(Almost) Wordless Wednesday :: The View from the Other Side

Say Cheeeez! Taking group pictures at the Joslin Reunion on November 23, .. in Springfield, Missouri: Missy, Sue, George, Babs, Tim, Jim, and Linda.

Seach and Rescue (SAR) callouts

So the park has been open for 15 days and the problems are already starting to roll in for hikers and climbers. I've my fingers crossed that there will be NO serious accidents this summer (like last year), but the callout trend remains alarming. Over the past week, we've had 3 missions launched because of overdue parties. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

One instance involved two reportedly overdue climbers (i.e. example of what not to do) and it required park rangers to respond last Tuesday. It all started as a miscommunication between family members (i.e. parent and climber). The parents thought that the climbers would be home on Sunday night, the climbers planned for Wednesday. This discrepancy led to a 911 call late Monday night and a search that involved two helicopters (one military Chinook) and numerous NPS personnel...

The primary issue was that the two climbers did not register. If they had, there would have been no search, but since the team was reported overdue by 24 hours, something needed to be done. As it turns out, the climbers were prepared to spend the extra time and they did summit too, but one father didn't know those plans and neither did we. The moral of the story, register, OR face the US magistrate to explain why you didn't.

On the brighter side of the things, our friend and former climbing ranger Mimi Allin (goes by AKA Allin too) is getting gobs and gobs of media attention again. Being the POET of Green Lake obviously carries a fair amount of clout in Seattle. KING 5 Evening Magazine visited her recently, and if you live in Seattle, maybe you should too. Hint hint, nudge, nudge...

In other good news, the Glacier Basin Trail is looking better now that the rangers flagged it extensively. Recent rangerly type activities also included helicopter training. In these David Gottlieb images, a Chinook is inserting personnel at Camp Schurman. Every year, the pilots and rangers need to be recertified in hoist operations. Over at Camp Muir, the guide services are setting up weatherports on the Cowlitz Glacier while most climbing teams are ascending the Ingraham Glacier. Everyone is looking forward to Memorial Day weekend. Now the big question, what will the weather bring??

Pornography?

You know when you see it....











http://www.guardian.co.uk/world//may/30/everest-mountaineer-crowding-hobby-tragedy

The Sun's Last Glow Before Night Falls

September 8, .. - - Southwest MontanaExtremely hazy skies made for a strange, muted, monochromatic sunset.



A week later, somewhat clearer skies prevailed.



September 15, .. - - Southwest Montana

Vacation

Gary, Alex and I went on a vacation to visit my mother in Atlanta.
There we took a trip to the Aquarium and the Botanical Gardens.
At lot of my pictures from the gardens look like this.
(If I could have just had a keyboard on my camera to take notes.)

The best part?
It rained while I was gone!
hallelujah!

With the rain it seem like there are even more mosquitoes.
Is it possible?!?
I am determined to get rid of these things...
or at least cut down on them.
I'm going to rake up all the leaves.
Cut everything back.
What am I going to do about the rain gutters?
Maybe they are breeding up there.
I don't know what else to do.

I know there is a swimming pool across the street,
The house that no one lives in,
that must be swarming with them.
And then there is the swamp area down the street at the park.
I have a feeling there is no winning.

Labor Day Weekend and Beyond...

I swear summer just arrived in the park about a month or so ago and now it already feels like fall. Sure, it isn't fall YET, as the equinox isn't until Sept. 22, but those folks who have spent a day or two up on the mountain recently may argue that fall is in full effect. A quick check of telemetry up at Camp Muir over the past few days shows below average temperatures this week. In fact, the thermometer didn't go above 50 degrees and in addition to the cold, the wind speeds have steadily averaged 30-40 mph, with spikes reaching 63, 66 and 71. Brrr...

Average high and low temperatures for the month of August at Paradise are generally 63 and and 43 degrees respectively. These days, however, visitors on Rainier are donning fleece jackets, wool hats and even a scarf or two - one doesn’t need a thermometer to guess that the temperatures have been closer to our average lows than highs. With Labor Day Weekend ahead, let’s hope this trend doesn’t extend much longer. A look at the extended forecast provides some hope, but we'll see... Perhaps next week will be different?

Speaking of next week...The public shelter up at Camp Muir will be closed from Tuesday, September 2 thru September 9th. The closure is to complete historic renovations and repairs to the buildings. Therefore, all climbers should be prepared to camp - all parties will need to bring their own shelter. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Some pros and cons to this colder and also wetter weather:

Pros: There is new snow on the mountain, so things are looking beautiful with the fresh coat of snow. The DC is still in great shape (check out the new conditions report), unlike last year (check out our archived 2007 DC fall route reports). Remember that climbers had to veer way out onto the Emmons Shoulder and descend below the Cleaver to climb back to Ingraham Flats.

Cons: Alpine Ascent International (AAI) guides reported that it snowed over a foot on the mountain last Tuesday and Wednesday. The drifts were as high as 3 feet too! Fresh snow on the route meant that climbers will once again have to be cautious of avalanches. AAI kicked off a small slab on their descent through Cathedral Gap BUT it wasn't large enough to wipe out a person... Still, we have concern and want you to know.

So everyone, be prepared for cooler temps, rain at lower elevations and snow on the upper mountain. This shouldn't be a problem for those Pacific Northwest souls accustom to this sort of climate, but those visiting from other places (that actually still enjoy summer temps well into September) should be prepared for the wintry conditions.

Assateague Island :: The Wild Ponies

For many people, the only reason for going to Assateague Island is to see the Wild Ponies. If so, it could be a little disappointing for them, especially if they only spend a few hours on the island. A 20-minute video shown at the visitor center provides a good, if somewhat romanticized view, of the little ponies that have roamed the beaches, pine forest, and salt marsh of Assateague Island since the 1600s. There are two theories regarding the stout little ponies: one is that they arrived on Assateague's shores when a Spanish galleon ship, with a cargo of horses, sank offshore. The other is that they are remnants of the herds of early colonial settlers who grazed their horses on the Island. Apparently a Spanish ship wreck was discovered recently in the waters off Assateague which gives credence to the first theory.

Both the Maryland and Virginia sides of Assateague Island have wild ponies; each has a herd of about 160 and a fence at the state line keeps the two herds separated. They roam the island in bands of 5-10 ponies so you aren't going to see a lot of them all at once. I did see a group of 10 or so one day sauntering through the main parking lot on the beach side of the island. They were there long enough to stop traffic, then moved on down the road.

Although there are 30+ miles of beautiful white-sand beach, the part that is easily accessible to visitors is only about 5 miles long. Undoubtedly, the ponies roam the beaches too but I never saw any on the beach though they were grazing along the road on the beach side of the Island. I did see quite a few ponies on the bayside - in the marsh areas and in the campgrounds. My suspicion is that there were one or two bands of ponies that roamed those areas and I kept seeing the same horses over and over ;-)

These guys followed me around for quite awhile one day. I'd back off and they'd keep coming. Eventually they tired of the game and went off looking for better pastures.

The grass must have been pretty good alongside the marsh boardwalk. On this day there was a group of six of them. Three were on the boardwalk and the other three were off in the marsh. The ponies aren't very big. Short and stout is an apt description. In the background there is a woman standing next to two ponies, she towers over them. The tallest ones that I saw were maybe 5 feet tall.


There are signs posted stating that you are not to feed, touch, or even approach the horses. I never saw anyone feed them but did see a few people touching and petting them. I didn't go searching for the ponies. If they were in the same area where I was I'd go see them but I really didn't get too close. They are considered to be wild animals but they are definitely not afraid of humans. The ponies are left on their own, to fend for themselves. They are not cared for or treated if they become sick. The only food they get is what they find for themselves: marsh and sand dune grasses, rosehips, bayberry twigs, persimmons and even poison ivy.

1+1 doesn't always make 2 aka "Climbing Insulation"

60g Nano Puff pullover as the outer layer, mid winter, 12K feet






"Rainier this summer...then Orizaba, Kili, Aconcagua and Denali!"





That is a common hit list for the aspiring alpinist wanting to get in some altitude.

So it is just as common to answer questions about the gear required to make that dream come true.



I had to walk down tomy gear room andcount the synthetic and down jackets I own specifically to climb in. The count is split 50/50 between Primaloft One andDown in the 850 fill range.



The reason I mention the 50/50 split and not the numbers (besides embarrassing myself as a clothes hog) is to hopefullyshow I am not biased one way or the other for insulation. The only thing I care about is "will it work for my own use".



In the last few years the one item of clothing that has impressed me way beyond any other is a 60g weight Primaloft or Coreloft layer. Most easily identified as theArcteryx Atom Lt or the Patagonia Nano Puff series are 60g. But almost everyone makes one these days.



I first saw full zip and hooded prototype samples from Mtn Hardware (which eventually became the Compressorwith100g layer Primaloft and then changed again). The RAB Xenonis very close at 60g to the original prototype and one of my current lwt.favorites. And then Patagonia Nano Puff pullovers started showing up in places I never thought reasonable. Pictures of one or the other from the top of the Grand Jorasses in winter and summit of Denali early Spring for example. Not as inner layering pieces mind you but as the outer insulated shells. All 60g of that Primaloft One being used to the fullest.



I have Down sweaters that are every bit as capable...as long as you can keep them dry. Asmid weight insulation and yourouter climbinglayer Downdoesn't stand a chanceif you are working hardunless the sun is out and it is cold and dry. When the moon and stars align Down will work fine. The rest of the time given the chance, Primaloft is what I'll bet on. And more importantly if I'll be working hard and know I'll eventually need the insulation I am wearing, Primaloft is a better bet to still be working at full value when it is required.



But lets face it is you can get by with only 60gs of Primaloft it isn't very cold outside. Even mid winter at 12K feet.OR you mustbe working pretty hard!Some time back I was laughed at for saying I sweated and got my insulation wet on lead. Work hard enough on technical ground or go fast enough on easy ground and you'll sweat. How you are able to manage that moisture in your insulation is key.



Soak it out and replace it is an option for approaches. But that won't work on the actual climb generally past your gloves. So having clothingthat will dry out in use and most importantly keep you dry while movingis always going to be important if you are working hard enough.



Back to the layers? As I continued to pay attention to other climbers kit Istarted noticing a few guys using two 60g layers. That is 120g plus the 4 layers of nylon in some even colder places. 100g jackets are common enough as light weight belay jackets. How about layering a 60g jacket and a 100g jacket? The Arcteryx Atom SV and Patagonia Micro Puff are 100g jackets. The Patagonia DAS 170g.



With two lessor layers of insulation but more versatile garments youare now bettering a DAS' insulationwith the two additionallayers of nylon shell.



I find it humorousthat people still want to argue which insulation (down or synthetic) is the better one for the outdoors. For many that might be Down. But anyone who really has to rely on the insulation they climb in will generally bring a synthetic jacket and a down bag. I saw plenty of Down jackets on skiers last winter. None on the climbers in the huts or on the lifts fwiw.



Here is a more varied discussion onthe samebasic topic:

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1055771/1



Last winter I had down and synthetic jackets with me. When I skied I too used Down. It was also clear and sunny every time we skied. When I climbed I used synthetics. Much of the timeit was with several layers intentionally.



There are some good down jackets available. Some of the betterones I have seen were reviewed here. on the blog.



I have a good many choices in the closet and find myself actually using2 layers of 60g. a lot. Or a 60g layer and a 100g layer. When it is really cold I'll add two 60g layers andthe 100g pieceas thethird layer.



Remember the idea is to stay dry, to stay warm. Layers allow you to regulateyour heat output and just as important how much heat you conserve. And how mobile you are as well. Options in the mountain are always a good thing if you don't have to pay a premium for them. If you gain something..like mobility it is a win!



Layering synthetics(or even a combination of down/down or down/syntheticsfor that matter) is just another option to think about. And one way to avoid ever buying that heavy weight belay jacket that you likely will never use andjust as likely never want to carry.






Layered up for the -30 temps and a bivy

4 layers of Synthetic, top down, 60/100/60 and 60.




Two previous posts thatyou might find interesting on down/synthetics




http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//11/daniel-harros-climb-stay-dry-to-stay.html




http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//11/staying-warm-generally-means-staying.html

Sky Fire

Sunset clouds in Grand Portage, MN on August 8, .

Selle AnAtomica Titanico, New Version

Last year I posted a review of the Selle AnAtomica Titanico saddle, just as the manufacturer was revamping their product. They have since sent me the new version of this saddle to try, and I am ready to post an update.I got the saddle in black, with copper rivets. I opted for the slotted version, to make it an equal comparison to the previous saddle I owned.






I installed the new saddle on my roadbike and used it for about 450 miles over the winter. The longest single ride I've gone on over that time has been 55 miles.





For detailed information about the manufacturer, please see my original review. But to briefly recap, Selle AnAtomica is an American producer of leather saddles,known for their classic look, their "anatomic" cut-outs, their "watershed" (waterproof) leather, and the generous adjustable range of their rails. The saddles are available in a number of colours and there are separate models for heavier and lighter riders. There is also a non-cutout version available, though the cutout is said to be a crucial feature - allowing the two sides of the saddle to move independently, relieving pressure on soft tissue.





All of these features have remained the same in the newer Selle AnAtomica models, and visually they look identical to the older ones. But there are two key differences. First, the rails are now made of cromoly steel (I take it they were made of hi-ten previously), which makes the saddles lighter. Second, the standard Titanico model is now made of the heavier duty leather that was previously used on the Clydesdale model. This was no doubt in response to complaints of the saddles sagging prematurely.



The previous SAsaddle I owned did sag over the first 200 miles, but after we tightened the tension it did not seem to be sagging again - or possibly it was, but very slowly. The newer version has shown very little, if any, sagging in the 450 miles I've ridden on it so far and has not required tension adjustment.






In my review of the older model, I described the Selle Anatomica saddle as being the most comfortable saddle I've ridden, except when it wasn't. Most of the time the slotted design worked really well, with a wonderful hammocking effect. But once in a while, seemingly spontaneously, one of the sides of the cutout slot would decide to pinch my crotch and that did not feel good at all. The SA representative thought that the stiffer leather of the new model would resolve the issue, but the same thing happened this time around. Just as with the previous saddle, there was no break-in period and it felt perfect from the start, and I mean purrrrfect - no pressure on the sitbones, no pain, just pure comfort... until suddenly, in the midst of a 40 mile ride, the right side of the slot began to dig into my female tidbits in a most unwelcome manner. I'd try to adjust my position on the saddle this way and that, but to no avail. It would pinch pretty badly, until, just as suddenly as it started, the pinching would stop and the saddle would feel perfect again. To be fair, this has happened less frequently with the new saddle than with the older model, but it still happened.




I think Selle AnAtomica is onto something with their unique design, because I cannot stress how comfortable the saddles are when the mysterious slot-pinch is not happening. The waterproof feature is also quite handy - especially for someone like me who always forgets or loses saddle covers. All of that is very cool, and I am glad that they appear to have resolved the sagging issue with the new models. Maybe the slot cutout can be optimised or customised somehow, I don't know. As it stands, I cannot trust the saddle on super-long rides in case the cut-out starts pinching again. But it is also the only saddle I can trust to be comfortable out of the box, with no break-in period. Whether the version without the cut-out resolves the pinching problem without detracting from the saddle's overallcomfort would require further experimentation.

Balloons

Feels Like a Pacific Island Around Here

With all the beautiful sunny days and scorchin' temps we've been having lately, some visitors to Rainier might feel like they are actually visiting a Pacific Island rather than on a cold snowy volcano in the Pacific North Wet. It's actually kind of fitting since this month of May, is National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.



Even though our high camps are far away from warm Pacific Islands, rangers have sometimes been known to imagine themselves on a tropical beach of some sort. So bring your sunscreen, some tropical fruits, your favorite swim costume and head on up to our glacial island where you can almost see the Pacific Ocean on a clear day. We'll be waiting.



On another note the Northwest Avalanche Center has issued another special statement visitors to our mountain should read. If anyone sees anything weird going on with out snowpack we'd love to hear about it.

After A Bath

This is Stormy. He was yawning after getting the spa treatment. I gave him a good bath. He looked so shiny and cute.

Bird Baths

I decided to get really fancy to water the local birds. I gathered up some old hupcaps, put some directly on the ground and one on the cast iron legs to an old wood stove, and some on broken pots turned upside down. The birds don't care what it looks like. They seem to prefer the low to the ground. The quail really like them low and it took them a long time to get up on the ones on the broken pots. I don't want them any deeper than these hubcaps as then the baby quail drown when they go to drink. It was a sad lesson a long time ago that I don't want to repeat. Because they are so shallow I have to fill them everyday especially in the summer when the heat sucks them dry quickly. And of course in summer the dirty birds have to take more baths and splash out the water.

Wordless Wednesday :: Another Rainy Day

Mother Nature seems to be alternating between two days of gray, gloomy, rainy days then two days of beautiful blue skies and sunshine, etc., etc. You learn to take advantage of the “good” days!

More on crampons, this time from Joe Palma

Joe Palma? The early Polar Circus topo wasJoe's work. He has been around.



Ya just gotta love a guy who is well on the way to winning the gear war by attrition :)



"Dane,

I'm going to try to sit down with all myboots/crampons this weekend, fit them stock and modified and get you some photos, if you're interested. In terms of selection I believe I have:

Boots:

Salomon Super Mountain 9 Guides (uninsulated, damn...loved the fit on these, perfect, just weigh a ton)

Scarpa Freney (blue first gen)

Kayland Super Ice

LS Nepal EVO GTX

LS Batura (first gen)

LS Trango Prime

Scarpa Phantom Guides (latest gen)



Crampons:



Dartwins (sidelock)

G14s (crampomatic)

G20 (both / and / versions, additional small frontpointon the / version)

Air Tech (newmatic)

Rambo 4

Rambocomps

Old Sabretooth Pro

SS Sabretooth Pro

Finding the G20s and SS Sabretooths are the go-to choices on the Primes

and Phantom Guides

Joe"



"Hey Dane,





Attaching a few pictures from some setups. the possible permutations would take days to run through so I haven't got a complete set. My observation is that the Petzl front bale is the most likely to fit other manufacturers crampons,



BD's/Grivel's are generally too wide to swap to other frames. However, I'm not 100% happy with the fit of any combinations...was in the Daks this past weekend and was annoyed that I had a rattle in my Phantom Guide/Sabretooth combo (right boot only) that I was able to eliminate by cranking down the

tension on the heel bale. Didn't seem to impact performance at all, but I don't want to be wasting energy thinking about losing a crampon!



(my note)* I ended up bending Petzl bails to fit my Phantom Ultras with Sabertooths till I got a almost perfect fit. The Ultra and Phantom 6000 likely have the hardest toe priles to fit currently. The modified Sabersnowfit myGuides as well.*



(back to Joe)

End of the day, I'm running G20's (latest ones) and new Sabretooth crampons stock, interchangeably on both the Phantom Guides and Trango Primes. Just need to modify the length and adjust the heel level tension. Relatively happy with both setups, as long as I carefully adjust the heel bale tension.



I really would like to be able to use my Rambo 4s on either set of boots, but regardless what I do with it I can't get a bomber fit. The flat profile of the frame and rocker in my boots just don't play well together."





La Sportiva Prime with Stainless Sabertooth with a Black Diamond Bale on the lft and the Petzl bail on the right.





By all accounts the new Scarpa soles are difficult to fit. Stock Rambo IV and a Scarpa Guide. Note the gap at the toe.

toe gap.....on the Rambo/Guide combo

Rambo/Guide combo with a Petzl front bail...better but not perfect



More from Joe on 2/07/

Made an interesting discovery regarding the Rambo 4. Happened in to Mountain Equipment Co-op, here in Toronto, last week and noticed that the pair of Rambo 4s they had on display appeared to have a much more pronounce rocker to them. Dropped in again on the weekend with my Phantom Guides, Trango Primes and original Rambo 4s in to take a closer look. Sure enough the frames are different, there's a visible dfference in rocker between the pair I had (purchased late , original active anti-bots) and the new (allblack ABS antibots). Makes for a much better fit on both boots. MEC was kind enough to do a straight exchange for me, assuming that the flat frame on my pair must have been a defect. Climbed in 'em yesterday with the Trangos...man, they're fantastic for pure ice.

Nene Way 2 Nether Heyford - Sixfields and return.

With Marta. 22 July . 11.2 miles. Walking time 3 hrs 30, a total of almost 5 hrs including breaks. Weather, fine, warm, some sun.






'Organisational difficulties' meant that we had to do this walk as a there-and-back. Fortunately we worked this out after 5 and a half miles, and the walk was roughly the samedistanceas we had planned.

At Nether Heyford

The pub at the start of the walk served us coffee although they were not officially open until 12 noon. Much appreciated. We turned left from the pub car park, along Middle Street, turned right at T-junction, then right into Watery Lane, where we met the first waymarker.

The first waymarker - were the bags too heavy before we'd even started the walk?






From Watery Lane we took a signposted track between two houses. The path turns slightly left and crosses a stream (not the Nene) and several fields. There are stiles. On the left a mile or so away is Glassthorpe Hill, and according to Mia Butler, there was once a Roman villa in the valley.





We meet the mighty Nene itself as we approach the bulk of Heygate's Flour Mill (marked on the OS map as Bugbrooke Mill. Weirs remain from the original watermill. The water is very clear - we saw small fish and a froglet, as well as damselflies. There's also a walled fruit and veg garden full of rows of beans, and with a fig tree growing against the wall.















Just here was the only place we made a small unintentional detour. After crossing the service road, we followed the clearly signposted path, but didn't notice the gap in the hedge a couple of hundred yards further on - no signs here. We realised what we'd done when we came to an impassable ditch and barbed wire at the end of the field. We even walked all the way back and missed the turning. Careful consulting of the map - and, yes, there had to be some way through the hedge - it's just after the end of the taller bushes, to skirt the industrial building.


The path leads diagonally through a field storing what look like abandoned food storage containers - grain silos? - round and very big.


























Through the gate and across a wheat field towards the M1 and through a tunnel underneath.

Under the M1

This was the quietest place within a hundred yards or so, and was clearly the place where old farm machinery comes to die.





Across a meadow where cows were doing their best to eat the maize in the next field, then through the maize jungle, closely planted, neat rows, computerised sowing, taller than we are, past an area where children were playing by the river and a cat was observing from its vantage point.

Totem cat

.

The fourteenth century church at Kislingbury

Kislingbury has three pubs, a general store and a butcher's shop, as well as the church.

I like the colours here, though I should have got the writing and flowers in focus too. Need to study 'depth of field'.






The path to the footbridge is part of the flood defences, and a large metal gate can be closed off to protect the village against another two for three foot rise in the water level.





After Kislingbury we turned right from the road, and walked through several fields, quite a distance from the Nene, which was on our right. We could see a raised dyke area, and the path was clearly marked. We walked past a long wall, which has fallen down in places, although there is a door in one of the remaining sections. We arrived at Upton Hall Farm with horses and vociferous geese, then came to the new development of Upton Sustainable Urban Extension. It still looks rather new, but when the trees have grown and the water/ drainage areas have settled in it promises to be an attractive area.

Part of Upton Sustainable Housing Development

The signs for the Nene Way were a little sparse through the new houses, but we found our way through to where the path crosses the dual carriageway of the old A45 at traffic lights

and were ready to take the Duston Mill Lane when we decided we had to turn back.

Geese getting ornery

Wildlife - kestrels and a couple of herons.

For details click here

Power: Nature turned Generator

The rain seems to have stopped and now you can hear the Longmire generators (6-10 am and 4-8 pm that is). It's going to take some time to put things back in order, but it seems as though the main brunt of the storm and its damage have subsided.

Sunshine Point Campground near the Nisqually Entrance was disappointed with the weather trend and left Mt. Rainier National Park for sunnier locations. The problem is that it took the main road with it. I couldn't get a visual though because the road near Kautz Creek was under 3 feet of silty debris and water. The creek must have diverted upstream and chosen a new channel. See photo above.

If you're familiar with the park, you'll notice a number of "new viewing areas" along the Nisqually to Paradise corridor next time you visit. The Nisqually River ran bank to bank and in doing so, took a massive amount of debris with it. Large trees fell, as new embankments were chiseled.

Here is another image of the westside road. See it? Neither do I. Well, 8 pm is approaching...

Cycling and Hairstyles: Long vs Short

This morning I received an email from a reader asking whether I prefer long or short hair for cycling. Short answer: Long!




Last summer I chopped my hair for the first time in nearly two decades. While I didn't do it for the sake of cycling, I did expect short hair to be easier to manage for someone who rides a lot compared to my previously unruly mane. Surely it would feel lighter, be less prone to getting disheveled and sweaty, be easier to comb. Lots of active women have short hair, so this logic made sense.




But oh how wrong I was.You know how sometimes you have a bad hair day? I feel like I've had a bad hair year.While I like the look of my bob and it was nice to have a change, as far as cycling it's been annoying and fussy. Not long enough to fit into a pony tail, it is long enough to fly into my eyes when I ride unless I use lots of pins. This includes the times I am roadcycling and wearing a helmet - loose strands won't stay under the helmet, but fly in my face unless I remember to pin them down. Post-ride maintenance is harder as well. When my hair was long and it got disheveled or tangled after a ride, I could simply put it up in a "messy bun" and it would look decent enough. With short hair there is no way to hide the mess; looking presentable after a sweaty or windy ride is a challenge.




So while it may seem counter-intuitive, my experience as a cyclist has been that long hair is easier to deal with: With or without a helmet, I can just tie it back or braid it and forget about it. Now that mine fits into a pony tail again, I am ecstatic and feel like I need to write a note to myself with a reminder to never cut it again. I could see how a buzz-cut or pixie cut would be low-maintenance, but my chin-length bob has been anything but.




What are your thoughts on hair maintenance and cycling? Have you changed or tweaked your hairstyle as a result of riding a bike?