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The Sanford Affair Reminds America that the Appalachian Trail is Awesome

June 27, 2009 at 3:21 PM | 1 Comment

Of the 9,827 current news stories on Google News that mention the Appalachian Trail, 9,792 of them, or 99.64%, are related to South Carolina governor Mark Sanford. The governor had been missing from his office for several days, and reporters were told by his staff that Sanford was walking on the Appalachian Trail to clear his head for a few days, putting him out of reach of cell phone coverage. This turned out to be untrue. Sanford was actually in Buenos Aires tending to an illicit love affair, but the news serves as a nice reminder that Appalachian Trail season is once again upon us, and if you've never stepped foot on the trail, this might be the year to do it. (I guess it also tells us that some family-values advocates are hypocrites, but I prefer to focus on the Appalachian Trail).

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Go To Lunch With A Llama In New Mexico's Mountains

June 26, 2009 at 1:02 PM | 0 Comments

TripAdvisor recently released their members’ picks for the best tours in America. While some were pretty blah, one that really stood out to us was the opportunity to trek through the wilderness in New Mexico with llamas by your side. You don’t actually ride the llamas, but they accompany you and your group, and apparently the critters are more than happy to carry your stuff. This leaves you and your back free to enjoy nature at it’s finest. Just remember to share your water bottle with your llama friend in case he or she gets thirsty.

The tours take you into New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and all treks are at your own pace. The tour guides, and probably the llamas too, aren’t looking for a stressful journey. After you work up an appetite as you make your way through the Carson National Forest, you’ll be happy to enjoy a fresh meal. All trips serve up “Backcountry Gourmet” meals and the head guide works as a chef in the off-season—so your taste buds will be in good hands.

Tours start at just $99 if you want to experience their Take a Llama To Lunch day hike. If you’re looking to spend a couple nights in the woods, and really get in touch with your new furry buddies, 3 night tours start at $499. Just remember to bring some llama snacks with you; you probably want to get them on your good side as soon as possible.

Related Stories:
·TripAdvisor Tallies America's Top 10 Tours [Official Site]
·Wild Earth Llama Adventures [Official Site]
·Tours coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of some llamas: Big Grey Mare]

Aruba Welcomes Windsurfers Near And Far For Hi-Winds 2009

June 24, 2009 at 9:18 AM | 0 Comments

If Lewis Black hasn’t convinced you to travel to Aruba yet, then maybe the annual Aruba Hi-Winds windsurfing competition will get you there. We realize this is a pretty active endeavor, but since there's the option to take it all in from the shore, you won't have to sacrifice any precious beach time.

From July 1-6, windsurfers and kiteboarders will try their best to tame the island’s trade winds for their own pleasure and bragging rights, competing in different categories like long distance, course racing, and slalom. Amateurs and professionals alike will then gather at island haunts like Fisherman's Hut and Boca Grandi to strut their stuff.

Our pick for best battle has to be Freestyle Windsurfing, but we aren’t the flip and spin type, so you’ll catch us happily sunning ourselves as we them wrestle the winds for title of “King of the Huts.” Just make sure you don't overdo it at the welcome party at Moomba Beach Bar on the first night—those daiquiris go down easy and you've got days of sitting in the sun to do.

Related Stories:
·Aruba Hiwinds 2009 [Official Site]
·Aruba Travel: The Island's Best Dive Bar [Jaunted]
·Windsurfing [Jaunted]

[Photo: Official Site]

Paddle Yourself Silly This Summer With Canoe And Kayak Championships

June 19, 2009 at 10:07 AM | 0 Comments

We don't know about you, but we've been craving to tackle some whitewater lately and a canoe is as good as anything. In only a couple of weeks, the Whitewater Open Canoe Downriver Championships takes place, and although we're pretty good with paddles, we not quite ready for this level. Nonetheless, things get underway on July 1 and finish up on July 5 in West Forks, Maine on the Lower Dead River. With a name like that, we’ll just be spectators for this one, thank you very much.

For those that prefer a kayak for their water adventures, the Kayak Downriver National Championships will also be heading downriver soon. All races are set along an almost 13-mile course where paddlers will run into about 30 different sets of class II and III rapids. If speed is more your thing, there will be sprint races on July 3. Here, competitors will be trying their best to get through a 1.2-mile course as quickly as possible.

From the details on the races, it sounds like anyone is welcome to register to compete (so long as you can swim), as registration only has to take place one day in advance. However, we’re thinking that this isn’t for those used to a casual paddle around a calm bay or through some wetlands. Officials estimate that the sprint races can be done in only seven minutes, depending on the water level.

Related Stories:
·2009 ACA WWOCD National Championships [Official Site]
·Canoe, Kayak Championships in West Forks, Maine, July 1-5 [MaineBusiness.com]
·Active Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of a different race: penguinchris]

Nothing Motivates Better Than The Promise Of A Big Buffet

June 18, 2009 at 9:02 AM | 0 Comments

We were drawn to the idea of City Running Tours when we first read about them on HotelChatter last year, but we’ve yet to do one ourselves, mostly because we like to enact a strict no-exercise rule on vacations.

But we might make an exception for their latest endeavor, which is a sightseeing tour that brilliantly pairs exercise with overeating. Genius!

CRT’s bRUNch event concept kicks off on Saturday, June 27 with their first running/brunching event in New York. $50 gets you a guided 5-mile tour of Manhattan, drinking water, and prix fixe brunch at STAND. The NYU-area burger restaurant is known for its fancy-fast-food options like burgers topped with bacon and eggs or Portobello mushrooms and onion marmalade. Recently they've launched a brunch menu complete with the requisite cocktails, including very reasonably priced $3 mimosas and bloody Marys.

Sounds like we might need to run another 5 miles home to work that off.

Related Stories:
· bRUNch [City Running Tours]
· STAND [Official Site]
· City Running Tours Partners with The Westin Times Square [HotelChatter]

[Photo: li’lhug]

Start Stretching For This Weekend's Utah Valley Marathon

June 11, 2009 at 9:02 AM | 0 Comments

If you’ve got a lengthy layover in Salt Lake City and are looking to make the most of it, you might be interested in the Utah Valley Marathon. Starting bright on early this Saturday, June 13, the race takes places only 50 miles south of the airport and is fairly convenient to several National forests. So after the race you can enjoy even more physical activity.

There’s no cheesy stuff to keep you motivated during this course, just nature at its finest. Runners will be surrounded by mountains on all sides while following canyon roads that run along the Provo River and swing by Utah Lake. For the most part you’ll be headed down hill, so if you’re new to running, this should be a good pick. Also, this race is USATF certified, so a good time can help you qualify for the bigger races, like the Boston Marathon.

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Paddle Your Way Through The Seven Whitewater Wonders of the World

June 9, 2009 at 9:32 AM | 0 Comments

If you’re a fan of whitewater rafting, but are starting to have a been-there-done-that attitude about the excursion, you might want to consider tackling The Seven Whitewater Wonders of the World.

Outdoor Adventure River Specialists (O.A.R.S.) specializes in all things water, and has been perfecting their services since they started out in the Grand Canyon in 1969. Even if you've experienced some of these places before, they’ve selected the best runs at each location, guaranteeing more gushing water for your dollar.

Of course the Grand Canyon is one of their wonders, as well as the Middle Fork of The Salmon River in Idaho. There are two trips to British Columbia, one of which will find you camping overnight on glaciers along the Klinaklini River. If you get water logged there, just have them drop you off for a little heli-hiking.

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Three For Free: Summer Weekends at 100 National Parks

June 8, 2009 at 10:47 AM | 0 Comments

If you’ve ever been to the Grand Canyon, you know what a bummer it is to pony up $25 per carload to get into the park. We realize upkeep and facilities aren’t free, but still, it’s a little hard to swallow when you just want to see nature’s beauty. Thankfully, the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees for many national parks for three weekends this summer.

The dates of June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16 will be free of charge. The first weekend is Father’s Day, so feel free to take dear old dad out for a hike or two if the weather’s nice. He’ll definitely appreciate the experience of spending time with you in the great outdoors much more than that novelty tie you got him last year.

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Finding the Paradise of 'Up' A Little Closer To Home

June 3, 2009 at 11:17 AM | 0 Comments

If you haven’t made it to the local multiplex to see the new Disney-Pixar film Up, you’re missing out. In the movie, our heroes are headed to a fictional Paradise Falls in South America. Pixar filmmakers did head to Angel Falls in Venezuela to get some inspiration, but still, if your new dream is now to see Paradise Falls you might be out of luck.

Unless of course you have some time to head to Thousand Oaks, California, then you might fulfill your new need for exploration. From Los Angeles, you’ll take the 101 up the coast into Ventura County, where you’ll be ready to explore your own version of Paradise Falls. The trail lasts about three miles round-trip and there isn’t much of an elevation gain, so even coach potatoes should be good to go with this one. Just make sure to bring some water along with your milk duds, since the area is pretty dry, and the shade is limited along parts of the path.

You’ll be rewarded with views of a waterfall spilling into a large pool below. It’s not quite as big as the one in the movie, but it should still be worth the time and effort to get there. However, be careful of the local wildlife. Hikers have mentioned that rattlesnakes are big fans of this area near Wildwood Park. Pay attention and you’ll probably be safe.

Related Stories:
·Paradise Falls [LocalHikes]
·Paradise Falls [World-Of-Waterfalls]
·Hiking coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Neither Fanboy]

2009 Is The Big 75 For Great Smoky Mountains National Park

June 1, 2009 at 12:47 PM | 0 Comments

We had no idea that Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the most visited national park in the country, but it is, and now is a great time to join the crowds. The park is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and is promoting its birthday with special events, nature programs, and a snazzy commemorative website.

If you enjoy a little class with your national park experience, you’ll want to visit during the weekend of June 13 for the official anniversary celebration. Pack your car with some tasty vittles and moonshine—you’ll be in Appalachia after all—and head to the Cades Cove section of the park. There you'll find the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, who are dragging their tubas and oboes out to the park to perform an outdoor concert. Tickets will cost you $25 per carload.

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New Car-Free Zones Make Times Square 36% Less Disgusting

May 30, 2009 at 4:12 PM | 2 Comments

Most tourists don't realize this, but real New Yorkers don't hang out in Times Square. In fact, they avoid it whenever possible, giving a wide berth to the crowds packing Bubba Gump's Shrimp Co. and the ESPN Zone in favor of more authentic hangouts downtown. But Times Square suddenly got a whole lot more palatable to natives this week with the introduction of several new pedestrian-only zones, where you can hang out and gawk at all the neon and plasma without worrying about being mowed down by a taxi. It was a move I never thought I'd see in a city that has seemingly favored drivers over walkers in recent years, so I had to check it out. Armed with a camera and a copy of The New Yorker, I explored the new car-free oasis of Times Square during my lunch hour on Thursday, and I've got to tell you: it's great.

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The Simple Pleasures of Life: Pedal Boating in Prospect Park

May 30, 2009 at 3:20 PM | 1 Comment

So it looks like this won't be the year I buy a superyacht, but the recession can't keep me off the water entirely. In fact, we took our first boat excursion of the season last weekend - a lovely cruise on Brooklyn's Prospect Park Lake - and it only cost us $16.25, plus two bucks for ice cream. It had been years since I rented a pedal-boat, but the weather was beautiful and we were looking for a cheap way to float, so we took the Q train to the Prospect Park station and made our way to Wollman Rink, where we climbed into a yellow plastic pedal boat and hit the water.

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