Cross-Pollination

There has been an increasing trend for "cross-pollination" lately between bicycle makers that specialise in transportation vs sport. Every mainstream manufacturer at Interbike seemed to have a step-through city bike on display, and custom builders known for catering to the racing crowd have come out with commuter models as well (the Independent Fabrications Caffeine Racer being one extreme example worth having a glance at!). But it would be inaccurate to suggest that the industry is moving away from roadcycling and toward transportation, because the reverse is happening also.

Pashleystunned Interbike visitors by displaying a lightweight Clubman model with a carbon fiber fork and threadless stem. Rivendell caved to its speed-loving customers and introduced the Roadeo earlier this year. Velorbis sent round press releases about its new line of "sport bikes." Velo Orange published a blog post entitled "Why I race and why you should too" (could a cyclocross bike be in the works?). ANT is considering launching a pure road-race model after experimenting with the Fire ANT line.

While bicycle commuting is more popular than ever, so are racing, touring, club rides and bicycle camping. And what seems to be happening is that manufacturers are "diversifying" their offerings to cater to the general rise of interest in cycling of all types.

The trend is exciting to observe, but one question often raised is that of whether the other side can ever really "get it." Can a manufacturer specialising in racing bikes make a comfortable and practical transportation bike with a long wheelbase and relaxed geometry? Can a transport bike manufacturer let go of their "weight does not matter" and "fenders are a must" principles and make a competitive performance-oriented machine? Some would say no. But then remember manufacturers such as Raleigh and Gazelle, whose production of iconic road and transport bikes in decades past would suggest otherwise. Ultimately we will have to wait and see. This could get interesting.

Florida Carriage Museum and Paintball

Today we split up and some of us went to play Paintball:




and the rest of us visited the Florida Carriage Museum in nearby Weirsdale, Florida. I don't know much about the paintball fun beyond seeing the battle scars and hearing talk of a return visit but I got the impression they had a blast. We had our own version of fun at the museum.



I didn't know quite what to expect when I read online that it was a carriage museum. I was very pleased with what we did find there. The collection was even more extensive and interesting than I'd suspected might be there.



The tour guide did a good job of sharing the history behind many of the carriages they had there and the general history of carriages and driving.



I especially enjoyed being able to share the visit with Brittany. This is the first museum we took her too and I probably should have warned her that this will be the first of many museums she will see if she is a part of the family. She said she really enjoyed it, so hopefully that is a good thing for her too!

Montana Bale Trail :: What the Hay?

Sunday, September 18th - - It began 22 years ago as a good-natured spoof between two neighboring ranchers but, according to the Montana Bale Trail website, it has become a nationally recognized celebration and in .. was named as Montana's Tourist Event of the Year. I heard about it on the radio one day but as it was more than a two hour drive, I decided not to go. Then, looking at the map to determine my route to Glacier National Park, I realized I'd be going through the area.



A one-day “festival” of sorts held on the first Sunday after Labor Day, the two towns in the area (Hobson and Windham) have “special” events that day. There were reportedly 50 or so “am-hayzing” displays of hay bale sculptures, most created by local farmers and ranchers, along the trail (a 21 mile long loop on state highways 239 and 541 just south of U.S. Highway 87). Many of the hay bale sculptures remain for days and weeks afterward – lucky for me!





Most of the sculptures were named and generally included the word “hay” or “bale” in one form or another. The detail on many of them was rather incredible and ingenious.





I'm just Smurf'Hay.



Rise of the Planet of the 'Hay'pes.



Some were even more simplistic than this Toots 'hay' Roll.



But a lot of work went into this one. The sign in front of it said “Mudhay Days - May June”





It was one of the more elaborate sculptures.



Wild Bale Hickok was quite impressive though.



From his head...



To his toes boots.



But the one I thought was most impressive was “Hay-wo-Jima”



Proud to say Made in the U.S. Hay.



The wind had taken its toll on the soldiers, with the one on the right being almost blown over, but you get the idea...



It was a fun and interesting way to spend an extra hour or so on the long drive to St. Mary on the north-eastern side of Glacier National Park.

The View from Cerro San Luis

Summit View, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Most SLO residents flock to Bishop Peak, the mountain you can see in the distance in this photo. Few, however, make the trek to the top of Cerro San Luis, a prominent peak with a large "M" on it's southeastern side (the "M" stands for Mission High School).

Cerro San Luis has absolutely stunning views from the top: Morro Bay, Los Osos Valley, the Irish Hills, San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly, Edna Valley, Pismo Beach, and even the Santa Ynez Mountains 70 miles to the south.

With the recent torrential rains, every creek and gully on the mountain was flowing, and some of the fern-covered rock walls were dripping with water. Also, early spring wildflowers are starting to bloom, with species such as johnny jump-ups and California poppies.

Gloomy Evening at Whitecaps Point

Last night's sunset wasn't much of a sunset at all, with dark clouds dominating the sky. It was still very much a scene worth photographing, however. The dark clouds and dark foreground rocks made for an ominous image. I thought the grasses in the foreground made for a nice touch to the overall scene. Hard to believe that we are a week into December already and there isn't a lick of ice to be found anywhere along this shoreline!

Dent-Blanche on ski

"TD, August 3, 1944 This route is very dangerous because of rock falls.

Crossing the bergschrund and rising through the couloir straight to the top. Halfway up it is slightly curved. A little below the curve, a very difficult passage requires pitons."

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http://www.gillesleskieur.com/article-dent-blanche-first-ski-descent-of-the-wsw-couloir-118404628.html

Still not spring yet

Jasmine is looking forward to spring too, I think.

Yesterday one of the Dominiques failed to return to the roost when it started getting dark.

She's always the last one to go up, and she's also bad to wander off far from the others.

Since it was a gray day yesterday I figured a coyote had gotten her. (They always seem to be worse on dark days.)

I scolded Jasmine and told her that she was spending too much time trying to get out of the fence and not enough time guarding the chickens.

After supper Phil suggested that I go out and look by the coop again to make sure she hadn't come back. I didn't want to. I knew she wouldn't be there, and I was already sad enough.

I think half the reason she stayed away from the other chickens so much is that she was tired of roosters. We have three, and that's too many for 14 hens I think.

She is missing lots of feathers on her head and on her back, due to the roosters.

I kept thinking about the poor little half-bald baby all the way up to the coop. I was almost in tears over a chicken, again.

When I shined the flashlight under the coop, I couldn't believe it... she was there! Huddled up and looking all scrunched over and pitiful, about halfway back.

I eventually coaxed her out, and she even let me pick her up to put her back in the coop.

Whew!