It was about 8:15 a.m. Sunday 14th, 2010. I had Nirvana cranked up and I was heading to Frostbike. Snow was falling. I was stoked to be doing my first mountain bike ride in the snow.
Somewhere between the buzz of Kurt Cobain’s voice and the snowflakes hitting the windshield, a revelation stormed into my mind…..
Adipose tissue is the ultimate base layer.
For the past couple of months I had been singing the praises of various “store bought” base layers. What I had overlooked is what I had produced out of my own flesh and blood. I began to reflect back on conversations that I had with friends of mine who possesed less adipose tissue than myself. By God, the one common complaint amongst all of my skinny friends over the past couple of months is how cold they are. Were they underdressed? No. Many had a couple more layers than myself. What were they missing? A healthy layer of adipose tissue.
How do you get adipose tissue? There are many ways to acquire it. Beer, inactivity, chocolate, cookies, ice cream just to name a few. Let me tell you. It is readily accessible. Squirrels have known about adipose’s insulative characteristics for years. Ever watch those suckers in the fall? They are stuffing as many acorns as they can fit in their cheeks for months. They, my friends, are constructing an adipose layer that will keep them warm 24/7 through March.
The adipose layer has many advantages as a base layer…
There is often a lot of fun involved in acquiring it.
You don’t have to remember to pack it.
It doesn’t exactly wick but it does dry quickly.
It doesn’t add to the laundry pile.
There are however some disadvantages…
It is often not aesthetically pleasing.
Sometimes it is hard to fit under a tight jersey.
Often times it is hard to control where it accumulates.
It is difficult to shed quickly during a spirited ride if you become too hot.
Add adipose or not. That is your call.
I am just making an observation here based on my own personal experience.
Chill out. Rev On.
BR