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Rafting is an exhilarating and fun experience for everyone. Rafters often come to different rivers all over the country to respect the power of the water while enjoying serene surroundings that are only broken by the sound of the rushing waters. Although it looks dangerous, this type of adventure is actually available for the whole family. Young and adults, novice and experts could enjoy the waters while being close to nature like never before.

Rafting: The Basics

White water rafting is an activity wherein an individual or a group maneuvers through the river usually using their paddles while inflatable boats. Rafting or whitewater rafting is done as a hobby itself or as means of going through the river while enjoying the surroundings.

Rivers are classified based on the challenges such as rocks, waves and the requirement for maneuver. There are six classes wherein class six is the most dangerous and never recommended for anyone while class one is a type of river that provides little to no waves. No skills and small amounts of maneuvering are needed for class one. As the class increases, the danger also increases which requires more skills and experience for rafting.

Class 1 has manageable rough areas which require no skill level.

Class 2 requires maneuvering but still good enough for beginners.

Class 3 is already rough for first time rafters since advanced paddling skills are required.

Class 4 has stronger waves, rocks and possible drops which is only ideal for experienced rafters.

Class 5 features large rocks, stronger waves and deep drops. Only rafters with advanced experience and skills should consider going through this class.

Class 6 is very dangerous and could be fatal. Even with great skill and experience, the waters and condition is very dangerous.

Popular White Water Rafting Destinations

There are hundreds of white water destinations around the country. However, there are places that have gained the distinction of being family friendly while providing challenges for thrill seekers.

The US will always have some of the world’s best white water rafting destinations. Active participation from the government and strict implementation of rules has preserved these mighty yet gentle rivers.

1. Trinity River California – A perfect destination for the family, Trinity River is a serene family destination offering mile after mile of natural beauty. The trees offer an amazing backdrop to the consistent but slow river. There are spots in Trinity River that are great for canoeing while others for rafting. Parts of Trinity River have Class 2 – 3 waters.

2. Colorado River, Colorado – Less than three hours from Denver, Colorado River is the haven for white water rafting enthusiasts. There are parts where class 5 water conditions which only for the experienced and parts which feature class 4 waters. But don’t just behold the power of water in Colorado. The canyons in this park are breathtaking. There are a good number of canyons in Colorado River that you should get a guide to visit these beautiful canyons in the park. You may stay here for the night to fully enjoy what Colorado River has to offer.

3. San Miguel River, Colorado – if Colorado River is too strong for you, head on to San Miguel River. Anything that Colorado River doesn’t offer in terms of waters is there. The waters are ideal for beginners and family as the waters are usually graded class 2 to 3. The wildlife is very strong in this area so it’s possible to spot certain animals such as elk or even bears.

4. Salmon River, Idaho – this river is one of the biggest in the country. Salmon River runs through a forest that’s measure 2.3 million acres. The Salmon River will provide an exhilarating experience with their class 3 to 4 rivers. But families will still like the waters in this area since there are stretches that could accommodate their skills. Besides the strong and challenging waters for everyone, the 2.3 million acres is home to some of the country’s deepest gorges while its mountains, particularly the Sawtooth Mountains offer a breathtaking view of the area. Because of the size of Salmon River, a two-day trip is never enough. Most of the vacation trips here last for at least three days.

5. Kennebec River, Maine – Go up north and you’ll have a great rafting experience in Kennebec River. The place is three hours by car from Portland and less than three hours from Canada. For a day or two, experience rafters as well as families could have fun in this river. The water here is controlled by a nearby dam so water conditions are always stable. The river is full life in the vast Kennebec River as river otters and Atlantic salmon could be spotted here.

Rafting Safety

Safety is always the priority of the guides as well as professional rafters. Helmets and life jackets are very important during rafting even in Class 1 rivers. Pointed objects should never be brought to the boat as this could be dangerous if the boat strikes against hard objects. Information is also the key to safety. Check the conditions of the river before visiting the area. Extra caution has to be done when traveling with the family. Most guides follow the strict rule of the minimum age for rafting. Knowing the age restriction will also prevent frustration on location.

Rafting Vacation Options

Depending on location, your rafting vacation could only last for a day, overnight or multiple nights. If you and your family are only here for rafting, then a half day adventure in the water should be more than enough. However, there are multiday trips that would be perfect during the summer. It may require hiking but guides are smart enough to get you to the most scenic places with different water challenges as fast as possible. Your trip could be very comfortable if you have the budget since your traveling company will bring the food and supplies to you, but you can still enjoy the scenery if you don’t have a good budget. The only difference is the comfort of traveling since you might have to bring your own food and supplies for cheaper multiday trips.

White water rafting is a great activity that could be enjoyed by the whole family every summer. Through careful planning and observing safety during the entire trip, rafting will never be dangerous but a fun activity for the whole family.

Author Bio: Paul Kapschock is a master rafter and has started a series of articles for rafting vacations. He is working on a Grand Canyon rafting vacations article and has published this article as the 1st in a series on rafting fun and adventure. Please view his website at: http://www.RaftingVacations.org

Category: Travel
Keywords:

Christmas Memories.

Remember when you were a kid and you just could not wait for Christmas? What are some of the things you remember most? I remember traveling to my Grandparents house and the way my Grandmothers house smelled of gingerbread, pies, turkey and all the other special things she would make. I remember going to buy the Christmas tree and how the lot smelled of fresh pine needles. My favorite memories are of my brothers and sister and I making paper chains, snowflakes, gingerbread man cutout garlands and various other ornaments and decorations which we were allowed to hang around the living room and add to the Christmas tree. My job in decorating the tree was a very special one. I got to put the tinsel on after everything else was in place. I loved being able to help decorate our Christmas tree. Being the youngest and smallest it made me feel big.

Goodie Baskets.

Christmas is such a special time of year, especially for children. It is a time when they can learn to give to others from their hearts. There are many activities that can help children feel part of Christmas. One really fun activity that can involve the whole family is to pick a neighbor or friend to give a goodie basket to. The kids can make special ornaments and help decorate gingerbread or sugar cookies. Then put them in a basket or nicely wrapped box and leave it on a friend or neighbors doorstep, ring the bell and run. There are poems you can add that tell them to reciprocate with another family that you can find online, print out and add to the basket or box or you can write your own. Be the first to get this started and watch your children and neighbors all get the Christmas Spirit. You can find lots of ideas for other activities online and in books like the Gooseberry Patch Christmas Books.

Decorations Children Can Make.

Here are some easy and fun decorations that children can make.

Paper Snowflakes;

Fold the paper in half, then in half twice more. Cut out small shapes and notches around the edges. Unfold and round the corners. The smaller the paper you use the smaller the snowflakes will be. Also the more times you fold the paper the lacy the snowflake will be. These can be decorated with glitter.

Felt Ornaments;

Use cookie cutters to trace shapes onto felt squares. Cut them out and decorate with sequins, beads, buttons, fabric trims, glitter, craft paints. You can use cardboard or stiff plastic for a backing if you like. This can also be done with shapes cut from wood.

Letter To Santa Ornaments;

Have your children write a short letter to Santa. Glue it to colored paper, decorate the edges and add cardboard or stiff plastic backing. Punch two holes at the top and tie ribbon or twine loops for hanging.

Gingerbread Man Garland;

Use a Gingerbread Man Cookie cutter to trace onto brown paper bags. Cut them out and decorate with markers or craft paints; puff paints are good for these. Then punch holes in there hands and use ribbon or twine to connect them. Let your children decorate their room with them or even their own small Christmas tree.

Author Bio: Debby Brown has been a writer for Christmas Decorations and Gifts for several years. View our Christmas Decorations Ideas. We have a great selection of Christmas Books.

Category: Family Concerns
Keywords: christmas books, making christmas fun for kids, spreading christmas cheer

Introduction

Solar water heating systems use sunlight to heat water. Solar energy is a pollution free and rich energy resource that can be used to complement many of your energy requirements. Solar energy can be used as a form of heat as in the case of solar water heating.

Solar water heating systems are a combination of solar thermal collectors, a fluid system to pass the heat from the collector to the point of use, and a tank to store heat for later use. The systems can be used to heat water for domestic or business consumption, for swimming pools, under floor heating, energy source for space heating and cooling and industrial uses.

When placed in low latitudes areas (below 40 degrees), solar water heating system can supply around 60 to 70% of domestic hot water consumption with temperatures up to 60 °C. The most frequently used types of solar water heaters are evacuated tube collectors (44%), glazed flat plate collectors usually used for domestic hot water (34%) and unglazed plastic collectors largely used to heat swimming pools (21%).

Solar water heating systems are one of the most cost-effective utilization of solar energy which supplies hot water for domestic use. Each year, more than a few thousands of solar water heaters are being installed all over the world.

How it works

To use solar energy to heat water, a collector needs to be fastened to the top of a building or on a wall which faces the sun. Collectors could also be free-standing. There are two types of solar water heating systems; active that has circulating pumps and controls and passive that is driven by natural convection.

The collector can be made of a set of metal tubes surrounded by an evacuated glass cylinder or a glass covered insulated box with a flat solar absorber made of metal sheet which is attached to copper pipes and painted black. A solar water heating system pumps cold water required to be heated to a collector and the hot water flows back to a collection tank. This type of system can supply adequate hot water for an entire family.

The working fluid for the absorber could hot water from the tank but usually it is a separate loop of fluid which has anti-freeze and a corrosion inhibitor which provides heat to the tank through a heat exchanger. Another method is the ‘drain-back’ which does not require anti-freeze. Here the piping is sloped so that water is drained drain back to the tank. The tank is open to atmospheric pressure. When the pump is switched off, the water flow is reversed and the pipes drain off before freezing occurs.

Central heating is required at night when there is no sunlight and in the winter when sunlight is limited. Water in the collector could result in high temperatures when the sunlight is good or if the pump fails. So it becomes important to have designs that take into account to provide relief of pressure and excess heat with the help of a heat dump.

Benefits

United States expends more than $13 billion every year on energy for domestic water heating. It equals to almost 11.4 barrels of oil per household.

Solar water heating systems reduces the fuel needed to heat water as the system uses the sun’s renewable energy. Solar water heating systems can also be used for car washes, hotels and motels, restaurants and swimming pools. The advantages of solar water heating systems are the following:

• Reduces 80 to 95% of the water heating bill
• Reduces your energy bill
• It is environmental friendly and pollution free
• Reduces greenhouse emissions by minimizing the use of electric or gas water heater
• Qualifies for the 30% federal tax credit
• Doubles the amount of hot water available

Selecting a Solar Water Heater

In the United States the typical hot water usage is 15 to 30 gallons per person everyday for home use. The typical water tank is sized to store a day’s worth of use. So for a family with four members you could use an 80 gallon tank for everyday water requirements of 20 gallons a person per day.

So when choosing a system you should first analyze if freeze protection is required. If the place you live is freeze-free, a batch heater or a thermosiphon unit is sufficient. If you have larger needs, go in for open loop direct pump system circulating water from storage tank to flat plat collector. If freeze protection is required or the water is hard, you can go in for drain back or closed loop systems with antifreeze and a heat exchanger.

There are different types of solar water heating models and systems available. When purchasing and installing a solar water heating system you need to do the following:

• Consider the cost of a solar water heating system
• Assess your location’s solar resource
• Find the right system size
• Find out the system’s energy efficiency
• Estimate and compare system costs
• Find out local conventions and regulations.

Installation and maintenance costs

For installing solar heaters one has to take into account the solar resource, climate, your building code and safety considerations. After the installation it is required to maintain your system well. Passive systems do not need much maintenance. In active systems the plumbing and other usual water heating components require the usual maintenance as regular systems. Maintenance is required for every 3–5 years and the ones with electrical components need to have certain parts replaced after 10 years.

The initial costs of a solar system if financed and evaluated with energy costs, then the monthly cost of solar heat will work out cheaper than most regular hot water heaters. Also, the federal and local incentives are high.

Summing up

Solar water heating systems are a highly cost-effective way to produce hot water for your house. They produce hot water in almost climatic conditions and the only fuel they use is sunlight which is available free of charge.

The total installed capacity of solar water heating systems as of 2007 is around 154 GW. China leads in the utilization of solar water heating systems with installed capacity of 70 GW as of 2006 and a plan to achieve 210 GW by 2020. Israel leads in the per capita usage of solar water heating systems with almost 90% of homes using this system. In the United States, Canada and Australia, solar water heating systems are largely used to heat swimming pools with the installed capacity of 18 GW as of 2005.

Author Bio: Paul Kapschock has been involved with the internet for over 10 years. He is CEO of Good Sense Inc., a company that own multiple informational websites, and is constantly working to improve his company products and sites. His latest website is: http://www.solarpowerhotwater.com

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords:

Since a HDTV is not as expensive as a while back, more and more consumers spend their money towards the latest wide screen craze - a high definition (HD) flat screen television. More and more people are becoming aware of the terms LCD, HDTV and Plasma and for especially the younger working generation the main question is not if they will spend hard earned cash towards a HDTV of choice but when they will spend it.

1. Realize that your HDTV purchase will give you a product that should under normal circumstances last up to 20 - 30 years. Rather buy a HDTV tv of higher quality so that it will not be outdated within 10 years.

2. Realize that technology products are becoming cheaper than ever to manufacture and that the market response drives the prices down at a phenomenal rate. Buying the more expensive model may not be the best HDTV to buy.

3. Realize that you may suffer severely from self-inflicted injuries kicking yourself afterwards if you have not taken the time (about 2 minutes) to learn what makes one HDTV better than the next one.

4. Know the difference between the main types of tv screens: CTR, LCD and Plasma and each of their advantages and disadvantages.

5. Know that the higher the resolution of a television screen the most likely the quality of the display may be better than a HDTV with a lower screen resolution.

6. Know that the television screen is made up of tiny particles that display color. These particles are calls pixels. The more pixels fitted into a screen, the higher the resolution.

7. Know that there were major technological advances made towards the way that the tv screen manages the pixel colors to create better flowing movements. Choosing an older type may make your “new” tv age faster and you may have to replace it earlier than you might have expected to.

8. Know the latest display type, called a progressive scan type as well as that “interlaced” refers to earlier technology. Of these a number of 1080i would refer to the term “interlaced” and 1080p would refer to a “progressive scan” television.

9. Know that a bigger screen size not always refer to a better television. Other than knowing the effect of screen resolution on your budget, you will become aware of the fact that bigger costs more but does not necessarily means better picture detail. Just a quick warning - do not put a very large screen in a small room. The larger the screen the further you have to sit from it.

10. A higher Color-depth constitutes a wider assortment of colors that can be displayed. The more the merrier. A 2-million pixel resolution is a minimum I would recommend.

Considering both the fact of the risk you are taking if you buy the first HDTV that you see (because you may fall in love with it), and the fact that the prices are coming down the longer you wait, then ultimately you are safer waiting but then if you never make the decision you may loose out on the experience of HDTV.

Author Bio: If you are in for an upgrade you may as well get up to date with the ins and outs of LCD HDTV screens and HDTV Plasma Tvs.

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: HDTV

The purpose for decorating at Christmas time is to provide an atmosphere that will make all your friends and family feel warm, cheerful and most of all welcome in your home. With this in mind the first place to start is the outside of your front door. One idea is to drape a lush 9 foot strand of real or Artificial Pine Garland around the top of the door and let the ends hang on either side. Either type of Garland can be lit with Mini Lights or C7, C9 Outdoor Lights or a combination. You can easily hang Shatterproof Ornament Balls by using some green floral wire. You might also want to add some small floral picks with holly berries or other types of red berries or even some snow frosted greenery picks. Adding a couple strands of Iridescent White Berry Spray will add the effect of glistening snow. Velvet Ribbon bows add a nice touch of color and are easy to make.

If you prefer the look of a Wreath hanging on your front door, they can be just as easily purchased online in either real Pine or Artificial Christmas Wreath styles. If you have a double door you can purchase one for each door or one that will separate when one door opens. If you choose one that separates just make sure if you light it or use ribbon that you don’t run either all the way around the wreath. Add smaller Wreaths of identical style to each of your front windows. You only need to decorate these with a Velvet Ribbon Bow. Wreaths can be lit with Battery Operated Lights, small Mini Lights, C7 or C9 Lights or a combination. Wreaths can be decorated much the same way as Garlands. Just remember that a little green floral wire will make your job much easier and more enjoyable. If you have a theme for your Decorations inside your home, such as why not introduce it on your front door by adding Nutcracker Ornaments to your Garland and a small Nutcracker to the inside of your Artificial Christmas Wreath.

Decorating Your Front Yard.

Another fun way to add some Christmas Sparkle to the front of your home is to decorate the pathway or sidewalk leading to your front door. Use C9 lights which come in a variety of colors, attached to hard plastic Yard Stakes. This forms a fence like effect. As well as a range of colors to choose from, you can also choose whether the lights will twinkle or not. There are several styles of Luminaries you can choose from which cover the C9 lights and give a reflection of snowmen, angels or Christmas trees to name a few. There are even Snowmen or Large Nutcrackers or Toy Soldiers that you can use to line your pathway or stand beside your door to greet your guests. Your lawn can easily be decorated with Halographic Yard Art. These come in everything from Disney characters to Santa, Rudolph and all the other traditional Christmas characters. Don’t forget the Manger Scene that reminds us all of the reason for our Christmas Celebration.

Author Bio: Debby Brown has been a writer for Christmas Decorations and Gifts for several years. View our Outdoor Christmas Decorations.

Category: Gardening
Keywords: artificial christmas trees, holiday decorating, holiday ribbon, artificial garland

Speed comes up almost constantly in greyhound handicapping. Why wouldn’t it? Speed is what gets one dog around the track faster than the other 7 dogs. Obviously, if you can figure out which greyhound has the fastest speed, you can pick the winner of any race. But that’s easier said than done. Believe me, learning speed handicapping in greyhound racing can take a lifetime.

I think most of us handicappers start out by looking for dogs with the fastest times in their last races. When we realize that doesn’t work, we may switch to dogs with the fastest “best time” if the program provides that information. Many of them do. But that’s not really a true picture of how fast the dog will run in any race. Even if the conditions and dogs of the “best time” race were exactly the same, there’s no way to tell how fast a dog will run.

The weather might have been different that day. The track might have been soft near the rail or roughed up or particularly hard if the “best time” is a lot faster than the dog’s usual times. Speed is more than just numbers. Speed has to be compared to grade, class and post position. In other words, there’s no way to compare speed between dogs without taking other factors into account.

There are some dogs who are speed demons if they catch a good break, can see the lure throughout the race and don’t get cut off by other dogs. But when they race against dogs who don’t have quite as much speed, but who run the same kind of race whether or not they get the break or can see the lure, these dogs can lose their speed advantage if things don’t go just the way they want them to.

What I mean is that speed only works if the dog also has determination, catches a good break and is able to run where and how it wants. Trying to figure out whether all of this will come together today for this particular dog is the first step to learning speed handicapping in greyhound races.

There are many, many sports betting systems that purport to translate speed figures into a mechanical formula that allows you to compare dogs’ speed ratings between grades, but I’ve never found one that worked. Maybe it’s partly because I’m not big on crunching numbers with a calculator or software when I’m handicapping. But maybe it’s also because you can’t really use prior speed to absolutely calculate today’s speed in a greyhound race.

True, if you look at a race and see that one or two dogs are consistently faster than the other dogs, you’d make a mental note of that as you look at the other factors in today’s race. But you wouldn’t stop right there and play those dogs just because they look fast. You’d keep handicapping and looking for how they’re going to get out, what their running style is and how the other dogs are going to affect them.

So, speed is one factor in greyhound handicapping, of course it is. But learning speed handicapping isn’t the whole secret to winning at the dog track. If it was, we’d all be rich and it wouldn’t take half as long to handicap our programs. Learn to handicap for speed, but then go on to post position, running style, class and the other factors that help you pick winners, quinielas and trifectas.

Author Bio: Get free tips, articles and greyhound handicapping systems at http://ebnetr.com.

Category: Sports
Keywords: sports betting systems,speed handicapping,greyhound handicapping

Choosing the Location for your Christmas Tree Forest.

Most homes have a Foyer or Entryway just as you walk in the front door. This can be a fairly small space in a single level home or a much larger two storey room with a staircase. Foyers can be almost any shape from long and narrow, almost hallways to just about any size rectangular shape. The size and shape can be a little tricky and might require a little creative thinking but it is still the perfect place for any size Christmas Tree Forest.

The first thing to do is asses the space you have to work with. Some single storey homes have tall skinny windows on either one side of the door or on both sides. There is also usually a longish wall leading to the back of the Foyer. This would be the perfect place for your Tree Forest in this style of home. In a two storey home there is usually a wall that gradually rises with the staircase, so that the back part of the wall is taller than the front. A Tree Forest works very well in filling the empty space in the taller portion of that wall and is also a beautiful accent for stair rails.

Once you’ve chosen the spot you want to use you will need to take some measurements. You need to know how high your ceiling is, how much room you have along the wall you will use and how far out from the wall you can come.

Choosing your Christmas Trees.

The next thing to do is decide if you want to use live Christmas Trees. They can be purchased in different sizes and they add a very nice pine scent. The other option is Artificial Pine Christmas Trees. Artificial Trees are beautiful as well. They come in a wide variety of sizes and can be purchased with or without lights. Which ever you choose you will need at least 3 to 5 in different heights. For a smaller, single storey space you will need one 7½ to 9 foot Slim Norway Pine Pre Lit Christmas Tree, depending on your ceiling height, one 4 to 6½ foot Slim Norway Pine Pre Lit Christmas Tree and one 3 foot Table Top Artificial Christmas Tree. If you have a two storey Foyer then you could choose as many as 5 trees. I recommend using an uneven number of them and maybe choose two 7½ to 9 foot trees, one 4 to 6½ foot Artificial Christmas Trees and two 3 foot Small Artificial Christmas Trees. In either case you can fill the gaps between trees with smaller 2 foot Miniature Artificial Christmas Trees.

Decorating your Christmas Tree Forest.

Decorating the Trees can be kept very simple and easy by just adding a few Unique Ribbon Bows. You can use Red Velvet Ribbon or choose a theme such as Western or South West and use Red Bandana Ribbon for your bows. Carry your theme up your stair case and put a few bows on the Artificial Garland winding up the stair rails.

Author Bio: Debby Brown has been a writer for Christmas Decorations and Gifts for several years. View our Christmas Decorations Ideas. We have a great selection of Artificial Christmas Trees.

Category: Entertainment
Keywords: artificial christmas trees, holiday decorating, holiday ribbon, artificial garland