Departures
Issue: July/August 2010
Flying High
Paragliding’s finest soar above Chelan
More than 125 of the world’s best paraglider pilots take to the skies above Chelan, July 17–24, for the next stop on the international Paragliding World Cup circuit. Competitors from six continents test their skills on aerial routes up to 80 miles long—at altitudes up to 10,000 feet above the ground—that begin with launches off Chelan Butte. The meet is the second of eight in the 2010 World Cup season and the first over American soil since a 1992 event in California’s Owens Valley.
The World Cup is among the highlights of a month of high-flying fun in an area known for its strong thermal updrafts. The Chelan Cross Country Classic, July 3–8, brings paragliding and hang-gliding pilots of all ability levels to the area. A few days later, the Chelan XC Open, July 10–15, showcases the best American paragliders in one of the major events in the U.S. Nationals series. (The national finals take place Aug. 28–Sept. 4 in Sun Valley, Idaho.)
Our World in Numbers
30Approximate number of LEGO pieces, in millions, used to create the more than 15,000 models on display at LEGOLAND® California Resort in Carlsbad, Calif.
800Length, in feet, of the Build-A-Raft River in the new water park at LEGOLAND California. Kids can customize rafts with soft LEGO bricks before floating down the lazy river.
350Amount of lentil chili, in gallons, that organizers plan to prepare and serve for free on opening night of this year’s National Lentil Festival, Aug. 20–22, in downtown Pullman.
7,500Approximate number of servings you can get from 350 gallons of lentil chili.
45,148Number of people who joined to set a new world record for “longest distance water-sliding in 24 hours in multiple locations,” March 26–27, 2010. In an event that took place simultaneously at 11 Great Wolf Lodge locations across the country, including Grand Mound, Wash., participants slid a combined 3,593 miles.
125,800Donation, in dollars, that the resorts’ parent company gave to Big Brothers Big Sisters from funds generated during the record-setting watersliding event.
la vida local
Sustainable food purveyors band together in the San Juan Islands
Farmers, fishermen and foodies in the San Juan Islands are serious about the notion that local is better, and a mantra heard across the archipelago is “Island Certified Local,” or just ICL. This county program sows the seeds of sustainability by linking local food producers, such as Synergy Farm—an organic, biointensive operation—with eateries like Eastsound’s vegetarian cafe The Daily Veg and Friday Harbor’s intimate gourmet restaurant Coho. “ICL promotes the tradition of buying from your neighbors,” says Anna Maria de Freitas, cookbook author, innkeeper and co-owner of Coho. “People should experience the unique character of a place in their food and, besides, local foods simply taste fresher.” She approaches her farm-to-table practices with a waste-not-want-not philosophy by recycling organic kitchen waste straight back to one of her organic farm suppliers to feed future crops. www.sjcarc.org/certified.asp.
sea-lax
Primp, prime and unwind aboard B.C. Ferries
Don’t fret if your travels to British Columbia make you miss your regular visit to your aesthetician’s salon. In a partnership with a local spa, B.C. Ferries now offers manicures ($30–$35), pedicures ($40–$45) and neck massages ($20) to passengers on sailings between Tsawwassen (about 20 miles south of Vancouver) and Swartz Bay (about 20 miles north of Victoria). www.bcferries.com.
Wild Times
Monkido courses bring adventure to the trees
IF IT'S BEEN TOO LONG since you’ve crossed over a stream on a rope-swing or walked a high wire strung between trees, then it’s time to head up to one of the WildPlay Element Parks in British Columbia. The parks’ Monkido Aerial Adventure Courses allow you to walk, climb, swing or slide across a set of obstacles set among trees between 10 and 60 feet off the ground (you’re harnessed to a safety cable the entire time). The obstacles get progressively harder in these family-friendly ropes courses fashioned after those used for military training and corporate team building.
WildPlay Ltd. has already opened parks in Victoria, Nanaimo and Whistler. A fourth in Maple Ridge, about 20 minutes east of Vancouver, opens this summer.
The only requirements are the abilities to reach up to at least 5-feet-11-inches tall with an outstretched hand and to fit in the adjustable harness. Kids as young as 11—and as old as 86—have been said to participate. Less challenging courses are available to children aged 7 to 13 who meet a 4-foot-7-inch reach requirement. (888) 297-2222, www.wildplay.com.
Travel Smarts - Backseat Baby
Surviving a road trip with an infant
While most infants require a lot of TLC, by no means should they prevent new parents from getting out and seeing the world. With this in mind, here are four battle-tested tips that have helped my wife and me survive road trips with our family’s newest addition.
Shake up the seating arrangement
Since newborns are required to face backward in the back seat, they can feel pretty ostracized during waking hours on long trips. Our solution: We take turns sitting in the back to keep the baby entertained and tend to other needs (such as bottle feeding). Granted, the driver may feel like a cab driver, but that’s better than listening to a screaming tot.
Be mindful of the sunshine
As grown-ups, that blinding experience of catching sun in our eyes is irritating for a split second. For babies, however, the sensation can spark an unprecedented tizzy that can last for miles. We purchased a pull-down window shade to help prevent these meltdowns, though we hear hanging a T-shirt or towel from the inside of the window works just as well.
Stop frequently
If you’re used to putting the pedal to the metal for hours on end, you might want to recalibrate expectations before heading out with a baby in the car; these little humans like to get out and wiggle (or have dirty diapers changed). Our routine includes stopping and moving around every 90 minutes or so, even if the baby doesn’t seem like he or she needs a break.
Take advantage of public spaces
When you do stop, don’t just hit the nearest truck stop; explore. Babies love looking at new stuff, so a detour into the nearest town usually goes a long way toward satisfying your little one’s curiosity. Also, we learned out of necessity that hotel lobbies are great places to stretch out—they’re covered, air conditioned and provide privacy for those infants who must be breast-fed.
Vintage Getaway
The amenities at Cama Beach hearken back to earlier times
Time travel is more than a fantasy at Washington’s newest state park, Cama Beach on the southwest shore of Camano Island. Originally a 1930s fishing resort, Cama Beach State Park sports rustic—and recently refurbished—shore-side cabins with broad, sparkling views across Saratoga Passage. An old-fashioned general store offers provisions to fishers and families visiting for a day or a week. You can sail into the past aboard a vintage San Francisco Pelican sailboat, a rowboat or a sleek wooden kayak, for rent at the on-site Center for Wooden Boats, or take a guided maritime heritage tour of Island County. In the evening, rent a skiff and crab pot, and harvest dinner—best enjoyed by a crackling beach fire as you spin your own tales of yesteryear.
Investigators for a Day
CSI tests your crime-solving skills in Las Vegas
In their recent visits to Las Vegas, Alaska resident Seth Partnow and North Carolina mom Cindy Alvarado each solved a murder. Detectives on vacation? Nope. Just two fans of the CSI television series having fun at CSI: The Experience at MGM Grand.
The interactive attraction turns visitors into sleuths. “Investigators” analyze a crime scene (a car crash, a dumped body, a discarded skull) and combine their knowledge of scientific principles with high-tech lab equipment to solve mysteries. Like the TV show, it’s a team effort: Real-world experts and CSI: Las Vegas cast members offer tips via video along the way. At the end, cause-of-death findings are filed, cases are cracked, and everyone takes home a CSI diploma for their wall. (877) 660-0660, www
.csiexhibit.com.
Cool It
Bustamante’s offers a frosty break in Toppenish
At Bustamante’s Paleteria and Creamery (“Windflower” building; 9A S. Toppenish Ave., 509-833-3891), coolers offer 18 popsicle varieties, including guava, tamarind, hazelnut and chili-mango. The bars are created on-site from wholesome ingredients: just fruit, sugar and milk. Open until 8 p.m. in July and August, Bustamante’s is a sweet treat for chill- seekers.
