Churning The Kern - Rafting California's Sierra

Written by Josh Edelson


Churning The Kern in California’s Sierra Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Read this entire feature FREE with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/sports02/raft/kern/kern.html

There I was, peering down overrepparttar edge of a cliff, shivering asrepparttar 105901 wind raced through my hair. I watchedrepparttar 105902 droplets of river water fall fromrepparttar 105903 tip of my nose 30 feet torepparttar 105904 rumbling whitewater below. This was why I had come; to finally put my seemingly endless slumber of everyday apathy to rest. (Opening photo: Voyage with Jetsetters Magazine writer Josh Edelson downrepparttar 105905 Lower Kern River on a White Water Rafting Adventure.)

It had only been a few hours into day one and already we had carved a route through intense Class III rapids, participated in numerous water fights, and ate a lunch easily comparable to a five-course buffet on a cruise ship. Now, three stories aboverepparttar 105906 taunting Kern River, I stood there debating whether or not I hadrepparttar 105907 courage to jump.

A lot goes through your mind when you're standing atop a cliff, but this was what I came for — to feel scared; to feel nervous; to feel. . . something. In a world where society has trained us to become money making machines, we tend to forget aboutrepparttar 105908 things that make us happy. We tend to forget what it's like to be out there, tastingrepparttar 105909 scent ofrepparttar 105910 Earth, smellingrepparttar 105911 sun.

The moment I stepped off that ledge, something happened to me. My heart started racing, my eyes opened like oyster shells, and for one brief moment, I forgot aboutrepparttar 105912 years of career searching,repparttar 105913 constant pressure to build a family and an above average house,repparttar 105914 need for a status-symbol car. There was one thing on my mind as I was flying throughrepparttar 105915 air — that recurrent dream I've always had where I fall, and awake just as I hitrepparttar 105916 ground. It was one of those dreams where you lose all control, and you know something? It felt good! I listened carefully asrepparttar 105917 pitch and speed ofrepparttar 105918 wind in my ears rose as I fell faster, and faster towardrepparttar 105919 beckoning river below. The hairs on my arms trembled with fear, my blood pressure rose; my brain was on information overload. Then "Splashdown!" My shoes slappedrepparttar 105920 water like a bat on a tin trash can, andrepparttar 105921 Kern River quickly gobbled me up and spit me out downstream torepparttar 105922 eddy whererepparttar 105923 rest of my crew welcomed me back. Now, I was awake; now, I was alive.

The Lower Kern river is warm. Now arguably, someone from Alaska might think a 45 degree shower is warm, but I'm from California, and I'm telling you, this river was warm. The reason for this is becauserepparttar 105924 entire flow ofrepparttar 105925 Lower Kern is runoff fromrepparttar 105926 damn upstream which warms in Lake Isabella. It's based in The Sequoia National Forest — a national park dedicated to wildlife, fishing, camping, hiking, and of course whitewater rafting.

The trip starts in Kernville, a podunk little pay-before-you-pump type of town dubbedrepparttar 105927 whitewater rafting capital; 40 minutes downstream on a rickety old bus, we reach our put-in. From here,repparttar 105928 Lower Kern River stampedes down a boulder filled gorge littered with curls of whitewater all throughout. It sporadically dashes from a lazy-river-like feel to powerfully snapping rapids. Its banks are lined with wild elk, blue heron, and other sorts of creatures that quench themselves here fromrepparttar 105929 scorching heat. In one spot, you actually have to exitrepparttar 105930 river, and carry your raft aroundrepparttar 105931 mother-of-all-rapids — a class V nicknamed "The Royal Flush".

Faultless Big Wheel Bike Tours in Palm Springs

Written by Lena Hunt Mabra


Faultless Big Wheel Bike Tours in Palm Springs Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Read this entire feature FREE with photos at http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/sports02/bike/bigwheel/bigwheel.html

Aaaah! This isrepparttar life. Lazing byrepparttar 105900 pool, tummy bursting fromrepparttar 105901 gourmet fine dining; entrancing cumulus clouds floating overhead. Not lifting a finger nor burning a single calorie for days upon end……naaaah!

Scratch that!

Let’s kick this thing up several notches and check out what else southern California can do for you.

Nope, I don’t wanna see Palm Springs by car, taxi guide, or big air-conditioned bus with groups of people. That ain’t a-happenin’. Let’s see here . . . how to experience this area? Hmm . . .

“We’ll have your mountain bikes delivered to your resort in a few minutes,” announces Evan Trubee, owner ofrepparttar 105902 six-year-old Big Wheel Bike Tours. He is thrilled that I agree that there’s no better way to seerepparttar 105903 world than by hiking and biking.

Two gleaming high performance mountain bikes are waiting as promised, along with a Palm Springs bike map detailing big, wide stone paths and rugged, crafted-by-nature-only trails. BWBike Tours uses Trek 700 Hybrid bikes available in men's and women's sizes onrepparttar 105904 smorgasbord of bike routes to choose.

Nice ride, awesome in-town stuff but it’s time to crank uprepparttar 105905 adrenaline and dorepparttar 105906 real deal! I call Evan and tell him to show me a little bit of everything. “Okay, Box Canyon Express it is!” he exclaims without a moment to waste.

We climb intorepparttar 105907 SUV and Evan’s tour guide, Heidi, who hasrepparttar 105908 accent to matchrepparttar 105909 name. kicks into excitement with full details of her home territory with knowledge and pride. On our drive torepparttar 105910 bike and hike expedition trailhead, I get an insider’s scoop ofrepparttar 105911 location, making this more than just a tour but something dear to heart.

Palm Springs’ original name was Seche; in 1893repparttar 105912 area received twelve days of solid rain and then shriveled up from SEVEN YEARS of drought. You must loverepparttar 105913 land like Heidi to know this kind of info. She provides a dramatic visual story as we proceed through Palm Springs andrepparttar 105914 surrounding areas.

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