|
December 30, 2000.
Great information, but not as helpful as it could be..
Rating: 4
The trail descriptions are great. The maps are great. The depth is great.BUT, there are two things this book is missing that any good hiking book has. Each and every trail description in this book has a 'quick glance' section which lists a quick description, general location, maps, special attractions, difficulty, season and contacts for more information - BUT not trail LENGTH or an estimated time to complete! You have to read the entire description to find the length and probably won't find an estimate of the time required. Sure, this is OK if your friend recommended hike 'X' and you want to look it up. But, it is terrible if you are looking for a hike of, say, 6 miles that you can complete in 3 hours. It's just not readily available - you'd have to read the whole book! Even better, many guides have an index of sorts where you can see this information (and the availablity of backcountry campsites) for all trails at a glance, then go to the specific trail(s) that interest you. This is what this otherwise great guide is missing. I returned mine and picked up 'Trails of Western Idaho' by Margaret Fuller instead - which does contain this information. Ms. Fuller's book is older (1992 vs. 1995 for this Falcon Guide), but not terribly so. She has some newer revisions for her other quides and I'm hoping this one will be reviced soon as well!
December 30, 2000.
Good general guide to hiking Idaho.
Rating: 4
Falcon's guides are consistently good references to the areas they cover, and this is no exception. Reading it will inform you about the many excellent wilderness hiking opportunities in this beautiful state. For more specifics on an area, like the Sawtooths, also consider one of Lynn Stone's books, like Hiking Idaho's Sawtooth Country.
December 06, 2007.
Living in the shadow of the mountain and one's father .
Rating: 3
An absorbing tale of adventure and exorcising personal demons. John Harlin III is an outdoorsman and mountain climber and successfully navigated climbing the face of the Eiger, where his own father had died some forty years earlier. Notwithstanding the book's subtitle, the mountain did not kill his father, a broken rope led to his father's fall.
In any event, the reader does not get the impression that the younger Harlinis obsessed by any particular Oedipal complex. We can empathize with his plight of living in the shadow of an iconic, larger-than-life mountain climber. At one point in his life, he is tormented by the question, "What have you done in life, other than be the son of a famous man?"
We may all overtly or subliminally have the challenge of surpassing the accomplishments of our fathers. John Harlin III provides a touching memoir of struggle and transcendence, freeing himself from the haunting memories of his father's unsuccessful attempt to climb a mountain that became his obsession.
December 27, 2007.
A SON FACES HIS FATHER'S DEATH, OBSESSION, & HISTORY ON THE EIGER DEATH WALL.
Rating: 5
Five FATEFUL Stars!! "The EIger Obsession" is written by John Harlin III, the moutaineering son of the famous American Alpine big wall climber John Harlin II and recounts the Harlin family's involvement with life, love, death, and the world of climbing over the decades. He focuses mainly on the general climbing history of the Swiss rockface called "the Eiger" (aka "the Ogre") and the Harlin family legacy surrounding this imposing and unforgiving rockwall's routes, among others. John Harlin II, an audacious larger-than-life character, was the 28th person to die on the Eiger in an accident: by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was attempting his self-conceived "Direttissima'" (direct) route, "straight up" the center of the 6000 ft wall, with most of the climbing world aware of the attempts. Harlin joined a long line of famous climbers who were either successes like the famed Heinrich Harrer who was amongst four in the 'first to the top' group in 1938, or failures like the equally famous Toni Kurz, who with the other three members of his team dead including Hinterstoisser, was trapped by an ice storm and with a horribly frostbitten hand, he would die inches from rescuer's hands, tearing at the knotted rope that sealed his fate with his teeth. The elder Harlin fit both categories, success and failure. The stories are mesmerizing, as are the stories of the Harlin family coping with circumstance and the Eiger route attempts by the father and, decades later, the son.
Climbers all over the world, even those who have never been to Europe, can recite from memory the features of the Classic Route of the Eiger: "the Difficult Crack", "Rote Flüh" (Red Crag), the 'point of no return' "Hinterstoisser Traverse", "the White Spider", "the Death Bivouac", "the Swallow's Nest", "the Traverse of the Gods", and so on, up to the "Exit Cracks", recounted here in intense, vivid detail. Harlin tells us the stories and difficulties which drew many famous climbers to attempt the Eiger as a test of will and ability. Harlin II had already climbed the Classic Route and had been on the mountain many times, but his "Direct Route" 'upped the ante' considerably and Harlin assembled a 'crack team' that included Americans (himself and rock technician Layton Kor) and Europeans (Sir Chris Bonington and Dougal Haston) to climb it. The book details how after Harlin II perished, a combined team, cut off from retreat and having to literally finish the route to save their lives, did so while suffering greatly, and named the "John Harlin Direttissima Route" in his honor. Also how the family fared after his death over the years.
In the book, Harlin III, now a 50 year old expert climber in his own right, admits he has been obsessed by his father's death and the Eiger's 6000 foot deadly wall. "I can't go climbing without Dad's shadow hanging over me. And I love that shadow as much as it appalls me." With his own wife and daughter watching through the telescope at the world-famous Kleine Scheidegg, this book puts you on the mountain during the climb, as John Harlin III attempts to complete the Classic route and deal with it's many psychological implications. For many of us, decades after his father's death, this book finally gives closure to the John Harlin-Eiger story. Meanwhile the Eigerwand continues to lure climbers with the death toll now in the 60's at this point in time, and despite the recent availability of helicopter rescues, some of the unprepared and unlucky climbers will continue to perish. Kudos to John Harlin III for an excellent climbing and life experience book. My Highest Recommendation!! Five "White Knuckled" Stars!!
December 13, 2007.
Good for a quick read..
Rating: 3
The book is a bit outdated by today's standards but still presents a few good tips aimed squarely at the beginner. An updated version with a greater emphasis on current trends (the plethora of clipless pedals and the proliferation of full-suspension rigs, as well as the concept of cyclocross) would probably help to advance the level of content just enough to entice beginners and those in the first year or two of their riding development.
December 24, 2006.
Boring and dry.
Rating: 1
I wish there was a more helpful review from this website before I purchased the book, the only reason i am looking at the book on amazon right now is to check how much money i wasted. 10 dollars which is alright iwth me. i'll still read it, thru the course of the yeaer maybe.
honestly, this book cant be applied to me. It is written by a road biker gone mountain biking and maybe it will be more suitable for the same type of ppl. He starts off really dry and comparing everything to the feel and how its done in the flip side of road biking.
the book contains this ridiculous 3 month day by day guideline of how you should approach the mountain biking and the sectoin about choosing ur mountain bike and etc is just plain ambiguous and unhelpful.
i dont mean to bag on this book but after reading other Books (like lee/lopez's mtb skills) i was blown away at literary style along with EXCELlent application to beginners and pros. and its downright fun to read. makes me not wanna go back to this purple book but i will after i finsih lee's.
i know this wasnt a helpful review either but please consider reading INSIDE the book before purchasing. i learned my lesson.
December 08, 2006.
flat.
Rating: 2
uninspiring, superficial, low level. Better to get Zinn or Nealy.
December 01, 2005.
Book is okay!.
Rating: 3
The book is okay. However, the illustrations could have been a bit better. In addition, the book kinda drags towards the end when the pros give their own tips.
December 11, 2004.
Great Learner Book and Intermediate SKill Honer.
Rating: 5
I initially bought this book for my fiance who says I sound condescending when I try to teach her something and ended up enjoying it myself. I would describe myself as an intermediate(Only because my conditioning sucks) to expert rider. I found the book to be entertaining and it helped point out some things I was doing wrong, such as ride preparation, and some things I want to do better such as long climbs and how to pace them and keeping motivation. I find the book is pointed towards experienced trail riders who might be just a beginner to slightly more extreme conditions such as climbs, descents, drops, corners, logs, etc. or want to learn proper form for traversing said conditions to become more of a finesse rider(Of which I am not).I find the caption on the cover is a little misleading. It might make one thing the book is specifically aimed at experts, which it is not. Insted of saying "Expert Tips...", I think it should say "Tips From Experts...". In my opinion this is a book most riders right from beginner to expert should be able to learn something from. They try to keep the tone light and even comedical times. This makes it enjoyable to read. It's broken up as such to keep it interesting and allow you to skip the sections you're not interested in without missing anything that might be important. I can't wait to give it to my fiance to see what she thinks. Highly recommended!!!
December 16, 2007.
Another class act.
Rating: 5
I don't know how anybody could go wrong buying this book ! I purchased Ted's first book Canoecraft way back in 1983 and it's covers are well worn a great book .It was the definative book at its time and I feel that Kayak Craft is the same today . If someone isn't able to build a kayak from this book ,then they aren't trying or shouldn't be trying .
I built several canoes with Ted's fist book and never bought a plan ever .
If you read thuroughly and pay attention it won't be hard.
Don't be afraid of this book . I'm glad I bought it the only way that this book could be better for me is if the very numerous and professional pictures were color . This is a very thorough book with nothing missing .
December 10, 2007.
Kayakcraft: Fine Woodstrip Kayak Construction.
Rating: 5
This book is a must in any kayak builder's library. Very well written with clear comments on each stage of kayak construction, supplemented with excellent photographs. In addition, one can find in this book a detailed instruction on the stapleless kayak construction method and a miriad of practical tips on, among others, strongback assembly, sanding techniques, decorative methods of stripping and so on. A wealth of author's experiences talk through the pages. There is one feature of this book that makes it different from other Books on kayak construction. The method of construction described allows one to build a kayak completely in two parts (hull and deck, inside and outside) and join them as the very last step by a simple glueing method. I built my first kayak using a different method and ended up with a pain in the neck and lower back supplemented by contortionist's skills while trying to finish the work inside the joined deck and hull.
While there is no book that tells everything on kayak construction this one comes close as an excellent reference for a novice and experienced builders alike.
As a suplementary reading, I would strongly recomment another book by Ted Moores "Canoecraft" with its excellent coverage of wood stripping and, in particular,fiberglassing techniques.
December 27, 2006.
A neat book and an overly neat kayak builder!.
Rating: 4
This book is a pretty comprehensive and helpful overview of wood strip kayak building, although for my liking the designs are pretty dated. There are more modern building methods around, but this is a solid treatment of the subject nevertheless. The author would have to be the neatest builder I have ever seen, alternatively all the shots are staged. I cannot believe someone keeps his workshop so clean and neat!!
December 30, 2006.
Kayakcraft: Fine Woodstrip Kayak Construction.
Rating: 5
Excellent info with great step by step insturctions with a great deal of detail and photos to eliminate most questions on construction. A must read for anyone interested in building their own strip Kayaks.
December 26, 2005.
A thorough approach to strip kayak building.
Rating: 5
Moores approaches KayakCraft with the thoroughness of CanoeCraft. This is a very detailed and well illustrated treatment of the subject. I had no difficulty understanding Moores' tables of offsets (the Appendix is helpful), but I have some lofting experience. You could build using this book alone. This book is a good value and a worthwhile addition to my boatbuilding library.
December 10, 2004.
great book for an ocean study.
Rating: 4
Dolphin Talk is a lively and very kid-friendly book with cheerful illustrations that kids will enjoy and learn from. The book teaches us that dolphins are a lot like humans. They communicate by clicking sounds and echolocation, instead of words like we do. The book is part of the Let's Read and Find out science series.This story is a great book for kids who are intersted in dolphins. The information is presented in a kid friendly way making it easy for young children to grasps the concept of echolocation. I recommend this book to parents and teachers of kids ages 5-9. This book would make a great read aloud during an ocean unit.
December 27, 2003.
Dolphin Talk- Whistles Clicks and Clapping Jaws.
Rating: 5
In this beautifully written Read and Find Out, by Wendy Pfeffer, readers discover how dolphins communicate.Ms. Pfeffer sets the scene by telling us the dolphin's underwater world is alive with sound; crashing waves, crackle of snapping shrimp, songs of humpbacks, the shrieks of killer whales. In lively language we learn how they whistle at one another - the mother's whistle so distinctive that her child recognizes it at once and whistles back! Pfeffer explains carefully how the dolphin communicates in the dark, with clicks from its airsacs to its melon,(located on the head)And children will delight to hear that naughty dolphins are disciplined by mother shaking her head up and down. Dolphin Talk is a perfect read before a trip to the ocean, to the aquarium,and anytime one wants to find out about sea creatures! A Bucks County School Librarian
December 18, 2007.
A reference must-have for elementary and beyond.
Rating: 5
What a fantastic tome, all five pounds of it. Pages are packed with illustrated information in full color. The kids beg to look over the book, and ask for more information from the highlights. In addition, they're learning geography, as each page shows a world map with the habitat range.
Thirty years ago, a book of this caliber would have cost hundreds of dollars. Thank goodness that the world economy supports lower prices now.
December 28, 2006.
Great book for artists.
Rating: 5
I bought this as a Christmas present an artist, and it is a perfect reference book for her work. Thousands of great color illustrations, with fascinating facts to go with them. Highly recommended.
December 06, 2006.
great animal encyclopedia.
Rating: 4
We got this book when my daughter was between 2 and 2.5, and it quickly became one of her favorites. It is loaded with full color photos that kids love (although most pictures are color illustrations), and encourages them to learn their animals. She knows animals my 13 year old sister never even heard of. This isn't even a children's book. It is a real encyclopedia with real facts about the animals. I have a couple of complaints, though: 1) it is not as complete as I would like (I've noticed it's missing quite a few animals) and 2) it does not give all of the same info for all of the animals. Some are much more complete than others, and it doesn't much allow for comparisons. However, this seems to be the best animal encyclopedia out there, and we definitely enjoy it.
December 24, 2006.
For kids from 5 to 50.
Rating: 5
This is a detailed book on every kind of animal (small lizards to elephants, lots of birds.) With a lot of pictures and selective paraphrasing from a few captions, it would entertain a four-year-old, yet there's enough detail a high school kid could use it for term papers. Great bargain. Big, beautiful, dense book.
December 24, 2005.
A superb introduction to life on Earth.
Rating: 5
Animals, birds, insects, fishes and reptiles have always fascinated people. This book provides as comprehensive a guide as it is reasonably possible to do on such a broad subject in a single book. There are plenty of photographs and drawings to support the text. All of it is well laid out and easy to read.
The overview at the beginning of the book makes clear that the co-authors believe in Darwin's theory of evolution, acknowledging the alternative theory of creation but being somewhat dismissive of it. This overview also covers biology, habitat and endangered species as well as evolution.
Anybody wishing to read it from cover to cover faces a daunting (albeit very enjoyable) prospect - however, the book is structured in such a way that you can dip into the book for the information you want and usually find it easily (though I wonder how many people would know to look for rabbits under their group name lagomorphs), with separate sections for each main category of creature and each section sub-divided appropriately.
Understandably, the biggest main section is devoted to mammals. Here you will find six pages devoted to the dog family, ten to the cat family and three to horses and related species. Obviously, a book like this can never offer much more than an appreciation of the diversity of life on our planet, but in this it does an excellent job. The pictures should appeal to people of all ages including even small children, thus helping to interest them in the subject. The text is not too technical so all readers can expand their knowledge via this book.
Of course, you can explore the natural world in greater detail by collecting Books devoted to birds, butterflies, cats, dogs, horses, fishes or whatever appeals to you, but for such a wide-ranging book about animal life, this is as good as any I've seen.
December 04, 2007.
A Must-Have!.
Rating: 5
This book is my constant companion while exploring the outdoors in the Rocky Mountains. Wonderful layout, great pictures, lots of detail so you're sure to get the correct ID... and great facts to add depth to your knowledge of the trees, shrubs, and flowers. I love this book, and highly recommend it to anyone living - or even visiting - the lovely Rocky Mountains.
December 05, 2005.
The one essential guide.
Rating: 5
I do lots of "belly botany" -- always on my elbows looking at, and photographing, tiny alpine plants in the Rockies -- and I have a vast collection of plant keys and guides. I tell everyone, though, that if they want just one book on all the plant life in the Rockies of Montana, Alberta, Wyoming, and adjacent areas, this is it. Plentiful and clear photos, good "keys" for identifying plants, and just enough detail. This book contains trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, grasses, ferns, lichens, rushes, sedges, bryophytes, -- everything you need in one low-price volume. I bought two and tore one apart so I could save weight carrying just the flower section when I go backpacking.
December 20, 2004.
A classic in field guides.
Rating: 5
Indispensible for beginners and experts alike!The book begins with an itroduction that includes info on different zones such as: foothills, montane, subalpine, alpine, disturbed areas, basic maps, wildlife, fires, and more. It then is divided and color coded for example: Trees-brown, shrubs-brown, wild flowers-yellow, grasses-green, ferns and Allies-reddish brown, Bryophytes-light green, lichens-light purple, and glossary-dark purple. Within each section, it is further divided by family. For example the tree section is divided into pine family, willow family, and birch family. At the beginning of this section is a key to help you identify the different families. The flower section includes a photo key, so that you can find the flower you are seeking at a glance, and then go to the correct page. Each plant includes info including common and latin name, description, where found and notes. The notes vary, but include much interesting information on the history of the plant. Some info on edible and medicinal plants is offered as well though the authors state, "This guide is not meant to be a 'how-to' reference for consuming wild plants." It also includes information on other plants in the "family within the family"...for example it discusses 3 different types of Tragopogon (Goat's beard or Salsify). It often gives pictures of more than one plant in the family-within-the family. It has a color photo for each plant, and many of them also include illustrations. I am a beginner, and my purpose in using this book is to study edible wild plants. One thing drew me to this book was that it includes mcuh info on grasses, trees and shrubs. For learning edible wild plants, I also recommend Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide by Elias and Dykeman. This book offers info about poisonous look alikes. Another wonderful aspect of Plants of the Rocky Mountains is its sturdy construction. It is well made, and appears that it will able handle many hiking and camping trips. In summary, I think everyone interested in wild plants could benefit from this wonderful book, particulary at such a great price!
December 03, 2002.
A Fine Resource for the Casual Naturalist.
Rating: 5
This is an excellent guidebook to the flowers, shrubs, trees and plants of the entire Rocky Mountain chain. I tested this book in the meadows and streambeds near my home in Wyoming and discovered that the photos are clear, colorful, and aid in identification of species. Each listing features a general description as well as data on the leaves, flowers, fruits, and range. If you read the description closely and match it with your subject it's difficult to misidentify the species. Not every wildflower is included here but 95% of what you might find in Yellowstone or RMNP is here. Also, there's a brief bit of lore on most of the more common plants and flowers to help the reader understand the historical medicinal uses, as well as which ones make a refreshing tea and which ones can leave you paralyzed and impotent if ingested at toxic levels.Not to be underestimated is the sturdy construction of this book - I carried it on a 2 week backpack earlier this summer and found the cover virtually indestructible and waterproof.
December 22, 2000.
Amateur (and professional) ecologist's sidekick.
Rating: 5
"Plants of the Rocky Mountains" is by far the best all-around field guide for Rocky Mountain trees, shrubs and flowers (with some grasses) that I've yet seen, and ranks right up there with classics like Newcomb's Wildflower guide for the northeast. Kershaw et al. provide simple, easy-to-use keys and organize plants by growth form (trees, shrubs, flowers), family, and color, so that both beginners and botanists can navigate with ease. Photographs are typically small, but the entire plant is shown, usually in its native habitat. Descriptions typically include relatives, uses, and occasionally an amusing anecdote.As a cautionary note, "Plants of the Rocky Mountains" is intended to be used in the mountains, and is less useful in deserts, basins, or canyon country. That said, this is the ONE book that I take with me on weekend jaunts in the high country. -William Adair, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University
December 13, 2007.
Cooking When Camping.
Rating: 3
This "camping cookbook" has some very good ideas in it. Most of the recipes, however, do not seem to practical for tent camping considering the lack of storage and refrigeration. Using a home dehydrator is an excellent idea. If one were camping with an RV these recipes would be very useful.
December 28, 2007.
Makes me think, makes me laugh.
Rating: 5
I spent an hour contemplating and chuckling over the first 50 pages... and I have 150 more pages to go. A quality cookbook is one that provides a fresh perspective on techniques and/or ingredients. If you're looking for simple camping fare, then you don't need a cookbook - stick a hot dog on a stick and you're happy. And who can blame you? But if you're reaching for an altogether different outdoor cooking paradigm, grab this book.
December 14, 2005.
Just another gourmet cookbook.
Rating: 2
I was hoping that this would be a more useful camping cookbook. It is really a gourmet cookbook that tries to be a camping cookbook by using "sierra cup" as a unit of measurement (a "sierra cup" is a fancy backpacking cup purchased at trendy outdoor stores, and holds about 9 ounces)and by illustrating it with camping pictures and artwork. The ingredients for most of the recipes require access to gourmet and specialty stores.
When I go camping, I like to camp. I like to fish, hike and enjoy the outdoors. If you use this cookbook, you need to be someone who likes to cook. And I mean really likes to cook. In fact, camping must be something that you do to impress your friends with how environmentally conscious you are, while you whip up a meal of "Vegetarian Chicken Lemon Grass Soup" and "Spinach & Roasted Peppers Risotto." These are great sounding dishes that I would order at an expensive restaurant, but not something that I would want to spend hours preparing over my Coleman stove while the trout are biting.
The book tries really hard to be a camping book (remember the "sierra cup" thing?). But, it refuses to call a biscuit a biscuit. The book refers to them as scones. Scones are cool when sitting at an outdoor table at Starbucks discussing the evils of a capitalistic society with your liberal friends, but come on, when camping, I eat biscuits!
All in all, if you like gourmet recipes and gourmet cooking, and don't mind spending endless hours hunting down exotic ingredients, this is a good book. If you like to enjoy the outdoors, ditch this book, put together some simple, good food and go enjoy!
December 15, 2004.
Move Over Wolfgang Puck.
Rating: 5
For those of us who like to cook, camp and eat well, this book has no peer. If you love to cook anyway, this is the book for you. If you don't, stick with the premade stuff you buy at the sporting goods stores as the home prep is critical and time consuming. For me, it was heaven. And the rewards paid off in spades at the campsite because you merely "just add water" to create meals worthy of the finest home dinner party (as proof - we're home and I made one of the recipes for a dinner party this week!). Thank you Rick and Hal for changing the face of camp food -- and for your bright, witty text that made it even more of a pleasure. I can't wait for the sequel.
December 22, 2004.
Gourmet Ultralight Backpackers Rejoice.
Rating: 5
The fact that everything tastes good outdoors has kept campers eating shoe leather and birdseed for years. This is for the serious back country gourmet who will go just about anywhere and do anything to eat well once they get there. Be prepared to break out the food dehydrator and camping oven. However, recipes like steamed Chinese dumplings and "The Most Dangerous Cake in the Wilderness" are good enough to serve at home. The book is lightweight at 17 ounces, yet packed with tasty ideas. "Leave No Crumbs" is the best kind of camp companion: it kept us well fed and laughing.
December 30, 2004.
Good book on Marconi Rig sail trim.
Rating: 4
This is not a book to read once and then go sailing and win. At least for me, I had to read a chapter or two, go out and try it, the read and repeat. The bit that helped me the most was the theory of the vang. I've used it for downwind legs to hold the boom down but not for upwind. With a bendy mast you can open up the leach by using the vang on the upwind legs too. It pushes the mast forward and induces a bend. With a stiff mast it closes off the leach. It's just one more control that I wasn't using well.The terms "power up" and "vector" and used all over the place, and honestly if I knew what would "power up" the boat while keeping my boat pointing all the time I wouldn't need this book, but there are clues as to what will help drive the boat. The text on the spinaker is also great. You really do need to keep the leading edge just at a curl and Stuart explains why. It does help, I pass boats going downwind all the time who have stalled their spinakers. If you are a serious single design racer you need this book. You PHRF'ers will rarely know if what you are doing helped other than to watch the knot meter. If you beat another boat, was it just sail area and hull length? Or did you really get the maximum performance out of your sails. And yes those tell-tails are key to seeing the air flow on the sail.
December 02, 2003.
It's a cookbook of sailtrim.
Rating: 3
Walker's sail trim book is a cookbook of sailtrims. I found the information that I had lacked from this book so it is useful for sail racers. The organization of the book is poor - information conserning some topic is hiddened to 2-3 places and is difficult to find due to poor table of contents and short of index. The book is mostly for dinghies(?) because vang sheeting was always used and often the only solution for correct trim. Backstay, or runners was only mentioned few times. About checkstays I could not find any information. But - because the correct sailshape information could be found for every situation, it was very useful, but good background knowledge is needed to apply the information for other boats having checkstays, runners, etc.
I don't recommend it for novice or even intermediate level or cruisers. With some reorganization it could be recommended for everyone.
December 02, 2002.
Two lessons learnt.
Rating: 4
After reading this book, I learnt two important aspects of sail trim which helped improve my racing.
1. Tell tails are very important, especially regarding sail twist.
2. The positioning of the jib track, whether forward or aft or inboard or outboard is crucial to maintaining speed on a tight reach.
Therefore, I am happy with the purchase of the book. I have many other sail tuning Books have not transferred any successful ideas to my racing skills.
December 31, 2001.
Sail. Read. Think. Discuss. Repeat..
Rating: 4
If you've got a couple of seasons of serious sailing (racing) under your belt, and you're looking to improve your mastery of sail trim, this book can aid in understanding. This is not the most approachable read, but it's equally true that there is detailed knowledge here that you just won't find anywhere else.Another reviewer pointed out that the book is organized by sail controls, not by conditions, or shapes you want to achieve. But it's very important to point out that great information about desirable sail shapes and how they are appropriate to various conditions IS contained in the book. For instance, my understanding of how much sail twist to put in, based on wind strength and water smoothness comes from applying what I read in Walker. Here's how it works for me. Sail a bunch. Reach a threshold. Read Walker. Sail some more. Think. Sail some more. Attend a sail-trim seminar such as the one held by Kame Richards, in the Bay Area. Sail some more. Talk things over with guys I sail with. Sail some more. Improve. Repeat. You can't get better at sailing just by reading. No book can do that for you. But Walker is one way to get the in-depth knowledge you'll need to continue to improve. Don't let the term "vector" cause your brain to immediately turn off. Remember, "vector" is just a fancy word for a force applied in a specific direction. And we do use a few of those in sailing ;-)
December 06, 1998.
Lots of information, but lacking reasoning about why....
Rating: 2
The book is filled with solid information about the sail trim. However, I found the book dull to read (despite the fact that I am a keen sailor with a Master of Science in Engineering). The book takes the approach to explain each trim device in isolation. There is plenty of information about each trim device. I could not find any trim device not described in the book. If you want to know everything you can do with the vang, then this is the book for you.The book fails to explain what kind of overall sail trim you want in different situations. There is not a single example starting with a specific situation (like high waves, 2 knots of wind) and then explaining how -- and why -- to use all the trim devices to achieve maximum speed. There is very little information about the interaction of the trim devices.
December 27, 2007.
Super Book.
Rating: 5
If you like hiking and want places to take your pooch THIS is your book! It has hikes all over the state of Washington from easy to challenging that you can take your dog on. Anything from a couple hours to a couple days! I love this book!!!
December 30, 2007.
An excellent resource, though not comprehensive..
Rating: 5
I agree with both the two positive reviews and (somewhat) the one negative review prior to mine. It is an excellent, inspiring book full of good information. It does not--and I don't see how it possibly could--give you essential up-to-date information on these trails. Dan Nelson even acknowledges as much on page 48: "No guidebook can provide all the details of a trail, nor stay current with constantly changing conditions of trails, stream crossings, access roads, and administrative rules." He goes on to list sources of current information. For that, one useful resource is the web site of the Washington Trails Association, http://www.wta.org . They have trip reports that give you details such as where trees have blown down, which roads are washed out, and where trail crews have recently made improvements. The book's lack of up-to-the-minute information is a legitimate point to raise, but not a reason for a negative review.
Besides the information on specific trails, Mr. Nelson provides valuable tips on caring for your dog while in the backcountry. You will be miles from help, so it is vital that you anticipate your dog's needs in addition to the Ten Essentials for humans. He gives tips on Doggie first aid, trail etiquette, and canine equipment.
If I had to find a flaw with this book, it is that some of the pictures that would have looked spectacular in color end up rather bland in black and white. This is no doubt a compromise on printing costs. Other than that, it is an extremely useful book that will repay you many times the purchase price in avoided headaches. Dogs make excellent hiking companions, with the proper training and preparation, and this book will help you form some of the fondest memories of your life. Further, if you don't know the information in this book, you have no business being on wilderness trails with your dog, for the sake of your dog and for the sake of others. Read this book, or else stay home.
December 13, 2006.
best hikes with dogs Western Washington.
Rating: 2
I disagree with the first two reviews. If you want a book to give you dog friendly hikes this is a start but the trail information on the hikes I tried was not very accurate. I even got stopped on one hike where the trail had been washed out several years prior to the publishing of this book. Use another source to actually make the hike or you will be disappointed.
December 24, 2004.
Put Paw to Trail and Get Going!.
Rating: 5
Dogs belong with us on the trails. I gnash my teeth every time I think that they are prohibited from so many National Park Trails! After all what does more damage, our heavy lug sole boots or their soft, quiet paws? As a woman hiking, I feel so much more comfortable with my friendly canine companion There is something special about being in the wilderness with another species, almost like having a translator along, Dan cathes this feeling. He gives excellent advice on excellent hikes. The directions are clear, the hikes well described and well chosen. I have used and enjoyed the book. For all of you contemplating a hike with your furry friend, plseas keep the canine on a leash, pleas pick up any dog droppings, please do not let your animal frighten people or other wildlife. I want to keep hiking with my dog! No one wants to step in dog droppings, no one wants to be lunged at or barked at, no one wants to see a dog chasing wildlife. So please be an exemplary dog companion. If we show dogs and their humans can be responsible on the trails, maybe more trails will open up to us! If we are rude and irresponsible we will loose the trails we can now walk. Dan wrote a great hiking guide. I hope he expnads it with some companion books. How about hiking with your dog in Oregon, Idaho, etc.
December 06, 2002.
Droopy gives it four paws.
Rating: 5
Eighty dog-friendly hikes will keep you busy all year. Textual descriptions walk you through the trails, giving you a step-by-step description of what to expect. Also included is the mileage, hiking time, elevation gain, best hiking months for the trail, contour map, ranger district contact information, and photos. The only downside is that the directions to the trail are incorporated into the textual description -- this makes for a seamless description of getting to and hiking on the trail, but a little cumbersome for actual driving. However, Droopy the Explorer Dog definitely recommends this winner!
|
