OUT LOOKS : A BOOK FOR HIKERS WHO WANT TO REST.Byline: Rich Martin Special to the Daily News Aren't there enough guidebooks on hiking in the Sierra Nevada Sierra Nevada, mountain range, Spain Sierra Nevada (syā`rä nāvä`thä), chief mountain range of S Spain, in Granada prov., running from east to west for c.60 mi (100 km), parallel to the Mediterranean Sea. mountains? Probably. But ``Hot Showers, Soft Beds, and Dayhikes in the Sierra'' (Wilderness Press Wilderness Press is a Berkeley, CA based publisher of outdoor guidebooks and maps founded by Thomas Winnett in 1967. Its first publication was Sierra North, considered the authoritative guidebook for hikers and backpackers in the Northern Sierra Nevada (U.S.). ; $16.95) treads into relatively unknown territory, combining reviews of hikes with suggestions for nearby lodging. It's an idea whose time has come. Most of the books out there either don't deal with places to stay or assume that hikers are hard-core backpackers who will camp along the way. ``Hot Showers'' by Kathy Morey is a useful guide for anyone who wants to enjoy tromping from Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney but doesn't feel like roughing it. The routes covered are 10 miles or shorter and include no more than 2,600 feet of elevation gain. The 360 pages are organized so that places to stay - from fancy resorts to cozy See COSE. motels Motels may refer to any of the following:
The text is well supplemented with easy-to-follow maps and strong photos. Don't ignore the glossary A term used by Microsoft Word and adopted by other word processors for the list of shorthand, keyboard macros created by a particular user. See glossaries in this publication and The Computer Glossary. . There are sections on best wildflower wildflower Any flowering plant that grows without intentional human aid. Wildflowers are the source of all cultivated garden varieties of flowers. A wildflower growing where it is unwanted is considered a weed. hike and vistas. You can even find the most beautiful Sierra drives and best fall-color hikes. Our rating: 4 stars Country chic has been in vogue of late, and ``Purple Heaven and Other Stories'' (John Culler cull tr.v. culled, cull·ing, culls 1. To pick out from others; select. 2. To gather; collect. 3. To remove rejected members or parts from (a herd, for example). n. & Sons; $21.95), collection of parable-like stories, appear to be part of the trend. But the tales are more like a trip to the boondocks gone terribly wrong than a pastoral dream - they seem to lead nowhere and you end worse off than if you had just stayed home. Author John Madison Culler uses the raw material of the rural South, but the musings just don't work. About the only element working for Culler is color, but, unfortunately, the tints don't fit well together. The title story is a drawn-out affair about a man who goes to heaven and finds every wish and whim whim n. 1. A sudden or capricious idea; a fancy. 2. Arbitrary thought or impulse: governed by whim. 3. A vertical horse-powered drum used as a hoist in a mine. catered to. It turns out to be on par with a ``Twilight Zone'' episode, but anyone interested might do better waiting for the next television marathon than buying this 144-page loser. Our rating: 1 star It's just as important to know the limitations of the global positioning systems Global Positioning System: see navigation satellite. Global Positioning System (GPS) Precise satellite-based navigation and location system originally developed for U.S. military use. as to realize its abilities. That crucial fact is at the heart of ``GPS Made Easy'' (The Mountaineers; $12.95). Hand-held GPS devices allow hikers, boaters and other recreationists to determine their exact positions at any time and in any weather. A receiver picks up signals from satellites, calculates the location and displays coordinates on a map. The system are favored by hang-gliding enthusiasts, anglers who want to return to their favorite fishing holes and search and rescue personnel. However, author Lawrence Letham cautions against a ``false sense of security.'' GPS is not enough, he claims. It is merely a supplemental tool; a map and compass are still required for those making their way across long stretches of wilderness. After all, GPS signals The Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites broadcast a variety of signals to receivers (termed the 'user segment' of the system) to enable the determination of location and synchronized time. can be blocked in dense forests and jungles. The 112-page book is a valuable aid for anyone considering a GPS or the new owner of such a device. Our rating: 3 stars CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: ``Hot Showers, Soft Beds, and Dayhikes in the Sierra'' has suggestions for nearby lodging. Bob Halvorsen / Daily News |
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