I'm “Home” for the Holidays...

Greetings from Louisiana! I've made it safely to my destination and will be here through Christmas and New Years. It's not “Home” as in Indiana, but it is “Home” in the sense that my friends welcome me as family (we are, after all, distantly related). Mother Nature has not been very cooperative with the weather since I left Utah so it is quite nice to be “settled” in and out of the elements for a few weeks. I can't thank them enough for allowing me to be a part of their family!



To all of my friends and family scattered around the country, and all of the readers of Kinexxions, I offer you my heartfelt wishes for a Merry Christmas.

The Cyclist's Dwelling

When I talk to cyclists who have recently moved or are looking to move house, most admit that bikes influence the location and layout criteria for their new place. Usually this admission is made sheepishly, with some embarrassment that cycling plays such a prominent role in their lives. Me, I don't bother to be embarrassed anymore. Cycling is not the most important thing in my life, but it is up there. It is also more intertwined with the other important things now than it was before. And it is crucial to my sanity. It follows that any place I live must be bicycling friendly.




As far as location, this can mean different things for different types of cyclists. For some it means being in the middle of a city with good bicycle infrastructure. For others it means being close to good roadcycling - hilly country roads, or networks of dirt roads, or mountain bike trails. For others still the ideal cycling location is climate dependent. And for others, it's dependent on proximity to clubs, races, randonneuring groups, "cycle chic" get-togethers, or other types of cycling-specific communities. Of all these things, for me it is easy access to good back roads and dirt roads that is on top of the list. While I love a city with good infrastructure and loved living in Vienna for that reason, I know that I can also function without it with fairly little stress. And while I appreciate a close-knit cycling community, at heart I am a loner and do just as well on my own. But when it comes to access to open roads, it's more than a matter of liking it or appreciating it, it is a matter of needing it. Living on the edge of town in Boston (rather than deeper in the city) is wonderful, because it allows for easy escape from the congested urban tangle. And living in rural Northern Ireland is a dream, because a network of country roads starts straight out the front door. I would not do well living in an area without easy access to good roadcycling.




As far as the layout of a house or apartment, I am pretty easy: I like a ground floor entrance for dragging my bike out the door. While I joke about having a farm with a bike shed, in reality I am quite content to cram my bikes into a small apartment space. But I do want to be able to roll my bikes out the door with the minimum amount of stairs and narrow hallways. As it is, I am covered in bruises from the narrow hallways in my current place - never failing to hit myself on the shin with a pedal or on the thigh with a brake lever whilst getting my bike out the door.




For someone who loves bicycles, I am unusually indifferent to "bicycle art" - cycling themed photos, paintings, sculptures, housewares and such. But I do tend to have bike parts and tools lying around in a way that they become integrated into the very fabric of the house. After two weeks in my current place, my roadbike looks wonderfully at home leaning against the book case. And the random bike parts scattered throughout look natural mixed with the household objects and appliances. It's funny, because I only have one bike in the house right now (okay, and one more out on the porch), but somehow the place still has that "bikes live here and they are important" feel to it.




Grabbing Desdemona, I roll her out the door, and - cursing affectionately as I bang my ankle lightly on the derailleur - I pedal away and head for the hills, thankful for the quiet, cloudy Sunday morning, for the emerald green sea, and for the warm tiny place that awaits me and my bike upon our return.

Come on, Show us What Tickles Your Funny Bone!

The deadline for submitting your "funny photos" to Smile for the Camera :: A Carnival of Images is quickly approaching. It's just a week away - midnight (PT) October 10, ... This edition will be hosted right here at kinexxions!


The word prompt for the 6th edition is Funny Bone. Show us that picture that never fails to bring a smile to your face! An amusing incident, a funny face, an unusual situation. Share! Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that tickles your Funny Bone and submit it to the carnival.Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Deadline for submission is midnight (PT) October 10, ...

There are two options for submitting your contribution:

1. Send an email to me, Becky Wiseman. Include the title and permalink URL of the post you are submitting, and the name of your blog. Put 'Smile For The Camera' clearly in the title of your email!
2. Use the handy submission form provided by Blog Carnival.

In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, take a look at these past editions, hosted by footnoteMaven at Shades of the Departed:

• 1st Edition :: Mother Love
• 2nd Edition :: Belles & Beaus
• 3rd Edition :: Celebrate Home
• 4th Edition :: My Favorite Photograph
• 5th Edition :: Crowning Glory

The Estate of Jacob Switzer :: Sale Bill

There were three men (actually four, another has been found) with the name of Jacob Switzer who resided in Columbiana County, Ohio during the 1805-1860 time period. This estate file is for the Jacob Switzer who is my 4th great-grandfather and who married first Catherine Brinker (in 1811, the mother of his children) and second Leathy Bricker (in 1853). Jacob died on November 2, 1859.



The Sale Bill was filed December 10th 1859. Estate of Jacob Switzer. Probate Packet 4962. Columbiana County, Ohio



Text within square brackets [ ] has been added to indicate words that were difficult to read. I did not add up the dollar values that I transcribed to determine if they added up to the total amount of the sale!



=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

A bill of the property sold by Daniel Deemer administrator of the estate of Jacob Switzer, deceased as per [illegible word] vendue Nov 29 1859.

Names of articles 11 one horse wagon 1 Two year old Heiffer 1 Red Cow 1 Red Cow Whiteface 1 Spotted Cow 1 Black faced Cow 1 Red Yearling Heiffer 1 Horse (Fore) Lot Medicine [?] & Pottery Gun Powder horn & Pouch 1 Sleigh 1 Sled 3 Cow Chain 2 Cow Chain 1 Set Buggy Harness 1 Halter Saddle & Bridle 1 Wheel barrow 1 Plough 1 Shovel [illegible word] [???] w two Chain [???] 1 Saythe 3 Forks 1 Grain Shovel 1 Hog 1 Hog (Sow) 2 Small Pigs 1 & 2 [?] choice 1 Small Pig 3 choice 1 Small Pig 4 choice 5 Ton Hay 2 Ton Hay	Names of Purchaser Taken by widow at appraisement Taken by widow at appraisement John Mitchell David Bricker Mathias Fisher Soloman H. Sitler Taken by widow at appraisement Taken by widow at appraisement A B Arter John Deemer Adam Simon [?] Taken by widow at appraisement J J Brinker Taken by widow at appraisement Taken by widow at appraisement [???] Axel Phillip Simon Taken by widow at appraisement Levi Hanna Jacob Keck Levi Hanna Levi Hanna Taken by widow at appraisement A B Arter John Deemer Phillip Bricker Taken by widow at appraisement John Harter John Harter Taken by widow at appraisement Taken by widow at appraisement	$ cts13.0011.0018.0014.2511.0014.378.0065.001.801.005.62.901.30.503.00.504.87.501.00.50.08.28.50.8010.8011.454.003.253.4030.0012.00

First Page of Sale Bill filed December 10th 1859.Estate of Jacob Switzer. Probate Packet 4962Columbiana County, Ohio

Names of articles 1 Ton Hay 1 Ton Hay 1 Ton Hay 1 [???] Buggy 1 Wind Mill Lot old Oat Lot Oats in Straw 30 Bushels Corn 38 Bushels Corn 4 Cider Barrels 1 Log chain 1 clock 1 Bureau 1 Buffalo Robe 1 [have no clue] Lot Corn Fodder 2/57 acres wheat in ground 1 - 2 Inch auger 1 - 1 ½ Inch auger 1 – 1 Inch auger 1 - ¾ & ½ Inch auger 2 Chisels 1 Draw Knife Hammer [???????] 1 Strip Sleigh Bells 1 Horse Fly Net 1 Set old Harness 1 Par Driving lines 1 Axe 2 Bags -	Names of Purchaser Simon Miller Levi Hanna J. B. Everton [?] Taken by Widow at appraisement Levi Hanna Taken by Widow at appraisement Taken by Widow at appraisement Taken by Widow at appraisement David Bricker Simon Arter Andrew Bricker Henry Aldridge Leathy Switzer P. Buhecker W. E. McLaughlin Taken by Widow at appraisement Taken by Widow at appraisement Jona Worman Simon Miller Simon Miller John Walker P. Buhecker A. R. Kelly P. Buhecker Levi Hanna Levi Hanna Levi Hanna Levi Hanna Taken by Widow at appraisement Taken by Widow at appraisement [Total amount of Sale]	$ cts8.508.508.50210.003.005.00212.005.005.32.90.621.253.2153.2153.705.00215.00.40.46.20.34.50.40.801.5537 ½21.215.431.60.30$390.30 ½

The above Sale Bill is correct.

W. E. McLaughlin Clerk of Sale.





Second Page of Sale Bill filed December 10th 1859.Estate of Jacob Switzer. Probate Packet 4962Columbiana County, Ohio

Terminated

This is a macabre post, so avert your eyes (or check out this site) if you don't like to think about anything really, really, really cute being injured, shot or killed!

As you can see, we have "Pickles." Pickles is a Cascade Fox. And unless you're an insensitive brute, most people would consider him a very adorable little guy. The problem is, Pickles was so charming, that he attracted a lot of friends, and with those friends came problems. This week, Pickles had to be euthanized (i.e. shot) because he was seriously injured. The general feeling is that he was injured because he was fed by humans.

So the story goes, Pickles was injured (or ensnared) a few weeks ago. Since then, he's been seen pathetically limping around the park near the road between Longmire and Paradise (let me say that this was not a very pleasant sight to witness). No one is sure what it was that exactly injured him, but something did destroy his right front leg. The general thought is that it was probably a vehicle, but maybe a trap. We really don't know. What IS known is that Pickles loved human food and became habituated to humans behavior. With that habituation came problems. The NPS biologist had this to say on the matter,

"After consultation with two wildlife veterinarians, we decided that this animal did not have reasonable prospects for survival in the wild. The leg injury was severe and there was some indication that there was head injury as well. This Cascade fox was fed by people well prior to the injury (even after the injury). Fed animals like this one quickly found that hanging around the frontcountry and roads between Longmire and Paradise was really rewarding. What the feeding public does not understand is that what they do has consequences - some very serious consequences.

This was the third Cascade fox/vehicle collision recorded since 2005. All were fed animals or cubs of fed animals. Vehicle occupants and wildlife are at risk when aimals are fed. Like the old adage with bears - fed wildlife most often result in dead wildlife.

Addressing the park's wildlife feeding problem is a big task that is going to take a while. We've been working to increase awareness of the issue with park staff and visitors but have a long way to go. We're seeking help from social scientists, trying different ways of getting information to the public, and are seeking funding to help reduce the problem. Please help me get the word out.

So here's the word. Don't feed the wildlife! Or...

Leaves

Chamonix skiing?

I was first drawn to mountaineering by skiing. Some of the most fun I had early on in the mountains was skiing in the late spring or summer. Or better yet out of bounds in the local ski areas. Grand adventures as akid.



Chamonix has a long history of off piste skiing. For us amerikans that is out of bounds or off trail (here there are no "out of bounds"). But you had better take your own safety seriously skiing here.



A very experienced guide skied into a crevasse and died here the second day I was in Chamonix.That while guiding clients. I nearly lost two friends in front of my eys our first day here after they took a 1500 foot tumble in a slab avalanche. Literally a 10 minute walk from the lift. Skiing is serious sheet here....even on the "normal runs". If you want something more fun, buckle up, 'cuz it is available here and people do it every day. And people die.





10 minute walk off the lift. And the small ice slope my two buddies were wondering up during a bit of wind.



Same place 3 weeks later taken from farther down slope.





Our chasened heros looking for loss gear above their run out point. The 4' crown and slab above them on the left.The 1500' run out and where they were buried.Cost? 3 new Nomics, a sprained thumb and a crampon point in the calf.Lesson? Priceless.



And the signs we ducked under for our little hike that day.Mind you these are posted where you put your skis on after walking down the stairs from the lift station ;)



















I admit to having become bored and jaded skiing in the NW. I finally stopped skiing altogether almost 10 years ago. 3consecutive unused season passes told me it was time. That after years working in ski areas and guiding all sorts of ski trips in the winter. I never thought I'd ever stop skiiing. For this trip I knew I'd be skiing again and just thought..."well I'll get by". Might even be fun. Either way I knew it was mandatory if I wanted to get around here in winter and climb.



And I have gotten byfor the most part. The"big" or at least well known ski runs that I wanted to do while I was hereare generally all on beginner terrain. Beginner skier terrain at home as far as the skiing goes. But you had better beware of the actual terrain objective dangers or you might well be swallowed up...whole....and never seen again. No shit.



I have a buddy who snow boards these big routes (same one buried on day one) with almost no technical knowledge of glacier travel, snow conditions or avalanche danger even after years of boarding. His idea of avoiding the objective dangers here? "NEVER STOP" and that on thethe 6 to 12 mile runs here!He is still under a dozen runs on the Mer de Glace...so I am sending him a a basic avalance-glacier travel book :) Be nice if he could at least stop for lunch at the hut.



This is a little photo essay for some of the best (if not the best) lift served skiing in the world. Certainly nothing like it in NA.



The first lift we used was the Grand Montet up at the east end of the valley. Lift tops out at 3275m.

Point of vue and the run down the Tram lineare spectacular.











Yes that is the North face of Le Droites in th back ground.











Out of the Midi maze of tunnels and the entryway to the Vallee Blanche.



The run off the Aiguille Du Midi cable car and down the Vallee Blanche is even better.

Skiing and vistas incredible.









Signs to take seriously and understand what they are asking.



For some the trail down from the Midi to where most put on their skis is a whole new experience.First time I did it in fall of '78 I wanted crampons where 10 years olds were in sneakers. And I still prefer doing it in crampons.









Easy dust off of a tired skier mid way down the 12 mile long run. Which starts at 3843m btw.



The Requin Hut.....and lunch. For me at a casual pace an hr in. And about half way.









A 9 Eurolunch and likely the best deal I have found in Chamonix.

The short bit just before lunch.You need to dbl click the photos to appreciate the scale here.