4.8604° N, 58.9302° W One of the smallest countries in South America - and one of the least visited - Guyana is a diverse, natural paradise. With almost all of the country covered in pristine, virgin rainforest, massive waterfalls and a plethora of flora and fauna (including one of the biggest raptors in the world, the Harpy Eagle). Guyana is still very much "off the beaten path" - it only saw 315,000 visitors in 2019 (for comparison, 30 million people visit the town of Venice a year). So definitely consider adding this beautiful country to your bucketlist before other people realize how magical it is. Fast Facts Guyana is located on the northern mainland of South America, though it is considered part of the Caribbean region because of its strong cultural, historical, and political ties with other Caribbean countries and the Caribbean Community as a whole. Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south and southwest, Venezuela to the west, and Suriname to the east. With 215,000 square kilometers, Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign state by area in mainland South America after Uruguay and Suriname (and the second least-inhabited). The region known as "the Guianas" consists of the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the "land of many waters". This area is incredibly diverse (and beautiful), as well as one of the oldest geological areas in the world. There are nine indigenous tribes that reside in Guyana: the Wai Wai, Macushi, Patamona, Lokono, Kalina, Wapishana, Pemon, Akawaio, and Warao. The country was colonized by the Dutch before coming under British control in the late 18th century. It was governed as British Guiana, with a mostly plantation-style economy until the 1950s. It gained independence in 1966. Guyana is the only South American nation in which English is the official language. However, the majority of the population, speak Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole language, as a first language. All facts from here. Fun Facts According to the Worldwide Waterfall Database’s rankings of the top waterfalls in the world, Guyana is home to the No. 2 waterfall: Kaieteur Falls, which is located on Guyana’s Potaro River in Kaieteur National Park (one of the oldest national parks in South America). The waterfall has a single drop of 741 feet - in comparison, Niagara Falls is drops 167 feet. Kaieteur Falls is considered to be the largest single-drop waterfall by volume in the world. Of Guyana’s total population, 36% of the residents are of African descent, while half of the people are of East Indian origin. The country gained fame in the wrong way when Jim Jones, the religious cult leader, and his 900+ supporters committed suicide in the compound of Jonestown in western Guyana in 1978 (unfortunately this was the first thing we knew about the country). About 70-80% of the total area of Guyana is covered with virgin rain forests. This is why it has such incredible biodiversity in terms of animals and plants. Also, the mountain from the Disney movie Up was inspired by Mount Roraima, the highest peak of the tepui plateau in South America, where the borders of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana meet. The area was also the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1912 classic "The Lost World", a book about dinosaurs attacking a group of explorers amid the rocks and swamps (and the obvious inspiration for the Jurassic Park series). Learn more about the mountain here. Norway and Guyana signed an agreement to protect Guyana’s Amazon rainforest as part of the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). The commitment ended in 2015, with Norway having paid Guyana $250M to avoid deforestation. This first of its kind partnership has paved the way for similar LCDS and non-deforestation programs between developed and developing countries. A vast majority of Guyana’s historic architecture is reflective of the country’s British colonial past. For example, St. George’s Cathedral, an Anglican church in the capital city of Georgetown, was once the tallest wooden church in the world, at 43.5 meters (143 feet). Facts are from here and here. Adventures | If you are looking to head into the heart of the rainforest, consider adventuring out to Rewa Village, a small Amerindian community located at the confluence of the Rewa and Rupununi Rivers in the North Rupununi Region of Central Guyana (aka very, very remote - perfect!). Rewa is home to about 300 villagers, mostly from the Makushi tribe. The village offers a minimalist lifestyle through farming and living off the assets of nature, so expect a community that is un-spoilt by human interference. The area is renowned for its abundance of wildlife and ecological diversity. Some of the best adventures to do in the area include hiking, climbing the nearby mountains, bird watching, and floating along on dug-out canoes. | Or head out along one of the many rivers. The country is nicknamed, “land of many waters" so it makes sense to do at least one boat tour - if not more. The Rewa and Rupununi rivers are a great place to start. This is also a fantastic way to get a unique view of the local flora and fauna - which include massive fish (called the Arapaima), caimans, and a plethora of birds. | No visit to the country is complete without a visit to the Iwokrama Rainforest, a protected area that is an A+ area to spot the local wildlife - including the elusive jaguar. If you want to check out the virgin rainforest, this is a great place to start. And if you are looking for an especially amazing view of the forest, head out to The Canopy Walkway of Iwokrama - a trail with multiple wooden bridges suspended over the rainforest floor. | Now no trip to Guyana is complete without a visit to Kaieteur Falls, which is located deep within Guyana’s region of the Amazon Forest. The falls lie within Kaieteur National Park (makes sense...). The park is almost 63000 hectares big, and is heavily protected because of its incredible tourism potential – which itself depends on the place remaining intact. There are two ways to get to Kaieteur Falls: on a small charter flight for an easy day trip from Georgetown (or other locations in Guyana), or on an overland journey that can last up to five days (this also includes trekking up some of the beautiful forest mountains). More Information: History and culture of Guyana: https://www.britannica.com/place/Guyana More information on things to do and see in Guyana: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-guianas/guyana First-hand account of traveling in Guyana: https://www.adventurouskate.com/whats-it-like-travel-guyana/

25°36'32.24" N -100°27'29.21 While Potrero Chico was definitely a must-visit, we were also excited to explore some of the other natural areas around the metropolis that is Monterrey. And one place that kept popping up on our adventure radar was La Huasteca National Park. So after dealing with the heat and crowds at Potrero Chico for a couple days, we decided to forgo a visit and instead head towards La Huasteca for another exciting and different kind of adventure. One of the first things you notice about La Huasteca National Park is that it is not like the United States’ national parks. This is something we also talked about briefly in our Mae Hong Son article (check it out here). Whereas national parks in the USA are pristine (usually), require payment to enter, and only have national park buildings inside, parks in Mexico - at least the ones we visited on our trip to Monterrey and previously on our trip to Baja Sur - often had actual villages inside, cost nothing to enter, and had very little infrastructure in the form of park rangers, visitor centers, etc. This doesn’t necessarily bother us. But it is a bit surreal to head into a national park and see no ticket booths, and instead lots of houses, shacks, and trash. While we don’t want to talk badly about these parks, it is sometimes hard to visit a beautiful natural area that has been deemed “protected” and yet still see if full of garbage. We are not saying USA national parks don’t have their fair share of trash - but it is definitely less of a problem (or at least less obvious). Either way, it was really cool to explore La Huasteca as it felt really different than Potrero Chico, even though they were in the same sort of geological area (and only about 47 miles apart). Whereas Potrero Chico is just one big canyon, stretching maybe 300 meters long, La Huasteca is a massive, long canyon that you drive through for miles and miles, with massive, straight limestone rock formations lining both sides. The only color are the various plants (some type of fern-cactus) that marked the rock. The park is also a lot more accessible than Potrero Chico, as the road that cuts through it is paved all the way to the no abandoned dam - about 20 miles from the entrance. There is also a Via Ferrata along one of the rock outcroppings, though when we were there it was either closed for the season or forever (you could still see the bridges and walkways though). We showed up nice and early with the intention of climbing for a bit before heading out to explore the abandoned dam and maybe a few of the big caves that dotted the rocks. Everything was going good: we found a fun route, played with a couple of cute dogs, and even saw a wild (?) herd of donkeys. Then we realized that we only had one pair of climbing shoes. Uh oh. Turns out, in the time it took to finish climbing the day before in Potrero Chico to arriving in La Huasteca we had somehow misplaced my (Madalyne’s) shoes. Whoops. After clearing out our car and calling the grandparents back at the apartment to see if we had left them there in Monterrey, we finally realized they had disappeared into the void and our plans now needed to change. Luckily, La Huasteca has a lot of adventure to offer. So instead of climbing a rock wall we instead decided to climb up some veeeery steep steps along the face of the now-abandoned dam that sits at the end of the road in the park. The massive concrete dam, which was abandoned years previously, stands as a forgotten beacon in a narrow, but beautiful canyon. On the other side of the wall is just a dry open wasteland that looks like it hasn’t seen water for years. And we were there in the winter, which is likely more of the “rainy” season, so the fact that it was still bone dry doesn’t make us think the area ever sees that much precipitation (though we could be wrong). Because the dam is no longer in use, it has instead turned into an urban playground complete with 100 or so steep steps to the top, dark, creepy tunnels, and old metal ladders that Luke was daring enough to conquer (but I was not). The views of the canyon and the dry riverbed were pretty cool - plus it is not every day that you get to explore an abandoned dam. So if you are in the area, we do recommend checking it out - even for just a quick scare while walking through the dark, murky underground tunnels. After checking out the dam we decided to go for a nice hike up to the two big caves that we saw from the main road below. Now we will be the first to admit that safety is not always our number one priority. We sometimes take risks without much forethought and often lack significant planning before a big adventure. But as we say (somewhat only jokingly), well we haven’t died yet (we know it is a dark joke, sorry mom). This time though, we saw a group of hikers already making their way up to the caves and they were wearing helmets. And because we had planned on climbing all day we also had our own helmets. So we wore the helmets - but if we didn’t have the helmets we 100% still would have hiked without them. Like we said, safety isn’t always at the top of our list. The hike up was a bit more challenging than expected: it was steep, but also somewhat exposed, especially on some of the rockier parts. We absolutely loved it. There is something just so magical when you conquer something that scares you. Once up to the first cave, the smaller of the two, we just stood there and took in the views of the park and the rock formations that stretched out for miles in front of us. Wow, just wow. Honestly, if you are in Monterrey and are looking for some stellar views (and a fun off the beaten path adventure) then we highly recommend coming to La Huasteca for the caves alone. Then it was on to the second cave - this one a bit higher up, and quite a bit larger. We eventually made it, going slow over the last bit of rock to the entrance as it was quite exposed (and steep). But once again the feeling of making it to the top, plus the views, made us so, so thankful that we had decided to take on the hike in the first place. Now, all we had to do was make it back down safely. And for anyone who has done a good amount of rock scrambling - which is that weird middle area between hiking and climbing - knows that the going up part is by far the less scary of the two. The going back down part is often way more terrifying - and that was exactly the case with our adventure up to the caves. Luckily, we weren’t alone. Turns out the people we had seen hiking up when we were still considering taking on the adventure were there to celebrate a birthday and go canyoneering. We, as two somewhat nosy bystanders, were quickly deep in conversation with the group of five, questioning them about the area and the adventures to be had there. That is when they mentioned they were going to rappel down the cave instead of take on the sketchy downclimb. We then mentioned our passion for canyoneering in Utah. Then one thing led to another and somehow we found ourselves sliding down the mountain, with harnesses on our waists and a new goal of taking on four rappels. Now the way down wasn’t really a trail. More like a steep rock slide that led to a cliff edge. Don’t worry it sounds way scarier than it actually was (see for yourself below). The only thing we really had to worry about was falling rocks from above, hence why piedra - rock in Spanish - became our new favorite word. Then soon enough it was time for the first rappel. The group of five consisted of the two male guides, and their three clients - all middle-aged women with a penchant for adventure. Everyone was super friendly and very welcoming, even when we totally butchered their language and had very mime-y conversations. All too soon the rappels were done - all four of them nice and open, with amazing views of the park’s main valley and limestone rock faces. Then it was just a short, but rocky hike back to the cars. The whole time we kept up a conversation, us using our basic Spanish, them using their basic English, and both of us using a lot of hand gestures. Even though we had met the group only an hour or so before, somehow we quickly became fast friends and were already planning a return trip to Monterrey filled with more canyoneering adventures. The day ended with all of us sitting on a small wooden balcony overlooking the park entrance with a couple of Mexican cervezas in hand. While we had loved the natural areas around Monterrey before - and were definitely thinking of all the adventures we’d get up to if we ever found our way back - after talking to the two guides, Diego and Edvardo, we became even more fascinated by the area. The amount of beauty and adventure to be had in the close proximity of Monterrey was slightly overwhelming. A few short hours later we were headed back into the heart of Monterrey for one last dinner before the long drive back to Texas the next day. Our time in Monterrey was filled with outdoor exploration, a good dose of culture and cuisine, and a lot of off the beaten path adventure. In the end, we both agreed that if we were to head back to Monterrey again in the future we would definitely spend more time in the La Huasteca region than in Potrero Chico. Why? Because not only is there still tons of climbing, but there is also no one there (at least from what we could tell). Similarly, there are also a lot of things to do in the park besides climbing - like hiking to the massive caves, canyoneering, exploring abandoned dams, summiting mountains and meeting friendly dogs and timid donkeys. If you are considering a unique, off the beaten path outdoor adventure then we cannot recommend Monterrey and the national parks that surround it enough. It is easy to get to, has all the amenities you could want, and it is completely off the tourist trail (unless you are a badass climber and have dreamed of Potrero Chico for years). Check out our fun video about our (Mis)Adventures in La Huasteca National Park

25.6866° N, 100.3161° W WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EXPLORING AND ADVENTURING IN ONE OF MONTERREY, MEXICOS BEST NATIONAL PARKS: POTRERO CHICO. When stuck in a small town in southern Texas you start to get some pretty grand adventure ideas. Or at least we did. We had been cooped up in Harlingen, a small community near the USA-Mexico border for a couple of weeks. Our days had become routine: wake up at 6am, go for a walk or run, do a bodyweight workout, eat avocado toast, work on the computer for a couple of hours, go for another walk, this time maybe to the dollar store down the road, make dinner and consider watching a movie if we were really feeling crazy. As you can imagine, especially for two people who had just come off a two-month motorcycle trip, we got cabin fever real quick. That is when we began thinking (dreaming) about heading down to Monterrey, Mexico for a week or so. We had wanted to go climbing in the national parks right outside of the city for months, and we started to consider this would probably be our best shot at doing that. So after convincing Luke’s grandparents to come with us - they had been to Mexico dozens of times and were just as happy for a change in scenery as we were - we booked an Airbnb in downtown Monterrey, packed up our climbing gear, and set out for an adventure. The drive from Harlingen to Monterrey was surprisingly long. It took us about 4 hours, though that did include some confusion at the border (but that isn’t important). The drive was also rather boring if we are being honest. The scenery doesn’t change much. Just miles and miles of flat scrubland, similar to what we had driven through for three days in Texas on our way to Harlingen (now that was really boring). But once you start to get closer to the city, the landscape does begin to change - and not just in the way many metropolises do: first a few small buildings, shacks, and roadside restaurants, then the industrial parks, and finally the onslaught of suburbia and high rises (and traffic). No, the landscape began to become more uplifted, mountains began to appear in the distance, and the flora started to become denser - with even a few Joshua Tree-like trees making an appearance. Monterrey is a massive city. In fact, it is the third-largest city in the whole country of Mexico, with a whopping 4.7 million people calling it home. It is also a hugely industrial city. Major corporations, not just from Mexico but from around the world, often have factories or plants of some kind in the city. While we aren’t city people, it was cool to be inside such a dense urban center again. With massive parks, artwork, walking streets, and a wide array of restaurants, we were actually excited to do some urban exploring. Once we made it to our Airbnb we set about planning our climbing adventures for the next couple of days. The idea was to leave at the crack of dawn every morning (so around 5am) and head out of town towards Potrero Chico, the climbing mecca of Mexico. Once there we would climb during the morning while the rock was still in the shade and then probably come back home in the afternoon once it started to get too hot (we were there in February and the temperatures were still set to hit over 100 degrees). Our first morning started out nice and early. We woke up at 4:30am, quietly made some coffee, grabbed our breakfast burritos, and hit the road. The city was still asleep as we drove through its maze of highways, backroads, and 6-way intersections. There is something rather wonderful about getting up before everyone else. There is this quiet, calm aura that hangs over everything, as well as this feeling of excitement and energy building up underneath. You know you just have to wait a couple of hours and everything will turn to madness once again. Potrero Chico is not actually a town. But rather a park that sits outside the small town of Hidalgo. While Hidalgo is by no means large, it does have all the necessary items: restaurants, hostels, laundry and bars. We had heard amazing things about Potrero Chico, so on our first morning we were surprised to show up to the park and find it completely empty - but not only that but also completely run-down. There is a rather large pool complex that was totally dry, all gates were locked, the buildings were often missing windows or doors, there were no public bathrooms to speak of. Altogether, we thought we had been led astray by Google Maps and had wandered into an abandoned theme park. But no, we were correct. This was Potrero Chico. A climbing area so famous, even Alex Honnold had free-soloed there (and made a sweet North Face video about it). But maybe this dilapidation was part of the appeal. This was the anti-Yosemite, a place where the main event is solely climbing. A place that doesn’t cater to the faux-adventurers (not that we are saying Yosemite does that). Potrero Chico just felt more real, raw. While we are not exceptional climbers, we do enjoy the act of it in its simplest form: carrying the gear up steep hills, tying in, belaying each other, pushing your limits, both physically and mentally. Our first climb was super easy - a warm-up to test the rock, to get an idea of what we were dealing with. After that first foray, we decided to try something a bit harder, this time a 5.9b. Something we could both do in the gym. But, for anyone who has climbed in the gym and outside knows, that doesn’t mean much. Luke headed up the rock first. He was doing well, taking it nice and slow (we hadn’t climbed in months). And then BAM, he slipped and somehow ended upside down. While this quick change in view definitely shook him, it didn’t take him long before he was back up and climbing. Then just like the first fall, BAM, he slipped again. This time though, it was a lot worse. Somehow he had come down squarely on his left foot, his ankle smacking a small ledge on the rock, causing his foot to buckle - and likely get a small hairline fracture. That fall was the one that put Luke out of the game for the rest of the day (and honestly, the next couple of months). After that, he came down the rock and started hobbling down the steep hill. Luckily, there was a group of people learning to rappel right below who let us use their rope to make the descent much faster and easier. Once back at the car we decided to call it a day. Not the day we had expected, but not a bad day either. Potrero Chico was absolutely stunning, and even if we never got on the rock again, just coming out and looking at the landscape was pretty amazing. Day two started just like day one: early morning wake up, coffee, breakfast burritos, and a drive through the still quiet and empty city. Today’s plan was to explore Potrero Chico and hopefully do a multi-pitch climb. The park was once again empty when we showed up. But now that we knew we were in the right place we kind of enjoyed the silence, and the feeling of having this beautiful piece of land almost entirely to ourselves. We found the route we had been planning on conquering and suited up. Both of us were nervous - but for two different things. Luke was nervous about his foot, and I (Madalyne) was nervous about the height we were hoping to reach at the top. But that is part of adventuring right? Facing your fears, pushing your limits. The climb wasn’t too technical. Especially the first pitch. We both got up rather easily to the ledge that would be the beginning of the second pitch. Both of us were feeling pretty confident, though we both knew Pitch 2 was supposed to be a lot harder. And it was. The crux (hardest move) meant stretching your whole body to the side, across a large crack in the rock, and grabbing a small hold that you couldn’t actually see. Luke had done it already (rather easily), and though he had confidence in my (Madalyne's) abilities, he also knew that I didn’t. It wasn’t the fact that I couldn’t see the hold that psyched me out. It was the fact that I was hanging off a rock far, far off the ground. Finally, I just took a deep breath and went for it, making sure to not look at the distance below be. In the end, it was rather easy. It was just pushing past that mental barrier that was hard (but that’s climbing for you). Once to the top we sat and stared out at the landscape. The rocks, bright green plants, Hidalgo in the background. It was a beautiful winter day - sunny and warm - and we were just chilling on a random spire in the middle of Mexico. The feeling of freedom that came with all of that - the excitement, motivation, and thankfulness, is something we want to bottle up and save for a rainy day. That is why we explore. Adventure. Get off the beaten path. After our successful climb, we decided to call it a day. It was starting to get really hot (like 104 degrees Fahrenheit hot). So we went for a little drive into the park a bit more, checked out the landscape outside the main climbing area, and then decided to take the scenic route back to Monterrey (which somehow took us through abandoned towns, by closed gondola rides and even a zoo). The next day we decided to not head out to Potrero Chico, but instead explore another national park nearby (but more on that later). After a couple of days exploring the city, getting back into the swing of climbing, and going on some amazing outdoor adventures (and checking out some sweet caves especially), we left Monterrey excited and motivated again. There is nothing like a grand adventure to get you out of a funk. Exploring nature, for us anyway, is often the cure for most of our ailments. It wakes you up, gives you a new perspective, and makes you realize how small your problems (usually) are. While Potrero Chico was amazing, Mexico as a whole was pretty fantastic. It reminded us why we love traveling, love exploring new places, and love having unique, authentic experiences. \\ A couple things to know about Potrero Chico - The park does have an entrance fee, but if you get there early enough you should be okay (we never actually saw a guard or anything, just a sign). - The park gets busy during the day, especially on weekends - and not just with climbers but with locals. There is often a big party on Sunday nights: loud music, drinking, horses, etc. They even sometimes light up the rocks in the canyon. - The Potrero Chico climbing area is not very big - just one ~200 meter long stretch of canyon with awesome rocks on either side. But even so, there are tons of great routes to check out - of all different difficulties. - Most of the climbs, though, are multi-pitch. Which is great if you are looking to do more of that, or conquer your first one like we did. - The town of Hidalgo has some nice restaurants (and cheap). There are also some fun looking hostels, especially close to the climbing area. We stayed in town because of the grandparents, but maybe next time we would stay in Hidalgo. - Even if you are there to climb, don't miss checking out Monterrey. It is a super neat city with a lot to offer. There are also a lot of cool things around Monterrey that are worth seeing as well.

24.1426° N, 110.3128° W There comes a point in every winter season when you start dreaming of warm sunny days, t-shirts and shorts, and the cool, refreshing feeling of ocean waves. For us, that dreaming often comes during the bleak days of January and February. So when we got invited in early February to come down to the southern tip of Baja California we of course jumped at the chance to trade in our winter boots for some sandals. Our first steps off the small, four-seater plane quickly brought back memories of our time in Thailand: warm, moist air, the smell of the ocean and exhaust fumes, and the excitement that comes before every new adventure. We were meeting up with Luke’s family: his dad and partner had taken up an apartment in the hip town of La Paz, while his sister was currently studying abroad in the coastal town of Todos Santos. After making our way through customs, we met up with the family and quickly sped out of Cabo San Lucas - where we had landed - for more remote and authentic Mexican towns and experiences. We realized quickly that southern Baja, or Baja California Sur, is much more than just sandy beaches and open desert. It is rich in biomes, culture, and history. It had a lot to explore. La Paz itself is a modern city. When driving into town, you first have to pass the industrial park: billowing smoke, metal on metal buildings, large trucks spewing gaseous fumes. As we drove through we began to wonder if La Paz was indeed as cool as we were led to believe. But once you get through the outer region of the town you quickly realize that there is a lot more to La Paz than what meets the eye. Restaurants, beaches, and artwork. La Paz, the capital of the region, is a truly wonderful place to spend a week soaking up some sun. It is also probably the best place to base yourself for the many adventures to be had in Baja Sur. Including, swimming with sea lions and whale sharks, snorkeling through coral reefs, exploring historic towns, and mountain biking across the sand-colored desert. Officially known as the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur, this region is the second-smallest Mexican state by population, and the second to last admitted state of the 32 states that make up Mexico. It is bordered by Baja California to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Gulf of California to the east. The area is primarily made up of mountain ranges and coastal plains. The local name for the main mountain range that parallels the coast is the Sierra de la Giganta, and the highest peak there is Sierra de la Laguna, which rises 2,080 meters (6,824 feet) above sea level. Overall, the state is relatively dry: on average it receives less than 200 millimeters of rain a year. A couple of unique facts about the region is that its coastline measures 2,230 kilometers (1,385 miles), making it Mexico's longest. Baja California Sur also has the most islands, mostly found in the Gulf of California (more on a couple of those later). We were most excited about exploring the local biomes, especially the areas along the coast, and of course the desert. You might not know this, but we are self-described “desert-rats.” For us, the desert is our happy place - a place we seek out as much as possible. And the Baja California desert was truly a place to behold. One great place we got to explore was the Santuario de los Cactus or Cactus Sanctuary. This off the beaten path stop was somewhat unexpected. We were driving along one of the few highways in the area when we saw an unobtrusive sign along the road proclaiming the existence of the sanctuary. We of course were intrigued so we turned off the highway and headed down a bumpy dirt road for a mile or two, passing donkeys and cows, until we reached the sanctuary. This place turned out to be one of our favorite stops on the whole trip. Dozens of different cactus, large, small, old, new, green, or colorful. This place was empty except for us, so we took our time and wandered through the maze of plants. Afterward, we hopped back in the car and headed a bit further south to the historic town of El Triunfo. Here we found an old Mission-style church that looked a bit worse for wear, a couple of restaurants, and a very nice history museum with a café. We decided to forgo the museum and instead take a walking tour of the nearby industrial ruins and cemetery. El Triunfo is a pretty interesting town, and definitely one worth visiting. Like many other old, now abandoned towns, El Triunfo started out as a mining town. In its heyday, the 1870s, it was the most populous town in the state (10,000+ miners flocked to it in hopes of making it rich). It was also the first town to have electricity and telephones in the region. Due to all of that, it quickly became a cultural hub - instruments were sent from all over the world, and today you can still see many of them in the local piano museum. But like so many other stories of mining towns, the good times didn’t last. By 1926 most of the townspeople had left to look for work elsewhere, and today only 327 people still call it home. One interesting silver lining though is that El Triunfo is one of the best-preserved 19th and 20th-century mining communities in North America and today it is an important site for archaeological research. We made a loop through El Triunfo, grabbed a quick bite to eat at the only restaurant that was still open, explored the empty church, and then headed back to La Paz for some relaxation - and maybe a margarita or two. Our next adventure required renting a car - something we would never have done in the States due to the price (we were under 26), but in Mexico, at least in La Paz, it cost us roughly $10 a day. After picking up the car and loading it up with all the essentials, we hit the open road. The goal was to meet up with Luke’s sister down in the small coastal town of Cabo Pulmo, which also happened to be a national park. The drive was beautiful. We left the city right as the sun started to peek out from behind the mountains, making the desert glow in a nice soft light. We saw no one on the road - just us, hundreds of cacti, and the occasional bird. Soon enough we made it to the town of La Ribera, a small highway stop with a gas station, a grocery store, and a few restaurants. But from there the road turned to dirt, making the last couple of miles quite rough. After bumping along for an hour we eventually made it to the coast - and the glorious Gulf of California. The water was a beautiful aquamarine color. It called to us as we pulled into the small parking lot and started looking for Holly and her group. We had been invited last minute to join them on one of their class field trips, this time to snorkel through a pristine coral reef, home to dozens of various fish. Eventually, we found them at their lodgings - coastal bungalows with hammocks and lots of fresh air. After getting the lowdown on the plan for the day we went out in search of snorkeling gear - luckily Cabo Pulmo is an underground snorkeling mecca, so finding the right stuff wasn’t too hard. By the end of the day, we had snorkeled all along the coastline and spent hours marveling at the beauty of the undersea world. To cap off one of the best days of the year we whiled away the early evening by sipping margaritas and eating fish tacos on a balcony overlooking the water. A wonderful day indeed. A few days later we decided to head to the other side of the peninsula (the Pacific side), this time to spend the day relaxing on the beach, maybe taking a hand at skimboarding or body surfing, and just soaking up the sun. Our destination was Cerritos Beach, a happening slice of the coast that promised good waves, snack and drink shacks, and maybe a whale or two. We arrived mid-morning and spent the whole day there, switching off from reading, swimming, skimboarding, and just watching the waves crash in over and over again. That night we grabbed dinner in Todos Santos, a quintessential beach town if there ever was one. After a dinner of local cuisine - and by that I mean fish tacos and margaritas - we headed out to the beach once again for sunset. As the colors started to fade we were given the chance to catch another natural show, this time put on by the migrating whales that were passing through. Whale tails, whales jumping out of the water, and whale water spouts for 20 straight minutes. We couldn’t believe our luck or the exceptional beauty that can occur in the most random of places. Again another truly wonderful day. Eventually, we only had a few days left in Baja. At this point we were still working office jobs so our vacation days were starting to run a bit thin. But we knew there was one last adventure we wanted to do: swim with sea lions. We joined one of the many tours that head out to one of the dozens of islands that sit right outside of La Paz. While we aren’t often fans of tours, in this case, our options were pretty slim. Our destination was Isla Partida, a dry, somewhat barren outcropping in the Sea of Cortez that was home to a large colony of sea lions. The boat ride out of the small La Paz harbor was beautiful - a clear, sunny day, calm water and good visibility of the surrounding area. The first stop was to check out an abandoned industrial area that is now a haven for seabirds. Then it was on to the main event. We strapped on our goggles and flippers and hopped into the chilly water. At first we didn’t see anything. Then out of nowhere five or six sea lions appeared, twisting through the water all around us. They got close - obviously used to us weird four-limbed creatures being amongst them. We were told not to touch them, they are wild animals after all. So we tried to keep our distance and instead let them be the ones swimming around, getting close before turning and gliding away. We floated there, gawking at the acrobatic skills and overall fun the sea lions seemed to be having. It was like watching ocean puppies goofing off together. Before long it was time to get back in the boat and head off to lunch. With one final glance at the ocean’s most playful occupant, we hopped back aboard and headed towards Playa Ensenada Grande for some beach time and fresh ceviche - and of course another dip in the ocean. The afternoon along the beach was the perfect ending to a wonderful trip. We spent countless days wandering around Baja Sur, without spending more than an hour in the tourist town of Cabo San Lucas. The state, though rather small, is full of hidden gems, off the beaten path destinations, and a whole lot of adventure - both on land and in the water. A few other can’t miss places that we didn’t mention was the town of Santiago, a great place to start for hikes into the interior mountains, Playa Balanda, a white sand beach at the end of the road, and the small town of Los Barriles, a kiteboarding mecca along the eastern coast. Mexico is a big, beautiful, and diverse country. It has dozens, if not hundreds of various biomes and places to explore, and while we haven’t seen all of it (yet) we can say that when it comes to an amazing winter escape, Baja California Sur is tough to beat.

With the year 2020 almost over (woot), it is a fine time to start dreaming of the many places we want to travel to come 2021. While the weather outside here turns colder and darker - winter is definitely upon us - we find ourselves dreaming, no longing, for warmer climates and sunnier days. 2020 was a rough year, no denying that, but now as we look towards the future it seems like good times might possibly be in the cards. While there is still a long way to go before things go back to “normal,” it is never too early to start planning an exciting adventure. Here are the five places that are on the top of our list: Colombia At the top of our list is the sunny and exciting country of Colombia. With its wide array of adventures, from the tropical mountains to the colorful coasts, Colombia is just begging to be explored. And for two people who have spent the last month in the icy Colorado winter, the idea of a sunny South American country could never sound better. A few places we are especially curious about adventuring to are Puinawai National Reserve, Natural Isla Gorgona National Park, and the culturally rich town of Medellin. Japan While Japan is a wonderful place to visit no matter the time of year, we are especially curious to adventure there in the chillier months. Why? Well for one, the northern islands become a gorgeous winter wonderland once the snow begins to fall. And secondly, the area is also home to some stunning hot springs, known as onsens. Another thing not to miss? The wildlife that becomes even more beautiful in the winter - including the red-faced Japanese macaques. A few top places at the top of our adventure list: Jigokudani Yaen-koen, the Tsurui-Ito Tancho Sanctuary, and the historic settlement of Gokayama, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Finland While Norway might possibly be the more popular Nordic country for tourists, we have instead set our sites on its close neighbor to the east. For us, Finland holds all the same beauty and adventure as Norway - just without the crowds. We are especially excited to explore the northern region, home to numerous nature preserves and hiking areas (Finland has a “right to roam” policy - meaning everything is fair game for exploring). A few places we are especially excited to explore include the Kevo Strict Nature Reserve, Urho Kekkonen National Park (known for stunning views of the Northern Lights), and the seaside town of Hanko, once a popular destination for old Russian nobility. Alaska In a similar vein as Finland, Alaska holds that wonderful allure of long sunny summer days out adventuring in the forests and mountains. Alaska has always called to us, called to our adventurous spirit and desire to totally and completely get off the beaten path. A couple of places we cannot wait to explore include adventuring out on the Alaska Marine Highway System all the way to the town of Unalaska (home to the highest concentration of Bald Eagles), the Aniakchak National Monument, Gates of the Arctic National Park, and finally, the town of Sitka, a historic town in the southeastern part of the state (it is also home to numerous natural hot springs). Gabon Nicknamed “Africa’s Last Eden,” according to National Geographic explorer-in-residence Mike Fay. This is likely due to the fact that more than 11 percent of Gabon is national parkland. In fact, there are 13 national parks within the country - some easy to reach, others more remote. A couple of the parks we are especially excited to adventure to include Minkebe National Park - home to giant waterfalls and gorillas - and Lope National Park - where you can explore rainforests and savannahs, as well as have the chance to see elephants and other primates. While it might take some time before travel is back to “normal” it is never too early to start planning a wonderfully exciting adventure. These five places are definitely near the top of our Adventure Bucketlist - either due to their remoteness, otherworldly natural beauty, or the wildlife and cultures that can be found. What destinations are at the top of your bucket list once travel is allowed again?

Oh, Arica. A town we had never heard of, seen photos of, or even knew existed until we were rumbling down a windswept, sandy highway in the middle of nowhere southern Peru, with the goal of reaching its city limits the next day. For once, we had decided to take a day bus - previously all transportation had been done at night (you get to where you are going and you get a “bed” = a win-win). But no, we wanted to see the landscape this time, in all its sunny, sandy glory. Turns out southern Peru is pretty boring. We love deserts, but the landscape down there is empty: no trees, no bushes, no animals, no life. Just rolling plains of light-colored sand for miles and miles. Eventually, we reached the town of Tacna. A bustling city close to the border of Peru and Chile, with a nice downtown strip, a couple of interesting tourist attractions, and cheap lodging. We only spent a day there, and though we didn’t arrive with high expectations (or any if we are being honest) we left thinking Tacna wasn’t a bad city at all. Then it was on to Chile, meaning an hour or so of waiting in line to get on the next available bus to drive us over the border. The Peru-Chile border crossing is quite busy - something we didn’t expect until we arrived and saw hordes of people going every which way. But it turns out that a lot of people will cross over from Chile, do their shopping in Tacna, and then cross back over. This is because things (basic commodities like toilet paper) are a lot cheaper in Peru and it isn’t hard to cross the border - even just for a day trip. Our plan was to spend a whole week in Chile, in the coastal town of Arica (the country’s northernmost city). A place we only knew two things about: it can have super big waves for surfing, and it has a cathedral designed and built by Eiffel. Yes that Eiffel. Once we got through the border crossing - which was actually quite easy (woo) - we were on our way to the coast. Now Arica might be located along the Pacific Ocean but it is still very much in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest deserts in the world (some say THE driest if you don’t consider the poles). Meaning the contrast between the blue water and the light brown sand was stark. We decided to venture south to Arica because we needed to get out of Peru (for visa reasons) and we wanted to spend some time on the coast (we had been inland for the past month). So we quickly found an Airbnb within walking distance of the beach and settled in for a week of total and complete relaxation. Arica, population 222,619, is a very important town in terms of trade. In fact, its port is used by neighboring Bolivia (which is landlocked) for much of its trade (Arica is also the terminus of Bolivia’s oil pipeline). Arica also sits along the Pan-American Highway, a major trade route used by many countries in South America. Finally, it has an international airport - though we didn’t get a chance to see its popular destinations. Also, though located in the Atacama, the town has two major lush valleys nearby - both of which provide a good heaping amount of produce - which is then shipped from the town onto the wider area. All of this put together has made Arica a hub for various industries and turned it into a thriving community. The town is also a popular tourist spot - especially for people of neighboring communities and countries. Once we started exploring it was easy to see why. Comfortable temperatures (all day, and year, long), long walking paths right next to the beach, a fun, hip downtown with lively restaurants and shops, a nice museum (with fantastic views), and finally, long, sandy beaches and great waves for surfing. While we wouldn’t characterize ourselves as “beach” people, we still greatly enjoyed hanging out along the shore - both during the day and at night (where we quickly fell into the habit of eating an ice cream cone at sunset). Arica is the perfect place to relax and recharge, especially after a long couple of weeks of traveling. For us - two Type A people who are always planning the next adventure - it was nice to just stop and spend seven days doing practically, well, nothing. Well… almost nothing. In fact, if we are being honest, we lasted about three days of relaxation before we got the urge to do something exciting again. So we thought, why not go boogie boarding? There is a perfectly good piece of ocean about a two-minute walk from our Airbnb. So we gathered up our swimsuits, some sunscreen, a couple of snacks and headed off for the rental shop. There we met a very nice woman who had obviously surfed way harder waves than we were looking at doing. She promptly rented us two boards for some measly price (we can’t remember exactly how much). We sprinted off into the surf, dong that half run-half jump that always seems to occur in the first couple feet of stepping into the ocean. It was then that we noticed something odd, something a tad unnerving. Jellyfish. And a lot of them. The only “saving” grace was that they were dead. Though that was definitely a good and bad thing. It was good because that meant they wouldn’t swim towards us, but it was bad because since they were dead, they could no longer control where they floated. It was like an ocean full of stinging landmines. We quickly ran/jumped back out of the water and headed back up the beach to the rental shack. Maybe since they were dead they couldn’t sting us? Wrong. They still could, and it would still hurt (a lot). Neither of us were exactly bubbling with excitement over boogie boarding anymore. Maybe hanging out on the beach, eating ice cream wasn’t the worst idea after all… After that rather unfortunate adventure, we decided to do all of our exploring on land. So we headed for the museum that stands proudly on a tall hill (or morro) overlooking the town. The Museum of History and Weapons is a great place to spend an afternoon, learn about the history of Arica (and the war that took place there not too long ago), and get some stellar views of the surrounding area. We highly recommend going around sunset. Other things to explore include the St. Marks Cathedral (the one built by Eiffel) and the neighboring Vicuna Mackenna Square, the Museo de Sition Colon 10 (an archeological museum), the Port of Arica (which has good food and very big and very loud resident seals), and Playa Chinchorro - which often has activities and food carts at night (including a couple spots selling very delicious churros). We left Arica feeling refreshed and excited again for another couple of weeks of traveling. Sometimes - no matter where you go - you just need to take some time to stop and do pretty much nothing (except sit on the beach). After Arica we headed back into Peru - this time to the jungle (we sorely missed our greenery). And while we still don’t think we are beach people, we both agree that Arica is a special slice of paradise: good food, good beaches, friendly locals, and just a good vibe. So if you are considering heading down south to Chile, we highly recommend making a pitstop in Arica - if only for the sunsets, ice cream, and churros.

32.0280° N, 112.8320° W ONCE THE WEATHER STARTS TO COOL DOWN AND THE DESERT HEAT BEGINS TO DISSIPATE, IT IS TIME TO HEAD DOWN TO THE BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN SOUTHWEST FOR AN EXCITING WINTER ADVENTURE. THESE 7 SPOTS SHOULD BE HIGH ON YOUR TRAVEL LIST. Snowbirds have life figured out. That is what we kept realizing as we rumbled down the backroads of Arizona in the middle of winter - under a perfect bluebird sky. Escaping to the Southwest corner of the USA during the winter months is a wonderful, exciting, adventurous idea. And you don’t even need an RV to do it properly (we did it on a motorcycle). No matter your mode of transportation, heading south for the winter means two things: nice temperatures, and lots of desert adventures. While there are lots of interesting, authentic places to explore we have narrowed it down to 7 of our favorites. Explore the 7 best American Southwest desert winter adventures below. 1 | Yuma, AZ During the planning stage of our Southwest Motorcycle Trip we didn’t consider making a pitstop in this desert town. For us, the trip was about getting off the beaten path - meaning not hitting a lot of urban areas. While Yuma isn’t huge (population: 97,908) it has a surprisingly good amount of things to offer - especially for a history buff. We recommend spending an hour or two checking out the historic Yuma Territorial Prison Park and the Colorado River State Historic Park. Other neat things to see are the Chocolate Mountains, which stand just to the east of the city, and the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, the second biggest wildlife refuge in the state (it is approximately 547,719 acres). Kofa NWR is a great place to explore the desert, and maybe get a glimpse of some interesting wildlife. Including, Gila monsters and bighorn sheep. In fact, protecting the habitat of the bighorn sheep was the reason for establishing Kofa NRW in the first place. 2 | Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Just a bit further east, and quite a bit further south (all the way to the USA-Mexico Border), sits one of the prettiest landscapes in the USA - at least in our opinion. Organ Pipe Cactus NM was one of the key spots we wanted to hit on our road trip through the Southwest. So you can say we had high expectations as we drove further and further south on Highway 85. And don’t worry, we were not underwhelmed once we arrived. In fact, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument might be one of our favorite places in the whole Western half of the USA. There is just something about the landscape, the overall feeling of the place. We aren’t really into that positive energy vortex kind of stuff, but if we were, we would say Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was definitely one for us. We just felt at ease there, rejuvenated and more clear-headed on our decision to do a motorcycle road trip in the winter (we had been struggling with our decision previously). This is one of those few places that we constantly talk about and always recommend to other travelers if they have even the slightest interest in traveling through the Southwest in the winter. The best time to visit is in January. Because, according to one of the campers who we met there (and who had been vacationing in Organ Pipe every winter for 15+ years), January is the one month where you don’t have to worry about the creepy-crawlies (aka tarantulas, rattlesnakes, and scorpions). Plus, the weather is PERFECT - sunny, warm but not too hot, and clear, meaning you can go on hikes, bike rides, and runs without having to worry about dying of heat stroke. 3 | Saguaro National Park Slight disclaimer on this one: we weren’t able to spend as much time in Saguaro National Park as we would have liked due to scheduling issues. But what time we did spend there was absolutely amazing. There might not be a more emblematic symbol of the American Southwest as the Saguaro cactus. With its tall, proud stature and fun, unique arms, it is the quintessential plant of the desert - and there is no better place to see them than in Saguaro National Park. While the park is not very big, it does have some good adventures - including hiking to the top of Wasson Peak, the tallest mountain in the Tucson Mountain District of the park. If you want expansive views, and a good opportunity to really get immersed in the desert flora, we highly recommend checking out this hike. READ MORE | THE TOP 8 NATIONAL PARKS TO VISIT IN THE WINTER Now if you are looking to not only see the Saguaro cactus but to also learn about the area (human history, geology, biology, etc.) then we highly recommend checking out the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, located just next door to the park (the western portion). Spend the day (a whole day is needed) learning about the area, and the Sonoran desert biome in particular. Plus, they have javelina. 4 | Chiricahua National Monument This was another one of those places that we had no plans to explore, but were so glad we did once we got there (isn’t that the best thing about road trips?!). We learned about this national monument, which is located way off in the southeast corner of Arizona, completely by happenstance. We were invited by one of our campground neighbors (in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument of all places) to spend the evening drinking some of their wine (they owned a winery in California). Fast forward a couple of hours and all of us were (slightly) toasted and trading stories on some of our favorite adventures. They kept mentioning some place in Arizona with a weird name. After sobering up and doing a bit of Google searching we realized they were talking about Chiricahua National Monument. Safe to say, we quickly spun our compass in that direction and headed off. LEARN MORE | OUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO ROAD TRIPPING THROUGH UTAH'S MIGHTY 5 NATIONAL PARKS Now, unlike the other places on this list so far, Chiricahua National Monument is not necessarily at its best in the winter. It sits at just over 5,000 feet at the base and all the way up to 7,000 feet at its highest point. But don’t let that deter you (it only means you will see less people). We camped there and though it was chilly in the mornings, the days were absolutely lovely. Spend your days hiking around the interesting rock formations, called “Islands in the Sky” due to their unique biomes, and make sure to be on the lookout for some curious wildlife: the coati, a small raccoon-like mammal with a long tail similar to a lemur. The National Monument is one of the few places to find the slightly-raccoon-like desert animal known as a coati in the USA (it is also the only place that has all four types of skunks). 5 | Bandelier National Monument This is another destination that doesn’t necessarily conjure up the idea of a warm desert adventure in the winter. In fact, similar to Chiricahua National Monument, Bandelier National Monument sits at a relatively high elevation (it ranges from 5,000 at the lowest to over 10,000 feet at the highest), meaning it gets quite cold come winter time. BUT, that does not mean the beauty and adventure is not there - it is, if not even more so. There is just something so striking about the contrast between the red desert landscape and ghostly white snow. Plus, the colder temps mean you will probably be able to experience the National Monument without a lot of people. Spend a day or two exploring the Ancient Puebloan buildings and artifacts and take a hike (short or long, or even an overnighter), the large Monument has lots of trails to choose from (in the winter you can even snowshoe or cross-country ski on a couple of them). 6 | Monument Valley Similar to Bandelier National Monument, Monument Valley is not exactly a “warm” winter getaway. It sits at 5,564 feet, meaning it can get quite chilly in the winter months (though it rarely gets below zero). So, as long as you come prepared (lots of layers, thick wool socks, and a heaping amount of hot coffee) you should be fine. But, interestingly, while it sits at a relatively high elevation it does not get much snow - often a light dusting that goes away within a day or two. Though there is the occasional blizzard (but those are rare). Heading to Monument Valley in the winter means less people, and more opportunity to have an adventure. Consider taking a drive along the Tribal Park Loop, a 17-mile scenic loop that gives you the picturesque views you are looking for. Or head out on your own two feet for a hike or two (just remember the wool socks!). Either way, seeing the rock formations in all their glory will make up for any temperature shortcomings. EXPLORE MORE | THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL GUIDE TO EXPLORING MONUMENT VALLEY 7 | White Sands National Park Now, this is an interesting one. While the days are absolutely beautiful in the winter, nights can be downright freezing. Something we learned quite quickly when we drove up to the visitor center of the park and found that the expected temperature that night was going to be 14 degrees…. Yeah, we love camping, but that just does not sound that fun. The reason, we were told by the rangers, was that the sand (which is actually very tiny particles of gypsum) is quite wet. And when the sun goes down that makes the dunes, which sit in a basin, very, very cold. Another thing we didn’t realize was that because the park is in an active military range, you cannot actually leave your campsite until 9AM - so once you are in, you are in until the next morning, no matter what happens. We left the visitor center, got a cheap motel room for the night, and promised to come back and camp when the temperatures were a bit higher. But that does not mean White Sands National Park is not worth visiting in the winter months. Like we said, the temperatures during the day were wonderful: sunny, in the 70s. The perfect conditions for exploring the sparkling white dunes. So definitely consider adding this national park (the newest one in the USA) to your Southwest road trip itinerary - we were soooo glad we did. Though it is a bit out of the way (located way in the southern half of New Mexico) it is definitely worth checking out (plus, the town of Las Cruces nearby is supposed to be quite hip). There is something so exciting about heading to the desert in the winter. For us, two semi-desert rats, we have had our fair share of desert adventures - in all seasons. And while the fall is magical, especially in places such as Moab, Utah and Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument (read our full adventure guide on this national monument), the winter brings with it its own beauty, excitement, and peace. If you are brave enough to face some colder temperatures in places like Bandelier and Monument Valley, you will find the place mostly to yourself (if it was easy, everyone would do it right?). And if you are smart and decide to head to well-temped places like Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument or Saguaro National Park, you will be rewarded with stunning landscapes, glorious sunny days, and best of all, no creepy-crawlies. So instead of booking a vacation to some tropical beach, instead consider adventuring in the American Southwest. You will be surprised at how beautiful, exciting, and wonderful it truly is (though that could just be all the positive energy vortexes that are located there…). WANT TO SAVE THIS ADVENTURE GUIDE FOR LATER? CONSIDER PINNING IT! EXPLORE MORE ADVENTURE GUIDES HIKING IN THE DESERT | The Ultimate Adventure Guide to Staying Safe & Enjoying Your Hike in the Desert MOAB, UTAH | How to Avoid Crowds & Have a Grand Adventure in this Desert Oasis GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK | Our In-Depth Travel Guide Covers Everything You Need to Know About Visiting PACKING ESSENTIALS FOR AN AMERICAN SOUTHWEST ADVENTURE | Reusable water bottle: we love LARQ water bottles since they are the world's first self-cleaning water bottle and water purification system. Plus, they are rechargeable! | Eco-friendly sunscreen: we love MadHippie sunscreen because it’s cruelty-free, vegan, broad spectrum, and reef safe. And even better, they donate $1 for every purchase to conservation efforts. | Allbirds shoes: comfortable shoes can make or break an adventure or travel day, these eco-conscious and cozy shoes from Allbirds have been our faves for years. STAYING SAFE & PLANNING AHEAD | Roadtrippers: want to plan that epic road trip across the USA (like through the American Southwest)? Then head to this easy-to-use site to plan the perfect route. And check out our Road Trip page for even more inspiration. | Backcountry: find all the best outdoor gear at can’t beat prices. No matter what adventure you are looking to have, Backcountry has the stuff to get you out there. | WayAway: this flight aggregator helps travelers find the best rates on airline tickets around the world - including in the USA. | Rentalcars.com: check out the world’s biggest online car rental service that is available in over 150 countries worldwide.

30.5852° N, 36.2384° E This Middle Eastern country is home to a lot more than just Petra. In fact, it is surprisingly diverse - the northern region is quite lush, and is even home to some wetlands. Jordan has always been a popular location for movies - most recently it was used as the planet Arrakis in the new film, "Dune". In another vein, Jordan recently opened The Jordan Trail, a 650-kilometer long trail that crosses the country and takes you past some of the most famous and beautiful parts of the country (including the ruins of Petra). Here are some interesting, and exciting things to know about Jordan - and the adventures you can have there. Fast Facts Officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the country is ruled by a Constitutional Monarchy, with King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh leading the government Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and the east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north, and Israel and Palestine (West Bank) to the west. The Dead Sea is located along its western borders, while the country also has 26 kilometers or 16 miles of coastline along the Red Sea. Jordan is a founding member of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Co-operation. Sunni Islam, practiced by around 95% of the population, is the dominant religion and coexists with an indigenous Christian minority. Jordan has been repeatedly referred to as an "oasis of stability" in the turbulent region. The country is a major tourist destination (it is home to some pretty famous ruins in the form of Petra), while it also attracts medical tourism due to its well-developed health sector. The capital city, Amman, is also the most populated in the country. Jordan sits strategically at the crossroads of the continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe, in the Levant area of the Fertile Crescent, a cradle of civilization. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature was set up in 1966 to protect and manage Jordan's natural resources. Nature reserves in Jordan include the Dana Biosphere Reserve, the Azraq Wetland Reserve, the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, and the Mujib Nature Reserve. All facts from here. Fun Facts You probably already know this, but Jordan borders the Dead Sea - the saltiest body of water in the world (20x saltier than the ocean). That saltiness allows you to float (indefinitely). Jordan capitalizes on the water, and the different minerals you can find in the region, by setting up a thriving pampering and spa sector. They might have the best hummus in the world - at least at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant named Hashim. This tiny, open air spot serves the basics - but with flavor that good who needs anything fancy? Even the King popped in for a bite a couple of years ago. The capital has archeological ruins that could rival Athens. The ancient Citadel of Amman (Jabal al-Qal’a) towers over the busy downtown area. At the foot of the hill on which the citadel sits is a restored Roman amphitheater where they still offer open-air concerts and plays in the summer. The Temple of Hercules, a Roman religious site with giant marble fingers (believed to be the remains of a statue of Hercules) lies near the top of the hill. This is one of the best spots to catch the sunset in the capital. The country has been the setting for many (many) movies. Including, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lawrence of Arabia, Red Planet, and The Martian. While you will probably recognize Petra popping up in a number of films - many of the aforementioned movies actually were shot in Wadi Rum, a dry, empty desert area that many describe as “god-like.” Jordan’s Desert Castles are 7th-century Umayyad-era ruins once used as rural retreats for Damascus’s ruling classes, and they showcase some of the most impressive examples of early Islamic art and architecture anywhere. One of the must-see spots is Qasr Amra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. While it doesn’t look like much from the outside, head inside where you’ll be met with incredible floor-to-ceiling frescoes. More fun facts here. Adventures | The Jordan Trail: the Jordan Trail is a long-distance hiking trail connecting the length of Jordan from Um Qais in the north to Aqaba in the south. The hike offers 40 days of hiking, along 650 kilometers of trail. Along the way, you hit some of the most famous spots in the country (including Petra) as well as 52 traditional villages and towns. The Jordan Trail becomes a journey through the history of Jordan and an encounter with its diverse culture. It also gives you an amazing up-close view of its various biomes. Including, the rolling wooded hills of the north, the rugged wadis, and cliffs overlooking the Jordan Rift Valley, the rose rock of Petra, the dramatic sands and towering mountains in Wadi Rum, and finally the crystal waters of the Red Sea (its ending point). Learn more about the trail (and how to do it) here. | Exploring Wadi Rum: in the words of National Geographic, “Wadi Rum (Valley of the Moon) lies in the far south of Jordan, set on a high plateau at the western edge of the Arabian desert. Gargantuan rock formations, rippled sand dunes, and clear night skies create an almost fairy-tale setting across an unpopulated area the size of New York City. This is truly the “reddest” part of Jordan, colored by iron oxide, and by far the most dramatic in terms of landscape.” This is an amazing place to spend some time exploring, checking out the stars, maybe getting on a rope or two, and just marveling in the silence and emptiness. Wadi Rum is full of massive sandstone rock formations, with a near-limitless number of climbing routes, many yet to be discovered. While there is climbing right near Wadi Rum Village, the real reason to visit Wadi Rum is to go deep into the desert to experience the vastness. About 85% of the climbing in Wadi Rum is trad - with the majority being rated between 5.8 and 5.10. Check out all of the climbs on Mountain Project. | Explore the Countries Forest Reserves: The Ajloun Forest Reserve is located in the Ajloun highlands north of Amman, Ajloun Forest Reserve covers 13 square kilometers and is home to open woodlands dominated by Evergreen Oak, Pine, Carob, Wild Pistachio, and Wild Strawberry trees. Besides many trees and plants, you might also be able to spot unusual animals such as the Striped Hyena, Crested Porcupine, and Stone Marten (similar to a weasel). You can stay in one of the various cabins located in the reserve, many of which are close to hiking trails - including the Roe Deer Trail. Many of the hikes are guided - though because most pass through historic villages, it might be a good idea to have someone with local knowledge. | Dana Biosphere Reserve is Jordan’s largest nature reserve - it covers around 320 square kilometers and is home to spectacular mountains and Wadis along the face of the Great Rift Valley. Dana is a melting pot of species from three continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia. This combination of natural communities in a single area is unique in Jordan, and because of that, many of Dana’s animals and plants are very rare (25 species are known to be endangered). Besides the natural beauty and adventure, it is also worth checking out the Dana village area (an almost abandoned village that has recently been restored) and the Feynan area, some believe Feynan has one of the longest sequences of human settlement in the world. Similarly, Feynan is home to some of humanity’s first communities and is one of the oldest and most important centers of sustained copper exploitation in the ancient world. Similar to Aljoun, many of the trails in the reserve need a guide. But one, the Dana Wadi Trail (14 kilometers) can be done unguided - a great way to explore the wadi at your own pace. | Now for a real adventure. The Mujib Biosphere Reserve is the lowest nature reserve on Earth. Its rugged and spectacular mountains border the Dead Sea and are dissected by several river-filled canyons, offering some of the best river and adventure hikes in Jordan. Join a trip along the Siq Trail, a great spot for canyoning, rappelling, hiking, and scrambling. | Check out the other ruins in the country. While Petra is definitely the most popular (and for good reason) the country is old - like really old. And with that long history comes a lot of amazing historical sites. One area that is truly worth checking out is Jerash, a historic Roman city that was decimated by an earthquake long ago. Jerash was hidden for hundreds of years under the shifting sands of Jordan, the picturesque ruins all that remains of a once-great ancient city that saw the likes of Alexander the Great, the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, and the mathematician Nichomachas. Today, you can explore Hadrian's Arch, the Temple of Artemis, the Nymphaeum, and the Jerash Archaeological Museum. More Information Learn more about Jordan’s outdoor adventures and natural reserves: https://www.wildjordan.com/ More in-depth history of Jordan: https://www.britannica.com/place/Jordan More off-the-beaten-path adventures in Jordan: https://www.worldnomads.com/explore/middle-east/jordan/off-the-beaten-path-jordan

Yes, Arches National Park in Moab, Utah is absolutely amazing. We will never argue on that point. But you want to know a secret? The national park is not the only place to find natural arches, bridges, and weird desert structures. In fact, if you head a bit to the west you will also find some pretty crazy geologic formations - and practically no people. We absolutely LOVE the Moab area. It is one of the few places we could actually see ourselves living (and thriving) in the United States. With its mix of culture, community, and outdoor adventures, it seems like one of the best places to settle down and still have incredible access to all the things we love (mountain biking, hiking, canyoneering, etc.). But the town’s stellar location has not gone unnoticed - Moab is very much a tourist town, something you realize after a quick drive down the main street. Guiding services after guiding services, with a couple of T-shirt shops thrown in for good measure. And for two people who grew up in and around Estes Park, Colorado, we can spot a tourist town a mile away. Not that we can blame people for wanting to explore Moab. But just because there are two national parks and one awesome state park right next door to town (all three of which are usually packed), does not mean you can’t escape the crowds. In fact, it is relatively easy to find a quiet corner of the desert - as long as you are willing to get a bit off-the-beaten-path. Enter canyoneering. The underground, very niche desert sport that is at its absolute best near Moab. \\ What is Canyoneering? Somehow this adventurous sport has managed to stay under the radar. Very few people know about it, and those that have heard about it still have some very specific questions. And we get it. At first we had no idea what canyoneering was all about. But after 5 years of doing it, and about 50+ canyons later we are happy to answer some of the most asked questions. | How do you get back out of the canyon? Usually a canyon ends with one last rappel and then you simply hike out (sometimes with a bit of scrambling). The hikes can measure anywhere from a couple hundred yards to the car, to a couple of miles (one canyon required an 8 mile hike out). | Do you have to climb up the canyon first? No you never have to do any technical climbing (like with ropes or anything). Usually it is either a hike up to the top of a mountain or a pretty easy (gradual) hike to the mouth of the canyon. | Is it really dangerous? You could say all sports have some risk involved. But canyoneering - if you know what you are doing - is not any more dangerous than a lot of other outdoor sports. The main things to remember have to do with wearing a proper harness, never going alone and making sure all anchors look secure. | Aren’t you afraid of heights? The first couple of rappels are a bit nerve-wracking, no one feels comfortable walking off a 90-foot cliff at first. But you get used to it. We understand that canyoneering isn’t for everyone. In fact, there are many people in our lives who we would never consider taking out into a canyon (we enjoy it too much to want to spoil it with fear-tears). But if you can get past the thought of rappelling down a cliff with just a harness and a rope between you and falling to your death, then canyoneering might just be the best adventure-sport around - especially in a place like Moab (sorry mountain biking). And while Moab is close to two national parks, in truth, some of the best places to go canyoneering near Moab are actually on the west side of town, close to the Behind the Rocks and Potash Road areas. Disclaimer: this article is not going to give you full beta on specific canyons - for that information we suggest heading over to trusty Road Trip Ryan, our website of choice when it comes to planning canyoneering trips. What it is going to do is discuss some of the best canyons to check out if you are looking to get off the beaten path, have a grand adventure, and have some slice of the Moab desert landscape all to yourself. So without further ado, here are four canyons we absolutely love near Moab. Canyon #1: Bow and Arrow This is one of those canyons that you go into with pretty low expectations, only to be blown away not just by the rappels and the canyon itself - but the overall beauty of the area. Bow and Arrow Canyon is a great way to explore the Potash Road area, check out a big natural arch (that was completely quiet when we were there), and do some desert exploring. Not to mention the views from the top of the Behind the Rocks area, and the La Sal mountains behind that, are absolutely world-class (and worth the short hike in alone). Plus, it is short - meaning it is a good one to do either in the morning and evening and still have time for another activity (or another canyon). But don’t think that what it lacks in length it also lacks in technicality. In fact, this canyon has one of the longest rappels in the area (plus it is almost completely free-hanging). Bow and Arrow Canyon also gives you the chance to explore some unique desert terrain, including heading out on some somewhat “sketchy” narrow canyon rims (like Angel’s Landing minus the chains), hike around on some bluffs, and look for petroglyphs. The canyon has 3-4 rappels, depending on how confident you are on steep rocky downclimbs, and how you want to descend into the actual narrow canyon. Canyon #2: Pool Arch According to Road Trip Ryan, many consider this more of a “technical” hike. While there are two rappels, both 30 meters (99 feet), there is an option for a third 40-meter or 132 feet. But what makes this canyon special, besides the rather tall rappels, is the hike up to the raps themselves. Pool Arch Canyon has a long approach, BUT along the way you get to see not one but two natural arches and do some serious butte and fin exploring. And because it is located in the Behind the Rocks area (a quiet, less-visited spot right outside of town), you will likely have the place to yourself. This was actually the first canyon we ever did, way back 5 years ago when we just started dating (crazy!). And nothing makes you question the reliability and trustworthy-ness of your partner than going off your first rappel - and at 30-meters no less. But everything worked out and it is still one of our favorite canyons today - honestly, the last rappel is amazing. Canyon #3: Granary Canyon Possibly the longest canyon on this list, Granary Canyon is actually a combination of Upper and Lower Granary, which when put together, can make for a pretty epic day in the desert. Plus, the drive to the trailhead itself is pretty amazing: rough dirt roads through the desert backcountry ending with awesome views of the La Sal Mountains and Arches National Park. One thing to note about Granary is that you can kind of create your own adventure. In Upper Granary there are lots of bail points (meaning you can hike out whenever you want), including towards the end an actual marked (with a cairn) trail back towards your car. Similarly, many of the rappels can actually be skirted along the edge (though often rather sketchy). Or, if you are comfortable on your feet and confident in your body’s ability to land jumps, you can downclimb and jump. Once you get through Upper Granary you can decide to keep going and explore Lower Granary, the darker, more technical brother. When we did it, we were making good enough time to think it was worth the extra couple of rappels. And in the end, Lower Granary was probably our favorite section of the whole day: striped tall canyon walls, deep potholes and a few natural arches. Once you do decide to head out of the canyon (you have the option to keep going and do a big rappel and car shuttle - more on that in a second), the hike back to the car is pretty easy - a nice walk along a 4x4 track. We ended up doing it in the dark, but thanks to a bright full moon we didn’t even need headlamps. Now if you are feeling really good and are confident in your rappelling skills, then we highly suggest doing the big last rappel. While it is a long one (60 meters or 197 feet) it isn't just straight down. It is actually two levels, with the first level being pretty gradual. What really sells doing the last rappel though, are the views from the top of the canyon rim: you can see for miles in every direction, and the Colorado River below is just magical. Once done with the last rappel it is an easy 5-10 minute hike back to the car. Note: there seems to be some argument on whether it is good practice to leave webbing behind in this canyon. So be prepared to build a good number of anchors throughout the day (aka bring A LOT of extra webbing) or go in knowing proper canyon ghosting techniques. Canyon #4: U-Turn Surprise! There are actually some stellar canyons inside Arches National Park, many of which give you those same incredible views as the popular hikes and drives, without all the people. U-Turn is one of those canyons. What makes this short canyon so special is the location and views. In fact, this canyon is hidden right next to one of the more popular short hikes in the park: Park Avenue Trailhead. But you wouldn’t know that due to the absolute quietness that you experience up above in U-Turn Canyon*. We have done the canyon a couple of times, and though it is one of the more popular canyons in the area (due to its lengths and views), we have rarely been held up by another group. We recommend hitting up U-Turn at the end of the day, right around sunset. Why? Because the views of the surrounding desert landscape and structures - including the Three Gossips, The Organ, and The Courthouse, are stellar once the light becomes less harsh. Plus, because it isn’t very technical (and what is is done in the hike up to the canyon rim) you could hike out around dusk and probably be totally safe. *U-Turn isn't actually much of a canyon, instead it is more of a hike along a rim with a couple of downclimbs and one big rappel at the end. There is no denying it: exploring the less-popular areas around Moab, especially its canyons, is a great way to appreciate the stunning natural scenery. While Arches National Park is beautiful - no question about that - there are some equally amazing areas with half the visitors (or no visitors at all) a short ways away. And in the end, isn’t that how you want your experience to be? No one likes being shuffled around a natural area like cattle, no one likes having to jockey for the best views and photo spots, no one likes having to wait in traffic for a parking spot. So the next time you are in the Moab area consider forgoing a visit to Arches - or at least don’t make that the only activity you do (we love our national parks just as much as the next person). Instead, choose to get off the beaten path and explore some back dirt roads and some stunning canyons through canyoneering. If you are curious to learn more about canyoneering, and routes in other parts of Utah, we highly recommend checking out Road Trip Ryan's website or app.

Oh, Thailand. With your crystal clear water, tropical beaches, and delicious food, you are a country that is definitely good for the soul - and add in uber-friendly locals, colorful temples, and cheap transportation, and you are practically heaven on Earth. More likely than not though, when you imagine (and visit) Thailand three places come to mind: Bangkok, the southern beaches, and Chiang Mai. But as you might expect from a country that is more than twice the size of Wyoming (approximately 514,000 sq. km), there is a lot more to discover. And one of the best ways to do that is by exploring the Mae Hong Son region of Northern Thailand. If you have a week, and know at least the basics of driving a moped, then we highly recommend taking on the Mae Hong Son Loop, a 600 kilometer route that circles around the far northern reaches of Thailand. We were lucky enough to spend five months in Thailand during our junior year of college. Both of us were studying abroad from our respective universities and we didn’t know one another at all before heading to Chiang Mai. But after knowing each other for about two weeks, we decided to head out on a grand adventure (just the two of us) along the backroads of Northern Thailand. And as many say, the rest is history. But back to the Mae Hong Son Loop. Here is our adventure log of one of the neatest, prettiest, and most authentic trips we did in our whole five-month stay in Thailand. \\ Getting Off the Beaten Path The day was hot. The air was thick. And the backpack just would not stay on the bike very well. It was early morning on the first day of the Mae Hong Son Loop. We both were excited, and slightly nervous at the thought of traveling 600 kilometers into the backcountry - the “last frontier” of Thailand. Not to mention it would just be us, two people who didn’t know the other existed a month ago. But that is what adventure is all about right? Heading off into the unknown with hopes of everything working out okay. We headed out of Chiang Mai, the city we had started to call home, and a place we had both already fallen in love with. While the city is massive (just under 1 million residents in the entire metro district) it is surprisingly easy to get around, especially by bike (or moped if we are being honest). This is due to the fact that besides red trucks, the Thailand form of taxi’s (just waaaaay cheaper), almost everyone rides a moped. And even though there are very little traffic laws, and the ones that are there are not always followed, somehow the traffic flows smoothly, like a murmuration of starlings. Once you leave the city behind, you are quickly thrown into the wilds of the Northern Thailand landscape: thick, hot jungles, narrow twisty (sometimes paved) roads, and tiny, authentic hill tribe villages that make you question everything you thought about true happiness. Your first stop (if doing the loop clockwise, which we did) is in the town of Hot. Yes, Hot. And man it really was. We quickly pulled over at a gas station to refuel the bike and ourselves. We bought a sweet, chia seed-filled juice and some vanilla crackers (which would quickly become our food of choice on this road trip - and the next five months). Then sat in the shade of the gas station for a good 15 minutes - soaking up the views and imagining what lay ahead on this adventure. That night we decided to camp out in the first national park of the trip: Op Luang. This park is right on the outskirts of Hot, and it offers a nice campground, a couple of hiking trails and a cool bridge to sit on and watch either the rushing Mae Chaem River below, or the brilliant stars above at night. The next day we set off nice and early from the Op Luang campground. After a terrible night of attempting to sleep in a hammock, we both agreed we would rather risk it on the hard ground or maybe even try to find some hostels/bunkhouses along the way, there on out. Along the road from Op Luang to the next major town of Mae Sariang we passed the Bo Kaeo Pine Tree Garden. This is a pretty unique photo spot - just lines and lines of tall pine trees. Similarly, right down the road is a Forest Park, another couple of gardens and a few wats (temples). This area of the road reminded us of the Rocky Mountains in a way: lots of pine trees, camping areas and trails. We arrived in Mae Sariang around 4 o’clock. The town isn’t huge but it has everything you could want or need: restaurants, lodging options, cafes, even a museum. We decided to head for the roadside market and find something quick to eat before making any more plans (it is never a good idea to plan something on an empty stomach). Once our hunger was satiated, we started to consider our options. We could either keep driving for another hour or so and hope to find a place to stay, or we could call it a day and head up to the national park on the outskirts of town and (hopefully) find a campground or maybe even a cabin. After deliberating for a couple minutes we decided to check out the park - the road would be there for us tomorrow morning. \\ Let's Talk About the Wildlife Now one thing to note about Thailand's National Parks is that they are not like United States' National Parks. While they might be designated a “national park” in truth, they seem more like land put aside that may or may not be developed. Many of the parks have villages and people living in them. Most are free (or very cheap) to enter. Many of the ones we explored had guest houses, cabins and maybe even a campground. And while there might be a few hiking trails (or often short nature trails) there were very little long hikes to explore the backcountry of the parks. Now we are not saying Thailand's National Parks aren’t nice - most were gorgeous and well-maintained. They just aren’t as developed as the ones in America - there were definitely no Yosemite's to be found. But that is not necessarily a bad thing - in truth that is probably better for the wildlife and plant life that calls the parks home. Okay, discussion over. Now back to the story. We pulled up to the entrance station of Salawin National Park, a large swath of dense forest that sits right along the border of Myanmar. The guard (another weird thing about Thai national parks is that they are guarded and run by the military) clearly was surprised to see two Americans pull up on a small moped with big backpacks on their backs. He motioned us over to the desk to get our information and to charge us the entrance fee (something like 2 USD). We then began a conversation with him about whether he had any tents we could use, for we had read somewhere that many national parks in Thailand actually rent out camping gear. Now when we say we started a conversation, we might be overexaggerating. In the end it turned into more hand charades, with us pointing to our translation book for the words “tent”, “camping” and “cabin”. In the end we gave up and decided to just spend the night sleeping on the ground. After finding a flat spot in the middle of the main park gathering area (surrounded by empty cabins that we were sure we could rent out) we headed out on the nature trail that curved its way up the hillside for a mile or so. That night we ate crackers for dinner (woo living the dream) and tried to get some sleep. But then something crazy happened. Okay time for another tangent... Northern Thailand is known to be a popular place for cobras. And Madalyne is very afraid of snakes (and cobras in particular). And the area we were adventuring in, and that night sleeping in, was a very common cobra habitat. So it is fair to say that Madalyne was a (little) terrified of sleeping on the ground, where it would be too easy for a cobra to slither up to us. But also, Northern Thailand is said to be one of the last remaining tiger habitats. And in Salawin especially, tigers are known to roam the hillsides that make up the western side of the park. Now, as two travelers who hadn’t considered doing research on massive cats that lived in Thailand, we of course didn’t know any of this. So you can imagine our surprise when we hear very heavy footsteps coming from down the hill below us. Now back to the story. We both lay there stock-still. Too afraid to move, to speak, even to breathe. The large “thing” crunched down the leaves below us as it walked by - its heavy paws breaking the silence of the night. There were a couple cabins down the hill (and by hill we mean a very small rise in the land, maybe 30 feet high), that people were living or staying in. They had pets, or at least one dog that now was barking like crazy. Then we heard the loud footsteps retreat away from the house. We of course were still laying there dead still, hoping the thing wouldn’t come up the hill and find two campers on the ground. At this point we were both considering what it could be: maybe a water buffalo (we had seen plenty of those), or maybe an elephant, supposedly they lived in the area too. But then we heard it come back and then the high pitched, heeby-jeeby inducing sound of a cat (or some kind of animal) being attacked. Okay so maybe not a water buffalo. By now we were pretty convinced it was a tiger - or some large cat. While we had lived in mountain lion country our whole lives, we had never had to imagine what to do in the case of camping with a tiger. After a brief discussion, we both quickly decided to get up and break into one of the cabins nearby (which turned out to be very easy) and spend the rest of the night in there. Side note: we never actually found out if it was a tiger. But after doing some research afterwards we learned that there was a known tiger "pod" that lived in the area. The next morning we woke up early to a thick layer of fog hanging over the valley. We packed up our stuff, loaded up the moped and slowly made our way back to town - the sound of water buffalo bells tolling at us eerily through the thick gray fog. From Mae Sariang we began the long trek north. The road was well-paved, with hundreds of curves and turns all the way up to the town of Mae La Luang, a small outpost with a few cafes, restaurants, gas and grocery stores. From there, you can head off the main road for a bit of exploring - look for signs to waterfalls (some easy to find, some nearly impossible), wats, and small villages. As with any road trip, it is not the destination you are heading for that counts, but the journey to get there. That is why it is better to have the time to explore this region more in-depth. So don’t be afraid to take that random dirt road, to head up into the mountains or forest. Heck we followed a road (that was more like a paved bike path) all the way up to a town called “Microwave” that was really just a big cellphone tower. All we are saying is to not be so focused on getting to whatever town you are heading to, that you forget to check out the amazing scenery and villages along the way. That night we couldn’t find a decent spot to stay, so we ended up pulling over at a random viewpoint, with a concrete balcony and all, and sleeping there (don’t worry, it was as uncomfortable sleeping on concrete as you’d imagine). The next morning we awoke to more fog and a man squawking like a chicken - he had lost his rooster and was hoping that if he sounded like a chicken the rooster would come back. It did. Then we began the final stretch into Mae Hong Son, the largest town along the route. \\ The Beauty of Northern Thailand Now this region of Thailand is not popular with tourists. Along this road trip we saw maybe four or five other Westerners (a sure sign we had made a good decision heading out on the adventure). Mae Hong Son is beautiful though. The older part of town surrounds Chong Kam Lake, a great spot to find some food and go for a walk. A couple other can’t-miss stop are checking out Wat Phrathat Doi Kongmu, a white temple in the Burmese style that was completed in 1860, the Su Tong Pae Bridge, a bamboo bridge that crosses vibrant green rice fields, and Ban Rak Thai, a small Yunnanese village way up near the border that feels like you have been transported to old-world China. Head up there for a delicious meal of traditional Chinese noodles and tea tastings (the area is surrounded by tea plantations). That night we stayed at another national park. But this time we were able to secure a room in a cabin - which turned out to be a huge bamboo house with a shower, 8 beds and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. We weren't complaining. While we would say the whole drive is beautiful - and totally worth doing - the section between Mae Hong Son and Pai is absolutely stunning. The forest thickens, it becomes more jungle-y and lush, and giant stone karsts start to rise from the ground. Plus, the villages here just feel ancient, like modernization has forgotten to consume them. This area has a lot of neat things to check out: from dozens (maybe even hundreds) of caves, many you can be guided through; to historic Chinese villages, to viewpoints with weird, man-powered Ferris Wheels. If you only have a short time to explore this area of Thailand, this is definitely the place to go. From here it is a short - but terrifying drive to the town of Pai. Think sharp hairpin turns that never end - but with the landscape being that beautiful you won’t mind going a bit slow. Soon enough you reach Pai - and are quickly thrown head first back onto the Tourist Trail. While many of the other villages seem untouched by time, Pai is like an Instagram paradise surrounded by stunning jungle. Cafes, restaurants, even guest houses are all turned up to 11 in terms of cuteness. One guesthouse even has “tame” elephants walking around for photos, as well as a wooden swing that shoots you out over picture-perfect rice feilds - which just screams, “Post Me on Instagram”. Outside the town itself, there are actually some really cool things to explore. Including, more historic Chinese-style villages, a couple of hot springs, and tons of back forest roads that cut through the jungle. The last night was spent similar to the first - at a national park. But this time we decided to forgo sleeping in hammocks (no thank you) and instead rented a small little cabin in the main park area. It was simple, but afforded us the ability to wake up early and watch the sunrise over a glorious green field with views of the surrounding mountains behind it. The perfect way to end the trip. \\ The End of the Road Since we knew the drive back to Chiang Mai wouldn’t take us too long, we decided to hang out a bit in the area, stop and get a coffee at one of the (many) roadside cafes, and explore some of the nearby villages and roadside attractions (so a lot of wats and waterfalls). We made it back to Chiang Mai just in time to head across town for some delicious street food at our favorite market. While it was nice to get off the moped after five days of constantly sitting, we already missed the wide open roads, authentic villages and natural scenery. There is just something so magical about riding around a new area, with no real plans or set itinerary, and just letting the road and adventure take you. That is probably why we love road trips so much - and have now done our fair share together. The Mae Hong Son Loop is an amazing way to explore the northern region of Thailand - an area often overlooked by tourists and travelers. So if you are looking to get a feel for “authentic” Thai culture, see some stunning scenery and have a grand adventure, we couldn’t recommend it enough.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF WAYS TO REACH THE FAMOUS RUINS OF MACHU PICCHU IN PERU. WE INSTEAD DECIDED TO FIND OUR OWN WAY ON THE BACK OF A MOTORCYCLE THROUGH THE SACRED VALLEY. IT WAS CRAZY AND COLD, BUT ALSO ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. HERE IS OUR STORY. One book that is an absolutely worthwhile read is Robert Pirsig's, "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". If you haven’t read it, do. You won’t regret it. If you have read it, then you will appreciate the means by which we got to Machu Picchu: by motorcycle. Pirsig writes that there is no better way to see the world than to be submerged in it: the rain, the cold, the heat, the bugs. If you're behind a glass window, you don't appreciate the landscape nearly as much. We fully agree. That is why we set off on a newly rented motorbike to make an epic trek around the Sacred Valley, over a 3,256-meter pass, through the thick Peruvian jungle, and along precarious cliff-carved dirt roads, to get to the heart of Peruvian tourism: Machu Picchu. THE BACKSTORY One common misconception is that Machu Picchu is relatively difficult to get to. This is mostly due to the fact that no roads lead into Aguas Calientes - the small, touristy city at the base of famous ruins. But in reality, you have more or less three routes to take to get there, all varying in cost and difficulty. First, there is the standard, and horribly expensive, train that leaves the town of Cusco and zig-zags back and forth up the mountains, then descends into the Sacred Valley before following the Urubamba River downstream into Aguas Calientes. The second option is to take a bus for approximately 5-6 hours from Cusco to a small town called Hidroelectrica, and then either catch the less expensive train from the station there or walk along the train tracks for approximately 11 kilometers (6 miles) to Aguas Calientes. The third, and least traveled path, is on foot. There are plenty of trails that head towards Machu Picchu, among them the famous Inca Trail, which eventually drop you off at the Sun Gate on the edge of the ruins. There is also the Salkantay Trek: a multi-day backpacking trip that ends at Aguas Calientes (our friend did that and said it was indeed, epic). Besides those two (The Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek, the most popular by far), we found other treks that started in Quillabamba, a hot jungle town near Santa Maria (off the main road), that definitely called to our adventurous spirit. If you have the time, we highly recommend hiking to Machu Picchu. We didn't. So we took another approach to get there. So, while we said there are three options to reach Machu Picchu, we decided to pick option four: motorcycle. OUR MOTORYCLE ADVENTURE TO MACHU PICCHU It was raining when we suited up. The salesman at the motorcycle rental place, Peru by Bike, stood outside squinting up into the rain saying that lady luck wasn't with us today. I believe he stood outside with us, getting his jacket completely soaked through, out of pity - and perhaps a bit of guilt at letting us go out into the wretched weather. Either way, we eventually took off from the town of Cusco at around 7 a.m. We had decided on a whim to buy rain pants the morning of the adventure, and after eventually finding them (one hour and two markets later), we had already lost a lot of our day. But they proved their weight in gold and we didn't regret the decision at all later on down the road. The paved, twisty road to the town of Ollantaytambo was familiar to us: we had ventured out a week previously on another bike, just to do a bit of a "scouting" mission. The high altiplano landscape outside of Cusco has a certain dreary draw to it. Especially when the fog kisses around the low, green mountains on either side of the valley. Eventually, thanks to the speed we were moving at, and the slightly chilled air, our exposed fingers started to freeze. Once Luke (who was driving) started to lose feeling, we would pull over and jam our hands deep into 3 layers of pants to warm up. Luke eventually did this too many times for us to call it a worthy enough problem, and in the next town we bought dish-washing gloves to help keep the water and wind out of the gloves thin fabric. Soon enough, we rode into Ollantaytambo, near the end of the Sacred Valley. The beautiful small town is situated precariously between multiple steep mountains. Most impressively, today - thanks to those creative and insanely adaptive Incans - those mountainsides are either terraced or covered in beautiful ruins. Waterways run through the town and its narrow cobblestone roads give the feeling of you being 300 years back in time. The main square, even though it’s surrounded by countless pizza and tourist restaurants, still holds its pride and Incan heritage with metal and woodwork of the famous Incan triage of animals: the Anaconda, the Cougar, and the Condor. Setting off after a tasty lunch, we began the first difficult leg of our journey: we needed to climb out of the Sacred Valley and over a pass named Abra de Malaga, which sits well above treeline. But, the road there is tough. It winds back and forth up the valley walls, giving you blind turn after blind turn; all while it slowly gets colder and colder as you reach higher and higher elevations. By this time in the day, it still had not stopped raining, and everything was absolutely soaking wet. From the soles of our feet to the hair under our helmets. But the landscape was absolutely beautiful (remember “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” yeah this was our own type of “zen”). Even through the pounding rain (and somewhat thanks to it), we could see waterfall after waterfall in the valley - many of which would have been dry otherwise. The cascades toppled off mountains and merged into each other, before finally reaching the rivers below. It was a beautiful sight: the white rapids against the wet green earth. The pass eventually came into view and we were ecstatic...and cold. Very cold. Once at the top, we hopped off of our iron steed and stepped into the only building there: an old church. We quickly stripped off our gloves and helmets and warmed our fingers over the candles people had brought for prayers. People filtered in, all leaving prayers of safe travel through the rain and thick fog that waited for them below. We never caught a sideways glance warming our fingers though, the people in the church seemed to understand our dilemma. The other side of the mountain was foretold to be warmer, it was the boundary of the Amazon Rainforest after all. So we kept pushing to try and break the now suffocating thick white fog that hung around us, soaking our whole bodies, and making the hairpin turns more terrifying than they already were. But we hardly broke it. Except once, when the beautiful snow-capped mountains surrounding us showed themselves for the tiniest amount of time before veiling themselves once again. Our second warming stop brought us to a small restaurant nestled along a seemingly middle of nowhere stretch of road. Inside, the hostess gladly showed us to the backside of the cooking fire and brought us steaming cups of coffee. Feeling slowly returned to our fingers and toes. Besides us, the only other customers were two cops sitting at a nearby table finishing up their plates of food. Through broken Spanish and a lot of hand charades, we learned that the road was washed out about 3 kilometers ahead and we couldn't pass for another 3 hours. But we were skeptical. So we headed out to check for ourselves. But after seeing the traffic, and the massive rushing river blocking the road - and not just with water but with large boulders, some the size of bicycle tires, we had to admit that our trip might take a bit longer than we originally thought. We waited with the already long line of cars, talking to fellow drivers who told us this was completely normal and happened often, especially in the rainy season. Eventually, even though the water still had not started to recede, a few gutsy (and impatient!) buses decided to take a run at it. Other cars backed out of their way, giving them plenty of room to take on the mighty flow. Everyone on either side of the bank seemed to hold their breath. We took this as our cue to take an early dinner back at the warm restaurant. After eating our food and drying our shoes, we set back off towards the river. Now there was no more traffic, all having crossed previously, but the water was still uncomfortably high for a motorcycle to cross (especially driven by two newbies). But lady fortune seemed to be changing sides. We got lucky in there being a local man with his pickup truck parked across the river, and after seeing us mentally go back and forth on whether it was worth crossing or waiting, drove back across and loaded our bike into his truck. His truck crossed easily - though we were still a bit nervous. We profusely thanked him and his son for taking pity on us - they simply smiled and motioned it wasn’t a problem. After that, we continued on down the road - and into the humid jungle. The whole river incident had cost us three hours. The road crossed ten more streams. Some were shallow ankle soakers, and others were nerve-wracking rivers (though luckily none had rocks in them). We started to feel the rising of the temperature… and the rising of the humidity. Soon enough we were stripping off our underlayers and breathing in the warm, dense air. We drove through a couple of small villages, practically empty besides a few barking dogs and a few men sitting on front steps here and there. By now it was past dusk. But we knew we still had a ways to go. Eventually, we got to the town of Santa Maria. Here we left the nicely paved road behind and started down a rough, rocky dirt track that looped through even smaller villages. By now it was completely dark - all we could make out were a couple of dim lights off in the distance and the sound of the roaring Urubamba River right next to the road. We tried to remain calm. But this was practically our first big off-roading motorcycle experience - and we were doing it in the dark, on a road we knew nothing about, next to a river that sounded like a stampede of a thousand horses. By now, the fun had started to wear off. That dirt road took us at least an hour to conquer. The whole time, we sat there with white knuckles, trying to stay positive, trying not to think about how awful it would be to topple over into the river below. But, right as we started to worry we had somehow gone the wrong way, we saw the glowing orange lights of Hidroelectrica, the official end of the road and the start of the 11-kilometer hike to Aguas Calientes. We parked our bike, locked our helmets nearby, and grabbed our two backpacks. It was nearing midnight and the rain had started to fall once again (I guess lady luck had switched sides once more). No surprise, we were the only people around. It was eerily quiet - as if the place had been abandoned years ago. The only soul we saw was a little furball that came trotting over to us. He was the size of a Jack Russell Terrier, though brown in color with longer fur. Once we located the well-trodden trail along the railroad tracks, he began to lead the way. It quickly became clear that he knew the area a lot better than us. Beneath soaking rain jackets, we made our way along, Madalyne stopping before every railroad bridge to help Teddy (which we quickly named our four-legged companion) cross. Teddy trotted ahead of us, stopping and waiting for us to catch up before meandering on. We were about two-thirds the way when out of nowhere we saw a super bright light appear in front of us. We stopped in our tracks and watched, our tired minds moving at 3 miles per hour to try to figure out what it was. Oh yes, we are on a train track, that must be a train. We grabbed Teddy and ducked behind some bushes, why? We don’t know. Maybe we just didn’t want to be questioned on why we were out in the middle of the night on a trail (it was about 1:30 a.m. by now). The train slowly moved on, and so did we. Half an hour later we finally came along the outskirts of Aguas Calientes. First, the train depot, where the wealthy tourists first get their sights of the town that reminded us both strongly of a Pirates and the Caribbean set. Then the first couple of guesthouses and small cafes. We didn’t have a reservation - that takes planning and that is something we just don’t do. So we stopped at the first one and knocked, thinking the chance of someone being up at 2 a.m. was highly unlikely but worth a shot anyway. We were right. No answer. The same thing happened at the second and third guesthouse. By now we were planning on just sleeping outside, we would only have a couple of hours of sleep anyhow before we could start up to the ruins (we had morning tickets for Machu Picchu, hence the crazy drive through the night). But then on our fourth try a sleepy older Peruvian woman opened up her warm building and gave us a single, simple room to rest our heads - if only for a bit. Four hours later we were up and putting on our still wet clothes, grabbing two strong coffees and a couple of croissants (for waaaay too much money we might add) before loading onto one of the multiple buses that make the daily drive up the mountain and to the ruins. Once we got to the top we saw for ourselves the madness that is Machu Picchu. Think Disneyland crowds in one of the prettiest places in the world. We, along with a couple hundred other souls, shuffled slowly inside the gates. From there you either went your own way or followed your brightly colored and overly loud tour leader. We quickly huffed our way up to the start of the trail for Montana Machu Picchu (which you have to get an extra ticket for). From there, we started to ascend to maybe the best viewpoint of our lives: the ruins shrouded in clouds below, tall glowing green mountains surrounding us, with even taller, white-capped peaks peeking out behind them. It was jaw-dropping to say the least. We were absolutely mesmerized and 100% glad we had made the long journey the day before. At that moment we knew that the cold, wet, tiring, and terrifying miles we had conquered were completely and totally worth it. Machu Picchu is incredible. It is expensive and crowded, but worth every penny and every trouble. The ruins themselves are beautifully maintained, and the loop that tourists walk through is awe-inspiring. We had no guide, but we picked up information here and there from passing groups, every detail catapulting us deeper into the mysticism and ingenuity of the Incan people. After a couple of hours, we were ready to head back to town. We decided to hike down the grand stairway trail back to Aguas Calientes instead of riding the bus. Once back in town, we found a restaurant selling "cheap" pizza. We sat down to a large glass of water and mediocre food and watched the local kids spray each other with foam and water (it was Carnival). It was a beautiful town, but disgustingly touristy. It is a town to stay the night in, but not a town to visit. We found only one worthwhile coffee shop, Café de Paris, which sold plenty of pastries, cakes, coffee, and sandwiches for a very reasonable price. All of which we decidedly stocked up on before we hit the trail back to our bike. We had arrived in Aguas Calientes approximately 14 hours before. Rather long for our taste. As soon as we could, we headed back down the train tracks in good spirits. We passed many travelers making their own voyage up to the town and ruins beyond. It seems inappropriate to assume, but we couldn't help but think that we had appreciated Machu Picchu much more than they would after the struggle it took us to get there. Who can say though? Each traveler has their own experience. Before long, we made it back to the bike, quickly packed up, and headed back out on the dirt road (much less terrifying in the light) towards the town of Santa Teresa. While Santa Teresa is not huge, we had heard it had some legendary hot springs. And after the last 48 hours, we couldn't resist the urge to go and soak our sore, wet feet in some deliciously warm water. Once in town we quickly found a hostel, stored our bags, and then headed for the springs. They were a cheap 10 soles to get in. The hot springs consisted of three pools, all wonderfully warm, all with amazing views of the surrounding valley. It was absolutely amazing and safe to say, we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. After a couple of hours of soaking, we headed back to town to get dinner at a restaurant we had been recommended by the hostel owners. Luckily, we got there right in time for happy hour, and for 30 soles we got four of the best mojitos we’d ever had. After a filling dinner, and a bit too much alcohol, we headed to bed, where we slept like logs. We awoke early the next day, worried about the rain (we did not want to get stuck on the wrong side of that river again). By the time the sun was rising, we were already bidding Santa Teresa goodbye. The trip back was quite easy, with the exception of that once again freezing mountain pass. The river turned out to be nice and low, and it even wasn't raining. In the end, we made such good time back to Cusco that we decided to take a pit stop at the Moray salt mines near Urubamba, which were incredibly cool (we highly recommend checking them out if ever in the Cusco area). After the quick stop at the salt mines, we made the final trek into Cusco. The weather held for us, even though a storm brooded and threatened to pour most of the trip. Back in the Incan capital, we returned our bike and found ourselves a nice hostel for the night. We hung out our wet jackets, pants, socks, and bags, toweled off our bodies and fell asleep for a wonderful night after one epic trip. A COUPLE OF THINGS TO NOTE Getting to Machu Picchu is entirely up to how much time and money you have. You can go the most common way, by bus or van, or you can go the expensive, but luxurious way, the train. But we have always found ourselves drawn to more difficult modes of transportation. And because we didn't have the time to do one of the epic treks (The Inca Trail, Salkantay Trek) we settled on a motorcycle. Even after our adventure (and the ups and downs that came with it), we completely recommend a motorcycle to anyone who is in a similar boat as we were - or who is just looking for something epic: you really get a unique feel of the Sacred Valley when you are zipping through it on two wheels. Honestly, it is kind of indescribable unless you've done it. But, there are some important things to keep in mind if you want to follow in our footsteps: First, if you are going in the rainy season, and maybe even if you aren't, prepare to get wet. So, pack extra gloves, extra socks, and extra pants to change into. We only brought two pairs of socks (it was only three days after all!) and regretted it after BOTH got wet on the first day. Wet socks suck. Second, understand that it takes more time on a bike than in a car. Even without the three hour hold up at the river it still would have taken us around nine hours. It supposedly takes cars five or six. So prepare for a long day and leave Cusco early so you don't roll into Aguas Calientes at the ungodly hour we did. Finally, the whole trip to Machu Picchu is pricey, even if you aren't taking the train. Everything, from bottles of water to (cheap) crackers, is more expensive. So either bring all that stuff with you, or be prepared to just pony up the cash in order to have a good time. Even after everything, we really enjoyed the trip. It was cold, it was wet. But you cannot complain too much when the end destination is seeing Machu Picchu in person. But it wasn't just the ruins we really enjoyed - Santa Teresa is a surprisingly cool place to spend some time, especially the hot springs, and the views along the Sacred Valley and up and over the pass are absolutely incredible. So if you are looking for one epic adventure - and have the gumption to take on a motorcycle trip - we highly recommend following in our footsteps. To this day, this has been one of our all-time favorite adventures, and one we talk about again and again. Looking to learn more about Machu Picchu? Or just want an exciting adventure book to read (especially during these times)? Then consider checking out Mark Adams' book, "Turn Right at Machu Picchu"

When you imagine Las Vegas you probably think of bright lights, hordes of people, way too many bars, massive maze-like hotels, and expensive food. And you are not wrong. Vegas is all of that and more. But. It is also located at an amazing crossroads for tons of outdoor adventure. From climbing to hiking to water sports. Las Vegas has a lot more to offer than just overindulgence in alcohol and gambling. Don’t believe us? Just wait. In under 30 minutes, from The Strip no less, you can get to two National Conservation Areas and the Clark County Wetlands Park, home to a 45,000-square foot nature center. In under an hour you can be at Mt. Charleston, which sits at 11,916 feet - making it the eighth highest peak in Nevada, and the 34th “most prominent peak” in the United States. You can also make it to the Hoover Dam on Lake Mead, Lake Mead itself, and heck, even into another state entirely (Arizona). And if you are willing to drive more than an hour, the world really becomes your oyster: Zion National Park is just over 2.5 hours, Valley of Fire State Park is right around the hour mark (depending on where you want to go), Death Valley National Park is under two hours, and Grand Canyon National Park is just over four. Starting to reevaluate Las Vegas? We know we did once we started to really look at its incredibly optimal location. So what about actual outdoor activities? While many places can have beautiful nature nearby, it really all depends on the activities you can actually do there. Luckily, Las Vegas doesn’t just talk the talk, but it also walks the walk. For example, mountain biking. While it doesn’t have an exorbitantly high number of trails like places such as Moab, Fruita, Crested Butte, or Bend, it does still have plenty to offer (we would rate those places 10/10 in terms of mountain biking - we would in turn rate Vegas 7/10, for it does still have 514 miles of trail). Some of the best trails are found in the Blue Diamond/Cottonwood Valley area of Red Rocks National Conservation Area. Like the trail 3 Mile Smile via Badger Pass, a 9.9-mile singletrack figure 8 that climbs just over 1,000 feet. Or there is the 10.5-mile Blue Diamond Loop that is a great first ride in the area to get you acclimated to the terrain. Plus, it is just gorgeous. Another great spot to check out is the Boulder City area, including trails near Henderson (like the 601 Trail to 701 Trail). Now let's talk about climbing. If you are more into actually getting on the rock instead of cruising over it, consider checking out Red Rocks (again). This is a climbing mecca - especially come winter time when many other places are covered in snow. With over two thousand routes, everyone (and we mean everyone) can find something to do. From intense 10+ pitch routes to short but sweet sport climbs. You could spend days, even weeks here, and likely never be on the same rock. This area is so good, that one of the best climbers in the world lives in the Vegas area. And in his words, “Red Rock is a “global, world-class climbing destination.” There is tons of information out there touting Red Rocks as the place to climb, not only in Las Vegas, or Nevada even, but in the whole USA (maybe the world?). So we feel like we don’t necessarily need to add to the deluge - but if you are curious about the area and want to look at some routes, check out Mountain Project for all your climbing questions. If you are looking to climb, but want to get away from the crowds, then consider heading out to places such as The Promised Land, a limestone gem hidden in the hills behind Las Vegas (and along a rough dirt road), or Potosi Mountain, another hidden gem just south of Mountain Spring off State Road 160. The whole area west and south of Las Vegas is covered in climbing routes, so no matter your skill level you will surely be able to find something to take on. But wait, there's more. While climbing might be Vegas’s bread and butter, and mountain biking is a rising pursuit, the area is also full of hikes (especially in the Mt. Charleston area or Red Rocks) - or if you are looking for some truly stunning views, head to Mt. Trumbull in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument in Arizona. There are also water sports on Lake Mead, canyoneering in Death Valley (one of our favorite adventures), and lots of off-the-beaten-path attractions to be explored. Like Nelson Ghost Town, Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, or Gold Butte National Monument, an incredible natural area with bright red sandstone, incredibly eroded landforms, and backroads that twist and turn through the desert landscape. When you think of Las Vegas, we bet over the top gaudiness, bright (bright) lights, and horror stories of bachelorette and bachelor parties gone wrong come to mind. And while all of that is very true (those lights are BLINDING), Vegas is so much more than just debauchery. It has mountain biking. World-class climbing. Stunning desert hikes. Ghost towns. Water sports. It has so much adventure that it could be positively sinful (haha had to). So what we are trying to say, if you haven’t figured it out by now, is that you should not write off this over-the-top town when considering your next adventure. Las Vegas is easy to get to, has tons of places to stay, has plenty of food options and some pretty sweet pools to cool off in after a day in the sun. (The only thing to remember is that because it is in the desert, Las Vegas can get veeeery hot in the summer. So maybe consider it a “winter-only” getaway) Looking for more adventures in the Las Vegas area? Then check out this map by Roadtrippers.