When you think of a vacation to southern California, you normally imagine sandy beaches and bright sunlight glinting off windows as you stroll through Los Angeles or San Diego or Riverside. However, one of the most beautiful destinations in this area of the country is Big Bear Lake, which is located in the San Bernardino Mountains and offers far more snow than sand.

Big Bear Lake is one of the most beautiful spots in the world and is secluded enough that you'll feel as though you've landed in paradise without having to deal with crowds or traffic. Many Southern Californians own cabins in the woods surrounding Big Bear Lake and visit in both the summer and the winter. If you travel to Big Bear Lake between November and March, you're likely to encounter plenty of snow drifts and snow-capped mountains. Skiing is popular here during the winter months, as are snowboarding and sledding.

This is also the place to go if you are fed up with the impersonal and sterile nature of hotels. There are dozens of cozy bed and breakfasts on Big Bear Lake, whether you prefer a sophisticated Swiss chalet or a romantic Victorian cottage. Many of these B&Bs offer your very own private cabin complete with kitchens, restrooms, satellite television and even hot tubs.

Summer trips are also fun at Big Bear Lake, particularly if you are a fan of fishing and boating. You can literally spend hours on the water every day and never see every nook and cranny of the lake, and there are numerous festivals held here every year so you can meet people and pick up goodies to bring back home to friends and family.

Since hiking is popular in Big Bear Lake, you'll want to bring a pair of comfortable athletic shoes. If you're visiting in winter, a warm jacket is necessary, and you might need to equip your car or SUV with snow tires and chains, particularly if your cabin or cottage is located in the mountains.

Big game hunting typically involves traveling to remote places in search of such animals as bears or deer, as well as the more exotic creatures, like the Oryx and Dall sheep. There's something decidedly American, though, about going out to bag a turkey, the bird that Benjamin Franklin wanted to use as our national symbol.

One of the best places to go for gobblers is New York State, a region that schedules turkey hunting seasons in both the spring and the fall. You can use a hunting dog in the latter part of the year, but you can't bring your four-legged friend along during the spring turkey season. New York State also requires all hunters to purchase a permit, and the bag limits are strictly enforced.

Don't Become a Target
After eight years of serving as Vice President under George W. Bush, Dick Cheney always will be remembered for an unfortunate hunting incident that took place in 2006. According to CNN, Cheney was quail hunting with some campaign contributors when he accidentally shot a member of his party, a gentleman named Harry Whittington.

New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) wants you to avoid being a turkey like Cheney when you are out in the woods looking for the gobblers. If you are careless, other hunters might mistake you for a wild bird and start shooting at you. Your friends may think you act like a turkey sometimes, but that doesn't mean you have to get shot.

Although it sounds a bit unpatriotic, the DEC recommends not wearing colors like red, white and blue while you are hunting for these game birds. One of the best ways to avoid accidents is by wearing gear such as the Columbia Rogue Plaid Fleece Jacket. Choose colors for your jacket that are bright to help other hunters can see you clearly.

When you get an animal in range make sure that it really is a turkey or other game bird and not a campaign contributor before pulling the trigger, especially during an election year.

Sources:
http://www.newyorkgameandfish.com/hunting/index2.html
http://www.nwtf.org/hunting_tactics.html
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/32162.html
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/12/cheney/

On June 11th through June 16th several Zapponians, vendor reps, a customer winner, and a couple guides journeyed to Washington state in an attempt to summit Mount Rainier. Very well known around the world as a must-do for the hiking enthusiast, Mount Rainier is located approximately 54 miles southeast of Seattle. With a peak sitting at 13,210 feet at it's highest, Rainier is an excellent journey for those looking for a tough, but rewarding expedition and definitely serves as a must-have feather for any adventurer's cap.

Zappos was lucky to be represented by Andy H., Kelly., Lindsay R., Braden M., Megan R., and Alicia M. Jesse and Ed, two of our vendor reps from our new outdoor gear brand C.A.M.P. USA and well known footwear company La Sportiva, respectively, also lent themselves to the journey. Some time ago there used to be a button on the outdoor vertical site that allowed people to click on it to enter into a drawing to join everyone on the trip to Rainier. A gentlemen named Hugh, who amusingly could not say what he did for a living, but only that he worked for the government, was the lucky customer winner of that contest. Hugh joined the group along with mountain guides Jason, Eric, and Bob.

"It was like rollin' with a posse, all that luggage and our big group," says Alicia. Due to the imposing nature of this trip, however, the size of the group was necessary and the preparation was intense.

"They did a gear check on what we already had and what we would need...and we hiked up to clearing with areas that had some steepness to them, specifically for ice arrests, techniques and how to actually walk on snow," Alicia explained.

"Day two we were just practicing our snow skills," she continues, "we did different techniques for walking on snow in high terrain. We did a cross-over walk in crampons...then we did what's called a duck walk. We practiced without our crampons on descending from steep areas in the snow...we roped up together and did rope work...then we did self arrests, which is when you fall and your sliding down and you have to dig your ice axe into the snow and really kick your feet to stop yourself."

With all that intense training, the proper gear was definitely a must. Fortunately for the group, Jesse from C.A.M.P. USA was there to provide ice axes, crampons, and helmets. Even so, there were still the basics to be met, as Alicia again explains. "I had my backpack, my Jansport Whittaker, I had base layers, tops and bottoms, and Grandoe gloves. We had to get plastic, heavier duty boots that had an insulated inside. I ended up having to by an extra water bottle and I forgot to buy silverware and a bowl so I was borrowing other people's," she finishes with a chuckle.

Fortunately for the group, everything went really well and there were no accidents or problems. "We had perfect weather, we got really lucky," Alicia says. "It was cold, but as far as wind and any other kind of weather it was perfect. Another group...was going a day before us to the summit. The night they left it was freezing cold and the wind was just brutal. We were all in the tents sleeping, but I couldn't believe they went up, it was just crazy. Not all of them made it, but the majority of their party did," she concludes.

In the end the trip was a great success. Would she do it again? "Yes!" she replies emphatically, "it was an unforgettable experience. As hard as part of it was, I just kept thinking I would do this again in a heartbeat. I’m so happy I was lucky enough to experience this with old friends, new friends, and got to build relationships with reps and customers! The guides said we were one of the craziest and most fun groups they’d ever had. What would you expect though, we’re from Zappos!"