Video Of The Day: Woman ‘Walks The Line’ Between Two Speeding Trucks

On a deserted highway in Vrgorac, Croatia, Faith Dickey walks a slackline between two speeding trucks as they barrel toward a tunnel. Slacklining is an increasingly popular extreme sport developed by climbers in Yosemite Valley, California, in the 1970s and 1980s. It is similar to tightrope walking, but instead of walking on a taut steel cable slackliners make their way across a piece of nylon webbing anchored between two points. Although this high production video was filmed by Volvo to show off the company’s new FH model truck, Dickey’s abilities (as well as those of the truck drivers) are not any less impressive.

“The stunt itself had to have been the most difficult line I have ever walked,” writes Dickey on her website. “It took numerous rehearsals and numerous attempts, the ratio of walks to falls was quite distanced. Unlike a slackline, where you cause the movement, the line between trucks was moving due to bumps in the road and of course any sway in the trailers where the line was attached.”

Photo Of The Day: Stunning View Of Yosemite Valley

I may be in New York City today, but I’ve got the great outdoors on my mind. In my head I can almost see the towering mountains, smell the crisp scent of pine in the air and hear the faint whistle of birds off in the distance. So when I saw Flickr user oilfighter’s photo of clouds breaking over Yosemite National Park, I knew I had to pick it. This magnificent capture of one of the world’s most famous valleys makes me feel like I was there, nostrils full of fresh air, staring out at this impressive view.

Taken any great photos of our National Parks? Or perhaps just the park around the corner from your house? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk – White Water Rafting (part 2)!

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk, episode 28 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Ready for part two of Travel Talk’s White Water Rafting adventure?! We’re taking you on the rest of our 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 explain some of the jargon that rafting guides use to describe the river’s obstacles and give a short run down of some of the world’s best rivers for thill-seeking and white water adventure.

So take a deep breath and get ready for more action!

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

Subscribe via iTunes:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Travel Talk feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

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 the full rafting glossary? Check out a sample here.

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

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

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.

Subscribe via iTunes:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Travel Talk feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

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.

All roads to Yosemite National Park closed

The National Park Service has announced that all roads leading into Yosemite National Park are currently closed due to excessive snow and ice, as well as fallen trees in the area. The roads were officially closed last night and will be reevaluated throughout the day today to determine when access to the park can be restored.

Winter storms hit the Yosemite region on Thursday dumping loads of fresh snow across the park. The valley floor reportedly received two feet of accumulation, which pales in comparison to other locations. For instance, Badger Pass received as much as eight to ten feet of new snow and Tuolumne Meadows also received six feet of fresh powder.

Those planning on visiting the park this weekend are encouraged to call the 24-hour road conditions hot line at 209-372-0200 to determine the current status of access to Yosemite. Additionally, all vehicles that do enter the park over the next few days are required to carry snow chains and be prepared to deal with rapidly changing conditions that could include more falling trees.

Yosemite National Park, located along the western slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is a popular hiking and climbing destination throughout the year, offering more than 1200 square miles of landscapes to explore, including high peaks, remote valleys, and lush forests.