FERRARI TEST DRIVER
Why it's a dream job: Before a prototype ever hits the open road, Andrea Bertolini tests its limits on a closed track. His other job? He races Maseratis in the American Le Mans Series. Downside: Ferrari company culture is notoriously demanding. "You have to be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week," says Bertolini. What it takes: A good test driver is part mechanic, part race car driver. "You have to feel the car, and to be able to forward your feeling to engineers and project leaders." Pay: Ferrari forbids Bertolini to discuss salary. All he'll say: "This job is priceless." Resource: ferrariusa.com

LODGE OWNER
Why it's a dream job: In July 2001, Dan Braun and two partners bought an under-used 80-year-old lodge bordering Yosemite National Park and created a new kind of camp, dubbed Evergreen Lodge. Mission: integrate an outdoor paradise with a social-minded youth program. "I get to make people happy," he says. "It's a dream concept and I'm living it out." Downside: "I'm not outside as much as I used to be. I'm pretty much limited to my hour-long runs or half-day hikes." What it takes: Experience as an outfitter or guide helps; good business instincts. Pay: Up to $100,000-$150,000 Resource: evergreenlodge.com

KAYAKING GUIDE
Why it's a dream job: On every sea-kayaking trip led by Luke Gutowski, whales are guaranteed. "Sometimes we paddle to within 10 feet of whales, and I never get tired of watching them," says Gutowski, of British Columbia-based Northern Lights Expeditions. Downside: Hot showers and warm beds not guaranteed. What it takes: "You have 13 people, and they're all wanting the trip of a lifetime. You need to do everything you can to make sure all their expectations are met." Pay: Senior guides can expect $150-$200 a day. Resource: seakayaking.com

WHISKEY DISTILLER
Why it's a dream job: Come on! If you have to ask, it's the wrong job for you. Downside: Scrubbing down tanks and lugging barrels. What it takes: Start on the ground floor: Shovel grain, hand-bottle, and run pumps and tubes as you learn the art. Pay: Salary low, perks high. If you make it to master distiller status, you're guaranteed the first sip of the best barrels. Resources: whiskyschool.com; distilling.com

GOLF PRO
Why it's a dream job: "You work at a golf course," says Rick Martino, director of instruction for the PGA. Downside: Not much free time to just improve your own game. What it takes: Proficiency, patience, an ability to come up with unconventional solutions to students' problems. Pay: From $50,000 up Resource: pga.com

PRIVATE ISLAND BROKER
Why it's a dream job: Mark Lester of Vancouver, BC, specializes in selling private islands -- from Fiji to British Columbia and every outrageously desirable spot in between. The greatest perk, of course, is that he gets to visit them all. Downside: Dealing with the type of person who buys a private island. What it takes: Excellent business sense and some luck: The only way to get into this business is to get hold of a Rolodex full of "high net-worth individuals." Pay: All commission. Lester does around 15 deals a year, making a 3-12 percent cut on sales that range from a minimum of $1 million to a career high of $70 million. You do the math. Resource: privateislandsonline.com

CATTLE RANCHER
Why it's a dream job: "You work outdoors all day, you're active, you're in a beautiful environment, and at the bottom rung of the stock market," says Stephen Skites, who raises cattle in Montana. He got into the business through his father (also a rancher) and is proud to say that he lives in the same log cabin in which his old man was born. Downside: Being on call around the clock. "Your cattle break through a neighbor's fence, you'd better be there to get them." What it takes: One bull, one cow, and some land. Pay: Subsistence level up to $100,000 a year, even millions -- it all depends on the number of cattle. Resource: cattlepages.com

OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT DESIGNER
Why it's a dream job: First crack at the prototypes. "I've worked on skis, headlamps, and bindings; then I ride up the ski lift with some of that new stuff and people start asking where I got it," says Paul Terry, who designs for Black Diamond Equipment. Downside: Long hours, intense deadlines, time-sucking meetings. What it takes: A design degree. Pay: High five figures Resource: core77.com

UNDERSEA TREASURE HUNTER
Why it's a dream job: For Shawn Cowles a good day at the office is finding a 26-carat emerald or white sapphire. The treasure hunter has brought up tons of coins, gold chains, and artifacts. "It's the thrill of the chase that keeps you going," he says. "I mean, you're actually being paid in treasure." Downside: It's possible to go for months without even finding a musket ball. What it takes: Diving skills aren't enough -- everyone pulls double duty as carpenters, electricians, computer techs, archaeologists, and cooks. Pay: Room and board, a small weekly salary, and a percentage of the treas-ure paid at year's end. Resource: melfisher.com

ROLLER-COASTER DESIGNER
Why it's a dream job: Chris Gray spent six years networking to get his job as a coaster engineer with Pennsylvania's Great Coasters International. Each year the company puts up one roller-coaster somewhere in the world, designing and installing everything from the car wheels to the waiting queue. "One of the greatest things is to see people enjoying a project you've worked on for a year and a half." Downside: Deadlines for opening day can cause some miserable sleepless nights. What it takes: A B.A. in mechanical engineering will get you an interview, but a fanatical love of coasters is a prerequisite. Pay: Starts at $30,000-$50,000 Resource: coasterbuzz.com

FLY SHOP OWNER
Why it's a dream job: "I go fly-fishing about 150 days out of the year," says Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Montana. Downside: One of his fly tiers works out of a federal prison. What it takes: Nimble fingers, a love of fishing, a network of people who'll tie flies for you. Pay: Into six figures, if you're as good a marketer as Mathews. Resource: blueribbonflies.com

CLIMBING RANGER
Why it's a dream job: When your average day on the job is a great day in the mountains, you know you've made the right choices in life. Just ask Mike Gauthier (pictured), head climbing ranger on Washington's Mount Rainier. "I got the job because it was my lifestyle," he says. "I was a climber. It's hard to beat spending time with wonderful people in the mountains. It's even more rewarding to help climbers in trouble." Downside: Paperwork, office politics, naysayers. What it takes: Climbing experience. Pay: $30,000-$70,000 Resource: nps.gov/personnel

FILM AND TV PYROTECHNICIAN
Why it's a dream job: Access to explosives. Downside: Risk that Hollywood action blockbusters will suddenly go out of style...yeah, right. What it takes: A federal and state license and a clean criminal record to blow up sets; apprenticeship training to learn the art of film special effects. Pay: $500+ per day Resource: asepo.org

ICE CREAM TASTER
Why it's a dream job: You get to eat ice cream every day! "It's not unusual to eat half a pint in 10 minutes," says Eric Fredette, senior product developer (a.k.a. taster) with Ben & Jerry's, who often begins his days by tasting 10 different flavors in development. Downside: Love handles. What it takes: A culinary degree will help get your foot in the door. Pay: $40,000-$90,000 Resource: benjerry.com

RACE HORSE TRAINER
Why it's a dream job: "Trainers are adrenaline junkies, and getting the adrenaline fix is what makes thejob great," says Niall O'Callaghans, a former jockey who now trains thoroughbreds at Churchill Downs. "After your horse wins, the exhilaration is unbelievable." Downside: If your horses stop winning, you can lose your job. What it takes: "You need to have an instinctive feel for what the horses are trying to tell you. But you also need instincts for dealing with the horses' owners." Pay: 10 percent of your horses' earnings. "I've had years in which my horses earned over $3 million," says O'Callaghan. "But there are also the times when your horses are injured and earning $600,000." Resource: www.racehorsetrainers.org

INDIE RECORD STORE OWNER
Why it's a dream job: "I travel around the country and buy rare-record collections that people have spent lifetimes putting together," says Marc Weinstein, co-owner of three California-based Amoeba Music stores. Downside: Competition from online stores. What it takes: A love of music and the ability to innovate (required if you want to compete against Tower Records). Pay: Starts around $40,000-$50,000 Resource: amoebamusic.com

ASTRONAUT
Why it's a dream job: "You get to fly in space," says Leroy Chiao, veteran of four space missions, three on the Space Shuttle and one on a space station for six months. "You look down at the earth and it is more beautiful than you can imagine. You never quite get used to it." Downside: Joint pain from doing space walks in pressurized suits. What it takes: A medical degree or a B.A. in science or engineering, vision correctable to 20/20, and top physical condition. In Chiao's group there were 2,500 applicants. Twenty-three were chosen to be astronauts. Pay: $100,000 for a senior astronaut Resource: www.nasa.gov

CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE BUILDER
Why it's a dream job: "I get to build the bikes I've wanted since I was a kid," explains Chip Miyler, owner of Mid-West Choppers, based in Galesburg, Illinois. Miyler takes four to six months to put together a bike based on customer specs. "The whole thing is a working piece of art -- but it's still got to work." Downside: Dealing with impatient clients. What it takes: Proficiency in welding and machine tooling. An apprenticeship with a bike mechanic or courses at AMI in Daytona will get you up to speed. Pay: Expect between $30,000 and $50,000 for a one-man show; six figures if you upgrade to a larger shop. Resource: amiwrench.com

For the complete list of Dream Jobs, pick up the October 2005 issue.