I’ve long been a fan of Wild Rye chamois since I started cycling more seriously in 2023. My first pairs of padded shorts were the Wild Rye Eleanor Chammy. After rocking those for many months, I discovered the world of bibs and never looked back. Gone are the days of having to tug the waist band up after rolling down. When Wild Rye introduced the Billie Stash Bibs, I had to try them out. Bibs with pockets for snacks and my phone? I need.
Mount Shasta dominates the landscape in Northern California, but this area is home to many hidden gems. Built in the 1920s, the Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout was used by the Forest Service until the late 70s. Now, it’s occasionally used by the Forest Service in times of extreme fire danger, but is primarily a cabin rental for guests.
The Wild Rye Emmett Overalls are the successor to the Wild Rye Elorie Overalls for winter 2024-2025. Made with the same technical material, these are a cozier update to this staple piece in their colder weather lineup. Here’s how they perform.
The Shimanami Kaido is a 60km toll road connecting Honshu to Shikoku, starting in Onomichi and ending in Imabari. The driving route is also known as the Nishiseto Expressway. It is also a paved cycling route designed for casual cyclists and experienced roadies, alike. Officially, the well-marked Shimanami Kaido is 70km long. There are other routes, also marked, across the islands. These are labeled as the Island Explorer route, and adds extra miles through more scenic areas. The Island Explorer version of the Shimanami Kaido is sort of a choose-your-own-adventure, and is lesser traveled. We saw very few people on the version we did. The majority of the cyclists we saw were when the Island Explorer route intersected with the official Shimanami Kaido, primarily at bridges and michi-no-eki.
Read on for all the details on bike touring the Shimanami Kaido.
The Road Runner Bags Drafter Saddle Bag was one of my first ever bike purchases for my shiny, new gravel bike. I’d read somewhere that I needed to carry tools to fix a flat and things. I discovered Road Runner Bags when I was putting together my list of Asian-Founded Outdoor Brands to Support and made a mental note to pick things up if I had a worthy bike. The Drafter Saddle Bag looked like a good fit for me.
