pass and near a five mile long lake. I was wishing I had brought more clothing. We both started out with our poofy jackets on and eventually stopped to take them off once we had warmed up. I went considerably faster than Jennifer, but kept checking on her to make sure she wasn't overdoing it. We got a special treat in that the track got groomed while we were there. Although truthfully the track was in pretty good shape prior to the grooming. It would have been more special if we were skate skiing.

Along the lake

At some point Jennifer decided it was a good time to turn around. I told her I was going on further and would catch her before the car. I probably went about a half mile further before turning around. I was slowed by seeing someone I knew and chatting for bit. But I did catch Jennifer with at least a half mile to go before the parking lot. I think I did about six miles total.

This was a fun outing and Jennifer is caused less pain from skiing than walking. She is having fun getting exercise, and her exercise level had picked up since we started skiing because the pregnancy usually causes her to lose steam when walking.