Adventure travel - includes related articles on tour operators and how to get fit for a trip

Vegetarian Times, Nov, 1997 by Bevin Conn

Do you daydream about cycling on country roads? Or long to tackle white water rapids? These days, you're not alone out there. Adventure Travel--tourism based on active participation--is the fastest growing segment of the travel industry, offering the opportunity to rejuvenate and challenge yourself in ways no typical sight-seeing tour can match.

Don't just go with the flow, challenge yourself to a real thrill--by riding the rapids of Idaho's Salmon River.

Whether you want to cycle, hike, raft, kayak or cross-country ski, adventure-travel outfitters do all the research and route planning, as well as coordinate meals and accommodations. Their skilled guides lead, cook, clean and keep you safe. All you have to do is show up.

So what's stopping you? While the physicality is a big part of the appeal, it also can be intimidating for first-timers. Wondering if you'll be able to keep up is a common concern. For vegetarians, there are food issues as well: With energy demands high and camping or lodging remote, you have to know if the food available is food you'll be able to eat.

Tour operators are emphatic: Don't let the fear of not being physically fit keep you at home on the couch. For starters, there are trips available at different difficulty levels. "We can find a trip for almost everybody," says Valerie Gilbert of Backroads, one of the largest and best-known companies. "You can bicycle 100-plus miles a day with major elevation changes or ride about 20 miles a day on flat roads in a place like Martha's Vineyard."

Most outfitters also stress a go-at-your-own-pace philosophy and provide several route options (as well as guides and support vans, where possible) so most people can feel comfortable. On many Backroads cycling trips, for example, there are three route options a day and a van on every route to provide a snack, help on tough hills or offer a ride home if you get tuckered out. Of course, none of this means you should plan to take a multi-day trip without some preparation. You will be exercising three to six hours a day and you'll enjoy it a lot more if your heart, lungs and muscles have been primed (see "Get Fit For Your Trip").

With vigorous days the norm, most adventure-travel outfitters advocate evening comfort as a precondition for a good experience. As far as they're concerned, a happy camper is a satisfied customer. Depending on the trip you choose, you'll either stay in hotels and inns or set up camp, but don't let the word mislead you. While a bed and hot shower definitely have their appeal, many camping trips are surprisingly civilized and luxurious, especially those offered by the larger outfitters. The work and mess of camping out is taken care of for you, leaving you the pleasures of eating alfresco, enjoying a campfire and falling asleep to the sounds of nature.

Eating fresh spinach lasagna in the middle of nowhere has its own appeal. For vegetarians, it turns out, there seems little reason to be concerned about the adventure-travel diet. " Adventure-travel outfitters are outdoorsy and health-conscious people who are more likely than not to be vegetarian or at least vegetarian-friendly, says Dave Mulligan, editor of Adventure Travel Business magazine.

Vegetarians need not worry about getting enough to eat, either. Most companies go to great lengths to meet the increased energy demands of all-day workouts. Expect lots of fruit. Besides being easy to transport, fruit helps keep your energy up," says Mulligan. Backroads puts out plentiful snacks during the day--among them trail mix, fruit and granola bars. Picnic or prepacked lunch choices might include crudites with pesto cream cheese, assorted breads and cheeses, and garbanzo bean or pasta salad. ARTA River Trips, a company specializing in white-water rafting, serves up what they call riverside gourmet, home-style cooking that includes pancake breakfasts, pasta and salad dinners, and fresh-baked desserts such as peach cobbler.

"Vegetarianism is not really an issue for us," says Robyn Scofield of Outdoor Odysseys. The sea-kayaking outfitter often uses a cast-iron Dutch oven to cook entrees and desserts right over the campfire. Their specialties include a beans-and-rice Mexican casserole with vegetables and cheese or soy cheese and tofu, and a Thai rice dish with stir-fry vegetables and peanut sauce. They also offer freshly baked gingerbread and carrot cake, along with Washington state wines.

In case you don't want to run the risk of sitting next to someone who is tearing into a ham sandwich, contact Vegetarian Journeys, a travel agency that can help you put a trip together that takes your dietary concerns into account; (800) 559-3031 or (941) 927-1255.

So what are you waiting for? Let your next trip challenge both your physical limits and your definition of "getting away from it all." You'll come back rejuvenated, rededicated and, yes, even relaxed.

RELATED ARTICLE: GET FIT FOR YOUR TRIP

A pre-trip fitness regimen will enhance your experience. Cardio-vascular fitness is a must, and muscle strength is equally important. Discuss the trip's difficulty with the outfitter and exercise accordingly. Here are some ideas of how to get moving eight weeks before you go on vacation: