Adventure and Travel Quickies! (3/1/2019)

I’m trying something new on The Adventure Blog, possibly launching a new weekly post as a result. Each week I’m inundated with emails, press releases, and interesting news stories that I simply don’t have enough time and room on the site to share. Nevertheless, many of these items are of potential interest to readers, including announcements for upcoming events, adventure travel deals, outdoor industry news, and much more. So, I thought I’d create a round-up of some of those stories and share them in a single Friday post. These items will be brief, to the point, and offer links to find out more. Hopefully you’ll find this post useful and interesting.

Eagle Creek Quit Your Job Auditions in Los Angles: A few weeks back I shared Eagle Creek’s new contest in which they’re giving away a trip to anywhere in the world through its “Quit Your Job” campaign. To be eligible, you have to show up at one of the locations where the company is holding auditions and give a five minute on camera interview about your top bucket list location. Winners will win a trip from G Adventures to pretty much anywhere on the planet. Now, the first auditions are set to take place in L.A. on March 23. If you’re in the area, get ready to join in.
G Adventures Introduces New Active Tours: Speaking of G Adventures, the hugely-popular adventure travel company is launching some new active trips for 2019. In fact, there are nine new trips to choose from, with great options that include multisport tours to Columbia, an active safari in Tanzania, and a 15-day trek in Nepal.
U.S. Bans Lithium Ion Batteries in Checked Bags: A big announcement for travelers to be aware of this week is that the U.S. Department of Transportation has banned travelers from storing lithium ion batteries in their checked bags on airlines. This move is meant to avoid the potential explosion or combustion of those batteries wile in transit, which could do damage to the aircraft. Keep this in mind when traveling in the future, as you’ll now have to take all of you camera or drone batteries, along with battery packs, with you in your carry-on bags.
Best Hike has the Lowdown on the Huemul Circuit in Argentina: If you’re looking for good intel on a WIDE variety of hikes from all over the world, it’s hard to top BestHike.com. This past week, site editor Rick McCharles posted a fantastic guide to the Huemul Circuit in Argentina, providing readers with everything they need to know for tackling this 35 mile (57 km) four-day trek.
REI Invests in Cycling for 2019: Gear retailer REI has announced that it is expanding its cycling business this year by bringing in more bikes from Cannondale and bike accessories from Bontrager. The company is also adding its first full-suspension mountain bike model to its own Co-Op brand too.
REI Acquires Arizona Outback Adventures: REI made news in the travel space this week too, by announcing the acquisition of Arizona Outback Adventures. The two companies have worked together for quite some time on some of REI Adventure’s itineraries. Now, they’ll fall under the same umbrella moving forward.
AdventureSmith Announces Antarctic Cruise Options: Small-ship and expedition cruise specialist AdventureSmith has noticed an uptick in interest in visiting the Antarctic following Colin O’Brady’s recent ski crossing of the continent. As a result, it now offers multiple itineraries ranging from 8 to 35 days. Prices range from $7000 to $48,800 depending on the length of the journey.
Tentsile Universe is the Tent for Land, Sea, and Air: Looking for a super versatile tent that you can use just about literally everywhere? Tentsile has you covered with the new Universe, which not only sets up on the ground in traditional fashion, but it can also hang from trees like a hammock and float on water too. The company says that it is a four-season shelter that can comfortably sleep five adults. Price? $1800, although for a limited time when you purchase a Universe you get a UNA Tree Tent –– a $250 value –– for free.

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Kraig Becker

Kraig is an outdoor and adventure travel writer based in Nashville, TN. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to numerous online and print outlets, including Popular Mechanics, Gear Junkie, Outside Online, National Geographic, Digital Trends, Business Insider, TripSavvy, about.com, and of course The Adventure Blog.