Tips & Articles on Traveling, Aviation, Boating and Cruises
Outdoors
External Frame vs. Internal Frame Backpacks
Sep 29th
Long and frequent has been the debate amongst hikers and campers regarding the use of internal or external frame backpacks. Many old timers insist that external frame packs are the way to go, mainly due to years of utilizing externals, and reluctance (like all of us), to change. The younger generation tends to gravitate toward the trendy internal frame packs. It seems that the new wave of hikers are as much concerned with form as they are with function.
In my experience, having owned and used both types of backpacks, I have compiled some recommendations based on experiences on (and off) the trail.
External Frame Backpacks
Pros– Generally less expensive, more compartments, pack doesn’t rest directly on back, increasing ventilation.
Cons– Usually more bulky than internal frame packs, can impede hiking, and storing in tent.
Internal Frame Backpacks
Pros– More streamline, more compact.
Cons–Can be expensive, few compartments, pack rest against the back.
In closing, in a normal hiking environment, (on trail), I clearly prefer an external frame pack. I find them more comfortable, affordable, and much easier to organize pack items. Internal frame packs make it difficult to retrieve items, as most items are stored in the same compartment. Internal frame packs do have their place, generally in off-trail adventures. External frame packs tend to get snagged on branches and such easily when off-trail.
Isn’t it time to plan your next hike? What are you waiting for?
Yellowstone Area Media Company Helps Protect Fly Fishing Waters
Sep 29th
In the past, most people have looked to the government to address various environmental issues. However, with the complexity and magnitude of these issues increasing exponentially, a different approach is needed.
The Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! campaign has become a unifying communications vehicle to address the growing aquatic invasive species issue and it has attracted the interest, support and active involvement of the private sector. The national Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Coast Guard are the primary sponsors of this campaign. However, campaign organizers have realized the power of working with the private sector to increase exposure for the cause.
If you Google Wyoming or Montana fly fishing or Yellowstone Vacations, you are likely to come across one of Vertical Media’s online travel guides. A banner ad at the top of each site displays the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! message, urging vacation planning visitors to click and learn how they can help protect the waters in and around Yellowstone National Park.
With Vertical Media’s network of websites collectively attracting over 3 million people and generating over 2.4 million referrals annually, this is one example of how the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! outreach capacity is greatly increased by working closely with private and nonprofit interests. These organizations have a vested stake in promoting a unified conservation message to limit the spread of harmful aquatic invasive species.
Atlantic Ocean at great depths
Sep 28th
The Atlantic Ocean is Earth’s second-largest ocean. It covers approximately a fifth of the earth’s surface. The name Atlantic Ocean came from Greek mythology; it means the “Sea of Atlas”.
The Atlantic Ocean is second only to the Pacific in size. With its neighboring seas it occupies an area of about 41,100,000 square miles. The land that drains to the Atlantic is approxcimately four times that of either the Pacific or Indian oceans. The Atlantic Ocean has a volume of approximately 354,700,000 km. 3,332m is the average depth of the Atlantic coean. The greatest depth in the Puerto Rico Trench is 8,605 m.
Due to it’s large area the Climate of the Atlantic Ocean varies greatly from one part to the next. The climate of adjacent land areas is directly influenced by the temperatures of the surface waters and water currents as well as the winds blowing across the Ocean. Because the Ocean can retain heat so well, maritime climates are always moderate and free of extreme season variations. Climatic zones vary with the latitude; the warmest climatic zones span across the Atlantic above the equator. The coldest zones are in the highest latitudes, with the coldest regions corresponding to the areas covered by sea ice. Ocean currents contribute to climatic control by moving warm and cold waters to other regions. Adjacent land areas are affected by the winds that are cooled or warmed when blowing over these currents.
Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.
What is a desert
Sep 27th
A desert is a landscape region that receives very little precipitation. For a peice of land to be classified as a desert it must receive less than 250 mm of precipitation per year. Because of such a low level of precipitation deserts are known for supporting very little forms of life. With that said though, with a closer look deserts still have a wide variety of life. These desert creatures normally remain hidden, especially true during the daylight hours, to preserver moisture.
Roughly one third of the world’s land surface is desert. Most commonly deserts around the world have similar characteristics. Sand Dunes can often times be present in deserts as the desert soil is mostly comprised of sand. Typically rocky terrain will be exposed in certain regions, which will reveal a sparseness of vegetation, and soil development. Wind driven forces are major factors in what shape desert landscapes.
Some of the largest and most known deserts in the world include:
Sahara
Kalahari
Namib
Judean Desert
Simpson Desert
Great Sandy Desert
Sturt’s Stony Desert
Little Desert
Taklamakan
Rangipo Desert
Often times, deserts contain valuable mineral deposits. These are often regions that were formed in the arid environment or that were exposed by erosion. Deserts are also ideal locations for human artifacts and fossils to be preserved because of their dry climate.
Most of the major deserts of the world are trade wind deserts which means that: dry winds dissipate cloud cover, which in turn allows more sunlight to heat the land. The second largest desert in the world, the Sahara of North Africa, which has seen temperatures as high as 56C, is a trade wind desert.
Hummingbird Information- Helpful information about the popular hummingbird!
Sep 26th
Your hummingbird feeders need to be cleaned, and the humming bird nectar needs to be changed every 3-4 days. If black spots are visible inside your hummingbird feeder, it can be a sign of mold and you will need to scrub it out with a stiff thistle brush. If you can’t reach the spots with a brush, you can mix some sand and water together and shake the feeder vigorously to remove the mold. Never use harsh detergent to clean your hummingbird feeder. Rinse the feeder out with hot water each time you change your nectar. If you do this on a regular basis you should not have a problem with mold growing inside of the feeder.
Pesty ants can be a problem at a hummingbird feeder. The best way to prevent ants at your feeder is to use an “ant guard”. An ant guard is a barrier between the ants and the nectar, making them ant proof. These guards are built into many feeders but are also available as an add on accessory for existing feeders.
There are certain ways to attract hummingbirds to your feeder. Red! Red! Red! All hummingbirds are attracted to the color red. Most feeders that are purchased these days have red on them somewhere, but if you are in doubt that there is enough red, try tying a red ribbon on the feeder itself. Another way to attract attention to your feeder is to place it among flowers that hummers like, or hang a basket of flowers nearby the feeder. You will find that feeder activity slows as more flowers bloom in your yard. Do not panic! They prefer natural nectar over what we give them in our feeders, so as the flower start to diminish, you will see them come back again.
