When you have a three-year-old, family bonding can get a little silly. On February 3, CrossFit Games athlete Emily Loogman experienced this first-hand during a relay race with her daughter Payton.
An adorable video posted on Loogman’s Instagram and TikTok shows Payton screeching and making a run for it as her mom approaches to hand off the baton. As Loogman wrote in an Instagram post after the event, the two are “gonna have to work on that baton hand off.” Even so, Loogman commented, “I think it’s safe to say she’s gonna be faster than I ever was.”
The relay race was part of a Point Loma Nazarene University alumni track meet in San Diego, California. Loogman, formerly part of the university’s track and field team, attended the meet with her daughter and husband. Watch the adorable scene unfold in the video below.
Hit up the Texas Panhandle for one of the state’s coolest running trails. Located in the small Texas town of Canyon, Palo Duro Canyon State Park appeals to outdoorsy adventurers who value the iconic “rugged beauty” of rocky canyons. Known by some as the “Grand Canyon of Texas,” Palo Duro Canyon is perfect for everything from geocaching and hiking to mountain biking and trail running.
Speaking of trail running, every sporty visitor who explores this stunning landscape should know about the park’s best running trail. Also one of the best hiking trails in Texas, Lighthouse Trail offers runners a rewarding challenge. Here’s what you should know and what you can see when running the Lighthouse Trail.
Rev up the RV, pack your camper, and get ready for fun. Whether you’re a van lifer or a part-time RV adventurer, a camping trip is the perfect way to unwind and explore the beautiful world around you. While there are tons of top-notch campgrounds in the United States, people traveling in an RV or camper will need to find campsites that cater to them. Hunting down the right spot isn’t always easy. Lucky for you, it’s about to get much simpler.
Make your next RV camping trip a breeze with these travel resources and guides. Uncover incredible campgrounds, learn all about boondocking, find ways to bring your pets along for the ride, and so much more.
How to find awesome campgrounds
If you need campground suggestions, you’ve come to the right place. This list of stunning spots for an RV camping trip will have you itching to hit the road. Plus, you can find the best national parks for RV campers here.
Looking for details on unique campsites? Check out this feature on the inviting world of Spacious Skies Campgrounds. For an extra sporty RV camping excursion, you’ll also want to check out the options available at SkyPark at Santa’s Village. This mountain biking park will treat RV campers to some marvelous views. If you’re searching for a wilder camping experience, you can also find RV campsites within the stunning Stanislaus National Forest.
Learn all about boondocking
See if boondocking is right for you (and learn exactly what boondocking is) with this guide. As this resource explains, “For the van life and RV communities, boondocking means camping in an area without hookups. This kind of camping is also described as off-grid or dry camping, as the campers don’t use and/or have access to public utilities like water or electricity.”
If this kind of RV adventure sounds like something you would enjoy, you can learn more about boondocking on public land with the Bureau of Land Management’s tips for dispersed camping.
Make RVing with your pets stress-free
There’s no need to keep your furry friends at home while you go camping. Discover practical ways to bring your dog or cat along for the ride with this guide to RVing and traveling with pets.
Other RV camping tips and resources
Hungry for even more RV camping resources? We’ve got you covered. For a stress-free trip, check out these five tools that make trip planning easy.
Glacier National Park’s Avalanche Lake Trail is one of the best hikes in Montana. Some hikers may even consider it the best hike in America. Join us on a trek through the woods to see what makes Avalanche Lake so special.
Two key factors help determine a trail’s popularity: accessibility and scenery. Spectacular views draw people to a trail, and accessibility ensures that those visitors can actually enjoy exploring the trail. While few trails are accessible to all people, the Avalanche Lake hike’s moderate difficulty makes it manageable for a wide audience of hikers. Plus, the Trail of the Cedars section of the hike is accessible using off-road wheelchairs.
Now, let’s dive into the scenery you can look forward to during your Avalanche Lake hike. If you’re looking for crystal clear waters and breathtaking natural landscapes, you’re in luck. Here are seven photos showing off the best of Glacier National Park’s Avalanche Lake hike.
Have fun while you run. While typical marathons and 5Ks offer enough excitement for most competitive runners, more eccentric athletes may long for the outside-the-box activities offered by novelty races.
What is a novelty race? As you can probably guess, novelty races are running events that incorporate a new and interesting rule or gimmick. Instead of worrying about winning, runners can simply enjoy participating in a strange and joyful race.
While certain novelty races, like Tough Mudder events, have gained widespread popularity, there are plenty more intriguing running events that you’ve probably never heard about. Dive into the weird world of fun running gimmicks with this list of five strange novelty races.
St. Augustine’s annual 3K Raptor Run is short, flat, family-friendly, and oh-so-Floridian. Each year, entry fees raise money for conservation organizations. This year’s recipient is the nearby Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, which works to save Florida’s raptors. The race starts and finishes at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. This year, the race falls on March 10 and begins at 8 a.m. Runners and walkers are both welcome. The route winds through the flat and attractive residential neighborhood surrounding the alligator farm.
All race participants will receive post-race refreshments, a T-shirt, and a medal. The Raptor Run’s unique medal depicts a fierce alligator/raptor hybrid with big teeth and long talons. What’s better than that? Plus, every adult who stays and buys a ticket for the alligator farm gets a free child’s admission.
Photo courtesy of St. Augustine Alligator Farm
The first Raptor Run in 2020 partnered with the Avian Research Conservation Institute to celebrate swallow-tailed kites. These graceful raptors have white bodies and deeply forked black tails. Other years, race funds have supported conservation of the large, nonvenomous Eastern indigo snake. Native to the southeastern U.S., these thick snakes look glossy black, until sunlight reveals their iridescent purple highlights.
Photo courtesy of St. Augustine Alligator Farm
Stay for the Alligator Farm
After the Raptor Run, stay to visit the alligator farm. While the focus is firmly on crocodilians, you’ll also see African birds like Cape Griffon vultures, hooded vultures, and Marabou storks. Don’t miss the Madagascar lemurs, sloths, and Maximo, a saltwater crocodile that measures more than 15 feet long.
Maximo, up-close! / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Usually, I’m leery of zoos and feel bad about seeing confined animals. But I felt better after talking to Scott Brown, the Crocodile Crossing zip line and ropes course manager. Yes, you can zipline over crocodilians. This also overrode my zoo qualms. Because how often in life do you get that opportunity?
Photo by Teresa Bergen
It was super fun to fly over gator lagoons and be up in the treetops with roseate spoonbills. Of course, building such a course was even more exciting.
Brown described the process of constructing a zip course inside crocodilian enclosures. “You’ve got to be able to go up with a ladder. And you have to build platforms on the trees off the ladders. Then you’re free hanging from the trees with straps and climbing gear.”
Yikes! All under the watchful eyes of dozens of crocs. “It was more curiosity than anything,” Brown said of being watched by all those reptiles.
Photo by Teresa Bergen
Other active things to do in Saint Augustine
If you visit St. Augustine for the Raptor Race, you’ll also find lots of other fun, active outdoor things to do. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Vilano Beach, which is three blocks from a long, pretty beach — perfect for catching the sunrise or going for a run. Tourists love the views from the distinctive black and white striped St. Augustine Lighthouse. Some locals buy annual passes and use the lighthouse’s 219 steps as a running gym.
Try running up these spiral stairs! / Photo by Teresa Bergen
If you want to rest your legs, join a kayaking tour. St. Augustine Eco Tours offers many on-water adventures, including kayaking by the city’s over 400-year-old downtown. Earth Kinship takes you out in the swampy Florida wilderness, where you’ll kayak amongst gators and snakes.
Kayakers paddle by Castillo de San Marcos, a Spanish fort in downtown St. Augustine. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Come for the Raptor Run and stay for a glimpse of some Florida wildlife.
Photo courtesy of St. Augustine Alligator Farm
Disclaimer: While this article was not sponsored, Outdoors Wire did visit Saint Augustine during a press trip withFlorida’s Historic Coast. As always, Outdoors Wire operates independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Washington state’s Mount Rainier National Park draws in visitors from all over the world. The park’s outstanding landscapes and inviting trails make it a treat for outdoorsy adventurers. But did you know it’s also a great place for trail runners looking for a challenge?
One of the region’s most captivating trail running spots is none other than Skyline Trail, aka Skyline Loop. With an elevation gain of roughly 1,700 feet and a round-trip distance of about 5.5 miles, this hiking/running trail welcomes athletic guests who want a strenuous workout. Runners brave enough to tackle this loop trail will be rewarded with some truly life-changing views. Get a sneak peek at those sights with these photos of Mount Rainier’s Skyline Trail.
Zion National Park is one of the most beautiful places in America. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the United States. As of 2022, the park ranked fourth on a list of the country’s most visited national parks.
So, what makes Zion National Park stand out against other beloved destinations, like the Great Smoky Mountains or the Grand Canyon? Well, while the park’s breathtaking sandstone rock formations certainly earn it a lot of love, hikers will tell you that their favorite parts of Zion are the magnificent trails. At spots like Angels Landing, hikers can challenge themselves to tackle a complicated trail and earn mind-blowing views for their efforts. Then, you have trails like the ones that pass through The Narrows of Zion Canyon. These treks present their own challenges and sights that make them irresistible to hikers. Here’s what you should know before visiting The Narrows at Zion National Park.
Outdoor adventuring can take you all over the world. Today, let’s dive into some of the most incredible whitewater rafting excursions you can go on without ever leaving the United States.
What makes a spot perfect for whitewater rafting? If you’re a passionate rafting enthusiast, you’ll probably prioritize places with reliable local outfitters, gorgeous scenery, and exciting rapids that suit your skill level. Lucky for you, there are plenty of places throughout the U.S. that fit the bill. Start planning your next destination rafting trip with this list of six incredible places for whitewater rafting. You can even explore a first-person account of rafting through the Grand Canyon here.
Adulthood comes with a lot of expectations. You have to take care of yourself, maintain relationships, go to work, and keep track of a million other responsibilities. It can get tiring and more than a little boring. When you do have downtime, it can be tempting to laze around the house doing nothing. But if you’re craving a little excitement to shake up the monotony of daily life, you’ll want to get up off the couch and challenge yourself. At mud runs, you can do just that. Here’s what you should know about these wild races, the groups that organize them (like Tough Mudder and Spartan), and how to get involved.
Photo by Greenville Daily Photo
What are mud runs?
As you probably guessed, mud runs are racing events where participants fight their way through a muddy course. Some mud run events up the difficulty level by including obstacles. These obstacles can range from climbing walls and slides to pits and rope ladders. The slick and unpredictable conditions of a mud race often make navigating obstacles extra challenging for runners.
This novel challenge is a huge part of mud running’s appeal. For runners who want to put their skills to the test in a unique way, mud runs provide a combination of fun and struggle that few other events offer. Some mud run events even incorporate an element of teamwork, so you can connect with others while working out.
Photo by General Views
Tough Mudder, Spartan, and other mud running organizations
Nowadays, you can find mud runs hosted by various groups throughout the United States. While these local events can be fun, beginners will probably want to start their mud running journey at a race hosted by an established organization.
As Matthew Solan, executive editor for “Harvard Men’s Health Watch,” explains, “Tough Mudder and Spartan races are the most well-known mud races.” While Spartan races and Tough Mudder events exist as two separate brands, both are owned by Spartan.
Tough Mudder and Spartan races pride themselves on helping runners “live without limits” while testing their “strength, stamina, and mental grit.” So, if both brands offer mud runs, which one should you sign up for? Well, that depends on your priorities. If you’re looking for an experience you can enjoy with a group, you’ll probably prefer Tough Mudder races. In contrast, Spartan Races are great for solo participants. Both groups are known for designing difficult races.
If you want to try something a little easier for your first mud run, seek out races hosted by groups like Your First Mud Run.
