LABOR DAY WEEKEND - END OF A SEASON

Photo - HSA

The End of Summer is Here

Labor Day Weekend is upon us; the traditional North American weekend that, for all intents and purposes, signifies the end of summer.

While the calendar may say otherwise, for most school children, parents, and vacationers the season is done.

The long weekend is the last opportunity for many to enjoy one last day at the beach, one last weekend camping, or some other adventure before the fall season will be upon us.

While Fall and Winter have their own grandiose adventure opportunities such as skiing, snowboarding, winter hikes and such, it is Summer that has always allowed many of us the most joy.

So as we say goodbye to a spectacular season, HSA asks everyone to do something fun this weekend... do something challenging... give yourself a reason to say that you enjoyed the summer...

In fact, it could be a perfect opportunity to take us up on the HSA Challenge... either way, leave a reply to this post, or hit us up on our Facebook page and tell us what you did with your Labor Day Weekend.

As we here at Human Spirit of Adventure are quite fond of saying, "What Will You Do???"

 

WARRIOR WOUNDS...

Photo: HSA

Warrior Wounds - Post your Pics

Warrior wounds... we all get them. To an adventurer, its just part of the lifestyle. Cuts, bruises, blisters, and broken bones, while painful at the time, eventually remind us of the things we've done and the places we've been. Scars serve as a trophy for pushing ourselves to go farther and higher.

I got this one while sending a little boulder in one of the city parks on Padre Island. It seems someone had fun breaking beer bottles at the top of the boulder...

HSA would love to see pics of your warrior wounds!

Post pics of your wounds on our Facebook Page and tell us how you got them... It's not adventure without a little blood!

www.facebook.com/Humanspiritofadventure

What Will You Do???

TIME WARP TUESDAY - HURRICANE IKE

Video From The Vault: Aftermath (Hurricane Ike 2008)

Today's Time warp Tuesday takes us back to 2008 and Hurricane Ike.

This video from HSA predecessor Texas Surf TV, shows some Texas waves and the destruction left along the coast by that massive storm.

Watch and Enjoy!!!

Aftermath from Sirfur Productions on Vimeo.

TIPS AND TRICKS: FOOT CARE FOR ADVENTURERS

Photo Courtesy: takealonghike.com

Take Care of Your Feet

There is no tool or equipment more essential to an adventurer than their feet. If your feet are not healthy, it rips the fun out of any adventure.

No matter the sport, if you hike, ski, swim, bike, surf, or anything else, your feet are essential to achieving your goals. 

When I was going through Army basic training at Ft. Benning GA and the first 20 mile road march was coming up, the Drill Sergeants gave us all plenty of good advice about preventing and managing blisters. They suggested keeping our feet clean and dry, wearing two pairs of socks, using mole skin on the hot spots, changing socks during the march, and finally (believe it or not) wear pantie hose. Yes, pantie hose.

Naturally, a bunch of testosterone-filled, infantry trainees were going to have no part of wearing pantie hose... till the second road march came along. As it turned out, pantie hose help considerably in preventing blisters and also improve circulation to the legs.

These days however, technology has much improved socks, boots, and other things that will help prevent blisters on your feet, but certain needs still must be addressed... like proper fitting footwear and keeping your feet clean and dry.

BMC out of the UK has a great article on their website about help with foot care on the trail. 

Their article explains some of the painful details about friction blisters, risk factors, prevention, treatment, complications, and more...

Check it out at the link HERE... Warning: Graphic pics ahead

Take care of your feet adventurers... they are an essential resource!

ROAD TRIP: SOUTH PADRE WRAP UP

Photo: HSA

Road Trip Wrap Up: South Padre Island

As mentioned in our earlier post, we found ourselves on a road trip to South Padre Island for a little fun and adventure. It was a nice getaway.

We set out on Friday around noon on the 3 hour drive to our destination. When we arrived we were greeted by the beautiful blue water of SPI's end of the Laguna Madre. Traffic wasn't too bad as we crossed the Queen Isabella Causeway and ventured into town to check in at the hotel.

The room was not quite ready when we arrived so we stopped in at a local B&G for a cocktail and chips with salsa while we waited. The weather was hot and breezy with the taste of excitement in the air.

After checking in, we cruised around town seeing the sights and eventually made our way to Isla Blanca Park for a little beach time and a healthy swim. Afterward we returned to the hotel for showers and proceeded to dinner at Louie's Backyard. We were seated at a perfect table to view the regular Friday night fireworks display, which was fairly impressive. We enjoyed the outdoor dining atmosphere and ate our fill on the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet.
I highly recommend Louie's if you are ever in South Padre.

After dinner and a few more drinks, we went back to the hotel to rest up for the next day.

On Saturday we awoke ready for breakfast. We ate a nice little breakfast at a quaint little outdoor spot with a beach view and a total island vibe.
Afterward we made our way back to Isla Blanca for a day at the beach. The original plan had called for surfing, but the tropical disturbance that had been brewing in the Yucatan had fizzled by Saturday morning and the waves were not to be had. So we made up for it with a day of relaxing on the beach, drinking Sangria, and enjoying the beautiful blue waters of the southern Gulf of Mexico.

Sunday morning called for us to pack our bags for it was the last day there. But not all adventure was lost. After breakfast we boarded a catamaran and set off into Laguna Bay for a snorkeling adventure.
The bay had amazing clarity and we were able to enjoy the abundance of sea life. See a couple of screen grabs below...


It was a great trip for a weekend getaway. I lead an island lifestyle regularly, but it was great to get away from my regular beaches for a bit. Adventure is around every corner... all you have to do is look!

Photo: HSA

ROAD TRIP: SOUTH PADRE ISLAND

Courtesy - Mexicotime.net

Time to Hit the Road...

I love a good road trip! Hitting the road to a destination that will bring fun and adventure is a part of the human spirit. 

The road calls us. It beckons us. Indeed it is etched in our spirit just as it is etched into the landscape.

This weekend a road trip will lead me to South Padre Island for a weekend of fun and adventure on the white sandy beaches of South Texas. Adventure awaits with a decent surf forecast, blue waters for snorkeling, and maybe even parasailing if the opportunity presents itself.

Will update later with pics and a wrap up of the trip...

Mahalo!

TIME WARP TUESDAY: VIDEO FROM THE VAULT - Liners 2010

Video From The Vault: Liners - 2010

It is time for Time Warp Tuesday... this is where we at HSA do a throwback kind of thing and post up something from past adventures.

Never heard of it?

That's because this is our first time...

Today we are posting a video from HSA's forerunner, Texas Surf TV. This video is appropriately titled "Liners".  It features a fun little bit of surf... Texas style! Filmed at Packery Channel in Corpus Christi TX during the Spring of 2010.

ENJOY!

Liners from Sirfur Productions on Vimeo.

TAKE THE HSA CHALLENGE: What Will You Do???

Take the HSA Challenge!!!

What is the HSA Challenge you ask? Well, simply put, We here at Human Spirit of Adventure challenge our blog readers, our Facebook followers, and indeed the world, to put a little adventure into your lives. All too often people are bound to their desks, chained to their cell phones, or glued to the TV. Many of those people say to themselves, "If I only had the time I would do ______." Yet, for some reason, they never do.

In comes the HSA Challenge...

We challenge you, our readers and fans, to add some adventure to your lives and document it for the world to see. Here is the concept...

• Pick at least one day each week to do something adventurous
• Document the adventure with photos or video
• Share the adventure with us on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Humanspiritofadventure)
• And (most important of all)... HAVE FUN

That all there is to it...

Pics do not have to be professional quality... they can be shot with a cell phone in the crappiest conditions. Vids don't have to be professionally shot or edited... this is NOT an editing contest.

This is about human beings breaking away from self-imposed bondage and servitude by injecting fun and adventure into their lives. It's about rekindling that spark down deep within all of us. It's about showing the world that the human spirit is still alive.

I hope that you will all join us in this endeavor...

VIDEO: "LIFE RECLAIMED" Trailer 1

Here it is! The first trailer from the HSA Documentary "Life Reclaimed". "Life Reclaimed" is an inspirational adventure documentary based on the premise that "Nature is Greater than Therapy". It covers the story of a man who lost everything he worked a lifetime to aquire and his fight to reclaim his life from depression, devestation, and lonliness by getting back to his roots in adventure sports.






 
HSA Trailer1B from Sirfur Productions on Vimeo.