Expect Experience

Scuba Diving – Free under the Sea

One of the world’s favorite water adventure activities is scuba diving. Divers have many different reasons for spending time underwater. Many of them are sightseers and photographers; others are searching for ship ruins and artifacts. They are all part of a pastime and profession that has been around for centuries.

Underwater diving originated in societies where fishing was a main source of food. Divers trained to hold their breath for long periods would go under the water to catch fish or harvest shellfish from the bottom. Recognizing that the longer divers could stay underwater, the more food they could catch, ingenuity took over and new ideas were born.

The reed was the first snorkel. However, while divers could stay under longer, they could only go a few feet below the surface. Diving bells made of wood were used as early as 1600. The bells allowed divers to submerge for longer periods and get air trapped at the top of the bell by going under and up into the bell.

The first diving suits made of leather were designed in the early 1800s, allowing a diver to go down to 60 feet. During the same period, diving helmets were designed that allowed air to be pumped into the helmet from the surface. A solution that would allow divers to work independent of air supplied from the surface still persisted.

In 1825 the first truly self contained diving system was invented. The compressed air supply was contained in a belt worn by the diver and allowed him to stay under water unfettered for longer periods.

The final solution for a system that would allow divers to dive using a self-contained and regulated air supply was invented in 1942 by world famous water naturalist Jacque Cousteau and Emile Gagnan. The “aqua lung” allowed divers to go deeper and stay longer. During World War II, the aqua lung acquired the military acronym SCUBA for “self contained underwater breathing apparatus.” The acronym stuck and scuba diving began growing into the popular activity it is today during the 1950s.

Filed Under: Adventures, Sports Tagged With: Jacque Cousteau, Scuba diving, World War II

Can You Talk about Canoes?

Canoes are synonymous with Indians and while North American Indian tribes living near water are credited with building the first canoes, there is more to that history of these water craft. Archeologists have found evidence of canoes being in used in North America as far back as 6000 BC. Polynesian tribes were also found to be using canoes for several thousand years.

The first canoes were dugouts – made from hollowed out and shaped tree trunks. These canoes carried as few as two people and as many as 12. Among some tribes, particularly in Polynesia and the Caribbean, war canoes with an outrigger for stability could be as long as 130 feet. These canoes were seagoing craft and could travel from island to island. There were even longer double hulled canoes equipped with sails that could carry up to 100 people.

Over time, the North American Indians developed a lighter and more maneuverable canoe. The frame was composed of wooden ribs and covered with birch tree bark. Bark was chosen because it is waterproof. The canoe’s joints were held together with pine root and coated with hot pine tree rosin to complete the waterproofing process. When the Europeans came to the New World they were fascinated by the ingenuity of the craft and began using canoes to travel by water. Canoes became so popular that the first North American canoe factory was built in Trois-Revieres, Quebec around 1750 to accommodate the growing fur trade. Some of these canoes could carry twelve people.

During the 1800s canoes also became popular as a recreational craft. John MacGregor is credited with introducing the first recreational canoe. In 1924 the canoe was first demonstrated at the 1924 Paris Olympics and became an official sport at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.

Whitewater canoeing became a popular extension of canoe sports after World War II and became an officially recognized sport at the Olympic Games in 1972.

Filed Under: General, Sports Tagged With: Canoe, John MacGregor

Why Outdoor Enthusiasts Need Insurance

Trekking the North American outdoors is a popular recreational activity. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, looking up an insurance quote may not be the first thing that occurs to you when preparing for your next outdoor excursion. However, whether you will be hunting, fishing or hiking, the wilderness does present its risks. You want to be sure that you are protected in unexpected circumstances.

The Exciting Outdoors

Hiking a beautiful mountainous trail, fishing in a pond or hunting deer are ways to enjoy outdoor environments while getting exercise, relaxing and picking up some fish or deer meat for dinner. It’s common to focus on the positive aspects of getting away from the day-to-day routine and avoid thinking about what might possibly go wrong on such an excursion.

The Challenges of the Outdoors

Outdoor activities remove you from your daily, comfortable surroundings. Unless you live in the wilderness, you don’t come into contact with bears, snakes, alligators, wolves and mountain lions on a daily basis. You can learn how to keep yourself as safe as possible, but even so, that can of mace may not be enough of a protection to keep bears and other dangers away.

When spending time outdoors, you also deal with environmental and weather hazards. You might experience frozen ground leading to slipping and falling. Muddy terrain and unstable patches of ground can also cause accidents.

How Getting an Insurance Quote Can Help

Given all of the things that can potentially go awry in an outdoor trip, getting an insurance quote prior to your trip can give you assurance. There’s no telling what can happen when you’re out hunting deer. You have no control over a nearby novice gunman. Whether you’re dealing with unstable terrain, wild animals or rookie hunters, purchasing insurance prior to your trip can ultimately result in greater medical care and a savings to your wallet. With such precautions in place, you can relax and enjoy your outing.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: Hiking, Hunting, Outdoor recreation

Sensible Rules for Mountain Climbing

Image via Wikipedia

Mountain climbing can be a fun and challenging activity; it can also be dangerous. There are rules for climbing mountains that make it safer and more enjoyable.

Choosing the proper clothing beforehand is an important first rule. At higher altitudes the air is colder and weather needs to be considered. Thick wool socks should be worn with boots designed for climbing. Trousers, preferably climbing breeches, should be loose fitting and comfortable. Top garments should be warm and designed to protect against wind and rain. Many climbers prefer neoprene-proof anorak for protection in rain. Trousers made from the same material will shield from run-off from the top garment. Light weight thermal gloves offer good protection for the hands. A safety helmet should always be worn when climbing.

The next rule is to plan the climb well in advance of the date. Planning includes getting and becoming familiar with maps of the area, keeping close track of expected weather conditions, and planning the route to be taken. Make sure a copy of the planned itinerary is left with a responsible person. If the weather becomes unsafe, it is best to cancel the climb – better safe than sorry.

Safety is a prime consideration in mountain climbing. Before starting to climb, double check to make sure that maps, a flashlight and a compass will be handy at all times. The one piece of technology that should be carried is a fully charged cell phone. Be sure to stay on the planned route – do not wander off into unfamiliar areas. Bring plenty of fluids and drink periodically to stay hydrated. Travel at a moderate pace. Even walk-up mountain climbing can be exhausting. Stay alert for unexpected hazards along the route.

Always be considerate of the environment and others who climb mountains. Whatever is brought onto a mountain should be taken back down. “Whatever” includes trash, empty containers and anything else that is not part of the natural habitat?

Finally, have a safe and enjoyable climb.

Filed Under: Adventures, Hiking Techniques Tagged With: Climb, mountaineer

Trail Mix, Trail Ease

It’s the familiar hunger. The miles have yielded a need to stop, to sample the essential tastes. The collection of fruits and nuts stuffed in your bag offers little appeal, however. A mix was intended for forest trails but seems insufficient: its flavors are unknown; its calories are high; and its scent is stale. It was promised to be perfect but you’re beginning to think that promise was a lie.

It was — and it’s one that could have been avoided with the use of a food dehydrator.

The need for sustenance while hiking is understood by all. The paths can be long and the hours can be longer. Energy is wanted and trail mixes can become ideal sources of that energy. They bolster the body, providing essential carbohydrates and monounsaturated fats (which are derived from nuts, rather than animals, and offer doses of vitamin e, fiber and more). They’re easy to store and easier to carry — claiming little space in packs and demanding nothing beyond your fingers.

When purchased from stores, however, they can instead demand dollars and high caloric counts. Shop brands can be expensive: with you wasting money on unnecessary (and unwanted) sugars, trans-fats and artificial flavors. These will steal energy, rather than provide it; and your body won’t be able to endure those afternoon treks.

A food dehydrator will make such treks easy, though.

Create your own mixes with the aid of a dehydrator. Choose the ingredients (and quantities) that you want; avoid the unhappy additives; and build layers of flavor. Consider nuts like pecans and almonds for bursts of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Add fruit — that you dried yourself — like raisins, apricots, cherries and plums for natural sweetness. Blend in a scattering of sunflower seeds to create texture. Store then in an air-tight container and go on your way.

Never again rely on shops and their uncertainties. Form a mix that’s instead thoroughly your own.

Filed Under: All About Hiking, Hiking Techniques Tagged With: Fruit, Nuts, Trail mix

The Best U.S. Mountains to Climb

Mount Elbert, Colorado in June - http://www.Ro...

Image via Wikipedia

The question many beginner mountain climbing enthusiasts ask is what are the best U.S, mountains to climb? The first part of the answer to that question is the level of difficulty involved in climbing a particular U.S. peak.

The level of difficulty involves a mix of two factors: altitude and terrain. At the lowest level a mountain would be at a low altitude with easily climbed terrain. The reality is that a tall mountain could be a walk-up with little difficulty involved and a mountain at a much lower altitude could have much rougher terrain. Regardless of the level of difficulty, a safety minded mountaineer always climbs with a companion.

California’s Mount Whitney is the highest mountain in the lower 48 states at an altitude of 14, 494 feet and yet it is considered a walk-up climb by mountaineers. The same level of difficulty applies to Mount Elbert in Colorado with an altitude of 14,433 feet.

Located outside the continental United States is Hawaii’s Mount Haleakala, a walk-up mountain that makes up 75% of the island of Maui. The mountain was formed from a volcano over thousands of years.

There are mountains in the United States that are significantly more difficult to climb. New Hampshire’s Mount Washington peaks at an altitude of 6,288 feet and yet it is a difficult climb because of the weather conditions. The highest recorded wind gust on a U.S mountaintop – 231 miles per hour – was measured on Mount Washington. During the winter, sustained temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit have been recorded on this mountain and the wind chill has been estimated at -100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another low altitude mountain that merits difficulty respect is Maine’s Mount Katadhin at 5,267 feet above seal level. This mountain sits at the end of the Appalachian Trail and is known for the Knife Edge Trail, a path that is no more than two feet wide in some spots with 1,000 foot drops on either side of the path.

Filed Under: Adventures, Seasonal Hiking Tagged With: Mountaineering, United States

Learn about Mountain Climbing

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Mountain climbing is a sport that goes by several other names – alpinism, mountaineering and rock climbing. All these names are synonymous with a popular sports activity that requires fitness, agility, stamina, endurance and the right mental attitude. Mountaineering requires fitness and is ultimately about the challenge of climbing to the top.
Mental attitude is a key factor because mountain climbing can be dangerous. First and foremost, experienced climbers should always climb with another person. They must be constantly aware of their environment and alert to potential dangers like rock slides and poor footing.
Climbing mountains is, like many other sports, a learning process. Seasoned climbers recommend that people who are interested in the sport “aim low” and start with short climbs or at a climbing gym. A gym gives the potential beginner a sense of what mountain climbing is like. Another suggestion is to take a short course at a mountain climbing school. There are good schools around the country. Mountain climbing clubs are also a good place to learn about and try the sport out.
For those who discover that they like mountaineering, the next level is to try “walk-up” mountains. These are non-technical climbs that require no special equipment and will test climbers’ endurance and confidence start with low elevation climbs and working up to higher climbs. In the United States, two of the better known high walk-ups are California’s Mount Whitney (14,490 feet) and Colorado’s Mount Elbert (14,433 feet).
The next step climbs are moderately steep snow capped mountains like Washington’s Mount Rainer (14,411 feet) and Mount Baker (10,770 feet), and California’s Mount McKinley (20,320 feet). The height of these mountains is deceptive in comparison to the walk-up mountains because these climbs require more skill, experience and the use of specialized equipment to reach the peak.
Mountain climbing is great exercise and an opportunity to go enjoy the outdoors in an entirely different way. With time, determination and experience a beginning climber can become an experienced mountaineer

Filed Under: Adventures, Sports Tagged With: Climb, Mountaineering

An Experience Under the Stars

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Camping outdoors, under the stars, enjoying the full moon image, and bonding with surrounding nature . . . a mountain vacation is indeed peaceful and almost spiritual to experience. There is no traffic, no interruptions, no “busyness” or other daily distractions to interfere with your vacation pursuit of solitude and perhaps even enjoying a different kind of physical fun, like hiking. Hiking is definitely a physically demanding sport, so be sure to adequately prepare for it with the proper gear, clothing, tools, fluids, and camping essentials to make your experience safe, fun, and full of wonderful memories.

Hiking and camping trips are ultra physical activities that also make for a good vacation. There are numerous places to try out your hiking instincts, and there is nothing like cooking bacon and brewing coffee over an open campfire! Imagine trekking in the mountains of the Himalayas, seeing the sights, experiencing the sounds, and inhaling that fresh mountain air as you scale that steep mountain or maneuver through those winding trails. A Himalayan adventure is just one option among many, with various other locations offering similar fun and excitement that you can’t wait to share with your family and friends!

But, even if they can’t be there with you when you stand on that mountain peak and bellow out through the valleys, you can still let them know you’re thinking about them by sending them a picture text or message. Or, for nostalgia and a more memorable keepsake, send postcards of the amazing sights and sounds that you experience in the mountains. They can keep those postcards to add to their scrapbooks, on their refrigerators, or on their desks at work. It’s a great idea to share your experience and is also a way to spark conversations as you reminisce about your visit and exciting events that occured while you were on vacation.

Filed Under: All About Hiking, Hiking Techniques Tagged With: Hiking, Himalaya, Mountain

The Triple Crown of Hiking

Within the United States there are three internationally acclaimed hiking trails known as the Triple Crown of hiking: the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. Each of these trails has its own unique topography and character. All three trails have been designated as National Scenic Trails under the National Trails System Act of 1968.

The Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail runs 2,175 miles through the Appalachian Mountains from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine, passing through Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. The Appalachian Mountains also form the geographic boundary between the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest United States.

The terrain ranges from flat to areas that require the use of the hands to move forward or up. As the trail moves north, the terrain becomes more rugged. The average altitude is around 3,000 feet above sea level.

The Continental Divide Trail

The Continental Divide Trail is often called the “King of Trails” and is most challenging of the three national scenic trails. The trail stretches 3,100 miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian border making it the longest of the three. The Continental Divide Trail winds through the Rocky Mountains and a variety of other terrains in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.

Portions of the Continental Divide Trail are considered wilderness and as of 2004 slightly over 70 percent of the trail has been completely cleared for hiking.

The Pacific Crest Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail differs from its two cousins in that it is a hiking and equestrian trail. The trail covers 2,650 miles from the U.S-Mexican border to the Canadian border at British Columbia, Canada, and passes through the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Cascade Range in California, Oregon and Washington.

An average of 300 hikers attempts to cover the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail every season – less than the number of climbers that have climbed Mt. Everest.

Filed Under: All About Hiking, Seasonal Hiking Tagged With: AppalachianTrail, Hiking

The Popular Appalachian Trail

Image by vanderhe1 via Flickr

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail – better known simply as the Appalachian Trail – is a popular national hiking jewel that follows the ridge of the Appalachian Mountains 2, 174 miles through 14 states from Mount Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia. While not the longest, the Appalachian is the skinniest hiking trail in the United States and at some points is only a few hundred yards wide because it is surrounded by private property at many points.

The trail is divided into five sections. The Northern Northeast takes in Maine and western New Hampshire and continues into the Southern Northeast section which includes New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Moving south is the Mid-Atlantic section which continues through New York and into New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Next is the Virginias section which takes in West Virginia and Virginia. The final section is the Southern Appalachian and includes Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.

In addition to being one of the most traveled hiking trails in America, the Appalachian Trail marks the geographic boundary between the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest area of the United States. The trail’s highest elevation in 6,625 feet at Clingman Dome, Tennessee and the lowest elevation is 124 feet at Bear Mountain, New York. It is part of the Triple Crown of hiking, which includes the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.

While the northern end of the Appalachian Trail officially stops at Maine, the International Appalachian Trail begins at that point and continues 690 miles into Canada through New Brunswick and Quebec and ends the North Atlantic Ocean coast. The southern end of the trail, in Georgia, was unofficially extended into Alabama along the Pinhoti Trail in 2008.

The Appalachian Trail was the brain child of Benton MacKaye in 1921. It was started in 1923 and completed in 1937. It was the first train to be designated as a national scenic trail in 1968. Over 10,000 day hikers and hikers from all over the world have traveled part or all of the Appalachian Trail. It is considered by many to be the most popular hiking trail in the United States.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: AppalachianTrail, Springer Mountain

Expect Experience

Scuba Diving – Free under the Sea

Can You Talk about Canoes?

Why Outdoor Enthusiasts Need Insurance

Sensible Rules for Mountain Climbing

Trail Mix, Trail Ease

The Best U.S. Mountains to Climb

Learn about Mountain Climbing

An Experience Under the Stars

The Triple Crown of Hiking

The Popular Appalachian Trail

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