The best way to start whitewater rafting is by booking a whitewater rafting “adventure” organized by and guided by professionals. When looking for the right place to go, read the literature very carefully.

You should know what you are looking for, and understand what you are getting.

If you are after danger and the thrill ride of your life, you’ll easily find a place that will supply it. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a fun-filled family adventure, minus the ‘extreme adrenaline cocktail’, you will just as easily find a place that is happy to oblige.

The term “whitewater” refers to the color of rushing river water when it’s being churned up by a combination of the river’s speed and any obstruction that tries to slow it down or make it change course (obstructions like rapids — large rocks in the water — and waterfalls). This combination of fast water and obstructions is what turns a mild ride into a wild ride.

In the literature for the whitewater rafting adventures, you will get a hint about the ‘attitude’ of the potential adventure if they mention the “class” of the whitewater rafting areas they traverse. There are actually six classes of whitewater rafting, as designated by the International standard called the International Grading System.

Summertime brings to mind sun, waves, and surf. You probably have considered trying to surf at one point.

You sit on the shore and watch in amazement as the pros perform their tricks and sometimes wipe out.

Along with the pros, there are people of all ages taking to the sport of surfing.

Learning how to stand on the board, ride the waves and they are having a great time doing so. This article will take a look at the beginning basics of surfing.

Before your feet ever hit the board, it is a good idea to know the rules about surfing:

Absolutely no alcohol – you need to be alert while surfing and everyone knows that alcohol impairs your judgment and being in the water intoxicated is not a smart choice.

Always notice where you are on the water and the other surfers and individuals who are in the water.

Those giant waves look cool sitting on the shore, but once you start surfing, are realistic and do not get into a wave that is too much for you. Stay in your comfort zone.

What is it that draws so many people to snowmobile racing? Is it the snow, the snowmobiles themselves, or perhaps the crisp fresh air of winter? Suffice to say the draw is all of the above mentioned.

Snowmobile racing is a cross between watching the Daytona 500, speed skating, and roller derby. Throw in a few hairpin turns and paint the snowmobiles bright neon colors, and you have yourself a snowmobile race. Where are some of these snowmobile or snowcross races held?

Eagle River, Wisconsin has had a snowmobile derby for the past 41 years and this race and location is rich in history. In 1944 the first snowmobile (well at least one that closely resembles the models of today) was built.

It basically consisted of a toboggan on skis that could be driven over the snow. During the 1960s is when the thought of using snowmobiles in the form of a sport caught the attention of many. The idea came as a way to boost the winter economy and boost, it did. The snowmobile derby in Eagle River today can draw crowds upwards of 50,000 people.

Skydiving comes in many forms and form several distances. You have your professionals, teachers, novices, and spectators.

The draw of skydiving for many sports enthusiasts is the prospect of flying without a plane.

Skydiving unique experience allows you to soar through the sky and feel nothing but the air you are gliding through.

When you jump from the plane, you begin to accelerate toward the earth gaining speed with every second you are falling.

As you are gaining speed the resistance of the air increases. When you reach the point of gravity, the skydiver will no longer continue accelerating at this point. This is what is called terminal velocity.

There are several positions the skydiver can take. I am sure you have seen pictures where they are tucked in a ball or in a spread eagle position, or in the position where it looks like they are diving straight towards the earth.

Each of these positions affects the air resistance on the skydiver. If the skydiver uses the spread eagle position, they will reach the terminal velocity slower than another position because the resistance of the air is greater.

Notice all those young kids on skateboards, not only skateboarding on the sidewalk, but also skateboard on park benches, sidewalk rails and anything it seems that may be just a few inches or several feet in the air? They will try anything and go anywhere just to get some “air.” There is even some home movies made showing them trying to skateboard off their roof.

Now, obviously if you are a young person reading this, do not go out and climb your parent’s roof with your skateboard. Why, do you suppose, they are so eager to continue learning tricks that push the boundaries of extreme sports, besides being of the belief they are invincible? It is called the adrenaline rush or just for the thrill of it!

Experimenting with different types of skateboards, different types of wheels, the number of wheels, and the overall design of the skateboard is how many individuals move past the normal experience of skateboarding and go forward into the extreme tricks of the trade.

With each new design comes the possibility of a new thrill – something that will set them apart from the other millions of skateboarders out there. The thought of injury is of no consequence; in fact it fuels the desire to push the boundaries of skateboarding techniques.

Rock climbing has become a nation and even worldwide craze. People are coming to the sport in droves because it offers exercise and excitement at the same time.

Do you see the appeal? If not, perhaps you should take a look at exactly rock climbing actually involves. You never know, you may be lining up to be a part of the crowd in no time flat.

Those who have attempted rock climbing before will tell you that rock climbing is many things, but easy is not one of those things.

Most people, on their first attempt, come away feeling defeated by the sport.

What beginners soon realize, whether they try indoor climbing or outdoor climbing, is that this rock climbing sport requires an incredible amount of physical and mental energy. Rock climbing is perhaps the most completely demanding sport around.

There are three basic types of rock climbing you can try. The first type of rock climbing is called top roping and is perhaps the most common. In top roping you climb with a partner. From the ground, the partner has a rope from his harness up to the top of the rock and then back down to you as you climb.

Who would have thought that a game between twelve friends would evolve into a national craze? Nonetheless, it is a fact that a game that started in 1981 has created a million dollar industry, as well as a phenomenon that young and old alike enjoy.

These days, paintball supplies come from the ordinary to the extraordinary set, which costs a pretty penny. Fields that have been set up especially to facilitate the game as well as indoor arenas supply the necessary space and environment to let paintball enthusiasts play.

Paintball is nothing more than shooting a small capsule filled with paint from an air or CO2 powered gun. A paintball gun is sometimes also referred to as a marker. Will it hurt to get hit by a paintball? Yes, if may.

Considering that the speed with which those little pellets leave the marker are about three hundred feet per second, a direct hit can sting a bit and quite possibly leave a bruise. Further damage, however, is unlikely if all safety precautions are being observed.

Mountain climbing, or mountaineering, is one of the oldest sports in the world.

Mountain climbing is the timeless sport of scaling high slopes on a mountain with the goal of reaching the top, or summit, in mind.

Mountain climbing is actually a combination of many other sports, like snow, ice, and rock climbing as well as hiking and often camping.

Much of the introductory mountain climbing done by beginners is little more than hiking up hill.

Because there is such a range of difficulty levels and it is easy to start, mountain climbing is very popular.

The basic climbs also seem much less intimidating than if people had to start off scaling a straight up rock wall.

The other exciting part is that there is such variety in the sport even at its most basic levels. In fact, one day of mountain climbing can get you everything from freezing temperatures to unbearable heat due to changes in altitude, weather, and basic sub angles. This variety offers you the opportunity to use skills like problems solving, climbing skills, and overall physical conditioning.

Wow, what an image that title conjures up! The pure adrenaline rush from surfing and getting airborne at the same time! Is there any better way to live? Too many extreme sports enthusiast, the answer is no.

When you first learn to kite surf, also known as kite boarding, you don’t need to worry about starting on the water.

You get the privilege of starting on the beach, so that if you have to ditch the kite, instead of swallowing a mouth full of salt water, you get to eat the sand instead.

After a bit of practice, and when the instructor thinks you are ready, you get to strap yourself to a board. These kite surf boards are not the same length as a regular surfboard. In addition, it has a length more common to that of a snowboard.

When you are one of these, you will face the wind or get a mouth full of salt water or maybe you have perfected the “ditching” technique and will fall gracefully into the water.

There are several stages involved in learning to kite surf and although they may seem complicated they can be learned in a relatively short amount of time and all of them are performed on land. The First Stage:

A kayak is a small boat with a cockpit where the kayaker sits.

The cockpit has a piece of waterproof material (called a spray skirt or a spraydeck) that is designed to be secured around the kayaker’s waist and keep water out of the cockpit.

This makes the kayak almost unsinkable unless it runs into something, like a big rock, and develops a hole.

While a kayak may be virtually unsinkable, it is easily capsized (turned upside down) which, considering that the kayaker is more or less tied into the cockpit, makes it the kayaker’s least favorite position. As you would expect, the first thing a kayaker learns is how to recover from that upside down position. The kayak is moved through the water with a single paddle that has two blades, rather than the single blade you normally associate with a paddle.

The recreational kayaker will take a leisurely paddle down a river and “shoot” right through some mild (slow) rapids. However, when confronted with whitewater (dangerous rapids or waterfalls) the recreational kayaker will portage (carry the kayak) around them.

Not so the extreme kayaker. The extreme kayaker not only anticipates dangerous rapids and high waterfalls, the extreme kayaker looks for them.