Click your way through the web to open the outdoor world

By Allen Macartney

Where to go to watch a video on camping techniques, learn a new paddle stroke, or just get pumped by other people’s adventures? A general Google search provides a mind-numbing blizzard of options, so there must be a better way.

There are great websites with everything from camp crafts and wilderness survival, to high speed cycling and advanced paddling – something for everyone. All offer links to other sites to drill down deeper. Start with … www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF1sIdPlWvg

Camp Fortune’s downhill mountain-biking trails are rugged, very, but doable for intermediate to advanced riders. This site puts you in the saddle for a fast, bum-jarring thrill through forests, over bridges, rocks, embankments and mud. Are you up to the challenge? Don’t try it without the proper training and equipment (like helmet and leather gloves).

If this rugged video trip doesn’t switch you on, try Googling “Gatineau Park” and “cycling” for slower-paced touring videos. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgfWoaJM2c0

Gatineau’s Becky Mason offers a visually stunning medley of YouTube videos that demonstrate advanced solo paddling techniques. These spectacularly videos make learning easy and raise paddling to an art form – a virtual ballet on water.

This site will lead you to other videos that include Bill Mason’s (Becky’s father) instructional classic movies, Path of the Paddle and Water Walker. Other videos here demonstrate how to empty a swamped canoe, paddle with a buddy, and canoe rescues. www.youtube.com/watch?v=88QosNCLbBA

Ray Mears is one of the world’s top survival experts and he’s produced a range of videos covering activities like building a shelter, how pre-historic people made fire, “hobo fishing” (using anything handy to rig a line) and more. He travels the globe for the BBC gleaning survival tips from groups as diverse as Genghis Khan’s army as history records it, Siberian nomads, Second World War guerrillas and Britain’s aboriginal tribes. Want to learn camping basics? Mears offers camp craft videos covering just about every subject imaginable. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT58RoqDOpo

Called Tips for Camping in the Rain, this 10-minute video has been viewed by almost a million people – for good reason. It offers tips that apply not only to wet days but dry ones too. The video is geared to fastpaced learning, and the music is inspiring.

So next time you’re house-bound and dreaming outdoor dreams, let your imagination surf and soar, click by click. 

• Over 10 years experience (licensed) • Exceptional customer service with ref. • Family-run business since 2001

Let Vick and his team build it for you...QUICKLY! • 20 years experience • PVC FENCING $44/ft installed! • Exceeding your expectations! • Written 3-year "Diamond" warranty!

Whether it's decking around your pool, fencing around your yard or functional benches and storage boxes, whatever the ambiance you're trying to create, we can build it for you.

P.V.C FENCE SALE ON RIGHT NOW... GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT! At Northern Vinyl we stand behind our product with a 35-year written warranty. This is not the cheap knock-off, this is thick-wall well-made material. Only $44 a foot INSTALLED! Yes, that is not a typo – just $44 a foot. You won't find a better deal out there for Northern Vinyl so call us now to book and reserve your spot.

A screened gazebo or porch is a great way to get outside and still have some cover and relief from those pesky mosquito's, why not have your own little private spot where you can go to get away from it all.

You may want to consider some type of privacy rail or screening in order to achieve your goal, as much as you may be friendly with your neighbours there comes a time when you just want to relax and have some alone time and privacy screening can offer you that and still look good.

Pergolas can accentuate your space or create a certain amount of shade, consider what purpose you would like your pergola to perform before deciding on the design.

diamond deckandfence Exceeding your Expectations.