My setup is all set up and I have no worries but to strap on helmet, grab water bottle provided, and load up on nutritious snacks. Oh yeah, and several cookies that Heidi baked earlier!

Evan, with his incredible cycling skills, leads way and Heidi follows in SUV. This is so awesome—food, drinks, and safety trailing behind me and all I have to do is set a pace that’s superb for impromtu exploring of desert discoveries around me. Hot, dry desert frames snow-capped mountain . . . where else but in California! This is a sensory natural experience on a two-wheel steed and not through windows of a car. It’s also an excellent way to fend off those extra calories from Palm Springs ’ fine dining experience.

We make a gradual descend and I’m unaware of 3000 foot decline until, well, until I start doing research for this feature. I know Evan is a speed demon and a little more hardcore, belonging to some extreme cycling group, but he adjusts his speed to canter to mine. I know his heart rate isn’t elevated, but mine is and adrenaline is pumping as I grip handlebars tightly.

The tranquil beauty of expansive desert is a sharp contrast with many-hued mountain background that calms my mind, rejuvenating my spirit. The scenery is exhilarating, balancing out serenity with energy and aliveness.

We stop any time I want to explore and chlorophyll green of a plant growing in dessicated solid hardpan is amazing. Heidi plucks a leaf here and there and tells me to feel it, smell it, or crush it. She announces name and medicinal uses for each herb; I picture Indians who used to live here. Read this entire feature FREE with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/sports02/bike/bigwheel/bigwheel.html

By Lena Hunt Mabra, Cozumel Correspondent, Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

One of best places to take to air is Washoe Valley, located between Reno and Carson City, where thermals lift hang gliders and paragliders high over ranchlands, pine trees and foothills of Sierra Nevada mountain range. These strong thermals ­ warm wind currents - lift pilots well over 17,000 feet for superb views of scenic Northern Nevada. Contact: In Carson City, Adventure Sports, 775/883-7070. www.home.pyramid.net/advspts.

Southern Nevada also offers hang gliding experiences, instruction and sightseeing at Las Vegas Airsports, 702/260-7950. www.fly101.com.

Parasailing can be a thrilling experience open to all skill levels, and it's not uncommon for parasailors to soar 100 feet in air before landing. Northern Nevada's parasailing outlets include two at beautiful Lake Tahoe: Action Watersports at South Lake Tahoe, 530/544-5387; and Incline Village, 775/831-4386, www.actionwatersports.com; and Lake Tahoe Parasailing at Tahoe City. 530/583-7245. www.laketahoeguide.com/pages/974037/97403793.html.

In Northern Nevada, Sierra Adventures educates its customers about rich history and breathtaking beauty of Nevada desert and snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountain range, turning a regular vacation into an unforgettable memory. Contact: Sierra Adventures in Reno at 775/323-8928. www.wildsierra.com

Experience thrill . Read this entire feature FREE with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/sports02/skydive/nevada/nvsports.html

By Kriss Hammond - Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent at www.jetsettersmagazine.com