Happily, I was able to get out for a ride today, despite the chill. I was bundled up in layers; as I pedaled I found myself peeling one layer after another – ten or fifteen miles from home I turned down a road I’ve passed before but never taken. Figuring to explore it, and perhaps shed one more garment, I came upon an abandoned house. As the light of day changed from cheery to gloom, I decide that here was a subject worth stopping for. The temps were in the upper 20’s or low 30’s, but I had to peel out of my gloves to have any dexterity whatsoever in my fingers.

At the moment I’m carrying a Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pen (water soluble), a Pelikan Techno-Liner (permanent), a pencil and kneaded eraser, and a small travel brush. I’ve a water bottle on my bike that provides the minimal amount of moisture needed to activate the water soluble ink, and simply squirt a tiny bit onto the brush to move it around on the page. I love to experiment with various sketchbook papers; for my recent sketching, the pricey Moleskin watercolor book yields nice results that dry very quickly.

Nose running like a faucet, I hopped on my Boulder, kit stowed, and continued on my merry way.