'So My Husband Wants Me to Get a Bike...'

Since the start of the Spring season, I have been getting emails from women that read something like this:

My husband/boyfriend is a cyclist and he wants me to get a bike so that we can ride together. I am not very good at cycling, or sports in general. What bike do you recommend? My husband/boyfriend sent me a link to your blog and said that you would know.

Nice. Notice that the phrasing is not "I would like to get a bicycle so that I can accompany my husband/boyfriend on rides," but that the desire and intent are attributed entirely to him. This is something he has probably been convincing her to do for a while, and finally he sent her to my website, as if to say "See? Other women can do it!" (Great way to make her hate me, fellows!)




Of course if he does succeed in convincing her to buy a bike and join him, I can already see how that will go. He: the man dressed like a professional racer on a $2,500 road bike. She: the woman in ill-fitting bike shorts, cotton tank-top and sneakers, on a $600 hybrid. He: stern and professorial, explaining the importance of proper cadence and posture in a tireless monologue. She: red in the face and panting, sneaking longing glances at the families picnicking on the grass. Eventually it ends in bickering and tears - or worse, a fall. I see this on the local trails all the time. Please, don't be that couple.






If you are a cyclist and want to share your favourite pastime with your spouse, that's fantastic. But please understand that in order for someone to enjoy cycling as much as you do, the interest must come from within - and that you are essentially killing any chance of that happening by pushing too strongly or making the person's first cycling experience too difficult and stressful.




So what should you do instead? Well, for starters don't try to be your spouse's teacher or mentor. Unless she has absolutely never pedaled a bike before, there is no need to "instruct" her, as tempting as that may be. Even if you think she is "doing it wrong", leave it. She did not sign up for a bicycle course; she just wants to have fun with you out in nature. Give her that, and she will associate cycling with the nice time she had - and therefore will want to do it again.



Also, even if you have been cycling since age 5 and can compete in timed half-centuries in your sleep, consider downplaying your prowess and adapting a "leisure cycle" mode. Don't kit up. If you have an old beater bike, ride that when you are together instead of your super-fast roadbike. I would even go so far as to suggest buying an old vintage upright-ish bike for yourself, to match the level of the bike your spouse will be riding. This will even out the playing field between the two of you and will make you less intimidating.



In general, I think that getting your spouse to cycle is not about what she should do to keep up with you, but about what you should do to make her comfortable with her current level of skill. If it's going to work, that's the only way. Only if she enjoys cycling, will she become motivated to improve her skills, and perhaps will even start asking you for advice - giving you plenty of opportunity to play "coach" when the time comes for it. But that initial enjoyment is key, and it is up to you to set things up in a way to make it happen. Think about it from that perspective, start slow, let her figure things out for herself... And perhaps before you know it, your special lady might delight you by becoming a bona fide obsessed cyclist, entirely on her own accord. She may even start a blog.

Neato! Nice Porter You Got There...

For those of us who spend more time reading and communicating about bikes on the internet than in person, sometimes we go years before hearing bike terms uttered out loud. And so we form our own pronunciation, discovering only later that it might not match the way others pronounce the same words. Largely this is because so many bicycle words are foreign in origin. Even if we know the original language, it is not clear whether the common pronunciation matches it or has been distorted.



I remember the first bike word I had to adjust from the way I said it mentally was panniers. When I first started seeing this term I assumed stress on the second syllable (rhymes with veneers) and found the anglified stress on the first syllable jarring (I still can't get over that the English will pronounce ballet as "bally"). But I switched early on, and now PAN-iers sounds perfectly normal - though I still pronounce it the other way when referring to the French skirt hoops.



With other words, I cannot switch over. At some point I realised that many people pronounce porteur as "porter." Porter bike. Porter bars. Porter rack. What? It's porteur, rhymes with connoisseur!



Likewise, I have heard randonneur bikes called random-ners.



And I have heard decalleur pronounced as deCAY-ler.



English speakers generally pronounce mixte as mixtee, not "meext" as in the original French. Although I notice that some - not knowing French but wishing to pronounce it in what they believe to be the correct way - say mix-TAY, as if the French word had an accent aigu at the end (mixté). I have always said it the anglicised way, just because "meext" sounds strange to me as a noun.



Then there are the Japanese manufacturers. In my head, Tange sounded like the first part of the word "tangible," and I was pretty sure I'd heard it said that way. Later I started hearing "tahn-gay."



And I've always mentally pronounced Nitto like "neato," later surprised to hear bike shop mechanics pronouncing it to rhyme with ditto. They in turn found my way amusing. "Really, neato? I guess they are kinda neat-oh components!"



Dia Compe seems to be a free for all. I have heard dee-yah-coump, dee-yah-coum-pay and Diacom.




Of course all of this is more entertaining than anything. Languages get mixed and terminology evolves; there is not necessarily a "correct" way to pronounce any of this stuff. Though I am still not sure about dynamo... Stress on the first syllable or the second?

Bee-Happy

Though I have a surprisingly good track record of notcrashing my bike, that does not mean I haven't gotten hurt cycling. And for whatever strange reason, the main cause of that hurt has been bees. That's right, bees.



For the record, until 5 years ago I have never had a problem with the stripey, fuzzy, industrious, winged little creatures. They are handsome. They are useful. And they make delicious sweet honey. But no sooner had I put foot to pedal than our relationship soured.



In Spring I was cyclingalong the Danube Bike Path outside Vienna, when a whale of a bumble bee flew directly into my face. When our worlds collided, I was going 12mph on an upright bike and it was going full bumblebee speed. It didn't sting me. It sort of bounced off my eye, just beneath the right brow bone. But the impact had such force, that I walked around with a black eye for a week. This was back when I had a 9-5 job, with an office and Important Meetings and everything. Explaining this incident - in English and German and sometimes other languages too - never failed to delight, especially when I had to resort to pantomime. Pedal-pedal-pedal... bzzz... smack, I would gesture. My audience would positively beam with understanding. Aaaaaah, yes-yes, oop-pa!



I submit to you some statistics. Before I began cycling, I'd only been stung by a bee once, maybe twice in my life. Since I began cycling? At least half a dozen times. In fact the number might be closer to 10. The first time was a shock, the second time an annoyance. After that I began to take it in stride. Still, there are a few memorable stings. Like that beautiful spring day on which I first exposed my ankles, donning 3/4 shorts instead of full length tights, only to be stung in one of said ankles, causing a baseball sized swelling. Or that time I first rode to the Fruitlands with Pamela, and, just before reaching the top of the big climb, was stung in the fold between thigh and crotch. Or the time I was stung on the palm of my hand whilst holding the handlebars and wearing cycling gloves. I admit that continuing to hold the bars for the last 20 miles home caused some whimpering.



And then there was yesterday. Just 4 miles into a 40 mile ride, I am bombing (well, okay - proceeding cautiously) downhill, when smack! A bee flies directly into my sunglasses, bouncing off the lower edge of the right lens, then off my cheekbone, before falling to the ground. At first I don't even bother slowing down. But then I realise that the creature managed to actually sting me whilst performing its death throe acrobatics. The pain is sharp, then piercing, then downright unbearable. Finally I pull over and get off the bike. By this time the right side of my face feels like it's going numb. Of all the symptoms I know associated with bee stings, this one surprises me and I calmly wonder whether Something Bad is Happening. I pull out my phone and send a text message to my husband (who has ER experience and is great for quick unsentimental feedback). I try to be precise:"stung by bee below right eye. side face numb. keep riding or seek med help?"



Unfortunately this happens in a spot with poor cell phone reception and I am not able to send the text. Or search for "bee sting, numbness" on the internet. So I decide to keep riding until I find an establishment with a bathroom where I could clean the sting and get a better look at it. This does not take long, as the area is chock full of ice cream shops and lobster shacks placed every 2/3rd of a mile or so along the coastal roads.Despite the morning hour, the nearest lobster place is already open. They have not only a bathroom but also one of those first aid ice packs that doesn't become an ice pack until you activate it. The waitresses observe with interest, elbows on the sink, as I luxuriate in their cool bathroom, washing the sunscreen and sweat and grime off my face, then applying the ice pack to the now-swollen area.



At length the numbness wears off and now only the pain of the sting remains. I reason this means I'm okay and decide to keep riding. Maybe the pain of the sting and the pain of the cycling (I plan to practice standingagain - hoping to beat my 1/2 mile at a time record) would cancel each other out. This proves a good strategy and I proceed to have a lovely ride. Later in the day the swelling and pain subside and by the time I go to bed the incident is nearly forgotten.



Alas this morning I open my eyes and discover I cannot open the right one completely. The area beneath it looks like a misshapen tomato. Apparently this is pretty normal for a bee sting under the eye; it can take up to a week for the swelling to go down. Bees!



But you know how the song goes... "when the bee stings/ my favourite things" and all that? So I went on a squinty early morning bike ride and didn't feel so bad. The Advil probably helped too.

Tractor Work

My son has been here for the past week. It was really good to see him. He brought his big tractor and did a lot of work around our property. He took dirt from one place where it was to deep and put it in other places where it wasn't deep enough. Nothing like living on a moving sand dune.

Cup and Saucer

This cup and saucer is marked on the bottom that it belonged to my grandmother, Alma Coe Green Williams. It also has a sticky tag on bottom that says 'Made in Japan'. I have no idea of it's age but I really like it. Notice the saucer has cut outs around the edge.

Dragontail Peak Backbone Ridge ..

Matt and I had talked early in the year about getting out and doing an alpine climb. Some grand ideas were tossed around until we landed on the Backbone Ridge with Fin Direct on Dragontail Peak. This was a route we could do in a day which was all I really had available for a climb.



We had worked out some logistics, but Matt and I had never climbed outdoors before with each other. Our calculations put us at 16 hours car to car which we felt good about for the trip. So we headed out the night before and slept in the car with a wake up time of 4am.



We hit the trail at 5am right behind a mountain goat and followed him to the first creek crossing. We were making good time to the lake when we stopped for a break at the one hour mark. We were off again and hit the far end of the lake and went around it a bit before ascending to the moraine. This turned out to be a bit longer and more time consuming than heading straight up the moraine from the corner of the lake. At the time we thought nothing of it, but looking down from the route later it was obvious to me that the way we had chosen was longer and not necessarily less difficult.









We got to the top of the moraine and that is where the difficulties arose. Crossing the snow was easy with a fair amount of sun cups. I took the lead in my heavier approach shoes while Matt followed with his trail runners. We took a bit of time to figure out where we should gain the rock and after taking that time made an incorrect decision. We took the highest of three ramps which had a steep start and at one point a tree to climb through. Higher up on the scramble we noticed the nice ledge system below us and worked our way down to easier terrain. Then we were questioning where the route started. A quick look at the route description told us we had to gain 500' of elevation scrambling, so off we went until we got to what we decided was the base of the route.



I geared up for the first pitch and at this time another party caught us and their leader climbed past me leaving me in a position of having to climb under his rope to continue which I did not look forward to. So I waited until their second climbed past, and I remained hot on his heels. I brought Matt up to the belay and we waited for their party to finish the pitch before we started.



Once Matt started the off-width pitch he made steady progress. It didn't look too hard, especially seeing the second from the other team going up it. Matt got to the top and put me on belay. The first moves in were easy enough with some extra cracks and bulges to use for hands and feet. The lower portion of the main crack was also taking a foot jam from me without any real off-width technique being employed. Then I got stuck. I could not make upwards progress. The nubbins for my right foot ran out, and I got in a position where it felt like my right half of my body was useless in getting me up the pitch. I struggled. I grunted. I thrashed. Nothing was working. I yelled up to Matt about the possibility of lowering me back to the bottom of the pitch and hauling the pack. He wasn't into it. I contemplated a lowering and putting the approach shoes back on for the ability to jam the crack. I wasn't going to get lowered. I put a prusik on the rope and tried to pull up a few times. This got me a little progress, but not significant. As I panted and my heart raced, I decided we needed a quicker way and yelled to Matt to set up a haul. He did, but I still had to help him somewhat. So I still thrashed up the route. Every time I would stand up, he would haul rope. I eventually made it to the top and we had a talk.









We had blown lots of time in the approach and the first two pitches. Matt asked if I was up to continuing. I said yes. I told him we could be more efficient, and being there was no more off width, I could run up pitches if he led them. We opted not to rap off at this point, but knew we were setting ourselves up for a significant uphill battle for the rest of the route as we had lost a lot of time. Neither of us wanted to descend Asgard Pass in the dark. We had about eight hours of daylight left to make that happen. We had a brief lunch and continued.



Matt led the next pitch which mostly felt on route, although had quite a bit of lichen on the later part of the pitch. The two of us climbed that third pitch in less than a half hour which lifted our spirits for getting back on track. The next pitch was decidedly off route and took a touch longer, but we were still optimistic about our timing. I led a short pitch and then another to a corner feeling like perhaps we were finally at the pitches we might be able to simul climb. This was untrue as Matt had to climb around a corner and upward still. I fell following that pitch on a lie back roof, which left me further beat up.









Once at the top of that pitch we finally simul climbed. Rope drag slowed us down and I stopped us a bit short of the fin so I could belay Matt in from the shade of a rock. I led up the fin next but also stopped a bit short, although I had most of the rope out. Then we wandered up the ramp system on the fin for two more pitches before Matt saw a ledge system he was willing to conquer. At this point I told him I was too tired to lead and it would be all him if he wanted off the peak without sleeping up there.









This is actually where the nice climbing began. Unfortunately for us, we were too tired and thinking about getting off before sunset to enjoy it. Matt led out on a ramp than turned upward and left to a hand crack with some exposure. (Pretty much the first exposure of the route for us.) He went a touch too far to the other side for the belay, so I set up a belay at the top of the ridge to belay him back up and on his way to the next pitch. Unfortunately during that belay up and out we forgot to transfer gear to him and a bit out on the pitch is where he realized. He down climbed back to the first piece he had in and then hauled the gear up on the rope so he could continue. I followed the pitch which had a crack that widened to off-width. This one was significantly easier. However, having struggled through the previous off width and having been on my feet for the past 15 hours I was done. I didn't have the strength or the reasoning to overcome the problem. I applied a prusik to the rope and yarded up through a few moves before reaching easier ground and a traverse to Matt's position.







We did one last pitch on the fin (total of six pitches on the fin) as we watched the sun set over the mountains to the west. We simul climbed the last of the ridge to the finish where I heard Matt exclaim "we can descend!" as he popped over to the south side and witnessed the full moon over the enchantments. We took our first rest in hours sitting in the glow of the moon while we removed rock shoes and put our approach shoes back on. We left our helmets and harnesses on and put most of the gear away before starting down. I gave Matt the lower portion of my whippet to use as a tool to help get down the snow and we made our way slowly down to Asgard Pass under headlamp and the shine of the moon. We stopped for water on the snowfield briefly and continued down. The snow was soft enough for plunge stepping and we made good time for it being dark and having been up for so long.









We really started to slow down on the way down Asgard Pass as we had to pick our way down trying to stay on the trail. We passed a few people camped out in tents who perhaps underestimated how strenuous it is to get up Asgard before dark.









Back at the lake we lost the trail a bit and wandered through drainages until returning to the trail to hop some boulders back to the other side of the lake. Then it was a relatively uneventful hike out in the darkness for a few hours. We arrived at the car around 3:10 am a full 22 hours after we left it in the morning. Our hope was to drive into town and get some food before returning to Seattle. But as suspected, Leavenworth was all shuttered up and we could not get food. So we drove to the rest area west of town on Highway 2 and slept for a few hours before continuing home.



It was really fun to get out, but this trip highlighted a few concerns about my lack of time in the mountains. One is climbing ability. While I don't know if I would have had an easier time with the off-width if I had been climbing a lot, it would be nice to have at least been ready for the rest of the technical climbing. I don't feel I did as well as I could do on the rest of the route. Of course this could be related to expending a ton of energy attempting to thrash up the off-width and being significantly more tired for the rest of the route something that more climbing would probably not have mitigated. But that brings me to the second concern of conditioning. While I was able to complete the 22 hour long trip, I was slower than I would like at many parts of the trip. (The walk out most notably.) Could I have been faster and less tired if I was doing this every weekend? I'd like to think so, but perhaps nothing really prepares you for 22 hours on your feet? Part of the time while on the climb I was thinking "You're 43 now, and 'off the couch' is not working anymore." While it may be true it is not a good idea to work hard for 22 hours off the couch, I feel more like this was a unique circumstance as I did seem to feel fine until climbing that second pitch.



Oh well. Next trip out might determine just what kind of shape I am in.

Twyford - Thorpe Satchville - Ashby Folville - Twyford

Led by Barry, with Maureen, Gordon , Eddie and me. Fine, no sun, coldish, not very hilly, dry underfoot. Just over 6 miles.




We park near the church in Twyford and take advantage of the benches in the porch to get booted up for the walk. We take Hollands Lane out of the village, following a clearly marked footpath, through some trees, across a field or two and a disused railway line. We have a few minutes diversion rescuing a lamb which had wrapped its leg in fencing wire. It hobbles off and joins its mother. Fingers crossed, we hope it recovers.

Then we continue along the path until we meet a bridleway - this isn't hugely clear, but there are signs on the marker post. We turn sharp left - the bridleway goes diagonally across a large field, but we walk down the hedge until we can see the waymarker. We walk across a couple of fields with the stream below us to our right.

A 'lion' in wait

The bridleway takes us to a point where the road and disused railway meet. We take a path on the opposite side of the road and slightly to our right. This climbs up towards the village of Thorpe Satchville, which sits on the ridge.

Thorpe Satchville

The photos from now on look as though we've travelled back in time - I forgot to change the setting when I switched from "auto".

One of the few slopes in today's walk.

Eddie waits by the gate

Here they are.

We make a short detour to say hello to Thorpe Satchville church



then walk past a large house with a mini-haha. At this point we're following the Leicestershire Round for a mile or so, towards Ashby Folville. This goes under the disused railway, and clearly marked over several fields.





We leave the Leicestershire Round shortly before the village to take a lower path to the road.

The church is to our right.

Ashby Folville church

We turn left along the road towards Twyford, and turn off to the right at a farm road and bridge over the Gaddesby Brook. This is part of the Midshires Way. We take a break here, before leaving the Midshires Way, and instead we walk along the public footpath to Twyford. Again it's clearly marked and easy walking, although at one point there were seven or eight stiles in quick succession - not quite a hurdles course.

Then a pair of sheepdogs come out to greet us, and decide they're not obliged to herd us after all. They disappear after scent-marking a gatepost, and looking at us - challengingly?

We emerge next to the farm, and find a convenient bench, dedicated to Thomas Holland's 100 years in Twyford in 2005. He died in - we later spotted his grave in the churchyard.

Not long before we're back at our starting point - a very pleasant six miles and a whisker.

Interlude...

Saturday, September 17th - - After leaving Yellowstone National Park I traveled toward the small town in southwest Montana where I stayed for most of July last year. It looks much different here now than it did then – the “hills” are mostly brown providing quite a contrast between the lush, green areas that are irrigated or those along the rivers, which are lined with trees. The weather has been rather nice with lots of sunshine but the skies have mostly been the “hazy-white” variety, which isn't conducive to obtaining “pretty” pictures of the scenery.





I've been here almost two weeks and have been taking advantage of the time to “catch up” on blog reading and writing, a little research (very little), and going through the pictures I've taken this year. Much of my time has been consumed/absorbed with work on the netbook. So much so that I feel like I've been sucked into the vortex of the computer, which is a never-ending cycle!



As mentioned in a previous post, I've been looking for a new camera and hadn't had much luck with finding one in stock. The stores had the ones I was interested in on display but didn't have them available to purchase. I finally gave up going to a “brick and mortar” store and bought one online! I went with the Nikon P500. The other camera that I was looking at was the Canon SX30. They both have similar features but the Nikon just “felt good” in my hands. It arrived a little over a week ago and I've been having some fun playing with it and learning some of its features. It will take some practice to get used to what it can do; it's amazing to me what all they've packed into this thing!



After the camera arrived and it took five hours to charge the battery in the camera, I realized I would need another battery and an external charger. Those were ordered and arrived here on Tuesday. It still takes about 2 ½ hours to charge a battery but that is better than 5 in the camera!



One of the things that I really wish came with the camera is a printed manual, but nowadays that is not likely to happen. The pdf manual comes on a CD and it's easy to find what you are looking for, but it's just a little difficult to look things up when you are “out in the field” using the camera!



So far, I'm quite happy with the camera.

New Arc'Teryx soft shell?

I found this link earlier today. Haven't seen or used the new Arc'teryx Acto. But I agree with much of what the author, Jason Kruk has written here. Different combos, looking for same results.



"Arc snuck this beauty onto the new fall '11 website without any fanfare. They should have made a bigger deal, though, it's the best thing to happen to softshell jackets ever. I had given up on softshells for my upper layers. The once game-changing Gamma Jacket hadn't received an update in far too long. The material was too heavy to justify using on a serious alpine climb. It didn't breath particularly well, either. I would sweat like a pig while climbing or working hard on the up while ski touring. I switched my systems to a lightweight fleece layer like the Delta LT and a Gore piece on top like the Alpha LT or new FL"



More here:



http://blog.jasonkruk.net/



under:



"The Acto PSA!"



Enough said that I will be checking the Acto out asap.



more from a little digging on the Acto



I thought the Actosounded good enough that three days after posting this blogI had one hereto play with. During the winter of /9 I had a very similar fleece jacket from Arcteryx that anotherArcteryx sponsored climber used and promoted. Price was similar but mine was without a hood. It did breath well, and shed water fairly well even in our wet and rainy climate here in the NW.



It isa very similar thickness to the Acto gridded fleece. But it had better cuff detailing and a more trim, more athletic fit. It was made to be used as a mid layer piece as well. Soft grid pattern fleece on the inside and a hard finished soft shell on the outside that other layers moved freely on.



I don't remember the name of that specific piece from Arcteryx for sure but I think it was an earlier version of the Epsilon AR Jacket. Arcteryx lists the Epsilon and several others as "hard fleece".



More here:



http://www.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Jackets#Hardfleece



After seeing the Acto I can say I am a little disappointed on the fit and detailing on this $300 garment. And like my previous garment before it, I am not sure I can find a place in my clothing system, either climbing or skiing, that the Acto makes much sense compared to others I now use.

If you can take a look at one I would to make up your own mind. I think part of the problem is we all seem to want a lwt version of the Gamma MX. The Acto promises a lot and doesn't do much for me @ $300. The Gamma MX seems a steal at $350 by comparison as does the Epsilon SV Hoody @ $225.



I haven't even bothered to look at what else is available from other manufactures for similar style garments. But may be you should if the Acto sounds enticing.

Tombstone Tuesday :: Jacob & Louisa Phend at Hepton

Hepton Union Church is located in Scott Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana. It is two miles south of Nappanee, Elkhart County and a mile east of neighboring Marshall County. Jacob Phend, my second great-grandfather, was one of the founders of the Evangelical Church at Hepton and owned the land upon which the original church was built. The current church building, shown above, is on or near the site of the original church.

Jacob Phend was also one of the founders of at least two other churches; one in Marshall County and the other one in Nappanee.

In the spring of 1852, Jacob moved his family from Greene County, Indiana to Marshall County. In 1865 he purchased the land in Hepton, eventually selling the land in Marshall County to his two oldest sons John and Christian. Jacob had set aside a portion of that land in Marshall county for the erection of a church.

Jacob and Louisa lived on the Hepton farm until 1890 when they sold it to their son John and moved to Nappanee.

According to the Archives of DePauw University and Indiana United Methodism, the "Nappanee Mission" was organized in the fall of 1891 in the home of Jacob Phend. In 1892 a wooden frame church was built by the Mennonite Brethren in Christ and the Evangelicals together and was dedicated in the fall of 1892. The two groups worshiped there together for five years and then in 1897 the Evangelicals bought out the MBC. The building was then rededicated as the Evangelical church. In 1905 a parsonage was built and at that time the church had a membership of 110 and Sunday school enrollment of 124. A new and larger building was built and dedicated on October 31, 1926.

Hepton Union Cemetery is located on the north side of the Hepton Union Church. The view above is looking north-northwest. The view below is looking to the east. The graves for the Fisher and Phend families are located on the west side of the twin evergreen trees in the center of the cemetery.

JACOB PHEND / JUNE 27, 1828
LOUISA C. HIS WIFE / JUNE 27, 1829 - APRIL 4, 1897
According to his christening record (at the bottom of that post), Jacob was born in 1829, not in 1828. He died on October 7, 1917. Louisa's date of death was also inscribed wrong, she died April 4, 1898.

Three sons - John, Christian, and William - as well as some of their children and one of Louisa's sisters are buried in surrounding graves.

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.

Passing the Link-Love Around

There's a love virus meme being propagated through the genea-blogosphere and kinexxions has been tagged twice! Thanks go to both Thomas MacEntee at Destination: Austin Family and Sheri Fenley at The Educated Genealogist.

The rules associated with this particular tagging thingy are that the tagged blogger

• can put the logo on his/her blog
• must link to the person who gave the award
• must nominate seven other blogs and link to them
• must leave a comment on each of the nominated blogs

I've selected some of the "newer" blogs that I enjoy reading.
Listed in "reverse" alphabetical order ;-)

• We Tree by Amy Coffin
• Twig Talk by Sheri Bush
• TJLGenes : Preserving Our Family History byTravis LeMaster
• Taylorstales-Genealogy by Taylorstales
• Photo-Sleuth by Brett Payne
• Nana's Diggins by Suzy
• From Axer to Ziegler by Linda "in Lancaster" Stienstra
  

Mystery Photo #8

This is the seventh post (and 8th photo) in a series of unidentified photographs from the Charles Wiseman Family Bible. See this post for background information. Click on the "Mystery Photo" label at the bottom of the post to see all of the photographs in this series. As always, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Paper photograph on card stock. 2 3/8 x 4 1/16. Printed on back: Frank A. Place, Photographer, Warsaw, Ind. Also, perhaps, another of those "hidden mother" photos? Looks to me like the background has been retouched.

Okay, even though we all know what can happen when you assume something, an assumption is going to be made that this is a photograph of one of the grandchildren of Charles and Susanna Bray Wiseman. In the previous post I suggested that the baby in that picture was Nathaniel Howard Wiseman, born July 18, 1884. He was the 2nd grandchild of Charles and Susanna. The first was Ethol Walter Scott, born April 7, 1884 in Vevay, Switzerland County, Indiana and the son of Susanna Wiseman and James Scott. I don't think the previous picture was of Ethol because they lived in Vevay, in the southeastern part of Indiana. It's my opinion that the above photograph is of the 3rd grandchild who was Charles Wilson Wiseman, born September 20, 1886 and the son of Amanda Alexander and Samuel Bray Wiseman though it could be Smith Wiseman, born February 27, 1888 and also the son of Sam and Amanda.

The pictures below are from my father and were identified (from left to right) as Ethol Scott, Howard Wiseman, Smith and Charles Wiseman.

...And More Summer

Last weekend we saw a tremendous number of climbers heading up Mount Rainier and lots of folks just out for a day hike, picnic at Muir or getting some rather great mid-July turns in. Most routes on the mountain seem to be staying in great shape thanks to a cooler and wetter than average June.



July is one of the busiest months for climbing on Rainier, but those seeking more solitude should try for mid-week climbs on the popular routes, such as the DC and Emmons, or head out to some of the more remote west-side routes that are still in good shape. Also many thanks to the climbers who have been helping keep the routes and high camps clean during this busy time of year. We really appreciate your efforts.



Check out a couple of great trip reports sent to us by contributing climbers Bartosz Paliswiat and Scott Seitz on Sunset Ridge and Success Clever, respectively. The photo at right was also taken by Paliswiat. Guess Sunset Ridge got its name for a reason!

Product Review: The Winter Beard

With winter in full swing here in New England, increasing numbers of gentlemen cyclists sport a popular cold weather accessory: the winter beard. Even for those normally clean shaven, this effectiveand budget-friendly solution can be hard to resist once the frost sets in.



Having surveyed a number of male cyclists, the most popular means of obtaining a winter beard seems to be the DIY method: Simply stop shaving your face, and in as little as a week you could find yourself in possession of a modest to moderate wooly facial appendage. In weather that's merely cool, that might very well suffice. In harsh winter climates, continue growing to taste, or until coworkers/ loved ones begin to complain. To shorten or shape, use a beard trimmer.



Maintaining your winter beard is simple: Handwash with soap and water, and check for trapped food particles after meals. If you notice people staring at the lower half of your face in disgust, you may not be performing these maintenance tasks diligently enough. Otherwise, you are probably fine.



The winter beard has many benefits. It is temperature-regulating,wind-proof, breathable and quick drying - more so than any wool or synthetic balaclava on the market. It isnatural, organic, and ethically grown.It is inexpensive.You are unlikely to lose it or leave home without it.And itcolour coordinates with any outfit.



Possible drawbacks include extra maintenance, and potential protests from your significant other.In the event of the latter, I suggest pointing out the communal usefulness of your beard: For instance, it can function as a loofa-like facial exfoliant for your spouse, or a scratching post for your cat.



In growing your winter beard, pay attention not only to length, but to total area of coverage:The most effective beards are as thick nearer to the neck as they are at the chin, providing the warmth of an extra scarf.



And finally, do exercise moderation. Localcartoono-anthropologist has documented breakouts ofCompetitive Beard Growingdisorder among cyclists in winter, which are not without side-effects.Sure your luscious facial locks might impress your friends and terrify your enemies, but if a beard is long enough to get stuck in your bicycle's components, you have gone too far.

Jonas Joslin :: Warning Out 1814

On September 29, .. I visited the Town Clerk's Office in Charlotte which lies on the east side of Lake Champlain in central Vermont.

According to the book “Vermont Warnings Out” by Alden M. Rollins (Picton Press, Camden, Maine, no date) there was a record of a “Warning Out” for Jonas Joslin in the Charlotte Town Records dated March 1, 1814. Apparently, occasionally, some town records for Warnings Out include additional information, including names of other family members. So I was hoping that the record for Jonas would contain more than just his name, but it was not to be. As a result, although I think it is, I don't know for sure if this is “our” Jonas Joslin or not.

By 1814, warnings out were generally issued by the town selectmen to poor people - those who, for whatever reason, could not take care of themselves or their families. They apparently had a year to prove otherwise. Mr. Rollins states that in Vermont, many were warned but few were expelled.

According to family tradition passed down by descendants of Jonas Joslin Jr., he and his older brother James (my ancestor) left Vermont in 1816 by canoe, via Lake Champlain, and went to Delaware County, Ohio. Charlotte is located on Lake Champlain. Could they have left from Charlotte?

Is the Jonas Joslin mentioned in the warnings out record the same one who purchased land in Delaware County, Ohio in October 1818? It is doubtful that we'll ever know for sure.

Town Records. Volume 2. Charlotte.

56.) Chittenden County. To either Constable of Charlotte in Said County Greeting

You are hereby commanded to Summon Jonas Joslin now residing in Charlotte to depart said town hereof fail not but of this precept and your doings thereon due return make according to law. Given under our hands Charlotte March 1st 1814

Sheldon Wheeler, Nehemiah Lowrey } Selectmen

Chittenden fs. I served this precept on the within Jonas Joslin by putting into his hands a true copy of this Summon. Charlotte March 1st 1814 ~ Ezra Halt Constable

Received March 3d 1814 and recorded from the original.
Attest Zadock Wheeler Town Clerk

My Birthday Cake

Chilkoot River Bears

Caution... lots of photos...
Tuesday, August 24th - - I had noticed this sign yesterday on my way to the campground at Chilkoot Lake but didn't give it much thought. But this morning when I was leaving the campground, I noticed a bunch of cars pulled off along the road and people milling about with long telephoto lenses on their cameras. I stopped the car, grabbed my little point-and-shoot camera and walked over to see what they were looking at... these bears were outside the bear zone! Guess they don't know how to read ;-)

There was Mama bear and her cubs (could be the same ones that Sue and Fred saw a couple of days ago). There were three cubs, they just never all got together for a group photo...





Look at those claws! And it's just a baby...




This evening, as I was going back to the campground, there were some scattered rain showers and I was greeted by a double rainbow! To the east, the direction in which I was going, the sky darkened and it poured down rain.

Meanwhile, over to the west, the sun was shining. Ya gotta love it. Continuing on toward the campground, I noticed movement off to the side of the road, and then, what did appear before my eyes?
Why, Mama bear and her three little cubs! By the time I had grabbed the camera and turned it on, Mama was already across the road. (I was safely inside the van as they were way too close for comfort. This photo was taken through the windshield.)

Half an hour later, I left the gloomy campground (it is heavily forested and not much light gets through the trees, especially when it is cloudy) and went back into Haines for a while.

On my way, people were gathered in one area alongside the road so I stopped... Mama bear was there and at least two cubs. They were further away than those this morning and the cubs stayed close to the bank, hidden by the weeds and brush.


It was so neat seeing them like this, in their natural habitat. They went about their business, generally ignoring us humans, though they did check us out now and then.