www.out-and-about.com http://www.out-and-about.com Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 Safety Tips for Your Family Kayaking Adventure http://www.out-and-about.com/2012/01/22/safety-tips-for-your-family-kayaking-adventure/ http://www.out-and-about.com/2012/01/22/safety-tips-for-your-family-kayaking-adventure/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.out-and-about.com/?p=12 A family kayaking adventure can be a great way to spend quality time and relax with the ones you love. There are a number of state parks and recreational marinas throughout the country that offer families the ability to rent kayaks, life vests, and head protection gear to use on their lakes and waterways. Most important to this expereince is putting safety as the top priority for your family kayaking outing. Let’s explore some of the top safety considerations you should be factoring in to your trip, and easy ways to implement these beginner’s safety tips into your next kayaking excursion.I was looking for more information and found it here.

First, be sure to wear your head protection gear and life vests. Not only does it make sense, but in some states it’s the law. It’s a possibility that your kayak could flip over, meaning you will have to be a competent swimmer in order to recover the vessel, remount it, and go about your paddling. It cannot be stressed enough, that if one is not a strong swimmer, they absolutely must use personal flotation devices and be closely supervised during their time in the water. Next, even though you may be going out as a family, be sure to stay together and never lose sight of an individual. Without a doubt, there is safety in numbers. Before heading out, make sure you are familiar and comfortable with the river conditions and classifications.

Lastly, take a look at the environmental conditions of the area you will be visiting. Are there known to be heavy currents, high water levels, rocks, branches, or debris in the river? Also, what is the weather forecast for the day(s) of your outing? If there is any chance for rain and thunderstorms, be ready to readjust your plans for a day when the weather will allow for a safer and more enjoyable experience. No matter your destination or location, there’s a kayaking venue out there that can afford you and your family this opportunity to safely experience a great nature-oriented adventure together. While these are just a few of the most important tips for a family kayaking trip, remember, there are many and varied personal safety considerations to take into account to allow for a seamless and successful family adventure on the water.

]]> http://www.out-and-about.com/2012/01/22/safety-tips-for-your-family-kayaking-adventure/feed/ 0 Hiking and Camping http://www.out-and-about.com/2012/01/15/hiking-and-camping/ http://www.out-and-about.com/2012/01/15/hiking-and-camping/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.out-and-about.com/?p=11 Hiking is a fantastic outdoor activity that serves as both a great chance to see nature and an excellent opportunity to stay in shape. And it doesn’t have to just be in the deep, wooded areas. You can hike on clearly marked trails and open areas, but everyone knows that the best places to hike are the places where you stop seeing traces of humanity – where you are surrounded by Mother Nature.

It’s the same way with camping – the absolute camping experience is one surrounded by the wilderness requiring endurance and just a little bit of courage. And when you involve the entire family there is no greater chance to bond then when you’re all working together to explore, build fires and make dinner. However, as fun as these activities can be, you’re going to want to take the necessary precautions.

Whether it’s a hike or a camping trip, you’ll want to make sure you have a fully-stocked first-aid kit and you need to make sure you bring enough clothes and clean water to survive. For a hike, a backpack (not too heavy) will do, but you may want to pack just a little more for camping. Also, as far as camping goes, if you’re going to be out for an extended period you’ll want to ask your neighbor to get your mail and newspaper for you. However, if you’re particularly nervous about your home it never hurts to look into a home security system and sites like www.homesecuritysystem.com can help.

]]> http://www.out-and-about.com/2012/01/15/hiking-and-camping/feed/ 0 Instructions on How to Play Croquet http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/27/instructions-on-how-to-play-croquet/ http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/27/instructions-on-how-to-play-croquet/#comments Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.out-and-about.com/?p=10 Croquet is a great fun game to play outside on a beautiful day. First you must divide all players into two teams. There is a “hot” and a “cool” team which refers to the color of the balls you will play with. Decide which team goes first and that team is the “cool” team which uses the blue and black balls. Place your ball three feet south of the first wicket and try getting your ball through the wicket. If you succeed then you get to go again, if not then it is the other teams turn. At anytime during the game if your ball comes to rest touching another players ball then you get two bonus strokes which is called a roquet. Use your first stroke to move both yours and your opponents ball and the second stroke to try and get your ball the closest you can to the next wicket. Go through all wickets in the proper order. When you pass through a wicket you take your clip off that wicket and move it onto your next wicket. Once you have done all wickets in order hit the final stake. You win by being the first team to hit the final stake with both balls.

]]> http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/27/instructions-on-how-to-play-croquet/feed/ 0 Types of Gear You Should Never be Without While Hiking http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/25/types-of-gear-you-should-never-be-without-while-hiking/ http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/25/types-of-gear-you-should-never-be-without-while-hiking/#comments Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.out-and-about.com/?p=9 The importance of hiking preparedness should never be overestimated. Traveling far from civilization and the attendant safety nets it provides leaves hikers, backpackers and campers exposed to hazards that, in settled environments, can be addressed readily. Alone in the woods or mountains, however, simple problems can mount quickly, and hikers who are unprepared can face exhaustion, dehydration, injury and even death.

Proper gear can save lives. Hikers should never be without an adequate supply of water in quantities more than sufficient for their projected needs.Get more information here. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/220432 Even day-hikers and others on short jaunts should carry in excess of two liters of water. Consistent hydration is one of the most often overlooked concerns that hikers fail to address. Carrying water is easy, in either simple water bottles, or with hydration packs fitting in or underneath standard backpacks. Some hydration packs can carry up to four liters of water.

A basic first aid kit is another essential. The ability to quickly treat and dress simple wounds and injuries will prevent infection, and reduce the stress on the body that injuries can create. Having to hike back to camp or a parking lot with a bleeding wound exposed to the elements can attract predators, as well as exhaust hikers rapidly.

]]> http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/25/types-of-gear-you-should-never-be-without-while-hiking/feed/ 0 Badminton Basics: How to Play the Game http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/24/badminton-basics-how-to-play-the-game/ http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/24/badminton-basics-how-to-play-the-game/#comments Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.out-and-about.com/?p=8 Badminton is a fun family and friend game that has been around for years. The game resembles the game of tennis. Badminton can be played in singles or with teams of 2. The game uses a racquet similar to a tennis racquet but is much lighter built. The shuttlecock or “birdie” is plastic cone shape with a rubber balled tip. There is a net set up to separate the two sides.
Before starting the game you must decide who is going first. The easiest way to tell who will go first is by flipping a coin. The player that wins the coin toss chooses to serve or receive first. The player that serves tosses the “birdie” into the air and hits it with the racquet, sending it across the net to the opponets side. The opponet will then hit the “birdie” back. This action continues back and forth until the birdie goes out of bounds or hits the deck of the opponet. If the birdie lands in bounds a point is scored for the team. If it is hit out of bounds, the opponet scores one point and also gains the serve. The game is played usually to a score of 21.

]]> http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/24/badminton-basics-how-to-play-the-game/feed/ 0 Important Things to Know When Water Skiing http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/21/important-things-to-know-when-water-skiing/ http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/21/important-things-to-know-when-water-skiing/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.out-and-about.com/?p=7 Water Skiing can be an intensely challenging yet entertaining sport. Once you get the hang of it, you and others will enjoy attempts of jumps and flips and everything in between. However, there are a few important things to know to stay safe and to have fun while water skiing.

1. Be sure to have an excellent mode of communication between the skier, the spotter and the boat driver. Often the skier will give a type of hand motion to the spotter that indicates that they are ready for the driver to go. If this does not happen then the skier may not be prepared and they may get hurt if the rope is in a precarious position.
2. Always wear a properly fitting life jacket. You can not always predict what is going to happen in the water or with a boat, so it is imperative to ensure your safety.
3. Wear proper attire. This may seem like common sense, but it would be embarrassing for a skier to loose his shorts because he was too cool to tie them and secure them on his body.

While water skiing is a fun sport, be sure to stay safe. Enjoy the time on the water, and happy skiing!

]]> http://www.out-and-about.com/2011/09/21/important-things-to-know-when-water-skiing/feed/ 0