Poor Van Dora ...

Wednesday, March 7th - - My decision to leave Salt Lake City yesterday morning was made the previous week. I was ready to go after five weeks researching in Genea-Mecca but in hindsight perhaps I should have waited a few more days... I was headed to California but high winds with strong gusts were forecast for all of Nevada (and much of the west) for the next two days. I could take the northern route and get into the snow storm that was predicted and coming towards Salt Lake City. Or I could take the southern route through Las Vegas then west. After checking the weather reports before leaving yesterday morning I decided the safest route would be to go south.



I haven't checked to see what the weather was like along I-80 so I don't know if my chosen route (I-15 south) was the best or safest! But I do know it sure wasn't an easy day of driving! It wasn't too bad until I got about half way to St. George, which is about 300 miles south of Salt Lake City, when the winds really picked up. By the time I got to St. George, it was definitely two-handed white-knuckle driving! Then when I got into Nevada, there were times when visibility was extremely limited due to the blowing sand. There was an amazing amount of tumbleweeds blowing down the highway too, as well as plastic bags and bottles and various other debris.



My “plan” had been to stop at Valley of Fire State Park for the night, which is about 40 miles north of Las Vegas. But there was so much sand and dirt and gravel being blown about that I decided to continue on south. I stopped just north of Las Vegas for gas and had a really rough time trying to stand in one spot to pump the gas.



I made it through Las Vegas before the rush hour and drove the 50 miles or so west to Pahrump where I wimped out and spent the night at a motel. At around five o'clock or so we had a little rain added to the wind and I was glad that I was inside, safe and dry. I learned later on the news that the wind had been steady at about 30 mph most of the day with gusts up to 75 mph – no wonder my right arm and shoulder was sore!





Poor Van Dora. She needs a bath! This is what happens when you drive in blowing sand then a little rain comes along... I didn't really think the van was all that dirty when I got out at the motel. After the rain, all of the other cars in the parking lot were in this same condition, which means that as the rain fell it must have picked up some of the sand and dust in the air. I think it was basically raining mud, at least for a short time.





Van Dora looks worse now than she did traveling on the dirt roads in Alaska!

Update from GRIP

I'm behind with posting but with good reason. Yesterday's classes were Intense. Yes, with a capital "I" and they were also Interesting, Informative and Mentally Exhausting.



I was up late last night (as were most other classmates in the Advanced Research Methods with Tom Jones). In addition to a full day of classes yesterday (please go read Chris Staats' post about yesterday's classes and wish him a belated happy Anniversary while you're there) we had a homework assignment. We had no idea how hard it was going to be, but that look of glee on Dr. Jones' face when he gave us the 8-page handout should have been a clue!



I do enjoy a challenge but this was something else. There were abstracts of 16 tax lists, 3 census records, 12 deeds, 4 wills, 2 guardian records, 2 marriage records, and a Revolutionary War Pension affidavit that we had to review, analyze, and try to determine the father of a man from 5 other men with the same surname!



But before tackling the homework I decided to attend the presentation by Rick Sayre on Pennsylvania Research, which was good but he quite a bit of time on Pittsburgh records. I would have liked to have heard more about statewide records.



After returning from the presentation, I spent 4 hours working on the homework assignment. At that point, I still hadn't reached a conclusion but my head was hurting and my eyes were burning so I turned in for the night. Less than half an hour later an idea popped into my dull brain and I "had" to get up and work on the problem before I lost my train of thought. Yes, the answer had come to me. A short time later I was back in bed sound asleep. I didn't even hear the storm that came through that many were talking about today.



I worked on the problem for another hour (consolidating my thoughts and trying to come up with some idea of how to "defend" my conclusion) before heading off to class. Dr. Jones went through the list of possible fathers, one at a time, asking those who thought it was a particular man to raise their hand. When he got to "William" the hands of about 2/3 of the class shot up. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach since he wasn't my choice! When the name of the one I had chosen came up only 3 of us raised our hands.



A minute or so later, Dr. Jones announced that there were 3 "A" students in the class! I had gotten it right! To say that I was ecstatic is an understatement... So, I'm giving myself a little pat on the back and tooting my own horn a bit too. I must say, it felt awesome.



It's been another full exhausting and enlightening day, and we're almost caught up with the syllabus. Tomorrow is the last day with only half a day of classes. It's been an amazing experience and I am so glad that I was able to come.



I'm sure that Chris will be blogging about today's classes as will classmates Shelley Bishop at A Sense of Family and Christy Webb at the Geeky Texan. Also Denise Levenick, the Family Curator, has also been blogging about the Intermediate class she is taking.



This will likely be the last post from GRIP... I've got to get busy on the homework for tomorrow...

Gone to Texas...

Monday morning I left Columbia City. With daytime temperatures in the low teens for the 3 days I was there, I was looking forward to some warmer weather!

While I was home in October, my best friend from my college days (Indiana State University 1979-1982) found me on Facebook! (And through her I "friended" our Photography Professor and another classmate.) I hadn't seen Connie since 1985 (or thereabouts). I've driven through Terre Haute several times in the last 20 years and each time would think of her but never took the time to stop.

Monday afternoon I paid Connie a long-overdue visit. I took a chance that she would be home and not busy and stopped without calling ahead. Not good form, I know, but I didn't know I was going to stop until I got to the Third Street exit!

As luck would have it, she was home! We had a wonderful visit, though only about 90 minutes long. It was great to see her again and hopefully it won't be quite so long until the next visit!

Connie and Me. Photo taken by her daughter. December 13, ...
Connie's grandson, Declan, was doing his best to stuff his hand in my mouth!He is such a cutie! Blonde hair, blue eyes, chubby cheeks. And so sweet.
Snow was on the ground, but the Interstates in Indiana were mostly clear. They had just enough moisture on them so that trucks and cars sent up a fine salty mist. My black van is mostly white right now. Driving through Illinois on I-70 there were an awful lot of cars and semi-trucks in the median and along both sides of the highway. Many were “right side up” but several were on their sides and a couple had completely rolled over. Not a pleasant sight and I was thankful that I had missed the really bad weather.

Turning south on I-57 and I-55, the temperature started slowly rising, from 16 to a high of 24! Once into northern Arkansas the snow had disappeared and the roads were dry. Yesterday afternoon I smiled as the sun came out and the temp kept going up. It was a blustery 55 degrees when I stopped for the night a little ways west of Texarkana, and 55 degrees never felt so good before!

!French Doors!

From the time we moved in 8 years ago we haven't cared for the sliding glass doors that led to the back yard. So on Friday we went to Lowes Home Building Store to get a new light to put in the yard as ours had quite. We did get the light but found French Doors on sale at a price we could almost afford. So we splurged and bought them. The first photo is of the old door after we pulled it out as I forgot to take a photo before it was removed. Next are photos of the opening for the door from inside and outside. Then come the photos of the new french doors as we got them in place and then got the lock on the door. We really like our new door but it has really confused the dogs and cats. The sliding glass door opened on in the left corner for them to go in and out. The new door opens in the middle. They keep going to the corner to get in or out. I hope they learn soon. I am sure they will.

When a Bike Is Not for You, What to Do?

Regardless of how much time we put into looking for a new bike, how much research we do, how many reviews we read, and even how wonderful the bicycle seems during a test ride, sometimes it happens: We buy a bike that isn't right for us. Perhaps the handling ends up not being to our liking. Or perhaps the bike is too heavy, too aggressive, not aggressive enough... There can be so many reasons. And often, those reasons only become apparent after we get into the swing of using the bike.



And so there we are: As far as resale value goes, our new bicycle is now a used bicycle. And we feel excruciatingly guilty for having made the wrong choice.



Once we realise that the bicycle we so longed for is not all we had hoped, the question is: what to do next? We may try to deal with the situation by continuing to ride the bike even if we are not entirely happy with it, hoping that over time we'll get used to it. We might make modifications to the bike, in attempts to get it to handle how we want it to handle. Or we could admit defeat and sell it. Some of us tried the first two approaches, before ultimately deciding to sell. Others just cannot bear to sell the bike - either because of the monetary loss they will incur, or because of sentimental attachment.



It's a tough call which decision is best. It took me a while before I could bring myself to sell my Pashley, while an acquaintance sold her Batavus just a month after buying it. "Mama Vee" of Suburban Bike Mama has been struggling with her Sorte Jernhest cargo trike for nearly two years now and is still torn over what to do (in fact, she has just issued an exasperated plea for help, so perhaps someone can advise her!).



Not counting myself, I know of about half a dozen ladies in the blogosphere who either have recently sold, or are considering selling the bicycle that was supposed to be their "dream bike." We did everything right and the bike seemed like the perfect choice at the time. And yet it wasn't. If you've ever been in this situation, how did you deal with it and what was your ultimate decision?

Skeffington - Billesdon - Tilton - Skeffington

Monday 13 June . With Barry and Eddie. 8 miles. 3 hours and a bit. Fine weather after unpromising start. Mud on boots weather after yesterday's rain. Humid. Undulating.

Wildlife - several hares. A yellowhammer.

This hare came towards us on the path, then scarpered. I took this with normal lens, and then enlarged, so I am amazed you can make out the hare.

One for pedants' corner. What's with the wedding obsession? Second notice I've seen in in four days.

What bushes are these? We didn't walk near enough to find out.

Another over-enlarged picture - you can just about make out the yellowhammer.

(to be completed)

For map and details click this link

Contact Strength

Susy Goldner spent eleven years, long hours, every day of the week,perfecting her contact skills.

As Manager of Contact Centres for Virgin Blue.










It's the same meticulous approach she brings to her climbing.

A reliable sourceinformed jjobrienclimbing that Susy was caught in Kalymnos with detailed sequence notes, including a breathing and resting strategyfor her project in her chalk bag. Meticulous? More than a bit.








For a girl who has spent so many years helping customers get into planes she has spent a disproportionate amount of time jumping out of them. She told me one day how many skydives she has made, I don't remember the number but it gave me vertigo.












That's a Kaly' tan right there.









Working for an airline has it's perks, there's those handy refresher towelettes, and then there's the travel.

U.S./ Kalymnos / China / Nowra / back and forth to the Bluies.








Getting things sorted.





Susy sends "Wholey Calamity" 26 at Coolum Cave





They call her the G-Star












A decade of fronting an airlines' customer contact could go either way.

It could make a girl jaded or it could feed a commitment to improvement and a desire to excel.

Guess what Susy chose?





to be continued

The Tale of a Midtail Cruiser

Traveling through the suburbs last week, I suddenly spotted something green and curvy zipping toward meon the opposite side of the road. It was a Yuba Boda Boda cargo bike - not a common sight around these parts. The woman astride it looked happy and carefree. As we passed each other, both of us waved with the zeal of true bicycle obsessionists, and yelled hello. I then spent the rest of the morning wondering who this mysterious woman was and how I could get a better look at her bike. But I didn't have to wonder long. Having recognised me, she soon got in touch and we arranged to meet up.






Josetteis a local cyclist and mother of two boys, ages 6 and 3. She lives in a hilly outer suburb of Boston and works in a neighboring, equally hilly suburb. Her typical daily commute involves taking her younger son to preschool, as well as cycling to and from work, for a total of 13 miles plus errands. Josette got back into cycling as an adult a few years ago, and has since owned a couple of bikes, including a modern hybrid and a vintage English 3-speed. She now wanted a cargo bike that was both easy to ride and could handle two children. She tried several cargo bikes, before settling on the Boda Boda - a new "midtail cruiser" model from the California-based Yuba: The Boda felt easier to manage than full sized longtails, and the handling felt more intuitive than that of the Dutch bakfiets. Josette purchased the bike at Ferris Wheels in Jamaica Plain (Boston) and has been riding it since October.







Yuba refers to the Boda Boda as a "cargo cruiser." Named after African bicycle taxis, this model was created in response to requests for a shorter wheelbase, lighter weight and lower stepover.On top of that, it promises casual handling combined with the ability to tackle hills. Featuring an aluminum frame, 26" wheels, fat tires, swept-back handlebars and 8-speed derailleur gearing, the Boda weighs 35lbs and is rated to carry over 200lb. There are two versions of this model: the Step-Through, shown here, is smaller in size and features a lower stepover. The base retail price is $999.






The midtail rear end of the Boda features an integrated rack with a bamboo platform and an optional "Soft Spot" pillow - handy for ensuring passengers have a comfortable ride. Josette personalised hers with a customcrocheted cover, which gives a charming and unique look to the whole setup.






The platform as shown here can fit both of Josette's children.






Although I only met her younger son, this picture illustrates how both boys fit on the bike. Josette's blog post on riding with kidsprovides more details about her experience.






The "apehanger" style handlebars in the rear were an aftermarket addition, as Yuba's standard "Hold On Bars" did not work here. The main issue was that, given Josette's saddle height and the height of the rear rack, there was no way to install Yuba's standard handlebars so that they'd reach above the rack. In addition, the wider and more swept back apehanger bars make for a more accommodating and comfortable position for Josette's boys.






The Boda's rear rack height is an interesting topic. You can't quite see this in my pictures because the bags cover it up, but the Boda's rack platform sits unusually high. This is because the e-assist version of the Boda (aka the El Boda), has its battery stored underneath it. Josette's feedback is that the extra height of the rack feels suboptimal, both as far as weight distribution when carrying passengers and cargo upon it, and as far as saddle height adjustment. For example, very short riders may have difficulty moving the saddle all the way down despite the extra seatpost showing, because at some point the saddle will start to interfere with the rack. Also, because the handlebars had to be threaded through the rack, I was not able to raise the saddle to my optimal height when test riding this bike. Despite the quick release skewer, the setup shown here cannot be easily shared between persons of different heights.




This issue aside, the owner is happy with the carry capacity the Boda affords. In addition to allowing her to carry two children on top of the platform, each side of the rack accepts two full-sized panniers, or Yuba's own "Baguette Cargo Bag" (The orange bag pictured is apannier hybrid bag from Vaya, made in NYC).The front "Bread Basket," rated to carry 50lb of weight, can be purchased for even more carry capacity.






The Boda Boda comes standard with swept back Dutch stye handlebars, cork grips, city brake levers, and painted bell,






26" wheels and wide, cushy cream tires,






platform pedals,






and a minimalist chainguards.






Fenders and a double-legged kickstand were added as accessories, as was dynamo lighting front and rear, and the front wheel "Deflopilator" stabiliser.







I took the Boda Boda out for a quick spin. Though Josette graciously offered to lend me her son, I did not feel comfortable with that plan, and just rode the bike with 3 panniers on the rear. Mostly I was interested in the feel and handling, so I did a short loop that involved a local hill.




This bike is a little strange to describe. If you've ever ridden a Northern European hybrid circa the mid-2000s (à lathis), the position the Boda puts you in is very similar.The closest non-obscure equivalent I can reference is maybethe Breezer Uptown, but it's really closer to the European bikes. Mounting and dismounting, the stepover was indeed very low. There wasno toe overlap with the front wheel when turning, although it was surprisingly close; not much clearance. Yuba does not provide geometry charts, but the cockpit area felt extremely compact, and there was something about the position of my butt in relation to the pedals (or saddle in relation to the bottom bracket, if you will) that I associate with a particular type of hybrid or cruiser type bike. At the same time, I have to admit that the Boda felt light and speedy. And the low gearing allowed me to pedal it up a major hill without having to dismount (Josette tackles that same hill on a daily basis, and only has to dismount when both kids are on the back of the bike). The ride quality over potholes was nice and cushy.






In essence, my first impression is that the Boda Boda is what it claims to be: a cargo cruiser with easy handling that is ridable in hilly areas.




Considering my recent test rides of the Xtracycle Radish, a comparison of the two is probably in order. The obvious difference is that the Boda is shorter and a bit lighter. This will make it more manageable for those who consider full longtail bikes unwieldy, but at the expense of giving up load capacity. The Boda has a somewhat lower stepover, which makes it easier to mount and dismount. As far as fit and handling, I prefer the Radish, simply because it feels more natural and intuitive for my style of riding. Others might feel differently.






Having ridden the Boda on a more or less daily basis since October, the owner is pretty well used to it and enjoys the freedom of mobility it's given her.






With her boys and without,Josettehas ridden the Boda in all sorts of weather, though overnight she keeps it in her garage and during the day at the bike parking facility in the basement at her work.The bike has served her well in the course of daily use. Some words of criticism include the rear rack height, the delay with receiving some of the accessories (she is still waiting for the Bread Basket), and the fact that the price of each accessory adds up to make the true price of the bike, once it's fully equipped for commuting, nearly double the stated MSRP. Still,3 months down the road Josette is pleased with her decision to choose the Boda over other cargo bikes. It suits her riding style and her lifestyle.

Harry Hamilton Dunfee and His Unnamed Twin Brother

This is the third example of the results of using the "foil technique" for deciphering hard to read tombstones mentioned in a previous post. Here we're looking at the grave stone for the twin sons born to William and Catherine (Jones) Dunfee. The marker is in the Masonic Section of Greenhill Cemetery, Columbia City, Indiana.

The worn, nearly illegible grave marker for twin sons of William and Catherine Dunfee. It faces west and is in the shade most of the day.

The grave marker "wrapped" in aluminum foil and rubbed down. While still not quite totally legible, this technique brings out some of the details, including the two doves at the top of the marker. The inscription at the bottom (beneath the parents names) still is not legible and some of the numbers are hard to read.

According to his obituary, Harry Hamilton Dunfee died on August 26, 1871 reportedly four years, five months and ten days old. If that is correct, then Harry was born on March 16th 1867. His unnamed twin brother died on March 17th 1867, which means he lived for only one day.

However, an earlier transcription of the cemetery states that Harry was 4 years 5 months and 5 days old. And looking at the grave stone, the number of days does appear to be a 5 or maybe a 2. If a 5, that would put their birth date at March 21, 1867. Given that the infant twin died on March 17th 1867 I am inclined to believe the information in Harry's obituary, which was published in the Columbia City Post on Wednesday September 6, 1871.

=+==+==+=

Died, Harry Hamilton, son of William H. and Catharine Dunfee, at Columbia City, August 26th, aged four years, five months and ten days. Little Harry was a bright treasure in the family, and loved by all who knew him. His frail form giving evidence of his unfitness for earth caused father, mother, brother and sisters to lead him tenderly along the path of life, to him made so short, and upon him lavish all of the kindness which love and sympathy could command. Though so very young he seemed to feel the force and intent of his last illness and as if met by some kind angel at the river of death, said, "Mother, I want to go home." Those only who have been called upon to give back to him who gave such treasures can fully sympathize with this bereaved family. Could they but look across that mysterious river, they would find no cause for weeping from that side of the stream. We would say weep not for such, did we not know that the tear goes far toward sweetening that bitter cup.

Wordless Wednesday :: Schooldaze ~ Eighth Grade

Apache Plume

Desert bushs that we call Apache Plume were in bloom. The first photo is of the small white flower. The second photo is of the seed pod which gives the plant its name, Plume.