by: Chuck Fitzgerald
Having a good time is pretty high on everyone’s to do list, especially when surrounded by awesome views and super-awesome friends. We hike, bike, climb, camp, raft, fish, hunt, four-wheel, sleep and eat – among other things – in the backcountry. If not done properly, that’s a lot of wear and tear on our natural resources. Responsible recreation ensures future outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors as you have. Without a recreation code of ethics, our backcountry would become a thing of the past. Here are some universally agreed upon keys for having a good time – the right way.
-Take only pictures, leave only footprints. If you carry it in, carry it out. This will eliminate litter.
-Protect water sources from contamination. Use bio-degradable soap, or try hot water soap-less dishwashing, bathing and clothes washing. When using soap (even bio-degradable) and toothpaste, dispose of the wastewater at least 100 feet away from natural water sources, well or faucet water sources.
-Be a good neighbor - control your noise and your pets. Always keep your dog on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and away from public swimming areas. Barking and not cleaning up after pets leads to many complaints from other outdoor enthusiasts. Do not leave pets unattended.
-Be respectful of the natural environment – keep the trees and shrubs alive and growing. Nails and wires should not be used on trees because they can cause serious damage to trees. Burn damage will permanently scar or kill a tree.
-When hiking or biking, stay on designated trails. This keeps damage to vegetation and erosion in one place.
-Before leaving your campsite, clean your fire pit and your campsite. Make it as clean as you would want it if you were arriving that day. The next user will appreciate it.
Leave-No-Trace, www.lnt.org, offers the following Principles for Outdoor Ethics: Plan Ahead and Prepare, Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces, Dispose of Waste Properly, Leave What You Find, Minimize Campfire Impacts, Respect Wildlife and Be Considerate of Other Visitors.
Here is the Tread Lightly!, www.treadlightly.org, pledge: Travel and recreate with minimum impact, Respect the environment and the rights of others, Educate yourself – plan and prepare before you go, Allow for future use of the outdoors – leave it better than you found it and Discover the rewards of responsible recreation.
Responsible recreation means having the common sense and the courtesy to enjoy the backcountry without spoiling someone else’s experience. Most outdoor enthusiasts understand this very well and spend a good deal of their time restoring, enhancing and conserving our backcountry. Have a good time when you’re outdoors, share these keys with your friends and use this information to Get It Right The First Time.
Get Outdoors!
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Variety is the Spice of Life
by: Peter Jay
“Variety is the Spice of Life.” This is one of my favorite quotes, and how true it is. Is life not much better when it is filled with a “variety” of the things we like? Of course it is. It is inevitable that some things in your life will go wrong, so it is nice to have other things that you still enjoy to fall back on. Like investing, they always say, “Do not put all of your eggs in one basket.” The same goes for our personal lives. The way to be happy is to fill our lives with a “variety” of things that make us happy. If you have a variety of things that make you happy, this decreases the risk of becoming unhappy if just a few things go wrong. So, do not risk your happiness by not broadening your horizons and not finding and doing a variety of things that you enjoy. One way to fill your life with a variety of things is to get different hobbies. Hobbies can be as numerous as there are ideas. If you have an idea of something you would like to do, then go and do it.Many people do not fill their lives with the things or hobbies that they would like to do. Since it is so obvious that variety is the spice of life, what makes people not fill their lives with a variety of the things that make them happy? There are many explanations for this. Some are financial. People cannot afford to pay for all of the things they would like to do. Many people are tied down by debts; they have put on the golden handcuffs and cannot find a way out. This obviously impedes on their pursuit of recreational things. Another reason for people to not pursue personal hobbies or interests is a time constraint. People are so busy working or have other things to do that they just do not have time to pursue recreational activities.I have found, however, that if you just prioritize your time and money better, you should in the long term be able to pursue successfully, any interest or hobby you have. In fact, by pursuing personal interests outside of work, you can increase your effectiveness in the work place. Everyone needs a recreational break from working all the time. It improves morale and makes employees work more efficiently.Like I said, there are as many hobbies as there are ideas. There is not limit to what you can do if you just go after it. Hobbies by definition are recreational or leisure activities outside of one’s career or workplace. You can have hobbies that require exercise and can not just be something you enjoy, but they can keep you in shape as well, such as playing sports, mountain biking, lifting weights or working out. You can have hobbies that stimulate the mind, such as arts and crafts, chess or other board-games, reading clubs, crosswords, or other things. You can also have hobbies just to get away from things and take your mind off the world, such as playing the guitar or other musical instruments. Do not let money or time hold you back. Variety is the spice of life, and it is time to spice up your life a bit. Just sit down and think of anything you would like to do, anything you would like to pursue. Write it down. Write down how you can do it and what it will take, and then go after it. I have found that just half-an-hour a day of doing something can really make a difference. It might take some time to develop some new hobbies, but it will be worth it in the end. Find some new hobbies at Variety Access, your online hobby store and more.
“Variety is the Spice of Life.” This is one of my favorite quotes, and how true it is. Is life not much better when it is filled with a “variety” of the things we like? Of course it is. It is inevitable that some things in your life will go wrong, so it is nice to have other things that you still enjoy to fall back on. Like investing, they always say, “Do not put all of your eggs in one basket.” The same goes for our personal lives. The way to be happy is to fill our lives with a “variety” of things that make us happy. If you have a variety of things that make you happy, this decreases the risk of becoming unhappy if just a few things go wrong. So, do not risk your happiness by not broadening your horizons and not finding and doing a variety of things that you enjoy. One way to fill your life with a variety of things is to get different hobbies. Hobbies can be as numerous as there are ideas. If you have an idea of something you would like to do, then go and do it.Many people do not fill their lives with the things or hobbies that they would like to do. Since it is so obvious that variety is the spice of life, what makes people not fill their lives with a variety of the things that make them happy? There are many explanations for this. Some are financial. People cannot afford to pay for all of the things they would like to do. Many people are tied down by debts; they have put on the golden handcuffs and cannot find a way out. This obviously impedes on their pursuit of recreational things. Another reason for people to not pursue personal hobbies or interests is a time constraint. People are so busy working or have other things to do that they just do not have time to pursue recreational activities.I have found, however, that if you just prioritize your time and money better, you should in the long term be able to pursue successfully, any interest or hobby you have. In fact, by pursuing personal interests outside of work, you can increase your effectiveness in the work place. Everyone needs a recreational break from working all the time. It improves morale and makes employees work more efficiently.Like I said, there are as many hobbies as there are ideas. There is not limit to what you can do if you just go after it. Hobbies by definition are recreational or leisure activities outside of one’s career or workplace. You can have hobbies that require exercise and can not just be something you enjoy, but they can keep you in shape as well, such as playing sports, mountain biking, lifting weights or working out. You can have hobbies that stimulate the mind, such as arts and crafts, chess or other board-games, reading clubs, crosswords, or other things. You can also have hobbies just to get away from things and take your mind off the world, such as playing the guitar or other musical instruments. Do not let money or time hold you back. Variety is the spice of life, and it is time to spice up your life a bit. Just sit down and think of anything you would like to do, anything you would like to pursue. Write it down. Write down how you can do it and what it will take, and then go after it. I have found that just half-an-hour a day of doing something can really make a difference. It might take some time to develop some new hobbies, but it will be worth it in the end. Find some new hobbies at Variety Access, your online hobby store and more.
Racing ATVs at any Level
by: Mitch Johnson
Those of you who enjoy riding all terrain vehicles as a sport know the wide spread competition among ATV racers. Some ATVers race their quads recreationally amongst their friends and others are much more serious racers. The serious ATV riders compete in races around the United States, some even around the world. These racers are most likely amateur or professional grade, meaning ATV racing is their life.Along with dirt bikes, ATV quads are a type of motocross racing in most cases. Other ATV riders race in cross country competitions, such as the tournament in Las Vegas where riders race miles across the Mojave Desert. In the ATVing and off road racing world, there are many already well established annual competitions in places such as Arizona and California, just to name a few. Each race, whether it is a traditional tournament or a newly established competition, will include a different ranking of racers. Some competitions are designated as professional races, where ATV riders are awarded the largest prizes of any competition for winning. Professional and high ranked competitions are, of course, the most popular, have the largest audience and contain the most rigorous racing trails.>From professional ATV racing, other types of tournaments taper down toamateur and recreational riders. All types of ATV racing competitions draw a large and diverse crowd of supporters and spectators. Racing ATVs is a very competitive sport among the participants, and even down to the smallest local races, riders are serious about their sport.No matter how diverse the varying types of ATV races may be, the diversity within any given ATV competition is greater. Within each ATV tournament many different types of riders are involved. Whether it is a single race or a series of races, riders are classified into racing groups, which are the riders they will be competing against essentially.The racing classifications are determined by different standards, depending on the rank of competition you are involved in. The type of ATV you drive, its capabilities and motor classification are the main determining factors in grouping ATV racers. In 2004 the standards and rules changed for which class you and your ATV fall in, and they will continue to change as administrators figure out what rules run the best races. As a result of the multiple classifications of ATV riders, there may be several first place winners in a single race if several classifications are racing the same track at the same time. The classes of riders are only the beginning of diversity within a race. The multiple types, styles and designs of ATVs are reason for the different classes, which creates even more variety in the sport.While the competition level among ATV racers is high, there are still those who are learning or they just enjoy racing recreationally. For these types of ATVers, you can find local trails or racing tracks. They will often coordinate ATV races with whatever riders are available and some tracks will plan a weekend tournament for all local riders.
Mitch Johnson is a successful freelance author that writes regularly for http://www.1st-in-remove-spyware.com/ , a site that focuses primarily on spyware detection software, as well as tips on how to avoid spyware from popping up on your computer. His articles have also been featured on related spyware sites.
Those of you who enjoy riding all terrain vehicles as a sport know the wide spread competition among ATV racers. Some ATVers race their quads recreationally amongst their friends and others are much more serious racers. The serious ATV riders compete in races around the United States, some even around the world. These racers are most likely amateur or professional grade, meaning ATV racing is their life.Along with dirt bikes, ATV quads are a type of motocross racing in most cases. Other ATV riders race in cross country competitions, such as the tournament in Las Vegas where riders race miles across the Mojave Desert. In the ATVing and off road racing world, there are many already well established annual competitions in places such as Arizona and California, just to name a few. Each race, whether it is a traditional tournament or a newly established competition, will include a different ranking of racers. Some competitions are designated as professional races, where ATV riders are awarded the largest prizes of any competition for winning. Professional and high ranked competitions are, of course, the most popular, have the largest audience and contain the most rigorous racing trails.>From professional ATV racing, other types of tournaments taper down toamateur and recreational riders. All types of ATV racing competitions draw a large and diverse crowd of supporters and spectators. Racing ATVs is a very competitive sport among the participants, and even down to the smallest local races, riders are serious about their sport.No matter how diverse the varying types of ATV races may be, the diversity within any given ATV competition is greater. Within each ATV tournament many different types of riders are involved. Whether it is a single race or a series of races, riders are classified into racing groups, which are the riders they will be competing against essentially.The racing classifications are determined by different standards, depending on the rank of competition you are involved in. The type of ATV you drive, its capabilities and motor classification are the main determining factors in grouping ATV racers. In 2004 the standards and rules changed for which class you and your ATV fall in, and they will continue to change as administrators figure out what rules run the best races. As a result of the multiple classifications of ATV riders, there may be several first place winners in a single race if several classifications are racing the same track at the same time. The classes of riders are only the beginning of diversity within a race. The multiple types, styles and designs of ATVs are reason for the different classes, which creates even more variety in the sport.While the competition level among ATV racers is high, there are still those who are learning or they just enjoy racing recreationally. For these types of ATVers, you can find local trails or racing tracks. They will often coordinate ATV races with whatever riders are available and some tracks will plan a weekend tournament for all local riders.
Mitch Johnson is a successful freelance author that writes regularly for http://www.1st-in-remove-spyware.com/ , a site that focuses primarily on spyware detection software, as well as tips on how to avoid spyware from popping up on your computer. His articles have also been featured on related spyware sites.
Flying Machine
by: Peter Jay
The invention of the flying machine changed humanity. It changed the way and the speed at which we travel. It made the world seem a little smaller as people and places in distant lands suddenly seemed much nearer by the lessened time it would take to reach them. It increased our communication between people and nations as they could travel across oceans and meet in person rather than communicating by letters or other non-personal means. Flying quickly became a recreational sport, an attractive career, and an appealing science. It lifted man into the skies, where before he only dreamt of going. It freed us from the confines of this earth upon which we live. Flight drastically changed the way wars are fought. Suddenly nations were no longer protected by standing armies at their borders. A plane could easily fly over their borders and attack a city deep in the heart of a country. Planes were merciless war machines dropping bombs on cities, respecting neither soldiers nor citizens. All were vulnerable and targets of the loads of bombs dropped by planes. Later other uses of airplanes were created, more recreational and sporty, such as the model airplane and the radio control airplane.The airplane model is a replica of the larger, real planes that are or were actually flown. From the first plane flown by the Wright Brothers to our modern aircraft and space shuttles, you can find model airplane replicas. The replicas consist of planes flown in all of the wars, from many different countries. Each country was always trying to outdo the others in their command of the skies. In the days of airplanes, if you controlled the skies, you controlled the war. This competition between countries led the quick development of a variety of different types of fighting military aircraft. The more effective types of planes were quickly adopted by all of the countries, however, and nations began selling airplanes to other nations, so that now many countries have similar sophisticated and modern military aircraft.With all of this in mind, a model airplanes hobby can obviously be, not just some little simple thing that people do, but it can teach about history and science. One can learn about modern military aircraft right alongside with the plane flown by the Red Baron in WWI. One can learn the evolution of the aircraft; the different types of planes and styles that countries developed and built upon or discontinued. Currently there are very many modern developers of airplanes. There are even more airlines that are supplied by these airplane manufacturers. If you are at all interested in aviation, what better way to start than to purchase your own model airplane and begin learning the history of airplanes?There are also radio control airplanes. This side of a model airplane hobby may focus more on the science and actual flight of airplanes. Model airplanes work according to the same laws of science and physics as a real airplane. They use the same laws of thrust and lift. The wings, tails, and propellers of a model all have to be built according to the same principles of flight. The model airplane can stall in the air or crash similar to real plane.Not surprisingly, the airplane and its offshoot developments are continuing to change humanity, from their wars, their communications, their travels and finally to their hobbies. Who knows what will happen next, where the airplane will lead us next. But it is obviously important to take a part in this continuing human experiment in aviation and flight, even if you just start with a model airplane or radio control airplane.
The invention of the flying machine changed humanity. It changed the way and the speed at which we travel. It made the world seem a little smaller as people and places in distant lands suddenly seemed much nearer by the lessened time it would take to reach them. It increased our communication between people and nations as they could travel across oceans and meet in person rather than communicating by letters or other non-personal means. Flying quickly became a recreational sport, an attractive career, and an appealing science. It lifted man into the skies, where before he only dreamt of going. It freed us from the confines of this earth upon which we live. Flight drastically changed the way wars are fought. Suddenly nations were no longer protected by standing armies at their borders. A plane could easily fly over their borders and attack a city deep in the heart of a country. Planes were merciless war machines dropping bombs on cities, respecting neither soldiers nor citizens. All were vulnerable and targets of the loads of bombs dropped by planes. Later other uses of airplanes were created, more recreational and sporty, such as the model airplane and the radio control airplane.The airplane model is a replica of the larger, real planes that are or were actually flown. From the first plane flown by the Wright Brothers to our modern aircraft and space shuttles, you can find model airplane replicas. The replicas consist of planes flown in all of the wars, from many different countries. Each country was always trying to outdo the others in their command of the skies. In the days of airplanes, if you controlled the skies, you controlled the war. This competition between countries led the quick development of a variety of different types of fighting military aircraft. The more effective types of planes were quickly adopted by all of the countries, however, and nations began selling airplanes to other nations, so that now many countries have similar sophisticated and modern military aircraft.With all of this in mind, a model airplanes hobby can obviously be, not just some little simple thing that people do, but it can teach about history and science. One can learn about modern military aircraft right alongside with the plane flown by the Red Baron in WWI. One can learn the evolution of the aircraft; the different types of planes and styles that countries developed and built upon or discontinued. Currently there are very many modern developers of airplanes. There are even more airlines that are supplied by these airplane manufacturers. If you are at all interested in aviation, what better way to start than to purchase your own model airplane and begin learning the history of airplanes?There are also radio control airplanes. This side of a model airplane hobby may focus more on the science and actual flight of airplanes. Model airplanes work according to the same laws of science and physics as a real airplane. They use the same laws of thrust and lift. The wings, tails, and propellers of a model all have to be built according to the same principles of flight. The model airplane can stall in the air or crash similar to real plane.Not surprisingly, the airplane and its offshoot developments are continuing to change humanity, from their wars, their communications, their travels and finally to their hobbies. Who knows what will happen next, where the airplane will lead us next. But it is obviously important to take a part in this continuing human experiment in aviation and flight, even if you just start with a model airplane or radio control airplane.
Quality of Life
by: Peter Jay
A new hobby can improve your quality of life. Think of it. A hobby is a recreational or leisure activity outside of you career or work place. It is something YOU are interested in, some YOU want to pursue. Would it not improve your quality of life to do the things that you enjoy? You should not be selfish in pursuing what you want, what you want can actually benefit others around you as well. You can think of activities to which you can invite others to come along. You can find activities and hobbies that not only improve your own quality of life, but others as well.People need a purpose in life, a reason to do things. I am not saying that hobbies are the ultimate purpose for living, but I think that people should be happy and if they pursue hobbies that they enjoy, it can improve their lives and the lives of others. I think wholesome leisurely and recreational activities with family and friends are very important to having a good quality of life. It improves relationships, by providing good experiences together, it also just gives people the opportunity to get out and do something that they enjoy. It gives them the opportunity to feel like they have accomplished something and done something constructive.I heard once that happiness is the culmination of small successes. Is the quality of life not improved by small success, whether it be success in your career, success raising your family, success improving your life in some, or success in mastering some hobby or other interest that you have? A hobby or new interest can be something that you can quickly and easily master, or at least just enjoy learning to do it. It can give you a feeling of accomplishment, which will inspire and encourage you or others.One specific hobby that can increase your quality of life is music. Music is relaxing. Different music can stimulate different reactions of thought processes. They even have university undergraduate, masters, and doctorate degrees in music therapy. Learning to play a musical instrument or just listening and getting to know good music can be a way for you to improve your quality of life. It can be a hobby that is leisurely, relaxing, and can be a means for you or others to feel like they have accomplished something that makes a difference. If you can play a musical instrument, think of the good you can have in others’ lives. Musicians are often the life of the party. It seems everywhere I go, if someone can play the guitar, by the end of the night they will be entertaining everyone with their musical talent. The same goes for the piano or many other musical instruments. I myself played the trumpet for seven years, I also taught myself to play the guitar. I taught myself to play the piano a little bit, but I am not as good at it yet as I am at the guitar and the trumpet.Many hobbies can improve your physical health and stamina as well. Would it not be great to have a hobby, something you enjoy, that also keeps you physically fit? Many people play sports or participate in athletic events as hobbies to keep in shape. One of my favorites is to play tennis. I actually have never taken a class or learned to play tennis, I just taught myself and as I began playing I gradually got better. Now it is something I can do as leisure activity outside of work that will keep me in shape as well. Another hobby I just started is running. I ran the marathon over the weekend, I still cannot walk well, my feet and legs hurt, but I am sure I will get better. The pain will go away, but now I will be a marathoner forever. Find your hobby at the online hobby store and more.
A new hobby can improve your quality of life. Think of it. A hobby is a recreational or leisure activity outside of you career or work place. It is something YOU are interested in, some YOU want to pursue. Would it not improve your quality of life to do the things that you enjoy? You should not be selfish in pursuing what you want, what you want can actually benefit others around you as well. You can think of activities to which you can invite others to come along. You can find activities and hobbies that not only improve your own quality of life, but others as well.People need a purpose in life, a reason to do things. I am not saying that hobbies are the ultimate purpose for living, but I think that people should be happy and if they pursue hobbies that they enjoy, it can improve their lives and the lives of others. I think wholesome leisurely and recreational activities with family and friends are very important to having a good quality of life. It improves relationships, by providing good experiences together, it also just gives people the opportunity to get out and do something that they enjoy. It gives them the opportunity to feel like they have accomplished something and done something constructive.I heard once that happiness is the culmination of small successes. Is the quality of life not improved by small success, whether it be success in your career, success raising your family, success improving your life in some, or success in mastering some hobby or other interest that you have? A hobby or new interest can be something that you can quickly and easily master, or at least just enjoy learning to do it. It can give you a feeling of accomplishment, which will inspire and encourage you or others.One specific hobby that can increase your quality of life is music. Music is relaxing. Different music can stimulate different reactions of thought processes. They even have university undergraduate, masters, and doctorate degrees in music therapy. Learning to play a musical instrument or just listening and getting to know good music can be a way for you to improve your quality of life. It can be a hobby that is leisurely, relaxing, and can be a means for you or others to feel like they have accomplished something that makes a difference. If you can play a musical instrument, think of the good you can have in others’ lives. Musicians are often the life of the party. It seems everywhere I go, if someone can play the guitar, by the end of the night they will be entertaining everyone with their musical talent. The same goes for the piano or many other musical instruments. I myself played the trumpet for seven years, I also taught myself to play the guitar. I taught myself to play the piano a little bit, but I am not as good at it yet as I am at the guitar and the trumpet.Many hobbies can improve your physical health and stamina as well. Would it not be great to have a hobby, something you enjoy, that also keeps you physically fit? Many people play sports or participate in athletic events as hobbies to keep in shape. One of my favorites is to play tennis. I actually have never taken a class or learned to play tennis, I just taught myself and as I began playing I gradually got better. Now it is something I can do as leisure activity outside of work that will keep me in shape as well. Another hobby I just started is running. I ran the marathon over the weekend, I still cannot walk well, my feet and legs hurt, but I am sure I will get better. The pain will go away, but now I will be a marathoner forever. Find your hobby at the online hobby store and more.
Trekking & Searching for new ATV Trails
by: Mitch Johnson
Throughout North America and many other parts of the world ATVs and dirt bike off road trail parks and facilities continue to grow. As the sport of ATV racing (i.ehttp://www.atv-parts-n-accessories.com/polaris_atv_ratings.htm) and recreational off road riding becomes more popular, the success of established trails encourages additional riding areas to be developed. The growing number of enthusiastic ATV riders is not the only cause for a demand of more trails. All ATV riders, new and old, want more trails for the challenge. ATVers demand new trails because they strive to conquer anything they can. Riding off road with ATVs has become a sport many dedicate themselves to, but there are just as many people who enjoy the sport on a sporadic basis. Renting ATVs and riding the trails is not an uncommon tourist attraction in many areas of the United States. Because of this many people have experienced and enjoyed ATV riding at some of the trail parks around the nation. Some now dedicated ATV riders started out by taking a recreational off road drive at one of these tourist trail parks.Perhaps some of the most extravagant ATV and dirt bike trails established are those in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. The Hatfield-McCoy Trails stretch for over 500 miles and growing. They have come to be known as “Trails Heaven.” These ATV trails attract all types of rider and accommodations for the different crowds are abundant. In the areas surrounding “Trails Heaven” there are hotels, bed and breakfast inns, ATV rentals shops, ATV and dirt bike mechanical shops, guided tours and other activities to fill a weekend vacation. This area is the place to be for any of the ATV racing, riding and special events you are interested in. Bringing your own off road vehicle is allowed at “Trails Heaven,” but a permit is required for all riders, rental or other. The Hatfield-McCoy Trails are also the host of several high scale ATV and dirt bike riding events throughout the year. These are the events where you can meet hundreds of fellow ATV enthusiasts. In 2005 there will be an ATV/dirt bike jamboree for riders to participate in. The Appalachian trails also coordinate a Dirt Days riding event. They will also be the host for the National ATV and dirt bike rally week in ’05. Places like “Trails Heaven” are a great riding spot for ATVers of any skill level because they have the proper accommodations for all. There are many other similar ATV trails established, however, if you are a regular rider, you probably want to find your own, local trails and make the big trail parks a weekend event.Whether you are new to the sport or just looking for some new trails to experience, there are several web sites that help you locate the right place. At trailsource.com you can choose a region anywhere in the world to search for a specific ATV riding area. ATVTrails.org does the same, but for United States trails only. With these search tools you can find a local riding spot, or plan to visit the large, high traffic trails for a weekend, such as at the Hatfield-McCoy Trails.
Throughout North America and many other parts of the world ATVs and dirt bike off road trail parks and facilities continue to grow. As the sport of ATV racing (i.ehttp://www.atv-parts-n-accessories.com/polaris_atv_ratings.htm) and recreational off road riding becomes more popular, the success of established trails encourages additional riding areas to be developed. The growing number of enthusiastic ATV riders is not the only cause for a demand of more trails. All ATV riders, new and old, want more trails for the challenge. ATVers demand new trails because they strive to conquer anything they can. Riding off road with ATVs has become a sport many dedicate themselves to, but there are just as many people who enjoy the sport on a sporadic basis. Renting ATVs and riding the trails is not an uncommon tourist attraction in many areas of the United States. Because of this many people have experienced and enjoyed ATV riding at some of the trail parks around the nation. Some now dedicated ATV riders started out by taking a recreational off road drive at one of these tourist trail parks.Perhaps some of the most extravagant ATV and dirt bike trails established are those in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. The Hatfield-McCoy Trails stretch for over 500 miles and growing. They have come to be known as “Trails Heaven.” These ATV trails attract all types of rider and accommodations for the different crowds are abundant. In the areas surrounding “Trails Heaven” there are hotels, bed and breakfast inns, ATV rentals shops, ATV and dirt bike mechanical shops, guided tours and other activities to fill a weekend vacation. This area is the place to be for any of the ATV racing, riding and special events you are interested in. Bringing your own off road vehicle is allowed at “Trails Heaven,” but a permit is required for all riders, rental or other. The Hatfield-McCoy Trails are also the host of several high scale ATV and dirt bike riding events throughout the year. These are the events where you can meet hundreds of fellow ATV enthusiasts. In 2005 there will be an ATV/dirt bike jamboree for riders to participate in. The Appalachian trails also coordinate a Dirt Days riding event. They will also be the host for the National ATV and dirt bike rally week in ’05. Places like “Trails Heaven” are a great riding spot for ATVers of any skill level because they have the proper accommodations for all. There are many other similar ATV trails established, however, if you are a regular rider, you probably want to find your own, local trails and make the big trail parks a weekend event.Whether you are new to the sport or just looking for some new trails to experience, there are several web sites that help you locate the right place. At trailsource.com you can choose a region anywhere in the world to search for a specific ATV riding area. ATVTrails.org does the same, but for United States trails only. With these search tools you can find a local riding spot, or plan to visit the large, high traffic trails for a weekend, such as at the Hatfield-McCoy Trails.
Get a Hobby
by: Peter Jay
According to Dictionary.com, a hobby is “an activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure” (Dictionary.com). Merriam-Webster defines a hobby as “a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation” (Merriam Webster Dictionary). A hobby is relaxation and pleasure, OUTSIDE of one’s occupation. Many people today, go to work, come home, do not do anything, and then go back to work the next day, like mindless drones slaving away at their job, making money for bosses and owners who are pursuing their own interests and hobbies. That is why they started the business in the first place; it was something interesting to THEM that THEY could pursue. Well, it is time to work to live, not live to work; that is my motto. Find something to do outside of the workplace, something that YOU enjoy, something that relaxes you and brings you pleasure. Find something you can do with your family or with other people, to have good experiences, rather than that job you are always doing.It is time for such working people to find a new hobby. Find something they like to do. There are a million hobbies or interests one can pursue. Just think of all the things you like, or all of the things you ever wanted to do. Think of what you need to do to achieve those things, and start doing it. Do it in your spare time. You will be surprised what a difference just half an hour a day focused on one particular interest will do. Many of my own hobbies I learned by studying them on my own in my spare time. If you can learn anything, you can learn anything, it just takes time, and if you prioritize right, time is something you do have. Learn another language, a new game, a new sport, a new musical instrument, or a hobby craft you would enjoy.Maybe you have many interests or hobbies you would like to pursue. That is great, the more the better. Variety is the spice of life. Find a variety of hobbies you would like to pursue and spice up your life a bit. Some of the hobbies I enjoy or camping and hiking. I bought myself an acoustic guitar and taught myself to play. I taught myself to play the piano a little, and I also play the trumpet. One hobby is designing websites. I speak English and Russian, but I want to learn some other languages as well.Geocaching is a fun new hobby; use Global Positioning Systems to find hidden treasures. I also like to play yard games like croquet, kubb, bocce ball, and others. Sports have always been a way for me to find pleasure and relaxation. I play tennis, basketball, golf, football, and others. Some people find pleasure in scrapbooking or other hobby crafts. If you cannot think of a hobby now, come to VarietyAccess.com your online hobby store and browse our hobbies. See if you cannot find one that interests you. We provide everything you need or want to pursue your hobbies or interests from sports hobbies to craft hobbies, music hobbies to camping and outdoors hobbies.Whatever your interests are, start pursuing them. Find an activity or interest outside your regular occupation that YOU can do for pleasure and relaxation. Start living again. Do not live to work, but work to live. Think of anything and everything you enjoy or that makes you happy and fill your lives with a “variety” of those things. Quit living your life for things that are not important to you and start living for the things that are important, recreation with family and friends, relationships, self-improvement, and the pursuit of happiness.
According to Dictionary.com, a hobby is “an activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure” (Dictionary.com). Merriam-Webster defines a hobby as “a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation” (Merriam Webster Dictionary). A hobby is relaxation and pleasure, OUTSIDE of one’s occupation. Many people today, go to work, come home, do not do anything, and then go back to work the next day, like mindless drones slaving away at their job, making money for bosses and owners who are pursuing their own interests and hobbies. That is why they started the business in the first place; it was something interesting to THEM that THEY could pursue. Well, it is time to work to live, not live to work; that is my motto. Find something to do outside of the workplace, something that YOU enjoy, something that relaxes you and brings you pleasure. Find something you can do with your family or with other people, to have good experiences, rather than that job you are always doing.It is time for such working people to find a new hobby. Find something they like to do. There are a million hobbies or interests one can pursue. Just think of all the things you like, or all of the things you ever wanted to do. Think of what you need to do to achieve those things, and start doing it. Do it in your spare time. You will be surprised what a difference just half an hour a day focused on one particular interest will do. Many of my own hobbies I learned by studying them on my own in my spare time. If you can learn anything, you can learn anything, it just takes time, and if you prioritize right, time is something you do have. Learn another language, a new game, a new sport, a new musical instrument, or a hobby craft you would enjoy.Maybe you have many interests or hobbies you would like to pursue. That is great, the more the better. Variety is the spice of life. Find a variety of hobbies you would like to pursue and spice up your life a bit. Some of the hobbies I enjoy or camping and hiking. I bought myself an acoustic guitar and taught myself to play. I taught myself to play the piano a little, and I also play the trumpet. One hobby is designing websites. I speak English and Russian, but I want to learn some other languages as well.Geocaching is a fun new hobby; use Global Positioning Systems to find hidden treasures. I also like to play yard games like croquet, kubb, bocce ball, and others. Sports have always been a way for me to find pleasure and relaxation. I play tennis, basketball, golf, football, and others. Some people find pleasure in scrapbooking or other hobby crafts. If you cannot think of a hobby now, come to VarietyAccess.com your online hobby store and browse our hobbies. See if you cannot find one that interests you. We provide everything you need or want to pursue your hobbies or interests from sports hobbies to craft hobbies, music hobbies to camping and outdoors hobbies.Whatever your interests are, start pursuing them. Find an activity or interest outside your regular occupation that YOU can do for pleasure and relaxation. Start living again. Do not live to work, but work to live. Think of anything and everything you enjoy or that makes you happy and fill your lives with a “variety” of those things. Quit living your life for things that are not important to you and start living for the things that are important, recreation with family and friends, relationships, self-improvement, and the pursuit of happiness.
Paintball 101
by: Jeffrey Jones
Paintball is a game played up of many players or teams. It can be played indoors or out, with as few as two people or as many as 500. Paintball is played at designated fields, back yards or even in the woods. A game can last as little as 5 minutes or hours with all depending on one to take something, find something, or to just be the last person not marked. Depending on the location of where you play, the strategy of your game will vary from being quiet and sneaky and choosing your shots carefully, to being loud, fast, and shooting constantly. Paintball is a competitive sport played like any other competitive sport, to win. It is challenging game of tag, hide-and-seek or even capture-the-flag. Being you shoot at other people and they shoot at you, paintball requires safety equipment to be worn such as goggles, special clothing and etc.An essential part of paintball is the paintball itself. As in tennis, the ball is the main element of a paintball game. But unlike a tennis game, paintball has dozens, often hundreds, of "balls" in play at any one time. As the name implies, these balls are actually tiny containers of paint. Paintballs have a really simple construction. They're actually a lot like bath-oil beads. They are made of colored liquid enclosed in a gelatin shell and are available in a variety of colors. Paintball are also non-toxic, biodegradable and are water soluble. Basically, a paintball is like a small water balloon, weighing only a few grams. The shell holds up if you handle it or drop it from a short distance. When you shoot a paintball from a gun, however, it bursts on impact and leaves large splatter of paint. The job of the paintball gun, or as many call a marker, is to shoot the paintball at a high rate of speed. In a standard gun, the propulsion system is compressed gas such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or ordinary air and is stored in small or large tanks that can be attached to the gun. The paintball gun is also attached to a hopper, which holds the paintballs. Maintaining safety in paintball is important to make the game safe. The power of paintball guns is strictly regulated. Guns in play are adjusted so that the maximum speed of the paintball is 300 feet per second. A paintball traveling at this speed is not likely to cause serious injury if it hits you, though it will sting and can leave a bruise. Also, since wind resistance starts slowing the paintball down as soon as it leaves the gun, it has a reduced impact when fired from a greater distance. Speeding paintballs can cause serious injury to the eyes and paintball players always wear protection. In addition to playing paintball for recreational use, paintball is also part of military and police training. In terms of feel and handling, a paintball gun has little in common with an actual firearm, but paintball is still good training for combat situations. Mainly, it lets soldiers and police practice strategy and the fine art of not getting shot.There are many paintball leagues around with American Paintball League being one of the largest in the paintball industry. Another paintball league is the National Professional Paintball League. There are the two main paintball leagues. Though they both pertain to paintball, each has their own set of rules for playing the sport.
Paintball is a game played up of many players or teams. It can be played indoors or out, with as few as two people or as many as 500. Paintball is played at designated fields, back yards or even in the woods. A game can last as little as 5 minutes or hours with all depending on one to take something, find something, or to just be the last person not marked. Depending on the location of where you play, the strategy of your game will vary from being quiet and sneaky and choosing your shots carefully, to being loud, fast, and shooting constantly. Paintball is a competitive sport played like any other competitive sport, to win. It is challenging game of tag, hide-and-seek or even capture-the-flag. Being you shoot at other people and they shoot at you, paintball requires safety equipment to be worn such as goggles, special clothing and etc.An essential part of paintball is the paintball itself. As in tennis, the ball is the main element of a paintball game. But unlike a tennis game, paintball has dozens, often hundreds, of "balls" in play at any one time. As the name implies, these balls are actually tiny containers of paint. Paintballs have a really simple construction. They're actually a lot like bath-oil beads. They are made of colored liquid enclosed in a gelatin shell and are available in a variety of colors. Paintball are also non-toxic, biodegradable and are water soluble. Basically, a paintball is like a small water balloon, weighing only a few grams. The shell holds up if you handle it or drop it from a short distance. When you shoot a paintball from a gun, however, it bursts on impact and leaves large splatter of paint. The job of the paintball gun, or as many call a marker, is to shoot the paintball at a high rate of speed. In a standard gun, the propulsion system is compressed gas such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or ordinary air and is stored in small or large tanks that can be attached to the gun. The paintball gun is also attached to a hopper, which holds the paintballs. Maintaining safety in paintball is important to make the game safe. The power of paintball guns is strictly regulated. Guns in play are adjusted so that the maximum speed of the paintball is 300 feet per second. A paintball traveling at this speed is not likely to cause serious injury if it hits you, though it will sting and can leave a bruise. Also, since wind resistance starts slowing the paintball down as soon as it leaves the gun, it has a reduced impact when fired from a greater distance. Speeding paintballs can cause serious injury to the eyes and paintball players always wear protection. In addition to playing paintball for recreational use, paintball is also part of military and police training. In terms of feel and handling, a paintball gun has little in common with an actual firearm, but paintball is still good training for combat situations. Mainly, it lets soldiers and police practice strategy and the fine art of not getting shot.There are many paintball leagues around with American Paintball League being one of the largest in the paintball industry. Another paintball league is the National Professional Paintball League. There are the two main paintball leagues. Though they both pertain to paintball, each has their own set of rules for playing the sport.
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