Who needs city maps when we’ve got GPS?

Robb Y    Outdoor Activities, Tours & Attractions     city tours, things to do

It looks as if the day of the good old city map has passed. Paper maps are big, clumsy to use, difficult to fold, and every time you try to get anywhere you always find yourself staring at a crease!

Tourists have long since relied on city maps, and in the bigger cities it’s normal for even cab drivers to have a map in their car.

So what changed? Well, technology has caught up with the map. With the help of built-in GPS (Global Positioning Systems) mobile phones are now providing directions, even finding out about traffic updates.

How does it work? GPS was devised for the military; it uses satellites orbiting high above the earth to help find a receiver’s (your phone’s) position on the ground.

What then happens is this data is integrated into mapping software; so with a quick browse of your phone you can find where you are, search for destinations and get directions for the fastest route possible. read more

Keeping sailing simple with Captain Mike

Robb Y    Expert Interviews, Outdoor Activities, Water Sports     Activity Interviews, learn to, sailing

Mike From Seaside Sailing

Captain Mike runs Seaside Sailing in New Jersey and has just two rules for the people who come aboard his boat. Number one: Have fun. Number Two: Don’t fall off the boat!

Safety is a serious matter at sea, although Mike’s not a man to dampen the fun; crew aboard his ship can get as involved as they choose in the running and rigging of his 44ft sailing yacht, the Express Mail.

We’ve spoken with him about what people get up to on board, and his role as Captain. Here’s what he had to say: read more

So you think you have a real 4×4?

Robb Y    Driving Experiences, Outdoor Activities     driving experiences, things to do

Land Rover Driving across Moab

Drivers love SUVs. But it’s important not to confuse an SUV with a 4×4; they are not always the same thing. The SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) can be seen as a cousin of the 4×4, but the two are very different beasts, while sometimes having key things in common.

To explain: When someone talks about a 4×4 they mean an off-road vehicle that has a dedicated 4-wheel-drive transmission. These began their lives with the Willys Jeep, which was made to give US forces a light multi-terrain vehicle.

In order to cross the roughest of rocks and slipperiest of slopes, over time engineers developed a new transmission; instead of the engine driving two wheels, it drives four. read more

Hang gliding: How far can it take you?

Robb Y    Airborne Activities, Outdoor Activities    

Hang Glider In Flight

In hang gliding, as with most sports, there are competitions, amateur and professionals standards, championships to be fought over and medals to be won.

This year the World Championships were held in Tegleberg, Germany. Well, if there’s any sport that can be affected by weather it’s hang gliding. That said, it was still a surprise when the organizers were forced to stop the competition  – no one was expecting snow in April. read more

What’s the difference between an adventure sport and an extreme sport?

Robb Y    Outdoor Activities    

Exploration is a human trait. There seems to be no end to how far we will search, how high we will climb and which challenges we set ourselves.

And its here we find the difference between adventure sports and extreme sports: Extreme sports are often adventurous, but adventure sports need not be ‘Extreme’.

It’s a hotly contested topic, but let’s look at a few examples and see if we can close the debate a little. read more

‘Saddle up’

Robb Y    Lifestyle Activities, Outdoor Activities     horse riding, learn to

A 4×4 is perhaps the ultimate cross-country vehicle: it can go just about anywhere. That said, long before the motor vehicle was invented, we managed to cross miles of inhospitable terrain, ford swollen rivers and climb the steepest of gradients. How? We trusted our travels to horses.

They played an integral part in the creation of the United States; from the mail service to the armed services, our equine companions have done us proud.

The horse and its rider are symbolic of our search into the West read more

Kayaks are not canoes

Robb Y    Lifestyle Activities, Outdoor Activities, Water Sports     canoe, kayak, kayaking, whitewater rafting

Kayaking is not canoeing. However, it is similar, albeit with a few key differences.

A kayak is the older, more traditional relative of the canoe. First used in the Arctic more than 4,000 years ago, its primary role was as a fishing and hunting vessel, but it was also used for general transportation.

As a boat, it sits lower in the water than a canoe and it rarely has a seat. By using stretched sealskin and whale fat over a wooden frame natives created for themselves a waterproof layer. read more

Whitewater Thrills and Spills

Robb Y    Outdoor Activities, Water Sports     Outdoor Activities, paddling, whitewater rafting

An inflatable raft, a life jacket and a fast-flowing river – this is what the good life is all about. You don’t need to be a daredevil or a thrill-seeker to appreciate the adrenaline rush of whitewater rafting. Sure, you won’t be drifting downstream, leisurely admiring the foliage. Instead, you’ll be hurtling through a rush of water and energy, bumping through the rapids. There’s no denying the risk factor, and as whitewater rafting is always professionally managed with rafters using the best safety equipment, fun and thrills can go together.

Colorado’s Arkansas river is the source of some of the most challenging rafting trips. Here rafts pass through a narrow, rocky, and steep stretch of cold water – rafters need to be experienced and skilled for this one. read more