Extreme Adventures

From the high-speed machines to high-endurance challenges, our top 20 extreme adventures will get your pulse racing, wheter you’re a weekend warrior or an adrenaline junkie

By Nick Burry

Wichita, KS BMX RACING

In just 40 years, bicycle motocross racing has gone from a pastime to a medal sport in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Besides strength and agility, BMX racing requires a sense of invincibility. The sport boils down to an exhilarating race around a dirt track studded with big-air jumps and turns.

Volunteers maintain Wichita’s Emery Park BMX track for both newcomers and the next generation of Olympic hopefuls. Novices have no fear; enthusiasts take safety very seriously and races are always grouped by skill level. www.emeryparkbmx.com

FT. LAUDERDALE Kite Surfing

A combo of surfing, paragliding, windsurfing and wakeboarding, kite surfing lifts riders 20 to 40 feet in the air, pulling them across waves at 40 mph. Sound fun? Fort Lauderdale Kite Surfing School can teach novices the basics in four to 10 lessons. www.fortlauderdalekitesurfing.com

ORLANDO Zero Gravity Flight
Test the physics of a parabolic vertical flight path in a specially modified Boeing 727. Zero Gravity Corporation operates weightless flights from the Kennedy Space Center (the flights take off in Las Vegas as well). Pilots can simulate a reduced-gravity environment for about 30 seconds at a time; each 90-minute flight consists of about eight minutes of weightlessness. www.gozerog.com

GINNIE SPRINGS, flFreshwater Cave Diving

The Santa Fe River of North Central Florida (less than two hours from both Orlando and Jacksonville) cuts through a network of underwater caverns and caves. Due to darkness and tight spaces—and the occasional lack of a clear route to the surface—cave diving requires steely nerves. For divers who are up for the challenge, the crystalclear water of Ginnie Springs is ideal for freshwater exploration. www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com

TAMPA Spear Fishing

Anglers looking for an extreme angle should head to Tampa Bay for some of the best spear fishing in the country. There are dozens of operators who offer daylong charters in search of snapper, grouper and hogfish. Reel Trouble spear fishing charters has the special distinction of being as dedicated to coastal and ocean conservation as they are to guiding serious underwater hunts for the avid sportsman. www.reeltrouble.net

FT. MYERS Performance Sailing

Performance sailing is the technique of harnessing every knot from the wind and every ounce of speed from your boat. Since 1964, Offshore Sailing School has taught more than 100,000 people the art of tacking and trimming for high-speed sailing, and the confi- dence to react to sudden emergencies. It offers courses in coastal navigation and live-aboard cruising for those who want to parlay their love of sailing into a life on the sea. www.offshore-sailing.com

NEW YORK Skateboarding School

Now that city-sanctioned skate parks have become next-generation playgrounds, skateboarding has become an accessible extreme sport. Luiz Louie, the school’s founder, passes on his urban skating skills to beginners of all ages, from the basics of proper posture to advanced moves, like how to ollie up a curb and pop shove-its. www.skateboardingschool.com

DENVER Rodeo School

The pros at Larry Lancaster’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Rodeo School (less than an hour from Denver) transform city slickers into dustcovered bull riders. After practicing basic skills such as getting in the chute and proper dismounting techniques, would-be cowboys can opt to get on a live bull and hang on for the longest eight seconds of their lives. www.lancastersrodeo.com

RICHMOND Wilderness Survival School

About two hours west of Richmond, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, anyone can learn how to survive in the wilderness. Beginners will leave the Mountain Shepherd school able to start a fire in the rain using flint and steel, while seasoned outdoor types can learn how to survive for 72 hours on limited rations. www.mountainshepherd.com

SEATTLE International Stunt School

The International Stunt School is neither a getaway nor a fantasy camp. It is, however, a comprehensive training facility for people hoping to become professional stunt performers. With courses that involve 150 hours of training in 20 disciplines, including high falls and car chases, the school can teach you how to channel your addiction to adrenaline into a career. www.stuntschool.com

CHARLOTTE Whitewater Kayaking

Surprisingly, some of the country’s best whitewater is located just 10 minutes from downtown Charlotte. Situated on 300 acres of woodlands, the US National Whitewater Center is a man-made whitewater river facility with customized rapids for all skill levels. Novices can practice paddling fundamentals on flat water, while pros can tackle slalom courses that are intense enough for Olympic team trials. www.usnwc.org

HOUSTON Powered Paragliding

In just a few weeks, the instructors at TX Flysports will have you piloting your own aircraft. Granted, the aircraft consists of a modified glider and large motor strapped to your back, but powered paragliding is actually quite safe—not to mention exhilarating. Cruising at 30 mph, with nothing under you for 500 feet, the sense of limitless horizon and freedom make powered paragliding a great way to fly. www.txflysports.com

ATLANTA Biplane Fight

Nothing compares to the exhilaration of an open cockpit biplane flight. With a fleet of three fully restored classic aircrafts, Biplane Rides Over Atlanta offers sightseeing and aerobatic flights over the Big Peach. In addition to a single-seat open cockpit Boeing PT-17, there’s the “Waco” (an open cockpit twoseater ideal for romantic sunset flights) and the WWII-era AT-6, capable of stomach-dropping, high- G maneuvers that put the scariest roller coasters to shame. www.biplaneridesoveratlanta.com

SAN FRANCISCO Shark Diving

Farallon Islands (a rocky grouping less than 30 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge) is one of the few places where you have a decent chance of spotting a great white. The splashing of sea lions and seals just off the craggy shores of the islands is like a dinner bell to the sharks. From September through November, Great White Adventures offers boat and cage diving trips out to the islands, where you just might find yourself saying, “I think we need a bigger boat.” www.greatwhiteadventures.com

INDIANAPOLIS Auto Racing

There’s no better place than Indianapolis to surrender to your need for speed. The instructors at Track Attack will teach you the fundamentals of accelerating, cornering and passing before strapping you in to an SCAA Spec Racer capable of 120 mph. Drivers can focus on the 5/8-mile speed oval; the half-mile, six-turn simulated road course; or assemble a team of four to compete against other drivers in a racing adventure. www.trackattack.com

PHOENIX Adventure Racing

Similar to a marathon, the main goal of adventure racing is simply to finish the race. Starting with a blank topographical map and a set of coordinates, teams must hike, bike, kayak, navigate and scheme their ways from one checkpoint to the next. Since races can take up to 10 days, tactics and styles range from starting line sprints to slow and steady marches. Regardless of strategy, it’s wise to stock up on the proper gear and supplies at a knowledgeable outdoor retailer. Once provisioned, check out Sierra Adventure Sports in Phoenix for training tips and upcoming race info. www.sierraadventuresports.com

SAN DIEGO Rock Climbing

Surfing and skating may dominate San Diego’s extreme sport image, but the city’s rugged geography and temperate climate make it one of the country’s most popular year-round rock climbing hotspots. Front Range Climbing Company offers training courses in top rope climbing on the cliffs of Mission Gorge and ropes-free bouldering on the huge granite rocks of Mount Woodson. www.frontrangeclimbing.com

LAS VEGAS Off-roading

Bypass the poker tables and head into the hills of the surrounding desert on an ATV or motocross tour. Thrill-seekers can spend a day gunning their engines over rugged terrain in the ATV Hidden Valley Primm tours. Adventurous families will also appreciate the expert guides and special two-seater ATVs. www.americanadventuretours.com

LOS ANGELES Canyoneering

Canyoneering is the process of hiking up a mountain and rappelling down waterfalls to your starting point. Extremethings.com organizes daylong trips into the San Gabriel Mountains, and expert guides (and their wealth of knowledge about knots and anchor-building) definitely come in handy. www.extremethings.com