Hangliding

Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider (also known as Delta plane or Deltaplane). Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite-framed fabric wing. The pilot is ensconced in a harness suspended from the airframe, and exercises control by shifting body weight in opposition to a control frame, but other devices, including modern aircraft flight control systems, may be used. In the sport's early days, pilots were restricted to gliding down small hills on low-performance hang gliders. However, modern technology gives pilots the ability to soar for hours, gain thousands of metres of altitude in thermal updrafts, perform aerobatics, and glide cross-country for hundreds of kilometres.

Birds fly, bugs fly, inflation is soaring but that’s a different matter.  If you really want to know the glories and thrill of flying, there’s nothing at all like hang gliding.  Imagine a day in the park with an airborne kite, high above the treetops.  Now imagine You strapped to the kite; that’s virtually what we’re talking about here.  The hang glider literally hangs under a kite, also known as a wing or a glider.  The fact that the glider can weigh in excess of 50 pounds is a small issue.  Once you’re harnessed under it, running along a downgrade into the wind, you’ll be shedding pounds faster than a chocoholic in a cabbage patch.  Or so it will seem.  Hang glider designs have come a long way since they first took serious flight in the late 1800s, and modern construction makes the most of achieving lift.  So now that you’re hooked on the idea of skimming over hill and dale, where does one actually go to hang and glide?

Hang gliding is a skill easily learned, but practice makes perfect.  A first-timer should find the nearest outfit offering lessons and sign up.  People who glide come from all corners of life, so you needn’t feel intimidated.  The United States Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association has helpful information online, as does the BHPA for the United Kingdom.  It is recommended that a student learn the basics of navigation at a safe altitude, and do a few tandem flights from higher launch points with an instructor.  By then, you’d have a fair idea of what the sport demands, and you may even start looking for a kite of your own.

If you have a weak stomach or a fear of heights, you should probably avoid hang gliding. I’m all for excitement, but I don’t enjoy activities that leave me vulnerable to falling, falling very very far. But through my research I found some reassurance… Hang Gliding is about as dangerous as riding a bike. Very few accidents happen, mostly because it is very hard to crash into anything 2000 feet in the air(the 2000 part doesn’t really help though haha). Hang gliders fly at relatively low speeds when compared with motorcycles, scooters, or even a downhill bike ride. Accidents primarily occur during takeoff or landing, and seldom harm the pilot.
Proper safety precautions such as helmets, parachutes, pre-flights, and hang checks keep the odds of a serious incident low. Hang Gliding is a social sport, and should never be done alone. Most hang gliding accidents occur when a pilot fails to have the proper safety equipment or flies without other pilots nearby.

*A new part of my blog routine will be including some background information on how one would be able to participate in the activities I talk about.*

If you want to learn how to hang glide, there are numerous ways you can determine whether the sport is right for you without a major upfront investment. You can take a tandem flight with an instructor connected to you via harnesses which will allow you to experience a flight at an altitude of up to one-half mile, or you can fly on your own on day one, but you’ll stay within 10 feet of the ground!

Intro Tandem Flight: $95 to $145
Your instructor will teach you hang glider basics and procedures and then the two of you will be aero-towed (by an ultra-light aircraft) to 2,000 to 2,500 feet. Once you release from the ultra-light, you will have the opportunity to fly the hang glider yourself for a few minutes. Your instructor will land and the hang glider rolls to a stop, very much like a small plane.
Tandem flights usually last between 10 and 20 minutes.

If you were going to buy your own stuff, a new hang glide with harness and reserve - $3600 and $5000.

Base Jumping

Base Jumping is very extreme activity that includes a parachute (can be used both parachute and wingsuit) to jump from fixed objects, with unopened parachute like skydiving. The acronym “B.A.S.E.” stands for: Building, Antenna, Span, Earth – four categories of objects from which B.A.S.E. jumper can jump-Hhmm, I did not know that-


BASE numbers are awarded to those who have made at least one jump from each of the four categories (buildings, antennas, spans and earth). When Phil Smith and Phil Mayfield jumped together from a Houston skyscraper on 18 January 1981, they became the first to attain the exclusive BASE numbers (BASE #1 and #2, respectively), having already jumped from an antenna, spans, and earthen objects. Jean and Carl Boenish qualified for BASE numbers 3 and 4 soon after. A separate "award" was soon enacted for Night BASE jumping when Mayfield completed each category at night, becoming Night BASE #1, with Smith qualifying a few weeks later.

During the early eighties, nearly all BASE jumps were made using standard skydiving equipment, including two parachutes (main and reserve), and deployment components. Later on, specialized equipment and techniques were developed that were designed specifically for the unique needs of BASE jumping.

[edit]Timeline of notable jumps

• In 1912, Franz Reichelt, tailor, jumped from the first deck of the Eiffel Tower testing his invention, the coat parachute. He died. It was his first ever attempt with the parachute and he had told the authorities in advance he would test it first with a dummy.^{[citation needed]}
• In 1913, Štefan Banič jumped from a building in order to demonstrate his new parachute to the U. S. Patent Office and military.^{[citation needed]}
• In 1913, a Russian student Vladimir Ossovski (Владимир Оссовский), from the Saint-Petersburg Conservatory, jumped from the 53-meter high bridge over the river Seine in Rouen (France), using the parachute RK-1, invented a year before that by Gleb Kotelnikov (1872–1944). Ossovski planned jumping from the Eiffel Tower too, but the Paris authorities didn’t allow that.^[1]
• In 1965, Erich Felbermayr from Wels jumped from the Kleine Zinne / Cima piccola di Lavaredo in the Dolomites.^[2]
• In 1966, Michael Pelkey and Brian Schubert jumped from the cliff "El Capitan" in Yosemite Valley.^{[citation needed]}
• On 9 November 1975, the first person to parachute off the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, was Bill Eustace, a member of the tower's construction crew. He was fired.^{[citation needed]}
• In 1975, Owen J. Quinn, a jobless man, parachuted from the south tower of the World Trade Center to publicize the plight of the unemployed.
• In 1976 Rick Sylvester skied off Canada's Mount Asgard for the ski chase sequence of the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me, giving the wider world its first look at BASE jumping.^[3]
• In 1982, on the 22nd of February, Wayne Allwood, an Australian skydiving accuracy champion, parachuted from a helicopter over the Sydney CBD and landed on the small top area of Sydney's Centrepoint Tower approximately 300m above the ground. Within a couple of minutes of landing Allwood had discarded and secured his parachute and with spectacular style threw himself off the Tower using a full-sized reserve parachute to BASE jump into Hyde Park below. Video is available by searching 'Centrepoint Tower BASE jump 1982'
• In 1987 Steve Dines (Australian) BASE 157 Made the first jump from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The jump can be seen on YouTube.
• In 1990 Russell Powell (British) BASE 230 illegally jumped from the Whispering Gallery inside St Paul's Cathedral London. It was the lowest indoor BASE Jump in the world at 102ft.^[4]
• In 1990 Australian Mark Scott BASE# 165 / OZ BASE # 13 / SA BASE #1 made the first BASE Jump off London's Canary Wharf Tower 4 days before the topping out ceremony. ^[4]"
• On August 26, 1992 Nic Feteris and Glenn Singleman (two Australians) made a BASE jump from an altitude of 20,600 feet (6286 meters) jump off Great Trango Towers Pakistan. It is the world's highest natural BASE jump off the earth and the most dangerous one as well.
• In 2000, Hannes Arch and Ueli Gegenschatz were the first to dare a BASE jump from the imposing 1800-metre high north face of the Eiger, one of the most daunting peaks in the Swiss Alps.
• In May 2008, Hervé Le Gallou and a British man Darren Bull twice infiltrated Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made structure in the world (around 650m at the time while still under construction), and jumped off a balcony situated a couple of floors below the 160th floor.^[5][6][7]
• In 2009, three women, 20 year old Melody Morin, 28-year-old Venezuelan Ana Isabel Dao, and 32-year-old Norwegian Anniken Binz^[8] base jumped from the highest waterfall in the world with a height of 979 metres (3,212 ft) and a clear drop of 807 metres (2,648 ft), Angel Falls, located in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State in Venezuela. Ana Isabel Dao was the first Venezuelan woman to jump off Angel Falls.^[9]
• On 8 January 2010, Nasr Al Niyadi and Omar Al Hegelan, from the Emirates Aviation Society, broke the world record for the highest building BASE jump after they leapt from a crane suspended platform attached to Burj Khalifa's 160th floor at 672 metres (2,205 ft).^[10]

However, these and other sporadic incidents were one-time experiments, not the systematic pursuit of a new form of parachuting. After 1978, the filmed jumps from El Capitan were repeated, not as a publicity exercise or as a movie stunt, but as a true recreational activity. It was this that popularised BASE jumping more widely among parachutists. Carl Boenish continued to publish films and informational magazines on BASE jumping until his death in 1984 after a BASE-jump off of the Troll Wall. By this time, the concept had spread among skydivers worldwide, with hundreds of participants making fixed-object jumps.

Comparison with skydiving

BASE jumping from antenna tower

BASE jumping grew out of skydiving. BASE jumps are generally made from much lower altitudes than skydives, and a BASE jump takes place close to the object serving as the jump platform. Because BASE jumps generally entail slower airspeeds than typical skydives (due to the limited altitude), a BASE jumper rarely achieves terminal velocity. Because higher airspeeds enable jumpers more aerodynamic control of their bodies, as well as more positive and quick parachute openings, the longer the delay, the better.

Skydivers use the air flow to stabilize their position, allowing the parachute to deploy cleanly. BASE jumpers, falling at lower speeds, have less aerodynamic control, and may tumble. The attitude of the body at the moment of jumping determines the stability of flight in the first few seconds, before sufficient airspeed has built up to enable aerodynamic stability. On low BASE jumps, parachute deployment takes place during this early phase of flight, so if a poor "launch" leads into a tumble, the jumper may not be able to correct this before the opening. If the parachute is deployed while the jumper is tumbling, there is a high risk of entanglement or malfunction. The jumper may also not be facing the right direction. Such an off-heading opening is not as problematic in skydiving, but an off-heading opening that results in object strike has caused many serious injuries and deaths in BASE jumping.

At an altitude of 600m (2,000 feet), having been in free-fall for at least 300m (1,000 feet), the jumper is falling at approximately 55 m/s (190 km/h, 120 mph), and is approximately 10.9 seconds from the ground. Most BASE jumps are made from less than 600m (2,000 feet). For example, a BASE jump from a 150m (500 foot) object is about 5.6 seconds from the ground if the jumper remains in free fall. On a BASE jump, the parachute must open at about half the airspeed of a similar skydive, and more quickly (in a shorter distance fallen). Standard skydiving parachute systems are not designed for this situation, so BASE jumpers often use specially designed harnesses and parachute containers, with extra large pilot chutes, and many jump with only one parachute, since there would be little time to utilize a reserve parachute. If modified, by removing the bag and slider, stowing the lines in a tail pocket, and fitting a large pilot chute, standard skydiving gear can be used for lower BASE jumps, but is then prone to kinds of malfunction that are rare in normal skydiving (such as "line-overs" and broken lines).

Another risk is that most BASE jumping venues have very small areas in which to land. A beginner skydiver, after parachute deployment, may have a three minute or more parachute ride to the ground. A BASE jump from 150m (500 foot) will have a parachute ride of only 10 to 15 seconds.

One way to make a parachute open very quickly is to use a static line or direct bag. These devices form an attachment between the parachute and the jump platform, which stretches out the parachute and suspension lines as the jumper falls, before separating and allowing the parachute to inflate. This method enables the very lowest jumps (below 60m / 200 ft) to be made, although most BASE jumpers are more motivated to make higher jumps involving free fall. This method is similar to the paratrooper's deployment system, also called a PCA (Pilot Chute Assist).

The closest activity to skydiving that I have personally participated in was the indoor skydiving event at iFly. That was alot of fun, if you dont have any plans for your next birthday, its definitely something to keep in mind. You'll have a great time with friends, its just overall a great experience. 

I dont think i'd have the courage to participate in real skydiving or base jumping. Just imagine willingly jumping over a ledge or out of a plane, down hundreds of feet, falling at over 100 mph. That takes massive cajones. 

Snowboarding

Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted bindings. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A in the 1960s and the 1970s and became a Winter Olympic Sport in 1998.


Snowboarding is a fascinating sport. In my opinion it is the most enjoyable sport I've ever participated in. It allows the rider to drop all worries and let go of all the things holding you back. You can clear your mind, relax, and enjoy the slopes. 


Once you get more experienced and develop a rhythm to boarding it becomes very simple and even more fun. But don't expect to stay on your feet the whole time. With snowboarding you need to go down the hills with the expectation that you will end up on your arse. Falling happens in snowboarding; you cant let it get you down. 


The best thing about snowboarding is the connection it makes with friends and family. Even making friends. 
I've boarded with friends, family, strangers, classmates, all sorts of people. Its generally a lot of fun regardless of who you're with. You'll have a garunteed great time full of laughter and good memories. 


When i go up with friends and family, i love to record them shredding down slopes, and attempting to catch air in the terrain parks. I get lots of pictures and make sure everyone is having a good time. Even on the lifts up to the top of the runs, its a good time to ask for advice, plan your next move, or tell a great joke: What do you do with a dead chemist? .... Barium!

This is my brother, Karl Nordhoff, grabbing edge off a nice jump at Kirkwood.

This a close friend of my sisters showing off the bellyside of his board.

This is my best friend Alex Brenner laying down a jam on his "guitar"board at the bottom of a sweet run.

This is a memory i can always remember.  In this picture we have Aaron Wills(left),  Michael Marvin(right),  Alex Brenner(middle right) and I at the top of a Black Diamond, getting ready to shred down with competing speeds. 

Dirt Bike Riding

You have most likely seen pictures or videos of Dirt Bike Riding. Whether it was competition riding on the sports channel, or the ridiculous stunts and activities Nitro Circus. Mabye you've seen bikers up close and personal at Metcaf, Hollister, or the Santa Clara track. If you have seen bikers, you can imagine that there are some people are willing to do some crazy stunts.

The main man of Nitro Circus, Travis Pastrana, an American motorsports competitor and stunt performer, has won championships and X Games gold medals in several events, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and rally racing. Travis has done some intense stuff on his bike, he was the 1st to land a double backflip at the 2009 x-games, he invented the la-z-boy, the la-z-flip, the cliffhanger, backflip can-can, as well as the superflip, flintstone, and rodeo. All complex and dangerous tricks.


Dirt Biking is all about controlling the bike. I dirt bike with my brother and father, and as an inexperienced biker I have very little control over the bike. I've fallen off of ledges and drove into bushes. I've even flew off my bike, over the handlebars.

But dirt biking is really a lot of fun. Christmas is creeping around the corner, if you are financially able to, think about adding some Dirt bikes to your wish-list. Its a great investment, and just overall a great experience with friends and family,

Skydiving

Skydiving is a sport in which participants jump or fall from aircraft at altitude. They can perform an assortment of aerial maneuvers before deploying a parachute to slow their descent, allowing them to come gently to rest on the Earth below. The sport is also known as parachuting, in a reference to that vital piece of safety equipment. People at different levels of physical fitness can participate in skydiving, as long as they are ready for an adrenalin-packed sport which can be both terrifying and exhilarating.

The roots of skydiving are actually much older than many people realize. Several medieval inventors developed rudimentary equipment which could have potentially been used forskydiving activity, and in 1797, Andre Jacques Garnerin jumped from a hot air balloon with a parachute, marking the first incident of truly modern skydiving. The sport was further refined throughout the 1800s, and many militaries adopted it in the 1900s.

In the military, skydiving was originally intended to be a backup safety mechanism for airmen. If a plane became disabled during flight, the pilot could deploy a parachute to save his life. Intrepid pilots began to skydive recreationally as well, and in many countries, further applications for skydiving were considered. Many modern militaries use skydiving for troop deployment, for example. Wildfire fighters also skydive to reach remote sites, so that they can be on the ground quickly.

Zip-lining

*An extreme sport is a popular term for certain activities perceived as having a high level of inherent danger. These act*ivities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion, and highly specialized gear or spectacular stunts. 

1. On August 8, 2011 I went Zip-lining in Milton, Florida. My family and I strapped in and zoomed through canyons and over rivers. For those who do not know: A zip-line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline. It is designed to enable a user propelled by gravity to travel from the top to the bottom of the inclined cable, usually made of stainless steel, by holding on or attaching to the freely moving pulley.