Free bike rentals in NYC – 2.5 hours of awesome

by Annie Scott on

Free bike rentals! If you’re gonna be in New York City sometime between now and September 30, 2009, you can sign up at DowntownNY.com for a free bike rental.

The deal is open to visitors and residents, and is part of the Downtown Alliance’s second annual Bike Around Downtown program.

Seven days per week during these times: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. – 6:00p.m., there will be 30 free bikes available at Bike and Roll’s kiosk at the South Street Seaport (South Street and Fulton Street). The bikes can be returned at a number of different destinations, making the free rentals a great way to see the city!

Click here for more Bike Around Downtown free rental information and/or to sign up. They’ll need your credit card for security reasons, but it’s free. Be sure and visit one of Talking Heads’ David Byrne’s jazzy bicycle racks!

Adventure Destination: Easter Island

by Kraig Becker on

Easter Island has always been a place of great mystery. Everyone is aware of the iconic stone faces that number more than 800 and stand as much as 10 meters in height and weighing in at nearly 75 tons. The figures were carved by inhabitants of the island between 1250 and 1500 AD, and their construction and transportation to various parts of the island, is still considered a remarkable feat.

The inhabitants who built the statues are a bit of a mystery themselves, and add to the mystique of Easter Island. They were a Polynesian tribe that immigrated to the island by boat across the Pacific Ocean, and over hundreds of years built up a substantial society before nearly disappearing from the place completely. What exactly happened to their society is still openly debated amongst historians and anthropologists. Many believe that the remote nature of island was their eventual undoing, as they deforested the entire place, leaving them with no natural resources. Some see it as a parable for what could happen to the planet as a whole.

Over the past few years, the island has become quite the adventure destination. It is widely considered the most remote, inhabited place on Earth, with its nearest neighbor being a tiny island called Pitcairn, which is home to just a few dozen people, and lies 1240 miles away. Easter Island falls under the jurisdiction of Chile and there are flights most days of the week.
Visitors are drawn to the stone faces of course, and they come to learn more about how they were built and eventually moved to their final resting spots. Travelers also enjoy the fact that they are actually stepping foot on a place that has its own legend and the remoteness of the island is also a huge draw. But there are also other activities for adventure travelers to enjoy. For instance, the island has earned a reputation as quite a good mountain biking destination and there are trekking trails that wander in and around the the archeological sites. Snorkeling, SCUBA diving, and horseback riding also offer interesting experiences for the adventurous.

At one time, it was nearly impossible to go to Easter Island. Its isolation kept tourists away and its mysteries intact. But now, a five hour flight from the mainland will take you to one of the most unique and remote places on Earth. A place that offers up archeological delights and plenty of outdoor adventure as well.

Budget Vacations from Seattle: Puget Sound and San Juan Islands

by Catherine Bodry on


A short boat ride from Seattle but worlds away in pace and atmosphere, the Puget Sound and San Juan islands appeal to bikers, kayakers, artists, and those simply seeking a romantic long weekend. Two-lane roads wind through cedar rain forests and farmers’ fields, and much of the islands has a decidedly rural feel. An abundance of state parks means there’s plenty of picnicking and camping options for the budget-oriented.

A handful of larger islands are visitor favorites: Whidbey, Bainbridge, Orcas, San Juan, and Lopez islands are all popular with tourists, and a couple have bustling towns to add energy to the mix. Several, particularly the islands closest to Seattle, make for great day trips.The Sights

A large part of island fun is getting there on a Washington State Ferry. The major islands listed above have regular ferry service, and the north end of Whidbey Island is also accessible by road.

On San Juan Island, Friday Harbor is a busy summertime destination, with a picturesque harbor crammed with sailboats, and a walkable town filled with art galleries and pretty views. 2009 is Friday Harbor’s centennial, so celebrations will abound this summer. Take a self-guided walking tour (print out a guide here) for an inexpensive historical tour.

To reach San Juan Island by ferry, you’ll need to drive about 90 minutes north of Seattle to Anacortes. From there, it’s a one-hour ferry ride to the island.

Whidbey Island, one of the archipelago’s largest, holds the rushing waters of Deception Pass at its northern tip. The dramatic Deception Pass Bridge links the island to the mainland via Pass Island, a small rocky outcropping. Here, swift tides make the rushing water appear deceiving like a river, which is what gave the pass its name. There are sidewalks on the bridge, so be sure to park your car and take some photos. Nearby, Deception Pass State Park has campsites, a lake with a swimming area, and a beach filled with driftwood.

Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juan cluster, and is arguably the archipelago’s artsiest. A driving or biking tour is the best way to see the island and its artisan’s galleries. Mt. Constitution perches at one end, and it take around 15 minutes to drive to the summit (it takes considerably longer to bike to the top…). Lake Moran State Park (of which Mt. Constitution is a part of) attracts campers and other recreationists; paddle-boating in Lake Moran is a fun, splashy family activity.

What to Eat

Dining options run from rustic to five-star. However, the islands’ agricultural communities support several farmers’ markets, and these are the best places to eat your veggies. If you’re on a budget, consider an al fresco meal put together from farmers’ market purchases and artisan bread from a local bakery (on Whidbey, try Nibbles Specialty Bakery, and on Orcas stop by Roses Bakery & Cafe). Make sure your food is marked with the ‘Island Certified Local’ logo.

Where to Stay

Sleeping on the islands is all about bed & breakfasts. In general, the best place to search for accommodation is on the various islands’ bed & breakfast associations’ websites. Click here for the San Juan islands site, and here for Puget Sound.

Camping is your best budget option, and there are plenty of options. Just don’t forget your rain fly.

The Top 10 American Adventures (According to National Geographic)

by Kraig Becker on

National Geographic Adventure has posted a great list of their choices for the Top 10 American Adventures, offering up plenty of great ideas for adventurous vacations that are close to home. Each of these ten adventures includes a video as well, giving us the opportunity to see first hand just why they deserve to be on the list.

From top to bottom, there are some excellent suggestions for summer vacations for anyone who isn’t looking to add a stamp to their passport in the near future. For instance, the number 10 adventure on the list is SCUBA diving in the waters near Grand Portage, MN. This portions of Lake Superior is littered with shipwrecks, making it an ideal dive spot for those wanting to stay close to home. National Geographic also points out that these are freshwater wrecks, meaning they are far better preserved than their saltwater counterparts in places like Fiji or Mexico.

Looking for an adventure that stays above the surface? Willing to peddle for a few days? Then perhaps RAGBRAI is more what you’re looking for. Sponsored by the Des Moines Register, RAGBRAI stands for the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. The seven day cycling tour is as challenging or leisurely as you want to make it. The event has taken place for years, and more than 10,000 riders are expected to take part this July. RAGBRAI is an interesting mix of physical challenge, midwest hospitailty, and summer fun, all rolled into one great event, and the nightly parties are legendary as well. The classic bike ride comes in at number 7 on the list.

Of course, there are eight other great adventures as well, ranging from hiking in the High Sierra to canoeing in the Adirondacks. There is something for everyone, no matter where you live. So don’t let the summer pass you by without taking part in one of these amazing trips.

Trials rider Danny MacAskill carves up Edinburgh

by Aaron Hotfelder on

The video below, via Outside Magazine’s excellent blog, shows an amazing Scottish biketrials rider named Danny MacAskill absolutely running rampant all over Scotland’s capital.

If you’ve never heard of trials riding before, the sport (at it’s best) can feature a rider jumping fences, hopping up on roofs, doing flips off trees, and all sorts of other mind-boggling stunts– all without a foot touching the ground. Trials riding, incidentally, may also be the world’s most painful sport to learn.

Over 2.4 million people have already watched the video below, which really gets good at the 1:02 mark.