gettin’ a Charge: not for the lazy, Jim turner’s electric bikes are high-performance machines.

Turn Me On

by Philip Armour March 28, 2012

Skeptical about e-bikes? Jim Turner is ready to lead the electric bike revolution with high-performance cycles that make you forget they come with a throttle.

An introduction to the Olympic sport of biathlon

Ski Shoot Repeat

by Philip Armour December 15, 2011

Guns and an elevated heartbeat make the obscure sport of biathlon pump, but can an activity that’s equal parts NRA, Tai Chi and cardio-freak ever catch on with the mainstream?

Old School: John Hunt freeheeling in the '80s. Photo: Courtesy Philip Armour

The Brotherhood of the Yurts

by Philip Armour November 2, 2011

For two backcountry fanatics, an annual pilgrimage to the snow-bound yurt becomes a form of sacred renewal.

The Crown Jewels

by Philip Armour January 7, 2011

After decades of heli-futility, a skier finally strikes paydirt close to home in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains. Complaining that your heli skiing experiences have sucked is sort of like berating the butler for serving lukewarm caviar. But there you have it. I’m a snow pig, a shamelessly addicted skiing slut, who would do just about anything [...]

Heavy Metal

by Philip Armour October 5, 2009

The poisonous element mercury permeates our environment—including our tooth fillings—and, according to Lafayette-based Quicksilver Scientific, it unleashes a head-bangers ball of negative effects on our bodies.  Can removing the quicksilver in your system change your life? We sent a writer to undergo extensive dental work and ingest developmental supplements to find out. To overstate the [...]

From Enlightenment to Alligators

by Philip Armour August 4, 2009

Colorado’s San Luis Valley channels all vibes—14ers, natural hot springs, Tibetan stupas, a top-notch microbrewery, and the occasional UFO sighting. The San Luis Valley is so big (122 miles long and 74 miles wide), high (7,500 feet) and flat (the roads here are laser-straight and seem to disappear into the curvature of the Earth) that [...]