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Showing posts with label Adventure Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adventure Travel. Show all posts

Ski AND Surf Lake Tahoe

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Surfing Lake Tahoe

Recently, I read it somewhere that Lake Tahoe had been ranked the No. 1 ski destination for the 2010-2011 season. I can't comment on that since I've never been to Lake Tahoe, but can say one thing: if I ever make it there it's not going to be ( just ) skiing...

What The Hell Is River Bugging ?

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Here, I present you another relatively new, crazy, adrenaline-filled water sport -river bugging.
"What is river bugging?" - you ask. In a nutshell, it's river tubing with a twist.



Instead of a tube, you sit in an ... inflatable armchair, pitting your wits (and other parts of your anatomy) against fast-moving rapids, bouncing off rocks and rafting down eddies into icy pools of water below. Your hands are covered in webbed gloves and you also wear short flippers, to help you manoeuvre around the river currents. You also wear the standard "whitewater outfit"- (full body) wetsuit, PFD and a helmet.

Land Paddling Around Stanley Park In Vancouver B.C.

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Vancouver B.C is a very popular tourist destination, and was also named the Top Destination in Canada in TripAdvisor's 2016 Travellers' Choice awards, and was chosen as the best place to live in North America (and number five in the world) in Mercer's 2016 Quality of Living survey.

The city offers travellers both outstanding opportunities for outdoor adventure, as well as sightseeing. Framed by miles of beaches and rugged mountains, with more than 200 parks in between there is never shortage of things to do and to see.

When I first visited Vancouver in 2009, I did all the "regular touristy activities" : explored it's downtown, took a stroll on the famous Capilano Bridge, skied at Grouse Mountain,  had lunch at Granville Island's market, and got schooled at Telus World of Science.

But my most memorable experience was probably biking and hiking around Stanley Park...

Exploring And Hiking In Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, WA

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As I wrote in my previous post, Tacoma’s waterfront, from Schuster pkwy to Ruston Way is considered to be Tacoma’s version of Seattle’s Alki Beach. This place is very popular among fitness and outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you enjoy jogging, biking, longboarding, scuba diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, parasailing, boating, or just want to go on a nice sunny motorcycle ride, Tacoma waterfront is the place to go all year round!

Colonnade Mountain Bike Park In Seattle

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We've been hearing and reading about Seattle's Colonnade Bike Park for a while now, but haven't had a chance to take my bike to the park. One of the main reasons it took me so long to visit the park was the park's reputation of being not "beginners friendly".

Tips On Visiting Crater Lake National Park In Winter

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I've been really looking forward to visiting Crater Lake National Park in Oregon for the past 5 years ! I wanted to see it both : covered under the blanket of snow, and on a nice sunny summer day.

Diving With Sharks At Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Wa

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It's been a while since I went diving. It's been even longer since I went diving with sharks at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay, FL.

Diving with sharks is probably a must-do experience on every diver's Bucket List !

It affords a uniquely intimate interaction with one of the sea’s most beautiful, elusive and charismatic forms of wildlife. But it is also an experience fraught with potential danger.

Each year, increasing numbers of recreational divers seek out opportunities to swim in the company of sharks. For some divers, the encounter represents an exciting photo opportunity, for others, a rare chance to meet a totemic creature face-to-face. It is difficult to know what a shark makes of such encounters, but it’s probably safe to say that the animal imagines no deeply spiritual connection between itself and its human admirers. The famous Jacques Cousteau once said, "The only predictable thing about sharks is that they are unpredictable".

While there are ways to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat, nowadays many aquariums around the country offer an amazing opportunity to take a dive with some of our planet's most amazing apex predators and gain a new appreciation for their important role in oceans around the world.

"Eye-To-Eye With Sharks" program at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Wa  provides a unique opportunity for certified and non-certified divers to come face-to-face with live sharks!

Ice Climbing In Colorado

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Ice climbing is a very challenging, both physically and emotionally, and engaging sport. At the same time, ice climbing is a thrilling adventure, and a great way to spend a winter day in a beautiful surrounding.

"The Hunt For Red October" And Other Fun Things To Do In Portland, OR

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It's no wonder that our neighbor  - Oregon- is one of the best states in the US for outdoor adventure. When it comes to outdoor activities and adventures, there is always something to do for everybody all year round. Surfing, kite-boarding, skiing/snowboarding, hiking, biking, rock climbing; you name it and you can find it somewhere in or close to Portland, Oregon.

Recently we went on a 5 day road trip around Central Oregon, and our first stop was in downtown Portland. 

Portland has earned the reputation of the most bike-friendly in the U.S., with more than 171 miles (275 kilometers) of bike lanes (and more soon on the way) and a 40-mile (64-kilometer) loop trail system (www.40mileloop.org). It's also home of the beautiful Forest Park, the biggest urban forested area in the country; the 5,100 wooded acres (2,064 wooded hectares) have more than 70 miles (113 kilometers) of hiking trails, including an epic 30-mile (48-kilometer) loop called the Wildwood Trail.

Unfortunately, we only had just a few hours in Portland, and before the trip, I had to find something fun, adventurous, and outdoorsy to do in downtown Portland for my 8 year old and I. 

Lucky for me, it wasn't hard !

Ski Biking In Vail, CO

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I came across ski-biking ( snowbiking ) a few years ago while researching about another new winter activity - airboarding.

Though both of these activities could be experienced in our neighboring Oregon at Hoodoo ski area, for the past 2-3 years, I simply couldn't find time to make a trip down there. And honestly, to me, ski-biking seemed a bit like kids snow scooting. I thought it would be fun to try, but didn't think it was worth driving for 5 hours.

But during my trip to Colorado I had a chance to jump on this great opportunity, and combine skiing at one of the epic ski resorts in US with trying out a new adventure.

Hiking/Backpacking The Enchantments, WA :Take A Vertial Tour

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The Enchantments area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness includes craggy peaks and ridges, deep glacial valleys, granite walls and forests that are picture perfect and ready to enchant visitors — especially in autumn.

Trips into the Enchantment Wilderness Area can range from overnight to multiple days. Due to the overwhelming popularity of this unique area, all overnight campers must obtain a permit if visiting from June 15 through October 15.

Windsurfing Your SUP/Paddleboard

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It's been a while since I went windsurfing. After my windsurfing lessons two years ago, I took my board out maybe two or three more times before realizing that it wasn't for me.

Windsurfing in Washington is a very weather dependent sport . The only place where it blows consistently is the Columbia River Gorge. But even that place has its disadvantages ( 3 hour drive from Seattle, not exactly "beginner friendly"... ).

But about a year ago, I bought an awesome SUP that can be used for stand up paddleboarding, surfing, and even windsurfing !

Land Paddling : Which Land Paddle To Choose ?

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Kahuna Creations was the original master mind/creator of a land paddle. Nowadays, there are dozens of companies that sell land paddles which makes it kind of hard to chose from.

Parasailing In Tacoma, Wa

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parasailing 019 
Tacoma's waterfront, from Schuster Pkwy to Ruston Way is considered to be Tacoma's version of Seattle's Alki Beach. In my opinion, it is even more beautiful, less crowded and easily accessible with plenty of free parking. The 2- mile- long waterfront sidewalk is one of the city's most popular places for many outdoor activities.

Tacoma's waterfront is one of my favorite places for longboarding, running, biking, and diving. Recently, by chance, I discovered a new favorite adventure for myself - parasailing !

Too Young To Paraglide ?

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Kids these days...Start snowboarding while still wearing diapers, by 9 they rock terrain parks with amazing freesking moves, at 12 they fly kites and rip the waves in stormy North Sea.

But how old a kid should be to fly a paraglider ? They say "start them young". But how young ? 15, 16 ? How about 7-10 ? Too young ?

I think this boy is about that age...:


Kite Landboarding At Grayland, Wa

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Till recently, wind-powered vehicles ( buggies, land sailboards, mountain boards... ) were perceived as a threat to public safety and important wildlife habitat, and were not allowed on Washington Ocean Beaches. But on March 26, 2015 the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission approved the use of wind-powered vehicles on portions of Parks-managed ocean beaches.

Now wind-powered vehicle enthusiasts can enjoy flying their kites in specific locations on Washington’s beaches.

South Beach area near Grayland is one of these locations.

Rock Climbing, Camping, Water Sports, And Sightseeing At Vantage, WA

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Vantage is a small community in the Columbia River Gorge in the eastern portion of the Washington state. Though, the area is famous for its 25,000 seat concert venue and the annual Sasquatch Music Festival ( The Gorge Amphitheater is just minutes away from the climbing spot ), it's also one of the most popular rock climbing and outdoor destinations in the state of Washington.

The area referred to by its proper name, Frenchman Coulee is better known as Vantage among local climbing community ( due to its proximity to the town of the same name ).

This was my first time climbing and visiting the area, and I was absolutely blown away by its beauty and unusual ( for me ) hot weather !

Since it's not a climbing blog, I won't bore you with the description of climbing routes and levels of difficulty. I'll just say that even if you are a beginner climber, you'll find a route in your 5.6- 5.10 range. If it's your first time, there will be a lot of climbers who will be more than happy to show you where to start, and many guidebooks ( like Rock Climbing Washington) have detailed information about the area, driving directions, descriptions, ratings, route photos, topos, and recommended gear.

Kite Landboarding And Wind-Powered Vehicle Use In Washington State

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Washington state offers dedicated kiters year round riding around Seattle and beyond. And while kiteboarding/kitesurfing has been gaining popularity the last few years, landboarding, on the other hand, remains a relatively unknown outdoor activity to general public, and not very popular even among dedicated kiteboarders.

It's mainly due to the fact that the last few years, wind-powered vehicle use on Washington Ocean Beaches was prohibited.

But following a public process that included public meetings in Ilwaco and Ocean Shores, on March 26, 2015 the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission approved the use of wind-powered vehicles on portions of Parks-managed ocean beaches. Wind-powered vehicles include kite buggies, blo-karts, kite boards and other wind/sand sailing recreational vehicles. Prior to reaching this decision, State Parks held demonstration events with wind-powered vehicle users to understand the potential for safety issues, user conflict and impacts to wildlife.

Biking And Land Paddling Around Lake Union In Seattle

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Seattle is an outdoor lovers paradise ! Just the fact that the ( unofficial ) "symbol" of the Pacific Northwest great outdoors - REI - is located in Seattle downtown, tells how much Seattleites love playing in the great outdoors !

Seattle is one of few cities around US that offers an abundance of outdoor activities in and around its downtown, with bicycling being, perhaps, Seattleites' most favorite one.

Urban trails include shared use paths, bike lanes, signed bike routes, arterials with wide shoulders, and pedestrian pathways. And a great thing about bike lanes/trails, is that they can be used by land paddlers as well.

One of these popular bike trails is a 6 mile loop around Lake Union.