The Estate of John Rupert :: The final “Final Account”

The will of John Rupart dated October 17, 1828 was admitted to probate in Columbiana County, Ohio in August of 1831. The final account was prepared on March 29, 1842.



I thought it was more than a little strange that the only papers in the microfilmed estate file that were dated between the time of the Widow's Allowance in May 1832 and this document was a previous “final account” dated August 5th 1832.



I don't usually like making assumptions, but based upon this statement in the will of John Rupart: “after her decease I allow my real and personal property to be sold by my executor” I think we can assume that Barbara Rupart passed away prior to the sale of the land on August 1, 1842 (the second deed discussed in this post).



Sadly, from my point of view, even though there was a balance of $1,369.68¼ in the estate, there was no “final distribution” document in the microfilmed file. It probably would have listed the names of the husbands of the daughters and that would have made locating them much simpler and in several cases, even possible!



= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + =



First page of Final Account March 29, 1842.

Estate of John Rupart. Packet 1439. Family History Library microfilm 2032592.

The final account of Conrod Yerrien and David

Ehrhart as executors of the estate of John Rupart, late of

the county of Columbiana, deceased



These accountants charge themselves with the following sums received.

1836 July 14th

Cash for rent of Real estate - - - - - - - - - - - $62.56 ¼

Interest on same to 11th Augt 1842 - - - - - - - 22.67 ½

Cash for rent of Real estate - - - - - - - - - - - - 34.60

Interest on same to 11th Augt 1842 - - - - - - - 12.54



1837 Apl 1st

Cash for rent of Real estate - - - - - - - - - - - - 34.60

Interest on same to 11th Augt 1842 - - - - - - - 12.54

Cash for rent of Real estate - - - - - - - - - - - - 57.00

Int on same to 11 August 1842 - - - - - - - - - 17.95 ½



1842 Augt 11th

Cash on sale of Real estate - - - - - - - - - - - 1200.00

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $1407.33 ¼



These accountants claim credit for the following sums

1842 Jany 31

Paid Wm B. Morgan Printer - - - - - - - - - - - 1.00

Paid Pierce for coffin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5.00

Paid John Robertson for shroud &c - - - - - - 3.25

Paid On the above note of $57.00 - - - - - - - 9.40

Paid David Ehrhart for repairs &c - - - - - - - 24.00

Paid Fisher A. Blockson Atty - - - - - - - - - - - 5.00

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $27.65



To the Honorable Court of Common Pleas for the county of Columbiana

The undersigned Master Commissioner of this court to whom was refered the account of the executors of the estate of John Rupart late of said county, deceased. Reports – That in pursuance of the Rule of this Court he has examined said account and finds that said accountants have received

Rents of real estate with interest thereon - - - $207.33 ¼

From sale of Real estate - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1200.00

Making the whole amount charged

against accountants on the account - - - - - - $1407.33 ¼





Second page of Final Account March 29, 1842.

Estate of John Rupart. Packet 1439. Family History Library microfilm 2032592.

I do find by proper vouchers exhibited that said

accountants have paid debts owing

by said estate to the amount of - - - - - - - $21.65



Costs of administration, exclusive of the

sum to be allowed accountants for their

services - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $6.00

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $27.65



Leaving in the hands of accountants for

distribution - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $1379.68 ¼



Out of which the accountants compensation

for his services and masters fee to be

allowed by court to be deducted.



All which is respectfully submitted

March 29th 1842 - - - - - - - - Fisher A. Blackman

My fee - - - - - - - - $2.00 - - - - Mast Comm



April 5th the accounts having produced vouchers

No 4 & 5 amounting to $8.00 which being deducted

leaves - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $1371.68 ¼

F A Blackman

Mas Com



No 6 of $2 being duducted leaves - - - - $1369.68 ¼

Another Sunset

Smooth Green

A new leaf on my 'Dwarf Namwah' banana plant.

Summer Snowfall and Slush Cup

What do you get when you combine an unsatiable hunger for ski and snowboard "turns all year" (TAY), a slushy snow slope, a pond and some folks dressed up to the nines in costumes resembling some of Stan Lee's worst superhero nightmares? Give up?...You get the 6th annual Snow Cup! Last Sunday, skiers and boarders gathered on Pinnacle Peak to enjoy some of the last remainders of the summer snow atop Pinnacle Peak, then skiing or boarding down the slope into the waiting pond below (Brrr...)

The TAY enthusiasts will be excited to know that this week's stormy weather (though a disappointment for those climbers stuck on the mountain) brought plenty of fresh snow to the upper mountain, coating the routes and improving conditions for more summer climbing and turns. We heard that it snowed about 6 inches up at Camp Muir, and the wind created snowdrifts almost a foot high in spots! Rangers climbing up Disappointment Cleaver on Friday morning report that climbing the cleaver was much easier than it has been over the past few weeks, and the DC remains in great condition.

Slush Cup was a lively event once again - those folks throw quite a party! Participants almost equaled their spectators, and even the climbers perched atop Castle Peak enjoyed the entertainment, as the costumed skiers and boarders skimmed across the tarn at the base of Pinnacle. Afterwards, the crowd gathered at Reflection Lakes for a tailgate party, feeding skiers and hungry tourists alike.

The TAY crew searches out the best that Mount Rainier has to offer, hitting its creamy white slopes every month of the year. The best part of the whole event - they leave nary a trace of being there. They display love and appreciation for the Mountain and respect for the Park...well done! We look forward to the 7th annual event and will keep our eyes open for the invite next time.

Death Valley National Park

After six days at Joshua Tree, I traveled north to Death Valley National Park, arriving there on Tuesday March 23rd.

When I arrived at Texas Springs Campground (sort of in the central portion of the park near Furnace Creek) it was almost full. It's one of those first-come, first-served self-check-in campgrounds, so you have to drive around and find an empty spot. It took a while but I pulled into what I thought was an open site at the same time as someone else pulled in to the one next to me. We looked at each other and said, “Hi neighbor!” But a few minutes later they pulled out and went to another spot. As I was standing there looking around, a little old lady (the 80-year old camp host) came up and told me I was in a handicap only site, so I had to move. She said there were only three empty sites left and told me where they were.

As I pulled into my next selected site, I saw that my new neighbors were actually the young couple that had pulled in beside me earlier. We looked at each other and laughed. They had gotten the last site that had a picnic table and fire ring. My site had nothing. But it was better than no site at all. Being nice neighbors, the young couple (Ian and Jennifer) invited me to join them at their table and campfire. They were very sweet and pleasant. We had a wonderful time sitting around the campfire in the evening and talking the night away, literally.

We were neighbors for Wednesday night also and once again they were gracious and companionable and we spent another evening talking around the campfire. By the time the night was over, we each knew quite a bit about the other. I spent two more nights at Texas Springs. On Friday night, Ian and Jennifer joined me at my camp site after spending Thursday in the back-country. (I had moved to a new site Thursday morning with a table and fire ring.) Thank you, Ian and Jennifer, for helping to make my evenings in Death Valley so enjoyable. It was great fun!

Death Valley from Dante's View, 5500 feet above the valley.

The Golden Mountains. Those two little vertical “lines” in the middle of the picture are people!

This is an area known as the Artist's Palette.

At Zabriskie Point.

Zabriskie Point.

The Devil's Golf Course. Telescope Peak, in the background, is the highest peak (over 11,000 feet) in the Panamint Range that borders Death Valley on the west.

Close up view of the Devil's Golf Course. In 1934, it was determined that the salt and gravel beds of the Devil's Golf Course extend to a depth of more than 1,000 feet. Later studies suggest that in places the depth ranges up to 9,000 feet.

The salt flats at Badwater, which is the lowest point in Death Valley at 232 feet below sea level. Walking on the salt flats was strange. It looked like concrete but there was some “give” in each step. In several spots there were muddy pools of water where small holes had been made in the salt flat.

Assateague Island :: The Wild Ponies

For many people, the only reason for going to Assateague Island is to see the Wild Ponies. If so, it could be a little disappointing for them, especially if they only spend a few hours on the island. A 20-minute video shown at the visitor center provides a good, if somewhat romanticized view, of the little ponies that have roamed the beaches, pine forest, and salt marsh of Assateague Island since the 1600s. There are two theories regarding the stout little ponies: one is that they arrived on Assateague's shores when a Spanish galleon ship, with a cargo of horses, sank offshore. The other is that they are remnants of the herds of early colonial settlers who grazed their horses on the Island. Apparently a Spanish ship wreck was discovered recently in the waters off Assateague which gives credence to the first theory.

Both the Maryland and Virginia sides of Assateague Island have wild ponies; each has a herd of about 160 and a fence at the state line keeps the two herds separated. They roam the island in bands of 5-10 ponies so you aren't going to see a lot of them all at once. I did see a group of 10 or so one day sauntering through the main parking lot on the beach side of the island. They were there long enough to stop traffic, then moved on down the road.

Although there are 30+ miles of beautiful white-sand beach, the part that is easily accessible to visitors is only about 5 miles long. Undoubtedly, the ponies roam the beaches too but I never saw any on the beach though they were grazing along the road on the beach side of the Island. I did see quite a few ponies on the bayside - in the marsh areas and in the campgrounds. My suspicion is that there were one or two bands of ponies that roamed those areas and I kept seeing the same horses over and over ;-)

These guys followed me around for quite awhile one day. I'd back off and they'd keep coming. Eventually they tired of the game and went off looking for better pastures.

The grass must have been pretty good alongside the marsh boardwalk. On this day there was a group of six of them. Three were on the boardwalk and the other three were off in the marsh. The ponies aren't very big. Short and stout is an apt description. In the background there is a woman standing next to two ponies, she towers over them. The tallest ones that I saw were maybe 5 feet tall.


There are signs posted stating that you are not to feed, touch, or even approach the horses. I never saw anyone feed them but did see a few people touching and petting them. I didn't go searching for the ponies. If they were in the same area where I was I'd go see them but I really didn't get too close. They are considered to be wild animals but they are definitely not afraid of humans. The ponies are left on their own, to fend for themselves. They are not cared for or treated if they become sick. The only food they get is what they find for themselves: marsh and sand dune grasses, rosehips, bayberry twigs, persimmons and even poison ivy.

Mountain Bikes... Approaching the Beast

Of all the lakes in the vicinity, I had to fall in love with the one on top of a mountain, accessible only via a steep rough gravel road. I have been up there in a car with friends a few times now. But what I really want is to be able to go on my own - ideally without motorised help. My tentative plan was to ride up the paved part of the mountain on my roadbike, then hike the remaining 2 miles up the gravel lake road - either leaving my bike hidden in the woods below or dragging it along.




"Or..." said my friend Keith, "I can lend you my mountain bike, and you can ride all the way up through the woods."




Quickly I began to mutter something about it being too much trouble, but Keith saw right through that and laughed."No it's not, we ride the same size bike. Lower the saddle and off you go."




Damn. Quick, say something to make this sound like a bad idea, I thought. But I could come up with nothing, other than the truth - that I feared the mountain bike. That I would rather sit through a root canal than have to ride one 6 miles up a winding forest path with 1,500 feet of climbing, and then - gulp! - back down.








But I said none of these things. And two days later I found this propped against the side of the house when I came home.




So... Oh my God, I don't know where to start. Beefy aluminum frame, suspension fork, 2" knobby tires, narrow straight handlebars, disc brakes, and a drivetrain with a triple crankset and thumb shifters. The bike is a Carrera Kraken- an inhouse brand of the UK department store Halfords. However, this is not a "department store bike," as the concept is known in the US. According to locals in the know, Halfords actually sells very decent quality budget road and mountain bikes. Keith's bike is a good few years old and everything is a little rusty - though it all works fine.







The bike is a Small (16" frame with a 56mm virtual top tube) and the fit feels pretty good to me. I wouldn't mind it if the handlebars were a tad lower, but what do I know about mountain bike sizing (how upright are you supposed to be?).



What took the most getting used to was the super-high bottom bracket.I kept playing around with the saddle height and it took me a while to set it properly; I couldn't believe how high I had to make it in order to get good leg extension. Being on the bike felt a little strange at first as well - so high off the ground! The disc brakes are insanely grippy, especially the front, but modulating them became intuitive with some practice.Slowly, the fear began to turn to curiosity.





I spent an easy afternoon with the bike, just trying to get to know it and get comfortable with the idea of riding it. There is a back road with some steep pitches just outside my door, as well as woodsy stretches of dirt, gravel and grass I could try. Skeptical that on a bike this beastly-looking I could handle the long steep climb up to the lake, one thing I wanted to do was see how it went uphill. As it turned out, not bad - even on pavement, with those knobby tires. The gearing is low enough to climb a fairly steep pitch seated, so I don't have to worry about stalling out. Standing up on the pedals feels different than on a roadbike - like I have to heave myself forward more forcefully to get my butt off the saddle - but once I got used to it, it was fine. And descending felt much, much nicer and less scary than I anticipated - the bike has an easy, tame feel to it when going around bends.



So... I think I am ready to try riding this thing to the lake and back. The path through the woods is winding dirt for the first part (with roots and things, but nothing too bad), then loose rough chunky gravel for the final stretch. There is nothing technical there, so if I can take 6 miles of straight climbing on a mountain bike and then not get scared and do anything stupid on the descent, I should be fine. And look: I will be using this bike for transportation to the lake, not for "mountain biking" as such, so please don't think this is the beginning of an interest in mountain bikes. I mean, that would be crazy.

The Huffman/Hoffman Kinexxion :: Susannah & John

Twelve years ago I received an email from Maggie Evans in response to my Genealogy Forum query regarding the parents of Susannah Huffman who married John D. Berlin (my 4th great grandparents). Maggie is a descendant of Susannah's sister, Elizabeth. A second email from Maggie included some family group sheets that had been prepared in 1987 by a 2nd cousin of her father. They provided the names of Susannah's parents (John and Catherine Coy Hoffman) as well as her grandparents (Detrick and Susannah Alder Hoffman) and her great grandparents (Michael and Maria Engel Hoffman). I was thrilled while at the same time a little disappointed - the information on the family group sheets was not documented and Maggie didn't have any additional information.



There was no doubt on my part that Susannah's maiden name was Huffman since family Bible records and her obituary (published May 6, 1880 in the Nappanee Weekly News of Elkhart County, Indiana) provided that information: “Mrs. Susan Berlin, wife of John D. Berlin deceased, died at the residence of her son-in-law, L.B. Winder in Locke, Elkhart County, Ind. April 22, 1880, aged 76 years, 1 month and 13 days. The deceased was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, March 9, 1804. On the 16th of February 1826, she was married to John D. Berlin, her maiden name being Huffman...” Death records and obituary notices for some of her children corroborate that information.



It should be noted that the “Huffman” surname has been found in documents with various spellings such as Hufmon, Hafman, and Huffan but more commonly as Hoffman. I will be using the spellings as found in the documents.



In the intervening years I was contacted by another Hoffman/Huffman descendant, Kathy Foster, who among other family documents, provided copies of the estate file for John Hoffman. John's will (probated in 1860 in Columbiana County, Ohio) only named a daughter Catherine, and two sons, Jacob and John. The latter two were appointed administrators of his estate.








The will of John Hoffman dated January 26, 1860

Columbiana County, Ohio Estate Packet 4992

I John Hoffman Snr of The Town of Washingtonville County of Columbiana in the state of Ohio. (Being weak of Body but sound of mind and memory.) Do make and Publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as Follows.



First it is my will and I hereby order that my body be decently buried and that Suitable Tomb Stone with inscriptions be put up at my grave, and that all my just debts and funeral Expenses be duly paid as soon as conveniently can be done after My decease.



Second I give and bequeath unto my daughter Cathrine Hoffman all that certain House and lot with the buildings and appertenances thereunto belonging in the town of Washingtonville and marked Number (29) Twenty Nine in the original Town plat and I further will unto my said daughter Cathrine One White heifer now in my possession (and if said heiffer should not live after my decease, My Executor shall furnish one of Equal Value out of my Estate. and I further will unto her all my household and Kitchen Furniture now in my possession.



Third I will that my Executors herein after named. Sell at public sale Two Lotts of ground Lying North of Town adjoining the A. & N. Rail Road and also all other property not herein before devised and the proceed thereof to be added to the remainder of my Estate.



Fourth, 4th) I will that the remainder of My Estate both Real personal or mixed, after the above bequest be satisfied and paid shall be Equally Divided among all my children Share and share alike And it is my will that the amounts already received by my children for which I Hold their notes shall be deducted out of the share due them severally and individually.



And Lastly, I nominate and appoint My sons Jacob Hoffman & Jacob D. Hoffman to be my Executors - of this my last Will & Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal this (Twenty sixth. 26) Day of January AD one thousand Eight hundred & sixty.



Johan Hoffman Senr [seal]"

Uriah C. Helman, John Ryan {witness present at signing & Sealing}

John's will named his executors as his two sons, Jacob Hoffman & Jacob D. Hoffman but his sons were actually named John and Jacob D. as shown in the Letter of Administration dated February 13, 1860.







Although John's will did not list all of his children, there was a document in the estate file that listed the amounts paid to the heirs: Mary Walker, Susan Berlin, Elizabeth Stauffer, Catherine Huffman, Margaret Weikart, Hannah Ruckman, Henry Huffman, Sarah Pfeiffer, Jacob Huffman, and John Huffman, Jr.








All three images are from Columbiana County, Ohio Estate Packet 4992

Family History Library Microfilm 2033366, scanned May 26, ..


As with my Rupert and Switzer families in Columbiana County, I did very little research on the Hoffman family since receiving those documents - primarily due to lack of easily available resources. But having spent “a little” time at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City in the past year I've been able to follow up on the information provided by other researchers.

Switzer Family Number 4 :: Jacob G. and Catharina

This previous post was a summary of the Tax Lists, Land Records, and Census Records for each of the Jacob Switzers, and in that post this Jacob was identified as Jacob #4.



The Estate File in Columbiana County, Ohio (Number 4874) gives his name as Jacob G. Switzer while the Columbiana County Cemetery Inscriptions (v1 p6) lists him as Jacob C. Switzer. I'm going with Jacob G.





Jacob G. Switzer died March 25, 1859 at age 70y 4mo 17d (date of birth calculates to November 8, 1788). He is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio.



His wife Catherine/Catharina died December 17, 1850 at age 62y 3mo 5d (date of birth calculates to September 12, 1788). She is also buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio. The gravestone transcriptions give her name as Catharina. The Ohio Death Record for Anna ( Switzer) Grove gives her mother's name as Catherine Mummert while that of Sophia Sweitzer shows it to be Catherine Murmmouh. A record on Find-a-Grave gives her name as Catharina Murmmoth.



On April 16, 1859 Isaac Switzer of Stark County, and James Crook and Joseph Anglemyer of Columbiana County signed a bond for $.. for Isaac Switzer who was named Administrator of the estate of Jacob G. Switzer.





Above is a portion of the final account that shows there was a balance of $917.63 in the estate of Jacob G. Switzer which Isaac Switzer was ordered to distribute according to law.

“The deceased in his lifetime having made advancements to most of his children of unequal sums, in order to equalize each as near as possible, the above balance was distributed as follows between the six heirs who have received the least by way of advancement, as per receipts filed.”

The above statement implies that there were possibly other heirs that did not receive a part of the final distribution... Census records seem to show that there may have been other children not named as having received a distribution.





The heirs that received a distribution and the amount they received were:

Ann Switzer – 194.60 ½

Sophia Switzer – 194.60 ½

Benj. Switzer 134.60 ½

Lydia Keck – 194.60 ½

Eliza Crook – 94.60 ½

Isaiah Holloway agt for Susan Holloway - 94.60 ½

Probate Judges & Attorneys fees – 10.00

Equal balance in Admr's hands $917.63

In the sale bill for the estate of Jacob G. Switzer, which was very difficult to read, there were several entries for a Tobias Switzer but none for Isaac or Benjamin. Is Tobias a son? Tobias also owed several notes to the estate amounting to $452.07 and it was reported in the final account that T. Switzer had paid $456.28 to the estate.



This Jacob Switzer does not appear in Columbiana County census records until 1830 and then he is listed in Fairfield Township from 1830 through 1850. See the above-mentioned previous post for details on the census records and well as the land ownership information.



From the census records it was determined that the family of Jacob and Catherina Mummert Switzer seems to have consisted of at least:

one male born 1826-1830

two males born 1821-1825

two males born 1816-1820

two females born 1826-1830 [Anna born 1829 + one other]

one female born 1821-1825 [Sophia born 1822 and Lydia born 1824]

one female born 1816-1820 [Eliza born 1818]

one female born 1811-1815 [Susan ?]

Known children of Jacob G. and Catharina Switzer (they received a distribution of his estate):

• Susan (Switzer) Holloway is probably the Susan Switzer who married Charles Holloway on March 10, 1839 in Columbiana County (v3 p208).

• Eliza/Aliza (Switzer) Crook. Aliza was born October 4, 1818 and died April 20, 1903. She is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio. Eliza married James Crook on September 12, 1844 in Columbiana County (v3 p382). James Crook was born September 17, 1820 (calculated from age at death) and died October 23, 1895 at age 75y 1m 6d. He is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio.

• Anna (Switzer) Grove was born December 25, 1825 in Fairfield Township, Columbiana County, Ohio and died March 16, 1910 in Columbiana, Columbiana County, Ohio. The Ohio Death Record of Anna Grove gives her parents as Catherine Mummert and Jacob Switzer. Anna was widowed at the time of her death. Since she was named as Ann Switzer in the distribution record or her father, it is likely that she married “Mr. Grove” after 1860. The informant on the death record was Valentine Grove.

• Sophia Switzer was born May13, 1830 in Ohio and died April 27, 1916 in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio. She is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio. The Ohio death records give her parents names as Catherine Murmmouh and Jacob Sweitzer.

• Benjamin Switzer was not found in a quick search of the marriage records or census records for Columbiana County.

• Lydia Ann (Switzer) Keck was born April 27, 1837 and died March 11, 1870 and is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio. Lydia married to Peter Rick [Reck/Keck] on 27 April 27, 1858 in Columbiana County (v38 p333). Peter was born October 17, 1834 and died October 6, 1900. They are buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio.

Other possible children of Jacob G. and Catharina Switzer:

• Isaac Switzer was the Administrator of the Estate of Jacob G. Switzer. He may be the Isaac Switzer who married Christina Zimmerman on January 2, 1840 in Columbiana County (v3 p226). He was found in the 1850 census in Lexington Township, Stark County, Ohio (page 462): Isaac Sweitzer was 37 years old (born about 1813 – doesn't quite “fit” the ages of “sons” in family of Jacob G). He was a farmer and was born in Ohio. In his household were Christina Sweitzer, 40; Silvenus Sweitzer, 8; Henry Sweitzer, 6; and Benjamin Sweitzer, age 3.

• Tobias Switzer was the only Switzer that purchased goods from the estate. He also owed several notes to the estate, which he paid on April 6, 1860.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

I do not plan to pursue this family any further. The information is being presented here because I have it and hopefully it will be of some use to another researcher someday.

2 Raincoats: Nau Succinct Trench and Lululemon Ride On Rain Jacket

It's been raining here all week, so the timing seems right to review some raincoats. For three years now I've been looking for a lightweight, waterproof, breathable raincoat that works well on a city bike, but found nothing. Now I've suddenly come across two. On the left is the Succinct Trench by Nau, purchased by me a few months ago via a discount website. On the right is the Ride On Rain Jacket by Lululemon, sent to me for review by the manufacturer. Both raincoats fit my requirements well.






The Lululemon "Ride On" Rain Jacket is a rather avant-garde looking raincoat that hits a few inches above the knees in the front and an inch or so below the back of the knees in the rear. It has the same Edwardian theme as the blazer reviewed earlier, but here it is consistent and harmonious throughout the garment. The jacket is very thin and feels suitable for temperatures in the mid 40°s - mid 70°s Fahrenheit.





The jacket is waterproof and breathable,lined with a soft, thin fabricthroughout. Lululemon uses cryptic proprietary names to describe their fabrics, and the stuff this jacket is made of is called "atmosphere." It is crinkly and easy to scrunch up and stuff into a pannier when not in use. It weighs very little. An inner drawcord at the waist makes the fit of this jacket adjustable. Overall the fit is pretty loose, but tightening the drawcord gives it a tailored, flattering look. Another drawcord controls the hem.





When the hem is let out, it is pretty flowy. Tightening the drawcord offers better protection from the rain.






The sleeves are extra long, featuring cuffs with reflective detailing.






There is an inner and an outer zipper, the purpose of which I do not entirely understand. Lululemon calls this a "double zipper." However, neither of them are two-way, and the jacket cannot be unzipped from the bottom.






The front pockets have smallish zippered openings outlined with reflective ribbon They are very roomy inside and are lined with a soft, pleasant fabric. There is also an inner pocket.





The collar zips up high and can be used in leu of a scarf. The hood is large enough to fit over a bicycle helmet, of so desired. It is is adjustable via a drawstring, but is not detachable.







TheLululemon "Ride On" Rain Jacket works well for cycling because it is lightweight, waterproof, breathable, stretchy, makes minimal rustling noise, has longer than standard sleeves, and provides good rain coverage via a combination of its length and drawcord hem. At the same time it is sufficiently elegant to wear as part of an everyday, non-technical wardrobe. As far as criticisms: I found the fit of the hood to be less than optimal, with a slight tendency to obscure my peripheral vision unless I move it out of the way or push it back a bit. Hi-viz lovers might be disappointed by the subtlety of the reflective details, but this jacket is also available in orange (and black). The $298 price tag may or may not be a deal breaker, depending on what you are used to. And of course the flowing, Edwardian style is not everyone's cup of tea. Would I have bought this jacket for myself? Not at full retail price, but yes if it went on sale and if I did not already own the Nau trench (see below). After this review I will be giving it away locally. You can read another review of this jacket by Dottie on Let's Go Ride a Bike.




The Nau Succinct Trenchresembles a classic Barbour-style English field coat. It hits mid-thigh and is gently tailored at the waist. Made of an ultra-thin shell material, it is waterproof, breathable and lightweight,suitable for temperatures in the mid40°s - mid 70°s Fahrenheit. The fabric is described as "recycled polyester."






The jacket shown here is the model and the colour of the current model is a little different: The latter has black buttons instead of silver and a very subtle black-on-black plaid pattern. In all other ways they are the same (I asked the manufacturer).







The Nau trench is simple, compact and decidedly utilitarian in design. Those who do not like to fuss with drawcords and adjust things back and forth, will enjoy its intuitive versatility.






The two-way zipper and rear vent make it easy to adjust the width of the hem for pedaling, walking, and other activities .





The roomy, covered pockets feature both zip and snap closure, allowing both easy access of weather-proofing.





The stand-up collar can be buttoned up to protect the neck from rain and wind, or let out.






The waist is adjustable.




Only the upper 3rd of the trench is lined, reducing weight and bulk.






The detachable, visored hood features both a zipper,snap closure and a hidden draw-cord, allowing for a number of micro-adjustments for optimal fit.





The NauSuccinct Trench works well for cycling because it is lightweight, waterproof, breathable, easy to move in, makes minimal rustling noise, has longer than standard sleeves, and provides coverage of the derriere and upper thighs. A classic design, it is sufficiently elegant to wear as part of an everyday, non-technical wardrobe and is unlikely to go out of style over the next few years. The detachable hood offers extra versatility, and does not obscure peripheral vision. As far as criticisms: Making the trench slightly longer would provide better rain coverage for cyclists. Adding a few reflective elements will be attractive to those who require that their rain jacket be hi-viz. Personally I would love to see this jacket in a classic colour other than black - for instance olive green. The $275 price tag may or may not be a deal breaker, depending on what you are used to. I bought mine for 40% off via a discount retailer at the end of last season, and those who find the retail price too high can always wait, stalk, and do the same.



I find both the Nau Succinct Trench and the Lululemon Ride on Rain Jacket to be flattering, practical, and cycling-appropariate, assuming that you ride an upright bike and are looking for a raincoat that is suitable as everyday clothing. The Lululemon jacket is probably the more stylish of the two considering current trends, but it is also the more likely to look dated a couple of years down the road. For me, that skews things in favour of the Nau trench, but others' preferences may differ. Both raincoats are good examples of cycling-appropriate apparel. By comparison, my older raincoat is considerably bulkier and more constricting on the bike. I am glad to have finally found a replacement.