When you think of Nepal, do you think of mountain biking?

I know you probably want to think of riding on the high mountain meadows near camp 1 or 2, but if you're like me, then you hold your head in sorrow and think: yeah, right, like there will ever be GOOD mountain biking in Nepal...

Don't hold your horses yet!

Check out this internationally sanctioned race here. Not only did the Nepalese put on this 27 KM mountain bike race, but they want to do more. And doing "more" makes good cents...

Travel associations detail the American sense of tourism as much as the news anchors talk about the Christmas buying season. According to their research, roughly 29% of all American tourists are into adventure tourism. This means we want to DO things while we are on vacation, not just SEE and EAT things.

Nepal is smart to court the almighty American dollar and so should other countries: Iran, Russia, Turkey, Vietnam, Afghanistan, China. The fact is these politically hot countries have awesome wild areas that need singletrack. However, I wouldn't want to go, because the trail conditions are unknown and I might get kidnapped or something. Can you just imagine the headlines, "Enthusiast in Chief Kidnapped near Poppy Field."

Even places in America are listening to the call of the tourist dollar. I've seen more articles on the Ozark mountain trails in Arkansas in the past week than I've seen all year (go here). The fact is, any tourist destination should cater to the adventure tourist.

Where have you been lately that needs a lesson from me on adventure tourism?