| October 1998
C O V E R
Huge, wild, and right next door
Less than three hours from Texas lies a tremendous, all-but-forgotten swath of rainforest shrouded in mist and mystery. A guide to rambling the Honduran states of La Mosquitia and Olancho, where you'll be greeted by toucans, otters, tapir, jaguars, and hardly anybody else.
F E A T U R E S
Give Me a Moment
There's an instant when a person feels the outdoors clamoring to get inside of him. Which isn't as uncomfortable as you might expect.
Is Time Running Out for the Mythic Man-Fish?
Maybe it was when Fidel dispatched his navy after him. Or when he cut the boy from the shark's belly. Or when his two friends mysteriously drowned. But somewhere along the line, the life of the world's greatest breath-hold diver passed from merely interesting to downright incredible.
By Paul Kvinta
Everest to the Left of Me, Unrest to the Right
The mountaineering groups never stop in Arunachal Pradesh, and tourists rarely fuss with it either. Which, to judge by the untouched splendor of the place — the jabbering mynahs and brocaded rivers — is a fine stroke of luck.
By Edward Hoagland
The Frontier Comes for the Explorer
Back in the days of Empire, back when there were territories left untrod upon by Western feet, hands left untouched by Western hands, sights left unseen by Western eyes, Sir Wilfred Thesiger set out to change all that. Now, in the midst of a dotage he never planned, he is left to mount one last campaign.
Dennis Drabelle
The Perfect Fit
For most outdoor athletes, the season is coming to a close. For you, however, things should just be heating up. Introducing Part One of our master plan, guaranteed to have you in the best shape of your life well before the maples start blooming.
By Paul Keegan
Climbed a Mountain, Saw a Comet, Defined the Far Parameters of the Visible Universe
That science geek you teased in homeroom? The one with the Dr. Scholl's inserts and a homemade telescope? Well, he's an astronomer now at Mauna Kea, charting the galaxies from atop a Hawaiian volcano and living a more exciting life than you ever imagined.
By Richard Panek
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D E P A R T M E N T S
Dispatches: News from the Field
Lost at sea, intentionally: With one French girlfriend, two stray cats, and a very, shall we say, unique perspective, Reid Stowe sets sail for 1,000 days.
Field Notes
They're forever. They say I love you. They're a girl's best friend. And now, it seems, they may be ripe for the plucking beneath the sagebrush of Wyoming.
By Jon Billman
The Wild File
Why do bats always seem to be associated with the occult? Where did the name "America" come from? And how come our fingers turn pruney in water?
Destinations:
Huge, wild, and right next door:
Less than three hours from Texas lies a tremendous, all-but-forgotten swath of rainforest shrouded in mist and mystery. A guide to rambling the Honduran states of La Mosquitia and Olancho, where you'll be greated by toucans, otters, tapir, jaguars, and hardly anybody else.
Got a little disposable income? In a world of adventure-travel saturation, a cadre of creative outfitters is more than happy to help you spend it.
Review: Waterproof jackets for any occasion
Thanks to the durability of polyurethane and the comfort of waterproof-breathables, there's now outerwear right for everything from fixing a flat to hiking the Appalachian Trail. Ten of the best from Arc'Teryx, Helly Hansen, Lowe Alpine, Marmot, Moonstone, Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, REI, Sierra Designs, and The North Face.
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Buying Right: Sturdy and versatile carrying cases that let you take your laptop with you. |
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The Other Stuff: Swim fins that could turn you into a Navy SEAL; a luxurious inflatable sleeping pad that fits inside your pack; the clip-on personal CD player that just won't skip. |
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Books: Landscapes of Spirit and Desire, by Wade Davis; How the Canyon Became Grand: A Short History, by Stephen J. Pyne
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Between the Lines
Letters
Active Traveler Directory
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Cover photograph by Bob Howard
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