Northwest Recreation

Winter has set in, and with it the woes of boring days spent inside. For many, the indoors just mark another inactive day. But there are solutions to staying indoors. As winter continues, it is important to keep up on your exercise and maintain fitness and stamina for spring hiking. There are many different ways to so this, but here are some especially good one.

For starters, treadmills are a perfect way to stay indoors and maintain stamina, but they are often boring. One great way to stay fit without having to run on a treadmill is to run at a track. You can also try to jog on fair days on good trails. Finally, try to keep your exercise routines unique. This will keep exercising fun and easy. Also try to get outside to exercise at least once a week to get some fresh air. Even recreating in the winter can be fun. Happy hiking!

Back country hiking is a phenomenal way to see nature.  Going “off the beaten path” lets you search out the few wonders that many people don’t get to see.  It also lets you hike in quieter, more serene places.   With a tendency to have more wildlife, back country areas are known for their undisturbed beauty and difficulty to get to in many cases.  It can be an amazing experience, but here are some things to keep in mind:

• Get stuck, and you’re stuck: It is much harder to get around with no trail, so remember to tell people where you are going and when you will be back.  No cell phones and few people mean that it can be more dangerous.
• For the love of animals:  They’re great critters, but they also abound out there.  Hang your food high between two trees at least 15 feet off the ground.  More certainly can’t hurt, because I wouldn’t want to be hungry out there.
• Nature calls: There aren’t facilities out there, so plan on using proper means to dispose of human waste.
• Manhunt:  Search and rescue doesn’t need more calls to find lost people.  Know where you are going and hike with someone to avoid getting lost or stuck alone.
• Respect your mom:  Mother nature has its own balance of ecosystems, etc.  Be respectful.  Pack it in, pack it out.  Don’t feed critters, and make sure you stay off of known delicate environments.

Back country hiking is incredible, and definitely my favorite type of hiking.  Just remember to be safe out there and be respectful.    Happy hiking!

Snow can be a fun thing to have around.  Snowmen, low mysterious clouds over white frosted forests, and the smell of precipitation in the air provides an exceptional outdoor experience to those who enjoy the feeling of the cold wet stuff that makes life a little more interesting.  There are, however, a few things that should accompany you whenever possible when you are recreating in the snow where cold and wet can mean a difference between fun and freezing.  Here’s a list that is not quite comprehensive:

• Shovel:  Small folding ones are perfect for digging snow shelters, getting cars unstuck, and for building things out of the great white stuff.
• Salt:  Salt is essential when getting traction for a vehicle.
• Gloves: Cold hands aren’t a whole lot of fun.
• Flashlight:  It gets darker earlier in the winter
• Knife:  They’re indispensable
• Water:  You can dehydrate even in the winter

Again, a small list but those are just a few items to keep in mind.  Stay safe and warm out recreating in the snow!

Following an snowstorm that blanketed much of Washington, travelers over Snoqualmie Pass found themselves stranded for hours one day a few years ago.  Much to their dismay, they were unprepared for the snow and pass closures.  Many of the unfortunate commuters had no food or water, and no long term warmth without using their car, which presented a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.  After hours of waiting, the passes finally opened again, but not without leaving one thing evident in many of their minds: be prepared!

America is a traveling nation, and it becomes more and more noticeable to me as I travel just how many cars are on the roads each day.  No doubt you have been stuck in the “rush hour commute,” hurrying to return to your waiting friends and family.  One thing I often wonder is the amount of people who are truly prepared if something were to happen to them on the road.  This is especially true for recreationists who are traveling a long distance through several climates and regions without easy access to condition and traffic information.  When traveling, inconveniences and problems like a longer than normal commute come up.  However, when road closures, mother nature and other people get you in a bind, there are some important necessities that can help ease your predicament.

Among the endless list should be a gallon of water, flares, notepad and paper, food, emergency blanket, toolkit, flashlight, cell phone,  tire gauges, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, pocket knife, gloves, emergency radio, and chemical lightsticks.  With these, you will be prepared in a wide variety of circumstances to be able to wait it out confortably and safely.  Remember to be safe traveling to your recreation spot, and have fun in the snow!

For those who have been caught in the fierce winter weather, you may have noticed that cars were not quite meant for. . .snow and ice.  As a matter of fact, the whole ordeal can be somewhat disturbing when one realizes that his or her car slides readily in the cold wetness of snow.  For those who are looking for a good way to find traction, here are some options that you can use, whether that may entail your car, or even tractor or ATV.

1. Traction Tires:  Not only advised over passes, these help provide better traction in the winter time, especially on snow.  Highly suggested if lots of winter travel is imminent.
2. Chains:  The ultimate grip on snow, these offer a deep biting artificial tread to grab the snow and pull you along, providing both stopping and accelerating power.
3. Cables:  Better on ice, the thinner cables bite into the compact snow and icier areas better to provide you with better control.
4. Studded Tires: Excellent on small amounts of snow and ice, these work fantastically on trucks and cars.

Remember to drive safe out there and stay alert for other drivers.  Happy December 29th!

Sick and tired?  Literally?  It’s the story of millions of Americans each year, but it doesn’t have to be that way.  Just a few days out sick can affect your recreation plans drastically.  Winter woes can have you inside eating chicken noodle soup and reading a book, or they can find you out and healthy enjoying the great outdoors — even in winter.  Here are five tips to keep in mind when staying well.

1. Get sleep!  If you plan to be outdoors the next day, or if you have had a stressful week, take time to relax and get to bed early.  It will keep you well and give your body the vital time that is absolutely necessary to staying healthy and energize you for the next day ahead.
2. Take supplements.  Vitamin C is excellent for bolstering immune systems under stress and Echinacea is said to help supplement an immune system undergoing a current attack and to prevent the onset of colds.  In either case, both can help your immune system fight off infection.
3. Stay warm.  Dress appropriately for the weather and stay dry when outside.  Even if you are in a wet environment, dressing in layers will help you stay warm and dry, keeping you healthier and less susceptible to infection.
4. Get a flu shot.  Although colds are most definitely not caused by the flu, such a virus will definitely set you back several days, if not a week or more.  By getting a flu shot, you protect both yourself and others and help reduce the risk of being infected with the virus.
5. Drink and eat appropriately. Lots of sugar degrades the immune system, as does lack of water.  Drink plenty of water and eat healthfully to help keep you running at your peak.  Your immune system will work more effectively and you’ll be happier in the end.

Remember, you don’t have to stay inside just because of lousy weather.  As a matter of fact, the winter is a fun time to enjoy the outdoors.  Just stay healthy and enjoy all that nature can offer you in a healthy way!

Winter is here!  Time for fun snow stuff, etc.  The weather across much of the northwest is snow, snow, snow!  In lieu of this cold goodness, there are a few things that should be brought to the attention of all those snow savvy people looking for a great opportunity to enjoy recreation at what I consider to be its finest!  Thus, an incomplete list has been gathered for your benefit as you consider winter sports this 2008-2009 winter season.

• Skiing:  Grab your gear and get ready for some pole-wielding fun!
• Snowboarding:  Shred the slopes on your own board and grab your buddies from extremeness.
• Snowmobiling:  Hit the throttle for high speed, low exertion recreation.
• Snowshoeing:  Prepare for a nice, easy walk to some of the few traveled places of the outdoors.
• Cross-country Skiing:  Quiet and slower paced, this offers a great way for the scenic side of us to present itself.
• Sledding:  Get ready for speed and rush as you fly down the steep hills!

Go ahead, choose a few and try them out.  Maybe even pick ones you know nothing about.  You may find  a new hobby, you may even find a new way to burn some calories, but most likely you’ll also find a new way to have fun!

It’s winter!  Winter means cold.  Cold means snow.  Snow means plenty of recreation opportunities for you!  But, not only are there opportunities for skiing and snowboarding here, Canada has plenty of resorts and winter recreation areas to choose from!  Hypothetically speaking, you want to go skiing.  You may even be a die-hard snowboarder.  You may even want to take the wife on a vacation and enjoy heated winter pools, sleigh rides, and skiing (or boarding) all at once!  Is this a problem?  No!  Is there a catch?  Yes!  You need a passport.

Folks, some of the best skiing and boarding on the planet is found in Canada.  Besides that, there are even other recreational opportunities to be had.  Snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and snow park activities are all there.  As an outdoor enthusiast, recreation in any country at practically any time is fun for me.  I know there are others out there who feel the same way, so bear with me in this new twist to recreation.  So try it out.  Grab your passport and try recreation in another country!

As an additional option for tire slime, the slime that comes in the tube is always an option to consider when you are thinking about flats on your bike or even (dare I say it?) your car!  Although no ill fortune such as this should ever have the right to descend on such visitors to Northwest Recreation, such mishaps do happen.  In this case, tire slime in the tubes at the store is yet another viable avenue.

Pros:  Comes in a tube, fairly cheap for a large amount, and easy to use.  Squirt in the tire and pump it up is the basics of how this works.  Works fairly effectively against small punctures and for thorns entering tires.

Cons:  Messy and hard to clean up if you spill it.  Also, you MUST have a PUMP in order to use the slime in a tube.  Otherwise, you’ll get the slime in and notice that you don’t have any air to put in it, anyway.

All in all, it’s a good option if you have a pump and don’t mind carrying a tube of slime around with you.  Granted, the pre-slimed tubes are much easier, but you use what you can and what you have.

Because of the thorns that constantly get stuck in tires, I think it is only fair to cover one possible remedy for tire punctures.  This remedy, tire slime, is an effective way to control the leakage of air from a puncture in your tire tube.  There are several different options, each of which will be discussed in upcoming articles on NW Recreation.  For those who have bikes, dirt bikes, ATVs, cars, etc, it is important to consider these remedies to avoid the possibility of being stranded or walking back to a gas station.

Being prepared is an excellent way to prevent such results, and the three things we will discuss here will be:

• Tire slimed bike tubes
• Tire slime in bottle
• And generic slime in tubes

All three have a variety of benefits, and will be addressed in upcoming posts.  Happy November!