There's a lot more to life than writing.

Okay, now that the first part is over, on to the important part.

Do any of you do things like camping, hunting, airsoft, paintball, SCUBA, spelunking, snorkeling, or skydiving? If so, do you have any funny stories to tell? Any adventures to regale readers with?

If not, what do you want to do or plan to do?

I've done some camping, and some shooting. I also play airsoft and intend to get my PADI Open Water SCUBA diver's license this summer. I also have a funny (to people other than me) camping tragedy story once we get some people posting.

What do you do? Plan to do? Think would be cool? This is a general discussion of outdoor activities, dreams, and stories.

Would you believe me if I told you I do all (and more) of what you said except sky diving and scuba (which I intend to do)?

Yeah, I would. I would do more if I could, but an hour out of a mostly urban state's capital doesn't really have any mountains or anything nearby for me to do those things.

I forgot, I also do some white-water rafting.

SCUBA!!! I got my PADI open water last summer... I might have almost drowned you wanna go some time? I know how to swim now.

Camping is good too. Last year I went on a week long trip into the BWCA, and had a blast. (I got to build a flame thrower at 2 am in the pouring rain... good times.)

And airsoft + paintball... This is how we play paintball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcvg3yaDL6I
(Two of my best friends there... I did not script it at all.) Those are two tippman A-5's there, with the cyclone feeders taken off.
I don't own a gun, but that day we had a ton to play with, and my friends always have a few extras so I can grab one.

That's about it... WAIT

I love longboarding. I make my own boards, And also enjoy cruising through the trees... And I might have lost the use of both hands last summer, thanks to a nice turn in the path.

Hmm, later this spring my dad and I are going to a gun range to shoot. I haven't done that since last fall.

This summer I'll be walking about 10 miles a day as a staff member. (This is my fifth and last year.) I'll be taking kids on nature walks (I love nature) and fishing (fishing is fun too). Although, I'm usually taking off fish and baiting hooks rather than fishing myself...

I'll elaborate on other things later. It's getting late and I'm going to a "Royal Wedding" party at 4:30 AM. O_O

I enjoy hiking and exploring woods. I also enjoying fishing (though my favorite part about fishing is relaxing in a chair in the shade and throwing out a baitless hook ).

Can't think of anything else right now. (I'm sure there's something I'm missing. )

Welt: Knowing how to swim is good. Once I get mine, I'd be willing to go diving with you. How does Bermuda sound?
A flamethrower in the rain? Did it work?

I don't play much paintball because I can't afford the ammunition. It also hurts a lot more than airsoft does.

Longboarding looks fun.

Calen: Shooting's always fun. What type of gun do you usually fight?
That's a lot of walking, but at least it should have scenery other than a normal town, which is what I'm stuck with.
Ever caught any big fish?

Suiauthon: That's my favorite part of fishing too. Have you ever found some really amazing places in the woods?

My grandfather has taken me to some cool places in NE GA. Can't think of their names though.

That's okay.

I also plan on attempting the Appalachian Trail from beginning to end and circumnavigating the world in a sail boat.

@Varon: I'm trying to recall what guns I usually use when dad and I shoot. I'll ask him and get back to you on that. (Since I know guys tend to find letters and numbers on guns more important than generalized descriptions.) XD

It is a lot of walking, and I really enjoy it (after I get past the shin splits the first week), but I feel really healthy in the summer compared to when I sit around all winter long. I get quite a farmers tan too.

At the lake here, I haven't caught any really "big" fish myself. When I fish with the Cubbies one pulled in a 9 inch large mouth bass. Other than that, I think the majority are small. Probably because it's a man-made lake owned by the county.

During our family reunion we go up north (more north than where I'm at now) and fish for a week. Fishing in the shade sounds nice, but there isn't a good place for off-shore fishing unless you do it in the boat harbor, so we usually go off in Large Marge the Yellow Barge. (That's the name of our tubby fishing motorboat from the 60's-70's.)

Well, there are a lot of guns that look a lot alike.

I understand the healthy in the summer feeling as well. I don't get a farmer's tan though, I get a sunburn and then it tans.

That would make sense. Where I fish when my entire family goes to a cabin it's a man made lake as well. My biggest is maybe 4 inches.

Yeah, boat fishing generally has a better catch chance, but it does take more energy.

I like fishing, swimming, camping, and hiking.

That's cool, Elly. Any favorite place to hike?

I'll hike anywhere you take me. I love hiking. And swimming. And I went tubing down a creek once; I loved it and it made me hungry for more.

I do many outdoor activities but very few conventional ones. I camp about 4 weeks total every year but none of these are for the camping only.

Well, on a loop trail my family and I go down sometimes. For a while my kind-of youth group leader and his wife did a teens' night and I went to one and then went down that trail.

I mostly like hiking on paths or trails, there are some trails that are actually on the road I live on.

Aemi: I've never gone tubing before. How was it?

The Bard: Yeah, when I went camping it wasn't for the sake of camping either.

Elly: It's good that there are trails. Those are always a good place to start and some places don't want people going off of trails.

The tubing? Well, we went tubing in a gentle creek, and it was very relaxing floating lazily along, admiring the lush scenery on the cliffs along the bank. A couple times we stopped by a deep pool to swim around in the icy clear water.
But my favorite parts were the shallow, rushing places. Slipping over the rocks, balancing carefully, clinging to stay on top. The roaring water in my ears.
Like I said, it made me hungry for more. The trip was over way too soon, and I wanted a bigger challenge. Harder, faster rapids. Deeper pools. A longer trip down.
It was so fun.

It sounds like fun. It almost sounds like white-water rafting, except on smaller tubes.

Right. White water rafting is what I want to do next.

Tubing is fun in gentle water, and even funner in mild rapids.

I've never tried it. I'll have to see if I can try it sometime.

White-water rafting is really fun.

Right. When hiking, I strongly suggest a map if you're not on a trail. Where do you like to hike?

I also like fishing. Do you do any fishing?

I like to hike in the Metropolitan Parks, especially Highbanks which has a Bald Eagle nest, and lots of gullies and steep hills.

I do a little fishing.

I love tubing in mild rapids. Especially when the yachts send off some serious waves.

I also like riding on the WaveRunner.

I've never ridden on a WaveRunner.

I'm not much of a fan of horse-back riding, but I've never done real riding before, so that might make a difference.

I'm studied some survival, but I've never used it before.

Lots of rafters, it must be a good sign.

What!? Nobody's said tree-climbing yet? Ok you guys, I didn't want to have to resort to this, but you've left me no choice. Check out these guysWarning! They're climbing trees without shirts on. Just letting you know right now.. I can't climb like that yet, but I'm working on it. I also do off-and-on cross-country running and absolutely love running through trails in the woods
I have a brother in boy scouts that does all the hiking/camping stuff but I've never really done it myself. But I'd be up for joining you on that trip if you ever get the chance

Ah tree climbing... I was called monkey Joe for some time when I was young. Much to my chagrin.
I love tree climbing, but I prefer to keep my clothes on

Yeah, it's much too easy to get really nasty splinters. I don't have any trees to climb on.

I'll let you know when I'm ready to hike it. Anyone else want to come?

I do Airsoft. I have a Smith and Wesson shotgun, at about 355 fps. I love it But I don't do it much because of our poison ivy infestation in these woods =/

I really like hiking and camping, as does my Dad - our family does that a lot, too We're going out camping by MO this summer. Again, though, since the poison ivy, not much hiking in these woods right now.

I wouldn't count it a hobby, since I've only done it once, but tubing behind a boat is really fun! Tubing on a creek we usually do each summer up in Helen, GA.

eru

Hmm I have done some camping but not loads, I'm not a great fan! I like horse riding and going for long rambles with the dogs. I'm not a very out door person!

My brother has two shot guns and he goes hunting all the time. Some of the stories he brings home are hilarious! So funny!

My favorite outdoor activities are hiking, fishing, animal watching (and sometimes catching), and exploring, though I enjoy plenty of others as well.

Eru: 355 fps?! That's a powerful gun. I have an XM-8 with 260 fps with both full auto and semi-auto capabilities, but it shoots faster than my magazines can hold.
I've done tubing behind a boat before. It is fun.

Elanor: I don't really do hunting, even though I could do it. I've got too much stuff to do elsewhere.
I've only done some camping as well.

Jonathan: That's cool. Ever found something really amazing on your explorations?

Hm... let's see. I like hiking, swimming, fishing, archery, messing around with an assortment of pointy objects (throwing knifes and throwing stars mainly), camping (does living in a RV count?), horseback riding, biking, and messing around with my dad's bee-bee guns.

Any kayakers around? I love kayaking too!

RV-ing counts. Archery is cool too. I've done some kayaking in lakes, but I kind of want to get into ocean kayaking when I'm older.

Nope, I can honestly say Kayaking is not a sport I have participated in before.

The one time I did it for a while ended up with some serious blisters and some sunburn.

@Varon: It is indeed. But it is not automatic or even semi-automatic, unfortunately.

eru

Ah, that is a bit of a disadvantage.

It is. =P But in a forest setting (what we use) there's not much difference because there it mainly is potshots and whatnot.

eru

Nothing particular that I recall. It's just interesting to go exploring.


I've done a little river kayaking. It's fun.

Yeah, I mostly play in an open field with trees along the side.

What's river kayaking like?

About like canoeing, only the kayak is smaller and more maneuverable. Plus you're by yourself in the kayak (unless, I suppose, you used a two seat kayak).

That's cool.

@Varon: That's neat. We don't have many fields around here, hence the woods

@Jonathan: That does sound fun. Wish I had a kayak...I'd try it.

eru

Yeah, except one of the guys has a 500 fps bolt action sniper rifle.

You've gone tubing behind a boat too!
*wonders why this never came up in conversation*
I love tubing behind my Uncle's boat.

Tubing behind a boat is fun! Especially when they try to throw you off