It appears as though crazy bike stunts and dangerous urban bike courses just aren’t enough of an adrenaline rush anymore. In Saas-Fee, Switzerland, bikers push riding to the extreme as they pedal down a glacier in a death-defying race. A handful of the 142 riders mounted cameras to their bikes and helmets so us less adventurous (and perhaps more sane) types can get a feel for the crazy race. Riders reached speeds over the 80 mph mark as they dashed over ice and snow from a starting height of 3,500 meters to 1,700 meters. This year’s winner, Charlie Di Pasquale, completed the race in 7:31. Anyone out there up for giving it a try next year?
Video: Iceberg Flips While Ship Passes
Sometimes the key to making a great video is simply being in the right place at the right time. That happens to be the case with this clip, which was shot on Argentino Lake in Argentina. A ship just happened to be passing by the Upsala Glacier just as a massive iceberg broke apart and then rapidly flipped over in the water.
The calving of icebergs is actually fairly common although it is seldom caught on video. For those aboard that passing ship this had to have been a fascinating yet terrifying scene as that giant iceberg looks like it could do some serious damage to any boat that wandered too close. Watching that huge chunk of ice crumble and roll in the water is a sobering reminder of the powerful forces that are at work on our planet.
Adventurers Needed For Expedition Across Europe’s Largest Glacier
Travelers looking for a completely new and unique challenge will definitely want to take note of an expedition being organized by adventure travel company Secret Compass. Later this summer, the outfitter will send a small group of trekkers on one of the first commercial expeditions across Europe‘s largest glacier, the Vatnajokull ice cap located in Iceland.
The 12-day journey is scheduled to take place July 13-24 and will give travelers a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore glacial valleys, ice caverns and snow capped volcanoes across Vatnajokull’s massive expanse. They’ll also experience beautiful waterfalls, steaming hot springs, rushing rivers jammed with ice and the incomparable Northern Lights.
Participants in this adventure will certainly want to be in good physical condition, as the entire journey will be made on cross-country skis. They’ll also be pulling all of their gear and supplies behind them on sleds, just as polar explorers in the Arctic and Antarctic have done for decades. If that isn’t enough, the intended route will even take the group to the summit of Hvannadalshnukur, the tallest mountain in Iceland at 6923 feet.
This is an epic adventure that isn’t for the faint of heart. Secret Compass has put together an expedition to an extremely remote and wild place that few humans will ever have the opportunity to experience. For that reason alone this new offering is likely to appear on many bucket lists in the year ahead.
The cost for the trip is £2099 (about $3365) and only 12 lucky people will get to join the expedition. For more information click here.
Photo of the Day: the greener side of Antarctica
We see a lot of amazing images from Antarctica, some with jaw-dropping glaciers and icebergs, others with cuddlier subjects like penguins. Seeing the greener side of Antarctica is rarer, as we tend to envision the continent as perennially covered in ice and snow. While no trees and few leafy plants grow there, you can still see green fields like the one above captured by Flickr user SummitVoice1 on some of the sub-Antarctic islands. The almost plush animal-like chinstrap penguins pop against the background of green grass and white feathers.
Add your unusual travel photos to the Gadling Flickr pool and you may see one featured as a future Photo of the Day.
Video: Glacier collapses into ocean, kayakers and penguins flee
Imagine this: You’re one of the lucky ones who have embarked on a trip to the Antarctic and are exploring the waters around a glacier on a kayak. As you peacefully glide through the waters, you can’t help but think that life is pretty much awesome. Suddenly, a huge chunk of the glacier breaks off and falls into the ocean. You watch, helpless, as icy waves come crashing toward you. Even the nearby penguins begin scurrying away. Suddenly, life gets a little scary for you and your travel buddies. Would you have the ability to navigate the frigid waters? Take a look at the video above and see if these kayakers made it out of the situation unscathed!