Week of December 14-21, 1995 Hotspots in Nowheresville, IA Surfing safari to Costa Rica Rural China by bike and by foot Southern Patagonia for sea kayaking Skiing at Quebec’s Mont Ste. Anne Cycling from Spokane to Missoula Rural China by bike and by…

Week of December 11-17, 1997 Lodges that can hold a big family reunion Safety issues and best travel times for Ecuador Oceanside camping near Florida’s panhandle Rock climbing inside a Midwestern silo Avoiding touristy riff-raff on St. Lucia Rock climbing inside a Midwestern silo…

Best of the Adventure Adviser Week of December 25-31, 1997 Adventurous trips around Scandinavia Top picks in Vermont, New Hampshire Heading south of the border in winter Learning to sail in the Caribbean January getaways around the globe Adventurous trips around Scandinavia…

I thought I saw during the Tour de France that Lance Armstrong was wearing the latest Oakley glasses with an MP3 player built into them. I right, and did Lance actually wear them during the race? Susan New York City

I've read your praise for the Yashica T4 point-and-shoot camera and was attempting to locate a refurbished unit on the web, when, lo and behold, up pops the new Yashica T4 Zoom with a Carl Zeiss Lens (28mm to 70mm). In the wilderness, I've always managed to catch more pictures than fish, and would appreciate your thoughts on a lightweight point-and-shoot for my arduous outdoor adventures. Scott Maple Valley, Washington

This exotic archipelago used to be the sole domain of Darwin fanatics. Not anymore.

What are the best boots for snowshoeing? I've tried winter boots and cross-country ski boots, but none of these fit well enough in my snowshoes. Jean San Francisco, California

Week of May 1-7, 1997 Family hiking, fishing vacations Nice, secluded canoe camping Mount Cook climbing preparations Scenic cross-country road trip Bowl skiing in Western Canada Nice, secluded canoe camping Question: Where in the general area of West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania is…

He's the savior of fromage, the scourge of McDonald's, the protector of organic goodness against the specter of mad cows and bioengineered crops. Busted in France, evicted from Brazil, this pipe-smoking, draft-dodging, ewe-raising farmer is a bona fide environmental star. And now he's going to jail for it. Florence Williams on the trials of José Bové.

Elephant Head at sunset on the 2010 AZTR. Tomorrow, I set out to settle a two-year-old score. At 9 a.m. on Friday, I begin my third attempt at the AZT300, a self-supported endurance mountain biking race in southern Arizona. The small-scale, unsanctioned event crawls through rugged, rocky, cactus-spiked…