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Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Travel Blogger Show 2012 Shaping Up
Filed under: Festivals and EventsI've been in constant contact with our features editor, Don George, over the last few weeks, brewing up the content that we want to put into his talk on engineering the perfect blog in Los Angeles this September. The talk is part of the Travel Blogger Show, the annual extension from the American Society of Travel Agent's larger convention, and it's scheduled to take place on Saturday, September the 7th.
Between Don and myself we've got lots of insight to put into the talk - Don, with his decades of experience in the travel realm among the San Francisco Chronicle, Lonely Planet and Gadling, and myself, with years of pushing around data and content at AOL.
The point that keeps returning though, is how positive and easy travel and travel blogging can be. With the tools available on the web right now it's easy to set up a blog within a few quick shakes, and finding content to blog about is just a vacation or a thought experiment away. And the community that surrounds travel is encouraging, nurturing and always full of ideas.
If you get the chance and you're in LA next week, be sure to stop by the conference. Don will be there all weekend, and hugs are on the house.
More information can be found here.Travel Blogger Show 2012 Shaping Up originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Between Don and myself we've got lots of insight to put into the talk - Don, with his decades of experience in the travel realm among the San Francisco Chronicle, Lonely Planet and Gadling, and myself, with years of pushing around data and content at AOL.
The point that keeps returning though, is how positive and easy travel and travel blogging can be. With the tools available on the web right now it's easy to set up a blog within a few quick shakes, and finding content to blog about is just a vacation or a thought experiment away. And the community that surrounds travel is encouraging, nurturing and always full of ideas.
If you get the chance and you're in LA next week, be sure to stop by the conference. Don will be there all weekend, and hugs are on the house.
More information can be found here.Travel Blogger Show 2012 Shaping Up originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Monday, September 3, 2012
Mancuso Rocks Whiteface GS for 11th Career Title
.....Lake Placid, NY (Ski Press)-Three-time Olympic medalist Julia Mancuso captured the 11th U.S. title of her career with a victory in the women's giant slalom to close the 2010 Visa U.S. Alpine Championships at Whiteface Mountain Tuesday."I actually haven't skied giant slalom since the Olympics, so it was nice to get back on my GS skis," Mancuso said.Mancuso was also the giant slalom champion in '09, '05, and '03. With 11 titles, she now moves past U.S. great Andrea Mead Lawrence for the most titles of any American male or female, breaking a record that has stood for 55 years.The weekend brought some closure to a season�in�which�Mancuso had long worked hard ."Coming back from a back injury I always had the goal of getting ready for the Olympics. Even going into last season it hurt. I wanted to keep trying. Just being able to see the reward of the plan paying off was really amazing," Mancuso said.Second place for the day went to Laurenne Ross (Klamath Falls, OR) who produced the fastest second run. Ross was also third in the super G and second in the combined at Whiteface.Malin Hemmingson of Sweden was third followed by U.S. downhill champion Leanne Smith (Conway, NH).The top U.S. junior was Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH) out of U.S. Development Team, though the fastest junior was Erin Mielzynski of Canada. J-2 Foreste Peterson (Berkeley, CA) of the Squaw Valley Ski Team was the next fastest U.S. junior followed by Abby Ghent (Edwards, CO) of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail.The USSA Western Region took the 2010Tom Garner Regions Cup with 2,903 points, followed by the East with1,869 and Rocky/Central with 986.Tuesday also marked the final race for Kaylin Richardson (Edina, MN), a two-time Olympian and seven-year member of the U.S. Ski Team. She ran both runs of giant slalom in a puffy red one piece ski suit circa 1980, with her parents making the trip from Minnesota just to see their daughter's last event.Numerous athletes, including Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) now move directly to Cochran's Ski Area in Richmond, VT for the annual charity slalom hosted by two-time Olympian Jimmy Cochran tomorrow.OFFICIAL RESULTS2010 Visa U.S. Alpine ChampionshipsLake Placid, NY - March 22, 2010Women?s Giant Slalom1. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, CA, 2:07.522. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 2:08.113. Malin Hemmingsson, Sweden, 2:08.254. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 2:08.985. Megan McJames, Park City, UT, 2:09.17
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Heavy Medal Tour: Skiers Get Armed Forces Sendoff
..... Steamboat Springs, Colo. (Ski Press)-In support of the U.S. ski team athletes departing this week on the Armed Forces Entertainment?s Heavy Medal Tour to visit troops, the athletes' hometown communities are enacting a Heavy Medal Tour Yellow Ribbon campaign.The Olympic medalists: Bill Demong (Vermontville, N.Y.), Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), Brett Camerota (Park City, Utah) and Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and their combined seven Olympic gold and silver medals departed Saturday, April 3, to meet with troops in Southwest Asia. The first ribbons in support of the Armed Forces Entertainment Heavy Medal Tour were given out by the athletes to their families during the Hometown Heroes Celebration in Steamboat Springs on Friday, April 2. The Hometown Heroes Celebration in Steamboat Springs honored the achievement of the athletes in Vancouver during the Olympic Winter Games and featured a send off for this special trip overseas including the reading of Orders by USAF Colonel Ed Shock, Chief of Armed Forces Entertainment, statements by government officials, and a special note by the Commander of the Colorado Army National Guard. Similar homecomings were held recently for Demong in New York and for two-dozen Olympians in Park City, Utah. Beginning today, Monday, April 5, yellow ribbons are available in various locations in the athletes? hometowns. Fans in New York's Adirondack Region can get ribbons at the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce or at the Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau. The U.S. ski team's Center of Excellence will have ribbons in Park City. Hometown supporters in Steamboat Springs will find ribbons at the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, the Steamboat/Hayden (HDN) Airport, and the Clark Store just outside of Steamboat. One of the biggest stories at the 2010 Olympics was the performance by the U.S. nordic combined ski team. Spillane started the two weeks of historic results off with the USA?s first-ever Olympic nordic combined medal, winning silver in the normal hill combined event. Spillane was then joined by teammates Demong, Camerota and veteran Lodwick for the team competition where they came away with a team silver medal. Demong and Spillane then capped off the historic Olympic fortnight with a gold-silver finish in the large hill combined competition.
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Czech Inn Time: Boutique Hotels Embrace Prague?s Storied Past
One of the few Central European capitals to survive the bombs of World War II, Prague stepped into the 21st century looking, more or less, as if it were stuck in the Middle Ages. ?Tourism thrives in Prague because of its history. Her old towers, bridges, and churches tell a story,? says Karin L�?kov�, manager of Hotel U Zelen�ho Hroznu. ?Visitors want to experience Prague as it was before, in the old times.?
18 scenic places to teach ESL abroad
Never mind that the name of the town doesn?t exactly sound beautiful in English.
Food Fridays: Mexico City?s Savory Sisterhood
The only happy offshoot of Mexican machismo, which continues to find the matriarch shooing men away from the larders, may be that Mexico City's culinary scene is dominated by women.
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Salt | The Secret Greek Ingredient
Photo by AndreasPinch of salt, dash of sunset salty sea air is the secret ingredient in traditional Greek dishes like grilled octopus and stuffed grape leaves served on this beach. And sea breezes are easy to come by because the restaurants that line Skala Eressou on the southwest coast of the Greek isle of L�svos don?t just face the beach ? they are on top of it. To sample the oceanfront views,travel first to Athens, where you can catch one of several daily flights aboard Aegean or Olympic Airlines to L�svos? Mytilene International Airport. Follow the highway through the eastern part of the island ? past the beach town of Kalon� and through the rolling green hills in Par�kila. When you find yourself in the village of Eress�s, turn toward the sea and walk to Skala Eressou. Browse menus from the beach or the pedestrian-friendly main street for specialties like Taverna you Sarantou's gouna (dried, spiced and grilled mackerel) or Adonis' boureki (a deep-fried, pizza-like-dish). Between the fresh-from-the-sea flavors and the unit erupted sunset views, you'll be shouting "Opa!" in no time.
Blog Category:
Dining and Drinks
Photo by: Andreas
Enlarge Photo
Skala Eressou
Pinch of salt, dash of sunset salty sea air is the secret ingredient in traditional Greek dishes like grilled octopus and stuffed grape leaves served on this beach. And sea breezes are easy to come by because the restaurants that line Skala Eressou on the southwest coast of the Greek isle of L�svos don?t just face the beach ? they are on top of it.
read more
Blog Category:
Dining and Drinks
Photo by: Andreas
Enlarge Photo
Skala Eressou
Pinch of salt, dash of sunset salty sea air is the secret ingredient in traditional Greek dishes like grilled octopus and stuffed grape leaves served on this beach. And sea breezes are easy to come by because the restaurants that line Skala Eressou on the southwest coast of the Greek isle of L�svos don?t just face the beach ? they are on top of it.
read more
Island Beer
Dek:
On the islands ? where imported goods tend to be an expensive luxury ? locally brewed beer isn?t just a quirky novelty, it?s a cultural necessity. So if you truly want to taste the islands, get out your bottle opener and crack open a cold one.
PLEASE READ RESPONSIBLY Wondering which pilsner goes best with liliko?i mahimahi or where to ?nd your favorite Big Island craft brew? Now you can turn to The Hawaii Beer Book (Watermark Publishing, $15.95) by lifelong Honolulu resident and travel writer Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi. Pro?les of eight Hawaiian craft breweries and island-by-island bar recommendations will help you search for the perfect pint (at the Emerald Orchid in Hilo, for example, you can sample all of the Mehana Brewing Company?s beers). If you?d rather whip up some island ?avors at home, you?ll ?nd a guide to home brewing, beer-favored recipes and food-pairing suggestions from Hawaiian brewers and chefs. The Hali?imaile General Store?s famous beer-battered apple fritters with a cold Na Pali Pale Ale? Doesn?t get much more aloha-spirited than that.
KANGAROO?S ISLAND BREW PALE ALE
Our Take Golden as an Australian sunset, this ale goes down smooth, with just the faintest hint of sweetness.
Local Flavors Made with locally harvested barley and pure-strain Kangaroo Island Ligurian honey.
Brew Story Kellie Connell and Brenton Lovering made their own homebrew for years before increasing production to create the island?s first widely distributed beer in December 2006. Today they brew their award-winning concoction in 6,000-litre quantities three times a year along with Pink Lady sparkling cider, made from Kangaroo Island apples.
Perfect Pairing Drink this pale ale with a rack of lamb dipped in rosemary sauce. Or if you?re in the mood for seafood, try it with fresh, steamed flounder.
MAUI BREWING CO. COCONUT PORTER
Our Take This dark, full-bodied brew will surprise even accomplished beer drinkers and Maui aficionados.
Local Flavors Flavored with six varieties of barley plus hops and hand-toasted coconut.
Brew Story Garret Marrero and his wife, Melanie, purchased an existing brew- pub in 2005 and turned the failing establishment around.Their 18 varieties (all brewed and bottled on Maui, with flavors like pineapple, local organic honey, guava, mango and coconut) have won 22 medals. The Coconut Porter has won the World Beer Cup twice.
Perfect Pairing Pair this porter with a Maui Cattle Company filet ? rare. Keep drinking into dessert; this porter complements anything chocolate.
mauibrewingcompany.com
KALIK BEER OF THE BAHAMAS
Our Take Light and airy, this party beer is like the Caribbean ? easy to drink up and easy to love.
Local Flavors A traditional lager made with malted wheat and hops, usually served with a wedge of lime.
Brew Story Named for the tinkle of cowbells that sound during the annual Junkanoo Festival in the Baha- mas, Kalik is brewed and bottled by Commonwealth Brewery Ltd. on Nassau. For years this beachside beverage could only be found in the islands, but today thirsty travelers can find it at select outlets in the U.S.
Perfect Pairing Sip a Kalik to wash down a spicy conch fritter with hot peppers, to complement grilled shrimp with lime at the Junkanoo festival or to simply enjoy a quiet island day.
Kalik by Heineken
On the islands ? where imported goods tend to be an expensive luxury ? locally brewed beer isn?t just a quirky novelty, it?s a cultural necessity. So if you truly want to taste the islands, get out your bottle opener and crack open a cold one.
read more
On the islands ? where imported goods tend to be an expensive luxury ? locally brewed beer isn?t just a quirky novelty, it?s a cultural necessity. So if you truly want to taste the islands, get out your bottle opener and crack open a cold one.
PLEASE READ RESPONSIBLY Wondering which pilsner goes best with liliko?i mahimahi or where to ?nd your favorite Big Island craft brew? Now you can turn to The Hawaii Beer Book (Watermark Publishing, $15.95) by lifelong Honolulu resident and travel writer Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi. Pro?les of eight Hawaiian craft breweries and island-by-island bar recommendations will help you search for the perfect pint (at the Emerald Orchid in Hilo, for example, you can sample all of the Mehana Brewing Company?s beers). If you?d rather whip up some island ?avors at home, you?ll ?nd a guide to home brewing, beer-favored recipes and food-pairing suggestions from Hawaiian brewers and chefs. The Hali?imaile General Store?s famous beer-battered apple fritters with a cold Na Pali Pale Ale? Doesn?t get much more aloha-spirited than that.
KANGAROO?S ISLAND BREW PALE ALE
Our Take Golden as an Australian sunset, this ale goes down smooth, with just the faintest hint of sweetness.
Local Flavors Made with locally harvested barley and pure-strain Kangaroo Island Ligurian honey.
Brew Story Kellie Connell and Brenton Lovering made their own homebrew for years before increasing production to create the island?s first widely distributed beer in December 2006. Today they brew their award-winning concoction in 6,000-litre quantities three times a year along with Pink Lady sparkling cider, made from Kangaroo Island apples.
Perfect Pairing Drink this pale ale with a rack of lamb dipped in rosemary sauce. Or if you?re in the mood for seafood, try it with fresh, steamed flounder.
MAUI BREWING CO. COCONUT PORTER
Our Take This dark, full-bodied brew will surprise even accomplished beer drinkers and Maui aficionados.
Local Flavors Flavored with six varieties of barley plus hops and hand-toasted coconut.
Brew Story Garret Marrero and his wife, Melanie, purchased an existing brew- pub in 2005 and turned the failing establishment around.Their 18 varieties (all brewed and bottled on Maui, with flavors like pineapple, local organic honey, guava, mango and coconut) have won 22 medals. The Coconut Porter has won the World Beer Cup twice.
Perfect Pairing Pair this porter with a Maui Cattle Company filet ? rare. Keep drinking into dessert; this porter complements anything chocolate.
mauibrewingcompany.com
KALIK BEER OF THE BAHAMAS
Our Take Light and airy, this party beer is like the Caribbean ? easy to drink up and easy to love.
Local Flavors A traditional lager made with malted wheat and hops, usually served with a wedge of lime.
Brew Story Named for the tinkle of cowbells that sound during the annual Junkanoo Festival in the Baha- mas, Kalik is brewed and bottled by Commonwealth Brewery Ltd. on Nassau. For years this beachside beverage could only be found in the islands, but today thirsty travelers can find it at select outlets in the U.S.
Perfect Pairing Sip a Kalik to wash down a spicy conch fritter with hot peppers, to complement grilled shrimp with lime at the Junkanoo festival or to simply enjoy a quiet island day.
Kalik by Heineken
On the islands ? where imported goods tend to be an expensive luxury ? locally brewed beer isn?t just a quirky novelty, it?s a cultural necessity. So if you truly want to taste the islands, get out your bottle opener and crack open a cold one.
read more
Finland hiking holidays Kuusamo hiking Kuusamo hiking holidays Ruka
Photo Of The Day: Lake Louise
Filed under: North America, Canada, Photo of the Day
This Photo of the Day comes from Gadling Flickr pool member James Wheeler who captured this image taken at Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, with a Nikon D-5000.
James captions the image:
"This must be one of the most photographed places in Canada. I didn't get great weather for photos because it was cloudy when I was there but still an impressive place."
Upload your best shots to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as Photos of the Day.
Tips for getting featured: in your Flickr account, check "Privacy and Permissions," and check "yes" on "Allow others to share your stuff." Adding information about your image does not hurt your chances either.Photo Of The Day: Lake Louise originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
This Photo of the Day comes from Gadling Flickr pool member James Wheeler who captured this image taken at Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, with a Nikon D-5000.
James captions the image:
"This must be one of the most photographed places in Canada. I didn't get great weather for photos because it was cloudy when I was there but still an impressive place."
Upload your best shots to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as Photos of the Day.
Tips for getting featured: in your Flickr account, check "Privacy and Permissions," and check "yes" on "Allow others to share your stuff." Adding information about your image does not hurt your chances either.Photo Of The Day: Lake Louise originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Sunday, September 2, 2012
#EOTC2 Round Up: Getting Shots With The Pros
My teammate Drew Tabke and I dance underneath a near-full moon. Handstands. Fancy feet. Anything to kill time and stay warm while waiting for our film crew across the valley below to reposition for the next shot. It?s day two of the Eye of the Condor film and photo competition in La Parva, Chile. Conditions are, well, sporty. Drew drops in first. Braving an icy wind, down into the abyss. I watch Drew?s headlamp disappear into the shadows. I feel alone. I?m isolated atop ?La Chimenea.? It?s one of La Parva?s quintessential lines?a long couloir located a short hike from the resort. My radio cuts in and out. It?s our photographer Jordan Ingmire. He wants to move his location again?farther down into the resort. ?Where are those guys?? I think to myself, peering into the darkness. With reluctance, I give him a ?ten-four.? The next 40 minutes will be brutal. To make things worse, some chump across the valley in the tiny Chilean mountain town of Farellones starts painting my line with a green laser beam. This is a sick joke. The beam is blinding. To throw off the shooter, I turn my headlamp off. I pray he loses my silhouette. It?s cold and I retreat to a less exposed position. It doesn?t matter?I?m freezing and the laser beam is relentless. I just want to ski. After an eternity, my radio cuts in. The internal conversation I?ve been having with myself for the last half hour all but disappears. Jordan?s ready for my shot. I glance down the couloir wishing my headlamp wasn?t so dim. It?s too late. There?s only one way down. I call ?thirty seconds,? and skate to the edge. Reluctantly, I turn my headlamp on. ?Dropping!? All hesitation disappears. But four turns into my line the laser hits me again. Turn after turn eerie green snow erupts around me. I?m skiing by feel through lime-lit rock walls. Finally I get a view of the exit. I dodge scree and breathe a sign of relief. Seeking shelter beneath a large rock I spot the tormenting light. It?s searching for my headlamp. I catch my breath, turn my light off, and point my skis down the fall line.All this for a photo?---Check the green light out seen here @ 3:41 of Team WIDSIX's EOTC2 Video For Part 1 click HEREStay tuned for part 3 Tomorrow. Heliskiing the Andes.
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Acknowledging our travel heroes
Characters without whom our stories would be much less colorful and probably much shorter.
WILD Fall Preview
Can't wait till fall? Neither can we! Check out what's coming soon to the WILD lineup: Meet the freshest faces of Nat Geo WILD. Three rugged, adventure-seeking experts answering the ?call of the wild.? And one veteran who will give them all a run for their money. Also coming up: Animals Say the Wildest Things: Coming this August-September, Wednesdays at 10 & 10:30 p.m. A chimpanzee therapy session, a polar bear that lost her cell phone, a choir of singing sharks and a bird tribute to the ?king of Pop,? Michael Jackson. That?s just a bit of what comes out of the mouths of comedians voicing over natural history footage?with their own humorous interpretation of what the animals are thinking and doing in the new series Animals Say the Wildest Things. We?ll also meet the ?Prince of Barkness? when special guests Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne give their own interpretation for a scene. Nature?s Miracle Babies: Premieres Tuesday, September 13 8-11 p.m. & Wednesday September 14 8-10 p.m. These are special babies ? more than just adorable, they are critically important to the survival of their species. Nat Geo WILD takes viewers around the world to follow dedicated people working to save them. Each animal they raise to adulthood is a step away from extinction, with the ultimate challenge to return them to the wild. We?ll see ambitious programs to save diverse species from the outback of Australia, the savannahs of East Africa, the Brazilian Amazon and some of the most successful zoo breeding programs in the world.
Run What You Brung: Ingrid Backstrom
Pro skier Ingrid Backstrom is known for shredding big lines and laying down standout video segments for Matchstick Productions. The Squaw Valley local runs a similar setup whether she?s skiing on her home slopes or getting dropped from a helicopter at the tops of some of the world?s most daunting peaks. Click through her setup below. Follow her on Twitter @ingridbackstrom For more info on the trip we took with Ingrid, click HERE.
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#FriFotos: Cloud Nine
Thanks to Uladzimir Taukachou, who submitted this week's featured photo to our My Shot community.
Want to see one of your photos featured on our website or Intelligent Travel blog? Make it happen by uploading your favorite travel pics (don?t forget to add a caption!) to ngm.com/yourshot. Tag all your submissions #travelshot ? then look for your photos in one of our My Shot galleries or on our blog.
Want to see one of your photos featured on our website or Intelligent Travel blog? Make it happen by uploading your favorite travel pics (don?t forget to add a caption!) to ngm.com/yourshot. Tag all your submissions #travelshot ? then look for your photos in one of our My Shot galleries or on our blog.
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The Radar: World?s Best Waterfalls, New Types of Tours, Second Chance Slovenia
The Radar: The top travel news, stories, trends, and ideas from across the web. Got Radar? Follow us on Twitter @NatGeoTraveler and tag your favorite travel stories from the Web #ngtradar. Check back on the blog for our roundups. Photograph by Jignesh Shirke, My Shot.
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American Flagship To Be Largest Ever, If Built
The American Flagship project plans to build a series of the world's largest passenger ships in the United States to be operated under the American flag. More than a decade and $60 million has been invested in the development of the now contract-ready prototype ship, America World City. Just one problem: a recent U.S. government move prohibits the use of its Title XI ship financing program, intended to create American jobs, for American-flagged cruise ships.
"Except for small coastwise vessels and riverboats, none of the 200+ ocean-going cruise ships operating in the North American cruise market were built here," says World City President Stephanie Gallagher in an open letter to President Obama reported in Maritime Executive. Gallagher continues, "none hire American officers or crew, and none pay U.S. income tax on their multibillion-dollar annual profits - unlike every other U.S. hospitality organization."
World City's designers seem to have taken the best of the best being offered by today's cruise industry and improved it. Unique features include using fully enclosed, instant boarding 400-person life saving craft, energy efficiencies, waste management, green technologies and advanced security systems.
They have a plan, now they just need to build it.Continue reading American Flagship To Be Largest Ever, If BuiltAmerican Flagship To Be Largest Ever, If Built originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
"Except for small coastwise vessels and riverboats, none of the 200+ ocean-going cruise ships operating in the North American cruise market were built here," says World City President Stephanie Gallagher in an open letter to President Obama reported in Maritime Executive. Gallagher continues, "none hire American officers or crew, and none pay U.S. income tax on their multibillion-dollar annual profits - unlike every other U.S. hospitality organization."
World City's designers seem to have taken the best of the best being offered by today's cruise industry and improved it. Unique features include using fully enclosed, instant boarding 400-person life saving craft, energy efficiencies, waste management, green technologies and advanced security systems.
They have a plan, now they just need to build it.Continue reading American Flagship To Be Largest Ever, If BuiltAmerican Flagship To Be Largest Ever, If Built originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
#EOTC2 Round Up: Getting Shots With The Pros
My teammate Drew Tabke and I dance underneath a near-full moon. Handstands. Fancy feet. Anything to kill time and stay warm while waiting for our film crew across the valley below to reposition for the next shot. It?s day two of the Eye of the Condor film and photo competition in La Parva, Chile. Conditions are, well, sporty. Drew drops in first. Braving an icy wind, down into the abyss. I watch Drew?s headlamp disappear into the shadows. I feel alone. I?m isolated atop ?La Chimenea.? It?s one of La Parva?s quintessential lines?a long couloir located a short hike from the resort. My radio cuts in and out. It?s our photographer Jordan Ingmire. He wants to move his location again?farther down into the resort. ?Where are those guys?? I think to myself, peering into the darkness. With reluctance, I give him a ?ten-four.? The next 40 minutes will be brutal. To make things worse, some chump across the valley in the tiny Chilean mountain town of Farellones starts painting my line with a green laser beam. This is a sick joke. The beam is blinding. To throw off the shooter, I turn my headlamp off. I pray he loses my silhouette. It?s cold and I retreat to a less exposed position. It doesn?t matter?I?m freezing and the laser beam is relentless. I just want to ski. After an eternity, my radio cuts in. The internal conversation I?ve been having with myself for the last half hour all but disappears. Jordan?s ready for my shot. I glance down the couloir wishing my headlamp wasn?t so dim. It?s too late. There?s only one way down. I call ?thirty seconds,? and skate to the edge. Reluctantly, I turn my headlamp on. ?Dropping!? All hesitation disappears. But four turns into my line the laser hits me again. Turn after turn eerie green snow erupts around me. I?m skiing by feel through lime-lit rock walls. Finally I get a view of the exit. I dodge scree and breathe a sign of relief. Seeking shelter beneath a large rock I spot the tormenting light. It?s searching for my headlamp. I catch my breath, turn my light off, and point my skis down the fall line.All this for a photo?---Check the green light out seen here @ 3:41 of Team WIDSIX's EOTC2 Video For Part 1 click HEREStay tuned for part 3 Tomorrow. Heliskiing the Andes.
Ruka ski holidays Finland Lapland holidays Lapland skiing holidays
Saturday, September 1, 2012
#FriFotos: Cloud Nine
Thanks to Uladzimir Taukachou, who submitted this week's featured photo to our My Shot community.
Want to see one of your photos featured on our website or Intelligent Travel blog? Make it happen by uploading your favorite travel pics (don?t forget to add a caption!) to ngm.com/yourshot. Tag all your submissions #travelshot ? then look for your photos in one of our My Shot galleries or on our blog.
Want to see one of your photos featured on our website or Intelligent Travel blog? Make it happen by uploading your favorite travel pics (don?t forget to add a caption!) to ngm.com/yourshot. Tag all your submissions #travelshot ? then look for your photos in one of our My Shot galleries or on our blog.
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#EOTC2 Round Up: Getting Shots With The Pros
My teammate Drew Tabke and I dance underneath a near-full moon. Handstands. Fancy feet. Anything to kill time and stay warm while waiting for our film crew across the valley below to reposition for the next shot. It?s day two of the Eye of the Condor film and photo competition in La Parva, Chile. Conditions are, well, sporty. Drew drops in first. Braving an icy wind, down into the abyss. I watch Drew?s headlamp disappear into the shadows. I feel alone. I?m isolated atop ?La Chimenea.? It?s one of La Parva?s quintessential lines?a long couloir located a short hike from the resort. My radio cuts in and out. It?s our photographer Jordan Ingmire. He wants to move his location again?farther down into the resort. ?Where are those guys?? I think to myself, peering into the darkness. With reluctance, I give him a ?ten-four.? The next 40 minutes will be brutal. To make things worse, some chump across the valley in the tiny Chilean mountain town of Farellones starts painting my line with a green laser beam. This is a sick joke. The beam is blinding. To throw off the shooter, I turn my headlamp off. I pray he loses my silhouette. It?s cold and I retreat to a less exposed position. It doesn?t matter?I?m freezing and the laser beam is relentless. I just want to ski. After an eternity, my radio cuts in. The internal conversation I?ve been having with myself for the last half hour all but disappears. Jordan?s ready for my shot. I glance down the couloir wishing my headlamp wasn?t so dim. It?s too late. There?s only one way down. I call ?thirty seconds,? and skate to the edge. Reluctantly, I turn my headlamp on. ?Dropping!? All hesitation disappears. But four turns into my line the laser hits me again. Turn after turn eerie green snow erupts around me. I?m skiing by feel through lime-lit rock walls. Finally I get a view of the exit. I dodge scree and breathe a sign of relief. Seeking shelter beneath a large rock I spot the tormenting light. It?s searching for my headlamp. I catch my breath, turn my light off, and point my skis down the fall line.All this for a photo?---Check the green light out seen here @ 3:41 of Team WIDSIX's EOTC2 Video For Part 1 click HEREStay tuned for part 3 Tomorrow. Heliskiing the Andes.
Advice for a great cat skiing BC
Cat skiing BC is a unique experience that may reward you with the best days of your life due that you are able to venture on uncharted routes covered with the most pure and fresh power snow and the weather conditions are not an impediment because the transportation on these routes is by a snowcat
Swimming above skyline in Singapore [PICs]
If you?re wondering if it?s possible to take a dip in this rooftop infinity pool, the answer is yes.
The Radar: Surreal Coastlines, Thai Food Secrets, The Sword in the Stone
The Radar: The top travel news, stories, trends, and ideas from across the web. Got Radar? Follow us on Twitter @NatGeoTraveler and tag your favorite travel stories from the Web #ngtradar. Check back on the blog for our roundups. Photograph by Jeremie Noel, My Shot.
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Mammoth's Tamarack Lodge Offers Discounted Fall Color Package
Filed under: Biking, Hiking, North America, United States, Hotels and AccommodationsLabor Day weekend always seems to mark the unofficial end of summer, even though the season doesn't actually change for another three weeks. But we all know autumn is just around the corner and with it comes cooler temperatures, crisp air and the changing of the leaves.
This year Mammoth's Tamarack Lodge is offering visitors a chance to experience the brilliant colors of fall in the Sierra Mountains at an unbelievably affordable price. The rustic lodge, which has been named one of the Top 10 lakeside resorts in North America, will offer rates starting at just $49 per person per night between September 4 and November 11. That's the perfect time to witness the changing of the seasons for yourself.
This isn't a bare bones lodge experience, however. Upon check-in visitors will be given a complimentary bottle of wine and continental breakfast service is available daily. They'll also receive two hours of boat rental for free, as well as complimentary fishing rod rental too. Additionally, guests at Tamarack Lodge also have access to the resort's adventure activities, which include guided hikes, bike tours, fishing clinics and more.
The calendar may still say its summer but fall will be here before we know it. It's never too early to start planning your escape and there are few places better to be in the autumn than the Sierras.Mammoth's Tamarack Lodge Offers Discounted Fall Color Package originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
This year Mammoth's Tamarack Lodge is offering visitors a chance to experience the brilliant colors of fall in the Sierra Mountains at an unbelievably affordable price. The rustic lodge, which has been named one of the Top 10 lakeside resorts in North America, will offer rates starting at just $49 per person per night between September 4 and November 11. That's the perfect time to witness the changing of the seasons for yourself.
This isn't a bare bones lodge experience, however. Upon check-in visitors will be given a complimentary bottle of wine and continental breakfast service is available daily. They'll also receive two hours of boat rental for free, as well as complimentary fishing rod rental too. Additionally, guests at Tamarack Lodge also have access to the resort's adventure activities, which include guided hikes, bike tours, fishing clinics and more.
The calendar may still say its summer but fall will be here before we know it. It's never too early to start planning your escape and there are few places better to be in the autumn than the Sierras.Mammoth's Tamarack Lodge Offers Discounted Fall Color Package originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Emma's Eccentric Britain: shepherding in Devon
Fresh from her triumph on a surfboard, Poppy the beagle takes lessons from a sheepdog in Devon. Or at least that was Emma Kennedy's planDavid Kennard is, it turns out, famous. He's the human star of Mist: Sheepdog Tales, a children's TV series that airs in more than 20 countries. But he's no actor; he's a farmer through and through."I only appear in it when I absolutely have to," he says, softly. "It's the dogs who are the real stars."He's not lying. His sheepdogs are amazing, and I'm at Borough Farm near Woolacombe with him and Fly, one of the stars of the show. She's a young collie, bright-eyed, lean and eager. She takes one look at my dog, Poppy, laziest beagle in the universe, and ignores her. It's a bit like an Olympian being forced to hang out with Jabba the Hutt."How is she with sheep?" David asks as I heave Poppy into his Land Rover. I have no way of knowing. "She barks at pigeons," I offer. "And she chased a squirrel once.""Hmm," says Dave.David's Land Rover is a treasure trove of organised mess. It's lovely, old and battered and it's still got a cassette player."I've had this in every working vehicle I've ever had for nearly 30 years," David tells me, proudly, holding up a weathered-looking tape of the Pretenders album Learning to Crawl. "I know all the words on it now. Can't sing, mind."He starts to sing Show Me but gives up after the first line. "We'll head up to the cliffs now, I think," he adds, after a small cough. "Show you how I work the sheep."At a point just past Mortehoe we put Poppy on a lead, (David loses sheep annually to holidaymakers' dogs chasing them over cliffs) and strike off into a low-hanging mist."Can't even see the lighthouse," says David, gesturing westwards. "We used to be wreckers round here. Villagers would stand with lanterns and lure ships onto the rocks and then club to death anyone who made it to shore. So when they built the lighthouse, in 1872, everyone round here was livid. Meant the end of their livelihood. Ah, here it comes. Mist's rising."As the fog lifts, the lighthouse and a flock of sheep come into view, hugging the clifftop. We're standing above them on a peak and Fly is alert, tail tucked, crouched and waiting. Poppy is behind me, rolling in something unspeakable.David gives a tiny, soft whistle and Fly is away, edging to the right, following his every command. She negotiates brambles, comes round the flock's flank and then, as David's whistles pierce the air, she drives the sheep away from the cliff and up a narrow path in the gully below us."Do you think Poppy could do that?" I ask, nodding down towards my beagle, who is yawning."No," says David.It takes at least two-and-a-half years to train a sheepdog, and to get them to the next level, working a brace (two dogs at the same time with different tonal whistles), takes further years of constant practice."Fly's been a nightmare to train," David says as she races back to us. "It's been like driving a Formula One car with your wellies on."There's a fine line between herder and killer. All dogs have the instinct to hunt and chase, but a good sheepdog needs bravery too. "A weak dog will let its tail rise. The rams know this and they'll take advantage. The dog needs to stand her ground.""Look at that," David adds, pointing to a white orb below us. "Chinese lantern. I'm constantly having to pick those things up. They wreak havoc. If they land in a silage field, the wire gets churned up in the machines into tiny bits, the cows eat it and they have to have an operation. They're a menace. People let them off, think "Ooooh, aren't they lovely!" and don't give a thought to where they land."It's a real treat spending the afternoon with David. He's glorious company: he takes me off the beaten track to show me the best of the Devon coastline and creeps with me down a steep incline where we can watch seals gather in a pool below us. Not only that, but he regales me with endless local tales."They say there's bodies buried over there," he whispers, gesturing to a small plain between two peaks. "Old Ray in the village reckons so. He's the last of the Wreckers.""Is your favourite film Babe?""Yes," nods David, smiling. "I had a friend once tried to train up a pig. It didn't really work out. Nothing's cleverer than a dog."Poppy's eating some horse manure. I beg to differ.? Borough Farm (boroughfarm.co.uk) runs the last of its summer displays by the stars of Sheepdog Tales at 6pm next Wednesday. Adults �5, children �2.50. A shepherd's experience with David and his dogs costs �20 for around two hours Follow Emma Kennedy on Twitter at @EmmaK67DevonDay tripsShort breaksUnited KingdomEuropeEmma Kennedyguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Highway Hypnosis And How To Avoid It
Filed under: Learning, North America, United States, Transportation, Budget Travel, Women's Travel, Luxury TravelI've logged about 4,000 road miles (all solo) in the last few weeks, most of it in stunningly monotonous landscape. Fortunately, I've never fallen asleep at the wheel, but I've definitely had to pull over for a power nap on a number of occasions in the past.
What I tend to get is "highway hypnosis," also known as driving without attention mode (DWAM), or "white line fever (I always thought that was a reference to a different kind of white line, but what do I know?)."
Highway hypnosis is a trance-like mental state brought on by the monotony of the road. In other words, you're zoning out, and while one part of your brain is still able to operate your car, the other half is in la la land. If you've ever driven a stretch of highway and have no memory of it, you've had white line fever, baby. The important thing to take away from this is that it's nearly as dangerous as nodding off at the wheel.
A 2009 survey conducted by the CDC cited that nearly five percent of adults had fallen asleep while driving in the past 30 days. Those are some scary statistics, as are those from a 2007 National Sleep Foundation poll that stated more than one-half of American drivers (at the time, over 100 million people) had driven while drowsy.
Thousands of people die every year due to drowsy-driving and highway hypnosis-related crashes. Some experts claim falling asleep at the wheel is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated, because you have zero reaction time. With highway hypnosis, your reaction time is so compromised, you may as well be asleep.
With Labor Day weekend looming, I thought I'd provide some tips on how to avoid highway hypnosis, and what to do if you need to pull over for some zzz's, after the jump.Continue reading Highway Hypnosis And How To Avoid ItHighway Hypnosis And How To Avoid It originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
What I tend to get is "highway hypnosis," also known as driving without attention mode (DWAM), or "white line fever (I always thought that was a reference to a different kind of white line, but what do I know?)."
Highway hypnosis is a trance-like mental state brought on by the monotony of the road. In other words, you're zoning out, and while one part of your brain is still able to operate your car, the other half is in la la land. If you've ever driven a stretch of highway and have no memory of it, you've had white line fever, baby. The important thing to take away from this is that it's nearly as dangerous as nodding off at the wheel.
A 2009 survey conducted by the CDC cited that nearly five percent of adults had fallen asleep while driving in the past 30 days. Those are some scary statistics, as are those from a 2007 National Sleep Foundation poll that stated more than one-half of American drivers (at the time, over 100 million people) had driven while drowsy.
Thousands of people die every year due to drowsy-driving and highway hypnosis-related crashes. Some experts claim falling asleep at the wheel is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated, because you have zero reaction time. With highway hypnosis, your reaction time is so compromised, you may as well be asleep.
With Labor Day weekend looming, I thought I'd provide some tips on how to avoid highway hypnosis, and what to do if you need to pull over for some zzz's, after the jump.Continue reading Highway Hypnosis And How To Avoid ItHighway Hypnosis And How To Avoid It originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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