May 1996
Departments
Dispatches
New hope for the Everglades: Will the White House's election-year ploy make restoration a reality? A plucky British sailor tries to become the first woman to solo the globe "backward." Top American miler Steve Scott, back from a bout with cancer, goes after one of the last great feats in middle-distance running. A bird-world icon faces prison after a dragnet snares his multimillion-dollar smuggling ring. Cliff-jumping and eskimo-rolling with Dan Gavere, unparalleled man-for-all-seasons. Plus: Unheralded Jenny Spangler shocks the field at the Olympic Marathon trials, a month of hard knocks for Yellowstone's wolves, Alberto Tomba finally gets his world championship gold, the U.S. drug czar gets in a lather over Adidas's new hemp shoe, and more.

Out There
Hotshot types from the coasts may call the Midwest "flyover country," but our man knows better--and he's determined to prove it. At full gallop on muleback near Pioneer, Ohio, finding interaction with nature and a peculiar brand of fun.
By Randy Wayne White

Destinations
Exploring the other Greece: For those who desire more than history and sand, five outdoor-oriented, cobalt-encircled isles for hiking, yachting, mountain biking, boardsailing, horseback riding, sea kayaking, and scuba diving. Tips for the do-it-yourself island-hopper. A guide to outfitted Grecian adventures. What you need to know to take in America's best outdoor music festivals. Rustic retreats in Alaska's parks. Plus: Patrolling loggerhead turtle nesting grounds, sporting tours of the Texas outback, and more.

Bodywork Special: Fitness '96
Between the complex regimens of the workout wonks and the too-easy-to-be-true quick fixes served up nearly everywhere else, there's a program you can call your own. A complete, plain-English plan for the masses, from six of the world's finest athletes.
By Marc Jannot

Strength From a total-body base to Olympian explosiveness with beach volleyball legend Karch Kiraly.
Endurance 12 weeks of the aerobic and anaerobic, paced by long-distance in-line skate diva Kelly McCown.
Flexibility The head-to-toe muscle-prepping program of world champion aerial skier Trace Worthington.
Balance Drills to hone the mind-body interface, as taught by World Cup sport-climbing champ Robyn Erbesfield.
Nutrition Top-ranked triathlete Mike Pigg's menu for sporting success.
Rest and Recovery Tips to help you bounce back the right way, from four-time Race Across America champ Seana Hogan.

Review
The best-for-your-money mountain-bike price point: Thanks to the miracle of trickle-down technology, $800 can now get you a steed with most of the pluses of its costlier siblings. Seven of the best from Jamis, Specialized, Diamondback, Fisher, GT, Softride, and Trek.

Between the Lines

Letters

Features
I Hear America Slogging
To the more than 1,500 hardy pilgrims who are drawn to it each year, the Appalachian Trail is the Mother Road of consciousness-raising, an ennobling, undulating embodiment of the American Dream. Greetings from atop the spine of the nation, where urban refugees and Thoreau disciples have joined for a 2,200-mile jaunt to glory. Plus: A guide to setting out on your own.
By Brad Wetzler

The Outside Canon
A thoroughly provocative look at the best outdoor books of all time, featuring top titles on sports, travel, the environment, and literature. Plus: Ten books that changed the world, opening passages that won our hearts, the planet's greatest bookstores, the most overrated tomes, and the Hall of Shame.
By Miles Harvey and the Editors

Africa: Untamed, Uncensored, and on Celluloid
From their idyllic tent camp in Botswana, Dereck and Beverly Joubert have become the world's finest wildlife filmmakers, primarily by capturing scenes of nature at its most violent. But are they conservationists heightening awareness of the savanna's great beasts, or purveyors of escapism who profit from our taste for blood?
By Richard B. Woodward

He's Bad. He's Windy.
He's a Tourist with an Attitude
Over the hills and through the minefields with Robert Young Pelton, the unabashedly macho and--as far as we can tell--somewhat sane author of a tour guide titled The World's Most Dangerous Places.
By Jack Hitt