More New photos

Quail walking on ice.



Sparrows



Flowers in the house.










Lee getting wood.



Tuffee & Ziva playing with their favorite toy, a plastic milk jug.
Winterized Cottonwood tree.





Lee & Ziva



Barbi & Ziva (sorry we were in work clothes)

Jonas Joslin :: 1840 Ohio Census

Several years ago I found Jonas Joslin in the 1840 census in Delaware County, Ohio - by viewing the microfilm and looking through all of the pages for Liberty Township. Luckily there are only a few pages for Liberty Township.

A recent search of the online index at ancestry.com for the 1840 Ohio census for "Josl*" turned up eight results. Jonas Joslin was not among them and there was no "Joslin" family listed in Delaware County, Ohio.

Jonas Joslin is indexed as 'Jonas Joflin' in the ancestry index. I finally found him in the index by searching for first name of Jonas and last name blank in Delaware County, Ohio. A correction has been submitted to ancestry to aid others in finding him.


Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio - Page ?? I have "30" written in my notes, probably from the microfilm. The ancestry image has "0100" stamped along the right side. There is "186" written in the upper right corner but it is crossed through. It is Image 3 of 6 for Liberty Township.

In the 1850 census, Jonas Sr. is listed as head of the household with Jonas Jr. and his family in residence. Based on that, I've made the assumption that in 1840, Jonas Sr. was the head of household and Jonas Jr. and his family resided with him. But I could be wrong ;-) Ruth, the wife of Jonas Sr. had passed away on August 27, 1830.

The probable household of Jonas Joslin in 1840:

• 1 male under 5 [1836-1840... William, son of Jonas Jr., born 1836]
• 1 male 10-14 [1826-1830... John, son of Jonas Jr., born 1828]
• 1 male 30-39 [1801-1810... Jonas Jr. born 1807]
• 1 male 60-69 [1771-1780... Jonas, Sr. born 1769]
• 3 females 5-9 [1831-1835... 3 daughters of Jonas Jr., Lucretia, Nancy and Jane]
• 2 females 30-39 [1801-1810... Fanny, daughter of Jonas Sr., born 1810, and Lucy, wife of Jonas Jr., born 1807]

This one's for footnoteMaven...

The footnoteMaven has posted a very special edition of Friday From the Collectors. If you read closely, a heretofore well guarded secret is revealed. . .

In honor of her post I did a quick look through my scanned photos and found these "candid" pictures of several women in my family who wear glasses and who had their picture taken with them on.


My great-grandmother, Susie Yarian Phend, holding two of her grandchildren, Phyllis Phend and Josephine Phend (they are first cousins).


My grandfather (Rolland Victor Phend), his grandmother (Lovina Berlin Yarian) holding his daughter (Phyllis), and his mother (Susie Lula Yarian Phend). About 1923. Grandpa had glasses too but they were not always worn by him, as evidenced in the picture below.


Phyllis Phend, about 1924. Handwritten below the picture was "Dady's Specks"

Cycling with a Backpack

After not having owned a backpack for nearly a decade, I recently bought one - mainly for nature walks, which I hope to do more of. The backpack is on the small side, lightweight, with lightly padded adjustable straps. I do not know much about backpacks, but this one is very comfortable for walking and it is waterproof.




Of course having gotten the bag, I was immediately tempted to wear it on bikes that have no provisions for carrying loads. It was fun at first, but now that the novelty has worn off here are some notes:




. I can feel the weight on my back. When I move around on the bike the weight inside the bag shifts and affects my balance.




. The straps rest a little too heavily on my shoulders and their width constrains movement. (Interestingly, I have tried a few cycling-specific backpacks in the store and their straps are even wider - I can hardly move my arms.)




.On an upright bike, it feels as if the weight of the bag pulls me backward a bit.




. On a roadbike, despite being small the bag obscures my vision as I check behind me for cars.




. Each time I have worn the backpack on a bike, my back was drenched in sweat afterward.




. These things notwithstanding,having tried riding with messenger-style bags when I first began cycling, I definitely prefer the backpack. It feels more secure and stable. I've never been able to get a messenger bag to really stay put on my back, even when it's a bicycle-specific design.




In a pinch having a backpack is great, because it makes it possible to carry a load on any bicycle without requiring the presence of racks, baskets or panniers. But if given a choice, I would rather attach things to the bike itself.




On a separate note, I wonder whether there have been attempts to make a backpack for road cyclists to run errands on their way home from a ride. It would fold up tiny, fitting into a jersey pocket like a musette bag but expanding into a large rucksack. It could then be filled with groceries on the way home and would be fine to wear for just the last mile or so. I sometimes wish I could stop by the store on my way home from a ride, without having to switch to my transport bike first. Of course, there is also the issue if locking up the bike...




What has been your experience cycling with a backpack?

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Today was the last day of the balloon fiesta this year. I didn't get to see any balloons up close except for the one in the following post. These photos were taken about 8am.























































Darth Vader in the center















Wells Fargo Stagecoach

















And they were gone.

La Sportiva Nepal Cube?

Nepal is one of the very best all around boots from La Spotiva. And it just keeps getting better.



This is a quick look the newest CUBE version. Carbon honey comb mid sole like the Batura 2.0 and a new toe cap as well. The Batura 2.0 was a total revamp of the Batura. I'd expect the same make over with the Nepal. More than first meets the eye generally from La Sportiva. Available Fall of .








More here: http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//06/la-sportiva-back-at-ya.html

Mont Bell Mirage

The conversationstarted like this:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//02/jer-first-bit-of-our-kit-is-on-way.html








And ended like this at 7am @ 10K feet on Rainier. Jerry crashed out and sound asleep at Muir just aftersunrise and aquick 2 hr ski to get there. Some amazing corn skiing to follow gettingback to the Nisqually Bridge.


I suspect I am not the only one to stand in the early morning cold, sweaty and chilled wishing I had the warmth of a nice thick down parka to swallow me up and comfort me while I brewed a warm drink or waited for the first rays of sunlight to heat up the surface of your skin if not the air.



I've used a down parka so seldom in my own climbing career that they are seemingly trivial. Unless of course you really need/want one. And you are cold.



Jerry's relative comfort just made me really jealous on that trip where I didn't think I would need a Mirage. Dumb mistake on my part. Something I won't easily repeat in the future. 15oz of warmth is just too easy to carry when it will pack this small. 900 fill down and a silk weight material on the jacket's body will allow that.



For those that follow such things Cold Thistle started with a search for the "best" cold weather parka as it applied to my own us. If I looked I suspect I could actually tell you how many of the "best" parks I have bought or been given over the past 3 years. I still have 3of them in my closet now.



The Mont Bell is one of them and the jacket I now usethe most.







It is an easy decision when you take a close look at this jacket. It is fully box baffled for one.



My size Large weights in at14.7 oz or 420g on my postal scale.



3.5" of loft made up of 900 fill down loft at the shoulder.









When stuffed this jacket doesn't even fill my lower compartment of the 9oz CAMP Race pack. The Mont Bell Mirage jacket off myback at sunrise and into the pack justbefore leaving Paradise on a cold Spring morning.








The 9oz. 20l ski pack?



The perfect pack for a quick ascent of Rainier on skis. The Mont Bell Mirage is the perfect compliment at the less than a pound of "survival gear" in the pack's lower compartment.



http://www.camp-usa.com/products/packs/rapid-260-1893.asp









Any time I am"alone" on Rainier I like having a little extra security. The Mont Bell Mirage offers that for so little extra energy. Bigger, colder mountains? Even more so.




The Mirage's pockets are perfect for me. Two hand warmers and twobig internal chest pockets. Just enough for my needs. Thehood is simply an awesome design. It is big and puffy. Makes a great high collar as well when a hood is too much. Easy to adjust and a Velcro tab in back to make bigger or smaller depending on what you require at that moment. Cuffs are closed via a Velcro tab. Simple and effective.



















There has to be a down side right? Of course not that I care about any of them or totally agreed with the detractors.



Mont Bell sez:




FEATURES

• 900 fill power goose down
  
• 7-denier Ballistic Airlight rip-stop nylon shell & lining
  
• Standard DWR treatment
  
• Box construction eliminates cold spots, while encouraging maximum down loft
  
• 2-way adjustable fixed hood
  
• 2 zippered hand warmer pockets
  
• Draw cords for waist adjustment hidden in pockets
  
• 2 internal drop-in pockets
  
• Adjustable alpine cuff

TECH
SPECS

• [Center Back Length] 29.3 in. (Size M)
  
• [Weight] 12.8 oz. (Size M)
  
• [Fill Weight] 5.3 oz.
  
• [Compressed] φ5.3’’ x 9.5’’ (stuff sack included)
  
• Size: XS/ S/ M/ L/ XL/ XXL
  
• Color: rust/black

(I'd love this one is a full on BRIGHT red!)



They also say the 7-denier cloth makes this insulation piecea "mid layer".... or as they say "An excellent piece when you’re in need of warmth from every gram of your
mid-layer."



My buddy Jerry thinks using the Mirage as a mid layer is agood idea and didn't think the Mirage warm enough for a full on Bozeman winter. And just think my plan was to take it to theCassin! The 7 denier shell cloth doesn't repel wind like a heavier cloth but for my own use it is durable enough as a outer layer. And a good enough wind layer. So I sized accordingly.

Jerry is also the guy pictured here, sound asleep in his Mirage on top of his skis at Muir on an early spring morning. So go figure! He surely isn't using the Mirageas a mid layer there. And seems satisfied with the performance.



I didn't get to Alaska a this Spring. And may not again. But I do have some really nice down jackets in my closet right now. None being used in the mountains but the Mont Bell Mirage. Some even lighter or close enough to the Mirage but none warmer for the weight. There have beena few stand out products for my own use in the last couple ofyears. TLT5 and Rebel Utra forboots come to mind. Fat, rockered ski and full on race tech bindings are good examples. The Nomic ice tool,Neoshell and Polartec Power ShieldPro garments a few others. The Mont Bell Mirage is one of those pieces. Gear that has set a new standard in performance formy own use. That kind of gear is hard to find and difficult to replace. I'd love to see this jacket with a water proof, breathable outer shell with a little more wind resistance even if it added a few ounces to the over all package. And if they are going to that effort I'd add another 3 oz of that amazing 900 fill down to a size large. Make this one a 20 oz, over stuffed, water proofjacket and you would better anything else on the market. Till that happens I am all in (and very comfy) with theMirage. Not may "heavy" down jackets that you can add to a super lwt ski mountaineering rig and still think you are still "feather weight". The Mont Bell Mirage fits that bill soeasily it is almost a no brainier.Rather amazing really.







If I make it back to Alaska this is the jacket I will be using for any quick ascent. Till then it will keep going into my skimo race pack. And on when I want a little early morning comfort and a hot drink.



More here fromCold Thistle on Mont Bell:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//02/the-mont-bell-permafrost-down-jacket.html



and a outdoorgearlab.com review here:



http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Down-Jacket-Reviews/MontBell-Mirage-Parka

Researching Mount Rainier's Glaciers

Everyday, climbers inquire about thinly covered crevasses, glacier conditions, or that “bergschrund” on top of the Emmons. And we’re here to share what we know about the Emmons, Kautz, Tahoma and other major glaciers on Mount Rainier. But we also wanted to let you know that the NPS is actively monitoring these glaciers in an effort to better understand how the climate is affecting them and how these glaciers are affecting the mountain and the surrounding areas. This is important stuff when you consider that Mount Rainier’s glaciers are a primary water source for many Washingtonians, while at the same time a potential geological threat to communities in the floodplains downstream.

Basic Science Recap: Glaciers are permanent sheets of flowing ice that erode mountain slopes, carve valleys, and affect the geography of the park. Rainier’s glaciers have an “accumulation zone” (where more snow gathers than melts) and an “ablation zone” (where more snow melts than accumulates). The most recent detailed measurements (1913 to 1994) on Mount Rainier indicate that the combined glacial area has receded by a 1/5th, and that the total volume of glacier mass has decreased by 25%.

The Nisqually and Emmons are part of a long-term monitoring program making them the most scientifically prodded glaciers in the park. The current study is a cooperative venture between Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks and includes field measurements of snow depth, snow density, and snow/ice melt. It includes an annual series of terrestrial, aerial and satellite images. To better understand what's going on, researchers place “ablation sticks” (PVC poles) at various elevations and locations on the Emmons, Ingraham and Nisqually Glaciers. In the spring, researchers us a steam drill to sink these stakes into the winter snowpack until they reach the glacier ice. Then throughout the season, researchers measure the snow accumulation and more importantly, the rate of snow melt. This allows them to calculate the net balance of the overall snow and icepack. The graph below shows the results gathered since 2003. As you can see, the overall mass balance of the ice is decreasing.

So why are we sharing this geeky science information? Well, we like it, but also because climbers have been noting the PVC poles buried on the glacier and have asked, “What’s the plastic pipe all about?” Those PVC poles are the measuring sticks. If you keep your eyes peeled on your next summit attempt, you may note one or two of them on the Muir Snowfield, Nisqually, Emmons, or Ingraham Glaciers. If you do see them, please do not disturb or remove them.

For more information on the glacier monitoring being conducted by North Cascades National Park, check their website. And if you’re interested in the historical Mount Rainier glacier studies referenced above, check out the “Glacier and Glacier Changes” homepage on the Mount Rainier website.

Photo contributed and graph by North Cascades researcher Jeanne Wenger.