One of my friends was in Mumbai for the Grand Opening of India's first Bikram Yoga studio. Bollywood stars and local dignitaries (along with approx. 25 American representatives) gathered at the Mumbai Marriott hotel for a 10pm Bikram Yoga demonstration and party to follow on Wednesday night.

Grenades exploded and guns were fired at the nearby domestic airport just as the yoga festivities began (airport shootings were not covered by the media). Not understanding the scope and breadth of the attacks at first, Bikram officials proceeded with a modified/shortened program as the assault on the city continued. After the hundreds of guests and spectators in attendance received increasingly alarming text messages from friends and relatives (texting held up better than phone lines), the fete was cancelled and the crowd dispersed.

The group of Westerners was taken to the home of a Bollywood singer/actor where they watched the horrific events at the Taj and Oberoi unfold on television. Ten minutes after leaving the Marriott, explosions erupted near the hotel's front drive (not covered in the media).

After spending the night at this personal residence, the group returned to their hotel--an Indian-owned property near the domestic airport. There, they unsuccessfully attempted to rebook flights and come home, but the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday made already difficult-to-reach call centers and travel agencies even more challenging.

My friend along with most of the group was able to return home Friday and Saturday. But judging from the stories, it sounds as if the international media has still yet to learn and understand the scope of the attacks. Fortunately, nobody from this group was harmed.

I'm often asked the question, "Is your company's web site free or does it cost $$?"

Most of the content featured on our AthleticMindedTraveler web portal is premium (i.e., minimal charge, but there is a fee - $19.95 per year; $2.95/month, etc.). But, as we add more destinations to the resource, we also release more cities as "Free Tours". Searching for an Amsterdam hotel gym? You'll find FREE information on quite a few. Need a Toronto vegetarian restaurant? Free. How about the nearest Kansas City health club? Free. San Diego golf course or bike shop? Free and free.

You get my point. As our web portal and premium pages grow so will the free content.

Now that Lance is prepared to ride in next year's 2009 Tour of California, this burgeoning stage race just became a BIG, BIG event. Coverage will not be limited to niche cycling mags, California newspapers and local television newscrews. We expect to see an influx of national and international media, the daytime talkshows and many other news outlets covering the event and tracking Armstrong's daily progress (along with the leaders). How great for American cycling!

San Diegans, especially, should be extremely excited to be hosting the ToC's final stage--a grueling climb up Mt. Palomar, a descent down and a finish in Escondido. (The Tour has yet to have a stage in California's cycling mecca of San Diego).

Cycling fans wishing to enjoy a special experience and contribute to the success of the race should apply for one of 4,500 volunteer positions available for the February 2009 event. AEG has posted availabilities on the Tour of California website. This race is going to be special and volunteering could proivde a unique, up close and personal experience to boot!

Disclaimer: Sorry for the self-serving blog post, but knowing about this deal between Athletic-Minded Traveler and Hyatt will help millions of traveling runners/joggers.

Guests of Hyatt hotels throughout North America will be able to run outdoors along a custom route designed by yours truly and the rest of the AMT team.

As part of its StayFit@Hyatt program, colorful 2-8 mile route maps with written directions are now available via the hotels' concierges, fitness centers and front desks. Now all of you runners out there have absolutely NO excuse to skip the morning jog.

Look for online maps on each individual Hyatt site to soon be available as well.

See the full press release below:

HYATT HOTELS & RESORTS TEAMS WITH ATHLETIC-MINDED TRAVELER® TO ADD CUSTOMIZED RUN ROUTES TO ITS STAYFIT@HYATT PROGRAM

Joggers and walkers enjoy fresh air with confidence thanks to palm-size route maps

CHICAGO (September 9, 2008) - Athletic-Minded Traveler® today announced that Hyatt Hotels & Resorts' North American properties will provide jogging and fitness-walking guests with palm-size route cards designed by Athletic-Minded Traveler®, a leading healthy-travel and lifestyle media firm. Hyatt is the first major hospitality company to partner with Athletic-Minded Traveler and will feature the maps as part of the StayFit@Hyatt program at participating Hyatt Regency and Grand Hyatt properties.

Enhancing the dynamic selection of StayFit@Hyatt workout programs that cater to fitness-conscious business and leisure travelers, these easy-to-carry cards will provide runners and walkers of all levels with essential information to help them follow healthy pursuits while away from home. The Athletic-Minded Traveler maps offer detailed directions on one side (beginning at each property's front door) and a colorful map with mileage markers on the other (routes range from 2 to 8 miles). The unique tools encourage runners to head outdoors by answering the vital questions "Where?" and "How far?"

"Our staff of active-lifestyle experts is extremely proud to provide Hyatt guests with individually-researched route maps," says Jim Kaese, Co-Founder of San Diego-based Athletic-Minded Traveler, LLC. "Because jogging and walking are the most popular endurance activities for North Americans (e.g., even the frequent running population - 100+ days/year - is estimated at an impressive 16 million, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association) runners will always be the largest group of Hyatt guests in search of a quality fitness experience. By offering this resource, Hyatt conveys to the running and fitness-walking communities that it understands their plight of identifying legitimate routes while staying in unfamiliar destinations and aspires to accommodate their healthy lifestyle choices."

"This new service from Athletic-Minded Traveler adds a valuable component to our StayFit@Hyatt program," said Gordon Tareta, Vice President of Spa Operations for Global Hyatt Corporation. "Every participating property has been assessed by Athletic-Minded Traveler staff which is made up of fitness-conscious individuals who share our guests' interest in

living a healthy lifestyle. Athletic-Minded Traveler shares Hyatt's dedication to providing uncompromising service and is an ideal partner."

If you didn't get quite enough of an escape this Labor Day weekend and want to find a get-a-way that fosters healthy living, consider these fitness vacations that provide great escapes AND wonderful fitness training and fitness workout opportunities:

1) Bend, Oregon - Mountain Biking

Bend is a growing town located in the central Oregon mountains, about a 3-hour drive from Portland. Flights into neighboring Redmond are operated by several major airline carriers, including United.

We've enjoyed mountain biking in many destinations, but Bend is our favorite. Why? Many reasons. First, the scenery is majestic. While the wind whisps through the tall trees and carries the pine aroma along the trails, snow capped mountain tops tower over riders. Second, the weather is perfect. No awful desert heat, no worrying about summer rain storms, and no crazy elevations-mountain bike trails generally stay in the 3,500 to 6,000 foot range. Third, the place is still not overcrowded. The trails are in great shape and you/your group will feel like the only riders on the route. Last, the town and area offer many other pleasurable experiences. Delicious and healthy restaurant, top golf courses, interesting shopping (don't miss the Nike Outlet on the outskirts of town - it's better than other Nike Outlets due to the proximity of Nike headquarters), and nearby white water river rafting are just a few distractions to add to your on-the-road fitness program.

2) Incline Village, NV - Hiking, Moutain Biking, Swimming, Boating, etc.

Go to Lake Tahoe and stay away from the tourist crowd. T-shirt shops, big casinos, and other typical tourist traps are located on Tahoe's south shore. But, savvy travelers stay on the Lake's northern edge. Hyatt Hotels operates a luxury resort in Incline Village, complete with an upscale casino for your gambling fix, a sand beach, a fitness gym, and a fabulous spa. Plenty of house rentals are also available through booking agents like Goldfish Properties.

Flights into Sacaramento will leave travelers with only a 2 hour drive. Once in Lake Tahoe, a ton of fitness health opportunities abound. Mountain biking along the shores on trails like The Flume, walking and playing 18-holes at famous golf courses such as Edgewood (each year Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and a slew of actors golf here in a celebrity tournament with live national television coverage), renting power boats and wave runners to water ski and tube, and day hikes through thousands of acres of forest land, are just a few fun and active pursuits.

3) Colorado Springs - Hiking, Moutain Biking, Golf, Olympic Training Center, etc.

When people talk or write about vacationing in the Rocky Mountains, Denver and Boulder get all the headlines. However, Colorado Springs (located about two hours south of Denver) deserves just as much attention. Our two favorite resorts in the area, The Broadmoor and Cheyenne Mountain Resorts spoil travelers in search of an active vacation that will improve their fitness health and well-being. We cover these two accommodations in depth on the site. In addition to a fabulous hotel fitness center, Broadmoor offers a true outdoor lap pool, 18 holes of championship golf, and proximity to awesome jogging trails for fitness running. Cheyenne Mountain Resort offers many of the same outdoor enthusiast activities at half the cost, sports an appealing hotel gym for exercise fitness, AND the property includes an outdoor Olympic-size lap pool (50 meters).

White water rafting is also near Colorado Springs, with several options around an hour away. And tours of the Olympic Training Center are another unique outing.

4) Omaha, Nebraska

Just kidding. Omaha is a great city and a wonderful place to raise a family, but a summer vacation destination it isn't-unless, of course, you're heading to town to sit next to Warren Buffet at the annual College World Series weekend in June.

Enjoy your healthy lifestyle and physical fitness!

In addition to being lucky enough to live in one of the best cities in the world (San Diego), I am also fortunate that a trip to visit the in-laws doesn't bring the burden of a 3-hour road trip into the barren desert or a 2-connection flight to po'dunk USA in the middle of nowhere. No, you will not hear me complain one bit about compelled conjugal visits to the funky and athletic-minded town of Bend, Oregon.

More familiar to leftcoasterslikely because easterners and midwesterners find it difficult to pass over the mountain towns in Colorado and UtahBend is an active travelers' paradise without the gaudy scene of Aspen and Vail nor the crowds of Park City. Locals are friendly to a fault and the village has sprouted enough restaurants, bars, shops and galleries to boast a vibe.

My favorite Bend activity is getting dusty on the singletrackhiking, mountain biking, joggingyou name it. I have yet to discover a better trail system in the U.S.

The Deschutes River is your wet and wild water playground. Rent a raft with your group and experience the central mountain class 3+ rapids. Be prepared for cold water.

For a more sedate way to enjoy Bend's 300 days of annual sunshine, bring the sticks along and play 18-holes at one or more of the half dozen public courses. River's Edge is a personal favorite with multiple blind tee shots and various hazard challenges. Golf Digest rates the course as a "Best Places to Play."

Breakfast is serious business in Bend as locals come in for hearty and healthy eats before or after their workouts. Victorian Cafe is often cited as serving the area's best breakfast and my taste buds can't argue. AlpenGlow Cafe is another delicious choice.

I could write all day about this fabulous city. Although the winters dissuade me from making the place a permanent home, Mt. Bachelor's ski trails are reason enough to stay for a week in December.

Put the destination on your short list -- you will NOT be disappointed.

Travel note: commercial flights land in neighboring Redmond (about 20 minutes from Bend).

Marriott Hotels is partnering with Leisure Sports Inc. (a northern California health club operator and development firm) in the roll-out of a new hotel concept branded Renaissance Clubsport.

The first Renaissance ClubSport opened in Walnut Creek, CA, and the second just recently rolled out the welcome mat in an Aliso Viejo corporate park. We have yet to visit either, but will soon and are excited by what awaits.

Beyond typical, high-end, Renaissance features such as premium bedding, WiFi internet access, and upscale decor, the real draw (obviously) is the attached workout facilities.

Because the hotel's fitness facility doubles as a full-fledged health club for locals, hotel guests benefit from complimentary access to a gaggle of cardio and strength machines, literally a ton of free weights, a multitude of classes (e.g., yoga, cycling, aerobics, dance, pilates, etc.), and a competition-quality outdoor 25-meter lap pool.

Post-workout rewards include a wide range of massage and relaxation treatments in the property's R Spa.

The long term plan is to roll out 20+ of these athletic-minded resorts--hopefully a Renaissance ClubSport will soon appear in one of your frequent travel destinations. You may end up spending an extra night or two for some additional "work".