Outdoor Activities

Vienna – September 12, 2026 -- Austrian company Tubolito is marking ten years since it introduced bicycle tubes made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a material shift that created an entirely new product category in cycling.

Founders questioned why butyl remained the default material

Ákos Kertész and Christian Lembacher founded Tubolito in 2016 after years of experience working with TPU plastic. Kertész recalls that the real question was never whether TPU could work for bike tubes, but why the industry kept using butyl at all, while frames, wheels and gearing had already been redesigned around new materials.

No machines existed for TPU tube production, so the founders built their own

At the time, there were no manufacturing machines or industry standards suited to producing TPU bicycle tubes. Kertész and Lembacher developed their own fabrication processes and equipment from scratch to make the material viable for cycling.

Seattle – September 11, 2026 -- REI Co-op is donating $1 million to organizations that maintain America's National Scenic and Historic Trails, and shoppers get a say in how some of the money is spent.

Members and customers can vote online or in stores through October 2

From September 8 to October 2, REI members, customers and employees can vote in stores or online to help direct a portion of the funding to eligible nonprofit trail organizations. The donation, tied to National Public Lands Day on September 26, supports groups caring for more than 60,600 miles of trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail.

Leipzig – September 11, 2026 -- The Lagovida resort on Störmthaler See, roughly 20 minutes from Leipzig, will run its ice-stock shooting rink from October 15, 2026, through March 14, 2027. The activity, a traditional winter sport similar to curling, requires only an ice stock and sturdy shoes to join in.

Visitors can warm up with lakeside dining after the rink

After a round on the ice, the on-site restaurant Casa Marina serves regional and seasonal dishes with views over the lake. The resort's See-Sauna, located directly on the water, adds a wellness option with direct lake access for guests seeking extended relaxation.

Arlington – September 11, 2026 -- Six Flags Entertainment Corporation has acquired ArieForce One, the acclaimed steel roller coaster that closed at Fun Spot America Atlanta in August, and will reinstall it at one of its parks during the 2028-2029 seasons.

The coaster built a cult following in just three years

ArieForce One opened March 31, 2023, in Fayetteville, Georgia, and closed August 2, 2026. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction, it stood 154 feet tall, dropped 146 feet, reached 64 mph and ran roughly 3,400 feet of track with four inversions over about two minutes. Its signature elements included the world's largest zero-gravity stall, a Raven Truss Dive and an outward-banked airtime hill.

Webster Groves, Mo. – September 07, 2026 -- Autumn returns to Big Bend Boulevard as the Merchant & Business Association of Old Orchard hosts its Fall Festival on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, running 10:00AM to 6:00PM both days. The two-day event transforms Big Bend Boulevard between Dale Avenue and Summit Avenue into a seasonal celebration, with Log Cabin Lane closing to traffic for the first time to serve as a festival hub between Big Bend Boulevard and East Frisco Avenue.

Fourteen bands split across two stages this year

For the first time, the festival expands to two live music stages, doubling the entertainment across the weekend. Fourteen bands are confirmed, including Jake's Leg, Voodoo Funky Butt Brass Band, The Brothers Lazaroff, and the Webster Groves High School Jazz Band, with additional acts still to be announced.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – December 2, 2025 – Standing just metres from a glowing lava lake, clipped into a rope 600 metres inside an active volcano, most people would be thinking about getting out as fast as possible – but for German adventure photographer and filmmaker Ulla Lohmann, that’s exactly where she feels most alive. For more than 25 years, she has chased eruptions, lava flows and extreme landscapes around the world, turning a childhood fascination with volcanoes into a dream career that blends travel, storytelling and science.

From childhood volcano fan to National Geographic storyteller

Ulla’s path into adventure photography started young. At eight years old, her father took her to Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei and Pompeii, where she fell in love with what she calls “the breath of the earth”. That mix of danger, history and raw power never left her.