While Sarah Outen circles the globe using "Two boats, one bike, two oceans, three continents. I am the engine - this is human power all the way,"  South African Ray Chaplin is  also planning a human-powered circumnavigation of the world. He, however, is planning on intersecting both poles along the way.  To learn more about his journey, visit SHOVA 360. On the site, there's a link so you can track his travels via GPS.  You can also follow Outen's  London2London journey via her blogs and videos.

TravelDragon is a "kayak-like" search engine that offers a vast range of itineraries  for travelers interested in small group, authentic, active experiences worldwide.

You can search among 6000+ itineraries and properties offered by 500+ small and medium size travel providers. These companies are focused on active adventures, culture, nature, learning, sustainable/green, volunteering, culinary, and family travel. You can filter by price, comfort level, exertion level, group size and sustainable travel commitment.  Other unusual filters include "only providers who have won National Geographic Tour of the Year Awards" and other awards or affiliations that might be relevant to consumers.

The companies are so diverse because all companies are invited to be on TravelDragon and they don't have to pay to be listed.

These are ten of the coolest apps for adventure travelers. I've found the ones for iPhones have made a difference in the ease of travel at times (like when trying to communicate with someone in Turkish or Romanian, or finding the nearest bathroom).  Several of the apps I use are also available for Android phones, and there are other neat Android apps including one for backcountry travel. Let us all know if you have  favorite apps for adventure travel.

The snow is melting in the high country and the whitewater river trips this month and next will be wild rides. If you'd rather have a tamer version, wait a month or two until the rivers are calmer. Rafting trips range from floating down quiet rivers to rocketing over waterfalls and through Class V rapids. Choices range from half-day trips to multi-day vacations, which can include camping streamside or staying in lodges where you'll be served gourmet food.

Here's where to find the best rafting trips of the season. Row Adventures has just announced the new Founders Collections, a series of special trips led by Peter Grubb, the companies founder.

Photo courtesy of Row Adventures