Adventure
Ziplining From A to Z
How about flying through the air in a treetop canopy or above other stunning scenery while safely tethered? Ziplining is an increasingly popular sport for all ages. Here’s a sampling of several zipline attractions; find others near your planned destinations using an online search.
Anakeesta, Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This family attraction, which opened in summer 2017, provides a number of outdoor adventures, including a dual zipline. Fly 150 feet aboveground next to a family member or friend, enjoying views of the Smoky Mountains. www.anakeesta.com/play/zipline.
Angel Fire Resort recently unveiled its “Family Flyer” ziplines in New Mexico.
Angel Fire Resort, Angel Fire, New Mexico. The new Family Flyer zipline, an addition to the resort’s Rocky Mountain Zipline Adventure Tour, was slated to launch in May 2018 (weather permitting). It offers children as light as 50 pounds a chance to experience mountaintop ziplining. www.angelfireresort.com.
Hocking Hills Canopy Tours, Rockbridge, Ohio. “The Original Canopy Tour” is a three-hour aerial adventure through the treetops on a network of cables and adventure skybridges. “Zip and climb” and “zip and rappel” tours are available also. https://www.hockinghillscanopytours.com/.
Ziplines At Pacific Crest, California. Approximately 75 miles from Los Angeles, this zipline adventure takes flyers above Rancho Cucamonga in the San Gabriel Mountains, next to Mountain High Resort. Several packages are available. https://ziplinespc.com/.
App File
Astronomy
You need not have a telescope or binoculars to enjoy stargazing.
Star Chart: When your smartphone is pointed at the night sky, the app’s AR mode (short for augmented reality) kicks in, and the device’s screen becomes a window into the visible universe. Move your phone around to identify objects in different parts of the sky. Interested in a particular planet, star, or constellation? The Sky Search tool pinpoints it. Night Mode applies a red filter to the screen to preserve your night vision. Free for iOS and Android.
NASA app: America’s space agency offers up a plethora of images, videos, mission information — including launch details and countdown clocks — and more. Watch a live view of Earth from the International Space Station (ISS), track the ISS in real time, and see a list of upcoming ISS sightings for your location. You can even listen to Third Rock Radio (an alternative rock station). Free for iOS and Android.
SkyView: Like Star Chart, SkyView is an augmented reality app that identifies galaxies, stars, constellations, and planets when you point your device to the sky. Objects can be located day or night. You can jump to the future or past to see the sky on different dates. A night mode filter preserves vision in darkness. SkyView Lite for iOS and SkyView Free for Android are free.
What IS That Bug?
Nature can bring us beautiful flowers. Loud early-birds. And (yikes!) bugs. Online insect identification can take the mystery out of a bug you’ve found, and let you know whether a spider is harmless or should be avoided. Take a picture of the critter you are curious about and then consider these helpful websites that let you post the image for scrutiny.
Facebook groups. Various groups on www.facebook.com, such as “Spiders, Bugs & Bites In The USA,” and “Spider and Insect Enthusiast,” are full of helpful people who have experience identifying insects. Join a group and agree to the rules, and then you’ll be allowed to upload your photos. Don’t join the groups if you enjoy haphazardly killing bugs, for the people in these groups are great hobbyists and bug appreciators.
Reddit subgroups. To obtain assistance from people on Reddit, you will need to upload your bug image into a hosting service, such as imgur.com; then, post the image link onto Reddit. Start by visiting the Reddit subgroup called whatsthisbug, at www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisbug/, where hundreds of interested people can give you a quick response. Check the right side of that page for more guidelines on how to post on Reddit and see many other bug-ID guide subgroups.
“Bee” safe out there, campers, so you can enjoy all of nature — even if it bugs you!
Fair Fare
Do you enjoy the sights, sounds, scents, and tastes at state and county fairs? To some, there’s nothing like noshing on a funnel cake or an Italian sausage sandwich sold on the midway. The cuisine is practically an art form, with fan favorites often mixed in with regional dishes.
Folks who like to learn about food — and enjoy re-creating dishes — may find chef George Geary’s Fair Foods: The Most Popular And Offbeat Recipes From America’s State & County Fairs an interesting read ($24.95, Santa Monica Press).
The colorful hardcover contains 120 original, illustrated recipes that celebrate some of the well-loved and interesting food served at fairs. Some include additional chef tips; many note special supplies needed, such as a particular baking dish or a candy thermometer.
Mr. Geary divides his recipes into five categories. The “Drinks” chapter provides beverages for all ages, including 1890s Lemonade and Egg Cream, as well as concoctions with a kick, such as Blended Cuban Mojitos. In “Sweet & Savory Snacks,” how about a recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots With Buttermilk Dill Sauce?
The “Fried Everything” chapter even includes a recipe for Fried Coca-Cola. Heartier dishes fill “The Main Event,” among them Barbecue Turkey Legs With Basting Sauce, and Spicy Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheeseburgers. Finally, the “Desserts & Treats” chapter offers how-tos for Mini Spiced Apple Doughnuts, Lemon Mist Bars, and Four-Chocolate Brownies (best served with ice cream). Hungry yet?
The award-winning chef and culinary instructor has written 12 cookbooks. He’s a former pastry chef for The Walt Disney Company and has been a food judge on numerous TV shows. Mr. Geary no doubt knows of what he writes in Fair Foods; he also was the Los Angeles County Fair’s culinary coordinator for 28 years.