If you haven’t seen them yet, there are some
sweet mountain biking photos over at
Moutainzone taken from the 2004 Mountain Biking World Championships. I haven’t checked with that site in a
while, and actually thought it was dead, so it was nice to see that they’ve really kept it up pretty well. I remember
them being mostly a mountaineering site, but they’re covering all manner of extreme sports now from climbing to
snowboarding to . I came across
this interview with Snowboarding
babe Lindsey Jacobellis. Yummy.
Keep on Trucking – Around the World
If you did not follow the
indefatigable Rolf Potts and his crew of noble vagabonds on
their trip around the world, you should go and do
so. Immediately. Rolf and Co. circum-trucked the globe to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease and finished their
trip up in June. Rolf just published this article on his trip in Chile, a country dear to my heart, as
I lived there a while back. Man, reading this article
brought back memories. If you have the time, spend some of it on the
round the world site. There is video there and a ton of really cool
stuff about a really cool trip. It all leaves me with just one question: why the hell didn’t they ask me to come!
Cycle Through India
Or Rajasthan. Check out
this tour for bicycling
through a culturally fascinating part of India. The tour is run by World
Expeditions, one of the top companies in the engaged travel sphere. I have not used them myself, as I prefer while
I travel to organize everything on my own, but if you are up for a trip where you want the sites and
experiences put together for you, and yet don’t want to feel like you’re being pampered like some kind of
cruise ship sybarite, this could work for you. You’re not going to end up with a
bunch of rich, lazy retards, but you won’t have the satisfaction either of doing everything on your own, which,
granted, can be a pain. But the fact is, a great time can be had by folks who know an area, and this company comes
recommended.
Mayan Adventures in the Yucatan
Genesis Ek Balam is an eco-tourism retreat offering an amazing chance to enjoy archaeological,
ecological and cultural vacation adventures. It is one of a growing number of vacation destinations dedicated to
sustainable tourism with low impact on the native environment and culture. Guests stay in simple but stunning
white-washed pueblos, enjoy the local cuisine, sway in locally-made hammocks, and swim in a natural rock pool.
For those who are there to learn, Genesis is situated at the foot of the spectacular archaeological site
Ek Balam in Mexico’s Yucatan, only an hour and
half from Cancun airport. The retreat offers traditional craft workshops, Myan language lessons, traditional dance,
herb walks in the jungle, acheological trips, and the simple life of a traditional Mayan pueblo. Those who like a
little more action can hike or bike the spectacular mountain setting or take off down the jungle trails. There’s a
large and unusual menu of activities on offer.
Packages start around $65 per night per person for a private cabana and three meals. Tents and camping are also
on offer.
Obsessed by Patagonia
I can’t get Patagonia out of my mind. Last night I was lying there thinking of all the places I really wanted to go
this winter, and my mind kept coming back to Patagonia. And so in the dead of night, I flipped open my laptop and did
some looking around. REI Adventures provides several great trips down there to both the
Lakes Region and down to
Torres Del Paine, one of the most beautiful places in
the world. Think Yosemite without the tourist hordes. Of course, you could just go down there yourself, rent a car in
Punta Arenas, and have the time of your life camping throughout Torres del
Paine National Park. The choice is yours.