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Boomerangs A boomerang is a curved instrument -- usually made of wood -- that, when thrown in a particular manner, can be made to fly away and return. Boomerangs were invented in Australia. (In fact, the name "boomerang" is derived from "bumariny", a word from Dharuk, the Aboriginal language of southeast Australia.) Today, boomerangs are used around the world for fun, and there are various boomerang organizations and competitions. These sites contain collections of boomerang-related links and information, as well as instructions to help you learn how to throw and catch. Hint: If you are left-handed, be sure to use a left-handed boomerang. Web:
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Bungee Jumping Wow! Bungee jumping! Get yourself to a place that is high (a bridge, a crane, a tower, whatever), with nothing around you but air. Fasten yourself into a harness attached to a thick, strong, elastic cord connected to the top of the high place. Hold your breath, close your eyes, jump! Wow! Now do it again. Ready for more? Try it from a helicopter. Web:
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Camping There are various ways to go camping. Basically, you can either drive to the campground or you can walk (at least from a trailhead). If you drive, there is a big dichotomy between those people who go car camping and those who have recreational vehicles (RVs). If you like to camp, here is information that will be useful no matter what your modus operandi. In particular, you can read the various camping FAQs (frequently asked question lists) and use the Net to help you find a campground. Web:
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Cave Exploring If you like crawling around in something that is cool, dark and wet, you are digging in the right place. Here are the connections you need to speleological societies and cave exploration information around the world. Web:
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Climbing Trapped indoors but ready to go climbing? Help ease the pain by checking out the great climbing resources on the Net. These Web sites have lots of pictures of climbing, information about climbing, in fact, just about everything about climbing and related activities. On Usenet you can find open discussion about climbing techniques, specific climbs and competition announcements. Web:
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Fishing There's got to be something special about the type of guy who would spend all day on a boat just to catch a fish that he could buy in the supermarket for $3. One such special guy is my lawyer, Bill. He loves sitting out on his boat waiting for The Big Catch. This is good for me, because every now and then he'll bring me some fresh salmon or sea bass. However, his hobby is not without its attendant risks. Not long ago, he was fishing out of state. A friend of his who trains dolphins asked Bill if he would mind catching some fish to bring back as a treat for the dolphins. The day he was to start back, Bill happened to talk to his friend who told him the dolphins had been behaving badly lately and causing a lot of problems. Fortunately for Bill, he is a trained lawyer who is able to see the hidden pitfalls in any situation, and it was the work of a moment for him to tell his friend that he wouldn't be bringing any fish home. As Bill later explained it to me, this was a close call because in the United States it is illegal to transport fish across state lines for immoral porpoises. Web:
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Hiking and Backpacking There are a lot of great hiking trails in the world, but what really makes a trip enjoyable is to find a wonderful place before it gets too popular. Years ago, I had some wonderful times hiking at a small park near the Big Sur area on the California coast. The hike from the parking area to the ocean was pleasant and, along the way, I would pass through an open meadow, a forest with tall trees, and thick bushes. At the end of the trail was a beautiful cove where small cliffs, covered entirely with sand, overlooked the beach. I remember once visiting the area with one of my good friends. We hiked to the end of the trail and then climbed up the cliffs with our backpacks. At the top of the cliff, we walked down to the end of a point which was surrounded almost entirely by water and had a breathtaking ocean view. We camped out on that very spot, snug at night in our sleeping bags, lying between bushes of wild sage. It was one of those trips that I will never forget and, even with the passing of the years, the sounds and the sights and the smells remain fresh in my mind. Web:
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Human-Powered Vehicles Human-powered vehicles (HPV) are designed so that the only power they use is supplied by the muscular effort of a human being. For example, a bicycle is a HPV. However, there are much more elaborate and efficient devices, both for traveling on land and in the air. The fastest land-based HVPs have achieved speeds of over 60 miles per hour (95 kph). Learn how to build and power these unique vehicles, and you can save the environment and get healthy at the same time. Web:
Hunting There are many aspects to hunting and a lot to discuss. Here are the resources you need to get started. The Usenet groups and mailing lists are for discussion of various hunting-related topics (although, these are not the proper places to discuss the politics of gun control). The Web sites contain information on many hunting-related topics such as equipment (including firearms and bows), animals, organizations, and -- assuming all goes well on your outing -- recipes. Web:
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Inline Skating A long, long time ago, there was roller skating. Roller skates were flat pieces of metal with wide, shallow hooks on the sides and small metal wheels on the bottom. To use the skates, you had to attach them to your shoes. You would use a "skate key" to widen the hooks, slap a skate on your shoe, and then use the key to tighten the hook, which would hold the skate onto your shoe. If you were really cool, you would walk around with your skate key hanging on a piece of string around your neck. Eventually, the original roller skates were replaced by boots that had attached wheels, which themselves were replaced by inline skates (in which the thin hard rubber wheels are mounted in a straight line). What hasn't changed through the years is the tendency of boys who have access to anything that moves to do dangerous things their mothers shouldn't know about. Web:
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Mountain Biking Mountain bikes are designed for riding off-road, in particular, up and down narrow, winding trails. I have a mountain bike, and I have had a lot of fun riding it. Here is my advice: If you stay on mostly flat, mostly smooth areas, it's mostly straightforward. But if you decide to get into real mountain biking, on real mountain trails, you need to develop real skills. Although biking skills are generally learned by trial and error, these resources can help you enjoy the trial and avoid the error. Web:
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Nude Beaches If you have never spent an afternoon at a nude beach, you don't know what you are missing. But don't worry, I can show you what it is like right now. Wherever you are, take off your clothes and, for the next 30 minutes, lie down on the floor and think pleasant thoughts. (If you are reading this in a bookstore, you can tell the manager I said that after the 30 minutes are up he or she must give you a discount.) Now, wasn't that great? Doesn't that make you want to try out a real nude beach? Web:
Orienteering and Rogaining Grab a map and a sack lunch and head to the woods for some exciting, competitive, cross-country navigation. If you think trying to read a map while driving through Los Angeles is bad, try doing it in the middle of a forest where all the trees look the same and there are no road signs or even flushable toilets. Learn about orienteering and rogaining -- the rules, how to compete, and what other people are doing. Web:
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Outdoor and Recreation Resources Get out into the sunshine and fresh air. When you want to know where to go and what to do, take a look at all this great information. You'll find loads of stuff to read about things to do and places to visit: national parks, forests, wilderness areas, hiking, biking, fishing and climbing. Web:
Paintball When I was a young lad at summer camp, one of my favorite outdoor games was "Capture the Flag". Paintball is a modern version of that same game. There are two teams, each of which must defend a home base, called a flag station. Within the flag station is a flag. The goal of each team is to be the first to capture the other team's flag and bring it back to their own flag station. During the game, players use special guns to shoot at one another. The guns shoot small, harmless, paint-filled balls (hence, the name of the game) that mark, but do not injure the opposing players. Once a player is hit, he or she is eliminated from the game. Do you like the idea of sneaking around, trying to eliminate other people before they eliminate you? If so, paintball is the game for you. (Either that or local politics.) Web:
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Paragliding Paragliders are the most simple of all aircraft. They consist of a canopy (which acts like a wing), risers (cords) and a harness (suspended from the risers). Where I live there are a lot of paragliders and, when you watch them, they look like large colorful birds, slowly soaring back and forth across the sky. Paragliders are flown and landed with no artificial source of energy -- just the wind, gravity and the pilot's muscles. Unlike a hang glider, a paraglider does not have a rigid frame -- the shape of the canopy is maintained by air pressure. In addition, paragliders are easier to manage and handle than hang gliders. (A paraglider can be folded into a package the size of a large backpack.) Web:
Radio-Controlled Model Aircraft For people who like model aircraft, nothing can be more fun than spending a Saturday afternoon out in a large field, putting your favorite radio-controlled (R/C) airplane through its paces. To be good at flying a model plane, you have to understand a lot about flight and flying in general. At these sites you can read about buying, building, learning to fly, gliders, powering with gas or electricity, helicopters, aerodynamics, and supplies and materials. For discussion, you can talk to the many radio-controlled-aircraft buffs on Usenet. Web:
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Sand Castles Who has not played around at the beach with a small plastic pail and shovel, and built a sand castle? Well, that can be fun, but if you really want to get serious, try sand sculpture. Start by planning and erecting a form. Fill the form with hundreds of pails of wet sand, and use sculpting tools to carefully create an elaborate work of art. Then, after six or more hours, take a few pictures and walk away. Eventually, the water will evaporate, the sand will collapse, and the tide will remove the remains. Never mind. You can start again another day. (Hint for beginners: Use really wet sand and don't pound it. Just pour and jiggle.) Web:
Scuba Diving The Net has lots of resources for the recreational and technical scuba diving community. You'll find mailing list archives, a database of diveable shipwrecks, reviews of dive gear and equipment, details of popular dive destinations, lists of training agencies, clubs, underwater pictures, a catalog of marine fish and invertebrates, classified ads, weather maps, and lots more. Web:
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Shooting Shooting and guns are enjoyed by many people, either as a recreational activity or as part of an organized competition. The Web sites I have listed here will lead you to a large number of shooting and gun resources on the Net. For an ongoing discussion, you can participate in the rec.guns Usenet group. If you are concerned about the politics of gun ownership -- a highly contentious area of debate -- you can join the discussion in talk.politics.guns. Web:
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Skateboarding Fun does not have to be complex. Take a plank, slap some wheels on it and suddenly you have a sport. Today's equipment is a lot better built, but the basic idea is the same. Skateboard enthusiasts can check out lots of good skateboarding stuff on the Net. Web:
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Skydiving It seems as if jumping out of a perfectly good airplane would be a foolish thing to do. Actually, it isn't -- not if you have the right equipment and you know what you are doing. I've been skydiving several times and, I can tell you, it's a wonderful thing to do, so why not give it a try? Web:
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Snowboarding Snowboarding is a sometimes difficult, but always enjoyable, sport in which you ride a large, skateboard-shaped board down a hill of snow. There are snowboarders all over the world -- wherever there is snow -- and one of them can be you. Web:
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Snowmobiles A snowmobile is one thing at which you won't have to yell, "Mush!" Feed it some gas, tell it you love it, then ride like a maniac across the frozen tundra (or whatever happens to be in front of you). Avid snowmobile fans tell how they keep their machines happy, safe and healthy. Web:
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Surfing When I was a graduate student in San Diego, I took a surfing class during my first year. Since then, I have spent a lot of time in the ocean with my boogie board. This, of course, significantly enhances my skill as a writer.The nice thing is, now that we have the Net, you don't have to go to college just to learn how to surf. Web:
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Swimming Swimming is a wonderful activity. It's great exercise and a lot of fun. When I was a tiny kid, my mother took me to the local Y, and (according to my father), I was swimming in the pool before I could even walk. When I was older, I went to camp every summer where I swam in a lake. Later, I moved to California and learned to swim in the ocean, which I found to be a completely different experience. (My favorite is the ocean.) You know, all this talk about water makes me feel awfully dry. I think it's time for a dip in the pool. Web:
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Wakeboarding Wakeboarding is an extreme water sport in which you ride a board with fins and foot bindings (a wakeboard), while holding on to a rope and being towed by a boat. The idea is to do a lot of hotshot maneuvers, such as the big crow, frontroll, scarecrow and elephant. Do it right and you'll spend a lot of time in the air. Do it wrong, and you'll spend a lot of time at the chiropractor. Web:
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Water Skiing When I was a young lad at summer camp, I was able to water ski from time to time. Water skiing was the most popular waterfront activity, and we always had to wait a long time for our turn. We were allowed to ski about 2-3 minutes, at which time the ride ended so someone else could have a try. For some reason, water skiing was considered the coolest activity, and the water ski instructors were considered among the coolest guys in the entire camp. It was not uncommon to see them swanking around the waterfront area as if they owned the place, talking with pretty girls and working on their tans. From time to time, they would pause long enough to treat themselves to long ski rides during which they would show off to everyone else. Personally, I didn't care one whit, although I have no doubt that, today, all those guys are working in gas stations. Web:
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Windsurfing Windsurfing is the ultimate sailing sport. You stand on what looks like a large surfboard and manipulate a sail. As the wind takes you, you use your weight and the position of the sail to control the direction and speed of your movement. Is windsurfing for you? Take this simple three-part quiz and find out: (1) Are you in excellent physical shape? (2) Do you enjoy water sports? (3) Are you willing to have more fun than almost everyone else in the world? If you answered yes, yes and yes, you should try windsurfing. Web:
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