Night Lights You Can Live By

It isn't often that I run at night. In fact I'm rarely out of the house before the sun comes up. I am not a morning person so even thinking about getting up, getting dressed, and going for a run before the sun even makes an appearance on the horizon is a rarity indeed.

Which is why I had so much fun on a recent run in the pre-dawn light of a full moon. Although the moon was mostly hidden by clouds, I could see it occasionally. And even though i was decked out in just about every piece of gear that had the bright Saucony VIZiPRO color on it, I still needed some lights to feel safe. And while this isn't a solid review of each light I carried along for my run, it will at least give you a taste of what to look for when you go shopping.

Princeton Tec Fuel Headlamp

Features:
- Elastic Headband- The headband is adjustable, but what I enjoyed most was that it fit my head with room to spare. Which means you can wear it over a stocking hat if you need to. It's also easily washable and the adjustment piece is used to open the battery compartment.



- On/Off Switch - Sometimes a little hard to use, but it's easy to remember where it is when you always put it facing up. There's four settings; Bright, Medium, Dim, and Flashing. I don't recommend Flashing unless it's bright enough for you to see. Otherwise it's like running with a strobe light (yes, it's that bright).



- Clip - I have no idea what they're called, but it's the little clips or retainers used to attach the lamp to the headband. I learned you can also attach the lamp to essentially any strap of similar size. So you can wear one on your head and put another on the chest strap of your hydration pack.



- Waterproof - I've used this lamp in heavy downpours with no issues. The batteries are safe and secure inside the lamp and don't come out easily.



- Batteries - Needs three AAA batteries. Haven't replaced them yet so I'm not sure how long they last.



- Brightness - You can compare Lumens if you want, but in layman's terms, it's bright. Damn bright. Bright enough to see during your run or bike without any issues. In fact, I had to turn mine down during my last run because my eyes had adjusted.













Fit:
As I said before, this fits my head. And I have a big head. As in big enough that most cases of One Size Fits All translates to Snug Fit for me. But the headband is easy to adjust and it fits my big head. And there's enough stretch and room to adjust that I can even wear it over a hat or headband so anyone with a smaller head should have plenty of room. I was able to put it around my chest but it wasn't comfortable so I took it off and attached it to my hydration pack.

Care:
The headband is washable, but I'd put it in a laundry bag of some sort so it doesn't get lost. I'd use cold water, gentle cycle, and make sure you take the lamp off. There have been reports of the lamps surviving a ride in the wash, but I wouldn't risk it.

Overall:
I love this lamp. When you first wear it, it feels a bit heavy, but I have yet to find it uncomfortable. I think my longest stretch wearing it is around two hours and I didn't have any issues. I would like to find an easy way to attach it to my bike helmet or my bike, but that's the only downfall I've been able to find. My wife even uses it to clean out the dog's ears so she doesn't have to hold a flashlight, so anyone can find a use for it. Bottom line, buy this lamp. It's cheap, it's bright, and it works great.

Nathan L.E.D. Safety Strobe

Features:
- On/Off Switch - This light has a million settings (actually just seven, but it's still a lot); Steady On, All Flash Fast, All Flash Slow, Single Flash Slow Down, Single Flash Slow Up, Single Flash Fast Down, and Single Flash Slow Down Then Up. The switch is easy to use but sometimes too easy since it'll turn on or change settings with a light bump in your gym bag.



- Clip - The clip is nice but not really strong enough to attach to something that stays in motion or subject to a small nudge or bump. In other words, make sure it goes someplace very secure or you'll lose it.



- Waterproof - While there is a rubber o-ring around the two halves of the unit, the unit opens too easily. Just dropping it or bumping it hard enough will cause the cover to come off. Which means the batteries and lights are exposed to water.



- Batteries - Needs two AAA batteries. Mine have lasted a few months of on and off use, so I don't have a specific time frame to give. But be prepared to have the batteries fall out or come loose. Just tapping the unit on any hard surface will unseat the batteries which means you have to pry it open to re-seat them. Not fun.



- Brightness - It's not really meant to be used to run by, but more to keep people from driving over you. It's semi-bright and in one of the flashing modes should be bright enough to make cars pay attention to you.

Fit:
N/A

Care:
Don't drop it. That's the best advice I have because if you do drop it, the cover comes off and your batteries go flying.

Overall:
Save your money and buy something else. This was my first attempt at buying and using some sort of light to keep me safe while I ran and I'll readily admit this was the biggest failure. I had hoped for s sturdy product from Nathan (like their other products I use) but instead found a junky light. I do like that there are several settings to choose from but they don't outweigh the negatives.

Saucony USB_LED Light

Features:
- USB - Probably one of the best features is the ability to recharge the light with your computer. After about 20 minutes charging, the light will last about an hour. It may be hard to connect to some USB ports, but shouldn't be an issue on the majority of computers.



- On/Off Switch - Easy to see and use but hard to accidentally bump, which is good. It has two modes, Steady and Flash.



- Clip - A simple spring-loaded clip that has a little bite to it. The small teeth did a good job gripping. Designed to fit into the Saucony gloves, they can also grip hats, shirts, wristbands, and more.



- Waterproof - I'm not sure how waterproof this should be, but I've used it in downpours before and had no issues. But I would recommend letting it dry completely before recharging it.



- Batteries - There are none. Which makes it great because you just pop it into your computer to recharge. But the downside of this is it will only keep that charge for about an hour (actually a little closer to 80 minutes, but by then it's pretty dim). Keeping it on Flash will help, but only so much.

- Brightness - Even with one lamp, this is pretty bright. Not quite bright enough to run by in most cases, but good enough to make cars notice you. And anything up close can be seen fairly easily.



Fit:
N/A

Care:
I would treat this as if it were a water resistant flash drive. It has the USB connection so it needs some care to keep that part functional, but it's small enough to be a hardy little light when in use.

Overall:
For the price and capability of this light, I'd buy several. It's small, cheap, and easily rechargeable. And it's versatile enough to be clipped to just about anything you'd wear while you're out running. It isn't terribly bright so you won't be able to navigate with it, but it's bright enough you can see your feet and cars will see you on the road.

Video:
I took a video of all three products during my last night run. Clearly my camera doesn't like the dark, but it should give you an idea of how bright each light is compared to the other. Distance from the camera was about 30 feet. This sequence in the video shows you the Saucony USB LED Light on Steady then Flash. Next is the Princeton Tec Fuel Headlamp on High, Medium, Dim, then Flashing. And finally the Nathan L.E.D. Safety Strobe which I cycle through a couple of settings as I approach the camera. And no, the video doesn't do justice to how bright these lights really are.

Product Review - Saucony Protection Gloves

These are the Saucony Protection Gloves in ViZiPRO Orange. They're also available in black, but then who can see you?! They come in various sizes (Extra Small to Extra Large) and retail for $40.00 (direct from Saucony). It's a bit expensive for gloves, but they should last a good while.

This is my third pair of Saucony gloves and I think I like these the best. My first (and oldest) pair is just a light, single layer model. The second pair is a lot like the newer Protection Gloves except they convert into mittens. Turns out I'm not much of a mitten fan so I picked up the Protection Gloves to try out. I like them. A lot. They actually have two layers, so they're warmer than my older gloves. This makes them great for winter runs and when it's windy enough to make you think about wind-chill when you get dressed.

FEATURES:
- Magnets - On the inside of each wrist, there are two small magnets that keep the gloves together. Nothing fancy but not my preferred method of attaching them together. I guess I'm afraid they'd interfere with a compass. Not that I carry one, but I might need to.



- ViZiPRO - This is my new favorite color. Not just the usual bright orange or even fluorescent orange, this is super-bright orange. The fingers and the back of the hand are covered in this magically bright material. I'm sure some planes flying overhead could see you if they really wanted to.



- Reflective Patches - There are a few spots where reflective logos have been heat-transferred onto the glove. There's the Saucony name, the Saucony logo, and some reflective material on the back of the hand as well.



- LED Light - Pretty neat light. You charge it by using a USB port on your computer. Takes about 20 minutes and will last about an hour. There's a little clip that covers the USB part so you can even clip it to a hat, shirt, or something else if you wanted to. Only two modes though, ON and FLASHING. Three modes if you count OFF.



- Rubber Tips - The forefinger and thumb on each hand have a little rubber triangle (pyramid might be a better descriptor) thing that gives you a somewhat better grip on things. Not really much of a better grip to make it worthwhile though.



- Thumb Mop - Each thumb has a terry-cloth-like sweat mop. Works just like those found on many bicycle gloves and it works great. Trust me. I sweat a lot and it works well. The only hinderence I've found is with the LED light. Which just means it's easier to mop with my left hand instead of my right.







FIT:
Overall they fit well. I had to get the XL size since that seems to be the best fit (same goes for the mittens, although the thinner gloves, the old ones mentioned above, I have are a large). Your fingers don't bind and the wrists are loose enough to make room for a watch. The sizing says Women on their website but it's marked as Unisex inside the glove itself. And seeing as I have big gorilla hands, I'd trust the glove.

CARE:
- Machine wash cold
- Do not bleach
- Line dry
- Do not tumble dry
- Do not iron
- Do not dry clean

OVERALL:
I like these. They keep my hands warm. They have a light. They are super-bright. And I can wipe the sweat from my brow. They're a bit tight but I think that's good. You can still get them on but they won't go flying off like hockey gloves before a fight. I think I like the light the best, even though it can get in the way at times when you're wiping your brow. While it doesn't say it's water-proof, I've used it in the rain several times and it came out just fine. But I wouldn't recommend washing it and I'd make sure to air dry it before recharging it. They break wind very well (as in they don't stink when they do it) so they can be used for bike rides in colder weather. I'd recommend these instead of the mitts though, but more on that when I review the mitts.

MEASUREMENTS:
If you're interested in how I measure up, literally, you can go to this photo gallery to see my body measurements. Nothing pornographic, but there may be a fat, hairy guy in some of the photos so consider yourself warned.

Running In The Rain

Believe it or not, you can learn a lot about running in the rain. Just running outside in good weather can expand your views and give you a breath of fresh air. So why run in the rain when treadmills are so readily available?

Many would argue that there are physical benefits to running outside. I'm sure you've heard them before. For me, running in the rain has it's own rewards that go above and beyond running in the sun. From a stronger psyche to a healthy dose of safety, the benefits outweigh the risks.

First, there's the benefit of that "hardcore" feeling. If you've ever run in the rain, or any adverse weather for that matter, you know what I'm talking about. That feeling of being a bad ass because you just pounded out eight miles in the rain. This is something that's hard to measure, but for me, I feel about ten times stronger when I run in the rain. Stronger mentally and physically. After all, it's hard to dodge all those rain drops so I don't melt.

Second, there is a measurable difference in your weight when you run in the rain. Even though our shoes and clothes add to our workout, we don't think of them as being heavy when we run. In fact, on a nice summer day, that shirt feels nice and light against our skin. But in the rain, that shirt soaks up some sweat and a ton of rain. So do your shoes. In fact, the last time I ran in the rain, I lost eight pounds when I stripped down to my underwear. The next time you run on a nice sunny day, take an eight pound weight with you and see how you do.

Next, there's the clothes. I've always heard that you dress for the weather as if it were twenty degrees warmer. So if it's 50 degrees out, dress like it's 70 degrees instead. And this general rule makes sense because we heat up as we run. But when it rains, you need to adjust that figure by 5 or even 10 degrees. So instead of dressing for 70 degrees, you might want to make it 60 degrees. And in some extremes, like winter, it might be even more.

It just isn't dressing warmer either. It means you have to dress smarter. Think back to when you were a kid and you wet your pants. Didn't your underwear chafe? Mine sure did. So you have to think about ever little thing and how it reacts to a good soaking. Will those socks stay warm? Will that shirt rub your nipples raw? You may not be able to stay dry, but you can still stay comfortable.

Safety is next. And it's a big one. We always want to be safe when we run, especially when we're on the road with cars, animals, and other sources of danger. Think about driving in the rain. You take things a little slower because it's harder to see, right? If it's harder to see the road, it's going to be harder to see that runner. As a runner, this means you need to be much more proactive about your safety and think about how best to make yourself visible. Are you wearing bright colors? Flashing lights? A headlamp or flashlight?



Let's not forget the fun factor. Sure, we're being safe, we're staying warm, and we're feeling pretty hardcore about running in the rain. But isn't it just a little bit fun? During my last two runs in the rain, we had a pretty good soaking. Within ten minutes I could have been drier if I jumped into a pool. So I made sure to enjoy that big puddle near the turn-around. My shoes and socks were already wet so running and splashing through a giant puddle wouldn't hurt. So I let a little giggle out as I reverted back to my childhood.

Finally, there's the recovery from the rainy day run. You learn to take care of your equipment when you get them soaked through. I'm not just talking about your clothes either. Those are simple. Air dry until laundry day. But that headlamps needs to dry out. And so do your shoes. And don't stick them in the drier either. Put some newspaper in them (after you take out the liner) and let them air dry. So it takes a bit of planing to run in the rain. After all, you won't want to run in those wet shoes tomorrow when the sun is out.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Revamp

In life, things change. How we adapt to that change determines who we become. And sometimes who we become changes, making us adapt even more.

So consider this the beginning of a new chapter. Well, sort of new.

You see, I've been pretty silent on here for some time. A long, long time. But my interests have changed over that time and I've been kept busy with so many things. So instead of closing down this blog and creating a new one, I'm revamping this on a bit. Adding more things that are related to running.

Yes, running. And no, I don't expect this to be a fitness blog. No, I don't expect this to be a running blog. But yes, you will see a heavy dose of running as I start out on this new vein. Why? Because I want to. Specifically, I want a better venue to review products that relate to my running. Google Documents just isn't cutting it. And DailyMile can't handle it. So I'm back here.

Will people read my posts? Doubtful. After all, I'm not a popular guy.

So. You've been warned. Get ready for some running stuff. I'll try to get some family stuff in there too, but don't count on it.

Saucony Rides Retire

A popular question for many new runners is "when should I replace my shoes?"

While I certainly can't give an answer that will work for you, I can share what I've learned while running in my Saucony Rides.

First, a little about me as a runner. I'm average. Terribly so. I run a 12:00 minute mile, usually run on the roads (when I do venture onto the trails I wear different shoes), weigh 230 pounds (235 if I'm honest), and I'm 6 feet tall. All of the shoes discussed below are Men's size 10 wide. After a bit of sampling, I think I actually belong in 10 and a half wide. I don't cross train in my shoes very much and never wear them as casual shoes. In other words, these are my shoes for running and nothing else.

My first pair of Saucony Rides were the Ride 1s (or just plain Rides or Ride I or whatever works for you). They were red and flashy and made me feel cool. I ran in them for about a year before I retired them about a year or so ago. They feel like a pair of great, worn-in, sneakers now.

From there I upgraded to the Ride 2s. These are blue (at least the wide-width ones are). Not as flashy as the red ones, but just as cool. Over time I amassed a collection of three pair. In order of age and use, they are the 251 mile pair, 117 mile pair, and the 0 mile pair. The only difference besides the mileage is the 117 mile pair have red laces. I needed a way to keep them apart so I could rotate properly.

Now, when should you replace your shoes? Well, the best answer I have is what I learned from somebody else. If you have to ask, it's probably time to replace them. But, assuming you're asking early, here are a few things to think about.

- On average, most "authorities" will give you a range of miles between 200 and 600. Some will even say 6,000 miles or more. Personally, I think 300 to 500 miles is the norm.
- Everybody and every body is different. So are shoes. So if I replace my shoes at 200 miles, you may not need to replace them until 400 miles. I'm a big guy. You may be small. I may run heavier than you or pronate more. Hard to say.
- Check your wear. Look at your shoe on the inside and outside. If it's falling apart or the tread is worn down, replace them. Repairing them with goo on the outside won't help the foam cushioning on the inside.
- Compare them to a new pair of the same shoe. This goes with the above point. You can see in the photos I link to below how much my shoes have worn over the miles. Comparing them to a brand-new shoe helps give you a clear picture of how much you've used them.
- Pay attention to your body. If any aches and pains crop up, try a new pair of shoes. Believe it or not, if you run often enough and listen to your body, you'll notice the difference between new and old shoes.
- Stick to the same brand and model if you can. While I'm happy with my Saucony Rides, their TR-4 trail shoes have given me a few issues. But the Brooks Cascadia trail shoes have not. Get fitted for a shoe, try LOTS of shoes on, then pick one. Run a few miles in them before deciding for sure.

Now for the big reveal. Here are my Saucony Rides in a bit of a side-by-side comparison.

The Ride Family:


Ride 1:


Ride 2 (251 miles):


Ride 2 (117 miles):


Ride 2 (0 miles):


Four generations:


Close-up of the Ride 1s:


Close-up of Ride 2s (251 miles):


Close-up of Ride 2s (117 miles):


Close-up of Ride 2s (0 miles):


Ride 1 (??? miles - retired) vs. Ride 2 (0 miles) - You can see the heavy wear and how the white part has even started to wear:


Ride 2 (251 miles- retired) vs. Ride 2 (0 miles) - Forefoot:


Ride 2 (251 miles- retired) vs. Ride 2 (0 miles) - Heel:


Ride 2 (117 miles- retired) vs. Ride 2 (0 miles) - Forefoot:


Ride 2 (117 miles- retired) vs. Ride 2 (0 miles) - Heel:


So as you can see, the side-by-side comparison of the old shoe next to the new shoe really shows you how much you've run in them.

On a side note, the Ride 2s with 251 miles have now been "officially" retired from the running ranks. I'll continue to wear them as my "everyday" shoes but won't run in them anymore. And as I said above, I think I actually belong in a 10.5 shoe, so when it comes time to purchase a new pair, I'll get the Ride 3s. Unless Somnio or some other shoe brand out there would like to sponsor me and my running addiction.

Neil
http://www.dailymile.com/people/tk42one
@librarydad

More new photos

Wow, another new post? Yes, and more new photos too!

Main link for photos.

New Photos from April

http://picasaweb.google.com/tk42one/AprilFools#

New photos for Halloween

I know, I've been a bad parent and haven't thrown around photos of my kids lately. Sorry. Maybe these will help make amends?

William as Thomas the Tank (or "Choo-Choo" as he says):


Elizabeth as Minnie Mouse:


And you can view the rest of the collection by clicking here.

Television Is Brainwashing Me

Part of this post is inspired by my virtual slave-driver, Kelly (aka 1979 Semi-Finalist). The other part is inspired by FlashForward, the new TV series on ABC. You see, Hulu was kind enough to post the first 18 minutes of FlashForward. And based on that I bought the book. And another copy to give away. Even though I know the book and TV show differ. I'm sure I'm missing a show or two, but without further ado, here's what I plan on (or already am) watching.

Sunday

Defying Gravity - Ron Livingston isn't the funny guy from Office Space anymore, but he's still a good actor. And the "5 years earlier" flashbacks help build the characters. The "uber-secret" payload is kind of lackluster right now, but it is nice to see the crew has finally seen it.

Monday

Jon & Kate Plus 8 - Yes, I watch this show and no I don't care what you think. I've watched the show for some time now and I like it.

Castle - An awesome idea with great chemistry. I've considered watching Bones to see if the chemistry is as good as it is here. This season had a bumpy start. The comedic timing felt a little off and there wasn't much of a "bridge" between seasons. Beyond that, I loved it.

Tuesday

NCIS - Another show I've watched for years. While Mark Harmon is okay as an actor, I actually enjoy the rest of the cast more. They make a good group.

NCIS: Los Angeles - I'll be trying this because of NCIS and will hope it is just as good.

Wednesday

Mythbusters - Somewhere out there is a new episode of this great show. Sometimes the show has a few too many explosions, but it is still education (who knew you only needed a few things to make a column of bubbles burst into flames).

Thursday

CSI - I think I've watched this since it first started. I'm not sure how many twists and turns they have left to throw our way, but I still enjoy it.

FlashForward - One of the best advertised shows I've seen yet. And like I said before, I've bought the book and already started reading it despite knowing they differ widely.

Community - The first episode was good but since it conflicts with CSI, I'll probably catch it on Hulu. More on Hulu later.

Friday

Monk - I was late to the Monk party, but this show is very much about me. If I could stand to wear a suit and tie everyday, this show would indeed be about me. Instead, it's about someone very much like me.

Psych - More great chemistry, but this time between two straight guys. And another great idea that, so far, has been awesomely executed.

Saturday

Cops - I watch it when I can and have stuck to that for years. Since my college background is in criminal justice, I've always been drawn to the show.

Everything Else

V - Another ABC show due to arrive soon. I'm hoping they don't mangle the old 80s show, but hey, it can't be worse, right?

LOST - If you've never seen LOST, then you'll be lost on why this is such an awesome show. The is the ONLY show I have entirely on BluRay. In fact, this show is the REASON I got BluRay.
Warehouse 13 - An okay series that's a bit campy. It's no biggie if I miss it, but Hulu let's me watch anything I've missed.

Wipeout - My wife turned me on to this show with big balls. And I like big balls, I cannot lie, you other brothers can't deny, this show makes me laugh out loud every week.

Late Night with Conan O'Brien - Thanks to Hulu, I can watch this show. So far I haven't missed an episode since he took over and I've enjoyed most of them. I tend to skip the musical guest at the end, but I feel a little more "hip" now that I can hear all about TWITTER TRACKER TWITTER TRACKER TWITTER TRACKER TWITTER TRACKER TWITTER TRACKER!!!!!

Stargate Universe - I'm kind of on the fence on this one. I lost interest in Stargate Atlantis, but was a die-hard Stargate SG-1 fan. I'm hoping it's good enough to keep me hooked.

Survivorman - Les Stroud is a great survivalist that actually teaches you something about surviving. And while I hope I never have to survive, I'd like to think I've learned enough from him to make it a day or two on my own.

Deadliest Catch - Another show that's not on right now but I enjoy. I love crab, love seafood, but rarely get to eat it. Watching how much people put on the line to catch the damn things makes me appreciate it that much more.

Woodwright's Shop - I know, sounds corny, but I've always enjoyed seeing how things were made "the old fashioned way."

Hulu

Hulu has become my drug. I've watched several movies and TV shows on Hulu and love it. I've seen Buffy (seasons 1-3), Angel (season 1), tried to watch The Time Tunnel (didn't like it), and just saw a great classic movie, Gotcha! In the end, Hulu is my crutch. I can use it as a backup-DVR of sorts if any conflicts arise.

Zoo and School

We took a trip to the Metro Richmond Zoo with some friends to celebrate William's second birthday. Here are a few choice photos:





And Elizabeth and William played dress-up while I was gone one day:



And Elizabeth had her first day of school today:

William Turns Two

Feel free to have a laugh at the photos in the link below.

William's 2nd Birthday

Here are a few choice photos:

Drinking and Driving

Most of us already know that they don't mix. But here's another reminder for those of you that are under the legal drinking age.

This could have been you:



(license plates blurred to protect the identity of those involved)

Sunday morning my sister-in-law was leaving for her return trip home after a short visit. Her life and those in the other car were nearly cut short by the poor choices of the teenagers involved. I don't know their names or much care. I'm sure they'll face enough punishment in the coming days and months that my adding spiteful words won't help them or their families. So I'll just hope they've learned their lesson and strive to do better going forward.



Instead I would like to heap immense praise on those public servants that responded to the accident. Within 2-4 minutes, the first County Sheriff's Officer arrived followed closely by a fire engine. Another Sheriff's Officer and State Trooper arrived shortly thereafter. Together, they not only helped those involved in the accident, but they also took the time to educate myself and my children in the work they do.



My biggest regret is not getting the names of all parties, but King George County Sheriff's Officer J. E. Davis, his counterpart in Car #12, the Virginia State Trooper, and those staffing King George County Fire Engine #11 were great. An extra special thanks to the firefighter who opened the doors and bays of the engine to show my two year-old son and five year-old daughter the tools they use. I never expected an accident to happen in front of my house let alone explain the basics of drinking and driving to a five year-old. But I now feel comfortable that if something were to happen to myself or my loved ones, we would be taken care of.



And again to those teenagers involved, I hope someday you realize how close you came to something worse than scrapes and bruises and never try to get away with anything like that again.

Eddie's Energy Bars - Initial Impressions

I'm currently eating my third bar from Eddie's Energy and I figured it was a perfect time to give some initial impressions before I tackle a bigger, full-on review.

I read about Eddie's Energy Bars awhile back in a business magazine (Entrepreneur). The blurb said the company was growing and was one to look out for (in a good way). Having been on a granola bar kick for months, I figured I would check it out. And I did. And promptly forgot about them.

Fast forward a week or two and I decide to check them out again, this time paying close attention to the ingredients. While nearly half of the choices contain nuts, all of them have milk. And coming form a highly food-allergic family, I take labels seriously. My son is very allergic to milk and nuts, my daughter is slightly allergic to milk and very allergic to nus, and I am very allergic to nuts and poultry (and mildly allergic to various other foods).

Anyway, finding a granola bar without nuts is next to impossible. Go ahead and try it. I dare you to read the label the next time you go out grocery shopping. So when I saw Eddies had some bars that were nut-free, I figured I'd give it a try. So far I'm glad I did and here's why.

The Package
My biggest complaint so far is how difficult these are to open. Scissors or a knife are required to get at your bar quickly and easily.

The Flavors
So far I've had Chocolate Chip, Mint Double Chocolate Chip, and Cinnamon Raisin. The Chocolate Chip was okay when it came to taste. But that was without any refrigeration so the results may be skewed by the heat (I ate it right after it arrived in the mail). The Cinnamon Raisin was very good. A little too much cinnamon for my tastes, but not enough to make me choke on it. I could easily eat a bag of these. The Mint Double Chocolate Chip that I just finished was good, but not as minty as I expected. In fact, it was pretty well hidden beneath the chocolate flavor. But I like chocolate so that's fine with me.

The Texture
The texture is heavy. Not lite like a feather or heavy like a stone, but still pretty heavy. And it's dense. The bar is a standard size, but it feels like a lead bar when you pick it up. It's also a bit chewy and chunky. Certainly not a crunchy granola bar that could crack your teeth, but there's enough there to make you chew for a few minutes.

The Label
As I said, I take labels seriously. While I primarily read them for the ingredients, I also check them for calories. So far they're reasonable on the calorie count (for example, the Mint Double Chocolate Chip has 249 calories in the three ounce bar). I know it sounds high but consider you could eat one of these for breakfast and be full, it's a fair trade. They also go well as snacks in the afternoon.

The Oddities
This is where things get a bit weird. You see, the name of the product implies you can get energy from it and the main page says "We are on a mission to get you powered on natural energy!" (their emphasis, not mine). But with one bar, I didn't seem to have any extra energy. The other two, I have a weird buzzing feeling. Almost like a hum. In fact, I'm buzzing right now. I'm just not sure if that equates to energy or not yet. Seeing as I haven't tested the product in combination with physical activity, I feel it's a bit early to make conclusions.

The Company
This was another impressive part of the product. It tastes good and sits well, but the founder, Michael Adams, is not only available to talk to, he seems like a nice guy. I know, it sounds lame, but that first impression tends to stick with you like a tattoo sometimes. Fortunately, it was a positive impression. He sells his wares while going to college (his mom and dad make the bars at home) and yet, is very accessible to the general public. He's on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Wordpress. And of course the main website.

I was a bit long in my "initial" impressions, but I'm hoping to do a longer review later. I've been slowly collecting peanut free granola bars for nearly a year now and these will fit perfectly into that post.

Small Photo Update

Here's a small photo update with more recent pictures of William's cast, some video from vacation, and Elizabeth's unicorn, Lilly.

Vacation

Vacation was, well, it was a breakation. The first full day of vacation William broke his leg. And it rained nearly every day. But, in the spirit of staying positive (or at least trying), here are some good things that happened.

- Service and care was great at the Emergency Room at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh (there was also another kid there that broke his arm trying to squish a spider - sad but funny).
- Elizabeth got a chance to go back to the Children's Museum in Pittsburgh and got to see bob the Builder (which is weird because she doesn't even watch his show).
- Elizabeth got to spend the night with my Mom and Steve (and got to see their cows).
- Elizabeth got to spend the week (still ongoing) with Yvonne's parents.
- I got to eat not one, but two Blizzards.
- I got to read.

Yes, other good stuff happened (like I ran a 5k race and survived) but, well, just look at the pictures. They're more entertaining anyway.

Click here to see them all.

Oh yeah, and today is our 9th wedding anniversary. Happy dorkiversary dear!