Exploring the Science of.....Freebie Books

I'm still wading through our storage shed and sorting through the hundreds of books we have left. I have a few sets of books that I'd love to pass along to someone that could use them. The first set is a Science series that says it is for ages 9-12. They are hardcover books, with a library binding on them and they are in great shape. The set is of the four seasons and fire and sunlight.



Just leave me a comment if you would like them, and I'll email you for your address. If there is more than one person that would like them, I'll do some sort of drawing for them. I am guessing we will have a few more sets to give away so keep your eyes open for more.

Colour Theory for Bikes

As someone who deals with colour all the time - taking pains to get it "just right" for paintings and photography setups - I am fascinated by the role of colour in bicycles. Choosing colour is not just a matter of "what matches what." It is a matter of understanding the psychological mechanisms involved in human colour perception and processing - which to me has always been interesting. But taking it down a notch from the realms of art-speak and neuro-psychology, here are some thoughts on colour choices as they pertain to setting up bicycles:



Handlebars and saddle

My go-to standard for handlebars and saddles is the brown family.The reason I like to use brown as opposed to black, is that brown enhances the colour of the bicycle frame, whereas black tends to "deaden" it. Being neutral, brown will not compete with the frame colour, just as black will not. But it will make the colour more vibrant, more emphatic - whereas black will leave it flat.



This works especially well on "cool" frame colours - such as blue and silver. And using twine and bits of leather on other parts of the bike (chainstay protector, kickstand, waterbottle, saddlebag straps) will further enhance the "warming" effect.



Brown can also make a black frame look less intimidating and more "personable" - as well as bring out the details in what would otherwise be an expanse of black-on-black.



But of course, black has its place as well. Black accessories make a bike seem more aggressive - which can look good on some bicycles. And depending on the "personality" of a particular bike (lady's military bike?), you might not necessarily want the frame colour to be overly vibrant.



And when it comes to racing bikes, an aggressive or sporty look is usually more fitting than an "earthy" look. This can be achieved either with black, white, or brightly-coloured saddle and tape combinations (ideally in a contrasting colour to the frame). Bright and high-contrast colour schemes are exciting and suggest high energy, fast movement. If that is what you want your bike to communicate - go with it. And if not, you can tone it down with browns and neutrals, as I have done to this bike.



TiresIt goes without saying that performance and not colour should be the first consideration when it comes to tires. But assuming that you can get equally well-performing tires in a variety of colours, it can be nice to play around with that element as well. While I do not hide my crazed preference for cream tires, I do not suggest that they are "the best" option.



Cream tires can look elegant if you are going for a delicate look and have taken pains not to include any black on your bike. Here they make the bicycle look a lot more "serene" than had I used other tire choices.



And they can also look elegant as a contrast to the frame.But there comes a point - and for some it arrives much sooner than for others - where cream tires can be just too much and overwhelm the rest of the bike (I think that here I am dangerously approaching that). I also don't think that cream tires look good on a cream or white bicycle. It is too low-contrast and reminds me of "ghost bikes." Achielle does the cream-on-cream look better than others, and if you go in this direction adding prominent brown accessories to break it up a bit is the key.



A good, traditional option if you are looking for classic tires, are "gumwalls" - which are tires with back tread but tan sides. The tan fits nicely into the "organic" saddle and handlebar colour scheme, without the tires competing with the rest of the bicycle for prominence. I also like it how the alloy rims, the tan sidewalls and the black tread create the visual impression of 3 circles, one inside the other.



Bags and accessories

I am very conservative when it comes to bicycle "luggage," so perhaps I am not the best person to ask about this one. Mainly, I don't like it when bicycle bags are too distinct in relation to the bicycle itself - whereas the trend now (especially for accessories targeted at women) seems to be brightly coloured luggage with prominent graphics. It's not that I am "against" flowers, polka-dots, curly-cues, and the like. It's more that I want my bicycle to be the main focal point and not the bag. So I prefer to get subtle, classic accessories in neutral colours. As with saddles and handlebars, I think that the brown/olive family works well for a nature-exploring sort of look, whereas black works well for a more aggressive or racy look.



Decorations

Unless intentionally using decorations to distract from the rest of the bike, the colour of the decorations should not stand out too much from the other colours on the bicycle. Otherwise, the eye will get drawn to the decoration itself, with the rest of the bike an afterthought.



Frame Colour

If you are getting a bicycle frame re-painted, or are trying to choose a colour for a custom bike, the colour selection is of course a matter of personal preference. But based on my own experience (and conversations with others), keep a few things in mind:



1. Speaking very generally, super-bright colours work better on sporty bikes, whereas subdued colours work better on touring and transportation bikes.



2. True white is very harsh and almost never looks good. Even if a bicycle you like appears white to you, the actual colour is almost definitely a pale cream, a very light gray, or an off-white. Think twice before asking for a true white paintjob.



3. If you are getting the paintjob (especially powdercoat) done at a "budget" type of establishment, beware of asking for metallic colours. They are easier to mess up, and flaws in them are more visible than with regular colours. Flaws in lighter colours are also more visible than flaws in darker colours.



4. Prepare yourself for the fact that the colour never, ever looks the same on the bike as it does on the tiny colour chip, let alone on the online colour sample. I have seen some pretty amazing discrepancies, where after the person spends a month wringing their hands about the "perfect" shade, the colour on the bike does not even look like the same colour family as the chip they chose. One thing you can do, is give the painter a sample of the colour you want and ask them to find the closest match. They have experience with the way the colours actually looks on a bike. Alternatively, you can find out the colour code of a bike you like, and ask for that exact one.



There are those who take bicycle aesthetics very seriously and start to pull their hair out in despair if they cannot find the exact shade of orange handlebar tape they wanted. And there are those who could not care less about the details, and just use whatever components and accessories are available. I see myself as somewhere in the middle, leaning perhaps just a tad towards the former. (What? You think it's more than just a tad?...) While I enjoy setting up my bicycles in a way that is aesthetically pleasing to me, I do it quickly and intuitively, without dwelling on it too much. Then I ride the bike and get it filthy beyond all recognition - which is part of the fun, at least for me.

Leics Round 9 - Rearsby to Burrough Hill

I think the garmin went a bit nuts in Gaddesby church - so I'll say somewhere over 14 miles. With Marta. Quite hilly. 989 ft of ascent. The forecast sun didn't appear!


We meet at Burrough Hill, and drive to Rearsby to start the walk. We cross the pack horse bridge into Church Lane.





The path winds round to the right of the church past a slightly dodgy-looking wall.



We come out on to Church Leys Avenue, and turn left between two houses after number 22. The path is clearly marked as it crosses grassland and comes out behind the convent.



We walk past splendid flowering horse chestnut trees in grassland. Then we cross the road, and turn left at no. 7 Wreake Drive. There's a double stile, and we cross the ridged and furrowed field to the railway crossing. We carry on in the same direction towards the old mill.

Part of the old mill house - a lot of work being done.

We follow the waymarkers, turning right from the drive to the mill, and making for Lodge Farm and Hoby church spire.

These trees may belong to Brooksby Agricultural College.

We walk through this bumpy field - and I know there's a bench ideal for a break here.

We wander through Hoby churchyard, with its stump cross and sundial on top.

a little the worse for wear with bird droppings.

Almost opposite the church we turn down Back Lane, and the left behind a row of cottages. The path we want turns right and downhill through trees. We cross various small bridges, where a mill used to be, and a long footbridge over the Wreake.






We head towards Rotherby and cross the railway line again. Just before we reach the village, we turn left to the north east, and walk through three fields, then come to a T junction on the minor road. We walk parallel to the road to Frisby on the Wreake for a little distance, then move slightly left, past a bumpy pasture with horses.



We can see Frisby's church spire, and the waymarkers are clear. We emerge between houses close to the market cross.



The Bell Inn is opposite, and we're beginning to think it could be lunchtime. Ah ha!



Unfortunately the pub's just changed hands, and won't be open until July. Maybe they should hide the blackboard better. We drop into the post office, but they haven't got much in the way of food. On to Gaddesby it is - another two and a half miles. Well, it's only 12.30 now.


A lot of houses in Frisby are pretty old and being restored.



. . .or repaired. We head out and turn left just past these houses. The path in the fields climbs quite steeply. We decide we'll have a banana to keep us going, but we'll get to the top first. When the land flattens out we reach the Leicester to Melton Road and another stump cross.

so little colour in the sky !

We cross the road and walk through the clear paths in the fields, some pasture, some arable.

Some sheep are nosy

Distant blue mountains of Charnwood

The local tribe must favour spring fires

The way ahead is clear - not this way anyhow

We turn into the village for a well-earned lunch at the Cheney Arms in Gaddesby - baguette, salad and crisps and a J20 for £7.50. It's filling too.




The church caught our eyes as we arrived, so we take a little time to look around and inside.

There seem to be two or three different styles on the outside

The archway leads to Gaddesby Hall next door - a huge building with beautiful gardens

This is a statue of Colonel Cheney who fought at Waterloo. Four horses died under him, and he rode away on a fifth. The statue was moved to the church from Gaddesby Hall when it was sold in 1917, and is claimed to be the only equestrian statue in an English church.

We return to the Leics Round route, turning left as we come out of the churchyard. When we reach the blocked gate we turn right and cross a field down to a stream, then cross the Midshires Way, and see Mill farm with its disused windmill - no sails - on our right. We have no problems with map or waymarkers and pass Pool House. We cross the road and leave Ashby Folville on our right, though the church is visible through the trees.

A mile or so later we go under the bridge where the dismantled railway ran, and turn uphill to Thorpe Satchville, behind the Hall, with its low haha wall. The church, with its bench, offers another convenient coffee stop. Not far to go now. We've done about 12 miles. (Note - my garmin says 13, but it went a bit wild in Gaddesby church. It doesn't like the thick walls.)

If it looks so weathered after 13 years, I wonder what state it will be in after a thousand. The South Pole is 9845 miles away, and the North Pole a mere 2585.

From here the way is very straight forward, about three quarters of a mile along a small road called Bakers Lane. When we reach a crossing of four ways we take the right hand path and follow it downhill to Melton Lane. Burrough Hill is in sight.

Iron Age hill fort, with the toposcope just visible.

We continue in the same direction climbing gently on this very rutted track, then more steeply through gorse bushes to the top with its great views.

Almost there

The view's a bit hazy, and the sun hasn't emerged. It keeps half-appearing, but it's almost 5pm when we arrive. The toposcope is 690 feet high. We have to bag the trig point at 210 m as well. An online converter tells me this is 689 feet.






A satisfying end to one of our longer days! Now it's downhill to the car.

Your feet!

This is likely one of the most important blogs I will write on Cold Thistle.



I figure if you are reading this blog you are into climbing. All sorts of climbing, rock, ice and snow. That meansbeing out 12 months of the year on you feet besides just the climbing.



If you are like me, enough miles and you eventually get injured. Major or minor injuries have a way of adding up. Something I didn't really believe when i was 18 and now realise just how wrong I was on that myopic perspective.



"The human foot is one of the best-engineered parts of the body.



Each foot has 33 joints, eight arches, 26 bones, more than a hundred muscles, ligaments, and tendons that all work together to distribute body weight and allow movement. Unfortunately, many people pay no attention to their feet – until they start to hurt.



Foot disorders must be diagnosed and treated early, before they become very painful and incapacitating. In some cases, some painful foot abnormalities are already warning signs of even more serious ailments such as diabetes, circulatory disorders, and nerve problems. Do a self-check while it’s early.."





It looks like this pair of feetwill be loosing 5 out of 10 toe nails. Likely the result of a combination of running andclimbing abuse?







Few things will really slow you down in the mountains. Knees will. But everyone who has had a bad blister on their foot will acknowledge just how disabled you can be when you feet start hurting.



Staying mobile will keep you climbing in one fashion or another. There are other joints that will slow you down but the ones that seem to most easily effect us are the feet, and knees.



If you look the first set of feetwith the taped toe, picturedabove with the title, the thing most obvious is the over size joint at the ball of the foot, base of the big toe. It is called a Bunion.Sad as it seems , your feetchange over time and generally get bigger. Bunions can behereditary, but for climbers it can exacerbatedbyabuse of long walks, tight rock shoes, or rigid soled boots.



I replaced several pairs of perfectly good winter boots last year for just those reasons. Capsulitis of the second toe, Hallux Abducto Valgus (bunions) and a few other issues of simply wear, tear and age means bigger boots and prescription orthotics to slow the progression.If left unattended you will end up with some seriously damaged feet and a long termloss of mobility. Below is a good sized bunion on the left footand hammer toes on the right foot..







Here is a look at just a few of the common foot issues climbers (or anyone might) have. Do your self a favor and take a look at your own feet. Address the issues sooner than later.







"Plantar Fasciitis When there is increased stress on the arch, microscopic tears can occur within the plantar fascia, usually at its attachment on the heel. This results in inflammation and pain with standing and walking and sometimes at rest. It usually causes pain and stiffness on the bottom of your heel.

Bunion







An enlargement on the side of the foot near the base of the big toe (hallux). The enlargement is made up of a bursa (fluid filled sac) under the skin. The term bunion is also commonly used to describe a structural (bony) deformity called hallux abducto valgus (HAV). Bunions can be painful and can be aggravated by activity and wearing tight shoes.



Neuroma



In the foot, a neuroma is a nerve that becomes irritated and swells up. If the nerve stays irritated, it can become thickened which makes the nerve larger and causes more irritation. Pain from a neuroma is usually felt on the ball of your foot.



Corns & Callouses



Corns and callouses are areas of thick, hard skin. They usually develop due to rubbing or irritation over a boney prominence. The hard, thick skin is called a corn if it is on your toe and it is called a callous if it is somewhere else on your foot.



Toenail Fungus (onychomycosis)



Fungi like a warm, moist and dark environment (like inside a shoe). A fungal infection in your toenails may cause the nails to become discolored, thickened, crumbly or loose. There are different causes and it is difficult to treat due to the hardness of the toenail.



Ingrown Toenail (onychocryptosis)







An ingrown toenail can occur for various reasons. The sides or corners of the toenail usually curve down and put pressure on the skin. Sometimes the toenail pierces the skin and then continues to grow into the skin. This may cause redness, swelling, pain and sometimes infection.



Hammer Toes



A hammer toe is also sometimes referred to as a claw toe or mallet toe. It involves a deformity of the toe where there is an imbalance in the pull of the tendons. Either the tendon on top of the toe pulls harder or the tendon on the bottom of the toe pulls harder. This results in a curling up of the toe.



Plantar Warts (plantar verucca)



Plantar warts are caused by a virus. Plantar means bottom of the foot, but warts can occur other places on the foot and toes as well. Plantar warts can be painful depending on where they are located. Sometimes they are mistaken for callouses because layers of hard skin can build up on top of the wart.



Flat Feet (pes planus)



Just because you have flat feet does not mean you will have problems or pain. If you do have pain, there are various treatment options available. If you only have one foot that has a flat arch, it may be due to another problem and you should get it checked out.



Athlete's Foot (tinea pedis)



Athlete's foot is a common skin condition that can affect everyone, not just athletes. It is caused by a fungus. It may cause redness, itchiness, tiny bumps filled with fluid or peeling skin. It is most commonly located between the toes or on the bottom of the feet.



Achilles Tendonitis



Achilles tendonitis involves inflammation of the Achilles tendon. If the tendon stays inflamed long enough, it can lead to thickening of the tendon. Sometimes nodules or bumps can form in the tendon. Achilles tendonitis can become a long term problem or can lead to rupture of the tendon."





















Capsulitis of the second toe, (or any toe)



Hallux Abducto Valgus (bunions), hammer toe, onychocryptosis, and Plantar Fasciitis haveall plague this pair of feet. Much of the damageis a given from hereditary. But much of the damage could have been mitigated by the use of a prescription orthotic early on ( or even a well fitted off the shelf orthodic)and more carefully picking the approach and climbing footwear to be used.

Foot injuries and broken bones from martial arts,accidents,cold injurieswhile working, skiing and climbing,the use of overly tight rock shoes, and rigid soled alpine boots alladd to the long term damage. And slow recovery. But as much as anything your genes, your heredity, will have much to do with how your feet fair over time. That is luck of the draw. A good Podiatrist may be able to limit the damage or fix what you have been given.

More here on what to look for and avoid:

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/slideshow-common-foot-problems



Mountain boots?





I think there should be much more concern with several issues on mtn boots. Firstis the low quality generally worthless, insoles boots are delivered with today. I have $700 and $1000 production boots that come with insoles that sell for less than .10 cents a pair. Come on!

The other concern in recent boots is a super rigid sole and a very flexible ankle. Our feet don't work that way. You are bound to have feet issues with a bad insole and a dead rigid sole.