Get Fit in the Caribbean with luxeFit

All eyes were on the Atlantic shoreline one year ago today as Hurricane Irene, downgraded to Tropical Storm Irene, slowly made her treacherous way north. We would soon find out that this perilous storm had far more of an affinity for New England’s mountains than sea, wreaking havoc in her wake as she followed the spine of peaks from the Berkshires into Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Southern Vermont took the brunt of the hit, not necessarily from the wind as much as the deluge of rain causing rivers to overflow, washing away bridges and resulting in more than 200 sections of collapsed road. Fall foliage season, the height of travel to the region, was reduced to a trickle. This season, there hopefully will be no surprises. After Labor Day, I’m going to spend the week talking about my favorite places to be in Vermont during fall foliage, including biking Addison County, mountain biking the Kingdom Trails, sea kayaking the Lake Champlain islands, and hiking Mount Hunger. Stick around.
A 40-minute drive from the Cancun International Airport, the stretch of beach in Mayakoba is the best on the Yucatan Peninsula. So it’s no surprise that the community is already home to such upscale hoteliers as the Rosewood, Banyan Tree, and Fairmont. Now you can add the Andaz Mayakoba to that list. The resort opened its 214-room property last week on a secluded stretch of beach. The property features several outdoor pools, a spa with eight treatment rooms, and a gym with a yoga studio, lap pool, and fitness area. Guests can also explore the nearby ruins of Tulum and access the 18-hole El Camaleón golf course designed by PGA legend Greg Norman. Since Lisa is a Virtuoso-aligned travel agent, all clients who book with us will receive an upgrade on arrival if available, daily breakfast for two, and a $120 credit to use at the resort.
In an effort to attract more folks to their recently revised website, the Appalachian Mountain Club is giving away prizes to people who sign up for their monthly and bi-weekly e-newsletters. The grand prize winner will receive a 2-night stay at one of their huts in New Hampshire, Maine, or New Jersey. Other prizes include $110 gift certificates for Merrells, and a free Aria jacket.
Every night after dinner at all four Maine Huts, you’re encouraged to take part in the energy tour. Sustainability is an important part of the Maine Huts credo and on the tour you’ll learn that the huts are completely off the grid. Solar is the primary source of energy, providing electricity and the heating of water. Propane gas is also used as a back-up to heat the water if not enough solar energy is produced. 80 cords of wood are used each winter at the huts to supply heating for all rooms, even the floors. The composting toilets are created by Clivus and use only 3 ounces of water per flush. All of this I learned from Nate at the Grand Falls Hut on our last night of the trip.