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5 Essential Travel Tips for Your Summer Mountain Trip

If you’ve got a summer mountain trip on the books, you’re probably the envy of everyone you know right now, especially if you live anywhere that’s hot.

And rightly so, because there’s nothing in this world that beats the beauty, peace and spiritual refreshment that can be had on a mountain retreat – and when you’re in the mood for some fun or excitement, the mountains have plenty of that, too.

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably paid a lot of money for this vacation, and you may be spending valuable time off from work, too. So you’ll want to do everything you can to make your trip extra-special and problem-free-and that begins with some smart mountain travel trips:

One: Pack smart.

Summer mountain trips can be characterized by warm days, cool nights and sudden rainstorms. If possible, get some clothing advice from the owner or manager of the property where you’ll be staying, or from friends or family who live in or have visited the area where you’re headed.

Also, be sure and read the weather forecast before you start packing. Other packing tips include:

• Pack a mix of short and long-sleeved clothing, as well as a mix of shorts and long pants.

• Bringing a light jacket (something you can tie around your waist if it gets warm) is highly recommended.

• Layered ensembles (ones where you can remove outer layers as it warms up) are always a good idea.

• Don’t forget your running shoes or hiking boots, as well as comfortable shoes for shopping or sight-seeing.

• Other essentials include hats, broad-screen protection sunscreen lotion, and UVA-UVB blocking sunglasses. (Bonus tip: Keep a sunscreen stick in your purse or backpack for easy and mess-free reapplication while you are out and about.)

• If you’re cold-natured, you might want to bring long johns or winter-friendly pajamas.

Two: Be prepared for the weather.

As mentioned above, there’s some unpredictability with mountain weather. Depending on where you’re going for your mountain trip and what you intend to do when you get there, you may need to consider bringing along the following;

• Compass
• Rain gear
• Extra mobile phone batteries
• Flashlight
• First Aid kit
• Matches
• Vacuum-sealed food and bottled water

Three: Figure out driving head of time.

Depending on the location and weather conditions, driving in the mountains can be tricky. If you’re going to drive while you’re on your trip, read up on some mountain driving safety tips and make sure your car receives the appropriate maintenance before you leave.

Four: Figure out what you want to see ahead of time.

You’ll want to spend your time relaxing or enjoying your activities while you’re actually on vacation, so take some time before your trip to research options and map out a game plan of your destinations and favorite things to do. The tourism bureaus of the state/region where you’re going to visit are excellent places to start.

Five: Have an emergency game plan.

If you intend to hike or do anything in the water while you’re on your trip, or if your mountain hideaway is rather remote, you’ll want to be prepared in the event of an emergency:

• Bring a first aid kit and other emergency supplies (see “be prepared for the weather” above).
• Make arrangements for someone to check on you via phone call or text.
• Find out where the nearest urgent care or emergency clinics are in advance.
• Make sure to pack appropriate amounts of essential medication.

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Zodiac Watches For the Adventurer – Want a Pilot Watch? Surf Watches and More!

Zodiac watches are uncommon Swiss timepieces for the adventurer in all of us. Zodiac set to capture the imagination of those who live life on the edge and need a wristwatch that will see them through. A Zodiac is a sport watch first, and there are many flavors to suit. If you love to fly, there’s a pilot collection – aviation timepieces galore. If you love the sea, then surf and scuba diving watches might be your fancy. If NASCAR would get your motor running, then the racing wrist accessory would be right up your alley. Whatever your time telling needs you’ll benefit from a Zodiac watch review.

The Zodiac Watch company was born in 1882 in Le Locle, Switzerland. It was started by the son of a watchmaker, Ariste Calame. The company first started out as a workshop making specialty watches. Calame had an obsession with the idea of creating the most timepiece the world had ever known. It was this drive that saw the launch of his first pocket watch and from there, the rest was history, the Zodiac empire was born.

Who wears Zodiac sports wear?
Zodiac watches are worn by those who are defined by the adventure they seek. The ones who are always the first in line to find the most exciting… the most fascinating. They have always had the spirit… it was there when they were younger and it’s never disappeared.

The water lover with a penchant for an automatic dive watch would be delighted. The thrill seeker who’s pining for aviation watches would be amazed and pleased.

The Zodiac collection comes in six styles:
The ZMX is the focal point of all Zodiac watches. It’s bold. It’s daring. It’s precision when the precise is what is needed. The Zodiac ZMX comes in quartz chronograph and quartz and they have automatic styles also. It’s the jack of all sport accessory.

The Zodiac Aviator is the pilot watch. If you’d rather be in the cockpit, or flying from New York to LA than be on the ground, then this timepiece offers the feel of vintage cockpit instrumentation. The strap is reminiscent of the old bomber jackets worn by pilots from days of old. These aviation high-flyers are made to please.

The Zodiac Diver is for those who love or need scuba diving wrist pieces that offer precision and legibility under the most difficult of circumstances. The Zodiac Diver is a great surf or sailing timepiece, and offers strong function to those who love to be at, or below sea level. It’s among the best dive watch collections there are.

The Zodiac Adventure is a quartz chronograph made for those that need durable, sturdy, reliable wrist pieces that survive in tough environments, and sustain through any journey.

The Zodiac Racer is the watch for those who love speed and all that going fast has to offer. Available in quartz and quartz chronographs, if zooming is your thing, and a NASCAR watch would suit you best, then the Zodiac Racer is the watch for you.

Zodiac Sports Collection offers personalization. What’s your favorite team? You’ll find it with Zodiac Sport. Are you a couch potato with eyes locked on the big screen TV when your favorite game comes on? Well, Zodiac has your team. The sport timepiece is what they do. They understand!

Zodiac Watch offers every kind of timepiece for every kind of aficionado – scuba diving, sport, pilot, surf, NASCAR, automatic, chronographs, you name it, they’ve got it. If the world of sport and adventure is the world you love, Zodiac watches has something for you.

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Quality Eating: Getting the Best From Our Food Supply

To be able to create nourishing meals that are delicious, pleasing to the eye, and made from ingredients that are safe for us to eat should be a societal right. Sadly, our food supply has suffered contamination along with the environment.

We find ourselves facing the challenge of finding new ways to obtain wholesome produce, grains, fish and meat sources. But rather than taking a grim stance on the alarming state of affairs regarding our food, we can take the opportunity to use the power of our choices in the way we select our foods to nourish and heal ourselves, and improve our ecosystems in the process.

What’s Really in Our Food?

Genetically Modified Foods (GMO’s) are one the most pressing issues within our food supply. Most processed food in the U.S. has been made from genetically modified corn or soy products and includes chemically altered ingredients that are also harmful. Genetically modified crops have been engineered to have greater resistance to weed killers and to incorporate insecticides directly into the plants themselves.

GMO products like “Roundup”, made by Monsanto, contaminate not only the plants, but gets into the whole surrounding eco-system, thereby having a detrimental effect on the whole food chain. Agribusiness has grown so powerful and heedless that it has put lowering the cost of food production far above producing high quality food that is safe to eat and safe for the environment.

Chronic illnesses and food allergies have soared since the introduction of GMO’s into our diet. Research has shown that GMO foods can cause any number of acute and chronic diseases including organ damage and premature aging. In fact, physicians have been urged by The American Academy of Environmental Medicine to tell patients to use non-GMO foods in their diets.

Getting the Best Possible Food for You and Your Family

Investigate your local CSA or Community Sponsored Agriculture programs. These programs give consumers access to locally grown harvests directly from nearby farms, either by direct delivery or by picking up your vegetables, eggs, cheeses, and other foods. These local farms use organic and bio-diverse practices that protect and improve the quality of produce. The Food Evolution supports its local farm organization, Rockland Farm Alliance.

Choosing certified organic foods will help ensure that your meals taste better, are made from safe ingredients, and have a minimal impact on the environment. Organic products are free from genetic modification and antibiotics and hormones are not used.

If you can, grow your own food using organic seeds. Home food gardening is not possible for every lifestyle, but as any gardening enthusiast will tell you, the rewards of spending time in the garden and tasting a fresh-picked harvest are beyond compare.

Food choices matter: if we stop buying contaminated food products from big agribusiness, our chances of having an increased supply of safe, tasty, nutritious, and organic food will improve greatly.

Lastly, make your voice heard. Write to political representatives and to food manufacturers, demand food labeling and just say no to GMO.