The Flip Side – Volume 2
Our weekly roundup of the best outdoor stories that capture and inspire the spirit of adventure during the days of social distancing.
Lady on the eBike Takes the Win
Suffering from a deficit of live-action sports coverage? The folks over at Cycling Tips are turning rec paths into races, complete with play-by-play commentary and post-comp recaps. Check out their recent reporting on the dead heat between Lady on the eBike and Guy in the Orange. [Cycling Tips]
Five Quarantinis To Go, Please
Next time you order curbside, you might be able to add a drink to that order. Some states—like New York, New Hampshire, and Texas—are loosening up their liquor laws to temporarily let people order alcohol to-go. On your next stroll around the block, why not bring a negroni in a to-go cup? [Eater]
Athletes React to the Delay of the Summer Games
Relief, loss of motivation, laughter, and all the feels. Here’s how some Olympic hopefuls are handling the news that the Summer Games will be pushed to 2021. While the Games have been cancelled before, this is the first time in history that they have been delayed. [ESPN]
The Pandemic in Pictures
Outside our homes, what does the world look like right now? From an empty Great Mosque of Mecca and a Colombian kid doing schoolwork in a mask, to a bull riding competition in Georgia without an audience, check out this photographic tour of the globe under quarantine. [NPR]
This Is Not What Social Distancing Looks Like
Last weekend, cars piled up along the roads outside of Loveland Ski Area as skiers and snowboarders flocked to the mountain to earn their turns. In response, Loveland became one of a growing number of ski resorts to close its terrain to uphill travel. This is why we can’t have nice things. [Denver Post]
Running Low on TP? Fear Not.
The thru-hikers among us have rounded up a few natural solutions to the toilet paper shortage. Of course, if you take this advice, be sure to dispose of your waste responsibly (check out Leave No Trace’s guidelines). Or, you could always just use the pandemic as the perfect excuse to buy that bidet you’ve always wanted. [Backpacker]
From Sofa to Sending It
Climber and author Luke Mehall just released the first two episodes of his new podcast, “Dirtbag State of Mind.” Based loosely on his book American Climber, the first episode details how climbing helped Mehall emerge from depression. He hopes listeners right now can find stories about how “out of darkness comes light.” [Dirtbag State of Mind]
Backcountry Battles: Snowmobilers vs. Wolverines
Now that we’re all a little crowd-wary, we’re more aware than usual of the competition for a slice of the backcountry. One conflict of interest therein is between recreational snowmobilers and wolverines in Montana, Idaho, Alaska, and other cold states with vast public lands. Could this be the tipping point for the largest member of the weasel family? [The Atlantic]
Adventures in Your Kitchen
We don’t know about you, but for us, half of any international adventure is the food, whether it’s a big bowl of après ramen after skiing in Japan or post-climbing tacos in Potrero Chico. While your spring bike or surf trip abroad may have been cancelled, you can still travel in the kitchen with La Mian noodle soup, legit hummus, an Australian lamington, or one of these other global recipes. [Afar]