2009/11/21 / LIFT Magazine - 5 new articles
Glamorous Ghost Town Attracts Adventurous Clientele
 For all you City Slickers looking to get away from it all, never underestimate the restorative powers of shouting Yeehaw! while galloping off into the sunset.
So, you ask ... what's the quickest way to get in touch with your inner cowboy? It's a little frontier-style rejuvenation at Dunton Hot Springs, a fully restored ghost town in the heart of the Colorado Rockies. Think hand-hewn log cabins (and tepees) surrounding gurgling mineral ponds, an old-time saloon serving locally grown organic cuisine, lung torturing trails followed by a pampering massage.
If adventure is what you’re after (and hopefully you are), Dunton can steer you to horseback riding, heli-skiing, mountain biking, snow shoeing, hiking, camping, fly fishing, river rafting, kayaking, and more. Or maybe soaking for hours in their natural hot springs under an edgeless sky is more your speed.
No matter what your proclivity, Dunton looks like the kind of place you’ll go home raving about — in fact, after discovering this little gem, I am more than apt to make my way there ... and after my travels, if I'm in a sharing mood, when I return, I can book the whole town for forty-two of my closest friends.
On top of the world: Adventure for the rich
 Heli-hiking, if you hadn’t heard, is hiking by helicopter.
No, adventure helicopters don't just run in the winter. Of course, there's nothing like the gorgeous untracked fields of fresh powder, but take away skiing and tack on any manner of outdoorsy activity when the snows melt: heli-hiking, heli-fishing, heli-paddling. It's the hottest way to flee the fanny-pack-wearing crowd and find wilderness all to yourself without the pesky effort of trekking in a week's worth of food and shelter. Rise early, eat, fly your way to seclusion, hike, eat, hike some more, fly back to your lodge in time for a massage, an outdoor hot tub soak or a sauna, a chapter or two with a good book, a well-earned, beautifully prepared dinner, and some story-swapping by the fireplace ... oh, and cocktails on the terrace!
My thought: Any sport proceeded by a helicopter ride seems to be yet another offshoot of the whole glamping world, where you pay large sums of money to have a manufactured and controlled outdoor experience. Basically ... it sounds perfect! I've done the whole camping in a soggy tent, sleeping on the floor, wearing black fly headnets, eating beans and hotdogs thing. I'm over it (well, not entirely.)
The downside: Unlike Heli-skiing, which requires athleticism, some serious skiing skills, a touch of fearlessness and deep pockets, Heli-hiking requires only the deep pockets. You or your five year old (yes, families do this) don't have to even break a sweat - which means - that this sport probably attracts a few people you don't want to be in a helicopter with, let alone out in the woods with.
Pardon My French, But Your Plate Is Too Big (And So Is Your Ass)
 Americans. So unrefined, so unsophisticated, so fat. We have this thing called -- how do you say? -- over indulgence? You know, from McDonald's to homemade dinners -- healthy or not, we just love to super-size. But not the French. Their favorite foods include cheese, pastries, wine, and other fattening fare but, despite that, only 7 percent of French adults are obese -- one-third the obesity rate here in the United States.
How did the French get so damn lucky? It's not enough that they have the sexiest accents or live in the most romantic cities. No, they also get to enjoy some of the richest (and unprocessed) cuisine on earth and then they wash it down with champagne.
According to a new American-French study, researchers have discovered the simple reason that our French friends are so thin. They eat smaller portions! Researchers compared the size of restaurant meals and other kinds of food in Paris and Philadelphia. They found that the average portion in Paris weighed 277 grams while the average portion in Philadelphia was 25 percent more -- 346 grams.
The study also found some startling differences in specific kinds of restaurants. In U.S. Chinese restaurants, diners received up to 72 percent more food than they would received at a Chinese restaurant in France.
An American chocolate bar was 41 percent larger than a French chocolate bar. A U.S. soft drink was 50 percent larger, and a hot dog was 63 percent bigger. American yogurt was a whopping 82 percent larger than yogurt in Paris.
Overall, Americans are eating larger portions and more low-quality (processed) foods -- so if you really want to say au revoir to your big derriere (especially before the summer); take a lesson from the French and eat smaller portions!
Freeline Skates: Who doesn't want a slick set of wheels
 Sure, the ubiquitous skateboard is fun.
But really, how cool can you look rolling along the sidewalk? Especially when it’s right next to the twenty other guys doing the, well, exact same thing? People, we don’t know how else to phrase it: Get yourself a different skateboard.
Try Freeline.
Freeline Skates are effectively two independent skates connected by the body. Yes, the body. So basically, if you are not coordinated... do not try this at home! However, if you can learn how to skate on these you will definitely kick some skateboard ass.
If nothing else... Enjoy the ride!
Basic Training: It's time for Boot Camp!
 New Year’s came and went. Lent is over. Memorial Day is right around the corner. You’ve talked a good game. But you’ve run out of time (and excuses).
With spring break out of the way and summer right around the corner, well, 'er, it’s officially swimsuit season. And you have yet to break a sweat (or get rid of your winter bulge). It's time to get yourself into high gear with some basic training at an outdoor (or even indoor) boot camp class before it's too late.
You say working out is boring? Yeah, well, bulging out of your bathing-suit is well, down right miserable!
Lucky for you: Military-style workouts are still on the rise. Turns out many of us like being yelled at while we sweat. The basic boot-camp workout includes a warm-up, cardio work (jogging, sprinting, relays, etc), and strength training (push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, etc). Many are outside and most are led by stringent, stern instructors who likes to motivate through yelling. Don’t see the appeal?
Here’s why people like boot camps: They’re efficient, they’re a good deal (it’s like a having a personal trainer for a group discount), and if nothing else... they get us out of the gym!
Several boot camp classes are popping up all over the country. Sweat it out with one of my top picks in your area:
Back Yard Bootcamp in CA (Encino Area)
NO BS NYC Bootcamps in NYC
Bulldog Bootcamp in Chicago
BCSF in San Fransisco
Jay's Boot Camp in Texas
Bootcamp Fitness in Kansas City
Platoon Fitness in PA.
Feeling adventurous? Try the Bikini Boot Camp in Tulum, Mexico (more to come on this fabulous getaway).
You will build camaraderie (having a common enemy always spawns friendships)and often classes are made to order; brides, men, women, marathoners, and several other subsets can find their own workouts.
What are you waiting for? Try it out and see if a class suits you. If at the end you can still feel your legs, you'll be in great shape!
I didn't say it was going to be easy.
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