Cavness Vacation Packages

It’s a national sporting bloodline the likes of which have not been seen in Saskatchewan since Canada’s early hockey domination.

It doesn’t matter that most people have never heard of bunnock, just know that Canada has taken home the last thirteen Bunnock World Championships. They’re held every year in the town of Macklin and there are hundreds of bunnock players making sure that this legacy lives on.

So what is bunnock, you might well ask.

By modern sporting standards, bunnock is rather ancient. It got its start in the 1800s by the Russian cavalrymen, who found that bunnocks, or horse ankles, set up rather nicely on the frozen tundra of Siberia for a lawn bowling-slash-horseshoe pitching type game.

Although the game has undoubtedly existed in many forms, the official version starts out with 52 bones. The eight heaviest are marked as Schmeisers (throwers) while four more are marked as guards. The rest are ordinary soldiers. The guards and soldiers are equally divided, then set on level ground in two straight lines, 10 meters apart.

Four players on either side try to knock down the opposing team’s bones with the throwers. The guards must be knocked down first or penalties ensue. Each team takes turns throwing and the team knocking down the opposing team’s bones first is declared the winner.

The game immigrated to Canada with Russian German immigrants who would pull out the bunnocks at family functions and weddings.

The sport nearly died out before the Macklin Credit Union organized the first World Bunnock Championships fourteen years ago. So serious is the town of Macklin about the sport of Bunnock, visitors are greeted at the town limits with a 32-foot high replica of a bunnock.

The championships started out with only 80 teams and has grown to the 320 teams entered for this year’s championships. Over the years many countries have taken aim at the World Bunnock Championship, but no one has been able to match Canada’s domination at Macklin, where $30,000 in prizes are up for grabs.

Joked an organizer: As soon as someone else wins it will be like hockey, where a Canadian won’t win for fifty years. Actually, it’s a good excuse to have some fun and a good time. Perhaps the best thing is that everyone can play. Last year the youngest competitor was three and the oldest was ninety-two. It’s a sport that generations of families can play together.

The World Bunnock Championships are held every August long weekend. Macklin is near the provincial border between Provost, Alberta and Unity, Saskatchewan, southwest of North Battleford. First started in 1906, Macklin is growing fast and on a sound basis. Many of the original structures have been replaced by modern facilities, new commercial enterprises have been established and an ever increasing oilfield industry has been established. For golfers, there is the nine hole Lakeview Golf Course that has both level and rolling terrain with a scenic lake view setting.

Accomodation in Macklin on the weekend of the championships is pretty much booked up in advance each year, but there are four motels/inns in Provost to the west and another four to the east in Unity. There are campsites in the Macklin Lake Regional Park, but again they are booked up early. There is an airport with commercial flights at North Battleford, about 140 kms away and an international airport at Saskatoon, 250 kms to the east. Car rentals are available in both centers and there is regular bus service from both centers through Macklin.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Canada Vacation

[tags]Canada Vacation[/tags]

Cabo San Lucas is becoming a sought after vacation destination, and that’s a fact. It’s popularity is steadily increasing. Cabo San Lucas offers something for every vacationer, including: private secluded getaways, beachfront weddings, nightlife and activities. In this article I am going to discuss the top seven things to do in Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo. If you are planning a vacation to Cabo, the activities listed below are all a must do!

Diving in Sea of Cortez

Cabo San Lucas is a unique diving destination because the Sea of Cortez is located between temperate waters and tropical waters. The Sea of Cortes is one of the world’s unique ocean environments. It is considered to be the biologically richest body of water on earth, supporting over 800 marine vertebrates species. Diving in Cabo is famous for it’s “sand falls”. The sand falls are actually streams of sand that fall over the underwater canyons. They create sand rivers and this is extremely interesting to see. The nutrient rich waters make for a spectacular population of fish from small inshore fish to large schools of jack, tuna, dolphin, and “sportfish” such as dorado and marlin. There are migratory visits from whales and hammerhead sharks. A fortunate scuba diver may also encounter manta rays, and even whale sharks in the plentiful waters of the Sea of Cortez. It is critical to the success of your dive to plan your dive at the right time. The Sea of Cortez sees good weather conditions June through November. Prior to June, the Sea of Cortez waters temperature is quite cold. If you are not interested in diving you could also snorkel. There are diving and snorkeling tours available. Snorkeling would still allow you to see most of the inshore fish and some of the beautiful coral.

Horseback riding on the beach

Horseback riding for is available for all levels of riders at several stables in the Cabo San Lucas area. There are trail rides in which you are accompanied by a guide. Trail rides can vary from a desert ride, to a beach ride or, in and about beautiful rock formations. Either way it is a great way to see much of Cabo San Lucas’ scenery. Horseback riding is also available for the whole family, with younger children riding with adults. For those of you who are horse lovers you can see pure Andulsian horses at:Cuadra San Francisco Stable.

Whale Watching

Whales pass several hundred meters off of Cabo San Lucas’ shore every year. The best time to see whales are between January and March, when the gray whale migrates. There are several ways to whale watch in Cabo San Lucas. There are boat tours that offer whale watching. Boats of varying size carry the hundreds of whale watchers out to see these marine mammals as they visit our peninsula in their annual migration, every year. It is not uncommon at this time for a curious whale to come close to a boat. Although no trip can guarantee whales, the odds are definitely in your favor. The smaller the boat the better your chances are of getting close.

Have a drink at Cabo San Lucas’ most famous club

The Cabo Wabo cantina is Cabo’s most famous club, owned by Sammy Hagar. If you are in town at the same time as Sammy is, you might even get to watch one of his impromptu performances. If you are not that lucky, you can still enjoy the atmosphere the Cabo Wabo has to offer and live music on most nights. The Cabo Wabo also offers a menu filled with American and Mexican food to feed your hunger.

Hike through the desert

You must be especially careful when hiking in Cabo’s desert lands. You will need twice as much water as you normally would. A trek through the desert is absolutely spectacular. Desert hiking is best in the winter, with the temperature being around 70. It is possible to hike the desert in the summer but, you must go in the early morning. It is dangerous to hike alone, and best to hire an experienced guide from the area, just incase you get lost. The desert offers incredible rock formations, unique vegetation and wildlife native only to this region. Hiking can be for all ages and hiking in Cabo’s desert is something that you will remember. There are also other hiking and natural history tours which include fossil fields, challenging hikes into the Sierra de la Laguna and day trips to old mining ghost towns.

Bird Sanctuary

Close to downtown San Jose Del Cabo is the San Jose Estuary and Bird Sanctuary. In the sanctuary you can find about 200 species of exotic birds which include egrets, herons and brown pelicans. You can rent a kayak to experience this sanctuary. Sunrise and sunset are the most scenic times to visit; however, if you are an avid bird watcher and want to see species and identify them, you may want to visit during daylight hours. There is a also an information center to answer any of your questions. Admission is free at the San Jose Estuary and Bird Sanctuary.

Visit Lover’s beach.

Lover’s Beach ( also known as Playa Del Amor) is another must, but to get to this beach you’ll need some kind of boat or kayak as the beach is not accessible by land. It is possible to hire a water taxi at the marina. Lover’s Beach is surrounded by towering rock formations and is hidden behind Cabo San Lucas’ landmark arch, El Arco at Land’s End. Be careful swimming here, the powerful waves and currents of the Pacific make swimming quite dangerous. You can view where the Pacfic and the Sea of Cortez meet. Lover’s beach offers many spectacular views.

Sun Cabo Vacations is your vacation rental specialist for the Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo Area. They specialize in luxury villas, resorts and condos in the Cabo San Lucas Area. Visit his website for more information on Cabo San Lucas.

[tags]Cabo San Lucas, vacation destination[/tags]

Now here is a subject that is open to lots of controversy. Anyone attempting to put “a stake in the ground” on this subject must be really brave - or incredibly stupid. You may see some bias here - four of the five are in the west, and four of the five run at least partially along water, and two, are Interstate highways - the nemesis of civil travel; so you may already disagree without even looking at the list.

Everyone has their one or two favorite highways, but after traveling over 50,000 miles in the contiguous 48-states, this is our consensus of “the best of the best.” See if you agree.

#5 - Interstate-84, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon (80 miles) It is hard to imagine that an interstate highway runs through this magnificent stretch of scenery that was only recently designated a National Scenic Area. The gorge is the only cut through the Cascade mountains near sea level and the gorge varies in depth up to 4,000 feet. It forms part of the state line between the states of Oregon and Washington and features waterfalls (Multnomah Falls), scenic view points (Crown Point), Cascade Peaks (notably Mt. Hood) and the mighty Columbia River.
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Oregon/columbia/Columbia_River.htm

#4 - Going to the Sun Highway, Glacier Park, Montana (51 miles) There are many engineering marvels throughout the US highways, but none rivals “the Garden Wall” climb from Apgar, MT at Lake McDonald to the Continental Divide at the top of Logan Pass. The highway took eleven years to build and was completed in 1932. In fact, if your vehicle is over 20 feet (including bumpers - they are very exact) or over 8 feet wide (including mirrors), you won’t be driving that portion of the highway. The scenery is unparalleled everywhere you look, and the wildlife is still abundant. http://visitmt.com/tripplanner/wheretogo/glacier.htm

#3 - Interstate 70, Salina to Green River, Utah (100 miles) Now the first thing some of you will say is, “why not keep going?” and yes, the section from Green River through the Glenwood Canyon to Vail - and beyond - is also eye-popping, but you’ve got to stop somewhere on this marvelous highway. The section chosen winds through the red rock country, skimming the edge of several national parks, and provides the highway traveler with turn after turn of vistas that are like watching a movie. http://www.rockymountainroads.com/i-070b_ut.html

#2 - Highway 1, “The Overseas Highway”, “The Keys,”Florida (120 miles) Where life still moves slowly on a two-lane road with 42 bridges and the bluest water in the states, the Florida Keys are the closest thing we have to the Caribbean. The Keys are composed of five areas, each boasting its own unique contribution to the area: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Lower Keys, and finally Key West. Only in Key West do they celebrate sunset every night with a party at the dock, and the sound of steel drums permeates the air. Here, everything having to do with water is available. Whether it is fishing, snorkeling/diving, kayaking, or simply bobbing around in the water, you’ll find what you want.
http://www.fla-keys.com/

#1 - Highway 1, Pacific Coast Highway, California (a little over 100 miles) Don’t let the distance deceive you - this is a three hour-plus trip. Unless you have no fear of heights, start in the south and go north - from Morro Bay to Carmel. Stop frequently to gawk. Feel the ocean wind and spray in your face. See the most incredible views this country has to offer. If you get tired of the outdoor beauty, stop at the Hearst Castle and take in the man-made beauty that William Randolph Hearst imported mostly from Europe for his castle by the sea. Gas up and grab some snacks before you leave, both are scarce along the way, but be sure to save room for lunch or dinner once you reach Big Sur or Carmel. Both have excellent choices and incomparable local ambiance.
http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2301/index.html

So there you have it - the experience of seasoned road warriors. One of the great things about road trips is the opportunity to explore new roads and towns, go places you’ve often been intrigued by in the Sunday paper. Sometime in your life, you have to find time to take a really long road trip. Thousands of miles, months of time; there is nothing like it. Only then will you truly experience being a kid again. We’ll await your list.

Phil and Carol White decided to live their road trip dreams when they retired, while they still had their health, stamina and sense of humor. All along the way people kept saying, “Oh, we’d love to do what you are doing, but what did you do about ” and the list would begin. When we returned home, we did some research and found that they was really no “handbook” to help people plan that dream trip - that long trip in the back of your mind. So we wrote Live Your Road Trip Dream so that you too could live your dreams.

[tags]road trips,RV trips,baby boomer travel,US travel,travel planning,road trip planning,travel budgets,t[/tags]

Coastal North Carolina - Area Information

The North Carolina coast - it’s adventure, romance, history, and a whole lot more! This is the perfect location for retirement or vacationing, and the good news is, properties are ready and waiting right now for the retiree, a second vacation home, or an investment in your future. Come for a few days and you’ll be certain to fall in love with this recreational paradise.

People love to come home to the Carolina Coast because it’s easily accessible from many East Coast locations, there are activities galore, and the area is simply stunning, there’s no other way to describe it. Fishing, boating, golf, beaches, museums, the area is rich in all these things and more. When you discover the Carolina Coast, you discover a wealth of outdoor and indoor delights for the entire family. You’ll also find upscale dining, marinas just waiting for that boat you’ve always wanted, hiking and biking trails, and just about any kind of recreational activity you can think of.

Brunswick County has been rated one of the top 10 beach vacation spots for families. Why? Because there’s something for everyone here! The Intercoastal Waterway abounds in family activities, Holden Beach is a great family beach waiting for discovery, and the area is chock full of parks, museums, shopping, and outdoor activities for every member of the family. Visit just once and you’ll be drawn back again and again. There are still great opportunities to buy vacation property in the area, so the entire family can retreat, regroup, and relax any time you choose.

Nearby Wilmington and the Cape Fear coast offer even more recreational opportunities. Enjoy a round of golf? You’re in luck. With nearly 50 public courses in the area, Wilmington’s courses are rated the eighth best metro golfing area in the nation because these area courses offer value, accessibility, and quality all rolled into one. Even if you’re not a golfer, you’ll find an overabundance of outdoor and indoor activities in the area. Tour historic districts, museums, and a Civil War battlefield if you’re a history buff. Shop ’til you drop at the many stores, boutiques, galleries, and craft shops in the area. Take in a show, cruise the river, rent a kayak, bike, hike, or just kick back and relax. You can do it all on the North Carolina Coast!

Now, picture yourself retiring to this glorious area. The golf, the sun, the beaches, and the cities beckon. You’ll never run out of activities here, and it’s becoming a favorite spot for baby boomers looking for the perfect retirement location. You’ll be close to all the services you desire, but still have room to breathe in the salt air. What could be better? In addition, Brunswick County has the highest price appreciation in the Carolinas, so your investment today will reap even more rewards in the years to come.

Why invest in real estate in this area? First, it’s an investment that will last a lifetime. Whether you choose to retire to the Carolina Coast or use your home as a second vacation destination, your investment will grow with time. Real estate prices have increased all over the country, but they are still reasonable in this area. In addition, the second home marketplace is actually even healthier than the primary home marketplace. People are investing in second homes; it’s as simple as that. In addition, the Carolina Coast is a baby boomers paradise, which is why more people are choosing this area to celebrate their golden years. If you buy now, your second home could turn into your retirement paradise in a few years. Top that off with one of the top five second home markets in the nation and you’ve found the perfect location to enjoy for years to come, and you can be assured your investment will only grow with time.

So, what are you waiting for? Check out the Carolina Coast! You may find your dream vacation home just waiting for you, and you’re certain to enjoy the activities, surroundings, and adventures that await every time you return.

For additional Information:
http://www.buyvacationcondos.com/CoastalCarolinaInfo

Doug Lasley
Real Estate Broker-Associate
http://www.LANDDepo.com
407-876-5771

[tags]North Carolina, Costal Carolina, investment, preconstruction, retirement, vacation, nc, wilmington[/tags]