ϳԹ Magazine, Sep 2012
This month in ϳԹ
Stories
POSTs
A new online bike-rental service provides an alternative to other bike-share programs
In September, when the nights cool and the mosquitoes follow the RVs inland, the salt marshes of Assateague Island National Seashore are perfect for a quick fall paddling escape
An Italian chef, a pro snowboarder, and five other Sun Valley, Idaho, locals tell you the best way to play in one of America's most pristine mountain towns
Dolphins communicate with each other, but can they communicate with us? Marine biologist Denise Herzing is drawing on decades of research, a vast digital library of whistles and clicks, and new computer wizardry designed to bridge the species gap. Tim Zimmermann goes deep with one of history's grandest experiments.
Fall is here, and the temps are dropping—time to pick a fresh new adventure in the American Southwest
It started as a bluebird New Year's Day in Mount Rainier National Park. But when a gunman murdered a ranger and then fled back into the park's frozen backcountry, every climber, skier, and camper became a suspect—and a potential victim.
A protein-rich, paleo-inspired meal adapted for the modern athlete
The most ambitious environmental documentary since An Inconvenient Truth tries to make the case that we just might win
Kayaker Erik Boomer's audacious plan to paddle 45 miles of the world's hardest whitewater—in a single day
With stand-up paddleboarding more popular than ever, surfers—legendary for their sectarianism—have new fuel for their ire
Fitness magnate Bahram Akradi is buying up some of the most beloved endurance events in the country—and he has plans to improve them. So what's everybody afraid of?
These days, top kitesurfers blow away the fastest sailboats, maxing out at more than 60 miles per hour. Dangerous? Yep. Especially when the world's best converge on storm-raked Martha's Vineyard to duke it out.
In August’s Premium Rush, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a bicycle messenger who gets mixed up with criminal forces and must ride for his life. Astute (or simply awake) moviegoers will note the similarity to 1986’s seminal Quicksilver, in which Kevin Bacon plays a bicycle messenger who gets mixed up with criminal forces and must ride for his life. We
Increasingly, race organizers are testing non-elite athletes for performance-enhancing drugs. But is it fair, or even possible, to hold amateurs to the same stringent standards as the pros?
From Ibex wool to Princeton Tec headlamps, outdoor gear is increasingly being manufactured in American factories. Tom Vanderbilt explores the amazing new economics of insourcing.
This month marks 25 years of amazing footage, corny hosts, and fake blood for the Discovery Channel’s most-watched series
Fall is here, and the temps are dropping—time to pick a fresh new adventure in the American Southwest
Last spring, Bear Grylls walked away from one of the sweetest gigs in the adventure world. Was it career suicide? Or a savvy move by a born survivor?
Enlightened companies seek ambitious individuals who work hard, think big, and crave life-affirming careers, lunchtime bike rides, and soul-expanding travel
Gone With the Wind
Bear Grylls is the biggest name in adventure TV. So what does he do now that he doesn’t have a show? Launch a multiplatform brand, of course. Michael Roberts sits down with the survival star as he plots his next move.
Best Places to Work 2012
They Pay You for This?
Duties: regular workouts, mandatory lunch hours, and the occasional rafting trip. Benefits: international adventure travel, personal training sessions, and sweet swag. These jobs really do exist. From a brewery in Colorado to a tech firm in Ohio, here are ϳԹ’s Best Places to Work. Plus: A hard look at four highly coveted fantasy jobs.
Talk to Me
Marine biologist Denise Herzing has spent two decades communing with dolphins off the coast of Florida. Now, equipped with sophisticated devices capable of making the sounds they use to communicate, she’s trying to converse with them. Tim Zimmermann reports on a radical effort that could change the way we think about animals.
style special
Solar Powered
An Italian chef, a pro snowboarder, and five other Sun Valley, Idaho, locals tell you the best way to play in one of America’s most pristine mountain towns. By Sam Moulton
The Devil on Paradise Road
Last January, after shooting four men in Seattle, a former Army specialist drove to Mount Rainier National Park with an arsenal of deadly weapons and murdered a ranger. Bruce Barcott recounts one of the darkest days our national parks have ever known.
departments
DISPATCHES
First Look: A big-box-fitness tycoon is buying up endurance events. Is he sucking the soul out of homegrown races or giving them the boost they need to go huge?
News From the Field: Twenty-five years of Shark Week, a man without arms or legs swims the open ocean, and Bike Snob NYC deconstructs messenger-exploitation flick Premium Rush.
Epic: One man’s plan to kayak 40 of the world’s deadliest rapids in a single day.
Feuds: Why surfers hate paddleboarders.
Media: A new film unravels the history of environmental activism. Plus: Peter Heller’s terrific, apocalyptic first novel.
DESTINATIONS
Southwest Escapes: Go deeper into the desert with these seven new adventures, from road biking in Utah’s Henry Mountains to canyoneering in Colorado’s San Juans.
Weekends: Island hopping back east, luxury camping out west, and renting bikes from cash-seeking cyclists nationwide.
Journeys: Kick back in Africa’s most surprising conservation haven.
THE ESSENTIALS
Covet: A prefab cabin for idyllic getaways.
Hard Bodies: Seven weatherproof, pocket-size, video-capable cameras.
Perfect Cast: The gear you need—and the perfect Scotch—for fall fly-fishing season.
BODYWORK
In the Lead: Drug testing comes to amateur racing. But do we really need it?
Tools: The best blenders for whipping up recovery smoothies.
Fuel: Rediscovering buffalo, our ancestors’ go-to protein.
columns
DROPPING IN
There’s no prize money, no sponsor banners, no cameras rolling. But when the fastest kiteboarders on earth convene to race near Martha’s Vineyard, bragging rights and a few speed-sailing records are on the line.
FIELD NOTES
Used to be technical outerwear was manufactured almost exclusively in China. No longer. Tom Vanderbilt reports on the growing number of gear makers producing apparel in the USA.