Frames of Mind: Why Did We Not Cycle?

There has been a great deal of talk about therecent English study that urges policy makers to ignore the views of experienced cyclists and bicycle activists when designing infrastructure, and to focus instead on the views of those who don't cycle. The idea is that answering the question "Why don't they?" will provide greater insight into what is needed for the majority of the population to find bicycling appealing.



I tend to agree with this premise. As cyclists in a non-cycling culture become more experienced, it is only natural that they undergo a shift in perspective. Situations that used to feel awkward, difficult or dangerous to them (and still do to the majority of the population!) no longer feel that way; they can no longer place themselves in their former frames of mind. By no means immune to this effect, I too no longer see cycling in the same light as I did a mere two and a half years ago. But I've been trying to think back and remember my attitudes from the time when I didn't ride. Why didn't I?



Probably the major reason was a failure of imagination on my part: I did not understand how bicyclists could safely share space with other road users. Seriously, I could not imagine it. The difference in speed was drastic. It was confusing that sometimes there were bike lanes and sometimes there weren't. What about merging? What about intersections? It all seemed downright absurd. I tried to watch other cyclists on the roads, but that was not reassuring in the least. They weaved around cars. They sometimes obeyed traffic laws and other times did not. All I saw was chaos. And I witnessed many close calls between cyclists and motorists, which only intensified my skepticism that cycling was in any way safe or normal. It was not until I discovered the world of friendly bicycle blogs - some of which practically spelled out in encouraging baby talk how to ride a bike on the street - that it began to (slowly) make sense. And if you're thinking that I must just be exceptionally dumb, be assured that most non-cyclists I speak to express the very same lack of comprehension I recall in myself. "You ride your bike right on the street? But how?..." I explain it step by step, but they are skeptical. The very notion of bicycles sharing the road with cars is too much to swallow for the general population, and I think many of us have lost touch with that.



The other aspect of my former mindset is somewhat difficult to admit, but here it goes: I found the vast majority of cyclists I came in contact with unappealing. And no, I don't mean just the ones in lycra. If anything, it was obvious that those were of the racing variety and simply had nothing to do with me. What I mean is that I found the attitudes of the self-identified "transportation cyclists" I happened to meet over the years unappealing. Many of the ones I came into contact with struck me as cantankerous, self-righeous, dogmatic and overall tedious. Maybe it was just bad luck that I happened to meet those particular people. But an impression formed in my mind of what being a "cyclist" in the USA entailed, and it was a negative impression. As a college undergrad, I remember this student who would always arrive late to my favourite seminar, interrupting the professor mid-sentence with the banging of the door and chairs. She would remove her bicycle helmet revealing sweaty hair, then plop it down loudly on the table. "Had to lock up my bike!" she'd announce triumphantly, as if this not only excused the lateness but also made her superior to those who did not share this tremendous responsibility. She would then sit down, produce a jar of peanut butter from her backpack and proceed to eat out of it with a spoon for the duration of the seminar - waving said spoon around when participating in group discussion. That image more or less sums up how I perceived "cyclists" until several years ago.



But my alienation from cycling would not have been complete without the occasional visits to bike stores - which, until two or three years ago, had nothing to offer but roadbikes and mountain bikes. I would walk in, optimistic, and walk out convinced that a bicycle I felt comfortable enough to ride did not exist on the market. It is amazing to think that in a relatively short amount of time, the selection of bicycles has changed so dramatically - but still, only in some parts of the country, and only in select bicycle shops. It is also amazing to think how much influence the bicycle industry's output has on the typesof cycling people believe are accessible to them. Before the category of "city bike" was finally created for the North American market, the concept did not exist here as far as salespeople in bicycle shops were concerned. And, consequently, would-be consumers such as myself did not think it existed either.



For those of us who began riding bikes for transportation in adulthood and have since changed our views of what that entails, I think it's beneficial to try and remember our former attitudes. What were our reasons for not cycling before? What were our concerns, fears, misconceptions? What was difficult to understand and what was easy? And how did we feel about other cyclists? Do you remember this about yourself? And finally, do you agree with the idea that the feedback of timid would-be cyclists is more informative for infrastructure decisions than that of experienced cyclists and advocates?

Busch Gardens, Tampa FL

MAric moved in with us yesterday. Lauren and Diana flew into Tampa to join us for a few days. Today we all went to Busch Gardens for the day. We took our traditional picture that we do when in the park:

This time, he offered to take our picture afterwards:

We watched a show by Paul Revere and the Raiders: The younger set rode some rides. Lauren went on her first big roller coaster.

We saw some animals:

We watched some incredible dancers:We had so many laughs together over some family jokes. We had a great day together!



Living the life in chilly Florida!

Crystal Backcountry ..

Steve invited me to join him, Sebe and Toph for some skiing. The decision was made to head to the Crystal backcountry and so I tagged along. There were flurries, and a temp of 33° when Steve cam to pick me up in Seattle. We met Toph somewhere south on Renton, and continued in his car. I don't have a great idea of where we skied, but best I can tell we skinned up under the Gold Hills chair and made a few runs in the Pickhandle Basin.

The chair we skinned under was not yet open, due to lack of coverage. No rocks, but plenty of shrubs visible. It didn't impair our skinning and soon we were at the top of the chair ducking into the woods. This is where it got slow. The trees were narrow and we spent plenty of time avoiding downed trees and forcing through narrow gaps between other trees. If there were a few more feet of coverage, we would have had it easier, but these were the cards we were dealt. At one point we even booted a bit due to a steep section with many trees. After that, the forest opened up a bit and we started skinning again until booting the last thirty feet or so to the ridge. We then skinned on the ridge, which was not that great and we should have booted. We got to a nice area out of the wind to drop in and transitioned over.

The snow was deep! Deepest snow we had experienced yet on the day was our first run down. Deep powder, and no rocks. A really fun run. Wasn't too steep, probably a blue run. I had a little difficulty starting out as I was third in line and wanted to go farther right to get into cleaner snow. The snow was slow, and the traverse almost stopped me before I rounded a small tree and turned downslope.

My first run (Photo by Steve Machuga)

We gathered at the bottom and headed up again to a different location on the ridge and a sub bowl on the original run. We found a fun wide chute to run and transitioned back to downhill. Steve went first on a bold run of an arete which slid a bit after he made a few turns. I was third in line and enjoyed the run, but it was definitely a little more avalanche prone and a bit rocky in spots. At the bottom we skied through the tree for a bit until we came to a meadow.

My second run (Photo by Steve Machuga)

We all figured that the terrain would drop again in the woods on the other side of the meadow, so Toph was going to post hole across and then put his board back on while us skiers would shuffle with no skins. Unfortunately, on the other side of the meadow the relatively flat or rolling terrain continued and we all skinned up to make it out of the woods. More unfun tree skinning and we were finally back at the top of the lift ready to make one last run to the car. No issues on the final run and soon we were driving back to Seattle.

This was a fun outing even considering the poor skinning in the trees both up and down. I skied well, but not great. Not bad for almost five months of not skiing. I look forward to getting out again soon.

My pics are here.

Gunks Routes: Phoebe (5.10b)

(Image taken by Anthony Baraff; I swiped it from mountainproject.com.)

I tried Phoebe the other day on top-rope and I have to say it is a nice little climb. It made Gunks 5.10b seem like a realistic possibility for the future, although I can't say I got the thing clean. My partner L. was able to do it clean on top-rope on her second try. I could do all the moves but I wasn't able to put it together without a hang. Maybe next time. Probably. Definitely.

The climb has two cruxes, one low, one high. The low one requires a right foot high-step while your left hand is pulling down on a mediocre crimp and your right is on a mediocre crimpy sidepull. The kid climber in the photo above is above the low crux; her body is hiding the bolt in the middle of the face.

The high crux comes after you move past the bolt to the tiny overhang above. You have to gently move right on poor, smeary feet and then step up to grab the undercling hold in the next small overhang. Then it's all pretty straightforward to the top.

I would like to say that I'd consider leading Phoebe one day after working the moves a bit more... but I don't think it'll ever happen as I don't see how you protect the upper crux. You could definitely get a cam in the undercling right AFTER the crux, but if you blew it on the smeary feet with only the bolt clipped beneath you, you'd almost certainly hit the block at the base.

So I think it will always remain a top-rope climb for me but I found it surprisingly enjoyable. it is certainly worth doing after a warm-up on the wonderful Ken's Crack (5.7). The setup only takes a few minutes; there is a wedged block at the top around which you can thread a cordalette; I also placed two cams in nearby cracks for a three-piece anchor. Next time I'd like to go back and try Charie (5.10a) and Fitschen's Folly (5.8R), both of which are easily set up using a couple of trees at the top of Charie, just a few feet to the right of Phoebe.

Jamestown Settlement

Since it has rained the past few days, we have not had much outdoor activity beyond Pickleball. So we were very excited to have sunshine today, and took advantage of it by visiting Jamestown.

The Jamestown Settlement began in 1607, which was thirteen years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

From the website:



"a group of 104 English men and boys began a settlement on the banks of Virginia's James River. They were sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, whose stockholders hoped to make a profit from the resources of the New World. The community suffered terrible hardships in its early years, but managed to endure, earning the distinction of being America's first permanent English colony.

Today at Jamestown Settlement, the story of the people who founded Jamestown and of the Virginia Indians they encountered is told through film, gallery exhibits and living history. "

The on going soft shell test @ CT

I promised this soft shell review/comparison last fall. Several things got in the way from getting it done.



The trivial excuses don't really matter. But what does matter and what has influenced this comparison the most is the newest fabrics that have been incorporated into these garments. Both Gortex and Polartec are represented here. As climbers we have never had it so good.



There are so many really great fabrics available that you have to really work hard to get a bad one.



But the best fabrics simply point out no matter how good the fabric is the fit and patterns of these soft shells are whatreally make or break them.



As far as function in concerned you would be hard pressed to better the original Dachstein sweater for breathability, stretch, warmth and being weather proof in wind, rain and snow.



Weight and bulk it iseasy enough to better however in a big boiled wool sweater. But as hard as it might be to believe, when it comes to soft shell comparisons the Dachsteinis not a bad place to start.







I look for a couple of very specific attributes for a soft shell fabric and the garment's pattern cut. The first is how "soft" is it? I want my soft shells to stretch and be comfortable from the inside out. Ideally they will stretch a lot. That means a garment I can fit pretty tightly but never have it bind on difficult gymnastic style climbing. And a soft interior that keep them from feeling clammy when I am working hard.





Generally I'll want to tuck my soft shell jacket's tail into my harness and never have it pull out while climbing. That means a preference for longer than normal hem line and hopefully a sophisticated pattern the keeps the hem down when my arms go up. Up? As in swing an ice tool or making that long reach to clip a fixed pin. When you have to stretch to your max it is also nice to not pull your cuff over the glove and break the seal there. I want to keep the seal tight there and not have a gapfor wind, water or snow sneaking in. That with a long gauntlet glove and shorter gloves as well. It is a tall order.



I ski in my soft shells on occasion, walk the dog and may be even ride my bike or trail run in them if the weather is bad enough. But I have better clothing for all those activities than a soft shell generally. So my likes and dislikes and how I judge a soft shell is based on what I like about them for climbing. If you read the last bit on climbing packs or "climbing sacs" in part three of that commentary you will get the idea of just how climbing specific my own uses are and because of that bias how my own judgement calls are attained. Pays to remember while I live in the rainy and wet PNW I seldom climb in the rain and I really like cold weather climbing. So while water proof protection is nice I don't typically require it. But what I do require is the best breathability any of the newest fabrics has to offer



I'll take breathability over water resistance every time. I haven't used a soft shell for a couple of seasons now until this Spring. I've been lucky enough to try some of the best new fabrics in several different garments and I am still testing them. As much as a fabric will define the performance of a garment, the design of the garment will also define in part just how well a fabric will perform. It is a synergistic combination of fabric and pattern. As my comparison and reviews will point out you have to have both the best pattern and the best fabrics to compete these days.



I am really happy that I have gone back and given the current crop of soft shells a try. Because things have changed for the better with these garments...all of them... in just a few seasons.. As much as I like the Arcteryx Atom LT as my main outer garment for the light weight and warmth I have never been happy with its durability on anything but pure ice routes. Heaven forbid you ever run one up against the rocks or actually have to climb anything mixed and get it dirty. You would likely shred the Atom quickly on Canadian limestone or Chamonix granite on a climb like the one pictured below.









The newest soft shells breath better, are more water resistant, can be lighter and can in the right material offer more protection from the typical climbers abuse of mixed rock and sharp tools..



The blog is acting up a bit so composing a new review has been slowed way down. I will get it done and published in the next few weeks. Just wanted to give you a heads up. .

Mazama Bowl Snow Pit

Well here it is...a snow pit featuring the infamous 'MLK crust'. As of January 19th, the crust has yet to freeze solid, and with the recent and forecasted warm temperatures, it's unlikely to do so any time soon.




Stability tests performed onSunday, Jan. 25:
Alta Vista, Aspect 90o; Slope 30o; evel 5800'.


ETCX
CTH(22) @ 30cm Q3
STM @ 10cm Q3


Also, there were 4 to 5 loose snow slides (sluffs off the south face of Panorama Point. These point-releases resulted from the intense sun melting and weakening the top layer of snow and occurred on Saturday, Jan. 22around 'high noon'.


Tuesday and Wednesday (1/25 and 1/26) should be mostly sunny and warm, so come on up to Paradise and enjoy some spring skiing in January!

Pit Profile 2/14/

If you are heading to higher elevations, be aware that the top of the slope heading up to Panorama Point was icy on Saturday under a light layer of new snow that has now increased to a depth of about 6".

The current forecast is predicting almost a foot of snow at Paradise this weekend.

Waffles will be happening throughout the day on Monday February 20 in the Old Station at Paradise. Fuel your adventures. Again please bring your own cup/mug and a topping or fixings to donate.

Some Aid Practice ..

Since we were blessed with another nice (not raining) November day in Seattle, Adam and I decided to hit the north wall of the Mountaineers Clubhouse for some light aid practice. It had been over a year since I had been in aiders, leading or following, so it was shaking off the rust.

I geared up and led a pitch with a short traverse to the chains at the top. I continuous ran into problems the whole pitch with my easy daisies, not having cut them loose and occasionally clipping through them. These issues stayed with me at the anchor as I had to lower down and right to get on rappel. It wasn't pretty. Once I sorted all my issues, I rapped and Adam followed.

Adam started with difficulty until he sorted the easy daisies and got his jugging setup right. Then he cruised to the top and re-aided the traverse to the chains. He enjoyed it, but we didn't have time for him to lead a pitch, so we packed up and called it a day.

Kittens and Plants

Since little black kitten decided that this plant was lots of fun to play with and even might be tasty we moved the plant to a high up shelf where we hope she won't find it for a while. But then both kittens decided that the pot the plant had been in, that was to heavy for the shelf, was fun to play in. I have had lots of kittens that wanted to eat lots of houseplants and most are not eatable. In fact most houseplants are poisonious and should be moved to where kittens, puppies or babies can't get to them.

Red Gourd Birdhouse

End of the Year Pickleball Tournament

Last week Nathan announced to me that he was going to host a pickleball tournament. I know the other wives out there will understand me when I say what that really meant was *we* were going to do a pickleball tournament. I'm so glad he did decide to do this, because it was great fun for us.



We had a great turnout! After a week full of a huge pickleball crowd, we were a little concerned we'd have so many players that it would take all day to finish. Instead we had enough people to do both a men's and women's tournament and it lasted a decent amount of time, without being all day long.



Here are the players:



Some of the action, starting with Ken and Austin. Ken always has that great smile on his face:



Regal Faye with Kim. This week is the first I've met Kim. She is a hoot. She makes the game so much more fun!





Here is Kim with Diane. Diane is a fellow South Floridian and is so cool. And she rocks at pickleball!



I've just met Kristie since we've been here too. She was on a hot streak today!



Me, and given the direction that it appears the ball is moving, I'm guessing it was not a great hit. I still get so intimidated and feel sorry for other people that they are stuck with me as their partner. And the only reason I am sharing that is because I want to give some praise to the other women that play. They are so gracious and sooooo encouraging to me. I appreciate them so much!



Look at that concentration:





Meet Donna and Barbara, who are both awesome players. And both so incredibly sweet and encouraging.





Here is another sweetheart Sheri, and lean mean winning machine Sally. Not that Sally isn't sweet, but she plays to win! I think that's the only shot I have of Sally. The rest are probably just a blur!



Wait a minute, I do have more of Sally. And here you can see the elegant Karen on the other side:



Karen looks dainty, but she can play a mean game!



Sitting on the sidelines:





You'll have to go to Austin's blog to see the men's games because I was too busy watching the women to tell you much detail about the men.

Winners: Sallie-1st, Diane-2nd and Barbara-3rd:



Mike-1st, Austin-3rd and Dave-2nd:



Way to go winners and everyone else that played. You made it tons of fun for us. We hope you had fun too!



You can see the rest of our pictures here: Pickleball Tournament

Weight? All it takes in money! Dynafit ski porn.....

By comparison Liposuction might be cheaper! I' bet therewould never be as much satisfaction though!



Race parts for the Porscheor the Cervelo ( or just the frames of either to get started) are light in weight and expensive. Also known to have a short life span when used as intended.







My first dedicated "lwt" ski system was a BD Prime, Dynafit Speed bindings and a pair of Fisher Asymmetrical ski in a "stiff" version and 178cms. Even what I don't own now of that kit I'd bet is still going strong.



My favorite system recentlyas a "lwt" ski system was a TLT Mtn (shell is lighter than the P version) with the lighter foam TF liner,DynafitLow Tech Race bindings with a steel spring (no Ti) and a 167cm Broad Peak ski.



Which is a really fun all mountain rig. Anything I can ski with in reason, I can ski on that set up.



Likely pushing my skills this winterI have recently dropped another 20.35 oz PER foot with new gear!



All Dynafit. Same Low Tech Race bindings. All 115g of them









NewEVO PDGboots and the shortest ski but not the skinniest ski I have been on.....are these Snow Blades?














The Dynafit PDG ski, selected over some other -800g skiis for the added durability I hope. A drop of 8oz per boot froma stripped TLT5 Mtn and no tongue. The skis drop 12.25oz.A full 1.25 # per foot. 2.5# (1134g) total weightdrop off the feet. Or like dropping 17.5# off my back.



A tough diet and more exercise would becheaper yet! Just no serious weight to be lost from my feet short of beginning tochop off mytoes :)



More on why the weight on your feet is important.



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//05/the-weight-on-your-feet.html



Short version of Eric's research?



"At a vertical speed of 16m/min for example, with the TLTs my HR would be around
180. With the Evos at the same speed, HR is around 145."



That HR drop is is huge.

Really interested in seeing just what I can ski year around on our maritime snow pack with these kind of dimensions:

Length:	161
Weight (g):	800
Sidecut:	99-65-80
Radius:	25.5/20

It is a rig I have wanted for a while now but could never justify the expense. Really looking forward to skiing them and then writing about the experience. And not getting rid of the TLT and Broad Peak combo just yet. Although I would really like a new pair of the Nanga Parbat ski @ 1000g. per pair. Thatwould be a setup I would really like to try for longer mid winter tours.



Back to the Weight? I could have gone lighter and spent more money. But at some point a 13# Cervelo is wasted on me. Same deal here.....couple of grams isn't going to matter too much for me. And ifit is does? I'll just pass on, or pass, something :)

Spagetti or gallstone?? What do you think a gallstone might weight?