Tomgirl’s Picks of the Week: January 19, 2010

What a fabulous week! Our favorite people this week include some great Tomgirl Tours’ friends and not-to-be-missed resources for tomgirls everywhere!

Media Resources

We start our favorites with girlsgetaway.com. Yes, we are especially fond of Girls Getaway this week because (well, we hate to gush, but…) they featured Tomgirl Tours this week as one of the top 6 women’s travel tour companies! But, that is far from the only reason we list this as our top pick. The Tomgirl crew has long been a fan of this site, a one-stop resource and (in their words…) “gathering place for women to plan a wild and wicked world adventure, or a place to find out all about great local weekend trips with the girls”. Amen to that, girlfriends!

Most readers are probably already familiar with Women’s Health magazine, but we wanted to give this fantastic publication a shout out for those who might not be regularly reading. The mission of this well-known title by Rodale is right on par with Tomgirls’ values: “Women's Health is for the woman who wants to reach a healthy, attractive weight but doesn't equate that with having thighs the size of toothpicks. We know that exercising and eating well will make you happier and stronger (even if after-work runs can be drudgery). That looking and feeling good have very little to do with cosmetics and high heels (though they can help you feel glamorous on a Saturday night and we love that too!). And that life can be stressful since there's never enough time, but balance is achievable (with a little help)”

Let's Travel Radio is a Tomgirl favorite when it comes broadcast media. Let's Travel is a live, global radio talk show in which Host Susan Raphael and Producer Michael Zufolo invite listeners to explore the world of travel and culture.

Interesting People and Places

Bretton Woods is one of our favorite places (and site of our White Mountains Adventure). If you don’t already follow our Bretton Woods friends on Twitter, check them out here for updates on what’s happening in their gorgeous corner of the world.

In the News

We did a little cheer this week to hear that a consumer survey reported that there will be a 70% increase in participation in adventure travel over the next three years!

From Tomgirl Tours

Given the poetic description of Tomgirl founder Lori Carr’s lifelong love affair with Sedona, Tomgirl Tours has our Red Rock Rendezvous tour on the brain! We have three of these tours scheduled for 2010, and can’t wait until April 24th, when the first kicks off! (we have some spots still left on that tour. Call us to join!)

Tomgirl’s Picks of the Week: January 12, 2010

Don't miss these fabulous need-to-know people and media that celebrate women and travel; our weekly favorites:

Media Resources

When it comes to travel, GoNOMAD gets it right. GoNOMAD explores all areas of travel—every destination imaginable, along with specific insight for women travelers, family travelers and tours. They also offer a handy reference to travel tools and support, like books, travel insurance and various other resources.

Breathe Magazine, focusing on adventure, endurance and lifestyle, is a Cyberspace adrenaline rush… its stories and photos make us want to get outside even more than we already do, breathe the fresh air and challenge ourselves! (Need we say more about why we love it!)

Tomgirl Tours empowers women via energetic outdoor adventures, but we advocate empowering women in all areas of their lives, so Power Women Magazine, and it’s mission to do just that, really speaks to us. The website is a wealth of information for women, on “issues ranging from equal rights for all women to homelessness among women, and everything in between.” Brava!

Interesting People

Ann Petronio, (aka the Escape Artist), is the dynamic owner of Annie’s Escapes travel agency. She’s been a friend and wonderful supporter of Tomgirl since our launch event last year, and a colleague who co-hosted our Adventure Travel 101 Webinar. A fellow adventure lover, Ann is a fabulous resource for anyone’s travel agent needs.

We met Caulleen Worrell of Usmile at an event last summer, and love her website’s goal: “to be an online cross-culture community for women”; and mission: “to see women of all cultures and backgrounds connecting, informing, and sharing ideas with each other… to inspire, motivate, stimulate, and make women shine so that their days are brighter and easier to enjoy.” The site is also, we should add, a pleasure to read and navigate!

From Tomgirl Tours

Looking forward to getting back to New Hampshire for our White Mountains Adventure in March. Did you know that Bretton Woods, site of our zip-line adventure, is one of finest zip lines in this (or any!) corner of the world?

Holiday reflections on family and shared adventures

This holiday season has me, like many people, in a warm and nostalgic state of mind. Sharing time with family makes me cherish memories, both old and new.

I just came across some photos of me with my beautiful niece Brandi; and they made me smile and remember one of the reasons why I started Tomgirl Tours: my love of sharing outdoor experiences with other women... especially when they are family!

Brandi and I started our outdoor adventures long ago... as cowgirls:

Fast forward a couple decades, which landed us on opposite ends of the United States... she in Arizona, me in New England. So, last year, when she decided to join me for a zip lining adventure at Bretton Woods Canopy Tours in New Hampshire, part of Tomgirl's White Mountains Adventure, I couldn't have been more thrilled to take those cowgirls memories of yore and create new Tomgirl memories!

Brandi rarely gets to experience the cold and snow, but she was a trooper and loved it, especially in my fur hat!

We had a fabulous time. I feel very lucky to have these memories and such an amazing shared experience with Brandi. Reflecting on our adventure, I remember why I so often encourage family members--sisters, aunts and nieces like Brandi and I, cousins, or mothers and daughters to take a Tomgirl adventure trip together. The bonding experience is beyond description...

An Exhilarating Zip = Happy Tomgirls

As Day 1 of our White Mountains Adventure comes to a close, we are a happy group of tomgirls here in New Hampshire! The zip in Bretton Woods was an exhilarating experience enjoyed by all; here are a few photos of our guests gearing up earlier today (more to come, along with video, later this week!) Tomorrow we'll continue the excitement as we give indoor skydiving a shot. Stay tuned for more on that tomorrow. 

Tomgirls and friends ready to zip!

Safety First

Gearing up...

Ready to go!

Our fantastic guides, Bobby and Steve