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Rock climbing is a great way to escape the rat race, live on the edge and get a heck of a view. Alas, your rock climbing experiences can fade with time. The best way to prevent this is to keep a rock climbing journal.

Rock climbing Journals

Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent rock climbing experience. What sticks out in your mind? Did you go bouldering at Joshua Tree for the weekend? Now think about the first time you ever went rock climbing. Undoubtedly, you remember few things about the geography, people you went with and the particular rock climbing routes. The experiences you’ve forgotten are lost to time. If you keep a rock climbing journal, this won’t be the case.

There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank’s Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your rock climbing experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.

A good rock climbing journal combines a number of characteristics. First, it should be compact so you don’t have to take up unnecessary space for other things. Second, it should have a case to protect it from the elements and so on. Third, the journal should contain blank areas to write your notes. Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues should include:

1. Who you went rock climbing with,

2. The nature and quality of the rock,

3. Who you met and contact information for them,

4. The geographic and weather conditions,

5. Any unique things that occurred while rock climbing,

6. The routes you took up the ice and alternatives.

7. The equipment you needed to make the climb, and

8. Any inside information provided by locals or other climbers you met.

At the end of the rock climbing trip, you should be able to get the following from your journal:

1. Contact information for other climbers you met,

2. Enough detail to provide you or a friend with a route guide if you climb the location a second time.

3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and

4. Something to pass on to your friends, children and grandchildren.

To get the most out of your rock climbing journal, you should write in it just before you climb and when you return. It is always interesting to see the different impressions you have before and after a climb. Was it harder than you thought or easier?

Rock climbing is a great way to commune with nature and spend a weekend. Make sure to preserve the experience with your rock climbing journal.

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of rock climbing journals. Writing journals make great Christmas gifts for him or her. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read outdoor adventure stories.

How to exercise for flat abs. It is important to get an exercise routine worked out for flat abs because if you aren’t using them, you lose them.  You should know how to do sit-ups and other exercise routines in order to accomplish this goal.  It feels great to be able to show off a fit looking stomach from time to time, and it always feels good to have one!

Information and advice on healthy eating: Myths Revealed. There sure are many different theories going around so I found this site that actually compiled the information together in one easy to read site so you can get you information straight and remember it when you need it. Also, resourceful links to healthy eating tips to find the right foods for your healthy diet.

It’s Football Gift Basket Time of the Year

We’re reaching the NFL’s “run for the playoffs” time of year.
Between mid December and the Super Bowl, the best games of the
season are on TV Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Whether you gather
at your home or a friend’s, a true football fan provides his
guests snacks and treats. So grab a basket and let’s fill it
with a selection any fan would love.

First, let’s start with your favorite team and find some logo
items. Being a Bears fan I usually start with a chip and dip
snack bowl. I’ll compliment that with cooler cups in my team’s
colors; blue and orange. I’m a nervous fan when the “home team”
plays so I always include a nerf football or two, to squeeze
away my anxiety or to throw the deep post pattern to my speedy
wide receiver in the comfort of the family room.

Okay, now to the important items in my gift basket, the snacks.
I have a weakness for chips and dip so I include potato chips
and onion dip as well as tortilla chips and hot salsa. Peanuts
(not in the shell I’ve learned) are a must as is popcorn. Last
but not least, summer sausage, very cheddar cheese and my
favorite wheat crackers are included to provide us sustenance
during our three and half hour gridiron spectacle.

A fan works up a mighty thirst during a long NFL game so a few
cold drinks need to go in the basket as well. A few beers, a
bottle of wine and a couple bottles of cream soda top the gift
basket off. That’s a selection that should appeal to any fan
with a fine palette.

So you’ve created the perfect gift basket for watching a
football game with your family and friends. So get comfortable
in front of the fireplace, and munch and sip your favorite team
to victory. You’ve scored a touchdown with this gift before the
kick off with a unique and customized gift idea.

http://www.goarticles.com

I’ve been thinking that it’s time for me to start managing blood sugar in my body because I have been feeling icky for so long and nothing else seems to be helping. No amount of rest, food, caffeine, chocolate or medications seemed to make me feel ALL better. So I checked out this site. Amazing! That’s all I have to say. I wanted to share it with everyone so that you can all feel the way I feel now that I’ve looked into this.

2005 Overview:

Buck Showalter’s 2005 Rangers ended up the season with a disappointing 79-83 record despite having one of the better lineups in baseball. What made the 2005 season particularly disappointing was the fact the 2004 team ended the season with 89 wins and one of the most impressive home records in baseball. In 2004, the Rangers won 51 home games which ranked 4th overall in the American League, while in 2005 Texas managed only to win 44, ending the season 16 games behind the AL West Angels.

Texas fielded one of the best offensive infields in 2005. 1st baseman Mark Teixeira (.301 43 144) continued to develop his swing, playing in all of the Rangers 162 games in 2005. 2nd baseman Alfonso Soriano (.268 36 104) also proved durable playing in 156 games by finishing 2nd on the team in HRs behind Teixeria. Shortstop Michael Young (.334 24 91), 3rd baseman Hank Blalock (.263 25 92) and outfielders David Dellucci (.251 29 65) and Kevin Mench (.264 25 73) also helped to contribute runs to the potent offensive lineup.

Starting pitcher Kenny Rogers (14-8 3.46) slipped from his 18 wins in 2004 posting a 14 win season to led all starters. Youngster Chris Young (12-7 4.34 showed promise in 2005 appearing in 31 games, while newly acquired starter Chan Ho Park (8-5 5.66) managed to post an 8-3 record before being traded to the Padres in August. Closer Francisco Cordero (3-1 3.39 37 saves) anchored the relief pitching while pitching an impressive 2-0 2.59 with 17 saves after the all star break.

Off Season Moves:

The Rangers had a busy off season losing Rogers via free agency and trading Soriano in a 4-player deal with the Washington Nationals. Texas also picked up Vicente Padilla (9-12 4.71) from the Phillies in exchange for RHP Ricardo Rodriguez. Soriano was sent to the Nationals for Brad Wilkerson (.248 11 57) while Texas also acquired free agent pitcher Kevin Millwood (9-11 2.86). The Rangers also completed a 6-player deal with the Padres which netted relief pitcher Akinori Otsuka (2-8 3.59) and starter Adam Eaton (11-5 4.57). Pitcher John Wasdin (3-2 4.28) was also resigned via free agency.

2006 Analysis:

New pitching coach Mark Connor has an arsenal of new arms to improve upon the team’s 4.97 ERA in 2005. Texas continues to lack any “ace” as Rogers departure will prove difficult to replace. Millwood is a nice acquisition as is Padilla, although both posted sub-500 seasons in 2005. Eaton should fit nicely into the rotation and is a reliable arm. Look for Otsuka to stabilize the bullpen. Retaining the services of relief pitcher John Wasdin was also a wise move. The Rangers will certainly miss Soriano’s bat in the lineup and hope Brad Wilkerson can return to his 2004 form when he was able to hit 32 HRS - before the Nationals changed their location to Washington. There are many new faces on the Rangers roster, but a lack of quality starters most likely will land them in the same position as 2005.

Jack Scrafford recommends PlatinumTickets to buy Texas Rangers tickets. See www.platinumtickets.com/mlb/texas_rangers_tickets.html for more information.

Summer Olympics 2008, China

China will host the prestigious Summer Olympics in 2008.
Already, Olympics fever has gripped China and we’ll probaby see
another exciting Olympics in 2008. The two cities that will host
the Olympics in China are Beijing, which is the nations capital
and Qingdao, a seaside city in the province of Shandong, in
north-east China. Let’s get to know these two Olympics cities
better.

Beijing

Beijing is the capital for China. It was also a capital for the
last two monarchies that ruled China before being overthrown by
Sun Yat Sun in 1911 and has been the capital since Mao Tse Tung
declared China a People’s Republic in 1949.

Beijing is located in northern China, close to Tianjin
Municipality and partially surrounded by Hebei Province. The
city covers an area of more than 16,800 square kilometers (6,487
square miles) and has a population of 13.82 million people.
Beijing is at its best in late spring and autumn, particularly
during the months of May, September, and October when people can
enjoy bright sunshine and blue skies.

As the capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is the
nation’s political, economic, cultural and educational center as
well as being the China’s most important center for
international trade and communications. It has been the heart
and soul of politics and society throughout its long history and
consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to
delight and intrigue travelers as they explore Beijing’s ancient
past and enjoy its exciting modern development.

Beijing is also the tourist capital of China, boasting of
favourite tourist sites such as :

Great Wall of China

Forbidden City

Summer Palace

Temple of Heaven

Ming tombs

Tiananmen Square.

Beijing will also be the host for the Summer Olympics in 2008.
Already, Olympics fever has gripped the city as construction of
new buildings, hotels and stadiums, sprucing of tourist
facilities, cleaning up of air and water pollution takes on a
fervent pace.

Qingdao

Qingdao is a bustling city located in Shandong province, in the
North East of China. Qingdao will be the site for sailing events
for the Summer Olympics as Beijing is not by the sea.

Qingdao city lies on undulating hills with luxuriantly green
trees and buildings noted for their attractive architectural
styles. The red colour of the tiled roves, green colour of the
trees thills and blue of the sea contrast beautifully. All this
along with its beautiful climate, make the city well-known as a
summer and health resort.

The city occupies an area of 10 654 km2. The city is located in
flatlands, with mountains spurring up nearby. The highest
elevation in the area is 1133 m above sea level. The city has a
730.64-kilometer coastline. Five significant rivers that flow
for more than 50 km can be found in the region.

Qingdao is estimated to be the home for more than 7 million
inhabitants, of which around 2.6 million is residing in the
Qingdao urban area.

Qingdao enjoys mild summers and relatively warm winters, with
the average July temperature at 23.8C and the average January
temperature at -0.7C. The city gets most rain in June and July,
at an average of 150 mm.

Qingdao has very strong German influence in the 19th century and
many German influenced buildings can still be seen. In fact,
Qingdao beer is famous throughout the world, and every year,
hundreds of thousands of people, both local and overseas gather
in Qingdao for the annual Beer festival.

Qingdao attracts many tourists due to its seaside setting and
excellent weather. Parks, beaches and sculpture — as well as
some unique architecture — line the shore. Qingdao’s major
attractions include:

* Ba Da Guan, the older area of town with some surviving German
architecture.

* Laoshan, a famous Taoist mountain.

* Lu Xun Park, named after Lu Xun, a famous modern Chinese
writer.

* Qingdao Beer Museum, on the site of the old brewery.

* Qingdao Naval Museum

* Qingdao International Beer City, the primary site of the
annual Qingdao International Beer Festival.

* Qingdao Underwater World

* St. Michael’s Cathedral, a Gothic/Roman cathedral designed by
German architect Pepieruch, completed in 1934.

* Zhan Qiao (Zhan Pier)

* Zhanshan Temple, Qingdao’s only Buddhist temple.

Qingdao has such nice weather and scenary that the China ruling
party has a large rest and retirement santuary in Qingdao for
it’s retired cadres.

While in generations past children and adults alike rode their
bicycles without giving helmets a second thought, today no
responsible parent allows their son or daughter to ride without
first donning their high quality bike helmets.

Part of the reason for the changing attitudes about helmets has
to do with better education and research. Study after study has
shown that those wearing helmets suffer from much lower rates of
head trauma than those who ride their bikes unprotected. Simply
donning a bike helmet provides the rider with a much greater
chance of survival, and helmets are the number one most
effective pieces of equipment for any rider.

Of course helmets are not just for bike riders. There are many
sports that use helmets as part of their basic safety equipment.
These sports include snowboarding and skiing, skateboarding and
horseback riding. All are sports that provide a great deal of
enjoyment, but that also have a high rate of injury. Simply by
wearing the appropriate helmets, it is possible to greatly
reduce the risk of injury without interfering with the fun and
exercise these great sports provide.

When it comes to motorcycle riders, helmets have always been,
and probably always will be, a matter of contention. Some riders
insist that the decision on helmets should be made by each
individual motorcyclist, while others feel that the decision to
require helmets should reside with the state. Safety experts
agree, however, that helmets are an important safety measure for
any motorcycle enthusiast.

No matter what sport or activity you participate in, however, it
is important to purchase the helmets for those sports from
reputable, quality manufacturers. Not all helmets are created
equal, and it is important to choose helmets that are made to
the toughest quality specifications.

It is also important to buy only those helmets that have been
designed specifically for your own sport or activity. For
instance, the safety requirements for horseback riding are quite
different than those for riding a bike or a motorcycle. For this
reason, bicycle helmets simply will not do for horseback riding,
and riding helmets will not be appropriate for riding a bike or
motorcycle.

Fit is another vital consideration when it comes to choosing
helmets. Helmets that are too large or too small will be worse
than useless, and an ill fitting helmet could actually be
dangerous if it interferes with range of vision. It is important
to purchase helmets for every member of the family, and family
members should not switch helmets unless their head sizes are
exactly the same. Every manufacturer of helmets will provide an
easy sizing chart, making it easy to choose the right size
helmets even when ordering those helmets through the mail or
over the Internet.

Finally, while no parent can put a price on the safety of their
children, the price of helmets is of course an important
consideration. Nobody has unlimited funds, and it is important
to shop around for the best helmets at the best prices. After
you have determined which helmets are of the highest quality, it
is important to shop around for the best prices on the helmets
you need for yourself and your family.

Protection

Your board will get you down the hill at a good pace and if you take a tumble or hit a tree etc it is going to hurt. Prevention is better than cure they say. Don’t sit back and say I’ll be all right I’ll only go slow, it hurts at any speed, ever just knelt down on a small stone?
Plain open face lids are fine but a full face can protect your face more, visibility can be reduced with a full face and it gets hot in summer. At the very least a triple pad set is required, knee, elbow and wrist. The triple set is fine for riding under normal conditions but bigger better pads are available. Once you have been riding for a while you can upgrade your pads a bit at a time. If you are riding woodland trails or very rocky terrain then it would be a good idea to find some shin, forearm, and upper body protection as well as bum pads.

Starting off

Find a shallow slope and go with friends just in case.
To discover your lead leg, run and slide like you would on ice, the leg you put in front is your lead or front leg. This can be wrong but is a good test. After trying that leg take a ride down with the other leg leading, see how you feel.

Either on the flat or with your board across the hill, get on the board and adjust your bindings so that you feet are placed facing straight ahead with toes slightly further over the deck edge than your heels and the straps are comfortably tight. All the following can be practised on the flat before hitting the slope.

Stopping

Stopping is the first hurdle. Standing on the board knees slightly bent feeling comfortable, keeping your weight central over the board, bend your knees and lower yourself down so you can grab the front edge of the deck with both hands. Lean backwards still holding the deck, this will cause the board to turn very sharp and come to a halt. If you do not keep your weight central while going down then the board will turn before you are ready and you will lose balance. Do this several times over a short distance and increase the distance and speed each time you get it right.

Turns

A toe side turn is where you turn the way you are facing. Start riding down the hill and then push your knees forwards lifting your heels putting weight onto your toes. Do this slowly and controlled as if you do it quick you will lose balance and we know what happens then don’t we. Keep the turn going and imagine writing a big J on the hill side and you will come to a stop. Practise a few times. A heel side turn is a turn the opposite way. Start riding down the hill and this time push your bum out lift your toes transferring your weight onto your heels. Again it must be slow and controlled to keep your balance. Keep the turn going and imagine the J again.

Practise these turns a few times and then practise the stops again, each time you do it increase the distance and speed of your run. Once you are brimming with confidence you start linking these turns together, start riding then turn one waay but befor you go all the way switch from heel to toe or vice versa and carry on riding, the more you turn the slower the ride will be, this is called carving. If you reduce the turn your speed will increase, don’t forget to leave space to stop at the bottom.

Tips

When riding hold your hands out above each end of the deck and keep your knees slightly bent with a straight back, this will help balance. Look where you are going by turning your head not your whole body. You can practise turns and stops in your front room it will help with your overall balance. You can get a balance board which is a plank on a roller that you try to stand on, it improves your core muscles and your balance.

This article was written by Alan greenhill from http://www.kitensk8.com
We have been in the sport since early 2003. We are trained instructors and have our own team competeing in the UK championships. If you have any questions or wish more advice we can be contacted at alan@gruntys.co.uk
Thank you for reading this article.

Decisions, decisions. I decided to post my thoughts on buying a life fitness exercise bike. I go to the gym 4-5 times a week. I’m in very good shape. But, I don’t have any fitness equipment at home. Sometimes, I’d just like to do a cardio workout from home. As I have gotten older, I have noticed that just hitting the weights no longer does it for me. I had become one of those guys with big arms, but also had a big gut.  It wasn’t until I forced myself to do more cardio that my belly finally disappeared. So, now I  do cardio more so than weights. Some days I’ll go to the gym and do only cardio. It is on those days that I say to myself. You know, I could just do this at home if I had an exercise bike. So, I decided to buy one. But, I’m trying to decide between a recumbent life fitness exercise bike, or, an upright…decisions decisions.