Outside Magazine, Jul 1999

Stories

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The Very Short History of Nunavut

It may be cold, it may be impossibly vast and empty, but in its first hours of existence, Canada's newborn Inuit territory proves that there's nothing so liberating as home rule.

William T. Vollmann Jul 1, 1999

C O V E R
SUMMER BODYWORK SPECIAL
So You Want to Be a Superstar
King of the wave, lord of the slick rock, master of your domain: Spend the lazy months hammering on these shameless acts of hotdoggery, and that's you, baby, you. Sure, modesty has its place, but not this month. Let the showboating begin!
By Paul Scott

Beach Volleyball: The Diving Dig
Turn that listless game of set-and-bump into a scorching second-place-is-for-losers sand jihad.
Kayaking: The Cartwheel
The precarious art of splash and burn.
Climbing: The Figure Four
Think Twister on a vertical mat.
In-Line Skating: Take the Stairs
For Bond-style exits from burning buildings or that mob brawl after the Jerry Springer Show.
Hoops: The Crossover Dribble
It separates the Jordans from the strictly j.v., but to make it work, you've got to sell, sell, sell.
Frisbee: The Righteous Gitis
Spend a week or two perfecting this contortion, and golden retrievers everywhere will worship you.
Canoeing: The Rock-a-Copter
Dare to go against the flow. But carry a really long stick.
Surfing: Hang Ten
Wiggle your toes, daddy-o.
Diving: The Twisting Somersault
Isn't it time you retired the can opener? Give lifeguards something to blow their whistles about.
Biking: The Wheelie
Any nine-year-old can tell you: One wheel is better than two.

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E
The Very Short History of Nunavut
Come celebrate the birth of a vast new territory in Canada's frozen north, where the Inuit people have been restored to leadership in their homeland. Now, only one thing is certain in the land of the polar bear: Nothing will remain the same.
By William T. Vollmann

Playing Dirty
One year after the Tour de France nearly collapsed in chaos, rumors of performance-enhancing drug use still abound, while France's darling, Richard Virenque, smiles and denies everything. Will this month's supposedly reformed Tour be clean? Will Virenque?
By John Brant

Love and Death and the Leviathan's Lair
Everybody wants something from Baja California's Laguna San Ignacio. Mitsubishi wants salt, ecoturistas want to pet the whales. And now some well-heeled environmentalists want the whales to be their poster children. You can't always get what you want.
By Bruce Barcott

Hey Buddy, Is That a Virulent Pack of Angry Clostridium perfringens in Your Sierra Cup?
On safari in Arizona, Professor Charles Gerba, aka Dr. Germ, wages war against the festering forces of fungi and bacteria. Armed with a water purifier and soap, he hurls his battle cry against an indifferent wilderness—and still they come.
By Andrew Tilin

D E P A R T M E N T S
Dispatches: News from the Field
The deaths of divers at the treasure-laden wreck of the Andrea Doria—and the prospect of more to come—raise the question: How deep is too deep?

	A new CD sends mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner climbing the rock charts.
	Australia's all-out lovefest for a teen swimming sensation called the Thorpedo.
	Super-tight shorts may boost your performance by 30 percent. So how come nobody's buying them?
	Everybody's scaling walls, and builders can't satisfy the steep demand.
	PLUS: Mallory's body on Everest, scorching facts about high-altitude sunburn, the sumo wrestler's diet plan, and more.

The Wild File
Why can't freshwater fish survive in the ocean? What are the Seven Natural Wonders of the World? And how does bug repellent work?
By Hampton Sides

The Hard Way
What happens when duty calls and won't stop calling? It's time to hatch a crazy plan, light out for the territory, and heed certain truths. Truths like: Humans are meant to be hardy, and rules are meant to be broken.
By Mark Jenkins

Out There
Along the banks of the Columbia, a cult of apocalyptic weapons flourished and faded and left a legacy of deadly waste—and a free-flowing stretch of river where wilderness prospers behind a nuclear fence.
By Tim Cahill

Destinations
Irleand's wild verge: Along Connemara's coast —where black-faced sheep outnumber people—you'll find uplands for trekking, lonely roads for pedaling, and fogbound islands for mystic exploration. Not to mention even more adventurous pursuits and a happy proximity to classic Irish pubs.

		Fat-tire touring and high-adrenaline adventures in the unsung Ozarks.
		In central Florida's newest resort, the wetlands are teeming, the crabs are steaming, and Goofy and Pluto seem a million miles away.
		Fitness on the fly: Airport gyms take off.
		PLUS: Bargain biking in Paris, baguette not included; plush new B&Bs—at hostel prices—on Australia's eastern coast; and more.

Review:
Five-star wilderness: Car camping's first rule has always been no skimping. With this precept in mind, we bring you a trove of luxe gear, including remote-controlled lanterns, battery-powered blenders, queen-size air mattresses, palatial tents, and more.

		The long and short of it: *Five innovative new surfboards prove that one size does not fit* all.**
		PLUS: The teetering stack of new adventure books, including Matt Dickinson's The Other Side of Everest, Gordon Chaplin's Dark Wind, Jeff Long's The Descent, and more.

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