Do you avoid exercise because the standard fitness routines—jogging, walking, hitting the gym—are boring? Now is the perfect time of year to try new, adventurous activities to get your blood flowing and your body in shape. The following activities are fun, challenging, and provide you with a great workout at the same time. Try something new this summer, and get or stay fit while doing it! Please note, however, that many of these activities require special equipment, experience, or guides.

Kayaking
Kayaking is an adventure and good exercise in any type of water, whether it be a calm bay or whitewater. Because you sit upright with your legs outstretched, it’s important to have loose hamstrings and strong abdominal muscles. Regular kayaking will work both of these muscles groups, in addition to the muscles in the arms, shoulders, neck, and back. In particular, kayaking will exercise the Rotator Cuff in the shoulder, the biceps, triceps, trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and the obliques.

According to Best River Adventures an hour of moderate kayaking will burn roughly 300 calories for a roughly 130 pound person; 350 calories for a 155 pound person; and 430 calories for a 190 pound person. More strenuous kayaking will burn more calories.

*Canoeing is an easier, less strenuous option.

Snorkeling
Snorkeling is a fun, recreational activity that allows you to see amazing underwater life. Though often thought of as more of a leisure sport, snorkeling nonetheless burns between 295 and 430 calories per hour depending on body size. That puts snorkeling right up there with kayaking, downhill skiing, skateboarding, and low-impact aerobics! Snorkeling uses several muscle groups, including the abdominal muscles, the glutes, arms, legs, and hips.

*Once you learn to snorkel, consider scuba diving, which burns between 400 and 600 calories per hour depending on body size.

Rock Climbing
Rock climbing has been touted as one of the best all-around workouts because it works nearly every muscle group, and it is a dynamic muscle exercise, which means your muscles are flexed and stretched for long periods of time. This causes your heart to work harder, and your respiration rate to increase. Rock climbing, therefore, is truly an aerobic activity. According to Nutri Strategy Calorie Counter, rock climbing burns an awesome 649-949 calories per hour when ascending, and between 472 and 690 calories per hour when rapelling.

Rock climbing not only increases strength and endurance, it exercises the mind. In order to successfully climb a rock, you must choose a path and navigate tricky terrain. This develops the decision-making, visualization, and concentration areas of the brain.

Mountain Biking
If exploring rugged and awe-inspiring terrain is your thing, try hopping on a mountain bike to do so. Mountain biking requires balance, endurance, concentration, and confidence, and will likewise help you develop these attributes. Though mountain biking primarily works your leg muscles, your arms, shoulders, abdominals, and glutes, are also used. Depending on terrain, mountain biking can burn 600 calories or more per hour for a 150 pound person.

* If navigating the back woods isn’t for you, try a bicycle tour. Bicycle tours are now offered all over the United States and abroad.

Backpacking
Take the day hike to a new level, and make it an overnight trip. Backpacking provides many opportunities to see spectacular scenery that’s not accessible any other way. It’s not only fun and adventurous, it’s a great workout, too. On average, backpacking burns around 500 calories for a 150 pound person, so if your trip takes 5 hours, you’ve burned 2,500 calories! The primary muscles used in backpacking are the legs, hips, and glutes. You will also need strong back and stomach muscles to carry the weight of your pack.

Backpacking will require outdoor survivor skills. If you lack basic first aid, navigational, plant identification, and other survivor knowledge, be sure to hire a guide, or take a survival course.

Dude Ranch
For the ultimate adventure, head to Dude Ranch for a vacation filled with genuine rancher experiences. Enjoy pack trips, cattle drives and round-ups, roping, horseback riding, fly fishing, and much more. Working and guest dude ranches exist all over the United States and Canada, so pick a location you’re interested in and have fun and get fit while learning what it takes to be a “cowboy.”

Google Voice Enhances Phone Service Options
Though only currently available to Grand Central users, Google’s new phone service—Voice—is taking phone service to the next level with options such as allowing people to call a single number and having any number you want ring.

“Google Voice– Not Yet Public, Already Poised for Greatness”
via Gear Diary

Is Windows 7 More Eco-Friendly?
Will Windows 7 really save more energy? For corporate clients, the answer may be yes.

“How Windows 7 is Better for the Earth”
via Eco Geek

Tips for Hosting a Successful Dinner Party
From how many people to invite, to what to serve, to how to behave, these tips will surely make for a successful dinner party.

“Tips for Hosting a Dinner Party”
via Five Cent Nickel

Online Tools to Help you Save Fuel
Using less fuel in your vehicle not only helps the environment, it reduces the amount of money flowing out of your pocketbook. Check out these 7 websites that will help you save on fuel.

“7 Excellent Web Apps to Track and Save on Gas”
via Dumb Little Man

Unclutter Cables with Cordotz Cable Organizers
If your computer, stereo, television, and other cables are a cluttered mess, these cable organizers from Cordotz could be the solution.

“Cordotz Clear Cable Confusion”
via Unclutterer

Should You be Making Your Own Dog Food?
There are plenty of nutritional reasons to make your own dog food. Find out if it could be the right move for you.

“Make Your Own Dog Food”
via Bargaineering

Summer has finally arrived! And what better to do on a warm, sunny day than light the grill and have a barbeque? If that sounds like your idea of a good time, pay attention. The following grilling tips will have you making juicy burgers, tender steaks, succulent vegetables, and more, that are sure to amaze your friends, family and neighbors.

A Properly Heated Grill

If you’ve had problems with food sticking or burning upon placing it on the grill, your grates aren’t properly heated. Too little heat will cause sticking, while too much will send your grub to cinder-ville. If your grill comes equipped with a temperature gauge, consult a cooking guide as to what temperature to cook your particular food at, and for how long. A note of caution, however: Heat rises, so if your temperature gauge is above your grill, it will read a higher temperature than what you’re actually cooking at.

If your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge (or you just don’t trust it) use the 3 Mississippi Test. Hold your hand about 4 inches above the grate and count. You should be able to hold your hand there until 3 Mississippi. Anything less is too hot. Anything more isn’t hot enough.

A Clean Grill is Your Friend

Have you ever grilled a steak only to have it taste like last week’s salmon supper? If you don’t clean your grill before each use, this is bound to happen to you sooner or later. To ensure your grilled food retains its true flavor, always clean your grates immediately before using. A stiff wire brush works best for removing burnt stuck-on bits of food and grease. If you want sparkling clean, soak the grates in warm, soapy water and scrub with a dishcloth. If your grill hasn’t been cleaned in a long time, however, a more powerful method may be in order—set your grill to high and let the heat cook off the grime. This will take about 5 minutes. Afterwards, you should be able to scrape off whatever’s left. If you’re using a charcoal grill, be sure to scoop out the old ash, too.

Lubrication and Seasoning

Another important step to ensuring your food doesn’t stick to the grill is adequate lubrication. Once your grill is clean, rub it with a high temperature oil. Vegetable oil, such as canola, or peanut oil, will work fine. Olive oil isn’t generally a good choice, as it burns at a lower temperature and will cause your grill to smoke.

Seasoning the grill can produce great results as well. A common method of seasoning is to rub half an onion across the grates. Bacon lard, beef fat, or chicken skin, also works great.

Searing

To sear or not to sear? Searing, quite simply, is when you cook both sides of your meat over high heat just until it’s browned—generally a dark brown. Some people claim this seals in the juices, while others say this isn’t true, but the caramelized crust searing produces is visually appealing and tastes good. Searing, therefore, is a matter of personal preference, though it seems more people fall into the searing camp than not.

After searing you should reduce the heat to low to finish cooking. Most meats, including beef, chicken, and pork, benefit from searing.

Testing for Doneness

Sure, you could insert a thermometer in that steak or chicken breast, but guess what happens when you do? You create a hole that allows juices to escape. Try the 4 Finger Thermometer instead. Touch the tip of your index finger to the tip of your thumb. The pad at the base of your thumb will feel soft and squishy, which is what a rare steak will feel like when you touch it with your forefinger. Next, touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your middle finger. The pad of your thumb will now feel a bit firmer. This is what medium-rare feels like. The tip of the thumb touched to the tip of the ring finger produces a medium firmness, and the tip of the thumb touched to the tip of the pinkie feels like well-done. If you’re just not sure, however, a thermometer is better than serving under-done food.

Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades

Sauces, rubs, and marinades are great for adding flavor, but how should you incorporate them into foods that are to be grilled?

For marinades, the longer the food is in the marinade, the more flavor it will soak up. For best results, marinate overnight. To grill food that has been marinating, pat the food dry before placing it on the grill to avoid flare-ups. Also, let any remaining liquid from the marinade steam off before searing.

For rubs, remember that grilling foods that have a rub will create a crust, and you must take care not to burn the crust.

Sauces, such as barbeque, should not be used until the last few minutes of cooking. At this time, you can start to baste your meat with the sauce. The majority of the sauce, however, is best used after cooking.

Quick Tips

• Don’t mix meat, seafood, and vegetables on the same skewers. Most veggies and seafood cook quicker, and you don’t want to end up with mushy zucchini, shrimp, and tomatoes, or underdone chicken.
• Flavored skewers are a quick and easy way to add instant flavor to food.
• Make sure whatever you’re searing is dry on the surface.
• Use tongs instead of a fork to flip the meat. Tongs won’t pierce the surface and let the juices escape.
• Always make sure you have enough coals or propane before starting.

Debit vs. Credit?: The Risks and Rewards
Should you be using your debit or credit card for purchases? Find out what kind of spender you are, and which card will give you better rewards.

“Plastic Wars: Debit vs. Credit”
via Mint

Gear and Gadgets to Help Improve your Golf Game
If you’re looking for ways to improve your golf game, check out these clubs, gauges, and travel bags.

“To Improve Your Golf Game…”
via Bottom Line Secrets

6 Eco-Friendly Sunscreens to Protect your Skin
Summer is quickly approaching! Before you head outside, think about protecting yourself from harmful UV rays with an organic sunscreen.

“Best Eco Sunscreens for Your Beachy Body”
via Eco Salon

How-to Feel Happier at Work
From simple tips like sitting up straight to good advice such as taking care of difficult calls, here are 16 ways you can make your work day more enjoyable.

“Sixteen Tips for Feeling Happier at Work”
via The Happiness Project

TrID Easily Identifies Unknown Files
Don’t waste time trying to open an unknown file with various applications. Head to TrID and utilize their services.

“Identify Unknown Files with TrID”
via Make Use Of

If you’re a computer user looking to better your daily computer experience, online office software and services might be the ticket. The following five applications can help you keep track of passwords, compress files, help keep your interface organized, and provide you with document and spreadsheet services that you can use anytime, anywhere in the world, on any computer or mobile device with internet access. They are all free, so go ahead and take your computer and office tools to the next level.

Rocket Dock

Rocket Dock gives you a clean, organized interface for launching applications. It’s easy access and fully customizable taskbar increases usability and productivity. With Rocket Dock you can:

• Preview windows
• Drag and drop
• Position and layer
• Zoom in and out
• Auto-hide and Popup

Rocket Dock is completely portable, runs great on older, slower computers, supports many languages and monitors, is Unicode compliant, and compatible with MobyDock, ObjectDock, RK Launcher, and Y’z Dock skins.

7 Zip
This file archiver greatly compresses files to help you achieve more disk space and faster transfer rates. It boasts a compression ratio that is up to 10% better than other software such as WinZip. 7 Zip supports 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BGZIP2, and TAR formats for both packing and unpacking, and it supports 18 formats, including WIM, NSIS, and CAB, for unpacking only.

ThinkFree
If you’re looking for a mobile document platform, look no further. ThinkFree is an award-winning Microsoft Office compatible application designed to allow you to access your word processer, spreadsheets, and presentation graphics from any computer, anywhere, anytime, so you can truly make the internet your office! ThinkFree is compatible with Windows, Mac, Unix, and Linux systems.

ThinkFree’s Document Platform allows you to preview, convert, share, send, upload, publish, search, and access files from a user friendly main page. No installation necessary, though registration for some applications is required.

Edit Grid

This powerful online spreadsheet application is the ultimate tool for spreadsheet users. It not only allows you to create amazing spreadsheets, but lets you share, collaborate, and publish them all from a secure online interface. Edit Grid features most Excel functions, and boasts a set of use cases that is bigger and better than its competitor. And because Edit Grid is connected to live data sources such as Alexa and Reuters, you can have data delivered to your spreadsheet on demand. Personal users are free. Business users cost $5 a month with a free 30 day trial.

Clipperz
Easily and securely protect your passwords with this free, online password manager. Local encryption within the browser ensures that your passwords, data, and other confidential notes and codes are kept private. There is nothing to install, and Clipperz is available for use online and offline.

Further Reading:

“Web-based Computer Tools for Your Mobile Lifestyle”

“Mobile Office Tools for iPhone and iPod Touch Devices”

Office Products you may Find Useful:

USB Battery Charger from Useful Things.

50 Year Calendar from Useful Things.

Mini Minit Coffee Filters from Useful Things.