YOU MUST BE DREAMING
For those longing to get in touch with their inner Lewis and Clark but not necessarily on a river, a trip like the 12-day bicycle excursion with Timberline Tours Aug. 20-31 may be as close as it gets. And the way Timberline has outlined this bike jaunt, exercise fans will be happy – what’s not to like about an 864-mile ride? The journey begins in Missoula, Mont., ambling along the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers east to Lincoln. Climb the Continental Divide en route to Great Falls (stopping to visit the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center), then follow Recreation Road along the Missouri River to Helena before moving along to Three Forks and Yellowstone Country. Soothe sore muscles at Mammoth Terrace Hot Springs, then hit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Madison Canyon before heading to Ennis and the mining town of Virginia City. Catch a little downhill along the Beaverhead River en route to Dillon and a side trip to Bannack State Park. The finale is a climb up the Continental Divide atop Chief Joseph Pass, a downhill into the Bitterroot Valley to Hamilton, and then back to Missoula. Cost is $3,195 per person, which includes all lodging, breakfasts and dinners, support vans, park fees, guides and narratives. Call 800-417-2453 or visit www.timbertours.com .
GEARING UP
When socks feel good, that’s nice. A bonus is when they are made in a way that tries to take the environment into account. Enter Teko, a Boulder-based company producing a line of socks made from EcoMerino wool from a sustainable farm in Tasmania, and from Ecopoly recycled polyester. The first thing you need to do when you buy them is run them through the washer once, because they are faintly scratchy when you first try them on, and that might alarm some folks. Not to worry. After one washing, that little bit of toughness smooths out, and the Quarter, Crew Thins and Ultra-Light Crews turn out to be lightweight, durable socks that can take a pounding while hiking or running, yet still feel like you hardly have anything on your feet. No toxic chemicals are used, so no white socks, only natural (the color of the wool) and other colors made using non-harmful dyes (black, sky blue, pomegranate, browns and grays). Teko also offers women’s socks with narrower heels, tapered toes and a more open cuff, and for winter, snowboard and ski versions. | $13.95-$17.95, tekosocks.com
hillmanwonders.com List lovers will adore this site. Since 1968, travel and food writer Howard Hillman has compiled lists of his favorite places to visit, culminating in this website titled the Hillman Wonders of the World. He lists 100 of the must-sees, as well as the top 1,000 wonders, which he says are out of a possible 100,000. The list is printable, as well as searchable, and Hillman offers tons of information, such as when to go to the Serengeti so as not to miss the migration, or how cultural performances in Bali’s hotels and villages differ. He includes tips, such as the top mistakes people make when they travel to each country, and suggestions on side trips around the top attractions and info on cuisines. The best thing is, while there are tiny links along each page for travel deals, this site is virtually advertising-free, just mostly a wealth of great travel information and interesting opinions on what the planet has to offer.
BOOK YOUR VACATION
We don’t just visit Rocky Mountain National Park every summer – we take it over, with about 3 million visitors annually, 80 percent of them in the summer, making it one of the nation’s most visited parks. “Rocky Mountain National Park: The Complete Hiking Guide” ($27.95, Westcliffe Publishers), by Lisa Foster, does an admirable job of breaking the more than 360 miles of trails down into what seems like almost manageable pieces, sectioning the park off into regions and then by peaks, ponds, lakes before hitting the trail. As an RMNP employee who collects water and precipitation samples for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, Foster, who claims to have hiked or climbed to every named destination, has a familiarity with the park that surpasses that of many other experts, including John Fielder, whose company published the book (Foster also took the photographs). Interspersed between thorough route descriptions – including grade and class for climbs, equipment needs, whether the destination is serviced by trail or road and is family-friendly or accessible by the disabled – are well-marked topographical maps and clear photos, along with interesting historical tidbits.
TRAVEL BY NUMBERS | Top 10 most popular restaurants in Dallas/Fort Worth
The 10 most popular restaurants in the Dallas/Fort Worth area according to the 2006 ZagatSurvey ($13.95, ZagatSurvey).
1. Abacus, 4511 McKinney Ave., Dallas, 214-559-3111, abacusrestaurant.com.
2. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, 5251 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, 972-490-9000; 812 Main St., Fort Worth, 817-877-3999, delfriscos.com.
3. Mi Cocina, multiple locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, mcrowd.com.
4. The Mansion on Turtle Creek, 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas, 214-559-2100, mansionturtlecreek.com.
5. Cafe Pacific, Highland Park Village, 24 Highland Park Village, Dallas, 214-526-1170.
6. Bob’s Steak & Chop House, 4300 Lemmon Ave, Dallas, 214-528-9446; The Shops at Legacy, 5760 Legacy Drive, Plano, 972-608-2627, bobs-steakandchop.com.
7. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, multiple locations, Dallas, Fort Worth area, pfchangs.com.
8. French Room, Hotel Adolphus, 1321 Commerce St., Dallas, 214-742-8200, hoteladolphus.com.
9. La Duni Latin Cafe, 4620 McKinney Ave., Dallas, 214-520-7300; La Duni Latin Kitchen & Baking Studio, 4264 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, 214-520-6888, laduni.com.
10. Houston’s, 8300 Preston Road, Dallas, 214-691-8991; 5318 Beltline Road, Addison, 972-960-1752.
To vote or see more restaurants, visit zagat.com.
GEOQUIZ
1. Conflict between the Bhote and the Nepalese ethnic groups has caused large refugee movements away from the smallest country in the Himalayas. Name this country.
2. A European country known for its cork production has a high population density in the areas around the city of Oporto. Name this country.
3. Sanskrit, preserved in Hindu sacred writings, is an ancient language in which country?
4. People in the most populous Scandinavian country celebrate a festival of light called St. Lucia Day to mark the start of the Christmas season. Name this country.
5. The capital city downstream from the Aswan High Dam contains many examples of Islamic architecture. Name this city.
6. Santería, a folk religion that combines elements of Roman Catholicism and African religions, developed in which present-day country in the Greater Antilles?
7. The Gold Museum, which contains a large collection of pre-Columbian gold objects, is in the capital city east of the Magdalena River. Name this city.
8. Skopje is the largest city in a former Yugoslav republic. Name this country.
9. Tai chi, both a martial art and a physical exercise, originated in which Asian country?
10. Some of the oldest sagas, which are based on history and legends, were written in the 13th century in what island country in the North Atlantic?
ANSWERS: 1. Bhutan 2. Portugal 3. India 4. Sweden 5. Cairo 6. Cuba 7. Bogotá 8. Macedonia (Also acceptable: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) 9. China 10. Iceland
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
