Chicago, The Adventurous City

There are all kinds of athletic activities--traditional and offbeat--that are cropping up all over the place. And if it's something new, chances are people in Chicago are willing to try it. At least that's what a Facebook analysis of status updates indicates. The social network looked fitness-related mentions and check-ins over the last three months, as well as tracked usage of fitness-related apps. What it learned was that Chicago has the most mentions of "starting a new sport," and therefore dubbed it the most "Adventurous City."

While the accuracy of this analysis is somewhat arguable, I will say that being named the most Adventurous City is certainly a positive accolade. Especially considering that "adventure" is such a big trend. I recently spoke with the president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, a global organization driven to help businesses thrive in adventure tourism, and he talked about the array of opportunities out there.

Now, when you think of adventure, what comes to mind? Climbing Machu Picchu? Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef? Skydiving...anywhere? Well, you're right, to some extent. Adventure travel does incorporate those kinds of intense experiences, which usually appeal to thrill seekers. But it doesn't have to be that level of excitement to qualify as adventure travel. It can be a bike tour through a forest preserve, or an easy hike around a reservoir, or even a culture tour of ancient ruins. A trip must have three elements to categorize it as adventure travel. First, it has to have some sort of physical activity, and it does not necessarily have to be extreme. In fact, hiking is probably the most common pursuit on adventure tours. Second, there has to be some kind of connection to nature. Third, it has to include some kind of cultural experience.

Chicago is home to people eager to try new sports, according to the analysis. Luckily, there are plenty of adventurous activities locals and visitors can enjoy in the city. The lakefront welcomes runners, bikers, boaters and swimmers, as well as paddle boarders and rowers. There are also a number of specialty fitness clubs for kickboxing and karate and spinning and so much more. Personally, I'd like to try rock climbing. I went a few times growing up in Colorado, but haven't done it in years. It would certainly be a change and a fun experience.

There are only a few rock climbing walls in the city, and most of them are part of fitness clubs, so I assume I have to be a member to use them. Some locations have a day pass to use the rock walls, such as Hidden Peak, which costs $10 for a day or $7 for a lunch time pass. I may have to do a little more research on it, but it could be a fun weekend activity.

Social Seating: The Ultimate Way to Pick Your Seatmate

Have you ever been the first to take your seat in a given row and wondered who your potential seatmate will be? Have you sat their anxiously watching each passenger board, hoping and praying that you would get someone cool, attractive, funny, etc. sitting next to you? Have you ever worried that you would get a smelly, annoying, mean seatmate? If you answered yes to one or all of these questions, then you will probably appreciate a new program that a few international airlines have adopted.

The programs let passengers share their social-networking profiles or photos and pick seatmates prior to the flight.  KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Malaysia Airlines both now offer "social seating" on select flights.

KLM's Meet & Seat program is available on flights between Amsterdam and New York, and San Francisco and Sao Paulo. It is completely voluntary--which should be nice for everyone who is concerned about privacy and potential stalkers. Passengers can select the option to share their Facebook or LinkedIn profiles with other passengers, and they can edit their profile and photo so they only share the information they want. A seating map displays seat choices and profiles of other passengers who are participating in the program. Travelers can contact them before the flight and choose to sit next to them if the seat is open. If a flier finds out ahead of takeoff that they are seated next to someone they do not want to be next to, they can change their sear and even withdraw their profile. All profiles are deleted after the flight.

Malaysia Airlines' MHbuddy is a Facebook application. Travelers book their flights using the app, and as they check in, they can view pictures and seat selections of any of their Facebook friends on the flight and can choose seats next to them. MHbuddy also informs passengers if any of their Facebook friends are planning on traveling to the destination in case they want to meet up while there.

Some people see this initiative as the ultimate social-networking dream, while others see it as a little creepy, and still others are very concerned about privacy.

So far, no U.S. airlines have made plans to offer social seating, though a couple have said they looked into it.

There are certainly some positives to the idea, but I feel it could cause some real problems down the road. There is always the potential for stalking, and having too much access to a person's personal information, as well as their travel itinerary, can pose a security issue. And then their's the whole social dynamic of it. What if you decide you want to sit next to someone, so you reserve that open seat; then a couple days later, you go back on and find that person has moved. What then? Was it you? Did they look at your picture and decide they didn't want you as a seatmate? Did they find someone better to sit next to? What a blow to your self-confidence. A move like that can be crippling to a person's self worth. Would you really want to go through something like that?

So, what are your thoughts, readers? Do you think social seating is a good idea or a step in the wrong direction?