Features
After the body of a 30-year-old water-taxi driver was found floating off the Caribbean island of Bequia, evidence suggested that Jim and Penny Fletcher, a wealthy, boorish American couple, may have played a part. But who or what suffered most from the flurry of accusations that came next — the defendants, the uneasy relations between locals and tourists, the island itself — remains anything but clear. By Bill Barich
Bobby Kennedy Jr.'s storied bloodline points him toward politics, his track record of helping rescue the Hudson River points him toward environmentalist stardom, and his own ambitions point him toward …well, toward what? By Barry Werth
Real-life, on-the-job, perpetual-workout stories from Camille the whirling dervish, Peter the rickshaw jockey, and Swoop the Red-Tailed Hawk. By Susan Enfield
Ask any Hollywood crusader or starry-eyed undergrad: The plight of Tibet isn't just a geopolitical misfortune — it's the pop-culture flavor of the moment. And it's Tibetter than ever! By Will Blythe
There's always been speculation that triathlon is a mere proving ground for unnatural, slightly eerie athletic machines. Well, as the much-discussed Luc van Lierde might say, your suspicions are correct, sir. By John Brant
In the hoary annals of alpinism, there are many mountains. But only one called to him like a toy siren with batteries not included: 147 feet of fiberglass and glory, the scourge of Anaheim, the not-quite-one-and-only Matterhorn. By Tad Friend
Somewhere along the line — maybe when we came upon the guy fishing with a dagger, or in the villages where newborns are rubbed with salt, or perhaps during the encounter with Bob the earless dog — it became obvious that this jaunt through Turkey was a very odd vacation. By Laura Hendrie
Departments
Equal opportunity masochism? Offshore legends, Olympic veterans, and nautical novices alike take on the grueling, 3,000-mile Atlantic Rowing Race. By Bill Donahue
Amid financial crisis and disturbing allegations, Greenpeace USA heads in a familiar new direction By Florence Williams
A Mexican developer's enterprising plan to bring skiing south of the border By Chris Humphrey
The latest on a not-so-successful expeditionary season By Andrew Tilin
One of Jim Henson's most popular hairballs starts shilling for U.S. shredders By Adam Horowitz
A chat with John Swanson, molehill-bagger extraordinaire By Katie Arnold
In northernmost Maine, laying out the welcome mat for the once-exiled gray wolf By Paul Scott
: A rising star sets a new cycling mark on Mount Washington; a dedicated if odoriferous researcher embraces skunks; Peruvian villagers find a scaly reason to be very, very afraid; and more.
Plumbing the fathomless inland sea that stretches from Puget Sound to Glacier Bay was a terrifying enterprise for the original sailors: Whirlpools, demons, and dark depths abounded. Today, the waters are only slightly less scary — and just as chaotic. By Jonathan Raban
Jazzed by the prospect of a backstage peek at cable TV's latest kitsch classic, our man goes Down Under to stand scrim-to-scrim with the phenom known as the Crocodile Hunter. So why, he wonders, did this purported "man without fear" become too skittish to speak? By Randy Wayne White
Why do dogs frolic in really vile stuff? Do lakes really "turn over" this time of year? And just who — or rather, what — is that man in the Moon?
Sneaking off to Cuba: For Americans, refreshingly lax notions of development and liability make exploring this contraband island a true adventure. Whether your interests run toward hiking, diving, fishing, or just drinking up some sun, the ins and outs of touring Castro's Caribbean. Also, a guide to skirting Congress's nasty little grudge, and a trek with the ghost of Cuba's other revolutionary leader. By Wil S. Hylton
For the well-connected traveler, the latest on the as-yet-unfulfilled promise of truly worldwide wireless. By Doug Fine
Shinnying the "falls" in Colorado at the world's first ice-climbing park. By Pam Grout
: Traipsing the tundra with a clan of peculiarly uninhibited Minnesotans, a Triple Crown even beach bums can get behind, and more.
Bodywork Prepping for the cold season: Because the endurance events of summer do not a winter athlete make, a sport-specific program to help you conquer the snow and ice. By Andrew Tilin
The Line on Virtual Health By Susan Enfield
Oxygen — Who Needs It By Laura Hilgers
A ski for all reasons: Introducing the "mid-fat" board, a confection of carve-happy sidecut and powder-loving width that gives us the most versatile option yet in alpine skiing. The best on the market from Atomic, Dynastar, Head, K2, Olin, Rossignol, Salomon, Volant, and V÷lkl. By Iseult Devlin
Step-ins Hit Full Stride By Mark North
New elements in ski design; options in aftermarket insoles; and the winter camper's alternative to a yak.
: An expanded autumn reading list, including Lost Man's River, by Peter Matthiessen; The Measure of a Mountain: Beauty and Terror on Mount Rainier, by Bruce Barcott; The Trees in My Forest, by Bernd Heinrich; Going to Ground: Simple Life on a Georgia Pond, by Amy Blackmarr; and 13 more.
Photographs by Daniela Stallinger; Craig Cameron Olsen Illustrations by Marcos Sorensen; Tim Bower; David Plunkert
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