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	<title>Climbing Rappelling</title>
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		<title>4 Tips To Make Your Affiliate Marketing Venture A Success</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/4-tips-to-make-your-affiliate-marketing-venture-a-success</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/4-tips-to-make-your-affiliate-marketing-venture-a-success#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:21:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/4-tips-to-make-your-affiliate-marketing-venture-a-success</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You can make affiliate marketing the five star business you&#8217;ve always dreamed of. With enough effort you will fulfill that dream of making hundreds of thousands of dollars while sunning in the sand. However, to reach this level with your affiliate marketing business, you have to know what strategies to use and what mistakes to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You can make affiliate marketing the five star business you&#8217;ve always dreamed of. With enough effort you will fulfill that dream of making hundreds of thousands of dollars while sunning in the sand. However, to reach this level with your affiliate marketing business, you have to know what strategies to use and what mistakes to avoid. The affiliate business is just like any other business, where you need to work on improving your strategies and sharpening your money making claws day after day. In just a few minutes I will show you four of the most powerful tips for moving up the affiliate ladder. 1) Decide Who Your Customer Is &#8211; The greatest success can be found with a specific affiliate program, once you comprehend who your customer is. When understanding what your market demands, you be able to proceed with the right marketing approach that will give you the most from your efforts on top of the correct content you should use to target your niche. For instance, if you have a website with the topic of &#8220;mechanical tools,&#8221; it will need to have content written that will address the needs of the people that are in that market. You also need to consider the experience level of your target market. Are you targeting the parents of little league players, or professional athletes themselves? For you to be able to sell something through your site, you need to have content that is targeted to the people who want to buy what you are offering. 2) Earn Money From CPA Programs &#8211; You can also monetize your website using cost per action per action programs also known as PPL or pay per lead. CPA networks control these programs, so you will have to become part of a CPA network to use them. Simply Google &#8220;CPA network&#8221; to find a bunch of these. Keep in mind, you&#8217;re not selling anything, you make your money when a visitor takes a certain action on your blog. The action could be clicking a link, or signing up on some form, but regardless of the action, if your customer does it you will earn money. The CPA market is growing right now, and there are many courses being offered that can teach you how to find and join these networks, as well as how to make money by promoting offers. It will take you quite of bit of time and effort to grasp everything you need to do, but once you start to master it, you will be able to bring in quite a bit of money. 3) Build Your Own Email List &#8211; When you sell an affiliate product directly by sending traffic to the vendor&#8217;s page, you are building THEIR email list instead of building your own. Often, people will come back to your &#8220;dining room&#8221; or website again and again before actually deciding to purchase from your &#8220;menu.&#8221; If you are able to build your own email list, you can expose your visitors to the affiliate products you are promoting over and over again, until they decide to buy. In addition, an email list is a very lucrative way to remind buying customers to come back to your table for &#8220;seconds&#8221;. Once a customer had learned to trust the quality of your website, the chances they will buy again greatly improve. 4. Staying Patient Pays Off- Affiliate marketing is the same as climbing a mountain that know one has ever climbed before and getting to the top. It can be hard to keep going and it can take a lot of time to reach the top. When you finally reach it, you will be able to look out and see everything that you have worked diligently for so that you could make it this far. When doing affiliate marketing, you&#8217;ll fail and make mistakes, but don&#8217;t stop. Don&#8217;t give up. You will be faced with challenges as you go that need to be overcome. One last thing you need to remember is, don&#8217;t act before thinking things out. While you know that you&#8217;ll make mistakes, having plenty of knowledge ahead of time can help you to avoid some pitfalls and mistakes, and make your climb a little easier. There is a wide range of free ebooks and courses available online to help you get started with your affiliate marketing career. </p>
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		<title>Selecting Roses For The Garden</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/selecting-roses-for-the-garden</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/selecting-roses-for-the-garden#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:29:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/selecting-roses-for-the-garden</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Roses are a favorite plant for landscaping and can be used in a variety of ways.  These beautiful flowers can make the exterior of any home more elegant and inviting and choosing the right ones that will compliment your landscape and add to the style of your home is an important task. 
Fortunately, the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Roses are a favorite plant for landscaping and can be used in a variety of ways.  These beautiful flowers can make the exterior of any home more elegant and inviting and choosing the right ones that will compliment your landscape and add to the style of your home is an important task. </p>
<p>Fortunately, the number of ornamental landscape roses make finding them an easy task.  The difficulty consists of choosing the right ones from this variety.  There are a number of classes of roses whose characteristics make them great for use as landscape ornamentals.  For instance, the gardener who wants to grow roses up and over an archway or a trellis may want to use tall growing tea roses.  Tea roses are renowned for their nodding blooms, therefore all who pass under the arch would be treated to the beautiful sight of roses in full bloom. </p>
<p>Roses are commonly seen climbing a wall or an arbor.  For this type of landscape, the true climbing rose is the best choice.  True climbing roses can be trained to many different effects, including climbing up the length of the structure, or accenting the tops and sides of a wall or building. </p>
<p>If you want a great background rose bush, the Polyantha or modern day Floribunda is a perfect match.  These rose bushes have large sprays of blooms and can go well in a garden next to the house or anywhere that your landscape needs color. </p>
<p>Some rose bushes are rather large and should be planted at the back of your garden, but there are miniature or low growing China roses that are perfect to plant in front of other plants.    Roses can even be used as hedges, with modern Shrub roses and Rugosa roses being excellent choices. </p>
<p>Color is an important consideration for your roses and you need to think about where you will be planting the roses and what color is needed for that area.  Luckily, roses come in many shapes, sizes and colors so there is a rose for every spot in the garden. </p>
<p>When picking a rose plant for a certain area, be sure that it complimentsthe surrounding landscape.  For instance, a spray of plain white tea roses can be striking against a dark red brick home, or an arrangement of pink roses can be the perfect compliment to a stone or marble entranceway.  With so many colors of roses to choose from, it should be easy to find colors that compliment and enhance any decorating scheme. </p>
<p>One popular trend in the world of landscaping is to use a variety of different plants and flowers in the landscape.  Whereas single species landscaping was in vogue a few years ago, most of today&#8217;s gardeners like to use a mix of different colors, species and styles of plants.  Doing so not only makes for a vibrant garden, but it is thought to enhance the health of the soil as well. </p>
<p>Due to the large variety, roses work well in every concievable place in the garden and  can be a beautiful part of an overall landscape of plants and flowers.  There is also a rose for every climate so gardeners everywhere can enjoy this beautiful and timeless flower. </p>
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		<item>
		<title>Travel the Great Wall of China</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/travel-the-great-wall-of-china</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/travel-the-great-wall-of-china#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:19:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/travel-the-great-wall-of-china</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Great Wall of China is not just an ordinary travel icon; besides the role it plays in Chinaâs tourism, it has led to the development of Chinaâs long history and culture. People are curious to understand the facts of how the great wall came about; however, it is not until one visits this majestic [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Great Wall of China is not just an ordinary travel icon; besides the role it plays in Chinaâs tourism, it has led to the development of Chinaâs long history and culture. People are curious to understand the facts of how the great wall came about; however, it is not until one visits this majestic structure, you can truly understand the significance of the great wall to China and the rest of the world.</p>
<p>The origin of story of the great wall is unknown, but history shows that the construction of the wall began in the early seventh century B.C and was made out of stone, wood, grass and earth. This was when the earliest regional kingdom was built for the defensive military needs. The purpose was to protect the farming lands from the invasion of the tribes from the north and to hold the natives from vacating the lands. Used as a military demarcation, there were various watchtowers which stood at varying distances from each other; these towers substituted the time warning system used during the ancient times. The fire and smoke signaled the day and night time respectively. Many of these watch towers still remain in their original position where they stood while some have been destroyed during the revolution.</p>
<p>Over the years, parts of the great wall was destroyed and rebuilt and more sections were added. Due to this construction, it stretched so wide from the east to the west bordering almost the entire country. At present, they say it measures about 7300km from one end to the other. </p>
<p>There are different sections to travel the wall, all of which have different attractions and features. The sections also represent the roles played during the construction of the great wall. For adventure lovers, it would be a challenging task to travel the entire length of the wall. The Great Wall Marathon and Half Marathon is an annual marathon race which takes place every year in China. For runners and adventures, this marathon is one of the experiences of a lifetime as they run through 7km of the incredible wall passing through beautiful countryside villages and mountain trails.</p>
<p>For tourists on short stays in China, climbing the great wall from almost any part of northern china is possible, although, many travelers prefer to climb the wall from Beijing because the sections of this part of the wall are very good for sightseeing and have great features. Besides that, it affords them the opportunity to see other historical attractions like the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Tiananmen Square etc.</p>
<p>The most popular sections to visit and climb the great wall in Beijing are the Badaling, Simatai, and Mutianyu sections.</p>
<p>Badaling section of the great wall is located 70 km away from the center of Beijing and is the most popular section to climb the wall in Beijing. It was the first part of the wall to be opened to tourists. History has it that Badaling section was built to protect the Juyongguan Pass, along which the Guanâgou gorge and several interesting sites of interest are located.  This section of the Great Wall was made by huge bar stones and paved with square bricks making the wall pavement smoothly ordered. The Badaling section became a national cultural relic and a world heritage listing by United Nations in 1987.</p>
<p>Simatai section in Beijing is a very remote and quiet section on the great wall. The ruins and untouched parts of this section is what helped Simatai section earn its reputation of being the unique section of the wall. There are features retained from over the years which were untouched and looks like what it used to be like over 500 years ago. This section of the wall has about twelve watch towers at different intervals and takes about 2hours to reach the twelfth tower. Simatai section is great for adventure hikers and trekkers.</p>
<p>The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is located on Huairou County northeast of Beijing. This section of the wall is known for its unique quality of construction and features compared to other sections of the wall. It is known as the main essence of the great wall because of the style which it was built.</p>
<p>In Summary, traveling the great wall is one of the greatest experiences of a lifetime and it is difficult to understand its history until it is visited. It is assumed to be one of the top 100 things to do in this lifetime.</p>
<p>For more information about China Travel, China Tour Vacations, visit Passport to China. </p>
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		<title>Search Engine Optimization: Reindexing</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/search-engine-optimization-reindexing</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/search-engine-optimization-reindexing#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:19:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/search-engine-optimization-reindexing</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What can you do to get your website up to the top of the URL (Universal Resource Locator) lists, so that when people type a search term into a search engine, such as “cheap ghost writer,” they will get to see your business name somewhere on the first page results? Well, mainly it’s a problem [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What can you do to get your website up to the top of the URL (Universal Resource Locator) lists, so that when people type a search term into a search engine, such as “cheap ghost writer,” they will get to see your business name somewhere on the first page results? Well, mainly it’s a problem related to the search engine “bots” (robots) and “spiders” or “crawlers” going over your site repeatedly, noticing changes in it, and reindexing your website.</p>
<p>To reindex your site means that the search engines are sending out their little machines to go over your site and notice any changes in it. They are generally looking for major changes, such as fresh content, major rearrangements to your site, and brand new pages.</p>
<p>If you add new pages to your website, Google Sitemaps may be a program which could provide you with some help when it comes to reindexing at least the sitemap for your site. Currently only a beta program being tested by Google, it could start a new trend in site reindexing. When you make a Google sitemap, you lay out several details about the content of your web pages, and you can get Google to download the changes as reflected by your sitemap on a regular basis; constantly, if the pages are continuously changing, daily, weekly, or even monthly. Please look into this potentially worthwhile program for all of the details on how to properly make a sitemap for your site.</p>
<p>If you submit your site to many search engines, preferably the greatest amount possible, you will get massive exposure for your site when it climbs up to the higher rankings as listed on each of these engines. It’s not enough to only submit your site to search engines, but it’s the only way to start when it comes to your site eventually climbing its way up each of the search engine’s rankings for your site. And if you submit your site to as many search engines as possible at least twice per month, you will get maximum results from this. It is only the first major step, but it is the only way you will be seen by visitors who use search engines to find your site. Then as you resubmit your site twice per month, it will most likely be reindexed, or recrawled by the search engines, and each change you make will be updated by the major search engines and probably also by many of the minor ones as well.</p>
<p>To really maximize exposure, blog about your site’s contents with links pointing to your site, then submit your blog or blogs to search engines twice monthly. Also submit your site to directories, which you often only need to do once. You can also submit your blogs to the hundreds of blog directories available on the Internet. This will increase the number of inbound links coming in to your site, which is still helpful when it comes to your site making it up to the first page level of SERPs (search engine results pages).</p>
<p>Increasing the amount of incoming links pointing to your site is always helpful. Use every method you can find to cause sites relevant to the services and products offered on your business site to place a link to your site on their sites. This can be through directly offering to trade reciprocal links with relevant sites, joining link exchange services and using them to help you find sites which are willing to trade links with your site, and starting your own links exchange program, which generally involves free exchange of links. You will want to only trade relevant links, because Google, the major search engine presently on the face of the planet, now punishes sites for trading links which are not relevant, i.e., “any old link” will not do. You must make sure the links are organic and relevant, which means they must relate to the topics of your own site. Make sure your keywords are arranged so that when you send out your links, the links contain your most important keywords in the title text and the description of the site as well. The title text is the one that links directly to your site, and the description immediately follows it.</p>
<p>Also, make sure that you have proper title tags, keyword tags and meta tags for your site. You can go to Submit Express for help with this and for help with submitting your site to multiple search engines, both through their free and paid programs. You will also want several other types of tags or codes in your website that will help you optimize your pages for search engines and get your site onto the first page of search engine results.</p>
<p>You will need to make your site HTML (hyper text markup language) compliant, that is, it will have to pass the various kinds of “checkers” on the Web today that make sure your site’s HTML coding is correct and compliant with modern standards. Some WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and other site editors and programs do not run code that is compliant with some of the stricter standards for HTML compliance. Microsoft Front Page is especially non-compliant when it comes to a complicated, not text-only website, as it rewrites its own code and is often found to be not compliant with modern standards.</p>
<p>There are all of these steps, and many more that you will discover by looking around and by subscribing to free newsletters such as Web Pro News and Site Pro News. These will help you put together a website that will gradually climb to the top of the charts. You will find that by adding fresh, keyword-rich content to your site every day, by writing your own articles involving the keywords in each page of your site, by varying the keywords so that each page has content containing the keywords for that page, and by constantly updating your Google sitemap – not to mention many other such “tricks” and daily “trendy” activities – you will find yourself slowly but surely search engine optimizing your website. And your site will be reindexed on a regular basis by the search engines.</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about fancy Google “algorhythms” and whether or not you can keep up with all of the Joneses, especially if you don’t have a lot of money to spend. Work, work, work on your website. Set aside an amount of time every day to thoroughly find and employ methods for optimization that will cause the indexing of your site on a regular basis. Resubmit twice a month, change your site’s content daily, make sure you have plenty of incoming links from sites relevant to yours pointing to your site, subscribe to Internet newsletters so that you can get the most recent information about how to optimize your site for search engines – do everything you can make the time to do.</p>
<p>And use the latest in xml code technologies, such as making pages for your site in rss, atom and ror rdf information code. It is easy to find the formats for these codes and information on how to employ them by researching this on the Web. Submit information about content relevant to your business and website to Wikipedia, the Web’s new major encyclopedia. Post to blogs, wikis and message boards, using your website’s URL as often as you can. This creates more incoming links pointing to your website, which you need. Submitting to thousands of FFA (free for all) pages may help increase your incoming link count, which does matter to search engines. However, Google is frowning lately on irrelevant links coming in to websites, and it may count FFA links as being “irrelevant,” so you will want to consider that. Also, one-way links count for more than links exchanges, apparently, so you will want to consider that carefully as well.</p>
<p>Remember: the most important things are fresh daily content and getting the search engines to reindex your site, as often as humanly possible, more often than daily if needed. Some search engines will only reindex your site on a weekly or monthly basis. Some will do it on a daily basis. But we are fast moving toward an era where the search engines will be continuously crawling your website, looking for any changes, for the bad or for the good, at all whatsoever. So the more often you make major changes, especially to the keyword-related content of your site, the more often your site will be reindexed.</p>
<p>Pay the price to list your site with Yahoo. It’s worthwhile. Pay the price to list with multiple directories, if need be. And set up with as many beta testing programs through Google, Yahoo and MSN as your site qualifies for. This will get your site reindexed and crawled repeatedly by these three major search engines. And look into programs being set up by the other major and minor search engines as well.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, don’t despair. On your way in the climb up the SERPs, you will probably find many other advertising methods, such as simply being listed for free with services related to your site, visitors coming in from your relevant links, and organizations such as WebRing, where you can list your site by joining webrings for free and advertise your site for a low amount of money. There are also PPC (pay per click) services where you can avoid the entire organic optimization process by simply getting listed above the general search engine results &#8212; by paying for it directly. The two major PPC services are Google’s AdWords program and Overture’s PPC program, which covers Yahoo and almost all of the other major search engines.</p>
<p>But remember: whatever methods you use, you will want to see your site get reindexed on a regular basis by the search engines. This is if you offer a business or service where you want to be included under you own niche keyword search terms on the first page of results under such keywords. And you will want to see your business name displayed in a forthright manner so that you can attract visitors who type your carefully chosen search terms into the major and minor search engines. So get ready, get started: optimize! </p>
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		<title>Cruise Over to Garrafon Natural Reef Park For Some Family Fun</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/cruise-over-to-garrafon-natural-reef-park-for-some-family-fun</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/cruise-over-to-garrafon-natural-reef-park-for-some-family-fun#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:47:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/cruise-over-to-garrafon-natural-reef-park-for-some-family-fun</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Located just 25 minutes by cruise from Cancun, the Garrafon Natural Reef Park is one of the region&#8217;s best places to experience all the wonders of the Caribbean Sea. From kayaking and hiking to snorkeling and swimming with dolphins, the park offers a wealth of activities for all ages. Best of all, the Garrafon Natural [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Located just 25 minutes by cruise from Cancun, the Garrafon Natural Reef Park is one of the region&#8217;s best places to experience all the wonders of the Caribbean Sea. From kayaking and hiking to snorkeling and swimming with dolphins, the park offers a wealth of activities for all ages. Best of all, the Garrafon Natural Reef Park now features an array of affordable day-trip packages that include transportation, meals and activities. If you want to enjoy everything the Mexican Caribbean has to offer, hop aboard a cruise and spend an afternoon at the Garrafon Natural Reef Park.<br />
Garrafon Natural Reef Park &#8211; sometimes referred to as El Garrafon National Park &#8211; lies on Isla Mujeres (&#8221;Island of Women&#8221;) just offshore from Cancun. The island features the remains of a Mayan temple overlooking the sea, a site popular for hiking and photography. Amongst the ruins, visitors will also find the Punta Sur Sculpture Park, a collection of 23 modern art sculptures by local and international artists. As the sculptures rest above a remarkable cliff, the scenery provided by the Caribbean Sea often steals the show.<br />
The most enticing attraction at Garrafon Natural Reef Park is the warm, crystal-clear water. Averaging a depth of just 13 feet with calm conditions, the water at Garrafon is perfect for families hoping to enjoy the beautiful Caribbean Sea together. Beneath the shallow water near the shore &#8211; and further out along the coral reef &#8211; swimmers and snorkelers can watch tropical fish and other sea creatures darting through the sea. The calm waters at the park also provide the perfect conditions for kayaking or simply floating along and enjoying the sunshine. Regardless of how you choose to enjoy the beautiful waters here, all the equipment you need will be provided as part of your day-trip tour from Cancun.<br />
The park&#8217;s most popular day-trip packages include a guided encounter or swim with local dolphins. The Dolphin Encounter allows visitors to get up close to the dolphins and watch them perform from in the water. This package is recommended by the park for families with small children. The Dolphin Swim package takes the fun one step further by offering families a chance to take a ride with the friendly creatures. The park&#8217;s best day-trip option is known as the Royal Swim and features two dolphin rides. The first ride lets swimmers coast through the water while grasping the fins of two dolphins. Afterwards, visitors are able to complete the experience by standing upright and allowing the dolphins to propel them across the water&#8217;s surface.<br />
Adventurous types might also want to try scaling the Climbing Tower at Garrafon Natural Reef Park. Though the 50 foot climb might seem too much for some visitors, everyone that reaches the top is greeted by unrivaled panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea. The zip-line over the warm water is another great option for the thrill seekers of the family. As the zip-line allows you to cruise through the air and splash down in the sea, some visitors might find that this activity is both more exhilarating and less exhausting than the Climbing Tower.<br />
If you have some time left over to relax in the park or elsewhere on the island, you might want to consider taking a leisurely hike or bike ride along one of the picturesque trails. If you really want to relax, however, recline in one of the park&#8217;s deck chairs or hammocks. The park also offers visitors the use of a beautiful 35-meter swimming pool. Set against the backdrop of the scenic coastline, the swimming pool is a great place for families to cool off as they wait for their cruise back to Cancun.<br />
Garrafon Natural Reef Park offers all-inclusive day-trip packages starting at $65 for adults and $49 for children. The fee includes round trip transportation from Cancun via the park&#8217;s ferry boat, continental breakfast at the park, buffet lunch, drinks at the bar, all rental equipment (includes snorkeling gear, life jackets and kayaks) and access to all the park&#8217;s activities (includes the Climbing Tower, swimming pool and all leisure opportunities). If you want to participate in any of the park&#8217;s dolphin activities, the packages will be priced slightly higher.<br />
If your family wants to spend a quiet day in the sun amongst the wonders of the Caribbean, Garrafon Natural Reef Park is the perfect Cancun day-trip. </p>
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		<title>Backpacking in High Mountains</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/backpacking-in-high-mountains</link>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:31:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/backpacking-in-high-mountains</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The high mountains of Colorado still had a lot of snow in mid June. In fact, the Arkansas river was close to flooding here in Canon City, despite there being no rain in weeks. The snow melt was enough to raise it to its highest level in years. But my friend Mike and I were [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The high mountains of Colorado still had a lot of snow in mid June. In fact, the Arkansas river was close to flooding here in Canon City, despite there being no rain in weeks. The snow melt was enough to raise it to its highest level in years. But my friend Mike and I were still hoping to go backpacking up high. </p>
<p>We had been up to 9,000 feet a couple weeks earlier and saw just one snowbank in the woods. Driving home we could see that though there was a lot of snow in the high peaks of the northern Sangre De Christo mountains, it was in patches. There were large areas without snow, even above 13,000 feet. It was time to give it a try. </p>
<p>We decided on a two night trip to Bushnell Lakes and possibly to the top of Bushnell Peak (13,105 feet). About this time I received a phone call. I own a backpacking website, so I get emails with questions all the time, but this was only the second time someone had called me at home. The man on the other end was calling from Texas, wondering about the conditions in the Sangre De Christos &#8211; was there too much snow? </p>
<p>&#8220;I hope not,&#8221; I told him. &#8220;Me and a friend are headed up there tomorrow.&#8221; He said he had called the forest service rangers for an area south of where we would be, and they had told him everything was still snowed in up high. He was going for a week, starting a few days after us, and wondered if they might be exaggerating. We agreed that they probably were. </p>
<p>Challenges Of High Mountains </p>
<p>It was hot when we started, even with only 13 pounds on my back (I like to go light). Where the trail split we decided to go to the Stout Lakes instead, by the Twin Sisters Peaks. This was the next valley over from Bushnell Lakes, and a shorter hike. When we came to a trail register we noted that only a couple people had been up there this year. One had left an entry on the way down: &#8220;Lost the trail in the snow at 10,800 feet.&#8221; It was dated just a few days earlier. </p>
<p>We headed up the trail, soon hearing the roaring stream it follows. We saw the first small patches of snow before we crossed it at about 9,600 feet. Then we were hiking on a trail that doubled as a stream itself, complete with small waterfalls. The snow patches were more frequent, and we walked over the stream/path on a snow bridge at one point before realizing that it was a three-foot fall if it had broken. </p>
<p>Several hours up the trail there was no trail. It was somewhere under several feet of snow. It is hard to get too lost following a stream up a valley, though, so we kicked steps into the hard snow and continued on. In places we found the trail again, and even had long dry stretches to hike. The melting process is very irregular. In one of our photos Mike is standing on dry grass next to a seven-foot high wall of snow. In another, I&#8217;m trying to climb a twenty-foot snow-cliff. </p>
<p>Then there is the photo from the first lake. It is of myself, standing on it. There was dry ground around half of it, but it was frozen. We headed back down to a small pond that was only partially covered in ice. It had been a hot day of backpacking in deep snow. We put our water bottles in a snowbank and set up the tarp on the grass. Marmots came near to investigate. </p>
<p>The next day we hiked up past the first and second lakes, both above tree line. We followed a stream up a steep hill and into a meadow full of wildflowers at about 12,000 feet. There were frozen lakes below, flowers around us, and a 13,012-foot mountain waiting above, past rocky climbs and slippery fields of snow. We made it to the top &#8211; the highest Mike had ever climbed &#8211; and signed the register. We could see mountains in all directions, some of them over 60 miles away. </p>
<p>By the time we made it back to the camp, I was sick. I hadn&#8217;t anticipated the effect of the sun. I had a hat and sunglasses, but the sunlight reflects at you from all sides when you cross snow and ice. It wasn&#8217;t just a sunburn, but sun-sickness. I spent the night alternating between feeling on fire and having chills run through my body. Mike got the chills the following day. With that in mind, here are some tips for backpacking in the high mountains. </p>
<p>1.  Call the forest service. Find out what the conditions are where you plan to hike, so you can bring the proper equipment and clothing. </p>
<p>2. Have a good map and know how to use it. This is especially important in early summer, when you might lose the trail in the snow. </p>
<p>3. Sun block is just a start. Where a hat, sunglasses and long sleeves. </p>
<p>4. GPS your car location. If you have a GPS device, mark your car in case you lose the trail. </p>
<p>5. Check the trailhead register. Those backpacking before you may have stopped on the way out to note that a bridge is washed out, fallen trees have covered the trail, or something else you should know. </p>
<p>6. Climb high early. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in many high mountain ranges. If you want to go to the summits and high ridges, it&#8217;s best to do it early and be lower before noon. </p>
<p>It&#8217;s great to have meadows and valleys to yourself. That&#8217;s one of the advantages of backpacking in the high mountains early in the season. Just be ready for a wide variety of hiking conditions. </p>
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		<title>Some Considerations When Making a Reptile Terrarium</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/some-considerations-when-making-a-reptile-terrarium</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/some-considerations-when-making-a-reptile-terrarium#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:31:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/some-considerations-when-making-a-reptile-terrarium</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Housing for a reptile will, of course, vary with the type and size of your pet. A tree dwelling or climbing reptile will be happiest in a tall narrow cage with branches for climbing. A terrestrial reptile will be happiest in a wide, low cage. Aquariums with screen covers or glass fronted wooden cages make [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Housing for a reptile will, of course, vary with the type and size of your pet. A tree dwelling or climbing reptile will be happiest in a tall narrow cage with branches for climbing. A terrestrial reptile will be happiest in a wide, low cage. Aquariums with screen covers or glass fronted wooden cages make suitable housing or you can purchase a specially made terrarium.<br />
Some considerations before you purchase your reptile terrarium<br />
The cage must be:<br />
   Escape proof<br />
   Draft proof<br />
   Heat resistant<br />
   Well lighted<br />
   Moisture resistant<br />
   As large as you can make it<br />
Some reptiles that need extra consideration:<br />
   Boas and Pythons &#8211; can grow to over 20 ft<br />
   Green iguanas &#8211; can grow to 6 ft<br />
Some considerations before you purchase your reptile<br />
   Only mix reptiles that are known to be compatible<br />
   House reptiles by their kind and size<br />
Types of Terrariums<br />
Aquatic Terrariums<br />
An aquatic terrarium is similar to an aquarium but usually has only four to six inches of water. Like an aquarium it needs a filter and a heater and gravel on the bottom but needs a raised area above the water for a basking area and a vented or wire screen lid. A basking area can be a rock protruding from the water or piece of bark. The vented lid should have a lamp for basking and a background should be added, not only to look nice but to help your pet to feel secure.<br />
Pets that are at home in an aquatic terrarium include turtles, newts, frogs, salamanders and water snakes.<br />
Semi-aquatic Terrariums<br />
This type of terrarium is a mixture of water and a dry area. The two areas are separated by glass or by using a water container that is removable. The water area is set up as in an aquarium and needs a heater, filter and gravel on the bottom. The land area is best made by placing a layer of charcoal, covered by a thin layer of filter material then covered in sphagnum moss and potting compost. Decorate the land area with rocks, driftwood or other decorations and add some moss and plants.<br />
For some reptiles you will need to provide a basking area by attaching a lamp to the lid. Place this at one end of the terrarium to provide a warm area under the lamp and cooler areas at the other ends.<br />
Pets that are at home in a semi-aquatic terrarium include any of the aquatic reptiles plus crocodile lizards, basilsks, some turtles and especially newts and frogs.<br />
Woodland Terrariums<br />
A woodland terrarium is a land terrarium with plants and/or ornaments. A source of water for the pets is also needed. The terrarium can have gravel or reptile carpet as a base or potting soil if you are adding plants. Depending on the reptiles you are keeping decide if you will have just gravel and rocks, suitable for ground dwellers, or plants and branches for climbing for an arboreal (climbing) species. Plants that are suitable include fittonias, philodendrons and other plants suitable for plant terrariums. They need very little maintenance apart from a light misting occasionally.<br />
Depending on the pet you may need to provide a basking lamp and basking area. as in other types of terrarium ensure that it is warm under the lamp but cooler in other parts of the enclosure. Some pets also need full spectrum lighting.<br />
Pets that are at home in a woodland terrarium include salamanders, anoles, snakes and many types of frogs including green tree frogs and barking tree frogs.<br />
Desert Terrariums<br />
Desert Terrariums are very dry and may have desert loving plants such as cacti and other succulents. Substrates suitable for a desert terrarium include sand, reptile carpet or bark.  A heat source is needed as in other types of terrariums and full spectrum lighting is required for almost all desert type reptiles.<br />
Pets that are at home in a desert terrarium include desert iguanas, collared lizards, leapard geckos and spiny lizards. </p>
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		<title>Cats Training Myths</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/cats-training-myths</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/cats-training-myths#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:20:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/cats-training-myths</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are many people out there that are surprised to find out that cats CAN be trained. It is a very slow, and lengthy process and can only be done at the speed the cat is comfortable with, but no the less very possible. 
First, the cat owner needs to know that cats don&#8217;t speak [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There are many people out there that are surprised to find out that cats CAN be trained. It is a very slow, and lengthy process and can only be done at the speed the cat is comfortable with, but no the less very possible. </p>
<p>First, the cat owner needs to know that cats don&#8217;t speak our language, so we need to familiarize ourselves with how a cat thinks and learns. cats become skillful. Cats learn by familiarity. If the experience is agreeable they will attempt to replicate, but if the experience makes them gloomy they will stay away from doing it in the future. Cats also learn by the course of rewards and praises. </p>
<p>However, the rewards need to be reserved for special occasions and not an everyday affair. For good results you should reward your feline friend with a genuine incentive like her preferred delicacy. While training a cat, penalty is out of bounds. Physical punishments can add to the violent streak in your pet and make her a rebel. She may also start avoiding you as a result of the spanking. </p>
<p>If her intentions are merely good-humored but are violent, you have to be firm with your reaction; so don&#8217;t reward her with attention sometimes and overlook other times. She will be perplexed and will learn to control her violent actions. </p>
<p>Cats run away or show the symptoms of nervousness and gloominess, even if slightly punished. Scolding, shouting, physical penalty and holding the incentive will not encourage the cat to change her behavior. </p>
<p>Therefore the training needs to be reward based with apparent indication and high-quality timing.Focus on creating an enjoyable, satisfying, humorous and motivating rapport. Be convinced that no matter what the cat does, it is worthwhile and pleasing. Every cat is unique. If your problem is that your cat scratches on your furniture then you can try covering it up or spraying a menthol or citrus aroma. These are unpleasant smells for kitty and they will avoid them. </p>
<p>After some time your cat will come to the conclusion that your furniture is an unhappy place to play and go somewhere else to amuse themselves.Cats are very smart and at times will use other means of getting your attention. So if they are running around, pouncing, climbing, and acting otherwise like they&#8217;ve lost their minds, DO NOT give them any attention. </p>
<p>Get up and walk away from them. They will learn that this is not the correct way to get your attention, and will learn to play it your way.Their boredom can be relieved by every day playing and soothing messages that help to cool down. While playing, keep in mind the predatory character of the cat. Behaviors like stalking, biting, pouncing, chasing, leaping, etc., are key factors of any play session. </p>
<p>Because of this, throughout the training, supply them with toys that look like prey. Try toys like ping pong balls, cardboard boxes, hanging ropes, scratching posts, false mice or anything that rolls. </p>
<p>If the cat likes to climb and walk around, it can be trained by creating a barrier track. Like loop up some twigs, pillars, shelves or climbing ramps. Hiding small, delicious preferred treats to cheer her to get climbing can be built-in as an element of the training.Cats are very enjoyable and they can really be your best friend if you just handle them with care and diplomacy. </p>
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		<title>Health and Safety Top Tips for Ladder Users</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/health-and-safety-top-tips-for-ladder-users</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/health-and-safety-top-tips-for-ladder-users#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:47:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/health-and-safety-top-tips-for-ladder-users</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  
HEALTH AND SAFETY TOP TIPS FOR LADDER USERS 
Having one of your employees climb a stepladder, or even a step-up to get a box down from on top of a cabinet, might seem like a small risk but is it?  
  
The latest figures available on accidents in the home, show that falling from height caused a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>  </p>
<p>HEALTH AND SAFETY TOP TIPS FOR LADDER USERS </p>
<p>Having one of your employees climb a stepladder, or even a step-up to get a box down from on top of a cabinet, might seem like a small risk but is it?  </p>
<p>  </p>
<p>The latest figures available on accidents in the home, show that falling from height caused a staggering 341,000 injuries. Window cleaning, clearing gutters, painting and even putting up Christmas displays, are all situations where there is a real risk of injury. </p>
<p>  </p>
<p>So what should you be aware of, whether at work or at home, when you have to do anything that requires you to carry out any operation from anywhere above ground? </p>
<p>  </p>
<p>Here are 10 Top Tips &#8211; </p>
<p>  </p>
<p>1.  Only ever do light work and never carry more than 10 Kg (up or down) when climbing </p>
<p>2.  Never, ever use anything to climb up on, unless it is made for the job (e.g. don’t use a swivel chair!) </p>
<p>3.  Always ensure that equipment (ladder, step-ladder or step-up) is in good condition before using it </p>
<p>4. Never work on anything that causes you to reach too far to the side, always work ahead of yourself or nearly so </p>
<p>5. Have someone hold the equipment when working on it, or where that isn&#8217;t practical, try to wedge it against an immoveable object (a wall or desk) </p>
<p>6.  Where possible, always have three points of contact when climbing (two feet and one hand or vice versa) </p>
<p>7. Only put the equipment on firm, level ground (not a shiny or slippery surface) and never place it on any other item (e.g. a box) to gain greater height </p>
<p>8. Where possible, you must still try to have a hand-hold when you are at the top </p>
<p>9. If possible, secure a ladder towards the top by tying it on to something e.g. around the frame of two open windows) </p>
<p>10.  On larger jobs, assess whether there is any safer way that the task can be carried out using equipment other than a ladder or stepladder e.g. an aluminium scaffold tower </p>
<p>  </p>
<p>If anyone is working at height regularly, make sure that they are properly trained and then you won’t find yourself as one of the HSE Statistics. </p>
<p>  </p>
<p>Tony Willson is Managing Director of award winning Helmsman Safety Services </p>
<p>www.helmsmansafetyservices.co.uk or call 01206 363712 </p>
<p>  </p>
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		<title>Build Your Own Steps In The Ladder Of Success With An Evergreen Resume</title>
		<link>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/build-your-own-steps-in-the-ladder-of-success-with-an-evergreen-resume</link>
		<comments>http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/build-your-own-steps-in-the-ladder-of-success-with-an-evergreen-resume#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:47:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Climbing Rappelling</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climbing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://climbingrappelling.com/climbing/build-your-own-steps-in-the-ladder-of-success-with-an-evergreen-resume</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[To land a good job we need a good resume; no one can argue about this fact. As a result many applicants spend a great deal of time and money confectioning and then massaging that resume until it can no longer be improved upon. In the end, the time, the effort, and the money really [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>To land a good job we need a good resume; no one can argue about this fact. As a result many applicants spend a great deal of time and money confectioning and then massaging that resume until it can no longer be improved upon. In the end, the time, the effort, and the money really pays off, since we all eventually manage to get a job. </p>
<p>But is that the whole object of a resume? </p>
<p>For 99 percent of workers it is. Once employed, we get into a ghastly routine: collect a paycheck every week or every 2 weeks, put food on the table, pay the rent, pay all the other bills, maybe save a little for a laptop. </p>
<p>While Jacob (Genesis) saw, in his dream, a traffic ladder reaching up to the heavens, the go getter and self-starter should see the initial resume as the bottom step of the ladder with which to climb upward to better things-financial heaven. </p>
<p>Whenever you take a workshop, a seminar, an online or classroom-attendance course, update your resume. Did you get married or divorced? Did you have a child? Update your resume. Did you travel overseas? Have you written a book or article? Are you volunteering for something? Did you run a marathon? Then list the event. Sometimes what may seem an insignificant event, in the end it can be the attention grabber that can bring the promotion. </p>
<p>Once I updated my resume by adding a remark: &#8220;Earned 3 credits at NYU: Proust and Memory Enhancement.&#8221; When a new boss came into the department, she interviewed me for an opening as district manager that she had just created. She simply said to me, &#8220;I love Proust; my minor was French Literature.&#8221; </p>
<p>One of my favorite novels is Stendhal&#8217;s The Red and the Black. The hero, Julien Sorel, uses a ladder not only to ford a river and to negotiate terraces, but also to climb up and into Mme. De Renal&#8217;s boudoir. The point is that like Julien one must constantly carry the image of the ladder of success. </p>
<p>On another occasion, when my second child was born, I updated my resume. And as an afterthought, I included my wife and the children&#8217;s names and dates of birth&#8211;all in one line. Again, this proved to be fruitful during a promotion interview. My boss said, &#8220;My daughter&#8217;s name is Kay also-same age. Maybe they should get together.&#8221; </p>
<p>Keeping a resume evergreen, with a copy of the update to the Human Resources, and your boss, will get you ahead of peers and competitors. </p>
<p>When you are up for annual evaluation, bring up an updated resume. Use it to highlight what you have been doing to enhance your skills and how they will help you to be a better producer. </p>
<p>Conclusion </p>
<p>Convert the traditional resume into an evergreen resume. Consider the updates the steps with which you are building the ladder of success. </p>
<p>In war, the Maccabees, constructed huge ladders to climb walls and conquer their enemies. In business, trust the ladder that you yourself have built. </p>
<p>Wittgenstein -discussing language and meaning-said, &#8220;he must so to speak throw away the ladder, after he has climbed up on it.&#8221; My recommendation is keep the ladder, for there&#8217;s always higher heights to reach in the financial heavens. </p>
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