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.
I love a good backpacking trip as much as anyone, but hiking to a cabin for the night? I’m a lazy lady, and that’s absolutely my jam. I’ve been to the Sierra Club Hikers Hut down the trail at Sam McDonald County Park. In May of 2023, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) began operating the Audrey Edna Cabin in conjunction with San Mateo County Health’s Park Rx, and open for the public to use when it’s not occupied.
