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For many of us, Travel isn’t travel without injecting a little adventure in there as well. Pushing your body and mind to it’s limits, while taking in new surroundings and cultures really is the ultimate experience.

Of course to enjoy these adventures, and keep coming back for more, you have to try and keep personal injury at bay. Accidents happen; The slip of a foot on a self guided hiking trail, or a tumble off your bike while attempting a tough corner through Italy’s wine country. However, some injuries can be avoided, so we have compiled a short list of different ways to prevent injury so you can continue to sample the world – living on the edge and enjoying every minute of it.

Take a breather – sit back and enjoy our 6 Ways To Avoid Adventure Travel Injury.

#1 Listen To Your Body

Pain is your body’s way of telling you something’s up. Pushing through pain or ignoring it will only lead to further injury. Deal with injuries early on to help decrease recovery time and prevent a chronic problem from developing. An injury in one part of the body (Eg. The foot) can lead to problems further up the leg (Eg. Knee or hip) if it is not dealt with quickly. If you’ve taken a dive on a trail – don’t brush it off as a “war wound”. Get it looked at so you can get back out there injury free.

#2 Adventure Prep!

Kind of goes without saying that we’re big fans of adventure travel. Of course with adventure travel comes the chance of sustaining injury. To avoid injury, prepare for your trip. Schedule in a training schedule months in advance of your trip that will get you ready for that particular activity. For instance, if you are going to be taking a self guided hiking tour, start your training by walking with the pack you are going to use and gradually increase the distance and weight of the pack. Add hills and valleys to your walks. Get used to the hiking gear you are going to wear. A little prep. can make your next adventure travel experience a fantastic one!

#3 Cool Down/Warm Up

Warm up’s are essential. This can mean a quick walk, jog, or spin on an exercise bike etc. – until you break a sweat. Ideally your warm up activity will involve the muscles you are going to use during your work out. Warm up increases blood flow and oxygen to muscles and increases the ability of the muscles and connective tissue to stretch and prevent injury.

Stretching helps increase the flexibility of muscles so that they won’t tear during an activity. Ideally, stretching should be done after the warm up and cool down periods. Choose stretches that will involve the muscles that are going to be used during your activity. Hear are some general guidelines to follow:

• Do not bounce during stretching
• Hold a stretch for 20-30 seconds
• Do not stretch into pain as you could be damaging the muscle
• Stretch until you feel a comfortable tension in the muscle, which should have lessened by the end of the stretch.

Cool down is done after your activity. It is basically a repeat of the warm up but the purpose is to remove the waste products from your muscles and prevent muscle soreness and stiffness.

#4 Maintain Your Equipment

Running, hiking, or cycling using worn out or incorrect equipment can lead to injury. Cycling with a damaged helmet or downhill skiing with bindings set incorrectly are safety issues that can lead to severe injury.

Proper sizing is just as important as equipment maintenance. Cycling on a bicycle that is too small or the seat is too low, can cause knee problems. Footwear that is too big often leads to blisters and lack of proper foot support. Cross-country ski poles that are too long can cause shoulder injuries.

Equipment can also include any braces being used to prevent re-inquiry of a joint. Make sure it fits properly and the material hasn’t worn out.

#5 Exhaustion

A lit­tle exhaus­tion should be part of your expe­ri­ence while hik­ing or cycling, it means that you are push­ing your­self into new ter­ri­to­ries and will offer per­haps some of the best sleep you’ll ever expe­ri­ence at the end of the day. But take exhaus­tion too far out in the wild and you could find your­self in a tough sit­u­a­tion. A com­mon cause of exhaus­tion is dehy­dra­tion and improper nutri­tion. Make no mis­take about it, when trav­el­ing on the trail you are burn­ing a lot of calo­ries and your machine of a body needs a lot of fuel. Bring calorie-dense (and light) food with you on trail, and plan your water sources before you go out; if all else fails, just shorten your intended mileage or take a break and extend the dura­tion of your trip.

#6 Muscle Stress

Noth­ing is more fun than hav­ing your legs cramp with every step you take up the moun­tain, or that feel­ing of your toes curl­ing in on them­selves as you lay in your tent at night. Cramp­ing is another com­mon hik­ing & cycling injury that is com­monly pro­duced by dehy­dra­tion. Sounds sim­ple enough then, to avoid cramp­ing make sure you are drink­ing a lot of water. But some­times in the heat of the moment, espe­cially if the moment is par­tic­u­larly cold, it can be hard to remem­ber to drink the appro­pri­ate amount of H2O. Stretch­ing before your big hike can help, and if you find your­self suc­cumb­ing to a nasty cramp, stretch­ing fur­ther can alle­vi­ate some of the pain. Con­sider apply­ing hot and cold tem­per­a­tures to the cramp and refu­el­ing with an electrolyte-dense sports drink. These solu­tions can often get you the rest of the way home.

Sources: www.theclymb.com – www.kinsmenphysio.com

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You know Spain will be a top travel destination when even Conde Nast’s Wendy Perrin adds it to her list of 2014 travel trends. Perrin lists Spain (along with Germany and Ireland) among the most affordable European countries to fly to in 2014. If you’ve been thinking of booking a self-guided cycling tour to Spain, now is the time to start planning and booking!

Once you’ve checked booking airfare off your to-do list, next is researching essential gear for a cycling trip in Spain. To get you started, here is Pure Adventures’ list of 5 must-have items.

Rough Guides Spain Tour Books and Apps
The Rough Guides brand of tour books have long been a Pure Adventures favorite, and their guides to Spain are no exception! Their E-books and apps are a convenient way to take their detailed guides on the road with you.

OopsMark Bicycle Wine Rack
Pure Adventures’ Spain Gastronomic tour winds its way through Spain’s famous vineyards. While your pannier will do the trick when carrying your favorite wines home from the wineries you visit, this handsome handmade leather wine rack makes taking a bottle out on a picnic during the tour a pure pleasure!

GoPro
A GoPro is the best way to document your self-guided bike tour in Spain. Not only is a GoPro great for capturing the sights and sounds of the route that you cycle, but a great idea if you plan on taking in one of the many festivals hosted in Spain each year. Check out this video from Pure Adventures travelers who visited Catalonia last year.

Rapha Touring Cycling Shorts
We all know that spandex and a comfortable chamois are integral in a pair of well designed cycling shorts. But spandex is, well, spandex, and not always flattering. Rapha Touring Shorts are baggy like mountain biking or commuter shorts and can be worn over a pair of bib shorts. Light and breathable, they’re a top pick among many long distance cycle tour riders.

Contact cards
Friedel and Andrew from Travelling Two have cycled all over the world (38,000 miles and counting!) and one of their bike touring must-haves might surprise you – photo contact cards. “It’s always nice to trade details with friends you meet on the road but writing out your email address time and time again gets tiring after a while,” say the couple on their blog. As an alternative to pricey business cards, Travelling Two opts to hand out their favorite printed photos with their contact information to the people they meet and want to keep in touch with.

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In June, Pure Adventures asked our Facebook fans to help us design our new short sleeved cycling jersey. We are happy to announce that our new jerseys are now in stock. Pure Adventures cycling jerseys are comfortable, moisture-wicking and stylish, and naturally the best thing to wear on a self-guiding cycling holiday in Europe!

Available in men’s and women’s sizes small to extra large, the Pure Adventures short sleeve cycling jersey features great details to make riding more comfortable, including:

• Coolmax fabric upgrade
• raglan collar
• 3 rear pockets to store keys, cash and snacks
• front full zipper upgrade
• silicone sleeve ends upgrade

Manufactured by in Girona, Spain by Lider Import, Pure Adventures cycling jerseys can be ordered by calling or using this form:  JerseyOrderForm2013

• 800-960-2221 from USA and Canada
• (001) 480-905-1235 direct from anywhere

Or emailing

• info@pure-adventures.com

Sizing chart

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Today is Valentine’s Day and the world is in love with everything heart-shaped! No doubt those heart-shaped chocolates are motivating you to get on your bike for a spin later today! But how often do you listen to your own heart – and we mean literally listen to your heart via heart rate training? If you are not using a heart rate monitor you’re missing out data that is essential to improving your cycling fitness. The science behind heart rate training is relatively simple, with the latest models of heart rate monitors able to not only log your heart rate data, but record elevation, track and plan your routes and share your workouts with your friends on social media.

To celebrate your healthy heart (and Valentine’s Day), here are four brand new heart rate monitors that you will fall in love with!

TIMEX IRONMAN RUN TRAINER 2.0

• The Timex Ironman Run Trainer 2.0 is a next-generation, GPS-enabled watch providing real-time pace, distance, and heart rate. The new Run Trainer™ 2.0 watch features a crisp high-resolution display, an easy-to-use menu system, and a smaller more comfortable case that does not sacrifice water resistance. After your workout, review your map and performance data with their free online training log powered by TrainingPeaks™.

GARMIN EDGE 810

• In addition to mapping, the Garmin Edge 810 records distance, speed metrics, ascent/descent, grade and more. It’s also compatible with ANT+™ sensors that measure heart rate², speed/cadence² and power³. Activity profiles let you customize data fields and device settings based on cycling activity, such as road, mountain or touring. Switch profiles with a simple swipe of the touchscreen and the 810 will be set up to show the data for that ride.

POLAR CS500PLUS

• For ambitious cyclists seeking improved cycling performance, the Polar CS500 will not disappoint. The extended memory records more hours of highly accurate power data from the compatible Polar LOOK Kéo Power pedals, features quick and safe control with the rocker switch and oversized user-configurable display and W.I.N.D. technology guarantees interference-free transmission.

SUUNTO M5

• The Suunto M5 heart rate monitor for cycling provides versatile guidance with optional speed and distance information for a wide range of sports. Set your goals and the M5 provides an ideal daily workout schedule to help you achieve them – including telling you when it’s time to rest. This model features real-time intensity guidance during workout, daily exercise instructions with ideal duration and intensity and motivational feedback messages.

The post 4 new heart rate monitors to fall in love with appeared first on Pure Adventures.

Resolve to be Happier

Eliminate electronics. If you’re training for a Pure Adventures tour, an epic mountain bike race, or your first century ride, chances are you have a training plan you’re trying to stick to. This year, choose one ride each month to leave the cycling computer at home and simply ride your bike for fun. Or, if you’re a road cyclist, try mountain biking; mountain bikers give cyclocross a try. Fill up your water bottles, tuck some cash into your jersey pocket and go on an adventure.

Ride for a cause. Charity bicycle tours are increasing in popularity, with rides found everywhere from small towns to big cities, always with a variety of distances to challenge cyclists of all abilities. Choose a cause close to your heart and sign up for a charity ride in 2013.

• United Kingdom: the British Heart Foundation offers off and on-road events for cyclists supporting heart health, including the iconic London100.
• Canada: the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Canada is one of the country’s largest rides, raising more than $1,000,000 in 2012.
• United States: Levi’s Grand Fondo is on target to raise more than $200,00 for charities along its Santa Rosa, California route.

Resolve to be Healthier

Eat au natural. Guilty of grabbing vending machine snack foods when you’re hungry and in a hurry? This year resolve dump the processed snacks and opt for homemade. In particular, pay attention to the foods that you eat during a long bike ride. That store-bought granola bar may have more fat and additives and you think. Try this great homemade energy bar for a more natural boost while you are riding your bike.

Ride your bike to work. Cycling safety campaigns and making bike lanes a priority in infrastructure planning are ways cities coast to coast are making it easier for people to ride to work. Riding your bicycle to work is not only healthy for you, but healthy for the planet. In 2013, resolve to leave your car or bus pass at home and bike commute to the office instead.

Resolve to be Hipper

Update your kit. Admit it: your closet is over-run with tacky jerseys bought during post-Christmas sales blowouts. There’s a reason the neon pink men’s XXL was on sale, but that’s no reason to keep wearing it. This year, invest in a brand new bike kit. We like this idea from Twin Six, called Chump to Champ: trade in your ugly jersey for a hip one from Twin Six.

Deck out your ride. A stock bike doesn’t have to look like a stock bike. If your bike is looking a little ho-hum, change up the color of your bike tape or add a few cheeky decals. Not content to make just cosmetic changes, how about these puncture resistant tires for your commuter or swap out the stock chain on your BMX for these colored bicycle chains.

The post Be happier, healthier and hipper in 2013 appeared first on Pure Adventures.

Loren Siekman has one of the best jobs in the world. As founder, General Manager and Chief Adventurer with Pure Adventures Self Guided Travel, he handles a little bit of everything at the Scottsdale, Arizona office and goes out of his way to help you choose the perfect hiking or cycling tour. A true fitness fanatic, Loren races road, MTB, and cyclocross bikes, hikes, runs and practices yoga. We’re guessing that Loren is on Santa’s nice list and hope he finds these nifty cycling gifts under his tree.

The best light for night cycling

With an unheard of 3,000 lumens, the Full Beam SpeedLED is unique in that the faster you pedal, the brighter the light shines – perfect for blasting down a trail. And when the trail turns technical and you need to slow down, the SpeedLED automatically reduces glare. With a battery life of two hours and fully-customizable settings, the SpeedLED is a great gift for the avid mountain biker or road rider that loves early morning rides.

Fun and functional bike racks and bike locks

It’s only natural that the Pure Adventures staff bike commutes to their Scottsdale office most days. This bike rack by Paris Equipment would look great outside the office and with a Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini, Loren and the rest of the staff can help you plan your worry-free vacation, well, worry-free.

Cool carbon wheels

Weighing in at a mere 1530 grams, the Specialized Roval Control Trail SL 29er mountain bike wheels had fans at MTBR.com joking about giving up their kids’ college fund to buy a set. Stiff and lightweight, these wheels are perfect for racers and endurance riders when eliminating a few grams of wheel weight means the difference between first and second place.

Fantastic fat bike

The Pugsley, by Surly Bikes, is the ride that started it all. Since 2006, the folks at Surly continue to find innovative ways to make cruising the trails or neighborhoods fun. New for this year is an available extra small sized frame, updated colours, D-type front derailleur, Marge Lite rims and Microshift thumbshifters. Loren said he wanted a bike to ride with the kids around the neighbourhood in style – the Pugsley fits the bill.

Videos from Pure Adventure cyclists on their cycling
That’s right – one of the gifts on Loren’s list is one you can help with! If you’ve been on a Pure Adventures cycling tour and have videos from your trip, please send them to Loren.

What is on your gift list?

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