During the 1930's and 40's, a time when television was just in its infancy, kids used to head to the movie theater on Saturday afternoons to catch a film, some cartoons and a serial. Not to be confused with breakfast "cereal," a movie serial was a full-length adventure split into multiple episodes or chapters, which were then shown over a period of weeks.

Each episode ended with a "cliffhanger" that left the hero or heroine facing almost certain doom. As the name indicates, the star sometimes was left hanging by their fingertips off the edge of a cliff, secretly wishing for a pair of crampon compatible boots.

During the 1970's, NBC revived the Saturday afternoon serial concept with "Cliffhangers," a weekly series composed of three serialized adventures:

"Stop Susan Williams": Susan Anton played a newspaper photographer who was investigating the questionable death of her brother. Each 20-minute installment ended with Susan in some kind of life-or-death predicament.

"The Secret Empire": This one was kind of like "The Lone Ranger" crossed with "Flash Gordon." In Cheyenne of the 1880's, Marshall Jim Donner (*Geoffrey Scott*) discovers an underground alien civilization led by a tyrannical ruler.

"The Curse of Dracula": Michael Nouri played the famous Transylvania bloodsucker in the final cliffhanger of the show. In this 20th century interpretation, Dracula now is teaching history at the collegiate level while Mary Gibbons (**Carol Baxter**) and Kurt Von Helsing (*Stephen Johnson*) try to destroy him for good.

"Cliffhangers" was a pretty clever experiment on the part of television executives, who banked on viewers returning each week, much like kids did at theaters decades earlier. Unfortunately, even though Susan Williams, Marshall Donner and Dracula's hunters were good at escaping death traps, they did not survive cancellation.

The Count did rise from the grave months later, however, in "Dracula '79," which was cobbled together from the segments in "Cliffhangers." For the most part, though, this innovative NBC series has remained buried in television history.

Resources:

http://www.tvobscurities.com/articles/cliffhangers.php

http://epguides.com/CurseofDracula/

Thinking of heading to the Caribbean? Maybe the Bahamas? If you're going to a beach for soft pink and pearly white sands, snorkeling over coral reefs filled with tropical fish, diving into long-ago shipwrecks, or surfing away from the crowd, choose Eleuthera and her neighbor, Harbour Island.

Two of the "Out Islands" of the Bahamas, Eleuthera and Harbour Island are between 1 and 3 miles wide, and provide over 110 miles of achingly beautiful beaches. Harbour Island offers one of the Travel Channel's Best Beaches but my first choice is Eleuthera, with glorious pink sand and white sand as fine as powdered sugar. These islands aren't famous for nightlife, but if you're there for beaches and gorgeous water, they're the best.

There are dozens of beaches on these two islands. For pink sand, hit Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island, or choose French Leave Beach on Eleuthera, just outside of Governor's Harbour. If white sand is your choice, head for Cotton Bay, with two private beaches stretching over a mile. The Cove Eleuthera beach near Gregory Town provides privacy and a great view of the cliffs. My favorite beach is Lighthouse Beach. On the Atlantic side of Eleuthera Point, behind some sand dunes, this beach is a secluded oasis of rosy pink sand, the perfect place to watch a sunset with the one you love.

If you're a surfer, the two best beaches for you are Surfer's Beach and James Cistern Beach. Blue Hole and Oleander Reef provide great snorkeling, with hundreds of tropical fish just off the beautiful beaches. You can rent boats on both islands.

Take a good-sized tote like this Cape Getaway from Columbia. This darling bikini from Moschino lets you wear your heart on your - well, bikini, with a red heart on white print on the bandeau top and ruffled bottom. Keep your feet from burning with these comfy and stylish Ohana W sandals from Olukai, adorned with a sea urchin. Pack sunscreen, shades, a towel, a book and a bottle of water and you're ready to hit the beach!

Motocross and ATV tracks are commonplace in Arizona. From parks with ATV trails to motosports tracks and more, there are a variety of ways to enjoy ATV and motocross riding. Be sure that you have the proper training before attempting these sports because ATV and motocross riding can be both fun and dangerous. Many of the tracks have learning courses for beginners. Whether you're an expert or a beginner, there surely is something in Arizona for you.

The vast amount of sandy desert terrain is likely a big part of what makes Arizona such a magnet for ATV riding. Motocross racing also is quite popular. If mud is not your thing, then neither is ATV riding or motocross racing. However, if you don't mind a little (or a lot of) dirt being splashed on you and your ATV or motocross bike, this just may be your sport of choice.

Keep in mind that this an extremely dangerous sport, but following safe riding practices, as well as maintaining your choice vehicle can help reduce that risk. Do research and be well-informed. The Motocross Safety Council offers one way for riders to become educated on being safe and responsible. Some of the safety and riding gear for ATV and motocross riding in Arizona may include (but is not limited to) goggles, a helmet, gloves, knee braces, wrist braces, shoulder braces, neck protectors, kidney belts, chest protectors, elbow guards, ankle braces, boots, riding pants, riding shorts, riding jersey and more. That is not intended to be a complete safety list. Always do your research and be prepared.

The experienced offroader might enjoy Tonto National Forest, which is one of the more popular sites for ATV's. Those into offroad ATV adventures will appreciate the fact that these trails are seldom maintained. Those who are more into custom tracks may prefer places like Firebird Motocross Park. This track is said to be enjoyable, for beginners and experts. It's also said that things get switched around and new things get added regularly. That's likely a big plus to frequent motocross and ATV riders.

Sources:
http://www.mxsafety.org/
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/ohv/index.shtml
http://www.motoclicks.com/tracks/Arizona
http://www.riderplanet-usa.com/atv/trails/arizona_list.htm
http://www.wheretomx.com/motocross-tracks-directory/2007/10/10/arizona-motocross-tracks.html
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/od/arizonaatvmapstrails/Arizona_ATV_Trails_Tracks_Maps_and_Directions_For_ATV_Riding.htm

The most dangerous situation you're ever likely to encounter in the outdoors is a wildfire. If you're hiking or camping outdoors and a fire starts, you have four basic options to survive.

The first option is to run. If you're far from a fire, and near a safe haven, this is possible. A forest fire can move 650 feet a minute, or 7 miles an hour, and a grass fire about twice that. While most hikers can run 7 miles an hour, they can't keep it up. Consider how close you are to a haven (a wide road, a rocky area, a marsh, or a large pond), and how far you are from the fire before trying this.

Another option is to make a haven. In a grassy area, if you have wind resistant matches and enough time before the fire reaches you, burn out a clear zone. This won't work in wooded areas. Wood takes longer to ignite, and fire will reach before you're ready. If there's a sudden wind shift, you could find yourself trapped by your own fire.

If you're in the open and a fire is almost on you, you have two options. First, find a large area with little vegetation. Lie face down on the ground. Put on leather gloves and cover your head and neck and ears. Your biggest danger is radiant heat, the heat given off by the fire. Radiant heat can kill before the fire reaches you. As the fire moves over you, even if you feel hot, don't panic. Get up when the fire is past you. Cover your mouth with a bandana to reduce the inhalation of smoke.

The most dangerous option is to run through the fire into an already-burned area. Don't try it if the fire is over 5 feet high or wide. Look for the easiest path. You may be burned, but you'll probably survive.

Which option you choose depends largely on where you are and what kind of fire you're in, but in any case, don't panic, and remember that you can survive.

( Sources: http://www.healthline.com/blogs/outdoor_health/2007/10/surviving-wildfire.html , http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/news/466,http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/feature?section=news&id=6199163 )

To an outsider, competitive sailing seems like a glamorous sport and a pastime for the wealthy and privileged. In the new film "Morning Light," however, Roy E. Disney shows that sailing is hard, grueling work that can take the lives of even the most experienced sailors.

Disney, an accomplished sailor and the nephew of the late Walt Disney, decided to gather a group of young, talented men and women to serve as the crew of the Morning Light, a 52-foot racing sloop. With the help of some experienced coaches, this enthusiastic group would participate in the Transpacific Yacht Race that begins in Los Angeles and ends in Hawaii.

Disney and co-producer Leslie DeMeuse first sailed in this race more than 30 years ago, which covers a fairly unforgiving 2,225 mile stretch of the Pacific Ocean. As Disney tells the group of young hopefuls in an early scene, one mistake can really put your lives at risk. Disney goes on to say that "I always tell my crews that if you fall overboard, consider it a death sentence." To keep that from happening, the 15 hopefuls go through intensive safety training along with their preparations for the Transpacific race. As the race draws near, however, four people will have to stay on shore as alternates while the other 11 try to sail for glory. Unanimously elected skipper by his peers, Jeremy Wilmot has the unenviable task of selecting the best possible crew for the Morning Light.

Watching this film is a lot like watching an episode of "Survivor," but with a very real sense of excitement and danger. You also get to see the less glamorous aspects of spending 10 days on a boat, including body odor, smelly feet and food that Wilmot says tastes like dirt near the end of the race. Since these young people are sharing living space, they have to live out of their duffel bags for the better part of two weeks.

One of the best sailing documentaries ever made, "Morning Light" is so realistic that you may even get seasick watching it.

The 1970's were both a good and a bad time to become an invisible man on television. In 1975, David McCallum, who played Russian-born Illya Kuryakin on "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." returned to network television as "The Invisible Man." McCallum played Dr. Daniel Westin, who invented a way to temporarily turn animals, people and objects invisible.

As is the case on any good sci-fi show, the invisibility device doesn't work quite right and Dr. Westin becomes permanently transparent the second time that he makes himself invisible. A plastic surgeon then creates a realistic face mask and fleshy gloves for him to wear to hide his condition from the world. For the duration of this short-lived series, Dr. Westin had some interesting adventures outside the lab thanks to his invisibility. In one show, he even gets a bad sunburn, but when his wife unbuttons his shirt, she pokes his transparent skin and comments that "It's not even pink."

Months after the cancellation of "The Invisible Man," the pilot episode of a new series called "The Gemini Man" appeared on the same network. Ben Murphy played Sam Casey, a secret agent who was caught in an underwater explosion while skin diving. The radiation from the explosion turned him permanently invisible, a condition that messed up his DNA and threatened his life.

Some bright scientists at a government organization called INTERSECT did, however, find a way to stabilize his condition. For the rest of his life, Sam had to wear a special wristwatch that kept him visible, but, for 15 minutes each day, he could shut off the watch and turn transparent. An invisible secret agent is a valuable commodity, and "Surfboard Sam," as his boss liked to call him, used his 15 minutes as best his could. Sometimes, however, he had to risk his life by exceeding the time limit, which could give him one heck of a headache.

"The Gemini Man" didn't even last as long as "Invisible Man," but if you can catch their rare appearances on retro television stations, they are interesting examples of 1970's adventure shows.

When you think South Carolina beaches, you probably think of Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head. But those don't qualify as this week's best beach; head for Folly Beach instead; despite the name, it's neither foolish nor a mistake!

Folly Beach, only 8 miles from Charleston, is the closest beach to that city. It's a 7 mile long barrier reef. You can relax in the sand, collect shells, go fishing off the pier that extends over 1000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, or explore the Civil War history of this gorgeous island, including Morris Island Lighthouse. The lighthouse, rebuilt after its destruction in the Civil War, originally on land, but due to erosion and rising water levels the lighthouse is now completely surrounded by water.

If you want to surf, this is the beach for you. If you'd rather study nature, you'll find loggerhead turtles nesting in the sand, dolphins playing in the ocean, and a variety of seabirds. There are plenty of places to stay on the island, and some great restaurants practically on the beach. In town, you can shop for swimming and surfing gear, souvenirs, and local art.

Head for Folly Beach with your shades, iPod, and sunscreen in this adorable Fruit Tote from Betseyville Handbags; it comes in several colors, each with a different fruit! Match the pink and teal watermelon design with a cute TYR One Piece in a bright pink, blue, and yellow plaid. Don't forget to pack a cover-up like this washable cotton-silk blend from UGG.

The beach does have a few rules. Drive slowly because there are walkers, joggers, bikers and dog walkers, and in the summer months Folly Beach is crowded. Dogs are allowed on the beach, but they must be on a leash, and they aren't allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. between May 1 and September 30th because the heat is too intense for them. You can find parking on city streets or the beach access lots on every city block, so it's easy to get to the beach and just have fun.

Galveston Island, Texas is known for its abundance of outdoor and water sports. There are many ways to fish in the waters of Galveston. One method is pier or rock fishing directly from the Galveston Island Seawall. Another is breakwater fishing. Aside from being quite fun, another benefit of fishing from the Galveston Seawall is that it happens to be free. Just don't forget to purchase a fishing license; it's required to fish in Texas for anyone between the ages of 17 and 65. Where applicable, be sure to get the three-day license.

A variety of fish can be caught along the Seawall. Some of those include Sheepshead, Sand Trout, Bull Reds, Gafftop Sail, Flounder, and more. Some may choose fishing off the rocks or pier, while others may instead go wade fishing in the breakwaters. The breakwaters of Galveston are calm much of the time. Galveston has plenty of different beaches and areas to fish from. Some are family-oriented, while others are better suited to the adult crowd. Galveston Island Sate Park boasts great breakwaters for fishing.

When some people think of Texas, they may automatically picture a place that is dry and hot. While that may be true for some parts of Texas, Galveston does not fit that bill completely. Dry it is definitely not. How well would that work for fishing?

For wade fishing and perhaps even rock fishing and pier fishing in Galveston, you may want a good pair of waterproof fishing boots. Not only can they protect the feet from getting too wet, but they can be good for walking on wet or muddy terrain. Another important thing to remember about fishing is to check the fishing schedules to be sure winds and other weather will be favorable. Remember that Galveston is an island, so it can be prone to hurricane weather.

Parts of Galveston are still recovering from a hurricane that occurred in 2008. Despite the devastating effects of Hurricane Ike, fishing in Galveston remains strong. Many travel to Galveston just for the fishing, and the 2008 storm that caused so much destruction has not seemed to destroy the love of fishing in Galveston.

Sources:
http://www.galveston.com/islandfishing/
http://outdoor.zappos.com/n/p/dp/45176513/c/128.html

Some of the best whitewater runs are in the Carolinas. Two great runs can go together for an overnight trip on the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina.

The Little Tennessee, or Little T, starts as a creek in Georgia, then flows north into North Carolina, becoming a full-grown river. It flows between the Cowee Range on the east and the Nantahala Mountains on the west, and north until it reaches the Fontana reservoir. You'll see farmland and forest the first day, and mostly forest the second. Part of the river flows through private land, so make sure to get permission before camping.

Put-in the first day at the NC 28 bridge by Iotla, and take-out at the Lost Bridge, also on NC 28. You'll have smooth paddling; this 10-mile stretch is rated Class l-ll. You can run it in about 4 ½ hours, or longer if you linger. Towards the Lost Bridge you'll encounter shallow ledges that most beginners can handle.

Start the second day at Lost Bridge. This 13-mile stretch is way more fun than the first; its 13 miles are rated class ll-lll. When the river is high, there are several ledges that you should scout and run carefully; all can be spotted from the boat. When the Fontana is low, there are about 250 yards of ledges. Before the dam, this stretch was called the Narrows, and you'll want to stop and scout out before proceeding; at the bottom of the Narrows, the standing wave can hit 5 feet. If the water is low, scout left; if high, scout right. Take-out just before the US 19 bridge.

For the trip, take a craft that can store your pack and a sleeping bag. This shirt from Columbia provides sun protection and is quick-drying; you can choose to roll up the sleeves or keep them down. These Mission Playground shorts will keep you cool and comfortable. Wear a good pair of kayaking shoes and don't forget your shades; that Carolina sun is bright. A good water-proof watch can come in handy, too. Enjoy yourself, and thank your driver.

(Sources: Benner, Bob and David Benner: Carolina Whitewater: A Paddler's Guide to the Western Carolinas. 2005 edition, Menasha Press, Birmingham, AL; http://www.riverfacts.com/rivers/12402.html )

If you find yourself riding the bench during much of the baseball season, pull the splinters out of your jeans and load up the iPod with a few of these home run hits:

"Centerfield" (Sung by John Fogerty)
The battle cry for every kid or adult who just wants a chance to play, John Fogerty captures the passion of baseball in this 1985 tune. Like Fogerty, most wannabe athletes have "a beat-up glove, a homemade bat, and a brand-new pair of shoes. " All they ever really need is for the coach to let them play centerfield.

"Glory Days" (Sung by Bruce Springsteen)
Even if you are a high school superstar, this song from Bruce Springsteen serves as a gentle reminder that those moments of glory truly are fleeting, on the athletic field or off.

"Right Field" (Sung by Peter, Paul and Mary)
Willie Welch penned this almost heartbreaking song about being the last kid picked to be on the team. For every child who found themselves stuck in right field during each game, Welch does, however, give them one glorious moment in the afternoon sun.

"Willie, Mickey and the Duke" (Sung by Terry Cashman)
Originally written in 1981, this catchy little number pays homage to some of the greatest names in the history of baseball, including Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider. Over the years, the title was changed to "Talkin' Baseball" and Cashman customized the song for various Major League teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals. He even wrote a version for "The Simpsons" called "Talkin' Softball," featuring the misadventures of Homer Simpson.

And just to show that baseball players are not necessarily good singers:

"I Love Mickey" (Sung by Mickey Mantle and Teresa Brewer)
During the height of his popularity, Mickey Mantle was honored with this tune, with vocals provided by Teresa Brewer. She sang the lyrics to this song, and Mantle himself added a "Mickey who?" each time Brewer said "I Love Mickey."

Quicksand and sinkholes. Many hikers and climbers think those are movie props, and while the way they're used in movies doesn't match reality, they are out there, and you need to be prepared for them.

You can find quicksand, liquified soil or sand, nearly anywhere that water meets sand, including ponds, marshes, sloughs, beaches and river deltas. It's found in places as diverse as New Jersey and North Carolina, but it's most common in Florida. You could encounter it in any marshy area after a heavy rain.

Natural sinkholes are found in karst, land where the bedrock is limestone, salt beds, or any rock easily dissolved by water. Again, most are in Florida, though you'll also find them in Texas, Kentucky, Missouri or anywhere limestone lies beneath the soil. They can appear very suddenly; Lake Jackson in Florida took only a few days to completely disappear into a sinkhole in 1999. The beautiful "blue hole" off the coast of Belize is an underwater sinkhole.

Sinkholes can also be caused by people. They're common in areas with underground mining, whether of coal, like that in Pennsylvania, or of gold, as in parts of Nevada. When the burden of soil and vegetation becomes too heavy over the tunnels, it caves in and becomes a sinkhole.

Your best approach is to avoid them. Use a walking stick or trekking poles to test the ground ahead of you in swampy areas. If it slides down, you just found quicksand. If you're unfortunate enough to fall in, don't panic; you'll float on quicksand. Relax, lie back, and let your trekking partners pull you out, either with the poles or climbing rope carried in a rope pack.

If you're caving, you should already have a helmet and a headlamp. The danger from sinkholes is both below you and above you; you could fall in, or the rock above you could collapse. Test the ground ahead of you and the rock above you. If your pole can go in, it's time for you to get out.

Pay attention and watch where you walk, and you'll survive quicksand and sinkholes!

Some movies deal with the concept of dropping out of the corporate "rat race" and heading off to search for the "real" America. Comedian Albert Brooks puts a truly funny spin on this theme in Lost in America, a 1985 film that also pays homage to the classic Peter Fonda film, Easy Rider.

Brooks plays David Howard, a young advertising executive who has grown weary of business suits and client meetings. With his wife Linda (*Julie Hagerty* from "Airplane"), David buys a Winnebago and heads out to find America, kind of like the characters did in Easy Rider.

On a stopover in Las Vegas, David intends to renew his wedding vows with his wife, but Linda has a gambling problem, one that David didn't know she had. In a matter of hours, she reduces their "nest egg" to pocket change by playing roulette. In one funny scene, David uses his advertising skills on the casino manager in an effort to get their money back, but with no success.

With a much lighter nest egg in the Winnebago, David and Linda settle in Safford, Arizona. The former advertising executive becomes a school crossing guard while his wife finds a job at a hot dog stand. Linda impresses her teenage boss by showing him the proper way to deep fry French fries, instead of serving them frozen as he had been.

Filled with references to the 1980'sYuppie lifestyle, Lost in America highlights the appeal that the outdoors has for those who spend most of their workday behind a desk. Throughout the film, Albert Brooks' character meets other people who, like him, have based their whole lives on the Easy Rider movie. Instead of buying motorcycles, however, David and Linda do the true Yuppie thing and travel the country in a recreational vehicle.

A comic gem from 1985 that has since become a cult classic, Lost in America delivers both the glories of the great American outdoors and the sacrifices that come with chasing a lifelong dream.

If the kids are complaining of boredom this summer, a youth volleyball tournament may be in order. This is a summer outdoor activity that's fairly easy to organize. Just gather together some of your child's friends and relatives and you're almost ready to get started. Now all that is needed is a net, a volleyball, open space and some summer sun. Also be sure each kid has on appropriate footwear. For instance, if the youth volleyball tournament will be held at the beach, kids should wear a watersport shoe.

A volleyball and net can be fairly economical as far as kids outdoor sporting equipment goes. The price is usually pretty easy on the budget, unless you opt for something fancy. Setup can be quite easy for some as well. Nets will likely come with assembly instructions. Not all kits are exactly alike, but likely will consist of support poles for the sides and middle, as well as stakes to secure the net in place with the rope or twine extending from sections of the net.

Once the net has been secured, separate the kids into 2 teams. One team should be on either side of the net facing each other. If there are an uneven number of kids, flip a coin to see who gets an extra player. The extra player can be rotated for each round. Depending on the number of kids, you might even have several nets set up or rotate entire teams each round rather than an extra player. A typical volleyball game has up to 6 players on each team.

If you don't know volleyball rules, they can easily be found through an online search. To create a tournament, determine how many rounds will be played. If there are only 2 teams, all of those rounds will be played and whichever team wins the most rounds is the winner. If there are more than two teams, the winner of each round plays against the next team. The team who wins the final round is the youth volleyball tournament winner.

Between the years when he was keeping the streets of Mayberry safe and putting criminals behind bars as Ben Matlock, Andy Griffith got a little, well, spacey. The venerable actor starred as Harry Broderick on the memorable, but short-lived adventure series "Salvage 1."

Broderick, the owner of the Jettison Scrap and Salvage Company, was a bit of a wheeler and dealer, building up a considerable fortune by making some very shrewd deals with collectors. When asked what he was going to do with his wealth, Harry said he was going to go to the Moon, salvage all the equipment left behind by the Apollo astronauts and then sell it.

To help him realize his dream of salvaging the Moon, Harry recruited Addison "Skip" Carmichael (*Joel Higgins*), a former astronaut that most people thought was a bit flighty. Skip had written a book outlining the "Trans-Linear Vector Principle" of space flight, which was quite different from the methods used by NASA to reach the Moon.

Broderick also needed a fuel and demolition expert, which he found in the person of Melanie "Mel" Slozar (*Trish Stewart)*. Harry and his crew got busy working on the rocket, which, in the true spirit of salvage, was made out of a cement mixer and a Texaco tractor trailer. For guidance, they used a 1970's era computer and phone modem to steal data from NASA and, most likely, a couple of good wristwatches for timing.

Harry's plans almost were scrapped by the efforts of FBI Agent Jack Klinger (*Richard Jaeckel*), who tried to stop the flight. Klinger also was opposed to the highly combustible fuel that Harry and his crew needed to get his makeshift rocket off the ground.

"Salvage 1" ran for about a season and a half on ABC Television in 1979, and it still remains a fun little show if you can find it on cable. Andy Griffith was perfectly cast as the junkman who wasn't above bending a few rules if he can achieve his ultimate goal. Joel Higgins, who went on to play Ricky Schroder's dad on "Silver Spoons," also gets to have lots of fun on this series as the astronaut whose brain seems slightly out of orbit.

As a serious hunter, you typically have to play the waiting game, especially in the months leading up to hunting season. While cleaning your rifle or practicing with the crossbow in the off-season, go rustle up a few of these hunting tunes:

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (Sung by the Tokens)
Though many people are familiar with the version sung by the Tokens, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" started life as a very simple song that soon became a mega-hit. South African singer Solomon Linda came up with a song called "Mbube," which is Zulu for "Lion." Pete Seeger did a cover version of Linda's tune, but he mispronounced the title as "wimoweh".

"One Way or Another" (Performed by Blondie)
Debbie Harry and Nigel Harrison wrote this song about obsession and hot pursuit for the popular group Blondie. The lyrics are from the perspective of the singer, who is bound and determined to chase the object of their affection, no matter where they may go.

"Runaway" (Sung by Del Shannon)
Charles Westover, who adopted the professional name of "Del Shannon", wrote this #1 hit with keyboard player Max Crook. The singer talks about their bitter disappointment over losing what they want, almost like what happens at the end of a disappointing hunt.

"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" (Sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford)
You really have to respect a hunter who was born on a mountaintop and "kilt him a b'ar when he was only three." The song, which originally was recorded by Bill Hayes, appeared in the 1950's television series "Davy Crockett," which also sparked a nationwide demand for the coonskin cap that actor Fess Parker wore on television.

And finally, to remind you of the ultimate goal of hunting:

"Da Turdy Point Buck" (Sung by Bananas at Large)
Best described as a "deer hunting rap song," this goofy tune speaks about the pursuit of one of the most elusive trophy animals in the forest.

Resources:
NYTimes.com, "In the Jungle, the Unjust Jungle, a Small Victory," Sharon LaFraniere

Seattle is well-known for bird-watching and there are many great places to enjoy this hobby. The Kiwanis Ravine is home to Seattle's largest nesting area for Great Blue Herons. These beautiful birds can be observed nesting here from around February to August. Kiwanis Ravine is located in Seattle's Discovery Park, which is in the Magnolia neighborhood.

The ravine is quite steep and park officials recommend not entering the ravine during nesting season. This is for the safety of the birds. Parents of baby birds, including the Great Blue Heron, may abandon caring for them if the scent of humans is detected. Also, just the presence of humans around the nesting area can frighten away the parents as well. Instead of entering the ravine during this time, there is an overlook or pedestrian bridge available.

Birdwatching is an event that one will likely remember for years to come. The Great Blue Herons are a beautiful sight to see. That said, cameras, video equipment, and binoculars are all great supplies to have on hand. The wings of a Great Blue Heron can have a span over 6 feet and can stand at over 4 feet tall. They fly from 20-30 miles an hour and are usually seen in and around marshes or other shallow wetlands.

Great Blue Herons prefer to nest in groups or colonies, which is likely why the Kiwanis Ravine is a popular nesting ground for them. They seem to have a preference over nesting in tall trees, but will also nest in lower shrubbery. Both parents look over the eggs and chicks, which can look after themselves after reaching about two months of age.

Bird watching for the enjoyment of the Great Blue Herons in the Seattle Discovery Park can be enjoyed during a lunch break or can easily be an all-day event. Be sure to have comfortable walking shoes, since you could be standing and observing for quite a while. Great Blue Herons can sit still for long periods of time, which makes them great candidates for photo opportunities. When they spread those long, beautiful wings to fly, that is another photo op that likely will not be forgotten.

Sources:
http://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=71
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=4429
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/Environment/discovparkindex.htm
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/great-blue-heron.html

The Green River in Utah is one of the most popular destinations for whitewater rafting. It's a long canyon, and not all stretches are the same. If you want to introduce your family to whitewater rafting, one of the best stretches is the Desolation and Gray Canyon stretch, with over sixty Class 1 to 111 rapids. It's a 5 to 6 day trip, depending on how far you push each day.

Drive or fly to the Sand Wash ranger station for the put-in. If you want to raft on your own, you'll need to get permits from the various jurisdictions the Green passes through (mostly BLM, but also the National Park Service and others). If you bring your kids, it's easier to go with one of the many services that provide the permits, along with the raft, a guide, meals, and camp set-ups. It's also a great way to convince your wife or girlfriend that she'll enjoy the trip!

Once you leave the put-in, the water starts out smooth. As you proceed, you'll start hitting rapids, and it gets more and more interesting. The best spot for whitewater fans is the Belknap rapids, the result of a 1987 flash flood that dumped rocks from a side canyon into the water. If you're hardcore, ask the guide to bring an inflatable kayak so you can run that stretch on your own.

Bring a pack with a section to keep your wet clothes away from your dry clothes. Keep your feet happy with these Teva open sandals so they can stay cool in the warm weather. You can get matching Teva kids sandals if you bring the kids (check first; some guides accept kids as young as five; others take kids age eight and up), or give their feet more coverage with these, also from Teva, so they don't have to switch footgear when you take out to look at sites like an abandoned canyon, some amazing petroglyphs that are about 1000 years old, or the stone ruins of the long-gone Fremont cultures that made this canyon their home.

Summer hiking in mountain ranges is often threatened by afternoon rain. Those showers can become thunderstorms with dangerous lightning. Whether you're on a day hike or a back-packing camping trip, be prepared to survive thunderstorms.

Although the odds of being struck by lightning aren't high, it's still a possibility. Stay aware of the weather around you. If clouds start to build up, study them. Are they just rain clouds, or are they turning into tall black storm clouds that bring thunder and lighting along with rain? If those clouds are moving in your direction, find a shelter. And remember, lightning can strike well outside the area of rain.

Tents aren't the best shelters in a thunderstorm. If your camp is in an open area, your tent is probably the highest structure, and the most likely to be hit by lightning. If your tent is under trees, you're safer, but still at risk both from lightning hitting the trees around you and from ground currents. If you're in your tent, don't lie down; instead, be a small target: pull your knees up to your chest, put your head down, and wrap your arms around your head.

If you're hiking, look for the lowest area you can before the storm arrives. Consider building a shelter of brush at the base of a rock face, and covering it with a tarp. No time to make a shelter? Drop your pack, and make yourself a small target.

Pack for rain as well. A flashlight and a battery-operated radio are musts; also, carry a lightweight tarp or rain cloth. Pack a light-weight rain jacket with a hood, and wear lightweight boots. Carry a first aid kit too, in case someone is injured. If someone in your group is actually struck by lightning, their heart may stop; use CPR to get their heart and lungs working again, and get them to a medical facility as soon as possible. Your first aid kit should have burn ointment and bandages if there are burns as well.

If the forecast is for severe thunderstorms, then put off your hike, or stay with your car. FEMA's general rule for safety is that 30 minutes after you hear the last thunder, it's safe to leave your shelter and head on, or head home.

(Source: http://fema.gov/hazard/thunderstorm/index.shtm )

After a rather memorable and geeky supporting role in Sixteen Candles, John Cusack moved front-and-center for Better Off Dead, a 1986 film about skiing, drag racing and the importance of paying your paperboy on time.

Cusack plays Lane Meyer, a high school student who thinks he has found his true love in Beth (Amanda Wyss), but she dumps him for Roy Stalin (Aaron Dozier), the captain of the ski team. A despondent Lane tries several ways to do himself in, but with no success. He does, however, cause plenty of collateral damage, including blowing up a neighbor and smashing his father's beloved garage door windows.

Pushed past the breaking point, Lane challenges Roy to a race down the most dangerous slope in town, the K-12. Lethal enough to disable Olympic-level athletes, challenging the K-12 could actually help Lane achieve his desperate goals.

The heartbroken teen is saved, though, by Monique (the beautiful Diane Franklin), a foreign exchange student forced to live with a horrid American family. Monique helps Lane rebuild his classic Camaro, which has been rotting under a tarpaulin on the driveway for months. In one memorable scene, Lane finally is able to drag race against two immigrant brothers, who learned how to speak English from sports announcer Howard Cosell.

With some footage shot at Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, Better Off Dead definitely is one of the funnier outdoor films ever made. Much of the humor comes from a running joke involving a deranged paperboy. After Lane can't pay his family's newspaper bill, he finds himself ruthlessly hunted by the paperboy, who constantly chants "I want my two dollars." He stages a late-night assault and even follows Lane down the K-12 on a tricked out bike, with a ski replacing the front tire.

The film reaches a great climax when a frantic Lane ends up skiing the K-12 on only one good ski. He wins the race, fights a duel with ski poles and takes his beautiful new girlfriend to her dream place, Dodger's Stadium.

Resources:
http://www.skinet.com/action/2008-09/3-better-dead
http://www.snowbird.com/

During the 1960's, Irwin Allen was the undisputed king of science fiction television, with shows such as "The Time Tunnel" and "Land of the Giants" on the major networks. One of Allen's creations that had some basis in reality was "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," a series about a submarine crew assigned to keep the world safe.

Based on the movie of the same name, most of the action takes place in and around the Seaview, a nuclear sub designed by Admiral Harriman Nelson (*Richard Basehart*). In the first episode, Admiral Nelson has to stop a tidal wave with a nuclear bomb, but there are forces in the world who want to stop his efforts.

Like the characters on "Star Trek" who wore red shirts, careers on the Seaview were painfully short for some crew members. The original Captain doesn't make it through the entire first episode, so Lee Crane (*David Hedison*) takes command of the Seaview in time to save the world from mass destruction.

In addition to the nuclear vessel, Admiral Nelson also designed the "The Flying Sub," an ultra-cool ship that could leave the Seaview and travel through the air. Some of the best sequences show the Flying Sub breaking the surface of the water and speeding into the upper atmosphere.

With the Cold War still burning hot, many "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" episodes dealt with the tensions between the United States and various Communist nations. Mysterious villains typically would capture Captain Crane and his crew, subjecting them to beatings and torture.

Because this was an Irwin Allen production, the show did feature plenty of alien invaders and recycled footage from several of Allen's other movie and television projects. No one at the network could ever accuse him of spending too much on special effects.

Despite the ingenious designs of Admiral Nelson, the Seaview did suffer damage in some episodes, sometimes causing it to linger at the bottom of the sea. At those times, the crew probably wished they had some rubber boots to navigate through the sub. They may have been on a "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," but nobody likes wet socks and shoes.

It may be possible to live in San Diego and never visit the beach, but why on earth would anyone want to? And the very best beach, at least according to residents and the Travel Channel, is on Coronado Island.

The beaches of Coronado Island (technically a peninsula; a narrow isthmus connects it to the mainland) can be reached by ferry, or a car trip across the Bay Bridge from downtown San Diego. The first thing you'll notice is the Hotel Del Coronado, known to locals as the Del. This legendary hotel, built in 1888, is a National Historic Landmark, and is the only hotel in San Diego that's truly a beachfront hotel.

When you're getting ready to go, pack a tote like this large, stylish, green plaid number from Oakley. Choose a new two piece, like this one from Hurley with a sweetheart top and a boyshort bottom, both in black with a blue trim and edging. Match them up with these jelly, and jellyfish patterned, flip-flops by Kate Spade, to keep your feet from burning on that white sand! If you're visiting Coronado, it's time for a new beach towel, so why not go all out and get this palm tree towel from Tommy Bahama?

One of the most justifiably popular strips of beach is the North, Central, and South Beach. North Beach begins at Sunset Park next to North Island, and stretches from there to the intersection of G Street and Ocean Boulevard. There it becomes Central Beach, all the way to a line of palm trees that marks South Beach, right in front of the Del. There are lifeguards on duty, and on North Beach you can bring your dog. There are plenty of opportunities for surfing, windsailing, or boating from this beautiful strip of white sand, or you can choose to just soak up the sun and listen to the waves and the seagulls.

When the sun is ready to go down, throw on a cover-up and go up to the Del to have a drink on the boardwalk and watch the sunset.

While the North Shore rivers of Minnesota are great places for expert paddlers, most of them can be deadly for non-experts. The lower Baptism is no exception; it's winding, steep, and twisting, with class IV and V waters.

Be prepared before you go with shoes like these from Columbia, that can handle the water or the slippery rocks when you portage. Another good choice is these convertible pants from Merrell. Wear as shorts while you're in the water, and zip on the quick-dry bottoms to save your knees from scrapes when you're out.

You'll hit action right after you reach the dells. There are two offset holes that you can avoid with little trouble, then a sweet pool at the end where the river makes a sharp left turn. Below that, another rapid leads to a boulder that splits the flow. The left side is your best bet, but if you can handle the Baptism, you'll manage the right.

There are a few sharp drops ahead, including one ledge that's about 3 feet and also shoots you off to the left. Past that, get ready to get out (river left) and scout. Downstream from you is Illgen Falls, a 35-footer. It has been run, usually with only minor problems, and you'll probably pop right up from the churning froth at the bottom. Then portage around it (also river left) to a steep trail, and it's not easy to climb down carrying your kayak, but wiser heads usually take the portage route. Below that, be ready to go ashore (river left) to avoid hitting a footbridge and going down High Falls just beyond. High Falls is the highest waterfall in Minnesota, and you'd have to be crazy to try it. Carry the kayak, take the trail, and put in below.

There's plenty more to come, but don't try this river without a good guidebook (try "Paddling Minnesota" by Greg Breining). The lower Baptism is sure to give you more than one rush!

Perhaps more than anything else, sport fishing requires tons of patience. While you are waiting for a trophy fish to finally tug on your line, unpack the iPod from your waterproof bag, toss back a cold refreshment and listen to these aquatic favorites:

"Under the Sea" (From "The Little Mermaid" Soundtrack)

One of the show-stopping tunes from the popular Disney film, this song talks about the joys that one can find just under the surface of the ocean. The lyrics by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken even go on to say that "it's better, down where it's wetter - take it from me."

"Louie Louie" (Sung by the Kingsmen)

Thanks to an urban legend, the lyrics to "Louie Louie" were supposed to be fairly offensive. In reality, this song is a fairly innocent "sea shanty" about a heartbroken sailor who wants nothing more than to come home and see the girl that he adores.

"Brandy" (Sung by Looking Glass)

This is a sweet, simple song about a girl who serves drinks to all the sailors who are stopping over in her harbor town. The men admire Brandy's good looks, saying that her eyes "could steal a sailor from the sea." Still, despite all this attention, Brandy adores only one man, who, unfortunately, is in love with the sea.

And in case you ignore all those small craft warnings:

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (Sung by Gordon Lightfoot)

In memory of the 29 Edmund Fitzgerald crew members who lost their lives in 1975, Gordon Lightfoot wrote and sang this haunting, yet beautiful song about how the sea truly can be a cruel mistress.

Planning a long back-packing trip, and intend to supplement the food you carry with food you find? You'd better be certain that you know what you can eat, and what to avoid if you want to make it home.

In the mountains, the desert, or the grasslands, you can find edible plants. Some basic rules are not to choose anything with fungus or mildew, or that looks spoiled. If you've got a sensitive stomach, you may want to avoid wild greens. Know the plants must be cooked before you eat them, like those containing oxalate crystals, which can damage your kidneys. Finally, avoid plants you don't recognize if their sap is milky or off-color; if they have beans, bulbs, or seeds inside pods; a bitter or soapy taste; thorns, hairs, or spikes; plants that look like foliage from dill, carrot, or parsley; if the woody parts and leaves have an almond scent; if they have pink, purple, or black spurs on grass heads; or if they have three-leaf clusters.

Many berries are edible, including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries and huckleberries; others, including daphne berries, jasmine berries, lantana camara berries, yew berries, moonseed berries and mistletoe berries, are fatal. Edible root plants include agave root, cammas bulbs, squaw root, wild carrots, Indian Cucumber root, wild onion, and wild garlic. Don't confuse them with flower bulbs, or candelabra cactus root. Greens are an excellent supplement to your wild diet. Dandelion greens, chickweed, clover, lamb's quarters, milkweed, and mustard greens are all good choices as well. Avoid anything that looks like dill or parsley, because it could be nightshade or hemlock.

Some plants are prepared to improve their taste; bitter greens can be soaked, acorns leached in water, and stems, leaves and buds of other plants boiled until they no longer taste bitter. Tubers, roots, and cattails should be boiled, baked, or roasted. That removes any oxalates some roots may have. Early grains can be eaten raw; once they're hard, you can grind them into flour or boil them for soup. The sap from birches and sycamores provides a sweetener like maple syrup.

Of course to do all this, you need some gear. Start with a multi-purpose tool to cut or dig up plants. You'll need cookware to cook things in, and a stove to cook on. And of course, a big backpack to carry it all.

Be careful, and bon appetit!

(Sources: http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/publications/poison/poison.html , http://www.wilderness-survival.net/plants-1.php, http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/food/edibleplants/ , http://www.essortment.com/all/ediblewildplan_repo.htm )

In 1984, a time when the Cold War was causing some rather icy relations between the Soviet Union and the United States, a little film called Red Dawn arrived in theaters. The first movie released with the "PG-13" rating, this gritty drama showed what might happen if Russia mounted a full-scale invasion of the United States.

As the story opens, Soviet paratroopers land outside a local high school in the fictional town of Calumet, Colorado. When one teacher goes outside to investigate, he is shot in cold blood by the soldiers. During the ensuing confusion and panic, many Calumet townspeople are captured, but some students manage to escape into the mountains.

Jed Eckert (*Patrick Swayze*) leads his brother Matt (*Charlie Sheen*) and the other students on guerilla attacks against the invading army. Calling themselves "Wolverines" in honor of their high school mascot, Jed and his ragtag army actually do some real damage to the Soviet troops.

A bit unbelievable at times, the ultra-patriotic Red Dawn takes place in and around the Arapaho National Forest. Though the boys are used to camping and hunting, they really have to live off the land this time in order to survive. In one key scene, Robert (*C. Thomas Howell*) stalks and kills his first deer, drinking the blood so his spirit will bond with the spirit of the animal.

The Red Dawn cast also contains a "Who's Who" of young acting talent, many of whom went on to have stellar careers. Three years before Dirty Dancing made them household names, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey were co-stars in this outdoor adventure. Charlie Sheen, who now will forever be known for his starring role in "Two and a Half Men," is just a supporting player here.

Many scenes in Red Dawn were shot in the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico, which also was seen more recently in the Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men. It's a beautifully shot, outdoor movie that requires some suspension of disbelief, but the New Mexico scenery makes it all worthwhile.

Resources:

http://www.lasvegasnm.gov/

In many ways, "Gilligan's Island" was the prototype for the popular reality show "Survivor." During this now-classic 1960's sitcom, seven people from different backgrounds were stranded together on an island during a terrible storm and, like the reality show, they had to work together in order to survive.

After spending 14 years in almost total seclusion before finally making it back home, however, some things just didn't add up:

Practically every week, Gilligan messed up an opportunity for the castaways to leave the island for good. After about a dozen foul-ups, in real life, one of his shipmates would probably tied up Gilligan in his sleep so he couldn't cause more mischief.

Bob Denver, who played the title role in the series, made an appearance in the 1987 movie "Back to the Beach." In character as Gilligan, Denver lamented the fact that he spent years on an island with a guy who could make a nuclear reactor out of two coconut shells and a piece of string, but he couldn't fix a two-foot hole in a boat.

Though Skipper *Jonas Grumby*'s first love was his boat, the Minnow, Gilligan and Professor Roy Hinkley were young, single guys. How come, in 14 years, neither one of them married Ginger Grant or Mary Ann Summers?

Despite the fact that most of the Minnow's passengers overpacked for a "three-hour tour", after 14 years of salt-water washings, even the sturdiest fabrics are going to fade and fall apart. When they were finally rescued, though, Gilligan and the Skipper were wearing fresh-looking clothes.

What exactly did the castaways use for toilet paper, toothpaste and other hygiene products?

Despite the lack of logic, "Gilligan's Island" remains one of the funniest outdoor television shows ever made. Even 45 years after its debut, it still is fun to lace up a pair of deck shoes and watch one of the episodes on satellite.

Summer sports and outdoor activities are a great way to keep the kids busy during the summer. Crab soccer is a fun twist to a popular sport. Not only is it a great workout, but it's a versatile sport and activity. Parents may choose to use crab soccer as a tournament event between family and friends. It also can be used as a birthday party game or even a way to entertain the kids during barbecues, family reunions, or other events. Some schools use this in gyms instead of on traditional soccer fields.

Crab soccer follows all the rules of traditional soccer, but there's a few exceptions. First, the kids cannot stand. In some versions, if a player stands, that causes their team to lose a point. "How are they going to play soccer without standing" is likely your question. Crab soccer is played in the crab walking position.

For those who don't know, here's how to do the crab walk. First, lie flat on your back with palms down. Now, use both the arms and the legs to hold up the body, so that you'll be up on all fours, but with the stomach facing up. When you move around like this, you'll look similar to a crab, which is where the name came from.

Back to crab soccer, in addition to not being able to stand, there are a few more things that differentiate crab soccer from traditional soccer. The entire game must be played in the crab position by everyone except the goalies. In some versions, the goalies also are in crab position, but for safety, since kids are playing here, the crab soccer goalies probably should stand. Be sure the kids have appropriate footwear to wear during crab soccer.

Because the kids will have to move around in a different way than they're used to, they will be working muscles that they may not have worked before. This can help increase strength. But to the kids it will be fun, so they probably won't look at it as exercise, but instead as a fun summer outdoor game. For rainy days, a slightly varied version can be played in a gymnasium, using gym scooters to maneuver in the game.

Anyone living in New York or New Jersey will probably tell you that THE best beach is Cape May on the Jersey Cape. Visit, and you'll swear you're in beach heaven.

Cape May is on a peninsula at the southern tip of New Jersey, between the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It has more than just great beaches: it has an historic lighthouse, gorgeous Victorian Bed and Breakfasts (most of them on the National Register of Historic Places), an assortment of different museums, a free zoo, wildlife sanctuaries, whale-watching trips, and restaurants for every budget. So grab a tote, throw in your sunscreen, a towel, some glamorous sunglasses, water, magazines or books, and a snack, and head to the beach. Choose a swimsuit like this pineapple print one-piece halter from Tommy Bahama, and protect your toes from hot sand with flip-flops by Simple Green Toe. They look great, and with organic cotton and a piece of recycled tire for the outer edge, you're saving the environment too.

The city beaches of Cape May require a beach badge; the 2009 prices are $25 for the season, $13 for a week, $5 for a day, and $10 for a weekend, but the beach at Cape May State Park is absolutely free, so take your pick. The city beaches do have beach umbrellas and chairs to rent, if that's an issue, and both city and park beaches are wheelchair accessible.

One of the most famous landmarks of Cape May is the Cape May Point Lighthouse, inside the park. For a small fee, you can climb 199 steps to the top and see a phenomenal view of the entire peninsula and 30 miles of white beaches. If you decide to climb up, trade the flip-flops for a sturdier shoe like these darlings from Snipe, and throw on some comfy crop pants and a cool light top.

The park and the beaches close at night, so be ready to throw your gear in your bag and head for home or a B&B when the sun starts to set.