Sunday, October 31, 2010

Camping Lantern Adventures

There are many people out there, probably including yourself, who love the outdoors. This could include fishing, climbing, hiking, you name it and there are lots of people loving it. The thing that comes with all outdoor pleasures and adventures is camping and with camping you need certain types of equipment. This is where the camping lantern comes in to play.


The camping lantern brings all outdoor activity enthusiasts together because it is what they all need. No matter what you are doing outdoors or why you are camping, the simple fact remains that you need to have some light during the night hours.


There are many types of lantern available to us and people will buy different ones because they have different needs and budgets. That is why there are so many available. To briefly name a few, there are the old school fuel powered ones, the not so old battery powered ones and the newer lanterns that make use of freely available energy such as hand cranking or solar powered ones.


Depending on how much you already have to carry as well as your environmental sensitivity, you will choose accordingly.

Some of you will just be camping and have a large car packed with everything. You will probably get the older models that require more things to run. On the other hand, if you are a rock climber then you do not want to carry much so a solar powered camping lantern where you do not need to carry extra batteries, will do just fine.

Camping lanterns can light up your night for eating and other adventures. You may want to see the night life and see what is lurking around your camping area. Or maybe you just want to light the way to the toilets in the middle of the night.

Maybe you are not camping at all and the power went out. This is where they come in handy for other things that you might not have thought of before.

There are so many uses for the lantern and so many types as well. With a bit of research you are sure to get the exact one for the right price that is right for you and your needs. Keep the environment in mind at all times so preserve it as much as possible and have fun in all of your outdoor and camping lantern adventures.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Be An Adventure Capitalist

Entrepreneurs Know Bold Action Wins The Day


by Michael D. Hume, M.S.


Venture capitalists are investors who specialize in funding start-up businesses, to put it simply. They are money people; they want to invest in viable commercial ventures which create strong cash flows, and then make a tidy profit down the road. They expect to have the occasional "klunker" among the businesses in which they invest, and therefore tend to spread their risk within a portfolio of start-up investments.


They're entrepreneurs, to be sure, willing to take risks to create opportunities for themselves and others, and calculating those risks to pay off (often handsomely).


But not all of them are capital-E "Entrepreneurs" in the way I've often described one of the two types of people out there. There are Entrepreneurs, who take Big Ideas to the marketplace and work hard to make their enterprises successful, and there are Victims, who tend toward criticism and need to be taken care of.

In essence, I see Entrepreneurship as an attitude, a philosophy of life. Victimhood is a rival attitude born of a completely different worldview.

Not all Entrepreneurs own or invest in businesses; not all who do those things are Entrepreneurs, in the attitudinal sense. Entrepreneurs take bold action; Victims are happier to criticize those bold actions. I've described it thus: the Entrepreneur is the actor onstage, taking risks, putting it all out there, performing. The Victim would rather be the theater critic. When it's all over, the Entrepreneur gets the applause (or the boos and hisses)... and the best among them never pays attention to her reviews.

The Victim sits around in bars and coffee shops with other generally-dissatisfied critics, exchanging snarky comments and praising himself for his snide intelligence and the way he "sees through" all the "hype." And the theater critic always forgets that, without the actor, he's out of work.

In my experience, the most successful employees have an Entrepreneurial attitude. They always seem to consider that they are in business for themselves, even if they have the traditional employment arrangement with a company in which they enjoy no ownership. Owner or not, the Entrepreneur works her job as if she owned the company, and they were her assets on the line every day. Entrepreneurs take bold actions - actions their less-Entrepreneurial co-workers often see as risky - with an undominable positivity and lots of energy. They work unpaid overtime, and if the boss asks why, they make a little joke of it by saying something like "Well, I decided to run a special this week on my labor, and I hope you'll be pleased and keep me employed." Can you picture the Victim-type ever doing or saying such things?


Entrepreneurs are Adventure Capitalists. To them, most of whom own a business, the opportunity to create a viable commercial concern - to find and keep happy customers - is the great adventure of life. Like almost all famous businesspeople of all time, they fail time and time again, but never lose that spirit of adventure that tells them they'll hit it big one day.


Don't lose heart. Stay bold. Times are tough, but every time they are, some people get rich. And those people are the Entrepreneurs who refuse to let their inner Victim steal their optimism. They're the Adventure Capitalists, and they (you!) will lead us to the better times ahead.


 

Friday, October 15, 2010

Find Adventure in Mendoza

The descent down the Atuel and Mendoza Rivers on rafts is now a tourist brand in Cuyo region. All you need to know is that in this group sport each of the crew unites efforts, adrenaline and adventure. Mendoza has a special invitation to rafting, thanks to the decline on inflatable boats in its water flows of varying difficulty. This practice of adventure is perfect for groups or families as well as for individuals, who share the interest with other tourists, housed in Mendoza's Hotels.

Several companies provide the service in three regions: the first is Cacheuta, followed by Potrerillos and Uspallata.

The area closest to the city of Mendoza is Cacheuta town known for its hot springs and natural beauty. Uspallata and Potrerillos are next in terms of the distance. The activity is performed on the Mendoza River with circuits for beginners, intermediates and experts. In each case the descents are done with an instructor on board and others who follow the crew in a kayak.

The second area is on the sothern side of the province, in the department of San Rafael and rafting is performed on the Atuel River waters. This place is known as Valle Grande and it is the main tourist circuit of the area. Even though the services are the same, the Mendoza River is recommended for experts.

In both areas rafting can be combined with other sports such as kayaking, horseback riding, trekking, mountain biking and 4x4. In all cases, companies make the transfer of passenger's hotel-Atuel-Mendoza-hotel.

Since several years, Potrerillos has been one of the leading adventure tourism centers in Argentina, located in the department of Luján de Cuyo and 62 kilometers from the city of Mendoza. It receives tourists and adventurers of different nationalities in any time of the year.

The trip begins at the Mendoza's Hotels, continues through National Route No. 7 in the foothills of the Andes, discovering all its scenic beauty, which can be explored through various adventure excursions. Potrerillos Dam, roads and mountain trails and the Mendoza River are ideal for the practice of sports such as rafting, kayaking, trekking, rappelling, zip lines, mountain biking and horseback riding. The alternatives are endless, every full moon weekend the base camp Andean Rivers coordinates an unforgettable bonfire, where the site is transformed into a party full of music, drinks, rafting, and live bands. A great chance to enjoy with friends or meet new people, mostly foreigners.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Snowy Adventures

It is almost winter and there are exciting winter activities you can engage in. Snowshoeing is a popular winter sport which is easy to learn, accessible, and affordable. Snowshoers are like hikers on a snowy trail or mountain. They climb the backcountry for the pleasure and thrill it gives them. Snowshoeing is also a sport that benefits your health. It helps you burn 600 calories an hour, more than walking or running does. It is a good fitness program to help you lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle.


 


When looking for a pair of snowshoes, there are three types to consider: recreational hiking, aerobic or fitness, and hiking or backpacking. If you are a first-timer, you should get recreational hiking snowshoes. These are designed for hiking on simple terrain.

Aerobic or fitness snowshoes are used by active snowshoers who are also runners and cross-trainers, whereas hiking snowshoes are for experienced snowshoers.

 


There are snowshoeing techniques you can easily follow. The first technique is uphill. You can do this by pushing the toe of your shoe vertically into the snowpack, shifting your weight to that foot, and repeating the process when the snow is light and soft. If the snow is hard, do the traverse technique which involves traveling horizontally along a slope.


 


The downhill technique is similar to traverse, except you put your weight on the back part of your shoe. This technique is best applied on soft snow. The last technique you can try is reverse: plant your poles on your sides, jump, twist, and plant again.

You can try baby steps by moving your shoe a little after another. Try learning these techniques on a snowy trail in a resort community where you can stay at a Utah vacation home rental.

 


Snowmobiling is a fun and safe activity you can do with your family and friends. All you need are winter clothes—snow pants, gloves, jacket, and snowmobile boots. You can buy snowmobile gear from dealers or visit websites where you can find good deals. There are many places you can visit to try snowmobiling, such as in a resort community where you can stay at a Utah vacation home rental.


 


Lodging in a Utah vacation home rental is especially relaxing after going on snowy adventures. Here, you can spend quality time with your family and friends in front of the warm fireplace.