(from SharkDiver.com) Whether for conservation work or pure pleasure, shark diving expeditions offer thrilling opportunities around the globe. The waters of Australia, the Bahamas, South Africa, Southern California, and the Galapagos offer different types of elasmobranch encounters, ranging from a guarded meeting with an apex predator to a swim alongside a gentle giant. Leave your fears (but not your manners) on dry land, and dive into the world of the sharks. Suggested Sites... DivingWithSharks.com - guide for the shark-diving enthusiast. Oceanic Dreams - captures the grace and haunting beauty of the shark. Elasmodiver.com - familiarize yourself with the oceans' sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras before hitting the water. Sharks: Myth and Mystery - learn how sharks have worked their way into the lore of people around the world.

Directory categories: Shark Diving Tours, Shark Research Expeditions, Shark Species

Archived under: Animals, Marine Biology, Outdoors, Sharks

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(From simpletractors.com) It's not easy caring for your baby. Nurturing, feeding, and the occasional aeration are the keys to success. Mowing and weeding might not work as well for an infant, but they'll do wonders for your lawn. Nearly every homeowner dreams of a beautiful, green, lush yard, but often those dreams turn to nightmares. Crabgrass, dandelions, drought, and the neighbor's dog all scheme to ruin your pristine pasture. If the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet that a lot of time, effort, and know-how have contributed to its beauty. Suggested Sites... The Lawn Institute - homeowner's resource guide to a beautiful lawn. Organic Lawn Care For the Cheap and Lazy - alternatives to chemicals. Scarecrow - motion-activated sprinkler deters animals from defiling your lawn. TopiaryArt.com - for those who have mastered the hedge trimmer.

Directory categories: Lawn Care, Lawn and Garden Power Equipment, Landscaping Services

Archived under: Grass, Home and Garden, Landscaping, Lawn Care, Outdoors

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Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point When roller coasters first appeared in the early 1800s, a 43-foot hill was enough to wow the crowds. Since then, our fascination with thrill rides has climbed faster and steeper each year. What seems impossible in one decade becomes passé in the next. During the 1980s, we saw the first suspended coaster, the first high-speed stand-up coaster, and the first 200-footer. The 90s produced the first coaster to break 100 mph and a coaster perched 990 feet above the Las Vegas Strip. 2000 saw Millennium Force break the 300-foot mark, and just three years later, Top Thrill Dragster zoomed past the next milestone, reaching heights of 420 feet and 120 mph. This spring, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey launched Kingda Ka, the world's tallest and fastest coaster, flying above its competition and reaching an astonishing 456 feet in 3.5 seconds, followed by a 128 mph, 90-degree plunge back to earth. Suggested Sites... ThrillRide - reviews, photos, news, and articles about coasters. Joyrides - large image galleries of roller coasters around the world. UltimateRollercoaster.com - information on record holders and a history of thrill rides.

Directory categories: Roller Coasters, Amusement Parks, Amusement Park Ride Physics

Archived under: Amusement Parks, Fanatics, Records, Roller Coasters, Summer, Travel

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(Photo by Steve Bell) If you want to climb Mt. Everest, get to know a Sherpa. Native to the Khumbu region of the Himalaya mountains of Nepal, Sherpas have turned to mountaineering and guiding to supplement their income. Every spring, cadres of climbers arrive in Katmandu laden with tons of gear for their expeditions. It's up to the Sherpa porters to get the equipment to Everest base camp, navigate the treacherous Khumbu icefall, ferry gear to the higher camps, and assist other climbers in reaching the summit. It's no surprise that Sherpas have climbed Everest more than anyone else -- Apa Sherpa has the record, at 14 times. Suggested Sites... Sherwa mi: The Sherpas of Nepal - all about Sherpa language, history, music, and culture. National Geographic: Sherpas - discusses how the Sherpas have turned to mountaineering as a primary source of income. PhotoVoyage: Sherpas - photo collection depicting the Sherpa culture. Sherpa Friendship Association - assists Sherpas living in North America. Mt. Everest 2005 - news and updates on the 2005 expeditions.

Directory categories: Sherpas, Climbers, Mount Everest

Archived under: Mount Everest, Outdoors, Regional, Society and Culture

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(Photo by Andy Day) While some runners need only comfortable shoes and sunscreen to venture forth, practitioners (traceurs) of le parkour could benefit from helmets and kneepads. The running/martial arts hybrid that's sweeping through concrete jungles around the globe has some onlookers wondering what's with all the monkey business. But an attitude motivates each step: Be one with your obstacles. And while you're at it, do something artistic with your body. Though some of these athletes can vault themselves over railings or leap across rooftops, in parkour, grace and lightness win out to muscles and heft. Suggested Sites... Screw Gravity - learn how to get started through photos and videos. Urban Freeflow - brush up on your King Kong vault, gap jump, dismount, and roll. Cool Running - still prefer running the old-fashioned way? Try these training tips to help you ramp up for a local race.

Directory categories: Le Parkour, Running, Running Injuries

Archived under: Outdoors, Running, Sports

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