Geocaching: A Great Way To Get OutdoorsWritten by Chuck Fitzgerald
If you’re tired of hiking same trail or picnicking at same park, then Geocaching may be exactly what you’re looking for. Geocaching, pronounced gee-o-cashing, is high tech version of a treasure hunt. Armed with nothing but a handheld GPS unit and a thirst for excitement, you’re off for new adventures and likelihood of finding a hidden cache.Here’s how it works. Geocachers seek out hidden treasures utilizing GPS coordinates posted on Internet by those hiding cache. So to geocache, you’ll need a handheld GPS receiver. GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System, is only system today able to show you your exact position on Earth anytime, in any weather, anywhere. GPS satellites, 24 in all, orbit at over 11,000 miles above Earth. The satellites transmit signals that can be detected by anyone with a GPS receiver. Using receiver, you can determine your location with great precision. But just as important, you’ll be able to locate other things too, such as a geocache. There are a variety of GPS receiver models to choose from starting at about $100. Once you’ve got a GPS unit, you’ll need to know where caches are hidden (hint: they’re everywhere). When a cache is hidden, cache’s coordinates are submitted to a website for all to see (www.geocaching.com). Enter coordinates into your GPS and you’re ready to go. Did I mention there are more than 100,000 caches in over 200 countries?
| | KiteSurfing EquipmentWritten by Jakob Jelling
You are ready to take on extreme sport of KiteSurfing, you are ready to pound surf and soar across water and above waves. In order to start you will need to purchase KiteSurfing equipment that will provide both safety and quality. The last thing you need happening is equipment failure as you jet across ocean at a high rate of speed. Many accidents can occur, but with proper training and safety instruction risk can be reduced significantly. Make no bones about it; KiteSurfing is a radically extreme sport. It may not be as dangerous as parachuting out of an airplane but it has other hidden dangers that aren’t always noticeable. Before you set out you will want to purchase a setup that is cost-effective and will provide protection. You want to be safe and you want equipment to work at all times. A Wet suit is a necessity. You never know when you may lose your kite in water you will need to keep yourself buoyant as you swim, sometimes a long while to recapture your kite and other times into shore when your kite goes out to sea. You will also need a life jacket or as it is known as a buoyancy jacket that will keep you afloat should you tire while swimming into shore or after your kite. A board leash, perhaps only thing that keeps your board on your feet, board leash straps around your ankle and stays attached when you crash or land in water. A safety release is strap that attached you to control bar. Once attached it allows you to add slack to one side of kite and guiding it down into water safely. A safety release can be 2 or 4 line and also can be used for inflatable and framed kites. Foil kites must be carefully navigated downwind to bring them down into water.
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