Intelligent Travel

Beyond the City Limits

Mid-April, I decided to visit my hometown of Seattle. Seeing as the Emerald City is in the peak of its rainy season at that time (believe it or not, the rain does stop eventually), my mom wondered why I'd ever want to visit for a week of gray drizzle. Well, I found round-trip airfare for $178 (which I ended up paying for in the end, when my MD-80 flight was canceled and I spent an extra six hours in BWI—I'm not bitter), and I knew visiting in April would allow me to see my favorite parts of the Pacific Northwest sans camera-toting tourists. Fortunately, I ended up bringing with me about 36 hours of sunshine, so my mom and I ventured out of the city.

Our first stop: Whidbey Island. About 30 miles north of Seattle is the ferry from Mukilteo (its small port has no more than a lighthouse, small market, and Ivar's restaurant—their smoked salmon chowder is to die for) to Whidbey Island.  There's not much on Whidbey, either, but that's the beauty of it. We stopped by Greenbank Farm, a 1930s berry farm on the south-central part of the island. In 1972 Greenbank was considered the largest grower of loganberries, a cross between a raspberry and blackberry, for which the farm is now famous (stop by in July for their Loganberry Festival). Unfortunately, we arrived before the farm actually opened for the day, so instead of testing some delicious loganberry products, we were instead greeted by some of the farm's furry friends (pictured left).

We continued north through Deception Pass, a 4,134-acre marine and camping park with great views and wildlife-watching opportunities. Stop your car before Deception Pass Bridge and take a walk along one of the short trails, or check out the view from the lookout on the other side (for more information, the visitor center is located about one mile south of the bridge). After leaving Whidbey Island, we continued east on Route 20 and north on 237, on a mission to make it to Edison, Washington, for lunch.

Tour Guide: Hike and Feel Good About It

Mount Rainier National Park

If there's anything I miss the most about living on the West Coast, it's the mountains. Sure, D.C.'s got the nearby Appalachians (I visit Shenandoah National Park as often as possible in summer), but there's nothing like looking out your Pacific Northwest window and seeing snow-capped peaks in every direction (Seattle is blessed with the Olympics to the west and the Cascades to the east).

The American Hiking Society has a solution for folks like me who live in a city where the mountains aren't quite at your doorstep. The AHS offers weeklong Volunteer Vacations in 25 states (and even the Virgin Islands) from February through November every year, for hiking gurus, beginners, and everyone in between who are capable of doing trail maintenance. Best of all, their website allows you to search for the volunteer tour that might work best for you. Just select your state, difficulty level, what kind of accommodation you prefer (even the avid backpacker likes a comfortable cabin every once in a while), and age range (from family friendly to 21+).

Tour Guide: These Streets Are Made For Running

What do Charleston, S.C., San Diego, and New York have in common? They are all cities with these new-fangled things called jogging tours.

Ladies and gentlemen, a new and improved way of sightseeing: City Running Tours. They're more time-efficient than leisurely walking tours, and they're a heck of a lot more eco-friendly than bus tours. And the best thing? They aren't necessarily tailored for running fanatics. The tours (led by an expert jogger/tour guide) span anywhere from six to 13 miles, but there are frequent photo-op stops, giving you and your legs time to regroup and snap a shot.

Free EcoCabs, Eh?

Starting today, a fleet of 28 EcoCabs has descended upon the smoggy streets of downtown Toronto.

What’s an EcoCab, you ask? In addition to being an adorably goofy alternative to the iconic yellow cab, the EcoCab runs mostly on a trained driver’s pedal-power (in other words, a modern-day rickshaw) and is powered by a rechargeable electric battery. The emission-free three-wheelers clip along at a sprightly 7.5 miles an hour in bike lanes and offer residents and tourists short-distance transport between Toronto's shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations as well as office buildings and transit stations. Each cab is equipped to carry two adult passengers. The best part? Rides are free of charge, funded by advertising on the exterior of each vehicle.

According to speculation, EcoCabs will hit Vancouver and Montreal next year.

Photo: Kazuyoshi Ehara/CNW Group

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Swiss Mobility

The SwitzerlandMobility project, a sustainable network of trails interwoven through the country's landscape, just launched this past weekend. Brian Schott was on hand to see it at its start.

MURTEN, SWITZERLAND — I was late. After arriving in Switzerland to sort out the country's new Mobility Project, I was struggling with my own version of Swiss mobility: sprinting for the train in Lausanne for the 45-minute ride to Murten, hoping to make a press conference that would launch the largest national network of non-motorized transport routes ever created. Once I was rolling, wiping sweat from my brow, I could relax. I gazed at workers in the fields harvesting onions, and gawked at views of the alps across Lake Geneva. Walking to the shores of Lake Murten, I listened to thrush singing, took in the beautiful architecture of the medieval village, and breathed in the smells of ornamental cherries and magnolia trees in bloom.

The dignitaries gathered. Press assembled. I listened.

Okay, here’s the deal, they explained. There are no new trails. No new construction. Really nothing new for travelers to see. Huh? I’ve never been here before and am already blown away by just the small speck of landscape that I have seen in the past 24 hours. Just standing here in this village is enough.

So what exactly am I doing here?

Turns out, thanks to the ingenuity of Swiss precision and four years of hard work, these charming folks have created a linked network for hikers (3,914 miles/6,300 km), touring cyclists (5,281 miles/8,500 km), mountain bikers (2,050 miles/3,300 km), inline skaters (683.5 miles/1,100 km) and canoeists (115 miles/250 km), all marked across the independent 26 cantons of Switzerland. The system of trails will use over 100,000 standardized signposts with different markings for national, regional, and local routes, for all the various forms of human-powered mobility. Some 18,000 public transport routes connect with the network. Ja wol!

That, in itself, is a major feat. Anyone who has ever been to any kind of meeting sitting around some table trying to gain consensus for a project knows that. Toll!

“The signposts are excellent,” assured Ruedi Jasli, one of the masterminds behind the project and the owner of Swiss Trails. Fifteen years ago he spearheaded an effort to get in-line skating trails established across the country. When I spoke with him in person after the official announcement, I could feel his passion. He obviously has a lot to gain from its success, managing the booking of one to eight day tours. But you can tell his love of sport outweighs his love of the bottom line. Any good project starts with love.

“The signposts are perfect,” he went on. “There are two options for signs. None. Or perfect. We chose perfect.”

You gotta love the Swiss. Tick, tock.

Eco-Adventure Weekend in Wales

Former Traveler intern and friend of IT Lisa Lombardi is studying abroad in London this semester, but she recently escaped away to Wales for an adventure-packed weekend.

After five weeks of living in London, this Midwestern girl was ready for a break from the glamour of metropolitan life, so I booked a weekend adventure trip with the Preseli Venture outdoors group and headed to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in Wales. As promised, the Welsh coast wilderness was the perfect remedy for the sensory overload of big-city living.

Among the many trips and options Preseli offers (including corporate retreats and stag and hen parties) is the outdoor adventure weekend, short enough to experience without taking time off and reasonable enough in price that even I, the lowly college student, can indulge. Guests can try out two excursions, choosing between mountain biking, sea kayaking, surfing and coasteering (scaling and jumping off of sea cliffs). For the third outing of the weekend, there is a hike along the stunning coastal cliffs.

The Best Views in Life Are Free

There may be no such thing as a free lunch - especially in New York, where decadence is king. But edibles aside, New York has one authentic freebie: a boat cruise offering a fantastic view of the New York skyline.

The Staten Island ferry is one of the best ways to see the New York cityscape and the Statue of Liberty, and it won't cost you a cent. The pedestrian-only boat leaves every 15 to 30 minutes and goes from Whitehall Terminal on Manhattan to St. George Terminal on Staten Island (and back again). The ride lasts about a half hour.

Once on Staten Island, take in some sights, like the Botanical Garden or the zoo, home to such local celebrities as Chuck the groundhog. Or just turn around and hop the ferry back – as fellow researcher Ashley Thompson and I did back in February. We were not disappointed – a sunset cruise offered exquisite views of the skyline, and we even made some new friends – a pair of Londoners who were up to the same free trick. Maybe you’ll make friends too. But no matter what, you'll enjoy the ride.

Photo: Tom Turner via Flickr photo pool

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Tour Guide: Biking the Underground Railroad

For history buffs out there (you know who you are), the Adventure Cycling Association has a great tour that combines U.S. history lessons with plenty of exercise.

The 48-day, 2,100-mile Undergound Railroad tour takes 14 cyclists from Mobile, Alabama, through the Deep South and the Tennessee River Valley, across the Ohio River, and up through Buffalo, New York, all the way to Owen Sound, Ontario, just like escaped slaves would have done in the 19th century (minus the bicycle, of course). Along the way, cyclists will stop at historic sites, share cooking responsibilities, and camp.

The Adventure Cycling Association is partners with the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Minority Health, which helped create the UGRR route. To get an idea of what the tour is like, check out Joan and Mike's entry on the Review the Ride Registry, who also have a very detailed blog with lots of photos from last year's trip.

The Association has heaps of other multiweek tours, like the brand-new, 79-day Great Western Loop, as well as shorter trips, like the 7-day Cycle Montana route.

For more information about the group's self-contained bicycling trips (you carry your own stuff) and supported tours (they transport your luggage for you), check out their website.

Photo: Adventure Cycling Association/Dennis Coello

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Even More Places a Dollar Can Get You

Calling all Dollar Menu lovers… or just fellow travel cheapos – the BoltBus, which recently launched $1 bus trips between Washington, D.C., and New York City, just announced that it is expanding its $1 service to Philly and Beantown as well.

Beginning April 10, the $1-each-way trips will be available between New York City and Philadelphia, and service between Boston and New York will begin two weeks later on April 24. Tickets for New York-to-Philadelphia are already on sale, and tickets for New York-to-Boston will go on sale on Monday, April 7. As part of the promotion for the new routes, tickets to and from Philadelphia on April 10-13 are $1, as are all trips to and from Boston April 24-27.

Just like the D.C.-New York trips, prices per seat will start at $1 (plus a hefty 50 cent booking fee) and go up to market value (currently about $20). BoltBus will offer six daily round-trip schedules between New York and Boston and nine between New York and Philadelphia.

The BoltBus will pick up and drop off passengers at 30th Street and Market Street in Philadelphia and stop at either 34th Street and Eighth Avenue or Canal Street and Sixth Avenue in the Big Apple. Service between New York and Boston will be at Boston’s South Station and 34th Street and Eighth Avenue in New York near Penn Station.

As I’ve mentioned before, BoltBus has free Wi-Fi, power outlets, and extra legroom. And, once you take eight trips on BoltBus, you get a free ride. If there's anything better than a $1 bus ride, it's a free bus ride.

Image: BoltBus

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What a Mush!

Associate Editor Amy Alipio teaches us all how to mush...

When I was in Churchill, Manitoba, last October, I went on a dogsledding excursion run by Dave Daley of Wapusk Adventures, which gave us a tiny but thrilling taste of what it’s like to be pulled by a pack of dogs who love to run. As soon as we entered Daley’s yard, the dogs—sensing that they were going to be running soon—started leaping straight up into the air like they had rocket blasters under their paws.

But for the real, blood-sweat-and-tears version of dogsledding, there’s the annual Hudson Bay Quest. The HBQ, founded by Daley and friend Gerald Azure five years ago, is a 400-kilometer (248-mile) dog-sled race between Churchill and Arviat, in Nunavut. Designed as a test of self-sufficiency, racers must carry their own supplies and food for the duration of the race. This year, 20 mushers will set off March 29 with their dog teams across the frozen, often windy, and snowy tundra bordering Hudson Bay, prepared to face temperatures stuck in the minus 20s Fahrenheit. I spoke to Daley to get the lowdown before the race.

How is the Hudson Bay Quest different from other dog-sled races, like the famous Iditarod?

Well one thing is that we let the Inuit racers race with their traditional sleds and fan hitches. In a fan hitch, the dogs are each attached to the sled by their own line, in a fan formation. The more typical hitch system, used in the Iditarod and Yukon Quest races, is the gangline, where dogs are attached to one single line, usually in pairs.

What inspired you to found the race?

Living in a remote community, we do watch the famous dog-sled races, and we wanted to have our own Iditarod or Yukon Quest. I’m a Métis, and I saw it as a chance to get together the aboriginals of the north  and revitalize traditional northern dog sledding. It’s not as long a race as the Iditarod but it’s pretty grueling. Every year so far we’ve had a blizzard at some point during the race. When I started, there were four teams out of Nunavut; this year there are 12. A lot of guys that hadn’t raced in awhile are getting back into it, and young people, a new generation of dogsledders, have sprung up. This is our opportunity to showcase our northern racers, although we do invite teams from the south. We have a lot of repeat racers too. Every year the race has become more and more popular.

Ride That Suitcase!

Not that our parents ever had to convince us to travel as little kids, but Trunki sure would have made long lines and hallways at airports a lot more fun. More Japanese anime than barnyard, this animal-themed luggage—especially the catchy video on their site—has IT wishing they made these for adults. The suitcase is light, 3.8 lbs., and sustainable—the company has designed it to use the least amount of parts and materials as possible, and any returns the company gets are fixed or recycled. Horn grips allow you to steer your Trunki; a “stabilizer” up front keeps you from toppling off. Inside, there are secret compartments for storing treasures, like candy or jewelry. We are especially fond of the Towing Handle, which doubles as a leash and a strap: Dad can either pull tot and Trunki, or sling Trunki (hopefully not with tot atop) around his shoulder, messenger-bag style. Trunki retails for $39.99.

Photos: Trunki

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Where a Dollar Will Get You

Here at IT, we like cheap transportation options. So we got especially excited when we heard about the new BoltBus (a division of Greyhound), which takes passengers between New York City and Washington, D.C., for only $1.

That's right. For as much as it costs you to buy a greasy hamburger off the dollar menu, you can travel about 230 miles from the country's political hub to the Big Apple.

Here's how it works: Ticket prices start at $1 (plus a 50-cent booking fee) and go up to market value, according to Dustin Clark, a Greyhound representative. Currently the market value is about $25. The earlier passengers book their tickets, the lower their fare will be. Passengers can book tickets up to six months in advance, and $1 tickets will remain available until the tickets sell out. Any extra seats can be filled by standby passengers on the day of travel, and walk-up tickets can be purchased for full price (market value). Ticket holders who purchase tickets online are guaranteed a seat, but BoltBus advises getting to the pickup point about 15 minutes before departure.

Logistics: The BoltBus will offer eight express trips daily from each city, picking up and dropping off passengers in Washington, D.C. (at Metro Center Station at 11th Avenue and G Street), and New York City (buses will stop at either 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue or Canal Street and Sixth Avenue).

Icing on the cake? The coaches have a few inches of extra leg room in each seat, and each provides power outlets and free wireless internet.

Services from each city begin on March 27, and tickets are currently available for purchase online.

Photo: BoltBus

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Intelligent Blogs: Get Moving

Here's a roundup of what we're loving on other blogs:

It's Easy Meeting Green: The smart new blog Go Green, Travel Green offers up 13 Tips for Meeting Other Green Travelers while on the road. CouchSurfing, the online community Gumtree in Australia, the U.K., and other cities worldwide, and the art of simply starting a conversation all make their list.

Think Inside the Box: Portland, Oregon, is already a heaven for cyclists, but they're now instituting a new bike policy for cyclists stopping at red lights. Starting this spring, the city is investing $150,000 on a project to stencil green "bike boxes" at busy intersections, so cyclists can wait for lights to change without risk of injury.

Recreation Vehicle: National Geographic's newest magazine, the Green Guide, has a fun post on its Fresh Finds blog about green RV-ing. Tweaking the standard gas-guzzling road behemoths, the Canadian company Verdier has designed a hybrid-engined, solar-paneled new take on the classic VW Westfalia. It's cute and green and hopefully on a highway near you soon.

Have more blogs that should be on our radar? Give us the links in the comments below.

Photo: via Blogtown, PDX

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Have Oyster, Will Travel

Living here in Washington, D.C., where transportation officials just upped the subway fares, it's nice to know at least one (more expensive) city across the pond has a cheap underground alternative.

London's infamous Tube, which has origins as far back as 1843 (when city solicitor Charles Pearson first proposed the subway system), is a bit expensive, with single fares starting at £4 (about $8). But the city's Oyster card provides discounts to passengers that shouldn't be missed. (Unlike D.C.'s similar SmarTrip card, which simply serves as an easy way to store Metro money.)

For example, a trip from Kew Gardens to Oxford Circus normally costs £4 when paying with cash, but for Oyster card holders, the trip only costs £2 (£2.50 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday). Kids under 16 would only have to pay £.50 (£2 without Oyster)!

Oyster cards can store up to £90 and can be used to access the Tube, buses, trams, the new Overground, DLR, and even some of London's National Rail services.

There is an initial fee for an Oyster card (£3 for residents, £2 for visitors), but it's definitely worth it for visitors and residents alike, especially given the weak U.S. dollar that's worth only about £.50.

Thanks to EuroCheapo for the tip!

Photo: zTransmissions via Flickr

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Tour Guide: Green Tortoise

I'm in the midst of planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas, and while perusing through my guidebooks I came across Green Tortoise, a San Francisco-based company that runs two hostels and operates a series of tours which wind along the Pacific coast, criss-cross the country, and crawl down into Central America. While their two hostels are safely grounded in San Francisco and Seattle, what piqued my interest was that their tours aren't just a series of stops and activities, but actual hostels-on-wheels.

In essence, when you climb into the 36-passenger bus to get to Alaska, Baja, the Yucatán Peninsula, or Yosemite, it turns out that the bus is also your lodging once you get there. Green Tortoise has retrofitted typical tour buses so that their tables and chairs tuck away, allowing a wide swath of mattresses to be spread throughout the cabin, in something akin to kindergarteners putting out their nap-mats (can you imagine if this same idea worked on planes?).

But aside from the comfort you’ll get from snuggling up to your fellow passengers, you’ll be at ease knowing that the company, avowedly committed to green travel, also operates many of its buses using biodiesel fuels, and offers travelers the option of offsetting their carbon count (at $5 per 5,000 miles, it’s a steal).

Go! Go! Bangkok!

Contributing Editor Daisann McLane sends us a dispatch from Bangkok...

I'm in Bangkok now, on the first leg of a "low-carb" (as in carbon) trip around Southeast Asia. Tomorrow I've booked a sleeping berth on Thailand's state railway for an overnight trip down the Thai isthmus, then across by ferry (or taxi) to Penang, Malaysia.

I've been coming to Bangkok for more than ten years, and while I love the city, it has always ranked low on my environmental list. The city sprawls like Houston or L.A., and even though in the last 9 years they've introduced the metro, the traffic jams are still as bad as ever.

The worst offenders by far are the motorbikes. Bangkok's city geography is a strange amalgam of metropolis and village. Cars move (slowly) down wide boulevards, but people and small businesses exist, for the most part, along the sois, the little side streets that branch off from the main avenues. Each soi is like a small town, and if you live far down the soi from the boulevard, you face a long walk.

And so a mini-industry of motorbike taxis has sprung up here. These guys wait at the top of every soi, ready to ferry people, for a small fee, down the lane. They are noisy, and they create an enormous amount of air pollution.

Imagine my surprise then, after settling into my little guesthouse on Sukhumvit Soi 8, to find that there are NO motorcycle taxis on this soi. The hotels and guesthouses at the far end of the soi have purchased these environmentally friendly, electric powered golf-cart taxis. So when I finish my breakfast on the wood patio of the lovely Hotel Salil, I just jump in the golf cart. What a great way to start my green travel day in Bangkok!

Read more: IT's Emily Haile contemplated Tuk Tuk's in Thailand. The city of Adelaide introduced a free solar powered bus to shuttle its citizens around. We give you the lowdown on Ecodriving.

Photo: Daisann McLane

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Surf's Up England

Here at IT, we like surfing. Apparently in England they do, too.

The developers of Silvertown Quay recently unveiled plans to create Venture Xtreme, an extreme sports venue and surf center in London. Upon completion, the center will house London's largest permanent outdoor beach and surf pool. The thing is, it's not even a real beach.

Tagging itself as the U.K.'s first "artificial surf experience" (and a "world's first" project of this size), the complex (scheduled to be complete in 2011) will feature 365 days of "perfect waves" ideal for everyone from beginners to professionals.

The Right Way To Drive on the Left

Perhaps the folks in Ireland have gotten a bit wary of our attempts to drive on the left side of the road. Or maybe they're just being friendly. Either way, the Ashford Castle hotel in western Ireland has offered help steer us in the right direction by offering driving lessons, in their How to Drive on the Left program. Driving instructors will teach everything from interpreting Gaelic road signs to how to maneuver clockwise around traffic circles.

We wondered whether tourists were terrorizing Cong, the tiny 150-person village where Castle is located, with their shoddy driving techniques. But it turns out it the locals are actually fine with bringing more people to the town.

"Actually, the idea started here in New York," said Ashford Castle spokesperson Geoffrey Weill. "Many Americans are terrified to drive in Britain, and perfecting the art on the quiet roads around Cong we felt was a super idea. It’s that simple!"

Of course, the 38-room castle is about 26 miles from Galway—so getting there in the first place might be an issue. You might want to get an experienced driver to help you navigate the way before you get behind the wheel.

Photos: courtesy of Failte Ireland

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Zut Alors! Paris' Car-Sharing Program

Earlier this month, Paris’ beloved leftist mayor Bertrand Delanoë announced plans to begin a city-wide car-share program, which will be modeled after Paris’ current (and wholly successful) bike-share program, Vélib. All I can say is, “yikes.”

I just returned from a month–long séjour in France, and tested out a similar version of the Paris pedaling program in Lyon, which is actually where the idea of a cheap, advertising-subsidized plan was created. The concept, in my opinion, is pure genius. The program clears up traffic congestion, reduces carbon emissions, and allows tourists to get a more authentic look into the city’s culture. It’s amazing how much more of the city you can see when traveling above ground. Plus, I managed to avoid paying anything by returning my bike every 30 minutes and exchanging it for another one. (The first 30 minutes are free.) That, my friends, is also pure genius.

That said, the idea of using the same system with cars is daft. It turns a smart, eco-friendly idea into a messy, untested nightmare. Monsieur Delanoë should let this concept sink shamefully back to the drawing board.

Night Skiing Deserves a Quiet Night

Among my favorite skiing "firsts" – the first black diamond hill (ouch), my first time experiencing real powder (at Mt. Snow, which was amazing for an East Coast girl who grew up grinding down ice), the first time I realized I loved being cozy in the the lodge nearly as much as being on the mountain –  is one night in Pennsylvania when for the first time, I skied, in jeans, under the lights. Part of the fun was experiencing the juxtaposition of the senses: seeing the warm glow of the lights against the snow while feeling the sting of the cold on my cheeks. Skiing at night was both dangerous and exciting, and the mountain, despite it's low altitude, looked somehow more regal, like a high school gym that had been decorated for a dance.

So while I wouldn't recommend skiing in jeans at all these locations, I would suggest checking out the New York Times' roundup of ski resorts, both here and abroad, that offer night skiing. Here are a few of their picks that stood out:

• Zermatt in Switzerland offers night skiing only four times a year, when the moon is full and the sky is clear. The brave nosh on fondue before swooshing down the 10,180-foot slope, which is illuminated only by moonlight.

• Vermont's Stowe Mountain resort  lures night skiers to the top of the mountain, where they host cultural fare like jazz dinners and Dominican Republic-themed nights in the lodge. But we think half of the fun is getting there  – they offer blankets, cider and a lantern to keep warm on the gondola ride up. Cost is $75 per person. Check out this  great video to get a virtual Stowe nightskiing experience.

• Niseko ski resort in Japan offers some of the largest swaths of night skiing in the area, and some of the best nightlife as well. See a video of Niseko night skiing here.
  

Got your own night skiing recommendations? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Photo: Stowe Mountain Resort

GPS Treasure Hunting

So you've already navigated your way to and from grandma's house with the new GPS system you got under the tree this holiday season. But looking for directions is hardly a fun way to play with your new toy. So why not try taking part in a modern-day GPS-savvy scavenger hunt known as Geocaching? (FYI: It's pronounced geo-cashing).

The adventure game allows participants to use GPS technology to uncover hidden treasures, or caches, hundreds of thousands of which are now located all over the world. The caches usually are boxes or buckets that have a few tokens and a logbook inside, and the whole premise is based on a simple theory, "take some stuff, leave some stuff," in order to keep the game going. Many cities and states, seeking to draw caching enthusiasts, are now working to promote geocaching tourism. Asheville, North Carolina, for example, is holding the Ultimate AsheCache in May of this year, and will put $1,700 in prizes in caches stashed within a 100-mile radius of downtown. Other tourism boards have sponsored caches in Prince Edward Island, Canada, upstate New York, and Arkansas.

Here's a quick tutorial to getting started:

1) Log in to the Geocaching website and create a profile to access the site. Type in your home base coordinates, and enter the zip code for the area where you'd like to go treasure hunting.

2) Scroll through a list of different kinds of caches in the area to find one that's interesting to you. Enter the coordinates in your GPS device to familiarize yourself with the area, and read through the clues left by the cache's hider that will help lead you to the treasure.

3) Depending on whether the cache is hidden in an urban or rural environment, you may want to get a topographic map to help you find your way. GPS devices tend to only provide directions as the crow flies, so use MapBlast (offered through the geocaching website) to help with navigating the streets.

 

Tindo: The Solar Powered Bus

Congrats to the city of Adelaide for being the first to bring solar-powered transportation to the masses! 

The snazzy new Tindo solar bus holds 42 passengers and 100 percent of its energy is derived from the sun. (Tindo is actually the Aboriginal word for sun, in case you were wondering). Built by the New Zealand company Designline International, the bus doesn't have a combustion engine, which means it's quiet, doesn't give off emissions, and is carbon neutral. It recharges its batteries through the solar panels on top of the newly designed Adelaide Central Bus Station. Best of all, it's free for city residents (and visitors!) to use, transporting people between shopping centers, universities, and hospitals inside its cute green exterior.

Adelaide has been working hard to establish itself as a green city by developing a campaign to promote city-wide cycling, putting wind turbines on rooftops and solar panels on schools, and even employing a "Thinker in Residence" to help brainstorm new sustainable projects. If you're interested in witnessing more of the fun (or riding on the Tindo) they're playing host to a green festival this upcoming February (it's their summer, remember) which is in conjunction with the third annual Solar Cities conference simultaneously being held there.

Thanks to Inhabitat for the tip!

Photo: Adelaide City Council

 

Capitals Segway Tour

There's nothing quite like being a tourist in your own city. Or simultaneously being a tourist attraction and a tourist in your own city, for that matter. Late last month, Washington Post Sports Blog writer Dan Steinberg followed several of the D.C. Capitals hockey players as they took a Segway tour of the city—and proved that the jocks can be just as tough on their sidewalk-scooters as they are on the ice. 

Got your own way of exploring your city? Let us know in the comments below.

When In Utah, Do As Olympians Do

Ever wonder what happens to Olympic parks once the medal ceremonies have ended and the Olympic flame goes out? Salt Lake City (home of the 2002 Winter Games) has turned its snow-covered Olympic Park into a tourist attraction, and the park has some cool features we just had to tell you about.

Admission to the Utah Olympic Park is free, and just getting into the park allows visitors to take a self-guided tour of the Olympic competition sites, as well as access to the Winter Sports Center (which houses a ski museum as well as the 2002 Eccles Olympic Winter Games Museum). Visitors can also watch Olympians-in-training and frequent competitions throughout the park. If you'd rather have an expert lead the way, you can take a guided tour of the park's facilities (adult/child/family $7/$5/$25).

To feel like a true Olympian, you can also speed down a bobsled track at 80 m.p.h. (IT tip: Eat your lunch after you ride "The Comet.") A trained driver takes three passengers at at time to experience one of the Winter Games' signature sports. Participants must be over 16 years old, and tickets cost $200 per person (in summer, tickets are only $60 each).

For a less expensive thrill, adrenaline junkies can experience the World's Steepest Zipline. The Xtreme Zip ($20, meant for riders over 100 lbs.) speeds 50 miles per hour along the K 120 ski jump hill, while the Ultra Zip ($15, meant for riders over 50 lbs.) takes riders down the winter freestyle hill.

Ziplines may not be an official Olympic sport, but we'd like to think that if we practice enough, we can start petitioning for the 2010 games in Vancouver.

Photo: Utah Olympic Parks

A Streetcar Named St. Charles

We've been keeping up with the rebuilding of life in New Orleans, and IT contributor Katie Howell sends along another sign of hope for the city.

Good news for public transportation proponents, historical preservationists, and those waxing nostalgic. The familiar “clang clang” of the world’s oldest surviving urban rail line has returned to New Orleans’ St. Charles Avenue. Hurricane Katrina halted service of the city’s derelict public transportation system more than two years ago. Service quickly returned to the “new” Canal Street line (reopened in 2004 after a 40-year hiatus); the modern, tourist-centered Riverfront line; and the downtown portion of the St. Charles Avenue line. But damage to the tracks and catenaries on the rest of the St. Charles line kept the green, historic landmark-status streetcars from running the length of the oak-lined avenue through New Orleans’ famous Garden District until two weeks ago.

While the system isn’t completely back to pre-Katrina status, commuters, tourists, and “Nolaphiles” alike celebrated the partial return of the Big Easy’s crown jewel with parades, parties, and free rides. Five streetcars are currently running ten minutes apart along the three miles (4.8 kilometers) between St. Charles Avenue and Napoleon Avenue. While the full 6.5 mile route is still not open and the trains are running on a limited schedule, they do replace the erratic bus service that's been in place for the last two years. The city hopes to have the rest of the St. Charles line reopened by spring 2008.

Beautiful Boquete

While Costa Rica has emerged in recent years as an eco-tourism destination, tucked in the Chiriqui Highlands near the Baru volcano is another eco-hot-spot waiting to erupt.

The town of Boquete, Panama, is quaint—mom-and-pop shops line the streets, offering a more Southern California feel than a Central American one. But life around Boquete is vibrant—abundant wildlife and rich rivers and forests make bird watching, hiking, climbing, and white-water rafting all readily available in Panama’s vibrant environment. And better yet—the town’s 3,000-foot elevation means it is regularly ten degrees cooler than other Panama towns.

While you’re there, be sure to check out Boquete Tree Trek, a half-day zip-lining trip through 3 km (1.86 miles) of jungle canopy. On a hot day, go to Chiriqui River Rafting for white-water rafting trips with one of the region’s oldest outfitters. For those who want an energy boost without the adrenaline rush, take a coffee plantation tour with Coffee Adventures. Visitors can hike through fields of coffee trees, meet the pickers, and get a caffeine fix in the brewer’s "cupping" room.

Boquete is a seven-hour drive from Panama City, or 45 minutes from David.

Photos: Magda Wojtyra (top); Juan Antonio Villegas (right)

Lodge-to-Hut Snowshoeing in New Hampshire

Looking for a winter weekend getaway that's au naturale? The Appalachian Mountain Club is launching a set of naturalist-led snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trips in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  Excursions are available for all skill levels; one of the treks is specially designed for families with kids aged ten or older.

Spend a night at the new Highland Center or rustic Joe Dodge Lodge before hoofing it to one of eight backcountry mountain huts, "a focal point of our work to protect alpine and forest ecosystems, maintain trails, and promote the use of renewable energy," says AMC's website.

Just $170 per adult ($187 for non-members) includes meals, accommodations, and snowshoes. A glance at TripAdvisor tells us that the huts are popular with hikers. Contributor dd55 offers this tip:

Let me suggest you take advantage of the hiker shuttle the AMC runs. For a nominal fee, park your car where you want to come out and then take the shuttle back to your trailhead. Very convenient. The shuttle schedule is available here.

If that sounds to your liking, you could follow a route that includes three AMC huts. Start at Zealand, go to Galehead, and then on to Greenleaf. This route provides a nice mix interesting flat land, high peaks and unforgettable ridge walking. You never forget your first time on a ridge above treeline.

There are plenty of spots, including at least one AMC tent site, to pitch a tent. And as first timers, you will probably welcome the huts as little havens along the way. I know I did.

We're looking forward to getting a chance to strap on snowshoes and find out for ourselves. Know other great mountain trail trips? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Photo: Mike Kautz

Tour Guide: Peru

IT friend Lolly recently went on a tour in Peru. She raved about her guide Devon Graham (biologist and tour company owner) so much that we just had to look into the tour operator ourselves.

Margarita Tours organizes private eco-expeditions in the Amazon. While most of their tours are riverboat-based, they also have three working field stations, like the one pictured above, where many of their tours will stop for the night. (The stations are owned and operated by Project Amazonas, a non-profit conservation organization that fosters biological, medical, and environmental research in the Peruvian Amazon.)

Walk Score Helps You Hoof It

                

Can you walk to the drugstore from your house? Your hotel? We stumbled upon a nifty site called Walk Score that will tell you in seconds flat.

The site plugs itself as a resource for real estate buyers, but we think it’s also invaluable for travelers when picking a hotel or getting an idea of the distance between attractions. Who wants to stay in a hotel miles from nowhere? A cute café, restaurant, or shopping district within walking distance can mean the difference between a crummy vacation and one filled with local charm. It can also alert you ahead of time if you’ll need to rent a car. Scores range between "Walker's Paradise" (90 - 100) and "Driving Only" (0 - 25).

Big Wheels Keep on Turnin'

Irv Gordon breaks a world record every time he gets behind the wheel of his 1966 Volvo P1800. The 67-year-old retired teacher has clocked more than 2 million miles (2,593,831 as of this writing) on the car...and he's still driving it. He's got the Guinness world record for "most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle" and, as one might imagine, a major case of the travel bug. "Some people watch the Travel Channel. Then there's the rest of us," says Gordon. "I'd rather be there and see it in person."

Gordon pulled over to talk to us on Interstate 70, while on his way to Las Vegas for an auto trade show.  We asked him what drives him to, um, keep driving, and for some of his favorite stops along the way:

Gordon's not the type to go to art museums, but the Devil's Rope Museum in McLean, Texas, is right up his alley. An ode to that sharpest of American inventions, barbed wire, it used to be a brassiere factory in the 1940s, he says. Best of all, it's free.

The tiny town of Gothenburg, the "Pony Express Capital of Nebraska," is worth a stop for its station museum.

The Henry Ford Museum is another favorite, good for road trippers from Chicago. It's actually in Dearborn, Michigan, nearly 300 miles east, but with Gordon's internal gauge, anything within a few hundred miles is certainly worth a side trip, he says. (We're sure Ford would be proud).