Special Section
What It Takes . . .
Have you got the goods to pedal 3,600 miles (5,794 kilometers) across America? Skipper a sailboat in the Caribbean? Summit Denali? The answers might surprise you. Here are some of the best dream adventures you can make happen—today. Plus: A special foldout of once-in-a-lifetime trips worth breaking the bank for. Read excerpt >>

. . . To Be a Jungle Apprentice
Since he was a kid glued to Bwana Don's Safari TV show on Saturday mornings, JIM THORNTON has fantasized about running off to the rain forest. But when he signs on to a hard-core eco-tour into the deepest Amazon, will his Huaorani hosts offer more viper-dodging, blowgun-firing, monkey-chasing fun than one man can handle? Read excerpt >>

Photo Gallery
Writer and photographer tell it like it was with outtakes from their outrageous Amazon eco-tour. Enter gallery >>

Secret Worlds of the Black Hills
Scaling spectacular granite towers, bombing first-rate singletrack, and plumbing the depths of one of the world's longest caves—it's all in a hard day's recreation in South Dakota's storied multisport haven. Read excerpt >>

Welcome to the Neighborhood
Hunted to near-extinction just 40 years ago, the North American mountain lion is back in greater numbers than when Columbus came ashore. In the fast-spreading suburban sprawl of the West, recreational bikers and hikers are encroaching on their hunting grounds. The rising number of lion attacks on humans indicates that, this time, the big cats have every intention of defending their territory. Read excerpt >>

American Wilds
Thanks to its mysterious vegetation, charismatic fauna, and the occasional island-moving hurricane, you'll never take the same trip twice paddling the North Carolina coast.

Pelton's World
Heading abroad? Then put down that guidebook! Our resident indie-travel expert spills the five secrets travel publishers would rather keep hushed up. Read excerpt >>

Where To
How to find the wild side of the Great Wall of China. Plus: The crackdown on trips to Cuba.

City Escape
Even Beltway insiders need to get out. The definitive guide to Washington, D.C.'s surprising paddling, biking, and climbing options.

Next Weekend
Shooting stars, landscape photo lessons, and flood-free slot canyons—just a few stellar reasons to leave town Friday. Plus: A backroads tour through Washington and Oregon. >>

Performance
It turns out you are when you eat, too. Supercharge your fitness with this thumbnail guide to nutrient timing. Plus: Why health-food fanatics should keep off the grass. >>

Books
A daughter-in-law's take on Hemingway's dejected final days, and the tale of five American airmen lost in a contested Tibet. Plus: The wit and wisdom of three giants of travel writing.

The Essentials
The fast track to fastpacking: from ounce-shaving tents, stoves, and shoes to why chopping your toothbrush in half may be overdoing it.

Gear: Travel
Traveling in style requires more than a passport and a pair of drip-dry pants. Nowadays you need the right MP3 player, a global cell phone, and a versatile bag to haul it all.

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