http://articles.racingandmotorsportstore.com/rss.xml A blog about racingandmotorsportstore.com daily 365 1901-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://articles.racingandmotorsportstore.com/?a=36229 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>One of the hottest new extreme sports is called adventure racing. Far from being a sport with one set of rules, it features a variety of competitions like an Extreme version of the Olympics. The name tells you all you need to know about the makeup of the sport: it's all about competing and winning. Whoever crosses the finish line first wins. Be forewarned! The combination of a highly competitive sport matched with the extreme sports makes for an adrenaline rushing experience. <br /><br />As a touch of information to those of you who are new to the thought of extreme sports: competing in an extreme sport isn't about having a some kind of death wish or enjoying getting hurt, or even a desire to take crazy and outlandish chances. Extreme sports competition is all about challenging yourself to beat the odds, no matter what. It's about achieving a level of focus and determination, which results in accomplishments you had previously doubted yourself capable of. Several sports &quot;officially&quot; qualify as adventure racing. We'll take a look at some of them. <br /><br />Many of these races can be quite long and involve training as rigorous as marathon or triathlon training and in fact many of the athletes cross-train in other sports. Adventure races often have an element where navigation is a stand-alone event, but even where it's not it's still an important component in every event. Navigation is all about your ability to read a topographical map, use a compass, and find a target location before your competitors. Again, this is similar to paddling in that it's many competitors' weakest skill. <br /><br />The next is Hiking or Scrambling which is held on any and every terrain and in any kind of weather. These competitions often start with a run from an easy starting point to and through tricky terrain which requires hiking and scrambling. FYI: scrambling is climbing difficult terrain without ropes and using only your hands for balance. You can't grab things to pull yourself up. We've all paddled a canoe, rowboat, or kayak, but it's usually across a pool, a gentle lake or a calm bay. Adventure racers paddle in all water and weather conditions. Being good at paddling in all conditions is a huge advantage in adventure racing because for many adventure racers it's their weakest event. <br /><br />Many races will include a climbing or rappelling element. This is an important event to practice so you can stay safe and be fast. You need to buy lightweight climbing gear and only bring what is absolutely necessary so you don't weigh yourself down needlessly. <br /><br />Most people think that for a mountain bike race you should get rid of the extra weight like the headlight. This is a bad idea in the world of adventure racing because there's a good chance you'll be racing at night. A good idea is to employ a powerful lightweight headlamp with high and low settings. Tip: everyone on your team should have the same bike so you can swap parts when necessary, which can be often.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as racing accessories at <a href="http://www.racingandmotorsportstore.com/">http://www.racingandmotorsportstore.com</a></p> 2006-10-31T09:17-05:00 http://articles.racingandmotorsportstore.com/?a=36043 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>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. <br /><br />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?<br /><br />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 60s 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 of as many as 50,000 people.<br /><br />West Yellowstone in Montana has some excellent areas for experiencing the thrill of riding your snowmobile and they also have the Snowmobile Expo. There are also several snowmobile race competitions to enjoy. The races bring in the cream of the crop and you will not be disappointed watching the freestyle techniques of the professionals! The Three Bear Lodge is a great place to stay due to the fact that you are near the best trails and action around. After a long day on the trails, you can come back to the Lodge and relax. Then you will make you are way to the Expo and races all are within a close proximity to your accommodations.<br /><br />Salem, New Hampshire has a snowmobile-racing site also at Rockingham Park. The racers will go over jumps that could be as much as 30 feet high and take them a distance of more than 80 feet in the air. This is an amazing race to watch as the skill level ranges from beginners, semi-professionals, to professionals all racing through bumps, turns, ramps and going as much as 60 miles per hour.<br /><br />There is also the International 500 that began in the 1960s and is run entirely by volunteers. The volunteers prepare the track; the snowmobile racers come, qualify and race at top speeds. The spectators love it and you will, too. This great race began with the simple comment of one man asking another man how many miles can snowmobiles run consecutively. Thus the International 500 Snowmobile Race came to life. Come and visit Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.<br /><br />Island Pond, Vermont has joined the ranks of many other states hosting the snowmobile racing teams. The particular team that met up in Vermont is part of the Rock Maple Northeast SnoCross Series. If you have the opportunity to watch these professionals in action, it is amazing to see them flying across the snow. They reach upwards of 60 miles per hour as they try to make the hairpin turns, fly over the bumps without hitting another racer or wiping out themselves. It is truly exhilarating!</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as racing accessories at <a href="http://www.racingandmotorsportstore.com/">http://www.racingandmotorsportstore.com</a></p> 2006-10-07T18:43-04:00