Memorial Day :: Remembering

My grandfather Rolland Victor Phend, shown in a 1983 photo with his WWI portrait, enlisted in the United States Army on September 19, 1917 as a substitute for a man who had been drafted. He was very proud of the fact that he had enlisted rather than waiting to be drafted. Grandpa was sent overseas shortly after his basic training and served in France with Company C, 309th Engineers. By the time he was discharged on June 19, 1919 he had achieved the rank of Sergeant. Grandpa suffered from the affects of gas poisoning for the remainder of his life, astounding physician's who said he wouldn't live beyond the age of 30 - he passed away on June 18, 1991 just one day before his 98th birthday!

Stories about Grandpa:

• Two Fellows Home From Camp Taylor
• Vic Phend Writes From France
• Grandpa Vic :: a Biography
• Grandpa Vic and Some Grandkids
• Grandpa's Candy

Grandpa is buried at South Park Cemetery in Whitley County, Indiana next to his parents and two brothers.

My Grandfather is just one of the many ancestors and relatives who have served their country in the military. The post, The Veterans in my Family, briefly describes my ancestors and their siblings who served during nearly all of the wars in which the United States was involved.

Last year I went through my genealogy database in an attempt to find all relatives that had served in the U. S. military, these are the ones that I know of, I'm sure there are others.

• War of 1812 and the Civil War
• Spanish American War and World War I
• World War II, Korea, and Vietnam

This past Friday, I took my Mother to visit the graves of family members buried in Whitley County, leaving little bouquets along the way. She tires easily, so after taking her back home, I continued my cemetery tour into neighboring Kosciusko County visiting the grave sites of ancestors on my Dad's side of the family. We really couldn't have asked for a nicer day with a cloudless blue sky and temperatures in the upper 70s. It was a perfect day!

The 'Psychic Spouse' Fallacy

Talking to people who cycle with their spouse, I consistently discover for how many couples this does not really work. Despite both partners being into cycling, they just can't ride with each other - to the point than they each go off with separate cycling clubs or riding partners. After nearly three years of cycling together, I have to say that the Co-Habitant and I are sort of in that category. We do ride together, and it can be nice. But we seem to have such different approaches and styles, that it can get overwhelming. When two people are compatible as romantic partners, how can it be difficult to ride together?




A fellow cyclist recently voiced a theory that I think may hit the mark. Romantic partners - and particularly those who have been together for a long time - tend to function on the assumption that their spouse is at least somewhat "psychic" when it comes to gauging their intentions and needs. This comes from living together long enough to understand each other without having to explicitly spell everything out. And it then gets falsely transferred to cycling. Whereas with a stranger, we would never assume that they can anticipate a maneuver which we do not signal, or will experience energy bursts at the same time as us, or will know which way to go at an intersection if the route is new to them, with a spouse we sometimes do erroneously assume exactly that, without even realising it. The spouse is sort of like an extension of ourselves, and therefore is expected to "just know" these things... But of course they can't possibly know things like when you intend to turn left, or stop for water, or whether you prefer to weave through traffic vs wait it out, or whether you feel up to climbing that next hill. Is it possible to treat your spouse as you would a stranger when you ride together, without assumptions about them intuitively understanding you? I don't know, but it's an interesting idea. At least it might help to keep in mind that yourspouse is not actually psychic.

Mercian Vincitore: First Impressions

At this point some of you know that my new fixed gear bike is a Mercian. It was meant to be part of a "his and hers" pair, and I tried to postpone writing about it until the Co-Habitant's bike was set up. But it looks like that won't be happening for a bit, and hiding mine in the meantime felt wrong. So here is a less dramatic introduction that will hopefully still be informative for those curious about this legendary manufacturer.



In the Fall of we began talking about getting the Co-Habitant a nice touring frame, and at the same time I started looking for a fixed gear frame for myself to replace my vintage conversion. After considering the kinds of bikes we wanted (lugged steel, comfortable, fast, fairly lightweight) Mercian was one option we gravitated towards. A small manufacturer in Derby, England, Mercian has been building custom frames since 1949. With pricing for a lugged steel frame made with Reynolds tubing starting at under $1,000, the value is hard to beat. And their waiting times were not absurd. I happened to know a handful of Mercian owners who were experienced cyclists and whose tastes I respected, and they all raved about the bikes - some being repeat customers. Finally, it appealed to us that Mercian Cycles are made in England, toward which we both feel some personal attachment. We considered other manufacturers and custom builders, but found that they were either unaffordable or did not offer quite what we wanted. After several months of research, contemplation and budgeting, we placed an order with Mercian in Winter .



The way the order process works, is that they send you a form to fill out that is similar to their online framebuilder(warning: use at your own risk; has been known to result in frame purchase). You then submit it along with a deposit and get in the queue. When it comes time for the frame to be made, they confirm the specs and proceed. Afterwards the frame waits for paint (two tone liquid coat and lug lining are included in the price), and when everything is done you pay the remainder of your balance and the frame is shipped to you. When we were placing our order, it was estimated that the frames would be ready by summer. The actual time of completion ended up being in autumn. There was a small adventure with US Customs, but that was soon resolved and the frames arrived at our door in the end of September.

While allowing for custom geometry specifications, Mercian offers more than half a dozen lugged frame models, each in a choice of several different tubesets. From the beginning, we both knew that we wanted the Vincitore Special model, because of its distinct handmade lugwork.

We were less sure about the tubing, but after speaking to several Mercianowners settled on the 631 - the modern version of Reynolds 531.

I wanted my bicycle to be a comfortable and versatile single speed/ fixed gear, not a track bike. So I asked for the "Sportive" (sports touring) geometry with track ends. This is an entirely normal request for Mercian, as almost any model can be built as a fixed gear- they just need to tweak it to make the bottom bracket higher. I also asked for braze-ons for fenders just in case I'd want to use them in future.

There was a myriad of other choices, such asthreaded vs threadless steerer (threaded),maximum tire size (32mm), where to route the brake cable (braze-ons are along the top), how many bottle cage bosses (just 1), and whether to drill for brakes front and rear (yes to both).Aside from this, the only real custom thing I asked for was making sure there was no toe overlap - which caused them to make the top tube longer than they normally would on a frame this size.

After agonising about the paint colour, I finally settled on a subdued lilac with white panels and white lug outlining. I wanted to make sure that the colour came out subtle, and not like a garish purple. I sent Mercian pictures with a description of what I wanted it to look like, and the result is pretty much spot on.

The one thing I would have done differently here, is not use black lining where the lugs meet the white head tube panel (black is so harsh,why not gold?) - but this is stylistically typical for Mercianand ultimately fine with me. Sadly, there is no space on the headtube for a headbadge emblem, due to my small frame size. Maybe later I can get a miniature one made.

My frame came out as I specified. It fits me well and there is no toe overlap with the 28mm Panaracer Paselas (more like 30mm in actuality) that I now have it fitted with. But it's close, so if I install fenders in future, I will have to consider my tire and fender choice carefully. When I mentioned earlier that the Co-Habitant's frame is not ready, it is because the one he received did have overlap despite its large size and his request for no TCO. He has spoken with Mercian about it, and they have agreed to resolve it. Once his frame is ready and he wishes to review it, I will write more about his experience; until then I will stick to discussing my own bike.

When it comes to construction, the main gist of my first impression is that theMercianVincitore frame is strikingly "different" from other currently made lugged frames I have seen. I don't mean the shape of the lugwork, but the craftsmanship itself. Different how... All right, the best way I can describe it is that it looks like a vintage frame in mint condition and not like a currently made lugged frame. In fact, every single (knowledgeable) person who's seen the bike in person so far was certain it was an older frame until I'd point out the Reynolds 631 decals. It's difficult to pinpoint what exactly creates the vintage impression, but it's everything from the finishing to the close-up look of the paint and outlining. Mercian's production methods for their classic frames have remained unchanged for decades, and that is probably what we are seeing. It's quite uncanny actually, and when we first received the frames we kept staring at them and running our fingers along the tubes and edges of the lugwork in disbelief. You really have to examine this bike next to, say, a Rivendellto see what I mean.

We built the bike up with a medley of mostly high-end, gently used components that I either already had or managed to get a good deal on. I am still not sure what's staying and what will ultimately be changed, so I will include the component list when I write a proper review at a later stage.

I have the bars about 2" below the saddle at the moment - which may ultimately be too extreme for me, but feels surprisingly okay for now. Initially the bike had 49x16 gearing due to the wheels and crankset I ended up with, but from the very beginning I intended to change it. After absorbing a great deal of advice, I decided to switch the rear cog to a 19t. The gearing now is quite low, and hopefully the spinning will keep me in shape during the colder season.

Having only ridden the Mercian a few times so far, it is much too early for anything resembling a review. But I can say a few things: The ride is not harsh at all - which was a top concern for me, as harshness causes me a great deal of pain. I also like the "feel" of the tubing, in the sense that it's just the right amount of flex for my taste. On the 20-30 mile rides I've taken so far, I've experienced less fatigue on this bike than on other fixed gear bicycles I've ridden, which may be related to both of the above points. One thing to be aware of, is that the 631 frame is not spectacularly "lightweight" by contemporary standards, and part of me now wonders whether I should have paid more and gotten lighter tubing. But would I get the same ride quality with the lighter tubing? In a fictional dream-world I would be able to try an identical bike with 725 or 853 tubing, then decide. Until then, if I am happy with how the bike feels, it seems silly to wonder about different tubing options. [Edited to add: We've weighed this bicycle and it's 22lb with the build shown, not including saddlebag.]

Well, that is all I have for now. Despite our early snowfall, I hope to have much more time with this bicycle before winter really hits. It is basically my roadbike for the rest of the year: With the shorter days, I no longer have time for long rides and for me a fixed gear is ideal for 20-30 mile jaunts. The bicycle is of course beautiful, and I am looking forward to getting to know it better. If you are looking for a traditionally made steel frame with custom geometry at a reasonable price, Mercian Cycles are worth exploring.

Peatling Parva Circular

Led by Barry. With me and Gordon. Fine, with a few showers. 11.6 miles. 433 feet of ascent. A small LR section.














We parked in Peatling Parva, which is actually quite big.

The seat looks inviting, but we've only been walking two minutes!

Our route is out of the village on the road towards Ashby Magna for almost a mile. Then we turn left on a track to Gilmorton.

These are less intrusive than the motorway noise.

This is the second track on the left. We follow it due south for about a mile, before turning right, then left then curving round south west intoGilmorton,an attractive village. We walk through an alleyway and on to Turville Rd, turning left at Ashby Rd, across Main Street.

Gilmorton

Soon we turn right along Church Lane.











The path turns right just after a house called Moatfield. In the field is - a moat.

The remains of the moated area.

We wander round it before following the path behind the big house and garden, through some trees to a corner of the Ullesthorpe Rd. Our route lies straight ahead, diagonally over a field, then turning right to folllow the hedge, past some farm buildings and into an open field.




Here we have some debate about the route. The paths haven't been remade, but with a little map and grid ref work we have a plan. We turn left and follow the edge of the field and turn right at the end to join the proper route.




We are now on a bridle way leading almost due west as far as Cotes-de-val. We ponder the meaning of the name - slopes of the valley/ sides of the valley - both sound a bit contrived. It turns out that the place was once lived in by a Cotes family. By 1279 it was referred to as Cotes Deyvill. It was depopulated between the Black Death (1348) and the early 1500s.



We don't detour to look at the moat marked on the map, as our route turns right here and north to the Gilmorton Road.



We turn left, and then right and walk along the field boundary- but miss our turning to the right. Ok, it's nestled in the hedge, and not immediately obvious. The long and short of it is we notice that we're getting too close to the motorway, and have to retrace our steps, promising ourselves that we'll take a break as soon as we're back on track. We soon find a sheltered and sunny spot.



The path is clear now and we soon arrive atAshby Magna.

Another timbered building

A post-break break

We go down to Gilmorton Road, turn right then left on Peveril Road, and then left along Old Forge Road. Our path is between Ashby House and the old Forge, and heads north along a track for half a mile or so. When we meet the waymarker for the Leicestershire Round we turn right to go north east.




We cross a field with horses in it, then go over a stile into Holly Farm Fishery. A man catches a two-pound carp which he returns to the water.

Not quite so colourful as last October

Another stile, another field and we arrive at the road. We turn left and walk for a few yards to the junction. Our path goes to the right of the hedge. It's clearly marked and easy to follow, although there are cows there. They think we want to herd them into the next field, but go peacefully enough.

We follow our route into Willoughby Waterleys along an alley with pansies and dustbins.





We go past the General Elliott of Gibraltar renown.



Our path goes past the church and old rectory.






We walk eastwards, slightly uphill over fields towards Peatling Magna. In a field ahead we think we spy a scarecrow -






but it's moving, and very deliberately. Light dawns - it's a metal detective.



We leave the Leicestershire Round briefly and detour to look at Peatling Magna church.








We take a footpath across the fields to rejoin the Round at the crossroads, and follow it again for a mile. We leave it for good today, by turning right across the stream, below Grange Farm. Almost immediately we turn left and follow the footpath through several fields and then behind Peatling Hall with its fine gardens.

Peatling Hall

the gardens

When we reach the road we turn left and downhill to return to the car.

Must Haves: Dropbars with Flat Ramps

While dropbars tend to all look the same to those who are new to them, there are in fact lots of variations - most of which I find uncomfortable. This is particularly true of vintage bars, and it does not surprise me when others write to tell me they have trouble riding old roadbikes for this reason. What's uncomfortable about these dropbar designs, is their lack of flat "ramp" areas leading up to the brake hoods. When the brake lever is positioned on a dramatic slope, some report that their hands feel awkward and start to hurt on long rides. By contrast, famously comfortable handlebars - such as the Nitto Noodle and Randonneur models - have spacious, flat ramp areas that support the hands - both when on the hoods and behind the hoods. Rivendell explains about this feature here. And this comprehensive post about the difference in dropbar shape is definitely worth reading. My favourite flat-ramp dropbars so far have been the Grand Bois Maes (pictured above). They are similar to the Nitto Noodles, except that the ramps feel a bit longer and flatter, and the drops are parallel to the ramps. My hands absolutely love the feel of every part of these handlebars.



One thing that has me curious when it comes to the flat ramp design, is its origin. Until recently, my understanding was that it was a modern invention: a byproduct of the compact/ anatomic handlebars ushered in by the brifter era. It is often said that the Nitto Noodles basically combine this modern design with a vintage look, which is what makes them so popular. However, that does not jive with the description of the Grand Bois Maes bars as a remake of a 1950s Phillips Professionel model. Turns out that what many think of as a modern design is actually a mid-century design, which is rather fascinating. I would love to know the original inspiration behind this shape and why it was not more popular. After all, it is very difficult to find a set of vintage dropbars with flat ramps.



What has been your experience with drop handlebars? Can you tell the difference between the various shapes and do you have a favourite?

Picture Perfect day for a paddle!

Yesterday Jessica and I spent the morning paddling the shoreline of Esther Lake up the Arrowhead Trail in northeast Minnesota. It was a spectacular morning to be on the water and as we were making our way back to the boat ramp these postcard-perfect clouds were rolling in, making for some beautiful scenes to photograph.

Wordless Wednesday :: Pot of Geraniums

Pot of Geraniums. Columbia City, Indiana. September 11, ...Copyright © .. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman.

Pair of Wooden Howling Coyotes

Their Magnificent Old Home

Among the family photographs recently shared with me by Roger Waller is the one below, which is the home built about 1874 by Jonathan S. Dunfee. The house (located in section 17 of Jefferson Township, Whitley County, Indiana) is still standing. When I asked for permission to use the photo of Jonathan in the post A Dunfee Duo, Roger not only answered in the affirmative but went on to say "Please put the photo from 1874 with the house and family on your site as well, I would really like people to be able to see it." So this post is dedicated to Roger, and to all other family researchers who willingly and happily share the past with us all. Thank You.







I drove out there last Sunday afternoon and when I saw the house, I realized that the above photo was reversed left-to-right. As always, you can double-click on the images to view a larger version. It's worth the extra clicks as the detail is quite good in the areas that are sharp.








So I "flipped" the image for comparison to the present-day views.






This shot was taken from across a field. The two pine trees in front of the house prevented the taking of a straight-on view. (I didn't want to go into the yard and the camera doesn't have an extremely wide angle lens anyway.)








A view of the house from the side.


On my visit to see Cal and Ardilla on Monday (mentioned in this post), Cal told me that one of Jonathan's granddaughters "from California" had come to the area back in the 1960s and had stopped at this house. She was able to go inside and visit with the owners. She apparently promised to send them a copy of the old photo above and wrote a letter to them in October of 1967. I'm not clear on how Cal got a copy of the letter - he stated that the granddaughter who visited did not contact any members of the Dunfee family that were living in the area at the time.



The author of the letter, Agnes Dunfee Deebel, was the third of four children born to Louis Weldon and Mary Lucretia (Cass) Dunfee who were married November 6, 1890 in Noble County, Indiana. About 1909 Louis and Mary moved with their four children to Calgary, Alberta, Canada where they lived for a few years. By 1920 the family was living in Long Beach, California. Agnes is the grandmother of my correspondent, Roger Waller, who provided me with the old photo.



Below is a transcription of the photocopy of the letter (paragraph breaks and text within square brackets has been added by me):

"Dear Mrs. Murbach - At last, I obtained the 92 yr old tintype, naturally somewhat worn, and here is the print I promised you, of the original house you now own. (The tintype was reversed, left to right, so you will make that correction, please.) The house was built in 1874, by my grandfather, Johnathan Dunfee, standing by front gate. He was helped by my father, Louis Dunfee, 10 yrs old, the boy standing by the front gate.



"The lady on the porch, standing, was my grand mother, Mary Dunfee. The man sitting on the porch, my uncle David Dunfee. The girls sitting [on the porch], my aunts Wilhemina, Martha, Emily & Althea & the man standing to the left, my uncle Clinton, who used to own the property to your north.



"My father bought the 80 acres where you live when he was 26, & brought my mother Mary Lucretia Cass, 22, there as a bride. Their 4 children, Florence, Helen, myself and Ruskin, were all born in this house - right in the north west corner of your present kitchen. The smaller building directly behind your house was built 70 yrs ago, as a "summer kitchen" - (no air conditioning then).



"The roof [three words, illegible] slate, alternating bands of light grey & rose, & was considered very handsome. The shutters were dark green - and the house always white. The Catalpa trees by your front gate were planted by my father in 1900 - and the maples along your lane by my mother in 1898. Thank you for the picture you gave me, and for letting me 'tour' your home. Agnes Dunfee Deebel Oct 24 - 67"

Do you think the man older man standing by the gate is 48 years old or 20?


I do take issue with Mrs. Deebel's statement that it is her grandfather, Jonathan Dunfee, standing by the gate with the boy. My guess would be that it is her brother David who is standing by the gate with Louis and that her grandfather Jonathan is the man in the chair on the porch (in the upper left corner of the cropped portion of the photo above). If the house was built in 1874, Jonathan would have been 48 years old at the time (he was born in 1826). The fellow standing by the gate with the boy appears younger to me. Her brother David would have been 20 years of age in 1874, which I think "fits" a little better.



Jonathan Smith Dunfee was the son of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee and was born June 9, 1826 probably in Adams County, Pennsylvania. At age 5, he moved to Wayne County, Ohio with his parents and siblings. At the age of 20 "he went to carpentering for two years, and the following three acted as overseer for his widowed sister's farm in Holmes County, Ohio." He married Mary Ann Quick on October 19, 1848 in Holmes County, Ohio. He was 22 years old and she was 20.



On May 26, 1850 he purchased 80 acres of land for $720 from Silvester Alexander. It was located in the northwest half of the northwest quarter of section 17 (NW 1/2 NW 1/4 S17) in Jefferson Township, Whitley County, Indiana. This is the same parcel of land upon which he would later build the home shown in the photos above.



Two of his brothers, William Hamilton Dunfee (my 3rd great grandfather) and James Henry Dunfee, had come to Whitley County several years earlier. Other family members (his brother George, sister Catherine Tryon, and sister Sophia McNabb) had located in neighboring Noble and DeKalb counties prior to 1850. Another sister, Mary Bonnett Lovett would remain in Ohio (Holmes County) while his parents James and Sophia and two other sisters, Lucy and Sarah, would arrive in Whitley County within a few years.



Jonathan would purchase other lands, at one time owning over 400 acres in Whitley County. About 1891-1892 he and his wife moved to a home on North Chauncey Street in Columbia City where he passed away on April 22, 1900. (Mary's obituary published November 15, 1907 states that they moved to Columbia City "about 16 years ago" which, according to Agnes, is about the time that their son Louis bought the farm house.) Census records show Jonathan's occupation was that of a farmer. Apparently he was rather successful at it too. His biography published in the 1882 history of Whitley County, stated that "his farm is in a high state of cultivation and supplied with excellent buildings, and the signs of prosperity and happiness are all about him."



Jonathan's wife, Mary Ann Quick, was the daughter of David and Margaret (Oliver) Quick. She was born December 4, 1827 in Holmes County, Ohio and died at her home on North Chauncey Street in Columbia City on November 8, 1907.



Jonathan and Mary Ann (Quick) Dunfee were the parents of 7 children, all of whom remained in northeast Indiana except Louis:

1. Justice Clinton (August 22, 1849 - February 26, 1927)


2. Margaret Willimina (November 26, 1852 - March 22, 1941)


3. David J. (October 19, 1854 - August 12, 1892)


4. Martha Etta (May 21, 1857 - May 17, 1945)


5. Emily Almeda (February 28, 1859 - June 6, 1933)


6. Althea Mary (March 26, 1861 - November 22, 1903)


7. Louis Weldon (September 12, 1864 - December 14, 1947)

For more information on the Dunfee family, see the Index to Posts, which is a compilation of all the posts that have been published here at kinexxions on the family.

Beechdrops

On our walk the other day, hubby and I were looking for something specific (Puttyroot leaves - more on that later). We didn't find any. But this was just as exciting.



I'm fairly certain that these were Beechdrops (Epifagus virginiana), a plant that's parasitic on the roots of Beech trees.

I've never seen them before, even though many references call them "common". They probably bloomed in October, but from the photos I've seen, they look about the same whether they're blooming or not. (No chlorophyll.)



OK, I guess you have to be a total wildflower geek to think that this is exciting. But I am, so I do!

Interesting write-up with historical references here.

*Alpine Mentors* and Steve House?

The American alpinist Steve House - © archive Steve House



"Alpine Mentors promotes alpinism by encouraging, coaching and climbing with technically proficient young alpinists who aspire to climb the worldʼs greatest mountains in a lightweight, low-impact style."



http://www.alpinementors.org/



I think this is a GREAT idea!



But it aint a give away either.



This is one of the questions on the application.



"You are climbing the 1938 route on the north face of the Eiger. The first day you manage to get to Death bivouac, half way up the route. That night a storm comes in and you are pinned down for 3 days. You started with three days of food and fuel, but by being careful, you have saved a small amount of both. You have a partner of equal experience, 6 cams, 4 pitons, 6 nuts, 4 ice screws, and 2 60 meter ropes. You have no radio or cell phone and no chance for outside help. It is 10 degrees F and has snowed 12" in the past 24 hours. What is going through your mind and what would you do?"

Balloon Flower Bud

This is the bud for the balloon flower. It starts out small, gets bigger and finally springs open like the flower in the following post.