American Rambler Tours Blog

The Art of Adventure Travel

americanrambler — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:24:28 +0000

What makes an adventure traveler different from any other kind of tourist?

On a whim, I searched for ‘adventure travel’ on Wikipedia today. Here’s what I found:
Adventure travel is a type of tourism, involving exploration or travel to remote, exotic and possibly hostile areas, where the traveler should “expect the unexpected”. Adventure tourism is rapidly growing in popularity, as tourists seek different kinds of vacations. According to the U.S. based Adventure Travel Trade Association, adventure travel may be any tourist activity, including two of the following three components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction and engagement with nature.

Way to take the fun out of it, eh? Of course, American Rambler Tours scores like gangbusters on all three components. But we’re not into statistics and scientific formulas. We think it’s more constructive to think of adventure travel as an approach — to vacationing and to thinking about travel.

“Adventure travel” is an umbrella term that can include any number of activities. You can hike through a forest, walk inside a volcano, climb up a mountain, or canoe down a river. It’s how you do it that matters. The art of adventure travel is what makes the difference between a walk in the woods and a life-changing experience.

Prepare
Adventure travelers don’t just expect the unexpected — we prepare for it too! This means getting sound and comprehensive information beforehand, planning the journey in detail and being well-equipped. We don’t confuse spontaneity or adventurousness with unpreparedness.

Seek
Adventure travelers aren’t just thrill-seekers, contrary to popular perception. We seek experience: we want to discover what happens in a certain situation or area or activity. We seek knowledge: we want to know who we are and how things work in these situations — whether it’s the skill of putting up a tent or the art of maneuvering a canoe. Finally, we seek wisdom: we want to think and live better through our knowledge.

Connect
Adventure travel is about making connections — with nature, with other people, and with ourselves. Naomi Shihab Nye said it well: “Even now, when skin is not alone/ it remembers being alone and thanks something larger/ that there are travelers, that people go places/ larger than themselves.”

Reflect
Adventure travel is not just a way of vacationing, it’s a way of thinking. It’s not only an awesome experience — it’s the knowledge we get, the connections we make, the memories we carry. It’s an opportunity to step outside our usual constraints and routines, discover new things and challenge our ideas. That’s the kick.

If these are things that interest you, you may already be an adventure traveler at heart.

Orca’s Out and About

americanrambler — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:44:30 +0000

Doing some kayaking in the San Juans. The orca whales are out and about. Saw lots of ‘em.

We visit the San Juans on our Pacific NW tour (July 29-Aug 4 and Aug 22-28) http://www.americanramblertours.com/pn.php. Join us!

Songs About Nature You Thought Were About Something Else

americanrambler — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:05:43 +0000

Whether you’re making an environmentally-conscious track list for your iPod/morning run or you simply love some good old music trivia, we’ve got four Mother Earth-approved songs for you to ponder. And until today, you probably thought they were about love, or some other singer-songwriter cliche.

“Kashmir” by Led Zepplin
Like many of Zepplin’s “greatest hits,” this one sounds like it’s about sex. But just do a little research, and it’s clear Robert Plant is singing about a striking geographical region – specifically, he was inspired by a drive through the Sahara Desert, though that’s not anywhere near Southern Asia’s Kashmir. (Hence the confusion.)

“Paradise City” by Guns ‘n Roses
Yeah, you thought Paradise City’s green grass was just a metaphor for some booze and drug-infested LA hangout, or, well, something else. Get your head out of the gutter – it’s actually more straightforward than that. Axl Rose was just reminiscing on his childhood days in the Midwest.

“What About Now” by Daughtry
You’d think an American Idol crooner would have more superficial things to sing about, but this song – written by two former Evanescence members – is about Uganda, Africa and the human destruction it’s endured. How serious!

“Idioteque” by Radiohead
You probably got so into the cool percussive beats and meditation-worthy pace of this song that you tuned out the apocalyptic lyrics entirely. But before you fall asleep to this favorite Radiohead track, keep in mind you’re listening to someone’s fears about global warming! Listen closely and you’ll hear “ice age is coming…” eeks.
Do you have any favorite songs about nature? Not sung by John Denver?

Photo by Rossina Bossio Bossa.

Get Outside: The Nature Cure

americanrambler — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:28:05 +0000

The great outdoors is good for your mental health—so good, in fact, that even a five-minute dose of greenery can work wonders for your state of mind, says USA Today. **

British researchers analyzed data from 10 separate studies, which looked at the effect that activities such as walking, cycling, fishing, farming, and gardening had on the mental states of the 1,200 people involved. Although everyone benefited, the young and mentally ill saw the biggest boosts to their self-esteem. Urban parks conferred positive effects, although green areas with water were even more beneficial. And the largest positive health changes occurred when people exercised in the outdoors, for periods as brief as just five minutes. “There would be a large potential benefit,” says study co-author Jo Barton, if “people were to self-medicate more with green exercise.”

**This story is from the May 21, 2010 edition of ‘The Week’ magazine and is titled ‘The Nature Cure’.

Why You Shouldn’t Mess With Nature Part 3

americanrambler — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:42:29 +0000

Glacier-less Glacier?

americanrambler — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:21:05 +0000

Glacier National Park is an incredible mountain paradise in the northwestern corner of Montana. For years visitors have come here to see the incredible mountains, plentiful wildlife, and of course, the glaciers. In fact, the glaciers here are among the most easily accessible within the US. Note *this does not mean you should walk on them. Never walk on a glacier unless a certified guide or park ranger tells you it’s safe to do so. What is meant by accessible is that it’s easy to get close to.

For years visitors have delighted at the brilliant turquoise waters of Grinnell Lake, Cracker Lake, and Iceberg Lake, among others. The stunning color is a result of glacial flour which is created by rock powder. As glaciers move, they act as an abrasive and crush rocks underneath, grinding them up into glacial flour that feeds into the lakes.

The glaciers have been melting at an increased rate. In 1850 there were approximately 150 glaciers within the park. Now there are about 26 glaciers remaining. A few years ago scientists estimated that Glacier National Park will be glacier-less by 2030. More recent estimates suggest it could happen as early as 2020.

Glacier National Park has fast become one of our personal favorites for many reasons, with it’s inspiring landscape of alpine meadows, snow-capped mountains, and abundant wildlife (mountain goats, bighorn sheep, moose, bears, etc). You can visit it on our Mountain Madness multi sport tour. Yellowstone and Grand Tetons also included.

Save! Book any Mountain Madness tour by June 10 and save $150. Use discount code blue at checkout.

Why You Shouldn’t Mess With Nature Part 2

americanrambler — Thu, 13 May 2010 23:43:07 +0000

Why You Shouldn’t Mess With Nature Part 1

americanrambler — Thu, 13 May 2010 03:56:35 +0000

Best Sleeping Bags for Camping

americanrambler — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:29:19 +0000

For a painless $20, you can rent a high-quality sleeping bag from us for your small group tour. However, if your latest paycheck is burning a hole through your pocket, a durable outdoor sleeping bag is a smart investment – particularly if you’re a routine rambler.

When you’re dropping more than $50 on a sleeping bag, it better get you a good night’s rest in cold, wet, dry, and even windy environments. To find the best sleeping bags for camping, keep the following in mind: shape and material.

Shape

All sleeping bags are basically rectangular, because, well, people basically are. (Though personally, I’m more like a circle when I sleep, curled up in a ball…) The sharper the corners are on a sleeping bag, the roomier it is. If your sleep style is “turn and toss,” go with an obviously rectangular shape. Beware of the cold, though. Since there’s more room for you, there’s also more room for cold air to seap in and invade your space. Thus, rectangular sleeping bags for camping aren’t always the warmest, which brings us to an alternative: semi-rectangular, or barrel.

Barrel shaped sleeping bags are tapered at the ends, and in effect make for a very snug fit. These are a great solution for campers who want a little extra room, but not a ton.

There’s still one more sleeping bag shape to consider: mummy. I know what you’re thinking: mummy bags form under the eyes of women after years of child baring and rearing. Not in this case J. They’re actually sleeping bags that are wide at the top and narrow at the bottom; they retain heat much better and are ideal for cold climates. They’re also easy to tote around, as they’re lighter than their rectangular counterparts.

Material

Although nylon and polyester sleeping bags for camping are cheaper, that doesn’t mean they’re not solid. For extreme enviroments, though, consider microfiber or dryloft, which are more weather resistant and waterproof.

To get you started, we tracked down some great sleeping bags for camping, which you can buy online today. Feel free to sleep on it, though.

Coleman’s Tasman X 0-Degree Hybrid Sleeping Bag
http://tinyurl.com/283f5gf
Get the best of both worlds: the roominess of a rectangular bag and the warmth of a mummy bag.

SwissGear Sleeping Bag with Hood
http://tinyurl.com/2cs9l9f
Who needs a cuddle buddy when you’ve got this? It’s super durable, will keep you warm in 20-degree weather, and is desirably lightweight.

Cabela’s 3-Season Rectangular Sleeping Bag
http://tinyurl.com/29z34l7
For frequent explorers who find themselves in unexpected climates all the time, a sleeping bag like this is a must have.

REI Luxurious 3-season Sleeping Bag
http://www.rei.com/product/762527
At a whopping $389, this is no impulse buy. But for any serious camper, it’s a wise one.

LL Bean Sleeping Bags
http://tinyurl.com/2b6mtfb

LL Bean is a leader in the world of outdoor travel gear, so they’ve naturally got a host of superior sleeping bags

Going for it

americanrambler — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:22:33 +0000

My favorite thing about being a tour guide last summer was seeing passengers exceed their personal expectations and accomplish goals they didn’t think possible. One of my favorites was Amy.

Amy had lost a lot of weight before the Pacific Northwest trip, and she was still working towards her ideal weight. Being from the Midwest she didn’t get a lot of chances to go on crazy outdoor adventures.

One of our first activities was climbing a mountain in the Mt. Ranier area of WA. There were two choices, an easy and a difficult hike. Amy first chose the easy hike because she didn’t think she could do the hard one. At the last second she changed her mind and decided to brave it and do the hard hike. At the end of the day, when everyone was exhausted, Amy had a huge smile on her face because she had done it! And then the next day she swam across a huge lake. She no longer underestimated herself. I was so proud of her.

-Arna