Sunglasses come in a wide variety of lens colors. The most common are gray, brown, green, blue, black, orange, amber, and red. When shopping for sunglasses, you should think about what type of lens is best for your lifestyle. Shopping around to find the pair that fits you best is important, but you should also factor in your daily activities, such as driving, exercising, and medical care. For some people, however, lens color is purely a fashion choice, and so you might want to think about what color looks best on you.
You may find that there are certain differences between these colors, such as:
Invest in several pairs. If you need different types of colors for different activities, you might consider buying a few pairs of glasses in different shades. You might have one pair for driving and another for sports. If you play several sports, you might find that you have a different pair for each activity
Think about when you use sunglasses. The type of activity you’re doing may determine the right color of sunglasses for you. Consider when you wear your sunglasses most. While every shade of sunglasses will protect your eyes from UV rays and help you see during bright days, certain colors may improve the efficiency of certain tasks.
For driving, gray and brown work best to block out colors. Yellow and amber are not recommended because they may distort the color of traffic signals.
For pilots, gray, green-gray, or brown lenses are recommended.
If you need glasses for boating or fishing, try wearing blue or green tinted glasses
Factor in your local weather. Think about the climate where you live. Different colors or shades will be more effective in different types of weather. If you live in a tropical area, you might want a color that is better for bright sunny days. If you live in the north, you might find that you need a good pair of sunglasses for snowy weather.
Match your sunglasses to your sport. Certain colors may give you an edge if you play sports. Finding the right color lens for your sport can help filter out obtrusive colors and help you notice minute details. Some good options include:
Stay classic with a neutral tone. If you want a vintage or classic look, you should stick to neutral tones such as brown, gray, dark gray, or green. These colors do not go out of style, and they draw the attention to the shape of your glasses instead of to the tint
A mirror-coated lens has a shiny outer layer that gives your sunglasses a polished gleam. Mirror coatings can reduce glare without distorting any color. You can choose almost any color for your mirror-coating without it affecting your vision. Some even come in multiple colors.
]]>When light reflects off flat surfaces such as water, snow, glass, sand or pavement it is reflected perpendicular to that surface. This reflective glare is very intense and has the potential to cause increased eye irritation, eye fatigue and in some cases restricted vision (It’s called Brewster’s Angle for you science folk out there). Polarized lenses, using horizontally aligned polarizing micro crystals, block all vertical light and protect your eyes from this glare. Polarized lenses are particularly suitable for water sports, cycling and driving where there tends to be a high degree of reflective glare, but they do not offer additional UV protection.
Photochromic
Photochromic lenses automatically adjust to changing light intensities to protect you in a wider range of conditions (science in action). These lenses actually get darker (to block more light) on bright days, and lighter when conditions get darker. A couple of caveats: The photochromic process doesn’t happen instantly, and it takes longer to work in cold conditions. Also, it doesn't work at all when you’re inside a car (the change in tint is activated by harmful UVB rays, which don’t penetrate your windshield).
Gradient Lenses
Gradient lenses are tinted from the top down, so that the top of the lens is darkest. These lenses are good for driving, because they shield your eyes from overhead sunlight and allow more light through the bottom half of the lens so you can see your dashboard display clearly.
Double Gradient
Double gradient refers to lenses that are also tinted from the bottom up: The top and bottom are darkest and the middle has a lighter tint. Double gradient lenses are a great choice if you want sunglasses that aren't too dark, but shield your eyes well against bright overhead sunlight and light reflecting off sand, water and other reflective surfaces at your feet. These lenses are a good choice for water sports.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate lenses are resilient, impact-resistant and a favorite among active individuals. Savvy parents choose polycarbonate lenses for children who may not take good care of their glasses. The durability of polycarbonate lenses makes them a good choice for rimless eyeglasses. Plus, polycarbonate lenses have built-in UV filters to help prevent eye problems such as macular degeneration (breakdown of macula) and cataracts (clouding of the eye lens).
Anti-Reflective
Anti-reflective coating can reduce eyestrain caused from glare, reflections, and the "halos" you see around lights at night. It helps protect your lenses from scratches and smudges, and can repel dust and water. This coating makes your vision sharper and your eyes appear clearer behind your lenses. Some anti-reflective coatings reduce the amount of reflected UV from the back of your lenses, providing the best overall UV protection possible.
HD Lens
High Definition Lenses
For the first time, high definition or digital lenses, are now available. These advanced technology lenses offer a number of benefits over traditionally surfaced lenses.The quality of these of a high-definition lenses is similar to the quality of a digital camera. The higher the pixel count, the higher the degree of resolution resulting in crisp vision with unmatched depth and clarity.
High definition lenses also enable patients to enjoy up to 20% wider vision channels for both intermediate and near distance fields. This makes computer use and reading more comfortable and enjoyable. They are also available in sport and hobby-specific designs.
High-definition lenses are ideal for all patients who want to experience the latest in lens technology while those with high prescriptions and large amounts of astigmatism will experience the greatest wow factor.
UV Protection
Overexposing your eyes to ultraviolet rays can cause serious eye problems such as cataracts (clouding of the eye lens) and macular degeneration (breakdown of macula). The combination of UV protection that's built into lenses and applied as a coating can block 98-100% of transmitted and reflected UVA and UVB rays.
Coatings to Consider
Lens coatings are meant to protect your eyes from light or increase lens durability. Five common treatments to know about:
Thanks for reading, you can check out our super cool wooden sunglasses here. You can find out more about caring for your sunglasses here. You can read about the different types of wood used to make sunglasses here. You can read more about the advantages of Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses here. You can read about why the sun is brighter in the fall here.
]]>It's not your imagination, the sun really is brighter in the fall and winter and it's changing fast.
Ever get blinded by the morning and evening sun on the way to and from work? Dang skippy you have. Chances are you are noticing it more now that it's happening daily since we are in mid-October. The arrival of autumn brings low, slanting light and it will continue to get brighter until the first week of January. Their will be no relief until later in the spring as the sun is lower in the sky hampering your vision while driving.
Aside from wearing a quality pair of polarized sunglasses you will want to clean your windshield as well. If you can notice the dirt and smudges on the windshield of the car ahead of you (and you can) then so too can the car behind you see your dirty windows.
The position of the sun in the sky is constantly changing. It alters how we perceive color and light. During the summer solstice around June 21st, the sun is as far overhead as it gets. Thereafter the sun gets lower and lower becoming a driving hazard around mid-fall.
As we progress to the winter solstice the sun will only get lower still, causing shorter days, bluer skies and an even brighter sun on the horizon. This will continue into January, when the sun is at its brightest, because that’s when Earth is closest to the sun.
If that's not bad enough try throwing some snow into the mix and you will be presented with some truly blinding and treacherous conditions.
Snow blindness can be a painful eye condition caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV light). When too much UV light hits the outer layer of your eyes, it essentially gives your cornea a sunburn (ouch).
If the weather is overcast you might be tempted to remove your sunglasses altogether, yet the rays are just as harmful when cloudy.
No worries, Engleberts is here to save the day and make your commute as safe as possible. All our sunglasses are polarized and provide 100% UVA and UVB protection. So wear your Engleberts' sunglasses, not just because they look great and are eco-friendly but for the health of your eyes too.
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Thanks for reading, you can check out our Eco-Friendly Wooden Sunglasses here. You can read more about the Advantages of Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses here.
]]>Polarized lens are usually made from a chemical film that is applied to the surface. The film will have molecules that are parallel to each other and when applied they will create a filter that absorbs any light matching their alignment.
Many sunglasses, claim to be polarized but are not, an easy trick to see if your sunglasses are polarized is to find a highly reflective surface such as a lake or car hood. Hold your sunglasses away from your body looking through only one of the lens, then slowly rotate your sunglasses 90 degrees, if your sunglasses are polarized the glare should be reduced noticeably. Another easier way to tell is to buy a pair of Engleberts wooden polarized sunglasses and we will give you a free polarized test card.
Polarized lenses eliminate glare by blocking vertical light that can be particularly dangerous for people driving a car, motorcycle, boat, bike, spaceship or any other type of machinery. They are necessary to protect your eyes among boaters, fishermen, golfers, bicyclists, NASCAR drivers, runners and other outdoor sports enthusiasts. And they are practically mandatory for those who enjoy a day at the beach.
There are cases when you should not wear polarized sunglasses, for instance when you need to see your LCD screen, this is true of pilots or when you need to see your car's head up display or cell phone screen.
Engleberts polarized sunglasses come with obviously, polarized lens. But they also come with UV 400 protection and Cat 3 lens.
UV 400 protection - The sun produces three types of UV rays, UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC is blocked by the earth's atmosphere. Ninety-five percent of the UV radiation you will encounter is UVA radiation, the remaining five percent is UVB. Both UVA and UVB can cause sunburn, cataracts and macular degeneration to the eyes
What is UV 400?
UV 400 means that the lenses will block Ultraviolet (UV) waves shorter than or equal to 400 nanometers. All UV waves come in different lengths - UVA: 320-400 (nm), UVB: 290-320 (nm), UVC: 200-290 (nm). All Engleberts sunglasses provide 100% UV protection up to 400 nanometers, thus blocking all UV waves.
Another important feature to consider when buying sunglasses is what Category are the sunglasses. There are five categories of lens.
CAT 0 - Are either clear or have a very light tint, they are used for safety glasses or spectacles where you need to see clearly.
CAT 1 - Are for casual use, you will find these mostly in fashion but not function wear.
CAT 2 - Are the most common category to be found in cheap sunglasses for general use, they provide decent protection from visible light and from UV rays. They have a tint which allows through less light than category 1 but more light than category 3,
CAT 3 - This is the category Engleberts sunglasses fall in. They will provide extra protection from both visible and UV light. Cat 3 are the highest rated sunglasses you can get and still drive.
Cat 4 - These lenses are not to be worn when driving as they are too dark. These lenses will allow less than 10% of light to transmit through the lens. They are used in mountain climbing on snowy surfaces and other extremely bright environments. They are not to be used as everyday sunglasses.
In summation, look for three important factors in a pair of sunglasses. Polarized, UV400 protection and CAT 3 protection. You'll be happy to know all Engleberts sunglasses provide you with all three. You can view our selection here.
Thanks for reading, you can browse our super cool wooden sunglasses here. You can find out more about caring for your sunglasses here. You can read more about the advantages of Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses here.You can read about the different types of wood used to make sunglasses here. You can read about why the sun is brighter in autumn and winter here. You can read about Team Engleberts kayak trip from the mountains to the sea here.
]]>But let's go into more detail.
Eco-Friendly, did you know some types of bamboo can grow up to 3 feet in 24 hours? Engleberts Wooden sunglasses are sustainable. Bamboos are some of the fastest-growing plants on earth and require no fertilizer, they self-regenerate from their own roots and do not need to be replanted.
Separate Yourself With Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses!
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Thanks for reading, you can peruse our super cool wooden sunglasses here. You can find out more about caring for your sunglasses here. You can read about the different types of wood used to make sunglasses here. You can read about Team Engleberts kayak trip from the mountains to the sea here. You can read about why the sun is brighter in the fall and winter here.
]]>Preface: Welcome everyone! We encourage and welcome you all to follow us on our journey! We will begin in Ferguson, NC, a few miles before Kerr Scott Reservoir in Wilkesboro, NC. Those who have done this journey before us have begun this trip in Wilkesboro, NC. Most notably at the spillway canoe launch.
We chose to begin our trip several miles upstream for a couple of reasons. First and foremost we scouted the Yadkin river to find the earliest navigable point by kayak and we feel that the Ferguson NC launch point is the most viable option for that. The reasoning for this is we would like to kayak the entirety of the Yadkin river and all that it has to offer (We might as well get the entire experience even if it means traveling an extra half day). Secondly, We want to do what no one has done before. All who have gone before us have begun in Wilkesboro (a fantastic starting point), but no one had begun this grand journey further upstream. Lastly, beginning in Ferguson means an extra portage. This is a major setback for us, however, we feel it necessary.
There are eight major portages along our journey. These are grueling stops where we must transport our kayaks and all of our gear around dams (sometimes over a mile) by carrying them. It seems silly to us to do seven of these intense milestones but to leave out our own homefront. By including all eight major portages of this journey, we bring in the holistic experience of the modern day Yadkin river journey (I say modern because at one time, there were no dams and therefore no portages).
Our goal is to be the fastest to ever complete this journey (despite having an extra portage, lake and a few extra miles) and our goal time is 14 days. Please follow along and take part in our epic adventure! Not only is this adventure for our love of the great outdoors but also to encourage our community to get outside and enjoy the life that we have been given.
Day 1
Pulled in for the night, just in time to beat the rain. It started sprinkling just as we began to set up camp. We made great progress today given the late start. Portaged the great Kerr Scott Reservoir dam and ate some delicious Burger King. Certainly a workout but excited to be on this great journey. The weather has been fantastic thus far with the exception of the early stop due to rain. Although it looks to be chilly in the coming days, we are eager to make great progress along the way! Thanks for following the journey, folks!
Animals spotted: herons, ducks, geese, squirrels, turtles, carp, little river fish. Friendly fishermen.
Temp: Hi 65 Low 37 Cloudy with Showers
Overnight Camp: Blairs Island Wilkesboro, NC
Day 2
Good morning, great morning! Chilly here on the river, but what a way to wake up with some fresh coffee! Estimated time of departure: 7:30.
Pulled into Elkin today around 1:30 and ate at Angry Troll Brewery. Pulled into our campsite around 4:30, we went a rough total of 28 miles today taking advantage of the flow of the river and no lakes! Currently enjoying the warm fire with our fishing rods cast out. It'll get down to the mid 20s tonight so we are taking plenty of extra precautions to stay warm.
Highlight of the day: A family of four river otters swam ahead of us, as we neared them, all but one knew to stay under water as we passed by them. One of them popped right up next to Jace's kayak and quickly realized we were next to him and swam back underwater. It was a very cool experience to see natural river otters so close up and personal. Really enjoying the great beauty nature has to offer.
Animals spotted today (not previously mentioned): River otters, deer
Temp: Hi 48 Low 24 Sunny
Overnight Camp: Crutchfield, NC
Day 3
An awesome day yakin' the Yadkin! Left camp at 8:33, a late start because it was very cold this morning (still upper 20s when we woke up). Our camp was just past the Mitchell River, and we put in another nice 28 miles. It was a very scenic and exciting paddle, with the coolest part being pilot mountain. The pictures don't do it justice, it was rather majestic in all its glory, as seen from the river.
We made it into Siloam around 12:30 and ate some great cheeseburgers at Shorty's Country Grill, who also had friendly staff. The pictures along the wall depict the old ferry at Siloam, used until the bridge was built. Also, you can see where the river flooded to the top of the bridge once. For a reference of how insane that is, just Google the Siloam bridge, it is extremely tall.
We trucked through the shoals (they are extremely shallow and rocky) only getting stuck a couple of times and only getting a little wet. We pulled into camp about 5:00 and much to our delight, we have a view of the other side of pilot mountain, seen in the photos below. We're very excited to be keeping a solid pace and making good time. We're in for another chilly night (my fingers aren't moving too well as I type this, time to get the gloves back on) but we're very excited to see 60 degrees tomorrow!
Animals seen (not mentioned before): goats and sheep
Temp: Hi 49 Low 25 Sunny
Overnight Camp: Donnaha, NC
Day 4
Exciting again, got on the river around 7:30, pulled off about 5 and put in another solid 25 miles. We had an early portage around a small dam, pictured below. We passed the old 421 bridge, the current 421 bridge and the I-40 bridge which were all very cool, seeing as those are landmarks we are familiar with.
Early in the morning while it was still cold we saw a lone deer swim across the river (crazy to think he would do that in 40 degree weather, the water was up to his head).
We pulled into Clemmons and ate at Monte De Rey Mexican restaurant where we had fantastic ACP and some large mugs of Dos Equis, (wow, did that hit the spot!). We also made a quick stop at Harris Teeter for water and granola bars.
Later we made it to Idols dam, which has some amazing history behind it! Apparently it was backed by Thomas Edison! I've attached the link below for those of you who care to learn more about it, it truly is a wonderful piece of history for the Winston-Salem area.
https://www.digitalforsyth.org/photos/stories/idols-dam
Overall the trip is going great! We had some time to fish this evening and came up with a nice catfish! We plan to have an early start and make some serious time tomorrow before ice storm and bad weather comes our way on Tuesday.
Animals seen (not mentioned before): hawk, catfish
Temp: Hi 65 Low 28 Sunny
Overnight Camp: Clemmons, NC
Day 5
On the river by 7:15 ready for a huge day on the water knowing this would be our last true stretch of the Yadkin river before the great lakes of the Yadkin as well as an arctic blast coming our way.
The river turns into the Great Pee Dee at the confluence of the Uwharrie River which we will experience after our penultimate portage. Personally I like the Yadkin River name and may refer to the river as such as the trip goes on.
We made it into Lexington by 1030 and grabbed a bbq sandwich to go from Tarheel Q, which was fantastic (great sweet tea and bbq as well as friendly people). This was definitely our hardest day on the river so far. We went a whopping 36 miles (we believe the furthest we've ever gone in a day) and fought mostly against a strong headwind.
We passed Boone's Cave (another point of interest rich in history, Google it up) and entered High Rock Lake, making it to the York Hill Acess at sunset. We discussed what to do in the coming days seeing as Tuesday had a 100% chance of rain and the following 2 nights would be 15-20 degrees. Rain is something that can be trucked through in the summer months, but is a no go in weather this cold. We ultimately made the decision to pull off for two days and resume Thursday morning. We can still become the fastest to complete this trip, despite the time off, however it will require a good bit of determination and grit as well as a pinch of good fortune.
We will be on the lake early tomorrow morning and begin the grueling section of portages that we eagerly await. We're excited to really truck through this next portion and continue with this amazing adventure.
Animals seen (not mentioned before): BALD EAGLE which was insanely cool seeing as this took place on Veteran's Day. Thank you to those of you have served and continue to serve. It was awesome to see that majestic bird fly over the river, a great dose of freedom in all of its glory. 'MERICA
Temp: Hi 56 Low 18 Rain/Cloudy/Partly Sunny
Overnight Camp: High Rock Lake
Day 6
A late start at around 9:40, however we still traveled close to 20 miles and crossed the entirety of High Rock Lake and the High Rock Dam portage. We are currently camped out in Tuckertown Reservoir at an awesome campsite. We have begun our adventure into the Uhwarrie Mountains and the great lakes along them. We experienced a good bit of rain, however it was just light enough to truck through. The Portage trail was a rough one, but we made it through and are excited for plenty of portages to come!
Temp: Hi 49 Low 38 Rain/Cloudy/Windy
Overnight Camp: Tuckertown Reservoir
Day 7
Another great day on the Yadkin, tomorrow we will begin the Pee Dee section. We portaged Tuckertown reservoir and Badin Lake Reservoir.
The day started out making great time, we had portaged Tuckertown and entered Badin Lake by 9:00. That is where things went south for a bit. Badin started off smooth in the opening water but as soon as the lake opened up, we were in for a surprise. 35 mph winds and (conservatively) 4 foot waves battered down on us throughout the rest of Badin. Make no mistake, this lake had become an ocean.
This was one of the most challenging events of our lives to be honest. There were times when the waves and wind pushed so hard we would paddle with everything we had just to stay stationary and not be pushed backwards or into the rocks. To add to the physical exertion of crossing this lake in less than ideal conditions, the waves had soaked our clothes, which is a "no bueno" in 40 degree weather.
Relief came over us as we pulled into the dam and physically exhausted, we changed our clothes and walked 2 miles into the town of Badin for some fantastic food and water. We ate at Tho's Pizza where we had hibachi chicken fit for kings.
We met a fantastic local resident who struck up a conversation with us. Along with kind words, he took it upon himself to provide us with an iphone charger and a box. Quite the blessing after a morning of struggles.
Shortly after, we headed to the town gas station where the kind lady (on her first day of work) opened up the back room for us to allow us access to a sink where we could fill our empty water jugs. Never has fresher water been consumed.
We trekked back and drank some Bang Energy drinks which proved to be extremely helpful in our next endeavor. We then portaged the Badin Dam also known as the Narrows.
It's sad that ALCOA lacks the ability to properly maintain their portage trails, however, I'm sure they have more important items on their priority list. The rough portage trail, which is at least a mile in length, can be seen in a couple of the pictures below. In one section, one must walk up a metal pipe, surrounded by holes in the ground. While strenuous to say the least, it was rewarding to finally complete this section.
We made it to Falls Reservoir where we found an awesome campsite and plan to make great time in the morning. We look forward to warmer weather and less waves and wind as we continue our journey.
Animals seen (not mentioned before): cat
Temp: Hi 49 Low 42 Large Waves/Cloudy/Windy with Gust to 40 mph/Small Craft Advisory
Overnight Camp: Falls Reservoir
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You can continue to follow Team Engleberts trip from the mountains to the sea here.
Thanks for reading, you can check out our super cool wooden sunglasses here. You can find out more about caring for your sunglasses here. You can read about the different types of wood used to make sunglasses here. You can read more about the advantages of Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses here. You can read about why the sun is brighter in the fall and winter here.
]]>Day 8
Another great day! The misfortune of yesterday has been made up for with the great fortune of today. We portaged Falls reservoir, which is the most dangerous portage. It is a rocky, thin trail on the side of a mountain, if you slip, you plummet roughly 50 feet down into the water or the dam. Fantastic.
Shortly after our portage, we came to the confluence of the Uwharrie River and the Yadkin, the official marker of the Great Pee Dee River. The wind became our friend today. It must've felt bad about the way it treated us yesterday. We had smooth rolling waves working in our favor throughout Lake Tillery. In the beginning we spotted a dog who seemed eager to join us in our journey, as determined by his howls while he went knee deep in the water. Sadly we could not bring him along.
We had lunch at Lilly's Bridge Marina, which had fantastic food. The best burger I've had since I can remember, the Steakhouse Burger. The staff was extremely friendly and excited to hear of our journey. We then crossed the lake to begin our penultimate portage. This portage is also rather unkempt however it proved to be quick work for us as we have a good bit of experience in the field of moving kayaks. Photos of the "ramp" of the portage can be seen below, this is the shore lines with sticks and overgrown plants. We trucked through briars and branches meeting a fence and excitedly finished this stretch.
We saw many fisherman lining the banks below the dam, a sign that there are abundant fish or maybe an abundance of folks who enjoy nature. This section was rocky and we scraped our kayaks several times on the bottom of the river. Just before we pulled into camp, a plane flew right over us. Quite the daring pilot as he flew rather close to the dam, the bridges and dipped below the tree line on the river, the photos below depict his plane as he was flying away, certainly a nice experience.
We pulled off into a nice pine forest campsite on a high bank and it is different, but welcomed, to not have the wind howling through the forest. The night is still and for the first time on our journey we can hear crickets chirping. In addition to the fine sound of crickets there are many insects of all varieties, most notably spiders, something we have also seldom come across until now. We eagerly await the morning where we plan to take on our final portage and make it to Rockingham.
Temp: Hi 49 Low 41 Sunny
Overnight Camp: Somewhere near Ansonville
Day 9
On the river by 7:50. Within 5 minutes it began to rain. We trucked for an hour and a half before finding refuge. We pulled into the Pee Dee Wildlife Preserve and set up our tent to take shelter from the rain. We left there around 1:30 when the rain had stopped.
Despite the less than ideal setback during the day we still managed to put in roughly 18 miles. It was a desolate and lonely mileage day, there was only one bridge. We spoke with a wildlife refuge ranger and waved to a fisherman. This was our only human contact of the day. We are camped at the very beginning of Blewett Falls Lake and are very excited to reach Rockingham and hopefully Cheraw as well in the morning. This was probably the most uneventful day of our journey and there are no photos.
Sometimes the river is all work and no play. Also, after debating whether it was a low or a high we decided that heating up a 4 day old bojangles sausage biscuit over an empty chili can and then splitting it in half for dinner was a low. These are the hallmarks of survival when all supplies run low. It wasn't the best biscuit, but calories it indeed provided.
Temp: Hi 48 Low 42 Cloudy / Rain
Overnight Camp: Big Island, Blewett Falls Lake
Day 10
Eventful and exciting! We began our journey from the beginning of Blewitt Falls Lake. The fog this morning was so dense, we could hardly see a quarter mile (if that) in front of us. For this reason, we followed the bank of the lake and still managed decent time. We made quick work of the lake and the portage, which I would add, is the most reasonable of the portages. The reason for this is they actually have a trail, well marked and well kept and almost as straight to the point as they can be. Props to them for being reasonable humans!
We portaged by 10:00. We then went 3 ish short miles into Rockingham where we ate lunch at Scotty's Bait and Tackle. A fine place with even better people. We ate with a group of hunters who gave us great advice and advised of the area. The owner graciously offered to fill our empty water jugs, the hunters jokingly asked if these jugs were for moonshine. They were also fantastically familiar with Wilkesboro, most notably of its Nascar past. The owner of the store told us stories of cyclists who have traveled from Michigan. He told of another story of cyclists who started in NC and were going to California to meet two girls. He joked those women must have been some "humdingers." We ate fantastic cheeseburgers, gathered snacks and with wishes of good luck, were on our way.
We knew Cheraw was a haul from Rockingham, easy with a whole day, however, we left around 12:15, leaving us in a pinch realizing that alligators breed all the way up to Cheraw and have been found in Rockingham. They are most active from dusk to dawn meaning we need to be careful with our start and finish times. Dusk occurs roughly at 5:00. We paddled hard over the next 4 hours with only 2, 5 minute breaks. We knew we wanted to hit Cheraw where food and water awaited.
Around 4:30 we saw the Cheraw bridge. Never have we been more excited to see concrete hovering over water. We shouted for joy, realizing we had made insane mileage and our efforts had paid off (we estimate conservatively, as always, it was about 25 miles from Rockingham to Cheraw). We went a little past the bridge until we reached the Riverside Park of Cheraw. From there we hid our kayaks and walked to the Inn Cheraw were we checked in for the night.
We walked to Leo's Pizza and Wings where we had amazing pizza and had the opportunity to chat with the owner, Paul, who had quite the story to tell himself, in addition to being a cool fellow.
With full bellies and a shower, we plan to stock up on canned food and gallons of water in the morning in preparation to finish our journey out. This should be our last stop for food/water as it seems the Great Pee Dee becomes desolate as our journey continues. We estimate a rough 33 miles for the day.
Expect the posts to be less consistent as it's tough to determine whether we will have internet on the remainder of our trip. All days are recorded though and may be posted at a later date. Expect less photos as well as we will turn our phones off during the day to conserve energy. We will keep you all as up to date as possible and as always, we are excited to experience the river and all it has to offer.
Animals seen (not mentioned before): Crayfish
Temp: Hi 54 Low 35 Dense Fog Advisory / Cloudy / Rain
Overnight Camp: Cheraw, SC
Day 11
After a good nights sleep, we found our kayaks and went back into town to restock on supplies. We went into the local discount foods store, where we found ample amounts of canned food. We acquired cans, but they had little water. We asked where we could find more and a fine gentlemen offered to walk us to the nearest gas station. We gave him five dollars for his time as he mentioned needing "medication" for his aching back.
We gathered our water and food and after speaking with another local about alligators, fish and water levels, we began our next section of our South Carolina journey. We left Cheraw around 10:00. We had not expected much from South Carolina, but the natural beauty is unmatched, white sandy beaches, huge cliffs, amazing trees and clean water, it has been a blessing on this portion to say the least.
We set up camp on a huge beach under a starry night sky. The weather today was extremely pleasant, sunny and warm. This may be the best day of our journey so far in terms of natural beauty and pure excitement. No alligators have been spotted as of yet.
Animals seen (not mentioned before): A HUGE fish jumped out of the water next to our kayaks, a very cool sight to see. Otters have been mentioned before, but another was spotted as he swam and he eventually ran up the bank.
We ROUGHLY estimate 25 miles on the day, probably more, but we'll leave it at that.
Temp: Hi 62 Low 38 Sunny
Overnight Camp: Somewhere south of Society Hill, SC
Day 12
Another great day on the river. It started off vastly colder than we expected. We experienced freezing temps this morning with frost covering everything. The weather said 40 degree low.
To make up for the ice cold morning we were blessed to see an otter playing in the sand on our beach, he was not afraid of us in the slightest and it was an amazing sight to see. By 10 everything had warmed up enough to feel good.
The rest of the day was beautiful and sunny. Clear blue skies and near 60 degrees. We put in a great day and estimate roughly 30 ish miles on the day.
We found another amazing beach which has great fish. We were able to build a great campfire and look forward to finishing out our journey.
Temp: Hi 62 Low 34 Sunny
Overnight Camp: Sandy Beach Near I-95 SC
Day 13
Another fantastic day. Started just before the I-95 bridge after camping on another great beach. Start time around 7:50. We made into the town of Peedee around 11:00 and we had some mighty fine subway and grabbed some water. A very kind gentleman gave us $8 for lunch after seeing us walking along the highway.
Some rain came through and we had to wait under the bridge until about 1:50. Shortly after, we saw the first alligator of the journey. He was roughly 6 feet long. He was pleasant though and just sat on a log as we passed, he must've enjoyed our music.
We than had a long journey through a swamp. We paddled as hard as we could through there for 2 hours straight until we reached Dexter's Dock. The paddling was hard and we could hear Coach Murray yelling in the back of our heads, "you gotta go now!" Sure enough our effort paid off as we pulled into the dock just after 5.
We got a campsite at Dexter's Dock and it turned out to be a fantastic decision. We met some of the kindest southern folk we may have ever met, Slim Jim, Moses and Squirrel were their names. They were extremely knowledgeable on all of the fish in the area as well as the water levels, gators and just about anything we could've asked about. They mentioned that duck hunting season starts tomorrow, so that will be something we'll have to be mindful of, but otherwise, things look like smooth sailing from here.
More gators are expected as we continue south. We are excited to have met such fine folk and look forward to finishing out our journey in 2-3 days.
Animals seen (not mentioned before): ALLIGATOR
Temp: Hi 66 Low 40 Part Cloudy/Cloudy/Rain
Overnight Camp: Dexters Dock on The Pee Dee River. SC
Day 14
We awoke to roosters crowing at the crack of dawn. We left Dexter's Dock and began our new day of adventure. Rain was in the forecast so we figured we could get several miles in before the predicted rainfall at 10:00. We pulled off at a boat ramp with a covered area just as it began to drizzle. Very lucky for us to have made it there just in time. We spoke with a couple of gentleman trying out there new boat and they wished us luck.
We waited for about an hour and half for the rain to pass and after eating some canned food, we were on our way. As we paddled, we saw a "stick" moving across the river and upon closer inspection found it to be a large snake. It was the first snake sighting of the journey. He was friendly though and kept his distance. We pulled into camp and enjoyed some more canned food, the best treat being a can of peaches.
It is raining as I write this and we hope that this rain will add some flow to the river. The levels are extremely low right now and as such the flow is down. We are finally in the homestretch and estimate finishing tomorrow evening or Monday midday. This will be flow and tide dependent, but we're very excited to have made it this far and to finally be so close! There are no photos for the day.
Animals seen (not mentioned before): SNAKE
Temp: Hi 67 Low 53 Cloudy/Rain
Overnight Camp: Waccamaw Wildlife Refuge, Near Woodburry, SC on The Pee Dee River
Day 15
Another great day on the river. We woke up to dozens upon dozens of gunshots. Duck hunting season. We left our campsite bright and early and were on the water by 7:05.
We had a good day of paddling and made nice progress. As we passed the confluence of the Little Pee Dee river and the Great Pee Dee River you could see where the waters touched and there was a fine divide. The little pee dee is a black river, it looks like tea, because of tannins in the water. The great peedee had become a brownish color and it was amazing to see the contrast between the two rivers, literally side by side.
This is where the cypress trees became spectacular. There were many of them, with hues of orange, yellow and red, draped with spanish moss. A very cool sight to see. The nature out here is an amazing sight to see so up close. We are close to our end goal and project to finish around 12:30-2:30 tomorrow depending on how well the tides work in our favor.
Temp: Hi 63 Low 32 Partly Cloudy
Overnight Camp: Waccamaw Wildlife Refuge on The Pee Dee River
Day 16
The big one. Sometime in the night around 4:00 am we both awoke to growling. We both clapped and heard nothing after. After listening to sounds online, we believe it was a bobcat or a cougar. Fun.
We later awoke at 6:30 to be on the water by 7:15. The tide was still rolling in and we paddled against the current until around 11:30. We saw an immense amount of beauty and insanely nice houses as we paddled through swamp land.
We believed smooth sailing was ahead, but nothing is ever truly easy when on this journey. Around 12:30 the wind began to blow and the waves began to push against us. While these were decent sized waves, they were milk toast compared to Badin Lake's huge waves. Nonetheless, this provided for some decently hard paddling in order to finish out.
As we rounded the final turn we could see the bridge and the marina. This was still roughly a mile and a half away and we excitedly paddled through and talked about how good it felt to be done. We saw mamma Carroll waving from the bridge and waved back. Eventually we made it to the bridge and shortly after, we pulled into the Georgetown Marina, the official endpoint of this fantastic journey. 2:31 PM.
A fine gentleman from the Georgetown newspaper was there to interview us which was very cool. We then unpacked our kayaks and enjoyed Yadkin River Lagers which had been in our kayaks from the very beginning, only to be consumed if we crossed the finish line. We had some excellent Pizza Hut for dinner and the food was perfect. We ate nothing but two granola bars prior to that as we had depleted all of our snack supplies the prior day.
There will be a recap of the entirety of the journey tomorrow, but for now we are happy to be done and sleeping in warm beds.
We believe we hold the unofficial record for the completion of this journey. 16 river days, 19 days of elapsed time from start to finish. Also, we believe we have done the longest journey, seeing as we started in Ferguson, NC rather than Wilkesboro, NC.
It is an amazing sense of accomplishment to be finished and we thank all who have followed along as well as all of those who were kind to us along the way. Without the kindness of strangers, this trip is not possible. Without God's help, this trip is not possible. We know, very well, that He was with us every bit of the way.
Temp: Hi 65 Low 34 Sunny
Finish: Georgetown Marina, SC
It's All Gravy Baby.
You can follow Team Engleberts trip from the Mountain to the Sea in chronological order by reading Week 1 here.
In The Press
Thanks for reading, you can check out our super cool wooden sunglasses here. You can find out more about caring for your sunglasses click here. You can read about the different types of wood used to make sunglasses here. You can read more about the advantages of Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses here. You can read about why the sun is brighter in the fall and winter here.
]]>Of all the woods I could talk about. Let's talk about the wood used in making glasses.
Sandalwood
It is known to have a high class scent. Sandalwoods are heavy, yellow and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades.
Sandalwood is the second-most expensive wood in the world, after the African Blackwood. The scent has a calming effect on the human spirit and is also called wolfberry.
Ebony
Ebony wood is extremely hard, has a semi-permanent durability, is not easily attacked by fungi or insects. It is finely-textured and has a very smooth finish when polished, making it valuable as an ornamental wood.
Black Ebony is one of the most valuable and expensive types of wood in the world; prized for its dark heartwood. Traditionally, Ebony blackwood has been used for charcoal, native carvings, combs, needles, cups and knife handles. Because of its high density, texture and waxiness, it is ideal for the production of woodwind musical instruments like clarinets and is a superior wood for holding the metal fittings of guitar fret boards.
Rosewood
It is one of the most famous woods regardless of the times. The skin is fine, rather irregular, the grain intertwines deeply, it is very dense, shiny and gives a graceful impression.
It is heavy and durable, and it is used as the main material in China when building a palace.
The pre-eminent rosewood appreciated in the Western world is the wood known as "Brazilian rosewood", but also as "Bahia rosewood". This wood has a strong, sweet smell, which persists for many years, explaining the name rosewood.
Sham Persimmon
Persimmon is native to eastern North America and known for its small, soft fruits that are suited to a variety of culinary uses. As a lumber, persimmon is a hardwood used for a number of recreation and specialty items. It comes from the family Ebenaceae, the same family as ebony.
The wood harvested from persimmons is a hard and strong wood. Color varies depending on the section of the sample. Wide pieces of sapwood appear pale yellow or tan, while thin pieces of heartwood are dark brown or black. The grain is generally even and fine, becoming more prominent with aging. Like the plant itself, the lumber version of persimmon has a number of aliases. American ebony, white ebony, bara-bara, boa wood, butterwood, possum wood and Virginia date palm are all other names used for persimmon.
Purpleheart
Purple Heart originates in Central and South America, it is a very hard material. The trees are prized for their beautiful heartwood, when cut, quickly turns from a light brown to a rich purple color. Exposure to UV light darkens the wood to a brown color with a slight hue of the original purple. The dry timber is very hard, stiff, and dense. Purpleheart is correspondingly difficult to work with. It is very durable and water-resistant.
Zebrawood
Zebrawood is characterized by a striped pattern that is reminiscent of a zebra. The wood exhibits a pale golden color and has a dark brown stripe pattern. It is a heavy, hard wood with a somewhat coarse texture, often with an interlocked or wavy grain, it is a beautiful wood.
In the past, it was used in Cadillac and Mercedes Benz automobiles. Because of its hardness, it can also be used for skis and tool handles.
Bamboo
Bamboo is an evergreen flowering plant. The word bamboo comes from the term bambu, which was introduced to English through Indonesia and Malay. Bamboos are some of the fastest-growing plants on Earth with some types having reported growth rates of up to 3 feet in 24 hours. Bamboo can be a very sustainable crop; a fast growing grass, it requires no fertilizer and self-regenerates from its own roots, so it doesn't need to be replanted.
Walnut
Black walnut wood is dark, hard, dense and tight-grained. It's prized by woodworkers for its strength, grain and color. It polishes to a very smooth finish, and the color ranges from creamy white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate in the heartwood.
Over the years, natural walnut wood develops a lustrous patina. As the only dark-brown domestic wood species, it has a large following of devoted woodworkers and fine furniture aficionados. Walnut is also found in upscale cabinets, natural wood flooring, kitchen accessories, gunstocks, and more.
Although there are many varieties of walnut trees, just a handful are native to North America. Of them, the Eastern Black Walnut, also called the American Black Walnut or American Walnut, is the one typically used for woodworking.
Pear Wood
Pear wood is very hard and can be carved into intricate designs without splitting or breaking. Woodwind instruments have historically been made of pear wood, which is also used to make furniture.
A relatively expensive wood, pear wood is harvested from pear trees, which grow slowly and do not reach great heights. These trees are usually cultivated for their fruit, and in most cases, the wood is harvested once fruit bearing trees stop producing. It can take decades to grow a pear tree from seed and wait for it to stop producing fruit. Though the wood can be harvested earlier, the trees are valuable for their fruit and are not often grown solely for lumber.
With its extremely hard consistency, pear wood is prized for its ability to hold up to heat, moisture, and woodworking tools. It is difficult to break or crack and can be carved into intricate designs that would be impossible in softer woods. Though its usefulness is limited by its small size, furniture that is carved out of this wood is often ornate and will hold up well over time.
Cherry Wood
Cherry wood comes from the cherry fruit tree. It is a hardwood, and it is famed for its durability and beautiful color.
Cherry wood comes in a variety of colors, including yellow, white, red and dark brown. The darker heartwood adds a touch of elegance to its surroundings, while lighter versions are perfect for furniture. It is extremely heavy and durable, which is one reason that colonial carpenters used it for cabinets and furniture. Cherry wood has a smooth, satiny grain that can be enhanced with the application of stain. It steams easily, which makes it ideal for use in curved projects, such as making boats and furniture. It does contract and expand slightly as the humidity of its locations changes. Cherry wood is highly prized by woodworkers because of its rich color, smooth grain and flexibility. It is frequently used in toys, caskets, paneling, furniture and flooring. Cherry wood costs less than many other hardwoods, which makes it even more attractive for carpenters and woodworkers.
Skateboard Wood
This most desirable wood comes from the Great Lakes area of North America. The wood is commonly referred to as hard rock maple while it is actually called Sugar maple its scientific name is Acer saccharum. Maple is a hardwood, which is slower growing and denser than softwoods. This species is used in applications such as bowling alley lanes, baseball bats, NBA basketball courts and skateboard decks. Because the winters in the Great Lakes area are so long and cold the trees grow slowly and have very tight growth rings. Typically tighter growth rings mean a higher denisty and stronger wood.
The process of making skateboard starts with collecting veneers necessary to make each deck. Then those veneers are passed through a veneer sander that freshens the surface on both sides. Each veneer ply, besides the face layers, is glued on both sides with a polyvinyl adhesive. Skateboard is typically pressed in groups of 4 or 5. With 7 plies of veneer per skateboard this means a press will usually press 28-35 veneers at once.
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Thanks for reading, you can check out our super cool wooden sunglasses here. You can find out more about caring for your sunglasses here. You can read more about the advantages of Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses here. You can read about Team Engleberts kayak trip from the mountains to the sea here. You can read about why the sun is brighter in the fall and winter here.
]]>A lot of people make the mistake of using facial tissue paper to wipe their glasses clean. Avoid this. Any wood based material would be abrasive in nature, and may cause scratches. Microfiber lens cloth is your best option when it comes to cleaning lenses and we gave you a free one, use it.
]]>A lot of people make the mistake of using facial tissue paper to wipe their glasses clean. Avoid this. Any wood based material would be abrasive in nature, and may cause scratches. Microfiber lens cloth is your best option when it comes to cleaning lenses and we include a free one, use it.
Take your glasses off using both hands. Even though it may drop your coolness quotient a tad, it will keep your glasses properly aligned. Taking them off with one hand usually stretches them out.
Never use fingernails or fingers. When cleaning your glasses, don't try to scratch off a mark with your nail or fingers because this will only make it worse.
Treat it like your furniture. When your wood eyeglasses start to look a little worn out, apply a hint of wax or oil to bring back the luster. Butcher block oil or transparent lip balm should do the trick.
Avoid cleaners. Cleaning liquids usually have strong chemicals in them, that might damage the wood. Avoid these, use only a microfiber cloth (Included with your purchase).
Don't throw them in the pool to check their water resistance. Wooden eyewear is typically water resistant. It can withstand sweat and nominal quantities of water. Excessive exposure to water might cause your wood eyeglasses to warp.
Don't keep your glasses on top of your head. This might distort the shape and increase the risk of falling and breaking.
Avoid putting them on the dashboard of your car. This is especially true for areas that get a lot of sun.
Don't store them loosely in your purse/bag. People stuff all sorts of things in their bags, food, combs, cosmetics, credit cards and so on. If you throw your glasses in your purse without their case, they are likely to be damaged in all sorts of ways. Bring your free microfiber pouch along for the ride.
Avoid placing them in your pocket. This goes without saying, they might either fall out, or you might wind up sitting on them. And if you've got keys in your pockets, the odds are you will most definitely scratch your wooden frame eyeglasses.
Beware of hanging them from your shirt. Again, as fashionable as that looks, it's not safe for the glasses. They can very easily fall off, especially if you jump or bend.
Sound like a lot of work doesn't it? Nah, just be cognizant of your little treasures and they'll be fine. Before you know it, good sunglass hygiene will become second nature and you'll be a better person for it.
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Thanks for reading, you can check out our super cool wooden sunglasses here.You can read about the different types of wood used to make sunglasses here. You can read more about the advantages of Engleberts Premium Wooden Sunglasses here. You can read about Team Engleberts kayak trip from the mountains to the sea here. You can read about why the sun is brighter in the fall and winter here.
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