Escape, by Carolyn Jessop

I added this book to the COVID-19 reading list not because it’s empowering and uplifting (it’s not) but because it’s so gripping and engaging you will finish it in a day. That’s a full day of not thinking about COVID-19. Escape is Carolyn Jessop’s memoir of growing up in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) freak show and the pivotal turning point that made her say, “What the fu–???” and escape. Except that she couldn’t exactly hire a good divorce lawyer and get in her car and abscond with her kids and dignity. It required a great deal of planning and finagling…

Gear Pairing for Escaping a Religious Cult

A pair of Brooks Ghost 12’s. You’ll appreciate their responsiveness and performance and fluffy cloud-like feeling of their 12mm drop.

Deep Water Passage, by Ann Linnea

The pace of Deep Water Passage is as relaxing and unhurried as a sea kayak on Lake Superior. Which is exactly what it’s about, making it a good choice for the COVID-19 reading list. Ann Linnea—nature writer, lecturer and avid sea kayaker—realized one morning that she wasn’t getting any younger and it was time to do some serious thinking about her life and her future. Significant topics, indeed. Is there any better place to contemplate them than in a sea kayak on Lake Superior? It also happens to be one of the few places you can escape COVID-19. If she succeeds, she’ll be the first woman to do so…

Gear Pairing for a Sea Kayaking Lake Superior

An Icemule Classic Cooler. I’ve used this on Lake Superior paddling the Apostle Islands. The size medium drybag design fits into my sea kayak’s large dry hatch behind the seat and it holds ice cubes for about 24 hours.

Into the Forest, by Jean Heglund

The term “social distancing” was still at least a decade away when Jean Heglund wrote this page-turning novel about a dystopian future in which a strange and unnamed highly contagious disease cripples the country. The main characters of this book are two sisters who are socially distancing themselves from the unnamed viral plague in their rural home in a northern California forest, trying to survive. While it’s ending is somewhat predictable, I did find within in its rapidly turning pages essential COVID-19 survival tips and new ways to cook vegetables!  

Gear Pairing for Food Preparation when the Electricity goes out

The GSI Pinnacle Backpacker stove. I fell in love with this stove sea kayaking the Apostle Islands for six days because its set-up (two-liter pot and strainer lid, skillet, two 14-ounce insulated mugs and two 14-ounce bowls) allowed a wide variety of meals beyond ramen noodles and instant oatmeal. The carry bag also doubles as a wash basin.

Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

The main character of Where the Crawdads Sing is a young girl who grows into adulthood while living completely on her own without no parental supervision in a North Carolina marsh. What could possibly go wrong! There was so much I loved about this book—the will of the main character to survive, her resourcefulness to make money to buy food, to learn to read, keep herself safe. All the things children don’t normally have to worry about when they have parents or responsible adults in the home. This is on the COVID-19 reading list because you’ll also find plenty of survival tips and recipes in this book as well. What I loved most though was the ending…

Gear Pairing for Living Alone in the North Carolina Marsh

An SOG Terminus XR knife. A good knife is an indispensable piece of kit for nearly any situation. It’s in a class that some refer to as an “Everyday Carry” or EDC, making it eligible to perform a variety of everyday-type tasks from gutting a trout to carving a spear for hunting and self-defense. 

A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar, by Suzanne Joinson

If you like cycling, and plots that run parallel between past and present, A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar will take you for a pleasant ride – pun intended. In the 1920s, Evangeline English follows her missionary sister to the ancient city of Kashgar, a stop on the Silk Road. While the missionary sister spews hellfire and damnation 24/7, Evangeline is shredding the gravel trails on her bike and penning a memoir about her cycling adventures. Meanwhile, in modern day London, another character strangely inherits the contents of an apartment that belonged to a dead woman she has never heard of. This is by no means an apocalyptic book. It’s on the COVID-19 reading list because we can still ride our bikes — something we all should be doing while we can. Some cities have mandated shelter in place rules.

Gear Pairing for Gravel Riding in Kashgar

A set of ReTyre Ice Racer tires for that one set of bike tires for year-round use that easily zip on and zip off from summer slicks to winter studs.

Circling the Sun, by Paula McClain

Circling the Sun is both a biographical novel about Beryl Markham, an aviator, horse trainer and overall path-blazer in 1920s Kenya. Freedom is what Beryl is searching for. I’m not giving away any spoilers when I say that it’s obvious from my opening sentence that she achieves plenty of it by pursuing occupations, adventures and hobbies that are not needlepoint, sewing or sketching local flora and fauna. Within McClain’s pages you’ll experience the beauty of Kenya and a woman who spat on traditional roles. But just don’t plan any travel to Africa right now. They have reported their fair share of COVID-19 cases.

Gear Pairings for Racking up Frequent Flier Miles

A Deuter AirContact Lite SL 60+10 multi-day backpack full of ethically-sourced clothing perfect for long hours at 35,000 feet.

Wild, Cheryl Strayed

Wild isn’t exactly a happy book to read. Hiking solo on the Pacific Crest Trail has its moments of metaphorical, emotional, psychological and physical peaks and valleys. But important to remember that hiking is something we can all still do during these times of COVID-19 quarantines and social distancing. What better way to lift your mood and spirits than a long hike outdoors? That’s why it made the COVID-19 reading list.

Gear Pairing for Thru-hiking Solo

A pair of Garmont Tower Trek GTX hiking boots. If they could take our writer Julie to Everest Base Camp, the Pacific Crest Trail will be its bitch. 

The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder

Of all the books on the COVID-19 reading list, this one is the most relevant. Many of us have read this series as young’uns. Who doesn’t enjoy a story that takes one back to a time before overpopulation and pollution began killing our planet? The Long Winter is Laura’s tale of the brutal winter of 1880-1881 that shut down the railroad, leaving the residents of DeSmet, South Dakota on their own to make it through the long winter without even the barest of necessities that were available at the time. Even salt pork and molasses couldn’t be had! They were starving, cold, scared and hopeless. Given the circumstances, stockpiling toilet paper was the least of their concerns. We would all do well to remember that these days.

Gear Pairing for Sheltering-in-Place

Dreams of warmer places and happier days ahead, like Long Caye, Belize or scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef.

Candy Girl, Diablo Cody

Candy Girl is Diablo Cody’s memoir about her year as a stripper in Minneapolis. To be perfectly transparent, I find the “strippers have the power!” justification to be ludicrous. Power is not about convincing some guy into withdrawing stacks of twenties from the ATM machine to stick in a 95-percent-naked-dancer’s thong while she strokes his ego for two minutes before moving onto the next one. But I add this one to the COVID-19 reading list because Cody knows all of this and isn’t glamorizing it. Its fast-turning pages are packed full of original quips and hilarious revelations like, “Could there be anything more grosser than pleading with undesirable men for three minutes of their company? The whole ritual defied logic, nature and the time-honored tradition of ‘Schlub Chases Babe’”. We could all use a diversion of continuous laughter these days. You may need a pair of Depends should you read this.

Gear Pairing for Recovering Strippers

The MSR DynaLock Explore Backcountry poles—to make the transition from stage and thong to the hiking trails effortless and enticing, like.

The post COVID-19 Reading List (and their gear pairings) by Women Authors appeared first on gritandgearonline.com.

Pearl Izumi Versa Softshell Hoodie

One key essential to cold-weather cycling is keeping your core warm. The Pearl Izumi Versa Softshell Hoodie offers warmth and water-resistance while being an impenetrable fortress to the winter winds. You’ll be able to hear the wind. See evidence of the wind. But you won’t feel the wind. For the commuter cyclist, it has reflective elements strategically placed on the sleeves, chest pocket and rear drop-tail for good visibility. Storage capacity is outstanding. It has a zippered wide rear pocket across the lower back that can hold a bike tool, wallet, phone, iPod, gloves, balaclava, etc. It’s also amazingly versatile. We’ve used it for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and trail running in addition to cycling. At taprooms and coffeeshop stops its relaxed fit, longer cut and drop-tail doesn’t scream bike tool. Pearlizumi.com | $175

Abus Urban-I 3.0 Signal Helmet

While the Abus Urban-I 3.0 Signal helmet won’t keep your head warm, it’s an essential that it will keep it fully illuminated to cars on those dark commutes. I love this helmet for winter commuting for so many reasons: It’s comfortable, it has exceptional head coverage, it’s adjustable on the fly and it looks rather cool on my head. But most of all, I love the integrated LED tail light that offers two settings: Solid and blink—all easily set while wearing the helmet. Mobil.abus.com |

Icebreaker Oasis Balaclava

Another key essential to cold-weather cycling is keeping your head warm. The Icebreaker Oasis Balaclava provides full-head warmth on cold rides. It fits very well under helmets and is super breathable. Thanks to its merino wool construction, you can literally get several weeks of wearing this balaclava before it needs to get washed. That’s the beauty of merino wool. I also love that on very cold days, when the wind is blowing, I can pull it up to just under my eyes. Icebreaker.com | $35

reTyre Ice Racer Tires

In the winter, when the roads and paths are icy, it’s essential to stay upright. Winter cyclists often confront the dilemma of needed to swap between studded and slick tires. After storms, when roads and bike paths are cleared, they find themselves riding studs on dry pavement. The reTyre Ice Racer is a zip-on, zip-off modular tire that eliminates the need to alternate bikes or change tires. You can attach the studded skin and in a matter of minutes be back to slicks. The skins also roll up nicely and can be stored in your pannier or backpack. Retyre.co | $191

GORE C5 Windstopper Thermo Overshoes

The GORE C5 Windstopper Thermo Overshoes are essentially insulated soft shell jackets for your feet. Insulation is outstanding. If your budget doesn’t allow you to spring for a pair of winter cycling boots in the $200 – $400 range, the GORE C5 Windstopper Thermo Overshoes are our choice. They are water and windproof and, when paired with wool socks, work really well in temperatures down in the high twenties. Sizing is spot on for length but if your cycling shoe is on the bulkier side, consider ordering the next size up. Gorewear.com | $80

Kora Shola Tarn Gaiter

The Kora Shola Tarn Gaiter is made of 100% Yak wool. According to Shora, it is “40% warmer weight for weight, 66% more breathable and is 17% better at transporting water vapor away from the skin” than Merino wool. I couldn’t validate that the neck warmer is “40 percent” warmer than comparable Merino wool neck warmer but it makes sense, all things considered. Yaks live at high elevation (up to 19,000 feet above sea level). Snow, wind, sleet, hail, rain, yaks are unfazed by Mother Nature’s wrath. They’ve adapted to their surroundings by growing a soft wool under their shaggy outer coats to keep them warm and comfortable all year. Merino sheep, on the other hand, generally live at 3,200 feet above sea level. It makes sense that the animal that lives high in the Himalayas is going to produce warmer wool than the Merino sheep that gets to enjoy the temperate climates at a reasonable elevation.

What I can validate is that the Kora Shola Neck Warmer keeps my core warm by sealing off any air gaps from my neck and no matter how much bike commuting I did outside in temperatures that hovered between five and twenty-five degrees, I never felt drowning in perspiration. kora.net | $50

Outdoor Research Stormbound Mitts

Because hands are usually not moving when you ride, they tend to be the first appendage that gets cold. Unfortunately, I’ve never met a pair of cycling-specific winter gloves that offer enough warmth for winter cycling. Hence the reason I love the Outdoor Research Stormbound Mitts. They are insulated with 800-fill down to keep fingers optimally warm and have a water-resistant outer shell to keep the snowflakes from penetrating. They provide just enough dexterity to manipulate shifters and brakes and they can be used for any winter activity beyond cycling. Outdoorresearch.com |$99

The post 7 Essentials for Cold-weather Cycling appeared first on gritandgearonline.com.

The Ice Racer has 300 dual compound carbide studs with 12 unique locations in the contact patch. reTyre uses special rubber, which is designed to provide optimal traction and not stiffen in cold temperatures. They also have “specially engineered knobs that flex to shed snow.”

There are multiple skins for varying conditions. The Winter Traveler, which boasts 160 studs and a different tread pattern than the Ice Racer, is the lightest winter skin and recommended for urban commuting. They also offer the Gravel Chaser and the Trail Rider. 

What I Liked

One Set of Tires for year-round Use

I was excited to test this product because winter cyclists are often confront the dilemma of needing to swap between studded and slick tires. After storms, when roads and bike paths are cleared, they find themselves riding their studs on dry pavement.

Easy to Zip on, Zip off

This tire provides a solution for needing to alternate bikes (as I do), when riding studs on dry pavement, or changing tires. You can attach the studded skin, and in the matter minutes, be back to slick tires. I found changing skins to be an easy process. The skins also roll up nicely and can be stored in the bags provided by reTyre and stashed in your pannier or backpack in case of changing conditions throughout the day.

Performance

When testing the reTyre Ice Racers I thought of potential issues that could arise. Firstly, I was concerned about rolling resistance. I didn’t notice a significant difference in resistance with these tires. reTyre notes that they did pay attention to this detail and made their tires as light as possible. The tread remained clear as indicated and I felt I had a good grip, even on some very rough, icy alleyways. 

Weight

When comparing the Ice Racer tires to other standard 29×2.0 studded tires, the Ice Racer, their heaviest winter tire, only weighed roughly 100 grams more.

Durability

I was also concerned about zippers breaking or rusting due to salt. reTyre utilizes double-stitched, adhesive-infused thread, nylon zippers, and stainless steel for the zipper mechanism to avoid rusting. They indicate that due to centrifugal force, the zipper area stays clean. When testing the Ice Racers, even when riding through muddy slush the day after a storm, I found that the zipper area remained clean. reTyre suggests removing the skins once or twice a month to clean them.

If you are switching these throughout winter, I don’t foresee this being an extra task as one would likely be swapping slicks and studs regularly. The stitching and zipper appear to be well-constructed and sturdy.

What Could Be Better

Skin Width

One aspect about the reTyre system that could use improvement is sizing. They offer 26” and 29” sizes but for 700 (28”), the tire is bigger than most people’s bicycles can accommodate. The reTyre One was a 700×40 skin with a final size of 700×47 with the studded skin attached. This tire fits my Salsa Warbird (which states it only fits up to a 700×45) but many do not ride a bike whose chainstays or front fork would accommodate a tire of this size. Creating a smaller reTyre One, like a 700×28, with a final size with skin on of 700×35 would better accommodate more varieties of bikes.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed reTyre’s Ice Racer skin. I found them easy to use, convenient, and would continue to use them on my winter bike. It performed well for winter cycling and appears to be an ingenious solution for the winter commuter who must navigate continually changing road conditions. I’m interested to see how the zippers hold up in the long haul. I have different bikes for mountain biking and gravel riding and, therefore, wouldn’t use the other skins.

For winter commuting, the reTyre Ice Racer and Modular Tire System provides added convenience and problem-solving with minimal effort on the part of the cyclist. 

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