S.o.t.D. – Miracle of Love – Swans

Miracle of Love – Swans

One of my favourite bands growing up. Their initial sound was a slow, brutal, pummeling dirge, dealing with really bleak subjects. Absolutely the most punishingly loud live act I’ve ever seen, bar none. In time their sound transformed into something still very intense, but much broader in influence and style. The instrumentation expanded, the structure of the songs opened up, the lyrical content flourished. The one constant though remained Michæl Gira’s amazing voice.

Typeface Design – Dirigible

A typeface I did in an afternoon in 93. Lots of early typefaces I did are in compacted files on a few floppy discs, and they’ll probably stay there forever, never to be opened again. But this one still remains in my font menu. I still find instances where it works.

Hammock – Killarney

The hammock and tarp encased in the SnakeSkins. I end up pulling both quite a bit tighter. There tends to be a bit of tying and retying before it’s set up correctly.

Closeup of the SnakeSkins. They part in the centre and slide back to the ends to reveal the tarp and hammock.

I always spread a MEC TARN footprint beneath the hammock. Provides me with a dry place to put my stuff and sit down.

My hammock on the right and Jay’s on the left. He has the smaller diamond shaped tarp that comes stock with the HH, whereas I opted for the larger tarp. Heavier of course, but actually makes for a very liveable space underneath. I’ve had four people beneath it for dinner, aperitifs and card games. It’s also a handy place to hang your wetsuit after a swim.

I tend to do a lot of stealth camping, where everything tends to be very contained. It was nice to be able to have everything strewn about as I set up. It all gets repacked, put in a contractor grade garbage bag and stowed under the hammock.

The Inner Space Craft.

Hidden Hammock.

Jay’s Hennessy Hammock.

S.o.t.D. – Fooling Myself – King Kooba

Fooling Myself (Easy Access Orchestra Remix) – King Kooba

Artspiration – Shawn Barber

I always love discovering new art and becoming aware of new artists. I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by some amazingly talented tattoo artists. It’s wonderful to be inspired by them and to have them share with me what inspires them.

So I thought I would start sharing some of what I consider really amazing art. This will be an ongoing thing. It will likely span a pretty broad spectrum of visual arts.

Shawn Barber has been doing a series of oil paintings, portraits of tattoo artists. Sometimes it’s just their hands, sometimes a nude portrait of them, sometimes it’s their own tattoos, sometimes it’s even just a still life of their set up.

http://www.sdbarber.com/pages/tattoo_icon_pg.html#

Sosoetry – Carry & Terry Marry

So every once in a while I get into a highly creative mood and write an amusing little poem about a friend. All this kookiness started one day when I was still living in Aylmer. One of the people I worked with, Carrie, a sweet but sassy Mennonite girl, told me she was getting married. Carrie was going to marry Terry. This I found rather amusing, and over my lunch break I wrote this:

Carrie & Terry Marry

There once was a girl named Carrie
Who thought most things in life were scary
Then one day she met a boy named Terry
He offered to buy her a soda float topped with a maraschino cherry
She didn’t think a courtship with this fellow was too hairy
He was so taken by her beauty and charm; he said “let us marry”
Her maid of honour was her friend Mary
His best man was his buddy Harry
Their wedding cake was light and airy
Her dress made her look as pretty as a fairy
Now in good conscience they could make merry
They lived in a cute little house in Port Parry
Terry got a job as the captain of the ferry
Carrie worked in a store selling sherry
“A child to term I wish to carry”
They gave it the appellation Barry
The next kid was named Gary
Not breaking with tradition, #3 was called Jerry
Of having children she was growing wary
But they had another who they titled Perry
“Come children, let us not tarry
We don’t want to miss the sermon by Pastor Larry
‘How not to be contrary’ ”

Logo – g3

Logo for a TV production company.

S.o.t.D. – Kira Neris Theme – Kira Neris

Kira Neris Theme – Kira Neris

I know nothing about this artist, but I like what I hear. Well I didn’t until I did some digging. I’m not a Star Trek nerd, but I thought the name Kira Neris was from one of the series, and I was right. Guess that is where the name derives from. It’s a guy from Strasbourg, Hervé Poudoulec. But who is the singer? I know I should know the name, but I’m totally drawing a blank. Is it a rework of an old song I don’t know, or  new creation? Whatever, really liking this. I wish a concert tour would come around with this, Cinematic Orchestra, Koop, Lemon Jelly, a few others.

Me & the Boy Wonder

6° of Geardo

One of the gear forums I go to, I listed my location as being “Niagara Escarpment”. Suitably vague. It runs right through southern Ontario.
I got a PM from a member, who asked me where I was.
“I’m from St. Catharines originally,” he told me.
I told him I was in Hamilton, and mentioned some of the major landmarks around me.
”Hey that’s weird. I’m in Hamilton as well, and it sounds as though we’re right near each other.”
I asked where he was and it turned out he was about a three minute walk from where I am.

He was a designer for Pacific Safety Products, and responsible for some awesome gear for JTF-2.

We’ve become pals in the interim. although sadly he moved to Toronto, not too long afterwards. Bugger.

The Tall Book

Within a one week period I read an interview in Macleans with Arianne Cohen, author of The Tall Book, as well as an article about her and the book in Vogue.

I loved her comments that to be tall is to be public and that it means you constantly have a spotlight on you. And that it’s alienating to not fit in. Both very succinct points. To be very visible to a world you don’t fit into is a strange position to be in. And we have no choice but to accept it. Someone asked me once what I’d ask for if a genie came out of a bottle. “To be a short woman for a week.” A different gender just to see what that’s like, but to be anonymous for a while just seems like more of a novelty.

I jotted off a quick little note saying how much I’d enjoyed the interview and that I was on the hunt for her book and looked forward to reading it. I also included something I’d written about being tall and how it affects certain activities.

She sent me back a very nice letter, and mentioned that she’s working on a “users guide to being tall.” I replied with some info and businesses that may be of help to fellow talls. Some things that are a bit more obscure than just where to get pants that fit. Bespoke high end outdoor clothing, longer than average canoe paddles, built expressly for the customer backpacks, and where to get wetsuits and drysuits.

So if you’re tall, or know someone that’s tall, go out and buy her book! The link at the top of the page has a link where you can purchase the book.

Pole Holders

After being somewhat resistant to them for a while, I’ve started using trekking poles. And to be honest, I’m kicking myself a bit for taking so long to come around to their benefits. When I’m just walking on level ground without a load I don’t think they’re necessary, but when going up or down a hill they start demonstrating how they help. And when burdened with a heavy pack, poles really shine. They not only make you more stable, but also take much of the load off your lower extremities. When just walking, being a biped is great, but when a human needs to be a beast of burden, being a quasi-quadriped is a good way to go. Not to mention that your arms and shoulders get a workout too.

They also serve other purposes as well. They can be used to hold up a tarp, I’m designing a hammock where they serve as spreader bars, and I’m about to sew up a camp chair which uses them as the back support. I’ve even got the idea floating around in my head to see if I can make a rudimentary fishing pole from one.

But there are times when I just want to have them out of the way for a bit. Sometimes I just need to have them strapped to the outside of my pack.

I thought of jury rigging some web dominators.

They’re a handy little device for managing excess webbing on packs.

Slot the plastic part on to the end of the webbing, roll it up and clip the elastic cord into the notches on the side.

Easy to undo, unroll and roll back up.

I only really use these in a few select spots on my pack, straps that actually need to be adjusted a lot. In other places, where straps need to stay rolled up almost all the time, I’ve sewn on a piece of velcro hook side up jutting  from one side and another piece of velcro loop side up jutting from the other side. Roll it up and the velcro holds it all in a neat package. A bit lighter and a bit neater.

But I wondered if a web dominator and a cord lock might not make a handy pole holder.

I put one at the bottom…

…and one at the top. Both are centered over the bar tack on PALS webbing. Slide the cord lock down, pop the elastic cord out of the notches, and put the poles in.

Cinch the cordlock down and off you go. Getting them out is as simple. Here I have them on the face of the pack, but I could just as easily put them on the sides. One on each side if I wanted to.

But I think I may just get rid of the WD altogether and just use a cordlock and elastic cord. Sew it or tie it on somehow.

The poles I’ve been using are Leki Super Makulus. My friend Andrew has had them sitting idle for a long time and figured I’d get more use out of them. He got them about 15 years ago. When I went and checked out trekking poles I realized that they were top of the line poles – 15 years ago. The technology going into poles has come a long way in that time. I really like the FlickLocks on Black Diamond poles. Big improvement over twist locks. But the big problem I have with poles is, surprise, surprise, I wish they were a bit longer. One model that I like is the Stoney Point Hike ’n Hunt. It collapses shorter than most, and it extends longer than most. The fact that there is a stud to screw a camera into is another big plus. I’m still shopping around, but they’re looking like strong contenders.

S.o.t.D. – Out of Heaven – Dreadzone

Out of Heaven – Dreadzone

From the terrific Second Light LP.

Typeface Design – Bass Bin

I did this back in 97.

I can’t even remember much about how this came about. I know it was a bit of goofing around with Adam Roe’s Blind Date, taking a few bits from it and playing around with them to work out lettering for a logo. Beyond that I don’t recall much about it. I don’t know that I think much of it, it’s all right, it’s a workable typeface, but nothing that exciting. But it ended up becoming at least 26 completed letters, 10 numbers and some analphabetic characters. Guess it was worthwhile enough to get to that point, but not enough to work out any lower case letters.

The remixes came about from a brain storming session for a project where the idea was expressed to have lettering that was connected. So I got cracking on the idea of a typeface that connected with little serif like bars at the tops and the bottoms. So Bass Bin ended up being the starting point, and  Low End, Mid Range, High End and Stacked ended up being the remixes.

And then they never ended up being used in that project anyway. Wee-wah.

S.o.t.D. – Take Your Time – The Love Bite

Take Your Time – The Love Bite

Profundity in an 11 Word Package

Every once in a while you read something that changes the way you look at things. This was one of those simple quotes that felt like someone reaching through the monitor and smacking me across the head.

Is the boy you were, proud of the man you are?

Such a simple and profound way of assessing what you’re up to with your life. Don’t know the author of it, but it has definitely given me a fascinating little nugget to mull over.

S.o.t.D. – Take Five – Dave Brubeck

Take Five – Dave Brubeck

Such an iconic tune. I’d say it’s probably my favourite jazz track …I think. I recall hearing that the composer Paul Desmond, upon his death, left the rights to the song to the American Red Cross who receive about $100,000 annually in royalties.

CandleTin

A candle can be a pretty handy thing to have out in the woods. Rather than using up a finite amount of fuel in a lighter, or a finite supply of matches trying to get a fire started, it’s much smarter to use a candle as an intermediary step. It could also be used for warmth or light (a candle can provide enough light and warmth inside an igloo or quinzee) and it can also be used for some rudimentary cooking. 

Many “survival” situations are that by definition because someone has been injured. They fell and broke an arm, or they fell and were knocked unconscious and they come to with a concussion with the light fading, or they broke a leg and have only limited mobility. While a nice roaring fire is the optimal thing to keep someone warm during a cold night, it’s not always possible. Someone with only one usable arm, or someone who is dazed and in the dark, or someone who has to slither on their belly looking for firewood may not have much luck getting a fire going. In that instance a candle can be a really important thing to provide some warmth and be a bit of a morale booster.

Beeswax is preferable to paraffin for a few reasons. It burns about 5 times longer, it burns hotter, it burns brighter, and doesn’t give off the kind of smoke and soot that paraffin does.

Some candles present a problem though of how to burn them. Long tapered candles aren’t a lot of good in an outdoor setting, just due to their not being very stable. Who has anything that they can mount one in? Small tea light candles are much better, but carrying them loose and getting wax all over everything is maybe not so great. 

Small Altoids tins are a great way to carry two (actually two and a bit) candles. They contain the wax so that it can’t get all over everything, and also serve as a stable burner. You could also prop the lid up in some fashion to serve as a bit of a windbreak.

I take the aluminum foil that the candle itself came in and cut a length to put at the back in front of the hinge. This is to  prevent hot wax from seeping out when the candle is actually burning.

I’ve taken two approaches to getting the candles into the tin. One is to simply put the two candles into the tin, take a third one and heat the wax enough to melt it slightly and pour it in to fill the gaps. The other thing I’ve done is heat the wax candles inside the aluminum containers they came in so that the outer parts started to melt, pull the cores out by the wicks with my Leatherman, put them in the tin, and pour the rest of the wax in to the tin. In both instances it takes about two and and a half candles. The melting was done by placing the candles (still in their aluminum holders) in an old pan (use an old junker you don’t care about), a tiny bit of water in the bottom, and bringing the heat up very slightly. I took my time slowly melting the wax and watched it the whole time. 

I haven’t actually burned any of these yet, so I don’t have an accurate report of how long it will burn. 

If I go off on a day hike I’ll slip one in a pocket or a pack for a little added reassurance.

Carroll’s Point

S.o.t.D. – Moving Like A Train – Herbert

Moving Like A Train – Herbert

Kind of what would happen if a big band discovered house. Could almost be my theme song.

S.o.t.D. – Sweet Like Chocolate – Shanks & Bigfoot

Sweet Like Chocolate – Shanks & Bigfoot

Likely the biggest hit to come out of the whole Garage scene. Totally infectious tune.

Logo – Clan of Xymox

I did this back in 1990 for a magazine article. I used Letraset, blown up PMT’s, cutting and pasting, more stat camera trickery, reversed film, scanning, redrawing in Fontographer, etc. Just a crazy amount of work. This was before the days of being able to turn type to outlines, which would have made it all really easy.

HSGI Nalgene Pouch Modification

I got two of these High Speed Gear Nalgene pouches. One in olive drab, and one in black. Typical HSGI quality. 

The only negative about it is that it’s meant for a bottle and not much else. I like having a pot to go with the bottle. Having just a cup or a pot on the bottom would make it a tight fit, but I wanted to use the Snow Peak Mini Solo, and that really made it a tight fit. 

I wrapped the clangy handles in hemp cord to silence them. What I really need to get for on there is some sort of fire proof tape.

To help get everything back out of the pouch, I installed a lifter strap. This shows it sewn into the back.

The two grey dashes above the webbing…

…are the sewn edges of a tab to keep the lifter strap in place.

Even with the lifter strap in place it’s still a challenge to get the cup and the lid out. But it’s still better than not having it there.

Since these photos were taken I got a bunch of stuff from Kifaru, including a LiterPlus Pouch. This is the pouch I now keep all this in, and the HSGI Nalgene is where I keep my second bottle.

Contemplation

Typeface Design – Nephilim

Barry Deck’s Cyberotica became one of the ubiquitous typefaces of the 1990’s. (Some might say one of the overused typefaces of the 1990’s. Neville Brody’s and Emigre’s typefaces also come to mind.) That’s not to say it isn’t good. Personally I think it’s a terrific typeface. But that still didn’t mean that I was going to use it. What I did do with it however was use it as a starting point to create a whole new typeface. The genesis was, as it usually is, a logotype. A few characters are created. Sometimes it never goes beyond those few characters, and other times the possibility exists to extend it into a whole alphabet. That was the case here.

What I used was the left portion of the W, and transformed that into a full typeface.

Fun display face, that works well for some letter combinations and not for others. I try to use it judiciously. Better for a logo or a headline, not for whole passages of text.

It exists in three weights.

Done around early 96.

Sunday Autumn Hike

I’ve been sitting on my butt for too long, so decided to go for a wander on Sunday. Temperatures are perfect, colours are vibrant, time to get out there and enjoy. Consumed some Pillsbury Doughboy products and off I went.

The general region I would be walking. More over to the right of the picture than the left of the picture.

The yellow leaf road.

Them trails be paved with goooollld!

Chip Monk, the chipperest chipmunk around.

Along the way is a neat old information board with a bit of the history of Cootes Paradise and the Desjardins Canal. This shows the route that boats would have had to take in order to get to Dundas. For quite a while Dundas was one of the largest settlements in Upper Canada, but it’s growth was limited by the difficulty of getting goods out to the Lake or into Dundas from the Lake. The first hurdle was a large sandbar between Burlington Bay and Lake Ontario. There was a shallow route through it, but it was often intermittent. A proper canal through it was competed in 1826.

Cootes Paradise as it looked when the map was made. People dreamed of digging a canal through the Iroquia Ridge to avoid the shallow, marshy loop they had to take to get from Burlington Bay to Cootes Paradise. Not to say that Cootes isn’t shallow, but trying to manoeuvre barges through the loop had to be a very tricky procedure. The marshy area at the far end of Cootes Paradise also required the dredging of a canal to make boat traffic more viable.The dream got rolling with an early settler to the area, Richard Hatt. When he died in 1819, one of his employees, Pierre Desjardins continued it. He went broke trying to make it a reality and died under mysterious circumstances in 1827. Capital to continue the project trickled in and by 1837 it was completed. Dundas prospered for a time because of the canal, but in a few decades the railway, improved roads and the growth of Hamilton with its easier access to Lake Ontario, had all but doomed the viability of the canal as a trade route. (Apparently Desjardins had also dreamed of a canal from Dundas to Lake Huron. The completion of the Welland Canal put an end to that pipe dream, but it’s still interesting to think what might have been.) 

The signage system is a nice example of the sign painters craft. It is starting to show signs of a half century of weathering, and I worry that it might at some point get taken down and be replaced with something…bland. I hope that this just gets a repainting, not replacement by something else.

I’m glad some people had the foresight to protect this area. 

The Thomas B. McQuesten High Level Bridge as it’s properly known, off in the distance. It’s one of several bridges that span the Desjardins Canal.

Being at about the northern edge of the Carolinian Forest Zone, some uncommon trees for this part of the world can be found here, including sassafras, Kentucky coffee, and tulip trees. There is some remarkable plant diversity present here, with 24% of the flora of Canada and 38% of the flora of Ontario represented in the lands protected by the RBG. Among this diversity are endangered species such as the few-flowered club rush which is now the only population in Canada. Both northern and southern flying squirrels can be found here, and recently some bald eagles have been nesting in the area, the first time that has happened anywhere along the north shore of Lake Ontario in 40 years.

The Escarpment, where I was headed to next. Borer’s Falls on the right and Spencer’s Creek on the left.

I always seem to hang a left when I get to the top of the Escarpment, but this time I hung a right. I decided to go and have a look at the new tunnel that has been constructed under the reworked Highway 6.

Took a slightly different route and checked out some of the RBG lands that I’d never seen before, including the Thornapple Trail, which connected with the Cartwright Conservation Area. Nothing really spectacular, but nice to know that there are some more areas that are protected.

The Bruce Trail tunnel under Hwy. 6 is a big improvement over risking life and limb to cross the highway or the nuisance of making a big detour. But would you believe it, some wigg… I mean caucasian hip hop fashion victims have already defaced the walls with lame tributes to Tupac and Easy-E. *sigh*