Abstract

Redwood Waters

A small stream tumbles through a redwood forest.

The Dogs

Here is Tuffee, our Border Collie, Spanky the small brown dog, and Daisy the large white Great Pyrenees Pup. Yes she is only a pup and over 100 pounds. I think she was about 8 months old here.

Goldfields in the Backcountry

Las Trampas Backcountry, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Deep in the wilderness of Las Trampas, wildflowers abound. These goldfields were abundant at an interesting rock outcropping. Spring is definitely arriving!

Dutch Bike Wars

A couple of days ago I received a message from Muna Whitfield, owner of A Black Bike in New York City, informing me of her company's lawsuit against Club Monaco and Royal Gazelle for unfair business practices. The allegation is that the well-known Club Monaco campaign picturing two happy ladies riding a Dutch bike, featured a Black Bike bicycle while representing it as a Gazelle bicycle.

[Club Monaco advert, Spring . Image via BikeRumor]

Here is an excerpt from an article describing the lawsuit:

A Black Bike, Inc., a small scale bicycle distributor based in Brooklyn, New York, filed a lawsuit in federal court today against the clothing and accessories retailer Club Monaco, Inc., and Koninklijke Gazelle, alleging false advertising, unfair competition, deceptive acts and practices, and trademark and copyright infringement. The complaint alleges that Club Monaco, a subsidiary of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, used images of A Black Bike's bicycles as the centerpiece of its Spring advertising campaign, without A Black Bike's authorization, and while publicly representing that the images were instead bicycles manufactured by the Dutch bicycle company Koninklijke Gazelle.

... In January of , following the upswing of A Black Bike's publicity, the complaint alleges that Club Monaco purchased a bicycle from A Black Bike and discussed a national advertising campaign that would feature A Black Bike's bicycles. Although a deal was never reached, ... the complaint alleges that the A Black Bike bicycle was prominently featured in Club Monaco's Spring advertising campaign, without A Black Bike's authorization. Furthermore, instead of crediting A Black Bike, the complaint alleges that Club Monaco confused consumers by falsely representing that the bike in the campaign was a "Gazelle," manufactured by the Dutch company, Koninklijke Gazelle, a competitor of A Black Bike.

... Following these events, A Black Bike suffered a large drop in sales due to Gazelle's benefit from the advertising campaign in the U.S. market.

The complaint was filed in federal district court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, by A Black Bike's attorneys at Shlansky & Co., LLP. The case is docket number 10CV893.

In their recent post about the lawsuit, Bike Rumor features pictures of a Gazelle and a Black Bike side by side and states that "the only difference between the bikes appears to be the decal and logo placements" and that "the key discrepancy seems to be the logo on the [headbadge]". They go on to note that the logos and headbadge in the Club Monaco advert appear to resemble those of A Black Bike rather than those of Gazelle.

[Gazelle Toer Populair bicycles in Club Monaco, Boston. Image by Lovely Bicycle]

After examining images of both bicycles, I notice an additional difference that no one has mentioned: the fork crown. Gazelle bicycles have a chromed, flat-top fork crown, like the ones in the photo above.

[A Black Bicycle bicycle. Image via Bike Rumor]

A Black Bicycle bikes, on the other hand, have unicrown forks, as pictured above. If you look at the Club Monaco ad again, the bicycle pictured clearly has a unicrown fork like A Black Bicycle and not a chromed, flat-top-crown fork like Gazelle.

I hope the lawsuit is settled fairly.

Reflective Paint - the Ultimate in Hi-Vis?

image via BikeSafeBoston

I've been documenting the making of a new bike for Josh Zisson of Bike Safe Boston, and he has this crazy idea to make the entire bicycle reflective - as in tire sidewalls, wheel rims and even the frame itself. Apparently there is a paint and powdercoating company in Indianapolis called Halo Coatings and they've developed a way to add an ingredient to powdercoat that would make it reflective under direct light ("halo patented retro-reflective powder coating"). I had a hard time believing this until I saw it in person. The orange paint chip above would be the colour used on his wheel rims. And watch what happens to it when it's photographed with flash:

image viaBikeSafeBoston

Neat, isn't it? Examining the colour chip up close, it's got these tiny mirror-like particles embedded in the powdercoat and they create the reflective effect. The technology is very new, and so far there is only one bicycle I know of that it's been used on - a cargo bike by Tsunehiro Cycles that won 2nd place at the Oregon Manifest last year. Here is what that bike looks like in the dark. The potential of this product is exciting - though personally I can't decide whether reflective paint is a genius idea for city bikes, or whether it's sensory overload. I would need to see it in person I guess. What do you think - would you want a reflective bike?

A Most Excellent Adventure :: Sawyer Glacier

Friday, August 27th - - As we maneuvered around one of several outcroppings, Sawyer Glacier came into view.

I was awestruck by its size and intensity of color, and we were still well over a mile away!

A zoomed-in view of Sawyer Glacier.
As we moved in closer we began to realize just how big this thing was. And we were all amazed by the amount of ice floating in the water.

Slowly and gradually we moved in but the closest we got was 5/8 of a mile away. Captain Steve said that he normally gets to within a quarter mile (as he did yesterday) but there usually isn't so much ice. He went on to say that there had been several very large “events” (calving) yesterday, which is why the ice was so thick.

A close-up of a portion of the face of the glacier. Note that the upper portion, or second tier level, is now hidden from our view.

Of course, calving was what everyone wanted to see - and hear! Me too!
But I was also enthralled by all of the ice that completely surrounded the boat. The ice was constantly on the move. Every time there was an event there was also a surge in the movement of the ice. When all was quiet you could hear the ice moving – each piece scraping against the other and making a crackling, tinkling sound.

It wasn't a solid mass of ice but was made up of pieces of all different sizes.
When we first came into view of the glacier, Steve had told us to look for the seals laying on the ice. He had been in contact with two Rangers who were perched on the side of a cliff to the right of the glacier. Their task was to count the seals and at the time we arrived they had tallied more than 1,000 of them! They were everywhere, generally close to the perimeter of the cove.

There wasn't a lot of movement on their part. One would occasionally lift up its head and look around but mostly they were just taking it easy.

The seals didn't seem to be bothered one bit when ice fell off of the glacier. They just rolled with the flow.

There was quite a bit of activity with the glacier. This was a fairly large event. You can see ice still cascading down while the spray from the big chunk that fell flies up in the air. We stayed at Sawyer Glacier for nearly two hours and by the end of that time, I was freezing! But I would have stayed longer if I could. It was impressive, exciting, exhilarating. Quite simply, fantastic!

Before we left, however, Captain Steve noticed a seal not too far away and maneuvered the boat closer to it. The seal lifted its head and looked at us. It made no attempt to leave its apparently comfortable perch on that bit of ice.

And with that sweet look, we departed Sawyer Glacier, exuberant and more than satisfied with the experiences of the day. But wait! There's more...

JULY Association Island

Sackets Harbor a quaint town about 10 miles north with a historic 1812 battlefield site.



Madison Barracks - Sackets HarborStone Water Tower







Friends come to visit



With a 2 year old I now have an excuse to go to Old McDonalds Farm!











Now it's time for Smores!

Sometimes there are unhappy campers!



But a good nights sleep helps!

Getting schooled in Chamonix.

Intitial gully of the Burnier-Vogler, N. Face of the Midi, yesterday.





A year ago while climbing in the Rockies, myclimbing partnerasked, "Where would you go to learn "alpine climbing"?



My quick answer was Chamonix. Every good alpine climber that I have admired over the years has spent some time here. And I have always thought that what they learned here was a major influence on their climbing careers.



I've been here 12 days. In that time we've had 40cm of snow, in two dumps. And as much as I know alpine climbing is all about conditions, I've generally ignored that and climbed anyway. Wallowing in cold dry snow has followed. While wearing all the clothes I own. A few interesting lessons for me already.



No Neve to be found here :) There was however lots of waist deep snow being shed off thehard, dryice.







It could be worse. But at the moment this has been the onlyresult of being slow on route. Bivy in the WC on the Midi station. Breakfast and a coffee in town followed after the first lift down the next morning. If nothing else climbing in Chamonix is sureal.

Velo Purgatory

People who have lots of unfinished bike projects lying around must be used to this - but to me there is something sad and anxiety-provoking about having a bike at home that's missing parts, or a frame that has not had a chance to become a bicycle yet. It's as if the non-functional bicycles are in a state of velo-purgatory - crying out to be completed and ridden.



My beautiful Royal H. mixte frame came home today, and it looks like I will be building it up much later than I thought - possibly in the end of the summer, or whenever I manage to save the money. And my attempt to tackle the Sam Hillborne frame on my own over the winter did not end well. In the end I brought the frame back to Harris with the metaphorical tail between my legs, and it is only now being built up - in the very midst of the spring customer rush. Naturally, having a bicycle built at a shop is more expensive than doing it oneself, and so my plans for the Royal H. mixte are on hold until some serious financial recovery time after the Hillborne. In the meantime, I better wrap it in bubble-wrap and put it away. I don't think it's healthy to sit on the bed next to a bicycle frame and stare at it for this long.



My Mercier mixte is now also a "purgatory bike", albeit very temporarily. The large chainring is off getting "de-toothed" by a fine gentleman who is a reader of this blog, as part of my scheme to convert this bicycle to a 5-speed. The chainring will be back soon, and till then I respond to the Mercier's questioning glances by gently stroking its handlebars and assuring it that it is not being disassembled for parts but is being improved.



Ah the joys of obsessiveness, anthropomorphic tendencies and an overly vivid imagination!

60th Wedding Anniversary of Henry & Susie Yarian Phend

Columbia City Post, Whitley County, Indiana
Tuesday ~ September 2, 1952

Thursday, September 4, will be the 60th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Phend of this city. The event was observed Sunday while the daughter, Mrs. Bernice Holderman of San Gabriel, Calif., could be home to have a part in the family observance. The eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Phend were all present for the event.

On Thursday evening the Evangelical United Brethren church will give a dinner at 6:30 o'clock in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Phend and members of their family. Mr. and Mrs. Phend have long been closely associated with the local church and Mr. Phend has long served as a member of the Board of Trustees.

Seventy-five people attended the dinner at noon which was served on the lawn. In the afternoon 150 guests called between 2 and 5 o'clock. The large anniversary cake, in white and decorated in gold and pink, formed the decorative note of the serving table.

Mrs. Phend, bride of 60 years ago, was attired in a white print marked with a purple design and on her left shoulder was pinned an orchid with a purple throat.

A Packard electric organ provided music and vocal music was furnished by Mr. and Mrs. LaMar Phend of Osceola, who have their own program on the radio entitled "Strolling Down Memory Lane." The couple were heard at the Republican Convention in Chicago.

Four generations were in attendance at the Platinum anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Phend, who were showered with gifts of every description. A wrist watch, something Mrs. Phend has always wanted, was a gift from one of her children. Other gifts from the children included a pop-up toaster, an electric blanket and there were gifts of money. The Phend home was aglow with flowers that had been brought in by friends.

According to Mr. and Mrs. Phend it was raining on their wedding day. The couple was united in marriage, at the hotel in Nappanee owned by Mrs. Phend's aunt, by the Rev. O. L. Richart, a minister of the Evangelical United Brethren church. Two of the guests at their wedding 60 years ago were present at the anniversary observance Sunday. They were Ed Phend and Mrs. Clara Phend, cousins of Mr. Phend, both of Nappanee. Movies were taken during the day.

Since 1898 Mr. and Mrs. Phend have resided in Columbia City where Mr. Phend has long been known as a building contractor and where this summer he has served as an inspector on the Mary Raber School where classes were organized today for the first time.

All of the Phend children were in attendance at the wedding anniversary observance of their parents, also some of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.Guests attended the event from Nappanee, Elkhart, South Bend, Fort Wayne, Goshen, Monticello, Larwill and Pierceton. The daughter, Bernice Phend Holderman of San Gabriel, Calif., left today for her home on the Golden State Limited out of Chicago, after a month's visit here.

Henry and Susie with their children: Rolland Victor "Vic" (my grandfather), Cecil, Russell, Paul, Bernice, Virgil, Gerald, and Don Phend. September 2, 1952.

Henry and Susie Phend with their great grandchildren, September 2, 1952. That's me on the left side, sitting on the ground. My brothers, Doug and Jack, are between me and Susie. Doug was 5, I was 4, and Jack was 3 years old. I wish I could say that I remember Henry and Susie, but I don't. I would have been 8 years old when Susie died and 10 when Henry died. Two years after this picture was taken Susie went into a Nursing Home after suffering a stroke and remained there until her death on April 29, 1956. In January 1956, Henry fell and broke his hip. He too was put into a Nursing Home where he resided until his death on July 10, 1958.

Tuffee