It is never too late to start climbing.  Just last month, I was introduced to the sport of rock climbing and I have already fallen in love with it.  My arms are sore and my hands ache, yet all I want to do is climb.  It is a great way to stay active and get an intense workout, as well as just have fun with friends!  I love the technical aspect of it too.  If you love strategy then you will love rock climbing, because it’s always a puzzle to find out the best route to the top.

Right now, I am going to school in Provo, Utah, so I am lucky that some of the best rock climbing opportunities in the country, such as in American Fork Canyon, Moab, and Zions, are right in my backyard.  However, there is rock climbing available almost anywhere!  I know that when I go back home to California I am checking out routes in Yosemite.

Even when winter hits, you can stay involved in the rock climbing community and go to your local rock gym to work on technique and get better for the next outdoor climbing season.  However, if you insist on being outdoors even in the cold, then ice climbing is a whole different sport altogether…  I have personally never tried it, but I bet it is just as amazing.

I hate that it’s slimy.

I hate that I can never get it to rub in completely.

I hate that I have to put it on every two hours to protect my white skin.

That being said, I have always ended up sunburned on my numerous outdoor adventures. But recently I have realized that applying sunscreen is the key to making your vacation a success.

My most recent outdoor vacation involved a boat, a lake in the desert, and the scorching sun. I bought one of those spray bottles of sunscreen and committed to use it since I was going to be out in the sun a lot.

By the end of the vacation, I had pretty much avoided major sunburn and realized that my experience was a lot more enjoyable. I wasn’t always worrying about staying in the shade to protect my already sunburned skin. I protected myself from any sort of heat stroke or exhaustion. I could sleep at night because I wasn’t worried about rolling over onto my sunburn.

Even after returning, I did not have to worry about peeling skin or putting on the equally slimy Aloe Vera to help heal a sunburn. Even the water from the shower didn’t hurt like it usually does after an outdoor vacation.

Sunscreen is still not my favorite thing but I realize that the difference this trip was the way that I applied it. Instead of rubbing it on for ten minutes I was able to just spray it on every couple of hours and I was done in a couple of minutes.

Even if you hate sunscreen like me, there are many ways to buy it now that can make it a less painful experience. Not only does it protect you from skin cancer but provides a more enjoyable experience in the outdoors!

Spring Snowboarding the act of going down the mountain wearing light spring appropriate clothes. The weather is usually warm, and the constant movements of the riders will make sure that they are comfy even if they are in a T-shirt.

See? Super comfy. And... manly. And stuff.

The experience is a unique one, because there is more freedom of movement and the you can really feel the air rush by. There is a terrific sense of speed and exhilaration that accompanies the activity. Additionally, if you fall down you will fall into the snow without a heavy coat to keep the snow off of you. However, the weather is usually warm enough that getting some now on you isn’t a big deal.

I’ve been Spring Snowbaording for years, and I’m telling you… It’s awesome. I personally go down the mountain in an old t shirt and a baseball hat, wearing a pair of sunglasses. Not only is it super fun, but it also makes you feel freaking invincible.

Fatigue and carelessness often result in accidents and injury on the slopes. Preparing before the season starts ensures that when you do finally get to the slopes with the first fresh powder of the year, you’ll be able to enjoy it more and be able to spend more time hitting the jumps and riding the powder rather than resting off to the side, fixing your equipment at the lodge, or worse yet injured for the season.

Knowing a few tips before you hit the mountain can save your snowboarding season.

1. Get in shape. Working out before the snowboard season can make it much more enjoyable. Leg presses, squats and running are great work outs that help build leg strength while building cardio stamina. Getting oxygen to all that muscle at high altitudes is key.

   Trail running will not only build leg strength but will also improve your agility. Also don’t forget to work out your core. While the specific types of exercises you do aren’t important, what does matter is that you work on building your cardio, agility, and overall body strength.

   Many sports medicine businesses are holding ski/snowboarding conditioning classes. If your not one who likes to hit the gym a lot there are other fun ways to build snowboarding strength such as long boarding and balance boards.

2. Check your equipment. This can help you get the most for your money by keeping you on the slope instead of tightening and repairing equipment. At least a few weeks before you head up the mountain, look to see if there are any major dents or scratches in your board as this will directly impact your speed and performance on the mountain.

   If you do have large dents and scratches to your board you will need to take your board to a local snowboard shop and have them resurface the bottom of your board. Next, make sure to tighten all the screws that are being used to hold both of your bindings in.

   Then make sure all the little bolts on your bindings are safely secure and tightened as well. Last, wax your board making sure to use the appropriate kind depending on the conditions of the day.

3. Make the snowboarding season affordable. If you’re an avid boarder getting a season pass is a must. Call your local resorts and check prices. You usually only have to go 3 or 4 times in a season and it will pay for itself.

   In addition, lots of discounts are usually available if you are a student or served military duty. If you don’t think work, school, or family obligations will allow you to go frequently enough to buy a season pass then there are also individual preseason tickets that are available at a discount.

4. Schedule days to hit the slopes. Getting the most out of the snowboarding season starts with planning which days you will go ahead of time. If you don’t mark down on your calendar which days you are going, other activities will fill up your schedule.

   Surprisingly, most people are able to get their tasks done in time if their schedule has been marked as busy ahead of time. Also, start looking at your work or school calendar to see when you have days off and which holidays you have free. Don’t forget to start banking up those sick days.

5. Who are you going to ride with? You say your buddies of course but have you checked to see if your schedules line up? Start talking with work and school buddies now to see which resort they have passes too and what their schedules line up with yours.

   Getting people to go with you will make your days on the slope more enjoyable and riding with people of the similar or better skill level will help you improve too. This will also help you keep your commitment to go those days you scheduled if others are going with you.

There are easier trails for beginners, and tough terrain for pros looking to conquer new challenges. Biking is a fun way to to explore and enjoy nature while getting a vigorous workout.

The great thing is this can be done alone on a trail, or you can go with your friends to challenge each other to try out new trails and new maneuvers. This get the blood pumping and the endorphins going.

You can tear down hills going 20+ miles per hour, dodging trees and boulders and flying over tree roots. There is really no end to the adventures you can have on your bike, and the great thing is that this is all for free.

Anyone can take their bike to a trail in the mountains, and some people even opt to go off the trails. As long as the non-trail areas are not marked off-limits, you can take your wheels to the thick of the forest and battle your way through nature and back to your car.

Though the forest may not be the best idea for kids, you can take the little ones out on trails so they can learn early the joys of mountain biking. This can be a great family that everyone can enjoy together.

Lostroh has been number one in the standings all season, and was unaware upon entering the Built Ford Tough Championship Round that he had already earned the gold buckle. The 24-year old Colorado cowboy is quiet and media-shy, but his riding (called “flawless” by rodeo great, Ty Murray) allows him to walk the walk without having to talk himself into his Champion status.

Battling a torn tendon in his elbow and the doctors who wanted to operate on it, Lostroh “put [his injury] in God’s hands and went on with [riding].” That was last April. Today, after winning the World Finals, he’s allowing the operation to go forward– now that it can’t interfere with his riding.

For the win in the Finals, Lostroh finished the season with 16,640 points, 594 ahead of Mauney, who finished second for the second consecutive year. According to PBR rules, even in a worst-case scenario, meaning Mauney received the maximum points possible and Lostroh the fewest possible, Lostroh would have won by 88 points.

Wingsuits are used to fly/glide through the air as you are in a free fall from either base jumping or sky diving. You can glide for quite along time as you use the wind resistance to your advantage. Speeds for those that participate can reach 120 mph! If you ask me, I am pretty sure I would rather kiss my sister than try something like that.

If anyone is thinking of trying out a wingsuit, it is going to set you back about $1,500. That is the price for some of the best in the industry. I don’t know about you, but if I am going to be flying through the air, I am going to want the best equipment I can get my hands on.

This video is pretty freaking insane. As I watched it I couldn’t help but wonder what is going on inside the heads of the people that participate in  this sport. Absolutely crazy!!

Here are the breakdowns of how it all ended up:

Skateboard Vert Podium:

1. Bucky Lasek, Baltimore, Md., 90.25.

2. Andy Macdonald, Boston, Mass., 90.25.

3. Sandro Dias, Brazil, 89.25.

Skateboard Park Podium:

1. Rodolfo Ramos, Brazil, 88.83

2. Chris Cole, Philadelphia, Pa., 88.05

3. Nick Dompierre, East Freetown, Mass., 84.93

BMX Dirt Podium:

1. Ryan Nyquist, San Jose, Calif., 92.56

2. TJ Ellis, Moreno Valley, Calif., 92.31

3. Brandon Dosch, Lake Orion, Mich., 91.75

BMX Park Podium:

1. Daniel Dhers, Venezuela, 92.50

2. Garrett Reynolds, Toms River, N.J., 91.63

3. Brett Banasiewicz, South Bend, Ind., 91.50

BMX Vert Podium:

1. Jamie Bestwick, Great Britain, 93.38

2. Chad Kagy, Gilroy, Calif., 92.13

3. Steven McCann, Australia, 91.13

When my wife and I were in San Francisco a few weeks ago, we were just doing a little sight seeing, when I saw some human kangaroos jumping through Fisherman’s Wharf. Then I realized that these dudes weren’t just naturally born freaks, but that they had some sort of souped-up pogo stick under them. I went and started talking to them and they filled me in on everything about Flybar, one of the companies that manufactures these specialized extreme pogo-sticks.

However, when most people think of a pogo stick, they think of a little eight year-old girl with pigtails jumping around in the drive way and screaming when she falls and cuts up her knees. Well, this is the complete opposite of that. Flybar is a sport only for the completely insane. Not only do you face plant hardcore if you fall, but more wrists have been broken participating in this sport than any other. Check out the sweet video.