Exploring the Great Outdoors of the Withlacoochee River By Carol Folsom
Location and History of the Withlacoochee River
The Withlacoochee River in South Georgia was named when the area was inhabited mainly by the Seminole Indians. Since the river made twists and turns, they named it The Withlacoochee River, meaning "crooked river". It starts near Tifton, Georgia and runs into Florida where it joins the famous Suwannee River. The Withlacoochee River became very busy and profitable in the middle 1800's. It took steamboat trade and travelers into Troupeville, Georgia, where my family and I make our home. From our back door, the Withlacoochee River is about 1/4 of a mile through dense outdoors and a trail with deep ruts from many travelers, current and past.
May 15, 1971, John Van Swearinger IV introduced us to New Fern Cave. John Wallace, Bill Meier and I were excited to see what all the cavers in the nation were talking about at the time. A huge cave system had been discovered in north Alabama. Vertical cavers from all over north America were coming to drop the deepest pit at that time in the eastern United States, Fern Cave.
The Fern Cave System is located in the west side of Nat Mountain in North Alabama. Fern Cave was discovered June 4, 1961 by Jim Johnston, Bill Torode, Louis Fox, Chris Kroger, and Butch Dill. It consists mostly of Surprise Pit, 437-foot deep and more than 200 feet long.
The great thing about sea kayaking trips is you get to see areas of the coastline that are normally inaccessible. However, what kayaking craft you use will depend on where you are actually taking your trip. The kinds of kayaks that they use for warm waters are different from those, which are used where it is cold.
Okay, I know what you're thinking, What the heck is the "Y"? In Utah, there is a mountain with a painted "y" on it,. The "y" is about one-sixth of a mile long and probably 20 feet wide on top and approximately 11 feet wide on bottom. If you've heard of it and are thinking of hiking there, here are some very helpful tips I wish I knew my first time going there.
The view is gorgeous. The best time to go is around 3 pm, but if you want to see how astonishingly beautiful the city looks at sunset, come around 5 or 6. The trail is filled with fun animals to see, like lizards, birds, deer, reindeer, snakes and bunnies. And every rock has its own unique beauty to it. The dirt is so perfectly smooth and feels so good in between your toes when you're barefoot. This trip will give you a chance to breath in some fresh air and will give you some exercise. I lost two pounds after going all the way up and down this bumpy but beautiful trail.
Some websites indicate that if you are properly trained and knowledgeable that you will not need to use wilderness first aid kits. This is something that I do not agree with at all. Regardless of the training and experience you have, accidents can and do happen. Even highly, safety conscious people can run into trouble at some point while out in the wilderness.
Appreciating Nature - Fun Activities You Can Do In The Wilderness By Steve C Boulden
When you are appreciating nature, there is no better way to do it than by experiencing it first hand. But this doesn’t mean that you have to go on boring educational trips in the wilderness. Appreciating nature can both be educational and fun. Surprisingly as it may seem, there are actually a lot of different fun activities you can do in the wilderness to fully appreciate nature!
A good friend of mine, Pete, printed out my directions of the Loop in Pettyjohn Cave and made an attempt to complete the loop. The directions were not clear on how to exit the Racoon room and they could not find the back exit.
On May 17, 2008, I joined them for a good trip around the loop and then some.
The Loop and More This trip took in the Over 'N Under Room as a side trip from the Bridge Room along with some searching for a connection to the passages above the Double Echo Domes. I was told by a fellow caver that a connection was possible between the two areas. We also reach the area above the Waterfall but did not take the last five-foot plunge to the stream below as we would not have been able to return by the same route and complete the loop.
History of the Tour de France - Armstrong's Pantheon and Beyond--the Tour de France Since 2000 By Mitch Mueller
The years since 2000 have seen Lance Armstrong achieve a record breaking total of seven victories in the Tour de France - the most victories ever by a single rider, and he did them seven-in-a-row to boot. Despite many setbacks, Armstrong shows that focus and precision pay off.
During the 2000 Tour de France all eyes are on Lance Armstrong as he goes about attempting his second consecutive win. He rides with the taint of doping scandals chasing him. If 1999 was the year of the comeback, then 2000 would be the year of vindication. This would also be, very sadly, the year a 12 year old boys dies after being hit by a publicity vehicle during the race. Despite a public lack of confidence in his abilities, Armstrong wins again.
Snowboarding - Try It You'll Like it... By BJ Baker
My ski bum days were spent in Steamboat a resort that at the time did not allow snowboards and the snowboard ban was even one of the reasons I choose Steamboat. I didn’t want to be bothered by snowboarders and anything I didn’t consider pure to the sport I loved. Like those early mono skis -- What was that? As I started teaching my kids to ski, my kids had to try to the sport I had, so long tried to ignore. I was almost even offended at the thought of my offspring sliding down the hill on a snowboard, but as a parent you’ve got to learn to pick you’re battles and snowboarding wasn’t going to be one of them.
Leonardo da Vinci claimed that "Once you have flown, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you long to return." Today, flight is an aspect of daily life – airports are everywhere and thousands of people get on airplanes all over the world. But perhaps the purest form of flight for a human being is hang gliding. With just an aluminum-framed fabric wing, safety equipment, and an adequate launching location, just about anybody can see the world from a bird’s eye point of view.
For the adventure sports enthusiast, almost no distance is too great to achieve that ultimate adrenaline rush (this is, however, somewhat incorrect, as the actual "rush" feeling is achieved through an increase of serotonin and dopamine levels). And traveling to far corners of the globe for that next adventure is becoming more and more common in nearly every adventure sport. Read on for some unconventional and far-out ideas to help you explore the world through one of many adventure sports. Keep in mind that the laws of every country are different, and you should take extra care to ensure that your sports-related adventures in foreign lands are legal.
Longboards, funboards, shortboards, fish--there's no good or bad type. The kind of board you ride depends on many things, such as wave conditions and your size, stance, experience, and physical fitness.
Shortboards
There are several kinds of shortboards but the most familiar is the thruster. The standard design is tri-fin with a narrow nose and tail, and under 7 feet. These boards can't be beat for high performance surfing. Great for tricks and fast entries into quick breaking waves, this is what most people want to ride if they can. After spending a few years on the "big" boards, getting into better shape and learning how to judge waves, I got a 6' 8" thruster. This board really opened up surfing for me. Not only was it easier to transport (I could chuck it in the back of the car), but I could get into a lot more waves than before.
Longboards
These are surfboards over 9 feet. Longboards are what most surfers start out on. It's what I learned on. Some surfers don't ever leave them. If you're fortunate enough to surf long enough, it's probably what you'll end up on. My first surfboard was a 9' 6". I surfed it at the same beach for a year and half. My second board was a 9-foot Pearson Arrow and a little more narrow. I used it for several years even while trying other types of boards. You can't beat a longboard for paddle and glide. If I jump on a longboard now I feel like I'm sailing after a few strokes. But longboards don't make as fast an entry as something shorter. I got tired of watching shorter boards get most of the rides on certain days while my longboard crashed into my head/chest/other body part. I needed a smaller board for those conditions.
A Quick Guide To The Rules And Etiquette Of Surfing By Ben Bennink
The Rules of surfing have been around for many years, they are often unspoken and always bent or broken to a degree. Yet we surfers, wether experienced or absolute novice can not afford to ignore them. In today's utterly crowded conditions we must all try a little harder to monitor our own behaviour in the water. Simply because without some idea of what is ok in the water, and what is not, we destroy and devalue the surfing experience for all others around us. Here are the basic rules, it's a very good idea to learn them, ignore these guidelines at your own peril.
Windsurfing is an exciting and challenging water sport, described as being something between surfing and sailing. This article addresses everything you need to know about windsurfing if you're new to the windsurfing world. Did you know, some of the best windsurfing in the world is in Oregon along the Hood River?
At the southern tip of Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, you can enjoy some of the most exciting land based whale watching anywhere in the world.
Is there a missing link between the lower primates and man? Reports of sightings of this creature have come from all over the world. Reports of sightings of yeti or the abominable snowman have taken place for years in the Tibetan-Himalayan area. Sightings of the skunk ape that inhabits the everglades of Florida have also been reported for many years. In North America sightings have been reported in almost all areas where there exists the habitat required for bigfoot to make a living. Heavily forested areas of the country are the best bet to find this creature. The northwest portion of the United States contains vast acreage largely untouched by man. Bigfoot prefers areas that are free from the encroachment and activity of man. Sightings mainly occur through accidental encounters between man and bigfoot. Bigfoot is largely nocturnal and it's habits usually consist of the avoidance of man at all costs.
Geocaching: A Great Reason To Get Outdoors Again By Kevin Harris
Geocaching is a treasure hunt game using a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System) unit. Hiders hide a geocache (small waterproof containers) anywhere in the world, make a note of the GPS coordinates, and list the geocache on a website for hunters to seek. Once the site has been listed, hunters can use a hand-held GPS unit to direct them to the cache. They will usually get close, then they might have to be clever to find a well-hidden cache. A typical cache can be just about any size, from really small to large, and it will probably be camouflaged to make the hunt more challenging. The cache usually contains a notebook, for logging the find, and some small trade items (usually of little monetary value).
Alaska's Secret Nature and Adventure Destination By Robin Irving
Cordova, Alaska is a picturesque fishing community located slightly off the beaten path of mainstream tourism. Yet it is relatively easy to access, and it has a lot to offer the adventure traveler. A diversity of habitats including seacoasts, mountains, glaciers and the largest wetland in North America offer a variety of exploration opportunities. From river rafting to glacier trekking, mountain biking, hiking or sea kayaking, there’s something for everyone.
Stylish Performance and Sport Sunglasses By Jakob Culver
Over the past decade or so extreme sports have become a newfound favorite past time. There are so many extreme activities out there from rock climbing to in line skating. Because of this sun glass manufacturers have been motivated to create sunglasses for sports.
How to See the Best of Alaska's Nature, Mountains and Glaciers Close to Anchorage By Robin Irving
Looking for just one more adventure to round out your Alaska Vacation? Prince William Sound is a great addition to an Alaska vacation package that will likely be the highlight of your Alaska Vacation. Incredible marine life, stunning mountain vistas, glaciers and three port cities that offer an array of visitor services, make this an attractive add on. And the Alaska Marine Highway has new and improved ferry service to and from the port cities of Whittier, Cordova and Valdez so trip planning just became easier, faster and more affordable.
The Cape Overberg of South Africa is a relatively undiscovered travel destination yet it is a treasure chest filled with wonderous South African delights. This is the region on the southernmost tip of Africa and only a 1 hour drive from Cape Town.
As regions go in South Africa it is quite small geographically. It takes only 2.5 hours to travel between the Eastern and Western boundaries, and 1 hour between the Northern and Southern boundaries. This makes it a perfect spot for exploring - you can never really get lost! The Overberg has everything - mountains, rivers, oceans and landscapes that are constantly changing. There is never a day or a vista that is the same.
If you're looking for adventure there are a whole lot of things that will get your adrenalin going from abseiling to great white shark diving.
Nature lovers will never get enough with our spectacular Cape Fynbos that has thousands of different species and can be seen almost everywhere you go - up mountains, along sea cliff paths, in botanical gardens, on the roadside...and with all this nectar about you can imagine the abundance of bird life!
Fishermen watch out, you may have discovered Heaven. From fly-fishing to deep water sea fishing to rock pool play-fishing. Inland, along the shore, salt water, sea water – you name it. The mighty Breede River is a particular favourite among avid fishermen - some arrive and never return. They settle along the banks and fish 'til the end of their days.
How does a selection of 10 different golf courses sound? Each in their own unique setting - nestled in our undulating rûens, with spectacular mountain or sea views - or both. The famous Arabella course where the annual Nelson Mandela Invitational is played is one of them!
There are many seaside villages that are ideal summer holiday spots with pristine beaches, coves filled with rock pools and lagoons to canoe, windsurf or float in. Why not enjoy a holiday on one of our local working farms and expose your kids to the delights of lambs being born, cows being fed, tractor rides and fruit picking?
Relax and pamper yourself at one of the Spa's or many health and beauty salons. Disappear into magical nature at one of the many retreats.
Watch whales, climb mountains, eat delectable country meals, take your 4x4 on a real journey along a dirt road through a spectacular valley, bring your bike and cycle through apple orchards, discover magical forests, experience local wines in the place they were created, go quad biking, river rafting sandboarding or just enjoy a good book surrounded by absolute beauty.
There is no perfect season to visit the Overberg - every season has it's own appeal - sunny seaside summers; colourful fruity flower-filled springs; misty, romantic rainbow autumns and whale watching, log fire, wine tasting winters.
Monument Valley, Utah -- Land of Many Stories By Melody Moser
It's 7:30 AM, sunrise. I stand in the parking lot of the Monument Valley Tribal Park Visitors Center, waiting for my Navajo guide. The wind stirs and I zip up my jacket, crunching my boots in a patch of January snow as I step in place to keep warm.
The sun emerges in a burning vermilion ball of light, turning the Valley's dramatic sandstone monoliths a flaming red, and my eyes fall on two of these massive structures – square buttes which jut from the ochre sand like a pair of giant hands, thumbs pointing skyward.
Although marketing forces would have us believe otherwise, the majority of surfers are not overjoyed with the introduction of the modern surf schools. Even though there are some very fine surf schools operating today. Surfers often blame surf schools for filling the lineup with people, who can’t surf. This is an over simplification of the problem, and pointing the finger at the entire surf school industry is misguided.
Amsterdam—the name inspires thoughts of impressionists and culture. Rembrandt and Vermeer in Rijksmuseum and the disturbing paintings of Van Gogh. The historic downtown, the culture and the canals are one reason to visit this great capital. Of course, for others it’s the spirit of “tolerance” for things like soft drugs(pot smoking) and legal red light district which make it an interesting destination. As an observer at least. While Amsterdam is the capital of Netherlands, the government is based out of the Hague. Fewer paper pushers per square mile, as a rule of thumb is propotional to the joie de vive of a city, and distinguishes Amsterdam from many other European capitals. Amsterdam has been able to maintain it’s compactness and old world charm through a conscious effort rather than a stroke of fortune. There is another side to Amsterdam as well— its history as a mercantile power of the 17th century. The “Golden Age” of Amsterdam shows in its buildings, and the multicultural residents of Amsterdam are to some extent a result of the Dutch colonial history. Most people are introduced to Amsterdam through the Schiphol airport. If you are unlucky enough to be stuck there due to a flight delay, you will notice that the gates don’t have bathrooms and have only eight seats for each planeload of passengers. While this Spartan introduction is unfortunate as well as uncomfortable(and not representative of the charm of Amsterdam), it gives an insight into the thought process of the Amsterdammers. The Schiphol has a shopping area with the casino, and the airport authorities want you to spend most of your time there. Their hope is that you spend the time shopping and gambling, instead of taking up space in a comfortable lounge. Airlines love the arrangement too, given the cut rates offered by Schiphol as opposed to the more “full service” airports in Europe. This unabashed capitalism goes hand in hand with the tolerant culture, making Amsterdam an enigma and a place to visit. For it’s beautiful tulips, as well as the memories of its famed Tulipmania, where the Dutch were trading tulip buds like .dotcom stocks! The transportation system of Amsterdam is excellent, with the frequent tram service probably the best choice for traveling within the city. Renting a car therefore is usually a “very” bad idea, especially when compared to the ease of trams within this compact city. The less said the better about the parking situation in the city. A canal boat tour of the city, may also give you a look at the city from a different angle. Anne Frank house, one of the most famous landmarks of Amsterdam, encompasses some of the painful history of this country. While the house is not remarkable, it is a monument to some terrible events. It’s worth a visit, especially if you have read the book. Rijksmuseum, with its superb collection of paintings is reminiscent of the Central Station from the outside. That is, because they have the same architect! The main attractions are Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Steen, but there are more than 5000 paintings. The Van Gogh museum is right next door. The Red Light District of Amsterdam is billed as a tourist attraction in most guide books. It’s actually quite safe to go there, if you keep your wits around you. The obvious things to remember is, to ignore the drug pushers or answer with a firm “NAY” and keep the camera in your hotel—taking pictures here is inviting trouble. An occasional pick pocket aside, you get to see fat women in windows and giggly tourists trying to soak in the scene.
Amsterdam does not have much in the way of Pensions or Bed/Breakfast. Therefore, we have a collection of hotels in Amsterdam at http://www.amsterdam-hotels-deals.net/ to give you the information that you need to make an informed decision. A native Californian, Jill went to college in Rhode Island. Pining for distant lands and new experiences, she traded her Ivory towers for a backpack and spent a year going around the world. While not working as a graphic designer for Sofizar, she travels the world, and writes about her experiences at http://netherlands.ixs.net/
Going on rock climbing expeditions can be expensive. And sometimes when the weather or climate does not permit outdoor climbing, enthusiasts just have to have an alternative activity that captures the thrill of climbing to some degrees. To address this, rock climbers have invented the rock-climbing wall.
Going Downhill? The Right Mountain Bike For You By Khieng Chho
Someone looking for a mountain bike that can run flawlessly in scary downhills, a rocky and muddy bay and long hard rides should consider either the hard tail or the light to medium weight suspension mountain bike. The full suspension is the popular choice for mountain bikers but have the following disadvantages:
- A full suspension mountain bike is heavier by at least two pounds compared to a hard tail.
White water rafting is an adventure sport in which a raft is used to navigate a river or any water body. It is usually done on rapids or white water to keep up the excitement. A river goes through different gradients and flows from a higher gradient to lower gradient. When the river’s gradient becomes sharp, frothy water is formed consisting of bubbles and aerated water. This has a white appearance hence termed white water. The sport has been popular since the mid 80’s. .
Gold Coast Holiday - Fun in the Sun By Rod L'Huillier
The Gold Coast features 40km of sandy immaculate beaches and is located 70kms south of Queenslands capital city, Brisbane, and 947kms North the capital of New south Wales, Sydney. It has an estimated population of 480,000 and is Australia's seventh largest city.
In the Australian Outback there is a requirement to leave a considerable gap between bikes on dirt roads, but I felt Andy was too far back, travelling too slowly. My relief at seeing him appear in my rear-view mirror soon turned to concern. He's too close to the edge of the track.
The two foot high sand drift along the edge of the track to Mungo National Park was not a good place to ride a heavily laden 650cc overland trail bike. As I peered into my mirror the bike and rider following disappeared beneath a mushroom cloud of blood red sand.
Day one. Lesson One, never close the throttle in sand.
Both Andy and the bike survived largely unscathed, the sand drift actually not a bad place to tumble off a bike, in retrospect. Minds suitably focussed, we became better dirt riders by the hour.
The first effect of being on non-bitumen roads is that the front wheel moves. It twitches with every stone, tries to follow a rut and would quite like to sink-in and stop in sand. The initial queasyness of riding a bike behaiving in this way soon eases when you discover the technique of holding the power on, always, and maintaining a vice-like grip on the handlebars.
A motorbike is not steered as such, it is always a question of subtle body-movements with very light touches of the bars. On loose ground, it is the rear wheel which largely causes direction changes, the front can buck and twitch, if you hold the power on and point that front wheel roughly where you want to be, it works. It's a miracle, but it works. Mostly. Creek crossings provide the added excitement of not being able to see clearly the rocks and pot-holes you are about to encounter. We'd keep a thumb over the engine kill switch, as an immersed bike with it's engine running will take in water, leading to catastrophic fluid-lock in the cylinder.
Corrugations are ridges a few centimetres high which run across the tracks and cause a horrible hammering vibration. Thankfully our bikes have a lot of locknuts and threadlock retro-fitted and held together.
Most Outback roads are deemed closed in wet weather, riding them risks heavy fines (1,000 dollars per wheel). Occaisionally we'd encounter wet dirt roads and they are truly scary for the two-wheeler.
The natural weaving of the bike through the soft stuff is exaggerated by the nicely lubricated mud. The back wheel has to deal with the tread pattern becoming clogged, creating a slick tyre.
There were many, many times, particularly on the last day, that I thought a mud bath was imminent. In the dry, talcum-powder fine bulldust is kicked up by vehicles. We referred to riding second as 'In The Grey Room'. The high incidence of kangaroo, wallaby, feral pig, emu, bulls and sheep provide a uniquely Australian challenge.
But meeting the challenge was the most enjoyable part of the trip. When the track was just loose enough to cause you to hold every muscle tense for hours on end, stealing a quick glance at the view, or ducking under an eagle, or a flock of Zebra Finches, you felt truly in touch with the land.
So many tracks provided sheer motorcycling bliss. A handful of vehicles per day, sublime surroundings and always the promise of more over the next rise, or tomorrow, or next week...
----------------------- Read the whole story of bikes, camel wrestling, road-trains, and see the photos of this dazzling, remote part of the world at | Red Centre Adventure |
Article ID : 1810
Article ID : 1691
Article ID : 848
Article ID : 809
