ϳԹ Magazine, Sep 2004
Stories
POSTs
Panama's mythic Darién Gap—a 10,000-square-mile swath of jungle on the border of Central and South America—has swallowed explorers for centuries. Today, guerrillas, drug smugglers, poachers, and jaguars rule this vast no-man's-land. Our explorer spent six weeks trying to penetrate Darién's heart of darkness, but the Gap still fiercely protects its secrets.
Call us rubberneckers, but who can resist the panic, terror, and inspiration of a good survival tale? We combed through vast libraries of lore to find 10 more unforgettable, nearly unbelievable great escapes. Brace yourself.
What do you get when you combine an obscure speed contest, some scrap aerospace material, and one very obsessed California engineer? A bike that can push 80 miles per hour. Behold the Cutting Edge II, a nine-foot, 42-pound recumbent ride that may be the most efficient human-powered machine ever built.
Name: NIKI GUDEX Niki Gudex Home: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Gig: MOUNTAIN-BIKE RACING Height: 5’4″ Age: 26 Gudex is the grit girl of Australian mountain biking. Since joining the national series, in 2000, she’s finished every season but one ranked first or second in downhill. Last year she…
There's something about New Zealand—and it's not just the soaring mountains, the red-hot culture, or the world-class Kiwi wines. STEPHANIE PEARSON goes in search of the adventure gene that inspires four million enlightened souls and makes NZ's islands a heaven for travelers.
Four luxurious north-woods hideaways where you can chill into fall
Don't be a tool! The latest in advanced cutlery puts a survival kit in your pocket.
Over four days this past May, 26-year-old Estes Park, Colorado–based climber Tommy Caldwell completed what is arguably the greatest big-wall climb in history. Using only his hands and feet, he made a first free ascent—no pulling up on mechanical aids allowed—of the Dihedral Wall, an obscure route on the west…
Mountain-bike training on a stationary bike is like prepping for a rodeo on a merry-go-round: The thrill is gone, and you’re just spinning. Enter the Trixter X-Bike: Hinged handlebars rock from side to side to provide the core-and-upper-body workout you get from blazing trails and climbing hills—minus the risk of…
The lighter side of warm: From left, get cotton’s durability and cashmere’s luxuriousness with 1.) NAUTICA’s cable-knit crewneck ($128; 877-628-8422, www.nautica.com); channel Paul Bunyan with 2.) WOOLRICH’s washable wool pullover ($69; 800-966-5372, www.woolrich.com); stand out from the crowd on game day in 3.) POLO…
A new test for bike saddles promises to protect you from getting numb or falling limp. Go nuts!
The single-malt whiskies of Scotland are a distillation of the rain-soaked Highlands and remote, sea-sprayed isles. Below, our fave picks of 18th- and 19th-century distilleries that combine the picturesque and the eminently quaffable. Single Malt Scotch Reviews Courtesy of ravenscroftcrystal.com »EDRADOUR (011-44-179-647-2095, www.edradour.co.uk),…
Bike racing's most hellish climb isn't L'Alpe d'Huez or Mont Ventoux; it's New Hampshire's Mount Washington
Blame it on the Naked Chef—suddenly everyone wants to know how to roll the perfect lumpia. Here are four resorts where you don't have to forgo active pursuits just to don your toque.
Think yoga is for wimps? You haven't reckoned with Peter "Iron Yogi" Seamans, the star bodybuilder who wants to get you ripped—one urinating-dog pose at a time.
F E A T U R E S
Why is New Zealand a traveler’s paradise nonpareil? Maybe it’s the culture. Maybe it’s the world-class wine. Maybe it’s a fantasy landscape perfect for high-adrenaline fun. Or maybe it’s all of the above.
By Stephanie Pearson
Bodybuilder Peter Seamans, a.k.a. the Iron Yogi, has stepped onto the sticky mat with a rough, tough body-bending routine he’s selling to the Crunch Fitness crowd. What the heck’s happening to yoga?
By Eric Hansen
On a six-week mission to the Darién Gap, the author tries (and tries) to penetrate the wilderness dividing North and South America—a no-man’s-land where explorers vanish, guerrillas lurk, and lawmen fear to tread.
By Ben Ryder Howe
SURVIVAL EXCLUSIVE
Pinned for six days by an 800-pound boulder, Aron Ralston had only one option: to cut off his own hand. Now, in a preview of his new book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, the climber tells his story in astonishing detail.
Bear maulings, plane wrecks, deadly volcanoes… Charting the ten hairiest survival tales of all time.
By Jason Daley
D E P A R T M E N T S
DISPATCHES
A radical is poised to leave the world cycling speed record in the dust
Meet Aussie mountain biker and glam girl
The newest trend on the fitness scene:
A souped-up new gets you scary-high
‘s historic free climb on El Cap
explores poisonous honey, the windiest place in the solar system, and the medicinal use of coconuts
for the adrenaline-hungry
Soak up the balmy end of summer at choice in the great northern woods of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota
PLUS: Bold adventure and at Scotland’s wild distilleries.
Once a year, the meanest peak in the East opens its toll road and dares a tribe of cyclists to brave sub-zero cold, bike-bucking winds, and nearly 5,000 feet of vertical. Why race the ? Because it hurts.
By Todd Balf
“Epic sufferfest” shouldn’t apply to your tent time. The newest let you skip the snoring and score some Class V shut-eye. PLUS: that go way beyond the blade. Plush sweaters to warm your core.
through biking! Well, not exactly, but a breakthrough test promising friendlier saddles may finally eliminate men’s fear of impotence—and take cycling out of the hot seat. PLUS: Top-performing seats designed to let it flow—from Specialized, Selle Italia, and Terry Precision Cycling.