| Are you looking for fresh ways to spend time | | | | geocachers enjoy playing the game in their |
| with your friends and family? Outdoor | | | | own neighborhoods. It's awesome! |
| activities getting a little boring are they? | | | | |
| With your fast paced life gaining speed all | | | | If a GPS receiver isn't in your budget right |
| the time, it's easy to stick to what's | | | | now, perhaps you might give Letterboxing a |
| familiar; but is that any way to live? Let's | | | | try. Letterboxing is similar to geocaching in |
| take a few minutes and look at how easy it is | | | | that you are searching for a hidden treasure, |
| to break out of the same-ole-routine and into | | | | but in this case it is called a box not a |
| the new with wholesome activities near home | | | | cache and you use clues versus coordinates to |
| and out of doors. Read on to see why it's | | | | locate the treasure. There are other |
| tough to beat having fun with friends and | | | | components to the Letterboxing game such as |
| family outdoors in the fresh air. | | | | rubber stamps and log books. Letterboxing is |
| | | | inexpensive, loads of fun and addictive. |
| One of the first things we notice as we step | | | | |
| outdoors and into nature is that we are not | | | | So what's next? How about the oldest of all |
| alone. Life surrounds us. So the first thing | | | | outdoor hobbies? That's right, stargazing. If |
| to do is to slow down and have a look around. | | | | you live in a large city and spend all of |
| While you're looking, why not do some bird | | | | your time there, it's easy to forget about |
| watching. It's fun, easy to do and | | | | the night sky because you can't see it. But |
| inexpensive. All you need are birds and they | | | | it's still there and provides breath taking |
| are everywhere. Make a family game out of it. | | | | views that are impossible to communicate. So |
| Who can find the first bird with the color | | | | grab a jacket, a pair of binoculars and a |
| blue on it? How many ducks are on the pond? | | | | loved one and go somewhere nearby where you |
| Are they all the same kind? You get the idea. | | | | can have an unobstructed view of the night |
| But be careful, once you start bird watching | | | | sky with as little light pollution as |
| you'll find it difficult to stop. Before long | | | | possible. With a pair of binoculars you |
| you'll have a good pair of birding binoculars | | | | should be able to see man-made satellites, |
| and a field guide for your part of the | | | | the moons of Jupiter and craters on our own |
| country. Then you'll be a bird watcher with | | | | Moon. Once you catch the stargazing fever |
| birding fever. The best part of bird watching | | | | you'll move up to a telescope where you can |
| is spending time with others outdoors; and | | | | point it virtually anywhere in the night sky |
| birding is a hobby you'll love for the rest | | | | and be awe struck. |
| of your life. | | | | |
| | | | There is so much available to us outdoors. |
| If you need a sport that's a little more high | | | | Try something new like bird watching, |
| tech, give geocaching a shot. Geocaching is | | | | geocaching, letterboxing or stargazing. Each |
| the sport where you use your handheld GPS | | | | of these activities has a large on-line |
| receiver to find caches hidden by others | | | | community ready to share its sport, its tips |
| using their GPS receivers. This is something | | | | and its passion with you. Visit our on-line |
| you can do by yourself, with friends or with | | | | education center and we'll point you in the |
| your children. Geocaching teaches outdoor | | | | right direction. |
| navigation in a fun and interactive way while | | | | |
| allowing you to explore your own neighborhood | | | | Not everyone has the skill or desire to climb |
| and beyond. You'll learn new words and | | | | Mount Everest, hike the Appalachian Trail or |
| phrases such as cache coordinates, travel | | | | sail the world's oceans. But there is |
| bugs, micro-caches, benchmarking and | | | | something everyone can do near their own |
| geoteaming. All you need is internet access | | | | homes that will open the eyes and their minds |
| and a GPS receiver; some GPS receivers retail | | | | to the beauty of nature. Take a few hours |
| for many hundreds of dollars but many models | | | | this week and spend it outdoors with someone |
| are available for around $100. Although the | | | | you like. Use this information and you'll Get |
| sport is active in over 200 countries, most | | | | It Right The First Time. Get Outdoors! |