Donkey God

No bird watcher is complete without his or her bird watching journals. When you go bird watching, you need to keep your life list.

The Life List

If you are or become an avid bird watching enthusiast, you’re going to need to keep records. The reason for this is you want to keep a running list of the various bird species you’ve seen. Since there are a zillion species, the list can become quite long. Frankly, it becomes a life long project that is very enjoyable. Trust me, you’ll start planning vacations and trips around it. A business trip will soon evolve into a chance to see new species.

Part and parcel to your bird watching life list is your journal. Some bird watchers combine these two while others keep them separate. The bird watching journal is used to fill out your sightings. Information kept in the journal includes things like where you were, whom you were with, the weather conditions, the lighting, time of day and your overall impressions from the sighting.

When keeping your journal and lists, you are going to have sightings of species you’ve seen previously. Most bird watchers will add such sightings to their journals, but not their life lists. The reason for this is there may be peculiar or significant factors in the sighting. Perhaps the bird is not typically found in the area in question or perhaps it is exhibiting some unique characteristic.

New Sightings

When it comes to bird watching, there is no greater joy then sighting a bird you have never seen before. Often called “life birds”, the sighting can be added to your life list and is a feather in your cap. When you first start watching birds, you’ll obviously have a lot of new sighting. As time passes, however, they will become less frequent and you will come to enjoy and value them even more.

Bird watching is an addictive hobby. Part of the thrill is watching your life list grow and reading through your journal of sightings.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com makers of diary and writing journals for bird watching. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more articles on bird watching and the great outdoors.

So you have a pair of skis and wish to travel. Do you want to find an adventure location that the crowds aren’t heading to? Do you wish to be capable to babble not just about the amazing fresh tracks but as well the trip you and your friends had in traveling to the mountain? Here are 2 adventure, novel, new, different, exciting} mountains for skiing.

Luz Ardiden comprises one of those areas, even steeper than Chamonix ski domains. It’s among the most elevated ski firlds in the French Alps, and owing to the height one can snowboard on it year-around. The higher peaks stay snowcapped all year round and afford year-around snowboarding adventure. Their trails are amongst the finest in the world and it is unsurprising that the ski area is a ski real adventure.

Superbagneres is the supreme exciting ski mountain. Found in the most southern colonized point in the earth winters are icy and snow is dense. The consequence are snow capped peaks which reach all the way to the sea. What finer place to savour snowboarding. With a lot of superior ski mountains, you’re never faraway from the runs. As you look S while snowboarding you’re viewing the whole way to the sea. It genuinely is the number one snowboard destination.

Fly anglers are schooled at an early age, (well any age, I suppose, but early into their foray of fly fishing), about the big three, mayflies, caddis and stoneflies. I need to digress again, this is trout anglers, if you began fly fishing for other species, you were probably schooled about other things. But the importance of mayflies, caddis, and stoenflies are hit upon early and re-learned repeatedly. With good reason for sure. These insects are of huge importance to most trout habitats, and their hatches provide spectacular fishing. But they are not exclusive to trout’s diets, and in some locales they make up a lesser portion than you might think.

Trout, like all fish, are opportunists, they feed on what is available. However, they do seem to have preferences for whatever reason. For example many observers have noticed trout’s propensity for hitting beetles. Biologists tell us beetles are loaded with protein, therefore trout perhaps know what is good for them, or maybe they just like the taste. Like beetles trout also go wild for ants. In some locations the mating of carpenter ants takes place at the same time as more well-known mayfly hatches, yet the observant angler readily switches to the ant pattern because trout hit these much more readily. Perhaps it is because they are not water borne, but more than likely there are other reasons. Some have claimed it is because when ants or most likely to take flight is during the mating season, when they are filled with pheromones, and the smell attracts the fish.

Ant migrations occur when the winged adult begins its mating season, and hundred of thousands of these terrible fliers are out for there the taking. Each colony will produce a huge abundance of these specialized ant, knowing full well the vast majority will end up not fulfilling its prime obligation. Their ineptitude is the booty for trout and likewise trout anglers.

Weather also plays a huge part, especially in the mountains. Where warm winds swell up the mountains ant swarms get trapped, depositing countless millions of ants, to hungry waiting trout. These are the conditions of the famed ‘ant falls’ of the Rockies, Sierras, and Cascades. Most likely to occur on the first hot summer days.

On the Au Sable red ants take center stage in June, in British Columbia it is the big black Carpenter Ants that hit center stage in June. Followed by the red ants later in the summer. Each species and each locale follow slightly different protocol, but the result is the same, fish love ants so be prepared.

Many fly angler’s will resort to ants when nothing else is happening. Chance ants must hit the water daily, and being chance feeders, trout will gobble them up. So in a sense ants are always in season, and they are a decent choice wherever you might be. Fish them close to the bank, as ants live there, look for likely ant habitat including rotting logs. Lakes and rivers bordered by old growth are prime locations to cast the ant. Beavers also leave primary ant habitat in their wake.

While most seasoned trout anglers learn the conditions that lead to their favorite mayfly hatch, they often over look the ‘ant hatch’ occurring right under their nose. Careful observation and an expansion of your knowledge will lead to expansion of arsenal to trick your wily prey.

Your RV has been sitting idle over the winter. Now the early signs of spring are here and it’s time to take it out of storage and prepare the coach and chassis for this years camping season. If you’re like me, you want to have some type of logical sequence to follow rather then haphazardly checking the unit out. I made a simple checklist to use so that nothing is overlooked. I prefer to do the majority of spring preparation myself. If you’re more comfortable having someone else do it you can schedule an appointment with a reputable RV service center to have it done.

* Depending on how your unit was winterized it will need to be de-winterized. If you used non-toxic RV antifreeze you need to run fresh water through the entire system until all traces of antifreeze are gone. To remove it from the 12-volt water pump add water to the fresh water-holding tank, turn the pump on and open all water faucets. When the antifreeze is out of the system turn the pump off and take the water heater out of the by-pass mode (if applicable). Re-install any water filter cartridges you removed for storage.

* At this point I like to sanitize the water system. Make sure all of the drains are closed and drain plugs are installed. Take a quarter cup of household bleach for every fifteen gallons of water your fresh water tank holds. Mix the bleach with water into a one-gallon container and pour it into the fresh water holding tank. Fill the fresh water holding tank completely full of water. Turn the water pump on and open all faucets, run water until you smell the bleach. Close the faucets and let it sit for at least twelve hours. Drain all of the water and re-fill the tank with fresh water. Turn the pump on and open all faucets until you no longer smell bleach. It may be necessary to repeat this process to eliminate all signs of the bleach.

* With the water system under pressure inspect for water leaks. Check the operation of the toilet.

* Wash the unit thoroughly. This is a good time to inspect the roof and body seams, and window sealants for cracking that would allow water to get in. Consult a dealer for sealants compatible with these materials.

* Inspect the operation of the awning and clean the awning fabric as required.

* Inspect the tires for signs of dry rot. Inflate all tires to the recommended COLD tire pressure.

* Lubricate all hinges and locks with spray lubricant.

* Remove any tape or protective covering you may have put over LP gas vents to keep insects and rodents out. Check any mousetraps you may have put out. Open all doors and compartments and check for rodent intrusion and water damage.

* Inspect and clean the interior.

* Plug in any appliances that you unplugged for storage and replace any dry cell batteries you may have removed. This is a good time to put new batteries in items like smoke alarms.

* Test the operation of the carbon monoxide alarm, LP gas leak detector and smoke alarm.

* Check the fire extinguisher. Be sure it is fully charged.

* Reset any breakers you may have turned off. If you removed any fuses for storage re-install them.

* Clean or replace air conditioner filters if it wasn’t done prior to storage and remove any covers that were put over air conditioners.

* Open vents and windows and air the unit out.

* If you removed the coach and chassis batteries for storage install them. Whether they were removed or not check the electrolyte levels, clean the terminals and clamps, and check the charge level in all batteries. Recharge batteries as necessary.

* Check the operation of the electric steps if applicable. Lubricate step mechanism.

* Test the operation of the hydraulic jacks if applicable. Check hydraulic fluid level.

* Test the operation of the back up camera and monitor if applicable.

* If you didn’t change the oil and filters in the generator prior to storage this is a good time to do it. Inspect the generator exhaust system for damage prior to starting. Start and run the generator for two hours with at least a half rated load on it. Consult the generators owner manual for load ratings.

* Turn the generator off and plug the unit into shore power. Turn the refrigerator on in the electric mode. Allow sufficient time to cool and check for proper operation.

* Check all 12-volt interior lights and accessories.

* Test the monitor panel for proper operation.

* Check the operation of slide outs if applicable.

* Check the remaining 120-volt appliances for proper operation.

* Test the Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) for proper operation.

* Turn the refrigerator off, leave the doors open and allow sufficient time for it to get to room temperature so it can be checked in the gas mode.

* Before I use the LP gas system I have a leak test and gas operating pressure test preformed. A qualified technician with the proper equipment should do these tests.

* After this is accomplished turn the LP gas valve on and check the operation of all LP gas appliances. Be sure the water heater is full of water before testing the water heater. If a gas appliance is not operating properly have it inspected by a qualified technician. Insects are attracted to the odorant added to LP gas and build nests that can affect the appliance from operating properly.

* If your unit was in long-term storage and you didn’t change the engine oil and filter prior to storage this would be a good time to do it.

* Check all fluid levels in transmission, power steering, engine coolant, engine oil, windshield washer and brakes. Consult vehicle owners manual.

* Start the engine and check for proper readings on all gauges. Check for proper operation of dash air conditioner.

* Perform a complete chassis lubrication if it wasn’t done prior to storage.

* Check the condition of windshield wiper blades and replace them if necessary.

* Check the operation of all chassis lights.

* Make sure the vehicle emissions/inspection sticker is up to date.

* In addition to this if you have a pop-up or travel trailer the wheel bearings and brakes (if equipped) should be inspected at least once annually. Inspect any canvas for dry rot and tears; inspect all hitch work and the coupler for damage. Inspect the breakaway switch and pigtail for proper operation.

Happy Camping ,
Mark

Copyright 2006 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101

RV Expert Mark Polk, seen on TV, is the producer & host of America’s most highly regarded series of DVD’s, videos, books, and e-books. http://www.rveducation101.com/

Mark Polk is a retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three, specializing in wheeled and track vehicle fleet maintenance operations. In addition to owning and operating RV Education 101, (based in North Carolina) since 1999, Polk also has a very extensive RV background working in RV service, sales and management. Polk has a degree in Industrial Management Technology and his 30 plus years of experience in maintenance includes working as an RV technician, a wheeled vehicle and power generation mechanic, an automotive maintenance technician, Battalion and Brigade level Maintenance Officer, an RV sales manager and also in the RV financing department as the Finance & Insurance manager. http://www.rveducation101.com/

Sometimes a simple thing such as taking time off before your planned vacation to chalk out the possible health hazards and remedies could save you a lot of trouble. Here are a few more risks you must add to your check list…

Fungal infection-

Fungal infections occur more commonly in hot weather and are usually found on the scalp, between the toes or fingers, in the groin and on the body(ringworm). You get ringworm from infected animals or by walking on damp areas such as shower floors. To prevent fungal infections wear loose, comfortable clothes, avoid artificial fibres, wash frequently and dry carefully.

Hypothermia-

Too much cold is just as dangerous as too much heat, particularly if it leads to hypothermia. If you are trekking at high altitudes or simply taking a long bus trip over mountains, particularly at night, be prepared. Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it and the core temperature of the body fails.

Motion Sickness

Eating lightly before and during a trip will reduce the chances of motion sickness. If you are prone to motion sickness try to find a place that minimises disturbances.- near the wings on aircraft, close to midships on boats, near the centre on buses. Fresh air usually helps; reading and cigarette smoke don’t. Ginger and peppermint are natural preventatives.

Jet Lag-

The bags are packed and then you hop on a flight of over 18 hours duration, to the other side of earth, with transfers increasing the travel time to what feels like two days. You arrive at your destination not quite at your best, headache, nauseous, tired, dazed, somewhat confused and unable to stay awake yet unable to sleep. You’ve even lost your appetite for all ; that interesting food. That’s jet lag, the curse of the ‘time’ traveller.

Travel Stress

Pre-travel parties, packing, separation from family and loss of security all take their toll. the flight itself creates many stressors such as dehydration, poor sleep, alcohol intake and long periods of inactivity. Once at the destination there are language, diet and climate stressors.

Diarrhea

Contrary to what most people think, the major cause of this condition is change. Whether to a hotter temperature or to a colder on. Most diarrhoeal attacks are self-limiting and clear up in a few days.

Random Tip - What if you havn’t packed your exercise clothes, or forgot to check out the fitness facilities. Or what if its raining? Here are some tricks you can do withing your hotel:

. Take the stairs instead of the lift. And use the stairs for a small steps session.

. Use the telephone directory or water bottles as weights.

. Chairs, doorways and bed frames can help you with push-ups, sit-ups, squats and tricep dips.

Must Read: - Workouts for Biceps and Triceps at http://www.weightloss-health.com/arm_muscle_building.htm

Wilderness travel is relatively dangerous. Backpacking, floating a river in a canoe, or four-wheeling down isolated two-tracks - they all mean leaving the safety and predictability of civilization behind. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make it much safer, without taking away from the adventure. Here are six tips for doing just that.

1. Prepare. I’ve seen hikers eight miles from the nearest road, at nightfall, with no water, and facing a sub-freezing night with short sleeves. They had underestimated the time needed for the trip, and probably didn’t make it back to their car before some suffering. More importantly, they hadn’t prepared for the possibility of their hike taking longer than expected, or for possible changes in the weather. Try to think of all the possibilities, and have some preparation and planning for each before you leave.

2. Carry a map and compass. Know how to read your map. Any map is better than nothing. Many people lost in the wilderness have hiked farther into empty country because they had no idea which direction to travel to the nearest road. A compass is a good idea too, but be sure you know how to use it. Practice near home, and start using it before you need it, just to keep in practice (and to keep from getting lost).

3. Learn other navigation skills. Can you use a watch and the sun to determine direction? How about a stick and shadow? Because compasses break, and maps get lost, you should know at least one or two ways to determine direction. Also note the direction most likely to take you out of the wilderness before you start. If you remember that a highway runs along the entire south side of the area you are in, you know which way to go in an emergency.

4. Learn survival skills. Know a few basic survival skills and wilderness travel becomes safer as well as more interesting. Knowing that sleeping under a pile of dry grass or leaves can keep you warm could save your life someday. Learning to identify a few wild edible plants can feed you when you lose your food, and make a trip more interesting in any case.

5. Practice fire making. Make a fire and light it with one match. Do it in some woods near home when it is raining, and try it in the snow too. A fire can save your life. Rarely does anyone die from starvation in the wilderness. They commonly die from exposure. Know how to keep yourself warm and dry. Always carry matches and a lighter, and know how to start a fire.

6. Get help from others. Nobody can come to the rescue if nobody knows where you are. Leave an itinerary behind with someone. You may also want to carry a cell phone. I don’t care for them myself, but they save lives all the time, so take it and just leave the ringer off until you need it. Be sure to charge the battery before you go.

Do more than read these tips. Take them and apply them. Not only people new to the wildeness, but experienced outdoorsmen too have paid the ultimate price when they forgot or refused to follow the basic rules of wilderness travel.

Scuba diving travel can be one of the most enjoyable vacations you ever take. With thousands of destinations to choose from, there is always a destination that is jam packed full of activities for both above and below the water.

Package destinations are the best choice for those just starting out. You can have the air fare, accommodations and diving all included, planned and all you have to do is pay a one time fee. Some of these are all inclusive, which means all your meals and beverages are included as well, which can limit your dining options a little but can save you’re a lot of cash. The biggest benefit of taking a total scuba diving travel package is the friends that you meet. These packages are usually filled with individuals like you that enjoy the sport among other common interests. Besides, diving with a group is always much more fun then diving alone.

If traveling far distances is not for you then most anywhere you live there are usually interesting diving locations. By taking your boat on your getaway, you can hit the water any time you wish and stay on the water as long as you and your family wish. You might want to take some friends along so that you can dive as a group and still have someone in the boat timing the dive to ensure safety. If your boat is large enough and has sufficient sleeping accommodation for the group, you can even stay aboard the vessel and simply pay dockage fees.

If your local destinations are not interesting enough but you prefer a more private scuba diving vacation, then you can always work with your travel agent to find those hidden away destinations that do not have packages available. There are plenty of charter dive boats that you could reserve in many dive vacation spots around the world. The beauty of renting a charter is you get someone that knows the waters and has a crew that can help in case an emergency situation happens.

The reality is that the options for scuba diving travel are for the most part limitless. Just remember to have fun planning your scuba diving holiday and even more fun taking it.

Water Sport Equipment and Gear for all your water sport activities.

Crickets are a species of insects that belong to the Orthoptera order. Crickets have always fascinated man. Some people even have crickets as pets. The most interesting thing about crickets is the sound they make. They have a unique chirp which many people find attractive.

Crickets are reared and used as bait for fishes and as food for some pets. The Chinese also use crickets in medicines. They are popularly used as a sport like cock fights. Crickets are also believed to bring luck. There are many species of crickets: house crickets, field crickets, ground crickets, cave crickets, mole crickets, snowy tree cricket and the northern mole crickets.

Crickets are very easy to raise. They can be placed in any metal container like a garbage can. The inside of these containers should be smeared with mineral oil or any other greasy substance to prevent the crickets from escaping. Crickets need a minimum temperature of 80 F. Warmer temperatures help crickets to grow faster. Stale bread, powdered dog food, cornmeal, poultry mash and fruits and vegetables like apple, banana, lettuce and cabbage may be provided to the crickets as food. Water supply also has to be sufficient. Place cotton in the water container to prevent young crickets from drowning.

Live crickets can be kept in plastic containers or glass jars. The container has to be covered with wire screen or muslin. Spread a layer of about four inches of brick sand at the bottom of the container, and then add another layer of coarse wood shavings. This will keep the small crickets safe from the bigger ones. Another small container can be filled with moist sand and placed within the larger container to act as an egg-laying site.

There are a few things to consider while rearing live crickets: keep the material at the bottom of the cage dry; remove the dead crickets immediately and keep the cage clean; transfer the egg-laying containers to another container regularly in order to keep crickets of the same size together; avoid keeping wild crickets as these may carry some diseases; do not use insecticides near the live crickets; ensure that ants and other pests do not enter the cage. Crickets breed well in temperatures ranging between 80 and 90F. Artificial heat can be maintained within the container by suspending a light bulb into the container. Newly hatched crickets should be separated from the adults to prevent them from being eaten.

Crickets provides detailed information about crickets, live crickets, mole crickets, cave crickets and more. Crickets is the sister site of Gatlinburg Cabins Web.

Shop for swimsuits– part2

Online shopping for swimsuits what a nightmare you might say but at the end of this article you will feel the online factor cheer you up.

Although there are lots of options you have beware of the companies which offer too good to be true offers. Many companies’ offer free shipping and it also depends upon the shopping amount.

Her are a few companies for plus size swimsuits we recommend.

A wonderful company is swimsuits.com

They offer a wide variety of swimsuits.

They offer the Berry dog and the Carabella one-piece swimsuits.

Berry dog Swimsuits and Bikinis are made in the USA on a made to order basis. They offer the Brazilian bikini, Thong bikini Rio bikini, Print bikini and swimsuits.

The price ranges are between 30 -50 dollars.

At Carabella swimsuits you can find the most exciting and glamorous swimsuits designs and much more at exceptional prices. Best swimwear Has Outstanding selection of top designer swimwear, swimsuits and bikinis for women and men from the hottest 2005-swimwear collections.

For mix and match swimsuits and bikinis visit Venus swimwear.

Signature swimsuits also offer quality swimsuits.

Always make sure that you buy from reputed companies. Look out for discount offers and cheap swimsuits if available from reputed companies.

Ask the company for a guide for maintaining the swimsuits in the best shape possible. No matter how you good take care of them swimsuits have a not so long lifespan. More so if you swim in chlorinated water or sit for long hours in hot tubs.

Online shopping has become easier than ever before. You may be sitting in your computer chair but you will be on a highway, a highway to the swimsuits shopping heaven. Although it’s sometimes depressing to search online for hours together without results you always have the option to grab your best friend and go shopping offline. For more information on swimsuits visit our site www.swimsuitscorner.com For more information visit our site www.swimsuitscorner.com Also visit our sister sites www.bathingsuitsonline.com www.weddingdresses101.com

“Do you know about Wal-Mart camping?” We didn’t know, but the old man at the campground in Florida insisted WalMart not only allowed RVs and vans to park overnight, but encouraged it. “Free camping,” he told us, and we didn’t wait long to take advantage of this new knowledge.

Somewhere in northern Georgia we pulled into a Wal-Mart, and sure enough, we saw some RVs off to one side of the parking lot, looking like they were there for the night. We were heading back to Michigan in our conversion van, and free camping sounded good to us. We parked, plugged in our 5-inch T.V., and settled in for the night. Nobody bothered us. In the morning we used the bathrooms inside, and bought some orange juice.

The next night we camped for free again, this time at a “Flying J” truckstop. There were RVs camping there as well. You’ll find Flying J Truckstops all over, and they actively court the RV crowd, counting on gas and other sales. We filled our tank there in the morning, and bought some food as well. As long as campers stay out of the way of the truckers, free camping is likely to continue.

Other Free Camping Places

Generally, you can camp free on any BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land, unless it’s specifically forbidden in an area. This is also true of National Forest lands. In both cases you’re limited to a stay of two weeks in one place, though this rule is not always enforced, and the next two-week place might have to be only a hundred yards away. State forest lands are usually open to free camping without permits, but policies vary by state (The two-week rule seems to be common).

We camped in our van for ten days at Williams Landing, east of Tallahassee, Florida, on Lake Talquin. It’s a beautiful place, with hot showers. Our cost? Zero, and you can stay up to two weeks. There are free campgrounds scattered around the country. Ask an RVer about this, or buy a Woodall’s directory from any large RV dealer.

Note: Wal-mart seems to encourage the campers, except in coastal areas where too many RVer’s want to live in a parking lot. Don’t roll out the carpet and put out lawn furniture like one traveler we heard about, or you may ruin it for all. Some stay for a week at a time, going out all day to see the sights (and so they don’t wear out their welcome). Wal-mart gets business from the campers, but they’ll only continue their policy if they don’t have problems, so keep it low-key.

To find a Wal-Mart in the area you’re traveling to, visit Walmart.com. Scroll down to the “store finder” link to search. Thank you for camping at Wal-Mart!

Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. To read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com