How To KiteSurfWritten by Jakob Jelling
You have been bitten by KiteSurfing bug, you can’t wait to hit first current to propel your body screaming 40-feet into air and crashing into water. With each gusts of wind your elevated high off surface and breaking each wave as you land. The thrill associated with sport of KiteSurfing has many able-bodied thrill seekers flocking to beaches across world to set sail and fly across top of ocean. But before you could set your feet in water you will need to know how to KiteSurf, if you have surfed or have sail surfed you have an immediate advantage to understand how to maneuver your board, however when KiteSurfing your feet will move a little and your arms and hands are only thing holding you to kite, your feet are attached to board. Most rookie KiteSurfers have accidents because they have trouble calculating distance and variable levels of speed that kites can create by a gust of wind. Learning to KiteSurf through instruction and practice is by far best way to learn and experience heart-pounding action and gravity-defying jumps. As with any sport there are safety precautions you should adhere to. You must be a good swimmer. Swimming entails that if your kite flies away from you, you may have to swim after handles or swim back to shore. Depending how far out you have gone on your board this may not be such an easy task. You can be carded or rated by a professional instructor. This will help you understand risks as well as conditions that are appropriate for your time out on water. Your instructor should be certified by IKO, International KiteSurfing Organization. Never go out with a friend, it could prove disastrous.
| | Five Life Skills for BackCountry EnjoymentWritten by Chuck Fitzgerald
As outdoor enthusiasts spend more and more time in our backcountry, a handful of skills become more and more essential. All of these skills are easy to learn and add considerably to overall enjoyment of spending time out-of-doors. The key word here is enjoyment. In order to enjoy ourselves, we must be comfortable with ourselves and our surroundings. This is especially true in backcountry. So let’s talk about life skills that, when mastered, will lead to heightened enjoyment as we find ourselves off beaten path.Understanding basic first-aid is paramount. This life skill is needed whether you enter backcountry or not. If you haven’t taken both a first-aid class and a CPR class lately, what are you waiting for? Accidents happen, be prepared. The American Red Cross offers both classes all time. Backcountry travel requires a basic understanding of how to navigate. Whether you prefer to use a map with a compass or with a GPS, learn how to find your way around. Getting lost is bad. Fear of getting lost can be worse. Classes for map reading, compass use and GPS use are readily available in most communities. Check local libraries, community colleges or orienteering clubs. On-line classes are readily available as well. How are you at tying knots? This too is an easily acquired skill. Nothing is cooler than needing to use a rope and actually knowing how to use it. Whether you are tying off a tent stake or repelling over a cliff, being able to use right knot at right time is important. Learn how to tie a bowline, sheet bend, rolling hitch and timber hitch, to name a few. Many books and websites are available with pictures and instructions.
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