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Have a Mosquito Free Vacation
Author: Scottie Johnson
Your wardrobe is planned, suitcases are ready, and your flight leaves tomorrow for your next vacation.

Have you remembered everything?

Not if you haven't packed mosquito repellant.

No matter where you are going, mosquitoes are there! They are found on every continent, except Antarctica.

In many tropical places, they are year round pests. Yet there are some things you can do to protect yourself and have a safe and comfortable trip (airline seats excluded).

Some useful traveler's tips are:

If there is a vaccination for a mosquito borne disease, like malaria, consult your doctor about getting one. Some malaria parasites are resistant to the vaccines so be sure to get medical advice.

Pack plenty of a really good mosquito repellant. You have no way of knowing if you can buy the kind you like at your destination. And, in some less developed areas, you may not be able to buy any at all.

Bring light colored clothing. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark clothing.

Bring some long sleeved shirts and long pants. The less skin area exposed the better. If appropriate, wear boots and socks and tuck pant legs into them.


Try to stay indoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

Stay in climate controlled hotels and inns when possible. Air-conditioned lodgings afford better mosquito protection.

If you can't get enclosed lodging (or you are camping or roughing it), be sure to pack some mosquito nets. There are some good ones made for individual use that don't take up much room.

If you use nets, be sure they are tucked under the mattress.

Treat all fabric articles with repellant. Using it on shoes, clothes, bedding, nets and other personal objects can help keep mosquitoes away.

If you are going to be near a beach, stay close to the ocean breezes. Mosquitoes are poor flyers and will avoid windy areas.

Many mosquito diseases are seasonal. Try to plan to travel to heavily infested areas during the mosquito "off season".

With just a little advance planning, and some common sense, you can avoid being plagued by mosquitoes in your travels. Take these few steps before you go and then get back to the important thing: having a pleasurable trip.

About the Author

Scottie Johnson is a life long mosquito warrior and freelance author, and recognized authority on leading a mosquito free life. For more information on ridding your life of mosquitoes, visit her website at http://www.mosquito-kill-net.com

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The Nomadic Cowboy - 2005 Gear Review
Author: Kriss Hammond
Jetsetters Magazine Outdoor Gear Review 2005
Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
To read this feature with photos visit
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/gear/reviews/2005/outdoor/gear.html

I grew up in the "Cowboy State" of Wyoming, and my cousins are all professional rodeo stars, so evey year I attend the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada, just to see how many bones they have broken this year.

And every year the Cowboy Christmas Gift Show (at the Venician Hotel) keeps on growing, and I always stumble across new and unique ranch gear, usually made of leather. This year canvas caught my interest with David Ellis' Canvas Products, a complete line of range tents, and really wonderful bedrolls. I don't know how many times I have slept out under the stars on the hard ground, but with Dave's cool canvas bedrolls, it will be a whole lot more comfort next time. I like his slogan as well: "Providing Nomadic Housing for the American Cowboy." Here are just some of Dave and Kelly's outdoor products that you need to add into your next Cowboy Christmas list.

CANVAS TENTS are more comfortable than synthetic tents because they breathe. Yes they weigh more so don't think you are going to back pack them. But if you want to set up a campsite that will show off an attitude start with a canvas tent. Dave calls it a COWBOYCAMP. Check the website at www.cowboycamp.net

The Range Tent — (the cowboy tipi) is a historical tent that can be seen in many accounts of car camping or ranch camping. When ever there is a chuck wagon involved there is usually a Range Tent close by. It is held up with one interior pole. Dave suspends the tent from the outside using an A-frame, this way the interior will be free from a pole support. Four stakes hold it to the ground and set up is a snap. If these stakes stay in the ground the wind can't blow it down. In fact Artic expeditions always use this tent for this reason.

Dave's Range Tent, with its nylon loop sewn into the peak, can be suspended from a tree limb to avoid packing poles. It's made of 10.38 ounces of Sunforger Army Duck, with a vinyl coated polyester duck (calliope) sewn-in floor. "The Army Duck is a tightly woven double fill cotton canvas, and Sunforger is a marine treatment for water and mildew resistance," says Dave.

David Ellis
Canvas Products
387 County Road 234
Durango, CO 81301
970/259-2050
www.cowboycamp.net

The advanced feature designed into the Range Tent is the way the canvas is cut, creating a para-wing design where it is connected to the floor. This upward arc keeps the canvas from touching the wet ground and eliminates the need for center staking. The seam here is double sewn, not simply bound, and this allows water to flow over, not into the seam.

Dave makes three sizes: 8' square & 7' tall; 10' square & 8' tall; and 12' square & 9' tall. The 10' range tent is the most common and ecominical.

With D-rings attached on three walls, you can increase the inside space by pulling out the walls. The door is zippered shut with a #10 nylon coil zipper that is concealed with a 2.5" weather flap. Snap hooks are sewn into the inside to hang a lantern. This tent looks really cool lit up at night.

Range Tent Awning —

Get the Range Tent Awning add-on. The awning makes it so you can have the door open while it is raining. The top of the add-on awning scoops over the top of the Range Tent exposing the nylon loop. At the bottom, bungee loops secure the awning to the front tent stakes. There is a 5' pole that lifts the awning over the door of the tent and is guyed out to the front.

Bedrolls —

Bedrolls are the cowboy suitcase. When "Buckwheat" gathered up his worldly possessions and tied them to a stick in a canvas table cloth, he was conceptualizing a cowboy bedroll. If there ever was a useful tool in the wilderness it would be a sheet of canvas. The military's version focuses more on sleeping and less on tarping, unless we're talking about tarping while sleeping through a rain storm.

To read the rest of the feature with photos for free visit
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/gear/reviews/2005/outdoor/gear.html

About the Author

Kriss Hammond, Editor, Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Join the Travel Writers Network.

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Twenty Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a Sleeping Bag
Author: Maria B.
Before you head out to buy a new sleeping bag, make sure you know exactly what you are looking for. When you answer these questions, you'll be better prepared to pick out the sleeping bag that is just right for you.

• How will you be using your sleeping bag? Will you be backpacking or hiking? Or do you just need a bag for a family camping trip?
• What time of year will you be camping? Will you be doing summer camping, spring through fall excursions, or rough winter camping?
• Consider your budget. How much do you want to spend? Can you save money by getting a higher quality sleeping bag on discount?
• Where will you be using it? Will you be sleeping in a tent? Out in the open? In a lodge or cabin? What areas will you be using the sleeping bag? Will it be in wet areas, dry deserts, mountains?
• What comfort level do you want? If weight isn't a consideration, do you prefer a roomier, softer, more comfortable sleeping bag? Are you accustomed to the cold night air or do you chill easily?
• Is the weight and compatibility important? Will you be carrying it for a long distance? Do you have limited space?
• How long do you want it to last? Would you prefer to get a cheaper one and replace it later? Or do you want a higher quality sleeping bag that will last many years?
• Is flexibility important? Do you need one bag to meet all your needs, summer through winter?
• How often do you intend to use it? Is this a once a year camping trip? Or will you be using it very frequently?
• Who will be using the bag? Man, woman, or child? What is their body shape?
• How much extra room do you like? Do you sleep still at night or do you tend to toss and turn a lot?

Be sure you consider all these aspects before you buy your sleeping bag. Then your new sleeping bag will be just perfect for you and your needs.

About the Author

Maria B.
Camp Spot - My Favorite Camping Store
http://www.my-favorite-camping-store.com
Helping you make your next camping trip the best ever.

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Twenty Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a Sleeping Bag
Author: Maria B.
Before you head out to buy a new sleeping bag, make sure you know exactly what you are looking for. When you answer these questions, you'll be better prepared to pick out the sleeping bag that is just right for you.

• How will you be using your sleeping bag? Will you be backpacking or hiking? Or do you just need a bag for a family camping trip?
• What time of year will you be camping? Will you be doing summer camping, spring through fall excursions, or rough winter camping?
• Consider your budget. How much do you want to spend? Can you save money by getting a higher quality sleeping bag on discount?
• Where will you be using it? Will you be sleeping in a tent? Out in the open? In a lodge or cabin? What areas will you be using the sleeping bag? Will it be in wet areas, dry deserts, mountains?
• What comfort level do you want? If weight isn't a consideration, do you prefer a roomier, softer, more comfortable sleeping bag? Are you accustomed to the cold night air or do you chill easily?
• Is the weight and compatibility important? Will you be carrying it for a long distance? Do you have limited space?
• How long do you want it to last? Would you prefer to get a cheaper one and replace it later? Or do you want a higher quality sleeping bag that will last many years?
• Is flexibility important? Do you need one bag to meet all your needs, summer through winter?
• How often do you intend to use it? Is this a once a year camping trip? Or will you be using it very frequently?
• Who will be using the bag? Man, woman, or child? What is their body shape?
• How much extra room do you like? Do you sleep still at night or do you tend to toss and turn a lot?

Be sure you consider all these aspects before you buy your sleeping bag. Then your new sleeping bag will be just perfect for you and your needs.

About the Author

Maria B.
Camp Spot - My Favorite Camping Store
http://www.my-favorite-camping-store.com
Helping you make your next camping trip the best ever.

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5 Easy Steps to Giving the Perfect BackCountry Gift
Author: Chuck Fitzgerald
Does the thought of buying a gift for a friend or relative make you smile or does it stress you out? Is there a hiker or camper on your gift giving list? What can you give to the someone who already has everything? The secret of gift giving is not always the "what." Many times the "why, when and how" make an ordinary gift the Perfect Gift. Continue reading to discover 5 sure-fire steps to giving the perfect gift to the outdoor enthusiasts in your life.

Step 1: Do Your Homework. This is the toughest of the 5 steps. Doing your homework means thinking about your outdoor enthusiast and what he or she likes about being in the backcountry. Are there any current or past outdoor interests? Perhaps he likes to fish or she likes to climb. Maybe you overheard the comment "I remember when I used to go camping every long weekend. I miss those days." Our personal shopper service receives hints like this all the time. Chances are you already know their interests, so take a few minutes to think prior to shopping. There are loads of great outdoor gifts available.

Another part of your homework is to understand the relationship between you and your gift recipient's outdoor hobbies. Last year I was camping with a dear friend who got mildly lost. After about an hour, he showed up in camp a little embarrassed – but safe. So the perfect gift for him before our next trip was a GPS unit. I also included a hand written coupon good for one free lesson and an extra set of batteries. The relationship we had allowed me to have a little fun with the gift giving. I did provide him with a quality gift and he uses it all the time.

Step 2: Speaking of High Quality. The best way to get the most enjoyment out of our backcountry experiences is to have good gear. When giving a backcountry gift, be sure it's high quality. There are two gear buying rules to live by. First, only give gear you would use. And secondly, buy the best gear you can afford. Nothing derails good times in the great outdoors like bad gear.

Step 3: The Right Way to Give Certificates. Gift certificates can be an excellent choice for a gift. Here's a great use of a gift certificate - I was fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of this story. A friend living across the country knew I loved to hike. He also knew from his own experience that you can't just buy a backpack for someone else. Backpacks are a very subjective purchase. Instead of buying a me a pack and giving me the task of returning it in order to get the right one, he sent me a gift certificate AND he told me what to buy with it. So now I get the backpack I want and my friend has proven once again how well he knows me. I loved the gift. When giving gift certificates, tell the recipient what to buy with it.

Step 4: Seek Out Customer Friendly Retailers. This is especially important when purchasing a gift on-line. Make sure you are purchasing from a store with visible customer satisfaction and return policies. If your gift recipient needs to exchange or return a piece of gear, the process needs to be hassle-free. If the return procedure is clunky, the perfect gift just became imperfect.

Step 5: Timing is Everything. The best time to get "the birding binoculars I always wanted," is not on your birthday or at Christmas time. The best time to get them is just before you go birding. The new backpack is a more thoughtful gift just prior to hiking the Grand Canyon than it is for graduation. The value of a gift is greatly increased when given at the right time. Surprise someone with a perfectly timed present.

Giving the Perfect BackCountry Gift is easy to do. Determining "what" to give is important, but so is knowing "why, when and how" to give. Make your next gift giving experience a good one. The outdoor enthusiast in your life is counting on it. Use this information and you'll Get It Right The First Time.

Get Outdoors!

About the Author

Chuck Fitzgerald is the President of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, an online store providing backcountry specialty gear and educational information for outdoor enthusiasts. Visit www.backcountrytoys.com to find the Perfect BackCountry Gift or to receive the FREE newsletter "FreshAir." Call any time (800) 316-9055

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