

Whenever I hear that glorious song now, I’m instantly transported back to that exquisitely trimmed craftsman living room with its giant fireplace and superb staircase.

No wonder one of the residents was studying acoustic engineering. I’d never heard the song before, never mind any stereo remotely so capable of rendering a piece of recorded music so faithfully. We walked in the door and were blasted by The Staple Singers belting out “I’ll Take You There”. He and a number of other grad students were renting this beautiful property at a time when that was still very affordable. The driveway went around to the back, to a carriage house where Jan had another Corvair stashed. We drove to an older neighborhood in Pasadena and pulled into the long driveway of a very large classic Craftsman-style house, perhaps even bigger than this example above. It was another rite of initiation into the cult of Corvairs, and six months later I’d be driving my own ’63 Monza. He was of course an uber-nerd, and expounded on the Corvair’s unique qualities. Cool! Given Jan’s personality, that suddenly made sense. We walked to a parking lot and he approached a red Corvair Lakewood wagon. My timing was impeccable, as he was just leaving to go back to his house. And just as I found the building and turned to head up its stairs, who comes walking out the door and down the stairs? Hi Jan! Of course he had no idea whatsoever that I was coming. I hitchhiked to Pasadena, found my way to Cal Tech, and walked down the main mall between the row of its early buildings. I could perceive aspects of their personalities it seemed so profound in the moment.Īll I had was his name and that he worked in the Seismology Department, the most famous in the world thanks to a certain Dr. I swiped some of it, smoked way too much, and had my first psychedelic experience, which involved cars: they turned into living, breathing beings. He was also the source of the Acapulco Gold that he brought with him on a return visit to us at Christmas in Towson in 1967. The first one was of a former Towson high school buddy of my older brother, who was then a grad student in seismology at Cal Tech and who would become a renowned seismologist.
#ZIPSTER WALLET PLUS#
(If you prefer a handheld option, however, we recommend the Nathan SpeedDraw Plus Insulated Flask.I had two names written on a slip of paper in my wallet. Carrying one could cause soreness, cramping, and, over time, injury to the shoulder muscles (from modifying your arm swing) and forearm muscles (from gripping), and even hip, knee, or hamstring issues related to those upper-body form alterations. The lopsided weight and sloshing of a handheld water bottle-and the need to grip it-are more problematic.
#ZIPSTER WALLET BLUETOOTH#
“The bottom line when it comes to extra gear is that has to completely disappear from the runners’ consciousness.” A phone armband might suffice, particularly if you use Bluetooth headphones-there’s no cord to one side that might cause unnatural neck or shoulder gripping-but if you feel any uneven soreness in those muscles after running with an armband, the armband could be affecting your form. “It’s not necessarily the weight of the, but rather the change in posture and behavior as a result of the runner’s awareness of that affects their run,” explained physical therapist Alice Holland in an email interview. (If you’d like a slightly larger belt that is built to withstand the elements a little better and to help facilitate more involved training, we like the SPIbelt Performance Series.) The SPIbelt Large Pocket also works with a belt extender (sold separately).Īrmbands and handhelds aren’t ideal if they cause you to alter your natural running form (nor is simply clutching your phone in your hand). And it keeps everything squeezed into one stretchy pocket, which means that if you need to pull something out mid-run, there’s a chance other things might fall out, too. The pocket’s synthetic fabric wicks sweat well, which should keep you cooler, but it isn’t water resistant-contents can get a bit soggy. You can adjust the belt from about 25 to 47 or more inches, and it has no annoying dangling straps, unlike many such pouch-on-a-strap-style belts. With the adjustable band tightened snugly, it doesn’t bounce during runs.
#ZIPSTER WALLET PRO#
The single stretch-fabric pocket can hold a large phone (the SPIbelt website says that includes an iPhone 12 Pro Max or a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra), cards, and keys. If you’re looking for a convenient, comfortable, affordable way to bring must-haves with you on everyday runs, the SPIbelt Large Pocket is it.
