Matador Network's Blog, page 1308

Rhino poachers killed by lions

The jungle might be a cutthroat place, but at least in some cases, animals have each other’s backs. Earlier this week, a group of rhino poachers was attacked and eaten by a pride of lions after the poachers broke into the Sibuya Game Reserve in South Africa. Nick Fox, the owner of the reserve, told Buzzfeed News that a staff member discovered the human remains near a pride of six lions on Tuesday. “That’s when they found the ax, various pieces of clothing, shoes,” Fox said.

While it’s unclear exactly how many poachers were killed, at least three pairs of shoes and gloves were found. It seemed like the poachers had come equipped with a high-powered rifle with a silencer, wire cutters, and an axe for cutting rhino horns. The rifle is currently being examined by investigators to see if it’s been involved in other crimes.

This isn’t the first time poachers have targeted this particular reserve. In 2016, three rhinos were killed in the park for their horns. There are fewer than 30,000 rhinos in the world, and South Africa is home to more than 80 percent of the population, so any rhino death is considered detrimental to the survival of the species. “I just thank my lions,” said Fox. “They saved our rhinos from another onslaught.”

H/T: BuzzFeed News

More like this: Young gorillas are working together to destroy poachers’ traps in Rwanda

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The 20 funniest Cuban expressions

With more and more travelers coming to visit Cuba, a little lesson in Cuban Spanish is in order. And don’t think you’re exempt from it because you took Spanish in high school and can communicate on a basic level with the host of your casa particular. If you really want to fit in with the local Cubans, you need to learn their favorite sayings; here are 20 of the funniest expressions to start with.

1. Cubans don’t eat hotdogs with “all the trimmings,” they eat them with “all the irons” (con todos los hierros).

2. Cubans are not “very talented,” they “go to Havana and extinguish fires” (va a La Habana y apaga fuego).

3. Cubans don’t “think something is outrageous,” they “throw a mango aggressively” (le zumba el mango).

4. Cubans don’t say something is “very far away,” they think it is “where the devil gave the three voices, and no one heard him” (donde el diablo dio las tres voces y nadie le oyó).

5. Cubans don’t tell you that “you have been taken for a fool,” they say that “they grabbed your ass” (te cojieron el culo).

6. Cubans aren’t just “fed up,” they are “up to their last hair” (hasta el último pelo).

7. Cubans aren’t “indifferent,” they “care a watercress” (me importa un berro).

8. Cubans won’t tell you something was “confusing,” they’ll tell you it was a “huge rice with mango” (tremendo arroz con mango).

9. Cubans won’t say something is a “big lie,” they’ll tell you it is a “big package” (tremendo paquete).

10. Cubans will never do something “underhandedly,” they will do it “by the left” (por la izquierda).

11. Cubans will not “cause trouble,” they will “bleat like a goat” (arme un berrinche).

12. Cubans are not just “proud,” they “cannot fit another bird seed into their butt” (no le cabe un alpiste en el culo).

13. Cubans don’t ask you to “stop being a fool,” they ask you to “stop consuming feces” (deja de comer mierda).

14. Cubans don’t think something will “end badly,” they think it will end “like Guatao’s party” (esto va a terminar como la fiesta del Guatao).

15. Cubans don’t think you are “pretentious,” they think you “polish yourself a lot” (te das tremenda lija).

16. Cubans won’t ask you to “keep a secret,” they’ll say “with a closed mouth, flies don’t enter” (boca cerrada no entran moscas).

17. Cubans don’t say someone “died,” they say “they stretched a leg” (estiró la pata) or “sang the peanut vendor” (cantó el manisero).

18. Cubans don’t say you should “attack the problem at its source,” they say “if the dog is dead, the rabies will stop” (muerto el perro se acaba la rabia).

19. Cubans don’t think something “will not last very long,” they think “it will last about as long as a sugary pastry at a school’s door” (eso dura lo que dura un merengue en la puerta de una escuela).

20. Cubans don’t “go somewhere reluctantly,” they “go like the cat whose tail is being pinched” (como el gato que le están pellizcando el rabo).

More like this: Travel to Cuba just got a lot easier thanks to these airlines

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The FAA refuses to regulate legroom

If you think spacious seating on airplanes is a basic, inalienable human right, you might be disappointed by the Federal Aviation Administration’s recent decision. The FAA has stated that it will not force airlines to provide more legroom on flights, rejecting calls for minimum legal leg space.

Flyers Rights, the largest US airline passenger organization, has called for the agency to institute legal minimums, arguing that shrinking seat sizes pose a potential hazard. The FAA, however, concluded that there is no evidence that leg space affects a person’s ability to get out of his or her seat during an emergency. Furthermore, the FAA argues that it actually takes more time for a flight attendant to open an exit door than it does for passengers to get up from their seats.

While the average distance between seats used to be 35 inches, it recently decreased to just 31 inches — and in some cases, it’s as low as 28 inches. If this trend continues, maybe the FAA will see fit to institute regulations. For now, though, we’ll just have to keep banging our knees on the seat in front of us.

H/T: Secret Flying

More like this: This new airplane seat will have you standing while flying

The post The FAA refuses to regulate the amount of airplane legroom appeared first on Matador Network.

Find your perfect RV [infographic]

Vacation, in its fantasy stages, is sugar for the brain. It’s nirvana at first, and then CRASH — you have to actually start making decisions. Where do I go? How do I get there? How much money do I want to spend?

With an RV, most of your questions are easily answered. The only real one left: Which kind of RV do I choose? They come in all shapes, sizes, and budgets, and the infographic below breaks it down for you — maybe easier than ever before. What’s your perfect RV?

The post Find your perfect RV: An illustrated guide appeared first on Matador Network.

Cedar Point rollercoasters ranked

Cedar Point is to roller coaster enthusiasts what Italy is to foodies. The world’s best roller coasters are packed onto a narrow peninsula jutting out onto Lake Erie, where spectacular water views await atop some of the tallest thrill rides on the planet. Steep drops, neck-breaking turns, and cell-phone-stealing inversions await below.

The problem, of course, is that if you go to Cedar Point on a summer weekend everyone in Ohio and the surrounding states will be there with you, meaning you’ll spend most of your day shuffling through lines in the hot summer sun rather than screaming your face off. The key is to know which are the best rides at Cedar Point — the ones worth braving the lines for — and which just aren’t worth the time. In the name of public service, we rode and ranked every roller coaster at Cedar Point.

(Editors note: There are plenty of other rides at Cedar Point, but in the interest of brevity and avoiding heat stroke, we’re sticking to just roller coasters here.)

Photo: Cedar Point

18. Wilderness Run

Height: 19 feet

Speed: 6 mph

Duration: 50 seconds

If you go on this ride without the company of a small child, there’s a good chance security will be asking you some questions. It’s a nice, short, flat coaster that moves slower than a mediocre jogger, and the only reason to go is if you have a kid under three. Otherwise, you look suspect, and the last thing you need is Chris Hansen asking you to have a seat during your day at the theme park.

Photo: Cedar Point

17. Pipe Scream

Height: 43 feet

Speed: 43 mph

Length: 302 feet

As fun as it might seem to get spun around a half pipe the length of a football field at arterial-speed-limit velocity, this ride is more about getting little kids to say “Whoooooooa” than it is about any actual excitement. It basically spins you around on a big board while dropping you from one end of the pipe to the other, making it a little higher on the nausea spectrum than it should be for a ride this small. Even with kids, you’d do well to skip this one.

Photo: Cedar Point

16. Cedar Creek Mine Ride

Height: 48 feet

Speed: 40 mph

Duration: two minutes, 50 seconds

Though it’s not technically a kids’ coaster, this old-west-themed train in Frontiertown is the mildest among the grown-up-sized coasters. The ride goes up and down some runs, around some fast corners, through a tunnel, and out over the water. It’s great if you’ve got a couple of two-year-olds and want to go on something faster than a Segway, but the only other reason to ride is if you’ve just had lunch and want to let your food settle before going on something rougher.

Photo: Cedar Point

15. Woodstock Express

Height: 38 feet

Speed: 25 mph

Duration: one minute, 10 seconds

This ride is kinda like the Pixar of kids’ coasters: it’s made for children, but there’s some stuff in there to keep the grown-ups entertained too. Though it only revs to 25 mph, the short drops and quick turns make that acceleration feel a lot faster. Moreover, as a steel coaster, it has a smooth, aerodynamic ride that feels like a junior version of the big boys. Definitely do this one multiple times if you’re here with kids.

Photo: Cedar Point

14. Magnum XL-200

Height: 205 feet

Speed: 72 mph

Duration: two minutes, 45 seconds

Much like other things labeled Magnum XL, despite the boastful name and impressive appearance, this coaster can be a disappointing and rather painful ride. It was the fastest and steepest complete circuit coaster in the world when it opened in 1989, but the old coaster can get jerky. And though the quick whips through the trademark pretzel turn are exciting, they can also leave you with thigh bruises that are tough to explain. The views from atop the 205-foot drop and subsequent loops along the beach at Cedar Point are phenomenal, and it’s a nice way to get a lay of the land. Despite its flaws, Magnum is definitely worth a ride if you don’t mind getting beat up a little.

Photo: Cedar Point

13. Gemini

Height: 125 feet

Speed: 60 mph

Duration: two minutes, 40 seconds

Really, the only competitive thing you can do at Cedar Point other than a ring toss to win a stuffed animal is Gemini, the classic wooden coaster with a steel track and two sets of cars running parallel. The best part of this ride isn’t the 125-foot ascent and fast drop that start you out, it’s smack-talking your friends in the cars next to you while you ride up. The banked turns are extra intense with another coaster a few feet away, and while it isn’t as crazy as some of the newer coasters, this 40-year-old legend is still a must-ride if you’re here in a group.

Photo: Cedar Point

12. Wicked Twister

Height: 215 feet

Speed: 63 mph

Length: 675 feet

The thing about Cedar Point is that even the rides that look pretty basic will still scare your pants off. Case in point is Wicked Twister, which looks like a high-tech take on the classic pirate-ship pendulum rides but packs a much bigger punch. The ride starts off with a fierce acceleration that shoots you straight up one side before hurdling you to the ground and shooting you up the other side, twisting you around at even greater speed. This repeats a few times, each time getting faster and steeper until you finally slow to a stop. It’s more like a tamer Top Thrill Dragster than a souped-up Galleon, so don’t sleep on this because it looks small.

Photo: Cedar Point

11. Rougarou

Height: 145 feet

Speed: 60 mph

Duration: two minutes, 30 seconds

Being Rougarou is like being the tenth man on the bench for the Golden State Warriors. Anywhere else, you’re probably an all-star, but when you’re surrounded by so much talent, you look a lot less impressive. This was the first floorless coaster at Cedar Point, and I’m sure when it opened as Mantis in 1996 it was a huge draw. Now getting pulled up 137 feet and dropped at 60 mph into a vertical loop, a 119-foot inversion loop, and a 103-foot dive loop seems kind of ho-hum after riding the rest of the park. The good news is this is still an A-grade coaster with a minimal line since other, bigger names get all the attention. So in terms of how you spend your time, it’s the best value at Cedar Point.

Photo: Cedar Point

10. Blue Streak

Height: 78 feet

Speed: 40 mph

Duration: two minutes

Like many of the people of northern Ohio, Blue Streak looks a LOT older than it actually is. This meandering, baby blue, wooden coaster looks straight out of the 1920s but actually only dates back to 1965. No matter, it still hits hard for an old man, a simple out-and-back route that takes you up a 78-foot hill to start then speeds through several more raise-your-hands-up undulations before turning around and doing it again. Its beauty is in its simplicity and also in its ultra-short line, a throwback to when coasters were simpler and fun to ride a few times with minimal waits.

Photo: Cedar Point

9. Maverick

Height: 105 feet

Speed: 70 mph

Duration: two minutes, 30 seconds

Until Steel Vengeance and Millennium Force came around, a lot of people picked Maverick as their favorite Cedar Point coaster. And for good reason. It starts with an intense LSM launch up 105 feet before dropping at a 95-degree angle at almost 70 mph. This starts a kind of mass confusion as you’re spun around a twisted horseshoe roll followed by consecutive 360-corkscrew rolls, then into a tunnel decked out with LED lights. The entire ride is fast and furious and finishes with a high-speed S-curve over water, where cannons shoot water at the cars. It’s the same high-speed chaos it was when it opened in 2007. But with newer, crazier rides, it now just seems like a lesser version of those with a similar wait time.

Photo: Cedar Point

8. Corkscrew

Height: 85 feet

Speed: 48 miles per hour

Duration: 2 minutes

The ultimate oldie-but-goodie, this 1976 classic turns you upside down three times on a pretty small track, keeping true to its wine-opening moniker. This ride works well because it’s relatively slow, giving you time to appreciate the sensation of the inversions and feel just a little more lifted out of your seat when you go upside down. It’s a one-trick pony that does that trick as well as any other coaster, and with a fast-moving line in a central location, it’s a coaster you’d do well to ride a few times.

Photo: Cedar Point

7. Iron Dragon

Height: 76 feet

Speed: 40 mph

Duration: two minutes, 30 seconds

Looking at this collection of dangling cars over a peaceful lagoon, one might wonder why anyone would wait in line for such a leisurely ride. And without the VR goggles, one would be right. The coaster on its own is pretty meh. But strap on the Dragon VR goggles and you’ll be as close as Cedar Point gets to a 5D attraction. Iron Dragon transports you to a medieval village where you’re a monk riding through the mountains. All of the sudden, a dragon appears and your horse bolts like it’s at the Kentucky Derby, then said dragon picks you up and flies you over fires, around other dragons, and generally through your own “Game of Thrones”-themed acid trip. It’s a creative break from the body-slamming thrills at the rest of the park and might be the highlight if you’re looking for rides with cool themes.

Photo: Cedar Point

6. GateKeeper

Height: 170 feet

Speed: 67 mph

Duration: two minutes

Though it might not be the most famous ride at Cedar Point, it’s possibly the most recognizable. This blue behemoth guards the front gate of the park with over 4,000 feet of bright blue track. It’s a classic dive coaster that forsakes some of the cliff-hanging drops of Valravn for a longer, more scenic ride. GateKeeper starts out with a 164-foot drop which has you feeling about 4Gs before flying through two more loops and another big hill. The loops feel longer than on other rides and, while fast, still give you enough time to anticipate the inversion and fully enjoy it. At two minutes, it’s just long enough to justify the line and just short enough to keep you coming back for more.

Photo: Cedar Point

5. Raptor

Height: 137 feet

Speed: 57 mph

Duration: two minutes, 15 seconds

Raptor is loud. Like, you-have-to-scream-over-it-if-you’re-anywhere-within-a-hundred-yards loud, so it makes hanging out in this section of the park a little like living next to the airport. That aside, it’s the most aptly named ride in the park, combining the speed and agile acrobatics of a dangerous bird with its wailing noise. Lake a ravenous bird in combat, you’ll go through five inversions at a constant speed of nearly 60 mph, doing dizzying spins and quick turns across its 3,790 feet of track. Between the noise and its compact layout, it’s the most intense coaster in the park that lasts longer than 20 seconds.

Photo: Cedar Point

4. Millennium Force

Height: 310 feet

Speed: 93 mph

Duration: one minute, 50 seconds

Novice riders beware: Millennium Force might not be a good idea if you’ve never done anything tougher than the teacups. Its sheer size is impressive, and during the initial climb that takes a long 20 seconds, you’ll get a fantastic view of Lake Erie to your left and the entire park to your right. And then it drops — 300 feet at 90 mph — and if you’re not ready for it you’ll black out a little as you go into your next big hill. The combination of the drop with the speed makes this an experience you’ll either love or swear off forever. But it’s exactly the kind of big-league thrill one goes to Cedar Point to have.

Photo: Cedar Point

3. Valravn

Height: 223 feet

Speed: 75 mph

Duration: two minutes, 23 seconds

If you’ve ever wanted to have the sensation of being dangled out over a cliff without the fear of imminent death, ride the front seat on the world’s tallest dive coaster. The first climb takes you to a perilous 223-foot drop, then holds you parallel to the ground for a few seconds — so you really know how far you’re about to go — and finally shoots you down at 75 mph. It’s the most dramatic drop in the park if you’re sitting in front, and while the rest of the ride is full of inversions and another just-as-scary 131-foot drop, it’s that first one you’ll remember for years.

Photo: Cedar Point

2. Top Thrill Dragster

Height: 420 feet

Speed: 120 mph

Duration: 17 seconds

In terms of the line-to-ride time ratio, this might be the worst ride in the world. But the 17 seconds it takes to complete Top Thrill Dragster might be the most intense of your life. Waiting at the starting line for this ride, where the Christmas tree lights turn from yellow to green, is the thickest tension you’ll feel all day. When that light turns, your face is peeled back immediately as you go from zero to 120 mph in 3.8 seconds. You’re then shot straight up a 420-foot loop, spun around, and hurdled toward the pavement at the same speed before ending up on the other side. Breathe right and you can scream through the entire thing.

Photo: Cedar Point

1. Steel Vengeance

Height: 205 feet

Speed: 74 mph

Duration: two minutes, 30 seconds

While waiting in the queue by the massive wooden frame of Cedar Point’s newest ride, you’ll notice the remnants of cell phones scattered throughout. Some of the lost souls in this cell-phone graveyard are lucky enough to be in one piece. Most have been reduced to the screens, batteries, and mutilated limbs of devices violently tossed from Steel Vengeance. What we’re saying is: invest in a locker before you ride.

This coaster — the tallest, fastest, and steepest wood-steel hybrid coaster in the world — is flat out the best roller coaster you’ll ever ride. From the initial 200-foot, 90-degree drop to the unpredictable turns, spins, flips, and inversions around the towering wooden frame, this ride doesn’t let up for over two minutes. You’ll spend nearly 20 percent of the ride lifted out of your seat (that airtime is how your phone gets tossed) with four full inversions and plenty of panoramic views of the park. It ends with four quick undulations, like a bucking bronco taking you to the finish. It’s over a mile of sheer excitement that’ll almost have you thinking the lost phone was worth it. But still, not quite.


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The post Every roller coaster at Cedar Point, ranked appeared first on Matador Network.

Influencers die tragically in BC

A trio of social media influencers — Ryker Gamble, Alexey Lyakh, and Megan Scraper — died tragically on Tuesday at Shannon Falls, a particularly dangerous waterfall near Squamish in BC, Canada. It is believed that while swimming in one of the pools near the top of the falls, Scraper slipped and fell. While trying to rescue her, Gamble and Lyakh slipped as well, and all three were dragged down by a strong current, dropping 30 meters over the pool’s ledge. Dive teams recovered the bodies on Wednesday morning.

Ryker Gamble, one of the influencers found dead, was known for creating lively travel videos with his friends for their YouTube channel High on Life. They traveled all over the world, visiting destinations in Europe, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Canada, US, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Nepal, and Indonesia. Their Facebook page has over 126,000 followers, and their videos have gained a huge following on Instagram, reaching 1.1 million followers. Lyakh and Scraper (who had been dating for several years) also created video content for the YouTube channel High on Life Sundayfundayz, where they chronicled their travels around the world.

The trio had been friends since high school and remained close their entire lives. “In 2012,” they posted on their page, “we gave up our lease and set out on a big adventure around the world. It lasted seven months and took us to 14 countries and completely drained our bank accounts. We were hooked.”

While travel-based social media content has been on the rise recently, it’s important to remember that some thrills aren’t worth the likes. A waterfall might make an awesome video, but respecting the dangerous nature of waterfalls and exercising caution are crucial.

H/T: The Squamish Chief

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The post Trio of travel influencers killed at Shannon Falls in Canada appeared first on Matador Network.

Mountain biking beer trail in BC

Warm season along the Powder Highway beckons you to spin your wheels in dirt. Famous for sliding snow, this road traversing the southeastern corner of British Columbia shifts into flowy and loamy time in the summer, with a plethora of mountain biking trails — from gravel grinds and forested single tracks to pedal-worthy alpine ridge rides and downhill delights.

Summer detours through four mountain towns in the region offer the opportunity to pedal your way down some of Canada’s best mountain bike trails, then down pints of craft beer at local brewpubs, recapping your day while sipping the flavors of the region. All four towns have brag-worthy trails, as well as a unique gritty and soulful appeal. They’re a little crazy and laidback, and you can’t beat the refreshing post-ride suds.

Revelstoke: Head in the clouds

Photo: Elena Elisseeva/Shutterstock

You can get really up there in Revelstoke. Then, you can tear downhill hella fast. Once the snow melts, drop by Mt. Cartier. Few places have big-peak and alpine-ridge riding like this. A sinewy track cut from the rocky rubble tumbles down from peak to valley.

Across the wide Columbia River from Mt. Cartier, on the big tree-studded flanks of Mount Macpherson, a variety of single tracks await, providing options for riders of all ability levels. Try Session Flowdown to give your tires a taste of the sweet tacky dirt, rolling through the shaded lushness. Then kick your tires into Mt. Begbie Brewery for a fresh Tail Whip, a drink made with ingredients and attitude sourced 100 percent from British Columbia, as well as local water from high places.

Golden: Alpine heritage

Photo: Whitetooth Brewing Company

Climbing is in Golden’s nature. There’s a reason that the famous Swiss Guides are located in the blue-collar haven of Golden, British Columbia. They came with the railroad of the early days, with Americans forming the base of their business. With precision, they knocked off thousands of routes, with big mountains being the draw. Over the years, switching ice axes for two-wheeled gravity slayers, an expanded and dedicated crew have created myriad mountain-biking trails.

Start with one in Moonraker Network, from smooth and rolly to fast-and-furious banked goodness. If speed is your quest, there is the famed Mount 7, one of the original places for badass descent events in North America. No shortcuts. You’ll have to make it all the way back into town to enjoy an after-ride bevy at the newly opened Whitetooth Brewing. Speed Metal, a foreign stout, will crush your taste buds with a deep, dark, chocolate hoppy feeling.

Kimberley: A good place to be

A post shared by Over Time Beer Works (@overtimebeer) on Oct 14, 2017 at 11:07am PDT

This is Kimberley, British Columbia. All wheel lovers are welcome here. No need to ride a fancy frame — there’s literally a trail for anything that rolls, and no judgment. Shuttlers will enjoy new drop-ins on the Bootleg Mountain network, where the Snow White and the Seven Wasps trail will have you scrubbing dirt, tight and turny, with “send-it” rolls.

Whet your appetite with a portion of the classic Round the Mountain trail, a tasty introduction to the region starting from Kimberley Nordic Club. Forested single track is broken up with twists and vistas. After a lip-smacking day in the saddle, you can pedal into the aptly named Over Time Beer Works. The fresh, fruity, malty Right About Now IPA will do the trick and slap that thirst away.

Fernie: Pioneering spirit

A post shared by Fernie Brewing Co. (@ferniebrewingco) on Jun 30, 2018 at 3:02pm PDT

Fernie, British Columbia is home to the grandmother of all trail systems and a throttling good time. Awaken your heart by exploring the massive variety for downhill lovers. Check out the speedy and uber-flowy Fernie Alpine Resort, as well as the butt-busting Morrissey Ridge, or test yourself against steep and twisty Al Matador.

Plenty of standout cross-country options abound, so don’t stop pedaling until you give it up on Swine Flu, where a burly climb and bike-ballet turns combine beautifully as you ride your heart out into Fernie Brewing Company. The Kickstand Honey Kolsch is calling your name and makes for a refreshingly good way to end your summer day.


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The post You can bike your way down this beer trail in British Columbia appeared first on Matador Network.

Epic moments shot by a photographer

Kylie Fly was born and raised in wild Idaho, scaling mountains and navigating rivers, so when she eventually picked up a camera, it made total sense that she would use it to document her adventures. Since becoming an adventure-travel photographer, she’s done everything from creep deep into the bayou to plummet out of the sky. She has had a lot of thrills over the course of her career, but here are her nine most epic moments to date — in her own words — and the images she made from them.




1

I never thought I’d see the day when I’d voluntarily throw my body out of a plane flying more than 14,500 feet in the air, but that’s exactly the opportunity I had during a trip to Oahu. I’m not one to turn down a dare. While I got extremely sick and nearly threw up, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Freefalling was a sensation unlike any other I’d experienced (in general, most of my adventures involve specifically *not* falling). The views of Oahu weren’t exactly tough to look at either.

2

Taking a bush plane to one of the most remote glaciers and hard-to-reach mountain ranges in the backcountry of Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias Range was one for the books. I was heading off to do a 10-day expedition on the Klutlan glacier to climb Mt. Bona. This tin can of a plane flew low over the mountains at points, and we felt completely dwarfed as we went. Something about heading way off the grid is so simultaneously scary and thrilling.

3

I took a boat deep into the bayou of Mississippi in the middle of the night and came across several scaly friends that most likely wanted to eat me. We couldn’t even spot them until they got close enough to catch our headlamps. Being that close to such huge reptiles, which moved silently through the murky waters as the bayou leaned in all around us, gave me goosebumps even though the night was warm.

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4

My deepest powder day to date was January 7, 2017, in Salt Lake City’s Brighton Ski
Resort side country back in the Wasatch Mountains. I choked on powder all day long and haven’t stopped telling the tale since.

5

Somewhere between Cusco and Aguas Calientes, where Machu Picchu towers above and draws in thousands of tourists every day, I stumbled across a glorious slice of Andean heaven. I didn’t see a single soul other than some roaming llamas and one small farm boy tending to the livestock; I certainly didn’t run into another tourist. Something about the silence of the hills, the glowing green, and drinking in the fresh air was almost intoxicating.

6

A via-ferrata, which is Italian for “iron path,” is a protected route for mountain climbing. The climber attaches to a steel cable which is also anchored into the rock at intervals, preventing any big falls. The climber also (usually) gets iron rungs, making the ascent more approachable. This is a rad introduction to mountaineering, though even with the safety measures in place it’s not for the faint of heart. The routes can still get quite steep, and if you’re not used to heights and feeling unattached (even though you are), it can be quite the adrenaline rush.

7

For me, few things beat a warm autumn night in Moab, Utah spent finding fields of boulders to scramble up with friends. Something about the warm, red boulders, free-climbing alongside great company, and a sky full of stars at the top just can’t be topped.

8

Summit towers are some of my favorite things in the entire world. They signal that you have reached the summit of a mountain, where there are generally unbelievable views. You are absolutely coursing with adrenaline as you complete your climb, and all you can hear is the wind. In this case, the view was coupled with Tibetan prayers flags and singing bells blowing in the wind. And no, it’s not Nepal. It’s Canada!

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The post The 8 most epic moments I’ve had as an adventure photographer appeared first on Matador Network.

How to enjoy Australia during winter

Australia is generally seen as a “summer” paradise, and rightly so. Between beaches and barbecues, Aussie summers have everything beachgoers and travelers from the northern hemisphere in search of winter sun could possibly want.

But for outdoor lovers, it’s a different story. For any budding adventurer, winter — which lasts from June to August — is when Australia’s nearly three million square miles become a playground of snow-capped mountains, empty (or at least emptier) beaches, and awe-inspiring wildlife.

Here’s why you should consider a trip Down Under for your next outdoor adventure:

You can ski and snowboard in Australia.

Photo: Taras Vyshnya/Shutterstock

An Australian snowboarder and two skiers won three medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics, so no talk of winter in Australia should fail to mention snowsports. Referred to by most Australians simply as “the snow,” the mountains concentrated in the country’s southeast region between Sydney and Melbourne — imaginatively named the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales and the Victorian Alps in the state of Victoria — get several feet of the white stuff every year. Not bad for a country that’s 35 percent desert.

That said, if you’re attracted to skiing in Australia by the prospect of skiing during the northern-hemisphere summer, you might want to rein in your expectations. Resorts in Australia tend to be smaller, get less snow, and have distinctly different identities. As a rough guide, in Victoria, Falls Creek is good for park-rats and Mount Baw Baw is ideal for beginners and families. In New South Wales, Perisher and Thredbo have the largest skiable area and longest piste, respectively, in the Australia-New Zealand region. You’ll find fun pistes for experienced riders, as well as the occasional kangaroo.

But it’s not too cold to get outside.

Photo: leodaphne/Shutterstock

Despite it being cold enough for snow in the mountains, the average temperature in Australia in winter is nearly 60°F, which is about the same as summer in the UK. What’s more, in the tropical north, where the dry season lasts from April to October, average rainfall is less than an inch.

For hikers and trail-runners, this combination makes for idyllic outdoor conditions. It’s cool enough for long hikes or runs by day and just about warm enough to camp by night, although nighttime can get cold in some places. That said, with campsites like Wilpena Pound in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park in South Australia offering the chance to wake up in the midst of 540-million-year-old desert surrounded by red earth, wooded gorges, and the occasional hopping wallaby, you might not even notice the temperature. You could always stay in one of the heated ‘glamping’ tents to be sure.

Alternatively, adventurers that want to avoid the cold altogether should visit the Northern Territory. The dry season is an excellent time to explore its “songlines”. These ancient paths across Australia were recorded in the lyrics of traditional indigenous songs, and it’s still possible to follow some on foot.

A popular songline trek is the 139-mile Larapinta Trail, which starts at the sound end of the Northern Territory at Alice Springs — home of famed Uluru, or Ayers Rock, which glows red at dawn and sunset — and finishes by Mt. Sonder on the western end of West MacDonnell National Park. At the northern tip of Australia, the Jatbula Trail songline in Nitmiluk National Park is 41 miles long and takes five or six days to walk. It starts at Nitmiluk Gorge, where you can canoe and glimpse waterfalls; crosses the Arnhem Plateau, a large protected sandstone area with shrubs and forests; and finishes at Edith Falls.

It’s the best time to whale watch.

Photo: Konrad Mostert/Shutterstock

Every year, southern right and humpback whales journey thousands of miles north from Antarctica’s icy waters to mate and calve in warmer water at breeding grounds along the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and the southern coast of Western Australia. Even for non-nature-enthusiasts, watching these incredible mammals is a truly humbling experience.

All of the states above offer whale-watching boat tours. In places where sightings are frequent, like the Great Australian Bight in South Australia, there are also whale-watching safari tours. These combine whale watching along The Bight’s breathtakingly rugged stretch of coastline with visits to Nullarbor, the arid desert that surrounds the coast and could be the poster child for the Australian Outback.

The whale-watching safari tours can be expensive. If you’re sticking to a budget, you can look at local whale-watching accounts on Facebook and Twitter for updates on whales’ locations in real time. The accounts are often run by trained whale watchers who might be able to point you in the direction of the best viewpoints, like Petrel Cove in South Australia, where this whale was spotted a couple of weeks ago.

You can still make the most of Australia’s 16,006 miles of coastline.

Photo: Milosz Maslanka/Shutterstock

Australia’s coastline is where you’ll find more than half the country’s natural world heritage sites, some of the world’s best destinations for water sports, and so many beaches that it would take more than 27 years to see them all. Fortunately for anyone crazy enough to attempt this, they don’t need to rule out winter as a bad time to visit the beach.

While Australians are lucky enough to be able to enjoy the ocean all year round, winter is one of the best times of year to make the most of everything it has to offer. From May to October, there’s clearer water at spots like the Great Barrier Reef, fewer tropical storms in destinations like the Whitsunday Islands, and all-time waves at iconic surf breaks like Melbourne’s Bells Beach and Snapper Rocks near Brisbane.

There are also fewer crowds, less risk of being burnt to a crisp by the scorching sun, and perhaps most importantly, beautiful sunsets almost every night. If that’s not the definition of paradise for outdoor lovers, we don’t know what is.


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Cottage with seaweed roof for sale

Ever found yourself thinking that you were born in the wrong time period? Now you can go back to the 18th century by living inside this historic Danish cottage, which has a roof made of seaweed. It might seem a little strange to build a house with seaweed, but it’s actually incredibly sustainable, as well as non-toxic. Seaweed also has insulative properties that are as durable as contemporary insulation, which is probably why it’s stood the test of time. Today, the Danish island of Læsø is home to 19 original seaweed houses, and one of them has just been put up for sale.

This six-room cottage with a roof made from 35 tons of locally harvested eelgrass seaweed was recently renovated, and it can be yours for the low price of $414,000. Originally built in the 18th century, the home’s character has been preserved through intense renovations. Six rooms are tucked into the cottage’s traditional framework. Due to the renovations, the cottage does boast modern conveniences, but its main draws are its rustic touches: colorful farmhouse doors, exposed ceiling beams, and ancient apple trees in the yard.

If the whole seaweed thing still seems a little odd, don’t worry; it’s more common than you think. The island has even started a “seaweed bank,” a repository for locally harvested seaweed, for the express purpose of restoring the remaining historic homes.

Photo: Adam Schnack

Photo: Adam Schnack

Photo: Adam Schnack

Photo: Adam Schnack

H/T: Inhabitat

More like this: This Welsh island and its fort are for sale and they’re surprisingly affordable

The post You can buy this 18th-century Danish cottage with a roof made of seaweed appeared first on Matador Network.