If you get a chance to go on an Aerobatic flight with a pilot, please take it. I remember a scene from the movie "Space Cowboys" when one of the astronauts, Hawk Hawkings, played by Tommy Lee Jones took a guy up who had just eaten a large breakfast before the flight. Well, the guy vomited all over his plane and wobbled over to his girlfriend once he was firmly rooted to the ground again. It was a funny scene. You have to see the movie. Incidently, I recently went on a flight and it's true you shouldn't eat before you go. Your stomach levitates during the maneuvers. It's loads of fun but please don't eat. I know what you're thinking but sorry to disappoint you; I didn't eat before my flight. Enjoy!
Bertrand Piccard is a French explorer and environmentalist who will become the first person to fly around the world in a solar powered aircraft called the Solar Impulse. There are more than twelve thousand solar powered cells that supply energy to the planes four electric motors. During the day the solar powered cells will recharge the batteries allowing the plane to fly at night at a lower altitude. Piccard has built a career around proving to people that the impossible is possible. Piccard believes that his explorations, ballooning and aircraft, are a metaphor for life and that the only way to success is not to listen to others when you believe in your dream.
I love finding new adrenaline sports to write about and since it is the Holidays, I thought how about something Christmasy. It doesn't get any more Christmasy than reindeer racing. It looks like great fun. So, on Donner, on prancer well, you get the point... anymore and I'll be in danger of violating the cheesiness factor. Incidently, reindeer racing seems to be popular in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia in the Yamal Penisula located in Northwest Siberia.
The sport of reindeer racing can be done by strapping yourself to a raindeer and riding a sleigh or skis. Some reindeer races feature a snow race track such as the one featured in this video for the Sami peoples festival. Incidently, the reindeer racing season begins in February and runs through April. Training of the reindeers for the races begins in January. Details via Inarin Paliskunnat.
Ice climbing is a sport that involves climbing up various ice formations such as frozen waterfalls, cliffs and rock slabs. The sport of Ice climbing can be divided into two categories: alpine ice and water ice. An alpine ice climb is a climb up a mountain and a water ice climb is climbing various waterfall formations. Water ice climbing are usually chosen by experts that have been climbing for a while as it is more technically demanding.
Climbers use a ice axe on low angled slopes and for longer steeper inclines crampons are used. The sport is majestic but does require that you're already an advanced a climber before you attempt ice climbing. Fact via Wikipedia.
I first saw wingsuit skydiving the movie Tomb Raiders with Angelina Jolie and was intrigued by the sport. Wingsuit flying is a sport that involves wears a suit that has fabric under the arms and between the legs that enables you to fly somewhat like the flying squirls of South America. Wingsuit skydivers wear a parashoot and the sport resembles that of skydiving instead of free falling you glide through the air in a wingsuit until you reach the proper altitude to open your parashoot. According to Wikipedia the wingsuit was used as early as the 1930s. The suits were made of canvas, wood, silk, steel and whale bone and weren't reliable. Aren't you glad you live in this century?
I was surfing the internet looking for an intriguing sport befitting the Diva Maverick Maven's website and I found Cave Diving. It has been the subject a few unfortunate science fiction movies as well but it doesn't diminish the fact that the sport is absolutely fascinating. I used to go to various caves with my parents as a child and loved the adventure. In fact, I remember a lecture that our guide gave us about albino blind fish in the caves water lakes.
Cave diving is a sport that allows scuba clad explorers to explore cave formations underwater. If you want to take the sport of cave exploration to the next level try cave diving. Some caves are so deep you may have to be lowered into them. Flora and fauna of every type may be lying in these submerged caves virtually undisturbed for centuries or if you are into archeology digs it's another twist (think lost continents or hidden treasures). Cave diving may have started around 1977 but I know there must have been explorers around that dived into these caves without scuba gear. In fact, there is a world record holder that does just that Herbert Nitsch 218 M and can hold his breath about 9 minutes.
Specifics: Wikipedia Facts.
Training is not enough for this sport as a myriad of emergencies could take place such as hypothermia, cramping, decompression sickness, dangerous attacks by eels or other sea life and equipment malfunction to name a few so it is important to build up to an advance status slowly.
Guide lines are used on expeditions with the line being tied off just outside the cave. The goal is to maintain optimum safety standards during the dive. The non-use of a guide line has been sited for many a fatality so if you go it should be one of the questions you are asking your guide. Do your own research.
During a dive all participants must ensure they don't go any deeper than the pre-arranged plan. Air and lights are of paramount important as well as you might imagine. The rule of thirds is as follows: one third of initial gas is used for ingress, one third for egress and the last third is used for emergencies. Enjoy!
Today, I interviewed a female Private Eye and Bodyguard, Donna Smith who owns a 1971 Cobra fully loaded muscle car that runs on racing fuel (interview in the Adrenaline Living archives tab above). I thought today would be a great day to talk about the adrenaline sport Drag Racing- yes, the legal kind folks! While I was surfing the internet, I found a great video about a new reality tv show about training female dragsters.
Drag racing is a sport in which you drive a high performance car in a straight line full throttle against another car for 1320 ft. Drag racing cars can get over 300 miles an hour in this short strip. A top dragster produces 8000 hp and can go from 0 to 320 in 5 seconds according to Wikipedia- and that as they say girls is adrenaline or A.D.R.E.N.A.L.I.N.E.
Drag racing school can teach you how to compete or just plain drive the hell out of someone else's car without the headache or tickets associated with your own ride. Pushing your boundaries and opening your eyes to new possibilities is what this website is all about. Once you have conquered your worst fears and mastered them you can become the entire woman or person you were meant to be. Once you feel the power of 5000 hp coursing beneath you and the squeal of tires burning that hello kitty persona will soon change into the regal, mind-blowing, tigress you were born to be. Enjoy!
Europeans call Deep- water soloing, Psicobloc or psycho-boulder. Deep-water soloing is a form of rock climbing that relies totally on having water below the climber as a safety net. Deep-water soloing is a popular sport in the following countries: Majorca, Croatia, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Thailand and Vietnam. According to Wikipedia the sport first made it's debut in the 1960s or 1970s and most likely in the United Kingdom or Majorca. The sport includes climbing a cliff above the sea without ropes. As with any sport, there are varying degrees of difficulties from the novice to the professional. Watch the video, Deep-water soloing looks like fun. Enjoy!
Lately, we have so many stories about hot air ballooning. The sport is beautiful and the ride is extraordinary. A hot air balloon ride is exceptionally quiet with the exception of the propane burners when they are firing. If you want to have an Eagle's view of our planet and experience the sheer majesty of and wonder of what this world has to offer try the meditative nature of hot air ballooning. The first hot air balloon ride took place in 1783 so the sport has been around for many rides. In early October the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta which is a nine day event and features over 750 balloons and the event is the largest of its kind in the world.
Some Facts
Changing the altitude and speed of a hot air balloon is accomplished by changing the temperature of the air inside the balloon through the blast valve. Changing the direction of a hot air balloon is done by steerage which is accomplished by riding on spiraling wind currents according to Wikipedia.
Fear and hot air ballooning.
Release your soul and allow your spirit to soar. When you are riding on the wind and appreciating how much beauty their on this planet, you can't help but push the envelop on what keeps you stuck and unfulfilled. Exploring new passions and new experiences can help us to see what we are made of and like it or not it is in the adversity when we see just how high we can soar.
Enjoy the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Special Shapes Day
Learning to take risks can be difficult. No one wants to admit that they don't enjoy taking risks especially Diva Maverick Mavens. It's almost a faux paux to admit that you get nervous at the thought of taking risks. Taking risks isn't second nature to most people. Taking risks has to be cultivated. One way to cultivate the art of risk taking is by pursuing adrenaline sports or hobbies.
When you are free falling from several miles above the planet at a terminal velocity of 110-120 mph at 1,000 feet every 6 seconds, your mind begins to wrap itself around the concept that perhaps you are capable of doing almost anything you put your mind to. Hey, your falling like a rock from the sky and loving it. Skydiving will teach you how to be responsible and keep your eyes open. You must stay focused otherwise 10,000 feet is a long way to drop. If you don't want to become a professional skydiver, you can go tandem jumping which means you are attached to an experienced diver who has to pass an instructor certification course and the FAA requires that the instructor has over five-hundred jumps and three years worth of experience. Instructors are equipped with two parachutes in case one does not employ. Are you noticing a few ingredients such as passion, preparation, risk-taking and determination? The stuff dreams are made of.
Skydiving can take us out of our comfort zones. Once we have been freed from our comfort zones, we can begin to think differently about problems, difficult people, that boyfriend that should have been dumped long ago and other painful situations you might be avoiding. Once you've taken these kinds of comfort zone expansions, your bold nature emblazes a pathway to success afterall, I am speaking to Diva Maverick Mavens. You get that adrenaline living high that "jolts" you into living the life you have always imagined.
I often talk to entrepreneurs who are avid adrenaline sports enthusiasts. Well the scoop is that adrenaline sports teaches us how to take calculated risks. The same kinds of risks entrepreneurs are taking everyday. I recently interviewed Ingrid an entrepreneur who loves to skydive, race motorcycles and take hugh calculated risks that are supporting her dreams of becoming a billionaire one day.
Over the next several months, I am going to cover different adrenaline sports from skydiving, to racing cars, skiing and etc. When you are totally engaged in an adrenaline sport, you turn your mind off and just live in the moment. Taking your mind off the minutia of everyday living can improve your power of concentration. With adrenaline sports, if you aren't concentrating on what you are doing you could run the risk of dangerous consequences. Adrenaline sports requires planning, mental training, conquering your fears and turning your mind chatter off long enough to concentrate very singularly on the task at hand. Contrary to popular opinions, the way to success is not by multi-tasking but by focusing on a single area or task at a time and painstakingly perfecting it. Adrenaline sports also cultivates patients. It takes patience to be an entrepreneur and to do business.
The adrenaline sports series will concentrate on a new adrenaline sport each week and the correlation with success and creativity. There's nothing more powerful than challenging and pushing yourself past the limits that others have placed on you and the limits that you've placed on yourself. Each of us is capable of doing more in our lives than we can ever possibly imagine. Sometimes we just need a great big PUSH and the thrill of being scared crap-less at a 120 miles per hour to figure that out!
