Great Motorcycle Stops

Not all of us are motorcycle riders, but if you are fortunate and enjoy the risky sport (or if you know an experienced rider with an extra helmet), then here are some great destinations to see from a motorcycle. Read about them of 10 great places to pull over on a motorcycle as found on USA Today Travel.

"Diamond Belle Saloon
Strater Hotel in Durango, Colo.

'I moseyed into Diamond Belle's and — gazing at the saloon girls, string-tied bartender and honky-tonk pianist — my sense of time travel was surpassed only by relief this wasn't yet another sports bar,' McKechnie recalls. Card tables, spittoons and, behind the bar, an oil painting of a nude are among the amenities. Louis L'Amour requested Room 222 above the saloon, where the sounds helped propel the story lines of his Western novels. 970-247-4431; strater.com

Tanglewood
Lenox, Mass.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra heads for the hills every summer — the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. 'Pack a picnic dinner and, for around 20 bucks, you can lie beneath the stars and listen to concerts by the BSO and guest performers such as James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, André Previn, John Williams and LeAnn Rimes,' McKechnie says. 413-637-1600; tanglewood.org

Death Valley
California

'Not really a great place to pull over, this is a mighty spiritual place to ride across,' McKechnie says. Summer temperatures rise past 110 degrees, less than 2 inches of rain falls each year, and in the basin of the valley, you're 282 feet below sea level. 'Its supernatural emptiness tinkered with my perception of size and dimension, and, at one point, I had an unusual out-of-body experience. ... Do this on a motorcycle if you can. If not, keep your windows down, your radio off, and tune in to the Earth.' 760-786-3200; nps.gov/deva"

So Much to See from Two Wheels

Thanks to Laurie Ellis and Shady Hartshorne, writers for GoNOMAD, a wonderful question has been answered: "So how do you get someone who’s not really interested in an 'active vacation' to agree to a week of biking?" As discussed multiple times on this blog, there is so much to see from two wheels; plus, add in the comfort of the Netherlands flat lands, and we have a winning, healthful destination. See how this couple's bike adventure turned out in the article Hup Holland! A Netherlands Bike and Boat Adventure.

"Each morning we had breakfast at 8, and left the boat by bike at 9. Timing was important as the boat often had to go through locks to make it to the destination town. We would ride for a while, take breaks at interesting towns or sights, and meet up with the boat later in the day.

The Dutch are practically born on bicycles. Everyone rides. It is not unusual to see a baby in a milk crate that has been attached to the handlebars.

You can’t get upset when someone old enough to be your grandparent passes you. Remember, they’ve been riding their whole lives, and you’re in a group waiting for the slowest member to catch up!

The Netherlands is a land of lush green countryside and canals perfectly suitable for biking. The miles and miles of well-marked, wonderfully maintained and constantly used bike paths crisscross this small country roughly the size of Maryland. You may ride through grassy dunes, or see cows and sheep, horses and ponies grazing peacefully on one side of the path while a canal courses by on the other."

Handling a Paddle in Hong Kong

Antonio Graceffo is a freelance travel writer and book author. In his article for hackwriters.com, readers also find out that he was also a former merchant seaman. Check out the colorful recollection of his "boat trip around the world" in his article Paddling the waters of Hong Kong.

"An unemployed travel writer and former merchant seaman, I was bumming along the coast near Hong Kong’s Deep Water Bay, when I stumbled onto a sign which read 'Boat trip around the world, only $100 HK.' Having nothing to keep my interest on shore, and very little money in my pocket, I signed on.

Next thing I knew, I was chained to an o[ar]. Behind me, a large scary fat man, dressed only in a loincloth, pounded a drum, timing the rowers. Missing a beat was punished with a sharp whip-crack, between the shoulder-blades. Filled with fear and trepidation, I watched the bright lights of my beloved city disappear in the boat’s rearview mirror. After a year of unimaginable privation and torture, we returned to Deep Water Bay. As the shackles were being removed from my wrist, I turned to one of the other rowers and said, 'I can’t believe they charged a hundred dollars, but then made us do all the work.'

'I know.' he said, shaking his head. 'Last year it was only eighty.'"

Planning an Out of the Ordinary Family Vacation

In How adventurous should your family vacation be? Lauren Axelrod of Pawlet, Vermont discusses the attitude one needs when dealing with travel-- especially when traveling with kids. Axelrod founded the alternative travel website GoNOMAD.com, a site known for covering exciting travel destinations that do not include places like Disney World. When finding an exciting place to visit, it is important to keep in mind that "[t]he key is finding a balance between adventure and relaxation." Check out some aspects to consider when planning an adventure with your kids (the full article was found on CNN Travel).

"Family time
Sometimes, a resort with kids-only activities may be just what mom and dad want. 'It's important to expose your kids to certain cultural things,' Edelman says, but adds, 'There's nothing bad about them sitting on a beach digging a sand castle, and you kicking back reading a romantic novel and having a cool drink.'

Cost
Going online can also reap savings. The Internet's ocean of information and booking opportunities has made even the wildest travel -- a safari in Africa or camping in Australia -- more accessible for families who can't afford expensive packaged tours. Doing online research can also get kids involved in planning the trip.

Safety
'Knowing your kids is important, and doing things that are age-appropriate,' advises Axelrod. 'You're not going to take a 3-year-old to go zipping across a rainforest canopy, whereas a 12-year-old will think that's the greatest thing.'"

Frolicking with Whales

Diane Daniel, writer for TheBostonGlobe, discusses swimming with whales with Elsa Lichman who has been three times, in her article; Swimming with the Humpback Whales.

"WHO: Elsa Lichman , 61, of Waltham

WHERE: Silver Bank in the Atlantic Ocean, 60 miles north of the Dominican Republic

WHEN: One week in February

WHY: ``To swim with the humpback whales," said Lichman, who has been fascinated by the giant mammals for more than a decade. The 20-square-mile area is believed to contain the largest population of humpbacks in the world. From January to April, as many as 3,000 to 5,000 whales migrate there en route to area breeding and calving zones.

OH, BABY: ``We had one whale that came right to the boat, too young to swim with," Lichman said. ``It was pale gray and the dorsal fin was very floppy. He was probably a week or two old, rolling over right next to us. The whole boat was absolutely screaming and cheering it on."

Contemporary Art in Mexico City

When thinking about Mexico City, a place that's known for its crime rates and smog problem, contemporary art is not something one tends to envision; however, New York Times Travel writer Julia Chaplin explains that Mexico City's art scene is "so firmly international" in her article Art on the Edge in Mexico City.

"Mexico City's extremes — its wealth and poverty, the tranquillity of its leafy parks and the sunburned chaos of its hectic avenues — are particularly conducive to its current edgy creativity. One can start an evening by dining at a guarded garden restaurant in the wealthy Polanco neighborhood and wind up at 3 a.m. at a seedy transvestite bar in the Centro Histórico. Mexico City's affluent seem willing, possibly as result of the trendiness of contemporary art, to embrace street culture in a way that was probably considered too dangerous, or déclassé, 20 years ago.

At the Jumex opening party, for example, many well-heeled attendees wore pressed jeans instead of designer dresses and suits. As a result, the Centro Histórico, the stomping ground of the younger, alternative artists, is an interesting part of town to spend time in right now. (These artists used to hang out in Condesa, but now with the eruption of sidewalk cafes and trendy boutiques there, many consider it too "fresa" — Mexican slang for yuppie or bourgeois.) The Centro, on the other hand, has a feel of fallen, dilapidated grandeur. "

Finding Oz: The Magical Beauty of West Ireland

"Ireland is free and at peace, jobs are plentiful, the crime rate is low, everyone has health care and the government is committed to protecting the environment. To many Americans that starts to sound like the Land of Oz," says Stephen Hartshorne, writer for GoNOMAD. Get a feel for the history and beauty of West Ireland in his article The West of Ireland: Stories in Stone.

"The West of Ireland is an especially good place to explore Irish history because it is the center of the 'Gaeltacht' -- the part of Ireland where Irish, also called Gaelic, is the predominant language, and because here the history -- not just of Ireland, but of the human race -- is written in stone for all to see.

The great thing about archaeology is that we're learning more and more all the time, and the research that goes on at the historic sites in Ireland is shedding new light on life in the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, the Middle Ages right up to the 19th century. The sites are very well managed -- some by the European Union -- with helpful informational displays."

Staying Extra Cool in Florida

In an article that was found on MSN Travel, Associated Press writer Phil Davis draws our attention to the clothing-optional vacation market in Pasco County, Florida. The article Florida County Is Nudist Mecca sheds light on those who shed clothing during their ideal vacation.

"The American Association of Nude Recreation estimates nudists pump about $400 million into the global tourism economy, up from $120 million in 1992. The association says its ranks have grown 75 percent to 50,000 members in that time. Nudists can chose from 270 clubs, resorts and campgrounds in the United States.

And a lot of that business comes to Pasco County, where the six resorts are concentrated along a six-mile stretch of U.S. 41 in Land O' Lakes, about 20 miles north of Tampa.

'Pasco is becoming the Mecca of North American nudism,' said Richard Mason, an activist who helped open a stretch of Miami-Dade County's Haulover Beach to nudists in 1991. 'A lot of people think nudists live in a colony like hippies. Then you see a place like Caliente. It's like a country club.'"

"Big and Empty": Amazing Sites to See on I-90 in South Dakota

In the article Black Hills offer drive from eerie to kitschy, USA Today Travel writer Gene Sloan invites readers to take a trip on I-90 and to really get an idea of what South Dakota has to offer its visitors.

"The 50-mile stretch of road between mile marker 143 and mile marker 93, which passes right down the middle of scenic Buffalo Gap National Grassland, long has offered a glimpse of the Great Plains at its best — from the majesty of its wide-open prairie to the goofiness of its kitchy roadside attractions.

This is where the endless fields of Middle America begin to give way to the rugged West. Around mile marker 109 motorists heading westbound drop down into the breathtakingly beautiful Cheyenne River Valley, and a few miles later the rough-and-tumble Black Hills of South Dakota, refuge to Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and other 19th-century rascals, comes into view on the horizon.

'It's hard to get your head around this area,' says vacationer Neil McMahon, 38, of Tadley, England, who pauses with wife Alison, 35, to talk at a desolate turn-off near the highway. The silence that takes hold between the arrival of passing cars is overwhelming. 'It's just so big and empty. The landscape seems to go on forever.'"

Touring and Being Educated in Kenya

Marie Javins, writer for GoNOMAD, learned what it was like to live in Kenya through the eyes of the Maasai tribe. Tippa, the game spotter in Javins' safari truck, enlightened her to the Maasai way of life while he touched on subjects like education and tourism. You can read about it in her article Ecotourism in Kenya's Savannah.

"Change is happening all around East Africa, but the Maasai have so far picked and chosen what they wish to incorporate into their society. They speak wistfully of the value of education—Tippa himself took driving lessons—and they certainly don't mind earning money. There are many Maasai villages—collection of mud huts encircled by fences made of sticks—that welcome tourists. They explain their cattle-herding lifestyle and let tourists wander the villages, for a small fee. A fair exchange.

Alarm clocks are two Maasai, chirping 'Hello Hello,' before unzipping the tent flaps and carrying in a fresh pot of Kenyan coffee. Showers are hot, with water warmed over a fire and then poured into a bucket above the tourist's tent while the tourist waits the signal.

'Aren't you worried?' I asked Tippa. 'With all these tourists coming in, and money being made, and kids getting educated, don't you think that the Maasai might adopt the culture of the tourists?'

He admitted that education was as likely to change the Maasai as was tourism. Probably more so."

Road Tripping Through the South

Ari Kaufman, a writer for hackwriters, drove through the South and realized that many of the stereotypes northerners harbor about southerners are actually wrong. Kaufman relays his journey to readers in his article; The South shows its many colours.

"Driving through a 30-minute blizzard in Western Alabama last week, I mentioned to my traveling companion that I didn't think that this area received this kind of snowfall. She nodded in concurrence, and then I went on a contolled tirade about how weather is just another large misconception many Americans have pertaining to the South. My investigation was already in full throttle, but this simply added to the intrigue and validity of my endeavors.

A friend of mine, who used to work in Americorps, spent nine months in various southern areas from the Gulf Coast to Southern Tennessee to Western Georgia. Although a hard-core liberal Northerner, he often elucidated to me how we wrongly portray southereners (black and white) as uneducated, poor, racist, or homophobic. After spending a week last March in Mississippi and Louisiana with him; also driving across this part of the country twice in the past year, and, very recently, spending four days traversing the interstates and back roads of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and North Florida, this man was basically correct."

More Than Just Country in "Music City"

While Nashville might be most well-known for country music, that's definitely not everything it has to offer. As GoNOMAD writer Sony Stark points out in her article Nashville: A Renaissance in Music City, "Besides blues, bluegrass and country, this city turns up the volume on jazz, rock, hip-hop, alternative and come this Fall, classical."

"The Schermerhorn Symphony Center (One Symphony Place, 615-259-4767) is the most anticipated performance structure in the world, inspired by the best of seven European venues including Berlin's Konzerthaus and Barcelona's Palau de la Música Catalana.

Whether at the "founders' level" against the back wall or the upper balcony, all vantage points are unimpeded and the room is enveloped with unparalleled tonal quality. You can hear the quietest note because of a state-of-the-art technology explained to me called 'acoustic isolation joints'.

Happily, I scored a personal tour of the inside with video to share of its work-in-progress. Nothing is amiss here. There is barrier-free access to handicapped patrons, a 35-hundred pipe organ and a main floor that magically turns into a cabaret-style seating configuration for Pops concerts.

I've shot television shows in dozens of concert halls around the world and I can attest that all 1,872 intimate seats are bound to sell out nightly. Unique exterior elements like the sweeping colonnade and the neoclassical pillars are defining Tennessee iconography."

The Sun Never Sets on This Party in Iceland

"We lived for many years in a remote nook of the Utah desert where we developed a taste for isolated places and geological oddities. So Iceland was the perfect place for us," says Mark Sundeen, writer for the New York Times Travel. It's the longest day of the year in Iceland, and Sundeen and his companions have an amazing trip ahead of them in the article Iceland's Ring Road: The Ultimate Road Trip.

"The week ahead promises us 168 hours of uninterrupted daylight in which to drive the Ring Road around Iceland. Though it's not a particularly long distance, I already sense that seven days will be about half as long as I would have hoped for. And so we have bolted straight from the airport to the nearby Blue Lagoon.

Here, the phosphorescent saltwater, the bright and flat Atlantic sky and the backdrop of industrial smokestacks give the place an otherworldly feel, which is as it should be: the lagoon is entirely man-made. Icelanders generate power geothermally, boring into the ground for the steam that spins the turbines as it blasts toward the surface; then they recapture that steam as water, pump it to a soaking pond, and charge 20 bucks a head. We are the first to arrive, in the early morning, and by noon the place is packed with Europeans, Japanese and Americans. We crawl between steam cave and hot pot, smeared in a gray silica mud bath.

After an afternoon of poking around dirt roads and sulfur pits and making our way to a lonely lighthouse atop windy sea cliffs, we checked into a guesthouse in Reykjavik and went straight to bed. Two-thirds of the country's nearly 300,000 people live in and around this harbor city, and with its famous night life we figured we should rest up before our first drinking binge."

A Long Ride from Paris to Dakar

We've posted about biking on this blog before. There's so much more that travelers can see from on top of two wheels. GoNOMAD writer, Emily Morse, reiterates this point once again in her article Paris-Dakar Bike Race: Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream.

"'The route of this trip is so interesting. Starting in Paris and passing many interesting spots in France, Andorra, and Spain. After Europe you will see how different Africa is. First the rough mountains in northern Morocco. Then crossing the emptiness of the beautiful Sahara. The world will get green and have many villages and people again after driving into Senegal,' says Co-creator van der Geest.

And despite the tremendous distance, Bike-Dreams claims, 'What’s done by car, you can better do by bike.' Instead of powering through the country roads, mountainous paths and coastal desert streets with vehicles, cyclists will not damage the terrain they’ll ride on or cause a ruckus along the way.

Finnish participant Mika Holker finds it “fascinating to see how everything (nature, culture, weather, etc.) changes gradually from here to there.” Holker will have the added benefit of seeing how everything will change from Finland to Paris as he plans on biking this first part of the trip before joining up with the Paris-Dakar expedition. This will add at least another thousand miles onto his journey and quite possibly as many as three thousand more miles. "

Old Travels in New Paltz, New York

Whether you're interested in rock climbing or not, New Paltz has a little something for everyone. Take a look at this historic city through GoNOMAD's writer Chance St. John. His article Climbing New York's Shawangunks is sure to pique an interest with you.

"Located in the Mid-Hudson Valley, halfway between Albany and New York City, New Paltz is a striking blend of deeply rooted culture and vibrant youthful vitality. Founded in 1677 by Huguenots, it is the home of one of the oldest communities in the country as well as a State University of New York (SUNY) campus.

Twelve original families founded New Paltz, and their legacy lives on through the beautifully preserved stone houses that compose what is claimed to be 'the oldest continuously inhabited street in America with its original houses.' You do not have to be a resident of the area to appreciate the legacy existing on Huguenot Street; the founders of New Paltz wereamong the earliest explorers and settlers in America.

New Paltz also offers a fine selection of restaurants catering to any budget, from the penniless college student to a traveler in search of a gourmet dinner. If you’re looking for a tasty and convenient meal at an excellent price, you should make a visit to the Taco Shack. A delicious Tex-Mex institution of New Paltz, the food choices are what you would expect, but are surprisingly better than most faux-Mexican food that you will find in New York."

Take Home Treasures from Europe

It's no secret that shopping is one of the things travelers like to do. This might have something to do with the reason why Tom Conrad, operator of Philadelphia-based Heart of Europe tours, has "a growing number of organized tours are dedicated to helping tourists discover their inner spendthrift." Jayne Clark, writer for USA Today Travel, takes a look at Conrad's travels in her article Rummaging through Europe.

"Conrad, an antiques dealer who launched his tours last fall, focuses on off-the-beaten-path areas of formerly Communist Eastern Europe. Shrouded by the Iron Curtain until around 1990, it is a rich source of antiques, discovered by European dealers but still relatively unknown to Americans.

The tour progresses from cluttered shops housed in converted farm buildings, monasteries and breweries to outdoor flea markets. Purchases pile up, from tramp-art frames to silver-plated spoons to enameled buckets to vintage doll clothes to a Punch and Judy puppet set. Not to mention larger items — a gargoyle, a life-size hound dog statue, an art deco dressing table and other furniture — that will be shipped.

It's nearing 11 p.m. when they pile back into the van for the four-hour drive to the overnight stop in Bautzen. 'Like I said, this is no Disney castle tour,' Conrad says."

Making a Difference in Kenya

Nooshin Shabani, contributor to GoNOMAD, works for The Global Volunteer Network, a private, non-government organization based in New Zealand that connects volunteers with villages, schools, orphanages, mobile health clinics and environmental projects in countries suffering extreme poverty. In this article Shabani exposes readers to the overwhelming poverty in Kenya through the eyes of Mark Jenner, 18, a volunteer from the United Kingdom: Volunteering in Kenya: From the Safari to the Relief Station.

"This was one of the shocking realities Mark and the other GVN volunteers came to terms with, the impact of tourism if not responsible, made the rich richer while the poor silently suffer. Mark was happy he chose to volunteer rather than go on holiday.

'One of my most shocking moments was when I visited my fellow volunteer at Kibera slums, the levels of poverty were overwhelming. About five minutes after I walked out of the slums, we came across a huge western supermarket which has everything you would typically find in a market,' Jenner says. 'Kibera was shocking, but the contrast between the slums and the supermarket was unbelievable, it spoke a lot about how drastically wealth is polarized in Kenya.'

Although Kenya is very dependent on money generated from international tourists, the local people do not feel nor see the benefits in their community, instead they see holidaymakers swimming in pools while they work all day waiting for rainfall to grow their crops.

Volunteering in India

When planning a vacation, sometimes we want to do more than just simply see the sights. If you're interested in doing some good with your vacation time, Julie Thompson, writer for hackwriters.com, might have an interesting idea for you to persue in her article Smiles & suffering amongst India’s poorest children. In this article you will receive a first hand account from Heather Campbell, a volunteer from New Zealand.

"India. A country with a dizzying mix of cultures, languages and religions, all merging together to make a unique cocktail of sights, sounds and smells. India is home to over a billion people, making it the second most populated country in the world. It is also home to devastating levels of poverty, illiteracy and exploitation.

Volunteering in India provided Heather with the opportunity to get amongst a society completely different to her own. ‘We did a lot of traveling around the countryside, looking at existing programs. We met families in quite isolated, very poor rural areas who had disabled children that lived in quite impoverished conditions, just seeing if we could, and how we could provide some help’.

Despite the intense poverty, Heather was able to see the positive aspects of the trip.

‘I never saw so many smiley children in all my life’ she says, laughing, ‘and they had absolutely nothing, I never saw them with a toy, yet they all played, and ran around, and they were happy, and they laughed, but they just had nothing. Some of them didn’t even have clothes, maybe one item of clothing, maybe one t-shirt or one pair of pants, but hardly ever both’."

Rousing Roadtrip in Japan

When GoNOMAD writer Sam Baldwin decided to pick up from his current homeland of Fukui in central west Japan, he was in for quite an adventure. Fleeing from the sweltering heat of the equator, Baldwin grabbed some beer, tents, and friends and headed north where he encountered a music festival, seated showers, and even a volcano. Read about his adventure in his article Hokkaido, Japan: Crystal Clear Lakes and Smouldering Volcanoes.

"That night we camped at the foot of Tokachidake, an active volcano. Though I’d heard that active volcanoes existed in Japan, it was an impressive sight to actually see the smoke bellowing out of the crater and hear the rumbles and hissing emanating from the depths of the earth.

To get a closer look at this beast, we decided upon a hike up to the peak of Tokachidake, which overlooks the fuming creator. Rising early, we quickly stocked up on snacks, my fodder of choice being horse katsu (breaded horse meat) and we were soon making good progress on the barren trail.

As we climbed, it occurred to me that hiking up an active volcano, perhaps might not be the greatest idea ever born. What if it the mighty mountain were to decide that today was the day to vent Mother Earth’s anger? The last explosive eruption was in 1988, and its legacy is very obvious today; most of mountain is a bare, Martian landscape, devoid of flora, but displaying a unique and colourful terrain all the same."

Not "Too French": Eating in Nice, France

Mark Bittman, New York Times Travel writer, claims that if there is something wrong with France, it is that its food is too "French." He goes on to say, "Offerings like crepes, coq au vin and cassoulet are so common that there is a danger of forgetting that they all have actual regions of origin and are not national dishes." In his article Nice: Going Straight to the Source for Provençal Cuisine, Bittman gives advice to travelers in Nice, France who are looking for local cuisine. Not only does he offer overviews of restaraunts, he gives delicious food suggestions.

"The good restaurants in Vieux Nice are truly authentic, not even remotely fancy, though a couple are lovely, especially if the weather allows you to sit outside. By fortunate coincidence, they're also notably inexpensive, though all of them would remain worth a visit if they doubled their prices.

Chez Palmyre is not the best restaurant in Vieux Nice, or even the best on Rue Droite (Acchiardo, I think, could make that claim), but if you asked me for the one restaurant you should not miss were you in town only for a day, this would be where I'd send you. It offers real, local home cooking, so that even if there were an equivalent in every city in the world (which there most decidedly is not), each would be unique.

Chez Palmyre is the opposite of stylish and trendy; the décor is irrelevant, as if done by one of your more impoverished and tasteless older relatives. The service is friendly and effective; the owner, a large, middle-aged, hard-working woman wearing coke-bottle glasses, brings you menus and tolerably decent wine, takes your order and proceeds to go cook it. The ingredients are from the local markets (by "local," I'm pretty sure we're talking about a half-mile radius), the menu changes daily, the repertory is limited, and the experience ironically exotic. What will you eat? I'm not sure; nearly everything on the menu changes daily. For first courses, I sampled a plain but flavorful vegetable soup with croutons; a fine little salade niçoise; and hard-boiled eggs with anchovies, a fish with which this stretch of the Mediterranean is obsessed."

Thrill Seeking Above California

Looking for a thrill? If you like the excitement of rides but have had enough of the Scrambler or Space Mountain, then SkyThrills might offer the vacation for you. Based out of Fullerton, California, this company is "tapping into a growing desire for experiential, adrenaline-fueled vacations, aim to convince jaded frequent fliers that a few spins, rolls and zero-gravity parabolas may be just the ticket until they can take the ultimate thrill ride: a suborbital trip into space," writes Laura Bly. Bly is a writer for USA Today Travel and writes about her zero-gravity experience in her article: Sky queen for a day.

"Considered one of the world's best aerobatic planes, the two-seater, dual-control Pitts S-2C is a lightweight 1,700 pounds. Its 260-horsepower engine can pull up to 6 Gs (centrifugal forces equal to six times that of gravity), hit a top speed of 212 mph and power a 360-degree roll in less time than it takes to stifle a gag reflex.

So far, so good. But I still need convincing that a newbie who barely knows a rudder from an altimeter could take the controls of an aircraft and fly a straight mile, much less nail a hammerhead — a pure vertical climb capped by a 180-degree U-turn at near-zero airspeed and an equally precipitous dive. My conversion comes a few minutes after takeoff, when we accelerate past 1,500 feet toward the Palos Verdes peninsula and Blackstone breezily announces, 'You've got the airplane, my friend ... you're driving.'

Before I can conjure Amelia Earhart, I've made it through three rolls and a loop. Then, a couple of hammerheads: Push the stick over to 190 mph and head straight for the Pacific. Tighten my stomach and look left. Pull pull pull, head the plane straight up, feel a little zero G. Push my foot all the way down on the left rudder, push the stick down and to the right."

Natural Beauty in Charlevoix, Quebec

When planning a getaway, sometimes we want both the action of a city as well as the relaxation of a trip to the countryside. Located 90 miles northeast of Quebec City, Charlevoix is the perfect stop for travelers looking to take it down a notch when visiting Quebec. Here Kent E. St. John, Senior Travel Editor for GoNOMAD, explores the natural beauty of Charlevoix. He writes about some history, food, and even Beluga whales in his article Charlevoix, Quebec: Nature at Its Best.

"I have read many times about places in Quebec that remind the writer of traveling through France. I have just returned from an area that stands on its own; its uniqueness defies simple comparisons.

The Charlevoix Region’s position embraces the mountains that run directly to the shores of the St. Lawrence. On any given day you can climb through wilderness only to end the day catching site of a pod of Beluga whales passing by.

For over two hundred years Charlevoix’s mountains and tidewaters have evolved into a way of life. The culture trail is perfect for getting in step with the traditions of a region steeped in traditions. Friendly is not a word here, it is a lifestyle and is found in every small village. These places are great for digging into Charlevoix’s culture.

It can be said that Charlevoix’s beauty comes from above due to a 15-billion ton meteorite 350 million years ago. It is a World Biosphere Reserve designated by UNESCO in 1989, one of the few with human settlements. Outdoor exploration rarely gets as much play as it does here. "

Biking in the Netherlands

More than half a million people bicycle to work or school each day in Amsterdam. If it's good for the locals, then it just might be a good idea for visitors as well. Rosemary McClure, staff writer for the LA Times, starts her article Taking Holland for a spin by saying, "Not Lance Armstrong? No problem. Even novice cyclers find that biking brings out the best in the Netherlands." The level terrain makes for an easy ride; and the sites, sounds, and smells are enough to make you forget about the health benefits of biking.

"A bicycle bell tinkled and I looked up and saw a Dutchman in a knit cap coming toward me. As he pedaled by, a fuzzy white head popped up from his bike basket. It was a terrier, chin up, ears perked forward, head tilted curiously to one side. Easy-riding Rover, I thought. The dog was probably enjoying the moment as much as I was.

Its master and I were bicycling through the countryside about 25 miles southwest of Amsterdam, watching Holland's famous flower fields flash by. The terrain was flat, the air crisp and clear, the scenery a splash of dazzling yellow and green. Acres of bright daffodils stretched in every direction. I felt as though I had found bicycle nirvana.

Perhaps I had. With 13 million bicycles, the Netherlands — or Holland, its regional name — has twice as many bikes as cars and nearly as many bicycles as people. An 11,000-mile system of bike paths, many of which are separate from highways, crisscrosses a nation so small and flat that it's easy to use bicycles to transport people, groceries, even terriers."

Ever Exciting Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is one of, if not the top, hotspot of Argentina. The city is bustling with great food, amazing dancing, and beautiful scenery. Sony Stark, writer for GoNOMAD.com, explores Buenos Aires in her article; Buenos Aires: The Paris of the South.

"The seasons are reversed in Argentina but that hasn't stopped travelers from flocking to the fabled "Paris of the South" or Buenos Aires. The devalued peso, good for us-bad for them, is burgeoning a whole new boom in travel destinations throughout the country. Wonder aimlessly to the pulsating rhythms of tango in the barrios (neighborhoods). Feast on a plate of succulent beef at a famous Asado (family-style barbeque). Browse for leather bargains in the friendly pedestrian mall on Calle Florida (Florida Street). The money saved here is enough to fly home first class. And don't worry about your limited Spanish-- sometimes a friendly gesture and a trusted map is all you need to make friends with a beautiful porteno (local).

Puerto Madero is the youngest barrio and caters to a lively social scene made up of discos, high-end restaurants, and expensive office space. A bold transformation began 10 years ago with the gutting of 16 brick warehouses and transforming them into the trendiest places in town. The promenade and the pedestrian bridge Puente de la mujer (identical to a boomerang) are wide enough for skaters, bicycles, strollers and even cows to navigate. Yes, cows. Until the end of June, CowParade, the world's largest rotating art event features 113 fiberglass cows grazing the docks.

It's been 54 years since Evita died (July 26, 1952) but her memory still stirs in the hearts and minds of many. There's the Evita Museum, the Evita tour and La Casa Rosada, the pink Presidential Palace where she rallied the descamisados (the blue collar working class). Tour guides will insist that cows blood was mixed with the paint to preserve the La Casa Rosada from humidity, hence the girly pink, but I believe it was a conspiracy to quiet political demonstrations in Plaza de Mayo."

The Quiet Sister Island of Ibiza

When we think about islands off the coast of Spain, many of us tend to picture Ibiza with many tourists flocking to its beautiful beaches and wild nightlife. Is there any way to enjoy the natural beauty of a Spanish island without all the commotion? New York Times Travel writer, Julia Chaplin, sheds light on a lesser known island, Formentera, where you can enjoy a quiet stay in her article Near Ibiza, a Quiet Place to Recuperate.

"Over the years, the fabled Spanish island of Ibiza has developed into a package-tour, party Valhalla pocked with megaclubs and concrete high-rise condominiums. In contrast, Formentera, just two miles away, seems like a different planet, or at least a different social orbit. The smallest of the inhabited Balearic Islands, with no airport and few paved roads, Formentera has become fashionable not so much for what it has but for what it does not: a scene.

'There's no high-heel glamour here, just sand and sun,' said Consuelo Castiglioni, the designer of Marni, the Italian fashion label, who keeps a vacation home on Formentera. 'It's a hideaway where we can relax.'

Inevitably, Formentera's antiscene has become a scene in itself. Ask people who've spent time on the island about it and they will breathlessly brag about finishing long books and going to bed before midnight as if they had just climbed Mount Everest. All of which has made the island more irresistible to those seeking shelter from the limelight, among them Kate Moss, Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran, David Gilmore of Pink Floyd and the designer Philippe Starck, who built an experimental home there. 'It's a place for stressed-out people,' said Patsy Dodd, who met her husband, the artist Lance Tilbury, at a full-moon party there in 1964. 'The air is so relaxing, everyone comes down a notch.'"