GadlingTV’s Travel Talk – White Water Rafting on the Tuolumne!

by Stephen Greenwood on

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk, episode 27 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Suit up, strap in, and get ready for this week’s Travel Talk! We’re going white water rafting down California’s mighty Tuolumne River on an action packed 2-day adventure. We’ll show you what it takes to navigate Class IV+ rapids and teach you all of the vocabulary that you’ll need in order to stay dry.

In this episode’s couch talk, we’ll delve into a little bit of the history behind America’s National Park System; what the first established park was, what the most frequently visited park is, and what terms the NPS uses to classify our many protected lands.

Think you’re ready? Click the link below to watch.

If you have any questions or comments about Travel Talk, you can email us at talk AT gadling DOT com.

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Links
Appetite wet for a real rafting trip? Then check out Oars.com for some of the best guided expeditions around the world.
Tuolumn-what? Get familiar with the mighty T!
Want more info on a National Park near you? Check out NPS.gov for information.

All images used under a Creative Commons license. All music used courtesy of Nonstop Music.

The great pumpkin race and fake, but looks real, whitewater rafting

by Gadling Staff on

A while ago I wrote a post about indoor skiing in China. People, you see, can build about anything. If you’re interested in some thrills thanks to ingenuity here’s another option. In McHenry, Maryland you can go white water rafting on a river that’s not really a river, but it sure looks and acts like one. The Adventure Sports Center International (asci) has a 1700 foot long white water rafting course where water is released at certain heights and speeds to simulate rapids. The course can be adjusted to match rafters’ skills. Kayaking is also offered.

This coming weekend there are two events for those with a creative bent. One, The Great Pumpkin Race involves carving a pumpkin and sending it down the rapids. The other, The Hooligan Race, is where people sail various crafts they’ve made. The crafts can’t be boats, and from the requirement that participants wear a life jacket and helmet, I assume the crafts must be able to carry a passenger.