When was the last time you weren’t tagged by a pager, attached to your cell phone, plugged into e-mail or engrossed by your iPod? Give yourself some much-needed time off the grid: Get inspired by people who know how to get away from it all.

“Visiting the national parks is a great adventure, experiencing the new terrain, wildlife and gaining knowledge about the history of the parks and the people who made them happen.”

“What you experience is…a freedom that’s not unlike the freedom when you first ride a bicycle down a hill without pedaling. Riding a motorcycle is like riding a bike downhill all the time.”

“When you are a DIY creative genius, Googling ‘creative wedding ideas’ is like giving crack to a drug addict. Once I got an idea in my head, I had to do it!”

“We all show up at the river in our rowing clothes and caps. Then later you find out you were rowing with a judge or a surgeon. It’s a great equalizer.”

“As a practicing surgeon, I thought I was God, and everyone affirms it. I found out that I’m a normal human – one day I was a physician, the next day I might not have a job. That was good life training.”

“I started pretty young competing with a bullwhip… In one competition, we had to hit a bandana out of a cardboard-cutout man’s back pocket and a cigar out of his mouth. I won that competition.”

“I’m 43. Herein lies the challenge: There is no master’s level in the professional shows, so I’ll have to compete against 20- and 30-year-olds. But I do it to inspire and encourage women of all ages.”