I’ve been skiing since I was eleven years old and I love it. I participate both downhill and cross-country skiing, and I refuse to be drawn into debates over which is better. They’re both wonderful pastimes, and they both have their advantages. As to drawbacks, however, there is one that is common to both forms […]
In Seattle, Washington, a city famous for its rain, there is an insurance company running a hilarious series of ads. These ads feature “northwest profiles” of the various types of people you are likely to run into in this area of the United States. They include individuals like “The Super-Long Coffee Orderer” and the “Obsessive […]
Gloves and mittens designed for use while skiing are a lot more complicated than your average, run-of-the-mill styles. These hand coverings have to contend with extreme cold, wet, wipeouts, ski edges and rope lifts, all of which can take a major toll. To deal with these various challenges, ski gloves and mittens have to be […]
When I was in my early teens, I practically lived in my hiking boots. I wore them to school, to the mall, to the beach, you name it. Hey, I lived in Washington State and it was the grunge era: hiking boots went perfectly with the ever so stylish flannel shirt. Of course, despite my […]
When putting on clothes in preparation for downhill skiing, there is one central goal: to prevent getting cold. Naturally, when one puts oneself in a situation that requires remaining in the snow for hours at a time, maintaining an acceptable body temperature becomes paramount. The accepted approach when selecting skiing clothes is to combine garments […]
Parts of the summer Olympics in Beijing, China this year were spectacular. Even if you do not particularly like the swimming portion, it was almost impossible to not be at least somewhat interested by the performance that was given by Michael Phelps. He was the swimming dynamo of the 2008 Olympics. He won a total […]
In order to attract the kind of birds you want at your bird feeder, you will need to know what kind of wild bird seed each species prefers. For example, black oil sunflower seeds will attract a variety of songbirds including chickadees, finches, cardinals and grosbeaks, siskins and buntings but won’t necessarily attract orioles, […]
The backpack is arguably the most ubiquitous form of bag in the modern world. It takes on many shapes and is used in a wide variety of situations. Of course, the most traditional use of the backpack is for the transportation of possessions over long distances. In consideration of that fact, it may be said […]
The power of water can be intimidating, especially fast moving whitewater. Humans tend to fear what we don’t understand and when we first come to a swiftly flowing river it appears chaotic and scary because we don’t yet understand the flow of the currents. Once we begin to learn and recognize that currents […]
You’re thinking of going snow skiing, or perhaps snowboarding. Maybe it’s your first time. But it’s going to be cold, really cold, and you’re wondering about dressing appropriately so that you stay warm and dry in the snow and enjoy your trip. How do you go about dressing for the snow?
It’s one of the most […]
