Finally went to Ephesus yesterday!

Ephesus is an ancient Greek city (later became a Roman city during the Roman Empire), one of the largest cities in the 1st century BC and very famous in the Christian world because of Paul's ministry. The apostle Paul lived here for sometime (see Ephesians book in the New Testament, Bible).



Trivia: Did you know that Saint Paul was not officially part of Jesus' Twelve Disciples? He gained the title Apostle Paul because of his work and dedication in spreading Christianity outside of Jewish territory. Before Paul, Christianity was strictly for the Jews, a tributary religion of Judaism, although Judaism never acknowlegded Jesus as the messaiah (son of God), they are still waiting for the messaiah to come. Judaism even saw Jesus as one of the false messaiahs albeit the most influential of them all.



I have always seen Paul as the best sales person and marketeer in the whole wide world. Without him, there would have been no Christianity today. This would have been an extinct religion.







Now John, one of twelve desciples of Jesus, also known as John the Baptist, the Beloved Disciple (or the disciple whom Jesus loved), John of Patmos, John the evangelist, wrote the Book of Revelations (New Testament, Bible) here in Ephesus. He wrote the rest of the book in Patmos Island but I am not going there because its a 2.5 hours boat ride from Samos Island where we are staying.



The ancient city of Ephesus was also the site of the Temple of Artemis (also known as Temple of Diana) completed around 550 BC, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world but there is nothing left to see of the temple really except for a small cut-off column.



Nowadays, Ephesus is a big touristy attraction and a pilgrimage site as well. Roman Catholics visit the House of Virgin Mary nearby. Artists such as Sting, Elton John, etc have performed at the grand theater.



The city ruins are now part of Turkey.



I will post a more thorough entry about my visit to Ephesus another time, with lots of pictures of course.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, can you see me at all?

When you are wearing a burka and you pose for pictures, what is there to see?

It’s a bit funny and I am not mocking the woman in this burka okay so hopefully no one will jump on me with a politically correct statement. It’s just that there is nothing to see in the picture except for a woman in black head to foot with a slit opening for her eyes.

This was taken in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the other week.

Hopefully my final comment on BD stainless

Is it just me or is it really hard to get a simple and straight forward answer in any public forum?



I posed this question on the BD website (and on the Super Topo thread) and added the bold insert here on the "recall":



Dane Burns @ Cold Thistle

17 Apr , 11:52PM

"In the Fall of '10 or early winter of '11 BD obviously made an inline change and added 30% or more material to the front point area on the frame of the Sabers where they have been breaking.



We have been calling them Gen I and Gen II for clarity's sake.



As late as last Fall () you could still buy Gen I Sabers at retailers online and in person.



Was there ever a recall internally of the Gen I crampons and replacement with Gen IIs. (the answer is yes in at least one retailer's case) If you own Gen Is will BD replace them with Gen IIs prior to a failure?Thanks for the reply."



The BD answer is here:

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/journal/climb/all/qc-lab-gear-doesnt-last-forever--crampons



and reprinted here:



18 Apr , 4:04PM

"@Dane Burns As previously stated in our QC Lab post on the Black Diamond Journal and in Peter Metcalf's post on Supertopo.com, our designers and engineers always look for opportunities to improve designs through in-line adjustments. These iterative design tweaks are part of any BD product, be it a carabiner, crampon, ski boot, headlamp or trekking pole. And, as stated previously as well, we stand behind all of our products, including all stainless steel crampons."





Looks to me like they are standing behind the crampons. Swapping Gen Is for Gen IIs should be easy asBD really does stand behind the product. Here is their warranty info:



http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/customer-service/warranty-repair



North America:

Black Diamond Warranty and Repair

2084 East 3900 South

Salt Lake City, Utah 84124

801-365-5555

warranty@bdel.com



The EU:

Black Diamond Equipment AG

Christoph Merian Ring 7


4153 Reinach, Switzerland

p: +41/61 564 33 23

f: +41/61 564 33 24



service@blackdiamond.eu



Here is how you tell the difference:









"Interesting observation from a picture. 2nd gen Saber on the left and 1st generation Saber on the right. Serac's look to have added the same amount of material to the forward rails. Difference across the flat, in the same area as the breaks above, has gone from .53" to .70". Or if my numbers are correct, a 38% increase in material to the rails. The center bar on the front points went from .50" to .62" or 24%."

The Seat Cluster: a Starburst of Lugwork

One of my favourite parts of a bicycle frame's anatomy is what's called the "seat cluster" - the joint where the seat tube, the top tube, and the rear stays of the bicycle meet. If done nicely, the seat cluster can look like a beautiful starburst of lugwork, and that is what I love about it. On the picture above is the very classic seat cluster on the Waja trackbike I rode in Vienna earlier this summer.

A similarly classic seat cluster on the Rivendell Sam Hillborne.

[image via Franklyn W]

And another example from an Ebisu bicycle. You can see how the individuality of the cut of the lugwork interacts with the colour of the paint to create subtle variations in form and shade. The stay caps (those narrow diagonal pieces that taper to meet the main lug) can be rounded or pointy, flat or concave, stubby or elongated.



[image viacycleczar]

They can even wrap all the way around the main seat lug, like on this Toei bicycle, so that the pointy tips meet. This is called a "wrap around seat cluster" design.





The stay caps also make for a good surface to embellish with an engraving of the manufacturer's name, like on this vintage Trek 610.



[image via Dancing Weapon]

Or with hand-painted flourishes, like on this Bob Jackson.



[image via Royal H.]

They can also be carved, if so desired, like on this early Royal H. frame.



[image via ribalrid]

While I prefer classic seat clusters, there are also many designs that deviate into all sorts of creative directions. On this Bates B.A.R. bicycle, the seat stay caps look like sharpened pencils and meet the main lug at the bottom.



[image via somervillain]

On this vintage Trek 560, the seat cluster is one big lug, and the seat stays are held by lugged sockets at the back.



[image via Kevin Saunders]

And then there are seat clusters where the stays connect to the tube directly, below the lug, like on this Formigli frame. (My understanding is that both this and the method used by Trek above is done to create tighter clearances?)



[image via Royal H.]

A similar approach to "fastback stays" by Royal H., with the seat stays attached at the rear.



When it comes to lugwork, there is no shortage of details to get obsessed about, and the topic can provide hours of impassioned discussion to those who feel strongly about one design over another. Crazy? Maybe so, but also beautiful... like the seat cluster on my Royal H. frame that will (hopefully very soon now) emerge as a fully built bicycle.

The Keweenaw Peninsula :: Is it the End or the Beginning?

The end of the road.



The road simply loops around this sign stating it is “The Beginning of US 41”





Over the years, I've driven on sections of US 41 in all the states it goes through except for Wisconsin. I've been at the beginning on the Keweenaw Peninsula and near it's end in Miami and many points in between...

Two Years Older, Not Much Wiser!

Though I missed it last year, this time around I remembered: April 4th, was the date of the first Lovely Bicycle post. Since then I've acquired a few bikes, learned a great deal in the process, and improved my cycling skills by about a thousandfold. I have also aged two years and learned to levitate. Honestly, levitation is not that difficult compared to learning to ride a roadbike.







In my quest to penetrate the mysteries of The Bicycle, one thing I understand quite clearly is that I still don't know much about bikes, and won't any time soon. I am not trying to be humble or self-deprecating: I mean it, and I don't think it's a bad thing. I have been fortunate enough to speak with quite a few framebuilders over the past two years, and they all have something different to say about frame design and construction. Some have very concrete theories about which geometry, tubing, etc. work best, and can explain why in great detail. Other builders just shrug and say, "I have no idea why the bikes I make ride well. All that trail and angles stuff is nonsense and there is more than one way to skin a cat." The builders with the best reputations and most coveted bicycles fall into both categories, and if saying "I don't know" is good enough for some of my favourite builders, then surely there is no shame in it.









I am not suggesting that the making of bicycles is some mystical thing that we mere mortals can never hope to grasp. But the more I learn, the more I realise that there are just so many contributing factors to how any given bicycle handles, that it is exceptionally difficult to generalise. In fact, the safest and most reliable way to make a great bike I've heard framebuilders describe, is copying the geometry of their favourite vintage bike, then experimenting with minor modifications. After all, frame geometry is "open source" and anybody who knows how to take measurements correctly can use it: Why not make what you already know works? If contemporary manufacturers wanted to, they could all be producingvintageRaleighSports replicas in Taiwanese factories, which would ride much nicer than most modern commuter bicycles sold in bikeshops today. Why don't they then?.. That's something I haven't yet figured out either.







So there we have it: I don't know much, but that does not stop my continued interest in bicycles and cycling. One of the things I try to do on this blog, is to maintain a space where those who are new to bicycles can learn interesting things without feeling intimidated by industry jargon or by those who appear to be more knowledgable: Curiosity and openness are enough to enjoy cycling.Thank you for all the support I receive from you in its many forms: engaging discussions in the comments and over email, useful advice, shared information, trades for spare bicycle parts, donations for give-aways, and sponsorship.Thank you for reading, as I continue to share my mystified observations in year three ofLovely Bicycle!

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1931)

[page 1]
Aug 30 - 1931

The 22 second anual Reunion of The Phend - Fisher familys was held at Elkhart Ind at McNaughton Park Aug 30 - 1931

The meeting was called to order by Pres. Henry A Phend with an opening Prayer by John Ernest after which several talks were given.

The buisness of the day was then taken up with election of officers as follows.
Mr. Claude Pool President
Mr. Ruben Pletcher Vict Pres.
Cecil Phend Sec & Treas.

- - Entertainment Committe - -
Fred Ernest Chairman
Mr. Cecil Phend
Mrs. Cecil Phend
Mr. Russel Phend
Mr. Barton Thornton

It was then voted to have next Reunion at John Ernest Home close to Sugar Grove Church for next meeting Place. to be held Last Sunday in Aug

It was the moved & Seconded that Mrs Barton Thornton

[page 2]
should act as Birth & Death reporter again.

The minuits of the 1930 Reunion were read and approved correct by acting secretary Ruben Pletcher.

The financial report was as follows
Cash $4.05
Payed out 2.42
Balance $1.63
Collection 2.72
Turned over to Secrt Treas. $4.35

Deaths & Births as Reported by Mrs. Barton Thornton

To Mr & Mrs Lee & Bernice Phend Holderman a daughter Barbara Holderman
To Mr & Mrs Russell Phend a daughter Nancy Ann Phend
To Mr & Mrs Ruben & Surelda Phend Pletcher, a son Harrol Delbert Pletcher

[page 3]
Deaths as reported by Mrs Barton Thornton - Reporter

In family of Mr & Mrs Harry Shaw. Their Daughter Miss Shirley Darline Shaw died Nov 3. 1930 age [34 years crossed out] infant.

In Family of Mr & Mrs Henry A Phend. Their daughter Mrs Gladyce Irene Phend Pressler united in marriage to Mr Ralph Pressler died July 4 - 1931 - age 34 years. No children were born to this marriage

In family of Mr & Mrs Painter daughter Miss Maud Painter Married to Charley McGown
[Their daughter crossed out] Mrs Maude McGown died Aug 1931 age 48 leaveing two children. Donabelle & Dorris

Cecil S Phend Sec & Treas



= = = = = = Notes = = = = = =

Gladys Irene Phend was born August 8, 1896 in Nappanee, Indiana and was the daughter of Henry and Susie Yarian Phend. Gladys was married to Ralph Bryan Pressler on September 1, 1922 in Whitley County, Indiana. She died on July 4, 1931 of complications following surgery for appendicitis. Gladys was a sister of Cecil Phend (the secretary-treasurer for 1931).

Maud Painter was the daughter of William and Amelia (Herrold) Painter. She was born May 28, 1883 and died August 16, 1931 at her home in Niles, Michigan. Her marriage to Charles Thomas McGowan took place on July 1, 1905 in Elkhart County, Indiana. Maud and Charles had three daughters, Laura (Mrs. James Huff), Doris (Mrs. Arthur Dickey), and Donnabelle McGowan (still living at home in 1931).

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in northern Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. The events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. The Phend Family Reunions were resumed in 1952 and have been held annualy since then. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.