Get Outdoors And Enjoy Yourself!
Friday, August 27th, 2010
Insanely Epic Baseball Catch GIF
Finally A Sport I Could Get Behind Beach Volleyball pics
This Is Why Jogging Is Good For You Mildly NSFW Vid
Chad Ochocinco Fined 25K for Tweeting
Why I Already Hate The Miami Heat
Tags: August, Best Links, Links | Posted in Sports | No Comments »
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Given the geography and history of the southwestern part of the United States, one can imagine certain sports being more prevalent than others. Think of a whole host of sports that require dust, dirt, and open expanses of desert. Images of cowboys being flung to the ground by rampaging bulls and bucking broncos come to mind, as well as 4×4 off-road vehicles flying through the air as they race from one ridge to the next.
What is it about the Southwest that brings out the cowboy, whether riding a horse, a bull, or in a Ford Bronco? Along with activities like roping calves and breaking horses are the indoor sports, or what one might call “saloon sports,” such as darts, cards, and pool. Perhaps the heat drives people to the cool of an indoor saloon to enjoy a tall drink and something less strenuous than wrestling a 1,200-pound steer.
Custom poker tables, pool tables, and dart boards are highly coveted items in the Southwest, in terms of sporting goods. They are almost required in a home or business for the residents to be socially acceptable. Imagine the social status conferred upon someone with custom equipment in a region that is known for its innovation, especially when it comes to off-road vehicles.
Another well-known Southwest sport is the professional baseball game. Every spring in the Phoenix, Arizona area brings the Cactus League games, which are played by 15 major league teams. The main team, the dean of the Cactus League clubs, is the Chicago Cubs, which first began training in Mesa in 1952. The prices for the games are extremely reasonable: $5 for a lawn seat, $25 for a bench. Each professional team has its own stadium, and most are within a 30-minute drive of Phoenix.
Tags: Baseball, Chicago Cubs, Sport | Posted in General, Sports | No Comments »
Friday, August 20th, 2010
Hiking is a great way to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, get some exercise, and explore new places. Being prepared for a hike is the best way to ensure that it is fun and comfortable for everyone involved.
Preparing for a hiking trip is easy. Make sure you have the following on hand when preparing for a hiking trip:
• Proper attire. Make sure you check the weather before you go for a hike. If it’s an all-day hike, layering is ideal since it is typically cooler in the early morning and evening than in midday. If you’re going to be hiking through water, consider wearing a bathing suit underneath or clothes that dry quickly. Proper hiking shoes are essential, as well as thick socks to prevent blisters.
• Sun protection. This is crucial even if it’s cloudy. Make sure you bring sunscreen with you as well, and reapply often. A high SPF that is waterproof and sweat-proof should be sufficient. A hat is also a good idea, as well as sunglasses.
• Water/food. It’s important to bring plenty of water. Some hikers opt for backpack-type water containers that take up less room than bulky water bottles, or you could just toss a few water bottles in your backpack. Bringing a couple of frozen bottles is a good idea too, as it will melt as the day progresses and ensure you have plenty of cool water to drink. If you’re going to be gone for awhile, a sack lunch or some granola bars, mixed nuts, or trail mix are good options for a quick snack that won’t slow you down on your hike.
• Maps or directions. If you’re hiking in a popular, well-known destination with clearly marked trails, this is not as important. But if you’re roughing it, make sure you have an updated map and a way to get help if necessary.
Being properly prepared will make sure your hike is a fun experience for everyone.
Tags: Clothing, Hiking, Outdoors | Posted in All About Hiking, Hiking Techniques, Seasonal Hiking, Sports | No Comments »
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
Sports can be great fun, and also a great way to relieve stress. Not everyone plays them, but even watching from the sidelines with friends and family members can make for a great time with a lot of laughs and excitement. Buying sports equipment can be costly, though, and some sports cause this equipment to wear out fairly quickly. If you want to set up a sports budget, you can do that in several different ways. One of these is with a prepaid card, so you don’t spend too much when you shop. It’s a good idea to have a set amount.
There are other great ways to save for the sports equipment you want and need, though. You can have a savings account that’s specifically for your sporting adventures, or you can have a sports fund where you save money in a jar or can – like many people do with their spare change. These are all great ways to have money for your sports equipment when you need it. That’s important, too, because you never know when your favorite store is going to run a great sale on something you want or need to buy. Keeping your eyes open for these sales can help you expand your sporting life without breaking the bank.
Make sure you get safety equipment, too. You don’t want to get hurt and have to sit out when you could be playing. Protecting yourself is important. If you have kids who want to play sports, be sure that you’re setting a good example. You don’t want them getting hurt because they were trying to be like you and disregarding safety equipment when they play sports. It’s not that hard to protect yourself from most sports injuries, so take the time to get the proper precautionary equipment, and you’ll have less to worry about.
Tags: Money, Sport, Sports equipment | Posted in General, Sports | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
Hiking is a great sport and excellent exercise. While it may seem that hiking is as simple as finding a trail and walking, there is more to it than that. These hiking basics will help beginner hikers learn hiking and nature etiquette and tips so their hiking experience will be fun and enjoyable.
1) Stay on the trail. Sometimes it’s tempting to veer off of the marked trails you’re hiking and go exploring on your own, but it’s in your own best interest if you stay on the trail. It’s easy to get lost, and even if an area looks safe at first glance, you never know why an area may be marked restricted.
2) Respect nature. Don’t pick flowers, capture or feed wildlife like frogs or lizards, or tuck articles in your backpack as souvenirs. Nature is meant to be enjoyed by everyone. In some national parks and places, it is actually illegal to remove or disturb natural artifacts and surroundings. At the same time, never litter and make sure you follow guidelines for proper trash and waste disposal.
3) Choose your hikes carefully. New hikers start slow and pick a few easy day hikes to start with. Then you will get a good idea of your actual fitness level and hiking basics, like how often you need to rest. When choosing a hike take into account such things as altitude (higher altitudes can make breathing more difficult), your fitness level, steepness of the hike, and length of the hike.
4) Be prepared. You should always be prepared for your hike. This means taking enough water and snacks or food on your hike, depending on the length, making sure you are protected from the sun with plenty of sunscreen and hats, and dressing appropriately for the climate and duration of your hike.
These hiking basics are important for anyone who is new to hiking.
Tags: Hiking, Outdoors, Trail | Posted in All About Hiking, Hiking Techniques, Sports | No Comments »
Friday, August 13th, 2010
Sports betting is a fun way to gamble. If you do it well, it won’t ruin you financially and it will provide you with some great entertainment. Gambling experts have written tons of books dealing with sports betting, and you can probably learn a thing or two about sports betting if you read some of them.
What sports betting books will never tell you, however, is just how exactly to become great at sports betting. There are some tricks to learn; follow them well, and you will become a professional sports bettor in no time.
The cardinal rule of sports betting is never bet on a sport for which you have little passion, even if you know that sport very well. For example, you may watch basketball and can tell people the names of all the great basketball players in the last century. But if football is your passion, and football is the game you wish you could have played yourself, then that is where your passion lies. So, bet on football. Don’t bet on basketball.
There is simple psychology to back this up. Betting, like many things, is a mix of science and art. Mostly, it is an art; you need to have that strange knack for knowing things about teams, players, and the games they play. You do not develop this knack by merely accumulating facts. You need to have passion to develop a feel for a game and the players who play it. If you are not passionate about basketball, you will never have that instinctual inner nudging that will help you uncannily predict the outcome of a game. You may know all the statistics, but only a passionate interest in a game will make you a good predictor of that game. Therefore, bet only if you are passionate about a game, and you will not go wrong.
Tags: Gambling, Games, Sport, Sports betting | Posted in General, Sports | No Comments »
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
If you like to place wagers through sportsbooks, you’ll want to keep abreast of changes for professional sports teams. It can be surprising to see how a new addition or cut can affect a team. Cut players have the motivation to settle the issue on the playing field once they sign with a new team. Sometimes, the influence of a new coach can bring out hidden talent. Not all changes to the roster help a team. If a player brings baggage, attitude, or grudges to practice, it can negatively affect the working relationship of the team. Some players may not like the changes, especially when they have no say in the decision.
New Orleans Saints fans will want to pay special attention to the lineup for the year. The team re-signed Harry Coleman and cut running back Lynell Hamilton. The Saints signed Coleman in the off-season before releasing him before training camp. Now he’ll be back on the team as a safety/linebacker.
The decision to cut the second-year player came after Hamilton tore his ACL during a practice in New England the night before the pre-season opener with the Patriots. To qualify for injured reserve, a player needs three years of experience, which Hamilton lacked. He joined the New Orleans Saints in 2008 as a free agent at the NFL draft. For most of his rookie season, he stayed on the club’s practice squad. In 2009, he started in one game and played in nine. His stats included two touchdowns and rushing 125 yards.
Hamilton’s injury may allow running backs Chris Ivory and P.J. Hill to step into the limelight, or the Saints may decide to cut another player from the roster and sign a new running back. The changes are sure to affect the team, but fans will have to wait to see whether the Saints thrive or crash.
Tags: New Orleans Saint, NFL, Sports | Posted in General, Sports | No Comments »
Friday, July 30th, 2010
One of hiking’s subtypes is underground – literally. Caving. It’s exactly as the name implies. Hiking in caves. Like mountaineering or canyoning, caving (or spelunking) can involve a variety of hiking and climbing technique, and depending on where you are caving, it might even involve a bit of swimming or kayaking too. It’s an outdoor sport with a truly indoor mentality.
In caves, you will get chances to see wildlife and mineral formations you may never get to see on the surface of the earth – bats, spiders, worms, and even fish. And to the educated eye, a journey underground is an exploration of earth’s diverse and often violent past. Underground you can see millions of years into earth’s history, with fossils, sediment lines, and formations that have taken millions of years to arrive where they are now.
You should never go caving alone. Some cave systems have hundreds of miles of complexity, and if you get lost, there may be little or no chance of survival. Light is your best friend underground, and without a guide, and especially without light, one wrong step could mean a hundred-foot plummet.
Some caves are more well-explored than others, and there are usually guided tours through some of the more popular caves in the world. A lot of American caves, for example, have already been explored and you can see their tour advertisements listed on billboards for tourist attractions along most of America’s cross-country highways. Though, despite the casual appeal, there is a serious pursuit behind the practice, and new ways to challenge yourself as a hiker, climber, and caver.
If you’re caving, having a good light source and cave-map are extremely helpful. Cave systems are like earth’s capillaries, and are just as three-dimensional. If you’re not sure where something goes, don’t go there. It’s a simple rule to follow as you plummet into the bowels of the earth.
Tags: Cave, Caving, Show Caves | Posted in Adventures, Seasonal Hiking, Sports | No Comments »
Sunday, July 18th, 2010
Though nature and its beauty has been romanticized by poets, photographers, and other artists for thousands of years, it can also provide a wide host of dangers. For the safety-conscious hiker, being aware of these dangers can – in some cases – make the difference between life and death. Different areas of the country pose different types of threats, so preparedness begins with one simple maxim: know where you are.
A lot of people have been deterred from all types of hiking altogether, as a fear of nature seems to be an endemic philosophy in our technological society. It is often portrayed in modern films as dominating, terrible, and absolutely unforgiving. While nature does operate with its own medium and mode, it is partially nature’s indifference which makes it so beautiful. Though it may be a bit abstract, it is important to regard nature as having a mind of its own, and approach it with respect and awe. In other words, serve it, and let it serve you.
Part of the process of respect begins with familiarizing yourself with the flora and fauna of the area. For example, diamondback rattlesnakes are much more of a threat in the Arizona deserts than they are in the Pacific Northwest. The English Yew, on the other hand, with its poisonous evergreen branches and toxic touch, is all over the Pacific Northwest, but nowhere to be found in the hot swamps of the Florida Everglades. Knowing what plants are poisonous, being able to identify toxic berries and mushrooms, and knowing venomous and non-venemous animal species involve a lot of research, but for the serious hiker, this knowledge can save your life.
For example, the difference between the highly venomous Coral Snake, marked by its red, yellow, and black rings, and the non-venomous, eerily similar Erythrolampurs Aesculapii, or ‘False Coral Snake,’ marked by its red, black, and yellow rings, is one that can keep you on the trails and out of the hospital.
Tags: Beautiful, Dangerous, Hiking | Posted in Adventures, All About Hiking, Sports | No Comments »
Monday, May 24th, 2010
Most animals love being outdoors – especially dogs. That’s why it is important to bring your dog outside whenever possible. Let Rover run around, catch the frisbee, play in the water, chase birds and squirrels, and let him get the workout that he needs. But you don’t have to stay at the park with him. You can take him into the woods on your next hike too.
But there are a few important things to consider when hiking with your dog. Since not all dogs are created equal, you want to make sure your dog gets along with other dogs. Especially if you pick a trail that is populated with a lot of other hikers and their dogs, a canine tiff is never fun to get into or break up, so do your best to make sure your dog is obedient and behaved when out on the trails.
Also, despite the temptation – even if you are absolutely sure you have the trails to yourself – keep your dog on a leash. A mountain biker could whizz by or a wandering animal might be lolling in the woods, and your dog could get into a collision with the mountain biker, or run off into the woods following only his animal instincts.
You should also bring some plastic bags to pick up after your dog. The temptation might be strong – you’re in the woods, and animals go to the bathroom in the woods – but just like you’re in the city, pick up after your dog. It’s cleaner, it’s more sanitary, and it smells better. And it’s considerate to other hikers.
Finally, consideration is key. Not all trails are open to people with dogs, so don’t think that you and Rover can be the one exception. No dogs means no dogs. Respect the rules.
Tags: Dogs Hicking, Hiking | Posted in Hiking Techniques, Sports | No Comments »