The meeting of Earth and Sky

Crazy cool, INCREDIBLE northern lights last night! What made the night totally unforgettable was not only the lights but the music of nature. Spring peepers and wood frogs were calling all night long and while I was shooting over a lake I could hear a barred owl calling from across the lake. It was one of the best nights I've ever spent in the woods with my camera! For the first hour of viewing, the Aurora held the form that you see in the photo above. To me it sort of resembled the funnel cloud shape of a tornado. This photo was taken at about 11:00 PM. A couple of hours later the scene was totally wild as the lights easily filled 75% of the sky and were moving much, much faster than they were when the above photo was made. The lights shown in the photo above were hardly moving at all. The variety that exists in the lights of the Aurora never ceases to amaze me!



The last few times I've gone out shooting the Aurora I've been trying to get more creative with some of my compositions. I've been trying new locations as well as new perspectives. The above photo is one such perspective, with the lights reflecting in the lake and the top corners of the image framed by pine branches. I personally really like this composition. To me it feels like I am looking through a window out into the scene beyond.



This was such an incredible night of photography, it's hard to imagine being able to top it. Between 1:00 and 2:00 AM the lights were some of the best I've ever seen. At the time the photos below were taken, the lights were flickering incredibly fast and it felt as though they were actually touching the tops of the trees. They were emanating from the sky directly overhead and washing down over the surrounding landscape. Indeed, the Earth felt connected to the Sky that night.

Princess Redd-Shift

Or, Emily's Sweet Schwinn
Since I started bike commuting, cycling has become a bit of a family affair. My daughter has a Trek children's mountain bike that's almost too small for her rapidly growing, long legs. My wife commutes to work often, and our son sometimes rides to the gym.
Since I got bike crazy, my daughter, Emily, has acquired a bit of a bike eye, and had begun to notice the difference between modern mountain bikes made for kids and more stylish vintage bikes. Since her legs are almost too long for her MTB, I started looking for a suitable lady's bike that she might like. One idea was to go the 650B conversion route and go with fat tires and fenders, perhaps adding a rack and/or basket.

Craigslist turned up an old Schwinn, the same color as my Le Tour II. We got a good price ($40) on the bike and proceeded to take it home to evaluate it. On the way home, I stopped by the Trek store to get some gloves and took the opportunity to ask Mark about the bike and how it might take new parts such as quick release wheels, new brakes, paint or powder coat, etc. His first remark was that the bike used Shimano's Positron shifting. This was an early attempt at index shifting using a freewheel in the pedals and a fixed rear hub. The idea was that shifting could be done while coasting. The system never really caught on, and it would be another ten years before indexing shifting really got into gear.
I'm not ready to attempt to convert the drivetrain to a traditional drivetrain, but the old rusty wheels had to go. I moved over the 27 inch chromed wheels from the Le Tour and so far, it seems to be a good fit. The shifting isn't quite accurate, but works. I think some play with the limit screws might help. I tightened up the brakes.
We went for an easy six mile ride to Blue Planet and Emily reported that the ride was super smooth. I guess the higher pressure, narrow and smooth tires were better on the bike path than her knobby MTB tires. The hills back home were a little tough since the heavy bike wouldn't shift down into the granny gear. There was a little pushing involved.
We'll add some new bar tape to replace the original cellophane orange stuff, replace the too-soft gel aftermarket seat, maybe get a paint or powder coat job and we'll have one spiffy looking, smooth riding vintage girl's bike with little investment.

First Ride of the Year

Beautiful afternoon. Sunny, about 33 degrees, light wind from the North. It was time for my first bike ride of the year. It was about 2 1/2 months since I rode one of my bikes. In that time, I have endured 2 surgeries
I decided to do a pavement ride. Rode from the nature trail parking lot at Lake Manawa. Headed West to Mosquito Creek and then on up to Highway 92. Brought by old digital rebel to take photos. (BTW, another rider at Xtreme Wheels said the Iowa side trails were pretty clear from The Marketplace shopping center up to N 25th St.)
Rode my "ice bike" - Trek 4300 outfitted with flat pedals and studded tires. Climbing on the bike, I was a little unstable. Think it was the studded tires and (mostly) the flat pedals and hiking boots. The boots kept my feet nicely warm.
There was no need for me to ride studded tires. The trail was basically clear where I wanted to ride.
Thought about riding down to the mountain bike trail area to check them out. But by the time I was there on the way back, I knew I would be too tired. As it happened, the 7.5 miles at about 9.6 mph was just right.
Tired and a little sore this evening. Good feeling. Should sleep well tonight.

And back to winter

After the glimpse of spring in my last post, here's the other side of January in Scotland. When we left Speyside on 2 January to travel back to Edinburgh sleet was beginning to fall. Between Grantown on Spey and Aviemore the snow started - 'blin' drift' in Scots (translation: 'blizzarding snow, blown by strong winds so that it obscures your vision. 'Blin' pronounced as in 'pin'. I'm feeling rather Inuit-ish with my Scots snow terminology!) - and the road filled up very quickly. South of Newtonmore the traffic halted completely. We were comforted by the sight of a snowplough/gritter a few cars ahead of us, but all the same it was sobering to sit in a car rocked by a gale, on a desolate stretch of road, with only a food stock of left-over Christmas cake, mince pies and kettle chips. Plus the survival blankets which we always carry in the winter.
We eventually got moving without any digging out being required, and by the time we reached Perth there was no snow to be seen. Yesterday and today we're back to gales, so the year has got off to a turbulent start.
Among the pictures of this week's storm damage on the BBC Scotland website, I noted the irony of a house featured in the 'Grand Designs' programme which had lost its roof (it's the 7th photo along). On either side the stolid, very ungrandly designed houses appear unscathed.

Northern Hawk Owl

For the past couple of weeks a Northern Hawk Owl has been hanging around near the Grand Portage Trading Post. I have seen him several times, but until today he was always perched on the power lines (not the best for photos!). Today I spotted him in the trees and promptly reached for my 100-400mm lens. I watched him (or her? I'm not sure how to tell the difference in owls) for close to half an hour. During that time the owl flew to 4 or 5 different trees, and from each tree was listening for sounds of mice down under the snow. Every now and then he would swoop down towards the ground, but he never did catch anything while I was there. He sure gave me some nice opportunities for photos today though!

Five questions for: Surf fanatic Keith Wikle

We caught up with Keith Wikle, friend and fellow paddlesport blogger, as he was about to begin a three-day Essentials of Surf Kayaking Instructor Certification Workshop in Jacksonville, Florida with Instructor Trainer Nigel Law, co-ownerof Savanna Canoe and Kayak. Nigel, who is well-known forsurf kayak coachingat every level, is someone Keith has long admired and wished to work with. Snow and ice pelted our car as we spoke with Keith, who was taking a cab to a campground the night before the start of the ICW.


HKWT:Why are you doing a surf instructor certification?

KW: I really like surfing. It's the most dynamic part of the sport, and it's probably the thing I enjoy the most. I've spent a lot of time doing it. I've had a number of people approach me about surf coaching, and I wanted to get a better idea about how to become a better instructor for surfing, especially for dedicated surf kayaks.

HKWT: How does this connect to sea kayaking and sea kayak coaching?

KW: All of the surf stuff I've learned has made me more aware of surf dynamics: what's safe and what isn't, what's fun, and how to take advantage of the dynamics of the surf zone in any boat. And if anything, it's made me less fearful of surfing in my sea kayak. For sea kayaks, you get a much better idea of whether this is going to be fun or it's going to be death on a stick.

HKWT: What are you expecting the certification process to be like?

KW: The initial part of it is surf zone safety and coaching in sit-on-tops. There's a big part of it that doesn't have anying to do with surf kayaking itself, but more has to do with making sure people are safe and learning rather than scaring the hell out of them.

And I'm just excited to go out and play on the waves in Florida in February!

HKWT: What do you expect to do with your new certification?

KW: I would like to run some courses on Lake Michigan, especially late summer and early fall, more sit-on-top than sit-in courses. Sit-on-top kayaks are a great way to get people involved in surf, making carves and performing turns without a combat roll. That's what I'm envisioning.

HKWT: Will you be writing this up on your blog?

KW: Yeah, I'm sure I will.

Spearfish Canyon

Spearfish Canyon spans 20-miles along a scenic and unique State and National Scenic Byway. Geologist point to the origin of the canyon about 62-million years . Geologists note that the canyon is 12-times older than the Grand Canyon with rocks of similar age.

Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s renowned organic architect, proclaimed Spearfish Canyon as ‘the’ most magnificent canyon in the west in his visit of 1935. He stated that had this canyon been on the through way to the west, it would today be as appreciated and recognized as the Grand Canyon

Spearfish Creek, runs south to north and runs year round. The creek is unusual in that it freezes from the bottom up, instead of icing over. This unusual phenomenon occurs due to the very fast rate at which the creek flows

The Spearfish RiverIt truly is beautifulOur first hike is to Spearfish Falls. It is great on a hot day because the wind was blowing the mist from the Falls right onto the viewing area.Part of the hike goes over the river. There used to be railroad that crossed the top of the Falls but the tracks were washed out during a storm and never rebuiltThe next hike is to Roughlock Falls



We continue to drive thru the Canyon and go by Bridal Falls

We stop in the Town of Spearfish to try the original Sanford's for lunch. Smaller but every bit as good!

Next stop Belle Fourche (pronounced foosh) The geological center of the Nation.

Till Later,Meanwhile we keep on Trek'n

Melissa and Gary

Monkey cigars

Several Catalpas grow here. They're a native tree, but these were planted by previous owners, to attract the catalpa worms that are such good fish bait.

One of its country names is Monkey Cigar Tree. Ever since I learned that, the long pods always bring to mind those old smoking monkey toys.

Inside the pods are several seeds, all fringed on the ends.

Looks like twins. (They all do.)
I posted about Catalpas, aka Catabas or Catawbas, and their worms before. They grow naturally by streams, so they don't mind getting their feet wet - the trees in the flood photo last week (on the right) were catalpas.
I thought I'd read that repeated defoliation by the worms didn't harm the trees. Usually, not every tree is defoliated every year. But one that seemed the worms' favorite is now dead. Could just be coincidence though; I don't know how to perform tree autopsies.

The spring we first moved here, I found a hornworm on the porch, and mistook it for a catalpa worm. Oh, so gently did I carry him over to a branch, thinking I was helping him find his true home. I want to slap my head now, remembering that piece of idiocy! It's ok though — confusion to our enemies, and all that.
I wondered if people actually ever lit up the pods, which don't seem very smokable to me. No firm evidence, but I thought it was hilarious that the search turned up an article by my blog friend Ron as the top item. Small world!

Travels in a Donkey Trap

I'm reading the sweetest little book called Travels in a Donkey Trap by Daisy Baker. At seventy-something years of age, she gets a donkey and cart to travel down to the sea and the nearby village. She lived in England at the early part of the twentieth century.
She would usually find herself daydreaming as 'Darkie' clopped along the path. Here's a small nugget where she talks about one of their outings: "When I am thinking over all this in the donkey cart along a quiet lane I may suddenly "wake up" and find that Darkie has stopped. Not to eat, not even to rest, for there is no reason to do so when we are not on a hill."
"Like me she seems to be just dreaming, her tall ears at slightly different angles, her large eyes looking at nothing, her body in repose between the shafts. A daydreaming donkey, and in the middle of a journey, too. But who am I to chide her? There are indeed a pair of us, drowsing in warm air, motionless, enclosed for the time being within ourselves, looking, no doubt, like last-century travellers carved on the road."
"I flick the reins with a gentle word for her, and as we move on again, I think what a pity it is that I cannot impart my thoughts to her, nor she to me. For I would love to know what she dreams about."
Isn't that sweet? I'd love to ride with her in the donkey cart down an English country lane with hedgerows on either side. I bet there'd be a hedgehog or two to see!
Note: I know this photo isn't a donkey, but it's the closest thing I could find. I don't know any donkeys!

First Backcountry Ski

On Sunday, Dan and I headed down to Mount Rainier with the goal of skiing the Pinnacle/Castle saddle area. I took a look at the initial slope and didn't like the thought of coming down it. So we drove up to Paradise and started skinning up to the Muir Snowfield. The snow was pretty scoured above Panorama Point, so we stopped there to go downhill. The snow was thick sticky mush. We decided to not do laps and to hit the Copper Creek for some burgers and shakes. At least the weather was nice.
Dan taking a rest from skinning. Note all the tracks.
The Tatoosh and Adams.
Dan boarding in the crud.
Me, pretending to ski. (photo by Dan Engel)

Pancake Bay Dreamscape

This was taken shortly after sunset today, just after the vibrant colors of sunset began to fade. This sunset easily ranks (in my book) as the most spectacular sunset so far this winter. The colors and clouds were incredible, a wonder to behold. As a photographer I am always desiring clouds like those in this image, that fan out from where the sun dipped below the horizon. Clouds like this don't seem to happen very often, but when they do it's a magical sight.

Spring has Sprung - I Think...

Woke up this morning for near record cold over night. Not surprised since it was Full Moon. Frost on the windshield and 28 degrees as I headed to town for coffee and computer work. When the sun came up, the temperature started rising. About 40 when I drove home 9am.

Forecast was for high in the mid 60s, so I rested and kitted up for a bike ride. The winds was starting to pick up and the temperature was a 62 sunny degrees when I got to the Wabash Trace Trailhead. Was thinking of riding the Trace down South (with the wind) but I had not yet purchased my annual pass for the Trace.

Brought the hybrid for a pavement ride. Wanted to check out the GoPro camera, but had a problem. The mount was ending up aiming the camera side-wise. Left a piece at hope that changes the orientation.

Rode over to the Indian Creek Bridge and back. Had not been on the bike for almost 4 weeks, so the 9 mile ride was enough. Winds was blowing 12-15 from the South, so enjoyed the ride with the wind back to the car. At the car, there was a couple just loading their bikes. I inquired on where they rode and the trail condition. Seems that the trail surface is pretty solid except for mud in the tunnel.

Finally hit the 100 mile mark for the year. Way too late start of the riding season!

While in town, ran some errands. Late lunch at Freddie's. Sam's Club, Best Buy (verify I had parts needed for mounting my GoPro), and Xtreme Wheels.By the time I was driving home (had to stop in Treynir at Pickle Barrel for bags of popcorn) the thermometer in the car was ready 67!

Weather forecast is for bike riding weather. Lows in the 40s and highs up to 70s and near 80. Sunday is Lake Manawa Clean-up Day. See if I will attend that or ride my bike. The walking the trails could be rough in my knee.

Driving my bike

"Mastering Mountain Bike Skills" talks about becoming one with your bike. Now I have not "mastered" mountain bike skills, but I can feel that I am beginning to "driving" my bike rather than being a passenger.
Let me say it this way -- I was feeling that a ride was my bike and the trail, me taking a ride. Now I am feeling more that it is me and the trail - the bike is just a conveyance. I hope this makes sense!
I feel that riding/driving is becoming easier - in that not taking so much concentration - more intuitive. Now I navigate the trail without looking at each and every root, stone, turn. I look up the trail and drive the bike.
As I am getting better at riding the trails, maybe I can concentrate learning how to negotiate logs, rocks, bridges, etc.
OK, enough philosophy.
The photo is on Fast Track - my favorite trail at Manawa. I like the way the vines hang over the trail -- looks what I would imagine as Fodor's Middle Earth forest.
Made a 23+ mile ride Wednesday. With being off the bike so much the last 2 weeks, I was starting to hurt at about 18 miles. Slowed down the pace and finished the ride as a recovery ride.
Thursday I was debating Taco Ride or TNR. Once I heard that Rusty wanted to ride at Swanson before he moves, I decided to do the THR and take some photos for the T.H.O.R. web site. Legs were a little sore/tired so only ride about 4 miles.
Friday Evening Xtreme Wheel ride - short ride as it was getting dark while finishing 1 lap.
Beautiful weather today. Had a great ride at Manawa. This ride caused me to talk about driving my bike.

Goodbye Fat Jeans. Hello Skinny!

This post isn't exactly about cycling, but cycling plays such an important role in the subject.

Two and one-half years ago I started commuting to work by bicycle to save money and to attempt to get into shape. I enjoyed bike commuting, but also began incorporating cycling into my daily life. I learned to ride my bike, not only to work, but for grocery shopping, errands, and for fun. I made many cycling friends and have since been on many long rides, as many as 120 miles in a day. I've since moved closer to town and in addition to cycling to work, I can easily walk to work, the grocery store, movies, bars, restaurants, etc. Basically, I've tried to simplify and orient my lifestyle around active transportation.

When I started cycling to work, I weighed about 213 pounds. I was able to get down to 188 within a year by cycling alone. Then this summer, I decided to shift fitness into high gear by joining Weight Watchers.

After five months, I am now down to 165 pounds. As an aside, I weighed 250 pounds about 10 years ago, and lost a lot of that by switching to a vegan diet.

Between cycling and sensible eating using the Weight Watcher system, I have lost almost 50 pounds.

If I count back to 2001, when I was at my heaviest, I have lost a total of 85 pounds, most of it lost by diet.

So now that I'm at a weight I like (perhaps even lighter than I was when I graduated high school), my plan now is to perform regular workouts to get into a better form and shape, both for cycling and general fitness. So far, my sessions with a personal trainer are proving to be both fun, and productive. I've lost another inch around my waist, and gained a little around my chest and arms.

If you've made it this far into my seemingly self-gratifying post, please note that this isn't about bragging. Simply, I want to pass along to anyone reading this that weight loss is, indeed, possible, and within reach. As a lifelong pudgy guy, I always thought the natural order of things was to get fatter and fatter as I aged. Between my diet and exercise, I'm finding that it's not only possible to lose and keep off weight, but once the proper mind frame and motivation is found, it's not as hard and I imagined.



Many pairs of fat jeans are going to Goodwill.I much prefer the new skinny ones.

Weight Watchers tool help me track my progress.

I'd be remiss if I didn't shout out to my brother, Jason, who, over the past year, has lost 118 pounds through cycling. He really put the fire under me and inspired me to get more serious with my weight loss plans. Thanks, bro.

Illston circular - Kings Norton, Little Stretton, Burton Overy, Carlton Curlieu

Led by me, with Gordon, Barry and Maureen, Cloudy at start, then v hot. Dry underfoot. Eight and three quarter miles.


Mostly the same as two recent walks done on Thursday 18 July, and Thursday 11 July, but this time anticlockwise, and with a short extra loop.

We take the right hand path after the small field in Illston, hugging the hedge, then through the wheat and behind Illston Grange, over the pasture, with a small stand of trees on our right and the house on our left. When we leave the field at the crossroads, we turn right and walk a short distance along the road before taking the byway to Kings Norton.



The views of the church from this path are magnificent, and Gaulby Church is visible as well. The byway goes in a straight line to the road, and then uphill to the church and the village.



At the road junction we ignore the road to the right and carry straight on. The footpath goes to the left past a farm, and through the farmyard. We follow the way marks over a couple of fields and across a bridge through the hedge to a road, where we turn left, and just after the junction to Little Stretton, we pick up the path at a farm gate, near some large agricultural buildings.



There are a fair number of butterflies on the wing, and around the thistles.

Hmm - just closed its wings!

Over a few more fields, and the odd stile, and we arrive at Little Stretton. As last Thursday, the church porch is a pleasantly cool place to sit for a while.



We follow the path, past the old Manor House and the pond, along the avenue of trees to the road. We turn right and find our path just after the junction towards Stoughton. We turn left and walk along the edge of a field of wheat. At the far end a quick read of the map sets us on the right route and we follow the path past The Cottage, across the road and over pastures towards Burton Overy. The pub appears to be closed today.



I offer two alternative routes - one of about 2 miles, one of 3. Barry says decisively, "Oh, I think the longer one!" Suits the rest of us, so we walk uphill from the village on the Carlton Curlieu road. When the road turns to the left we continue through a farmyard and fields directly to Carlton Curlieu - we can see the church on the hill ahead.



This village has a tempting bench so we take another rest - Maureen and I almost have a nap. But we must onwards. From the Illston Road theres a bridleway to the left, which swings right between two hedges as far as Carlton Curlieu Manor.

Gordon strides ahead

Here's Maureen, with Barry as lanterne rouge.

Ha! caught this one just before it closed its wings!

Across the road the path takes us below the Manor, beside the hedge, then uphill and through a large wheat field. We reach Illston before too long - quite pleased to get away from the heat.