Heads up – a new issue of Outer Edge has just burst its way into
adventurous mail boxes and outlets all over Australia. Issue 9 of
the ultimate adventure magazine is the Explorer’s edition, and
if you haven’t got your paws on one yet, then you’re missing out
on a whole new world of outer opportunities.
Because if you’re checking out this site, there’s a pretty good chance that you are one of life’s explorers. You might not be about to set off across the Arctic tundra pulling a kayak behind you, but we’re willing to bet that you don’t mind venturing into the wilderness every now and then to see for yourself what’s out there.
The urge to explore is an affliction that we celebrate here at Outer Edge. Actually, the fact that people need to scratch that particular itch is the reason this publication exists in the first place – and we strive to provide all our readers with effective remedies for restlessness in every edition – but this issue in particular is dedicated to exploring in all its forms.
In these pages you’ll meet a wide range of explorers, including Tanya Faux, who recently led a team of whitewater kayakers on a first descent of the two very big, and occasionally very angry, rivers in the wildest reaches of the Kimberley. You can read the full story of this epic expedition in Tanya’s own words exclusively in this issue of Outer Edge.
Charley Boorman – a professional explorer with acting urges – joins us for a chat about his latest adventure, in which he dumps his usual travel partner (some fella called Ewan McGregor) and journeys from Dublin to Sydney via local transport alone. You’ll also meet Alice Buscombe, and hear how a perfectly normal girl can end up cycling from Melbourne to Darwin on a whim.
But not all multiday missions are so hardcore. A guided walk around the Bay of Fires, complete with a glass of pinot at the end of each day’s hike, is a fine way to explore a fantastic corner of Tasmania – as David Hung explains – and joining an organised nine-day jaunt around Victoria’s can be an extremely social cycling adventure, accessible to everyone.
We also take you exploring in the Stirling Ranges in WA, examine some alternative ways to enjoy the snow season down south, cast the boat out to look for bass on NSW’s best rivers, and encourage you to look at your city surroundings with a different eye in our guide to urban bouldering (otherwise known as buildering).
And before you can get your breath back from all that, we’ll whisk you off to go trekking with elephants in Laos, followed by a bit of ice climbing on frozen waterfalls in Canada.
As you may have noticed, the Olympics are upon us again. Away from the more standard sports, there are some activities included in the Beijing line-up that have really caught our eye, and we catch up with four outer Olympians – whitewater kayaker Jacqui Lawrence, open-water swimmer Ky Hurst, mountain biker Chris Jongewaard and triathlete Emma Snowsill – to find out how they plan to the games by storm.
Four things you’ll discover in this edition of Outer Edge:
- That the 1900 Paris Olympics featured events such as Live Pigeon Shooting, Underwater Swimming,
Tug-of-War, a swimming race over a 200-metre aquatic obstacle course (won by an Australian) and Long
Jump…for horses. - How to use your rock-climbing skills to scale the walls of a prison (and you just never know when that might
come in handy). - That Charley Boorman, Ewan McGregor’s long-term bike-riding buddy, made his first on-screen appearance in
the hill billy horror classic Deliverance. Squeal little piggy, squeal! - How to take a loaded gun skiing and get away with it.
For all this and much more, pick up a copy of Outer Edge at your local newsagent, Borders or Anaconda store. Alternatively, if you want to save over 50% of the cover price and pick up a free fishing fillet set (RRP $39.97), click here and subscribe for a whole year for just $19.95.