OK, it’s actually much much older than that, but the National Monument that became a symbol of how, or rather where, we might communicate with extraterrestrials is turning 100. Cue the Close Encounters music. No, you won’t likely run into Richard Dreyfuss there or need to learn the hand signals for talking to ET, but you can still get in some fine hiking, mountain biking and general photography.
Interactive Colorado
I spent four years of my life in Colorado and still have very fond thoughts about the state. From corner to corner you will find epic scenery and boundless things to do that will satisfy nearly every outdoorsy jones (with the exception, perhaps, of surfing and sailing). Away.com has got a nice little interactive on Colorado that reveals some of Colorado’s treasures. It’s a fine place to check out and might help sway your decision-making process as you plan a summer trip.
Ten Destinations Under $1,000
I don’t know if we can call these “cash-strapped times”. I suppose it depends on your station in life and whether you are a CEO of a major corporation who just got a $250 million bonus even though your company’s stock is down. But for most of us, the idea of taking a trip and not having to take out a second mortgage is rather savory.
I have been doing some shopping around for plane tickets to Europe this summer and — whoa — it is hard to find ANYTHING for under $1,000. And that’s JUST FOR AIRFARE! So what are we middle-class folks to do? Well, you’ll have to get your own fact-checkers on board to look into the deals here, but its coming from good ol USA Today, so you can probably be sure the stuff is accurate.
Here in this article they offer a solid list of rather impressive adventures for under $1000. Per person that is. What kind of stuff do they suggest? A road trip to the next state? Nope. Better than that. There are trips here to Chile and the Torres del Paine (a favorite of mine), Utah (for biking), Belize (for diving) and Tuscany (for eating and shooting photos). Could you really imagine that you could get to for under a grand? Me neither. That’s why it’s important to note that many of these trips don’t include airfare. And more, many of them (like the excursion) are timed for winter, which right now seems way too far off, especially for those of us trying to make up our razadooks what to do this summer.
GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of May 28
You’ve probably been wondering what camp grounds we’ve been hiding away at with it being so quiet at times, but mind you we’re out there dirtying up the soles of our finest trekking shoes and reading blog after blog/paper after paper to bring you worldly goodies. So if you’ve missed them by chance here’s your opportunity to catch up with this week’s Gadling Take Five.
5. Dining in Newport, Kentucky – Hofbräuhaus:
I wouldn’t normally place a restaurant review in the Take Five, but this one seems worth a second mention. If you’re traveling anywhere around the Cincinnati, OH/Kentucky border, you’ll want to swing by the Hofbräahaus for incredible German fare and entertainment. Bring your entire posse.
4. Houseboating in the Emerald City:
Erik does a brief tid-bit on the splendors of houseboating in Seattle’s Lake Union area as mentioned in a Washington Post piece. If you’re on a search for alternative living situations this looks like a very cool one to consider. It’s like a vacation home that’s always home.
3. European Rock Festivals:
Like Neil, who blogs on how much he hates missing good European Rock Festivals, I too dislike knowing I’ve missed something incredibly rockin’ or that poor travel planning was the reason behind it. Thankfully Neil points out a great piece from the New York Times on the major European festivals so we can mark them on our calendars between museum visits.
2. Nesting of the Giant Leatherback Turtles, Grand Riviere, Trinidad:
Nature and wildlife lovers should stop whatever they’re doing right now to visit Karen’s Hidden Gems piece on the giant Leatherback turtles in Grand Riviere, Trinidad. With all the time I spent in TnT on my last two visits, I never had the chance to check out the turtles and it appears they’re a real treat. Don’t miss them on your own travels.
1. Ignoring the Critically Sick on Everest:
This post really stings and looking at the comments we can see how tough a decision it must be to leave someone dying on Everest. Erik discovered the story of a 34-year-old British climber who was critically sick, passed by 40 or so climbers and left to die in the Seattle Times. Ugh! If you’ve ever thought of climbing Everest you may want to read this piece – not to scare you, but to give you a little something extra to consider.
Ignoring the Critically Sick on Everest
The effort to climb Everest takes much more than physical exertion. It also requires a lot of preparation and money. Peak fees to scale the tallest mountain in the world can run you more than $50,000. So is it a surprise that for some who climb the mountain, the site of an ailing person would get no more than just a glance? The fate of a British climber who died as other climbers passed him is an interesting case of how brutal and competitive climbing Everest can be.
Take a look at this piece at the Seattle Times that examines the fate of David Sharp, a 34 year-old British climber who, says the piece, sat in a stultified state as 40 or so climbers haled themselves past him, some of whom had to be aware how badly off he was. Says the piece, “the few who stopped to check on him – and at least one team did give him oxygen – said he was so near death there was nothing that could be done.”
Unfathomable callousness or reasonable behavior?