By Christina VanGinkel
My youngest son enjoys riding his Kawasaki KX100. We have a short track right on our own property, and a sand pit just down the road from our house that he also enjoys riding. There are also several tracks within a short distance from our home that allow riding by kids and adults as long as they are fully outfitted in all of the property safety equipment, follow the rules, and sign a waiver releasing the owners from any liability.
When a friend of his obtained a new bike recently, I was thrilled to hear our son discussing the importance of safety gear, explaining why he does wear his, always and without question, and why he would never ride without. If you or a loved one is considering taking up riding motocross, or getting a dirt bike for trail riding, remember that safety gear is as important, if not more so, than the purchase of the bike itself. Each piece of safety gear has its own benefits. I have assembled a short list, not a comprehensive one by any stretch of the imagination, but a list of some of the very reasons safety gear is so important.
Helmets
A helmet is the most obvious piece of safety gear for any rider of any motorbike, and probably the most visual one. A good fitting helmet can protect a rider's head from serious damage. Whether a beginner or an experienced rider, a helmet should always be worn when riding. A rider may never wipe out his bike, but if he does, a helmet can mean the difference between life and death. The risks of riding without one are just not worth it. Full-face helmets can also provide a degree of protection for the face of the rider, including the mouth area, including the teeth.
Chest Protectors
Chest protectors come in various forms. Some cover the chest area alone, while others are made to protect both the front and back. There are even jackets available that will protect the chest, back, shoulders, and arms right down to the wrist area. Kidney belts are also available to protect the kidney area. Depending on the type of riding you do, your dealer will be able to point you in the direction of what type is best for you. Our son rides with a hard plastic chest protector that is made to protect the chest, along with panels to help keep his back protected, and shoulder areas, while still providing ventilation during the hottest days of the year. It is made to be worn over a jersey, and the shoulder protection is removable for those days when heat is a big factor. Be sure to choose one that is comfortable and easy to move in, otherwise you may find yourself or loved one skipping wearing it, and if it is not on, it cannot protect.
Boots
Boots made for riding will cover the shin area and provide the extra stability in the ankle area that is so important for any one riding a bike. The first time someone tries to kick over a bike and their foot slides off the pedal (it happens to the best), and the pedal drives into the shin, they will usually remember why it is important to always wear their boots. Good boots can literally mean the difference between wiping out and getting up and walking away, or wiping out and waiting for a ride to the hospital to have a broken bone put back together. Boots should fit properly, and if buying them for a child, avoid buying them too big, in hopes to get a second year of wear out of them. If boots are too big, it can be difficult to shift, and they end up more of a hindrance than a help. A proper fitting boot is important.
Goggles
Goggles will help you see where you are going, even on the brightest days, and they will help keep the dust and debris out of your eyes. Again, fit is important. Goggles that are slipping and sliding are not going to be a help. There are models made to fit right onto a helmet, and these are great for growing kids and adults.
Besides the gear listed here, there are also knee and elbow guards, neck protection, and other safety paraphernalia that you may or may not find useful or necessary. Some of it will depend on the rider themselves, the style, and type of riding they will be doing, and the requirements of the tracks they will be riding on. Riding motocross can be a fun hobby, but safety has to be a priority to keep the fun factor at the forefront. Rid safe and have fun.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Making Time for your Hobby
By Christina VanGinkel
Spending time enjoying our hobbies is not always the easiest task to accomplish. Work, family, and the daily grind called life more often than not intrude into any time that we might actually have. Sure, we might be able to carve out five or ten minutes here or there, but that is usually not enough time to accomplish anything beyond starting the most basic aspects of almost any hobby, surely not enough time to take part in any of the enjoyments that we so often search out a hobby for in the first place. Sure, there are always a few exceptions, where five or ten minutes of time is enough to enjoy a hobby, but more often than not, it is just not enough time. My favorite hobby, listed below, actually is one of the exceptions, as it can be accomplished in very short bursts of time.
Before you just chuck all your hobbies to the roadside though, take a good look at what you do enjoy doing, and give them levels of priority. Consider how much time each does use up, and take a realistic look at your schedule and see if any of your top priority hobbies can find a place in your hectic schedule. If you just are not coming up with any time to devote to them, then either you are not taking the job of relaxation seriously enough, or else the hobbies might not really be all that important to you. Maybe it is time to seek out a hobby or two that will provide the enjoyment aspect that should be a priority towards the use of your time.
To help you reconcile the differences of what is important to you and what is not, you must consider the fact that hobbies are good for people. They can help people lower their stress levels, or get people who might spend the majority of their time in a sedentary position, say sitting behind a desk, up and moving. Look at your hobbies of preference and ask yourself what they mean to you. Consider what they provide to your daily existence that nothing else does.
I have so many hobbies, that for me, this task was a bit difficult; in comparison to if I just partook in one or two outside activities, but I was still able to associate aspects that I considered benefits of almost every hobby I could list. I have listed a few of them below for you to see how I consider I have benefited from a few of my favorites.
Reading (my favorite hobby) provides me with quiet downtime that is pure pleasure. I am able to kick back and think about something that has absolutely nothing to do with my life. It can be accomplished in short bursts of time, so even when I am overly busy, I can still sneak in a few minutes of time that is devoted entirely to me.
Playing with my beadwork, working in one of my scrapbooks, crocheting, or cross-stitching, each provide an outlet for my creativity. They offer the opportunity to fill my mind with colors and textures, to create something that may be around long after I am not. The thought that a future grandchild of mine might someday enjoy something that I made myself fills me with pure joy. Each of these hobbies is somewhat self-fulfilling, as the best hobbies always are.
Time spent working on my writing falls somewhat into the realm of the hobbies I just listed, but is on a somewhat different level. Self-fulfilling for sure, my writing also provides something that no other of my hobbies ever could. I consider it my second favorite way to spend any free time that I have, proceeded only by reading itself.
Ask yourself what your favorite hobbies are and what you feel you gain from them. How much time do you devote to them, and if the answer is not enough, maybe it is time to either find a hobby that will prompt you to make sure you do find the time to take part in it, or else, figure out how to spend more time on the hobbies you are already have.
Spending time enjoying our hobbies is not always the easiest task to accomplish. Work, family, and the daily grind called life more often than not intrude into any time that we might actually have. Sure, we might be able to carve out five or ten minutes here or there, but that is usually not enough time to accomplish anything beyond starting the most basic aspects of almost any hobby, surely not enough time to take part in any of the enjoyments that we so often search out a hobby for in the first place. Sure, there are always a few exceptions, where five or ten minutes of time is enough to enjoy a hobby, but more often than not, it is just not enough time. My favorite hobby, listed below, actually is one of the exceptions, as it can be accomplished in very short bursts of time.
Before you just chuck all your hobbies to the roadside though, take a good look at what you do enjoy doing, and give them levels of priority. Consider how much time each does use up, and take a realistic look at your schedule and see if any of your top priority hobbies can find a place in your hectic schedule. If you just are not coming up with any time to devote to them, then either you are not taking the job of relaxation seriously enough, or else the hobbies might not really be all that important to you. Maybe it is time to seek out a hobby or two that will provide the enjoyment aspect that should be a priority towards the use of your time.
To help you reconcile the differences of what is important to you and what is not, you must consider the fact that hobbies are good for people. They can help people lower their stress levels, or get people who might spend the majority of their time in a sedentary position, say sitting behind a desk, up and moving. Look at your hobbies of preference and ask yourself what they mean to you. Consider what they provide to your daily existence that nothing else does.
I have so many hobbies, that for me, this task was a bit difficult; in comparison to if I just partook in one or two outside activities, but I was still able to associate aspects that I considered benefits of almost every hobby I could list. I have listed a few of them below for you to see how I consider I have benefited from a few of my favorites.
Reading (my favorite hobby) provides me with quiet downtime that is pure pleasure. I am able to kick back and think about something that has absolutely nothing to do with my life. It can be accomplished in short bursts of time, so even when I am overly busy, I can still sneak in a few minutes of time that is devoted entirely to me.
Playing with my beadwork, working in one of my scrapbooks, crocheting, or cross-stitching, each provide an outlet for my creativity. They offer the opportunity to fill my mind with colors and textures, to create something that may be around long after I am not. The thought that a future grandchild of mine might someday enjoy something that I made myself fills me with pure joy. Each of these hobbies is somewhat self-fulfilling, as the best hobbies always are.
Time spent working on my writing falls somewhat into the realm of the hobbies I just listed, but is on a somewhat different level. Self-fulfilling for sure, my writing also provides something that no other of my hobbies ever could. I consider it my second favorite way to spend any free time that I have, proceeded only by reading itself.
Ask yourself what your favorite hobbies are and what you feel you gain from them. How much time do you devote to them, and if the answer is not enough, maybe it is time to either find a hobby that will prompt you to make sure you do find the time to take part in it, or else, figure out how to spend more time on the hobbies you are already have.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Ephemera Collectibles
By Christina VanGinkel
I love paper. When I say that, I know many of my friends would assume I am referring to my extensive collection of scrapbook supplies and they would not be totally wrong, as much of it is paper and I do covet each and very piece, and I am always in search of more. When I say I love paper though, I am most likely referring to any old postcard, or letter, advertisement, or photo that I possess, or possibly one of the many old documents that I have collected throughout the years. Two of my favorites are the title to an old Model A, crafted at a time when style meant a lot, even for such mundane papers as a vehicle title, and an old wedding certificate that I found stuffed in the bottom of a box of old postcards that I picked up at a rummage sale decades ago.
The term Ephemera actually pertains to not only the items I have just listed, but also to many other items too. Just about anything made of paper falls under the heading of ephemera when categorizing collectibles, from bank checks to sheet music, from baseball cards to valentines, even newspapers, maps, die-cuts, and business cards.
What I enjoy most about the items of ephemera that I have collected through the years is the history that is captured within each piece. Postcards often have tidbits of history written right on them, and items such as the title for the car detail who owned the vehicle. I have even come across receipts for tractors and other farm equipment that when I read the prices, I am just amazed at what things cost not all that far back into the past. Kids often can gain much from browsing through ephemera collectibles such as these, and can come away with a much better accounting of what the past was like than what they could ever learn from a history book.
To see first hand how different paper was decorated is another reason I enjoy collecting paper items. The wedding certificate, from the year 1925, is so elegant in comparison to the simple sheet of paper that my husband and I received when we were married a quarter of a century ago. Also with the certificate that I found, was a simple book, with the names of the wedding party participants, and a note from each in their own handwriting, all together with some gorgeous illustrations, and tied and assembled with a silken cord. This was surely a keepsake for the bride and groom that they probably reminisced over many a time throughout the years. When I realized what I had, I actually looked up the address of the sale and phoned the owners, asking them if the certificate and book had been accidentally placed with the postcards. They responded that they knew it was in there, and hoped whoever bought the box would appreciate it, as they had no desire to keep it.
If you decide to make collecting ephemera a hobby, always look for pieces to add to your collection is some of the most unusual places. Rummage and estate sales are common places to uncover finds, and be sure to look further than just the most obvious places. Papers and such were often tucked into pages of books, folded into clothing, stuck into crates, even folded and dropped into old cookie jars. Ephemera often pops up in some of the most unlikely places, so when you are browsing through a sale or second hand shop, be sure to check out any item that catches your attention.
Condition of ephemera is not always as good as we would like it to be, and you will have to learn to sue your own judgment on whether pieces are worth trying to salvage or not. I have an affinity myself for some of the roughest looking items, as they are often the most interesting. If you have similar tastes, just be sure to try to protect the item from further damage once it is in your possession. Fire, mold, and water damage can ruin a piece of ephemera beyond repair faster than you can blink, so be sure to take care. Happy collecting!
I love paper. When I say that, I know many of my friends would assume I am referring to my extensive collection of scrapbook supplies and they would not be totally wrong, as much of it is paper and I do covet each and very piece, and I am always in search of more. When I say I love paper though, I am most likely referring to any old postcard, or letter, advertisement, or photo that I possess, or possibly one of the many old documents that I have collected throughout the years. Two of my favorites are the title to an old Model A, crafted at a time when style meant a lot, even for such mundane papers as a vehicle title, and an old wedding certificate that I found stuffed in the bottom of a box of old postcards that I picked up at a rummage sale decades ago.
The term Ephemera actually pertains to not only the items I have just listed, but also to many other items too. Just about anything made of paper falls under the heading of ephemera when categorizing collectibles, from bank checks to sheet music, from baseball cards to valentines, even newspapers, maps, die-cuts, and business cards.
What I enjoy most about the items of ephemera that I have collected through the years is the history that is captured within each piece. Postcards often have tidbits of history written right on them, and items such as the title for the car detail who owned the vehicle. I have even come across receipts for tractors and other farm equipment that when I read the prices, I am just amazed at what things cost not all that far back into the past. Kids often can gain much from browsing through ephemera collectibles such as these, and can come away with a much better accounting of what the past was like than what they could ever learn from a history book.
To see first hand how different paper was decorated is another reason I enjoy collecting paper items. The wedding certificate, from the year 1925, is so elegant in comparison to the simple sheet of paper that my husband and I received when we were married a quarter of a century ago. Also with the certificate that I found, was a simple book, with the names of the wedding party participants, and a note from each in their own handwriting, all together with some gorgeous illustrations, and tied and assembled with a silken cord. This was surely a keepsake for the bride and groom that they probably reminisced over many a time throughout the years. When I realized what I had, I actually looked up the address of the sale and phoned the owners, asking them if the certificate and book had been accidentally placed with the postcards. They responded that they knew it was in there, and hoped whoever bought the box would appreciate it, as they had no desire to keep it.
If you decide to make collecting ephemera a hobby, always look for pieces to add to your collection is some of the most unusual places. Rummage and estate sales are common places to uncover finds, and be sure to look further than just the most obvious places. Papers and such were often tucked into pages of books, folded into clothing, stuck into crates, even folded and dropped into old cookie jars. Ephemera often pops up in some of the most unlikely places, so when you are browsing through a sale or second hand shop, be sure to check out any item that catches your attention.
Condition of ephemera is not always as good as we would like it to be, and you will have to learn to sue your own judgment on whether pieces are worth trying to salvage or not. I have an affinity myself for some of the roughest looking items, as they are often the most interesting. If you have similar tastes, just be sure to try to protect the item from further damage once it is in your possession. Fire, mold, and water damage can ruin a piece of ephemera beyond repair faster than you can blink, so be sure to take care. Happy collecting!
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