Adventure Quickies: Red Bull Rampage Replay, Megadroughts, Trail Closures, and More

Despite the fact that the pandemic has us all in quarantine and generally staying close to home, there is still a steady stream of adventure and outdoor related news and stories to share. In fact, each week I tend to have more things to cover than I have time and space, which his why I created this weekly “Adventure Quickies” round-up to share some links to stories you may have missed. Here are a few from this past week that may have flown under the radar.

Red Bull to Replay 2019 Rampage with Rider Commentary: Heads up! If you’re looking for a fun diversion to keep you busy today, I’ve got a suggestion. Starting at 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PT, Red Bull is replaying the entire 2019 Rampage mountain biking event. Why would you want to watch this crazy and amazing competition again? Well for starters, they’re bringing in some top riders to provide expert commentary. Those riders include Carson Storch, Darren Berrecloth, and Tyler McCall, with Carson and Tyler actually offering isights into their own Rampage runs. It’s going to be a lot of fun and besides, what else do you have to do? Join the online watch part here or here.
American West Faces Worst ‘Megadrought’ in 1200 Years: Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t possibly get any worse, this week we received word that the American West is facing its worst drought in more than 1200 years. According to researchers, who have used ancient tree ring data, climate models, and predictive technology, the next great drought his likely already underway and it could have dire consequences for millions of people.
Forest Service Closes Trails in Washington and Oregon: Despite having lockdowns and quarantines due to the coronavirus, one saving grace has been that we can still go outside and take a hike or go on a trail run. That isn’t the case for everyone however, as the U.S. Forest Service has actually shutdown all of its trails in Oregon and Washington state. Backpacker explains why.
Specialized Provides Bikes for Essential Workers: We’ve tried to spotlight the numbers outdoor and fitness-related companies that have been doing their part to help out during the COVID-19 infection, but the list continues to grow and all are worthy of a mention. But, we wanted to especially shine a spotlight on Specialized bikes, which is providing bikes to essential workers who may be in need of transportation. You can nominate someone you think is in need here.
Backpacker Tells Hikers to Stay Home: Speaking of Backpacker magazine, the periodical that is dedicated to getting us outside and on the trail took the unprecedented step to tell readers to stay at home. The reason? Trails are actually getting overcrowded during the pandemic.
Sunny Skies Threaten Greenland Ice Sheets: As if there wasn’t enough of a threat to Greenland’s rapidly melting ice sheets and unusual environments, it now faces another. What’s the next climatic phenomenon to create havoc? As it turns out, it’s sunny skies.
Runner Completes 5250 Laps in Living Room to Finish Indoor Marathon: Finally, we have news about a runner named Peter Cooper. Living in Hong Kong, and under lockdown due to the coronavirus, he had to get creative when it came to staying fit. Recently, he ran 5250 lap around his living room to complete a full 26.2-mile marathon in just 4 hours and 39 minutes. That’s not too shabby. I’m sure it was super boring, but at least he got it done.

That’s it for this week. Stay safe and healthy out there.

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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.

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