adventure

Cheap thrills sometimes get a bad rap, but there are plenty of budget-friendly activities that would satisfy any adrenaline junkie's needs. Nearly each one has different levels, whether you're a beginner or a pro, and you can try most of them out at a local gym, at the club, or in the great outdoors. Have a look, and get your rush on!

• Paintball: Get your competitive juices flowing by hitting people with paint and getting them out. Costs vary depending on the quality of the paint and how many balls you order, so if it's your first time trying out the sport, keep things simple.
• Improv: Getting up in front of large groups is a big fear-inducer for many people. Feel the rush by taking an improv class at a local comedy club. Who knows? You might discover a hidden talent.
• Mountain biking: Riding a bike may sound like a fun way to exercise, but mountain biking is no easy feat. Off-roading onto tough terrain requires special mountain bikes that you should rent instead of spending upward of $500 on your own. If you have adrenaline junkie friends who have bikes you can borrow, all the better.
• Ropes course: Get transported back to gym class and tackle a local ropes course. Some gyms and outdoor facilities offer access for reasonable prices, but you can always create your own by jumping over orange cones and charging up the stairs.
• Big-Kid Slides: You don't have to pay to go to an amusement park for heart-pounding rides. Outdoor parks and even malls have giant slides that twist and turn and are just as fun for adults.
• Rock Climbing: There's nothing like feeling accomplished after completing a challenging task, and rock climbing is a big challenge. Save by taking a group instead of private lessons for the outdoor adventure. One of the cheapest ways to rock climb, however, is to go to an indoor climbing gym and pay for a day pass.
• Surfing: Like several other outdoor activities, the good thing about surfing is that mother nature provides much of what you need. Once the waves are up, all that's left to rent is a surfboard and a wetsuit. Try to get a friend, or even a friend of a friend, to give you lessons. If all else fails, you can always try it yourself using tips from YouTube.
• Sledding: One of the most inexpensive and fun activities is playing in the snow. Grab a plastic sled (or something comparable), take a deep breath, and head down the hill!

Do you have any favorites?

The next time you're at the library, check out Blind Descent ($17) by James Tabor — it's the kind of book you can't put down. Exploring the fascinating subject of cave diving — aka supercave exploration — Tabor chronicles the insane obsession with this field. The main focus of Blind Descent is on two men — Bill Stone and Alexander Klimchouk. Both men are experts in their field, but opposites in temperament and style. And though their paths are different, they both have the same end goal: find the deepest cave on Earth. Stone's journey leads him to the deadly Cheve Cave in southern Mexico, and Klimchouk takes on Krubera, a glacial cave (think: freezing) in the Republic of Georgia.

To find out why Blind Descent makes Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth look like child's play, read more