NATURAL RESOURCES BOOK REVIEW.52 Great Weekend Escapes - Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, By Ray Bangs and Chris Becker (Insiders Guide), $15.95 This is a handy guide to a year's worth of mostly outdoor weekend adventures in Southern California - such as soaring in a sailplane sailplane: see glider. , rock climbing rock climbing Sports medicine An 'extreme sport' in which the participant climbs rock formations, with or without ropes Injury risk Fractures, abrasions, death. See Extreme sports. in Joshua Tree Joshua tree: see yucca. , whitewater rafting the Lower Kern, ballooning in Temecula and kayaking at Catalina. The activities are listed by season and difficulty. One could argue some omissions such as the Class V whitewater on the Upper Kern River, the surf schools in Santa Monica and Ventura or the world class soaring in and around the Antelope Valley, home to three major glider operations. There are also numerous minor errors: you don't have to wear a parachute when you fly in a glider (unless you're doing aerobatics aerobatics Sport of performing maneuvers such as rolls, loops, stalls, spins, and dives with an airplane. As an organized sport, rather than as an air show attraction (“stunt flying”), aerobatics began international competition in 1960 under the auspices of the ); you can legally fly a glider over 18,000 feet in a ``wave window''; backpackers' bear canisters are plastic, not metal, the southernmost steelhead run is in San Mateo Creek San Mateo Creek is a perennial stream that provides the only natural outlet of Crystal Springs Reservoir through the Crystal Springs Dam. The waters of Crystal Springs Reservoir consist of runoff from the eastern slopes of the Montara block of the Santa Cruz Mountains and imported , not Malibu Creek. These mistakes detract from the credibility of the book - the authors are from Arizona - perhaps they didn't spend enough weekends in Southern California. This is an excellent idea book for local outdoor adventures, just check the facts before you go. - Bill Becher ON THE INTERNET With all the snowfall, it might not be a bad idea to check out your skiing or snowboarding options while the powder is fresh. One of these options is the popular Mammoth resort area and a good way to get there is through www.mammothmountain.com. Upon entry, this Web site tells you what's going on What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Released on May 21, 1971 (see 1971 in music), What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. , quickly. For instance, you'll find how many inches of snowfall (10 during recent storm), weather, lift status, events dates and even job availability. Right above that menu is the daily snow report which discloses all new snow, storm total, base depth, daily photos and all surface conditions. One interesting feature is in the parks and pipes section. Here you can check out the ``Hit (jump) of the week'' as well as ``Team rider profiles'' which highlights the 2004-05 Mammoth team riders and their accomplishments. Viewers should find this Web site professional, easy to use without pop-ups or overzealous advertising. - Nathan Brown CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: no caption (Book: 52 Great Weekend Escapes - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA) Box: TUNE IN |
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