Peter and Christina Wise Family in Gilead Cemetery

Gilead Cemetery, Perry Township, Miami County, Indiana. North Section, Row Five, looking Northeast.
Photographs taken by Becky Wiseman on February 5, ... It was a foggy and rainy day. The "blurry" spots are rain drops on the lens of the camera. As always, click on the images for larger versions.



The first marker in the foreground, is the first one in the row, near the roadway that runs through the cemetery. Starting with that marker, we have Mary Ann Wise, Wealthy A. Wise, Newton O. Wise (wife and children of William Wise). The fourth tall marker is for Peter and Christina Wise. The small marker on the right has the initials "P.W." and another identical marker on the left has the initials "C. W."

According to the cemetery transcription books, there is another marker, in the same row but in the south section for Elizabeth Wise who died May 24, 1854 at age 17y 4m. However, I was unable to locate it. Perhaps on a nicer day that is a bit warmer, I might be able to make out some of the inscriptions that I was not able to read during this visit.



The Wise family markers, looking south west. The marker for Peter and Christina, in the foreground, stands well over six feet in height, probably closer to seven. The other two tall markers are about five feet high while Mary Ann's is about four feet high.



Peter's inscription is on the west side of the marker: PETER WISE / DIED / JAN. 29 1875 / AGED 77 YEARS.
The inscription "FATHER & MOTHER" is on the north face of the marker.
Christina's inscription is on the east side of the marker: C. WISE / DIED / APR. 25, 1884 / AGED 83 Y's 1 Mo. 24 D.



NEWTON O. WISE / DIED / DEC. 10 1874 / AGED 26 Y 11 M & D

WEALTHY A. / daughter of / W.& M. A. WISE / DIED / Jan. 21 1871 / AGED / 21 Y 2 M 20 D's

MARY ANN / WIFE OF / WM WISE / DIED / Jan. 5 1870 / AGED / 43 Y. 6 M. & 27 D. Barely discernible is four lines of text beneath the main inscription. Under the right lighting conditions it may be possible to get a good image for reading the text.

Meet My New Cycling Coach - Francesco!

I had mentioned in passing that I brought a vintage frame with me from my last stay in Austria to build up as a fixed gear road bike... Well, here is the result:

The frame is from a Francesco Moser "San Cristobal" roadbike, circa (I think) 1978. I got the frame from a friend of a friend and had a chance to try it when it was still a complete bike, so I knew it would fit me comfortably. The previous owner then stripped the frame of components and I mailed it to myself from Vienna, as this was by far the easiest option. It cost 20 Euros to send the frame from Vienna to Boston via the Austrian post. They instructed me to "wrap it so that it looks like a bike frame" rather than packing it in a bike box, and that is what I did. I wrapped the frame in bubble wrap, then in brown wrapping paper, and attached the address in several locations directly onto the wrapping. The package arrived at my door just over 2 weeks after I mailed it.



As you may have noticed, the Co-Habitant has turned into a bicycle mechanic this summer - to my appreciative delight, as I have neither the aptitude nor the time for it. He bought a bike stand, has accumulated the necessary tools for most jobs, and has been enjoying learning the ins and outs of bicycle repair. This was his first complete bike build, after he practiced with the fixed gear conversion on Marianne. As a mechanic he is meticulous, and this is reflected in the quality of the results. The bicycle is tight and smooth and noiseless and just the way I wanted it.



If you are interested in components, they include aSugino RD2 crankset, aMavic CXP2 wheelset, and whitePanaracer Pasela tires (700x28C). The seat post (manufacturer unknown), stem (Nitto), handlebars (GB) and brake (Shimano, model unknown) were recycled from various used/vintage sources. The brake levers are the same Tektro short reach I have on my Rivendell, and these are pretty much the only roadbike brake levers that I am actually able to squeeze with my poor hands. I have both brake levers despite there only being a front brake, because I like to keep my hands on the hoods. The right lever activates the brake; the left lever is inactive. Though I find it silly to have a "blank" brake lever, I cannot think of a better solution.



As for the lack of rear brake, the reason is two-fold. First, a rear brake in unnecessary on a fixed gear bike. And second, our tire choice made the rear clearance too tight to allow one. It looks in the picture as if the bridge is actually touching the tire, but I assure you it is not. There is enough clearance so that it is perfectly fine to ride, just won't fit a brake.



This bicycle originally came with tubular wheels and narrow tires, so fitting it with 700C wheels andthe cushy white 28mm Paselas was really pushing the limits of its clearances. But we decided to go with them, because these tires are just a spectacular ride, as well as a safer choice for my pothole-ridden "training route". The larger wheels and tires also have the positive effect of raising the bottom bracket - which is a good thing for a fixed gear bike, as pedaling while leaning on a turn can potentially result in hitting the ground with the edge of a pedal. Needless to say, there will not be room for fenders on this bike. That is fine with me in this case, as the bicycle's purpose is entirely athletic. (Also, I think the "naked" white tires look quite good with the red frame.)



I should also mention, that while we built this bike up as a fixed gear, we did not file off any of the braze-ons or bosses. The rear derailleur hanger and the rear brake routing have been left as they were, and the downtube shifter bosses have been covered with these rubber "boss cozies" for safety and aesthetics.



Francesco Moser frames are quite nice, and are well-regarded in Austria. I am told that this model is made of Columbus tubing, though there is no longer a decal testifying to this.



The frame is in great condition, except for some rust on these chrome parts. I plan to clean that up as soon as I determine what the safest method is.



Now that I have given all the excruciating details regarding the bike, some are probably wondering why in God's name I needed a fixed gear roadbike. Well, I'll tell you. I had been planning this ever since having ridden that trackbike in Viennaand discoveringthat riding a fixed gear bike helps me build up my road cycling skills. It does that by addressing my biggest frustrations, which are balance and coordination. I have plenty of endurance to cycle fast for relatively long periods of time, but I suck at pretty much every other aspect of cycling (for instance, making turns and cycling closely to others at high speeds). The aspect of fixed gear cycling that most people find difficult (the constant pedaling) I am fine with, which makes it the perfect tool to help me with the other stuff.



I have gone on two long rides on Francesco so far: a 26 mile ride with only very mild hills, and another 26 mile ride with steeper hills. Though the hilly ride was challenging, I have not experienced any pain or discomfort, despite this bicycle's aggressive geometry. Francesco seems like he will be a great cycling coach, and I look forward to getting to know him better.

Paranoia

In the last years, I have to admit that I’ve become a bit paranoid about keeping this blog. Part of me wants to lead my life privately but the other part of me doesn’t want to let go chronicling my life, well at least the fraction that I am willing to open up to the world wide web. Obviously, there is a great deal of my life that I don’t write in here and don’t intend of doing so. Not now and not in the future.

And apart from sustaining a busy life and having less time to attend to extra blogging and social networking affairs, this paranoia is the major reason why I closed the comments, the chatbox and took my email address out from this site. I am selfish. I want something that I can control. I only want one-way traffic and nothing else.

So seeing that I approximately have 26,000 views of my profile perplexes me a little bit.

The other day, one of my colleagues at work told me, “I think I’ve come across your blog.” (I might have flushed in shock and embarrassment when I heard him say this)

“You blog right?” – PAUSE – “You’re the type who would write, I’m sure of that.” (I might have stammered trying to find words to say!)

“I don’t know how I came across your blog but I was searching and saw-Oh, this looks just like you!” (so as you can see there is no escape, I had to sheepishly admit)

I told him to keep it low profile and between ourselves which is fine by him he said. But honestly, it’s making me paranoid... UGH.
.

Choosing an Upright Saddle: Brooks B72 vs Brooks B66

The Brookssaddles most typically fitted on upright bicycles are theB72 and the B66 (the B67 is the same model as the B66, only made for modern seatposts). Having ridden on both, I like each of them very much and cannot say that one is "better" than the other. For me it depends on the bicycle - or more specifically, on my experience of the bicycle.

I had a brownBrooks B66 S ("S" indicates the shorter, women's version) on my previously-owned Pashley Princess, which I rode for over a year. And I recently bought the same saddle for my vintage Gazelle.

I haveBrooks B72 saddles on two of my current bicycles: a brown one on my Royal H. mixte, and a black one on my Bella Ciao 3-speed. (I have also owned several vintage B72s, but will leave those out of this discussion).

[image compiled from brooksengland.com]

To get a good sense of the differences in dimensions, I've compiled the specs from Brooks into a single chart. You can see that the B72 is very slightly wider than the B66 models (though a 4mm difference is negligible). The B72 is a unisex saddle and does not come in separate male and female versions; its lengthis in between the male and female B66.The B72 is lighter and has less height to it, because its springs are tighter and smaller than the springs on the B66. Unlike the B66 models, the B72 is available in black and brown only.

In terms of experiencing the saddles, the main differences are the springs, the shape, and the texture. The B66 has large springs that provide quite a bit of suspension. The texture of the saddle's surface is pebbled. And the edges - including the sides and the nose - are rounded. To me, these features make the B66 particularly comfortable on a bolt-upright, heavy city bicycle. The substantial springs provide excellent cushiness when most of my weight rests on the saddle. The pebbled texture keeps me from sliding around. And the rounded edges make it easier to slide off the bicycle when dismounting - which is convenient when making frequent stops in the city. On the other hand, when I try the B66 on sportier bicycles (with lower handlebars and steeper geometry), I find some of these comfort features distracting: The springs are too much and the pebbled texture is annoying when I am always shifting on the saddle.

In comparison to the B66, the B72 seems like a more versatile saddle to me. The B72's springs are tighter and smaller - still providing suspension, but not to the extent that it interferes with a more forward lean. The surface of the B72 is smooth and the edges are squarely tapered - which I find more comfortable for long distance cycling, during which I slide around on the saddle more, but get off the bike less frequently.

While both saddles are great for upright bicycles, for me the B72 works better on the more sporty variety, whereas the B66 works better on the super-relaxed ones. As they say, your mileage may vary. If you have tried both models and have a preference for one over the other, please share your experiences.

You've Got The Cutest Little Baby Face

This one's for Aubi. How cute is this sweet dog? This is one of Jack and Diane's babies. I am so in love with their dogs. Can you see why? Tell Dad that Mom needs a Maltese for her birthday, ok?

Some Changes

With Spring so close to being here, I have been thinking about changes. We have a lot of changes going on around us and with us. As I said with our Sunday drives, we see signs of new life everywhere. We are also noting changes in our family.



My first and favorite change to share is that the princess is now standing up and well on her way to walking and making her Mom's life more interesting.



Here she is with my baby sister, Traci, looking adorable and bearing the same mildly amused at the world expression that her Mom did at that same age. Since I know her Mom better than I know the princess at this point, I'm hoping this does not mean, "just wait until later", like it would have with her Mom. If her Mom was bearing this expression it usually meant she was plotting her next covert mission that she then accomplished while I tried to do insane things like pee or take a 30 second shower without her.



Of course I am just kidding because unlike her Mom at eight months old, the princess has not yet figured out how to push the kitchen chair over to the kitchen counter where she could then somehow scale her way to the top of the fridge where the childproof capped medicine lay waiting for her to conquer! So far, Pookie seems content to pull herself up to just stand at the furniture and sing songs at the top of her lungs so I think her Mom will not be getting those paybacks we were sure would come her way after all.



BTW, all of my sisters except one are my baby sisters and both of my brothers are my baby brothers. I figure I can get away with this until they are fifty or so. This particular baby sister is only two years younger than me and if she looks younger than me, that is because she is. Just don't tell me that about my older than me by two years sister looks younger than me and it will be fine.



On to the next change. We have been planning to go back to the Outer Banks this summer and enjoy the same fun we had there last year. I can't even express how much I loved, loved, loved being there. It was my favorite summer that I think I've ever had in my life. Just magical really and exactly what I needed at the time.



Due to some of Austin's life plans and my ongoing health issues, we have decided it would be wisest for us to stay right here for now. I have cried over this life change. I am at peace that we are doing the right thing, but I still am sad about the thought of missing our time at the beach with people we have come to love.



As a part of that decision, we also decided to get this so we can more fully enjoy being here by doing lots of local Staycation things:



This is an older version of a car that Nathan had when we lived in our last house. He really enjoyed that car and he is really enjoying this car. This is also one of the reasons behind the Sunday drives that we are now taking. I didn't think I'd be excited about the fact it is a convertible, but I have now realized that I can do this:



Yes, I did this with the truck all the time. But with no top restricting me, I can take drive by shooting pictures even easier than before! So Nathan drives with the top down feeling the wind rush by and loves it and I can snap pictures the entire time and I love it. Life is good. Even when it isn't exactly what we'd pick. Changes. Just a part of what keeps our life moving along.

Bumble Bees

We have an over abundance of bumble bees in our garden. Anything that is blue they seem to be attracted to. A bee on aVitex bush in first photo.




Second photo shows a bee on a Blue Mist Spirea shrub.


Third bee in on a Blue Mist Spirea, too as well as the one in the 4th photo.







5th photo is of the very tiny blue flowers on a Blue Sage also know as Big Sage with one bee right in the center of the photo.(the round blue object is a bird bath.)



Although most of the bees were after the blue flowers I did find one on an almost gone zinnia blossom. We hadn't had a lot of problems with these bumble bees even though there has to be several hundred buzzing around until this morning. Lee was watering a Vitex bush when one went up his shirt and stung him on the back. Some solercane spray seemed to take care of the sting. (no, I didn't find a stinger in it)