Albert Eugene Dunfee

Here we have another example of the results of using the "foil technique" for easier reading of tombstones, as mentioned in a previous post.



Albert Eugene Dunfee was the fifth known child born to William H. Dunfee and Catherine Jones. They are all buried in the Masonic Section of Greenhill Cemetery in Columbia City, Indiana. Albert died on April 2nd 1865, just a little over a year old. Previous transcriptions of this section of the cemetery give the last numeral in his year of death as a 5. The numeral in the number of days has variously been identified as a 5, and a 3. His obituary gives the number of days as 16. But if the year is a 5, then I think the number of days is 15, though I could be wrong. Who is to say, at this late date, which is correct?

Somewhere I have a copy of his obituary from the microfilmed newspaper that I identified as the Columbia City Post published on Wednesday, April 5, 1865. That is also the date listed by Nellie Raber in her "Digest of Obituaries" mentioned in the post on Albert's sister Laura.

=+==+==+=

Died, the 2nd inst, Albert Eugene, infant son of William and Catharine Dunfee, of Lung fever, aged one year, one month and sixteen days.

Though but an infant, destined to but a short stay with his parents, yet he had reached that age so interesting in childhood, when the music of his innocent prattle gave him prominence in the family circle. But a few days since little Albert made glad the heart of fond parents, loving sisters and brother, but midst their hopes and joys, death quietly enters and lays claim to their little treasure, and
"From tender friends he was quickly torn,
Their loss they now in sadness mourn,
From all he is gone."

Little Albert's parents no doubt had often, when enjoying his infantile glee, built up for themselves in their glad anticipation many happy days with him here, patiently watching the opening bud,
"When came disease and open'd the door,
And from their arms their treasure tore,
But near, there watched an angel band
Who took their Bertie by the hand;
They showed his little feet the way
To realms of joy in endless day;
Now, with new songs high heaven rings,
For there their darling Bertie sings;
He lives in Heaven."

Rutland Water clockwise on foot

With Barry, Maureen, Gordon and Eddie. Harry in the afternoon. Cloudy, then one shower, then clear and even sunny. Pretty good underfoot. Lunch at Horse and Jockey, Manton.

Dramatic lighting over the Water

We started from Barnsdale car park and walked clockwise, via Whitwell, Sykes Lane, the dam, Normanton church, Normanton car park, Lyndon Nature reserve, Manton, and Egleton.

A very welcome pause for tea at the Egleton village hall.



We easily reached the pub by 1pm. Starting from Barnsdale at 9.40 am. We could have had a coffee stop!











Lots of martins and swifts, birdsong which I couldn't identify near Lyndon nature reserve.

Slip slidin' away

A brief glimpse of sun at the turnpike turn around

The last couple days have been sloppy here in the Laurel Highlands. Copious amounts of rain have saturated the area leaving rocks unclimbable and the trails a soupy mess. Long sections of trail are completely submerged others are currently swamped. Don't get me wrong, running a few hours in the rain is no big deal and usually quite refreshing on hot, humid days. Unfortunately the downside to rain is that it sometimes comes accompanied by dangerous thunder and lightning storms. Personally I've been caught in a few truly scary storms. Mostly on the trail or rock, hours from the car. The whole time feeling vulnerable, helpless and scared shitless. I've obviously survived the experiences. When threats of bad weather are present when trying to get out, my mind races to thoughts of two friends killed by lightning on a mountaineering trip some years ago. Is the risk of getting struck that high or were they in the wrong place at the wrong time? I guess those thoughts and experiences are what had me scrutinizing the radar images the last couple of days. I was an armchair meteorologist watching for gaps between storms that provided time to squeeze in a couple wet, but storm-free runs.




Friday 6/28. Route 31 trail head to the turnpike bridge and back, 11.5 miles. 2:02:10, Elevation: gain 1,974', loss 1,971'.

It rained on me most of the way, with the exception of a few minutes when I was able to snap the picture of the turnpike bridge above. Passed one (saturated) couple on tunnel road heading to Rt. 31 shelters for the night. Really humid, lots of water needed consuming after this one.




Saturday 6/29 Route 653 trail head to Grindle Ridge shelters and back, 11.5 miles. 2:07:34, Elevation: gain 905', loss 908'.

Ran accompanied by "Granola" our 4 legged, trail loving, machine. He usually comes with me on easy training days under 15 miles. He's a great pacer and always makes new trail friends along the way. Today we met a family of 5 on an out and back to Bear Rocks, a group of scouts from McCandless and afather and son spending a few days training for a Philmontscouting trip. Granola seems to put a smile on everyone's face... Keep an eye out for us on the local trails (usually you'll meet him first). Below is a picture of him after his run today, tired and content to be back at the car. The trail wasn't as bad as yesterday, but still a mess. Downed trees were plentiful from the high winds during the recent storms. Ran with only a few brief periods of rain. I managed a seriously painful rock kicking that had me stop and wince a few minutes (luckily near the end). I also managed a spectacular fall from a downed tree that I was scrambling over (after the rock kicking). A few squirrels chuckled at my failed "cat like reflexes"... Trail runner my ass! they declared as I hobbled hobbled up the hill. Run miles, climb often and always ignore the rude squirrel comments! They'll most likely end up as hawk dinner...

Today was a good day! "Granola" post run

Queensland State Comp Results.

So many excellent competitors. So many categories. Shall we start?In the Masters,jjobrienclimbingis utterly convinced thatBrisbane urban style leader and Popeye's nemisis Elie Moubarak was robbed with Second position. Are the judges blind?!This tough guy oozes style.I mean, the man behind Brisbane’s successful West End cocktail joint Lychee Lounge and the new Fortitude Valley swank pad Laruche. How stylish do you have to be to get First?





























He makesyoung Nate Foster and Joey Driver look likesweet littlekids.

They're just a lovely bunch of boys, aren't they?









Seriously? Second?







I can only imagine the judges were trying to bust up those Ferguson boys, who they placed First and Third.



Sure, they did look coolin their uncarvedblock promo T-shirts. But I still think it was rigged.













I've got a sneaky feeling the officalphotographerfor the night was in on it too.

More new leashless gloves.

The last two winters some of my favorite climbing gloves have been by Mountain Hardware.


Specifically a $50 "go to" glove for me, the "Torsion" (or it's kissing cousin the OR Vert). The Torsion isn't totally water proof but works great on steep technical ice unless it is really wet. For colder conditions or a lot of water I have been using the OutDry lined "Hydra" which is a stellar technical glove and cheap for what you get I think, at $100. It is warmer than the Torsion but still light enough to climb hard in. It is an exceptional pattern for technical climbing leashless. More details on both of these gloves back a ways in the Blog. Worth the extra click if you are are looking for gloves.


The new gloves to me....









Just picked up two of Mtn Hardware's glove styles that are new to me and I think worth checking out. Although prices have obviously gone up. Both are again lined with OutDry. Which seems to really work better than Gortex in similar styles. And both are leather reinforced in the heavy wear areas. The "Pistolero" as a light weight, mostly leather, highly technical glove that will replace my Torsions I think by the feel of them @ $100. And a slightly warmer version of the "Hydra", with a removable wool/synthetic liner, the "Typhon" @ $130.00

I get to look at a lot of gloves locally with REI, Mtn Hardware, Feathered Friends and Marmot all having good size retail stores local to me . These two models from Mtn Hardware are some of the best I have seen for my own use. Gotta like Mountain Hardware's life time warranty as well when you are dropping C notes for a single pair of gloves likely to get trashed in less than a season.


Fit? I wear a XL in most every glove. And it needs to be a generous XL. Hydra is fine in the XL, maybe a little loose. Pistolero is perfect, same slightly loose fit. The Typhoon is a little tight, maybe the same sizing pattern (I'd bet $ it is) as the XL Hydra but the wool/synthetic liner makes them a little tight. I may be wrong on the sizing because the next two pairs I mail ordered don't fit tight even with the wool liners. The glove build pattern however is not the same. The Hydra still has less seams and less bulk because of it. Looks like enough improvement on the Hydra durability wise though with the dbl thickness leather wear pads and leather finger tips to risk it and pay the extra $30. if you are going to do a lot of raps in them. The wool liners aren't worth the extra $30 to me. But I was thinking a really light polar fleece liner would work better and seems similar to the close fit as my BD liners in the Hydra.

I tried on 3 pairs of each to make sure I got the biggest pairs and all seem the same in size.

If I wore a Large and wanted a warmer glove than the Hydra the XL Typhon would rock :) But a XL Hydra would as well with a light weight liner of your choice and save $30.

There are a few minor improvements and the extra leather reinforcement in the palm and fingers on the Typhon. But the Typhon's build pattern is way more complicated and a bit more bulky. Are the changes worth the extra $30.00 compared to the Hydra for you? It is a toss up for me but it has convinced me to use the Typhon as my cold weather rap glove and save the Hydra for climbing when I can.

I'll write more once I get to use them as intended.

The 44th Regiment at Shiloh :: The Burying Ground

A signpost at the entrance to the cemetery explains “After the Battle of Shiloh, Federal details buried the dead of both sides near where they fell. The warm weather and great number of bodies made it necessary to bury the dead quickly. In 1866 the United States Government established this cemetery for the permanent burial of Union soldiers killed at Shiloh and related engagements. Bodies were recovered from the battlefield and reburied here, often in regimental groupings. The Confederate dead remain in five mass graves on the battlefield. Two-thirds of the 3,500 Civil War soldiers resting here are unknown. Many tombstones bear a number only. Others read simply: “U. S. SOLDIER.”

What the sign doesn't say is that some Union dead were also originally interred in mass graves. And that the Battle of Shiloh was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War – in two days the tally of those dead, wounded or missing was 13,000 on the Union side and 10,500 on the Confederate side!

The site of the burying ground for the 44th Regiment is marked “Ind 3” at the bottom center of the diagram.

The tall post to the right marks the center of the burying ground for the 44th Indiana Infantry. The stones in the foreground belong to men from Iowa regiments.

Only eight of the stones in the half-circle for the 44th have names inscribed upon them. The remaining 16 stones simply have a number. Most likely they had originally been interred where they died during battle, in graves marked by the regiment in some manner. Those who have their names inscribed probably, like Ralph Goodrick [Goodrich], died of wounds within days of the battle.


Jno. Murray (431) Company B - Captain - died April 6, 1862Frank Launners (432) Company I - Sergeant– died April 6, 1862Ralph Goodrick (433) Company B – Private – died April 6, 1862
Note: Pension records show that Ralph was wounded on the 6th and died of those wounds on April 8th. See my previous post on this.


H. C. Rill (434) PrivateW. H. Casebeer (435) Company D – Private – died April 6, 1832Unknown Number 436

Geo. Weamer (441) Company E - Private – died April 17, 1862Jno. Diclute (445) Company I – Private – died April 6, 1862Leander Hall (446) Company A – Private – died April 6, 1862
Someday, I'd like to spend some time researching these men... a quick search of the Internets garnered this bit of information on marker 441, shown above: George Weamer enlisted while a Columbia City, Indiana resident as a Private in Company G, 44th Indiana Volunteer Infantry on November 22, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He was transferred to Company E on January 2, 1862 and was wounded April 6, 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh. He died of his wounds April 17, 1862.

The 44th Regiment was formed in Fort Wayne with many of the men coming from the northeast Indiana counties of Allen, Dekalb, Noble, LaGrange, and Whitley.

The Dunes in the Morning

Wednesday, May 11th - - The temperature didn't get as low as I had feared it might but it was a blustery 40 degrees when I awoke at 6:30 this morning and saw heavy clouds hovering over the area. The forecast was for a 60% chance of rain. With the cold and gloomy prospects for the weather, I decided to move on with the hope that one day I will return. Off in the far distance, to the southwest in the valley beyond The Dunes, there was sunshine. Some scattered clouds too, but not like the gray clouds overhead.





The Dunes are held captive by the Sangre de Christo Mountains. The campground is to the right of where the dunes drop off (just right of the center of the photo). The sun was coming over the mountain on the right and maybe it would have burned off the clouds and fog, but then again maybe not.





The sun came through the clouds briefly on my way out of the park. I love how the light moves over The Dunes.





A closer look, half in light and half in shadow.



The shape of The Dunes mimic the peaks of the mountains behind them.



To my amazement and delight, this image brings it all together... the light, The Dunes, the mountains, the clouds, the moment. There for an instant. Then it was gone. I stood in awe as the sun rolled over the dunes. It was incredible to watch.

The Cats

Mt. St. Helens, Worm Flows

Foursquare Mountaineering split up and climbed 2 different mountains on the same day. This group went south and climbed the St. Helens winter route. What a view!






Pete M. and Dan on top.



Brian, Matthew, Diane, Andrew, Todd and David on the summit.

It was a great day to climb a mountain!

The Buff?

30 years ago half of the gear available off the rack in Snells couldn't be had in the US. Half the climbing gear available in the US no one wanted.



Things have changed. Maybe 5% of the gear available in the US is hard to find in Europe and nothing in Snell's can't be had in the US these days. And when you do find it, itis generally cheaper. Although some of it might take a bit of searching.



So what does all this have to do with a Buff? They are big, mean and generally like to be left alone. Mess with them at yourown peril. The burnt and salted earth approach.



First I had heard of THE"Buff" was after a little apre ski at the apartment in Cham. We meet a couple of the local live inBrits just afterlunch at the Requinhuton the VB as they skied by from simu soloing Laratoune. They in turn cheerfully helped us through our stock of wine and beer back at the flat. Couple days later someone wanted to know if they had left their "buff" behind. Iguessed, correctly it seems, it was one of those retro '70s, lycrahead band thangs that were so fashionable in Chamonix.



Figured it was "only" a Chamonix thing so I bought my buddies one each for grins before we left town.



I earned my retro '70s style. Cotton bandanas, wool scarfs of assorted colors, leather head bands. Used them all to good effect with a full head of hair. Often times they required attire bitd.So not uncommon for me to turn up looking. as my wife describes it, like a "muffin head".Which almost, but not quite, squishes my ego. But not my now white, muffin head! Admittedly only half cool with a buzz cut but workable. Yes they work well under a helmet to keep your ears warm. Yes there really are 12 ways to wear one. Pirates, banditos and real men will use only 4.











The "Buff" is made in Barcelona, Spain, of 100% mirco fiber polyester (or Merinowool) and available in every color the rainbowand most patterns you cna imagine at your local REI of all places (or Technique Extreme) for 15 Euro or $20 US for the polyester versions. The cheap knock offswill squish a grown man's head. They dohow ever make most of uslook a bit like a urban camo'edBuff and may be even a bit of a colorful muffin head.



Get alittle style! And add a little color to you shady life style andyour buddy's photos. Get a Buff! Hell, get two and mix it up!



http://www.planetbuff.com/Original-Buff?page=all



Fook'um I earned my muffin headand liked lycra 30 years ago! The colors may fade but a trulyclassic style,doesn't ;-)





Now who is making a good knicker again and bell bottoms...ya, we need some Shoeller bell bottoms!

Political attention & during/after Mt Rainier's flood photos

Mt. Rainier is getting a lot of attention these days. On the political side of things, the new Director of the National Park Service, Mary Bomar, visited last week. She toured flood damaged areas firsthand and spoke with NPS personnel about the event, the progress and the longterm difficulties. And today, U.S. Representative Norm Dicks followed suit. The Congressman also visited many of the damaged areas, and like Mary, wanted to get a better sense of what it was going to take to get Mt Rainier National Park reopened.

This flood/rain/storm event has made evident the challenges of managing facilities and roads in the shadow of a major glaciated peak that is slowly loosing its glaciers. Kautz Creek is quickly becoming the poster child of how Mt. Rainier National Park will manage this complex situation. As it stands now, Kautz Creek continues to flow over the Nisqually to Longmire road because it jumped its main channel upstream in an area that is legally designated "wilderness." The hard question is, how do you provide safe, reliable, and financially feasible road access through a threatened drainage that is known for glacial outbursts and episodic floods? The photo above displays the culprit, Kautz Creek, shortly before it enters unchartered forest as it forms a new channel. This picture was taken roughly one mile upstream from where the creek now intersects the main road.

And speaking of photos... Here is another set of "during and after" pictures of Mt. Rainier's flooding. This set focuses on the Nisqually River bridge near Longmire, seen here on Nov. 6th.

Compare this to roughly the same image today, an obvious contrast to the muddy storm flow above.

On the media side of things, the News Tribune digressed from the storm damage coverage to tell us how high Mt. Rainier is, EXACTLY! Who'd have guessed how complicated this answer was?