For Health’s Sake, Get The Kids Outdoors!

Junior Needs Your Help!

It’s an Outdoor Adventure Revolution! “Calling all parents… Join the Revolution!” It’s time to declare war on obesity, anti-socialism, asthmatic syndromes and moral confusion. I am sure this topic will upset many, however, if you are reading this blog, chances are you will agree since you are, most likely, outdoor enthusiasts as well. Studies over the past ten years have clearly illustrated the decline of outdoor activities by children by as much as 40% and some studies indicate an over 50% decline. That is truly scary!  The Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts have both shown dramatic decreases in participation over the past decade. Why is that? What could have possibly taken the place of outdoor activities for our youth?

One suggested cause is the change in family roles. Both parents having to work to keep the family financially sound. By both parents working full time jobs, less time is available for family activities. Certainly, there is less availability for a parent to transport a child to functions such as troop meetings or outdoor recreation activities. So, with less ability for the child to go outside the home for recreation or extra-curricular activities, what do they occupy their time with? Homework? What about during non-school periods?

A review of activities for children inside the home indicates a wide variety of entertainment. Would it shock you that children as young as six and seven years of age are frequenting  websites like My space and Face book? Do you know what these sites are? If not, I would make it my business to find out if I had a child or teenager who was spending time on either website. They are communities where people meet on-line to exchange information and chat. Spend a little time visiting some of the profiles and you will quickly learn why this may not be an appropriate “hangout” for your child. I’m not knocking the format… It may be totally appropriate for mature teens and adults, but the mix can be quite a bit mature for some teens and definitely for pre-teens. Another avenue for entertainment is the web itself. Ever type in a search for something and in the results were page after page of pornographic sites? Do you suppose it could happen to a child as well? It does, trust me. I hear stories all the time about someone walking into the room while their child is on the Internet and catching them browsing through pictures and videos of obscene content. You-Tube is another website that most pre-teens discuss on a regular basis at school. It’s free and easily accessible.

Of course, we all are familiar with the gaming stations that our children spend hours on every day. With titles like Doom, Grand Theft Auto and many others designed to win by killing, raping, stealing and deceiving and other illegal tactics. You get extra points by killing cops, picking up prostitutes and car-jacking. And yet, we justify the virtual babysitter by claiming that these type games are not detrimental to the morality of our youth, but are great for strategy building and hand-eye coordination. Please… However, not to ignore some manufacturers that are offering advances in equipment to help with inactivity, I salute the makers of the WII. At least with the WII, gamers are able to physically participate in the virtual activities helping in removing zombie-like gamers from the couch onto their feet.

Winter Camping! A New Experience for Most.

Winter Wonderland

Talk to regular campers and hikers and you will most certainly hear complaints about poison ivy, mosquitoes, thick brush, dry creeks and crowded campsites. Yet, you will also hear just how much they enjoyed the experience in spite of all the discomforts.

Here is my latest challenge! Winter Camping… perhaps your most memorable experience if done properly with a bit of pre-planning. Consider the advantages. No brush, no leaves means great views. You can literally see forever through the woods providing an abundance of “Kodak Moments” of wildlife and scenery. If you are fortunate enough to be around snow-covered terrain, the opportunities are even better for photo opps. Just the lack of mosquitoes and other pesky critters makes the outdoors, in Winter, my personal favorite.

If your biggest concern is the cold, let me assure you that, unless you have a zero tolerance to cold, you can remain as comfortable, if not more so than you can in the summer. With the proper outdoor gear and a few “know how” tips, you can enjoy the experience and brag about it for years. After all, you will still be among a small, elite group of adventures that have risked the elements in search of true outdoor adventure! At least that is what they will believe, and why in the world would we want to tell them any different…

The first measure in pre-planning is having the proper gear. If you don’t have a four-season tent, you will will want one. The main difference in a four-season versus a three or less season tent is the amount of ventilation provided. In Winter or cold temperatures, your body heat and / or portable heat source is your savior. Thus, you want it to stay inside the tent and close to your body. Most four-season tents are also low profile for two important reasons. First, to keep the heat down low, close to you for added warmth and second, to keep the wind from having a large area of wall to blow against. To dispel a myth that four-season tents are heavy or bulky, most are actually lighter weight  due to their compact size. The materials are somewhat stronger but not much thicker. It’s not like the walls in a four season are insulated or anything like that. Or are they? Maybe there are some that are insulated, but that’s a whole other sort of Winter camping, that we may want to do later, if you’re so inclined to mountain climbing or interested in expeditions. For our purposes, we’ll stick to basic Winter camping. One such tent that has been proven excellent by many professionals for it’s lightweight and durability is the Eureka! K-2 XT 4-Season Expedition Tent at approximately $370.00. Another excellent tent for the more budget minded adventurer is the Eureka! Wabakimi 2 Performance Backpacking Tent ideal for cold weather camping priced at about $160.00.

Walk Off Those Holiday Pounds!

Geocaching!

Button your pants, get off the couch, stop complaining that your miserable because you ate too much! It’s time to get outdoors with that new GPS Device you got for Christmas and put it to use the “Healthy” way. What better time to join the fastest growing outdoor activity, Geocaching? Like hiking? Enjoy a brisk walk in the park? Need a place to get away with the family, pet or friends? It’s easy and with the right outdoor equipment, can be an exhilarating experience. In a moment I’ll share our experiences over the weekend while out geocaching that might inspire you to get out and try it, if you’re not already a cacher… In the meantime, while you have your New Year’s resolution checklist in front of you, write down the following: I will spend more time with the family by introducing them to geocaching and engaging in the sport on weekends in order to get more familiar with the great outdoors as a healthy means of entertainment. This will include (insert dog’s name here).

After a long week and a half of steady eating, napping to forget the miserable feeling of being

High Falls in Alabama

stuffed and laying around watching Ebenezer, Ralphy, Rudolf and George Baily on TV, we decided to put an end to it all and escape to the outdoors, fresh air and exercise! We loaded the GPS (ETrex Vista) with geocaching coordinates from the Geocaching.com website and broke out the jeep and headed for the trails. We have lived in Northeast Alabama for six years and never realized how beautiful the surrounding area really was. One of the caches directed us to “High Falls” near Geraldine, AL. Absolutely Spectacular and only seven miles from our home. Shame on us for taking so long to visit it. As you can see in the photo, it compares with locations shown in National Geographic, The Discovery Channel and many outdoor nature publications. Leave it to geocaching to introduce this majestic waterfall into our neighborhood!

Following the directions on the GPS led us directly to the cache. Kind of like an “over the mountain, through the woods, across the bridge we went” type of deal… A slight climb and “bingo”, there it was! Nothing to it, right? Not if you don’t have a GPS unit or a degree from M.I.T. in orienteering. A bit of sightseeing and water for Meisha and we were on our way to the next catch…

Next was a cache located along the “Lick Skillet” trail in Guntersville State Park. That’s right, I spelled it right, Lick Skillet! I can only imagine a group of campers stopping along the trail for a cookout. After the beans were completely consumed, a hiker by the name of Pierre or Homer or something close, was still hungry and decided to “lick the skillet” for whatever remaining morsels were present. The trail, still un-named, thus became known as “Lick Skillet”! If you know the real story, I’d be more than happy to hear it, but for the meantime, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!

Meisha in the Hunt!

Back to geocaching… We entered the trail at the highest point, it was a well laid out trail, clearly marked with orange markers. We followed the trail a little ways and noticed that the trail led away from the cache location, or it appeared that way from our vantage point. So, like Louis and Clark, we decided to blaze our own trail. After descending a drop of approximately 380 feet through wet leaves and moss, we walked right into the trail, smart… I can only assume the trail would have been much more negotiable. The directions to the cache described a burnt log just off the trail, so a hunting we went. It wasn’t long before Pam (wife) spoke up and the cache was found. Two things to note here… One, had I followed the GPS directions, I would have tripped over the log, literally! Two, since my back was turned, it is not clear whether Pam actually found the cache or Meisha. They were both at the spot together. In either case, the cache was found and a great hike it was. Though a bit more extreme than expected, it wasn’t like we didn’t need the exercise.

Mama and her babies

It was a great day! We had great fun! And, as an added bonus, got to see something that many outdoor adventurers never see! A mama and her two babies allowed us to get within 10 yards for a “Kodak” moment. See for yourselves…

Until next time, enjoy the outdoors, it’s God’s provision for relaxation.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Winter!

Spot Satellite Messenger

Just days before the start of Winter and already, the snow blowers are roaring, the chiropractors are busy and the snow plows are humming down the street. The weather forecasters are calling for another extreme snow season, perhaps worse than last year. That’s great for the outdoor adventurers however, and you can rest assured that they will be out in masses this Winter. Hopefully, this season will be different in one respect… safety. Last year (2007-2008), was the worst year since the 50’s for lost skiers, mountain climbers and adventurers. It’s hard to believe that, with today’s technology, so many beginner and experienced outdoor enthusiasts would venture without the benefit of tracking devices as well as basic preparations ahead of time. Simple steps like letting someone know where you will be and when you will be back, utilizing a GPS device and most of all being equipped with a satellite tracking device to ensure your being found should an unexpected event occur.

One such device making headlines in the trade news for 2008 is the SPOT Satellite Messenger. SPOT is the world’s first satellite messenger. SPOT sends your exact GPS coordinates and selected messages over commercial satellites to tell others of your location and status. All of this at a lower cost than the least expensive GPS Units.

Unlike a traditional GPS device which only receives a satellite signal indicating your location, SPOT utilizes dual satellite networks to receive your location as well as transmit it along with pre-programmed messages to the recipients of your choice. Backed by one of the world’s leading mobile satellite companies, the SPOT satellite network is currently employed by over 50,000 governmental and industrial clients, and averages a greater than 99% message success rate. No matter where you roam, SPOT gives you a vital line of communication with friends and family when and where you want it, and emergency assistance when and where you need it.

Some of the features include the unique ability to send your exact GPS coordinates and selected messages over commercial satellites to tell others of your location and status. SPOT works around the world, independently of cellular networks and features four key functions that enable users to send messages to friends, family or emergency responders, based upon varying levels of need and uses the GPS satellite system to determine a user’s location and the SPOT satellite network to transmit that location and the user’s status. The SPOT satellite network is a commercial satellite network with a proven 99.4% reliability rate while processing over 6 million messages a month – the equivalent of 2.3 messages per second.

So, when you’re making plans for a trip to the outdoors this Winter (or any time, for that matter) make SPOT part of your outdoor gear and make a statement that even though you’re adventurous, you’re safe and considerate to those that will be left behind to worry about your well-being!

Where Were You When…?

Disasters

The times: they are a changin’! “Where were you when…” no longer applies to extremely isolated events. I can remember years ago when someone started a question with “where were you when” meant “when JFK was shot, or MLK or maybe Bobby Kennedy. However, if you ask the question today, it could mean a number of events over a short period of time: Katrina, tsunami, the World Trade Center, the 2007 deep freeze, the California earthquake, Mt. St. Helen’s eruption and the list goes on.

Why were all of these events disasters? Most of them were predicted, fore-casted and even warnings were issued days before the actual event occurred. If you examine the trends with the exception of the Twin Towers, they are geological, natural disasters that crews of scientists and analysts work around the clock “monitoring”. Yet, people lost their lives from hunger, hypothermia and other causes due to the aftermath of the disaster because they were not properly prepared. The number one reason was “Procrastination”. There you have it…

“Don’t put off till tomorrow, what you can do today.” We’ve all heard it more than we wish to admit. The reality is that we all do it, over and over again! The coast of America is populated with expert construction workers. Don’t believe me? Watch the news a day or so before a hurricane is scheduled to hit. Every homeowner along the area fore-casted for the hit is busy with hammer and nails constructing fort-like facades on their residence. Plywood, cut with precision, braces and retaining walls erected in a matter of hours. The hurricane hits, the residents return and the first thing they realize is that maybe the home endured the storm, but now there is no water, no power and no food, or worse, no shelter. Now what?

The Perfect 1st Outdoor Adventure!

The Perfect Tree!

What better time to introduce the younguns to their first true outdoor adventure than “finding that perfect Christmas tree”? One of my fondest memories is tromping through the snowy woods with my Dad, Mom, brother and sister, saw in hand. In fact, I can’t remember ever having been in the woods until that day looking for the family Christmas Tree. It was the weekend after Thanksgiving and Mom had already pulled the Christmas decorations from the attic. The excitement had already begun. Visions of Santa had been seen on TV watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He was close! Now we had to hurry and find the tree so things could really get cranking at the house. Everyone knows its not Christmas until you have a place to put the presents! I can still remember the smell of the pines in the forest and the smell of the fresh cut trunk of the tree.

I was fortunate to be living in Maine at that time and even luckier to be back when my son, Matt was old enough for his first Christmas Tree hunt. It was his turn to find the perfect tree and that, he did. Step aside Charlie Brown, you had nothing on Matt. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he pointed at the feeble little tree. Pride never looked so sweet! He found it, by golly and no one would convince him otherwise. Well, I’ve always been a handy-man sort and thought I could fix anything. However, that day brought a considerable amount of self-doubt. How would THAT tree ever look like a Christmas Tree? We cut the poor thing, toted it to the house and decorated it. I’ll be darned if that tree didn’t turn out to be the Perfect Christmas Tree!

We’re Really Cookin’ Now!

Vapor AF Expedition Stove

Introducing Brunton’s award winning Vapor AF Expedition Stove! That’s right, the winner of the prestigious Outside Magazine’s “Gear of the Year”, Backpacker’s “Editor’s Choice” and Popular Science’s “Best of What’s New” awards. Only the most major awards given to innovative products in their respective categories.

If I sound excited, it’s for good cause. I have been trying to find the perfect stove to pack in my outdoor gear for years. I have tried many of the compact units and found them to be very poor quality in burn capacity and durability. I tried units that were supposed to fit in a backpack and found out they really didn’t! And, they were all heavy once you included the fuel container. Not to mention the inconvenience of being restricted to butane unless you were a mechanic and could manipulate the fittings to work on some other liquid fuels. Well people, welcome to the age of technology.

Fits in the Palm of Your Hand!

The Vapor AF is the ultimate stove for camping, expeditions, or even at the hunting camp. The “AF” stands for “all fuels”, I repeat, all fuels. That includes butane, white gas, diesel, kerosene, and auto gas. Can’t afford to take the jet out? Great, drain the sucker and put the jet fuel to use. Exactly! That’s what I said too, the Vapor AF will literally burn any liquid fuel. Here’s the best part, you don’t have to change jets, nozzles, or anything. All you have to do is adjust the burner cup. That’s it…

But will it cook? Does Martha Stewart puree? Of course it cooks! How does 10,000 BTU’s with liquid fuel and 12,000 BTU’s with butane sound to you? What about a burn time of 2.5 hours at high output? I think it can cook… All of this in a unit that is built out of stainless steel. aluminum and brass, weighs a whole 16 ounces and fits in the palm of your hand. Oh! Did I mention it will accommodate an 8″ pot and carries a lifetime guarantee?

It’s so convenient and compact, I think I’ll keep one in the jeep and the next time I get stuck out on the road, I’ll just whip it out and start cooking. Heck, I can see it now, I’ll be the envy of the road!

So what if it’s raining… Say “Cheese” Anyways!

Camera Built for the Elements!

The perfect “postal” camera! Shoots through rain, sleet or snow! Actually, under water too!

You probably wonder why an outdoor adventure blog would include a post on a digital camera the size of your palm. I believe you will understand before much longer. Along with my numerous outdoor adventures is photography. I particularly enjoy digital cameras because of the flexibility of producing the final product. With a little help from Santa, I’ll soon be giving you MY review of the new Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Digital Camera.

Through intensive research into the various aspects of the Stylus, I found it to be the absolute perfect camera to include with my outdoor adventure gear.

Child Proof!

The Stylus 1030SW is the latest in Olympus’s lineup of rough-and-tumble waterproof cameras. With features like a 10-mega-pixel (3648 x 2736) CCD and a large, 2.7” LCD monitor, it is the the camera that redefines tough. The Shockproof, Waterproof, Freeze-proof and Dust-proof design gives active people the confidence to take this camera anywhere and shoot in nearly any condition. Plus, the wide-angle lens lets users capture more of what they see. Great for divers, surfers, rafters, hikers, campers, skiers and anyone with an active lifestyle.

Built like a Bradley! This camera withstands temperatures down to 14 degrees F° (that’s -10° C) and stands up to a 220 lb. crush test, heck, I can’t do that! And that it will survive a fall from a height of six feet (two meters), well all I can say is: I don’t believe I would ever try it, kind of like driving a Hummer through a mud rally. But it nice to know it can and so-called “Impact Damage” is the number one killer of cameras. By virtually eliminating this risk factor, Olympus has improved it’s customer satisfaction to the nth degree.

Like dancing in the rain? No problem getting digital proof with the Stylus! Truly waterproof, in fact, it’s a true underwater camera, suitable for snorkel and shallow SCUBA (waterproof to a depth of 10 meters, or about 33 feet). That makes it perfect for the backyard pool. Even non-divers will appreciate the ability—at long last—to be able to take digital pictures in the rain and snow without running the risk of ruining your camera and voiding the warranty. By the way, the second camera killer is moisture! Combined with its resistance to impact, the watertight feature makes the camera virtually kid proof.

Here’s One for The Gadget Guru on Your List!

Carabiner Tool

With the popularity of the carabiner in today’s world, chances are that you have one for some use and don’t realize what it is called. If you do, then you realize just how incredibly “handy” they are. Personally, I know that I have at least a dozen around the house and use them for just about anything that requires a clip or keyring. I have actually manipulated outdoor gear, clothing and gadgets that I carry into the outdoors just to have a place to clip the carabiner. I know… that’s kind of getting carried away, but, trust me, if you’re into hands free adventuring, it won’t be long before you too, will be cutting clothing, sewing loops and drilling holes in your gear as well!

Hold on! I have a gadget along those same lines, that even Maxwell Smart, Q and Inspector Gadget will be impressed with! The Kershaw Carabiner Tool is the ultimate in convenience, dependability and innovation. Not only is it manufactured by Kershaw, who happens to be one of the elite knife manufacturers, but includes the perfect tools for life’s everyday minor adjustments and impositions. The best part is that you can use it for a keyring and always have it with you. The perfect stocking stuffer!

Range of Colors

The illustrated Kershaw Knife is the Black Kershaw Carabiner Tool that features a 3 1/4″ part serrated sheep-foot blade made of AUS6A stainless steel. The blade of this Kershaw knife has an oval hole for ambidextrous one hand opening. The black aluminum carabiner frame handle, 4 1/8″ closed, has a liner lock, an integral bottle opener, flat screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver and screw type locking latch. The Kershaw Carabiner Tool has an overall open length of 7 3/8″ and weighs 2.7 ounces. It comes in black, blue, red and silver so you can customize your uses.

Use the silver for your silver Jeep, the red for your red pick-up and the black for the black Porsche in your garage. Not to mention your camping gear, backpack, GPS device and 4 wheeler keys. Sorry mountain climbers, you’ll still need your professional carabiners since the Kershaw Carabiner Tool is not a load bearing device.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Carter’s “Night Before Christmas”

It sure has been a long time since I visited my post. Sorry everyone, but I’ve been really busy in pre-school these days. The homework is nuts! Well I had a chance to visit with Poppy and he shared his version of “Twas The Night Before Christmas” so I figured I would share it with you. Enjoy! Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving!

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the tent

Santa in Camo!

Not a cell phone was ringing, not a penny was spent.
The backpacks were hung by the fire with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their cots,
With visions of deer entering their food plots.
And mamma in her flannels, and I in my cap,
Had just smothered our campfire for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the grounds there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my cot to see what was the matter.
Away to the door I flew like a flash,
Tore open the flap and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the brush! to the top of the trees!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away please!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the mountains the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of gear, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the Hickory St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in camo, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of gear he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a hiker, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the backpacks, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the hickory he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”