If you’ve spent more than about 14 seconds with me in person you already know that I’m a freak for the outdoors. Surfing, trekking, biking, stand up paddling – anything to get me out of the house and into the outdoor air.
Throw in some off the beaten track travel destinations or someone pushing the limits in somewhere extreme and my adventurous wanderlust kicks into fifth gear. This is why I’m so amped to report on a relatively new online magazine that’s already putting out ultra inspiring content and sure to halt your in-office productivity.
In a direct quote from their website, “Outdoor Minded is a grassroots magazine deeply ingrained in the beauty of the outdoors, human powered sports, adventure, active lifestyles and environmental conservation.”
I mean, what else do you really need?
So what kind of content can you expect out of Outdoor Minded? How about a video showcasing the adventures of a Belgian surfer ripping apart waves inside the Arctic circle of Norway? Or, for a peek into the life of an epic outdoorsman, why not read through an interview with a NOLS river instructor?
From filmmakers wandering through remote parts of the Amazon to photo essays on the ebb and flow of the ocean, this is one site I am going to be relying on to consistently stoke the internal flame of adventure.
Why? Because really, the tag line in the sidebar pretty much says it all:
“Ditch the couch. It’s nice outside.”
Thanks for the advice, Outdoor Minded. I think a stand up paddle session is in order.
Russian man free climbs skyscraper in Moscow! You’re probably going to want to watch this video. I don’t really struggle much with the temptation to free climb enormous buildings. For one, I don’t have the skill set. My feet and hands don’t always work well together; my coordination is directly correlated to negotiable factors, like how much sleep I got the night before trying to free climb anything. With that said, most of my free climbing is limited to disarming boulders in State Parks or the washer and dryer in my kitchen, which, through free climbing, can both assist me in reaching the high cabinets above. To free climb a Stalin era skyscraper in Russia is a death wish. To watch a man execute a death wish without dying on camera is entertainment.
Excited for the upcoming Olympics? While you may have a favorite athlete in mind or a specific team you’re rooting for, there is actually a lot more that goes into preparing for the Olympic Games than working out and training. To give you a better idea, here are 20 things you probably didn’t know about the upcoming Olympic games:
There will be 26 featured sports from 39 disciplines
The games will encompass 34 venues
There have been 8.8 million tickets sold
There will be 10,500 athletes competing
21,000 media and broadcasters will be present
There will be 3,000 technical officials
There will be 7,500 team officials
One million pieces of sports equipment are being sourced by LOCOG
510 adjustable hurdles are being setup for Athletics
600 basketballs will be used
541 life jackets will be used for Canoeing, Marathon Swimming, Rowing, Sailing and the Triathlon
2,200 dozen tennis balls will be used for the games
There will be 2,700 footballs used
53 sets of lane ropes will be set up for Swimming
There will be 6,000 Archery target faces used
For Boccia, 22 tape measures will be necessary
356 pairs of Boxing gloves will be needed for the games
There will be 12 pairs of goalposts used for handball
120 head protectors will be needed for Taekwondo
For Wrestling and Judo, 99 training dolls will be needed
375 doctors will be on hand, as well as 150 nurses, 200,000 pairs of gloves and 150,000 condoms
165,000 towels 22,000 pillows will be on hand in the Olympic Village accommodation
For Games Maker uniforms, 766 miles of fabric will be necessary
Click here for more information about the London Olympics.
As we make plans for summer travel abroad and at home, concerns turn to the cost of fuel and how it might affect our projected budget. When studying global destination information, we focus on security matters, currency exchange rates and tips from trusted sources. Getting a good handle on all these topics is part of the travel process.
Now, a new concern may affect some travelers. A transportation bill making its way through Congress could allow the federal government to prevent Americans who owe back taxes from leaving the country.
The provision is part of Senate Bill 1813, also called the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, was introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in November and passed by the Senate on March 14. This far-reaching transportation bill allows the federal government to revoke the passports of citizens the IRS claims owe taxes.
Aimed at those who have a seriously delinquent tax debt in excess of $50,000, even if passed, the new law would not affect most people. Still, there are those that fear fundamental rights possessed by Americans to travel, unrestricted, within the USA borders who may be up for review.
“Be aware that once they allow the IRS to block international travel is there one among us who does not believe it will then be extended to travel within the United States?” asks the Beaufort Observer.
Concerned about laws affecting backpackers, runners, bikers and even walkers, Rails to Trails is a nonprofit charged with creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines. They are concerned that the same bill limits continued focus on trails, walking and bicycling opportunities.
Given a moment to breathe, on March 29, two days before the previous extension of our nation’s multi-year surface transportation bill expired, congress passed another 90-day extension.
But what the future will bring for international travel by those who owe taxes – or even domestic travel by someone simply looking for a new place to hike – is unknown right now.
On the international travel front, Forbes says, “If he were in charge of travel, the Soup Nazi might say, ‘No Passport for you!'” In real life, travel may seem unrelated to taxes, except perhaps for those annoying airport taxes on international destinations. But a bigger tax and travel connection could keep you at home – permanently.”
Rails to Trails believes in rights to partake in domestic hiking, backpacking, riding and walking. “For a tiny sliver of transportation funds – less than 2 percent – these programs have provided affordable, healthy transportation options, generated jobs and economic development and preserved historic and environmental assets that provide the quality of life that Americans want and deserve,” Kevin Mills, vice president of programming at RTC told Gadling late last year.
The Grand Canyon is truly epic in scale. Not only does it stretch for more than 277 miles in length it is also as much at 18 miles wide at certain points and plummets to over a mile in depth as well. It is indeed one of the true natural wonders of our planet and attracts millions of visitors on an annual basis.
But what many of those visitors don’t know is that there are a series of smaller canyons that twist and wind their way across the region. Most of those side canyons have never been explored and even in the 21st century they remain mostly unmapped and unseen by man. Recently a group of explorers dropped into those twisty, narrow passages and filmed their adventure. The full documentary of their expedition will debut at the 5Point Film Festival in a few weeks time but the trailer for the film, entitled “Last of the Great Unknown,” can be viewed below. It gives us a glimpse into this amazing place and what these modern day explorers had to go through to plumb its depths.