Brandonino,
Here I sit once again in my midwest desperation. I just got some awesome alpine pants for Tibet and I have no place to go to test them out. I woke up this morning and wanted to wear them to church (similar to a three year old wanting to wear his spiderman suit to church) but the responsible grown up in me thought that would be irresponsible, so after I got home I put on my new, water resistant, wind resistant, extremely breathable, "made for heavy aerobic activity in apline environments" Marmot ATV pants. My Vibram soled La Sportiva, crampon compatible Makalus, and a light weight low profile next to skin layer shirt. I then proceeded to put on my new apron to bake some killer enchiladas. Dishwater literaly fled from the surface of my pants as I scrubbed the cutting board between ingredients. Their extreme breathability proved invaluable in keeping sweat away from my skin while in the hot environment produced from the baking enchilladas. The extra dexterity provided by the four way stretch fabric did not restrict my movement in any way, and for a moment I forgot I was wearing them and felt naked in the kitchen. While no immediate use for my Makalus was apparent I am sure that if the need arose I would have no problem kicking holes up the walls to reach the larger enchilada pan in the top cupboard should the need arise. My shirt stayed well out of my way as I diced tomatoes and chicken and provided a perfectly temperature controlled microenvironment around my skin keeping me comfortable the entire time I was in the kitchen. This Ex-Oficio hydrophobic dream performed especially well keeping my stomach and back protected from the elements while reaching for high objects like the cayenne pepper hidden deep in the spice cupboard. The extreme durability of the ATV fabric gave me extra peace of mind as we sat down to enjoy our enchiladas. I knew that because of their heavy abrasion resistance I would be in no danger of wearing out the seat of my pants from sitting too much. I could probably have an intense focal butt seizure and still come out unscathed with these babies on. Our apartment shuttered as I tapped my Steel shanked Makalus on the floor savoring every bite of the little Mexican dream we had just baked. After eating I curled up on the bed to take a nap. The fleecy soft lining of the ATV was greatly appreciated and again the breathability was noted as I woke up in the Missouri humidity.
In addition to wandering around the house playing dress up we got officially initiated into St Louis culture last night when there was a shooting in front of our house. No one was hurt but apparently some people still have problems with the "thou shalt not kill" commandment. Have a great Mexican day.
