by: Sophie Beck
Billiards has always been a collection of games that are played on a table using a cue stick. If you’re looking to play better billiards or pool then all you have to do is practice. It's a good idea for you to get a feel for holding the cue stick, and just how you will brace it with your other hand. Once you have found a comfortable position that works fairly consistently for yourself then the next step would be the striking of the cue ball. Once you have a consistent strike that hit's the back of the ball correctly your well on your way to playing better pool.
Now that you are able to hold and strike the cue ball with the cue stick you will be able to choose from a wide selection of games. When playing eight ball games and straight pool, 16 balls are used, 15 of the balls are colored with one white colored ball. The object balls are numbered one through seven and are solid colored, the balls nine through 15 are white and have a colored stripe that matches a corresponding solid ball. The eight ball is always black.
The balls are to be racked using a triangle of a specific dimension. The Lag is used to determine which player gets to play the opening shot. Cue balls or solid colored balls are shot by both players at the same time, one from the right and other from the left of the head spot, to the foot cushion and back to the head end of the table. The player’s ball that is nearest to the head cushion is considered the winner.
The shots that qualify as legal are only those where the cue ball is struck with the cue tip. A game is considered open as soon as the balls are positioned and the cue ball struck with the cue stick across the head string. An opponent gets to strike when the player fails to pocket a ball during his turn at play.
In the beginning practice, practice and more practice. When you plan a practice session, always try to practice with an experienced billiards player. Playing with an expert billiards player will allow you to visually experience corrects way to make shots and it will also allow the expert to identify your mistakes. This will allow the more advanced billiards player to give you useful tips and advice that will improve both your skills and confidence in playing.
Remember that enjoying a game of pool with your friends and family members is really what it's all about. Don't put to much pressure on yourself to make every shot and sink every ball every time. The more comfortable and relaxed you become with the cue stick and pool table the better you will become naturally. Soon you will be inviting everyone with you to enjoy a game of billiards. Who knows you may even invest in a billiards table of your own to enjoy with your friends and family.
If you are looking for a great buy on a pool table don't forget to check out the great buys available online. That's how we found our beautiful table; in fact we put together our entire billiards room in our home from items we purchased online. Not only did we find a table we were also able to get the perfect pool table lights for over the table, along with signs, posters, cue sticks, chalk, balls, racks and everything else you could think of. With your own billiards room you will play better billiards or pool in no time flat.
Apart From A Proper Golf Swing Trainer, A Golfer Needs More Than One Golf Course!
by: Wim Van Der Walt
There you are, the newest member of the golf retirement community, putting to engineer that innocent looking little white ball into the black hole at last. The soft sea breeze stroking your aching back after that one wild swipe at the dodgy little Callaway golf ball when you thought no one was watching. And something else is bothering you. You know what it is, but you don't want to acknowledge it, because you don't know what to do about it. You don't yearn for the latest golf swing trainer, golf cart accessory or other related retirement gift. It is something entirely different that is tap-tap-tapping away at your thoughts.
Too many greens to play, too many beautiful community golf courses whispering their names to you in that salty wind coming in from the sea. And there is only one you. With a wife that is adamant to have her say in the unfolding need for more than just the one golf course in one lifetime.
As that wise old German psychologist mentioned in quiet desperation, women are different. They are most likely aliens from a far off galaxy where there are no open green, gated golf course communities that are synonymous with heavenly pleasures. In that galaxy the rule has been laid down that a specimen from the female species will always have the need to have an own home where the specimen can indulge in home making. A serious golfer, in his advanced cosmic state, knows that it is not about the house, it is all about the green course. She will not let go. She will not understand. She will want her own home to beautify. She will want a verandah where she and her friends from that far off galaxy can sit down and drink tea while watching whales in the sea, or buffalos grazing, or soft green hills against pure blue heavens. That is what she wants, and you can just as well go and drown yourself with your beloved golf bag in that water hole at the 16th. She will not budge.
But then, to your relief, you remember that phrase of the great Chinese writer, or it could be an Australian, and you know that it is likely that you are making a mistake about this great man’s background, but what he said was something like 'it is in the play that I'll catch the conscience of the queen'...
Careful planning, my golfing mate, is what will save the day. Those were the words of those great and advanced guys that roamed the great plains of ancient courses long long ago. Give the specimen a house overlooking the greens. There she can buy curtains to her liking, plant flowers in clay pots, read JM Coetzee or Ian McEwan whilst listening to Mozart. And the little wifey with her specimen friends can sit on the verandah, laughing and spilling tea while they watch your approach to do something to that little white ball that once again moved for only a few inches (the English), or centimeters (the rest of the world).
The plain truth is that this ancient wisdom of golfers now swinging clubs in the pinkish clouds at days end, only provides a partial answer to the greater issue. You know that if you can't get the swing right on this open green, there are surely so many other beautiful retirement community golf courses. Courses that will appreciate your next swing, which will be the one that Ernie Els aspires to.
The thing is, your specimen has now settled into her golf course community house overlooking the 18th hole. Since buying that piece of golf real estate for her, she happily opens the front door at your disheveled return from the game, and she always displays those bright twinkling eyes, shining with mischievousness. Now you know that she found something so great or amusing in that house overlooking the 18th hole that she will not even consider moving to a different, more lenient course.
Now, this is the moment that I will come to your rescue. I have given that game up because I do not yet want to play it in the day end pinkish clouds before it really is time to do so, on account of heart attacking golfing seizures. So I would rather sell you and your specimen a house at a gated, retirement golf community estate of her liking. At the same time I would suggest that you get your specimen’s best friend to maneuver her golfing husband to one of the other beautiful courses. Doing so, you can explain, they can visit each other, go to art galleries, coffee shops, mesmerizing shopping centers and they can even sit on the verandah overlooking the very first hole, laughing their buds and their butts off, ...so long as you and your golfing friend can have another go at another course where nobody can possibly know your real handicap.
Just don't turn your eyes towards all the verandahs of all the other houses in the gated golf community, with all the other specimens rolling and reeling in laughter over their little cups of tea.
It will only prolong that fight of dwarfing inches towards the shrinking little black hole of redemption.
There you are, the newest member of the golf retirement community, putting to engineer that innocent looking little white ball into the black hole at last. The soft sea breeze stroking your aching back after that one wild swipe at the dodgy little Callaway golf ball when you thought no one was watching. And something else is bothering you. You know what it is, but you don't want to acknowledge it, because you don't know what to do about it. You don't yearn for the latest golf swing trainer, golf cart accessory or other related retirement gift. It is something entirely different that is tap-tap-tapping away at your thoughts.
Too many greens to play, too many beautiful community golf courses whispering their names to you in that salty wind coming in from the sea. And there is only one you. With a wife that is adamant to have her say in the unfolding need for more than just the one golf course in one lifetime.
As that wise old German psychologist mentioned in quiet desperation, women are different. They are most likely aliens from a far off galaxy where there are no open green, gated golf course communities that are synonymous with heavenly pleasures. In that galaxy the rule has been laid down that a specimen from the female species will always have the need to have an own home where the specimen can indulge in home making. A serious golfer, in his advanced cosmic state, knows that it is not about the house, it is all about the green course. She will not let go. She will not understand. She will want her own home to beautify. She will want a verandah where she and her friends from that far off galaxy can sit down and drink tea while watching whales in the sea, or buffalos grazing, or soft green hills against pure blue heavens. That is what she wants, and you can just as well go and drown yourself with your beloved golf bag in that water hole at the 16th. She will not budge.
But then, to your relief, you remember that phrase of the great Chinese writer, or it could be an Australian, and you know that it is likely that you are making a mistake about this great man’s background, but what he said was something like 'it is in the play that I'll catch the conscience of the queen'...
Careful planning, my golfing mate, is what will save the day. Those were the words of those great and advanced guys that roamed the great plains of ancient courses long long ago. Give the specimen a house overlooking the greens. There she can buy curtains to her liking, plant flowers in clay pots, read JM Coetzee or Ian McEwan whilst listening to Mozart. And the little wifey with her specimen friends can sit on the verandah, laughing and spilling tea while they watch your approach to do something to that little white ball that once again moved for only a few inches (the English), or centimeters (the rest of the world).
The plain truth is that this ancient wisdom of golfers now swinging clubs in the pinkish clouds at days end, only provides a partial answer to the greater issue. You know that if you can't get the swing right on this open green, there are surely so many other beautiful retirement community golf courses. Courses that will appreciate your next swing, which will be the one that Ernie Els aspires to.
The thing is, your specimen has now settled into her golf course community house overlooking the 18th hole. Since buying that piece of golf real estate for her, she happily opens the front door at your disheveled return from the game, and she always displays those bright twinkling eyes, shining with mischievousness. Now you know that she found something so great or amusing in that house overlooking the 18th hole that she will not even consider moving to a different, more lenient course.
Now, this is the moment that I will come to your rescue. I have given that game up because I do not yet want to play it in the day end pinkish clouds before it really is time to do so, on account of heart attacking golfing seizures. So I would rather sell you and your specimen a house at a gated, retirement golf community estate of her liking. At the same time I would suggest that you get your specimen’s best friend to maneuver her golfing husband to one of the other beautiful courses. Doing so, you can explain, they can visit each other, go to art galleries, coffee shops, mesmerizing shopping centers and they can even sit on the verandah overlooking the very first hole, laughing their buds and their butts off, ...so long as you and your golfing friend can have another go at another course where nobody can possibly know your real handicap.
Just don't turn your eyes towards all the verandahs of all the other houses in the gated golf community, with all the other specimens rolling and reeling in laughter over their little cups of tea.
It will only prolong that fight of dwarfing inches towards the shrinking little black hole of redemption.
Shannon Lake Golf Course, Okanagan Valley and the Pandosy Inn
by: James Murray
When you golf in the Okanagan Valley's rolling hills, there are many picturesque golf courses which you can play rounds and rounds of golf with either your friends or family, and most overlook beautiful Okanagan Lake. The casual or dedicated golfer can play these very accommodating golf courses. The Okanagan area offers the perfect location and choice for any golf vacation, and one main reason is many months of ideal golf weather which averages over 2,000 hours of sunshine every year. The Okanagan Valley offers one of the longest and driest golf seasons in Canada. Home to over 40 golf courses in the Okanagan Valley, and with Kelowna offering 14 of the main courses in this area, this is the perfect place to plan your golfing holiday.
Home to some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world is the Okanagan Valley. As beautiful and challenging as they are, each golf course will give you an extraordinary golf experience to take home with you. One of these golf courses is Shannon Lake Golf Course and it is a great 18 hole championship course which is located only 20 minutes away from downtown Kelowna in Westbank. Shannon Lake will provide golfers with the challenges that any good course has to offer. If you are a beginner golfer or an experienced golfer this course will not let you down. This course has major elevation changes and great scenic views of majestic pines, and surrounding mountains and lakes. You can truly capture the beauty of the Okanagan Valley while you play golf at this one of a kind golf course. Their Eagles Nest Restaurant serves up excellent northwest cuisine at their clubhouse after you finish your round of golf. Their golf prices are very reasonable for this exceptional golf course.
When you finish playing your round of golf the fine Kelowna hotels and great motels like the Pandosy Inn allow you to be right in the heart of everything the beautiful "Kelowna" Okanagan Valley has to offer, and from your door of your wonderful room you step into a rash of excitement and activity. Step out of your room at the Pandosy Inn and across a quiet street you will see one of the best beaches in the okanagan valley, "Gyro Beach," it is one the larger beaches and one of the most popular destination spots that welcome people from all over the world and of all ages. Choosing a Kelowna motel like the Pandosy Inn give you the option to travel British Columbia and take a short trip through the Okanagan Valley for some great golfing.
The Shannon Lake Golf Course in the Okanagan Valley and the Pandosy Inn will make your golfing vacation an enjoyable and memorable golfing experience.
When you golf in the Okanagan Valley's rolling hills, there are many picturesque golf courses which you can play rounds and rounds of golf with either your friends or family, and most overlook beautiful Okanagan Lake. The casual or dedicated golfer can play these very accommodating golf courses. The Okanagan area offers the perfect location and choice for any golf vacation, and one main reason is many months of ideal golf weather which averages over 2,000 hours of sunshine every year. The Okanagan Valley offers one of the longest and driest golf seasons in Canada. Home to over 40 golf courses in the Okanagan Valley, and with Kelowna offering 14 of the main courses in this area, this is the perfect place to plan your golfing holiday.
Home to some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world is the Okanagan Valley. As beautiful and challenging as they are, each golf course will give you an extraordinary golf experience to take home with you. One of these golf courses is Shannon Lake Golf Course and it is a great 18 hole championship course which is located only 20 minutes away from downtown Kelowna in Westbank. Shannon Lake will provide golfers with the challenges that any good course has to offer. If you are a beginner golfer or an experienced golfer this course will not let you down. This course has major elevation changes and great scenic views of majestic pines, and surrounding mountains and lakes. You can truly capture the beauty of the Okanagan Valley while you play golf at this one of a kind golf course. Their Eagles Nest Restaurant serves up excellent northwest cuisine at their clubhouse after you finish your round of golf. Their golf prices are very reasonable for this exceptional golf course.
When you finish playing your round of golf the fine Kelowna hotels and great motels like the Pandosy Inn allow you to be right in the heart of everything the beautiful "Kelowna" Okanagan Valley has to offer, and from your door of your wonderful room you step into a rash of excitement and activity. Step out of your room at the Pandosy Inn and across a quiet street you will see one of the best beaches in the okanagan valley, "Gyro Beach," it is one the larger beaches and one of the most popular destination spots that welcome people from all over the world and of all ages. Choosing a Kelowna motel like the Pandosy Inn give you the option to travel British Columbia and take a short trip through the Okanagan Valley for some great golfing.
The Shannon Lake Golf Course in the Okanagan Valley and the Pandosy Inn will make your golfing vacation an enjoyable and memorable golfing experience.
Fly Fishing Supplies
by: Steve Sharpe
Besides the obvious supplies of rods and reels, there are really a lot of other supplies you should have in your fly fishing arsenal. It can make the difference between a great fishing trip and a so-so fishing trip when you have a variety of products at your disposal. So what types of supplies will you need to have on hand?
To begin with, you should have an ample supply of flies. When you are out on a river or stream, you will want to match the food source that is readily available to the fish. They are much more likely to bite when they recognize their normal food as opposed to anything else. When you have several flies available, you can adapt depending on what types of insects you see on your particular stretch of water.
You will also want to have a supply of different lines that you can use. Different lines are adaptable to different types of weather as well as different types of casting. If you have some particularly windy weather, you will want to change your line to adapt to the conditions and make your casting more productive.
Apparel is part of the fly fishing experience, and you’ll want to get the right supplies that will best match your situation. Vests, for example, are almost necessary for the avid fly fisherman. Fly fishing vests come with lots of pockets for you to hold your supplies in and have easy access to them at the same time.
Where can you get your fly fishing supplies? The outlets are everywhere. You can start with your local sporting goods store to find different brands and suggestions for various supplies. If you have a local specialty fishing store, these can be excellent places to get your fly fishing supplies. The people in these stores are also very knowledgeable in the sport and they can make suggestions as to what you should be carrying with you.
The Internet is probably the widest and most diverse place to shop for your fly fishing supplies. You have literally thousands of places that sell equipment for fly fishermen including fly tying supplies, various pre-made flies, lines, and apparel. Just do a quick search on your favorite search engine for fly fishing supplies and be amazed at the amount of resources that are at your fingertips!
Be creative when looking for fly fishing supplies. Ask other fly fishermen, talk online, and utilize the resources of fly fishing organizations. Once you begin amassing your supplies, you’ll be surprised at how addictive it can be!
Besides the obvious supplies of rods and reels, there are really a lot of other supplies you should have in your fly fishing arsenal. It can make the difference between a great fishing trip and a so-so fishing trip when you have a variety of products at your disposal. So what types of supplies will you need to have on hand?
To begin with, you should have an ample supply of flies. When you are out on a river or stream, you will want to match the food source that is readily available to the fish. They are much more likely to bite when they recognize their normal food as opposed to anything else. When you have several flies available, you can adapt depending on what types of insects you see on your particular stretch of water.
You will also want to have a supply of different lines that you can use. Different lines are adaptable to different types of weather as well as different types of casting. If you have some particularly windy weather, you will want to change your line to adapt to the conditions and make your casting more productive.
Apparel is part of the fly fishing experience, and you’ll want to get the right supplies that will best match your situation. Vests, for example, are almost necessary for the avid fly fisherman. Fly fishing vests come with lots of pockets for you to hold your supplies in and have easy access to them at the same time.
Where can you get your fly fishing supplies? The outlets are everywhere. You can start with your local sporting goods store to find different brands and suggestions for various supplies. If you have a local specialty fishing store, these can be excellent places to get your fly fishing supplies. The people in these stores are also very knowledgeable in the sport and they can make suggestions as to what you should be carrying with you.
The Internet is probably the widest and most diverse place to shop for your fly fishing supplies. You have literally thousands of places that sell equipment for fly fishermen including fly tying supplies, various pre-made flies, lines, and apparel. Just do a quick search on your favorite search engine for fly fishing supplies and be amazed at the amount of resources that are at your fingertips!
Be creative when looking for fly fishing supplies. Ask other fly fishermen, talk online, and utilize the resources of fly fishing organizations. Once you begin amassing your supplies, you’ll be surprised at how addictive it can be!
Gallagher's Canyon Golf Course, Okanagan Valley and the Pandosy Inn
by: James Murray
The Okanagan Valley with their rolling hills have many picturesque golf courses, which you can play many rounds of golf with either your friends or family, and most overlook beautiful Okanagan Lake. The casual or dedicated golfer can play these very accommodating golf courses. The Okanagan area offers the perfect location and choice for any golf vacation, and one main reason is many months of ideal golf weather which averages over 2,000 hours of sunshine every year. The Okanagan Valley offers one of the longest and driest golf seasons in Canada. Home to over 40 golf courses in the Okanagan Valley, and with Kelowna offering 14 of the main courses in this area, this is the perfect place to plan your golfing holiday.
Home to some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world is the Okanagan Valley. As beautiful and challenging as they are, each golf course will give you an extraordinary golf experience to take home with you. Gallagher's Canyon Golf Course nestled amongst majestic ponderosa pines, surrounded by rugged mountains and delivering glorious views of the Okanagan Valley, designed by Bill Robinson and Les Furber meanders its way through majestic Gallagher's Canyon. The Gallagher's Canyon course is a championship 18-hole, 6,792 yard par-72 course and with its natural charms will never fail to astonish golfers and is an incredible, inspiring golfing experience. Gallagher's Canyon also has an impressive 9-hole, par 32, 1,984-yard course built along side the main course called The Pinnacle. This clever designed course is forgiving enough for beginners and challenging enough for the experienced golfer. Gallagher's Canyon has been rated as one of the best courses in British Columbia. Score Magazine ranked Gallagher's Canyon golf course as one of Canada’s finest.
When you finish playing your round of golf the fine Kelowna hotels and great motels like the Pandosy Inn allow you to be right in the heart of everything the beautiful "Kelowna" Okanagan Valley has to offer, and from your door of your wonderful room you step into a rash of excitement and activity. Step out of your room at the Pandosy Inn and across a quiet street you will see one of the best beaches in the okanagan valley, "Gyro Beach," it is one the larger beaches and one of the most popular destination spots that welcome people from all over the world and of all ages. Choosing a Kelowna motel like the Pandosy Inn gives you the option to travel British Columbia and take a short trip through the Okanagan Valley for some great golfing, and if your vacation is to be in golfing paradise, Kelowna and the Pandosy Inn is a pretty good start.
Gallagher's Canyon Golf Course in the Okanagan Valley and the Pandosy Inn will make your golfing vacation an enjoyable and memorable golfing experience.
The Okanagan Valley with their rolling hills have many picturesque golf courses, which you can play many rounds of golf with either your friends or family, and most overlook beautiful Okanagan Lake. The casual or dedicated golfer can play these very accommodating golf courses. The Okanagan area offers the perfect location and choice for any golf vacation, and one main reason is many months of ideal golf weather which averages over 2,000 hours of sunshine every year. The Okanagan Valley offers one of the longest and driest golf seasons in Canada. Home to over 40 golf courses in the Okanagan Valley, and with Kelowna offering 14 of the main courses in this area, this is the perfect place to plan your golfing holiday.
Home to some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world is the Okanagan Valley. As beautiful and challenging as they are, each golf course will give you an extraordinary golf experience to take home with you. Gallagher's Canyon Golf Course nestled amongst majestic ponderosa pines, surrounded by rugged mountains and delivering glorious views of the Okanagan Valley, designed by Bill Robinson and Les Furber meanders its way through majestic Gallagher's Canyon. The Gallagher's Canyon course is a championship 18-hole, 6,792 yard par-72 course and with its natural charms will never fail to astonish golfers and is an incredible, inspiring golfing experience. Gallagher's Canyon also has an impressive 9-hole, par 32, 1,984-yard course built along side the main course called The Pinnacle. This clever designed course is forgiving enough for beginners and challenging enough for the experienced golfer. Gallagher's Canyon has been rated as one of the best courses in British Columbia. Score Magazine ranked Gallagher's Canyon golf course as one of Canada’s finest.
When you finish playing your round of golf the fine Kelowna hotels and great motels like the Pandosy Inn allow you to be right in the heart of everything the beautiful "Kelowna" Okanagan Valley has to offer, and from your door of your wonderful room you step into a rash of excitement and activity. Step out of your room at the Pandosy Inn and across a quiet street you will see one of the best beaches in the okanagan valley, "Gyro Beach," it is one the larger beaches and one of the most popular destination spots that welcome people from all over the world and of all ages. Choosing a Kelowna motel like the Pandosy Inn gives you the option to travel British Columbia and take a short trip through the Okanagan Valley for some great golfing, and if your vacation is to be in golfing paradise, Kelowna and the Pandosy Inn is a pretty good start.
Gallagher's Canyon Golf Course in the Okanagan Valley and the Pandosy Inn will make your golfing vacation an enjoyable and memorable golfing experience.
George St Pierre Gets UFC Title Shot
by: Raymond Burton
Matt Serra is out with a injury for the Dec 29 fight against Matt Hughes (the most dominant welter weight in UFC history).
Hughes is a machine. He has won 41 fights with the same wrestling style over his career which says something for the guy. Most fighters with one style get picked apart early in their career but Matt has proven he can over come almost anyone. He's a strong, hard working, tough farm kid with a "Must Win" mentality. And all the power to him! He had a ton of fans prior to the UFC's Ultimate Fighter series where he coached and then came off as cocky and a bully. Call him what you will, anyone with wins over BJ Penn, Carlos Newton, Georges St Pierre & Hayato Sakurai is a machine. No matter what happens in the future he is a champion and a role model for MMA fighters. His work ethic and ability to find a way to win are incredible and as a competitor you just have to respect the guy.
However..
He has also lost to BJ and GSP and the win against Newton, well, that's tough call as he was asleep at the same time he slammed Carlos to the mat. The win could be argued either way.
In no way shape or form am I taking away from his abilities because I have watched him from early in his career and all I can say is "Wow", but the power of the media has him beat. When a guy wins 41 fights most of them are televised which hurts him. Your style is known and your best moves you use to win are visible. Enter BJ Penn and George St Pierre.
BJ beat him the first time they fought (and I was there!). BJ had lost the title fight at 155lbs to Jens Pulver. He was ticked off. So BJ, being BJ, said I'm moving up a weight category to win the 170lb title. Unheard of at the time. Hughes called him disrespectful for it. But BJ was able to rattle Hughes with a punch to the head while he was on top and then grab him from behind in a rear naked choke. Matt could have got out but he was still dummied from the punch and had to tap out. Wow. NO ONE saw that coming. Side note, I got a photo with BJ that night, it was amazing. This was before UFC got to where it was today. Myself and a buddy met him outside of Mandalay Bay by himself waiting for a cab. How times have changed. BJ ended up leaving UFC due to "reason unknown". A lot issues with himself and UFC and the title got vacated. Hughes recaptures it after that.
An up and comer in George St Pierre is tearing up the competition and gets a title fight. GSP dominates the first 2:55 of the fight against Hughes. But GSP frees an arm and Matt (when did he learn BJJ? ) grabs an arm bar and GSP taps with 1 second left in the first round. That is a mistake on GSP's part and more importantly his corner. No way should he have tapped like that. Suffice, he lost.
Rematch.
Guess who was there! George controls the whole fight. Has an answer to everything Matt throws at him. Now, here's where the idea of the televised fights comes in. GSP knew every move Matt had from studying video and it was obvious. He controlled the whole fight and beat him 3X in my opinion. 1 - leg kick that Matt claimed was a groin kick and got a time out 2) End of round 1 Matt is out but saved by the bell 3) GSP gets the TKO. WOW!
GSP dominates. Now he has huge crowd support.
Enter Matt Serra.
Always liked him but never thought he'd make it far. Low and behold he wins ultimate fighter series of 'has beens". Proved to be a great team mate and a coach. Good on him. Well done Serra. He wins the series and a chance at GSP. I missed the fight aginst GSP as I was in Thailand but was surprised when I heard he won by TKO. Congrats to the millionaires who bet on him cause the odds were nuts!
Enter Politics. GSP deserved an immediate title fight / rematch. But Dana White wrapped up Matt and Matt to coach the Ultimate fighter series and fight for the title as a wrap up for the TV show on Dec 29. Lots of animosity on the show between the two. Built up a good fight that had Hughes being the favorite. However Serra is now hurt.
Dana picks up the phone and GSP says "Yes" on short notice and we have a blockbuster on our hands. Great rubber match!
Reality check, limited time for GSP to train for a real fight. And Hughes has done his homework for sure as he hates to lose.
There is question as to George's mental stability when it comes to big fights. He blew it against Hughes the first time and Serra 2 fights ago (he dominated Josh Koschek whom I refuse to chat about cause I think he's over rated). Both were pressure fights for different reasons. Question is, can he over come the mental barrier?
Now if you think cage fighting is just a "fight", go to a gym with a cage. Walk in and close the door. That alone will freak you out. Now pretend there are 20k people watching, a few million on TV and a guy who wants to smash you 20' away. Not easy and GSP has a few things to control in his head when the added pressure of a title is involved.
Hughes will be ready for Dec 29. Guaranteed. He's mentally tough and a warrior. Will George?
Mack's bet? I am a betting man and I like George St Pierre!
Matt Serra is out with a injury for the Dec 29 fight against Matt Hughes (the most dominant welter weight in UFC history).
Hughes is a machine. He has won 41 fights with the same wrestling style over his career which says something for the guy. Most fighters with one style get picked apart early in their career but Matt has proven he can over come almost anyone. He's a strong, hard working, tough farm kid with a "Must Win" mentality. And all the power to him! He had a ton of fans prior to the UFC's Ultimate Fighter series where he coached and then came off as cocky and a bully. Call him what you will, anyone with wins over BJ Penn, Carlos Newton, Georges St Pierre & Hayato Sakurai is a machine. No matter what happens in the future he is a champion and a role model for MMA fighters. His work ethic and ability to find a way to win are incredible and as a competitor you just have to respect the guy.
However..
He has also lost to BJ and GSP and the win against Newton, well, that's tough call as he was asleep at the same time he slammed Carlos to the mat. The win could be argued either way.
In no way shape or form am I taking away from his abilities because I have watched him from early in his career and all I can say is "Wow", but the power of the media has him beat. When a guy wins 41 fights most of them are televised which hurts him. Your style is known and your best moves you use to win are visible. Enter BJ Penn and George St Pierre.
BJ beat him the first time they fought (and I was there!). BJ had lost the title fight at 155lbs to Jens Pulver. He was ticked off. So BJ, being BJ, said I'm moving up a weight category to win the 170lb title. Unheard of at the time. Hughes called him disrespectful for it. But BJ was able to rattle Hughes with a punch to the head while he was on top and then grab him from behind in a rear naked choke. Matt could have got out but he was still dummied from the punch and had to tap out. Wow. NO ONE saw that coming. Side note, I got a photo with BJ that night, it was amazing. This was before UFC got to where it was today. Myself and a buddy met him outside of Mandalay Bay by himself waiting for a cab. How times have changed. BJ ended up leaving UFC due to "reason unknown". A lot issues with himself and UFC and the title got vacated. Hughes recaptures it after that.
An up and comer in George St Pierre is tearing up the competition and gets a title fight. GSP dominates the first 2:55 of the fight against Hughes. But GSP frees an arm and Matt (when did he learn BJJ? ) grabs an arm bar and GSP taps with 1 second left in the first round. That is a mistake on GSP's part and more importantly his corner. No way should he have tapped like that. Suffice, he lost.
Rematch.
Guess who was there! George controls the whole fight. Has an answer to everything Matt throws at him. Now, here's where the idea of the televised fights comes in. GSP knew every move Matt had from studying video and it was obvious. He controlled the whole fight and beat him 3X in my opinion. 1 - leg kick that Matt claimed was a groin kick and got a time out 2) End of round 1 Matt is out but saved by the bell 3) GSP gets the TKO. WOW!
GSP dominates. Now he has huge crowd support.
Enter Matt Serra.
Always liked him but never thought he'd make it far. Low and behold he wins ultimate fighter series of 'has beens". Proved to be a great team mate and a coach. Good on him. Well done Serra. He wins the series and a chance at GSP. I missed the fight aginst GSP as I was in Thailand but was surprised when I heard he won by TKO. Congrats to the millionaires who bet on him cause the odds were nuts!
Enter Politics. GSP deserved an immediate title fight / rematch. But Dana White wrapped up Matt and Matt to coach the Ultimate fighter series and fight for the title as a wrap up for the TV show on Dec 29. Lots of animosity on the show between the two. Built up a good fight that had Hughes being the favorite. However Serra is now hurt.
Dana picks up the phone and GSP says "Yes" on short notice and we have a blockbuster on our hands. Great rubber match!
Reality check, limited time for GSP to train for a real fight. And Hughes has done his homework for sure as he hates to lose.
There is question as to George's mental stability when it comes to big fights. He blew it against Hughes the first time and Serra 2 fights ago (he dominated Josh Koschek whom I refuse to chat about cause I think he's over rated). Both were pressure fights for different reasons. Question is, can he over come the mental barrier?
Now if you think cage fighting is just a "fight", go to a gym with a cage. Walk in and close the door. That alone will freak you out. Now pretend there are 20k people watching, a few million on TV and a guy who wants to smash you 20' away. Not easy and GSP has a few things to control in his head when the added pressure of a title is involved.
Hughes will be ready for Dec 29. Guaranteed. He's mentally tough and a warrior. Will George?
Mack's bet? I am a betting man and I like George St Pierre!
Betfair Lay Betting Tips And Secrets - Are You A Backer Or A Layer?
by: Lawrence Taylor
If you place a 'back' bet with a bookmaker in the usual way and the bet wins, the bookmaker will pay out your winnings. If the bet loses then the bookmaker will keep your stake money. By taking bets from people in this traditional way enables the bookies to make millions of pounds profit each year. You become the 'backer'.
A 'layer' is the complete opposite of a 'backer', it's basically the same as playing the role of the bookmaker. Since the introduction of betting exchanges such as Betfair, you now have the unique opportunity to lay bets in the same way as a bookmaker. If the outcome of the event that you lay bet does indeed lose, then you get to keep the stake money just like the bookmaker. You become the 'layer'.
As people say "you don't see a poor bookie very often".
Therefore, you might want an answer to this question:-
If you can make money from lay betting in the same way as a bookie, by being a 'layer', why would anyone want to be a 'backer'?
Well, it depends on what you expect to achieve from lay betting, also what your general betting expectations are. Let me explain ...
The back bet - typical 'backers' attitude ...
Someone looking for a 'quick fix', knowing that each time they make a back bet the odds are stacked firmly against them, they are lured into 'backing' based purely on a hunch, or a betting tip, maybe from a mate at work. For handing over a relatively small amount of cash,combined with the exciting prospect of a possible good win looming, the temptation can be simply too much to resist.
If you enter a bookmaker's premises you will often observe many 'gamblers' with their lists of lucky numbers, betting tips, hot tips etc, going about the same routine always used to make their selections. A couple of minutes before each race, they hurriedly glance through the race card, make their selection then run to the counter to place their back bet, then invariably watch it lose. The strange thing is that they follow this same pattern race after race, day after day, week in week out ' and the bookies love them!
Now, I am not suggesting that every backer falls into the above categories. Sometimes, 'backers' will strive to put in the extra work needed, helping them with their final betting selections, by analysing stats, studying form, maybe taking advice, of following good quality betting tips etc.
If you fall into this category because you have developed your own unique method for selecting that really hot horse in a race, or statistics might be your thing, giving you a profitable edge to your favourite sport before you decide on that all important back bet. If so, I wish you luck because you have done extremely well, but you are very much in the minority.
The lay bet - typical 'layers' attitude ...
There is one very important thing that most 'backers' and 'layers' are likely to have in common - they both want to make as much money as possible in the shortest possible amount of time. This fact is undoubtedly true, but with some important differences. The 'layer' will not be expecting to make a killing from just one lay bet, therefore is likely to be more patient and better prepared, safe in the knowledge that the Betfair lay bet is readily available.
Patience will play a big part in all successful 'layers', their attitude to risk will be much better adjusted, knowing that their profit will come over a period of time by strictly following a good staking plan, they will only lay bet when their system indicates a strong lay betting opportunity.
Now we all know that it's much more difficult to pick a winner, than it is to pick a loser. Therefore, unlike the 'backer', the odds are stacked very much in the 'layers' favour as far as the probability of a successful lay bet is concerned.
Sometimes, this greatly increased chance of a successful lay bet can lure the inexperienced layer into the trap of thinking that lay betting is easy. Well it is easy to do, but you need to make confident lay bets based on sound judgement and analysis, always making sure that you are completely familiar with the type of event you are lay betting, no lay betting on whims, or hunches.
On the other hand, the experienced and clued up 'layer' will have complete confidence in their selection process, whilst adopting a highly disciplined and professional approach to their lay betting. They will never lay bet with money that is needed for other important things like household bills, only using money that is set aside purely for their lay betting activities. Sticking rigidly to a good solid staking plan they will never over commit themselves.
If your aim is to be highly successful at lay betting on Betfair, you should be looking to achieve a win rate of around 9 times out of 10. This is realistically achievable. Remember you are looking for losers, not winners.
I do hope this helps you to decide whether you are a 'backer' or a 'layer'. Thank you very much for reading this article.
It will come as no surprise to you that I am most definitely a 'layer’.
Which one are you?
-Lawrence Taylor-
If you place a 'back' bet with a bookmaker in the usual way and the bet wins, the bookmaker will pay out your winnings. If the bet loses then the bookmaker will keep your stake money. By taking bets from people in this traditional way enables the bookies to make millions of pounds profit each year. You become the 'backer'.
A 'layer' is the complete opposite of a 'backer', it's basically the same as playing the role of the bookmaker. Since the introduction of betting exchanges such as Betfair, you now have the unique opportunity to lay bets in the same way as a bookmaker. If the outcome of the event that you lay bet does indeed lose, then you get to keep the stake money just like the bookmaker. You become the 'layer'.
As people say "you don't see a poor bookie very often".
Therefore, you might want an answer to this question:-
If you can make money from lay betting in the same way as a bookie, by being a 'layer', why would anyone want to be a 'backer'?
Well, it depends on what you expect to achieve from lay betting, also what your general betting expectations are. Let me explain ...
The back bet - typical 'backers' attitude ...
Someone looking for a 'quick fix', knowing that each time they make a back bet the odds are stacked firmly against them, they are lured into 'backing' based purely on a hunch, or a betting tip, maybe from a mate at work. For handing over a relatively small amount of cash,combined with the exciting prospect of a possible good win looming, the temptation can be simply too much to resist.
If you enter a bookmaker's premises you will often observe many 'gamblers' with their lists of lucky numbers, betting tips, hot tips etc, going about the same routine always used to make their selections. A couple of minutes before each race, they hurriedly glance through the race card, make their selection then run to the counter to place their back bet, then invariably watch it lose. The strange thing is that they follow this same pattern race after race, day after day, week in week out ' and the bookies love them!
Now, I am not suggesting that every backer falls into the above categories. Sometimes, 'backers' will strive to put in the extra work needed, helping them with their final betting selections, by analysing stats, studying form, maybe taking advice, of following good quality betting tips etc.
If you fall into this category because you have developed your own unique method for selecting that really hot horse in a race, or statistics might be your thing, giving you a profitable edge to your favourite sport before you decide on that all important back bet. If so, I wish you luck because you have done extremely well, but you are very much in the minority.
The lay bet - typical 'layers' attitude ...
There is one very important thing that most 'backers' and 'layers' are likely to have in common - they both want to make as much money as possible in the shortest possible amount of time. This fact is undoubtedly true, but with some important differences. The 'layer' will not be expecting to make a killing from just one lay bet, therefore is likely to be more patient and better prepared, safe in the knowledge that the Betfair lay bet is readily available.
Patience will play a big part in all successful 'layers', their attitude to risk will be much better adjusted, knowing that their profit will come over a period of time by strictly following a good staking plan, they will only lay bet when their system indicates a strong lay betting opportunity.
Now we all know that it's much more difficult to pick a winner, than it is to pick a loser. Therefore, unlike the 'backer', the odds are stacked very much in the 'layers' favour as far as the probability of a successful lay bet is concerned.
Sometimes, this greatly increased chance of a successful lay bet can lure the inexperienced layer into the trap of thinking that lay betting is easy. Well it is easy to do, but you need to make confident lay bets based on sound judgement and analysis, always making sure that you are completely familiar with the type of event you are lay betting, no lay betting on whims, or hunches.
On the other hand, the experienced and clued up 'layer' will have complete confidence in their selection process, whilst adopting a highly disciplined and professional approach to their lay betting. They will never lay bet with money that is needed for other important things like household bills, only using money that is set aside purely for their lay betting activities. Sticking rigidly to a good solid staking plan they will never over commit themselves.
If your aim is to be highly successful at lay betting on Betfair, you should be looking to achieve a win rate of around 9 times out of 10. This is realistically achievable. Remember you are looking for losers, not winners.
I do hope this helps you to decide whether you are a 'backer' or a 'layer'. Thank you very much for reading this article.
It will come as no surprise to you that I am most definitely a 'layer’.
Which one are you?
-Lawrence Taylor-
College Football - How to Ferret Out Which Teams Are Rising and Falling in the Polls
by: Ed Bagley
Many sports fans who anxiously await the release of the weekly football polls really miss one of the best parts of the poll when searching only to see where their favorite is ranked.
Many newspapers and online services do not give the total results of the polling, they only list the Top 25 picks for the week.
You have to dig a little deeper to discover which teams received votes but not enough votes to make it into the Top 25. Look at the bottom of the poll results for this entry in small print: Others Receiving Votes.
In Tuesday's AP Poll (9-11-07) it showed these entries: South Florida 220, Missouri 144, Alabama 116, Washington 95, Arizona State 28, Appalachian State 19, Cincinnati 12, and Kansas 1. All of these teams started their season by winning their first two games, many times impressively.
I am ignoring five other teams which garnered votes in the AP Poll to make a point. These five were TCU 66, Auburn 23, Florida State 2, Iowa 1 and Purdue 1. Iowa and Purdue are 2-0 but have not won as impressively and the others are 1-1.
USC (Southern California) is No. 1 in the AP Poll with a 1-0 record and 1594 total points. Texas A&M is No. 25 with 243 points. Sportswriters cast ballots giving their 1st place pick 25 points and their 25th pick 1 point.
Notice that Texas A&M had 243 points, and South Florida which did not make it into the Top 25, had 220 points, only 23 points behind. Had South Florida gotten 24 more points, the Bulls (their nickname) would have been No. 25.
If the Top 25 this week had instead been the Top 36, then South Florida would have been No. 26, Missouri No. 27, Alabama No. 28, Washington No. 29, Arizona State No. 31, Appalachian State No. 33, Cincinnati No. 34, and Kansas No. 36.
This information is significant to fans like me because of my interest level. One game I play every week is to discern which teams are rising and which teams are falling in the polls.
While many of our wives, sweethearts and significant others may find this activity to be terribly boring, it is a habit that is far superior to other habits such as drinking, drugging, sleeping around, lying, cheating and stealing. This is why I feel no need to justify, apologize or defend myself in this practice.
Those following my College Football 2007 weekly reports during the first two weeks of the season know that I have already been spot on in identifying teams rising and falling.
Before the polls were even out, I correctly identified South Florida, Alabama, Washington, Arizona State, Cincinnati and Kansas as teams on the rise.
I correctly identified these teams as falling in the polls: Michigan (No. 5 to out of the Top 25), Florida State (No. 19 to out of the Top 25), Boise State (No. 22 to out of the Top 25), Auburn (No. 17 to out of the Top 25), Georgia (No. 11 to No. 23), Wisconsin (No. 5 to No. 7), Hawaii (No. 20 to No. 24) and Texas A&M (No. 23 to No. 25).
The two most overrated teams among those slipping are Wisconsin and Hawaii. Why Hawaii and Texas A&M are still in the polls is beyond me.
One or more of the Top 25 teams will lose this weekend, just as Michigan, Florida State, Boise State, Georgia and Auburn have already been ranked in the Top 25 and lost during the first two weeks of the season.
Let me predict that Alabama, Washington, Michigan State, South Florida and Arizona State will all be ranked among the Top 25 in the AP Poll before the season is over.
I would also note that in the Coaches Poll, South Florida, Washington, Alabama, Arizona State and Cincinnati did not make the Top 25 but did receive points.
Heck, in the Coaches Poll, even the Wyoming Cowboys—who I love because they are tough to beat at home—received points.
Receiving points in the Coaches Poll with 2-0 records were Missouri, Texas Tech, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland and Purdue. I have not identified any of these teams as on the rise because they have not played good teams or won impressively.
Keep your eye on Alabama, Michigan State and Arizona State because they all have first-year coaches in Nick Saban (the Crimson Tide), Mark Dantonio (the Spartans) and Dennis Erickson (the Sun Devils). These three coaches are excellent and all come from great teams with winning traditions.
Erickson's offensive savvy is so good he could probably make a winning player out of a blind mole in the Arizona desert.
Many sports fans who anxiously await the release of the weekly football polls really miss one of the best parts of the poll when searching only to see where their favorite is ranked.
Many newspapers and online services do not give the total results of the polling, they only list the Top 25 picks for the week.
You have to dig a little deeper to discover which teams received votes but not enough votes to make it into the Top 25. Look at the bottom of the poll results for this entry in small print: Others Receiving Votes.
In Tuesday's AP Poll (9-11-07) it showed these entries: South Florida 220, Missouri 144, Alabama 116, Washington 95, Arizona State 28, Appalachian State 19, Cincinnati 12, and Kansas 1. All of these teams started their season by winning their first two games, many times impressively.
I am ignoring five other teams which garnered votes in the AP Poll to make a point. These five were TCU 66, Auburn 23, Florida State 2, Iowa 1 and Purdue 1. Iowa and Purdue are 2-0 but have not won as impressively and the others are 1-1.
USC (Southern California) is No. 1 in the AP Poll with a 1-0 record and 1594 total points. Texas A&M is No. 25 with 243 points. Sportswriters cast ballots giving their 1st place pick 25 points and their 25th pick 1 point.
Notice that Texas A&M had 243 points, and South Florida which did not make it into the Top 25, had 220 points, only 23 points behind. Had South Florida gotten 24 more points, the Bulls (their nickname) would have been No. 25.
If the Top 25 this week had instead been the Top 36, then South Florida would have been No. 26, Missouri No. 27, Alabama No. 28, Washington No. 29, Arizona State No. 31, Appalachian State No. 33, Cincinnati No. 34, and Kansas No. 36.
This information is significant to fans like me because of my interest level. One game I play every week is to discern which teams are rising and which teams are falling in the polls.
While many of our wives, sweethearts and significant others may find this activity to be terribly boring, it is a habit that is far superior to other habits such as drinking, drugging, sleeping around, lying, cheating and stealing. This is why I feel no need to justify, apologize or defend myself in this practice.
Those following my College Football 2007 weekly reports during the first two weeks of the season know that I have already been spot on in identifying teams rising and falling.
Before the polls were even out, I correctly identified South Florida, Alabama, Washington, Arizona State, Cincinnati and Kansas as teams on the rise.
I correctly identified these teams as falling in the polls: Michigan (No. 5 to out of the Top 25), Florida State (No. 19 to out of the Top 25), Boise State (No. 22 to out of the Top 25), Auburn (No. 17 to out of the Top 25), Georgia (No. 11 to No. 23), Wisconsin (No. 5 to No. 7), Hawaii (No. 20 to No. 24) and Texas A&M (No. 23 to No. 25).
The two most overrated teams among those slipping are Wisconsin and Hawaii. Why Hawaii and Texas A&M are still in the polls is beyond me.
One or more of the Top 25 teams will lose this weekend, just as Michigan, Florida State, Boise State, Georgia and Auburn have already been ranked in the Top 25 and lost during the first two weeks of the season.
Let me predict that Alabama, Washington, Michigan State, South Florida and Arizona State will all be ranked among the Top 25 in the AP Poll before the season is over.
I would also note that in the Coaches Poll, South Florida, Washington, Alabama, Arizona State and Cincinnati did not make the Top 25 but did receive points.
Heck, in the Coaches Poll, even the Wyoming Cowboys—who I love because they are tough to beat at home—received points.
Receiving points in the Coaches Poll with 2-0 records were Missouri, Texas Tech, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland and Purdue. I have not identified any of these teams as on the rise because they have not played good teams or won impressively.
Keep your eye on Alabama, Michigan State and Arizona State because they all have first-year coaches in Nick Saban (the Crimson Tide), Mark Dantonio (the Spartans) and Dennis Erickson (the Sun Devils). These three coaches are excellent and all come from great teams with winning traditions.
Erickson's offensive savvy is so good he could probably make a winning player out of a blind mole in the Arizona desert.
Camping And Hiking Basics
by: William C. Harrison
Introduction
Camping and hiking involve a multitude of activities. They span the outdoors to encompass such things as camps, trail hiking, roughing it, campsites, sleeping accommodations, erecting tents, backpacking, navigation equipment, and cooking activities. People who engage in these activities are motivated to get away from civilization and spend time in the wilds enjoying nature. They set up tents; they sleep under the moonlight-sometimes with a sleeping bag, or they sleep in a shelter, either motor vehicle or fixed camp site shelter.
Camping and hiking often represent very hard work, especially if you have to bring many components of a plan together in an effort to make the venture a success. While the effort may be difficult, it can be lots of fun when the plan comes together as intended. Just make sure that you get all of the right advice and information available ensuring that you have a successful adventure.
There are lots of types of camping and hiking adventures to choose from. Examples of adventures include a trip to the beach, a hiking trail trip, a mountain climbing trip, a water sports trip, a recreational vehicle trip, a trip to a state or national park to name a few. Camping and hiking items have wide usage. For the individual nature lover, it may mean a walk through the forest with minimum gear, perhaps a backpack, hiking boots and, if lucky, some survival stuff (food, water, compass, and map). In the age of SUVs, serious campers will likely travel with a fully equipped vehicle. This could include not only backpacks and boots, but such things as sleeping tents, cooking stoves, table, chairs, heaters, and other items that can be used with electricity sourced from the SUV. Camping and hiking are often done in conjunction with other activities, such as picnicking, mountain climbing, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing.
Prescription for a Camping Sojourn
If your camping involves more than a day's trip, you will need to consider in your plan such things as:
" Camping gear including tent(s), sleeping bag(s), backpack(s) if hiking, stove or lantern with cooking utensils, compass, map, flashlight, hunting knife, toiletry items, sanitary supplies, food and water.
" First aid kit including first aid cream, bandages, dressing pads, aspirin or equivalent for pain or fever, insect repellant, sunscreen, soap, and thermometer.
" Other items such as cell phone(s), small shovel, axe, sunglasses, whistle, appropriate clothing including a hat, ID cards, and cash.
The Campsite
While much goes into the planning of a good camping trip, the implementation aspects of the trip is equally as challenging. Now that you have that well developed list of camping items, just what do you do with them once you arrive at the campsite? What are the limits of the campground? Will you pitch tents or sleep under the moonlight? Will the camp be pitched on the slope of a hill or in the valley? How thick is the brush that you picked for your campground? All of these are questions that must be quickly addressed. Erecting a tent gives you some protection from a potential rain storm as well as any local wild inhabitants of the area. Pitching it on the slope or top of the hill provides protection from a sudden downpour of rain that could flood the valley. Avoiding too much brush minimizes the danger from wild animals using the brush as cover. Also, a tent provides some protection from insects such as mosquitoes. Wearing long pants and sleeves together with insect repellant provides additional protection from insects.
Campground Activities
There is so much that one can do during a camping trip. You can go hiking. Of course, you'll need a backpack and hiking boots. You can fish, either from the banks or in a canoe or kayak. You can go swimming. You can also play volley ball or other sports game. Then, there is the option that you can just sit around cooking and eating marshmallows all day long. Another delight of camping is watching the sunset, watching the stars at night, or glazing over water fronts, especially if you're lucky to have the moon's reflection over the water.
Introduction
Camping and hiking involve a multitude of activities. They span the outdoors to encompass such things as camps, trail hiking, roughing it, campsites, sleeping accommodations, erecting tents, backpacking, navigation equipment, and cooking activities. People who engage in these activities are motivated to get away from civilization and spend time in the wilds enjoying nature. They set up tents; they sleep under the moonlight-sometimes with a sleeping bag, or they sleep in a shelter, either motor vehicle or fixed camp site shelter.
Camping and hiking often represent very hard work, especially if you have to bring many components of a plan together in an effort to make the venture a success. While the effort may be difficult, it can be lots of fun when the plan comes together as intended. Just make sure that you get all of the right advice and information available ensuring that you have a successful adventure.
There are lots of types of camping and hiking adventures to choose from. Examples of adventures include a trip to the beach, a hiking trail trip, a mountain climbing trip, a water sports trip, a recreational vehicle trip, a trip to a state or national park to name a few. Camping and hiking items have wide usage. For the individual nature lover, it may mean a walk through the forest with minimum gear, perhaps a backpack, hiking boots and, if lucky, some survival stuff (food, water, compass, and map). In the age of SUVs, serious campers will likely travel with a fully equipped vehicle. This could include not only backpacks and boots, but such things as sleeping tents, cooking stoves, table, chairs, heaters, and other items that can be used with electricity sourced from the SUV. Camping and hiking are often done in conjunction with other activities, such as picnicking, mountain climbing, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing.
Prescription for a Camping Sojourn
If your camping involves more than a day's trip, you will need to consider in your plan such things as:
" Camping gear including tent(s), sleeping bag(s), backpack(s) if hiking, stove or lantern with cooking utensils, compass, map, flashlight, hunting knife, toiletry items, sanitary supplies, food and water.
" First aid kit including first aid cream, bandages, dressing pads, aspirin or equivalent for pain or fever, insect repellant, sunscreen, soap, and thermometer.
" Other items such as cell phone(s), small shovel, axe, sunglasses, whistle, appropriate clothing including a hat, ID cards, and cash.
The Campsite
While much goes into the planning of a good camping trip, the implementation aspects of the trip is equally as challenging. Now that you have that well developed list of camping items, just what do you do with them once you arrive at the campsite? What are the limits of the campground? Will you pitch tents or sleep under the moonlight? Will the camp be pitched on the slope of a hill or in the valley? How thick is the brush that you picked for your campground? All of these are questions that must be quickly addressed. Erecting a tent gives you some protection from a potential rain storm as well as any local wild inhabitants of the area. Pitching it on the slope or top of the hill provides protection from a sudden downpour of rain that could flood the valley. Avoiding too much brush minimizes the danger from wild animals using the brush as cover. Also, a tent provides some protection from insects such as mosquitoes. Wearing long pants and sleeves together with insect repellant provides additional protection from insects.
Campground Activities
There is so much that one can do during a camping trip. You can go hiking. Of course, you'll need a backpack and hiking boots. You can fish, either from the banks or in a canoe or kayak. You can go swimming. You can also play volley ball or other sports game. Then, there is the option that you can just sit around cooking and eating marshmallows all day long. Another delight of camping is watching the sunset, watching the stars at night, or glazing over water fronts, especially if you're lucky to have the moon's reflection over the water.
Almost Upside Down At Night
by: Airfreddy
With all of your flight training, there will be times when you get the notion that your instructor is mean or doesn’t know what they are talking about—perhaps not in such a bold way, but it will happen. This brings me to a story I have of a night cross-country with a student.
The flight itself is a pretty simple one and is safe for night flights. The flight goes from Mesa Falcon Field to Wickenberg, Arizona. I have personally put this flight in my syllabus for many reasons. I have gotten into many arguments with instructors who worked for me about this flight. Several of them refused to do the flight and instead ended up taking the student down to Tucson. As far as I am concerned, this defeats the purpose of the night cross-country. Following a big lit-up highway in between two bright major cities does not expose you to the real situations that can happen on a night cross-country.
Don’t let your instructor take you to an easy-to-find destination that is lit up like New York City. Go somewhere that is pretty difficult to find, at least for you, not your instructor. Yes, you want to make sure the instructor knows where he is going to land in the event of an engine failure, but you need to be on a flight that can get you into a little bit of trouble if you aren’t paying attention.
Back to my story.
I will call the student John. You know that I am totally against using all these high-tech things for private pilot training and even instrument ratings. Remember what job number one of the pilot is ? Yes, fly the airplane! I have also already stated that it will take you about 500 hours before you have this second sense stuck in you inner memory. Even then, a difficult situation will be a battle between many parts of your brain at the same time.
John called me in the afternoon about his night flight. We verified the time, and at the end of the call, John stated that he had just gotten his new Garmin 95 latest-and-greatest GPS device and asked if he could bring it along. You probably know me pretty well by now and know exactly what my answer was: “No!”
John showed up at the airport with his cross-country planned and flight plan filed, and ready to go. Before we walked out of the office, out came that shiny new Garmin box. “Fred, you need to check this out . . . this is the new Garmin 95, top-of-the–line, latest-and-greatest . . . ” This was back in 1996. Garmin was a no-name back then and was just getting into the market.
"Please, please, please can we take it with us?" After all the begging, I finally gave in. Deep in my mind somewhere, I had a little smile, and a voice just said, “Okay.”
Before John even started his pre-flight, he set up his new Garmin 95 on the control column. I knew right then that we were in for a good time! I told John that he couldn’t turn it on until we got out of Phoenix airspace, which is right where it starts to get nice and dark. He said, “Okay, no problem.”
We took off and headed west as planned. John was right on the money with all of his checkpoints and times. Flight plan opened at the right time. He was getting an A+ at this stage of the ball game. We got about five miles west of Deer Valley airport, where it starts to get nice and dark. (Again, don’t do a night cross-country when there is a full moon! It is nice to see the big bright moon from 4,500 above the ground, but it makes your night cross-country easier. If you are doing your first night flight as a licensed pilot with your girlfriend/boyfriend, go for it—that is the safe thing to do.)
John looked at me with those puppy eyes and asked, “Can I turn it on?” At this point, I just looked at him and said, “Yes.” The little voice in my head spoke to me again, “Now it is time for the real lesson to begin.”
John turned on the new greatest gift to mankind. The screen came on, and he said, "Look, Fred, isn’t this great? It tells you everything!” The little voice in my head said, "Yeah. Right. It tells you everything except what your #1 job in an airplane is.”
John kept playing with his new toy. I learned way back in 1989 that there are times when the flight instructor’s job is to shut up and let the student go. This was definitely one of those times.
At first, John had it under control. He was following his line on the screen and was okay, but I knew that sooner or later, it was going to distract him from his number one job . . . Yes, fly the airplane!
A little while passed, and John decided to start playing with the screen options. I knew now that the big lesson had begun, so I just sat there. Slowly, his altitude started to go up and down—not very much at first, but I knew it was just going to get worse.
I looked at John, and his head was down looking right at the GPS. By the way, the time frame of this entire lesson was probably less than a minute.
John continued to look down and said, "Hm, I can’t find the screen I am looking for.” I just sat there. Slowly, he started a right turn, only a few degrees bank, heading right into the mountains. The plane began to slowly lose altitude as the right turn started to get steeper. There was no horizon at all, so John had no clue of what was going on. Luckily, he was one of the students that took my aerobatic option before solo, so he was familiar with extreme unusual attitude. But not at night.
Slowly but surely, the plane had entered the dreaded graveyard spiral at cruise power setting. I waited and waited, hoping that the sound of the wind howling across the airplane would give him a clue, but nope—he had been trained for this many times, but he didn’t pick it up.
The plane kept going into a steeper bank. If it had been daytime, I would have let him get upside down, but not at night. Finally, it was time to open my mouth. "Anything wrong?"
John looked up, and the string of four-letter words began to flow. He got the plane under control. Power back wings level and nose level. However, he was still heading on the quickest path to meet God, right into the mountains a few miles north of the very dimly lit highway I plan as my emergency landing spot.
I said to him, "What can you see in front of you?" "He replied with, "Nothing." I said, “So that means . . . ?” I got the reply, “I am flying right into the ground.” That answer was pretty much correct; with his new heading, he was flying straight into the hills. Since we lost about 1,500 feet, our altitude was perfect for the big smack.
I raised my voice slightly and said, “If you can’t see anything, you are in trouble. Find some light, start climbing, and head in that direction.”
John got the plane under control, turned the GPS off, and we had an uneventful flight to Wickenberg and then back home to Falcon Field.
When we got back on the ground, John said, "I think I am going to learn to fly before I worry about that GPS.” He also requested some night unusual attitude training. I also highly recommend this.
So again, the little lesson is fly the airplane! John got distracted from that job by his little GPS. If you insist on using this stuff, make sure you know how to use it, and don’t try to learn it in the plane, especially at night!
As far as disorientation goes, it can happen very quickly, and when it does, it is not going to be pretty. It has happened to me in actual instrument conditions. I had all my ratings, and it still took a few minutes before the blood pressure went down.
Just remember this little unusual attitude check, which you should be able to repeat at the bar when you are about to fall on the floor:
Airspeed High, Or, "I Hear the Wind Howling Outside the Plane”
1: Power Back
2: Wings Level
3: Nose of the Airplane Level
4: Once You Have the Plane under Control, then bring the power back in, and get back to your altitude and heading
Airspeed Low:
1: Nose Forward
2: Wings Level
3: Once you have the nose at descent attitute, then add power. Why? If you do not remember, go back to the “To Spin or Not To Spin, That is the Question” chapter.
If you are out on a dark night, you are going to be fighting that attitude indicator. Get some training on night unusual attitudes. Then come back a few weeks later and do it again until you automatically react, especially after some time has gone by.
Make sure you go somewhere that is not easy, and make sure it is on a dark night.
With all of your flight training, there will be times when you get the notion that your instructor is mean or doesn’t know what they are talking about—perhaps not in such a bold way, but it will happen. This brings me to a story I have of a night cross-country with a student.
The flight itself is a pretty simple one and is safe for night flights. The flight goes from Mesa Falcon Field to Wickenberg, Arizona. I have personally put this flight in my syllabus for many reasons. I have gotten into many arguments with instructors who worked for me about this flight. Several of them refused to do the flight and instead ended up taking the student down to Tucson. As far as I am concerned, this defeats the purpose of the night cross-country. Following a big lit-up highway in between two bright major cities does not expose you to the real situations that can happen on a night cross-country.
Don’t let your instructor take you to an easy-to-find destination that is lit up like New York City. Go somewhere that is pretty difficult to find, at least for you, not your instructor. Yes, you want to make sure the instructor knows where he is going to land in the event of an engine failure, but you need to be on a flight that can get you into a little bit of trouble if you aren’t paying attention.
Back to my story.
I will call the student John. You know that I am totally against using all these high-tech things for private pilot training and even instrument ratings. Remember what job number one of the pilot is ? Yes, fly the airplane! I have also already stated that it will take you about 500 hours before you have this second sense stuck in you inner memory. Even then, a difficult situation will be a battle between many parts of your brain at the same time.
John called me in the afternoon about his night flight. We verified the time, and at the end of the call, John stated that he had just gotten his new Garmin 95 latest-and-greatest GPS device and asked if he could bring it along. You probably know me pretty well by now and know exactly what my answer was: “No!”
John showed up at the airport with his cross-country planned and flight plan filed, and ready to go. Before we walked out of the office, out came that shiny new Garmin box. “Fred, you need to check this out . . . this is the new Garmin 95, top-of-the–line, latest-and-greatest . . . ” This was back in 1996. Garmin was a no-name back then and was just getting into the market.
"Please, please, please can we take it with us?" After all the begging, I finally gave in. Deep in my mind somewhere, I had a little smile, and a voice just said, “Okay.”
Before John even started his pre-flight, he set up his new Garmin 95 on the control column. I knew right then that we were in for a good time! I told John that he couldn’t turn it on until we got out of Phoenix airspace, which is right where it starts to get nice and dark. He said, “Okay, no problem.”
We took off and headed west as planned. John was right on the money with all of his checkpoints and times. Flight plan opened at the right time. He was getting an A+ at this stage of the ball game. We got about five miles west of Deer Valley airport, where it starts to get nice and dark. (Again, don’t do a night cross-country when there is a full moon! It is nice to see the big bright moon from 4,500 above the ground, but it makes your night cross-country easier. If you are doing your first night flight as a licensed pilot with your girlfriend/boyfriend, go for it—that is the safe thing to do.)
John looked at me with those puppy eyes and asked, “Can I turn it on?” At this point, I just looked at him and said, “Yes.” The little voice in my head spoke to me again, “Now it is time for the real lesson to begin.”
John turned on the new greatest gift to mankind. The screen came on, and he said, "Look, Fred, isn’t this great? It tells you everything!” The little voice in my head said, "Yeah. Right. It tells you everything except what your #1 job in an airplane is.”
John kept playing with his new toy. I learned way back in 1989 that there are times when the flight instructor’s job is to shut up and let the student go. This was definitely one of those times.
At first, John had it under control. He was following his line on the screen and was okay, but I knew that sooner or later, it was going to distract him from his number one job . . . Yes, fly the airplane!
A little while passed, and John decided to start playing with the screen options. I knew now that the big lesson had begun, so I just sat there. Slowly, his altitude started to go up and down—not very much at first, but I knew it was just going to get worse.
I looked at John, and his head was down looking right at the GPS. By the way, the time frame of this entire lesson was probably less than a minute.
John continued to look down and said, "Hm, I can’t find the screen I am looking for.” I just sat there. Slowly, he started a right turn, only a few degrees bank, heading right into the mountains. The plane began to slowly lose altitude as the right turn started to get steeper. There was no horizon at all, so John had no clue of what was going on. Luckily, he was one of the students that took my aerobatic option before solo, so he was familiar with extreme unusual attitude. But not at night.
Slowly but surely, the plane had entered the dreaded graveyard spiral at cruise power setting. I waited and waited, hoping that the sound of the wind howling across the airplane would give him a clue, but nope—he had been trained for this many times, but he didn’t pick it up.
The plane kept going into a steeper bank. If it had been daytime, I would have let him get upside down, but not at night. Finally, it was time to open my mouth. "Anything wrong?"
John looked up, and the string of four-letter words began to flow. He got the plane under control. Power back wings level and nose level. However, he was still heading on the quickest path to meet God, right into the mountains a few miles north of the very dimly lit highway I plan as my emergency landing spot.
I said to him, "What can you see in front of you?" "He replied with, "Nothing." I said, “So that means . . . ?” I got the reply, “I am flying right into the ground.” That answer was pretty much correct; with his new heading, he was flying straight into the hills. Since we lost about 1,500 feet, our altitude was perfect for the big smack.
I raised my voice slightly and said, “If you can’t see anything, you are in trouble. Find some light, start climbing, and head in that direction.”
John got the plane under control, turned the GPS off, and we had an uneventful flight to Wickenberg and then back home to Falcon Field.
When we got back on the ground, John said, "I think I am going to learn to fly before I worry about that GPS.” He also requested some night unusual attitude training. I also highly recommend this.
So again, the little lesson is fly the airplane! John got distracted from that job by his little GPS. If you insist on using this stuff, make sure you know how to use it, and don’t try to learn it in the plane, especially at night!
As far as disorientation goes, it can happen very quickly, and when it does, it is not going to be pretty. It has happened to me in actual instrument conditions. I had all my ratings, and it still took a few minutes before the blood pressure went down.
Just remember this little unusual attitude check, which you should be able to repeat at the bar when you are about to fall on the floor:
Airspeed High, Or, "I Hear the Wind Howling Outside the Plane”
1: Power Back
2: Wings Level
3: Nose of the Airplane Level
4: Once You Have the Plane under Control, then bring the power back in, and get back to your altitude and heading
Airspeed Low:
1: Nose Forward
2: Wings Level
3: Once you have the nose at descent attitute, then add power. Why? If you do not remember, go back to the “To Spin or Not To Spin, That is the Question” chapter.
If you are out on a dark night, you are going to be fighting that attitude indicator. Get some training on night unusual attitudes. Then come back a few weeks later and do it again until you automatically react, especially after some time has gone by.
Make sure you go somewhere that is not easy, and make sure it is on a dark night.
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