photo by myyorgda

Can't swim? Don't have a body of water? Can't afford a boat? Don't let these discourage you from becoming a recreational sailor. You can always try land sailing, also known as land yachting, to experience the excitement of riding the wind.

Land sailing is typically found in desert regions or other areas with flat, hard land such as parking lots or beaches. Three-wheeled crafts typically made of fiberglass are outfitted with sails that are very similar to those of sailboats. A rider or 'pilot' sits or lies in the vehicle and then uses pedals or hand levers to control the sail and thus guide the craft as the wind catches the sails.  Land sailing speeds can reach up to 50 mph, although more expected speeds are from 20 to 40 mph. The land sail world speed record, however, is 116.7 mph!

The North American Land Sailing Association sponsors clubs and events for amateur and professional sailors, and there are international land sailing clubs as well. Anyone from children to the wheelchair-bound can participate. Instructors explain proper safety techniques before you set out to help ensure you’re carried with the wind without harm.

photo by Spengy

There are many beautiful trails to hike in Zion National Park in Utah, but if you're looking for some thrill to add to the beauty, try hiking Angels Landing.

Angels Landing is arguably Zion's most famous hiking trail. Though only a half mile in distance one way, it's a half mile sure to get your blood pumping.

Children are not recommended on this trail because it rises into the sky on a narrow sandstone fin with dizzying drop-offs of 1,200 and 800 feet on either side. Chains are embedded into the rock face to assist you in your climb, but make no mistake: this is a harrowing scramble and one slip of the foot may be your last.

Your reward for overcoming your fear of heights is the summit of this exposed rock. The view over the park is spectacular, amplified by the satisfaction of being part of a select group of hikers to have braved Zion's most famous trail. Enjoy your lunch, the view, and feeding a friendly squirrel or two, then summon your nerve for what many say is the more unnerving climb down.

photo by podchef

Roses and other flowers have long been used for aesthetic and aromatherapy purposes but they can also make beautiful and tasty additions to meals. Roses were used in cooking by the Romans, who then spread its use throughout much of the Middle East where it can be found in recipes from Iran, Turkey, India and other nearby countries. Roses impart a delicate taste accentuated by a lovely fragrance and is a visual treat. Be sure to use rose petals that have not been sprayed with pesticides!

Rosewater is used in many recipes, in particular deserts where a subtle sweetness is desired. Simply pouring boiling water over a pot of roses and allowing the pot to sit in the refrigerator overnight produces delicious, fragrant water that may be substituted for many liquids in your recipe. One of its best known uses is in Greek baklava.

Rose butter can be made like any other compound butter by mixing the clean petals with softened butter and refrigerating until the flavors meld. Spread on white bread and arrange clean petals on top for pretty tea sandwiches.

Rose jam requires only water, sugar, a little lemon juice, honey, and rose petals, boiled and then poured into sterilized jars.

Dried roses may be stirred into batters or used as a topping in salads or on pastries.

Make a rose simple syrup: an infusion of roses, sugar, and water, heated until the sugar dissolves and then cooled. Great for topping ice cream, or adding to soda water for a refreshing rose cooler.

photo courtesy of bbmarie

Every week or so the clothes dryer decides to eat one of your socks, leaving you with a cold foot and a mateless sock. A fun way to turn that loss into a gain is to make a sock monster, a recycling project sure to bring a smile to your face or a youngster's.

There are several books on the market with easy to follow patterns for making a variety of monsters, from the creepy to the cute to the silly and perplexing. Mixing socks of various patterns creates a monster from an unknown planet or dresses an Earthly monster in snazzy (or tacky, depending on your fashion sense) clothes for a night out at the monsters-only club. Extra buttons can be sewn on for eyes and noses. Yarn or felt can be glued on to give your monster a goofy grin or a sloppy tongue. The best thing about making a sock monster is that nothing new needs to be purchased since you're using remnants from your sewing drawer or the back of your closet.

photo by Pinot & Dita

For years granola has been touted as a healthy alternative to chips, candy bars and other high calorie snacks. Yet a look at most mass-produced granola shows that they are in fact just as bad as the snacks we are trying to avoid. Rather than giving up granola completely, a healthy option is to make your own so you can control what goes into it. No more artificial ingredients and no more picking out the raisins if you don't like them.

The base of granola is made up of oats. Be sure to use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats. The rest of the ingredients is up to you. Use your favorite nut or try an assortment of them. Do you like dried fruits? Try cranberries, blueberries, dried mango, or chopped apricots. Seed lovers may want to add sunflower or pumpkin seeds. For a sweet touch to lure in the kids add mini carob or chocolate chips. You may want to experiment with themed combinations, such as dried pineapple, shaved coconut and macadamia nuts. Spices like ground cardamom, cayenne, and cumin can add an exotic, savory flavor.

You'll need a liquid sweetener to bind the ingredients together, usually honey or molasses. Don't forget to add a touch of salt to accentuate the sweetness. Then bake until nice and golden brown. The particular recipe you use will result in either firm-packed granola that can be sliced into bars or loose and crumbly, cereal-like granola.

photo by gavinandrewstewart 

If you can't summon the nerve to jump out of an airplane at 13,000 feet, you may find indoor skydiving more to your speed. Las Vegas' Skydive Indoors boasts America's first vertical wind tunnel but nowadays there are skydiving facilities in most major cities. If you'd like to experience the thrill of skydiving but are afraid of heights, or if you want to know what it feels like to stand above a jet engine, this is your chance to cover both in a safe and fun atmosphere.

 After a twenty minute training class where you learn body control techniques and proper safety procedures, you're geared up in a billowy jump suit, helmet, and goggles and taken to the wind tunnel. The vertical tunnel is circular with a well-padded border that rings a mesh screen stretched above an enormous fan. Participants step out one by one and learn with their instructor how to position their arms and legs to obtain the most lift during the artificial freefall and how to fall safely once they move out of the air stream. The moments of lift are exhilarating, and as your confidence grows you may find yourself considering that leap from a plane after all.

Twelve miles from downtown Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier, the most famous glacier in the Juneau Ice Field. Besides the visitor center, the glacier is surrounded by hiking trails suitable for a variety of fitness levels that don't require training or gear. More adventurous options are to take a helicopter ride over the glacier or sign up for a trek across the ice. You'll be outfitted with the appropriate climbing gear and then flown by helicopter onto the surface of the glacier where a guide will lead you across the fascinating glass-like surface. Water can be seen running directly beneath your feet, allowing you to claim you can walk on water. Weather and pressure changes have caused the glacier to buckle in places, creating a shingle-like world of crystallized ice walls great for basic climbing and rappelling. Crevices reveal pools of the bluest, and perhaps tastiest, water you may ever encounter.

India is famous for its perfume oils which have adorned the wrists and necks of the Islamic faithful who carried fragrance across Europe and introduced it to royalty in the 14th century. A walk through Jaipur's Old City Market shows that perfume is only one of many aromas which make up India.

In the crowded streets you'll be assailed by the smells of manure from the holy cows which freely wander the roads, diesel fumes from the zooming auto rickshaws, freshly ground coriander and turmeric, simmering vats of yogurt lassi, and thousands of orange marigold garlands which are used in religious ceremonies.

The center roundabout of the market is where you'll find the glass stoppered bottles holding dark amber perfume oils. The stall owner, who may or may not be toothless, will happily dab samples of jasmine, rose, musk, patchouli, opium, and marigold oil across your skin, allowing the ancient aroma of India to surround you in a fragrant cloud that not even the smell of cow patties can penetrate. Not much, anyway.