Hiking boots step into the perfect fit

There are only two rules for buying hiking boots: good quality and good fit. But if it is that simple, why do so many hikers end up wearing poorly fitted boots?

According to Backpacker magazine, seventy percent of hikers wear boots that don't fit right -- and they often don't even know it. Their boots leave them with blisters and sore feet, but they think that's just part of hiking. Not so. Pain is not a natural part of enjoying the outdoors.

Boots that don't fit right can also lead to sore knees, ankles, hips, and back. After all, the 26 bones of your feet support the entire weight of your body and backpack. Since your boots determine the comfort and support of your feet, which in turn support your entire weight, hikers generally agree that the most important piece of hiking gear is the boot.

It is well worth it, therefore, to make the investment of time and money in finding the right boot. But what are the criteria to look for?

Quality:

When it comes to boots, you get what you pay for. Inexpensive boots are made from cheap materials that bind, chafe, and fail to protect your feet from moisture and other hazards. Manufactures cut down on costs by cutting corners; you pay the price in terms of lost comfort, and it is never worth the money you "saved."

You will be able to find an excellent boot for under $200, but unless it's on a super-sale, you probably won't find a quality boot for less than $100.

Features:

Look for at least two sets of lace-hooks at the top. Lace holes make it more difficult to adjust your lacing for up-and down-hill stretches, and manufactures of good boots know this.

The exterior material should be waterproof and durable. The interior material should be smooth; no chafing and no sticky, poking seeds.

The tongue should be pleated to keep out water. And the sole should have an effective traction design and be stiff enough for your typical use (trekkers carrying heavy packs need stiffer soles than day hikers, for instance).

Fit:

Don't even think about "breaking them in." Although hiking boots pack-down somewhat and form to your foot, boots that rub or bind anywhere will never fit right. Also, make sure that your toes have room. If they are touching the front of the boot at all, your downhill hikes will be painful, no matter how good you are at lacing.

Of course, shop for your hiking boots wearing the hiking socks you normally use so their thickness is part of the fit.

If you follow these guidelines, you will end up with hiking boots that will last for many years and make every hike a pleasure.

The sports column

It’s been a good, bad and ugly kind of week for me.

I hit the trifecta at Pimlico--that’s good.

My Little League kids went 0-3 with Coach Reavy in attendance--that’s bad.

And Wednesday night, upon hearing of the reality demise of my “dawg,” Elliot Yamin, I was both sad to hear the news and disappointed in the realization that I had just watched 12 straight episodes of American Idol, spanning two months--that’s...well, you get the point.

Fortunately for me, however, the sports world is never without its good, bad and ugly moments also.

Here are the high (and low)lights of the week that’s passed.

The Good:

Barry Bonds’ 714th homerun ball--for Tyler Snyder, the guy who caught it. Surely the eBay--er, Bay Area-- faithful are proud of their slugger, and might even open up their checkbooks to make a bid for the historic blast. But, to me, nothing tells the story more beautifully than these four words uttered by Tyler, the soon-to-be rich Athletics fan (thanks to Bonds), after the game: “I hate that guy.”

The NBA playoffs. While the highlight of my basketball season is admittedly the NBA draft, I can’t help but marvel at the fantastic series that have been played up to this point. It really has made me forget that the NHL is on strike. (Editor’s note: Kevin doesn’t receive the OLN channel.)

After dropping five straight, the Phillies finally won.

The Bad:

After dropping five straight, the Phillies finally won.

Cubs catcher, Michael Barrett, punched AJ Pierzynski after a collision at home plate. This is a bad thing only because I think Barrett may have hurt his hand when delivering the blow.

NBC started airing episodes of the “National Heads-Up Poker Championship.” This might be a good thing had ESPN not decided to air roughly 300 episodes of World Series of Poker tournaments on a constant loop on ESPN channels 1thru 6. This would be cool if the World Poker Tour and Celebrity Poker Who Gives a Crap weren’t already force-feeding its addictive felt-and-clay-chip abundant allure down my throat. Instead, it’s overkill. Not because I hate watching poker shows on TV, but because I watch all of them. And I need my life back.

The Ugly:

Just one thing...

Kobe’s attire on "Inside the NBA" last Wednesday. Because nothing says street cred like a powder-blue sweater vest.

--

That will do it for this week’s edition of The Sports Column. If I can avoid the TiVo-limit hold ‘em barrage this week, I’ll try to keep an eye out for the top stories for next time.

Until then, enjoy the news as it happens.

Bullfight blues

Spain's notorious Bullfight is one of the most famous customs upheld by the Spanish. It draws attention worldwide from people who just love the sport, and also from many others who are agains't this barbaric onslaught.

I hasten to add that this kind of entertainment is not for me, but for many thousands that travel to watch a Bullfight they get to mingle with the dedicated locals who have a tradition to uphold. This is a sure sign that they do not feel the way I do.

Stuffed like sardines into a jam packed arena, avid enthusiasts who in support of this sport continue to excite each other with roars of encouragement for the Bullfight to commence. Cheers of Ole is how excited spectators greet this mighty powerful bull as he makes his grand entance and presence known to all.

Confused and not sure as to why he was the center of attention, the bull decides to take advantage of his new famed popularity by giving a priceless perfomance to the maddening crowd. He would do this by digging his hoof into the ground beneath him sending dust clouds swirling into the air while at the same time from his steaming nostrils an encore of snorts.

Looking more like a riot at football match the cramped stadium and all the commotion makes the beast very nervous.

Why he was summoned here today he did not know - but he was soon to find out.

What on earth is the Bull thinking?

Sheer jubilation among the crowds as the adrenalin began to pump for all who had gathered to this event, as it was only minutes away before the Bullfight.

Picadores armed with lances announce there presence into the arena on horseback to a stadium of screaming fans. All mounts blind folded.

These men (Picadores) Their job is to tantalise and maim the bull before slaughter. This is done by following orders that on departure from the ring that they leave all weapons behind, and they do just that.

Pierced in-between the shoulder blades of a very frightened Bull.

What on earth is that Bull thinking now?

This is just the beginning of the end. Stunned dazed and hurting, the bull now with so many body piercings still manages a few breathless snorts. The reflection of his image is like that of a voodoo doll. Not a pretty sight.

The efforts of the Picadores were never enough at a bullfight, you have the Banderilleros whose mission is to distract the bull, and they would do this by running in circles in and around the animal thus making him tired and dizzy.

How do you distract a dying bull with so much blood loss? not a hard job, the bull's options for escape are zilch.

Stabbed and drained of his almighy strength and unable to raise his head due his injuries. Makes the bull an easy target for any Matador.

In all his finery the murderer oops sorry Matador enters the arena. Black beret, jewelled bolero red cape and breeches buttoned at the knees..This sight alone was enough to scare any bull.

Spurred on by the cheering crowds to cast the fatal blow, the Matador provokes his dying opponent to charge. All attempts made by this sad oh so sad disoriented bull to retaliate to the words TORO were not that of a fully charged up angry irate bull. Amenesty is given to the bull should the Matador miss his target. A slayer is called in to put the beast out of his misery by cutting the spinal cord with a dagger. Has this bull not had enough stabbings for the day? This action can go terribly wrong leaving the bull conscious paralysed and in severe pain.

Remove the lances and spears

Replace the blood loss with a transfusion

Give the bull back his pride

Now throw the Matador back in in to the ring 100% hero of the day THE BULL

Want to know what the bull was thinking (What did I do to deserve this)

To think a couple of hours before the Bullfight this bull was chewing the cud in fields of green.

Expectations for the next olympic team

I think everyone would remember a while ago when Rasheed Wallace either wasn't talking to reporters or cursing them. Once in one of the great playoff moments, the NBA forced Wallace to talk to reporters after several fines and Wallace answered every question, "Both teams played hard."

To the common folk it might seem like Wallace doesn’t care about his teammates but for us NBA fans it is clear that he does. He has proven to be an excellent and reliable teammate on a terrific Pistons team that just finished its season series with the Spurs with a second straight blowout win.

Wallace as an Olympian comes to mind with the sudden rush of NBA players to play for the 2008 team in Beijing that includes participation in the world championships in Japan this summer.

Allen Iverson said he wants another chance; so do Paul Pierce, Baron Davis and Carmelo Anthony. Let's say this: If any of them are on the team, it means the selection process still is flawed and is about marketing and selling stars rather than building a winning team.

There has been a burst of publicity lately that Iverson is a changed, respected, responsible man. Perhaps, Pierce got most of the blame for what happened at the 2002 World Games sixth-place finish under George Karl, but Golden State's Davis also had some part in it. USA Basketball executives were furious at Davis, so it was comical to hear him add his name to the list last week as he seems about to put another coach on the unemployment line. There was a confrontation last week when a columnist reported a verbal attack by Davis. Yep, we want that guy in a USA jersey.

That brings us to Anthony, he is putting up quite a scoring season and hit his second game-winning shot in a row last week. It was the fifth of his NBA career, an interesting contrast with

Anthony is a remarkable offensive talent, and has had a career full of embarrassments already from refusing to enter games as a rookie to that drug-glorifying DVD he made in Baltimore last year. But he was a major problem on the 2004 team from his trash-talking and childish behavior in practices to wearing his pants like a handyman with a heavy tool belt, much to the disappointment of USA Basketball officials.

The next Olympic team could do without all of them, especially because there are enough excellent perimeter and wing players. James and Bryant are two taken spots, and Dwyane Wade should be added. Maybe Gilbert Arenas gets a spot, too, though scoring won't be a problem. Chauncey Billups would be a good choice when looking for facilitators and defenders and Bulls' Kirk Hinrich remains high on the list of possibilities.

The problem is big men. Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal are not expected to play.

Paintball -- retreat to win

Suppression is a way of distracting the opponent so that they fall short by not seeing the other team that is already starting to invade. Suppression's goal is not to get rid of enemies. Control and concentration are needed to keep a team member from shooting.

A team who uses suppression as a tactic should consist of three or more players. Each member must know that their main objective is not to eliminate the other team's members; although that could be true in other events. Movements during this game should be accurate and targets must be aligned in order to make sure that the opposing team is unaware of the suppression. A steady target and aiming of fire from the suppression players must not be in unison to leave the enemies with a puzzled feeling.

When making an assault, two or more of the paintball players who are making the suppression constantly distract one of the opponent's players in order to disguise the players who are about to invade and attack the opposing team. Suppression often conceals the other players and if done well, would eventually destroy the enemies who would have to retreat and could soon be eliminated when caught.

The other role that is played by the rest of the team is invading. The players that are involved in the invasion must try very hard to hide themselves from the opponents while the suppression team is doing their job. This requires patience, control, and discipline to keep from firing in order to save the position. Make sure that with one shot severe damage to the opposing team is incurred rather than firing at one enemy player that did not realize the invader was there.

The invasion players target at least the majority of the opposing team's players. Once they are in position to capture the flag, they must fire with great power and with full force. Since paintball guns are really loud, as soon as players start hitting target it must be accurate as there is no turning back. Enemies will know where the guns are firing from so the invasion team will have to incur damage all at once to keep the opponent from counter attacking. This will be shown by the amount of paint that is shot at the other team.

Chess is all about strategy and tactics

Chess is all about strategy and tactics. Each chess player commands an army of 16. In beginning players bring out their forces to prepare for combat. Players maneuver to carry out attacks and counterattacks. At the end of the game there are fewer pawns and pieces left on the board. This is when it's safe for the king to come out and take part in the battle. Here are some tips to improve your chess game.

1. Planning. Is important that you plan your attack. Your opponent will have an easy time defending themselves if you attack here in one move and do something totally different in the next. All the pieces must work together to be effective. Think of your chess men as a team and you are the coach. They must work together using their strengths and weaknesses to support each other.

2. Know the values that you place on your pieces. Consider carefully any time that you think about giving up one of your pieces to your opponent.

3. Pay attention to what your opponent is doing. Every time your opponent moves stop and think about what their strategy might be. Are there any threats that you should be on the watch out for? Is one of your men in danger? The only to successfully defend yourself is to understand what your opponent is doing.

4. Develop quickly and well. Timing is very important in chess. If your men are ready for action and to move quickly you'll be able to control the course of the game.

5. Keep your king safe at all times. The object of the game is to capture the king. Your opponent is seeking to hunt down and capture your king. Make sure you have a plan to protect your king.

6. Always make the best possible move. You should ask yourself some questions before making a move. Will this move improve my position by increasing the effectiveness of my piece? Does this move help to defend against my opponents threats?

7. If it is pawn, consider how you can keep it protected from attack.

8. If it is another piece that you're moving consider whether the enemy can drive it away.

9. The alert. Once you've reached a good strong position in the game it is important that you do not relax. This is a common mistake. You must always be watching for your opponents threats.

10. Know when to trade pieces. The best time to trade pieces is when you can capture a piece worth more than the one you're giving up.

11. Consider the end of the game. Always remember that every move you make can affect your chances in the end game.

12. Control the center. The player that controls the four squares in the center of the board will have the advantage in the game.

If you practice and consider these tips you'll improve your chess game.

All about pool cue tips

Do you think that your choice in tips is the right choice or simply politically correct? What I mean by politically correct is, is your choice in tips controlled by the opinion of your peers or some professional player that you know, or is it based on fact? By the end of this article you should be able to answer this question for youself.

What are the differences in pool cue tips?

As you probably already know, you have everything from very soft singlepiece animal skin tips from various types of animals (elk, cow, water buffalo and cape buffalo) to very hard single piece animal skins. There is also the laminated tips ranging anywhere from three to fifteen layers. The laminated tips also range from soft to extremely hard using various animal skins and tannages. The end result is a myriad of confusing choices. I would like to unmuddy the water for you somewhat. All of these variables can impact power, accuracy, and your sight picture.

First let's assume that you already know that the shape or radius of the tip is of utmost importance and must be maintained at all times during gameplay. That very important shape that I just mentioned is the radius of a dime (roughly) or a "0.375" radius. In other words, hold a dime edgewise up to your tip and look over the top... If it does not match the shape or radius of a dime on the top of your tip, you've already got a problem.

When the ball is struck by the tip, the portion of the tip that takes the force is no more than an eighth of an inch offcenter in all directions. This is true regardless of whether you've struck the cue ball a sixteenth off center, or a full tip off center. What this radius does is generate the force, regardless of where it is struck, to the center of the tip and down through the center of your cue. Soft tips create more distortion than harder tips. In otherwords, a larger area of the tip makes contact and wraps around the cue ball in the case of a soft tip. This may give you more tip confidence, particularily if you're a beginner, because you will miscue less, despite having a sloppy stroke; but, the price you will pay is less power and a whole lot more deflection of the cue ball, because you have moved all of the tip to one side of the cue ball with virtually no penetration. On the other hand, a hard tip will focus the energy in a much smaller area at impact and will give you a higher degree of penetration. When I speak of penetration, I mean the force being directed to the cue ball by virtue of the direction the cue is being swung or pointed and that force penetrates the cue ball in the direction that the shaft or cue is being driven. As an added bonus, a harder tip lasts longer.

What about miscueing with hard cue tips?

The simple fact of the matter is, that the small, glasslike particles of chalk, which cause the friction, are held higher up on the surface on a hard tip so that they will penetrate deeper into the surface of the cueball at impact. A soft tip allows more particles to come into contact because of it's increased tip surface at impact; however, though there be more particles in contact with the cue ball, it does not penetrate the cue ball as deeply and therefore creates less friction per particle. Bottomline: You have the choice of either more particles penetrating less or fewer particles penetrating more... The net total friction is about a trade-off. Whether the tip you choose is one single piece of hide or laminated multipe pieces of hide, the key issue is the more penetration means more accuracy, more power, and tremendously less cue ball deflection and negative effects on your sight picture. As a side note: You've probably noticed, if you've played much, that a tip plays its best just before it has to be changed. This is because it has been pounded enough through constant play to make the tip more dense (harder in all areas).

What does Meucci Originals do with this information?

After testing every tip on the market, and measuring it's resultant power and deflection variation, we have found that a hard tip with even harder outside edges around the circumference will perform the best. Harder outside edges so that the energy is directed into the cue will be focused more towards the center of the shaft, while at the same time keeping the outside walls of the tip from breaking down. There is only two ways to get this result: 1. A hard water buffalo tip. or 2. To compress the tip of your choice as hard as you can, then shape to a dime radius and then pound the outside edges to further harden the circumference and reshape that area to be once again a dime radius.

We take both the latter and former choice at Meucci Originals with the well-known Le Professional tips or hard water buffalo tips. I hope I haven't caused you even more confusion. I think the choice should now be simple: your choice should be made according to knowledge and experience instead of the fashion of the day.

Finding secret swimming holes

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Swimming holes have a certain nostalgic feel about them. Long before swimming pools were common and in areas where there weren't many beaches, kids had to go to a wide spot in a stream, or to an old rock quarry to swim. Perhaps you did this as a child. Well, these spots are still out there, and they are not just for the kids.

Searching For A Swimming Hole

When we recently moved from Arizona to Canon City (pronounced canyon) in Colorado, we were looking forward to having water around. One of the real estate agents at the closing on our house told us about a swimming hole he had been to. He even drew us a small map, and it wasn't more than a week before we went looking for it.

We took highway 50 west out of town, then went north on highway 9. We came to Road # 11, and consulting our hand-drawn map, took a right. Fifteen minutes later we passed the turnoff to Cripple Creek, and a couple miles further we came over a hill. There was a parking area on the left, with a sign that had the various BLM regulations posted for the area.

Across the road and over a hill, a small trail started down a narrow gorge. It was beautiful, with large boulders, cliffs on both sides, and flowers everywhere. The stream was very small, however, so we wondered if it could really produce any decent swimming holes. About a mile down the trail we got our answer.

We saw the kids before we saw the water. There were a dozen young men and women, aged 16 to 22, sitting on rocks and grass and all looking in one direction. Following their gaze we looked in time to see one of them jump off a cliff and into a swimming hole that was about 40 feet across.

Of course I had to try it, so I climbed the hill above the hole and crossed over to the rocks. There was a rope to help me descend the last part, down to a low part of the cliff, just fifteen feet above the water. The deepest, and therefore safe, part of the water was probably only seven or eight feet across, so you have to jump with some accuracy. After leaning over the edge and staring down at the water for a minute or more, a young guy decided that I should go first. I jumped quickly, because hesitation just makes it worse.

I didn't hit bottom, and the water was deliciously cold. Afterwards Ana and I sat by the water and watched some of the crazier stunts. Two guys actually jumped off a sixty-five foot cliff on the other side of the swimming hole, fortunately landing in just the right part of the hole. It was almost too nerve-wracking to watch, so we walked down the stream, where we watched the trout scattering. It was a wonderful hike.

Finding Secret Swimming Holes

To find these spots, ask the locals. If you buy county map books for the states you'll be in, you can look for little ponds and lakes that have only trails going to them. You can also watch for anyplace that cars are parked, on the weekends especially. If people in shorts going off into the woods with a large cooler and a towel, you can be sure they aren't just hiking. In any case, it is a lot of fun just doing the exploring, even if you don't find any swimming holes.

Bowling ball benefits features

Bowling balls can be made of rubber, plastic or urethane. Serious bowler can order a custom made ball instead of always borrowing or renting one from the bowling alley.

Since balls are made of different materials, the performance of each varies depending on the floor surface. Bowling balls can be ordered in different weights. They range from 12 to 16 pounds and will work for any bowler, regardless of gender or age.

The Brunswick 'Scorchin Inferno' bowling ball is a good example. This high performance model is an upgrade from the 'Ultimate Inferno' and has proven to be one of the best sellers in the company's inventory. It's cover stock is the 'Activator Max' and performs best when used in a lane that requires heavy oil.

Another good ball is the 'Columbia Action Packed Bowling Ball'. This high performance ball does well and works best under medium lane conditions. Its cover stock is the 'M80^2' and is guaranteed to do well for the player who likes to make strikes.

The elite 'R43' bowling ball is one that can work in light or heavy oil conditions. Manufactures claim that the weight block, which is the energy transfer core of this ball, will increase the chances of putting more pins down than any other ball because it delays the transfer of energy until the point of impact.

Proper care must be taken to ensure the bowling ball is in tip top condition at all times. This means it should not be dropped which could cause damage to the ball and injure the people around.

The ball should be kept at room temperature and stored in a bag when it is not being used to prevent stress. The owner should polish it from time to time or take it to the pro shop to be refinished.

The customized bowling ball should only be used by the owner. This is because the holes were measured only to fit the fingers of the user and not anyone else. Letting someone else use it may injure the borrower. There are many bowling balls to choose from and the price of them range from $100 to $300. They come in many colors and designs which will stand out in the bowling alley. By looking at the conditions of the bowling alley, the bowler will find the right ball to get the job done.