Joslin Family :: Irwin Visits Grandma

According to this letter, Grandma had scheduled Irwin's visit for August 2nd and 3rd, 1969. There are no letters in her files between the one she wrote on March 30th and the next one that Irwin wrote on Tuesday, July 29th, after his visit. So apparently the date of his visit was changed. I'm guessing that the visit was the previous weekend, July 26th and 27th.

I don't think that I was even aware of the visit. At the time, I was living in Fort Wayne, working for the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company in the accounting department, and busy with my own life. Family History was the furthest thing from my mind, at least until the early 1980s.

From Irwin's visit, we have two photographs commemorating the event:

Irwin Joslin and his wife Alice.

Second cousins. Irwin Laverne Joslin and Hazlette Ferguson.
July 1969 - Irwin was 47 years old and Grandma was 67.

This letter from Irwin, following his visit to grandma, was written on stationary from the Westinghouse Air Brake Company.

7-29-69

Dear Mrs. Ferguson,

We had a real nice morning in Fort Wayne then a nice drive home. It rained a little but cleared up as we got near home.

We really enjoyed our weekend at your house. Thank you so much for having us. Hope that you can come to Peoria sometime.

We feel like we accomplished something in Fort Wayne - that is a fine genealogical section in the Library. First we looked over the Whitley County history in the newer book - it is about the same as your book. I made copies of the Troy Township section.

Then we found something we didn't know in a book of marriage records of Whitley County from 1838-1860. Did you know Lysander's middle name was Price? That is what it shows. It says Lysander Price Joslin married Lydia Robison on Aug 23, 1843. I thought that was interesting. Of course he was named for Price Goodrich but until we came to see you we didn't know who Price Goodrich was.

Then we also suspected that James Joslin might have come from Delaware County, Ohio since we knew the Goodrichs were from there. So we looked at the 1820 census for Delaware County, Ohio & the only Joslin listed was a Jonas Joslin who had 1 boy under 5 years old & one between 20 & 30. Then the 1930 [sic] census of that county lists both Jonas & James in Delaware County. It shows that James had one boy under 5 (probably Lysander) & one boy between 5 & 10 years as well as 2 girls - one under 5 & one between 5 & 10.

Therefore it looks very much like Jonas is James father. We got out a book on Delaware County & we knew the township was Liberty so we read through that section but never found his name. The 1830 census lists 10 other Joslins but only James & Jonas are in Delaware County.

So we think we have found another clue. We will keep working at it. We also looked over Mrs. Wessler's book - "the Josselin -Jocelyn Family". They have it in the library there. She has a lot of Joslins listed & if we go back far enough we may be able to connect on to someone she has. I was glad to see the book - I may buy one sometime.

Well, that is about all for now. Hope you have no ill effects from your fall - is your foot still sore? Take care of yourself.

Sincerely,
Irwin L. Joslin

=+==+= Some Notes Regarding the Letter =+==+=

There were two histories published on Whitley County at the time, both are now available online. The 1882 history by Goodspeed and Blanchard is at the Harold B. Lee Library and the other, in 1907, by Kaler and Maring is at Google Books.

Jonas Joslin is listed in the 1820 census on page 95a in Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio. In 1830 he is listed in the same location, on page 85 as is James Joslin. In that census, Lysander (born in May 1825) would have been the male 5-10 years of age, not the one under 5 years.

Click on the images below for a larger, legible version.



Other posts in this series:

• Joslin Family :: Heritage Tour and Research Trip
• Joslin Family :: First Contact
• Joslin Family :: Grandma Responds to Irwin's Letter
• Joslin Family :: Irwin's Letter of March 25th
• Joslin Family :: Grandma Invites Irwin to Visit

Small Wheels and a Belt Drive: the Moulton TSR2

Despite seeing plenty of Moultons, old and new, over the past several years, I cannot get used to the sight of these bicycles. The "spaceframe," resembling an elaborate truss bridge, is like a puzzle that both intrigues and frustrates me. I don't know why, but that is the reaction I have to these bikes. Briefly riding a Moulton two years ago brought me no closer to forming a more defined impression, and it took me until now to work up to trying it again. This Moulton isJon Harris'spersonal bikeand it is a TSR2model: featuring a 2-speed kick shift drivetrain with coaster brake and belt drive.






Founded in 1962, Moulton is an English manufacturer that championed the concept of small wheeled bikes. I will not delve into the history here, as I have already done this in an earlier post. You can also read about it on the company heritage page, as well as on the Moulton Bicycle Club website. Today, Moulton bicycles continue to be handmade in Bradford-upon-Avon, England, offering a number of road and city models. [edited to add 10th Dec. : read this morning the sad news that Dr. Alex Moulton, the founder of Mouton Cycles, has died at the age of 92.]






Following the original F-frame, the spaceframe design was launched in 1983 after years of research and development. The intent was to create an extremely stiff, performance-oriented frame. The adjustable suspension in the fork and rear triangle was designed to counteract the resultant harshness of ride quality.






The combination of frame stiffness and dampening is said to provide a uniquely responsive and comfortable ride.






At the top of Moulton's lineup are state of the art racing bikes, but the TSR models are its low-key offerings. The TSR2 is the humblest of them all - deigned as a minimalist, low-maintenance city bike with hub gears and a belt drive.






Flat handlebars with single brake lever.






V-brakes front and rear. 20" wheels withContinental Contact 37mm tires.








TSR frames are separable: Removing a pin in the center allows the frame to disassemble into two halves for ease of transport. While not a folding bike, this feature makes it convenient for travel.






I rode the Moulton TSR2 on two separate occasions, several miles each time. Congruent with the manufacturer's description, the bike felt stiff and responsive. Even this 2-speed city model is not a cruiser or a small wheel shopper exactly. The positioning is aggressive, and the handling is similar to that of a roadbike retrofitted with straight handlebars. The adjustable stem makes it easy to change handlebar height, accommodating riders of different sizes. While the fit worked well for me with the handlebars set level with the saddle, I did not like the flat and narrow bars that are standard with the build. But I understand this is possible to change.




As far as handling, the bike accelerates quickly, holds speed nicely, and is responsive to pedaling effort. Those who like fast and aggressive, yet upright bikes, will enjoy this. The ride quality did not feel harsh on bumpy and pot-hole ridden roads. I could feel the suspension in the front and rear, but could not decide whether it was too much for my taste or just enough.






The TSR2's dropouts are split to accommodate the belt, which cannot be separated the way a bicycle chain can. This is the now third bike I have test-ridden with a belt drive (see the others here and here). Unlike the previous times, this is a Delta belt drive and not a Gates carbon drive, but in the limited context of the test rides, I was not able to discern any difference. The belt was smooth and quiet.




The TSR2 is the second bike I have test-ridden with the Sturmey Archer 2-speed kick shift hub (see here for detailed impressions). This hub - also known as the Duomatic - is unusual in that it both brakes and shifts via back-pedaling: You push back lightly to switch gears, and you push back harder to brake. The Duomatic is a lot of fun, though I would not choose it for my own bike. In particular, the coaster brake action does not feel right to me on a bike with positioning and handling as aggressive as the Moulton's. That said, I know others who run this hub quite happily on bikes with drop bars, so it really comes down to personal preferences.






The MoultonTSR2 can be accessorised with fenders, as well as custom front and rear racks and bags. Considering it is a city bike, I would have liked to see these features included. This would allow me to get a sense for how convenient it would be to carry my stuff on this bike and what effect the load would have on handling. As is, I have no idea. There are also no provisions for lighting.




TheMoultonTSR models are worth considering for those looking for a compact, small wheel bike that is performance oriented. Handmade in England and famous for their engineering,Moulton bicycles are costly, with TSR models starting at $1,600. My favourite aspects are the compactness, the separable frame, and the handling. Though this bike has become less of a mystery to me, I am still mesmerised and confused by the spaceframe when I see it, unable to decide whether I think it is wonderful or ridiculous. If the opportunity presents itself, I would like to try a Moulton with derailleur gearing and provisions for carrying luggage. Many thanks to Harris Cyclery for this and other Moulton encounters.

Watching for Meteors

We were out watching for the Quadrantid meteor shower last night. Unfortunately we had quite a few clouds blocking the part of the sky that the meteors were supposed to be originating from. After a while the clouds did go away, but even then all we saw were a few very faint meteor streaks, and only one big fireball. Even so, it was a fantastic night to be out stargazing!

Traveling from Dublin to the Antrim Coast, with Luggage and a Brompton

I am staying in a remote area on the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland, near the town of Ballycastle. Getting here from the suburbs of Dublin was quite something, though very much worth it in the end. I had with me three pieces of luggage: A suitcase on wheels, my fully folded Brompton bicycle sheathed in a cloth cover, and a Carradice City Folder bag that can also be carried as a shoulder bag. I am an average sized female with below-average upper body strength, and lugging these 3 things around on my own through the various segments of the trip was doable. I rolled the suitcase in my left hand, carried the Carradice across my chest messenger style, and carried the Brompton by the frame in my right hand. This last part was the most difficult for me. The Brompton weighs over 20lb and I can only carry it in one hand for so long, especially if I am also dragging other things at the same time. But again, doable.




As is probably obvious by the rolling suitcase, this is not the sort of trip where I planned to ride to the train station and to my destination upon arrival. I am not touring, but rather traveling with a bike, which I intend to use once I settle in. I will be here for a while, staying in the same place the entire time, and so I wanted to be comfortable, have plenty of clothes to change into, and have all the camera equipment I wanted with me. I thoroughly researched the transportation situation in advance and determined that for the last leg of my trip, a bus could drop me off within walking distance of the place I am staying despite its remoteness. There is also a local commuter train (DART) that stops just down the road of where I stayed in Dun Laoghaire and goes directly to the train station in Dublin. I was a little nervous of course that things don't always work out in reality as they should, but I had an emergency taxi fund just in case.






The main leg of the trip was taking the train from Dublin to Belfast. These leave from Connelly Station in Dublin and they run roughly every hour on weekdays. I knew that it was supposed to be hassle-free to travel to Northern Ireland. But I didn't expect that it would be quite this nonchalant. There was nothing about the ticket purchasing or boarding experience to indicate that we would be crossing a border. I simply bought a ticket to Belfast. No one asked me to show ID. No one asked why I was traveling there.




The train station itself was a remarkably calm place compared to other train stations I have been to in large cities. No pushing, no yelling, quiet, everyone incredibly courteous. A few people tried to help me with my luggage at various stages. I wasn't struggling with it, so I think the motivation might have been a sense of fairness - that they had none and I had three pieces, so they might as well carry some of mine to even it out.






On the platform I saw a man with a folding bike and a couple of large bags. He must have been watching me also, because when the train arrived he pointed to an entrance indicating that I should use that one. I did, and it contained a nice empty luggage compartment. I easily fit both my suitcase and my bike on the middle shelf. I then sat nearby with the Carradice bag on the floor next to me.




Once the passengers settled in and the controller checked everyone's tickets, a trolley cart was brought by selling food. I bought a hot tea, and the server asked whether it was okay to give me change in pounds sterling, since he was out of change in euros. This was the first indication that anything would be different at our destination.






The train from Dublin to Belfast proceeds mostly along the coast, and the views are beautiful. The sun even came out. I relaxed and felt pleased at how well everything was going.




An hour and a half later, the train broke down. We waited inside for 15 minutes as they tried to fix it, but were finally asked to disembark. It was then announced that we would be switching to a local service commuter train for the remainder of the journey, and that this train was waiting for us on a platform a short walk away, accessible by multiple staircases. An elderly lady beside me poked me with her elbow, winked, and said "Welcome to Northern Ireland."




I braced myself for the ordeal of multiple staircase climbs with a suitcase and a Brompton, but thankfully there were lifts, so it wasn't that bad. However, the commuter train was crowded with locals and did not have luggage compartments. I stacked my things in a corner near one of the exists, found a seat from which I could keep an eye on it, and hoped for the best.



At length we arrived in Belfast. I expected a busy station and a rush to get off the train, but there was neither. No one shoved me or even expressed annoyance at my things being piled in front of an exit. My suitcase was promptly placed on the platform for me by a huge hand whose owner I didn't even have a chance to glimpse, and I quickly grabbed the bike, worried that who-ever tried to help with it would try to pick it up by the (bottomless) bag.






The Belfast Central Rail Station is very small. There is a ticket stand, two tiny coffee shops, and two bank machines: one dispensing pounds sterling, the other dispensing euros. The one dispensing pounds was out of order. As luck would have it, I hadn't brought any cash in GBP, figuring I'd easily withdraw it here. So I bought a coffee, paid with a 20 euro note, and got the change back in pounds. A few others had the same idea and the coffee shop became the currency exchange booth.




Speaking as a visitor, it felt a little disorienting that there was nothing acknowledging a border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and yet there was suddenly a different currency system.A local radio station was playing, and in between songs the announcer said something like "the weather across the United Kingdom is beautiful today" and that too felt odd, since at no point had there been signs or announcements mentioning the United Kingdom.It's hard to explain, but the dichotomy feels confusing.







At the Belfast Central Rail Station, I bought a ticket for the local train to a place called Ballymena, which was the closest train station to my destination. These trains also ran very frequently, which impressed me given how sparsely populated County Antrim is. At the end of each train car, there was a section dedicated to bikes and baby strollers, with liftable seats. I easily stored my luggage there. The train route from Belfast to Ballymena is mostly inland, and there I saw saw some light industry and some farms. The landscape in this area looked a little stark compared to the Eastern coastline.




Up until this point it had been sunny, but as soon as the train stopped at Ballymena and I disembarked, it began pouring. Thankfully the Ulster Bus terminal was just across the road and it was covered. I carried my luggage there and found the Ballycastle bus stop. According to the schedule posted, the next bus was due to arrive in just 5 minutes. I was alone in the terminal except for a man in his 60s, who was pacing back and forth nearby. So far in Ireland, I have found it impossible to occupy the same space as someone else without ending up having a chat with them, and this was no exception. Within minutes I learned that the gentleman was a retired policeman who lived in the area and enjoyed a free bus pass on account of being a pensioner. Glancing at his watch, he gleefully announced that my bus was already late and that I was lucky if it showed up in the next half hour despite was the schedule said. "He's probably stopped for a sandwich, or having a chat with his mate," the man speculated cheerfully. However, the bus pulled up only a few minutes behind schedule.




Incredibly, it looked like I was to be the only passenger and the driver suggested that I simply toss my luggage onto the front row of seats. That is what I did, then sat down next to it.






We traveled 27 miles from the inland town of Ballymena to the coastal town of Ballycastle, as the weather alternated between glorious sunshine and dark skies with pelting rain. We passed mostly farmlands with lots and lots of baby lambs. Occasionally there was a village center, then back to lambs. They were beautiful and fluffy and I began to get sleepy counting them.




As we approached the coast, the driver asked me where I wanted him to stop. This sort of stunned me, but he assured me that he had nothing better to do and might as well take me to my door so that I didn't have to walk. As a dramatic view of the sea opened up in front of us, I told him the address and that is where he dropped me off.






And so finally there I was, with my suitcase, my Carradice bag and my Brompton, ringing the door bell of my new residence. At this point I was utterly exhausted. But all things considered I think the trip went well. I left Dublin at 7:40am and arrived at Ballycastle just past 12:30 in the afternoon. I managed fine with my luggage, and now here I am settled in and with my own bike on the Antrim Coast.




The transportation system in Northern Ireland is impressive as far as density of coverage and the frequency with which the local buses and trains run; I had not expected anything nearly this good. For anyone interested in traveling through County Antrim, you can definitely do so without the hassle of renting a car. Prices for buses and trains are reasonable, and the stops take you not only to local village centers but also to remote scenic locations along the coast such as the Giant's Causeway.Traveling with a folding bike should not be a problem, especially if it's one that folds up as small as the Brompton. For anybody considering visiting the Antrim Coast in this manner, I highly recommend it.

Dumpling

"You need to get more chickens," my sister told me. "I miss the Chicken Chronicles!"

Somehow we still haven't managed to get any more chicks this spring, though we had intended to. We have only two hens, an Easter Egger and a Marans.

The Marans (named "Dumpling", shown here), bucking common chicken wisdom, is laying more often now that she's older. She lays an egg almost every day. The Easter Egger (Americauna) is a slacker. Her eggs are larger, but we're lucky if she graces us with two a week. And they've lost their pretty green and blue hues, fading to practically white. Maybe she's just tired.

The number of eggs from two chickens is really more than enough for just the two if us. But a whole flock is fun to watch, plus they keep the yard free of ticks (if you can keep them out of the woods long enough). Stay tuned... we may yet get a few more this spring.

Photo Studio - Light Tent

Earlier this week Nikki-Ann purchased a mini photo studio for taking pictures of some of her collectibles. She has a couple of nice examples of the results. The "studio" she mentions sells for about $80 here in the states.

We all have things we'd like to photograph but maybe the cost doesn't quite fit into your budget, can't be justified or perhaps you only have a few things to photograph. The alternative to buying a mini studio is to make one yourself!

Sure. Well, I found two versions of a photo studio/light box you can build yourself and both seem do-able. One is of a temporary nature and is created from a cardboard box while the other is more permanent and uses a frame constructed with PVC pipe. Both sites provide excellent directions. With a little ingenuity, I think these could even be used for taking pictures of photographs that can't be scanned, such as those pasted in albums that would be destroyed if scanned or those too large for the scanner. The light boxes should help eliminate hot spots usually caused by harsh, direct lighting.

I think I might give the cardboard box a try next week. A box, a little tape, and some tissue paper. What could be easier? We'll see.



The photos above show the studio that can be purchased, one that is made from a cardboard box, and one made with PVC pipe. The pictures were obtained from the following sites:

commercial site: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=312182
from a box: http://strobist.blogspot.com/../07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html
from PVC pipe: http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

The Bobbin Birdie Lands in America!

It was back in September at Interbike that I first saw Bobbin bicycles in person and learned that they would soon be available in the USA. Excited by these news, I talked to the distributor and they've now sent a demo model to Harris Cyclery, inviting my feedback. This week I finally had a chance to ride and photograph the bicycle.



Bobbin Bicycles started out as a traditional bike shop in London (humbly advertised as "the most beautiful bicycle shop in Britain"), then developed a house brand of its own, eventually evolving into a full fledged bike manufacturer offering a range of models and accessories. I have followed these developments with interest, and it isn't difficult to see why the brand appeals to me: In their own words, "Bobbin reinvents romantic notions of traditional upright bicycles and makes them relevant to modern life." They are also quite budget-conscious, aiming to be affordable for the student and young professional. Oh and the loop frame models are lugged. I was very much looking forward to trying a Bobbin.



The model I received is the Birdie, in red. It's a lugged steel 3-speed with 26" wheels, rim brakes, fenders, a partially enclosed chain, a kickstand, and a rear rack. While Bobbin does offer bicycles equipped with a fully enclosed chaincase and hub brakes, the Birdie is presented as a more paired down, "jaunty" model. The frame is described as a combination of hi-ten and cro-moly tubing, made in Taiwan. The weight is 37lb as shown. The paint is liquid coat, applied via a multi-stage dipping and curing process that includes rust-proofing.



To my relief and delight, the Birdie frame is indeed fully lugged.

Head tube lugs.

Seat cluster.

Bottom bracket.

Loop to seat tube connection.

Fork crown.Bobbinare not trying to reinvent the wheel with this bicycle: It is basically a remake of a vintage 3-speed circa the 1950s-70s, made somewhat lighter with the help of modern tubing and components.

The classically-shaped rear rack is nicely integrated with the rest of the bicycle, painted body colour. The rack's tubing is not oversized and will accommodate a variety of modern pannier systems.

There are tiny plastic mudflaps on the front and rear fenders.

The partial chaincase encloses the chainring and the upper portion of the chain.

The rubber-footed kickstand is sufficiently sturdy.

The handlebars are a contemporary version of North Roads, set up with classic city brake levers, aSturmey Archer3-speed shifter, and not at all unattractive pleather(?) grips.

The sprung padded vinyl saddle matches the grips in colour.

ASturmey Archer3-speed (non-coasterbrake) hub powers the gearing.

This bicycle photographs extremely well, with the glossy red paint and the classic lines lending a "glamour shot" vibe to the images. In person it comes across as more subdued. My first impressions were of its relatively light weight and subjective "smallishness." The 26" wheels, thin frame tubing and bright paintjob made it look almost like a children's bike and I felt as if I were handling a toy, which was actually kind of fun. But the size (19" frame) felt like a good fit.



I tested for toe overlap and was glad to discover that there was no chance of it. Then I rode the Birdie for about 5 miles on mildly hilly suburban roads with car traffic. This has become my standard distance and terrain for test riding upright city bicycles, and I think it is representative of how such bikes tend to be ridden in real-life circumstances in the US.

Riding the Bobbin Birdie, I found the manufacturer's term "jaunty" to be apt. This is not a sluggish bike; it feels light and zippy. It accelerates and retains momentum nicely. Mild hills were not a problem. The gearing felt just right: not too high and not too low. The bike felt stable and tame enough for a beginner; not twitchy at all.Compared to a Dutch bike, the ride quality was on the harsh side, but I say the same about most city bikes that aren't fitted with balloon tires.

Speaking of tires, I do not care for the ones on the Birdie. I have no good explanation for this, other than that they felt a bit "cheap" and narrower than the described 35mm. Replacing them with nicer tires should be easy enough. I have a feeling that a pair of Schwalbe Delta Cruisers would improve the ride quality as well.

Overall, the Birde was a fun and very "normal" ride; nothing about the bike's handling frustrated me or struck me as being off. Speaking more generally, I think for the price ($650 retail at the moment), this is a good deal. For all those who have been pining for an affordable fully lugged bicycle, here it is. It looks to be decently made, uses solid components, handles well, has no toe overlap, includes a sizeable rear rack, and is not bad looking to boot.The absence of integrated lighting should be noted. And the rim brakes could be a concern if you live in an area where it snows in winter and plan to ride the bike year-round. But as far as the basic character of the bike and its ability to transport the cyclist's belongings, the Bobbin Birdie works for me.

Bobbin's full line of city bicycles will soon be available in shops across the US and Canada, and those interested should check with the distributor for stock lists. If you are local to the Boston area, the specific bicycle pictured here is available for test rides at Harris Cyclery in West Newton, MA. I plan to ride it at least once again - when it starts snowing - and will post an update on how it handles in winter conditions. If you happen to already own a Bobbin, please do share your impressions.

La Sportiva Hi5 skis

I see that Lou over at Wildsnow finally let the horse out of the barn :-)



http://www.wildsnow.com/5292/la-sportiva-hi5-ski-review/comment-page-1/#comment-36675



Big help now as I really wanted the info a couple of months ago! I know Lou had the skis and wondered why he waited so long on the review. Likely out skiing. What was he thinking? Let me help make it a stampede of sorts.









If you follow this blog you know I hadn't skied much (as in none) for a decade or so. The climbing trip last winter to Chamonix was my cardiac jump start. The continued ski season (and terrible weather) here in the NW and with the resulting never ending snowit has allowed me to ski instead of ride my bike or rock climb.



Enjoying it actually. Getting togo back to several old spring ski haunts because of it.



I have been skiing on an assortment of old and new boards over the winter. Shaped, asymmetrical,super short, skinny, fat and in between. Lots of skis. They all generally turn left and right as required.My BD Aspects, Dyna Stokes and the Dyna Broad Peaks are missing from this picture. No huge surprises except one. And that one ski the Hi 5 has been an interesting education that continues.







I first saw the Hi5 at OR last winter and was more than a little skeptical ofthe newLa Sportiva Hi5 or La Sportiva in particular for skis. But I did want a pair of thoseall carbon race boots the STRATOS!Any way, hard to miss a bright green, giant ski that resembles a retro water ski more than snow ski.Or so I first thought. It was a ski that stood outin the ski racks at two "ski bars" and ridingthe trams in Chamonix over the winter. And of the La Sportiva Hi5sI did recognise, all seemed amazingly LOOONG in comparison to the other skisbeing toted around the valley.(from a distinct mental note taken back in March...and obvious ski/mtn gawds riding them)















Hugerocker on the tip of this ski. (well huge to me, the guy who had only skied one pair of rockered skis, these) a squared cut tailand a full 105mm wide at the waist. It is a 75/25 % rockered ski. My early production 188cms pair measure 135/105/125 mmand weight in at 8# 10oz.Light I thought for such a fat and long ski. But they will get lighter in the / production. The goal is 7#15oz for a pair of 188s. My skinny162cm Se7en Summits with arace binding weight 6# for the pair as a comparison, My 178cm BD Aspects are just over 7# with bindings.



The Hi5s are a good bit wider and longer than either with the resulting performance advantages.



In French here:



http://www.sportiva-fr.com/produits/catalogue7.php?id=74



- Longueur : 168 - 178 - 188





-Weight: 1.600gr - 1.700gr - 1.800gr - Poids : 1.600gr - 1.700gr - 1.800gr



- Construction: Sidewall Fusion - 75% Camber / Rocker 25%.Progressive sidecut Progressive sidecut



- Songs: ABS thermoplastic



- Core: Wood Light Karuba - Ame : bois de Karuba léger



- First layer: fiberglass tri-directional



- Second layer: carbon fiber bi-directional / fiberglass inserts



Almost nothing on the Net early on besides these:











Having been on the same hill, on those same days, lhave to admit I now really wanted to try thesefat boys out. But sadly, mine would show up in Apriland the closest I would come to a Cham pow day was a foot of nasty Cascade cement at Crystal that was doing point release slides under the lifts by the afternoon..







But that turned out to not be a bad thing. I wanted to get some skinning in on my lwt stuff but the new snow and avi danger made that problematic. So I stuck withthe Hi5s on the lifts all day. It seemed better than going home, as most did. The first steep I dropped into was 4 turns to the packed again. And I thought that was rather easy. Easier than expected for sure. Next drop I made 6 turns and was still not being pushed. Seemed too easy in the sloppy snow. Terrible snow to ski on but the kind of snow a good snow boarder loves So next time I dropped in the same place and did sixturns before the first tree. Holy shit! Are these really 188cm and 105cm wide? These will take some imagination and relearning what is possible was my thought that day.



Just say no to short skis ;)These are realskis!



No wonder the kidsin Cham were on head height or better skis lengths. These things turn like they are a150mm soft, skinny skis or a snow board. And maybe they are with that much rocker and flotation! What ever is going on here for technology, they sure are a hoot and super easy to ski on!



Check out the actual surface area being used on flat groundbetween my 162cm Se7en Summits and the Hi5 in a 188cm. That is SOME seriousrocker!



When you start looking at rockered skis you need to be really careful with the definition because the ski companies aren't. "Early rise", "semi rockered" and the other terms so easily bandied about generally aren't truly rockered skis. Real rockered skis, ski and turn like much shorter skis than their measured length would first indicate because there is less surface on the ground taking full weight.









When the tips of your skis set on the snow like the Hi5 obviously does, the ski is rockered. 410cm of rocker by my measure on the 188s. A quick example of the difference? A 173cm Stoke ski like a 188cm Hi5. If I cut hairs here, the 176 Aspect feels slower to turnthan thelongerand wider 188 Hi5. Most of that is rocker, some of it is the additional side cut of the Hi5. The pointis the Hi 5 turnslike a much shorter skis in my opinion. Surprizingly so and much to my personal enjoyment.





I hear fat skis are a little tough to edge. Big, stiff boots will solve part of that.



Fat skis are not suppose to like light weight boots. I took that test and like the Dynafit TLT Ps with these skis. And I generally ski the Ps without the tongue, as I was doing in the skiing comments above. Add the tongue and there is plenty of boot for the Stokes or the Hi5s in any length. But I haven't bothered adding the tongue. Might be the fact the Hi5 is so easy to ski and not the boots. It is a question yet unanswered to my satisfaction. But I have the technology to find that answer and will come back to it when I do. I like to think of the Hi5 as my Aspects with power steering and 4 wheel drive if that makes sense. Lower geared, and easier to drive in shitty snow.





The only other fat ski in my quiver is a pair of the new Dynafit Stokes. Goodski as well.But neither ski is really FAT by today's standards. Can't consider the BD Aspect as fat either.I wanted some serious rocker just to see what it was like to ski. Butif possible on a more traditional ski with some side cut. Dbl rockered skis seem a little extreme. But may be I am wrong there. Traditional you say? Well no tail rocker (unless you consider the last 2" of ski rockered" and thereasonableside cut seems almost traditionalthese days. The side cut isn't that far off between the Aspect and the Hi5.BTW I simply haven't noticed the square cut tail. When you sit back there is good support and edge there...like a decentGS ski. Looks a little weird a first but then so does this ski.That was amazingly easy toget over. And amazingly easy to set tail first in hard snow if it is required. The Hi5 numbers made it looklike a more "traditional" ski with some added rocker...OK a lot of rocker.



(all factory numbers..not my numbers)



Mustagh SL 187cm6lb 9oz 122-88-111



Aspect 186cm 7 lb 2 oz 130 / 90 / 117



Drift 186 cm7 lb 10 oz 138/ 100/ 123



Stoke 191cm 7 lb 14oz134 / 108 / 122



Hi5 188cm 7lb 15oz 135 / 105 / 125



Wailer HB 190cm 9lb 4oz 141/ 112 / 128



Megawatt 188cm 10 lb 1 oz 153-125-130







My pre production pair of Hi5s are a few oz.over at a measured 8# 7oz. La Sportiva missed the mark early on by 4oz per ski in a 188. Close enough from my perspective for what I am getting in added performance. I actually made a special trip to Marmot just to check my own numbers again when I started listingthe weight numbers on the Aspect and Stoke. Part of that is the HI5 is a little longer and a good bit wider. And the ski performance matches the Hi5's bigger numbers. Bottom line is I don't care about the weight on this ski (within reason) compared to my Aspects or Stokes.The Hi5shave proven themselves asmy go to, "Hero skis" any any kind of soft snow. If I need a hero ski that particular day I'll deal with the marginal extra weight on the uphill. (Thank Colin at La Sportiva for correctingthe production numbers on the skis being shippedas of Sept '11)



Ithink, if given thechoice, you'll find fewwilling to ski a non rockered 175 or 180cm ski where you can so easily ski the rockered 188 Hi5. The rocker makesthat much difference.I like skiing a little longer ski again.It wasan easy sale after just threeruns.









This is the most funall aroundski I have been on for junk snow. Short of ice and really hard groomers anyway. They aren't GS skis. There is a definite speed limit. These are my hero skis for junk snow. Ski just about anything,anywhere on these and feel awesome while doing it. Might even be able to give my boarding buddya run for the money inwind blown. Which says a lot. No way I would have believed that if the only place I hadskied them was on Chamonix pow. Might be the only ski I use for the down there next winter though. Rippingright out of the gateon the Midiis a dream I intend to make real with this board.









Bottom line? If you haven't skied a fat rocker ..you should ASAP. Hero skis, plain and simple.. With adecade off line...I needed a hero ski ;-)