Camping Tips for Hot and Dry Weather

Camping is a fun way to spend some time in the outdoors with family and friends. While summer is one of the best times of year to camp, with its warm, sunny weather and long days, it can get very hot. Being outside for days and nights on end can get quite uncomfortable when the weather is too hot. Here are some tips on camping in hot, dry weather.

Step 1
Bring plenty of water. This seems obvious, but it can't be stressed enough. As a simple guide, pack 1/2 gallon for each person, per day, and more if you plan to do a lot of strenuous activity (hiking, climbing, biking). Extra water is better than not enough. Also pack a filter or water purification chemicals just in case your water supply runs low.

Step 2
Bring the right clothing. Avoid black clothing, and wear white and light colors that do not attract the sunlight. Also wear polyester blends and fabrics that wick moisture and dry quickly.

Step 3
Get a tent with plenty of ventilation. Tents with a full mesh body will keep you cooler and provide better ventilation.

Step 4
Bring a tarp, tent or shade to sit under. In addition to tents for sleeping, be sure to have some shade for eating and sitting at the campsite.

Step 5
Pitch your tent more strategically. Look for a place that is shaded from the morning sun (rising in the east) and try to pitch your tent in a way that will allow you to capture a breeze through your windows.

Step 6
Use block ice rather than cubes because it will take longer to melt. Be sure that your cooler is shaded and consider putting it in a cool, shallow pool of water in a stream when available to keep it cooler and allow your ice to last longer.

Step 7
Use separate coolers for food and drinks to keep cooling more efficient.

Step 8
Bring camping sheets/sleeping bag liners in addition to sleeping bags. These can be used alone or can line the sleeping bag, depending on the nightly weather.

Step 9
Avoid the heat of the midday (11 AM to 3 PM) when possible and do activities in the morning and evening when it's cooler.

Step 10
Avoid caffeine because it dehydrates you. Keep an eye on your urine, and if it begins to become golden or dark yellow/orange, be sure to drink plenty of water to rehydrate. You should also avoid alcohol, though a camping trip may make this difficult--just be sure to keep drinking water.

Step 11
Of course, don't forget to wear plenty of sunscreen and a hat to protect yourself from the sun.

Keep the Pressure On! Keep Our State Parks Open

Just hours ago, the California State Senate vote on the proposed State Park Access Pass failed. With 22 in favor (all Democrats) 14 opposed (all Republicans + 1 Democrat) and 4 abstentions, it did not receive the 2/3 vote required. Although this is a big disappointment, it does not change our course of action – we all need to continue fighting to urge the Legislature to keep state parks open, even if that requires a funding source that isn’t the State Park Access Pass.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please help us keep the pressure on by sending a letter to five key legislators.Follow this link to send a letter to the "Big 5":

Governor Schwarzenegger
Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg
Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth
Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass
Assembly Republican Leader Sam Blakeslee

Encourage them to find creative funding solutions to keep all of our treasured state parks open!
Thank you for your support!

Stop Puppy Mills

10 Ways You Can Help Fight Puppy Mills

1. Do Not Buy Your Puppy From a Pet Store
That puppy who charmed you through the pet shop window has most likely come from a large-scale, substandard commercial breeding facility, commonly known as a puppy mill. In these facilities, parent dogs are caged and bred as often as possible, and give birth to puppies who could have costly medical problems you might not become aware of until after you bring your new pet home.

2. Make Adoption Your First Option
If you’re looking to make a puppy part of your family, check your local shelters first. Not only will you be saving a life, but you will ensure that your money is not going to support a puppy mill. There are many dogs waiting for homes in shelters all across the country—and an estimated one in four is a purebred! Your second option is breed rescue. If your heart is set on a specific breed you haven’t been able to find in a shelter, you can do an Internet search for a breed-specific rescue organization.

3. Know How to Recognize a Responsible Breeder
If you’ve exhausted your options for adopting and are choosing to buy from a breeder, remember that responsible breeders have their dogs’ interests in mind. They are not simply interested in making a sale, but in placing their pups in good homes. A responsible breeder should screen you as thoroughly as you screen them! Read the ASPCA’s responsible breeding statement to find out more about how a responsible breeder behaves.

4. See Where Your Puppy Was Born and Bred
One sign that you are speaking to an unscrupulous breeder is that they will not let you see the facility in which your puppy was born. Always ask to see the breeding premises and to meet both parents (or at least the mother) of the puppy you want to take home. You should also ask for an adoption contract that explains—in terms you understand—the breeder’s responsibilities, health guarantee and return policy.

5. Internet Buyers, Beware!
Buying a puppy from the Internet is as risky as buying from a pet store. If you buy a puppy based on a picture and a phone call, you have no way of seeing the puppy’s breeding premises or meeting his parents. And those who sell animals on the Internet are not held to the Animal Welfare Act regulations, and so are not inspected by the USDA.

6. Share Your Puppy Mill Story with the ASPCA
If you have—or think you have—purchased a puppy-mill puppy, please tell us your story. Every bit of evidence gives us more power to get legislation passed that will ban puppy mills.

7. Speak Out!
Inform your state and federal legislators that you are disturbed by the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills, and would like to see legislation passed that ensures that all animals bred to be pets are raised in healthy conditions. You can keep up-to-date about current legislation to ban puppy mills by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade.

8. Tell Your Friends
If someone you know is planning on buying a puppy, please direct them to our puppy mill information at ASPCA.org. Let them know that there are perfectly healthy dogs in shelters waiting to be adopted.

9. Think Globally
Have a webpage, a MySpace page or a blog? Use these powerful tools to inform people about puppy mill cruelty by adding a link to our puppy mill information at ASPCA.org.

10. Act Locally!
When people are looking to buy or adopt a pet, they will often ask the advice of their veterinarian, groomer or pet supply store. Download and print our flyers (pdf) and ask to leave them in the offices of your local practitioners.

LAND ROVER NATIONAL RALLY

July 28th - August 1, 2009
LEADVILLE, COLORADO


View Larger Map

Registration Information
Registration Deadline for the Rally is June 28th, 2009
For entries recieved after June 28th, 2009 please include Late Registration Fee.

Registration Fees
1 Vehicle and Driver (Solihull Society Member) $85
1 Vehicle and Driver (Non-Solihull Society Member) $100
Passengers (11 years and over) $50
Children 4-10 $15
Children under 4 FREE
Late Registration Fee $30

If you don't have an email address or don't want to register online,you can download and print the registration form and mail it, along with a check made out to "Solihull Society" for the registration fee, to:

Solihull Society
ATTN: Rally Registration
PO Box 480864
Denver, CO 80248-0864

For more information, contact registration@solihullsociety.org

Tuesday July 28th:
4:00- 8:00 PM Registration

Wednesday July 29th:
7:00-8:00 AM Registration, Trails, Training Class

Thursday July 30th:
7:00-8:00 Trails, Cocktail Party

Friday July 31st:
7:00-8:00 OPEN DAY - NO TRAILS

Friday July 31st:
Afternoon CAR SHOW, 4:00-8:00 P.M. Vendor Night

Saturday August 1st:
7:00-8:00 Trails, Banquet

Your Support Is Needed

Please help us in joining our dear friend Malcolm Smith and his family in overturning this careless legislation passed by lawmakers as the Consumer Product Safety Commission of 2008, or CPSC, has made it illegal for motorcycle dealers across America to sell motorcycles, ATV, snowmobiles, parts, helmets etc. for use by children under the age of 12 because of small amounts of lead.

Regulations are outlined under Title I of the Act and sets the lead limit at “600 parts per million total lead content by weight for any part of the product.” That limit will drop to 300 ppm one year after the date of enactment and 100 ppm three years after unless deemed technologically unfeasible.

This is a vital form of off-highway recreation for American families, preserve youth racing and help protect the thousands of jobs associated with this industry.

So please go to http://www.tomself.com/ and scroll down to the pre-written letter to send to our Chairwoman Nancy Nord or fax it to Feinstein at 202-228-3954.


Check Out: KIDSLOVE2RIDE.COM
Check Out: 63 pages long, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsia.Pdf


Thank you,

Anita & Gordon
http://www.inlandrovers.com/

House Resolution 736 Introduced by Representative Tom Self

A new federal law aimed at protecting children from lead in toys has also forced a nationwide halt in sales of off-road motorcycles and recreational vehicles built for young riders, halting a multimillion-dollar industry that was thriving despite the recession; and

Under the CPSIA, "children's product" means a consumer product designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger; and

Youth model all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-highway motorcycles, as well as parts and accessories for youth ATVs and motorcycles are severely impacted by the new lead limits established under the CPSIA; and

Over 50,000 U.S. citizens have requested through www.tomself.com alone that a letter be sent on their behalf to the Consumer Product Safety Commission voicing their concerns on this small powersports issue; and

There are many other ongoing efforts which are receiving a large volume of responses from citizens similarly concerned with this small powersports issue; and

As a result of the CPSIA, thousands of powersports dealers were told to halt all sales of vehicles designed for children 12 and younger, new and used; and

The Motorcycle Industry Council estimates nearly 100,000 youth bikes were sold in the United States in 2008. An industry trade publication estimates the value of inventory at United States dealers which can no longer be sold probably exceeds $100 million; and

Beyond the current inventory, there are millions and millions of dollars worth of parts now in the product pipeline to dealers that cannot be sold; and

The industry estimates the retail market value for all off-road cycles and ATVs at $14.5 billion a year, including sales, service, parts, accessories, and payroll; and

Consumers have borrowed significant amounts of money on untold hundreds of thousands of youth ATVs and motorcycles; and

Parts for these youth ATVs and motorcycles are now unavailable, which in many cases renders the ATV or motocycle inoperable or not safely operable; and

If parts are not readily available, owners and operators may be tempted or forced to go beyond normal maintenance and repair guidelines, resulting in an improperly performing machine; and

The Consumer Product Safety Commission needs to take a common sense approach to implementation of the CPSIA's lead provisions in order to avoid major disruptions to youth ATV and motorcycle enthusiasts, owners, manufacturers, and the dealer network of thousands of small, independent businesses which employ tens of thousands of Americans; and

While protecting children from those products that truly present a lead risk is important, there should be a waiver or exclusion for products that do not present risk to children; and

While the CPSIA provides for exclusions and authorizes the Consumer Product Safety Commission to grant exclusions under certain conditions, to date the Consumer Product Safety Commission has not granted any exclusions for youth ATVs and motorcycles; and

Any delay in providing a waiver or exclusion for youth ATVs and motorcycles creates an untenable situation for thousands of owners, manufacturers, and dealers, many of whom are small businesses. Huge inventories of products that present no health risk to children are rendered retroactively illegal, and future products are prohibited from sale; and

A waiver or exclusion for youth ATVs and motorcycles is needed because, in the absence of government action, there likely will not be any new youth ATVs or motorcycles available for purchase in their local dealerships and owners will not be able to obtain parts for youth ATVs and motorcycles already purchased:

Nevada Trophy 2009 - April 17-19th

NVTR 2009 UP-DATE, WHAT IS NEVADA TROPHY?

Scheduled for April 17th-19th, 2009 in Nevada.

NVTR 2009 is a Navigational Adventure and promises to be more exciting than ever! Whether you're a past participant, a fellow enthusiast, or geocacher, NVTR has something for you.

NVTR was born in 1995, and after a season of work, the first event was run in December of 1996 in Fernley, Nevada. That year seven teams, of two cars each, participated in this special event, an event that combines GPS Navigation, the searching for Waypoints and off-road driving. NVTR is a combination of Camel Trophy, the Warn Challenge, and Geocaching, which we pre-date by some years. Everyone is welcome!

The object? Each participant is given XX hours, normally 12 to 15 per day, to search for and collect Waypoints over a given area. Route books are distributed to each car, in it you’ll find as many as 100 waypoints, five to a page. Each waypoint is shown in Longitude and Latitude form. Each waypoint has a particular points value from 100 to 1000, the higher the points value the more difficult it could be to find, or get there.

The twist? There isn’t enough time to collect all of the waypoints in the book. Scoring is simple, the team with the most points at the end of the event wins! But it is not a simple as that, as Mandatory Waypoints and Special Tasks can either add points, or take them away, as being late carries a 200-points per minute penalty, hence time management is key. Waypoints can be almost anywhere; a road sign, a Nevada Historic Marker, in a tree or bush, a geocache, or even a stick in the ground. For 2006, some of the great driving and navigational tasks of years gone-by will be back… should be great fun!

Once again this years event promises to be full of fun and adventure!

Teams: Each vehicle will have a Driver & Navigator. Every two cars will make a “team”; this is done for the safety of all participants… due to the vast terrain and weather that could be encountered. Each team must have a 4WD vehicle… more stock vehicles have won NVTR than not, so NO, you don’t need a modified vehicle to participate.

Required Items: Here are a few of the required items needed to participate; GPS (we suggest two), Compass, Nevada Atlas by DeLorme, Laptop (permitted, not required), pen/pencil, note pads, flashlights, work gloves, winter clothing, suitable boots, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, shovel, snow chains, reflective tri-angles x2, recovery gear, and on-board food & drinks. All items must be secured inside the vehicle. We suggest they be strapped, attached or bolted down. See rules for details on Items Required and Tech Inspection.

Time Frame: NVTR2009: Friday start time is scheduled for 8:00am, then it’s two days of adventure, waypoints, and maybe a Special Task!This year’s event will be based at Nevada (exact hotel location TBA), the exact competition location being kept secret until the day of the event. At preset we are working with the State of Nevada on bringing you the best ever Nevada Trophy! Don’t delay on entering, sign up today for this unforgettable event.Welcome Meeting, to include Registration & Tech Inspection, April 16, 2:00pm to midnight.

Scoring: Scoring is via points earned vs. points lost. The team with the highest overall scored will be deemed the overall winner of NVTR2009.Everyone is welcome… First-timers seeking fun and adventure.

The Awards Breakfast will take place Sunday @ approx 9:00am.

Summary: Starting order for NVTR2009 is determined by your Paid Entry postmark.ENTRIES ARE NOW OPEN – get your entry in today!Pre-Entry fee is $300 per car. Post entry $350.00 on/after April 9th, 2009.Only 30 vehicles / 15 teams (2 cars per team) are permitted to participate, so get your entry in today. Think you can win? Quit thinking and sign up today!.Entry forms are now available.

Michael Green
Executive Director, NVTR
e-mail: Off-Road Experience

Interested in sponsoring/supporting NVTR? We've had some great supporters over the years, and hope to see them back for 2009.

Entry forms you need (click each of them to download):
1. Drivers Application Form
2. Navigators Application Form
3. Vehicle Registration Form
4. Emergency Medical Form

Willow Creek Trail, March 14, 2009

Trip Overview:
The 2n17x and Willow Creek Trail Day will offer a combination of scenic views of the Mojave Desert and Silverwood Lake with moderately challenging backcountry trails.

Our trip will begin with (click for description)2n17x (rated: most difficult), which starts near the Silverwood Lake Dam forking off the Pilot Rock Truck Trail, and ends connecting once again to the Pilot Rock Truck Trail. 2n17x can be described as: a short trail that is a bit more demanding then Cleghorn, because the opportunities to detour around challenging sections are limited to only the most difficult.

The (click for description)Willow Creek (rated: easy) section of the trip provides a contrasting experience of beautiful green forest and the skeletal remains left by the 1999 Willow Creek Fire. The trail has a nice water crossing with possible snow driving opportunities, depending on the storms.

Route:
After completing 2n17x we will reconnect with Pilot Rock trail to Hwy 173 and proceed north for 1.2 miles to the start of the Willow Creek Trail (3n34x). We will stop for lunch, and then proceed to the end at Hook Creek road. Total Trip time approximately 5.5 hours.

Meeting location:
Map Intersection of Hwy 173 and Pilot Rock Truck Trail 9:30 A.M., 03/14/09 GPS Coordinates: N 34.307853 W 117.309694

Directions:
From Interstate 15 head east on CA- 138 (8.2miles), turn left at CA- 173 and follow for approximately 2.3 miles, Pilot Rock Truck Trail on right.

Vehicle Requirements:
This trip is open to all Land Rovers; however stock rovers with running boards and air dams should take precaution and consider that scraping and or damage is likely. The 2n17x is laden with steep rocky hill climbs, narrow and off-camber trail sections.

What to bring:
Full tank of gas ( Chevron station at Interstate 15 and CA- 138 off ramp)
FRS radio Ch 7
Water
Lunch and snacks
Clothes (bring layers- quick change in temperature normal)
Camera