Campgrounds at Texas Motor Speedway

This was taken during a very muddy Samsung Mobile 500 weekend at Texas Motor Speedway

Grand Canyon River Trip (2) Low Impact – Camping Tips – Kitchens – Colorado River Rafting

As roughly 29,.000 people camp in the inner canyon each year the impact on the camping beaches can be severe. There’s nothing better then arriving on a pristine beach after a day on the river and nothing worse then finding that inconsiderate groups before you have left the beach covered in trash, which has attracted unwanted animals and insects, and the smell of human waste. A few simple protocols will help preserve the beaches for the next person Watch this video for helpful tips and visit this page for Grand Canyon River Trip Planning Resources. www.nps.gov

Finally Surfing and Snowboarding Have Come Together

People who perform extreme sports are not your normal sports participants. They are masters of innovation and if something can be done differently, chances are someone will attempt it. Both surfing and snowboarding, although popular, are a little old now in some people’s eyes and could do with updating. It is no surprise then that one avid extreme sports fan gave in to curiosity and tried riding down the mountain side on his customised surfboard…and succeeded?

The sport of snow surfing is thought to have first been conceived in New Zealand when a visiting Australian surfer decided to see if he could ride his board on the white stuff.Ever since that fateful day, thousands have followed in his snow footsteps and now take part in the sport. Coordination and confidence are the two vital ingredients to succeeding in the sport say participants. Unlike snowboards, riders do not have any bindings to attach themselves to the board, but instead rely on aggressive carving and the use of the hands to ensure that the board stays under their feet.  Stopping has also proved something of a challenge due to the lack of sharp ‘edges’ on a surfboard, but most runs incorporate a run-off area where riders can slow down.


As with all emerging extreme sports, sponsors and industry brands have been paying close attention to see if it is worth their while getting involved.There is speculation that both Ride and Volcom are getting involved in the sport and have been sending their scouts out to snow surfing events recently. The sport is still very new however and it is unlikely that anyone is really thinking about big corporate deals and media packages just yet. That said, given the early growth of the sport, you might soon be seeing some snow surfers at a resort new you.

What Type Of Fitness Is Needed For Kitesurfing?

The popularity of kitesurfing has seen staggering growth recently. It is actually growing faster than any other water sport according to the governing body for kitesurfing. It is also one of the fastest growing extreme sports overall, and it seems people are ditching their snowboards in favour of kites, as snowboarding growth has recently been overtaken by this great sport . If you’re thinking of getting into the sport however, you’ll need to get your body into shape. Here are the key areas you will need to work on.

• Upper Body Strength. This is arguable the most important element of your body fitness that you will need to work on. The majority of effort in the sport comes from the muscles of the upper body and so these are required to be developed in order to properly control yourself and the kite. Your “deltoids” or shoulder muscles are the main ones that need developing. These are responsible for a lot of the movements and are also stabilising muscles. Main chest and higher back muscles will also need to be focused on

• Core Strength. Due to fact there is so much movement and various directions of force taking place in the sport, your core muscles should be well trained. A core stability ball is a very useful piece of equipment to use to develop core strength. You may also have to add extra weights to your core stability exercises in order to truly match the kind of forces you will face in the when in the water. Often the kite will want to pull you in a direction you do not want to go so it will be your developed core strength that will let you remain planted

• Aerobic Fitness. Although the sport is arguable not aerobically centred, it does require a well developed heart and lungs. Various muscles groups will be under pressure constantly and so will be screaming out of large quantities of oxygen and will likely be producing substantial amounts of lactic acid and CO2. Without strong lung and heart function to get the oxygen around the body and take way the bi-products from the system, fatigue will kick in quickly. Cycling or running are very good methods to develop your CV fitness.

If you like water sports get used kitesurfing gear and also get second hand bikes at Extreme Sports Trader

Is the Term Extreme Sports Used Too Easily These Days?

It was once the case that the term extreme sports related only to a select few activities. Among those worthy of the accolade included sports such as surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, motocross, base jumping and a few others. There was an obvious disparity however between the extreme level of even these ‘original sports’. No one could argue that riding a BMX around a bit was as extreme as throwing yourself off a huge building with only a thin bit of fabric to slow you down before you hit the ground.


Nowadays however the range of sports that fall under the ‘Extreme Sports’ umbrella is quite frankly staggering. There are thrills to be had everywhere, including in the sky with paragliding, to in the water with the currently very popular, paddle boarding. In some cases it is no longer impressive enough to turn up to the beach with your surfboards, you now need to be involved in kitesurfing, land yachting, skim boarding and loads of other sports that people have dreamt up whilst presumably under the influence.

Some people think this is a bad thing and that the term ‘Extreme Sports’ should only be reserved for those sports either around from the beginning or that contain an element of danger so great that only those will a bit of screw loose are willing to give them a go. Extreme sport can not be limited to a few people’s opinion though, it is a way of life and therefore can be embraced by anyone and everyone. It’s about getting out there and trying something new. Maybe getting some new scars to show off, or scaring the living daylights out of your mother sometimes, but feeling alive every minute. It’s about picking up some second hand kayaks on a whim and taking them out on the river for a quick blast, and feeling alive when you make it to the still-water in once piece. So the term ‘extreme sports’ has boundaries that are meant to be pushed and that change over time, which is not a bad thing, it’s just evolution.

Going Skydiving : Consider Static Line Jumps

We look at static line jumps in this installment of our go skydiving guide.

In static line skydiving, a line is pre-attached to the pack on the jumper’s back that contains the parachute. This line pulls the chute open automatically as the jumper exits the plane.

Such jumps are usually undertaken at heights of about 3500-4000 feet (1067-1220m) above the ground – although in some cases higher elevations will be used. The static line releases the chute a few seconds after you leave the plane and once the canopy is fully deployed, the rate of descent begins to drop, gradually slowing from about 120 mph (193 kph) to roughly 10 mph (16 kph).


An instructor in the plane will check that the static line mechanism is attached properly but he or she will not exit the plane with the skydivers. However, in most cases the descending jumpers will be in two-way radio contact with an instructor on the ground who will give guidance for their landings.

Training is still required for these types of jumps as, although your parachute is deployed for you, you need to learn about deploying the reserve canopy if needed, landing, and safety measures. It should only take around half a day though as there’s less training material to cover than with most other types of skydives.

Static line jumping tends to be cheaper than other forms of jumping as it requires only a few hours of training and each instructor can train a small group of students at the one time. Prices will vary depending on the location of the skydiving school and whether the jumps are paid for singly or in blocks.

As well as being the cheaper option, static line jumping allows beginners to get into the air quickly and to jump on their own.

But people who plan to skydiver regularly don’t see it as a long-term option. Serious skydivers want more time in freefall and they move on to accelerated freefall training and solo jumping.

Skydiving Guide : Accelerated Freefall Training

Accelerated freefall training is the focus of this installment of our go skydiving guide.

Accelerated freefall (or simply AFF) training is a way of learning to skydive that, as the name suggests, gets you in the air and freefalling on yourself as quickly as possible. It’s the most expensive method of training but is recommended for those who plan on skydiving regularly.

AFF training’s first stage is instruction on the ground. Normally, this takes roughly 6-8 hours. These demonstrations and lectures will cover topics such as exiting the plane, positioning your body, deploying and steering the parachute, and landing.


Following this initial theoretical training, students will go up in a plane with their instructors so that they can put their new learning into practice. As in tandem jumping, the instructor exits the plane with the student, but rather than being attached closely by a harness, the instructor simply holds the student by the hand or wrist.

The instructor guides you so that you’re able and ready to deploy your parachute at the proper time and can land safely on your own. If necessary, in case of any problems arising, the instructor can open your parachute for you.

Once the canopy has been deployed, the instructor will observe the student’s handling of the parachute and following landing will give advice on better ways to handle the next jump.

Following a few more jumps, there could be additional on-ground classes to address more advanced skills. Dedicated trainees usually gain experience, knowledge and skills quickly. They can qualify for a skydiving license after as few as eight assisted jumps and 10 solo skydives.