Starting at Barlow Pass on the Mountain Loop Highway, the hike to Gothic Basin rewards a strenuous effort with a gorgeous dual cirque dotted with ponds and lakes. Unless you do an early season hike, in which case the basin is a vast snowfield. In the Cascades, the timing of "early season" conditions varies depending on the winter's snowfall. The drive from … [Read more...] about Hiking Gothic Basin
Merino Wool Works in the PNW
Welcome to June-uary! As the Pacific Northwest weather transitions from spring to summer, June in the Seattle area is typically grayer, cooler, and wetter than you'd expect. Although summer officially begins around June 21, our weather usually doesn't become summer-like until after July 4. And, in general, our variable weather makes choosing the right activewear a … [Read more...] about Merino Wool Works in the PNW
XWA 2021: Day 3 on the SVT
Tuesday May 25th, was day 3 of XWA21 (Cross Washington Bikepacking). Most of the riders had finished the ferry ride to Edmonds, and were headed towards Snoqualmie Pass. The contenders were a day ahead, and making their way to Wenatchee. I drove to the Tokul Tunnel then pedaled northwest on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail to see who'd be willing to do mid-ride … [Read more...] about XWA 2021: Day 3 on the SVT
XWA 2021: Ride Leaders at ~36 Hours
Sunday morning, 45 riders began the ~697-mile two-wheeled adventure from Rialto Beach to Tekoa near the Idaho border. Andy Leveto and Fabien Le Gallo were first to make the Kingston-Edmonds ferry at 9:35 Monday morning. Fabien was having trouble getting his rear tubeless tire to seal. Unfortunately he wasn't able to get a shop to help with a fix, so he put a tube in the … [Read more...] about XWA 2021: Ride Leaders at ~36 Hours
Road Rash Wound Care
"Road rash" is slang for skin injuries caused by abrasion with road surfaces. It may very well be the most common cycling injury, and it's also common in skating and running. Although road rash is "just a flesh wound," it's super painful because it exposes the sensitive nerve endings just under the skin's outer layer. When exposed to air and water, road rash is … [Read more...] about Road Rash Wound Care