OAKLEY... Their PRIZM technology and sunglasses revolutionized our adventures!

We have heard so much about the new Oakley Prizm lens technology over the past months. In each of editorial realms we feature with Canadian Destinations we believe that having the right gear is essential to maximize the experience. We believe it is the same for eyewear. Oakley's Prizm line seems to have lens for every sport. So we contacted Oakley and said we wanted to test the Prizms out and we are grateful that we had the opportunity to do so. Whether camping, mountain biking, golfing,
sailing, motorcycle riding, etc., Oakley’s Prizm eyewear not only met our expectations but surpassed them. Canadian Destinations love and endorse the product line. Oakley made the summer great!

SLIVER PRIZM GOLF
A timeless sleek design made even more lightweight with sculptural reliefs on the earstems, Sliver takes advantage of our durable yet gravity-defying O Matter frame material while letting innovative technologies like XYZ Optics throw their weight around.



PRIZM DAILY POLARIZED
The innovation behind a comfortably secure fit, Unobtainium is integrated into the classic styling of this O Matter frame inspired by Oakley Crosslink, blending sculpture with versatility that keeps up with active lifestyles.


EVZERO PATH PRIZM ROAD
Built for speed and engineered to be the ultimate multi-sport sunglass for training, running and beyond, EVZero Path is Oakley’s lightest performance frame and features a toric shield of Plutonite® in a rimless design for an unobstructed view.

SLIVER PRIZM SHALLOW WATER POLARIZED
A timeless sleek design made even more lightweight with sculptural reliefs on the earstems, Sliver takes advantage of our durable yet gravity-defying O Matter frame material while letting innovative technologies like XYZ Optics throw their weight around.

FLAK JACKET XLJ PRIZM DEEP WATER POLARIZED
World-class athletes have driven us to create innovation after innovation, and Flak Jacket takes that to the next level with the latest in performance technology. The frame offers O Matter and Unobtanium® components for a comfortably secure fit and pure Plutonite lenses to filter out 100% of all UV rays.


================ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY=============================


PRIZM is a revolution in lens optics built on decades of color science research. Prizm lenses provide unprecedented control of light transmission resulting in colors precisely tuned to maximize contrast and enhance visibility.



HIGH DEFINITION OPTICS is a collection of patented technologies that allow Oakley eyewear to meet or exceed the testing standards of the American National Standards Institute for optical clarity, visual fidelity, and impact resistance.



more on these products and the technology visit OAKLEY.CA

Let's Talk Mountain Biking Gear! Our FAV's!

Often when we are out mountain biking we connect with other bikers and we usually end up talking gear. As you know we, at Canadian Destinations are gear-heads and we do our best to demonstrate that the choosing the right gear and equipment maximizes the experience. The wrong gear can lead to frustration and injuries. So, I thought I would let you know the mountain biking gear we love the most.

As far as mountain bikes, we have riden a variety of them over the years. However the one we love most is the TREK STACHE! No question. The Stache is an all-new species of 29+ mountain bike performance. The wide 3" tires grip relentlessly, amplifying all the benefits of 29ers, while remarkably short chainstays deliver a fun, lively ride. The Stache offers the capability of a full suspension trail bike in a simple hardtail package, plus the extra benefits of 29+ tires are many. You'll be amazed at how the capable, unshakable 29+ tires allow you to corner harder and faster without breaking loose.  The new lightweight carbon svelte carbon frame with complementary lightweight components make it easy to get in and out of tights spots



. The wider 148mm rear and 110mm front hub spacing on 29ers creates stronger, less flexy wheels and allows for wider tires, shorter chainstays and more chairing options. These and other options makes the TREK Stache a no brainer for us! For more on this visit www.trekbikes.com.

I like the OASIZ MIPS MTB helmet. The winner of the 2011 Eurobike Award is packed full of features and technology. It has the Rollsys Retention System with Adjustable Head Basket for an easy to adjust and perfect fit. On the inside it has the Rigidity Brace System for lightweight performance while still offering superior resistance again multiple impact crashes. The clever Multimount system allows for the direct installation of a GoPro camera or headlight mounting adapter onto the helmet. Learn more at www.lazersport.com.

The shoes we ride with are the FIVETEN Impact VXi.  They were designed for flat pedal riders who want the benefits of riding platform pedals without giving up the gripping performance of clips. The new synthetic upper dries overnight so you will always be ready to ride. With compression molded insoles and a reinforced toe cap, it is one of the most protective and supportive shoes in the line.

We ride the trails using Oakley PRIZM sunglasses. The Prizm is a revolutionary lens technology that fine-tunes vision for specific sports and environments. The lenses enhance performance of traditional lenses, touch your cheeks and help extend the upper field of view. The Plutonite® Lenses offer top UV Protection filtering 100% of all UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm Switchlock™ interchangeable lens technology makes lens changing lenses fast and secure O-Matter™ stress-resistant frame material is both lightweight and durable for all-day comfort and protection. Learn more at www.oakley.com.

Why we love Port Stanley

Our mini vacation spot less than an hour from London

The almost shy little harbour village of Port Stanley is a refreshingly slow paced beach town with fresh fish daily, lazy little coffee shops, thriving ice cream parlours, and even a bit of a night life.

Spend a weekend here and you will want to come back every weekend. It's your quick and easy vacation spot only 45 minutes from London and 2.5 hours from Toronto.

Everything in Port Stanley is on either Main Street, Colbourne Street, or Bridge Street, and yes there is a bridge on Bridge Street. The bells ring every thirty minutes at the King George VI bridge to warn pedestrians to halt, and to alert the sailboats below that they may proceed.

Every thirty minutes Bridge Street splits as
the boats pass underneath

Fishing boats line the river that takes them to Lake Erie for their day's catch. You will find them there periodically throughout the day as the seagulls loudly declare their favourite spots on each boats' deck.










Make sure you grab a specialty coffee from the family owned and operated Village Square Coffee House, and spend a leisurely two hours watching the to-ing and fro-ing along the water. Park benches are dotted along the waterway for this very reason.

Don't forget to get a treat at Broderick’s Ice Cream. We love to stroll around the main streets with our sweet delights! 









You may catch views seagulls chasing the fishing boats. If you are fortunate you will see the epic sunset, then moonbeams dancing on the wavy waters.

Follow the signs to rent a SeaDoo and speed around the gorgeous blues of the lake for a while! There are many cool spots along the shores to discover that are only accessible by water craft. Another option is to make friends with someone who sails. That's what OUR friends have done! 

It's easy to find the rental for SeaDoos. Just follow the signs!

If you want something a little more lively try GTs on the beach - they have bands, drinks, and truly great food. You can park your motorcycle or car, enjoy walk on the beach, play some beach volleyball, even catch some rays on the awesome patio! 

Lots of motorbikes cruise through the main streets of 

Port in a consistent stream, nothing says summer

 like the vroom vroom of the two wheeled wonders.

The ride from London is lovely and the traffic is often very light

Festival Theatre in Port Stanley

There are lots of conveniences and luxuries as well in the Port, such as a hardware store, fresh fish shops, art stores, B&Bs, motels, restaurants, patios, a live theatre, and clothing shops to name a few.

Captain Chris on his Morgan 28

Visiting Port Stanley is absolutely worth the 

short drive from London on a week night. 

It truly feels like a mini-vacation.

We dare you to get up at 5:30am while you are there and enjoy the sunrise off of the new pier. This is one of our all time favourite memories of the Port. 

Finally the gorgeous new pier is built, ready to enjoy at sunrise if you dare...

Wendy's Corner on Backcountry Gear

When you think of backcountry camping trips, 
            what technical gear do you think of? 





Oh, probably - a good four season tent, down mummy bag, self inflating sleeping mattress, ultra-light kevlar canoe, and a waterproof lighter. Yeah, that was me too - before. 

Now I think - completely collapsible dishes; folding frying pan that perfectly distributes heat; 3L widemouth canteen; and a skirt you can throw on for many of your backwoods survival needs... that’s right I said skirt. 








I will introduce you to some of my favourite gear that is often overlooked by most, or completely ignored altogether, but on my last sopping wet, bone chilling trip to Algonquin Park backwater, this stuff made all the difference. Each in their own way, these items made this portaging trip actually very pleasurable.

Click to read more about great gear! on Wendy's Corner.

by Wendy Boucher, Canadian Destinations Mag

Killarney Provincial Park - Visit the Wilderness

3:15 am

“What was that? A bear is getting into our food bag!” 

We had strung it hours ago from a tree, about 2 metres out from the trunk, 4 metres off the ground, and 40 metres downwind from our tent, which is close to the recommendations set out by Ontario Parks.

Did the park staff plant a seed in my head that grew into a towering Jack Pine during my first night's slumber in our tiny tent? Or was a bear really in our food tree? 

I was awake, and my heart was racing after the overwhelming sound of a massive branch breaking metres from where we lay sleeping. Thankfully, I had some equipment with me specifically designed for this very instance. 

“Cover your ears.” I whisper to my partner Chris as he mumbles, “Wha…?”

I hit the air horn. Then, silence. 

We made it to Killarney backcountry.

click to ....(Read More) about our adventure in

Killarney Provincial Park!

Moto Your Safe Commute - by Wendy Boucher

We see people riding their motorcycles around every day wearing T-shirts, shorts, and occasionally flip-flops. I cringe when I see that.  I have a friend who's a nurse. She refers to motorcycle riders as organ donors. I decided that I want to be the poster girl for riding safe, riding geared up, and of course being stylish while I'm at it.

One complaint people have is that it takes too long to put on all the gear. And a majority of accidents are people that say, "Oh, I'm just going for five minutes; I don't need all that stuff on." So I set out to debunk the inconvenience myth.

I've got my full face helmet, Alpinestars high boots and armoured gloves, armoured leather pants and jacket, and my Motochic backpack all in the front closet. I figure if I treat it all like daily wear then I will wear it daily.

I used to adventure race. Paddle, bike, hike, in the bush. As a team of three, we were constantly transitioning from bike to canoe, from canoe to hike, from hike back to bike, from bike to canoe then to the finish line all in under 8 hours. We weren't the fastest girls in the back country, but we rocked the transition areas. I have six gold medals. I use this experience to motivate me to practice transitioning from shorts, T-shirt, and flip-flops to full leather armoured gear.

How fast can I do it? How good can I get at it? It's all about rocking the transitions areas, and that's all about practice.

I spent an afternoon putting on my gear, taking off my gear, putting on my gear, taking off my gear… To the point where I was sweating and breathing like a weight lifter.


First-round putting it on - three minutes 40 seconds

First-round taking it off - three minutes 51 seconds

Second-round putting on - two minutes 59 seconds

Second-round taking off - three minutes 15 seconds

Third - on - two minutes 41 seconds

Third - off - two minutes 25 seconds

You get the point…

Finally I got it down to one minute 59 seconds putting it on, and one minute 45 seconds taking off. And that includes stuffing it all in a big blue tote bag to carry with me to work, to school, or wherever I'm headed.

Just to put it in perspective, when I put on what I need for a winter hike it takes me one minute 25 seconds on, and one minute 11 seconds off. At the other end of the spectrum, when Diana Prince wants to change into Wonder Woman she spins around and it takes her about eight seconds - would love to know her secret.

So I challenge you to take the transition speed test.

How fast can you get your gear on?

If you practice, how much can you cut down your time?

Well, until we figure out Diana's secret, I think the important thing to remember is that road rash ain't sexy - safe is cool - yesterday's bikini is today's full leathers - and keeping all my skin intact is worth an extra four minutes.

And you know what? Wearing full armoured leathers is probably the closest I will ever get to looking like a super hero. And I like it.

NOTE:  All images taken in 'selfie' format by the writer, Wendy Boucher. I apologize for the crudity of the pics but.. hey, every cameraman deserves a day off I guess.

Moto Your Safe Commute - by Wendy Boucher

We see people riding their motorcycles around every day wearing T-shirts, shorts, and occasionally flip-flops. I cringe when I see that.  I have a friend who's a nurse. She refers to motorcycle riders as organ donors. I decided that I want to be the poster girl for riding safe, riding geared up, and of course being stylish while I'm at it.

One complaint people have is that it takes too long to put on all the gear. And a majority of accidents are people that say, "Oh, I'm just going for five minutes; I don't need all that stuff on." So I set out to debunk the inconvenience myth.

I've got my full face helmet, Alpinestars high boots and armoured gloves, armoured leather pants and jacket, and my Motochic backpack all in the front closet. I figure if I treat it all like daily wear then I will wear it daily.

I used to adventure race. Paddle, bike, hike, in the bush. As a team of three, we were constantly transitioning from bike to canoe, from canoe to hike, from hike back to bike, from bike to canoe then to the finish line all in under 8 hours. We weren't the fastest girls in the back country, but we rocked the transition areas. I have six gold medals. I use this experience to motivate me to practice transitioning from shorts, T-shirt, and flip-flops to full leather armoured gear.

How fast can I do it? How good can I get at it? It's all about rocking the transitions areas, and that's all about practice.

I spent an afternoon putting on my gear, taking off my gear, putting on my gear, taking off my gear… To the point where I was sweating and breathing like a weight lifter.


First-round putting it on - three minutes 40 seconds

First-round taking it off - three minutes 51 seconds

Second-round putting on - two minutes 59 seconds

Second-round taking off - three minutes 15 seconds

Third - on - two minutes 41 seconds

Third - off - two minutes 25 seconds

You get the point…

Finally I got it down to one minute 59 seconds putting it on, and one minute 45 seconds taking off. And that includes stuffing it all in a big blue tote bag to carry with me to work, to school, or wherever I'm headed.

Just to put it in perspective, when I put on what I need for a winter hike it takes me one minute 25 seconds on, and one minute 11 seconds off. At the other end of the spectrum, when Diana Prince wants to change into Wonder Woman she spins around and it takes her about eight seconds - would love to know her secret.

So I challenge you to take the transition speed test.

How fast can you get your gear on?

If you practice, how much can you cut down your time?

Well, until we figure out Diana's secret, I think the important thing to remember is that road rash ain't sexy - safe is cool - yesterday's bikini is today's full leathers - and keeping all my skin intact is worth an extra four minutes.

And you know what? Wearing full armoured leathers is probably the closest I will ever get to looking like a super hero. And I like it.

NOTE:  All images taken in 'selfie' format by the writer, Wendy Boucher. I apologize for the crudity of the pics but.. hey, every cameraman deserves a day off I guess.

I never thought I'd fall in love with a backpack! MotoChic Lauren Bag hello! by Wendy Boucher

Did you even know this existed? I didn't until I saw it on-line and ordered it. Once it arrived I was floored by the quality and simple beauty of it.  

MotoChic : The Lauren Bag 

Once this cool bag arrived, I opened it up and started probing. 




The backpack straps tuck neatly into a zippered compartment. The tote strap pulls out from the top custom compartment to convert to a tote bag as seen in the pic below. There is a rain fly that pops out in case of a flash rain that you got caught in because you forgot to check the weather channel today.  Ooooh, I love riding in the rain.

The Lauren bag is surprisingly large inside (think of the clown car mini that twenty colourful dudes pour out of) and has little side closures to keep it small and reduce wind resistance. It is ultra organized on the inside too with smartly designed pockets perfect for fitting chapstick, wallet, iPhone, laptop, and my Swiss Army knife. Two outside pockets fit my flip flops and my water bottle. And here is the part that appeals to the safety girl inside of me - huge reflective panels on the back (and a reflective logo on the rain cover) so everyone behind you can see you - you insanely cool biker girl riding in the rain!



MotoChic says...

Our most popular MotoChic Gear bag is now available in cool white. Whether you’re commuting to the office, getting away for the weekend, or taking a Sunday afternoon motorcycle ride on curvy back roads, you’re good to go with the Lauren bag. Inspired by motorcyclist and style icon Lauren Hutton, this versatile bag can be worn as a backpack or a tote and combines classic styling with practical details that will stand the test of time.

So I quit looking at it, I pull out the backpack straps, and I ride!

See more at https://www.motochicgear.com.