This is the second part of an eight-part original GP series, The Road to La Ruta, in which contributor Dirk Shaw chronicles his training for the Fool’s Gold 100 and La Ruta de Los Conquistadores — one of the toughest mountain bike races in the world. Check back throughout the summer to watch the story unfold.
Mount Rainier rises 14,410 feet above the landscape two hours to the southeast of Seattle. It towers above its surroundings, dwarfing the smaller peaks of the nearby Tatoosh Range and creating its own weather systems.
To take on our recent ascent of Mount Rainier, we rounded up some of the latest and greatest mountaineering gear. And after two days, 9,000 vertical feet of climbing and weather that ranged from downright scorching to subzero wind chills, we’ve got a thing or two to say about each piece.
There was a time when shopping for a cell phone was ridiculously simple. You’d waltz into the nearest Radio Shack, browse through a handful of demo devices anchored onto the wall, and spend a good four to five Benjamins on a BlackBerry 8700 or RAZR V3 (or the Nokia with the changeable covers, which was awesome).
Carl Sagan could read a cookbook (apple pie recipe?) and it would sound profound. Hearing that inimitable voice recite his own writing, rich with musings on the nature of the cosmos and humanity, one cannot help but well up with wonder and zeal for the awe-inspiring majesty of our universe.
Kwikset Kevo Lock Kwikset says their new lock communicates with iPhones via Bluetooth Smart Ready Technology, but it’ll look like magic to your next houseguests. Download the Kevo app, set up the battery powered deadbolt, keep the phone in your pocket, and simply touch the lock with a finger to unlatch your door.
We’ll never own a watch like the A. Lange & Söhne Double Split, the world’s only mechanical split seconds and split minutes chronograph.
In this age of touchscreens, electronic this, and digital that, you might be thinking the good old analog timepiece — you know, actual hour and minute hands pointing to numbers on a dial — might be in grave danger. This is especially true in racing applications where hundredths of a second are pretty important.
Daneson Single Malt No. 16 Toothpicks You can drink Scotch neat, or you can add rocks, or splash the right amount of cool water in your glass, or pick your teeth with it.
Lamborghini never does things quietly — and that’s a very good thing, especially when the goal is to draw the rapt attention of the automotive world. But one model in particular marked the inception of Lambo’s radical styling flavor that would span decades, even into the present: the Countach.
The mud pit looked impossibly deep, twin ruts at least two feet high and half full of a murky stew from the rainy spring. “Does this thing ever get stuck?” I asked.
Near to far, adventure is filled with stories of conquests, scientific discovery and crazy things.
If you produce videos like this one, our inclination is going to be to like you. We had hopes for their 2012 Underwood Pinot Noir ($12).
K Array Anakonda KAN200 Speaker The Anakonda is a much friendlier take on the giant reptilian constrictor made infamous by the eponymous (well, not with a “k” part) box office smash of ’97. These are 6.5-foot long, cord-like speakers that can be daisy-chained together in strings up to 210 feet long.
Of all the tools in a man’s workshop, his hammer is perhaps the most personal. Chances are you still have your first forged striker, but we’ll forgive you an upgrade; it really is time.
A workbench is a simple structure. Even the best of them don’t need much to be effective: sturdy legs and a solid top are the only absolutes.
With the latest heatwave glaring down on us, it’s important to remember the basics. No, we’re not talking about getting in a few bottles of water a day — though that is essential.
You know those videos from the 50s promising a future of flying cars and robo-butlers by the year 2010? Well say hello to what we’ve managed to conjure up in those 60 years: the RoboReel ($649).
If you’re a sailing nut, or if you’ve just been following the news lately, you’ll know that this year’s America’s Cup is in a bit of trouble. Fortunately, we still get to enjoy the special edition timepieces put forward by watch brand sponsors.
Very possibly the original sports watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso has become a dress watch icon. Here's its history.