Blog
Why Wanaka should be on your New Zealand bucket list
With fair weather, beautiful scenery and heaps of recreation opportunities, Wanaka is well worth the small effort it takes to get there.
New Zealand sandflies are an itchy initiation
When we left for New Zealand Wendy had one big goal: sitting at Jackson Bay reading a book in the breeze while intermittently watching penguins frolic in the sea. On our first full day on the island, a bunch of Kiwis warned us about sand flies as they laughed hysterically about the notion of lingering on the beach at Jackson Bay.
Mountain biking a classic near Saint Arnaud, New Zealand
After more than a week of failed attempts and building anticipation, we caught a weather window to ride the fabled trail called Unhinged: a steep, root-infested track that drops 2,500 feet in three miles near Saint Arnaud, New Zealand.
New Zealand mountain biking proves rocky, tough
New Zealand trail builders lead us down some of the best mountain bike trails on the South Island near Abel Tasman and Nelson Lakes national parks.
New Zealand first impressions: simple and close-to-Earth
The north part of New Zealand's South Island is beautiful and pastoral, a place where people live uncomplicated lives and stay close to the Earth.
iWalk revolutionizes mobility for people on crutches
For those recovering from foot and ankle injuries, the iWalk is far and away the most innovative and versatile crutch available. Here's why.
Lisfranc recovery: looking back a year later
Today is the one-year anniversary of the day I jumped on a trampoline and suffered a Lisfranc fracture of my right foot. It’s a good day for reflection, to consider how far I’ve come and the challenges yet to overcome.
The 215-mile Lisfranc recovery test
When I tore my Lisfranc ligament June 2 and needed reconstructive surgery, I expressed to my doctor that I wanted to participate in a 215-mile, 20,000-vertical-foot, hut-to-hut backcountry mountain bike ride from Telluride, Colorado to Moab, Utah three months later. “That’s not definitely out of the question,” she’d said. Her initial optimism was all I needed to keep the ride on my autumn to-do list.
Relearning to walk and ride a bike after Lisfranc surgery
Throughout my recovery I adhered 100 percent to my doctor’s orders except one. With a 200-mile, 20,000-vertical-foot, across-the-West mountain bike ride to train for, I needed to get my heart and lungs pumping harder again. The only way to train those organs is to put in the time.
Lisfranc recovery is slower and tougher than imagined
Recovering from Lisfranc surgery is like touching a hot stove. You know it’s going to hurt, but until you actually experience it you don’t know how much. For me, the ordeal was more difficult physically and emotionally than I’d imagined.