Outdoors

Have you ever watched a neighbour get ready for a camping trip? They will research camping sites months ahead of time, buy expensive clothes that they don’t really need, watch the weather every day, and plan out an entire weekend of meals. They will haul in beer, portable inflatable mattresses, Coleman grills, and more. Sometimes, however, the few basic creature comforts that really enhance the camping trip get left behind. The same people who spend hundreds of dollars on junk that they don’t really need will not bother to bring a decent camping chair that they can strap onto the back of their hiking pack! (more…)

Snowboarding is a great and fun way to spend time outdoors, but it has its risks. Nothing would be worse than returning from a snowboarding trip with a broken leg or sprained wrist. There are a number of common safety measures you can follow to lessen your chances of a snowboarding injury.

The primary way to avoid snowboarding injuries is to make sure you are in shape to ski. Organize for your winter sports trip with a training program designed to increase core stability and muscle mass. Endurance and leg strength is vital to lend a hand in preventing injuries. (more…)

People have been moving around on skis since pre-historic times, combining this way of travelling with hunting animals for food. Nordic skiing, otherwise known as cross country skiing, originated in Scandinavia and is still a common means of transportation in Finland, Sweden, and Norway. It has also become increasingly popular leisure pursuit and there are numerous competitions for the serious sports skier.

There are different techniques used in the sport and a number of different events, such as sprint, relay, and pursuit. Cross country ski races take place over various distances, including long distance cross country skiing known as Ski Marathons. The longest distance of these events, at 160 km, is the Canadian Ski Marathon. There are international competitions and a World Cup. (more…)

One of the most satisfying experiences a fisherman can have is to land a fish on a lure he has made with his own hands. Plus, by making your own lures, you can experiment to determine what works, and what does’nt work for your particular fishing needs. Another advantage of making your own Homemade Fishing Plugs is you’ll save a bit of money too!

If paradise is on earth, then white water rafting paradise is in Canada. There are a number of locations that have incredible scenery and that form a wonderful backdrop for Canadian white water rafting. Climbing aboard a raft for an adventure down a river is fun almost anywhere, but white water rafting in Canada is in a league of its own. There are pristine rivers, towering mountains, and marvelous skies that make this activity a memorable experience that draws most people back for repeat trips.

Some of the most spectacular scenery in the whole world is in Banff, Alberta where a great river rolls past the mountains. Pictures of Banff always present a fantastic image, but the real scenery in unbelievable. The entire scene in Banff is beautiful through every season of the year. Kicking Horse River is Canadian white water rafting at its best. (more…)

Rock climbing requires more than just the ability to deal with heights. You need to be in good physical condition to climb. You also need utmost concentration, as you edge your way upwards towards the ultimate goal of reaching the top. You need stamina and dedication. Stamina to last until you reach the goal. Dedication to reach the goal.

Most of all, you need to know the basics of rock climbing. The styles and techniques that have been compiled over years of rock climbing experience that has already become the dictum wherever rock climbing is concerned. (more…)

If you have never heard of geocaching you are not in the minority. Geocaching is, however, fast gaining popularity all around the world.

So what exactly is this geocaching thing all about?

Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunting type sport in which the participants use a global positioning system (GPS) device to navigate their way around and hide and seek containers called caches. It has been likened to a high tech Easter egg hunt. Someone hides a bunch of usually inexpensive collectables in a container (the cache) and then they post the longitude and latitude coordinates on the Internet so that others can search for it.

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What is backpacking?

The most common definition states that “backpacking is hiking, camping, or traveling in some manner, with all of your gear in a pack that you carry on your back”. Experienced backpackers know that it is so much more than that!

There is the thrill of the adventure of your trip, the independence of relying totally on yourself, and the fact that you technically will need nothing more than what you carry on your back to make your trip, wherever it may be.

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I started this blog on November 15, 2007.

Richard Killey