#until they recreate the picture after the 2021 olympics

[chemicalfox]

kagehina as this picture

[babblydrabbly]

Distracted (Peacemaker x Reader) Smut

Pairing(s): Peacemaker x F!Reader; Brief Javelin x Reader

Characters: Peacemaker/Christopher Smith, Amanda Waller, Javelin

Rating: M

Word Count: 3.5k+

Warning(s): Smut, language, mentions of blood/violence. Choking, cream pie, semi-rough sex.

Summary: Out on a Task Force X mission, Peacemaker notices you're acting... different. He generously offers to help with what's distracting you. Asshole.

A/N: What's this? Baby's first Peacemaker fic? Takes place before The Suicide Squad (2021). Metahuman!Reader has super strength/speed abilities. Also, what kind of vanilla name is Chris Smith.

---

"Again?"

Amanda Waller arched a brow at your perturbed expression.

"My apologies." She droned. "Am I not stimulating you with enough variety, [L/n]?"

You scoffed, folding your arms in deference. It wasn't about that— It was about the deliberately repeated pairings with Christopher Smith. The dynamic that was becoming a pattern. You never would have worked with someone like Peacemaker on the outside. As much as you appreciated the job always getting done with him, you still bumped heads with him too much on the way to the finish line. He was frustratingly serious and flippant at the same time.

You decided to shut your trap before Waller decided she didn't need you anymore.

"You've got one skillset useful to me, [L/n]. I suggest you get used to the prospect of being paired up with Smith on a regular basis— While you're still around."

You nodded when she dismissed you. You had gotten used to it. You were seeing so much of Peacekeeper you were practically partners.

So, you pointedly sat to next the one called Javelin on the helicopter out of Belle Reve, as far away from Smith as possible. You were about to spend over twelve hours with him— It didn't have to start right away. While Colonel Flag gave you all the spiel on the mission, you glanced over and saw Javelin toss you a nod.

"You're Team B," The thrower noted over the whir of the helicopter. "[L/n], yes?"

"Yeah," you said. Your eyes flitted over the muscular squad member. He looked more like a superhero in his light blue and yellow get-up than the rest of you. You personally kept the lower half of your face covered with a black hard shell mask— Your armor from before you were incarcerated (Yes, you've heard the 'Baby Bane' jokes from the others). Even if you had to get used to working with a bunch of weirdos, you could at least conceal your face from them while you did it.

"You move very swiftly." He complimented, and you didn’t know how you were supposed to take that.

"Thanks," You tried, "I like your... weapon of choice?"

Javelin held his namesake in his arms, his legs spread wide to accommodate it as he rested it against his inner thigh. The innuendo normally would have had you rolling your eyes, but today they lingered, and you wondered if he still looked as broad and muscular without the suit on.

You frowned. Without the suit on?

Were you still staring down at his thighs?

You supposed he was a goddamn Olympic athlete at one point. And prison didn't seem to stop him from his regimen. —There it was again. You blinked and looked away, thankful nobody seemed to notice. Javelin seemed content with the brief introduction, so you left it at that.

Okay, so maybe it had been awhile since you...

You reprimanded yourself. These were not recreational outings. As much as you liked feeling free every once in awhile, you were never in a position to consider doing something so stupid. The last few missions were some of the closest calls you had while on the task force, but now that your job today was more about recon, you could at least let your mind wander to the less... imperative things. You crossed your legs at the ankles in front of you and let mind drift for the rest of the trip.

But christ had prison been rough. And a little boring. You didn’t have to think about Javelin moving closer to you for long— Pressing up flush against you— Before you were imagining yourself against a wall— Hell, right here on this bench— hooking your legs around his waist as he thrusted into you. You pictured him going for two, three rounds, that stupid suit lying on the floor with your back on top of it. You pictured him going down on you too, a handful of his wavy blonde hair in your grasp as you pressed your thighs around his ears. You swallowed behind the mask, glad it was there to hide your face.

You get dropped off an isolated point a few klicks outside the target area, the rest of the team traveling further in to handle the bulk of the mission. You lug some extra equipment in a canvas bag— Guns, surveillance tech— already annoyed by the heat.

The heat of the jungle. Definitely not the heat you'd been feeling in the helicopter. You walked a half mile in total silence just trying to focus on the mission again.

"What's got your tactical suit in a twist?" Smith finally uttered as you got to your destination. You almost forgot he had dropped down the rope onto the ground after you. He stood out against the green around you in his obnoxious red shirt and white pants.

"Nothing." You lied, and you could tell from under his helmet that Peacemaker thought you were full of shit today. Great.

You set up inside a small building— An outpost long abandoned. Whatever organization you were taking down for Waller, they clearly had to downsize over the years. You kicked open the metal door, sending it flying off its hinges. Smith entered first, clearing all the rooms before you joined him. Upstairs, you begin setting up the equipment together. Peacemaker started with standing up a rifle by the window, aiming it at the road below.

You fiddled with a tablet; You went downstairs to put a sensor on the door frame and on the rusted gate blocking the road outside. They were supposed to warn you when any vehicles were approaching, but when you came back up, it lost signal. You did this twice; You batted at the little screen, vexed. There were probably signal jammers over at the main compound that could still reach all the way out here. You thought about how Team A was doing— So inevitably, your thoughts drifted back to the damn Javelin guy.

"Jesus!" You snapped. You were grateful when you didn't break the small screen in half with your strength.

"Okay. What the fuck is wrong." Came Peacemaker's voice from across the room. You stood there without turning around. You took a breath, tossed the tablet onto the bag at your feet.

"Nothing is wrong, Smith. Fuck off." You said. You reached up and unclipped your vest. Beneath it, you felt the cool air of the shelter hit your jumpsuit. You tossed the vest on the floor, then turned around. "When are they supposed to get here?"

He quirked a brow, as if proving his point. Since when didn't you remember the mission details? Rather than give him the satisfaction of thinking you were slipping you waved your own question away.

"God, never mind."

He scoffed. You watched him remove his helmet and gloves, setting them down carefully next to his own pack. He'd made his own area across the room from yours, another tablet showing him a view of the road propped up against the wall. Smith took a seat on the floor; The two of you were going to have to play the waiting game now.

In silence. The thought made you pinch the bridge of your nose right above where your mask stopped.

"You know, I've been at Belle Reve for four years now." You finally relented. You leaned back against your wall, folding your arms over your chest.

"Yeah? So?" Smith retorted. You rolled your eyes.

"So," God— You were really confiding in Christopher Smith. That's what it was coming down to. "I haven't had sex in four years. It's... not a big deal— Nothing's wrong. That's just what I was annoyed about earlier, you know? Consider me over it."

"That why you were ogling the Javelin in the copter today?"

Shit. Shit!

You dropped your arms. "You piece of garbage. You saw that?"

"I'm garbage? You're the one sexually harassing our fellow teammates with your eyes."

"I was not sexually— Nope. I'm done. You're ridiculous." You said. You reached down and went back to your tablet, busying yourself with it idly.

Peacemaker did the same. From the corner of your eye, you just knew he was doing it smugly.

"You know," He said after a few minutes, "If that's all you're bitching about, we can just get it over with."

"Excuse me?"

"You and me. Target's not coming in for another six hours, by the way. You don't need that much time do you, 'four-years-dry'?"

You stared at him from across the room. When you didn't reply, Peacemaker set his screen down so damn casually you consider just shooting yourself in the head.

"You're off your game. I'm not going to let you compromise our objective."

You threw your hands up. "There it is. You're like a broken record."

"What? Am I fucking wrong?"

"No, you're fucking crazy."

"Get over here." Smith instructed in a low voice.

The words shot up your spine, sending a very mixed signal to your brain. Directly across from you, Peacemaker was pinning you with an expectant look— One that was clearly a challenge. It pissed you off.

It was the look he used when he said you couldn't rip a guy's spine right out of his back— It dared you. And when you did succeed, you would shoot him an equally smug look in return. Your back and forths were always crass, always a test of who would back down.

You weren't normally so brutal when you worked alone, but something about Peacemaker brought it out of you. Whenever you were paired together, it was like your powers weren't something you had to hold back. They were something he was always prodding you to embrace. The jabs, the snark— It made you want to punch him in the face.

Standing up, you crossed the room. Smith didn't move as you stepped over his legs, as you leaned down to straddle his waiting lap. He simply watched you shift around until you're comfortably seated, your hands resting on his shoulders. He moved to place his own on your thighs but didn't do anything more.

"Well?" You said.

He shrugged, "Your call."

"What am I gonna do? Dry hump you?"

"Hey, if that's what it takes."

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. "Fuck."

Finally, you reached up, unclipping the back of your mask.

"Whoa, wait—" He started, finally reacting to this ridiculous situation, but you already had it off, in your hand.

"I—" He stared at you. You shifted, feeling nervous as you stared back. It occurred to you that you'd never seen him shocked before.

He blinked. "I've never seen your whole face before."

That wasn't true— was it? You tried to think. "What about in Cuba? We camped out for like three days. I had to take it off to eat at least."

"I didn't look."

"You didn't look."

"I don't fucking know! You wear that fucking thing everywhere. When you took it off to eat I assumed you didn't want me looking."

"Wow. How courteous."

"Fuck you."

"Well, isn't that what we're doing here?" You said, putting your hands on your hips stubbornly. Smith's were still resting on your splayed thighs.

"I can't wear this when we— How am I supposed to...?"

He snorted softly, "Don't tell me you're a romantic, [L/n]."

Nothing about this seemed romantic. Least of all with him. Still, if you were going to take the opportunity, you were going to do it your way. You looked him over.

He had a few tufts sticking out from wearing his damn helmet earlier. You reached up and brushed some of it back into place at his temple first. Smith blinked up at you, his brows pinching together.

"This okay?" You heard yourself asking him. He eventually nodded once, watching you as you placed your palm on the side of his face. Finally, you leaned down and caught his lips with yours in a long kiss. You squeezed your eyes shut, not wanting to know his reaction.

But you felt him return it. Slowly at first— Then he was kissing you back. You moaned somewhere in the back of your throat as he ran his large hands up and down your legs, his fingers folding to grip your ass tightly. You were already reacting, already so touched starved. His lips parted, and you felt him swipe his tongue across your bottom lip, over the front of your teeth. You opened for him, your tongue darting out to meet his hungrily.

You tugged at the front of his uniform. Without a word he reached down to pull it up over his head, the fabric dropping off somewhere beside you. You glanced down at his bare chest. You ran your hands over it, dragged your nails down his pecs experimentally. When you looked back up he was still watching you.

Your mouths crashed to meet again, this time with a fervor that threatened to split your bottom lip with every bruising kiss. You felt his hands on you again, pressing into your sides, your waist. He didn't move to take off your clothes, so you drew your hands to your own chest, pulled the zipper of your suit all the way down to your stomach.

He took the invitation, and you gasped when he roughly reaches in and cups a hand around your breast; He kneaded it, brushing his thumb over your nipple. His other hand worked at your shoulder, yanking the rest of your suit off of you. You reached back and tugged the sleeves off, finally exposing your upper body.

You felt the clasp at your back come undone, and Smith was tearing your bra off next. A muscular arm came around to scoop you up by the waist, bringing your chest closer to him. He leaned down, took one of your nipples into his mouth.

"Smith—" He bit you roughly, and it sent a shock of electricity up you. He palmed your other breast again, tweaked at your nipple until your back was arching into his touch. You squeezed your thighs around him.

Then he was back in your face again, bruising a kiss against your lips as you took a breath. Your eyes flew open when you felt the press of his fingers to your mouth. You shot a look at him, but didn't object when he pushed his index and middle fingers past your lips. You sucked them hungrily, your eyes fluttering shut again.

"Fuck," Peacemaker murmured, feeling your tongue swirl around the digits. You slurped sloppily until they were soaked, until he was pulling them back out with a light pop. He brought his hand down to the base of your suit, where the zipper stopped just above your pelvis. A pair of black panties peaked out from the V shape there, the same shade and material as your bra. You gasped when Smith finally pushed down past the layer of cotton, gripped his bare shoulders when you felt his wet fingers dip right into your cunt.

"Fuck," He said again, because you didn't need any help down there. "You're so fucking wet."

You expected to feel humiliation— To hear a joke about how it really had been while. But all you felt were his warm, thick fingers; He ran them up and down your slit, pressed them in small circles around the peak of you a few times. You cursed, your head falling back. Smith leaned up to kiss your throat, teeth dragging across the base of your collarbone. He bit you some more, daring to take your meta-human skin between his teeth. You cried out, your arm reaching to wrap around his head in pleasure.

Smith slid his fingers up into your pussy. He crooked them, scissoring them inside you. Your hips bucked, unable to resist meeting his short thrusts. You felt him grin against your neck. "Damn, baby."

"Shut up." You whispered, letting your hips rolling down to fuck yourself on his fingers some more. When he slipped in a third you moan loudly.

"Fuck! Fuck me." You demanded, yanking the short hair at the back of his head. A groan left Smith's lips, his head jerking back. Quickly, he removed his hand from your suit, pulling the rest of your clothes further down your waist. You lifted yourself off him, but Smith didn't wait. He picked you up and lifted you both off the floor. You grabbed at him as he laid you down on your back, his body between your legs. Then he was ripping off the last of your suit, tearing your boots off.

"Watch it," You snapped— If he fucking ripped anything you—

"Oh please." He huffed, and your thoughts stopped in their tracks as you watched him lean back on his knees above you, undoing his white pants. His cock sprang free from a pair of just as white underwear, his arousal already thick and ready. You stopped yourself from expressing how the sight of him made you even wetter.

He took a moment to drink in your face, a hint of that smug smirk forming. You growled, pulling him down by the neck again before he ruined the moment with speaking. Smith caught your lips again, his hand running down your naked body. He gripped one of your legs and nudges them apart, planting his knees between you.

Despite his earlier preparation, it was nothing compared to the feeling of his cock pushing inside you. You groaned as he entered you, your walls stretching around his length. Your back arched as you took him in, eyes rolling a little into the back of your head.

"Fuck— Chris—" You shuttered. His hands squeezed your thighs at the sound of his name leaving you. You heard his breath shake, his hips remaining utterly still as you got used to the size of him. Opening your eyes, you looked up to see him waiting for you; You nodded once, another moaning already escaping in anticipation.

It was like a brick wall knocking into you. Smith didn't hold back as he began fucking you— Knew you could take it— what with your powers and all. The idea seemed to drive him, and he began hammering into you, his hands moving to bracket your hips so he could fuck you better. Faster. Your legs wrapped around his waist.

Fuck— You couldn't think. You arched up off of the floor as you rolled your hips to meet Smith's. It felt like he could keep up this pace forever the way he wasn't stopping. Your breathing turned to panting, a high whine escaping you when he shifts just right— he picked you up again. You arched up into his arms, holding yourself up from around his neck as he fucked up into your soaking cunt. You bounced on his cock, a sheen of sweat blooming across your skin.

When you opened your eyes, Smith was still watching you intently— witnessing every little expression on your face while he fucked you. You could hardly discern what he was thinking. All you could focus on was him ramming you, the feeling of his cock hitting and stretching you out.

“Choke me.” He said, and you have just enough wherewithal to oblige. You wrapped your hand around his throat, pressing firmly on either side. You felt the tightness of his skin shifting under your touch. His pulse beat a fast rhythm in time with his rough thrusts. The strength of your grip was a little vice tipping Smith over the edge.

The look on his face, his eyes closed as he tried to control his breathing sends a jolt up you. You used your other hand to slip two fingers down between your folds. They found your clit, making quick work of bringing you to close to climaxing. You shuttered as you felt the tight coil of it building. Finally, with a cry you were coming, squeezing your legs around him as your hips rolling through every wave of it. Smith groaned, picking up the pace, fucking you through your orgasm until your walls were fluttering from the unrelenting stimulation.

“Going to—“ He warned, and you squeezed the hand around his throat harder, making his eyes roll up. You whimpered as you feel the hot spurt of him fill you, his hips finally locking as he pumped you with his cum.

You both took a moment to catch your breath, your hand releasing from Smith’s neck so he could take in a long gasp. His skin was reddened along his throat and chest. You saw the beginnings of your handprint bruising around his Adam's apple, your fingers a mark on his skin. You hung onto him like that, your arms back around his shoulders for balance.

“Fuck.” You finally said. Out of habit, you checked your watch to assess where you were on the mission. He took your chin in his hand, drawing your eyes back up to him. You saw that his hair had fallen back into his eyes, his face glistening with sweat.

“I’m not done with you.” He said. It sent a shiver through you. You felt your walls flutter again, some of his cum leaking out with his half-hard cock still firm inside you. You gasped as he pulled you off of him, guiding you down until you were turning around on all fours on the floor. You glanced over your shoulder, already craving the feeling of him filling you up with his cock again.

And fuck it, you two do take the whole six hours.

[travelingtheusa]

NEW YORK

2021 Aug 31 (Tue) – Well, the caravan is over.  It was a job but we happened to fall right into the perfect time period to make our trip.  We started just as everything was starting to relax and finished up just as restrictions were starting to come back into place.  

     Newburgh was lots of fun.  We did not get to take the group to the FDR Presidential Home & Museum.  The National Park Service stopped group tours but they were allowing individual, timed entry so several of our group went on their own.  We took the group to an Italian restaurant for dinner in place of the museum.  It was a great choice!

     On Sunday, we took a small group of folks into New York City on an extra excursion. It was a long day with lots of walking but we got to see the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and the 9/11 Memorial. Some of us couldn’t go to the Top of the Rock because they were requiring everyone to have a COVID vaccine card.  That requirement was just started by New York City two days ago.

     We had our farewell dinner on Monday and a continental breakfast on Tuesday.  Then it was hugs and good byes and in one fell swoop, 15 rigs pulled out of the campground and we were standing there alone. And just like that, two years of planning, months of changes and nail-biting anticipation, and 41 days of caravan were over.

     We pack up and leave tomorrow for a race to South Carolina to help our son celebrate his 40th birthday.  We’ll be there for 2 nights then it will be another race to The Keys to join my brother, Tim, for a memorial service for his son, Joe.  

2021 Aug 25 (Wed) – Our next move was to Saratoga Springs where we toured the racetrack.  It was interesting to see that the horses have the right of way as their stables are across the street from the track.  Cars were stopped as a parade of horses crossed the road back and forth. There was a cruise on a boat on the Hudson River where we saw several eagles.  They have made a successful comeback in the area.  We also toured the U.S.S. Slater, a WWII destroyer escort. Then the group moved to Cooperstown and we toured the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  That night, we had a barbecue of hot dogs and hamburgers. That was followed by a rousing game of bean bag baseball where the women challenged the men.  The women started off strong and kept the lead until the bottom of the ninth when the men rallied and overtook the women.  It was a lot of fun.  Tomorrow, we leave for Newburgh and the final stop on our caravan.

 2021 Aug 17 (Tue) – We enjoyed Alexandria Bay and Clayton in the Thousand Islands where we toured the Boldt and Singer Castles, looked over beautiful antique boats, and enjoyed an outdoor concert on the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Then we moved to Lake Placid where we saw the Olympic Sports Complex.  Unfortunately, the Olympic Museum was closed for renovations but we did drive up to the top of Whiteface Mountain and climb to the summit.  It was breathtaking!  We toured John Brown’s Farm and Gravesite and learned about the abolitionist movement. We are currently in Ticonderoga where we toured the fort yesterday with a docent dressed as an English soldier. That was followed with a tour at the Star Trek Set Tour.  They have lovingly recreated the set of the TV series Star Trek.  It was fun to pose in the different sets and hear stories of how the series was made.  Finally, we toured Ausable Chasm today with a delicious lunch of barbecue chicken and salads.

2021 Aug 12 (Thu) – The past week has been very busy.  We moved from Niagara to the Thousand Islands.  Took a boat ride on the St. Lawrence Seaway and toured both Boldt and Singer Castles.  We went to the Antique Boat Museum and walked around a 106’ house boat.  We had a potluck with a Cajun/Mexican theme.  The food was very spicy!  The campground host and her band played music for us while we ate. The next day we went to a free concert in Alexandria Bay where we heard a tribute to the Beatles.  The music was very enthusiastic.  Today we moved to Lake Placid.  

2021 Aug 5 (Thu) – We are camped at Red’s Twilight on the Erie RV Resort near Rochester.  We went to the George Eastman Photography Museum and Home.  Eastman committed suicide when he was 77 years old.  He left a note saying that he had done everything and “why wait?”  We also went to the Strong Museum of Play.  It was three floors of everything you ever wanted to know about games. They had a beautiful butterfly garden with 600 butterflies in the enclosure at any one time.  They bring in 250 chrysalises a week.  

     We carpooled to Seneca Falls (an hour away) where we enjoyed lunch at the Ventosa Vineyards and walked up and down the historic street.  The movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” was purportedly based on the town of Seneca Falls.  We toured the museum.  We also went through the National Women’s Rights Historic Park and the Seneca Falls Waterways & Industrial Museum.  

     At happy hour, we played corn hole and beanbag baseball.  It’s been lots of fun.

2021 Aug 2 (Mon) – Sorry.  We have been so busy that I fairly collapse at the end of the day and don’t get a chance to post on this blog.  It will only go on for a few more weeks, then we will be back to normal (whatever that is). Hang in there.

     In Chautauqua, we visited the Chautauqua Institute; took a dinner cruise on the Chautauqua Belle, a steam powered paddlewheeler; toured the Lucy-Desi Museum; and visited the National Comedy Center. We had a member of the caravan (Doug) have a heart attack.  He went to the hospital and they put in a pace maker.  We left him at the campground waiting for his son to come drive them and their rig home.

     In Niagara Falls (where we are now), we saw the Falls and took a ride on the Maid of the Mist to the base of the Falls on the Niagara River.  We took a bus tour that included the NY Power Vista and Old Fort Niagara.  Today we took a ride on a canal boat on the Erie Canal and went through two locks. That was followed by a delightful buffet meal.  Jim and his wife decided to leave the caravan because he is still now feeling well.  We are now down to 16 RVs in the caravan.

     Tomorrow we leave for Rochester where we expect to explore the Strong Museum of Play, the George Eastman Museum & Home, and Seneca Falls.

 2021 Jul 26 (Mon) – We moved out today, leading the caravan with 3 other RVs.   We arrived at Camp Chautauqua at 1:40 PM.  After checking in, we got settled in then made us the sheets for where everyone else would go.  It was another 2 hours to get everyone parked and settled in.  There was a delay as Doug couldn’t get his satellite dish to stow properly and Johnny waited with him.  When they left, Doug got lost on the way.  

     Paul set up the tent and we had happy hour at 4 PM.  At 7:30 PM, we tried to show a movie – The Long Long Trailer with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.  This is in preparation for our visit to the Lucy-Desi Museum on Wednesday.  It was still too late and the movie didn’t show up on the screen.  So we sat around, waiting for the sun to lower in the sky.

     While waiting, Janet told me Doug was going to the hospital because he was experiencing chest pains.

 2021 Jul 25 (Sun) – We rode with Rick & Brenda to the Brewery of Broken Dreams. The name intrigued me and I wanted to see what the place was like. As we were getting out of the car and posing for pictures, Rick passed out and face planted, hitting the car on the way down.  After we got the bleeding stopped, we took him to the hospital.  After waiting a while, Brenda gave us the keys to the car and we returned to the campground.  Brenda called later to say they were admitting Rick for testing at another hospital.  Hank and I took care of their dog, Timmy, until she came back after 10 PM.

     At 5 PM, we held our travel meeting.  Announcements included the fact that Rick was in the hospital and Jim was recuperating from his bout of dehydration.

2021 Jul 24 (Sat) – We went to the Finger Lakes Boating Museum this morning. They split us into 3 groups.  We got the newbie who didn’t really know that much about the collection.  After admiring their large collections of boating paraphernalia, we went down into the former wine cellar and enjoyed a catered lunch.  After we were done, everyone was released to explore the area on their own.

     We returned to the campground.  At 4 PM, we had happy hour. Everyone appears to be very happy.  

2021 Jul 23 (Fri) – We took the group to the Corning Museum of Glass today. Because the drive was long (32 miles), we told everyone to go on their own rather than drive in a long caravan line. They just had to arrive by 9 am. One person didn’t arrive until almost 9:30.  We gathered outside and I assigned everyone their times to go do their projects – either a holiday ornament or a fusing glass project.  The museum itself was huge!  It is amazing how many products use glass.  

     We went to Corning with Rick & Brenda after the museum for lunch.  We had wanted to tour the Rockwell Museum but we were running out of time and needed to get back to the campground.  Western Winery did a free tasting at the campground. We also had a potluck dinner, which went very well.  Everyone had a good time.

     One of our group, Sue, came to me during the dinner and told me she and her husband were going to leave the caravan.  He has been feeling very bad and she is afraid it is his heart.  He is not able to go on and they are going back home. After she left, we discussed their situation and felt that he needed to go to the hospital if he was feeling that bad. So Paul and Hank took Jim to the hospital where they left him to be evaluated.  While they were at the hospital with Jim, I worked with Sue to file the paperwork to the Good Sam Emergency Evacuation Program.  If you are too sick to go on when you travel, this insurance policy assures you they will fly you home and transport your rig as well.  We got a case number assigned and called to find out what the next steps were.  Jim needs a doctor’s note saying he is unable to drive.

     At 10:30 pm, the hospital called to say we could pick Jim up.  It turned out that he was severely dehydrated.  They gave him fluids and he says he feels 100% better. They will sit a day or two after we leave and then follow us.  We are glad he is OK.

 2021 Jul 22 (Thu) – We took the group to the Glenn Curtiss Museum today. What a remarkable man he was!  He started inventing things at the age of 14. Curtiss was into speed and made motorcycles that went faster and faster until he hit speeds over 100 mph.  This took place in the 1920s!  He was soon billed as the fastest man alive.  He moved from motorcycles to planes, dirigible and boats, and even built the first fifth wheel RV.

     Following the museum, we went to lunch at the Switzerland Inn.  We had originally reserved the Bully Hill Vineyard but they couldn’t stabilize their chicken prices and we wound up having to cancel. We found the Switz (as they like to be called) online but it turned out to be a disappointment.  First, we arrived for an 11:30 lunch only to be told they don’t open until 12.  Then they messed up the orders and Paul saw them take 3 meals back to the kitchen. Two people did not get what they ordered but were happy with the substitute meal they did get.  The place was very small.  We were all crammed in a small room that looked out on the lake. We had wanted to sit out on the deck but the restaurant insisted we sit inside.  I think it was easier to serve us because we were closer to the kitchen. Then the bill came and I was unable to sort it out.  Instead of listing each meal (burger, fries, Pepsi for example), they had 14 burgers, 17 fries, 8 onion rings, etc.  There were many variations and they just billed the total.  And, again, the bill came in higher than what was budgeted.  

     After lunch at the Switz, we went with Rick & Brenda, Hank & Brenda, Johnny & Linda, and Joe & Diane to the Bully Hill Vineyards.  I was kind of depressed after that.  It was beautiful located high up on the hill overlooking the lake with a large outdoor patio.  They also had a tasting room, a museum, an art room, and a gift shop. What a come down to have gone to the Switz.  I hope the rest of the trip goes better.

 2021 Jul 21 (Wed) - The caravan started today!  We spent the early part of the day getting things ready. Paul and Johnny put the ladder plates on and collected forms certifying vehicle worthiness.  I finalized my briefing.  We all put the gift bags together.

     At 4:30 p.m. we held the orientation briefing.  After that, we rode to the American Legion Post in Bath. They served us a meal of salad, chicken speedies, salt potatoes, brown baked beans, and cheesecake.  The food was very good.  They were very appreciative of our payment.  We had everyone buying drinks at the bar to support the lodge.  Everything went off well.  It was a good start to the caravan.

 2021 Jul 20 (Tue) – We spent a good part of the day getting things together.  There was a quick run into town to get groceries and wine.  Johnny & Linda are eager to take on their Tail Gunner duties.

     At 4:30 p.m. folks started showing up at our campsite for happy hour.  By 5 p.m., we had quite a crowd around us.  About 2/3rd’s of the group is in the campground now.

 2021 Jul 19 (Mon) – Hank left early this morning to go to Lockport. He is picking his wife up from the airport tomorrow.  The rest of us left Laporte, PA, at 11 a.m. since we did not have very far to go.  As we were going up the long hill, there was a bang and we lost power.  We knew the repair on the turbo hose failed.  We pulled over to the side and opened the hood.  This time, the hose really blew apart.  We told everyone to go ahead.  We parked the trailer on the side of the road and drove back into town to the Ford dealer.  After hearing of our dilemma, they sold us the turbo hose they were holding for another customer and fit us right into their schedule.  They even gave us a car to use to go into town and get lunch while they did the repairs.  We were in and out in less than an hour.  Wow!

      Back on the road, we arrived at the Hammondsport/Bath KOA campground around 3 p.m.  We set up then returned to the office to settle accounts.  What a shocker that was!  They charged us more than $2,300 more than we budgeted.  The manager mumbled something about us getting put in higher rated campsites.  She is an extremely poor communicator.  She changed our campsites about a month ago but never explained they were for more money.

      About a third of the caravan is here.  We were tired and didn’t really do anything tonight.

[dipulb3]

Peacock review: A ton of free, ad-supported NBC content for the low price of free

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Peacock review: A ton of free, ad-supported NBC content for the low price of free

Sarah Tew/CNET

Peacock, the new streaming service from Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, is an experiment of sorts: Its tiled interface and big-name network make it look on the surface like a Netflix or Hulu competitor. But its content, which includes live news and sports, new original series and a large back catalog of TV shows and movies — and the fact that it has a free tier — actually makes it more of a top-of-the-line free streaming service, like Pluto TV, Tubi and Roku Channels. (Editor’s note: Pluto TV is owned by ViacomCBS, the parent company of CNET, as are CBS, Showtime and Peacock competitor CBS All Access.)

Like

Strong free version available

Large back catalog of shows and movies

Live news and next-day access to some NBC shows

Don’t Like

Missing many marquee catalog titles like The Office, and others may be leaving soon

Few originals at launch, and few movies from the past decade

Confusing Channels and Trending sections

Missing key features like user profiles, mobile downloads, 4K HDR and Amazon device support

Peacock’s free tier — which rivals Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and HBO Max currently lack — offers about 13,000 hours of ad-supported content, with the option to upgrade to premium if you want to, giving you more flexibility. You’ll find shows, movies, news, live sports and skit-style clips, with standouts including Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock and The Bourne Identity. On the other hand one of NBC’s most-streamed series, The Office, won’t be on the service until January 2021. And you’ll only get two episodes of new original series, like Brave New World, unless you upgrade to premium. The original Psych movie sequel, the popular series Yellowstone and live Premier League soccer matches are also reserved for premium subscribers.

At launch, Peacock lacked a number of features, including compatibility with the popular Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices. But in September, NBC and Roku reached a deal, and the Peacock app is now on Roku devices. However, Peacock still doesn’t offer profiles for different users, mobile downloads or 4K HDR streaming — all of which are available on the paid competition like Netflix and Disney Plus. 

Read more: Everything you need to know about Peacock

Peacock has three subscription tiers: Free, $4.99 a month for ad-supported premium and $9.99 a month for ad-free premium.

Sarah Tew/CNET

You might not love watching ads, only getting a few episodes of original shows, or that several big features are still missing, but again: It’s free. 

If you upgrade to the premium tier ($4.99 a month or $50 a year for ad-supported; $9.99 a month or $100 a year for ad-free), you’ll get access to the full catalog of 20,000 hours of content, including every episode of the original series. You’ll also get next-day access to new episodes of all current NBC shows (as opposed to just freshman series on the free tier), and even early access to Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon the night they air.

If you’re a big fan of NBC’s stable of shows, want to catch up on some past hit movies or just don’t want to shell out the cash for Netflix or Hulu, the free version of Peacock is great. But paying $5-$10 a month for it when you already have the other major streaming services may  not be worth your while at this point — at least until it adds more must-see originals or bingeworthy favorites like The Office. 

Streaming compared

Peacock Netflix Hulu HBO Max Disney Plus Monthly price Basic free with ads, Premium with ads for $4.99 or ad-free Premium for $9.99 Starts at $8.99 Basic $5.99 with ads, Ad-free for $11.99, Live TV for $55 $14.99 $6.99 Ads Yes, with basic and first Premium tier No Yes, with basic tier No No Availability Now Now Now Now Now Top titles Brave New World, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, Law & Order Stranger Things, The Office, Breaking Bad, 13 Reasons Why Handmaid’s Tale, Catch-22, Lost, Bob’s Burgers Entire HBO catalog, Studio Ghibli films, DC films The Mandalorian, Avengers Endgame, Toy Story, The Simpsons Mobile downloads Yes, with ad-free Premium tier** Yes Yes (on Ad-free plan only) Yes Yes 4K available No Yes (on Premium plan) Yes No Yes HDR available No Yes (on Premium plan) No No Yes Number of streams 3 1 (2 for Standard, 4 on Premium) 2 (Unlimited with Live TV and a $10 add-on) 3 4

A solid free tier, with some ads

We tested out Peacock’s ad-supported free tier and its ad-supported $4.99 a month premium tier. (You don’t need a credit card to sign up for the free account, just an email address, which is nice.) Peacock promises that you’ll see five minutes or less of ads per hour across both ad-supported tiers. But it does seem like if you pop in and out of a movie or show, the ad count may reset. And at least in my experience, there seemed to be fewer ads on the premium tier than the free tier, but I haven’t tested it out long enough to know for sure. 

While watching Jurassic Park (which, as of Aug. 1, has expired on Peacock and moved over to Netflix) on an Apple TV and a MacBook Air, I saw six ads sprinkled throughout the film, ranging from 20 to 60 seconds each. But when I started it on the iPhone app, I got a notice that I would watch 135 seconds of ads at the beginning, and none for the rest. I’d love to have that option on my Apple TV too to get the ads out of the way, but unfortunately you don’t get to choose your ad format. 

Peacock has a pleasant interface, but features including mobile downloads are still missing at launch.

Sarah Tew/CNET

After scrolling around and watching a bunch of ads, when I went back to start Jurassic Park again, there were no ads at all, since I had already seen five minutes’ worth in the previous hour. 

On episodes of Saturday Night Live, there were seven to nine ads sprinkled throughout the episode on both mobile and TV. This is about the same ad experience as watching on Hulu’s $5.99-a-month ad-supported plan, or on regular live TV — but, of course, it’s free. 

Otherwise, the ad experience varied depending on show and device. I don’t love ads (who does?), but they weren’t intrusive enough for me to want to upgrade to a $9.99 plan, at least right now. 

Now playing: Watch this: First Look: Peacock streaming app

10:55

A familiar navigation experience (for the most part)

Navigating through Peacock’s homepage Browse section is similar to other streaming services. There’s a big carousel of “hero” tiles at the top and rows of thumbnails below, labeled Peacock Picks, Continue Watching, Peacock Originals, Featured Films, Laugh Out Loud, Comfort TV and so on. 

Browse through a large catalog of TV shows and movies on Peacock.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Peacock does have a Kids page with a couple of popular shows like Curious George and, on premium, Dragons: Riders of Berk, but the catalog is definitely more adult-focused — you can’t compare its kids’ offerings to those of Disney Plus or HBO Max. You can set parental controls and create a PIN to keep kids from watching anything over the rating of your choosing, though. 

Premium shows are mixed in with free offerings, denoted by a little purple feather in the top left corner. It reminds me a bit of Amazon Prime Video, which has shows included in your subscription mixed in with those you have to pay extra for. The app isn’t forceful in trying to get you to upgrade, though: You’ll only be asked if you want to change to premium if you click on a premium-only show, or if you go to your Account page.

You can stream on up to three devices simultaneously from one account. One negative: Unlike on Netflix, there’s no “skip intro” button, so you’ll have to watch theme songs over and over unless you manually fast-forward.

Browsing deep into NBC’s back catalog

Peacock’s launch comes at a strange time: Due to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down film productions, many of its originals were pushed to 2021 or later. Its launch was also supposed to coincide with NBC’s live coverage of the summer Olympics, which has also been pushed to 2021. 

Still, there’s plenty to watch among the 13,000 hours of free content or 20,000 hours of premium content from NBC and its sister networks and entertainment properties, including Bravo, USA Network, SYFY, Oxygen, E!, CNBC, MSNBC, NBCSN, Golf Channel, Illumination, Universal Kids and Universal Pictures. There’s also some content licensed from rivals, including A&E, ABC, Fox, History, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Focus Features, Lionsgate, Warner Bros., Blumhouse, CBS, Showtime, Paramount and The CW (the latter four of which are, to restate, wholly or partly owned by CNET’s parent company, ViacomCBS). 

You’ll find every season of shows like Parks and Recreation, but only partial seasons of others, like This is Us.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Some of the best shows available on the free tier now are 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Downton Abbey, Monk and Friday Night Lights, and you get all seasons of each. Upgrade to premium to get the complete run of older shows, including Cheers, Frasier, House, Two and a Half Men, Everybody Loves Raymond and George Lopez. For some shows, however, you get only a recent handful of seasons or episodes, even on premium. For example, you’ll only find the last six seasons of Saturday Night Live and a handful of episodes of This Is Us. 

The free tier will also get current episodes of freshman NBC shows (those airing their first season) the day after they air, and episodes of other NBC shows one week later. On the premium tier, you’ll get every NBC show the next day. One interesting perk for premium subscribers: Once Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon return to in-studio production, you’ll be able to watch them before they air, at 8 p.m. ET, instead of waiting until 11:30 p.m. ET.

The catalog is far from complete, however. Some shows you might associate with NBC, like Friends, Seinfeld and older seasons of Saturday Night Live, aren’t on Peacock, and won’t be soon, if ever. As mentioned, The Office won’t arrive until January 2021, when Netflix’s contract for the hit show runs out. 

At launch, you’ll find seven originals: Brave New World, The Capture, Intelligence, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, Where’s Waldo?, Cleopatra In Space and Curious George. Four more are coming later this summer. It remains to be seen if any will become must-watch hits, like The Mandalorian on Disney Plus. 

Now playing: Watch this: Watch every Peacock originals trailer coming to streaming

12:57

In the Movies category, you’ll find hundreds of titles, but relatively few from the past decade. (Think Alfred Hitchcock rather than Bong Joon-ho.) In the Rotten Tomatoes Approved belt, you’ll find about 20 movies, but only two from the past few years (2017’s Phantom Thread and 2018’s Tully). You’ll find tons of classics, however, from Psycho and Rear Window to Do the Right Thing and Reservoir Dogs. 

Find some live news and lots of news clips on Peacock.

Sarah Tew/CNET

It appears, however, that many of Peacock’s big-name movies aren’t going to be sticking around for long. On the desktop and iOS versions of the app, you can see how many days you have left to watch a given movie if it’s leaving soon. Children of Men, the original Jurassic Park trilogy and The Matrix trilogy all expired at the end of July, just a few weeks after the service launched. They may come back though, a company representative said. And soon, you’ll be able to see how long you have to watch a given movie before it expires across all platforms.

For titles that aren’t obvious classics, Peacock helpfully displays Rotten Tomatoes ratings. Movie thumbnails may include a red-tomato, “fresh” rating but do not display a score if the movie is rated “rotten.” You can see the score for any movie with a Rotten Tomatoes rating, good or bad, after selecting it.

While some services have started streaming theater-bound movies early (such as Hamilton on Disney Plus), Peacock executives say it has no plans yet to do the same. However, Trolls World Tour did arrive as a Premium movie offering in September. 

In the News section, you’ll find short clips from NBC News and MSNBC, along with the latest episodes of Nightly News with Lester Holt, Meet the Press, Sunday today with Willie Geist and Dateline NBC. When you click on the tiles for MSNBC or CNBC shows, you’ll only find clips though, as opposed to full episodes. 

Channels and Trending aren’t what you think

From Browse, you can navigate to the Channels section of the app. Channels look kind of like a cable box grid guide, but instead of networks and cable channels, you get rows curated around a show or theme. We were disappointed to find that most of it wasn’t new. The first channel, SNL Vault, shows a mix of Saturday Night Live sketches from over the years. Two others — Fallon Tonight and Seth Myers Now — have full episodes from about a month ago. 

The Office channel is labeled as Office Shorts and shows a scene from one episode here followed by a scene from another episode there, which is not how we like to digest our Office reruns. The Hell’s Kitchen channel does show complete episodes, and we found complete episodes of Ghost Hunters on the Out of this World channel. The rest of the channels, 32 in all, are a mix of true crime, reality TV, news and so on. 

Peacock’s “channels” look like live TV, but for the most part are not. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

Next to Channels, the Trending tab is also not super useful — scroll through 10 tile-like pages that start autoplaying news, late night clips or sports highlights. It’s kind of like flipping through 10 TV channels, and finding only YouTube clips. 

In terms of news, you can find some live programming. NBC News Now Live is one of the channels, and Sky News also streams live. NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt and Meet the Press with Chuck Todd will stream same-day on the NBC News Now channel, or in the News tab — which could appeal to YouTube TV subscribers who aren’t pleased with the recent price hike and want to make a switch but still have access to live news. However, you can access all of those live news sites and day-old broadcasts from their websites on desktop, anyway, so they aren’t exclusive to the platform. You’ll also find NBC’s new 24-hour version of the Today Show, called Today All Day, though that includes repackaged Today segments and more lifestyle programming than straight news. 

And when it comes to live sports, the free tier will get some Premier League games, as well as the US Open Championship, the Women’s Open Championship and an NFL Wild Card Playoff Game. On premium, you’ll get more Premier League matches, coverage of the Tour De France, and more than 100 hours of WWE content starting in August. 

Still MIA: Fire TV, profiles, mobile downloads and 4K HDR

While we can’t complain too much about the free tier, the premium offerings still lack several features that competitors like Netflix and Hulu already have. 

You can stream Peacock on Apple devices like the iPhone and Apple TV, Google devices like Android phones and Chromecast, Xbox One consoles, PlayStation 4 consoles (when the app launches next week), Vizio SmartCast TVs and LG Smart TVs. As of Sept. 21, Peacock is also available on Roku devices. But you still can’t watch on popular Amazon Fire TV devices. 

You also can’t create separate profiles, but Peacock reps said that this feature is high on the list to arrive after launch. In the meantime, you can set parental controls on shows of different ratings and manage them with a PIN. Mobile downloads are not yet available, either — and when they are, they’ll only be for premium ad-free subscribers. 

Peacock also lacks support for 4K HDR video or Dolby Atmos at launch, though the company says both of these are also on the future roadmap. While it still looks pretty good, originals like Brave New World and some of the major action movie franchises like The Matrix would have benefited from upgraded video and sound quality.

You may be able to find a deal based on your cable provider: Comcast X1 and Flex subscribers get the premium with ads version free, or the no-ads version for $4.99 a month. Cox customers get the same deal. 

At launch, you can’t download Peacock shows on your mobile device, but at some point, you’ll be able to do so if you pay for the top premium tier.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Should you get Peacock? 

It’s free, so why not try it out? If the ads bug you or you want to watch one of the original shows, you can try out its premium tiers free for seven days as well, or find other deals depending on your platform and cable provider.

Do I expect to add Peacock to my daily streaming routine, alongside Netflix and Hulu? Probably not, at least in the short-term. But is it a great free option for finding some older movies and shows we’ve missed (or want to watch for the millionth time)? Definitely. If you don’t mind watching a few ads, it’s a fun place to explore older movies and a big mix of TV shows, and keep up with current NBC shows, news and some live sports in one spot — especially if you’re already a cord-cutter and looking to expand your options for free. 

[trenttrendspotter]

Living the Outdoor Life, Even From Inside

By Nancy Trent

Shortly after Outdoor Retailer Winter, the largest B2B trade event serving the outdoor industry, we were all told to stay inside and quarantine from COVID-19. Prior to these extenuating circumstances, it was rumored that only 99% of the innovations shown at the event ever made it to the destination intended…mountaintops, trails that turned to ice, avalanches…you get the picture. You see, the outdoorsy lifestyle is trendier than ever. The equipment and accessories are selling, however they are hardly being used exclusively by a hardcore audience. Instead, soft-core enthusiasts are becoming the more lucrative consumer, looking to dip their toes in the great outdoors.

According to New York magazine’s popular Strategist column, hammock sales in the city are on the rise, as people are desperate to bring the outdoors in. Trampolines are also making their way indoors. That’s because for many, outdoors is synonymous with active lifestyle. Movement boosts immunity and positivity and people are experimenting and seeking ways to re-create recreation.

Outdoor apparel, recovery products, and activities can also be used indoors.

Here are a few items we discovered and have been enjoying:

What to wear

Starting with the base: “The base-layer segment is witnessing exceptional growth as the number of consumers incorporating a base-layer for their leisure and outdoor activities continues to rise,” said Adrian Cory, Commercial Manager at Odlo. As the number one performance base-layer brand in a number of key European territories, and the original pioneer of functional sports underwear since 1946, Odlo has been introducing new styles into U.S. retail that are in response to new trends and demands from American consumers.

The Performance Blackcomb is an outstanding performance synthetic base-layer that has responded to the underwear/outerwear trend through functional design. Women, in particular, demand the first layer to be versatile enough to be worn as an outer piece when relaxing around the ski lodge or going out. The style is all important, but Blackcomb still offers all the functional attributes needed for skiing, running, working out at the gym, etc.

Odlo’s commitment to sustainability will further be witnessed when the fall/winter ranges hit stores. Odlo’s Performance Warm ECO and Active Warm ECO ranges will all be produced using recycled plastic, which, more importantly, is reclaimed plastic from the oceans. In total, 68% of Odlo’s fall/winter range will be recycled or sustainable in some fashion.

Be Aware of What You Wear is the campaign message for 2020 and beyond as Odlo strives for 100% sustainability across its entire inventory.

Kari Traa is another base layer brand for women only, founded by a Norwegian Olympics medalist. It started when Kari customized her own gear, adding color and lots of unique style and function. “We saw the trend of using nature both for activity and for mental recreation,” said Brianna Dean, Senior Marketing Coordinator, Active Brands North America. “We believe this is being reinforced now in these times. We have created a feminine collection for women who want to enjoy the great outdoors, whether it’s camping in the woods or skiing in the mountains.”

More than ever, it is important to take women in real-life and make clothing that is suitable for the shapes and expressions that are unique to us. There is a great need for feminine base-layers that don’t compromise design, color, and fit.

“Autumn/Winter ‘20 is all about mixing things up and doing the unexpected: having fun,” said Dean. “The colors, cuts and graphics are set to inspire women towards outdoor activities. Old classics are preserved, inherited material is resumed and twisted into a modern and outdoorsy expression. There is a goal in the industry to make long-lasting garments. We can preserve Mother Earth by being conscious when creating our clothes, both in design and choice of material. There is also a long-awaited need for female super-heroes who can inspire and give girls an extra voice in society. Here we have our own super woman in our founder, Kari Traa.”

Terramar, a base layer brand with 40 years of history has products with competitive features and prices, is ideal for people seeking micro adventures. More people will want to be get out and move more. That means base layers will be necessary in all seasons, and people will be seeking out the best possible price on product they aren’t assured they need until they try it.

Keeping warm, dry and comfortable: Hot Chillys continues to engineer advanced performance base-layers, socks and patented face masks for skiing that can be used for other sports after the snow melts.The company’s iconic “Original” is the first body fit base layer – a blend of wool and polypropylene and packaged in a bright yellow can.

Down with fashion: There’s a big movement of sustainability that has become a number-one priority, and outerwear needs to be light and warm. Furlux is a women’s luxury fashion company specializing in outwear and winter accessories. It brings fashion, fit and style to the outwear and winter world allowing you to express yourself no matter the weather. “Outerwear needs to be light and warm,” said Valery Geoffroy, Founder of Furlux. “Women don’t need to wear big heavy coats anymore to be stylish, they can have down that is ultra-warm and ultra-light.” And very fashionable!

A century of Merino wool: Minus33 Merino Wool Clothing is superior in quality and performance. It is a 5th generation family company that has over 104 years of history in the wool industry. They believe everyone should feel welcome, comfortable, and safe no matter the activity. That is why they create quality products that can be worn in all different weather and seasons. The sheep their wool comes from has had more time to evolve than engineered fabrics, which may be why it is more antimicrobial, anti-bacterial, is flame- and fire-resistant, softer, stays dry and captures scent.

Warm wearables: We may be cooped up inside ,but after a long day of working from home you may want to go for a walk to move your legs. Yet, it is still chilly outside in some areas, and we need some gear to ensure we stay warm and bundled. Gobi Heat is the perfect heated companion to keep you staying warm whether you’re venturing outside for some fresh air or need some extra warmth while you’re staying isolated inside. Whether it’s in their jackets, vests, pants, hats, socks or gloves, you will feel the heat in less than 30 seconds using their current technology and manufacturing processes, Gobi Heat continues to offer warmth, comfort, durable, trendy apparel for all your outdoor and everyday needs.

Weather-proof: People who want to bike, run, hike or climb will do so despite the elements. Companies such as Shower Pass make apparel and gear to make it easier to withstand the elements. The 22-year-old brand is known for its waterproof, breathable and functional rain gear and continues to broaden its line with sustainability in mind.

Preventing injury

Avoid chafing: If you experience any pain from skin-to-skin or skin-to-clothes contact, including chafing from protective facial masks, applying Body Glide Anti-Chafe balm before you move, will prevent redness, irritation, and chafing. Body Glide Body Balm is a glide-easy balm that protects skin from chafing by creating an invisible barrier on the skin. The balm does not leave any grease or mess – and is completely stain-free, leaving no mark on clothes and shoes.

Roll yourself well: Back pain is trending up and people like being able to take care of themselves at home. The two combined are upping the demand for simple pain relief from home. “Most people ride it out and hope their back or neck or hips just heal themselves,” said Tate Stock, creator of The Chirp Wheel.

The Chirp Wheel is designed to fit perfectly between your shoulder blades, targeting the muscles that go up and down your spine. It features a comfy mat design with a spinal canal to massage your muscles, relaxing your back and relieve pain. “Chirp’s goal is to be 100x better of an experience than going to a doctor’s office, waiting in the lobby forever, and then getting a bill a few weeks later for an amount you can never accurately estimate,” explained Stock.

What to take with you

Care how you carry: RIGWA Life is the most versatile bowl that is perfect for lunches, work, on the go, traveling, outdoors, etc. It keeps both hot and cold food fresh with its innovative design. It is vacuum insulated stainless steel, has a two-finger open design, BPA-Free insulated lid, double-walled food grade stainless steel and is spill proof. RIGWA Life was created to help reduce the use of single-use plastics, help you live a more sustainable life and eat healthier food how you want it, when you want it.

Things to do

The lightest step: Northern Lites is said to be the world’s lightest snowshoe, up to 75% lighter than competing snowshoes while still remaining durable as proven with a lifetime warranty. Northern Lites makes snowshoeing easy no matter your athletic ability, the weight makes it easy for beginners to succeed and allows pro’s to be able to increase speed. Northern Lites allows you to get outdoors in snow and explore nature.

Mining for profits: Minelab’s broad range of metal detectors finds metal materials on all kinds of terrain and through magnetic minerals, iron rich soil and deep water and provides purpose for a walk and encouraging family fun.

Expect to see more outdoor apparel, gear and activities for delivery online and more innovation on the market in 2021. Stay tuned to outdoorretailer.com for show updates.

As seen in WholeFoods Magazine