Outdoors Articles

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Wednesday, 15th October 2008 @ 1:35 AM

Americans in the 21st century are obsessed with trying to live healthier lifestyles. Granted, the level of obsession varies according to individual and geographic location. Nevertheless, there is a marked trend toward healthful living, which in turn has inspired many people to adopt outdoor pursuits. Hiking, camping, boating, cycling-all are enjoyable activities that promote health and fitness. As more and more people get outside, an increasing number of individuals are looking for ways to take ... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Wednesday, 15th October 2008 @ 1:17 AM

Some of my friends from the East Coast get a little annoyed with me when I refuse to acknowledge certain geographical landmarks as mountains. Well, I'm sorry, but in order for it to be a real mountain, it must meet one of the following characteristics: it must have that jagged, roughhewn look; it must have snow on it all year round; or it must be an active volcano. Anything else is just an overgrown hill. I love mountains, and I have a great deal of respect for them. I also think that the p... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Wednesday, 15th October 2008 @ 1:10 AM

Snowshoes, like many useful human inventions, are based on the adaptations seen in nature. Animals that live in cold and snowy climates, such as the snowshoe hare and the snow leopard, often have oversized feet. It is their feet that allow them to move quickly and efficiently over snow without becoming mired down. The additional distributes the animal's weight over a larger area, preventing the feet from sinking very far. Snowshoes operate on exactly the same concept, and they are just as e... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Wednesday, 15th October 2008 @ 12:55 AM

Most people think of a fishing rod as being fairly straightforward, and to some extent that is an accurate idea. A fishing rod is, at its most basic, an implement for catching fish: a casting tool fitted with line, line guides and a reel for line stowage. However, beyond this basic definition, there is a wide range of rod variation. The style of rod being used depends on the type of fishing being performed. A fly rod, for example, would be completely useless in an ice fishing situation. ... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Wednesday, 15th October 2008 @ 12:53 AM

The uniform of the fly fisherman, or angler, is difficult to mistake. It consists of two main components: hip boots and a fishing vest. Both components are designed to meet the needs specific to the sport of fly fishing; namely, to prevent the fisherman from getting wet, to keep him warm and to allow him to store and access all the various pieces of equipment he may need. Hip boots are colloquially called waders. They are specifically intended to be used by fishermen standing in rivers. M... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Wednesday, 15th October 2008 @ 12:51 AM

The magnetic compass is one of those interesting devices that, in essence, has not changed since its invention. Oh, it has been improved upon, made more accurate and more durable; the basic concept, however, is the same as it was hundreds of years ago. There is actually some confusion about when the compass was first invented. The Chinese culture can definitely be credited with the invention, and ancient Chinese literature contains references to magnetized needles as far back as the 2nd century.... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Tuesday, 14th October 2008 @ 11:20 PM

A swimming pool is just simply a large tub full of water but without the proper swimming pool toys for children to enjoy throughout the summer. There are a number of swimming pool toys available on the market for children to enjoy. Swimming pool toys have the ability to add excitement and even adventure for children playing in their swimming pool during those long and hot summer days. There are a variety of swimming pool toys on the market that will increase the enjoyment that your family... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Tuesday, 14th October 2008 @ 10:39 PM

Although some skiers may not like it, at this point one thing is obvious: snowboarding is here to stay. Yes, the slopes will never be quite the same again and I, for one, applaud the athletic diversity. Of course, snowboarding vs. skiing continues to be one of the favorite topics of winter athletes everywhere. Which one is more challenging, which one requires more skill and of course, which one has the better clothes. Now, I am a skier. However, I have to say that when it comes to clothes, snowb... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Tuesday, 14th October 2008 @ 10:29 PM

No one thinks it will ever happen to them. We're all too smart, too touch or too lucky to ever get lost in the woods. Yet somehow, hundreds of people manage to do precisely this every year. Usually it's because the person did not adequately familiarize themselves with where they were going. They took a wrong turn and ended up miles from where they expected to be. Then it got dark, and they found themselves hungry, thirsty, cold and scared in the middle of the forest. No, no one thinks ... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Victor Epand @ Tuesday, 14th October 2008 @ 10:20 PM

It seems like almost everyone owns some level of pocket knife. Soccer moms, business executives, teenagers-they all carry at least one in their purse, their briefcase, their car or some other handy location. Most knives tend to be designated into one of two categories: those intended for domestic use, meaning for the preparation of food in the kitchen, or those intended for outdoor use. Pocket knives, of course, fall into the latter category. However, there is quite a bit of variety in pocket kn... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Bob Alexander @ Tuesday, 14th October 2008 @ 5:14 PM

All the rhetoric from politicians and bad news from Wall Street are making me sick and I'm going to do something about this problem. I'm going fishing! In these uncertain economic times and with both presidential candidates getting nastier when they talk about each other, I find this is the perfect time to go on an extended fishing trip. Since the same guys that got us into this mess to begin with, have promised us that they're going to fix all of our economic problems, t... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By John Myre @ Tuesday, 14th October 2008 @ 11:42 AM

Communing with nature is no walk in the park. Consider Laura. She and a friend set out for an afternoon excursion around the local reservoir. Estimated time: four hours of hiking. In that four hours, she developed three blisters, scraped her knee, caught a bad case of poison ivy, twisted her ankle, got doused in a rain storm, and had a lovely hairdo ruined. Laura's new idea for a jaunty hike is a brisk walk through the shopping mall. Whether your hike is planned for a few hour... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By John Bisnar @ Tuesday, 14th October 2008 @ 7:25 AM

All-terrain Vehicles, popularly known as ATVs are becoming a major source of recreation for people of all ages in the United States. ATV trails and clubs are springing up all over the country. The most popular time for riding ATVs is in the summer and during the holidays. Of late, these vehicles have been gaining popularity among teenagers and even younger children. Recent news articles about ATV crashes involving children show that parents and caregivers are playing with fire and taking... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Art Gib @ Monday, 13th October 2008 @ 9:28 PM

All terrain vehicles, commonly known as ATV's, are small vehicles designed to be used in off-road travels and recreation. Utah is known for its great heritage and wide range of outdoor recreation. There are several ideal ATV spots in Utah that offer something for everyone, which are also must-visit sites for both the locals and tourists visiting the area. Some of the great ATV spots in Utah include the sand dunes. It is quite an experience for anyone to ride over these sand dune hil... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Shaun Parker @ Saturday, 11th October 2008 @ 4:49 PM

With all the doom and gloom in the news these days is it any wonder we're all depressed? There's no money, food and petrol prices are going through the roof, crime is on the increase, the country is housing enough immigrants to sink the island without having enough accommodation for their own, the property market has gone for a Burton and the end is nigh. This all goes to show us how we have lost sight of what really counts in life. Does the mother gazing down at that miracle of... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Aydan Corkern @ Thursday, 9th October 2008 @ 3:29 AM

Have you ever been bit or stung by an insect? Most people would say yes to this question. Most of these bug bites won't even be noticed by the person getting bitten except for maybe the burning feeling that they might get on their skin. Sometimes these bites can make you feel like your skin is on fire because of the force of this bite. If you are traveling down the road on a motorcycle and run into a bee it can sting you, and it probably will. Some people will have a bad reaction to ... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Jim Rowland @ Wednesday, 8th October 2008 @ 7:45 PM

For a day in the sun, a UV protected umbrella is a must. Whether you are heading to the beach, park, outdoor event, or a day on the links, a portable and breathable sun umbrella will give you the protection you need from harmful ultraviolet radiation while keeping you cool and comfortable. Leading umbrella makers, such as Gustbuster, Leighton, and Windbrella, all offer sun protection umbrellas designed to minimize exposure to dangerous UV rays. Exposure to these rays has long been associ... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Kevin Bailey @ Friday, 26th September 2008 @ 5:41 PM

A gazebo is a small roofed structure screened on all sides usually used for outdoor entertainment and dining. It is normally built on a site that paves way for an attractive view. They are popularly big and they continue to take on new responsibilities and roles as home offices, workout rooms, spas and pool houses. It does not have to be big for it to be useful, desirable and practical. This means that even people with small gazebo can enjoy the benefits of having one. Actually, as the craze rag... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Uchenna Ani-Okoye @ Friday, 26th September 2008 @ 10:21 AM

Hopefully you'll know about rock climbing prior, if not you have some serious work to do. You have to be experienced in the methods so acquire some professional help and get plenty of practice. You will need to know about belaying, abseiling, tying into the rope etc. There are numerous indoor climbing walls where you can teach yourself but for the best experience get some practice on some actual rocks. Rock climbing can be done by almost anyone so long as the person is in good physic... more...

Recreation and Leisure » Outdoors | By Uchenna Ani-Okoye @ Friday, 26th September 2008 @ 9:49 AM

Rock climbing started with explorers blazing trails up mountains and across Arctic wastes. Later on came the free climber, brave individuals wooed on by the idea of tackling something so grand. Rock climbing may very well be the most individualistic sport. Going up rock or ice, every climber has a different style. There seem to be countless ways to put finger to stone or destroy ice with an axe. Climbing is a team based sport. The climbing partner holds their friends life in their hands. more...