Explore Australia on the Great Victorian Bike Ride

by Kraig Becker on

Travelers looking for a unique and unusual way to explore Australia should look no further than the Great Victorian Bike Ride, an annual cycling event that offers a healthy dose of the legendary Aussie hospitality with an active, adventurous holiday.

Now in its 27th year, the 2010 GVBR is schedule to take place from November 27 to December 5. This year’s course will highlight some of the best scenery that the Australian state of Victoria has to offer, including gorgeous lakes and rivers, wide open scenic vistas, and stunning mountain ranges. The riders will begin in Yarrawonga and cover more than 599 kilometers (372 miles) before ending in Marysville. On average, they will cover about 70km (43 miles) per day while on the route.

Just because you’ll spend the week on a bike, cycling through the Australian countryside, doesn’t mean you’ll have to skimp on the amenities however. This ride is a full service affair with luggage transportation provide, a licensed cafe at the nightly campsite, and more. In fact, even though you’ll be sleeping in a tent along the way, you’ll still have access to a masseuse, a full featured bike repair facility, and a medical team that will be on hand to take care of those saddle sores.

The Great Victorian Bike Ride is an affordable adventure Down Under to be sure. The cost of the nine day event is just $795 AUD for adults, while kids under 17 and can ride for $595 AUD. Children under 12 are just $295 AUD, and Infants, categorized here as age 5 and under, get to come along for free.

For those who would like to ride, but think this sounds like it might be just a bit too challenging, you might want to consider the Goulburn River Explorer option. This is a shortened version of the GVBR with riders joining the peloton on Day 6 and peddling for just four days rather than the standard nine. This option costs $395 AUD, with discounts being applied for the younger crowd.

Finally, well heeled riders can also elect to take the Gourmet Peddler Ride which takes you out of the tent and puts you into a hotel instead. This package costs $3450 AUD for a 9 night twin share option. For $3950 AUS you can even have your own room.

To register for the Great Victorian Bike Ride click here. Only 5000 riders are accepted however, so if you’re looking to get a true Aussie experience with true Aussies themselves, you may want to sign up soon. As a further incentive, you can get a $100 AUD discount if you sign up before the end of July.

[Photo Credit: Bicycle Victoria]

All U.S. national parks free next weekend

by Kraig Becker on

While the U.S. celebrates a long, three-day weekend this week, the National Park Service is giving us all something to look forward to next weekend as well. The NPS has announced that it is continuing its very popular free admissions program, and on June 5 and 6, more than 100 parks will throw open their gates and waive the entrance fee to all guests.

The complete list of parks that will be free next weekend can be found by clicking here, and there are certainly some great places to visit on the list, no matter what part of the country you are in. For example, if you’re in California, Yosemite is always a great place to explore, although the crowds might be a bit smaller in Death Valley. Similarly, Yellowstone is an amazing place to visit as well, but it is one of the most popular parks in the system. If you’re in that area, you might find Big Horn Canyon offers more seclusion.

So, while we’re enjoying the Memorial Day holiday this weekend, which generally marks the unofficial start of the summer, it is never too early to start making plans for next weekend as well. With the entry fees waived, there are no excuses to not go outside and play in one of these great parks.

[Photo Credit: The National Park Service]

Summer travel: how not to sizzle your skin

by Laurel Miller on

The good folks at CNN have released a helpful guide and accompanying photo gallery horror show of solar ray-blasted epidermis. In “5 ways to avoid getting deep-fried,” you’ll find dermatologist’s tips to protect your sun from UVA/UVB damage, skin cancer detection links, and entertaining anecdotes of CNN reporters’ worst sunburns/precursors to melanoma.

I love the sun as much as most holiday-makers, but years of basting myself in baby oil, combined with the onset of crow’s feet in my early twenties and my mother’s own ongoing struggle with basal and squamous cell carcinomas have turned me into the Queen of Sunscreen. While my friends still mock me, and a former farmers market employer once remarked, “I can always tell when you’ve been hugging my dog, because he smells like sunscreen!” I feel vindicated because at 41, I look a good ten years younger, and have yet to develop my first pre-cancerous lesion. I get an annual screening at my dermatologist, and religiously apply a minimum of SPF 30 UVA/UVB sunblock over all exposed body parts (please remember the back of your neck, hands, ears, and knees, and tops of your feet).

Gadling has a more detailed explanation of what the heck all this SPF stuff means, and a guide to choosing sunglasses that do more than just look hip. I also wear, and heartily endorse (unpaid, of course) the sun protective clothing by ExOfficio, and sun protective hats by Outdoor Research. Sounds wacky, but these items are constructed with UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) textiles that, while not a substitute for sunblock, provide a great dual-defense system. They’re also attractive, and incredibly versatile and travel-friendly. Don’t hide from the sun this holiday weekend; just take precautions, have fun, and think of all the money you’ll save by not requiring reconstructive surgery and Botox.

(Image credit: Flickr/Saspotato)

Teva Mountain Games hit Vail June 3-6

by Kraig Becker on

The Teva Mountain Games are set to get underway in Vail, Colorado next week, running from June 3-6. The annual event has become one of the top destinations for outdoor athletes who will compete in eight different sports and 24 different disciplines, including trail running, mountain biking, road cycling, whitewater kayaking and much more.

Returning to the Mountain Games this year is the Ultimate Mountain Challenge which seeks to crown a King (and Queen) of the Mountain by finding the best athlete across multiple events. Men and women competing in the UMC will take part in a 10k trail run, a cross country mountain bike race, a road bike time trial, and a 4-mile long kayak race. When all of the individual events have concluded, the athletes with the lowest total time across all four disciplines will claim victory.

The Mountain Games aren’t just about athletic competitions however, as there are plenty of other activities as well. For example, there is also an outdoor photo competition, an adventure film school, and plenty of live music all weekend long. The always popular Gear Town returns as well, with popular outdoor equipment manufacturers such as Eddie Bauer, Black Diamond, and of course, Teva, on hand to show off their latest gear.

If you’re an outdoor athlete looking for a little competition next weekend, that head on over to Vail to challenge yourself against athletes from around the world. If you’re in that same area and you’re looking for a little fun, while surrounded by fantastic scenery, than the Teva Mountain Games are just what you’re looking for as well.

[Image Credit: Teva Mountain Games]

AdventureFinder.com helps you discover your next adventure

by Kraig Becker on

Orbitz Worldwide launched a new online search tool, called AdventureFinder.com, earlier this week with the intention of making it easier than ever to help you discover new locations to explore, then customize and plan active, outdoor escape to those places. The site replaces GORPTravel.com, which was formerly used as an adventure travel resource as part of The Away Network.

Visitors to the website will find a variety of ways to search for their next trip, including by destination or activity. So for example, if you’re looking for a trip to Africa, you’ll be presented with a list of the many options for that continent, from some of the top adventure tour operators in the world. But if you want to see the best places to go mountain biking or white water rafting, you can do that too. The AdventureFinder front page also offers featured destinations and activities as suggestions as well, with Japan and Hiking/Backpacking getting those respective nods at the moment.

The unique “Who’s Going” search option allows you to find trips designed for specific types of travelers. Options include “singles”, “couples”, “family”, and so on. This option is great for helping you select a trip that will ensure you’ll be joining a group with which you have a common approach to travel, which can sometimes mean the difference between an enjoyable vacation and an awful one.

With so many great destinations to choose form, a tool like this is always welcome. I’ve found a couple of nice deals on places that I would certainly like to visit, and it seems that this will be a great resource for adventure travelers before they head out on their next escape.