Finding a pair of socks and a warm fire

Crisp sunny weather, with not a cloud in the sky is perfect weather for taking the Silver Palomino out for a spin. Add a winter's chill and you realise that a bit of local knowledge and the right gear can make all the difference to a comfortable and safe ride.

My first decent ride on my own since breaking my finger in February this year, took the Palomino and I to Australia's Capital - Canberra. I decided to buzz down after Spanish classes to see my sister's family over the June long weekend. With one hour of sunshine remaining,  even with my heated hand-grips, it wasn't too long until the chill factor got to near unbearable levels. Trappers Bakery in Goulburn is, and always has been my pitt stop in shining armour when heading south. Why? Primarily because in winter, it is the one place that will guarantee a wood fire to warm your fingers and toast your backside so you can stop shivering. Add superb coffee and meat pie - et voila - we have road trip heaven, no matter the season. In winter, just make sure you arrive before 8:30 pm (when they close) for the fire!

My hand held up surprisingly well in the cold and didn't tire as easily as I feared.  However, after freezing my toes off and shaking like a leaf in a windy storm, I made it my mission to find decent, warm socks for the journey home.  I always maintain that when you are looking for something for extreme weather, you go shopping where people live in that climate. In this instance, Canberra being inland and close to the Snowy Mountains, you're sure to get some pretty icy days. They also have an extremely good community for outdoor adventurists. So by default, their camping and adventure stores stock everything you could ever want for cold climates. I dragged my sister trekking through the adventure shop strip in Civic where my mission to find warm socks was accomplished. I settled on Horizon 85% merino wool alpine socks at $40 per pair from Mountain Designs. At first I was concerned I was being too extravagant, but when I asked myself if I was prepared to get home tomorrow without feeling my feet I decided I was more concerned about my safety than $40. I took a leap of faith, and bought said socks.

They are not only warm, but the thickness  is perfect - you don't feel like you are wearing ten pairs of socks instead, they are closer to the thickness of a very good pair of athletic socks. What I particularly love about merino wool is that you get the warmth you need without making you sweaty - my feet felt warm throughout the journey home, but not overheated even after four hours of riding. The socks were also a perfect length - coming up to the top of my motorcycle boots - so I had an extra layer of  protective warmth on my shins. 

They also seem to go pretty well when thrown in the wash - so they are easy to maintain. They didn't pile even when I threw them in with a normal wash (and no woolen soap). I wouldn't, however, throw them in a dryer in case they shrink like most wool products do. 

These merino socks came with an added bonus as you are supporting Australian merino farmers when you purchase them.

Trappers Bakery: Located at the big Merino (McDonalds Goulburn exit). Opening hours: Mon - Sun 8 am to 8:30 pm.

Mountain Designs stores can be found in Australia and New Zealand.