Last Minute Opening! Spring Through the Rockies and Wildflowers in the Summertime

Today is your lucky day. Nope, we didn't read that off of a fortune cookie. Adventure Running Co. has a few last minute openings on their Colorado Trail Adventure Run scheduled August 9th -13th in Frisco, CO. Experience the Rockies like none other as you deeply breathe in the alpine wilderness and up to ninety-eight miles of bliss that most don't have the chance to experience in five days. Starting at Kenosha Pass (3,048m) burn some serious trail as you begin to make your way ...

Inca Run 2010

This month the newsletter covers two extreme ski races, but how about a running race through Bolivian altitudes of between 2,800 meters and 5,000 meters, that are sure to leave you breathless? The Inca Run starts at Island of the Sun, Lake Titicaca and ends in Sorata.  The route covers a stunningly scenic and challenging landscape, that is set in the heart of the Bolivian Andes. It  should take a week.  There are two categories: Self Sufficient Stage Run: (A prologue and then 4 stages for total of 160k for runners, trekkers and expeditioners.) Non-Stop Ultra Run: Teams of 2 (160 ...

Eco-Renaissance

EcoArts Tours is calling all artists to get out of the studio and into the world! Founder Rosalyn Salters has bridged her passions for art and environmentalism in a initiative that seeks to “unify the arts and travel through environmentally sustainable, authentic and cross-cultural experiences.” Basically – all the stuff we love and promote.  Rosalyn believes that art and travel can work together to preserve eco-systems, cultures and art for future generations. There are four areas of focus: dance, music, cuisine and fine arts.  Itineraries include visits to cultural sites, discussions with artists and environmentalists, workshops etc.  Check out ...

Tristan de Cunha: Profile

Tristan de Cunha: no airplanes, no five star hotels, no busy streets. Tristan is a tiny speck on the globe.  It was discovered in 1506 and inhabited in 1816.  It  has a remarkable story and is now home to approximately 264 people.  The island is 37 square miles in size and is the largest of a group of islands; Inaccessible Island lies 20 miles to the west, Nightingale Island 25 miles to the south west and Gough Island 220 miles to the south. Inaccessible and ...

Winter Ranching!

When snow blankets the Rocky Mountains, many of Colorado's ranches are still open. The region is famous for its powder, making it a veritable playground for snow sports: ice fishing, back-country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and, of course, horseback riding. Sylvan Dale Ranch is transformed in wintertime - try a Bunk and Breakfast weekend of winter sports and cozy fireplaces nights. The individual cabins are clustered beneath the giant cottonwoods which sprinkle snow on you as you walk underneath them. Nearby Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park provide miles of trails for crosscountry skiing or hoseback riding. We especially like Sylvan ...

Try This: Kayak in Quebec

Along with fifteen of our colleagues from the ATTA Summit, during the Day of Adventure we geared up in wetsuits and jumped in tandem kayaks to paddle sixteen kilometers down the coast of the St. Lawrence River, in La Malbaie, Quebec. As we paddled, our team of guides from Katabatik Kayak regaled us with stories of early tourists to the region: American hunters who traveled to this outpost by train to stay at the Chateau Richelieu as well as explanations of the unusual ...

Try This: Man Camp!

The man-cation now has an option other than golf or Vegas. This November, in Carmel Valley, CA – the Original Man Camp launches its inaugural weekend. The three-day camp offers guys a menu of activities, mostly designed to beef up manly skills like gourmet grilling, fixing a car’s engine, improving poker skills, guitar playing or refining the beer palette – all led by world experts. It is also pioneering a new ...

A Mini Safari in Grand Teton National Park

Check out the Mini Safari in Grand Teton National Park led by non-profit Wildlife Expeditions as part of the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s annual Western Visions fundraiser. Guests will enjoy firsthand advice and commentary from the featured artists, Lindsay Scott and Leo E. OSbourne, as they travel through the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, experiencing a variety of native birds and animals during prime early morning viewing hours. The Mini Safari takes place from 6:30 – 11:00 ...

Try the Doobie-doobie Hairdo!

Interested in trying a local beauty regime next time you are visiting the Dominican Republic? Try a Doobie-doobie! While it may look like a portable antenna or a device to communicate with aliens – it is in fact the most effective way to keep your hair free of frizz in the tropical weather. Chances are you will spot a couple (if not hundreds) of women in doobie-doobie fashion around the Caribbean. Want to learn how to do one yourself? Just follow these simple steps ...

The Cayos Cochinos, Honduras

The Cayos Cochinos, a string of tropical islands off the Northern Coast of Honduras, is an often overlooked destination. But the vibrant Garifuna culture, coupled with the unspoiled marine and forest experiences make it worth the trek.  The best way to get there is to hop on a fishing boat from Sambo Creek or Nueva Armenia - you can do this through a tour operator or by heading down to the water. There’s usually a steady ...

Japan Yoga Retreat

Between September 19-22nd head to the Tranquil Ryokan in Izu, Japan for a yoga retreat led by Ange Gervan and Cameron Tukapua.  The retreat is based on the Chinese 5 Elements of Nature and the theme of “Turning Within.” It is designed to help participants understand who they are in relation to nature and other living beings, starting with their understanding of the five elements. We first met Ange on the PEPYride, where she would lead impromptu yoga every morning ...

Exhibit of Travel Photography by Adam Vaught opens in Mill Valley, CA

Off the Radar photographer Adam Vaught has an advantage over many in his field - in addition to photography, Adam also works as a consultant in adventure tourism development (with Xola Consulting, Inc.) and as a cycling guide for the up-market adventure tour operator, Backroads.  His travels for work, as well as pleasure, have offered him many chances over the years to develop an exotic portfolio of portraits - pictures of people in some of the most unusual places on earth.  In his first showing,  Portraits Across Three Continents (opens Tuesday, July 7th 2009 at 142 Throckmorton Theatre ...

Try This : Driving the Tajik/Afghan Border

This wild ride comes from Sam Moon, who is working in Dushanbe.  He recently drove along the Tajik/Afghan border from Khorog to Murghab. "It's a fascinating 300km drive from Khorog, the regional capital of GBAO, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, to Murghab, the highest town in Tajikistan, at 3,650m above sea level.  The drive spans most of GBAO, a mostly remote and desolate landscape, where a population of 27,000 inhabits a country the size of Switzerland.  Rugged  mountains covered in crisp snow stretch into the horizon.   For two-thirds of the trip, the road weaves along the Afghan border.  The ...

Top 10 Things You Really DON’T Need to Pack When Traveling to Another Country

Off the Radar thinks there are some things that should absolutely be left at home! Here is our Top Ten list of things NOT to pack when traveling to another country. 1. White clothes 2. 4 pairs of shoes (maybe just two we say sport sandals and sneakers) 3. Hairdryer 4. An attitude 5. More than one book (a tip, if you aren't going to read it at home, you aren't going to read it on vacation - don't bring Shakespeare unless you know you're going to enjoy it!) 6. ...

Try This: Pozos

Three bus rides away from San Miguel De Allende in the central Mexican province of Guanajato, is Pozos, an old mining town.  Pozos is actively promoting an "Art Walk," and the mysteries of its abandoned silver mines. Over five hundred barely noticeable circular cement markers are scattered around the outskirts of the town, indicating the presence of mine shafts, some over 150 feet deep.  You can walk through the faded red ruins of the mining industry - brick buildings where equipment was stored and accommodations for the workers.  The first ruin up the road from the main ...

Church of Our Lady, Bruges

Aside from the many other attractions Bruges holds for the visitor, including breweries, macabre art in the Groeninge Museum, and the magnificent Belfort (bell tower) overlooking the square, stands the massive Church of Our Lady. The church took two centuries to build, and boasts the tallest spire in Belgium (and the second tallest brick tower in the world). Perhaps as a result of the long build-time, the church is a mish-mash of architectural styles, and some of the interior decoration looks like it was selected by Tim Burton. Aside ...

Board an Earthship in Taos, New Mexico

In a high mesa valley tucked into the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range you’ll find architect Michael Reynolds’ vision for sustainable living come to life: the Greater World Earthship Community.  The location places the community near the outer fringes of Taos, New Mexico, where one might imagine civilization ends after crossing the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. There are no lights illuminating the night sky indicating the location of a town, neighborhood or city. This truly off-the-radar community does not produce the human imprint of most suburban households.  Earthships are constructed ...

Haramaki Love

Have you heard of haramaki? During her time living in Japan, Julia Aynsley discovered this must-have fashion and health accessory. Upon her return to Canada, she founded Haramaki Love specializing in local, sustainably handmade haramaki. So what is haramaki? Loosely translated, haramaki comes from the Japanese words hara, meaning the center of the body, and maki, meaning 'to wrap up', much like a maki sushi roll. Historically a piece of Samurai armor, haramaki evolved into a fashionable tubular garment that is worn around the midsection of the body. Haramaki are great worn as layering pieces and are ideal as maternity wear.  ...

See the Soviet Cetacean Soldiers

The famed "killer dolphins", released into the Gulf of Mexico from an American military compound during hurricane Katrina have finally been recaptured and will be on exhibit at Florida's "Flaquarium " from April 3rd to 5th, 2009. Russian military specialists trained the dolphins at Sevastopol before the head of the programme, Boris Zhurid, was forced to sell the animals after funding cuts in 2000. A joint American PETA-Military team purchased the animals soon afterwards. The recent recapture is a relief to ocean-goers everywhere, as the dolphins are highly trained and extremely dangerous. It is rumored that some ...

The Okinawan Iditarod Opens to International Competitors

The Okinawan Iditarod is a grueling loop from the capital of Naha to the northern tip of the island and back. The only requirement is that the participants must complete the race in a cart pulled by a pygmie horse. Traditionally the event was open only to residents of the island, coinciding with the end of Irei No Hi (translated roughly as "The Day to Console the Spirits"), a memorial day marking the end of the battle of Okinawa . The mayor of Naha, Takeshi Onaga, recently explained the change in participation: "We are extremely proud of ...

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