Political attention & during/after Mt Rainier's flood photos

Mt. Rainier is getting a lot of attention these days. On the political side of things, the new Director of the National Park Service, Mary Bomar, visited last week. She toured flood damaged areas firsthand and spoke with NPS personnel about the event, the progress and the longterm difficulties. And today, U.S. Representative Norm Dicks followed suit. The Congressman also visited many of the damaged areas, and like Mary, wanted to get a better sense of what it was going to take to get Mt Rainier National Park reopened.

This flood/rain/storm event has made evident the challenges of managing facilities and roads in the shadow of a major glaciated peak that is slowly loosing its glaciers. Kautz Creek is quickly becoming the poster child of how Mt. Rainier National Park will manage this complex situation. As it stands now, Kautz Creek continues to flow over the Nisqually to Longmire road because it jumped its main channel upstream in an area that is legally designated "wilderness." The hard question is, how do you provide safe, reliable, and financially feasible road access through a threatened drainage that is known for glacial outbursts and episodic floods? The photo above displays the culprit, Kautz Creek, shortly before it enters unchartered forest as it forms a new channel. This picture was taken roughly one mile upstream from where the creek now intersects the main road.

And speaking of photos... Here is another set of "during and after" pictures of Mt. Rainier's flooding. This set focuses on the Nisqually River bridge near Longmire, seen here on Nov. 6th.

Compare this to roughly the same image today, an obvious contrast to the muddy storm flow above.

On the media side of things, the News Tribune digressed from the storm damage coverage to tell us how high Mt. Rainier is, EXACTLY! Who'd have guessed how complicated this answer was?

The amazing alpine photos of John Scurlock!

All Images Copyright 2004/, John Scurlock, Photographer & Pilot.



You have to dbl click this photo!



http://www.pbase.com/nolock/root

'Tis the Season!

Today was the first time we've ridden our roadbikes since December, and it was a wonderful 27 mile ride. The weather was not as nice as we'd hoped (very windy and the temperature10°F lower than the forecast promised), but at least the snow was gone. I wore two layers of wool, thin gloves and a hat. Other than my nose running, all was good. Using the trainer over the winter certainly paid off, and I did not feel as out of shape as I'd anticipated. The trainer has also taught me to use lower gearing and spin faster. While it's been somewhat annoying to "reprogram" my style of cycling, I think it's ultimately better for me in the long run.



I took theBianchi onthe start-of-the-season ride, because Iwas excited to finally test it for real - going as fast as I wanted without worrying about ice patches. I am now more impressed than ever with its handling. It is faster than my other bikes - which may very well be from the more leaned forward position it places me in, but the difference is noticeable. It is also more comfortable than any other roadbike I've ridden with the exception of my Rivendell. The positioning feels just right, and the ride is cushy over bumps. Since the roads are completely messed up from the snow right now, I got to test this aspect of ride quality more than I would have liked, and it really was great. My problem with roadbikes that feel harsh over pot holes is twofold: First, it's painful. And second, it's difficult to control the bike if it bounces, especially with narrow tires. So when a bike is able to "swallow" pot holes and road bumps, it makes me feel a great deal safer and more confident. Not sure whether it's the tubing, the geometry, or the wheels of the Bianchi that are responsible for the great ride quality (it's not the tires, because at least 2 other bikes fitted with identical tires felt worse), but whatever it is, I'm glad.



Though my ideal standover height would be 2cm lower, I don't feel that the top tube clearance on the 54cm (center-to-center) frame is a problem. There is a gray cable that runs along the top of the toptube, and that contacts my inseam. But the toptube itself does not - there is probably 5mm of room there.



One benefit to riding this larger frame, is that there is no toe overlap. Were I to fit this bicycle with fenders, there would be - but as is, my foot clears the front wheel completely even during the most extreme turns possible (I've experimented). This is another aspect of the bike that makes me feel confident on it. I can handle toe-overlap on bikes that I know have it, but when given a choice I prefer no overlap.



The Co-Habitant was back on his Motobecane as well, and we were well matched speed-wise with me on the Bianchi. And I know what you're thinking: That poor man, riding the same beat up old roadbike while I luxuriate in choice. What can I say - I agree. Believe it or not he has been impossible to convince that he needs a new bike... until now. It is very likely indeed that he will have a new steed this summer, but I will leave the details a mystery for now. In the meanwhile, I'm just glad that both the weather and our work schedules have finally cooperated and we were able to ride together again. Hurray for spring!

Adieu, Crooked River

Georgia has been left behind. I won't say I'll never go back, but after 2 weeks and 2 days at Crooked River State Park in St. Marys, Georgia I think I've had enough of it for now. Crooked River is a very nice park. It has lovely trails. The people were friendly. For the most part, I enjoyed my time there. But it was cold. And it rained. A lot. Seemed like every other day it was raining.

But a change in location does not always mean there will be a good change in the weather. I came south, into Florida hoping for a little more warmth. The first (and second) morning here I woke up with frost on the windows! Night time temps have been in the low 30s and daytime highs have been in the low 50s all this year. I can say that “this year” because it is only five days into the new year. I sure hope I'm not able to say that for very much longer!

I didn't take a lot of pictures at Crooked River. Like my friend TJ says, a tree is a tree, a river is a river, and one pretty much looks like another. I didn't take many sunset or sunrise photos either. The campsite was in a shaded area and it was hard to tell when the sun was coming up, when it finally decided to show it's face. There were a few sunsets that had a nice “after glow” but, well, they didn't get photographed either.

I took a lot of walks, just to keep warm. And spent a few hours in the library, but it was closed half the time I was there. Silly Holidays, you know?

I'm into my fifth month of traveling. It's really hard to believe that so much time has gone by. Speaking of time, I have no concept of time. I seldom “know” what time of day it is. Or how much time has passed since the last time I ate. I eat when I get hungry, not according to some established schedule.

Many of my posts while on the road have mentioned the weather. Actually, most of them have. Thing is, the weather is what governs what I do and when I do it and whether I enjoy it or not. And, the weather is the one thing that I have no control over. There is nothing I can do about it. I don't affect it, it affects me. It is what it is.

This morning I awoke to the sun rising over the tree tops. A short while later I saw clear blue skies. So, even though it was 30-something I went for a walk in the woods. The movement warmed my blood. The trees and birds and unknown somethings scurrying in the underbrush warmed my soul. The sun is shining. It's a beautiful day. What more could I ask for? (Warmer temperatures, that's what!)

My campsite at Crooked River State Park. The tent was purchased that morning. After coming back to the campground the previous night and finding someone had pulled their rig into my site (even though my tag was on the post and my bicycle chained to the picnic table), I decided that I needed a “presence” in camp even when I wasn't there. It's been a godsend, especially with the cool/cold weather. A small electric heater makes it a cozy place in the evenings. And, no, I don't sleep in the tent – a cot and warm sleeping bag in the van are my nightly resting place.

A tree is a tree. But these are at Crooked River. Really.

The roots of a tree that was long ago downed, by what? The forces of Nature or those of Man? Even in “death” it is Magnificent.

A palm frond, after the rain.

Picture Perfect day for a paddle!

Yesterday Jessica and I spent the morning paddling the shoreline of Esther Lake up the Arrowhead Trail in northeast Minnesota. It was a spectacular morning to be on the water and as we were making our way back to the boat ramp these postcard-perfect clouds were rolling in, making for some beautiful scenes to photograph.

The Ice Monster of Lake Superior

This piece of ice was sitting atop a partially submerged rock about 100 feet away from where the "Lake Superior Ice Ornaments" photo that I posted yesterday was taken. To me it resembles some sort of odd creature or monster, sort of a cross between a walrus and a centipede (if you can imagine such a creature!). To my eye the ice hanging down along the sides conjures images of a centipede's legs, and on the part of the ice closest to the bottom of the frame, the two pieces of ice hanging down resemble walrus tusks.

Ice Cave Sunrise

There is so much good ice along the north shore of Lake Superior right now, I'm sort of wishing I didn't have a day job so I could spend all day every day exploring and photographing the ice! This is another shot from yesterday morning's sunrise near Cascade River State Park. This cave wasn't very big. I basically crawled into it head first then turned on my side to make photographs of the sun rising behind the icicles. I sure love the color of the ice as the sun illuminated it from behind. What a beautiful sight!

Is the Wheel Lock a Useful Feature?

Yesterday I mentioned not being a huge fan of bicycle wheel locks (or "cafe locks"), and so I wanted to elaborate. Most typically used on transportation bicycles, the wheel lock is a circular contraption that is installed over the rear wheel, with a metal latch sliding through the spokes when the key is turned. The wheel lock immobilises the bike, thus making it more difficult to steal - especially if the bike is heavy. I thought it was a neat idea before I owned one, but the Axa wheel lock on my Pashley annoyed me so much that I eventually removed it. The older model on my Gazelle works much better, but I am still considering getting rid of it.



Here are the pros and cons of the wheel lock as I see them (and your impressions, of course, might differ):



Pros:

. It's useful as an extra lock, for those who like elaborate lock-up jobs.

. It's useful if you're sitting in an outdoor cafe or a park bench, with your bike within sight.

. It's better than nothing if you forget your main lock.

. It's better than nothing if there is no structure to which you could lock your bike.

. If you live in an extremely safe area, you might be able to use it as your only lock - which would eliminate the need for a bulky U-lock or cable lock.



Cons:

. Its theft prevention effectiveness is limited.

. It is heavy (like having a U-lock permanently attached to your bike).

. If it jams in the "on" position, your bike will be immobilised.

. Some models are difficult to use and can hurt your fingers while you fiddle with the lever.

. Once installed, you must lock it every time you leave your bike. Otherwise someone else could lock it and walk off with the key. On most models, it is impossible to remove the key in the un-locked position.

. You can break a spoke if you forget that the lock is activated and try to forcibly roll your bike. Likewise, a passer-by can break a spoke if they try to give your locked wheel a spin with their hand.



Do you have a wheel lock on your bike? If yes, what make and model, and have you found it useful?

"Primo" time to climb

Summer is in full swing. Warm temps and mostly clear skies have been generous to climbers and the forecast looks promising.

The snowpack is rapidly melting, which allows for quick and easy access to the alpine. Most of the Wonderland Trail, for instance, has melted out (save Panhandle Gap area.) The meadows are in full bloom, yet the upper mountain still has a fair amount of winter snowpack. Time to climb...

We've posted updated Mt Rainier climbing conditions on the Emmons, Tahoma, DC, Ptarmigan Ridge and other routes... If you've some reports, please pass them along.

PARADISE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

A shuttle system is now assisting visitors along the Paradise Valley Road and those who park remotely at Longmire and Cougar Rock. The shuttle is free of charge and will operate Friday – Sunday and Labor Day through September 10th. See the Access and Roads page for more information.

A Visit to Plantescapes Nursery with MSS

While MSS was touring a castle in Wales, I was happy to babysit a few of her potted plants back in Austin. Most of the plants did okay - one thyme plant didn't live.
I was also happy to bring the plants back to her - because we'd get to visit and continue our September tradition of hitting a few fun South Austin places. MSS declared we must eat dessert first, so we went to Buenos Aires Cafe for soup, empanadas and Quatro Leches. (yes Quatro!! Tres was not enough!) We stopped at the oft-mentioned Great Outdoors Nursery where we bought a few pots and seeds and also visited a nursery new to me -

Plantescapes Nursery is in a house on South First - and it feels a little like visiting the home of a plant obsessed friend, who welcomes you at the door,
and then lets you wander around looking at the cool garden decor both stunning

and whimsical
MSS and I moved through areas with cactus and succulents

and onto other plants. I'd been thinking about buying another Pineapple Guava for the secret garden. My friend Diane first introduced me to this evergreen shrub - hers bears fruit in mild years. At Plantescapes I found a nice group of Pineapple Guava to choose from and then in another area I found a starter plant of Spicy Jatropha/ Jatropha integerrima 'Compacta' and decided to try that, too. There were also unusual ginger-type plants as well as natives. Inside the house you'll find rooms with unusual and eclectic decorations and furniture. I'm glad MSS introduced me to this smaller local nursery and maybe you'd like it, too. For the dog lovers in town an added attraction will be the chance to make the acquaintance of Scrappy.

Bem Vindo Porto! Welcome Oporto!

What can I say? I have fallen in love with Porto (Oporto in English)! I could not believe I have waited this long to discover her. She is a gem.



Transavia direct flight, Amsterdam to Porto



So I arrived here Friday night after a 2-hour flight delay. There were technical problems, something to do with the sensors of the plane and they have to be replaced. Everyone was already strapped on their seats inside the aircraft when the pilot announced the bad news. We really had no choice but to sit tight, complain and get bored.





Here in the car, Dutchman sending me off to the airport.





Flight delay, we were trapped in the aircraft for almost 2 hours. No where else to go. What to do? I ordered red wine and did FB and read BBC on my iPhone. Everyone was doing the same thing, busy with their smartphones.



Porto brand spanking new airport







I did not checked in my bag but because the plane was full and I was one of the last to board, they had no more space for me. So they took my bag and told me I will get it at the baggage belt. Not like!







I took a cab from the airport to my hotel, quick and easy. I heard that the metro is cheaper but with the flight delay, I ran out of patience figuring out how to buy a ticket and the route. I just want to get to my hotel ASAP and go out and meet Porto!



Porto postcards



Here are a few Porto postcards for you...























Tomorrow I am off to the Douro River Valley and its charming vineyards and villages.



Visit Period: March

Destination: Porto (Grande Porto), Portugal

Bath Week

It has been bath week for the horses.




I can't do more than one horse a day. It takes about 2 hours from start to finish and by then I am totally exhosted even with hubby's help. We did Stormy the black pony the first day. Then Traveler the other pony. Yesterday it was the old gelding, Sunny, and today it was Nita, my quarter horse mare. Sometime during the week I also bathed my border collie, Tuffee who was in need of a bath the worse. She has a habit of rolling in horse poop when she knows I am not looking ever once in a while. Of course she and our other dog, Ziva were on hand to make sure we got the horses done right. Tuffee did her best to 'herd' the horses while I worked with them. Of course all the horses like their bath especially the horse cookies that are handed out while they get their baths.

Herding Water?

Tuffee is so determained to 'herd' something she trys to 'herd' the water coming out of the water hose.

High Heels and Saddle Height

A belated Monday Mailboxpost, on account of my wifi having conked out yesterday. Here is a variation of a question I've gotten from several readers this summer:

...I'd like to wear high heeled shoes on my bike, but find it's hard to get the saddle height right. If I adjust the saddle for my heels it is too high when I wear flats, and vice versa. What do you recommend?

The problem here is not so much with the high heels themselves as it is with platform soles. Over the past year platform and wedge style shoes with substantial stack heights have become popular again. And alternating between shoes that are flat, and shoes with a 3cm rise in the sole will make a noticeable difference in leg extension on the bike.



For short distances, this might not matter so much. Some women will adjust their saddle height for flats and then simply ride with it too low when wearing heels and platforms. Others (myself included) find this uncomfortable even for short stretches. And of course for longer distances riding with your saddle too low is simply a bad idea - not only uncomfortable, but bad for the knees.





Aside from the obvious but unhelpful suggestion of picking a heel height and sticking with it, one thing to consider is converting your seatpost to quick release. This should be easy to do on most bikes: You simply purchase a quick release skewer, and install that in place of the seat clamp bolt. I now have QR seatposts on my everyday city bike and on my cargo bike, and they have changed my life. Well, not really. But they have liberated me to wear crazy heels again without worrying about leg extension. In mere seconds I can adjust the saddle to whatever height I want before a ride; problem solved.



Granted, the downside to quick release seatposts is the increased possibility of saddle theft - which means either sticking with an inexpensive saddle on your QR bike, taking the seatpost and saddle with you every time you leave the bike locked up, or using an extra lock to secure the saddle to the bike. The last two are a bother, but still could be worth it for the versatility of footwear the setup affords.



Another possibility is adjusting your saddle height on the go without a QR seatpost. Just carry the appropriate tool with you. Of course this assumes the ability to do it on your own, and a willingness to constantly mess with your saddle height "the hard way." Personally, I kind of enjoy this. But still the quick release is an easier and more reasonable solution.



After several years of wearing mostly flat shoes, I've been getting back to heels and platforms lately and it's been great fun. And being able to adjust my saddle height on the go means my leg extension is always just the way I like it.

Intrigued by the Pedersen

While most of the time my reactions to bicycles are love or hate at first sight, my interest in the Pedersen developed slowly. I do not even remember the first time I saw one. It's sort of always been there, in a distant corner of my awareness - a lovely absurdity that I categorised somewhere in the realm of antique bicycle designs that have no place in practical, everyday cycling.





That began to change, as I watched my friendWolfgangcasually roll up on aPedersenone summer day in Vienna last year. I knew that hehad one in his collection. I just didn't know that he actively rode it, or even that itcouldbe ridden in the same manner as a regular bicycle - in traffic, at commuting speed.Turns out I knew nothing at all about these machines. Still produced in Europe and even imported in the US, the Pedersen is a Danish design that, its proponents boast, is the most comfortable bicycle in existence.





The multiple-stay frame construction provides suspension. The hammock saddle, even more so. The result is an upright, cushy ride, that Pedersen enthusiasts describe as downright regal in comparison to standard bicycles. Wolfgang's bike was too tall for me to ride, so I cannot say whether I agree. But I find myself wondering more and more and would very much like to try one.





Though I do not remember the first time I saw a Pedersen, I do remember the last time: a couple of weeks ago in the garage of the office building where the Co-Habitant works. Yes, someone who works in his building commutes on a Pedersenand leaves it locked up with all the other bikes. I suppose they are all used to seeing it there by now and no longer process it as anything out of the ordinary, but I was terribly excited to discover it. And it seemed to be in my size. Perhaps I should leave a note...





If you are curious to know more about Pedersen bicyles, there is a history page here, and agreat article in Bicycling Magazine by Florence Williams about hunting for one in Copenhagen. Feedback from owners is, of course, most welcome: Are they feasible as commuter bikes? How on Earth do you mount and dismount them?