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Ryan Stuart, explore's gear editor

Ryan Stuart's tell all blog spot on his gear addiction and life and times as explore magazine's gear editor

July 2008 archive

Huttopiamap_icon

In Quebec the provincial parks are called national parks and this summer, at 13 of the provincial-national parks, you can leave your tent at home. Choose from a pop-up style tent trailer or new Huttopia tents imported from France. The tents are basically canvas walled cabins, built on a four ...

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Destined for Hollywoodmap_icon

Think you can outsmart, outlast and outplay? Are you made for reality TV? Well this may be your chance. The Discovery Channel is actively searching for participants for The Alaskan Experience, a reality TV show. This is the show's second season of pitting groups of adventurous folk against the Alaskan ...

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Your bike's better than Sastre (but maybe not Lance Armstrong's)map_icon

I've been watching the last few stages of the Tour de France this week. I get to see the last hour or so of each race, which is the best part. I love the dueling and tactics of the climbs and sprints. And the crowds - one day I want ...

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Cheaper gear on its way?

I just received the following news release, which originated from the SnowSports Industries America, a group representing ski and snowboard apparel and equipment makers and distributors. Sounds like outdoor performance apparel, the stuff you and I use all the time, will face lower duties in the U.S. I'm not sure ...

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Badwater beatsmap_icon

In the July issue of explore I interviewed Jen Segger, a runner and adventure racer based in Squamish, to get some advice on how to train effectively. She told me about her training regime and her mental capacity for pain - see page 55 Put Your Pain Away. At the ...

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Where are the birdsmap_icon

How's your life's list going? I'm talking birds here. If you're a bird watcher in Ontario a cheat sheet has just been released that will help you tick off a few more species. The 728-page Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas is the culmination of 150,000 hours of in-field observation by 3,000 ...

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Interpreter in the palm of a handmap_icon

I hate group tours. I just don't have the patience for them. They always move way to slowly except when they get to the parts that I think are interesting and then "we have to keep moving" because everyone was asking meaningless questions earlier. That's why I'm encouraged by a ...

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Interpreter in the palm of a handmap_icon

I hate group tours. I just don't have the patience for them. They always move way to slowly except when they get to the parts that I think are interesting and then "we have to keep moving" because everyone was asking meaningless questions earlier. That's why I'm encouraged by a ...

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Interpreter in the palm of a handmap_icon

I hate group tours. I just don't have the patience for them. They always move way to slowly except when they get to the parts that I think are interesting and then "we have to keep moving" because everyone was asking meaningless questions earlier. That's why I'm encouraged by a ...

Read the full post

Interpreter in the palm of a handmap_icon

I hate group tours. I just don't have the patience for them. They always move way to slowly except when they get to the parts that I think are interesting and then "we have to keep moving" because everyone was asking meaningless questions earlier. That's why I'm encouraged by a ...

Read the full post

Canoes: then and nowmap_icon

As I left Quebec City today I saw a mural depicting a voyageur canoe heading off into the 17th Century hinterland. Not long after I saw a modern day canoe on a car roof. I was immediately struck by how much the canoe has changed and how much it remains ...

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What is eco-travel?

I just finished listening to Jeffery Simpson, a columnist at The Globe and Mail, talk about eco-travel. He talked about how rampant green washing is becoming. This new term refers to companies telling us consumers they are doing "green" things but in reality they aren't. In other words they are ...

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Go Media!map_icon

After four hours of delays I'm finally here – Quebec City for its 400th anniversary party. That's not the real reason I'm here, but it is a huge perk. I'm here for Go Media, a conference where the Canadian Tourism Commission brings writers and Canadian tourism organizations together to discuss ...

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Originally published on outdoorsica.com