Category — outdoor activities

My dreams of chilling outside on the chaise lounge didn’t exactly pan out this weekend, since I spent both days doing wild bike rides at Sullivan Canyon.  The weather was pretty warm on Saturday, so we decided to take the shadier single trail up to the top.  I got almost to the top, then decided I would be having a lot more fun riding back down, so I did that instead.  It was a blast. 

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It has been an exciting week in America, but it has also been a crazy long week at work, so  I cannot wait for this day to be over.  Tomorrow I am anticipating a relaxing day on the patio furniture, watching some football games and drinking some beers.    I hope everyone has a great relaxing  weekend as well!

I have been spending a little too much time relaxing on the patio furniture these past few weeks and I am starting to feel like the extra holiday pounds are hitting me a little earlier this year, so I am thinking about fun ways to motivate myself to get back into shape.  There are a couple of interesting local races and maybe if I can muster up the energy to do a little training, I will try one.  Here’s a rundown:

San Dimas Turkey Trot and Turkey Tri

Dana Point Turkey Trot

Gene Galindo Memorial Turkey Trot Cross

Topanga Turkey Trot

Lake Balboa Turkey Trot in Van Nuys

Whew, I am a bit exhausted just thinking about it.  I will blame it on the daylight savings time change this past weekend and not all the Halloween partying.

Although I love spending time outdoors, I have never been a big fan of hunting.  I like archery and even can see the fun in shooting at targets, but I really don’t think I would enjoy killing an animal.   However, I grew up in a state that has a school holiday for the first day of deer hunting season, so I have heard many arguments on both sides of the debate, and in general, I can respect hunters who eat what they kill and comply with regulations regarding how much they can kill per season.

In some areas where natural predators were long ago decimated by encroaching human settlement, deer overpopulate very quickly and many would starve in winter because their habitats can’t support increased populations.  At least hunting in this kind of controlled manner provides an offset like the one provided by natural predators, and the population as a whole stays at a sustainable size.  Plus, the people who hunt and eat the meat are spared the expense of purchasing the meat, and they have less reason to be concerned about chemicals, hormones or pollutants in their meat.  Everyone I know who hunts is pretty respectful of the process, stalking their prey on foot as a natural predator would, and aiming to make their kill as quick and painless for the deer as possible.

But there are many people who view hunting as a sport to be enjoyed simply for the joy of killing something, and that’s what I have a major problem with.  I think it’s unconscionable to hunt animals from helicopters or other moving vehicles for fun, and it is wasteful and immoral to kill animals you don’t intend to eat, unless they are somehow a legitimate threat.  The issue of aerial hunting has really caught the public attention this year, and this video shows what a horrible practice it is:

Obviously, I am really appalled by aerial hunting, but I am curious how other people feel.  Please take my quick poll if you have a second!  Thanks!

Just a reminder: Tomorrow is Park(ing) Day LA, so be sure to check out the temporary green zones in your neighborhood!

Maybe Park(day) LA will help inspire some creative urban garden ideas!

It’s time once again for Silver Lake’s world famous Sunset Junction Street Fair. That means lots of great people, great food and drinks, and of course, great music. If you don’t live in Silver Lake and are just visiting for Sunset Junction, it’s also a great time to take a walk up some of the amazing Silver Lake stairs and hills. The climbs up Micheltorena St., Golden Gate Ave. and Maltman Ave. all provide amazing views of the city and a nice leg workout. Just remember to wear a comfortable pair of walking or running shoes, and have a great time!

I just realized that Labor Day is right around the corner and I haven’t even thought about making plans for the long weekend. Although I’d love to get some biking under my belt, I think I’d prefer to stay close to town instead of scrambling to come up with ideas for a destination that won’t be packed for the last holiday of the summer. Besides, it’s been a few weeks since I last visited the farmer’s market, so Labor Day is a great excuse to invite some friends over and grill up some market-fresh veggie kabobs along with steaks and burgers. There is nothing like outdoor cooking and entertaining to celebrate the end of summer.

I basically want to do a fuss-free yet fabulous evening with friends. I think the best way to pull it off is with some food that is relatively easy to cook, like steak and kabobs, with a couple unique side dishes and cocktails. I still haven’t set the menu, but luckily I found these great Labor Day party planning links:

• Food Network: Labor Day Recipes
• About.com: A Labor Day End of Summer Party
• All Recipes: Labor Day
• Rachael Ray: Labor Day Party

If you enjoy cycling and would like to expose your child to it too, there are some safe ways to do so. You may want to hit clear paths to help them get used to riding on dirt, rocks and twigs first. There are all types of kid bicycles and motorized bikes you can train your children on. You can find something for every stage of bike riding – from training wheels to extreme dirt biking.

For the really early stages, you can attach your little one’s stroller to the back of your bike.

This is the Chariot Corsaire XL Bicycle Trailer, perfect for bringing along your young child on biking trails with you. Some even fit two children.

Of course there’s the traditional child bike seat, which is attached to the back of your bike.

After having some practice with training wheels, you can purchase this to ensure they don’t wander off or get lost with this InStep Pathfinder Bicycle Trailer. The two back wheels detach, and it can be attached to any bike.

Stepping up from the bicycle trailer is this towable trailer. It comes with practicing training wheels and a detachable towing device for outdoor trips.

For the children who are beyond training wheels and towing behind mom and dad and are ready for Moto-X, there are kids dirt bikes made specifically for youngsters. These are scaled down versions of actual dirt bikes and look extra cool. Surely your tween would enjoy one. Some go up to 17 mph.

Adi at Yoga Today has done it again, this time creating an amazing yoga workout for rock climbers. It’s also a great workout for anyone who wants to challenge themselves and stay relaxed while facing down their fears. This yoga class comes at a perfect time for me, because I have been really nervous and unable to focus on the rocks lately. Adi’s anti-fear approach to poses, reminding her yoginis that “sometimes life is tough” and we need to “learn how to relax”, really helped me fight through the anxiety I’ve been feeling about climbing on recent trips.

The video also reminded me that it’s time to add some straps and yoga blocks to my fitness equipment collection. I have been meaning to get some every since I started doing Jason Crandell from Yoga Journal’s Morning Wake-up Routine. Yoga for Rock Climbing challenged my balance and stability so much that I definitely need the blocks now. But that’s OK, because challenges are a good thing.

I had so much fun kayaking while I was on vacation. It was my first time in a kayak, and while it did take me a few minutes to get the hang of it, I eventually learned and had a great time trying. The kayaks allowed us to get some great close up views of nature, including blue herons and some unexplored rock formations on the river’s steeper bank. We paddled about a mile upstream and circled an island before letting the river carry us back to the bank we started at.

Kayaking is a surprisingly tough workout, though: I was sure my occasional climbing and pretty regular weight training would have helped get my muscles into shape for paddling, but I was very sore around the shoulders the day after kayaking. I started looking into some workouts that are specifically designed to help kayakers so I am in better condition next time I go out for a paddle. Check out these great links for training info:

Body Results: Kayaking, Canoeing & Paddling Exercises

Sports Scholarships: Kayak, Outdoor Activites

Rapid Ascent: Gym Exercise for Kayak Strength

Body Shop: Strength Training for Paddle Sports