Rolf Devinci

Having awoken to a sunny Spring day I opted out of cycling to venture into the woods to loose some arrows. I did have an alterior motive in that I am considering picking up an English longbow. Just not sure what poundage I should get? I want to be challenged but also able to capably draw the bow. I have a #55 Chinese horse bow that I rarely use anymore as I had struggled with the draw weight the last couple years. That said this winter I rejoined the gym and have begun to strength train to help benefit my other sports; cycling, ball hockey and softball. How would strength gains translate to archery? The answer was very good. A year ago I struggled to reach my anchor point and fatigued quite quickly using the #55er. Today I easily drew and anchored the bow. Surprised myself at how much improved I was and how strong my upper back, shoulder and left (draw) arm felt. I will now opt for a heavier poundage when I purchase the longbow, probably in the #55-65 range knowing that ...

What is that old saying? Give credit where credit is due? In the case of Bacardi`s 8 year old offering this holds true. Listed at $29.99 (CDN) at the local NSLC this is an excellent budget sipper. I have not been a fan of Bacardi`s offerings but decided to  give it a shot (pardon the pun) after reading a review online. https://therumhowlerblog.com/rum-reviews/dark-rums/bacardi-8-yr-old-rum/ I was impressed at first by the fact it had a cork stopper. I don`t know why but presentation does resonate with me and I really like the idea of rum being corked. It just harkens back, and pays respect to, the days of old. The pop of the cork when opening a bottle is akin to a Pavlovian response whetting one`s anticipation of the first taste. In the glass it possesses a lovely golden hue and in the mouth a real nice balance. Not too sweet but having a sweetness. Not too (whiskey) smoky but having some oak. Decent finish that is not overpowering. This was a pleasant...

As an intermittent faster I often will throw some fasted training into my activities to assist with fat loss. It helps eliminate stubborn fat, especially that tissue found around the mid section of men and the hips and thighs of women. In layman`s terms the lack of insulin production while in a fasted state and the increased blood flow to the abdominals results in improved fat burning. The science is broken down quite well here..... http://www.muscleforlife.com/fasted-cardio/ Fasted Training and Me I prefer fasted training when planning any high intensity interval training (HIIT) first thing in the morning. It usually is RPM spin classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings during the Winter. During the rest of the year I frequently bike commute to and from work fasted. On the ride home on those commutes I am usually at the 17 hour fasted mark. When will your body start breaking down muscle? I suspect everyone c...

I`m all about coconut oil and have been using it for some years. It has been an integral part of my winter fitness plan for both weight loss and overall health. Not sure what prompted my recent interest in sport gels but I got to thinking one could incorporate virgin coconut oil into a homemade gel or puree. Sure enough a simple search of the internet via Google and I discovered a DIY recipe..... http://blog.lululemon.com/diy-endurance-gels/ Looked dead easy to make with minimal preparation - the overnight soak of the dates the time consuming part. Otherwise pureeing the ingredients in the base mixture took scant seconds using a hand blender. Cost was negligent since I already use coconut oil, sea salt and unpasteurized honey. A box of pitted dates ran me about $4.00(CDN) and should provide enough fruit for several batches. Placed the mixture into snack sized bags and placed them in the fridge. Done deal. I expect future batches will be used this ...

Decided to make a foray into the spiced rum category with my latest bottled adventure by purchasing a 750ml bottle of Lemon Hart Navy rum. "Rich, full-bodied, velvety smooth taste built on a firm Demerara dark rum foundation. Complex flavours of sweet dried fruits and island spices releasing a profile of freshly ground nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, butterscotch and ginger all resting on a warm vanilla swirl." How could one resist such a description? The added bonus was it was on sale this week at $26.99 (CDN) at the NSLC and Arctic Wolf had reviewed it quite highly with a sipping potential. http://therumhowlerblog.com/rum-reviews/flavoured-spiced-rums/lemon-hart-navy-spiced-rum/ Upon opening and in the glass the rum was a brilliant copper hue possessing a very enticing scent of baking spices and toffee with an underlying sweetness promising a dessert like quality. A rum candy apple on a stick kind of appeal.

Picked up this Jamaican offering at the local NSLC primarily due to the sale price of $29.99(CDN), a full four dollars less than it`s usual listing price. In my pursuit of affordable sipping rums I had read some reviews on the Reserve blend so figured it was worthy of a buy despite it being aged in Jack Daniels barrels which would most likely impart a whiskey like finish. Not my favorite result. I will agree that it does possess a silky mouth feel with hints of citrus, some oak and lots of spice. I find it has a rather smoky finish with a lingering burn that does not suit my personal taste but its far from being unpalatable. It seems this complex blend of twenty rums was designed as a gateway spirit that good as a mixer but can also be enjoyed neat as a sipper. Over ice helps smooth out the spiciness and finish while bringing out some hints of caramel sweetness but, in my opinion, its best enjo...

Nova Scotia has a long history of trade with the Caribbean and that included rum. There are some local Maritime rum producers hereabouts so I picked up a bottle of Fortress rum from Authentic Seacoast Company based in Guysborough. "Fortress™ Rum restores the 300-year history of the New France rum trade and is created by patiently maturing our select Caribbean rum in oak barrels protected behind the massive stonewalls of the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. " http://www.fortressrum.com/ If you are not familiar with the Fortress of Louisbourg it was a large French garrison on the east coast of Cape Breton that protected the approaches to the St. Lawrence river and the French colony of Quebec. Now a national historic site it is a step back into time. http://www.novascotia.com/see-do/attractions/fortress-of-louisbourg-national-historic-site/1583 Give credit where credit is due. The marketing concept of Fortress rum is really wel...