22–13) Alaska
Sarah Palin brought Alaska back to prime time for the first time since Northern Exposure went off the air. But for political junkies, outdoorsmen, and rabid separatists, the 49th state has always held a special place. Baroque politics, natural splendor, endearingly deluded homegrown libertarians—and the occasional bear mauling: Alaska is The Jerry Springer Show hosted by Ron Paul and shot in New Zealand. The state patriarch, Senator Ted Stevens, 85, ran for reelection despite a federal indictment for failing to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and services (read: "bribes"); Representative Don Young's office was caught altering a bill after it had passed the House and Senate (read: "violating the Constitution"); and Palin looked set to make "Drill, baby, drill" the state motto. Add North America's HIGHEST PEAK, the MOST SQUARE MILES OF NATIONAL PARK in the U.S., ANWR, GRIZZLIES, MIDDAY DARKNESS, MIDNIGHT SUN, SALMON RUNS, THE IDITAROD, MEN WHO LOOK LIKE SURVIVORMAN, and WOMEN WHO LOOK LIKE SURVIVORMAN and Alaska might just be the most entertaining place on earth.

12) Some have called it a solution to a problem that didn't exist, but Shimano's DI2 DURA-ACE ELECTRONIC SHIFTING for road bikes is the first radical rethinking of the derailleur since it was invented more than a century ago. Look for it on high-end 2009 road bikes.

11) Size really does matter—especially to big-wave surfers. But apparently age doesn't. On January 5, MIKE PARSONS, 43, rode a 70-foot-plus monster—the tallest wave ever surfed and captured on camera—at Cortes Bank, off the Southern California coast.

10–9) Tennis as endurance sport: four hours 48 minutes, five sets—6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7—two rain delays lasting a combined 109 minutes, and match point in near darkness. For ROGER FEDERER, it was the end of a glorious run. For RAFAEL NADAL, it was a long-awaited triumph. For tennis fans, it was among the greatest finals in Wimbledon history.