Enjoy Some Style And Comfort With This Dockside Shawl Cardigan From Bespoke Post
Winter isn’t gonna last forever, but we still have plenty of cold weather days ahead of us. Even the early days of spring can have a bit of a chill to them. If you wanna add some clothing to your wardrobe that’ll get a lot of use in the coming days, then you should pick up the Line of Trade Dockside Shawl Cardigan from Bespoke Post.
Bespoke Post is a great resource for any guy looking to get quality gear in their life. All sorts of gear like house goods and barware. Even clothing like the Line of Trade Dockside Shawl Cardigan. Having one of these ourselves, we can say that this is a must-own piece of fashion for any guy.
Bespoke Post
Right off the bat, the Line of Trade Dockside Shawl Cardigan is a looker. Such a looker that you feel like you must have it. It’s got a classic look to it, the kind of look that made Chris Evans in Knives Out such a fashion icon. People tend to love the grizzled fisherman look, especially when the look is as sleek as this.
But it’s the comfort of this sweater that makes it such a winner. The shetland wool that is used to make this doesn’t just give it that gorgeous look. it also gives it a ton of comfort, helping you stay warm and cozy on those brisk nights out. Any guy would be lucky to have this on when the winds start whipping up.
Take it from us when we say that the Line of Trade Dockside Shawl Cardigan is a must-own piece of fashion. Not just for the style, but for the comfort too. And at this price, you can’t really pass it up. So head on over to Bespoke Post now and pick one up while the getting’s good. It won’t be cold forever.
For those who’ve served in the United States military, the expression ‘own it’ is a cultural touchstone that encapsulates a valuable mindset. But the idea behind the phrase isn’t exclusive to the armed forces; it’s a universal principle that can benefit anyone striving for success. It means assessing the situation and accepting responsibility for your actions without shifting blame.
The question then becomes: What does it take to own it? The answer lies in self-accountability, self-discipline, and self-motivation—or what experts call intrinsic motivation. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a student, or a professional seeking advancement, owning it is essential.
Each person strives to achieve their definition of success, but it’s often challenging to navigate. The foundation of this journey lies in two essential components: accountability and self-discipline. These factors are paramount to taking responsibility for your actions, making the right choices, and staying focused on your goals.
At its core, accountability is recognizing that you’re in control of your life. It means owning your decisions and actions, whether they succeed or fail. This practice also fosters strong self-awareness, allowing you to identify, analyze, and learn from your mistakes. This approach minimizes the likelihood of repeating past errors, and this level of honesty helps build trust with others.
Self-discipline is a prerequisite to owning it. It involves regulating your behavior based on intrinsic motivations rather than external influences. Sticking with your goals and always doing the right thing, even when nobody’s around, are hallmarks of self-discipline. This practice lets you maintain focus even when distractions and challenges arise.
While owning it is an approach that can be challenging to adopt, the rewards are undeniable. You can take control of your life, make better decisions, and ultimately achieve success.
Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
Motivation is the propelling force that drives us toward our goals and fuels our aspirations. Psychologists have identified two primary types: extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation relies on external rewards or punishments to encourage a desired action, behavior, or outcome. For instance, a child is motivated to perform well in school with the promise of a good grade or avoid a chore at home to evade punishment. However, the downside is that it causes individuals to focus on the outcome rather than the process.
In contrast, intrinsic motivation relies on internal factors such as enjoyment, interest, and personal growth to elicit an action. An example of intrinsic motivation is a child performing well in a particular class because of their genuine interest in the subject. Intrinsically motivated individuals engage in activities because they find them profoundly satisfying or meaningful. This type of motivation is associated with higher creativity, engagement, and persistence.
The differences between the two are significant. Extrinsic motivation fades once the leverage is removed and is inconsistent, unpredictable, and unreliable. Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is self-sustaining, long-lasting, and more fulfilling since it aligns with our values, interests, and purpose. Some people possess natural intrinsic motivation, while others develop it over time. Here are seven tips for cultivating and nurturing intrinsic motivation:
Identify your passion: What excites and energizes you? While it may be a hobby, a skill, or a career path, pursuing it will motivate you and leave you deeply satisfied.
Set meaningful goals: Establish challenging yet achievable goals that align with your passion, values, and purpose. Make sure these goals are personally meaningful and you clearly understand why you want to achieve them.
Focus on the process: Rather than fixating on the outcome, focus on learning and growing. Enjoy the journey and embrace the idea that obstacles and failure are opportunities to improve your abilities and skills.
Practice autonomy: When you control your choices, decisions, and actions, you’re more likely to be motivated and engaged. Seek opportunities to exercise control over your environment, such as choosing projects, setting deadlines, or designing routines.
Celebrate progress: While small wins may feel insignificant, together they result in massive victories. Celebrating your progress and milestones can keep you motivated and engaged. Although Rome wasn’t built in a day, it became the center of one of the world’s greatest civilizations and helped sustain the Roman Empire for more than 1,000 years.
Build positive relationships: Surround yourself with people who support, encourage, and inspire you. Positive relationships can enhance motivation, confidence, and self-esteem, providing valuable feedback and guidance.
Cultivate curiosity: Curiosity is a powerful intrinsic motivator. You’re more likely to explore, experiment, and learn when curious about something. Ask questions, seek new experiences, and be open to different perspectives.
At its core, owning it is about seizing the reins of your life and assuming responsibility for your destiny. By embracing the challenges, opportunities, and uncertainties that come your way, you can shape your future and attain success in all areas of your life. Americans have long valued the principles of self-reliance, hard work, and personal responsibility. Developing a sense of intrinsic motivation allows you to carry that torch forward, fueling the eternal flame of our nation’s proud tradition. It’s up to you to unlock your full potential, achieve your goals, and pave the way for a brighter future.
I’m here to run a few hot laps on the very same bike he rode to his 2022 championship title and, in this moment, there’s nothing I want more than to not be the guy who crashes a priceless piece of race equipment into a guard rail at 100mph. O’Hara is arguably the only man on the planet who can help me survive this ordeal, so naturally, I ask him for his best advice.
“That’s easy,” he says with a grin. “You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Just leave your brain in the truck. That’s how you ride a bagger.”
Right. Thanks. We say our goodbyes and I head out to the starting line.
It’s cold enough to have me shivering in my leathers and windy enough that my flight from Atlanta to Palm Springs couldn’t safely land at the local airport the night before. Unfortunately for me, that meant I was diverted to Los Angeles, where I got to rent a car and make the three-hour drive out to Chuckwalla the same night.
I arrived at the racetrack around 2a.m., got four hours of restless sleep, pounded two cups of weak coffee, then tugged on my gear. The only thing left to do was ride a 620-pound motorcycle with a top speed somewhere north of 150mph around a world-class grand prix track. What could possibly go wrong?
I swing a leg over the Challenger (my first time, mind you) and immediately notice the seat sits a good 6 inches higher than it should. Even at 6’1”, I’m unable to flat-foot this hulking giant, which doesn’t bode well for my rapidly waning confidence.
I thumb the starter and the big twin snarls to life with a shotgun blast through its straight-piped S&S exhaust. Over the deafening roar, the bike beckons me menacingly: Go ahead, kid. Turn that throttle. See what happens.
As I swallow the lump in my throat, another piece of O’Hara’s sage advice pops into my head: “There’s no traction control and it’s making 150 ft-lb of torque. It’s raw. Ease into it.”
Well, here goes nothing.
The civilian Challenger is powered by a six-speed PowerPlus liquid-cooled V-twin motor that delivers 122 horsepower and 128 lbs-ft of torque. The race-spec version ups the ante.
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Into the Fire: All Aboard the KOTB Indian Challenger
So, what’s it like to ride a true-blue King of the Baggers race bike? How can I put this delicately…
You know that feeling you get riding an angry buffalo down an escalator? Or the unease that comes with guiding a raging bull through a crowded airport? Perhaps you’re familiar with the struggle of stuffing a surly sumo wrestler into an Uber after a long night at the bar? Or maybe you’ve commuted to work on a ballistic missile?
The seat is tall, the bars are wide, and your feet ride high on the foot pegs, folding your legs up into your armpits like an erotic Thanksgiving turkey.
It’s in this position—the ‘ol “chimpanzee mounting a football” configuration—that I found myself entering the first turn of the racetrack. Things only get crazier from here.
“Just leave your brain in the truck. That’s how you ride a bagger.”
Tipping the KOTB Challenger into the corner, you can’t help but notice it’s shockingly nimble. Unlike your typical cruiser, the lightest input on the handlebars sends all 620 pounds of the bagger’s sound and fury swooping deftly toward the apex.
It feels twitchy. Nervous. Unruly. And yet in the spirit of proper Type 2 fun, you have no choice but to accept the angst and do it anyways.
There’s a reason why pros make the big bucks for whipping these land yachts around a racetrack like a scalded dog: It takes supernatural skill and courage to command a race-spec bagger, but luckily for me, a healthy dose of fear and respect was enough to get me through the first few turns.
Hot laps on the Indian Challenger gives new meaning to “Don’t think. Just do.”
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Pulling out onto Chuckwalla’s first long straightaway, a quarter-mile stretch of uphill bliss leading into a banked righthand turn, I get my first chance to really twist the wick and see what’s hiding inside that hopped-up V-twin. The exhaust lets out a deafening boom, the rear tire briefly slides out to the left, then the quarter-ton of American muscle takes off like a runaway freight train toward the horizon.
There’s barely enough time to catch my breath before I hit the braking zone and, lucky for me, the hodgepodge of race-spec components from Brembo, Hayes, Beringer, and Spiegler do an unbelievable job of scrubbing off speed. I squeeze hard on the lever, the bike shudders and wobbles angrily, then it’s time to start the leaning ritual all over again.
I enter the bend way too hot, giving me no choice but to trust the lukewarm tires beneath me and lean the bike over far beyond what I’m comfortable with. To my amazement, I find my knee is still nowhere even remotely close to the ground below, yet another stark reminder of just how far professional racers such as O’Hara are from weekend warriors like myself.
For the next five laps, this dance with death continues. I push the bike as far as I dare, do everything within my power to keep the rear wheel under control, and remind myself to breathe whenever my face starts to tingle.
Like a 200-pound bull mastiff with a toddler tugging on its ears, the big Challenger tolerates me for the entire experience knowing damn well I’m simply not a threat. When my time aboard the bagger is finally over, I climb off the high saddle, give it a friendly pet, and we awkwardly part ways as I make a beeline to the pits.
I’m thankful for the experience, and even more thankful to have survived it without soiling my leathers. In the 20 or so years I’ve been riding, I’ve never gotten off a bike and thought to myself, “I’ve had enough of that.” Guess there’s a first for everything.
I’m looking forward to watching O’Hara and his team battle it out in the 2023 season, but speaking purely from experience, I’ll be more than content to watch from the stands going forward.
Carving the relatively untracked powder of Seven Utes and State Forest State Park with a yurt as your basecamp is a must this winter.
The nice guy with the Willie Nelson braids thinks I should microdose psilocybin on our backcountry ski tour tomorrow in Colorado’s Seven Utes. I’ve been struggling with the altitude and he thinks it’ll help me handle the climb. “The mushroom was the first living thing on Earth,” he says. “We can learn a lot from fungi.”
The guy with the braids is Mark Morris, a professional skier and kind of a rock star; he’s the front man for the bluegrass band Rapidgrass. He hucks big cliffs in the winter and tours around the world with his band in the summer. I’m inclined to listen to a man with that sort of pedigree. We’re standing in the kitchen of a backcountry yurt watching our friend pour chicken broth into a giant pan of paella. We’ve been talking about the “Mother Mushroom,” parallel universes, and the search for the “God Particle” for the last several minutes.
Behemoth peaks and untracked powder: Is there anything sweeter?
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It’s a heady conversation considering our situation. This isn’t some truth circle or sweat lodge confession; I’m with a group of skiers exploring the relatively untracked powder of Colorado’s State Forest State Park, a 71,000-acre swath of jagged peaks (hello, Seven Utes) and remote lakes adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park.
The idea that taking a small dose of mushrooms might help me be a better backcountry skier is intriguing. We spent the afternoon touring the edge of 11,800-foot North Diamond Peak, running laps through ankle deep powder as we linked together a series of meadows separated by thin bands of ghost-white aspens. The powder turns were absolute bliss—meadow skipping at its finest—but climbing to the top of those runs was brutal, and it became apparent early on that I was going to have a hard time keeping up with Morris. He’s known for his big air, but he’s also a fifth-generation Colorado native, so backcountry skiing is in his blood. He climbs like a mountain goat, pulling a hundred yards ahead of the group, and I know that no amount of magic mushrooms will help me keep pace.
Hydration is key on lung- and leg-busting climbs.
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I can’t complain about the scenery, though. Or the powder. State Forest State Park’s neighbor, Rocky Mountain National Park, gets a lot of attention in the winter for its backcountry skiing, thanks largely to Hidden Valley, a lift-served ski resort that went belly up in the ‘90s but has become a beacon for skiers willing to earn their turns. Access is easy, close to the Front Range, and avalanche risk is low. A lot of skiers learn the art of backcountry skiing in Rocky Mountain National Park. But according to our guides at Colorado Mountain School, State Forest State Park has better terrain, deeper snow and a fraction of the crowds.
“I see moose out here quite a bit,” says our lead guide, Mike Soucy. “But I rarely see other skiers.”
On backcountry ski trips, packing light (and smart!) is crucial.
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Backcountry Bliss From a Yurt
That’s part of the allure of backcountry skiing after all: solitude. Instead of standing in a lift line, you have the chance to see a moose. Instead of following hundreds of tracks through the woods, you have fresh powder at the bottom of every turn. Instead of wrangling a spot at the bar for an après beer, there’s a can of Coors stuck in the snow on the porch of your yurt.
The price of admission for all this backcountry bliss? Monster climbs. Instead of lifts, backcountry skiers use special gear—boots and bindings designed to both climb and descend mountains, and “skins” that give skis grip on the climbs—to get to the top of the mountains they want to ski. Climbing is a large part of backcountry skiing, like 80 percent of your time on skis will be consumed by making your way up the mountain. I’m having a hard time coming to grips with that math as we settle in for the night.
“With backcountry skiing, you get to the point where you love the climb,” Morris says. “Or at least you appreciate it.”
What goes up (and up and up), must come down…
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We’re in the brand new Seven Utes Yurt, which was built by Colorado Mountain School (CMC) during the summer. We’re one of the first groups to use it as a basecamp for backcountry skiing. It’s large, clean, and sparse. The guides push a few folding card tables together to form a large table for dinner and games, and the center of life is the wood-burning stove. Solar panels provide power to a fridge and some lights, and there’s a propane heater as backup heat. The yurt is open all year long.
In the summer, CMC guides mountain bike trips and teaches mountaineering skills, but this place is built for winter missions. There are four large pots on the wood-burning stove the guides are constantly filling with snow to melt for water. That’s the main job to keep the yurt running: Keep the fire burning and snow in the pots so we’re always warm and hydrated.
The No.1 rule of yurt life: Keep the fire burning.
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After dinner, Morris picks up a guitar, sits by the wood stove and plays songs and tells stories about getting haunted in Chamonix and going too big during his first foray into the Freeride World Tour. He’s psyched that it happens to be Django Reinhardt’s birthday and plays a few of the late, great jazz guitarist’s tunes.
Most of the time, if you want this kind of backcountry skiing experience, you have to skin for several miles into a hut. But this basecamp is 200 yards from the parking lot. We brought a cooler of beer and a charcuterie board. The logistics are easy, but there’s skiable terrain in almost every direction surrounding the yurt, with big lines dropping off 11,000- and 12,000-foot peaks. The meadows we surfed today were just an appetizer. Tomorrow will be a full day of big climbs and descents.
Bluebird days are all the more sweet in the backcountry.
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Big Climbs and Powder Turns
I decide not to take mushrooms and regret it immediately on our second day in the park. We split into three smaller groups, each setting out to explore different mountains. My group heads out for the east face of Seven Utes Mountain (11,478 feet), which requires an initial 2,000-foot climb through evergreens covered in wispy mistletoe. The mountain is densely forested in the lower elevations, but those trees progressively thin out as you climb, giving way to a series of wide-open bowls and narrow chutes that have trapped snow from a stellar season of storms.
On the way up, our guide, Sarah, explains to us the nuances of snowpack and avalanche danger, digging out the layers of snow on the side of a hill and showing us how each storm packs on top of the previous storm. Climbing through the terrain is its own skill set. I learn to take baby steps on the steepest pitches, then long and slow strides on the gradual slopes. The key is to keep your heart rate at a slow, steady clip. But the kick turn is a bitch. To maneuver switchbacks, you have to plant the inside foot and ski, lean your torso over that ski so your upper body is horizontal to the ground, kick up your back leg, then—and this is the important part—wait for that raised ski to slowly snap back to your heel and bring it next to your planted ski. This is the kick turn. It’s an artful move that requires mobility and patience. Apparently, I lack both of those qualities.
With skinning, it’s all about playing the long game.
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I suffer through the initial big climb and we top out onto a ridge on the edge of Seven Utes summit. It’s a cold, white, treeless landscape, like a picture of the moon. There’s not much visibility from the top of the mountain, but it’s so still and quiet it’s intoxicating. It’s nothing like the peak of a ski resort, typically buzzing with the chatter of lifts and crowds. We eat lunch standing up, layering puffy jackets over our shells to keep warm, and enjoy the silence. From the headwall, there’s a wide-open bowl directly below us, then the skiing breaks up into various couloirs, some more daunting than others. They all eventually give way to thick glades that funnel back to the yurt.
The guides tell us that a wealthy family with “Big Beer” money once tried to build a ski resort on Seven Utes, but the locals fought the proposed development out of concerns for water quality. I’m sure it would have been a lovely resort, but this primitive experience—the work it requires to access it, the quiet, the camaraderie with the handful of skiers that are lucky enough to experience it—has to be better. Even with all the climbing. No micro-dosing required.
Resorts may be convenient, but they don’t have views like these.
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After lunch, we drop over a small cornice and immediately start linking turns through knee-deep powder above the tree line. It’s a relatively mellow slope, and the turns are effortless and carefree, my skis sinking and rising out of the powder with a smooth rhythm that would put a baby to sleep. I follow my guide and ski partner through the bowl and we carve long, sinuous lines in the blank canvas.
Below the bowl, we have our choice of couloirs. The hero line is the Central Gully, which is wide and steep, but loaded with booby traps in the form of cliffs that require the sort of skills only Morris has, so we opt for a more casual gully, which is steep and narrow, but allows us to keep our skis in the snow. We tackle it one at a time, each skier taking a line just to the right of the previous skier so we all get fresh powder with each turn. Then we dip into the trees and find an even steeper chute that requires jump turns, but the powder is so deep it’s like jumping through marshmallow fluff. At one point, I fall backwards into the fluff and ride a wave of snow down the pitch several feet, giggling the entire time.
Author, Graham Averill, takes a well-earned break post-skinning.
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Things mellow out after the steep chute and a decision has to be made. We can call it a day and head back to the yurt, or we can put our skins on our skis and make our way back up the mountain for more turns. My legs are toast and another lap would require several hundred feet of climbing. There’s cold beer and a warm fire at the yurt.
Calling it a day is a perfectly valid decision, but I want more. And not just more of the buttery downhill turns. I want more climbing. I want more quiet. More solitude. I want more backcountry.
Sharing my tips on how to whiten teeth with baking soda and how to do this at home. As always, talk with your dentist before doing anything to your teeth. As we all know, I am not a dentist and do not work in the dental industry. Just sharing my experience!
Hi friends! How’s the morning going so far? I’m getting ready for a little photoshoot, and also have a podcast interview later today. I hope you have a wonderful day ahead!
For today’s post, I’m doing a little reader’s request and sharing my experience whitening my teeth with baking soda. I often get questions about what I use for my teeth, and my routine is pretty simple. I tend to stay away from conventional whitening products and whitening procedures because they increase my tooth sensitivity and I don’t love the ingredients.
Having a whiter smile can definitely boost your confidence, and standard teeth whitening products can be hard on the budget. Not all of them are effective, they can contain sketchy ingredients, and there are a few household ingredients that can be used to help whiten teeth, including baking soda! I’m dedicating this post to sharing my experience whitening my teeth with baking soda and my favorite dental products. 🙂
How To Make Teeth Whiter With Baking Soda
Baking soda is my #1 favorite way to whiten my teeth. While baking soda can be an effective teeth whitening agent, there are things to consider before using it. I’m going to share a couple of precautions before diving into the actual methods. (And another friendly reminder to talk to your dentist before doing anything with your teeth.)
Is It Safe To Brush Your Teeth With Baking Soda
Yes, in most cases. While it’s safe to use baking soda to whiten teeth, it can be abrasive when used in large quantities. Baking soda, when overused, can corrode the tooth’s surface enamel. You just want to make sure you don’t use it too frequently, leave it on your teeth for too long, or use too much. A little goes a long way!
How To Use Baking Soda To Whiten Teeth
Baking soda paste
This is my go-to method. I start by topping my toothbrush with baking soda and add a little bit of water to make a paste. I add as much as needed to have enough for my entire mouth. I gently place the paste on my teeth and keep it here for about 3 minutes to set. Then, I scrub, using the toothbrush, and rinse. Word to the world: it tastes HORRIBLE. I kind of just curl my lips up and try to avoid tasting it. I do this once a month, but my dental hygienist said it would be fine to do once a week.
Baking soda with toothpaste
You can also mix a little baking soda with your toothpaste, or use a toothpaste that contains baking soda.
Baking soda mouthwash
This can be a cheap and effective alternative to tradition alcohol-based mouthwash. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 cup of warm water, swish, and rinse. (Make sure not to swallow the mixture.)
Baking soda and lemon
This is a common method, but not one that I’ve tried or would recommend. I think that it would be too intense and feel like it’s unnecessary since the baking soda and water does the trick on its own.
Baking Soda Teeth Whitening Before And After
I was thisclose to sharing some before and after pics but there was no good way to do it without you seeing all of my pores or into my nose lol. So let’s just say trust me that there’s a visible difference when I do this.
Some more of my favorite dental products for shiny, happy teeth and a healthy mouth:
– A tongue scraper. I got mine from Thrive Market and P wanted her own, so now she has one, too. (Use this link and you’ll get 40% off your first order!) This is one of the first things I do each day, and I do this at night before bed, too.
– This mouthwash; also from Thrive Market! (It was on sale 50% off last time I checked)
– Cocofloss. This is the BEST floss in all the land. Once your try Cocofloss, you’ll never go back. It’s super thick, has natural flavors, and feels like a loofah for your teeth; it gets everything out from between your teeth.
– Oil pulling. I oil pull in the morning when I have time or before bed. I simply add a teaspoon of coconut oil to my mouth and swish around while I get ready for the day or for bed(about 10 minutes), then I rinse and brush.
– A waterpik. Sometimes I fall out of the routine, but I try to Waterpik before bed every night. I notice a huge difference when I do this regularly.
– Our go-to toothpaste for the whole family is Tom’s fluoride-free whitening
– I also can’t stress the importance of regular cleanings enough. We used to dread the dentist, but now that we’ve found a family-friendly dentist who is so reasonable in his recommendations (shout out to the best!), it has made a huge difference. I’m also fortunate that our insurance covers cleanings every 4 months, so I get my teeth cleaned 3x a year.
Do you use any whitening products on your teeth? What’s your go-to?
Sharing some recent Amazon finds as we finish up winter and head into spring!
Hi friends! How was the weekend? I hope you had a wonderful one! We didn’t end up making it to Mt. Lemmon because they lost power and roads were closed for half of the weekend. Instead, we joined some friends for Goat Yoga and a day of fun – I’ll share pics in Fri Faves! – and had a little dinner get-together. It ended up being the perfect weekend: good time with friends, goats (we all know I’m obsessed and would have 12 if I could), amazing food, and a little shopping. 🙂
I’ve been loving Amazon for everything lately, especially since I can usually get quick shipping with Prime and don’t have to leave my house.
The fashion options are often at amazing prices, especially for trendier pieces when I don’t want to spend that much. They also have SO many of my favorite brands available (like Rails, Paige, and Mother Denim).
I’m not going to buy any more winter-y clothes so I can get ready for spring and wanted to share some of the things I’m loving from Amazon as we start to (hopefully) transition into warmer weather. Ready for some sun!
Fiann Paul holds more than 14 Guinness World Records and has endured 171 days of open-water rowing in all the world’s oceans. Yet none of his previous expeditions hold a torch to the six days he just spent crossing the Southern Ocean.
“It was by far the most difficult expedition I’ve done, logistically and weather-wise,” Paul told Men’s Journal a week after completing the row. “I still have pain in my hands.”
Paul, who hails from Iceland, captained a team of six experienced ocean rowers, including Americans Dr. Mike Matson and Brian Krauskopf, Austrian Lisa Farthofer, Bulgarian Stefan Ivanov, and Brit Jamie Douglas Hamilton. They left King George Island, just off the Antarctic continent, on January 11, 2023. After six days covering 407 nautical miles, the team ended the row at Laurie Island.
“We accomplished about 80 percent of what we set out to do,” says Paul.
Fiann Paul (far right) and crew at King George Island, Antarctica, pre-departure.Courtesy Image
The team set three Guinness World Records: First to Row from the Antarctic Continent, The First Row on the Southern Ocean South to North, and First Row on the Scotia Sea. Theirs was also the most southern start to an ocean rowing expedition and the fastest polar row, averaging 2.85 knots. In addition, Farthofer became the first woman to row on polar open waters.
The legendary Shackleton expedition inspired Paul’s route choice. In 1914, famed British explorer Ernest Shackleton sailed to Antarctica with the aim of becoming the first person to cross the continent from one side to the other. But before he could begin, the sea ice crushed his ship, stranding the team on ice floes and shifting the focus to survival. After a year stranded on ice, in April 1916, Shackleton led two lifeboats on an 800-mile journey across the Scotia Sea to a whaling station on South Georgia Island. It’s considered one of the greatest survival stories and small boat voyages of all time.
Paul’s Shackleton Mission set out to follow a similar route across the Southern Ocean. And, like Shackleton, the challenges began before the team even arrived in Antarctica. First the COVID-19 pandemic delayed their departure. Then they had to get the boat—named Mrs. Chippy after a cat that accompanied the original Shackleton expedition—to Antarctica. That involved a lot of bureaucracy and sucking up to officials, says Paul. They also had to get a support boat as the Antarctic Treaty requires one to follow all small vessels in the Southern Ocean, adding more cost and complexity.
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Once finally underway, life onboard was miserable. Mrs. Chippy has three rowing bays and a watertight cabin with room for the other three rowers. Rotating through 1.5-hour shifts, the team stroked 24 hours a day. When they weren’t rowing, they did their best to eat and sleep. On deck, the temperature hovered just above freezing and the view was monotonous: gray sky over gray water with the odd 25-foot wave and 35-knot gust to spice things up.
“The first 30 minutes of your rowing shift you just tried to get the feeling in your hands,” says Paul.
But it was the time in the cabin that was the hardest part. Inside, it was a few degrees warmer, but the 100 percent humidity left the walls dripping, soaking everything from clothing to sleeping bags. Nothing would dry, so the rowers had to carefully manage their effort and layering to prevent sweating. And they never changed out of their base layers or booties. The discomfort was indescribable. Paul figures he slept for eight hours over the six days.
“It was the most expensive zero star hotel,” he says. “It was really unpleasant. You just endured it.”
The uncomfortable conditions also made the idea of eating “absolutely repulsive,” which is a big problem. Food is not only fuel for rowing, but also the key to staying warm. “You eat because you have to,” says Paul. “Not because you want to.”
Despite the hardships, there were moments of wonder and enjoyment. Whales often spouted near the boat. When the sun made an appearance, the gray oceanscape suddenly transformed into a scene of vibrant colors and interesting light. One day they slalomed through icebergs that seemed to glow from within.
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“It’s a phenomenon you would not imagine if you didn’t see it,” Paul says. “These moments got us out of the gloomy, zombie mode of pushing hard.”
It’s pure nature, all at once brutal and beautiful.
“Rowing on Antarctic waters was more than just achieving records,” Farthofer adds. “It gave me the opportunity to dive into a world I would have never been able to see.”
But mostly it was misery. And none struggled more than Matson. He was fine on the boat trip down to Antarctica from Argentina. Onboard Mrs. Chippy, though, he suffered from acute sea sickness. Nothing stayed down, which cut off his body’s access to calories and electrolytes, the gas and oil of the human engine. Matson couldn’t row hard enough to warm up, leaving him more depleted, making it harder for him to stay warm. He also couldn’t digest the inflammatories most ocean rowers pop to reduce the chances of an injury.
“He was the last person I expected to struggle,” says Paul. “He was willing to do his best, even though he was losing his sober mindset. There was no way he was giving up.”
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Paul had to make the tough call to evacuate Matson to the support vessel. As the first mate and an engineer, the loss was more than just in pulling power. “Mike doesn’t get the accolades he deserves,” says Paul.
South Georgia was still 10 days of rowing away and the support vessel had to stay with the rowers. The only way to get Matson the medical attention he needed was to end the expedition early by beelining for the Argentinian Antarctic Base Orcadas on Laurie Island. “If we’d been in any other place, even the Arctic, many different authorities could have rushed out to help us,” says Paul. “Out there, there is literally nothing. It’s complete emptiness and openness.”
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The five remaining rowers stroked Mrs. Chippy into the base on January 17 after six days at sea. According to the rules of the Ocean Rowing Society, the shortened journey still surpassed the minimum distance for a certified “crossing” of a polar sea.
Paul says the Argentinians were extremely kind and welcoming. After a couple days at the base, the navy ship Puerto Argentino took Matson, Paul, and two other members of the team to the Argentine mainland. The remaining members boarded the support vessel for the boat trip back.
The expedition was Paul’s seventh and last ocean row. At 43, his body struggles more under the strain and takes longer to recover than it used to. But the toughest struggle of all is psychological.
“I used to love the challenge of completing a hard expedition,” he says. “I feel like I’m losing the drive. I think that’s because I’ve pushed ocean rowing as far as I can. I’d have to do something beyond sanity to feel like I’m taking a step forward and not a step backward.”
His retirement will include public art projects and work as a psychoanalyst. But first, he’s working on a documentary of the Shackleton Mission. Learn more about Fiann Paul’s ocean expeditions at rowlaughexplore.com.
Curious where The White Lotus Season 3 will end up? That’s a mystery left to the most sealed nondisclosure agreements. But we can’t help but guess and surmise at this point—and so should you. Based on the first two seasons, Mike White’s surprise HBO hit can always be counted on for four things: filthy rich characters; at least one dead body that’s teased in the first episode; graphic sex scenes; and a Four Seasons hotel.
In Season 1, the fictional White Lotus (yes, fictional—there are still people who think the hotel chain is real) was shot at the Four Seasons on Wailea Beach in Maui. Season 2 shifted from a social satire to something sexier and suspenseful, with an innocent-Americans-in-peril theme and a dramedy with echoes of Ian McEwan and Henry James’ “European” novels. Four Seasons’ San Domenico Palace, dramatically perched along the Sicilian coast in Taormina, was White’s choice—an inspired setting for sultry Mediterranean shades of jealousy, treachery, cultural misunderstandings, and hot sex.
Courtesy of Warner Media
So, time for a new continent? White has hinted as much, revealing that The White Lotus Season 3 will likely be set in Asia. “The first season kind of highlighted money, then the second season sex,” White says on “Unpacking Season 2: Episode 7″—the series extra. “I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.”
Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, ThailandCourtesy of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
It should be no surprise then that Four Seasons flies its flag at some of Southeast Asia’s most beguiling resorts, including a pair of beauties in Bali. There’s one in Sayan, surrounded by terraced rice paddies in the Ayung River Valley near Ubud, and another in Jimbaran on the beach. There are also several Four Seasons properties in Thailand—from northern rural (Chiang Mai) and jungle (Golden Triangle) settings to southern beachland (Ko Samui). Since Hindu and Buddhism—the predominant religions in Bali and Thailand, respectively—are especially rich in eschatology, and the burial rituals tend toward the elaborate, either location would likely work well for the series’ purposes.
“Clearly, The White Lotus favors resorts among the most spectacular in the world,” offers Romain Chanet, general manager of Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora in French Polynesia. “I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see a familiar landscape on the upcoming season.”
Four Seasons Resort Bali SayanCourtesy of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Hmm, would Chanet be praising a prospective shoot site other than a Four Seasons hotel with trigger words such as “spectacular” and “familiar”?
And might he be obliquely hinting that Season 3 could land a bit southeast of Asia in his South Pacific paradise—home to those dreamy overwater villas fanning out from a famous blue lagoon? Could be.
Is this an early tease worthy of the series itself? Talk amongst yourselves.
While your shoes are important, foot comfort actually starts with the sock; it’s the layer that actually touches the skin, after all. Fit, cut, cushioning, and thickness all matter, but the sock’s material will have the biggest effect on its overall performance. And for that, there’s a clear winner: wool socks.
Benefits of Wool Socks
Wool is the most versatile and popular sock fabric for its insulating, sweat-wicking, and antimicrobial properties. It’s basically a super ingredient that’s often blended with synthetic fibers like nylon, elastane, and polyester. Wool socks will keep you warm in cold conditions and cool in hot weather, and they’re ideal for moving moisture away from your foot. That means you can go for days without stinking up wool socks, even if you sweat in them.
Whether you’re trekking through loamy trails, leveling up at the gym, or just looking to enhance your work wardrobe, treat your toes to these stylish and technical pairs of wool socks.
United By Blue salvages bison fibers to make these socks. And even though the massive grazing animal is rugged and scruffy, these socks are supremely soft. Ribbed compression on the cuffs and ankle add support to this crew-height pair, and the reinforced sole, heel, and toe means they won’t grow holes after only a few wears. They’re just as comfy stuffed into hiking boots as they are padding around at home, too.
Winter can be depressing for golfers, who typically spend the season indoors, putting into a coffee cup while dreaming about jetting off to South Florida for some warm weather rounds. Fortunately, thanks to advances in technology, indoor golf is more than just a novelty. It’s a legitimate way to get your off-season fix. There’s now a ton of great indoor golf gear that can make the at-home experience almost as good as the real thing, and we’ve rounded up some of the best to keep you swinging all year long.
Ryan D’Arcy, CEO of X-Golf, a chain of indoor golf facilities that uses simulators, is leading a vanguard business offering realistic golf experiences off the course. “I can play a full round of golf in 30 minutes without worrying about the weather or getting stuck behind a slow foursome,” says D’Arcy. X-Golf’s facilities are state of the art, but the simulation technology they use has trickled into the consumer market, so now even your average golfer can play 18 at Pebble Beach from the comfort of their own home.
It’s not just high-tech golf simulators that have improved. Even the humble roll-out putting green has gotten more sophisticated. With all the new gear and technology flooding the indoor golf space, winter just might become your new favorite golf season. Here’s everything you need to make the most of the “off season,” whether you want to build a full at-home simulator or just find a way to practice your swing in a cramped apartment.
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1. Swing Logic SLX MicroSim Home Golf Simulator
The biggest problem with practicing golf at home? Having enough space to swing a club. Swing Logic addresses that issue with the SLX MicroSim, a sensor that installs on a weighted swing stick specifically designed to allow you to take a full swing in a small room. The sensor tracks and delivers ball speed, club face alignment, and total distance while working with simulation software that pairs with your iOS device or PC. You can play five different courses in your living room, or just hit the range. It’s not as accurate as a professional grade launch monitor, but it’s a fun way to keep swinging during the off season without breaking the bank.
