BAD TRIP
In search of cosmic highs, a straight-laced citizen and his ragtag posse make an icy slog through the Himalayas of India to a mysterious hamlet where foreigners are treated like lepers.
Welcome to Shangri-Nah! By Kevin Fedarko
DO IT OUR WAY!
Taking a NOLS course is no vacation, but during a two-week expedition along the coast of Baja, the author learns a lotabout adventure, leadership, and the fine art of making your own fun. By Katie Arnold
D E P A R T M E N T S
DISPATCHES >> Dive headfirst into the retro-cool Olympic sport of SKELETON at three of North America's slickest sledding courses >> Dirtbag boater turned kayak megastar BRAD LUDDEN dishes on his new Cessna and his next epic: running waterfalls inno kiddingthe Midwest! >> Want exotic? Head to MADAGASCAR's luxury beach hideaways, limestone crags, and Class V rapids right nowbefore the rest of the world catches on. >> The coming generation of ALT-FUEL VEHICLES showcases sexy aesthetics, dizzying speed, and enough horsepower to please any hot-rod hound >> Lifestyles of the lucky: Inside the country's sweetest SNOW-SPORTS PAD >> Forget Hulk-like physiques: Here's WHAT FIT REALLY LOOKS LIKE >>THE WILD FILE catches up with the speed demon of insects, the garbage-disposal-or-landfill conundrum, and whether swimmers get sweaty PLUS: The best new FITNESS-NUTRITION BOOKS for 2005; why the finest selection of exotic gourmet meats is found online; a postmodern chairmade with Schwinn rims!and other BIKE-INSPIRED FURNITURE; and more
REVIEW/BODYWORK/STYLE
Fire off your New Year's fitness resolutions with our THREE PERFECT HOME GYMS. >> Burn it up in a classic weight-lifting loft. >> Cross-train like a pampered pro in a cardio-and-weights lab. >> Get Zen in a transcendent yoga studio. >> PLUS: Holistic strength conditioning and a power workout to rocket you to MAXIMUM FITNESS; train in style with luxe tracksuits and ALL-NATURAL YOGA APPAREL; and get a few no-tech tips on home workouts.
THE HARD WAY
Our man's UNLIKELY DREAM DESTINATION? The rainy peaks of the war-weary Uganda-Congo border. But after notching a new line up an elusive African summit, he discovers what happens when an old fantasy gets real. By Mark Jenkins