Our weekly roundup of the best outdoor stories that capture and inspire the spirit of adventure during the days of social distancing. 

The Best Ways to Keep Your Beers Cool

Since we may be doing a larger share of our summer sipping in parks, backyards, and campgrounds—rather than on restaurant patios—you’ve got good reason to get a good cooler. Gear Patrol rounded up some of the best of 2020, from lightweight, highly portable numbers for short hikes to scenic views, to featured-out behemoths on wheels. [Gear Patrol]

 

Indian Teen Becomes Cycling Heroine

When her father was injured on the job as a tuk tuk driver in New Delhi and became trapped in the capital due to lockdown, 15-year-old Jyoti Kumari used her and her father’s last $20 to purchase a gear-less magenta bike to transport him back to the safety of their village. With her father in the saddle, she pedaled 700 miles back home. Her feat has earned her an invitation to try out for India’s national Olympic cycling team. [NPR] 

 

How Cycling Can Include More Body Types

Self-identified fat cyclist Kailey Kornhauser couldn’t believe it when she made the cover of Bicycling Magazine earlier this year. And while she was grateful for more diverse representation, she explains why this is just one step in the right direction, from races that are inherently prohibitive to some riders to the hesitance of bike shops to warn riders about bike weight limits. [Backcountry Stories]

 

Fishermen Donate Giant Tuna to Frontline Workers

We’re all in favor of teaching a man or woman to fish—unless, that is, they’re very busy treating COVID-19 patients. After reeling in a 220-pound ahi off the coast of Oahu, five fishermen donated their catch to healthcare workers at two nearby medical centers. The massive tuna became 300 poke bowls for medical staff. [Hawaii News Now]   

Leave No Trace in Trouble

More people heading outside + fewer $$$ from a pandemic-saddled outdoor industry = a recipe for an outdoor mess. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has issued a call for help to keep its mission alive. You can do your part by abiding the LNT seven principles and considering how you might support the Center. [Leave No Trace]

 

Meet the Bike That’s Actually a Treadmill

A few years ago, a Dutch inventor got to thinking during a gym sesh: How could I find a way to walk on the treadmill outside? Enter Lopifit, the electric walking bike. While one could just, you know, walk outside, if you want the al fresco treadmill experience, the Lopifit is designed to let you stroll on a rotating band that propels two pedals. Recently, the “treadmill bike” has drawn attention after a few viral videos circulated from China. [Autoevolution]

Climbers Rally in the Monument Reduction Battle

Trump is moving forward with a plan to let fossil fuel and uranium mining companies lease approximately one million acres in territory that was previously part of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. Climbers and climbing organizations like the Access Fund have joined a coalition of indigenous nations and organizations to help oppose the permitting process. [Sierra Club]