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From Ex-Con To Icon : The Inspiring Story Of Kali Muscles

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:50:00 +0000

If you haven't done time in jail or prison, you will never know the price of true freedom. I believe that nothing tests your strengths ( both physical and mental ) as much as being locked up 24/7

In solitary confinement you realize there is nobody to help you but yourself. There are two things that motivate people to make dramatic changes in their lives: inspiration or desperation. In prison it's both...

Below is an inspiring and motivational video of Kali Muscles. The journey of a man from the streets of Oakland, through solitary confinement of San Quentin, to becoming an icon to young kids to show that your environment doesn't define you, and your past doesn't define your future.

Coastal Carolina Sea Kayaking

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:07:00 +0000

Coastal Carolina Sea Kayaking with REI

Since I took my "Basic Sea Kayaking Class" a few yeas ago, I've been dreaming about going on a multi-day kayaking trip !
Ideally, I'd love to go island hopping in San Juan Islands.

Another great place to see unbelievable beauty and untouched wilderness is Coastal Carolina.

Coastal Carolina barrier islands provide some of the most spectacular wilderness ecosystems in the country, teeming with diverse wildlife and untouched shorelines.

Check out the video below, and if it's something you'd like to add to your Bucket List, visit REI.com to reserve your spot on this once-in-a-life time multi-day kayaking trip !

Your Second Amendment

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:59:00 +0000

I keep a gun because I'm too young to die, and too old to take an ass whooping'...

Stoked Daily

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:07:00 +0000

Tips On Visiting Yosemite National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Sun, 12 May 2013 04:08:00 +0000

Last summer I had an amazing opportunity to go on a road trip around Southwest. I had a privilege to visit Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. One of the goals of that road trip was to visit as many National Parks as possible.

Tip - If you're planning to visit multiple National Parks during your road trip, buy America the Beautiful National Parks Pass from REI.com ($80). It will save you money and time.

At one point, I was hesitating to visit Yosemite National Park, but stunning pictures like the one below changed my mind...

Also, it was quite convenient for me. Driving from Nevada/Arizona side, HWY 120 took me right through the heart of the park !

Tip - If you decide to drive to/around the park, choose off-peak hours ( before 9am, and after 7pm ). One line HWY is notorious for its traffic jams and slow driving.

Summer time is THE busiest! Quite often its hard to find an available camping spot. So, make your reservations ahead of time.

Tip - If you're XHyperActive/dirtbag like me, you can pitch your tent anywhere you want, and in the morning, will be rewarded with the most amazing views !

Camping/Paddleboarding Tenaya Lake

Yosemite National Park offers an abundance of activities and sightseeing destinations. Among the most popular are : rock climbing and hiking.

Have you heard of solo climbing ? Solo climbing represents the ultimate extreme in rock-climbing. Solo climbing (or soloing) is a style of climbing in which the climber climbs alone, without somebody belaying him. What if he falls down, you ask ? He dies-- no two ways about it.

Alex Honnold has made Yosemite popular by scaling the two most popular Yosemite big walls — Half Dome and El Capitan.

Tip - I wouldn't recommend to sacrifice your life for a ( breath-taking, once in a life time ) shot like this, and would suggest to hire a guide. There is a popular wall just minutes away from Camp 4/ Yosemite Village.

Hiking

Yes, you can definitely opt for hiking Half Dome, but... can you really call it hiking ?

Tip - If you have limited time for just one hike, make it Upper Yosemite Falls/Eagle Peak ! Why ?
Fewer crowds, and stunning view of Yosemite valley, and Half Dome !

Upper Yosemite Falls

On Top Of Eagle Peak

Fun fact : The setting sun illuminates one of the park’s lesser-known waterfalls so precisely that it resembles molten lava as it flows over the sheer granite face of the imposing El Capitan. A mid-February phenomenon!

Our Amazing World

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Sun, 12 May 2013 02:34:00 +0000

I realize I would never be able to visit all the beautiful places on our earth, but, nowadays, internet offers an amazing opportunity to, at least, learn about our planet, and all its unique places and spaces.

That's why I created a Pinterest board where I can share the beautiful pictures of places and spces I'd love to visit.

If you're like me, not only do you want to look at a "cool pic", but also, would love to know the story behind it.

So, as one of my favorite authors says : " Don't go to bed as dumb as you woke up" , in other words, learn something new every day...

Hiking, Backpacking, Camping Desolation Peak

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Sat, 11 May 2013 04:25:00 +0000

Have you been to the North Cascade National Park ?

Less than 3 hours from Seattle and about 6.2 miles (10.0 km) south of the Canadian border, the North Cascade NP is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex.

The park is most popular with backpackers and mountain climbers. One of the most popular destinations in the park is Cascade Pass, which was used as a travel route by Native Americans.

The North and South Picket Ranges, Mount Triumph, as well as Eldorado Peak and the surrounding mountains, are popular with climbers due to glaciation and technical rock. Mount Shuksan, in the northwest corner of the park, is one of the most photographed mountains in the country and the second highest peak in the park 9,127 ft or 2,782 m.

Another popular attraction in the the North Cascade Mountains is Desolation Peak.

Desolation Peak Trail, is a steep hike to high meadows, great views and the iconic fire lookout where Jack Kerouac spent 63 days during the summer of 1956 as a fire lookout on Desolation Peak. He wrote about his experiences in the books Lonesome Traveler, The Dharma Bums and Desolation Angels.

I read somewhere that in summer time you can still rent the fire lookout and a spend a couple nights "in solitude".

TGIA : Thank God I'm Alive !

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:12:00 +0000

... believe it or not, for a long time I didn't know what TGIF stands for :) , and once I knew, I couldn't understand why so many people thanked God for only Friday ( I haven't had a FT job for a very long time :))

If you're only thankful for weekends, it means only one thing...you hate your job, and you spend a huge chunk of your lifetime doing something that kills your soul.

Stop living for TGIF and the weekend! Stop waiting, and start living today, every day !

Is Mark Zuckerberg XHyperActive ?

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:22:00 +0000

Hypomania (literally, "below mania") is a mood state characterized by persistent and pervasive elevated (euphoric) or irritable mood, as well as thoughts and behaviors that are consistent with such a mood state. It is most often associated with the bipolar spectrum. Many who are in a hypomanic state are extremely energetic, talkative, confident, and assertive.

In his book The Hypomanic Edge,psychologist John Gartner claims notable people including Christopher Columbus, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Carnegie, and Louis B. Mayer owe their innovation and drive, as well as their eccentricities, to hypomanic temperaments. Gartner suggests that the constructive behaviors associated with hypomania may contribute to bipolar disorder's evolutionary survival.

Among modern people with hypomania are Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Bill Clinton, Charlie Sheen,and Mark Zuckerberg. Not sure about others, but it does look like Mark Zuckerberg fits the description...

Why You Should Scuba Dive

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Try Scuba Diving In Washington For Just $29.99 !

There's plenty of adventure to be had underwater. There is a whole other world out/down there and it is so close. So close that you do not even have to go deep to find a whole lot of different life. It is incredible to believe what you can see underwater.

So, why should you scuba dive ?

Adventure - Every dive holds surprises.
Freedom - You really do leave the surface world behind.When you are diving you enjoy being able to move freely in 3 dimensions.
Nature - The aquatic world if full of fascinating plant and animal life as a diver you get to enjoy all of these attractions from the smallest visible life forms to the largest.
Photography/Videography - It's a great way to relive the adventures you’ve had. Plus capture images to share with your friends and family.

Underwater videos are a great way to share the sounds, motion and dynamics of the underwater world:

Interested in learning more about scuba in Washington state ? Check out our great deals on XHyperActive Adventures !

There's No Excuse Not To Become An Extraordinary Parent

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:06:00 +0000

"There is no greater leadership challenge than parenting."
~ Jim Rohn

Best Washington Hikes : Rattlesnake Ledge, Si, Little Si Mountains, Mailbox Peak

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:02:00 +0000

After rafting, hiking was the second outdoor activity I got to try.

Among the best hiking trails close to Seattle are : Rattlesnake Ledge, Si, Little Si Mountains, Mailbox Peak, Tiger, Squak and Cougar mountains. They are easily accessible, and suitable for anybody in a relatively good fitness shape ( I did Si and Little Si mountains on the same day ).

Though, honestly, I consider hiking to be a bit boring, it's a great way to stay in shape, get outdoors without spending tons of money on expensive gear, and meet new like-minded people.

Since I'm hoping to climb Mt Adams, Baker, and ,may be, go back to Rainier, I'm going on a few training hikes soon.

Mt Si remains the best training ground for anybody getting ready to summit Mt Rainier.

Diving Titlow Beach, Tacoma Wa

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:00:00 +0000

SCUBA DIVING CLASSES IN SEATTLE FOR $29.00

Titlow Beach is located along Puget Sound near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. On a nice sunny day the park offers an amazing view of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The scenery is breathtaking ! Puget Sound has many excellent beginner dive training sites, and Titlow Beach ranks as one of the best.

It was my first time "diving" at Titlow Beach.

From what I heard, the main attraction here is a chance to meet face to face with the infamous Giant Pacific Octopus. Some lucky divers report sighting specimens with an arm span of more than 10 feet/3 meters. That translates into a whopping 100 pounds/45 kg or more! During the day, these naturally shy creatures can be found sleeping in narrow crevices under rocky ledges. At night, they venture out from their lairs to hunt.

Another attraction is the spectacular piling breakwater that has been over grown by plumose anemones and a host of other sea life. This breakwater has been nicknamed the Cathedral by divers in the area. Though shallow (30-40ft), the view is beautiful and there is a large variety of fish and invertebrates at this site.

If you want to learn about different species of life under the sea, this is a great place to go and learn. Here quillback rockfish, lingcod, greenling fish abound, along with wolf eels, sea stars and nudibranchs.

Due to current potential this site is more suitable for advanced divers. Some divers enjoy this dive in the current as a chance to drift dive but be advised, it can really move here and caution should be taken when planning the dive.

Dive Minnow Caves, Key Largo, FL

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:06:00 +0000

SCUBA DIVING CLASSES IN SEATTLE FOR $29.00

True what they say : "There is a whole new world down there ! " I beat myself up every day for not being able to go scuba diving while in Florida :(

Well, that's what my Bucket List is for...

If you are a recreational diver or just thinking about trying our scuba diving, I recommend adding "Scuba diving in Florida" to your Bucket List !

Minnow Cave is one of the best-known coral caves in the Florida Keys, and is home to many of the namesake species. The cave is part of the Northern Dry Rocks, which is a shallow reef with depths up to fifteen feet. The reef is smaller than the Key Largo Dry Rocks but offers everything except for the well-known Christ of the Deep statue. However, divers may prefer this site if they are not particularly interested in the statue and are looking for a less populated location.

The filtered sunlight and shallow depth also makes this a great spot for snorkeling. Divers at this site will be amazed by the slick movements of the glass minnows that hover around the opening to the cave. Groupers and great barracuda are also commonly seen here. Divers who choose to explore crevices will find Florida's spiny lobster hiding away. This is a great dive for those looking to avoid heavy traffic but still experience a beautiful location.

The reef is marked off by three mooring buoys with the letter "N" inscribed upon them. This area contains a .05 square nautical mile Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA) which is marked by yellow buoys.

Admit It, You Are Not Like Them : YOU ARE XHYPERACTIVE

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:25:00 +0000

“Admit it. You aren’t like them. You’re not even close. You may occasionally dress yourself up as one of them, watch the same mindless television shows as they do, maybe even eat the same fast food sometimes. But it seems that the more you try to fit in, the more you feel like an outsider, watching the “normal people” as they go about their automatic existences. For every time you say club passwords like “Have a nice day” and “Weather’s awful today, eh?”, you yearn inside to say forbidden things like “Tell me something that makes you cry” or “What do you think deja vu is for?”. ― Timothy Leary

Think for yourself. Doubt everything. Find your own light...

"Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:34:00 +0000

"The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Hike, Kayak Or Paddleboard Kalapana Lava In Hawaii

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:30:00 +0000

You know how you set one goal/dream, and then, on your way to reach it, you realize it's not grand enough ?

I've never been to Hawaii, and while planning my tip, among "must do things" like surfing in Oahu, or scuba diving in Maui, I also wanted to see the famous Kilauea Volcano.

Kīlauea, being the only volcano in the world that is simultaneously active enough to be interesting, docile enough to be harmless, and carefully monitored enough to be approachable, is a major part of the island's tourist draw.

All I wanted was to hike to the top, and snap a few pictures, very harmless, totally touristy thing to do...

Then I saw this photo and watched this video...

I mean, how awesome is it to be as close to erupting volcano as this ?!!!

Would you put it on your Bucket List ?

Spear Hunting On One Breath

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 01:53:00 +0000

Spear fishing and ( may be ) free-diving are among a few new adventures I added to my Bucket List.

While for somebody like me, those are just adventures, for some people around the world, fishing still remains the main way to provide for themselves and their families.

For example, the Bajau people of South-East Asia live in stilt houses and fish underwater. Sometimes known as the sea gypsies of Malaysia and Indonesia, they are renowned natural freedivers. Traditionally, they are born, live and die at sea, and fish by diving 20m (more than 65ft) underwater for minutes at a time on one breath.

Below is an amazing video of a Bajau fisherman who free-divers to 20 meters to catch a fish.

Oregon Windsurfing: Pistol River State Park

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Last year I wrote about my visit to Hood River in Oregon that some of the most hard-core sailors call the windsurfing capital of the world, thanks to the incredible gorge winds that blow along the Columbia River.

Another popular windsurfing spot in our neighboring state is Pistol River State Park which is set in the dunes of the southern Oregon coast.

Ocean windsurfing is so good here it has become the location for several national championships. According to the representatives of the American Windsurfing Tour Pistol River offers “some of the gnarliest sailing you are going to find” and that “it blows hard and it blows hard a lot”.

TOMORROW MAY NEVER COME

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:38:00 +0000

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow". ~ Gandhi

Winter Airstream camping and riding Mt. Baker

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 03:33:00 +0000

I wouldn't say Mt Baker is a very popular ski area in Washington state. It is is one of the snowiest places in the world. Tons of fresh untouched snow and a (relatively)small group of locals. And this is the way we like it.

Once a year it gets extremely crowded during the annual Ski-To-Sea rally, but other than that, it's a "locals' mountain" with cheap lift tickets, short lines, and easily accessible backcountry.

As part of my Bucket List commitment ( "Ski/ride at every ski area in Washington state" ), I visited this area a couple years ago ( Epic Skiing Mt Baker ).

Here you can check out another story about visiting Mt Baker in style that I'm still dream to make t happen ....

Stoked Daily

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:04:00 +0000

... I wish my eyes could take pictures...

Spring Pow Days At the Summit At Snoqualmie

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 01:07:00 +0000

Spring at The Summit - temps dropping, snow falling, going whiteout!

This time of year, would you rather have a classic spring day of sun and slush, or a last minute deep storm day with plenty of fresh pow?

The last two weekends at the Summit were amazing !

The best part ? No crowds !!!

I really hope we will have another epic year, and will ski all the way into summer !

Motivation alone is not enough

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 23:10:00 +0000

"Motivation alone is not enough. If you have an idiot and you motivate him, now you have a motivated idiot." ~ Jim Rohn.

Stoked Daily

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Frolov) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 03:05:00 +0000

...today was a good day...