I write about design, travel, food, and outdoor adventures from Burlington, Vermont. [email protected]
We Tested the Best Road Bikes of 2024
You can ride any old bike you want to on the road, but to maximize your fun, it’s nice to have a bike that’s designed to roll quickly and easily down the road. The best road bikes of 2024 have disc brakes for efficient stopping, fast-rolling tires, and drag-reducing frames that propel you to wind-in-your-face speeds with minimal effort.
You don’t have to be a pro—or enter any races at all—to appreciate the efficiency of a modern road bike. While fast is always fun, we also tested bikes design...
The ENVE MOG Gravel Bike: Ready to Race — or Get Rowdy
It’s an undisputed fact that underbiking is fun. Hitting dirt roads on my road bike or dipping into singletrack on my gravel bike makes me feel like I’m getting away with something. And that’s always a good time.
High-protein snacks to build muscle and keep hunger at bay
Getting enough protein in your diet is essential for building bones, muscles, and skin, and for proper functioning of all our body's organs.
In our youth we need it for growth and development, and throughout life to repair cells and tissues.
As we grow older, adequate protein and regular exercise are the key ingredients that help offset sarcopenia, the natural age-related tendency to lose muscle mass and power.
Dietary protein also can aid in weight control by helping you feel fuller for long...
The Best Bike Helmets for Commuters
No one ever plans on crashing their bike.
But if you ride long enough, even the most casual commuter will take a tumble, which is why you should always wear a helmet. (Case in point: I crashed six times while working on this guide.)
Over the past nine years, we’ve tested more than 30 helmets to determine that the Met Downtown Mips is the best bike helmet for most commuters.
The Best Commuter Bike Lights
Although you could strap a flashlight to your handlebars to illuminate your path home at night—people do it!—a good set of bike-specific lights will help you see and be seen in all riding conditions. After testing more than 110 lights over the past nine years, we think Portland Design Works’ City Rover 700 USB Headlight outshines the competition with its combination of brightness, run time, and value. We also recommend Cygolite’s blindingly bright Hotrod 120 taillight to help you stand out in traffic, night or day.
The Best Leggings For Women, Based On Rigorous Testing
The best leggings for women should be supportive, comfortable and breathable to help enhance your workouts. Crucially, they should not squeeze your waist, sag at the knees or generally prove unlikable for all-day wear. I spent 10 weeks testing 14 different leggings to find the absolute best: Some pairs were geared toward running, yoga or circuit workouts. Many had convenient features, such as hidden pockets, compression zones or zippers. And a few were made for specific temperatures and clima...
The Best Bike Lights of 2022
Working with a cohort of avid cyclists, I tested and reported on the best bike lights of the year for REI.
An Olson Kundig–Designed Neighborhood Is Taking Over an Old Lumberyard in Sonoma County
Located at the epicenter of four major wine-producing regions—the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Chalk Hill, and Alexander Valley—the town of Healdsburg, California, has long been a favorite getaway for city dwellers looking for a diverse wine list and the serenity of the Sonoma Valley.
But on a sunny Friday afternoon last May, a long line of cyclists pedaled through the outskirts of town, eschewing Healdsburg's historic downtown plaza for a grittier destination: a retired industrial...
The Athlete's Guide to Menopause
Menopause, like menstruation, is often talked about in whispers. We don’t shout about reaching the period of life when we’re no longer fertile, perhaps because many of the symptoms of menopause are intensely personal: Hot flashes. Night sweats. Weight gain. Mood swings. Painful sex. Insomnia.
It can also wreak havoc on physiological assets we’ve spent a lifetime cultivating, like lean muscle, strong bones, and the ability to bounce back from a challenging workout with eight hours of restorati...
If You're Diagnosed with Cancer, Don't Quit Exercising
Updated guidelines write a prescription for exercise that may be just as important as traditional cancer treatments for maintaining—and regaining—your health.
Rooted Vermont: Business Up Front, Party in the Back—And All are Welcome
Vermont, with its rugged mountains, clear lakes, and stunning fall foliage, has always attracted out-of-state visitors. A quick flight or meandering drive away from several major East Coast cities, the Green Mountain State welcomes — and relies on — tourists to keep it afloat. But enough out-of-staters have answered Vermont’s call that those who put roots down here generations ago sometimes make offhand remarks about who can really say they’re from here. According to generally accepted rules,...
The best bet for bike riders is East Burke, Vermont
Family adventures, expert trails, and outdoor activities abound in and around the Burke Mountain Bike Park.
Adventurous families and friends looking to bypass the Cape (and escape their fellow Bostonians) this summer are in for a treat. There’s a small town in northeastern Vermont just daring you to deviate from the norm.
East Burke, Vt., is a haven for thrill seekers and mountain bikers. Adrenaline junkies come from all over to swoop around the machine-built berms and launch themselves off o...
It’s Time to Bail Out People, Not Corporations
[The first in a series of articles I'm writing for Ben & Jerry's US and UK sites about the impact of COVID-19 on the world.]
It’s no secret that America — and the world — is struggling right now. We’re worrying, we’re grieving, and many of us are still very, very sick. Our economy is also feeling the effects of COVID-19, with unemployment claims surging to 22 million last week, and an estimated unemployment rate of 17% this month — the highest it’s been since the Great Depression.
The Moots Womble: A Titanium Hardtail That’s Designed to Rip [Review]
A review of the Moots Womble titanium hardtail for Singletracks.com
Why I Chose to Freeze My Eggs
The day I felt the lump was one of those white-hot summer days we rarely get in Vermont. My boyfriend and I were packing to go canoe camping to celebrate my 36th birthday that day, so when I casually tucked my hands under my armpits and felt a small, slightly painful bump, I shrugged it off.
But when the breast surgeon slid an ultrasound probe over my breast the next month, she wasn’t smiling. An inconclusive biopsy led to a lumpectomy, then a call a few days later: “I’m sorry, Lindsay. We’ve...