Fall Bike Tour with Kids
Enjoying the colors of the season with a not-so-easy day of pedaling on the Presidential Range Rail Trail
Jay Atkinson
Writer Jay Atkinson (pictured at right along with photographer Joe Klementovich) is one half of our adventurous team The Explorers. Atkinson, who teaches writing at Boston University, is a novelist, essayist, investigative journalist and itinerant amateur athlete.
Who are The Explorers?
New Hampshire is famous for its wild outdoors. Tourism folks will say we’ve got it all, and who are we to argue? But what’s essential to any true adventure is something more than mere mountains, trails and ponds (wet or frozen). Adventure is best shared with like-minded folks who can remember details of your triumphs and your failures — and remind you about them later.
That’s where “The Explorers” come in. This tight-knit but ever-morphing gang of adventurers is led by our writer-photographer team of Jay Atkinson and Joe Klementovich (on the left), and each person they enlist for their creative treks adds something to the success of the outing and the fun of the retelling. Keep that in mind when inviting friends on your next wilderness hike. We’ve got plans for The Explorers going forward with a year’s worth of their explorations to share and some add-ons (like video clips and advice on gear and getting in shape). Installments of their adventures can be found here, so like any great exploration, one step into the wilderness can easily lead to another — and another. And never forget, fortes fortuna iuvat!
The Existential Moment
Jay Atkinson and Joe Klementovich continue their Explorers series in a jam-packed weekend of rock climbing, paddle boarding and mountain biking.
Exploring the Seacoast by Skate & Sled
A winter’s day with friends, through Portsmouth and Rye.
Finding Winter Zen
The Explorers take a journey of discovery, which leads to taking a dip in icy waters, a yoga class and, ultimately, a deeper connection with friends.
DIY Backcountry Triathlon
Join our favorite band of adventurers, The Explorers, for a challenging, invitation-only adventure in a secluded area of the White Mountains. Or, better yet, read this for inspiration and create your own.
Where There’s a Will, There’s Pawtuckaway
A vicarious adventure with friends harking back to those carefree days before the pandemic, courtesy of The Explorers.
The Explorers’ Mount Wonalancet Winter Hike
All adventures are excursions into a mysterious realm between the familiar and the unknown. The best ones end with food and drink by a fire.
Yogapalooza
This month, The Explorers learn that a little yoga at the end of the trail makes a bike trek through nature’s fall colors even more awe-inspiring.
City River Gone Wild: Paddling the Merrimack River Through Manchester
Our Explorers paddle the Merrimack from the red-brick canyon rapids of the Manchester mills to a calm, secluded island. As always, lessons are learned along the way.
Remote Camping at Umbagog Lake
A pristine lake awaits in the wilderness of Coös County, New Hampshire. The remote beauty of Umbagog Lake State Park, one of the newer additions to the state park system, is well worth the journey, and promises a summer adventure you won't soon forget.
Trail’s End Pond Hockey
A rowdy band of adventurers sets out for a spirited game of ice hockey at zero degrees in the middle of nowhere. Why? Because they can.
The Last Real Trout Stream
For the outdoor enthusiast, the farther you travel into the wilderness, the closer you get to home.
Snow Bond
Three friends set out on three winter adventures. In one trip they hit the trails with both fat bikes and snowshoes and attempt to scale a wall of ice.
Swimming in the White Mountains
Spend the day paddling on the water or climbing to Cathedral Ledge
