Top 5 Dog Sledding Places for a New and Exciting Vacation Idea
It is widely recognized that dog sledding was invented by the Inuit people in what is now Canada thousands of years ago. Early on, a single dog likely pulled a single small load of goods like firewood. Later, dog sledding became more advanced by using teams of dogs to pull larger loads and eventually humans through the Arctic regions of the world.
Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Canada
Alberta, specifically the Canmore area, offers the opportunity to glide through snow-covered trails in t
by Celine von SchweetzJan 06, 2023
Check Out This Guide for a Perfect Winter Train Voyage
Train travel may take longer compared to other transportation, but the benefits can be immense. Across North America, anyone can take a scenic ride through mountains, lakes, rivers, and forests for about the same price — or less — as an airline ticket while also traveling in cushier seats and a more relaxed atmosphere. And these scenic rides aren’t just for summer getaways — winter is just as magical a time to ride the rails, if not more.
Adirondack Train: New York City, New York
Departing daily from New York City and journeying through Albany to Montreal, this scenic trip takes you straight through New York State’s Adirondacks, where snow lovers can marvel at the icy peaks and white-dusted trees that blanket the landscape.
California Zephyr: Chicago, Illinois
If you want to truly see the extent of America’s gorgeous and diverse scenery in wintertime, you can’t do better than with the California Zephyr with Amtrak. This roughly two-day winter train excursion takes you from Chicago to San Francisco, where you can see all kinds of landscapes across the U.S., from the Great Plains to icy peaked mountains — all blanketed in snow.
Coast Starlight Train: Seattle, Washington
The frigid Pacific Northwest has plenty of fantastic views of forests, lakes, rivers, and the snow-capped Cascade mountains for people who want to enjoy a winter wonderland. But, you can also gently watch the snow melt away as you travel south through California to Los Angeles on this scenic ride.
Colorado Ski Train: Denver, Colorado
Luckily for ski bunnies, the Winter Park Express is an Amtrak train that delivers you from Denver Union Station to the doorstep of Winter Park Resort. This amazing scenic ride takes you into the Colorado Rockies for a day, weekend, or even a whole week of skiing between January and April (tickets go on sale in late November or early December of the previous year).
Yellowstone in the Winter: Salt Lake City, Utah
The Amtrak winter train ride, which includes hotel accommodations for four nights, is built around a tour of Yellowstone National Park. Geysers, hot springs, and steam vents take on a special magnificence in the winter, as the hot water steams amidst the icy environment. Not only is wildlife much easier to spot — especially wolves native to the area — you also won’t have to fight crowds to get a good view.
by Celine von SchweetzJan 06, 2023
Top 10 US Ski Resorts Recommendations Perfect for Family Trip
From kids working on their pizza wedge to tweens honing their advanced skills, ski resorts are becoming more family-friendly across the U.S. These kid-friendly ski resorts have recognized the importance of catering to families and are helping kids progress their skills and enjoy their time on and off the mountain like never before.
1. Crystal Mountain Resort, Washington
In the summer, Washington’s largest ski area transforms into the perfect summer playground. Crystal Mountain Resort lies on the sunny side of Mt Rainier, just six miles from the Northeast entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park and the popular Sunrise area of the park. Nestled amid stunning forests, wildflower-filled meadows, and pure Washington wilderness, Crystal Mountain is a fun and relaxing escape any time of the year.
2. Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado
Breckenridge boasts four peaks for skiers and riders to explore in addition to the two lift-serviced summits that access terrain normally found only in the backcountry. With the greatest vertical drop in Summit County at 3,398 feet, there are equal options for skiers who are just learning to stand, and those who are learning to fly.
3. Mt. Bachelor, Oregon
At 4,300 acres, the resort is also one of the largest in the United States, offering varied terrain within the hemlocks and pines. Since it opened in 1958, the resort has been known for its light and dry snow, and spectacular scenery.
4. Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
As New Hampshire’s largest ski area, Bretton Woods offers skiers and riders long groomed trails combined with spectacular views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range. The ski resort is consistently ranked as one of the best resorts in the east.
5. Smugglers’ Notch, Vermont
Smugglers’ Notch Resort offers acclaimed programs for families and seasonal activities including alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, and snowshoeing; enjoyment of 8 pools and 4 waterslides; guided hiking; children's programs and a zip line canopy tour.
6. Big Sky, Montana
Big Sky Montana is ….. big! Actually it’s massive! The skiable terrain of the Big Sky Ski Resort is one of the largest in North America, and the vertical drop is also one of the biggest in North America.
7. Northstar California, California
Northstar California, previously known as Northstar-at-Tahoe, is located near the north shore of Lake Tahoe and is home to over 3,000 acres of skiable terrain. The resort is known for its laidback atmosphere coupled with high-end luxury accommodations, shopping and dining.
8. Deer Valley, Utah
As one of Utah’s most popular luxury mountain resorts (in the summer, too), Deer Valley Resort goes out of its way to ensure the best skiing experience possible. Some would argue it is impossible to have a bad day at Deer Valley thanks to their customer service and consistently excellent skiing terrain.
9. Sun Valley, Idaho
There are a lot of great ski resorts in the United States, but none can match Sun Valley’s rich winter sports history - this was literally the nation’s first destination ski resort, with the world’s first chairlifts, where the very idea of the American ski vacation was born.
10. Okemo, Vermont
Okemo has the largest vertical drop, 2,200’, of the ski and snowboard areas in southern Vermont’s Green Mountains. Of the 610 skiable acres, 95% are covered by snowmaking, giving Okemo some of the best and most consistent snow coverage throughout the winter. Lots of great intermediate cruising, beginner learning areas, and some advanced glades and trees make the mountain great for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels. Okemo’s southern Vermont location is also easy to get to for skiers and snowboarders from throughout Boston, Albany, and the northeast.
by Celine von SchweetzJan 06, 2023
These Travel Pillows Fit Your Neck and Won’t Move While You Sleep. It’s a Must Have for Long Flights!!
1. Travel Pillow Memory Foam,Airplane Pillow,Neck Pillow for Sleeping with 360-Degree Head Support Comfortable Breathable Cover Airplane Travel Kit with Sleep Mask, Earplugs, and Luxury Bag
This is the best travel pillow for airplanes, designed with a U shape to conform to the neck and head to provide comfortable support. The pillow is soft, breathable, and ergonomic.
The pillow is made of memory foam, and is a soft and comfortable travel pillow for airplanes.
Customer review:
Great everyone should have one - Christina Vaughn
Price: 8.99
2. Kneezly Travel Pillow: 3-in-1 Comfy Neck Pillow, Head Pillow and Leg Pillow for Plane, Train, Bus and Car Rides (Blue)
The Kneezly Travel Pillow is a revolutionary new travel pillow with 3in1 technology. It's perfect for any method of travel including while riding in a plane, bus, train or car.
Customer review:
This is a must for travel. It is the softest material and extremely comfortable whether using it for your legs or as a neck pillow. Top quality as well. Definitively recommend this product. - Amazon Customer
Price: 8.99
3. Inflatable Foot Rest for Air Travel, Airplane Pillow with Adjustable Height, Portable Leg Rest for Kids or Adults at Home, Plane, car seat Leg Extender for Kids, Flyaway Kids Bed, Includes Air Pump
You experience leg numbness for having your legs crossed for long time at the office or at home. We found the solution to your problem, with our portable footrest You can rest your legs on the go.
Customer review:
Excellent product; it significantly lessened my back pain. helped me at work since I do it from home. It's a fantastic tool that I can use to put my infant to sleep on airplanes as well. Because it is so small and doesn't take up much space, I can fit it in my backpack. - Nishit Mehta
Price: 17.99
4. Neck Pillow Inflatable Travel Pillow Comfortably Supports The Head, Neck and Chin, Airplane Pillow with Soft Velour Cover, Hat, Portable Drawstring Bag, 3D Eye Mask and Earplugs (Blue)
The H-shape travel neck pillow, multi-directional use. Keeping your head in a comfortable position at all times, flanks on both sides to prevent your head and neck from tilting too much, and the flat back of the travel pillow doesn't put any pressure on your neck.
Customer review:
Love this product. It was super convenient and comfy. Super easy to inflate and deflate. Love the bag that it came with. it folds up nice and small. I through a carabiner clip on the bag to attach it to my backpack. The exterior material that your neck, chin touch is super soft. Would highly recommend if you are looking for a travel pillow but don't want to carry one around or are limited in space. - Santo Carollo
Price: 17.99
5. Bloom Valley Travel Pillow Memory Foam Upgrade Neck Pillow,100% Pure Comfortable Breathable Cover, Washable, Airplane Travel Kit with 3D Contoured Eye Masks, Earplugs, and Upgrade Bag
Memory foam pillow with breathable and super soft magnetic therapy cloth.
• Machine washable pillowcase.
• Ideal curve to prevent head from moving.
• Extra support for neck
Great for home, office, and travel.
• Comes with memory foam pillow, eye mask, ear plugs, and travel bag.
Customer review:
If you're looking for a great travel neck pillow, this is what you are looking for. I've used other neck pillows before, and this one with its contouring works better than anything else I have tried or use in cars and planes. - Dana R.
Price: 21.99
6. Kneezly Travel Pillow: 3-in-1 Comfy Neck Pillow, Head Pillow and Leg Pillow for Plane, Train, Bus and Car Rides (Grey)
Perfect for any method of travel, including while riding in a plane, bus, train or car
You can also use it just lounging around the house, while working at your desk, and more!
It’s so soft and supportive!
Rest your head on the round pillow.
Customer review:
This is a must for travel. It is the softest material and extremely comfortable whether using it for your legs or as a neck pillow. Top quality as well. Definitively recommend this product. - Amazon Customer
Price: 8.99
7. Ajlrq Inflatable Travel Pillow, Inflatable Airplane Neck Pillow for Sleeping to Avoid Neck and Shoulder Pain, Inflatable Travel Neck Pillow with Free Eye Mask/Earplugs (Black)
Easy to carry: It has a Drawstring Bag, and after folding the airplane pillow is placed inside the bag. The airplane travel pillow net weight is only 0.78 lbs. It is very portable. Whether it's family, airplane, car, bus, train, office nap, camping, etc., it's a great help for you to have a good night's sleep.
Customer review:
This pillow is fantastic, small when deflated fits in my carry-on side pocket. When inflated, it makes the best travel pillow, allowing for comfort on a long flight. The face cradle is comfortable and provides darkness and enough air flow for a long nap. I recommend this product to all my friends. - HanahBananh
Price: 19.99
8. Travelon: Somniwrap - Travel Pillow - Gray
The unique design of the SOMNiWRAP provides the perfect neck support for all sleeping positions and easily adjusts to fit all heights and neck sizes.
Customer review:
Could be made longer for more adjusted - NINA
Price: 21.07
by BonnieOct 20, 2022
Taking Your Children Out Skiing? You Will Need to Prepare the Following Things
Winter is approaching and if you're looking forward to your children skiing this season, then it's time to prepare. Going skiing is a fun and adventurous experience for families. If you're taking your children to the mountains, here are some things you will need to pay attention to make sure your children are having fun while being comfortable and safe.
Board and Stick Poles
There are two types of boards: snowboard (single) and skiboard (double). Regardless of which board you choose, its length, surface, shape, and hardness must be considered. The length needs to be based on the child's height and weight. Here's a tip, you can measure the appropriate length starting from the ground to the distance between their chin and the bridge of the nose. You can also refer to the size chart below.
As for the ski poles, as long as they can bend their elbow to a 90-degree angle when they hold the handles, it should be fine. For reference, a child with a 4 ft tall can use 2 ft long ski poles.
Boots and Bindings
Both the boots and the fasteners have to be comfortable to wear and fit well to the board. Since their tightness can be adjusted, buying boots that are 1 size larger is sometimes also recommended. Also, here's a tip on how to save some money, some sport stores allow you to purchase new boots with a discount if you trade in your old boots.
Ski Suit
The suit you choose for your sweetheart should be warm, windproof, and waterproof, and it should not be made of cotton. Although cotton material can absorb sweat, and yes, you still sweat even when it's cold, cotton does not dry easily. Your children will easily catch a cold by wearing sweaty clothes.
Three layers of clothing should be enough to make you comfortable.
1. The first inner layer should be breathable. You can consider UNIQLO's Heattech long-sleeved shirt and trousers, GAP, Champion, or any other sports brand.
2. The second layer should be about keeping your body warm. You can consider thick fiber or merino wool sweaters and trousers.
3. The outer layer will be the ski suit itself, which can be divided into upper and lower parts. When purchasing, pay attention to the waterproof index and warmth index, the higher the better. Cuffs from both the jacket and pants should have a windproof design to prevent snow from entering the suit when sitting or bending over. Do not substitute your suit with flannel, cotton, or a thick jacket as they are not waterproof, easy to dip in snow, and easily torn
Gloves
Similar to the ski suit, your gloves must be waterproof, windproof, and warm. To prevent snow from entering the gloves, tuck the cuffs into your suit. There are mainly two types of gloves: gloves with a place for each finger and mittens, basically one hole for the thumb and one big hole for the rest.
Although it is not that convenient to constantly put on and take off the "gloves", they are more flexible when gripping the ski pole handle and skiing. That's why wearing gloves is always more recommended than wearing mittens.
Socks
Ski socks are different from the socks you usually wear. They are not made of cotton but are generally made of wool-mixed fibers. Also, in order to prevent friction from snow boots, the socks are very long, about the top of the calf below the knee.
Other Protective Gears
1. Helmet
Different than a regular bicycle helmet, a ski helmet has ear pads and can be worn with goggles.
2. Goggles
Wearing goggles can protect your sweetheart from approaching wind and snow when skiing. Goggles should be made of solid materials, be waterproof, and have certain impact resistance, anti-fogging (the coating is usually inside, so be careful when wiping), and UV protection. There is generally foam on the inside of the frame to increase comfortability when wearing. You should also consider its compatibility with your helmet.
3. Ski Mask
For children, consider wearing a balaclava, which is a type of ski mask that covers all parts of the head except the eyes as it provides better protection.
by Danny WilliamOct 18, 2022
8 Things You Need to Prepare Before Seeing the Aurora
The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, is a natural phenomenon – an incredible light show in the sky that can paint the entire sky with colors of green, purple, and red. It's not something we can see often in many parts of the world, but those lucky enough to see it will remember it for many years to come.
Are you planning a trip to see the Northern Lights? Or maybe you're wondering if you should take a chance and visit Iceland? Either way, here are the 8 things you need to prepare before seeing the aurora.
What to Wear
In case you are not aware yet, aurora can only be seen in the part of the world where it's dominantly cold. Even so, you don't need to dress like the Michelin Man. You can wear three layers and still feel comfortable.
If you want to be able to change conveniently between low-temperature and room-temperature environments, consider the onion-style method. Using this method, you only need to wear mainly two types of clothing, the inner and the outer. For the outer, you would want to wear a two-layered jacket, one layer being a waterproof windbreaker while the other layer is made of warm wool. This is to prevent outside wind from entering your body and causing you to catch a cold. Most people may sometimes opt for a neck scarf as well. As for the inside, either a thermal undershirt or even a T-shirt should be enough.
Gloves can make your life easier
In addition to the above attires, if you want to stay longer in the cold, having gloves is a must. Ski gloves are the more popular choice, but the problem is that the material is sometimes unnecessarily heavy and you may need to take them off every time you need to use your smartphone.
That's why you should spend more time looking for the right one. Consider buying a more comfortable and lighter style that enables using your camera or smartphone, so you never miss a moment.
Snow chain is unnecessary
As long as you are driving on a public road with asphalt, avoiding mountain roads and seasons when it snows heavily, gearing your car with the snow chain is not necessary. Additionally, there are snowplow trucks clearing the snow and spreading salt to maintain the road every day. Right now, Canada and the United States do not allow using snow chains.
Snowy road: driving and parking 101
Do not powerfully stomp either your brake or your gas pedal, to prevent your vehicle from skidding. If you ever find yourself skidding a little, slightly moving your steering wheel should be enough to bring you back to balance. This is why it's important to not speed and leave some distance to stop your vehicle safely.
If you are driving during November and December when the temperature is usually the lowest, make sure you park your vehicle near engine heaters and connect it to your car to prevent your car engine from freezing.
Photography equipment
Nowadays, with the improvement of the performance of equipment, you can take pictures of the northern light with some manual-operated micro monoculars or even high-end small cameras, as long as they have good noise control and pure high-sensitivity ISO performance, combined with a tripod and a large aperture to extend the exposure time, most of them can record the graceful dance of the aurora. But keep in mind that aurora is a large-scale natural phenomenon, so it is recommended to use a wide-angle or fisheye lens for shooting.
How to take beautiful pictures
Taking pictures of the aurora may be a little bit more complicated if you want to capture its elegant movement. When shooting the aurora, most people will use a high sensitivity above ISO 1600 with a large aperture. Generally speaking, the aperture of F4 is sufficient, but don’t forget to adjust the focus to manual, and then turn the focus position to infinity.
When you are ready, you can carefully observe the dancing movement of the aurora, and then press the shutter for the long exposure time, usually about 5 to 15 seconds. If the brightness is high and the movement is fast, you may need to close the shutter early. Therefore, when shooting, you should keep your eyes on the situation of the aurora. Sometimes you can close the shutter for a big turning picture, because if the aurora changes too fast, although it's very beautiful to our own eyes, it may be too blurry in the image presentation, and the beauty would not be captured perfectly.
Dealing with different brightness
Generally speaking, the brightness of the aurora is divided into 10 levels. The camera needs more than 30 seconds to clearly identify brightness level 1 and 2, otherwise it will look like a white smoke, lightly floating in the air. Level 3 and 4 will slowly begin to turn from white to green, appearing in front of our eyes as light green light, which is commonly known as green light. Brightness level 5 and higher will be very dazzling, and the change in color is crystal clear visible, with the light lavender color sometimes emerging in the night sky.
If you are extremely extremely lucky, you may have the opportunity to see the aurora with level 8-10 brightness, illuminating the earth. During this moment, quick, take out your iPhone and snap.
Keep yourself informed of the weather
If you are using iOS, here are the two app you can consider downloading.
1. Aurora - By Roger Moffatt http://goo.gl/cC3Rl4
2. Aurora Forecast - by TINAC Inc http://goo.gl/Mc053j
Through those free apps, you can observe the geomagnetic response and radius trend of the aurora, so as to know its predictability. There are 5 levels in total.
Although the predictability of the aurora is based on sunspots and geomagnetic reaction, if the weather is not supportive and thick clouds covered the sky, the northern light would not be visible, no matter how exaggerated and beautiful it bursts all over the earth. That's why it's important to look for the aerial condition on satellite cloud images, analyze the route, and plan properly. You can also utilize the aurora forecast website provided by the University of Alaska below.
Aurora Forecast | Geophysical InstituteForecasts of auroral activity, updated daily.Geophysical Institute
In addition, you should also pay attention to the position of the moon and the change in the lunar phase, as the brightness of the moon will also affect the brightness of the aurora. Many people always visit on days during the new moon where the aurora is less affected by the moonlight. However, it is actually beneficial sometimes to have moonlight. In this way, parts of the landscape can be clearly captured without exposing for too long, but of course the magnificence of the aurora depends on the brightness level of the performance at that time.
by Danny WilliamOct 18, 2022
10 Tips to Earn More with Your Chase Credit Card
If you haven't had a Chase credit card before, now's the right time to create one! Check out how to do it below.
How to Get Your First Chase Credit CardChase credit card. You heard that brand everywhere, everyone has been using it, and it’s of course not without any reasons. Chase credit card has a lot of offerings. Its points are more valuable, not to mention its additional value on travel plans and hotels. It can be said thatBucktripDanny William
Other than their abundant rewards program, bonus points, and cash back, there are actually many other ways you can earn more with your Chase credit card. Here are 10 tips on how you can utilize Chase credit cards:
1. Get a higher sign-up bonus if you apply just before a public offer release
Chase used to have this old rule where they will match you with a higher offer that is just released if your card is issued within the past 90 days.
This rule is not written on their page anymore. However, if you apply for a card that coincidentally has a higher public offer right after, you can still match for a higher bonus. All you need to do is call the reconsideration line. Not all requests got approved, but it never hurts to ask!
2. Getting around the 524 rules
If you’re eligible for a new Chase credit card and you have opened more than five cards in the past 24 months, you may be denied new cards due to the rule. However, there are several cases where this rule doesn't apply:
* Co-branded cards like the Amazon Prime Visa Signature cards, the United Explorer cards, and the Southwest Airlines cards are not within 524.
* If one of the credit lines is an authorized user card on someone else's account, that means you are only actually at 424.
* You can apply for a business credit card at the branch and bypass 524. Your business card doesn't show up on your personal credit report, hence it doesn't affect your 524 status.
* You can also check with a banker or the "Just for You" page on the website to see whether you are eligible for pre-approved offers that can also bypass 524.
These circumstances sometimes also rely on luck, some have even gotten a 624 despite the rule. Again, it never hurts to ask!
3. Transferring points to family members
Sharing is caring they said, and this time, it's also beneficial.
You can still add household members to your Point Transfer page by calling Chase. Don't worry, you only have to do this once, and afterward, the household cards will be available to add on the Point Transfer page.
By doing this, you can take advantage of certain card offers despite earning points on the other. Say, maybe other card points value more, or maybe you want to quickly collect points for a five-star hotel promotion.
4. You can have as many Freedom cards as you want
While the 524 rule still stands, there's no limit to the number of Chase Freedom you can have. And here's how it can benefit you:
* Downgrade
Say you want to get that welcome offer for a new Sapphire card, but there's only one limit for Sapphire and you already have one. Easy, all you need to do would be to downgrade your Sapphire into Freedom and reapply for a new Sapphire card.
* More spending allowance
If with one card you have a $1,500 limit, then with two cards it will be $3,000. The list goes on.
5. Reallocate your account credit limits between cards
Chase limits the credit limits by the amount they are willing to extend to you. If you ever find yourself denied new cards due to the maximum credit limits, ask the reconsideration line to lower the limits on cards you don't use much and get that welcome points.
6. Refer your friends
Think we have concluded that sharing is beneficial.
You can refer Chase cards that you have, mainly Freedom and Business Ink cards to your friend and get either cash back or bonus points per referral.
7. Pay your Chase card to $0 mid-cycle
When you settle out your outstanding balance, Chase will do a one-off report to the Credit bureau regarding the payment and the time. Paying big balances mid-cycle will certainly give you a good impression, as well as a good credit score.
8. Adjust your due date when necessary
Align your Chase card payment due date with your payday. Do your own financial management. Adjusting the due date is especially helpful when:
* You want to get your points earlier since points are released after the closing of each billing cycle.
* You want to delay receiving points. Who wants to receive a companion pass in December, right?
Note that the adjustment will not take effect immediately but in the next billing cycle. So, plan your finance carefully.
9. Chase provides automatic credit limit increases
Now, asking for a credit limit directly may result in a hard pull on your credit reports that affect your credit score.
However, Chase actually does increase your credit limit without needing to ask. All you need to do is to keep a good score on your credit by settling your balance on time, etc. Another thing that may help is constantly updating your income over time if your income is increasing. If Chase knows you are getting wealthier, it's only natural for them to encourage you to spend more on them.
10. Offers hunting
If you have the daily habit of checking discounts on your favorite store, it's time to add another one to the list. Chase also targets existing customers with pre-approved offers and higher bonuses. Here are the two places you can find them:
1. The "Just for you" page.
2. Chase's credit journey, in the Offers section.
Available pre-approved offers will be shown with the green star.
There it is! Hope the above tips help you in preparing for your shopping journey with Chase.
by Danny WilliamOct 04, 2022