Articles tagged “adventure travel”

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Biking, Camping, Climbing, Hiking, Paddling, Scuba diving, Skiing, Surfing

National Parks go fee-free for Veterans Day weekend

by Kraig Becker on

In honor of Veterans Day, the National Park Service has declared another fee-free weekend. Starting tomorrow, and running through Sunday, all entry fees into America’s national parks will be waived, giving travelers the opportunity to enjoy the crisp fall weather in some of the most spectacular landscapes the country has to offer.

While the fall colors in many of the parks have come and gone, there are still some places where the reds, oranges, and golds of autumn can still be spotted. Particularly at the lower altitudes in Yosemite and near the Chattahoochee River in Georgia. The cooler weather also makes it the perfect time to take a long hike or go camping one final time before winter sets in. It is also a great time to spot wildlife in places like Yellowstone or Rocky Mountain National Park, where the change in seasons puts the elk and sheep on the move.

This is the final fee-free weekend of 2011, so take advantage of it if you can. But if you aren’t able to make it out to your favorite park over the next few days, don’t worry too much. The Park Service has already announced 17 more free days for 2012, with the first of those coming January 14-16 in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

For a complete list of the parks that will be participating this weekend, click here.

Android powered ski goggles deliver high tech fun to the slopes

by Kraig Becker on

There is no doubt that we live in an increasingly connected world. Mobile Internet access, social networking, and the continued proliferation of smartphones, now keep us in constant contact no matter where we go. Now, that connection is about to extend to the ski slopes, thanks to a new high tech display system that is integrated right inside our ski goggles.

Recon Instruments has just released their MOD and MOD Live systems, which are designed to fit into any Recon Ready goggles, which are available from a variety of manufacturers. The Micro-Optics Displays (MOD) provide skiers and snowboarders with a wealth of information while they’re on the mountain, while simultaneously recording a plethora of data as well. For instance, the MOD system keeps track of speed, altitude, distance traveled, temperature, location, and so on. All of that data can be displayed on the tiny screen, and is available right at your fingertips.

The basic MOD functionality is quite cool, even if it isn’t necessarily something new. But where Recon Instruments is really raising the bar is with their MOD Live system. This product contains everything you find in the basic MOD, but adds on-board navigation, an option for tracking the location of your buddies on the mountain, and even a list of points of interest at the ski resort itself. The Live system is powered by Android and connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone as well, allowing text messages and caller ID to be displayed on the screen, along with track information from the music that you are listening to.

The fun doesn’t end there either. After you’ve finished up on the slopes, you can go home and upload all the data to your computer, then post your results on Recon’s HQ Online community. You’ll also be able to add photos and video and brag about your day through Facebook and Twitter.

I had the chance to put a pair of these goggles on at the Outdoor Retailer show this past August, and thought that they were a lot of fun. The display is easy to read and the amount of information available was pretty amazing. I imagine these could be a big hit for skiers and snowboarders who spend a lot of time on the slopes. They look like they are a lot of fun and super convenient as well.

The MOD and MOD Live are available now with a price tag of $299 and $399 respectively.


Recon Instruments Fall 2011 Product Lineup from Recon Instruments on Vimeo.

Trekkers stranded in Lukla, Nepal again

by Kraig Becker on

Bad weather in the Himalayas has left many travelers stranded in a remote village in Nepal this past weekend, stretching supplies and accommodations to the limit. Fortunately, improving conditions allowed for many of them to be evacuated yesterday, with those remaining are expected to return to Kathmandu today.

Last week, heavy fog and rain descended on Lukla, a small village located at 9383 feet in the Himalayas. The village has one of the few airports in the region and serves as the main gateway for adventure travelers and climbers headed to Mt. Everest and other major peaks. That airport is considered to be amongst the most dangerous in the world during the best of conditions, and the heavy fog grounded all incoming and outgoing traffic starting on October 31st. With no planes getting in or out, trekkers completing their hikes were left stranded, and by the weekend, nearly 2000 people were stuck in the mountain town.

The fog and rain finally lifted yesterday, allowing aircraft to start shuttling trekkers out of the mountains at last, but the final groups weren’t expected to be airlifted until today. Other travelers elected to continue their hike on to the village of Jiri, a four day journey that would allow them to return to Kathmandu via bus and thereby avoid any further weather delays.

This is the second year in a row that the weather has left travelers stranded in Lukla. In November of last year thick fog prevented planes from getting in and out of the town as well, forcing the Nepali army to eventually use helicopters to facilitate the evacuation process. Fall in the Himalaya is a popular time for trekking, but the weather can be a bit unpredictable as the region transitions from the summer monsoons to the clear, cold of winter.

Having visited Lukla in the spring of 2010, it boggles my mind to think that there were more than 2000 people stranded there. The town is meant to be a brief stop over for those coming and going from Everest, and really isn’t set-up to accommodate that many visitors at one time. Judging from the reports, it seems everyone made it through just fine, but I’m sure there were some cramped quarters and cozy accommodations for a few days.

Gadling gear review: Kelty Cosmic Down 20º sleeping bag

by Kraig Becker on

Over the past 60 years, Kelty has built itself a reputation for designing high quality outdoor gear that won’t empty your wallet. Their line of equipment includes backpacks, tents, camp lights, and more, all of which has helped inspire several generations of Americans to go outside and enjoy their time in nature. One of Kelty’s signature lines of equipment has always been their sleeping bags, which is a piece of gear that is integral to enjoying any camping trip. After all, if we don’t get a good nights sleep, chances are we’ll never want to go camping again.

The Kelty legacy for providing affordable and high quality gear remains well intact with their Cosmic Down selection of bags. Available in ratings of both 0º and 20º Fahrenheit, the company has brought affordable down-filled sleeping bags to the masses. These days, our sleeping bags are generally filled with natural goose down or a mix of synthetic materials, both of which have their advantages and disadvantages. Down tends to be warmer and lighter than synthetic, but it can also be much more expensive and doesn’t always perform well in wet conditions. Those are all important options to consider when purchasing a bag for your next adventure.

I recently had the opportunity to test the Cosmic Down 20º bag and was pleasantly surprised at how well it performed. Not only is it a comfortable option for three-season camping (spring, summer, fall), it compresses down to a small footprint, allowing it to fit nicely inside your backpack. It is also well built, with high quality materials and zippers, and features a host of nice touches, such as a warm hood, security loops for attaching to a sleeping pad, and a stuff sack for carrying the bag while on the go. In short, Kelty has put a lot of work into delivering a product that will fill the needs of most travelers who need a sleeping bag, and it shows through quite quickly.
When put to use in real-world conditions, the Cosmic Down 20º lived up to its rating, keeping me warm on cooler nights. That said, I wouldn’t want to push this bag any further than that rating, and if you’re going to be using it in colder temperatures, you may want to consider the 0º option or adding a liner for additional warmth. The Cosmic Down also comes in three different sizes (small, medium, and large) and for the best performance and comfort, you’ll want to be sure to choose the bag that is right size for you. Additionally, this is a “mummy” style bag, which wraps around the head for added warmth, and while I prefer these types of sleeping bags, there are some who feel a bit claustrophobic with this type of design. If you haven’t used a mummy bag before, you may want to try one out before buying.

Make no mistake, there are warmer, lighter, and more durable sleeping bags on the market. Those bags are also a lot more expensive than Kelty’s offering. The Cosmic Down starts at just $99 (add $10 for medium and $20 for large sizes), which is an unbelievable price for a down-filled sleeping bag. That makes the CD a very attractive option for casual campers or those looking to invest their money in upgrading their other camping gear, such as their tent or backpack.

It is difficult to overstate just how much bang for your buck the Cosmic Down delivers. If you’re in the market for a new sleeping bag or if you need one for an upcoming trip, this is an option that will not only meet the needs of the vast majority of travelers, it’ll do so without breaking the bank. As the holidays approach, the Cosmic Down also makes a great gift for the outdoor enthusiast on your list as well. For casual use, in weather that is less than extreme, it is hard to beat this bag.

Medieval pilgrims journeyed deep into Africa, archaeologists discover

by Sean McLachlan on


The Kingdom of Makuria is the quintessential forgotten civilization. Very few people have even heard of it, yet it ruled southern Sudan for hundreds of years and was one of the few kingdoms to defeat the Arabs during their initial expansion in the 7th century AD. Makuria was a Christian kingdom, born out of the collapse of the earlier Christian kingdom of Axum. Makuria survived as a bulwark of Christianity in medieval Africa until it finally collapsed in 1312.

Now excavations of some of its churches at Banganarti and Selib have revealed that this kingdom was a center of pilgrimage, attracting people from as far away as Catalonia, in modern Spain. The 2,300 mile journey from Spain to southern Sudan is a long one even today, but imagine when it had to be done on horseback, walking, and boats powered only by sails and oars. Yet an inscription records that one Catalan named Benesec made the journey almost a thousand years ago, probably to pray for a cure to an illness. “Benesec” was a popular Catalan name in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Another inscription with an accompanying painting shows a Muslim man, Deif Ali, making a pilgrimage to the church to pray for a cure to his blindness. This isn’t as unusual as it might sound. In regions where religions mingle, some people will go to holy places of the other religion. When I covered the Hindu pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela for Reuters back in 2001, I met Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs all coming to be a part of the religious festival.

Makurian artists produced some amazing religious frescoes, like this image of the birth of Jesus, courtesy Wikimedia Commons, and this closeup of St. Anne, also courtesy Wikimedia Commons. Both come from the cathedral of Faras, an important Makurian city.

The churches are in southern Sudan, not the new Republic of South Sudan. The nation of Sudan (the northern one) has many sites of archaeological and historical interest and is a popular destination for adventure travel.