Wool Arm Warmers... Endura vs Defeet

 I have 2 pairs of wool arm warmers in use in the gear pile. One newer pair from Endura and the older DeFeet pair. So now comes the question.. how do they hold up to each other and which pair does the better job.

The Endura Baa Baa pair are my newest pair. Ordered I admit because I had left them at my in laws and needed some before I could get them from Toronto.  First thing I noticed was that they are a muche thinner build. With as you can see in the pic thin vents on the inside elbow. And one feature they have is little silicone like dots at the upper arm to help decrease drift down the arm.

 I have noticed that they are not as effective when it gets colder say down to plus 4. The thin layer doesn't trap as much heat in. Plus the other down side is the wool easily begins having that pulled look. While it seems minor it is a potential concern as it may be to easy to have it pull apart.

 The Defeet's I have had since 2008 and are of course Merino Wool Just like the Endura's but is a much thicker build and as you see in the pic it does not have any venting. And unfortunately it does not have any silicone dots near the upper part to prevent any downwards drift.

The Defeet's because of the tight weave do not suffer from pulling and do not show much in the way of wear despite 4 years of being used and hauled around in hydration packs. And they are much warmer then the Endura's which in our Canadian climate is a huge bonus.

So the end result is the DeFeet's are the winner hands down.  While the Endura's are okay for the not so cold days the Defeet's are much more usable overall. So in the end the Endura's will go to back up duty while the defat's will continue as the gold standard.

2012 Dundas Monstercross

The date was set for the 2012 edition of the Dundas Monstercross and the date chosen by Marc was October 27th. Which seemed like a normal date like in past editions of this ride. Maybe it was to close to Halloween this year. With Roger the Raincloud on Friday night making threatening moves to spoil the fun on Saturday. And it would be at 7am on Saturday to see if the ride would be a go despite Roger Raincloud.

 And in the morning it was a go for the Monstrecross on a rain route. So it was out the door to get to Dundas and Roger Raincloud did his best to not let me get there.  But got there later then planned so it was a quick change in Cafe Domestique and grabbing the ill prepared Kaffenback. Ill prepared as I had been lazy on Friday night and not changed the front tire for something a bit knobbier. And lazy as I had also put off getting a replacement knobby for the one I wore out in the Spring. So this would make it a bit harder ride then usual on CX tires designed for non wet, leaf covered  soggy clay.

  So with 19 other Flahutes it was off for the route and to see how wet one good get. Of course modified for the conditions though as some sections would become mud pits with the storm. It was definitely a day where the ducks where smarter.

  Of course thanks to my poor tire choice I had to mince my way on the wet clay trail sections. Though it did make up for it on the Rail Trail and road sections.  But nary a whine or snivel from me as I made my choices and one has to deal with their results. Which can either be good or bad in the end. But it is all part of the journey and fun.

After a crash due and a wee bit of road it was down Sydenham Hill into the Dundas Valley. And to Vafe Domestique to change out of water logged gear , grab a warm drink, and get the car to head over to Garage Monster HQ for burrito's and to see little Theo for the first time.

Trail Food Log

Needed a little mental health break after work so cut through the farm field to the Beeratorium.

Nature's head banger.

                              Lunch stop.

                              
                               Food.

Ice Crust

Headed out to CB for a hour ride as work at the house delayed the day a bit. So ended up being more ofa race the trails type ride.

A stop for a bit of arm and upper back work via the human powered chain saw.

I see that someone was offended by the rock causing a slight bump in their HRM data.

                       Guess it's time for home.

Racing Sunset

Sunday headed out to check out Westport Rd north of the 401. The aim to check out another section of hydroline that I think can become a route in the future.

Heading up Westport

                 This looks good for a future ride.

Brief ride heading north to see if it is okay. And it seems pretty good.

             And now the race home before it gets dark.

Bacon and Beeratorium

Headed out for a morning ride after a sleep in. Stopped half way at the Beeratorium.

                                               Breakfast

 I see the beginnings of the connection route to the Teeth Rattler.

Shadow Chase

Decided after tweaking my back on Sunday's bail to go for a CX cruise.

Shadow is beating me.

 Hmmmm... this should be checked out in the future.

 One of their breathren tried to take me out when a 3 pack flew across the road.

Old Timer Ride

Priority of the morning was the Cenotaph.

 Then after lunch it was of for the afternoon 2 hour ride at CB. To enjoy the warm fall weather and some fun in the woods. Plus find my ability hole.

                                    Someone is a hucker.

 Beeratorium for a near end ride beer and to another birthday ride. And the moving into the old timers division.

 I can hear her snickering about what she was planning to do next to make the ride interesting.

 The Cream of Scotland's Beer to temper the ache's of two outstanding auger ins the Mistress gave me for my birthday.

 Next year I think I have a better plan that I was thinking of for next year.... Tour Du Legion.

No signs

Woodbine entrance 2

                                Woodbine entrance 1

                                                   Taylor Kidd

Road Biking's Image Problem

 Over the last few weeks since the beginning of Lance Gate as some call it.  We have seen lots of mudslinging and he did and they said commentary. Books have and will be written as people try to convince themselves and  others that what they did and are doing is right.  And riders will hope that this great Performance Enhancing Drug scandal of 2012 will make the public image of road cycling better.

 Yet the problem of how Joe Public views road cycling is much greater then that. At least half of that is how road cycling is shown to North America by the media here. When it comes to endurance sport other then the Olympics only other time we see road cycling is the Tour. So all people see is a small number of high performance cyclist's doing something that seems so abnormal to them. You never see a 2 hour December NBC sports show covering a Grandfondo. So all these doping incidents further their view that road cycling/racing is just a gathering of drug taking freaks.


Now if you look at the Ironman which thanks to NBC has a whole different perception. Unlike the 80's you see less pro level racing and more everyman. Then they show all the regular people who are doing it... the Hoyts, Sarah Renertson, Rudy, Lisa Bentley racing the world's best with MS, Marc Herreman's, and the list is endless. And of course the Denizens of The Dark those who no matter what just won't quit to get to the pier by midnight. 

And despite Nina Kraft, Kelli Guest, and Mike Vine to name a few getting caught doping. People see that there is more to it the sport then the doping. It becomes little more then a speed bump in people's perception. Now imagine the change of perception if a 2 hour broadcast of a Grandfondo was like that. Not only pro's but you see guy's like Phil Chew doing it and other everyman. Show Chansen pulling his son around the course . Gaurantee you that public perception will change because they see that there is more then just the tour and the Olympics.  

Until we see a broadcasting shift in a different direction the perception of Joe Public will not improve.

Thanksgiving vulture of Hydro

Set out to the Hydro line to explore a bit. I do admit a bit of boredom was part of it as well as a desire to see if there was trail potential. I say this as I think that Kingston needs more trails. Just not in Collins Bay system as I think to many people are in there. And That leads to conflicts which isn't fun.

To bad this wasn't BC mountains where one could drink it.

                                 And mud season begins.

Should be interesting to see how much this rises in the next little while.

           Doesn't look it but it's now a swamp again further down.

            Hmm.. wonder what this connects to? End result nothing.

                       Someone abandoned their beehives.

       Found over grown Quad track. Which will become a trail.

Future part of the trail.

                   On the way out waved to the man in the tractor.

Got the cell call from home that dinner was nearly ready. Shortcut across the field.

        Turkey Vulture must have heard my fuel reserves fading.

Expansionism

On Saturday headed out to the Hydroline with the mission of looking into a new developmemt in the last 3 weeks. That being the sudden appearance of fencing on a ATV track. Which according to the sign has been done by the golf course.

    Yet according to this handy nifty electronic voodoo device shows that the golf course is at least 500m or more away. So what is going on?

                                 Looks like ATV track almost.

                     With blue trail markers nailed to the trees.

More fencing and it appears some have been poaching.

 I hope this isn't a case of the golf course expanding under the radar. As from a brief google there was not much found.  Part of me is suspect as it would be incredibly easy in this case to try to push the property line past where it actually is.


  Further down the line the Turkey Vultures where out. Appropriate considering my mood.

 The hydroline ATV track in fact does connect to Creekford as I suspected.