Miscellaneous Sports

Across Costa Rica, you see billboard signs offering Canopy Tours, otherwise known as a zipline. It’s an exhilarating ride, especially when you’re socked into the cloud forest on an almost kilometer-long flight through the woods and can barely see anything around you, including the next platform to land. In rare moments when the clouds lift, you look down and spot the lush ferns, moss-covered tree trunks and vines that dangle down from the unruly ficus trees. Go with a reputable company like Selvatura. Or venture to Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast to spot monkeys and sloths in the jungle-like interior. Now ziplines are starting to pop up in North America. If you’re headed to Whistler next February to catch the Winter Olympics, try the year round zipline that cruises across Fitzsimmons Creek from Whistler to Blackcomb. Offered by Ziptrek Ecotours, it’s the longest zipline in North America.
 

I’m back in the Adirondacks, my home away from home and one of my favorite regions to write about. To give you a little taste of upstate New York, I’ve decided to dedicate this week to blogging about the area. The Adirondacks is the largest park of any kind in the lower 48 states. It is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Olympic National Parks combined. It is larger than the state of New Hampshire, larger than six other states. Its six million acres contains more than 2,800 ponds and lakes, 1,500 miles of rivers. Indeed, ninety percent of all plants and animals that exist north of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Mississippi River can be found somewhere in the Adirondacks. 

Yet, for several reasons, the Adirondacks and even the Catskills in the southern part of the state have remained a coveted secret cherished mostly by northeasterners. Like most tourism in New York State, it is overshadowed by the large metropolis that sits in the south. More importantly, unlike Yellowstone, Yosemite, or even Acadia on the Maine coast, the Adirondacks are a state park. It's not even entirely government owned. Within the “Blue Line” delineating the State Park’s boundary is a mix of public and private lands. Thus, despite its immensity, the Adirondacks will never have the popularity or crowds that swell the national parks in summer.

Although it took 26 hours or more on railroads, stagecoaches, and steamboats to get to the Adirondack Mountains from New York City in the 1870s, the remoteness of this region proved to be more of an attraction than a deterrent. To make traveling more pleasurable, the wealthy elite, including J.P. Morgan, William Whitney, and Alfred Vanderbilt built their own private railway car, complete with brass railings, shower, card room, and bed. Eventually they would have to climb aboard a boat to get to their final destination. Guideboats, a little larger than rowboats, were used to escort visitors on the network of waterways that form a vast web of blue throughout the Adirondacks. Enter the Boats Building at the wonderful Adirondack Museum on a hillside overlooking Blue Mountain Lake and you can find birch-bark canoes and guideboats dating back to the 1840s.
 

Each fall, a fascinating event takes flight in the rugged wilds of northwestern Mongolia. It’s the Golden Eagle Festival, a celebration of the heritage and traditions of the native Kazakhs who use Golden Eagles to hunt small prey, not for sport but for survival. On the 10th Anniversary of the Golden Eagle Festival, adventure tour company Nomadic Expeditions offers a unique six-night journey through the Altai Mountains. Highlights include visiting families in their traditional huts, eagle-racing, and equestrian competitions where you have the chance for a Golden Eagle to perch on your arm. The Golden Eagle Festival will be held on September 30 – October 10, 2009.

This must be the year of the dogsled because I just received my third dogsledding assignment in the past month. It must be the rare chance to get lost in the woods for an hour, day, or week that has propelled dogsledding from a marginal sport to the mainstream. All across the snowbelt, outfitters are popping up to lead guests on trips.  This is also true in warm-weather months, when Iditarod riders offer dogsledding on wheels to cruise passengers in Juneau making their way up Alaska’s Inside Passage.  With an average speed of 12 miles an hour, you can get out in the countryside faster than a typical cross-country skier. Plus, you don’t have to deal with the noise or smoke coming from a snowmobile. But the best part is hugging those cute little furballs.

In Maine, go with Mahoosuc Guide Service, offering trips ranging from one day to one week.  They also partner with the AMC in Maine to feature a sporting camp-to-sporting camp trip in late January. Wintergreen Dogsledding Lodge has been offering Lassie-led trips into Minnesota’s Boundary Water Canoe Area for 30 years. Using Wintergreen’s large chalet as your base in Ely, you and the other sled teams in your party will cover 5 to 10 miles daily, gliding across the ice on one of the Boundary Water’s mind-boggling 1,100 lakes.
 

To truly get excited about the Winter Olympics in Whistler this coming February, you should sample several of the sports. At Utah Olympic Park in Park City, the ski jump, bobsled, and freestyle skiing venue are all open to the public. Freestyle skiers can take their lumps on small jumps before they try the big one, wannabe bobsledders spend $65 for a ride that lasts a little more than one minute. And, ye of proven mettle can sleep at night knowing that the 10, 20, and 40K ski jumps are accessible to amateurs. Our guide informed us that an 84 year-old man attempted the 20K jump and had a solid landing. Wonderful, I think to myself. That gives me another four decades to consider catching air the length of a football field and a half.  In the meantime, I’m heading back to the slopes to ski.
 

Snowboarding is so old school. The latest winter craze is snowkiting. Comparable to kitesurfers, who skim the lake and ocean waters come summer, snowkiters cruise over snow-crusted fields and iced-over lakes. Attached to a kite, snowkiters can catch air like kitesurfers, but you’re not coming down to a soft splash. The reason why you need to wear a good ski helmet. For more information on events and gear, check out snowkiting.com.

 

In February, I had the chance for the second year in a row to float down the mountainous White River, a definite highlight of any trip to Jamaica. High in the hills above Ocho Rios, the water is cool and as clear as gin. Guides sing Bob Marley songs as you flow with the slow-moving current. Or listen to the high-pitched call of the yellow banana quit bird and peer out at the green mosaic of ferns, banana trees, and thickets of bamboo that climb the banks of this sinuous waterway like ivy climbs a wall. What's wonderful about this river cruise is that all ages love the journey, from my 79 year-old dad to my 11 year-old daughter. The River Tubing Safari is one of the many adventures offered by the reputable Jamaican outfitter, Chukka Caribbean Adventures. To see my story on Ocho Rios, visit Away.com.

 

In the 90s, active travel outfitters like Backroads gained popularity by offering inn-to-inn biking and hiking trips. Other sports like rafting and sea kayaking started to appear in itineraries in the first decade of the new millennium. The latest trend is family adventures, taking the whole clan down to say, Costa Rice for a week and trying as many sports as possible. Also growing in popularity are more historical adventures, like this trip I just received from Baobab Expeditions. From February 20-March 1, 2010, you can join the outfitter on a 50-mile camel trek across the Moroccan desert on an old caravanserai route. The trip begins and ends in Marrakech, before heading out with Berber Guides to the oases of Lawina and Saf’Sef. You’ll sleep under the palms while enjoying traditional Berber food and listening to the music, drums, tambourines and singing of the locals. Then it’s on to Erg Chebbi to see the sand dunes rising to over 500 feet. Pricing begins at $3533 and includes lodging, food, guides, and all the drinking water you can swallow.

 

Maria von Trapp, the woman who inspired The Sound of Music, is no longer with us, but Trapp Family Lodge is flourishing thanks to new lodging on their spectacular grounds overlooking Stowe and new cross-country ski and mountain biking trails. When it comes to sugaring, however, the von Trapps do it the old fashion way, picking up the sap in buckets with a horse-drawn sleigh and delivering it to the sugarhouse to boil off the water and create Vermont’s “liquid gold.” The 1200 taps produce 300 gallons of syrup annually and the season lasts from mid-March until late April. Join in on the fun each Saturday, when you can cross-country ski, snowshoe, or grab that horse-drawn sleigh to the sugarhouse for a traditional Sugar-on-Snow party. The hot syrup is tossed on the white snow to create a chewy maple taffy, served with donuts and dill pickles.
 

(Painting by Currier & Ives)

Earlier this year, I wrote about Leo Rosette, 59, of Marshfield, Massachusetts. Forced to retire from the US Marshals Service after 20 years, Rosette wanted to prove to himself that he wasn’t too old to try new things. Like rowing across the Atlantic Ocean! After 101 days living in a 5-by-3 foot boat, Rosette made it to Guadeloupe this week, becoming the oldest American to ever row across the Atlantic. He faced heavy storms, surging waves, blustery winds, and the hot sun, losing 30 pounds in the process. Yet, he was happy to reach terra firma, joking with reporters: “I don’t think I can row any farther.”
 

Yesterday, I received a call from an editor of an auto magazine in Detroit, wanting me to rent a Chevy Malibu in Boston and drive to Washington, DC. A photographer will be joining me to take shots. She wants me to describe the drive. Okay, not exactly the most scenic stretch of highway in America, especially when you’re passing the chemical plants in northern New Jersey. I’ve been a travel writer for 20 years, so I’ve had my fair share of absurd assignments. The worst was a request from Men’s Journal to backpack along a stretch of the Mojave Desert with a guy who was designing a long-distance Desert Trail though the Western states. I had to backpack in with over 30 pounds of water and my own blend of dehydrated food. The heat was brutal and the only signs of civilization I saw were deflated balloons hanging from the cacti. You want to know where your kid's helium balloons go when they lose them? This forgotten hellhole. By the third day, my feet were covered with blisters, my supply of water was sucked dry, and the tape in my trusty microcassette recorder had melted. The editor ended up cutting my 1500-word story to 500 words due to space limitations. But I did better than the photographer I was traveling with, who had to schlep in his heavy camera equipment on top of the water. They didn’t accept any of his work. Must have been that glaring sun.
 

All a windsurfer needs is a prevailing wind and steady diet of waves to catch some air. On Nantucket Sound, wind speeds exceeding 20 knots are the norm, not the exception, and the shallow water help windsurfers mount waves quickly. Kalmus Beach, south of Hyannis, is the boardsailing mecca, be it spring summer, or fall. If the crowds get to you, try nearby West Dennis Beach or Forest Beach, at the end of Forest Beach Road in Chatham.
 

Last Sunday, I wrote in The Boston Globe about my favorite place to spend the longest day of the year in America, Natural Bridges National Monument in southeast Utah. People who venture here can’t wait for the sun to finally set. Designated the world’s first International Dark Sky Park, the night skies above the park are considered the darkest in the country due to lack of light pollution. Under the guidance of an astronomy ranger, you’ll see a gazillion stars light up the Milky Way and find constellations you never knew existed. The bright night sky shines an ethereal light on the canyon walls and rock bridges to create a magical lunar-like landscape. 
 

Lining the North Carolina coast, the Outer Banks are barriers of sand 150 miles long and never more than a few miles wide. These islands serve as welcome mats to the Atlantic and her many changing moods. Hurricanes, northeasters, and low pressure disturbances along the jet stream are quite common here. This might create havoc for the fisherman or sailor, but unleashes a steady stream of wind for the windsurfer. Most of the sailing is on a 50-mile stretch of the Pamlico Sound off of Hatteras Island. Shallow water, sandy bottoms, and prevailing winds are cherished by both novices and experts alike. If you want to be with the crowds, catch the waves at Canadian Hole. Otherwise, choose from hundreds of more secluded launch sites along the coast. Wind-NC in Avon rents boards and offers lessons.
 

Sandwiched between the hills of Vermont’s remote Northeast Kingdom, Hosmer Pond is the idyllic setting for the Craftsbury Outdoor Center’s sculling school. Now in its 35th year, Craftsbury is the first rowing camp in America. If you ever wanted to learn the sport of sculling or already scull and want to perfect your stroke, Craftsbury is arguably the best place in the States to do just that. The 5-day course goes over all aspects of rowing, and depending on expertise, splits groups up on the lake with instructors. Balancing the boat is always the hardest part for beginners, many of whom will spend the better part of the first day swimming. Oar handles have to be together at all times or the boat quickly tips to the left or right. Legs are thrust up against a board to scoot back as you propel the oars forward. Indeed, many of the coaches have immense quad muscles proving that legs are more important than arms in the stroke. 5-day programs including room, board, and training start at $1037.
 

I spent the past week checking out two local cemeteries in Boston, Mount Auburn and Forest Hills, for a story I’m writing around Halloween for American Airlines’ in-flight magazine. Surprising as it might sound, many folks venture to these cemeteries not to remember a loved one, but to stroll under the towering trees, jog, bike, and bird watch. Created in the first half of the 19th century, these are America’s first garden or rural cemeteries, built with a landscaping aesthetic in mind. They became incredibly popular with locals who came to breathe in the fresh air and picnic on the grounds. In essence, they were the first urban parks in America, created 40 to 50 years before Central Park in New York and the Emerald Necklace in Boston. Today, wandering into these two cemeteries is like taking a walk in a Victorian-era estate, down shady paths, under centuries-old oaks, cypress, and beech trees, next to lily-pad laden ponds. At Mount Auburn, climb the steps of the Washington Tower for panoramic vistas of the city.

The next two weeks, I’ll be traveling in France and the UK and will not be doing my daily blog. However, if I feel inspired, I might sporadically write from the road. Hope you’re enjoying the summer and staying active!
 

After spending 10 days in the cities of Paris and London, we wisely chose to book our last night of travel in the UK at The Grove, a country manor less than an hour’s drive from London and Heathrow. Perched on a hillside with rolling grounds, the place is best known for its golf course. But it’s also a wonderful family retreat, complete with outdoor and indoor pools, beach volleyball, lawn tennis, croquet, and a gluttonous feast at the breakfast and dinner buffet. Yet, our favorite activity was renting bikes and finding a canal that borders the perimeter of the property. Narrowboats were riding through the locks, on their way north to Northampton or south to London. This web of waterways has been traveled for centuries.  Indeed, these canals were Britain’s first business superhighway, transporting goods around the country. Once the railroads were built, they were abandoned, only to emerge in the last 30 years as recreational areas. It was fun to see these long slender boats, many rented for a week holiday, making their way through the forested shoreline under bridges and past families of swans and local anglers. We pedaled alongside the canal for some time on a dirt path before returning to the resort and having fish and chips, washed down with a pint of lager, at their casual pub, the Stables.
 

A mere 37-minute train ride from Waterloo Station in London brings you to Hampton Court Palace, the best-loved abode of King Henry VIII. All of Henry’s six wives lived at the palace at one point, including his last wife, Kathryn Parr, who married Henry in the upstairs chapel. Take the audio tour of the Grand Hall, apartments, and cooking area, where they would roast large quantities of beef on a spit, washed down with kegs of beer and far too young wine. Then stroll the grounds and try your luck at the Maze, the oldest maze in England, originally built in 1702. With hedges towering close to 8-feet high, the narrow, winding paths are over a half-mile long. It’s a special treat for the kids after touring the palace. A special treat for music lovers is happening on August 30th, when two of my favorite groups, Brand New Heavies and Incognito play a live concert at the palace. Check it out!
 

The largest annual skydiving contest in the US, the USPA National Skydiving Championships, will return to Chicago from September 10 to 24. Located southwest of the city along the banks of the Fox River, Skydive Chicago will feature the world’s greatest skydivers competing for gold, silver, and bronze in five disciplines. They include formation diving, where teams of 4, 8, 10, and 16 skydivers create formations in the sky before opening their parachutes, and the freestyle artist event, where a jumper performs a graceful dance in freefall. All the championships are free and open to the public.
 

Still no plans for Columbus Day Weekend? Head on over to the Sunday River Ski Resort in Bethel, Maine, tomorrow and watch the 11th Annual North American Wife Carrying Championship. Winners qualify for the World Wife Carrying Championship in Finland, held next July. Last year’s winner, Dave and Lacy Castro of Lewiston, Maine, beat out 46 other couples from as far away as California. Their time was a speedy 54.45 seconds. Whatever you do, have a great weekend and do something active!