Wordless Wednesday - A Hoosier Farm

Washington Township, Noble County, Indiana. August 1983. Digitized ...
Sepia Toned Infrared Photograph.
Copyright © 1983/.. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman.

Volcano weather monitoring

The weather on Mount Rainier, together with some overly vigorous maintenance efforts in the past have made keeping the weather station at Camp Muir up and running a challenge. However, the problems seem to have all been identified and hopefully we will have the systems up and running soon.



The gear in the photo to the left is used by many agencies, such as the NOAA, NWAC, and the NPS for gathering weather information. It is the highest weather telemetry site it the Northwest and takes a beating all year. You can find the raw data from this site and more mountain telemetry stations at the NWAC website.

Dreaming of Balance

Last time I was on a roadbike, I crashed into a tree with my knee. It was one of those milky winter afternoons - the trees a stark black, the ground a soiled white, and the sky a bruise lilac. And it was cold, cold, cold - each breath turning into a patch of fog in front of my face. On afternoons like this, I get a rush from the feeling of being out in the middle of nowhere, wandering through the woods on my own. I was riding the Honey cyclocross bike, its toy-like handling accentuating my high. Hopping, successfully, over a cluster of tree roots, I let out a giddy squeal. It resonated through the empty woods like a metallic ring. As if in reply, I heard the shrill sound of a bird somewhere in the distance. Marco! Polo! Ours were the only voices in the woods.



Before turning home, I ventured onto a snow-sprinkled path and began to navigate its gentle winds. And that was when it happened. I hit an icy patch and the bike slid in an unexpected direction as I tried to steer it around the bend. I ended up in the trees, my hands clutching the bike to keep it from hitting the ground and my right knee jammed into some dry mossy bark.



I experienced this event as more of an unplanned stop than a crash. It was non-traumatic, and did not feel noteworthy enough to write about at the time. I only remember it now, because I dreamt about it last night. Not the crash, but the ride leading up to it.



In my dream I was practicing leaning the bike this way and that using my hips, while moving in a zig-zag fashion along the frozen trail. The sensation of balancing as I did this was unusually, remarkably vivid - more vivid even than the beauty of the winter landscape. The dream went on and on as I felt my weight shift with each change of direction.



I woke up disoriented, wondering why I was horizontal and where the bike was. Had I managed to crash again? Then the moment came when I realised it had all been a dream, and a wave of disappointment washed over me. I wanted to be as in touch with my body's sense of balance in real life as I was in the dream.



The bruises lived on my knee for about a week after the tree's embrace, but now all trace of them is gone. It is purely incidental that I haven't ridden the bike since it happened. We've had some heavy snowfall, and then I got sick. I am still weak, but the dream made it feel imperative that I go out and try to recreate the balancing act. Perhaps spring is coming, at last.

Fun memories.....and the Vuarnet Cateye sun glass

Mugs Stump soloing on Thelay Sagar, 1986. Photoby Micheal Kennedy (courtesy of Patagonia's archives)




I had just returned from the head. There were several tables of us crowded around in the Road House that had just gotten off Denali after a big storm cycle went through. Everyone at the table had beenstuck at 17K for a few days. Mugs and I had dug out each others tents a few times as the clients stayed in doors.We were all happy,hungry and glad to be out of the mountains (at least I was anyway).



I sat back down and found my pork chopmissing along with most of my mashed potatoes. When my jaw dropped opened and my temper started to flare, Mugs and the rest of the table had a deep and well deserved laugh at my expense. Great way to finally relax a bit, get warm and drink a beer or two.



I didn't have enough money in my pocket to buy another dinner.May be an extra beer. Of course they had already ordered and paid for one of both for me. And I quickly realised how much of a dick I was being but not quickly enough. Mugs could be hilarious in a social setting. I eventually had a good laugh as well. Mug's story of the coldon the Moose's Tooth bivy was funny and frightening. He toldus his headwent numb from the cold. Ithad me rolling on the tent floor. "No? Really? Your head hu?"Or maybe it was the whisky. Likely both. Great story either way. I was never sure if he was pulling my leg. But I didn't think so. Damn, that would be really, seriously,COLD ;) Bet he is still laughing about that one! Yep, "my head went numb!" May be it was Bridwell's bivy stash that did that?



Hard for me not to remember Mugs and smile when I see a pair ofVuarnets. Maybe it was the picture above and the Patagonia's Capilinead. It is a picture that still defines alpinism for me even today. And you have to remember Michael Kennedypulled out a camera to get the shot while soloing as well!





We all went over the 'shrund together when Mugs and Paul Aubry did the Moonflower. Brad and I failed on our proposed route. Mugs was wearing Vuarnets in the bright sun that day as well.May, 1981.



Much more about Mugs here:

http://www.thecleanestline.com//02/the-dream-a-journey-of-the-spirit-with-mugs-stump.html



Anyway Vuarnets are a funmemory for me. Mugs and I would see each other on and off in Alaska every season fora few years. He introduced me to Wild Things gearand by example, harder climbingthan I had ever imagined possible.



Now that I think about it, even Doug Klewin had a pair or two of Vuarnets bitd. Doug was wearing blackframed, Cat Eye, Nuatilux lens Vuarnetson the 1st ascent of the North Buttress of Hunter! Hard to believe that tiny bit of important NA mountaineering history (trivia) might have be lost! :)






Doug Klewin racking up mid "Shaft" on the 1st ascent, N. Butt of Hunter, Todd Bilbler photo




Anyway when I was doing the sunglass review earlier two things I found very exciting. The first was my original Vuarnets had lasted 35+ years. They cost$58 at the time, which was a pot full of money for me. My Galibier Mountain glasses had only been $38 a couple of years earlier. So the Vuarnets were a big step up for me. In my mind they were my first pieceof "man jewelry". Gas was .63 centsa gallon in 1978! I havebroken three frames in those 35 years. They are easy enough to replace if you have an oven or even boiling water handy. But my lenses have no scratches and only one tiny pit on one lens from being dropped flat onto fresh pavement from about 6 feet up. They are the only piece of my originalclimbing gear I still use. More importantly one of the few pieces I still really like. They have been "everywhere" with me climbing. I had them on for my first 5.10 lead. And all but one of the walls I did in the Valley. Most every ice climb I had done in Canada up til 1990 as well. And with few limitations theyare as good as any thing available today I think. Fewwould think of a $100 pair of sunglasses as jewelry today.



The second thing I find exciting? I had looked around and saw Vuarnets selling for anywhere between $200+ and $350. Crazy money IMO for a retro pair of glasses no matter how good the lens.

Maybe not so muchcrazy money if I remember how long they have lasted.



But then I found them, where else, but on Ebay. Direct from France in all styles and lenses and at decent prices. Nothing over $150 that I actually wanted and most a few bucks less.



For some reason I kept digging around on the Internet and found a US dealer who specialises in repairing vintage Vuarnets and selling parts as well as complete sunglasses for $105 including the shipping.



On a serious note. The Vaurnet glass lens give excellent sun protection for your eyes. There are multiple lenses available to fit most every one's needs. I can attest thatall theglasslenses are really tough and durable under hard useconditions. The original nylon "cat eye" frames are robust and tough. Most importantly for me is they fold almost flat and are easily carried/stored in a pocket on longmountain trips (like Denali). Same place modern sunglasses can be bulky and hard to pack and fragile while living in the confines of a tent.



"Vuarnet lenses filter out all harmful UVZ, UVB and UVC radiation. Their multi-layered anti-reflective coatings eliminate glare and bounce-back light.




All Vuarnet lenses are made from the finest glass, ground and polished on both sides to ensure distortion free vision, and are heat tempered for impact and scratch resistance.



They meet the most stringent quality control standards and exceed all the performance criteria imposed by European, American and Australian consumer legislation.


















Skilynx Brown Silver Gradient Mineral lenses: PX4000, The Original and Legendary Vuarnet Ski Lens. Amber yellow base, brown & anti-reflective coatings.




Double gradient silver exterior filters to absorb white light glare, especially on or around snow and bright light conditions. Eliminates glare and reflection, enhances contrast and depth of field.




The essential lens for mountains activities and at sea. The Skilynx lens blocks nearly all of the violet and blue light, thus reducing glare and eye strain, while allowing more of the yellow-orange-red end of the spectrum to pass through to the eye, enhancing contrast, depth perception and sharpness of vision, making distant objects visually clearer.



This lens benefits from chemical tempering in order to make it secure. Besides the excellent adherence of surface treatments, it benefits from an outstanding longevity.



Each lens is engraved with the letter , symbol of authenticity Vuarnet."







Here are the links that I found for Vaurnet. I have recentlyordered from both companies and been happy with their service and products. Enjoy!









JMARGIFTS.....a USA based company based in Saint Paul, MN.

Repairs, spare parts, and new sunglasses they can build you to your spec/color/lens on some styles, the Cat Eye in particular. Quick service. $105.00 for a new set of Cat Eye Skilynx (Mugg's choice in the mountains) or Nautiluxincluding the shipping in the US!

http://www.jmargifts.com/index.htm



SHOPEYEWORLD....a French based company in Courbevoie, France

New glasses and spare framesin most every (all?) originalVaurnet styles. Decent prices and free shipping if there are multiple purchases at once. Hit or miss on the speed of delivery though. You'll need to be patient. Typically $150 for the same Cat Eye Skilynx here but frames and some of the other Vuarnet lens tintscan be had cheaper oron sale here occasionally.

http://stores.ebay.com/shopeyeworld





I suspect Mugs would get a laugh out of the fact Vuarnets are still around and that I'm suggesting here they are a good pair of glasses :)But I am not pulling your leg. And I'llremember to hangonto my pork chop!

Galaxy Forest

Last night Jessica and I got out to enjoy the supremely calm conditions that were prevalent across northeast Minnesota. The conditions were so calm that I have never seen stars reflecting so perfectly in the waters of Lake Superior as they were last night. We were treated to incredible views of the Milky Way Galaxy, which was our focus for the evening but we were also (as always) hoping to see some northern lights that were possible overnight. The aurora never happened but the extreme calm of the night air combined with stars that were literally jumping out of the sky at us made for an unforgettable experience. Tonight is a stark contrast to last night as we are experiencing some rainfall and wind. Every day is different! I love it :-)

Mt. Adams

Mt. Adams from the Southwest.












Carbo-loading at the Cold Springs base camp.

High camp at Lunch Counter.













Climbers on the South face.

A beautiful day on the summit.

The 2,000' glissade down to Lunch Counter.

Dani glissading.

Wipeout!

Twisted!

Twisted trillium (Trillium stamineum). The little propeller trillium! I love this one.


Trilliums are among my favorite wildflowers. At a Special Studies class on wildflowers, they told us that there are 18 types of trilliums in Alabama. They didn't name them, but I think that they are:

Trillium catesbaei (Catesby's or Bashful)
T. cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy, toadshade, wakerobin, etc.)
T. decipiens (Chattahoochee River)
T. decumbens (Trailing)
T. erectum (Red)
T. flexipes (Bent or nodding)
T. lancifolium (Lanceleaf)
T. ludovicianum (Louisiana)
T. luteum (Yellow)
T. maculatum (Spotted)
T. pusillum (Dwarf)
T. recurvatum (Bloody butcher, Recurved sepal)
T. reliquum (Relict)
T. rugelii (Nodding or ill-scented)
T. sessile (Sessile)
T. stamineum (Twisted)
T. underwoodii (Underwood's or longbract)
T. vaseyi (Vasey's)

Many of these are found in very small numbers in Alabama, and are most easily viewed at botanical gardens.

Some older books show cernuum in AL, but this was split into cernuum and rugelii, with rugelii being the southern species.

Two of these are sometimes called "nodding", an example of confusing trillium common names. (I like dealing in latin names with trilliums.)

In most of Alabama, Trillium cuneatum is the common "if you just have one, this is it" trillium.

For lots more info, visit Susan Farmer's excellent collection of Trillium links and photos.

The Trillium book by the Cases is considered the "Trillium Bible" and is full of beautiful photos.



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Edited 17 June ..:

I got a sneak peek at a draft copy of an Alabama vascular flora checklist, and it's slightly different than my list (that I derived mainly from my two Trillium books). T. erectum is not on it, but T. grandiflorum and T. sulcatum are. One of my new local wildflower friends knows a place where the grandiflorum grow (a few counties over) so I know that one is correct.