Naked Tourists Hit Machu Picchu

Author: Nick Kelley

Rating: **1/2

      When travelling to historic and physically striking areas around the world, taking a picture to capture the moment is one of the first things that comes to mind. For some, this involves no clothing. At the top of Machu Picchu in Peru, the amount of naked tourism is increasing. As tourists reach new heights in the Inca Citadel, they are stripping down to fully take in the experience of such a wondrous place. Authorities are beginning to crack down on these free spirits by threatening to create rules about exploring the area. These include having to hire an official tour guide to enter, following one of three predetermined routes through the complex, and following time limits at specific points along routes to keep the tours flowing.

      I find this article interesting because travel and tourism is such an incredible experience! It makes me think about all of the parts of the world that have restrictions on them, not allowing travellers to fully experience the culture and beauty of the surrounding environment. With such limitations, we become naive to the rest of the world and the way of their people. In some cultures, nudity is very offensive. At the same time, some cultures encourage such actions! This article allows me to think about the many cultures and ways of life not taught in schools and how the different perspectives of such cultures can really get a person thinking. Next time I travel somewhere where I experience a big culture shock, I will be sure to remember this article and take a step back to really appreciate both the growing and dying cultures practiced around the world, and hey who knows, maybe that includes being naked!

Kelley, Nick. "Naked Tourists Hit Machu Picchu." Outside Online. N.p., 20 Mar. 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. <http://www.outsideonline.com/news-from-the-field/Naked-Tourists-Hit-Machu-Picchu.html>.

10 Reasons Why Winter Camping is Better Than Summer

      Once most people hear the phrase "winter camping" they automatically run in the other direction. This article reviews 10 reasons why winter camping is better than summer and tries to convince the readers to put a new twist on the well known camping activity. The author talks about the advantages without mosquitoes biting you 24/7, the utter silence of your camping area when sleeping, and seeing many kinds of wildlife you simply wouldn't see during summer camping.

    After reading this article I gained a completely different perspective on winter camping, as well as summer camping. I learned a lot about the differences between the two, but I specifically gained a new appreciation for winter camping. I understand how most people would be turned-off by the idea of voluntarily spending a few days roughing-it in -20 weather, but I feel like winter camping is something that I would definitely want to experience at some point in my life. Before reading the article, I was as skeptical as the next person- but going for a night hike, having no bugs, and seeing new kinds of wildlife seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up. In this article I also learned that with winter camping the key is to stay warm and to be prepared for anything. Unlike camping in the summer, if there is an issue such as an injury or lack of food, the weather is not going to add to your stress of the issue. In the winter however, if there is an injury that needs to be treated, the cold weather can worsen the injury and only make it that much harder to get the help that is needed. Overall, this article has inspired me to one day camp during the winter and experience nature in a completely different way. After hearing the things you get to experience during the winter, it also taught me not to judge an activity before knowing all of the facts beforehand.

Callan, Kevin . "10 Reasons Why Winter Camping is Better Than Summer."Explore Magazine. Explore magazine, 14 Mar. 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. <http://www.explore-mag.com/10_Reasons_Why_Winter_Camping_

10 Reasons Why Winter Camping is Better Than Summer - By Kevin Callan

Rating: ****

Whenever I thought about camping in the winter, I always imagined a group of friends all huddled up together in an igloo with parkas and frozen faces. After reading this article I learned that there is a lot more too it than I thought, there are loads of advantages when it comes to camping in the winter, many that even changed my initial opinion on the idea.

This article provides the reader with ten reasons why winter camping is better than summer camping. The first reason listed was the 'utter silence'. It's similar to summer camping in the sense that there is no noise from the city traffic, but the difference in winter is that not only is there no honking and sounds of cars racing down the highway, there is also no sounds of insects at night keeping you awake and no rustling of the leaves.  The second reason was the idea of swamp camps. When camping in a lowland swamp area, there is plenty of places to find dry wood for fires and be shielded from the wind and blowing snow. The big bonus though is being able to sleep in a swamp, since it is impossible in the summer. During the summer, having a campfire is more of a fun family event than a necessity. In the winter, if you do not have a fire while camping you will most likely die. This article helps to explain the different types of wood to use in a fire and what will keep you most warm on the harsh cold nights. Because winter camping is not a very popular past time, when/if you go there will most likely be nobody around and you get the whole area to yourself. A major pet peeve of many people is the amount of bugs and mosquitoes around during the summer seasons. During the winter there are no bugs around anywhere, so there is no need to worry about getting bit and being itchy the whole trip. Another cool experience that comes along with winter camping is being able to feel the ice crack beneath you while you're sleeping. Although it may seem dangerous, it is normal for the ice to shift and expand as the temperature changes. As weird as it may seem, during the winter it is more common to see wildlife animals running around, something you may not get to see as much in the summer due to the amount of people around. It is much easier to see the starry sky during the winter, there are no trees with leaves to block the sky and you are able to get a clear view of the stars and maybe even the Northern Lights. When going winter camping it is important to dress for the weather and buy brand new gear, something that you may not be able to do as much in the summer. And lastly comes the bragging rights. You will come back with tons of stories and are able to tell people of the great experience that winter camping provides.

As much as I despise winter, learning about the advantages of winter camping has given me a different opinion and has persuaded my own. I still do not like winter, but being able to go camping without any bugs and people around, and to be able to look up at the starry sky at night sounds like it would be an amazing experience, despite the cold weather. So in my overall opinion, I think that although both winter and summer camping have their advantages and disadvantages, camping in the winter would be an all around better and more exciting experience than summer camping.

Callan, Kevin. "10 Reasons Why Winter Camping is Better Than Summer." Explore Magazine. 14 Mar. 2014. <http://www.explore-mag.com/10_Reasons_Why_Winter_Camping_is_Better_Than_Summer>

Put to the Test: Lifeproof Phone Case

By April Scott-Clarke

Rating: ***

Recently, technology has undergone huge leaps in innovation and is progressing with staggering speed - it can now be found in almost every aspect of our lives.

This article talks about the use of technology in places that we may never have considered before - in particular, the outdoors. The article discusses the practicality of durable Lifeproof cases for phones in the outdoors. These cases are intended to keep one’s phone operational even in extreme conditions - the cases are waterproof, shockproof, dirtproof and even potentially snowproof. The article also compares techniques the cases use to protect the phone and their drawbacks. For example, a case that ensures protection from water by fitting tightly may be difficult to put on and remove. Finally, the article also discusses how the different cases performed under various conditions, proclaiming that after the cased phones were ‘dropped on pavement, dipped in a river, and soaked in the rain… [they] have delivered on the marketing claims’. 

Considering this magazine and article is about the outdoors, I was surprised to learn that common technology (in this case smartphones) was actually used out there - previously I believed the outdoors and smartphones were about as far apart one could get from the other. This article caused me to think of the potential applications of other everyday technology in outdoor activities. It also made me realize just how much technology has permeated our everyday lives, and in places that we may never have considered before. The article inspired me to be more open to having technology that I utilize every day to be used outside of what I may consider ‘environmental safe-zones’ - places that are reliably safe for using technology. It also changed my attitude towards the uses of smartphone cases as mere accessories - this article proves that rugged cases that promise protection from the elements can actually work, a fact that I was previously hesitant about. 

In conclusion, while the article did not completely change my perspective on the use of technology outdoors, it shows that two worlds (the outdoors and everyday technology), ostensibly unrelated, can indeed interconnect. 

Scott-Clarke, April. “Put to the Test: Lifeproof Phone Case.” Ontario Out of Doors. Nov. 2013: 21. Print.

Is Scuba Diving Safe?

Is Scuba Diving Safe?- By Natalie Gibb

Link: http://scuba.about.com/od/divemedicinesafety/p/Is-Scuba-Diving-Safe-Or-Dangerous.htm

Rate: 4 Stars: I gave it 4 stars because even though the article effectively explained the risks of scuba diving and how to be safe i found there was some bias in the article towards scuba diving being extremely safe and i feel that there could of been more ways on how to be safe listed in this article.

When people think of "Scuba Diving" they think of going underwater, being unsafe and being worried that your air will run out but truly thats not the case in Scuba diving and it is not only proven in the article "Is Scuba Diving Safe?" but it is explained and shows how to be safe and what not to be worried about in the sport of scuba diving!

In the article "Is Scuba Diving Safe by Natalie Gibb" the writer talks about the factors in and deciding and preforming scuba diving and how to be safe. She explains the risk and non risk factors in the sport of scuba diving and explains the facts of death in the sport which is actually not that high and is proven when she says that "a diving fatality occurs in 1 out of every 211,864 dives" with the most common causes of death being a pre-existing disease, poor buoyancy control and rapid assent. Car accidents, pregnancy complications, skydiving and marathon runners dying of sudden cardiac arrest all have high death risks than scuba diving.She also outlines that even though the death rate is not through the roof there is still risks going below the water because "Humans are not built to breathe underwater" and that along as we use the proper equipment, guidelines and dive within our experience level that scuba diving isn't dangerous. Overall she tries to explain that scuba diving is not a dangerous sport and activity along as you prepare to be safe, follow the rules and NOT WORRY!

This article has affected me because now i have realized that scuba diving is actually a more safe sport and activity then i thought and that the death rate is quite lower then i had first imagined which makes feel much better when i plan and preform my next dive in the future. The article has also made me think about the equipment i have used in the past when i have dived and think about if it was safe and was the depth that i have dove to in my limits? In one case no i actually dove 100 feet below the ocean in Honolulu, Hawaii in which my licence only permits me to go down 60 feet which was behond my experience level for sure considering i just had got my licence a few days before the dive. In another case in Honolulu, Hawaii my own personal regulator was giving too much air out so i had to have a shorter dive and surface quicker which could of been dangerous if i have even farther than 60 feet. This has inspired me to change my behaviour to be more aware and now to dive within my limits and always check and double check all the equipment i use in the water right before i go down.

Overall i feel this article was a very good educational article for me but also potentially everyone that ever feels that they want to or are interested in scuba diving because it lists and explains the dangerous in diving and how to keep safe so i would easily recommend this article to anyone and everyone!

Live By Bike

Michael Roberts

Rating ***

 The article, “Live by Bike”, is an article written for the purpose of putting it out to the world that biking is a good alternative way of getting from one place to another. The article starts off about biking and how a man made a survey and the survey concluded numerous people enjoyed riding their bike and it actually made them happy. It also includes that biking is a growing mode of transportation around the world. The article continues to talk about new bike lanes, bike sharing programs, and how people are taking up biking as a way to save gas money. The article then ends with a list of positives of biking.

The article at hand did not have any effect on me as it stated many things any normal five year old would know. It included information that I already knew, less air pollution, good way to exercise, and adventurous. Though for the reader that doesn’t know much it would give them a positive outlook on biking. The article shares information on how the U.S has many bike safe lanes, how it can be an easy and great way to travel with families and places you could travel to on your bike. Overall the article may not have greatly impacted me, but it may be an excellent way to get a new biker on the road, and off into adventures. 

Roberts, Michael. "Live by Bike." Outside Online. Outside, 4 Dec. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. <http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/biking/Live-by-Bike-Reasons-For-Cycling-Health.html>.

Rethinking The Way We Manage Wolves in Canada

Author: Kevin Van Tighem
Rating: ****
March 24th 2014


   This article talks about wolves and hunting them.  The author makes it clear that people should stop hunting wolves because it can lead to a lot of problems.  If people starting hunting wolves and they kill the alpha animal then the pack may turn towards domestic livestock for their food.  Many farmers and owners of domestic livestock will be very upset because they will be losing their livestock and also losing money.  We do not have a good reason in this day in age to hunt wolves.  Wolves are not dangerous animals if you leave them alone but if they feel threatened they may attack.  I will never hunt wolves because it will cause too many problems down the road for people with domestic livestock.  I feel like the government should not allow people to hunt wolves anymore because there are way more negatives than positives.  If you like hunting then there are many other animals you can hunt besides wolves.  This article really showed me that hunting wolves is not right because the pack may turn towards domestic livestock for their food.

Cited:
Rethinking the way we manage wolves in Canada, Outdoor Canada RSS, 2014-03-24

By: Eric Boehling 

10 Reasons Why Winter Camping is Better Than Summer

10 Reasons Why Winter Camping is Better Than Summer - By Kevin Callan

Rating: ****

“How can camping during a freezing Canadian winter be better than summer camping?!” was my first thought as I read the title to this article. Sure, I’ve heard that it’s a “great experience” (probably more of a “once in a lifetime experience”), but I have never had the guts to go camping when it’s -20°C out, plus wind-chill. But I was quite surprised with what I read...

The article provides ten aspects that make winter camping unique, and possibly even better than summer camping. The number one reason is the “utter silence” that is even more astonishing than what you have during summer camping. Since there are no rustling leaves or insects buzzing constantly, you will hear virtually no noise as you lie in your tent, hopefully while being cozy and warm. Another one of a kind experience you can have while winter camping, that is impossible in the summer, is camping in a lowland swamp where you can find dry wood for fires and be shielded from the wind and blowing snow. Building campfires during the summer is a tradition, but huddling around a fire for warmth is necessary in the winter. This article explains what wood to use to build a warm and lasting fire. Since summer camping is much more popular than winter, there are no crowds in winter which means you can set up camp wherever you choose without having to worry about noisy neighbours. A great advantage of winter camping is that there are no bugs (except for snowfleas which don’t even bite)! Another unique and exhilarating experience that comes with sleeping on a frozen lake is hearing and feeling the ice crack beneath you. Although this may seem dangerous, it is only the ice expanding and shifting, which is normal. One reason why nature lovers enjoy camping is because they get to see wildlife in its natural environment. In the winter, they stand out against the white snow and are even easier to see, as there aren’t as many leaves to hide behind. During the summer, is difficult to go stargazing because the leaves of the trees on land block most of the sky, and getting into a canoe to get a clear view of the sky from the lake is not too comfortable in the middle of the night. In the winter, you can easily get a clear view of the skies and possibly even get to see the Northern Lights. Winter camping needs top quality gear so that you don’t freeze, which can be fun to shop for at many outdoor stores. And finally, if you ever go winter camping and come back without having lost any fingers or toes due to frostbite, you get to brag about and share your experience with others.

I never thought I would be saying this, but I now think that camping in the snow is something I might actually want to try out someday. Despite the cold, it could be an incredible camping trip where I would get to experience many new and exhilarating things described in this article. I wouldn’t have to worry about mosquitos or other biting insects, which absolutely love me in the summer… and it’s not a mutual affection. I could look at stars through a clearer sky than I ever have in the summer. And overall, I would be able to decide for myself if winter camping is truly better than summer camping.

Callan, Kevin. "10 Reasons Why Winter Camping is Better Than Summer." Explore Magazine. 14 Mar. 2014. <http://www.explore-mag.com/10_Reasons_Why_Winter_Camping_is_Better_Than_Summer>.

Hiking the North Coast Trail and Cape Scott Provincial Park

Hiking the North Coast Trail and Cape Scott Provincial Park- Unknown

****

      This Article mentions all about the great things about hiking in the Cape Scott Provincial Park, it gives you a breif history about Swedish settlement what the terrain looks like and what its like to be their. They mention a new more rugged path called, North coast trail. It is mostly beach, mud, and boardwalk. They mention the wildlife being a huge and rewarding experience Black bears live their but mostly keeps to themselves, and waking up to fresh wolf foot prints outside of their tent but never actually seeing a wolf.

      This article has inspired me to go out and experience beautiful and rare things in life that no one ever sees in their day to day life. I strongly agree with them when they say in the article "The North Coast Trail is incredibly beautiful, but it needs to be respected for its true wilderness location." Everything that is pure and untouched should stay that way.

http://coastalbliss.ca/Hiking_Information.shtml