Erik Trinidad

Centuries ago, before Old World Europeans knew of civilization across the Atlantic Ocean, the Canary Islands were considered the “edge of the world.” This volcanically-formed archipelago, now one of the autonomous regions of Spain, has a unique geography, geology, history and, above all, culture — especially in its food. It’s a hodgepodge of heritages, fusing Spanish, North African Berber and, surprisingly, Cuban and Venezuelan, now that the New World has been “discovered”...

“Get ready to shred the red!” said George Miraval, a mountain biking maestro of the auburn desert landscape of Sedona, Ariz. If not for the gray streaks in his ponytail, I might not have guessed the age of this youthful and enthusiastic septuagenarian. Part Berkeley hippie (he studied there in ’69) and part extreme adventure enthusiast, Miraval has Native American blood — and thus has ties to the sacred Native lands of Sedona. He was the perfect guide to lead me and a group...