Adventure Online TV: This site allows members to post videos of their adventures and including sailing, skydiving, climbing, kayaking, surfing and more. Share your adventures or enjoy watching others.

Adventure Week on Universal Sports channel:  Cliff diving, extreme rock climbing, kayaking (from Alaska to Seattle), cycling, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and an adventure race through Montana are just a few programs that will showing the week of October 10. If you don’t get Universal Sports channel, check out their website for info and videos.

National Geographic Channel: Check out the website for upcoming show listings and videos of past shows. Also check out Nat Geo Adventure.

Passport to Adventure: This PBS travel channel says its mission is provide “inspiring television that ignites a passion for travel & discovery!” Their website also has a travel blog, video clips, and recommended travel books.

West Coast Adventures: Need a British Columbia fix? This is the place for you. Whether you’re planning a trip there, dreaming of one, or just want to watch others enjoying BC, this site offers a tons of videos and info.

One of my favorite summer time adventures is caving. Escape the summer heat by going underground and enjoying the cool temperatures while exploring a new world. One of my favorite caves to escape the heat is Tumbling Rock!

Tumbling Rock Cave, located in Alabama, offers a great weekend adventure for experienced and beginner cavers. The huge rooms and unique formations are a treat for all you venture underground to explore this hidden treasure. The cave is open weekends and maps are available at a small office outside the cave. This is not a tourist cave. You must have your own equipment and should be experienced in caving to go with someone who is. That said, this a great first time cave. Most of the cave you can walk through comfortably, with some spots to scramble over breakdowns and some low ceilings. You can make it to the King’s shower, a MUST see, without low crawling or going through tight squeeze areas.

Along the way, you will come across expansive rooms with breathtaking formations.

When you reach the King’s Shower, you will find a small opening in the ceiling with water pouring through. You might think, like I did, “is this it?”

But don’t stop there. Follow the water up through the opening. This is your reward:

This picture was taken with high powered lights. In the cave, you will see the dome room and water falling from the ceiling, but unless you have a high powered head lamp or light with you, you won’t be able to see it this clearly. Nonetheless, you will find it amazing!

Remember caving etiquette while in the cave. Even though this cave is fairly easy to negotiate, caves can be confusing to find your way out of. Bring the map and remember to look behind you while you go through the cave. Above all, respect the cave, leave no trace, and have fun! This ranks as one of my favorite caves ever!

Check out more info.

Machu Picchu, nestled in the Andes in Peru, was built by the Incans in the 15th century as either a holy place or a royal retreat. It was rediscovered by American explorer HIram Bingham on July 24, 1911.

A mere 97 years later, I reached the gates of Machu Picchu.

It is much different today than the day Hiram discovered it. Nowadays, buses tote tourists from Aquas Calientes down the mountain from Machu Picchu. Walking it would take an hour.

The trek I took, by foot from KM 82 on the Inca Trail, was a four-day journey. While you can take a train from Cusco to Aquas Calientes and then a bus to Machu Picchu, I recommend booking in advance and taking the four-day trek.

Reaching Machu Picchu by foot after four days of hiking, including conquering Dead Woman’s Pass, creates a rich and fulfilling, even spiritual, experience. You will walk past and through many small villages and other Incan ruins along the way.

You bond with your hiking group and the porters that carry your heavy packs, make your meals, and so much more.

And maybe most of all, you will spend four days in the Andes, witnessing spectacular views first hand.

Be sure to book early. Tickets for the Inca Trail are limited and sell out quickly! Check out a panoramic view of Machu Picchu!

Sometimes when I tell folks my wife and I are going “geocaching,” I get a blank stare in return or they say, “geo-huh?”

My wife has a t-shirt which describes it best – “I use multi-billion dollar military technology to look for tupperware hidden in the woods.” Essentially that’s it. A “cacher” will hide a container (hopefully watertight) and then post the GPS coordinates on the geocaching web site. Usually a theme or a story goes along with the cache and many are placed in beautiful or interesting places you may not otherwise visit. Once published, other cachers proceed to look for it, posting their “finds” online.

The only tools you need are a handheld GPS device, which can locate caches based on latitude and longitude, maybe some hiking boots and bug spray depending on when and where you “hunt.”

Caches are rated on difficulty and terrain using a scale of 1 to 5. Generally, 1 ratings are handicap accessible and 5 ratings require some extraordinary means or effort to reach. We have had to canoe after some, solve puzzles to get coordinates, etc.

If you want to rack up numbers, there are “park and grabs” in just about every town, from 35 mm film canisters in the base of lamp posts to small metal tubes hanging in trees in city parks. If you are more adventuresome, you can hike over a mile to get to one ammo can or lock-n-lock box (these are our favorites). We have cached from the coast to the mountains and many places along the way.

The containers range in size from a micro, which is just a little larger than the eraser on the end of a pencil to an ammo can the size of a suitcase. (There may even be larger ones, but that’s the biggest we’ve found.)

Our favorite so far was one called “Bradley’s Rock Collection.” It was placed by a stream in the Bent Creek Recreational Area of the Pisgah National Forest in the mountains of North Carolina where we camped, hiked and hunted for caches last summer. The container was full of various rocks, minerals and fossils – each with a description.

Kids love the hobby because it is a real life treasure hunt. You want to keep the locations “secret” so they remain hidden and the kids get to be “sneaky” along the way. Geocaching is a great way to have fun, get out there and enjoy the adventure along the way.

Bob is a bi-vocational pastor serving New Hope Baptist Church, Beulaville, NC. He also is the coordinator for the NC Justice Academy’s Management Development Program. Among the topics he teaches are leadership, critical incident management and communication.  He and his wife, Eileen, have been married for over 27 years. They enjoy camping, hiking, canoeing, geocaching, running and other outdoor activities where they are able to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. They have one son, Jared, who is a rising senior at Campbell University. Check out his blog. 

1. Order from Moosejaw and get two day shipping free. Or buy a gift card with a little extra boost.

Free 2-day Shipping on orders over $99 with code 823
Free $21 promotion e-Gift card with the purchase of the $100 e-gift card through Mother’s Day with code 314.


2. Shop REI now. REI is celebrating its anniversary, touting its biggest sale of the year. Check out the deals online or visit a store. But hurry! Their sale ends May 10. REI Online
3. Rock Climbing Gym Membership. Is your mom an avid climber? Is she looking to try a new sport? Many rock climbing gyms offer deals on summer memberships. Check out your local rock climbing gym. Live in Atlanta-metro area? Ask Escalade about their summer membership.
4. Weekend getaway. Plan your mom’s favorite getaway this Mother’s Day weekend. Surprise her by taking care of all the planning and packing, so all mom has to do is relax and enjoy.
5. Plan a big adventure. Each year my dad and I have a father-daughter big adventure. We’ve been hang gliding and skydiving. Start a tradition with you mom for a annual Mom’s Day adventure.

1. Biking the Continental Divide Trail: Multistate
2. Kayaking Lake Yellowstone: Wyoming
3. Rowing Down the Grand Canyon: Arizona
4. Climbing Mount Rainier: Washington
5. Canoeing the Adirondacks: New York
6. Exploring ANWR: Alaska
7. Biking RAGBRAI: Iowa
8. Surfing the Lost Coast: California
9. Hiking the Sierra High Route: California 10. Wreck Diving Lake Superior: Minnesota
For more info on each adventure, read the entire article on the Top 50 Best American Adventures.

1. Rocktown: Located at the top of Pigeon Mountain on the border of Georgia and Tennessee, this is a playground for kids and adults alike. Whether a serious rock climber or just like playin’ around, Rocktown is a great place to spend a day or weekend adventure. Read more about Rocktown. Cost: free!
2. Skydive the Farm: In Rockmart, Georgia, there isn’t much going on … except for your run of the mill jumping out of an airplane! Choose tandem or the Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) program. Both offer a huge thrill and an unforgettable experience. The jump masters at The Farm are professional, personable, and a hoot! You’ll have a blast! My fav jump master is Edvaldo, the Brazilian. Cost: Tandem $159 on special and AFF $269. If you have a group of friends interested in jumping, ask about their group discounts. You can even camp out at the farm.
3. Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding: Head to Lookout Mountain and get a great view from the air. Take hang gliding lessons and start the day on the baby slope (if you are physically active and can tote a glider on your shoulders) or just hang on for the ride and do the tandem flight. If you’ve never hang glided, it is a serene and peaceful experience (the tandem flight, that is). The Introductory Experience is much more labor intensive but an awesome time. Flying on your own, even only a foot off the ground, is an exilerating experience! Camping is also available near this area. If you’d rather, plenty of cabins are available for rent in the nearby town. Cost: Introductory Experience $199 (which includes the tandem) and tandem only $149. Also ask about group rates. Read more about hang gliding at Lookout Mountain.
4. Petty John’s Cave: Great cave for new or non-cavers, this cave is located on Pigeon Mountain. In fact, if you’ve been to Rocktown, you will pass by the sign for Petty John’s. Be sure you know SOMETHING about caving before heading here and at the very least bring three sources of light, food, and water. This cave goes about 6 miles in, so there is a potential to get lost in the cave. And if you enjoy yourself, consider doing more caving. The Dogwood City Grotto is a local cavers organization that hosts trips each month. Cost: free.
5. Tallulah Gorge: Take a hike, literally! Head to north Georgia and hike the Hurricane Falls staircase trail to the bottom of the gorge. It’s a strenuous hike so be sure you are up for it. Obtain a permit (free) before hiking to the bottom of the gorge. Rock climbing and repelling are also allowed, with a permit. Leave the pups at home for this hike. Pets are not allowed down to the gorge (but are permitted on the rim trails). Cost: $4 for parking. Camping, biking and fishing are also available. Also check out the suspension bridge (check out the monthly full moon hikes over the bridge).
6. “Little Grand Canyon”: Providence Canyon, known as the “Little Grand Canyon,” is located near Lumpkin, Georgia. The views are spectacular and although the name implies small, it is not (it is little compared to the Grand Canyon). Take a hike on the trails or reserve a backcountry backpacking site. Either way, be sure to bring your camera! Cost: $3 for parking and $6 for backcountry camping sites.
7. Brasstown Bald: At 4, 784 feet above sea level, this is the highest peak in Georgia. From the top, you can see four states. To make this an adventure, don’t drive to the top, hike it. Better yet, plan a backpacking trip to include Jack’s Knob. Cost: $3 if you drive to the parking lot and free if you take a longer hike to get there.
8. Sea Kayaking: Head to Tybee Island area and take a trip on the water. For a laid back adventure, choose the Salt Marsh Paddle. For more excitement, surf the Triangle and choose the rough water kayaking package. Cost: $55 for Salt Marsh Paddle (half day) and rough water kayaking starts at $135.
9. Raft the Chattooga: Sections III and IV of this river offer adventurous white water rafting. Rapids are rated from class IIs to IVs. Section IV is more intense and requires experienced guides. Check out overnight trips. This is a great way to cool off and get adventurous on those hot Georgia summer days. Cost: Varies during season and outfitter but ranges from $80 to $130 for day trips.
10. Wilderness Canoeing: Head south to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for canoeing and camping. Paddle through the “Land of the Trembling Earth” and witness the alligators and herrings firsthand. The swampland touts 120 miles of canoe trails with seven designated camping areas along the trail. Cost: To camp along trail is $10 a night.

While these adventures made my top 10 list, many came in close. Georgia is full of adventure, if you take the time to look for it. Have recommendations for other top 10 adventures in Georgia? Leave a comment and let me know!

Repelling into Horse Skull Cave

Last weekend I spent the day with the Dogwood City Grotto on my first (of more to come, I hope) vertical caving trip! It was a blast, and a great workout. We met at a Wal-Mart parking lot in Tennessee before carpooling to our first cave of the day, Waterworks. Appropriately named, this cave was located next to a waterfall. In fact, some of the water from the falls ran into the first pit of the cave (a nice warm-up 15-foot pit).  

First pit at Waterworks Cave

Our group of seven quickly repelled into the cave, all getting slightly wet from the incoming water. We followed the serpentine narrow pathway to the next pit. This one was a 45-foot drop into a large open room. Though I had been through vertical training, and easily repelled the first pit, I was a little nervous stepping off the 45-foot drop. But I overcame my slight fear and slowly made my way down the pit. From here, we dropped our vertical gear and explored two separate horizontal passageways, one leading to a mini cave waterfall. We then climbed out of the two pits (much more work than repelling down them!).

After a quick bite to eat, we headed for the next caves. Horse Skull Cave came next. A nice 30-foot pit into this cave. The cave had writings on the wall, some new with spray paint, others older and carved into the cave or written in carbon. (Some dated back to the 1800s and relayed names of Civil War infantry units.) One large boulder touted Cody’s Party Cave in white spray paint. This cave spurred an interesting discussion about graffiti in caves. While we hated to see the spray paint, it was interesting to see the older writings. Could the spray painted graffiti of today one day be an interesting part of history to future cavers? And were these spray-painting party “cavers” causing real damage to the cave? No real answers were completely agreed on, nor solutions rendered, but it was an interesting conversation.

Climbing out of Horse Skull Cave

After the laboreous climb out of Horse Skull Cave– the rocks jutted out a bit making the climb more challenging– we headed uphill to High Hole Cave. This cave was really a hole in the ground. The 45-foot pit lead down a fairly small drop. While there was some exploring possible in this cave, I decided to rest up for the climb out and opted out of the horizontal exploration. After this climb, my arms and legs were sore, and I was done. I rested while a couple of experienced cavers took on Jack’s Hole. This cave had a 50-something foot pit and since the rope wasn’t long enough to reach the bottom, required a change over. Maybe next time.

And that was the end of my vertical caving trip. We saw some great caves and I had an awesome time repelling and climbing. My muscles sore and my boots filled with cave mud, I headed home. If you ever have the chance to go vertical caving, do it! I definitely advise going to a training class beforehand, and try borrowing gear before you make the investment for yourself. Thanks to the Dogwood City Grotto for the training and great experience. And a special thanks to Andy for leading the trip!