Page 63 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

231
US230-231_spo_cappodocia.indd
230-231_spo_cappodocia.indd
SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES
MAIN IMAGE Mountain biker on a daring downhill run near Ürgüp,
Cappadocia BELOW (left to right) Distinctive-looking fairy chimneys;
interior of the Byzantine St Anna’s Church at Göreme Open-Air Museum
4 MORE MOUNTAINBIKING
ROUTES TO RIVAL SLICKROCK
TRAIL 401, COLORADO, USA Colorado’s best mountain-biking
trail is 14 miles (23 km) long and boasts breathtaking views of
the two-peaked mountain known as the Maroon Bells, as well
as stands of flickering aspens and meadows full of wild flowers.
APOLOBAMBA ROAD, LA PAZ DEPARTMENT, BOLIVIA
Check your brake pads before you begin this hair-raising descent
on what has been called “the world’s most dangerous road.”
Here, sheer drop-offs, towering mountains, and misty waterfalls
make for an exhilarating and intense 5-hour downhill run.
FREEDOM TRAIL, SOUTH AFRICA Set your sights on this
1,450-mile (2,300-km) route from Durban to Cape Town and
expect weeks on end of dirt roads and bike trails that traverse
wilderness areas, national parks, and nature preserves.
SKYLINE TRAIL, SWANSEA, UK With over 6,600 ft (2,000 m)
of roller-coaster ascents and drops, this 29-mile (46-km) loop
delivers stunning views. Not for the unfit or faint of heart.
231 15/4/09 10:25:32
231
16/4/09 11:27:51