Over-Fifty Active Lifestyle
Advice, Stories And Tips
Fiftysense.net/Fiftysense.com is a website dedicated to assisting us Baby Boomers and beyond in finding the latest information on getting the most out of life for active seniors at any age. Our focus is in the fields of human powered Outdoor Activities and Adventure Travel, including Geo-caching, but we encourage people with experience in areas such as health, aging, humor, to share their advice and stories on any topic.
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This is a site of Boomers, by Boomers and for Boomers. We want everyone to understand that it's never too late to try something new. Won't it be great to have a place to go to find answers on evolving actively and pursuing new ideas, or just getting a good laugh by sharing a story? We know you are not only sitting on the front porch swing. Wait, are there even front porches anymore? There are many who have stories to tell, comments, and knowledge to share, so "Email Us your fifty sense!"
Are you ready for Spring?
Ah, March, the beginning of Spring – meteorologically, that is! Normally, December-January-February are the coldest months so spring begins in March. Of course, the astronomical start of spring isn’t until another three weeks. But odds are that much of the country can’t wait for more “normal” conditions to return. 56” of snow in D.C. this winter. Philadelphia recorded 78.7”. Hilo, Hawaii normally has 18.22” rain through February – this year just 1.66”. Three weeks ago, all 48 contiguous states recorded snow on the ground. Some climatologists have called this the “upside-down winter”.
While these conditions caused hardships in many parts of our country, they pale compared to the conditions experienced by the people of Haiti. Even though faced with severe conditions themselves, the American people from all around the country opened their hearts and extended their generosity to those in need.
Many of the Outdoor Retailer manufacturers were in the forefront of providing assistance. Here are just three examples. Reliance, in partnership with Pur, provided thousands of water purifying kits because a lack of drinkable water is one of the most serious problems in natural disasters such as this and this issue can’t wait for the infrastructure to be replaced.
Another example of corporate generosity was a new company named PiSAT, makers of a very fine quality solar-powered led light. Since electricity was basically non-existent for so long – and persists in many parts of the country – providing night time lighting was essential. PiSAT shipped hundreds of their lights. The number may not seem large but the effort was huge for a small company.
Superfeet employees came through with personal contributions to Doctors Without Borders to aid their efforts in Haiti and the company matched every dollar that was donated – a very sizable support package.
What’s New
Speaking of the Outdoor Retailers, fiftysense.com was once again present at the OR Winter Market trade show in Salt Lake City. Over 900 manufacturers displayed their new products for Fall and Winter, 2010. We examined amazing new fabrics made entirely of recycled plastic water bottles. Very efficient Coolers using straw for insulation. Bamboo as a versatile fabric for shirts, socks and many other applications because it’s easily renewable and anti-microbial.
An insulated vest that uses argon gas as an insulating material! A rooftop ski rack that fits in your glove compartment! Watches that incorporate GPS technology on your wrist! New technology in electric storage capacity is allowing companies to embed heating elements in hiking boots, vests, hats, outer layers of all sorts. And some of the lightest adventure luggage ever produced.
Watch our Product Review section in the coming months as we’ll be reviewing many of these great new products for your information.
Do the Pre-Hab to Avoid the Re-Hab !
Because of the weather and other circumstances, some of our Boomer buddies come out of winter semi-hibernation in less-than-ideal physical condition. Remember to use common sense in resuming your outdoor activities this spring. This begins with strengthening your core muscles and improving your balance. We all know the allure of thinking we can “just do it” like we used to.
Check out our Fitness Section for tips on preparing how to hit the trail-road-path-course without injuring yourself so you can have an enjoyable experience. Then go out and have fun!!
Our Featured Story:
Canoeing Ol' Man River
I began my Mississippi River journey on 17 July 1990 and completed it three and a half months later at the Head of the Passes to the Gulf of Mexico....
Our Look We have had a remarkable response to using the black background. We heard this saves energy, and in the meantime have found out the majority of readers who have commented on it say it is easier to read and stands out from other web sites. Note that a print-out of any of the pages will have a white background so you won’t be wasting ink!
