Travel Blog

Whitewater rafting packages vary a great deal from company to company and even on the same river. Each company puts together rafting packages that take into account the river they are on, the staff they have to run the trips and the gear they have. Some companies are better equipped than others with both personnel as well as the gear they use. You might even take the same trip from the same company with two different guides on different days and have a totally different kind of trip.

The water levels may be different and the guides could be having a great day or not so great a day. You could even find that the group you are with may make a difference as well. Some will be gung ho, while others are timid and afraid of the white water rapids.

Whitewater Rafting Packages

White Water Rafting Packages are put together by these companies to maximize the experience of their customers, while keeping them safe and still making a profit for the company. This is a tough business for them and they are still dependent on the weather during the winter, the spring melt and the summer flows. All of these conditions impact the overall water flow and can make the difference between a class 2 rapids and a class 4 rapids. White water rafting companies cannot control these elements, however they do the best they can to give you a memorable experience.

White Water Rafting is for Families as well as experts.

If you are new to white water rafting and really wondering what is white water rafting and what the sport is all about, you may want to start with one of the relatively calm white water rafting packages and then progress as you find these trips interesting and exciting. Beginners can choose from camping packages and hotel packages. Most beginners will take a short half day trip to get a feel for rafting to see if they really will enjoy it. Some trips are suitable for elderly people and small children accompanied by an adult.

Discuss your trip with the local guide or representative of the rafting company. Ask all of the questions that you may have and focus on making sure that you are compatible with the trip being offered. If you cannot swim, make sure that the company is aware of this. They will not send you on a trip that is dangerous and requires that you may be able to swim out of a rapids should your raft capsize.

What do Whitewater Rafting Packages Include

Typically white water rafting trips will include the following. However they do vary by location and company so be sure to review the list in detail. Ask questions if you do not see what you are expecting. Some items on the list will apply to full day or over night trips. They may not be offered with half day trips. If in doubt always ask the organizer of the representative of the white water rafting company:

• Buffet Breakfast before your trip.
• A great riverside lunch complete with all the trimmings (usually applies to full day trips)
• One or Two Day full day rafting trip
• Complementary beverage after your trip
• Delicious Gourmet Dinner. (Usually applies to overnight trips)
• One or 2 nights Camping Include camping and meals or
• One or 2 Nights Lodging for hotel trips
• All gear is provided including life preservers, rafts, tents and food
• Customers may want to bring their own sleeping bag rather than use one provided by the rafting company.
• Always ask for a full list of the items provided by the company. Also for a recommended list of items that each person should bring along.
• You should ask for a list of those things that should be left behind. Such as your non water proof watches and cameras, jewelry, wallets. Also any other items of value which might not do well in a wet environment.

Select A Rafting Site that Fits your Least Fit Person

Choose a white water rafting trip that makes sense for you, your family and friends and your budget. If you want the exhilarating ride of a fast rapids and the comfort of a hotel room at night, book the hotel package with meals and you will have a very exciting and comfortable vacation.

If you like to rough it, then an overnight camping trip might be the best trip for you. Camping under the stars can be a lot of fun. However the weather may not always cooperate. Be prepared for wet , cold conditions. Bring several changes of clothes that can be kept dry and ready for you after a days rafting down the river.

Finally, any trip should be fun for everyone involved. This includes white water rafting. Being prepared for your trip and making the most of it will contribute to wonderful memories. That you can share with friends and family for years to come.

This post is not really about diets, instead it is about a pet peeve of mine. I happened to be allergic to a lot of things. I also suffer from chronic bronchitis. So I am very aware of various environmental and non-environmental agents in the air that might affect my breathing ability. This particular post is about Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms after they have been cleaned. This is to add air freshener to the air and supposedly make them smell nice.

If you have ever had to struggle to breathe then you will know what I am talking about and just how scary it can be. Even to gain enough air in your lungs to avoid fainting is a pretty scary thing. To have this caused by something in the air that is really not necessary is just plain cruel. This is what Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms can do to people who have allergies etc.

Many people smoke and some people will smoke in hotel rooms even if they are designated as non smoking rooms. I want to emphasize several points  about this post. First although I do not support smoking at any time, this post is not about smokers. Secondly I think it is rude for people to smoke in hotel rooms when they are designated as non smoking rooms.  However the real issue for me is how the hotels deal with odors they find in the room after a guest has vacated the room.

Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms Whether it is Needed or Not

Deodorizer is commonly sprayed in every hotel room immediately after the cleaning staff has cleaned the room. It is part of their routine whether the room smells or not or whether a smoker was in the room in or not. The idea is to make it smell nice and fresh and to eliminate or hide any odors that might linger from cleaning or previous guests.

For some people, myself included, the moment I walk into a room that has been sprayed with this deodorizer, I begin to cough and experience shortness of breath. I have discovered that my bronchial tubes react negatively to this chemical and begin to swell, squeezing the air way and making it very difficult to breathe. My last episode also involved recovering from a cold and being in a smoky situation for an hour or two. Basically I was hit with three bad situations at the same time and required a visit to a clinic for a breathing treatment to open up my airways, TWICE.

Serious Issues

This is quite serious for many people. The hotel was helpful as much as they could however it is a large hotel and every room is sprayed routinely.

First of all they moved us to a new room that had not been occupied for sometime and we found this very satisfactory until the next morning. When we left for breakfast, the cleaners went in immediately, cleaned the room and sprayed!

After airing out this room, it was not too bad, however every time we stepped into the hallway, all we could smell is deodorizer from all of the other rooms. Even the main area of the hotel used this stuff to reduce the smell of smoke. In the US , they apparently are afraid to band smoking indoors. They are behind Canada in this regard.

What to Do About Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms

We have learned to request rooms that have never been smoked in for starters. Secondly we ask if deodorizer has been used or is routinely used. Sometimes you have to be patient while the hotel manager proudly explains that they use this chemical to make their rooms fresh and nice smelling for their guests.

Once he has finished, calmly and politely explain your problems with deodorizer. Then request if the hotel can place a deionizer in the room for an hour to remove all of the chemical from the room.

Most hotels will gladly do this for you, once you explain the problem and it does work.  Sometimes this is better than opening the windows. Since some hotels do not have windows that you can open. Or the environmental issues outside may cause the same issues. The deodorizer really does work.

Why Don’t the Hotels Make Changes?

At first you might think that they do not know about the problem, however this would be incorrect. I spoke to the manager of one hotel to tell him why we were checking out early. He acknowledged that this was a common complaint by many guests. But they had to use the deodorizer to clear the smell of smokers who routinely ignored the non smoking rules.

What it comes down to in the view of the hotel management is that smoking guests carry more economic weight than non-smoking guests. So they will continue to use the deodorizer in their rooms.

Guidelines to Follow

• Stay in Non Smoking Hotels if you can
• Stay in non smoking rooms
• Request that the room be deodorized
• Ask house keeping to not spray the room if you are staying more than one day
• Eliminate all other possible irritants – e.g. feather pillows
• Request a new room if it is too over powering
• Change  hotels

Most hotel managers will be very helpful. They will do everything they can to assist you. So do not hesitate to ask in a polite respectful way. But at the same time do not take no for an answer. After all it is your life and your health. If you have ever experienced the raw fear of struggling to get a breath, then you will not be afraid to make some of these requests.

Readers who have experienced this problem and have additional comments and ideas about what to do, please add your comments to this post. Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms can be a big issues for many people.

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The casino hotels around Tunica are spread out within a mile of each other with the exception of the Gold Strike, The Horseshoe and the Roadhouse (formerly the Sheraton) . These three casinos and hotels share the same huge surface parking lot and are located next to each other. The Gold Strike and the Horseshoe both have their own parking garage as well. Casino patrons of the Roadhouse can use the surface parking lot or they can use the parking garage at the Horseshoe Casino.

The other casino hotels are Bally’s, Fitzgeralds, Harrahs, Hollywood, Resorts, and Sam’s Town for a total of 9 casinos in the Tunica area. A nice feature about staying at either the Roadhouse, the Goldstrike or the Horseshoe is that you can easily walk from one casino to the other. No need to get in a car. All of the other casinos are pretty much by themselves. You will need a car or take one of the shuttle buses to the other hotels.

National Chains

Harrah’s is a national casino hotel chain and owns at least 3 hotels in the Tunica area. The Horseshoe, the Roadhouse, Bally’s and Harrah’s are all members of the Harrah’s chain and part of the Total Rewards slot program. There are also shuttles that go back and forth between some of the hotels, however they do not run very often and most people come by car anyway so they can move around from one hotel to another by car. There are bus loads of people coming from nearby cities such as Memphis, St Louis, Knoxville and Cincinnati as well as other locations.

Today, Tunica County is the third largest gaming market in the nation with 9 world-class casinos featuring 24-hour gaming plus all the amenities of modern full-service vacation resorts. And since casino gaming was only legalized in Mississippi since 1990, all of the facilities are quite new, luxurious, and generally well-kept.

Tunica Casino Hotels

If you come on one of these bus tours and stay at the Goldstrike, the Horseshoe or the Roadhouse, you have a choice of 3 casinos to play at as well as try out various restaurants. There is not much in the general area of the casinos. On route 61 , that runs down from Memphis, there are a couple of small outlet malls and gas stations. Down the road a few miles is the village of Tunica. It is a small town, with all of the normal things you would expect to find. Some of the attractions in the general area of the Casinos, Tunica and Memphis  include:

Beal Street

Know as the home of the blues and the birth place of rock and roll, no other Memphis landmark has held such mystique, intrigue, fame and infamy over the years. Today you will find countless Blues joints, barbecue restaurants, live music and dance clubs to keep you up all night.

Graceland

Everything’s gone Elvis at this theme park dedicated to the life and legacy of the king of rock and roll. Get a little closer to the king with a tour through his Graceland Mansion. Explore Elvis after dark, check out the Kings wheels at the Elvis automobile museum and then jump on his private jet for a look at all of the luxury he enjoyed.

Sun Studio

If Memphis is the birthplace of rock and roll, then Sun Studio is the delivery room. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and many more cut their first record at Sun Studio and then blazed a trail to Stardom. Visitors can visit all year round.

Peabody Place

Smack dab in the heart of Memphis on Peabody and 3^rd street, Peabody Place is a massive entertainment and retail hub featuring 22 theaters, 17 shops and 14 restaurants.

Orpheum Theater

The Orpheum theater may be more than 100 years old, but that does not stop it from hosting 10 to 12 Broadway productions a year. Many celebrities can be found in the audience as well as in some of the shows.

Fedex Forum

The Memphis Grizzlies tear up the court all year round in the middle of downtown Memphis.  Besides basketball, the Fedex forum also hosts circus events and music concerts of all tastes and conventions.

Tunica River Park and Tunic Queen

Learn about the famous Mississippi river delta at the Tunica River park. The River Park is home to a museum packed with information. Watch a film about the river, view the map room, or take in a spectacular view from the observation deck.  Enjoy a cruise down the river on the Tunica Queen River boat.

Historic Downtown Tunica

Recently revitalized and only 10 minutes away from your hotel. Historic downtown Tunica is perfect for those who want to relax and take in all of the southern hospitality Tunica has to offer. From antiques, specialty stores, banks, beauty gift shops, and restaurants, there is something for everyone.

Tunica National Golf and Tennis

This is the newest golf facility in the greater Memphis area. This magnificent course boasts an exciting 7210 yard, par 72 championship design. The course was created by PGA tour player and architect Mark McCumber. This course features rolling terrain, water hazards and bunkers that will challenge the most skilled players.

There is a lot to do in the Tunica and Memphis area. The casino hotels acting as the focal point for a relaxing and fun place to stay. All of the hotels are top notch hotels with entertainment, restaurants and of course gambling for all levels of slot and table players. All of the hotels are spread out and several miles apart. You will need to either have your car or take one of the shuttle buses that travel between the hotels 24 hours a day. Ask the front desk or the concierge for schedules and which buses run to which hotels.

Rafting and camping go hand in hand with people who love to do outdoors activities. Many people will try rafting, going on half day trips or even full day trips. These are fun and exciting and the rafting companies will usually provide all of the gear you need along with a hearty lunch at lunchtime. These trips can be a lot of fun and if you go with close friends or family you will have many memories to enjoy together for years and years. Like the one in this picture which is actually a raft with a tent on it. Everyone gets to their tent by canoe.

Rafting & Camping Tents

Some rafting companies will also offer multi day trips involving rafting down a river trip, then breaking for the day at a suitable campsite to spend the night. Most will also provide all of the equipment you will need including tents, cots and all cooking facilities along with a hot cooked meal at the end of the day. Most people will bring their own sleeping bag that is clean and meets their personal needs. All of your gear will be transported by the company you are rafting with and have it at the site when you arrive for the evening. This is really the way to go and it makes it easy for everyone.

However some more experienced rafters and campers prefer to do it on their own. Transporting their own gear, choosing their own camping site and setting up their own tents, etc. They are well equipped with all of the Rafting & Camping Tents gear they need and have a lot of experience with rafting and camping.

What Tent to Chose for your Trip

One of the selections you must make in preparing for you rafting trip is the type and size of camping tent that you will be taking with you. Most campers will opt for a small tent due to size and weight issues. They want to minimize the size of the gear they carry. Also the weight of the gear particularly of there are portages along the rafting route. Carrying heavy tents is not a fun thing to do along with everything else they need to carry. Back packers know all about this. Since they carry all of their gear on their backs through the bush, climbing mountains and scaling ravines.

Choosing a tent is a very important to the overall success of your trip. Selecting a tent that is too small means that there may be no room to save stow your gear for the night. A tent too large is harder to pitch since you need a larger area to spread out your camp and you have lots of room to spread out inside the tent. A larger tent will be heavier as well to carry during portages.

Storing Your Food

One very important point to remember regardless of how large your tent is, store your food outside up a tree.  If there are animals around they will not hesitate to join you in your tent to get at your food items. Especially if there is meat involved. Bears have even been known to break into cars to get at items they think are food stuffs. A tent would not protect you or your food for even one second if a bear wants to have his supper!

Once you have decided on the size of tent, decide if you want windows, flaps, rain protection. Also a tent that can be set up in minutes vs. taking tens of minutes. This last point can be important if you are already wet and cold, if is raining and you are trying to get your tent set up.  A camping tent that sets up in minutes can make the difference between an enjoyable trip and an excellent trip. If you’re dry you have already won half the battle.

Rafting & Camping Tents – Easy to Fold

Camping tents also must be able to be easily folded down for packing and carrying. Make sure you know how to do it the same way. Pack and fold your tent back to the original size it was shipped in. You will not be able to pack it any smaller than the way it was shipped. But make sure you know how to pack it down to its original size for both carrying and portaging.

There are many items to consider when preparing for an over night rafting trip. We suggest that you go on a few trips with a recognized company first. Pick up all of the tricks of the trade first. Talk to the rafters to learn how they approach the trip. Learn some of the tricks they use to prepare and travel between campsites.

Feel free to leave your comments for our readers. Any suggestions you may have are welcome and appreciated.

White Water Rafting in the Americas : From half day trips for beginner rafters to multi day trips for experts, there are lots to choose from. As a result white water rafting in North and South America offers you the ultimate choice of whitewater rafting travel fun on over 75 rivers across the U.S., Canada and South America. We have listed some of the areas and rivers that you might consider for white water rafting trips. However they all offer various levels of trips from family to challenging class 4 rapids. Always check with each local site for details, prices and packages.

However if we have missed a river that should be on the list please add a comment to our blog. Please provide the correct information and we will be happy to add it. However note that we have not been able to verify the accuracy of each site and the rivers that provide these rapids. As a result please take the time to verify the skill level and the training level of the guides. Also the quality of the equipment used by each provider to ensure you have the best and safest trip that you can.

White Water Rafting in the Americas

West Coast rafting trips:

• First, Grand Canyon rafting
• Secondly, American River rafting and Kern River rafting in California
• Thirdly, Rogue River in Oregon
• Fourthly, Salt River rafting in Arizona

British Columbia Rafting, Canada

Rocky Mountain Region rafting trips:

• Firstly, Colorado River rafting in Utah
• Secondly, Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho
• Thirdly, Arkansas River rafting in Colorado
• Fourthly, Flathead River rafting (Glacier national Park) in Montana

Mid-West rafting trips:

• Peshtigo and Minominee River rafting in Wisconsin
• East Coast rafting trips:
• Rafting West Virginia’s Gauley River
• Rafting the Kennebec River in Maine
• Nantahala River rafting in North Carolina’
• Chatooga River rafting in Georgia and South Carolina
• Rafting the Deerfield and Millers Rivers (Massachusetts),
• West River (Vermont) or Housatonic River (Connecticut)
• Lehigh River rafting in Pennsylvania
• Rafting the Delaware River in New York and Pennsylvania

Northern Canada (multi-day expeditions)

• Yukon Territory rafting – Yukon, Wind, Snake and Firth Rivers
• Northwest Territory Rafting – Nahanni, Mountain, Horton and Thelon Rivers
• Nunavut Territory Rafting – Copper Mine and Burnside Rivers
• Northern British Columbia Rafting – Taku and Stikine Rivers

Southern Canada (day trips, resorts and multi-day packages)

• Firstly, British Columbia Rafting – Thompson, Nahatlatch, Fraser and Stein Rivers
• Secondly, Quebec and Ontario Rafting – Ottawa River

South American White Water River Rafting

• Futaleufu River Rafting (Chile)
• Rio Upano River Rafting (Ecuador)

We visited the Presque Isle Downs Casino and only spent about an hour in the casino. The following are our comments about what we saw and observed. We did not try any of the bars, or restaurants at the casino. This is a casino only facility. There is no hotel with this facility, although there are motels and hotels in the area.

Presque Isle Downs Casino –  From penny slots to Virtual Blackjack, Three-Card Poker, & Roulette, you’ll find a wide variety of choices and denominations to suit your gaming needs. At Presque Isle Downs & Casino…they  are the Home of the Big Jackpots! Look for their Progressive Slots conveniently located throughout the casino.

The Presque Isle Downs Casino has over 2000 slot machines and a number of virtual table games such as blackjack, roulette and several others.

There is ample parking at the casino, all surface parking which means on busy days there may be a long walk involved to get to the casino. There are two entrances, with Valet service at the main entrance.

The casino is nice, there is no hotel and there are lots of slot machines. There is also a high roller area as well. The Presque Isle Downs Casino is a combination casino and race track . It is similar to many that have sprung up across the country were the race track has been struggling and the casino addition has meant that the racetrack can continue to operate.

Slot Machines

There are over 2000 slot machines of all types. The casino is large enough to have all of the popular slot machines as well as poker and keno machines.

There are many 5cent machines as well as 25 cent, 50 cent and $1 dollar machines to choose from.

Table Games

There are no live table games, however there are 7 or 8 virtual table games that players can try out. These include blackjack and roulette and a number of other table games. Virtual table games have gorgeous virtual dealers that manage the game and deal the virtual cards.

Restaurants

La Bonne Vie Enjoy a Classic American Prime Steak House at La Bonne Vie located in the heart of the casino. They are  open every Wednesday through Saturday from 5pm to 10pm.

The Downs Clubhouse & Lounge features a beautiful year-round view of the racetrack and casual dining at its best. They are open Friday & Saturday nights for live entertainment!

The Triple Crown Buffet If you’re looking for a quick bite, visit The Triple Crown Buffet which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They feature Prime Rib & Shrimp every Sunday through Thursday and Crab Legs & Prime Rib Buffet on Friday & Saturdays from 4pm to 11pm.

Experience one of the four lounges. Zelda’s,The Paddock Bar, The Speakeasy Lounge, and The Clubhouse Lounge offer your favorite spirits daily until 2am.

Lit’l Al’s Need a quick snack? Stop by Lit’l Al’s located in the Elevator Lobby just off the casino floor and you’ll find hot dogs, pizza and more!

What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines
• Buffet
• Easy access from all highways
• Safe environment in the casino and parking areas
• Great stopover point on your way to Columbus or points west

What We Did Not Like

• Smoking in the casino
• No hotel
• Long way to walk from parking to get into the casino

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Roarin’ 20’s  slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the casino including cash back as well as discounts on meals at the casino.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Presque Isle Downs Casino in a large  surface multiple parking lot system that we observed.

Directions:

Presque Isle Downs is conveniently located on I-90 Exit 27.

Presque Isle Downs & Casino, 8199 Perry Highway,Erie, PA 16509 , 1-866-ERIE-FUN or (814) 860-8999

Additional Driving Directions:

From Buffalo, NY

I-90 West to Exit 27 • Make a left off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Cleveland, OH

I-90 East to Exit 27 • Make a right off the exit. Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Pittsburgh, PA

I-79 North to I-90 East • Exit 27 Make a right off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

From Youngstown, OH

Route 11 North to I-90 East. Take exit 27 • Make a right off the exit • Entrance to Presque Isle Downs is on the left.

For another post about Erie casinos, click here.

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Study Shows Adults Who Nap Learn Better, Perform Better – Have you ever taken a nap on the weekend after lunch, about mid afternoon? How did you feel afterwards?  Midday Naps Make Us Smarter. Would rejuvenated be the right word?  Studies are now being conducted that prove what many of us have known for years. We have not been able to practice because of time constraints and pressure at work as well as in our everyday life.  It is not usually until we retire, that we have the time to really try out the mid day nap routine. We find out just how great it can be, not only for our well being, but also our intelligence as well.

When we are working and raising a family there is just no time at work during lunch hour to even think about a mid day nap. In fact many people do not even take a full 60 minutes for their lunch. If  they do they are running errands trying to keep up with all of their personal requirements. And who would even think about taking a nap at work around 2 o’clock in the afternoon. That would be grounds for being fired. Yet there is mounting evidence that taking a nap in the early afternoon contributes to increased energy. Also increased intelligence and alertness for people needing to contribute to their company’s success. Midday Naps Make Us Smarter, they just do!

Midday Naps Make Us Smarter – Retired?

What retired people have known for years and newly retired people quickly learn is that they feel so much better after taking a mid day nap. They awake refreshed and ready to take on additional complex tasks after even a 20 minute nap in the afternoon. What can people who are working and often sleep deprived from dealing with the kids and other personal issues do to take advantage of this powerful opportunity?

Long distance drivers, whether they are truckers or vacationers, can also benefit from a nap at critical times during their driving trips.  Stopping for 20 or 30 minutes. Taking a fast nap can make a huge difference in their alertness and ability to drive carefully and safely. Many accidents occur every year from drivers falling asleep behind the wheel. Stop, take a nap and avoid a major accident.

Midday Naps Make Us Smarter – Places you Can Nap

If you drive to work, catching 20 minutes of sleep in your car is an excellent way to grab a nap at lunch time. Just make sure you have an alarm clock with you so that you do not sleep longer than you need.  Grab a conf room for a quick nap. However just make sure that it is reserved and that your secretary is aware. You can use your office for the same purpose as long as you can close the door and the blinds. It is much tougher for those people working in cubicles. You will need to find a quiet secluded place where you can grab 40 winks without being disturbed of thought to be a little kooky. Always have an alarm clock with you. Cell phones are usually great devices for this sort of thing with a built in alarm function.

Memory and learning capabilities are also improved, but harder to document.  The amount of sleep we get both in the evening as well as in what I like to call power naps can help us with memory and also learning new tasks and following instructions.

Nappers Perform Better

The following comments and statements have been contributed by Matthew Walker, PhD. He discusses some of the issues that his study brought to light regarding these two topics.

Nappers performed better than non-nappers on a test, says study researcher Matthew Walker. He is a PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at University of California, Berkeley. He presented his findings this week at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego.

The brain’s ability to learn information is not stable across the day. The area of the brain that stores memories may get ”clogged up” as the day goes on. Akin to a full email in-box on your computer, he says.

Napping at midday, when the brain’s ability to learn may have deteriorated may clear the brain’s memory storage area and make room for new information, Walker says.

Nap or No Nap: The Study

Walker and his colleagues gave 39 healthy young adults, average age 21, a difficult learning task. It was intended to tax the brain’s hippocampus. A region that helps store memories based on fact. The test — learning 100 face-name pairs and then matching them up — was given at noon.

Then, at 2 p.m., the nap group was given the chance for a 90-minute siesta. The no-nap group was asked to stay awake.

At 6 p.m., Walker gave them the test again. “People in the group which didn’t nap had a slight reduction of about 10% in their learning capacity during the day. Whereas the people who had a nap in between the first time they tried to learn relative to the second time they tried to learn actually improved their ability to learn by 10%.”

The total time the participants slept during the 90-minute window didn’t matter much in their later performance, Walker found. But the greater the amount of stage 2 non-REM sleep, a lighter form of non-dreaming sleep, the better their performance, he found.

Naps and Learning: Implications

The study results suggest that sleep before learning may be important, too. Just as experts have known that sleep after learning is crucial to solidify information learned, Walker says.

In previous research, Walker and others found that fact-based memories are stored temporarily in the brain’s hippocampus. Then sent to the area known as the prefrontal cortex — which he suspects has more storage space.

”Perhaps what happens is that the hippocampus is actually the short-term way station for memory in the brain”. The hippocampus is good at getting hold of information. But at some point needs to ”download” the information to the pre-frontal cortex, he says.

The nap before learning may help clear out the hippocampus and send the data on to the prefrontal cortex, allowing new information to soak in, Walker says.

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All Rivers that qualify for white water rafting have White Water Rafting River Ratings using roman numerals I to VI. This is according to the International Scale of River Difficulty. Note also that a river’s level of challenge changes with fluctuations in water levels; a river rated Class IV at medium water levels might resemble a Class III river at lower water levels, while at higher levels, it might look more like a Class IV+. The rating system used in the Grand Canyon, which rates rapids 1 to 10, pre-dates the modern Class I-VI system of rating rapids. A “10” in the Grand Canyon is comparable to a Class V rapid elsewhere.

Time of Year for White Water Rafting River Ratings

The time of year and the seasonal snow load can have a dramatic effect on the flow of water in the river and hence the class of rapid that you may be traversing. Check for local conditions before booking any rafting trip. Spring water flow levels can be very different from summer flows, so it is always important to confirm the level of difficulty before you book.

Note that multi-day expeditions can have a wide variety of rapids on a single trip, from class I to class V, so check with your outfitter to get details about that rivers specific white water rafting river ratings. Most companies will require evidence of previous experience if you are planning to run Class IV rapids.

Match White Water Rafting River Ratings to Skill Level

First-time and veteran rafters alike thrive on class II, III and some class IV rivers and rapids. Class V river trips–especially for paddlers–usually require two or more previous trips and previous Class IV experience. When booking your rafting trip with a Rafting America company, make sure you let the outfitter know your comfort and experience level so they can recommend the right tour for you. You may also need to be able to demonstrate that you have the stamina and the skill level to swim out of a class IV rapids if the raft capsizes in one of these rapids.

CLASS I

Easy – Waves small, passages clear; no serious obstacles, perfect for all ages and abilities. No guide needed.

CLASS II

Medium – Rapids of low difficulty with passages clear. Suitable for everyone, no experience necessary. A guide is preferable for these rapids, but not required.

CLASS III

Moderate – Waves numerous, high, irregular; rocks; eddies; rapids with passages clear though narrow, requiring experience in maneuvering. No previous experience is necessary.

CLASS IV

Difficult – Long rapids; waves powerful, irregular; dangerous rocks; boiling eddies; powerful and precise maneuvering required. Have an experienced guide. Previous experience is helpful but not necessary.

CLASS V

Extremely Difficult – Exceedingly tricky, long and violent rapids, following each other almost without interruption; riverbed extremely obstructed; big drops; fierce currents; very steep gradient. Paddlers should have prior Class IV or better whitewater experience with experienced guides who know the river.

CLASS VI

Un-runnable! Just like it says – Don’t even think about it! These constitute waterfalls and other death-traps that should not be attempted.

How many people actually realize that they might have high blood pressure or hypertension? Most have heard about the problem. They are Neglecting Hypertension and assume that it must be other people who have the problem. After all they feel fine and do not have any out word symptoms.  Yet this silent killer is slowly attacking your organs by causing high blood pressure and stressing your organs. It wears them down over time as well as your arteries eventually leading to a stroke, a heart attack or aneurism. Neglecting Hypertension can be dangerous.

Neglecting Hypertension – Take Control of Your Health

The answer is to take control of your own health and also contribute to the community in any way you can, but start with yourself first. If you are at all concerned or just interested, visit your local pharmacy and take your own blood pressure. Most pharmacies have blood pressure machines available that are easy to use with instructions to tell you if your readings should be of concern. These same pharmacies also sell portable blood pressure machines you can use at home to keep an eye on your blood pressure. Take a number of readings to obtain an average over a few days.

Believe it or not one out of every three American adults has high blood pressure, or hypertension. One of every six American adults will die from complications related to hypertension, such as heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure, making it a leading cause of death in this country. This is a serious disease and you need to pay attention. You may not even realize that you have high blood pressure until it is too late and the damage has been done.  You can quickly check your blood pressure by following the steps mentioned above and then if necessary visit your doctor to be professionally assessed.

Millions of Americans “develop, live with, and die from hypertension,” says David W. Fleming, MD, chairman of the committee that produced the report. Last year, hypertension cost the health care system — directly and indirectly — more than $73 billion. Yet prevention efforts, Fleming says, are “woefully underfunded.”

Live Long Enough

“If you live long enough in this country, you are almost guaranteed to get hypertension. That’s not true across the world,” says Corinne Husten, MPH, MD, senior medical advisor for the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products and member of the committee that produced the report. “Environment explains why we are so at risk, and the reality is that unless we create the environment to do the right thing, we are going to continue to have all these deaths.”

Most people, after all, have already gotten the message about eating right and exercising regularly. The problem, as the committee sees it, is that too many communities, in particular those in low-income and minority areas, lack the infrastructure to support healthy lifestyles, including such basics as safe places to walk and neighborhood markets that stock fresh produce and low-sodium foods.

The writer of this post believes you cannot wait until the government takes the necessary steps to improve the community situation, assuming that this would even work. Instead, you need to take control of the situation yourself and modify your eating habits to help improve your blood pressure, as well as visit your doctor to be assessed. If you cannot afford a doctor, reduce your salt intake and monitor your own blood pressure now. Do as much as you can to get it under control yourself without the use of medication.

Neglecting Hypertension – Too Much Salt

Regardless of where you live, it’s likely that there’s too much sodium in your diet. Nearly 90% of adults consume more than the recommended 2,300 milligrams (about a teaspoon) daily limit. For those with high blood pressure, middle-aged and older adults, and African-Americans, the daily limit should be even lower (1,500 milligrams).

The salt shaker is not to blame. Most of that salt is already in food when it is purchased. Whether it’s processed food from a supermarket or a meal eaten in a restaurant. Processed food contains huge amounts of salt. Just read the labels to find out how much salt is in a daily serving. Even some cereals contain a lot of salt, but the real culprits are snacks and prepared meals.

Stay focused on reading labels and avoiding prepared foods with high salt content. Stop adding salt to your food with the salt shaker. Every little bit counts and pretty soon you will enjoy the taste of food when there is no salt added. In fact once you get used to low salt content in food, you will really notice foods you eat that are high in salt. Every time, I have tried prepared soup from a can for example, I find that I cannot finish it, since it is so salty!

Tips You can Apply In Every Day Life

Here are a few tips that will help you reduce your salt content in the foods you eat:

•  Do not add salt from a salt shaker, use spices instead.
•  Read labels and avoid any that have a high sodium content
• Prepared foods such as cold meats may not have labels that are easy to read. They have high salt content and should be avoided.
• Avoid snack foods such as salted chips and peanuts. If you must snack, use unsalted popcorn or peanuts.
• Add spices to your meals if you feel that you need something to add to your food. Pepper works great.
• Every little bit counts and you need to start now by reducing your salt intake to avoid this silent killer.

While most people get too much salt, the report also emphasizes that those same people often get too little potassium. This is another factor in the uptick of blood pressure levels. You can improve your potassium levels as well by eating more bananas with breakfast or between meals. Bananas are a great source of potassium and other minerals.

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Note: We have not visited the Casino Niagara in some time. As a result your comments are welcome to help us update this review. Of course it will help our readers decide if this casino is a place they want to visit. Canadian casinos as a rule do not provide the same level of comp’s that their American counterparts do. Hence this is one of the reasons that we do not frequent this location as much as some others.

Casino Niagara

This includes the Niagara region, and the tourism community. Subsequently Casino Niagara has consistently delivered in full on its corporate and community mandates.

They strive to provide with more down-to-earth, round-the-clock fun than you can imagine! They have over 1,700 slot and video poker machines. In addition there are also 60 tables of gaming excitement, three restaurants and three bars.

Slot Machines

Casino Niagara features over 1,700 slot and video poker machines on two action-packed levels. Denominations range from pennies to $100! And with more than 350 progressives, Casino Niagara players have a wide selection to choose from. This includes  Megabucks® progressive machines – the jackpot starts at $1,000,000!

Table Games

There are 40 tables of fast, friendly excitement. Casino Niagara has a  wide selection of easy-to-learn games. Which let everyone get in on the non-stop action and fun. Choose from blackjack, craps Caribbean stud poker, roulette, poker , Spanish 21. In addition play in the poker room to participate in various tournaments.

Restaurants

Casino Niagara features a wide assortment of dining venues to satisfy every taste and budget. These include the Market Buffet, Lucky’s, Quench Bar,and the 24 hour Perks Cafe.

What We Liked ( Note we have not visited this Casino)

Your comments are welcome.

What We Did Not Like ( Note we have not visited this Casino)

Your comments are welcome.

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Casino Niagara slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the Fallsview Casino resort as well as at Casino Niagara.

There are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. For example free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions. Also free or discounted meals, access to entertainment. In addition a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Niagara Falls hotel & casino in a large  surface parking lot . For more information about New York State Casinos, click here.

Directions:

Casino Niagara is located at 5705 Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

From the Peace Bridge

Follow the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to Niagara Falls, Canada. Take the HWY-420 exit- EXIT 30- toward NIAGARA FALLS/BRIDGE TO U.S.A. past Stanley Ave to Victoria Ave. Turn right on Victoria and left at the next lights @ Bender Hill. The entrance is located on the right.

From Rainbow Bridge

Turn right onto Falls Avenue. Left at next street @ Hiram St., Left on Ontario, Straight through lights to Casino Niagara

From the Queenston/LewistonBridge

Follow Hwy 405 to Niagara Falls, Canada. Follow the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to Niagara Falls , Canada . Take the HWY-420 exit- EXIT 30- toward NIAGARA FALLS/BRIDGE TO U.S.A. past Stanley Ave to Victoria Ave. Subsequently turn right on Victoria and left at the next lights – Bender Hill. The entrance is located on the right.

From Toronto

Follow the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to Niagara Falls , Canada . Take the HWY-420 exit- EXIT 30- toward NIAGARA FALLS/BRIDGE TO U.S.A. past Stanley Ave, to Victoria Ave. Turn right on Victoria and left at the next lights @ Bender Hill. The entrance is located on the right.

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The recent storms that have crisscrossed the United States this year are usually reserved for Canada. Inclement weather on the East Coast and elsewhere in the country has many workers snowed in at home. That doesn’t mean they’re not working, which we know that they are. But the question is are they following healthy work habits while working at home. Do they have Healthy Work Habits at Home?

There are two elements to Healthy Work Habits at Home. One is from a corporate basis and is the company getting its money’s worth and are you protecting your companies information and assets?  The other is more focused on personal health and making sure that you get the proper amount of exercise, eat properly and take appropriate breaks etc.

We would love to hear your comments on our thoughts on this topic.

Healthy Work Habits at Home – the Person

Many people tend to work harder at home than they do at the office. Hard to believe, but when you stop to think about it is obvious. There are less interruptions and impromptu meetings to go to, you can respond to emails and text messages on your schedule without the interruption of a face to face meeting. There is a great deal of time lost when we meet people in the office and chit chat for a few minutes before getting down to business. When working at home, a phone call is automatically more business like and much less prone to chit chat.

There are many reasons why people work more concentrated hours and longer hours at home. A simple one is that the computer is simply there and we cannot resist the temptation to check our email.

So what should we do to manage our health and to make sure we practice healthy work habits at home.

Steps to Consider

We identified a number of steps that works for us. We have been working from home for almost 10 years and have developed a number of habits which helps to keep us healthy.

• Establish a schedule and stick to it as much as possible. Start time, breaks, lunch, and quitting time that meets your needs as well as the company.
• Treat your day as if you were going to the office. Get up at the same time, have a shower, prepare for work in the same manner you would if you actually went into the office.
• Set your office in a separate place in the home that has some sort of physical separation from the rest of the home.
• Use a timer to keep track of time. Every hour get up and stretch your legs and arms. Go for a short walk if you can just to get your circulation going.
• Take and actual break for coffee and also for lunch. If you can , leave the house and go for a walk, go to the mall, go to the coffee shop to get a separation from your work. This is good for your mind and your body.
• Establish the discipline you need to avoid snacking. It is so easy to snack when you are at home. If you must snack find some food that is low on salt and low on calories.
• Make sure you have an ergonomic chair and desk. You will spend a lot of time there and you should be at least comfortable

Healthy Work Habits at Home – the Office

“If people aren’t working, they’re not generating revenue. If people are working from home, it’s business as usual,” said Chuck Wilsker, president and chief executive of The Telework Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit education and advocacy organization for people who work remotely with the help of technology.

Healthy Work Habits at Home – Protect yourself from identity theft

With identity theft and fraud hitting record levels, MarketWatch’s Jennifer Waters talks with Kelsey Hubbard about what’s behind the growth.

If you travel for work, your company likely already has telecommuting policies in place, you’re aware of them, and you have the required hardware and software to work from home.

But if you’re almost always in the office, consider these five tips for working from home safely and efficiently.

1. Know your company’s policies

If you don’t know your company’s telecommuting policies, you could be putting information at risk — and your job, too.

“If they lose information… if they’re going outside policy or not following standard common-sense standards for data security, that could mean their job,” said Jeremy Miller, director of operations at Kroll Fraud Solutions.

2. Secure your systems

Does your work require use of a company-issued computer to access its system? If so, you have a responsibility to keep that laptop or other device — and all the information contained within it — secure, Miller said.

If you’re using your personal computer, make sure to take precautions as well, including disabling peer-to-peer applications so that files are not visible to others on the Web. And you might not think anything of it if your neighbor or roommate logs on to your computer, but if there is work information on the machine, you could be in violation of company policy, Miller said.

3. Protect your computer

Enable your wireless network’s password protection and use a good password so that outsiders can’t hack into the network, according to a tip sheet from Best Buy’s Geek Squad, a technology assistance service.

And before you use a home computer to access office files or databases, make sure your operating system has the latest security updates. Also, check to ensure your antivirus program is reputable and current, the Geek Squad said.

4. Back up files

Regardless of where you’re working, make sure you back up your data — especially when there are severe winds or several feet of snow, according to the Geek Squad. Large files can be stored to a USB drive or an online storage spot.

5. Create a comfortable working environment

Minimize distractions at home by setting up your desk in a place where you can concentrate. A place that is reasonably quiet. Call center employees who work from home often are prohibited from having such things as barking dogs or chirping birds in the background, Wilsker said. But it’s not a bad idea for any employee working at home to limit background noise for when work calls need to be taken.

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White water companies all over America offer White Water Rafting for all Levels – from beginners to experts – top quality half to multi-day whitewater rafting trips on the most popular rivers in North America and South America. Go with companies that have at least 15 years of professional guiding experience, and have a safely record that they proudly advertise. Check out their record before going on any trip. You can verify the level of experience and their safety record to make your own decision regarding whether you want to use one company or another.

White Water Rafting for all Levels

Plan Your Trip

If you are planning a trip that is a class 3 or 4 rapids, then you will want to seriously verify that the whitewater rafting company has the credentials to offer a safe environment for the rafters and have taken all of the precautions they can to ensure your safety. What is the experience level of the guides? How many times have they gone down the river and on these particular rapids? How many times have they had to bail out of the rafts to rescue someone? Has anyone had any serious injuries? What equipment do they have and in what condition is it.

If you are planning a class 3 or 4 rapid adventure, then you have already gone on several trips and know what questions to ask and what the answers should be. The bottom line is if you are uncomfortable about a specific river or rafting company then go to another. After all it is your life you are dealing with and you looking for a fun trip!

Match your Rafting Trip to Capabilities

There are lots of other trips that less experienced people can go on and have a great time. We will review a few of these trip types to help you decide on what is right for you. Most rafting companies over the Americas offer all types of trips and you will need to check with them for schedules as well as fee’s etc. Not all white water trips are the same, so always ask lots of questions and make sure you fully understand what you are getting into before you sign up. Often the best approach to follow is to ask someone who has recently gone on a trip you are considering. Word of mouth and a report from a fellow traveler can be sometimes much better than a sales pitch you get from a rafting company that is trying to sell a ticket.

Where do you want to go rafting?

If you are lucky enough to live in an area were white water rafting is offered then start with a local company. It is much easier to obtain comments from other customers and you do not need to make extensive travel arrangements. If there are no white water rafting trips offered near you, do some research online and then build your trip into a mini vacation that you and the family or friends can go on.

There are whitewater adventure tours offered in most mountainous states, provinces and in various countries in both North and South America. Always go with a reputable company!

First time white water rafting?

If this is a first time for rafting you probably want to consider a class 2 white water rapids. Some companies may try to sell you a class 3 trip and you will probably be ok on one of these trips, however if you’re the timid type definitely stay with a class 2 trip. The rapids are less challenging and the probability of being thrown out of the raft is much less. You may not get the excitement you are looking for, but that is ok for a first time. Sit back and enjoy the scenery and learn.

For those athletic types who want to try the most challenging rapids, you need to gain experience before trying anything really difficult. Don’t let ego and excitement get in the way of safety. Build up your experience and then take on the more challenging rapids. This is definitely true for class 4 rapids were you need to be able to show experience, you need to be able to swim and you need to be able to show that you are fit.

Family Rafting

Family rafting trips can be the most fun of all. There is nothing better than having the kids and even the grandparents on a white water trip. Of course you will stick to class 1 or 2 rapids. You will learn to paddle and there will be time to enjoy the scenery along the trip. These white water trips are designed with the family in mind.

For Groups: Whitewater Rafting Trips

Most white water rafting companies will offer group rates for those people who can get a large group together either from the office or from your local community.  Check with your local company for rates and stick with a class 1 or 2 rapids since you may have a collection of experienced and 1^st timers on the trip.

For White Water Aficionados

There are a group of people who have set the challenge for themselves. They want to try all of the most challenging rapids across the country. Most companies offer class 4 white water rapids trips. You will need to satisfy them that you have the experience as well that you are fit enough to go on the trip. They may ask you to demonstrate that you can swim out of a set of rapids. That you have the stamina to deal with any emergency that might come up. Remember they are guides and are trained to navigate these waters. But at the same time they do not want to put themselves into needless jeopardy. By taking someone along who cannot look after themselves in the first few minutes when a raft over turns.

There are trips for everyone at all levels of experience and also fitness. Make sure you select a white water rafting trip that matches your skill level, your stamina level and also the level of challenge you wish to endure. No need to waste a trip on something that literally scares you out of your wits. This is supposed to be challenging and fun!

The Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is the largest hotel in Western New York. It offers 26 levels of pure luxury. In addition, the hotel has 486 deluxe rooms, 86 corner suites or 22 one-bedroom suites. Also, all rooms also feature upscale amenities. These include a pillow-top bed, over-sized shower, flat screen TV, internet access and more. In addition, enjoy breath taking views of Western New York as you rest in comfort.

Rejuvenate in The Spa, a full-service spa and salon. Also relax with a Swedish massage, aromatherapy, full body wrap or facial, in one of 12 treatment rooms. Enjoy a state-of-the-art workout facility. It comes complete with cardiovascular equipment, circuit weights, free weights, an indoor pool, whirlpools and locker room.

Convention Space

Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel has over 30,000 square feet of meeting and conference space. Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is also a perfect location for banquets, trade shows, conventions and meetings.

The Seneca Events Center also boasts one of the area’s largest spaces, with a 2,200 person capacity. Meeting space features state-of-the-art audio visual equipment are available. However meeting rooms can be divided into numerous configurations to meet your event needs. There is also a full-service business center outfitted with the latest technology.

The Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is ideally located just blocks from Niagara Falls. It is one of the Natural Wonders of the World.  Many people take in the breathtaking view on tours like Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds. Feel the cool spray of the water! Visit any of the beautiful state parks like Goat Island for a magnificent glimpse of Western New York.

If a day of shopping and lunch is more your style, take a drive to The Fashion Outlets. It is home to 150 name brand outlet shops. You can also visit any of the quaint antique shops and art galleries in the historic areas of the city. Niagara Falls truly has something for everyone with beautiful architecture to the thriving nightlife.

Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel – Slot Machines

The casino has over 4200 slot machines at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. There are also many progressive slot machines. They include the popular pennies from heaven slot machines. However there are also 60 slot machines in the high limit slot machine area with $5 to $25 limits.

Table Games

On the main Casino floor of the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, you can try your hand at Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Mini Baccarat, Caribbean Stud Poker, Let it Ride®, Pai Gow Poker, 3 Card Poker and Spanish 21.

Visit the world-class Poker Room. Try your hand at Texas Hold’em, Omaha and 7 Card Stud. Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is the only Niagara Falls casino offering live Poker. And with 16 tables and all levels of play, it’s easy to get in the game. The Poker Room is located on the first floor next to the Bus Lobby.

Play Keno at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel and you could win up to $100,000.

Restaurants

There are multiple restaurants that you can enjoy at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. These include Java Cafe, Morrie’s Express, Thunder Falls Buffet, Three Sisters Cafe. There is also the Koi, La Cascata, The Western door, A Seneca Steakhouse and the Blues Burger Bar.

However we have not eaten at any of these restaurants. We are sure that these restaurants will be top notch in such a large major hotel casino property. If you have eaten at any of these restaurants, please feel free to leave a comment.

What We Liked ( Note we have not visited this property)

Variety of slot machines

What We Did Not Like ( Note we have not visited this property)

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Seneca Players Club slot players card system. In addition, your card is valid at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel and Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino & Hotel.

Take advantage of slot player cards. There are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Many people like the free or discounted rooms. They also enjoy mail mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals are just some of the advantages. Also consider access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. They also have a large parking garage beside the hotel. Surface parking is provided for patrons. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis. Most importantly it protects your car from the weather.

For more casinos in New York State, click here.

Directions:

The address is Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, 310 Fourth Street, Niagara Falls, NY USA 14303.

From the North/Canada

Take Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to the Rainbow Bridge into the United States. Cross the bridge and turn right onto Rainbow Boulevard south. Make a left onto Fourth Street.

From the South/Pennsylvania

Take the I-90E (NYS Thruway) to Buffalo. Follow signs for I-190N to Robert Moses Parkway. Exit Parkway with City Traffic. Make a left at Rainbow Boulevard and a right at Fourth Street.

From the East/Rochester

Take the I-90W (NYS Thruway) to Buffalo. Get on I-290W via exit number 50. Follow signs for I-190N to Robert Moses Parkway. Exit Parkway with City Traffic. Make a left at Rainbow Boulevard and a right at Fourth Street.

From the West

Take the I-90E (NYS Thruway) to Buffalo to exit number 53. Follow signs for I-190N to Robert Moses Parkway. Exit Parkway with City Traffic. Make a left at Rainbow Boulevard and a right at Fourth Street.

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Slot machines in motels in the USA?  There are actually slot machines in motels, gas stations, the odd church even laundromats in some states.

As far as we can tell in general motels do not seem to encourage the placement of slot machines in their lobbies. Generally the slot machines are placed in a small or a medium room that is called a casino. In other words you will not find a slot machine near the check in counter of a motel. But you might find them located in another room that is actually designated as a casino.

Slot Machines in Hotels

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between a hotel and a motel. However most hotels in places like Nevada will have Casinos associated with them. These are great places to visit. The room rates and meals are often subsidized by the gambling revenue. They are used as enticements to pull people into the casino.

Note that most casinos will have a loyalty card or otherwise known as a slot card. Which you should use at all times. They are free to sign up for. They should be inserted into the slot machine whenever you are playing the slots. These cards keep track of the amount of play , how long you have played and how much you have gambled. The Casinos use these statistics to provide benefits to their best customers or otherwise known as comp’s.

Depending on your level of play the comp’s can be quite exciting. They range from free meals to free rooms, free entertainment and even free plane tickets if you are a high roller. Any little bit helps and after all they are free to use and when you receive a free meal it is like winning a small jackpot.

Back to “are there slot machines in motels”.

You will find slot machines in some of the funniest places. First let’s differentiate between the state of Nevada and the rest of the USA. Nevada has some of the most liberal gaming laws in the nation so you are going to see slot machines in more places than you would in other states.

Most states that have casinos will limit the number and the location of the casinos, so you will not find slot machines in motels in states other than Nevada. Many are on Indian reservations or they have been given special permission to build casinos in some states. Let’s face it the state governments are hungry for cash. Having casinos in their state is an excellent way to generate this cash. They avoid someone leaving the state to gamble elsewhere.

Gambling in Nevada

Gambling in Nevada has been around for quite a few years and is the states major source of revenue. They are much more open to gaming and so you will see little mom and pop operations with a few slot machines operating. For example, walk into your local gas station or your local laundromat and you might see several slot machines.

A friend of ours even reported going to church in Las Vegas and seeing slot machines at the entrance to the church. Everyone needs money and I guess this is a way to make a little extra and we know at least this is going to a good cause.

Many corner convenience stores also will have a few slot machines in them as well in the state of Nevada. You will not find this in other states, just in Nevada.

A word of caution is in order. This is not factual, however it is generally believed that slot machines in these type of locations do not pay as well as in larger casinos. No one outside the industry really knows if the payouts are better or not in regular casinos, however this the common belief of many people we have talked to.

They are Everywhere

When you arrive at the Las Vegas airport, you will be immediately met with slot machines in the airport. Again, these are rumored to not pay well, however a friend of ours reported watching someone win a half a million dollars just prior to his flight leaving!

So there are slot machines in motels in some US states, in laundromats, in corner stores, in gas stations and even in churches. Who knows there may be other locations as well. Enjoy them and treat them as entertainment and if you happen to win, it is a real bonus.

Let us know if you have more questions that we can blog about.

Alternative to Chemo – Update from John Hopkins  Feb 2010

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (‘TRY’, BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Maybe we do not need to consider the regimen of Chemo & Radiation as a means to fight cancer. There is an alternative to chemo, Here is the update from John Hopkins.

Alternative to Chemo & Radiation – Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3 When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

Strengthen the Immune System

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

Alternative to Chemo – CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork.

Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.

About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To  obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

Avoid Caffiene

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified  water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes.  Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to  more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac,  anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. As a result a proactive and positive  spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and  bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Above all learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Alternative to Chemo – Rules – Also these rules will no doubt help as well

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. Furthermore this information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Also do not freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and  how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. As a result he said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Use Glass instead

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in the paper. It’s just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. Hence as the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food.

Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life. Alternative to Chemo is an important issue.

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If you are considering a first time white water rafting experience and wondering if it is right for you, we may be able to address some of your questions. Most rafting companies show pictures of extreme white water with lots of waves and foam, rafts careening down rivers which for non rafters it is an experience that looks quite challenging and perhaps scary at the same time.

This type of advertising appeals to many people looking for excitement, but may scare others away. If you are a concerned about the safety issues or perhaps cannot swim, then you may be initially afraid to try one of these white water rafting trips based on the pictures alone. Sometimes the white water rafting companies might be better served by showing less challenging pictures that might not appeal to more experienced rafters, but that may be attractive to people who are considering rafting for the first time.

A list of frequently asked questions follows. We have tried to answer them as carefully as possible, however as always, before trying something yourself, always verify safety claims and verify the type of trip with the operator prior to paying for your white water rafting trips.

First Time White Water Rafting

Is rafting dangerous?

Like any sport, white water rafting can be dangerous if you do not follow proper procedures, match your sport to your skill level and do not wear proper safety gear. If you wear flotation jackets, helmets , go with skilled white water rafting guides who use the latest and well maintained equipment, then it is perfectly safe. Additionally you will want to match your first trip with your skill level. If you have not gone white water rafting before, then going on a class 1 or 2 river is probably a good idea to give you a feel for what to expect. Generally these are very safe, yet will provide a level of enjoyment to most people that they will remember for a life time.

I can’t swim. Can I still go rafting?

All rapids are graded in terms of complexity. Some of the higher level rapids will require you to pass a physical and swimming test. Lower grade rapids do not need or require rafters to swim. All rafting participants must wear a life-preserver to protect them, and help them float if the raft should capsize.  These lower level rapids are not overly dangerous and even if you cannot swim, your life-preserver will help you float until you can get to shore or are picked up.

How fit should I be to go rafting? Is it strenuous?

Again, higher rated rapids will require a level of fitness that is above the normal person’s fitness level. The lower level rapids do not require a great deal of physical activity. Your guide will do most of the work steering the raft through the rapids that you encounter.

More Frequently Asked Questions

What should I wear on the river?

It really depends on the time of the year. Since the best rapids are usually in the spring, the water is cold and the weather can also be quite variable as you run down the river. Obviously you should leave anything valuable behind and have a set of warm dry clothing waiting for you at the end of the white water rafting ride.

I’ve never been before. Which trips are best for me?

Most rafting companies will claim that rapids rated from one to three can be handled by just about everyone. However if you are a first timer, a bit older or quite young you may want to try one of the easier trips before moving to a more challenging set of rapids. Your guide and the rafting company can also help you with selecting the right trip.

I have a family with young children. Can they go rafting?

Young children can go on rafting trips provided that they are accompanied by a responsible adult and they are limited to trips that are less challenging. Again your guides and rafting company can tell you if the rapids they offer are calm enough for small children.

Additional Information

Some additional information which may help you make a decision regarding who you go rafting with and who you take along with you.

Rafting trips often create lifelong memories for our guests and offer you a unique rafting vacation experience. When you choose a rafting trip for your vacation, you will discover a unique sense of “escape”, removing you from civilization for a bit. Absorb amazing scenery as you float through each rapid amidst rushing whitewater – learn new paddle commands in a “no worries” environment – discover how to paddle together as a team forming new bonds between family and friends and completely relax to the soft sounds of the river lapping at the side of your raft.

It Is important that you go with another person that you can share the memories with. Yes the trip will be exciting and yes you will be able to describe what it is like to those who have not gone on any of these trips. But if you have not experienced it yourself, then you really cannot fully appreciate the white water trip you went on. Only those you share the experience with can actually appreciate the experience. You will many conversations about various aspects that each of you saw and felt. In fact it is impossible to take it all in by yourself. Your friends will see things that you do not and vice versa. Share your experience with a friend.

The FallsView casino located in Niagara Falls , Ontario Canada is right in the middle of the historic area of Niagara Falls, within walking distance to the falls itself and all of the surrounding historical areas, shops and restaurants.

The FallsView  casino is on par with many of the Las Vegas hotels and Casinos. From a grand entrance to the hotel with shops and restaurants to the casino itself , this is one of the few first class hotels and casino in Canada. Well worth the money to visit this casino and hotel.  American visitors may find some things a bit pricey compared to American casinos. Rooms are expensive, especially if you are looking for something with a view of the falls. Drinks in the casino are pricey as well compared to US standards.

Niagara FallsView Casino

There are actually two casinos in the area. The Fallsview Casino is the most recent addition to Niagara Falls, while the older one located within Niagara Falls and also located within the city near the falls as well is still operational. We have not visited this casino in some time. Next time we go to Niagara falls we will visit it and prepare a review.

There are two areas that we do not like about the FallsView Casino. Compared to many US casinos , drinks at the casino are very expensive. They are in the $8 to $9 range for the least expensive drinks, compared to $4 and $5 when you do have to pay for then in the United States. Most casinos offer mixed drinks for free as long as you are playing at the tables or the slots. Not in Canada.

The other item we do not like about Canadian Casinos and FallsView Casino is no different, is the guards at the entrance to the casino. We agree that minors need to be restricted from entering the casino, however like the US you can do it in a much less imposing manner. We are customers and should be treated as good customers.

Other than that we have heard very good reports about the hotel. Spectacular views of the falls , both the Canadian and the American sides. Friends have stayed at this hotel and rate it very highly. We have yet to stay at this hotel. We would be glad to hear about your stay. Feel free to leave comments about the FallsView Casino , positive or negative.

Slot Machines

There are over 3000 slots and video poker machines in denominations ranging from one cent to $5.  All of your favorite games are spread throughout the spacious and luxurious casino.

Table Games

There are all of the standard table games to play while you are at the Niagara FallsView casino including Baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette and poker. The casino also runs poker tournaments from time to time as well.

Restaurants

There are several restaurants at the hotel including fine dining, casual and other on-site dining. Enjoy fine dining at 17 Noir and Ponte Vecchio.  For casual dining you can also enjoy the Grand Buffet, Falls Deli, Golden Lotus, Sushi & Oyster Bar, and the Noodle Bar. If you are looking for a quick bite somewhere there are many fast food outlets available. These include – Auntie Annies, Canyon Creek, Falls & Firken, The Famous, Johnny Rockets, Mama Mia’s, Quizno’s, Joes, Starbucks, Subway, Sweet Point, and Tim Hortons.

With so many restaurants in the hotel , you will not go hungry. Of course if you are looking for something different, there are numerous restaurants to choose from in downtown Las Vegas.

What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines
• Free entertainment at the bar located in the casino
• Buffet
• Hotel rates are competitively expensive
• Covered garage parking, which is free if you play at the casino and have a slot card
• Easy access from all highways
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
• Great stopover point on your way to the United States or spending a weekend

What We Did Not Like

There are some complaints about the FallsView hotel & casino

• Expensive drinks while gambling
• Hotel is expensive compared to other hotels in the area
• Guards at the entrance to the casino are imposing unnecessarily. American casinos do a much better job of restricting minors and undesirables from the casinos in a less imposing manner.
• It is a 4 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

Niagara FallsView Casino Slot Player Card

They are part of the Fallsview  slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the FallsView casino. Although not as lucrative as many American slot cards, patrons can still be comp’d for free rooms and meals depending on the amount of play.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the FallsView hotel & casino in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is no surface parking that we observed, although if you can find it, you can park along the street. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather. Patrons of the garage who are visiting the casino and intend on playing the slots should always have a FallsView casino slot card. If you park and play , show your card at the exit to the garage and you should receive your parking for free.

Niagara FallsView Casino Directions:

The address is 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls, ON, L2G 7X5, Canada and you can reach the hotel by car , by bus, by air, by limo and by junket for the high rollers.

Weight loss and life style are tied very closely together when it comes to managing your weight. If you do not manage your life style, and perhaps change it for the long term , you may not lose the weight you want to lose.  Worse you may continue to gain weight which of course only makes the situation a lot worse. As this picture shows we all consume a lot of foods that are just simple calories and add to our waste lines. From donuts to chocolate bars, chips and peanuts they all add to our weight gain.

So what do we mean by life style and it’s effect on our weight?

Many people are extremely busy with their lives. They have to get to work, they have to look after the kids and they have to look after the house. Then there are the school activities, the after school activities and if there is time  , a social life. Exactly were is there time to exercise or eat properly? Rushing home from work, grabbing some fast food something and then heading out the door again to one of the kids activities is just not conducive to managing your weight. The jobs we have today are leaning more and more towards low activity jobs. Whether we sit behind a desk or push a button to control a robot on an assembly line, we are not buring many calories on the job either.

This is the lifestyle that many of us face today. Without changing this lifestyle we cannot possibly lose weight and we are lucky to not gain weight.

Weight Loss and Life Style – The Fundamentals

Energy into your body less energy burned during the day equals positive or negative results. If it is positive you are going to gain weight. If it is negative, you are going to lose weight. It is just that simple. There is a lot you can do on both sides of the equation to influence it in the right direction and a lot of it is life style changes that you need to make.

Let’s look at the fast food area to start with. Whether you grab something at the fast food restaurant or you heat up a prepacked frozen meal, they are all high in calories and high in salt content. A high salt content helps the body retain fluids and contributes to high blood pressure. One of the first steps is to get away from the prepared fast food syndrome and it is relatively easy to do and watch your salt intake.

Prepare Your Own Fast Food

Pick a day, perhaps on the weekend and prepare a large meal. Does not matter what it is, but make sure that it is far more than what your family can eat. Prepare a healthy meal and capture all of the vitamins by cooking  properly with a balance of vegetables, meat and a carbohydrate. Once you are finished dinner, prepare casseroles which you can freeze to be taken out for dinner sometime during the week.  Every time you cook a meal always cook more than you need. Before you know it, there will be a freezer full of meals that you can select for your family to have an excellent meal.

Book Your Schedule

Just in the way you book meetings and the kids activities, book some time into your schedule so that you have time to exercise even if it is going for a walk around the block for 15 minutes. Remember what we are trying to do is alter your lifestyle. Scheduling time for your self even if it is a few minutes at a time is a good start. Walk to meetings. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Whenever there is an opportunity to exercise in some small way, take it. This will burn calories and also increase your metabolism at the same time which burns even more calories.

Weight Loss and Life Style – Involve Your Family and Friends

It is really hard to lose weight if you are the only one trying to watch what you eat and to exercise while others enjoy themselves over eating and not worrying about what they eat.

With a partner to help you when you are down and support you in sticking to your goals the job can get to be much easier. Having your friends involved, as well as your family has other benefits as well. They will participate with you as well and gain some of the benefits of losing weight. Your kids and spouse will be able to work with you and help you to prepare meals, go for walks and generally increase your families overall activity rate. This is a bonus to your weight loss and life style changes.

Weight Loss and Life Style – Long Term Benefits

Whether you know it or not, by involving your family in your weight loss program, there are multiple benefits that you will see for a long time. The obvious benefit is that you receive the support you need to stick with the program when you find it difficult. Your family will also benefit since they will also lose weight at the same time if they stick to the life style changes you are mapping out. But the real benefit is the long term results and influence you have on your kids.

By being more active, by eating better and staying away from fast food, your kids will develop the habits needed over a lifetime to help them sustain their weight at acceptable levels. If you are overweight as a kid you will be overweight as an adult. If you learn to eat properly , to manage your portions, to exercise when you can, they will do the same. They will follow your lead and this is one of the most important gifts you can give to your family. Long term healthy habits is so important to living a higher quality life and to living a healthy life.

Try it and work at it and you will see the results over time. The fast weight loss programs that you pay for just will not work unless you can also change your lifestyle.

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The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino is an easy day trip from Ottawa, Canada, Montreal Canada, Watertown New York, Syracuse New York and points in the general area. Combined with a motel right next door you can make this a small holiday and avoid driving home late at night. In addition the Casino has been updating their facility and has opened a hotel of their own attached to the casino. It opened in March of 2013. The hotel is very modern, very clean and has a no smoking policy. It is a very nice place to stay in addition to the Comfort Inn next door. They also have a spa, indoor pool and a gym if you can take yourself away from the casino.

Description

The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino has over 1600 slot machines with denominations from penny machines to over $5 per bet machines. Smoking is allowed in much of the casino, while there is a non smoking area as well. Unfortunately if you are a non smoker you are going to end up beside someone who is chain smoking and smells terrible. This is one of the few major dislikes of this casino in  our opinion. Never the less they have lots of slot machines for you to choose from . They also have a non smoking section which is near the main entrance and the buffet, which is very popular.

We have several pictures of the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino to show on this page. If anyone has a picture please feel free to send us one and we will add it to the post. We have been to this casino many times and have just forgotten to take a picture of the casino building while we were there.

There are 20 table games at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino including blackjack, roulette, craps, poker and a number of other table games for your enjoyment.

Patrons can also drink at the slot machines and waitresses will bring you a drink right to the slot machine. Beer is $1.50 and wine is $3.00. Add a small tip to the cost of the drinks, since these ladies are not paid very much and they depend on their tips to make a decent income.

Events

There are various days with different events taking place. For example Mondays and Wednesdays are often senior days with the lunch time buffet as well as dinner at half price. You can use your points from your slot card towards point play or towards a meal at one of the restaurants. The casino will also send you promotions from time to time with free slot play coupons once you sign up for a slot card.

We have only been to the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino during the week and found the crowds at the casino to be very manageable. Other patrons have told us that there are lots of people at the casino on the weekends and sometimes it is difficult to get the slot machine you would like to play. If you have been there on the weekend , perhaps you can add your comments.

Surrounding Hotels or Motels

There are not many hotels or motels in the immediate area. There is the Comfort Inn right next door to the casino and of course the hotel attached to the casino. We have stayed at the Comfort Inn and found it to be very acceptable, clean and a decent breakfast in the morning. It is also fairly new and not tired looking at all. Rates are a bit high , however it always seems to be busy and you may want to book a room in advance especially if you wish to stay there on the weekend. There is no tax on rooms at the Comfort Inn. However the reservation has added a $10 pr night room fee.

There are also quite a few motels across the border in Cornwall. It is not a great distance, however depending on the time of the day , it can take up to an hour to get through the customs area, due to backups on the bridges. You will also need to have $3.25 for tolls to cross the bridge in both directions. There is a 13.5% tax on all rooms in Ontario.

Restaurants at Akwesasne Mohawk Casino

Recently added food court called “Rapids Food Court” with pizza, grill and a bakery

Sticks Sports Bar – great place to eat, have a snack or a drink while at the casino

Native Harvest Buffet – dinner is approximately $16 prior to any deductions for promotions or slot play

What We Liked

Variety of slot machines

Free  soft and coffee drinks while gambling

Beer is $1.50 and wine is $3.00

Buffet is very nice, well presented

Easy access from all highways

Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas

The Casino hotel is also excellent

Comfort Inn motel next door is a great place to stay, with free breakfast

What We Did Not Like

There are several complaints about the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino

Patrons of the casino are allowed to smoke in the casino

Too many multi line nickel machines

Not enough poker machines

No Wheel of fortune machines

Akwesasne Mohawk Casino – Slot Player Card

They are part of the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino. Once you are on the mailing list of the casino, you will receive free promotions for entertainment, free meals and free slot play at the casino

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino in a large surface parking parking lot in front of the casinos.  You can access the hotel from the parking lot at one of two entrances. The parking was not patrolled as far as we could tell. There is also parking for RV’s as well.

Directions to Akwesasne Mohawk Casino:

The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino is approximately 13 miles east of Masena and approximately 5 miles east of the Canada – US border crossing.

From Canada and Cornwall: Take Exit 789 from the 401. Follow 138/Brookdale Ave/ south across the Seaway International Bridge. Turn left onto SR 37. The hotel is 5 miles ahead on the left.

From Western NY & Syracuse: Take I81 north to Exit 49. Turn right onto RT 411. Turn left onto SR 37 north. The hotel is approximately 90 miles ahead on the left.

From Eastern NY and New England: Take I87 North to Exit 38N. Follow 374 west to SR 190. Turn right onto SR 190 and follow to US 11. They turn Left onto US 11 south and follow to SR 122. Turn right onto SR 122 and follow to SR 37. Turn right onto SR 37. The hotel is 14 miles ahead on the right.

One  of the New Mexico White Water Rafting rivers is the Rio Grande with a starting point at Taos, New Mexico. There is also the Chama river.  You can enjoy the Taos box which is a remote chasm of cliffs that plunge 800 feet down to the Rio Grande. The Taos box is 17 miles of challenging rapids and is considered a class 4 rapids.  Most of the rapids are class 3 on this 17 mile trip, however there are 2 class 4 rapids in this white water rafting trip down the Rio.

The Lower Gorge is a full day rafting adventure, with walls rising over 1500 feet from the floor of the Rio Grande Gorge.  There are 7 class 3 rapids, some of which turn into class 4 rapids in high water season. There are also two class 2 rapids for paddlers to enjoy.

Chama river tours is another river trip that takes you past magnificent sandstone canyons and rock formations. Enjoy the 1500 foot cliffs that tower over the river along sections. Also enjoy the many colors from the flowers and cottonwood groves that line the bank of the Chama River.

Middle box canyon tour starts with a 1 mile hike down into the canyon. There are no roads into this area and only two companies are allowed into this area each day. Chances are you will see no other humans on this trip.  There is one class 3 rapid on this trip while much of the trip is calm water with a few class 2 rapids sprinkled here and there.

Race course rapids on the Rio Grande provides two to three hours of class 2 and 3 rapids and is considered perfect for first time rafters and their families. There are 7 class 3 rapids, some of which turn into class 4 during high water season, and 2 class 2 rapids.

Orilla Verde white water rafting trips provide a mellow and scenic trip that is perfect for seniors and children and anyone who just wants to relax along the river. This tour has a class 2 rating which is very mild and calm compared to higher level class 3 and 4 rapids. The rafts are powered by the guide so you can just relax and enjoy the trip

White Canyon Rock is just west of Santa Fe,  and it s full day trip including rafting on the river through spectacular canyons,  and a run through a series of class 2 and 3 rapids. At the end of the trip you will hike up the canyon for 2 and a half miles to the pickup point. Guests are required to carry their own gear plus a flotation device and paddle.

New Mexico White Water Rafting – Companies

Several companies offer white water rafting trips on the Rio Grande and the Chama rivers during most of the season. They will offer half day trips, full day trips and over night trips camping out under the stars. If you are interested in one of these trips you should inquire what clothing to bring. Also ask what the physical requirements will be for one of these trips. Most rafting companies will provide all of the camping equipment including tents and food for tasty meals. You should inquire about sleeping bags and any other specialized gear that you may need.

If you are into mountain biking, some companies will also offer mountain biking and rafting combination tours. These trips are usually full day trips. Half a day is spent biking and half a day spent rafting with lunch served between the two.

Safety

There is always some risk to white water rafting , even the simple class 1 rapids. While you may not be required to swim to go on a rafting trip the risk is higher for non swimmers.  Emergency procedures should be discussed prior to going on any trip.  All rafters will be asked to sign a “liability release”. Rafters are required to wear a life jacket at all times. With class 4 rapids, you will also be asked to wear a helmet to protect your head in the event you are thrown from the raft.

Some rafting companies will also accommodate companion dogs on trips. However they must wear a canine floating device which you need to bring and they must be fully trained. Your companions must all be in excellent shape as well.

Rafting Guides

White water rafting guides need to have experience with the river you are on. They also need general experience to ensure your safety. They should be trained in river safety, swift water rescue, first aid and CPR. Before you sign up for any white water trip you should confirm experience levels . Also consider training levels in things like CPR for your own safety.

White Water grading

Rapids are graded from 6 which is considered un-runable to 1 which has barely a ripple. Class 2 is mostly flat water with gentle waves. A class 3 set of rapids can vary from moderate waves to more exciting boulder strewn whitewater. Class 4 is bigger and faster, more demanding than class 3. If you are planning on a trip the rating will be for the most demanding portion of the trip. If this is your first time, you may want to stick with a class 1 or 2 trip to get the feel of the experience. Higher classes of trips are more demanding. You may need to demonstrate that you can swim to safety in the event that you are toppled out of the raft.

White Water School

All guides must go through rafting school and local training prior to becoming a rafting guide. If you would like to become a guide , check with your local white water rafting company for more information.

For more posts about New Mexico rafting and more, click here.

In southern Nevada the only white water rafting you are going to be able to do is in one of the theme parks in Las Vegas. The middle of the desert does not provide many opportunities for white water enthusiasts to pursue one of their favorite sports.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is the largest major city in the state of Nevada and can be found near the southern end of the state. There are no rivers in the area. White water rafting enthusiasts will have to look to other locations and venues to get their thrills. Neighboring Utah and Arizona offer significant and exciting white water opportunities down the Colorado river. In addition there are a number of other rivers that can be found in the area.

In the city of Las Vegas there are several water parks for the kids to try out high slides and make believe white water rapids. However, that is about it. As a result, adults will have to resolve themselves to enjoying some of the top line entertainment and fine food in many of the 5 star restaurants. Take in some of the best casinos in the country and relax and enjoy yourself around the pool.

Laughlin

Laughlin is at the southern tip of Nevada and is in the middle of the desert. Hence there is no discernible white water rafting in the area. However the city of Laughlin is actually on the border of Nevada and Arizona and is separated by the fast running Colorado river. The picture to the left is taken from the banks of the Colorado on the Arizona side. As a result you are looking towards the Colorado Belle, one of the Casinos located along the river  in Laughlin, Nevada. Nevada White Water Rafting.

In this area, the river is not really suitable for white water rafting. The Colorado runs deep, wide and fast on its way towards the Pacific Ocean. Across the river from Laughlin is the city of Bullhead  in Arizona. There are many housing and condo developments along the river and further in land from the river. This section of the river is down stream from the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.

Recreational activities include boating and fishing as well as tour boat operators plying the river. Lake Havasu is further up river were the London bridge is and another recreational area.

Reno

Reno offers a small white water park  that many tourists can try out.  The Truckee River Whitewater Park is in the heart of Reno’s bustling downtown hotel-casino and booming arts district. With 11 drop water pools and 2600 feet in length it is ideal for kayaks. They can enter the river at many locations. Over 7000 tons of smooth rocks have been added along the river. There are may deep pools that are populated with trout. The river is suitable for kayaks, canoes and inner tubes. This smaller white water rafting location is  considered a class 2 or 3 course.

Lake Mead

Lake Mead was created by the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930’s.  Since that time, the dam has also been the main route south from Las Vegas. This takes you to Kingman and Flagstaff , Arizona. This is an aerial view of the lake from plane flying into Las Vegas.

The road ran along the top of the dam and only recently has there been concern about security. Since 911, the state has decided to build a bridge across the Colorado. It is just south of the dam and block all traffic from crossing the dam.

They are very concerned and very dependent on electricity as well as water generated by the dam. They are spending many millions of dollars building a new road and bridge across the river.

Lake Mead offers a great deal of recreational activity. However again this is in the middle of the desert with no white water rafting in the area.

Grand Canyon

The Grand canyon is about 5 hours drive to the south rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. You cannot gain access to the Colorado river unless you are prepared to hike all day down to the river. You must also spend the night camping along the river before you hike back up the next day. This is a one mile elevation hike. So you need to be in good shape if you plan to do this hike.

There are white water rafting trips available in Arizona and Utah with access to the Grand Canyon. However they are quite a long way from Las Vegas, Nevada or from the Hoover Dam in Nevada. Still visiting the Grand Canyon as a hiker is a fantastic experience which everyone should experience.

There are so many weight loss diets out there it is hard to choose between them. Weight Loss Diets and You is a very personal struggle and expensive for most people. One thing for sure is they are all trying to make money by selling their products and their services. So how does a person choose between one or another? Which one will work best for you over the long term? Which one will harm your body the least? There are thousands of people selling diets, doctors, exercise guru’s, dietitians and more. Who do you believe. We all want to lose some weight, some more than others, but somehow we just cannot seem to lose those extra pounds. In fact we gain a couple pounds every year.

What I have come to conclude in life about just about everything is that if it sounds too good to be true then it is too good to be true. Many people get duped by the fast paced flashy advertisements. They want to lose weight so badly they are willing to try anything. I have also learned in life that if you don’t have to work for it and put some effort in, then you will not appreciate it and will just go back to your normal ways. So all of these weight loss diets that promise weight loss in a matter of weeks are promising more than can be achieved.

Weight Loss Diets and You

We are going to list some of the weight loss diets and a short description of each. We are in no way supporting these diets. We do think that everyone must make their own decision and do their own homework to determine which one is going to be best for them. We are trying to gather some unbiased information about diets to help people who read our posts. Please add your own comments if they are helpful to other people.

Atkins Diet
Metabolism Diet
Rice Diet
Cabbage soup diet
Sonoma diet
Soup diet
Low fat diet
Calorie diet
High protein diet
Mediterranean diet
Cleansing diet
Weight Watchers diet
Crash diet
Natural diet
Raw food diet
Mayo clinic Diet
Lemonade diet

Just looking at the names of the above diets gives me the shakes. I cannot imagine following a cleansing diet for example or a raw food diet. They just seem so counter intuitive. If you have ever watched the biggest loser, they talk about portion control, managing your total calorie  intake, eating a balanced diet to make sure you get all of the essential minerals and vitamins. The biggest loser also talks about getting enough exercise to allow you to create an energy deficit and as soon as you have an energy deficit you are going to lose weight!

Weight Loss Diets and You – Complex Organism

Your body is a highly complex organism that requires many different foods in order to maintain the chemical balance it needs to be healthy. Why would you ever limit your food intake that essentially robs your body of key foods and vitamins it needs to maintain your health? In fact what you are potentially doing is making yourself ill while losing weight! Now that is a scary thought.

Eating in moderation is just another way of saying manage your portion control. You really have to wrap your mind around that so that you do not over eat. All of these diet plans are aimed really at making money and not your well being. Most have no scientific support and in fact many are just plain bad for you.

Following a weight loss diet on any of the above diets does not really deal with the reason you are overweight in the first place. Obviously you have eaten too much. Can’t argue with that. But why have you gotten into the habit of eating so much? Is it boredom? Are you trying to hide from something? Are you looking for comfort when you cannot get it from anything else or anyone else? It may be one or all of these reasons.

In my case, my family always had desert for supper and often a snack just before we went to bed. Can you imagine if I did that today! Never the less, I still have a craving to eat something, anything, just before I go to bed. Now that is a long term habit. The worst time to eat is just before you go to bed  and yet that is what my family did for years. They were very active and had an outlet to burn the calories off.

As you get Older

However when you get older, this just will not work. First of all you are not nearly as active , your metabolism slows down and you tend to eat more as well. On go the pounds and boy are they tough to get off. So far I have found that a little bit of exercise has helped along with eating sugarless gum just before I go to bed.

The exercise increases my metabolism, and burns some calories as well which helps to create an energy deficit. The sugarless gum gives me that fix I need just before I go to bed, which is really just feeding my habit with something that is very low in calories. This is a win win solution for me.

I have been able to lose 10 pounds over the past month using this approach. If you want to call it a weight loss diet you can, while I prefer to call it limiting my intake while managing my habits in a manner that lets me remain satisfied and lose weight.

This is by far a better approach to weight loss diet programs. I continue to eat a balanced diet to get all of the vitamins and minerals I need and I am not missing any of my favorite foods, just limiting the amount I eat at each meal.

Weight Loss Diets and You works for me . Maybe it will work for you too.

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The picture below is  of Harrahs Casino Hotel in Laughlin, Nevada. This casino is part of the chain that Harrahs has established across the country. In fact there are approximately 35 locations were you can gamble at a Harrahs Casino. Many casinos have hotels as well, so you can stay and gamble at a Harrahs nation wide and one location we are aware of in Windsor , Canada.

Harrah’s is located at the far south end of Casino Drive and you might not even see it if you decide to stop on Casino Drive without going all the way to the end. Many people walk along the street or along the river walk to the hotels. Unfortunately for Harrah’s Casino & Hotel most people will not walk since it is so far and you must walk up a fairly steep hill at the south end, so for many people it is better to take the car.

Harrahs Casino Hotel Rates

Rates are quite reasonable. When we stayed in April 2007, we paid as low as $28 a night for a decent room. The property appeared in need of a major over hall, however it provides everything that you need at reasonable rates. There are two pools overlooking the Colorado, one for adults and the other for children.Some customer reviews mentioned that the rooms are gradually being updated.

There are over 900 slot machines of all types, a variety of table games, poker games, keno and Race & Sports book betting. They also offer state wide progressive slot machines. Always bet the maximum if you want to win the progressive jackpots.

More Information about the Casino Hotel

The hotel offers 1505 rooms and 170 suites, some rooms on non smoking floors as well. Based on some of the reviews about the rooms it appears that Harrahs Casino and Hotel has been updating many of the rooms. Although we have not seen them ourselves, writers have indicated that new flat screen TV’s have been added and the rooms have been updated as well. When you check in, ask for a remodeled room since all rooms may not yet be updated.

There are also three towers to stay in with some rooms offering river views while many rooms do not. Although you may pay more for the river view of the Colorado river, it may be worth it if you would like to enjoy the views of the river and the town of Bullhead across the river in Arizona.

Harrahs Casino and Hotel offers a number of activities aside from gambling that customers can consider. There are stay and golf packages, you can try the salon & day spa, there is the fitness center, shopping, entertainment night life, the beach or pool, and a variety of other local attractions.

Many people will come to Laughlin, Nevada for other reasons than just gambling. There is ample hiking near by, the river provides lots of boating and fishing and there are Indian ruins as well that folks will view.

Restaurants

Baja Blue restaurant serving Mexican food
The Range Steakhouse,
Cabo Cafe,
Fresh Market Square Buffet
and fast food chains such as Starbucks, Baskin Robbins, Cinnabon and MacDonalds

Harrahs Casino Hotel – What We Liked

Variety of slot machines – over 900
Free drinks while gambling
Overlook on the Colorado River from the pool area
Access to the Water Taxi to all hotels, except the Ramada Express
Sandy beach along the Colorado River for hotel guests
Inexpensive hotel rooms
Choices of fast food such as Macdonald’s and Starbucks coffee
Lots of slot machines to play in two large rooms
Ample Parking
Buffet
Pool area and spa free to hotel guests on the 3rd level over looking the river
Hotel rates are very reasonable
Covered garage parking
Easy access from all highways
Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
Great stopover point on your way to Las Vegas

What We Did Not Like

We have a few complaints about Harrah’s Casino & Hotel

Unable to access the River Walk at all, from the Harrah’s Hotel and Casino
Far end of casino drive and up a rather long high hill to gain access
Pool areas are in the shade in the afternoon sun
Hotel is tired looking and needs an over hall
No Internet access , wireless or other wise
Business office really does not provide good service

Slot Player Card

They are part of the Harrah’s Casino slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at many Las Vegas hotels,  as well as sister hotels in Tunica, Biloxi, Laughlin, Atlantic City and Reno. There are other locations as well and this particular slot card membership is one of the best if you travel across the country a lot.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Harrah’s Casino & Hotel  in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is also some  surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:

Located at 2900 S Casino Drive, in Laughlin , Nevada, access from kingman is from Route 68 in Arizona, and also from route 95 and 163 from Las Vegas.

We appreciate your comments and we will also be updating this post next time we are in Laughlin in the spring of 2010.

The Aquarius Casino & Hotel is located in the middle of the casino drive resort area along the Colorado river. With over 1300 slot machines, a variety of table games, live poker and state of the art race and sports book, this hotel and casino is a great place to enjoy your self in the old Las Vegas style.

This hotel used to be part of the Flamingo hotel chain with it’s sister hotel in Las Vegas. Several years ago it was purchased by another group and renamed the Aquarius Casino and Hotel. Next time we visit the Laughlin area we will update the pictures with the new name of the hotel prominently displayed. The hotel is gradually being upgraded  and improved. Without the volume of Las Vegas, the process is a bit slower, however we really enjoy the ambiance of the river and the ability to walk along the tranquil boardwalk along the river.

Aquarius Casino – Water Taxi’s

These pictures were taken from one of the many water taxi’s that ply the Colorado River between the hotels and also across the river to Arizona. There is ample parking on the Arizona side of the river and a water taxi provides free service from this parking lot to the Riverside hotel which is just up river from the Aquarius Casino.

We arrived here in the middle of January on a beautiful sunny day with a day time temperature of 80 degrees! Fantastic. We walked along the boardwalk and enjoyed the sun and the warmth. Only approximately 5 hours from Flagstaff at 7000 feet elevation and 50 degrees cooler, this was pure heaven.

There are two 18 story hotel towers and this is the best hotel in Laughlin in our opinion. We will provide additional posts in the future covering the other hotels in the area. Wireless internet is available for $11.99 in the room while it is free in Starbucks as of April 2010.  There is surface parking as well ample parking in the parking garage located beside the hotel.

There is a tour that patrons can take along the Colorado river for 90 minutes with drink service provided. The captain will regal you with tales of various stories about the area. There are also themed cruises and wedding cruises as well.

Soak up the sun, and swim a few laps, while spending a sunny Southwestern afternoon around the Aquarius Casino Resort’s refreshing pool. Located atop the roof, the pool area is surrounded by the rustic Arizona desert and, being perched above the Colorado River, offers some breathtaking views. Cocktail service is available providing refreshing drinks and snacks to pool guests. There are also tennis courts to play on.

Staying in Laughlin is much less expensive than Las Vegas with hotel rates under $100 per night and usually much less for customers who qualify for casino rates with the Aquarius Casino slot card known as ACE. Always play with your slot card in place to qualify for comp’s, free meals and free rooms.

Restaurants

• Vineyard – a fine dining restaurant with authentic Italian cuisine
• Windows – buffet on the river overlooking the Colorado river includes free beer and wine during dinner buffet meals, excellent food and nice open dining area
• Cafe Aquarius – dining around the clock for a quick bite to eat
• H2OH – indoor / outdoor open air restaurant located int he heart of the river walk
• Fast Food – Burger King, Subway, Panda Express, Dreyers Ice Cream
• Outback Steakhouse – great steaks, prime rib, chicken and seafood
• Duet Cafe shop – with free internet last time we were there

What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines
• Free drinks while gambling
• Buffet
• Pool area and spa free to hotel guests on the 3rd level
• Hotel rates are very reasonable
• Covered garage parking
• Easy access from all highways
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
• Great stopover point on your way to Las Vegas only 70 miles away
• Coffee shop offers free internet
• They provide a fridge and coffee maker in the room
• Located along the Colorado River
• Access to the boardwalk along the Colorado river

What We Did Not Like

There are no real complaints about the Aquarius Casino & Hotel

It is a 3 star hotel in our estimation and quite adequate for our needs

We do not like the amount of smoke that seems to permeate just about everywhere. The hotel responds by using deodorizer which can be a problem for anyone with a breathing issue. The smoke odor is pretty strong. Recently they have placed no smoking signs in all restaurant and food serving areas.

Aquarius Casino – Slot Player Card

They are part of the ACE slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at the Stratosphere hotel in Las Vegas and at Arizona Charlies in Decatur and Bolder.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms at casino rate, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the Aquarius Casino & Hotel in a large parking garage beside the hotel. There is also ample  surface parking that we observed. You can access the hotel from the garage via an elevator from all levels. The parking garage is also patrolled on a regular basis and it also protects your car from the weather.

Directions:

Located at 1900 S Casino Drive, in Laughlin , Nevada, access kingman is from Route 68 in Arizona, and also from route 95 and 163 from Las Vegas.

We appreciate your comments and we will also be updating this post next time we are in Laughlin in the spring of 2010.

There are many Arizona white water rafting locations to try out in the state. We have attempted to list all that we could find on this post. We may have missed some or perhaps your company wants to hi-light one that is particularly interesting. Please give us your comments on any that we have missed and we will add them to the list of Arizona white water rafting locations.

Arizona White Water Rafting

Here is our list of locations in Arizona for white water rafting. The picture sis from the grand daddy of them all, the Grand Canyon.

• Beaver Creek, Arizona, Wet Beaver Creek to Verde River, class -?-, 9 miles long.
• Bill Williams River, Arizona, Alamo Dam to Lake Havasu, class -?-, 36 miles long.
• Black River – & East Fork, Arizona, Below Wildcat Point, class IV-V, 90 miles long.
• Black River – East Fork, Arizona, Diamond Rock to Wildcat Point, class -?-, 18 miles long.
• Blue River, Arizona, Blue Crossing to Forest Service Road 475, class IV-V, 34 miles long.
• Chevelon Creek, Arizona, Woods Canyon Lake to Little Colorado River, class -?-, 75 miles long.
• Colorado River, Arizona, Hoover Dam to Willow Beach, class -?-, 12 miles long.
• Colorado River, Arizona, Lees Ferry to Lake Mead, class I-V, 230 miles long.
• Eagle Creek, Arizona, Along Forest Service Road 217, class -?-, 12 miles long.
• East Verde River, Arizona, US Route 87 to Verde River confluence, class V+, 34 miles long.
• Gila River, Arizona, Kelvin to Ashurst-Hayden Dam, class -?-, 15 miles long.
• Gila River, Arizona, Virden to US Route 666, class -blank-, 53 miles long.
• Little Colorado River, Arizona, Below Grand Falls to above Black Falls, class -?-, 16 miles long.
• Little Colorado River, Arizona, Cameron to Colorado River, class V+, 51 miles long.
• Oak Creek, Arizona, Pump Stabove Sedona Cornville to Verde River, class -?-, 35 miles long.

More Locations

• Salt River, Arizona, Gleason Flats to Horseshoe Bend, class III-IV, 19 miles long.
• Salt River, Arizona, Highway 60 to Mescal Rapid, class III-IV, 7 miles long.
• Also the Salt River, Arizona, Route 60 to Roosevelt Reservoir, class II-IV, 60 miles long.
• Salt River, Arizona, Stewart Mountain Dam to Granite Reef Dam, class -?-, 12 miles long.
• San Francisco River, Arizona, Alma to Clifton, class -?-, 40 miles long.
• Tonto Creek, Arizona, Box, class IV(V), 2 miles long.
• Verde River, Arizona, Bartlett Reservoir to confluence with Salt River, class I-II, 19 miles long.
• Verde River, Arizona, Beasley Flat to Gap Creek, class II-IV, 7 miles long.
• Also the Verde River, Arizona, Camp Verde to Beasley Flat, class -blank-, 8 miles long.
• Verde River, Arizona, Childs to Horseshoe Reservoir, class I-III, 25 miles long.
• Verde River, Arizona, Clarkdale to Camp Verde, class -?-, 28 miles long.
• Verde River, Arizona, Horseshoe Reservoir to Bartlett Reservoir, class I-II, 19 miles long.
• Verde River, Arizona, Perkinsville to Clarkdale, class -?-, 18 miles long.
• Virgin River, Arizona, Virgin River Gorge, class -?-, 11 miles long.
• Wet Beaver Creek, Arizona, Beaver Ranger Station to Beaver Creek, class -?-, 9 miles long.

Many of these rapids will vary in intensity depending on the time of year. In the spring or after heavy storms the water in the river can be quite treacherous and only the highly skilled should venture onto some of these rivers. In other areas they are more conducive to family outings for white water rafting. Check with your local outfitter to see what the conditions are and what preparations you may want to make before booking your rafting trip.

The last episode of the Biggest Loser shown on Tuesday Jan 19 was one of the better shows that we have watched. They tried a new experiment on the show to see how it would turn out. I think it was a really big success. Biggest Loser training took a different turn on this particular show. What they did was split the contestants into two groups. The first group became the trainers. The second group were the ones to weigh in at the end of the hour. Based on their weight, the person going home would be decided by the person losing the least weight on a percentage basis.

Partner Support

Everyone had to work out as usual and watch their diet the same as usual. But now it was their partners that were doing the training and the motivating. There was lots of short term buzz around this change. I think it had a lot of long term benefits for the contestants.

Bob and Jillian or is it Gillian, had to teach the training side of the group what they should run their partners through each day as well as the last chance workout.  The training group also got to do a last chance workout as well and then these trainers walked their team members through the same last chance workout. Although this is just a short term experiment, and they could never replace the professional trainers, the contestants now have some experience setting up a training program and also motivating their partners. This will be extremely useful over the long term when all of these people head home for real and have to face the real world.

When they go back to their home towns and their gyms, they will now have a much better idea of what to do to take more weight off or maintain their weights.  You might argue that they already know this, however it is much different when you have to lead vs. just follow instructions. I think this was a great thing to do and it will pay dividends for the contestants over the long run.

Biggest Loser Training – Twists to the Biggest Loser

Of course each Biggest Loser show will introduce some side issues for every segment and last night was no different. One couple apparently are gaming the show. He lost the required 12 pounds to avoid going below the yellow line while his partner who was doing the training only lost 1 pound. The previous week she had gained a pound. She was accused by the professional trainers, Bob in particular, of gaming the show and not really trying to lose weight. When she made some lame excuse and would not admit it, Bob lost it  accusing her of lying and not being honest with him or the other contestants. There was a huge yelling match which was embarrassing for everyone. No one came to her defense including her husband.

I think that is exactly what she was doing and just will not admit it. We have to wait till next week to see how this will be handled by the trainers and the contestants.

The other twist was that the couple ( two guys) who won immunity got to choose which team would switch at the last minute for the weigh in. Turns out it was a good thing they did not choose the couple who was gaming it. Each week the show gets more and more interesting as these people who weigh over 500 pounds at the start take more and more weight off.

Biggest Loser Energy Deficit

One of the comments that the professional trainers, Bob and Jillian, made to the lady who lost one pound only was that based on her work outs she had to have consumed 7000 calories every day to not loose more weight.

They were referring to energy deficits. If you work out for 12 hours and burn 7000 calories, then consume 7000 calories you are not going to lose weight. If you consume say 4000 calories, in this scenario you will lose weight. Remember the average person burns approximately 1500 to 2500 calories each day without working out. This is just from normal activity ( not couch potato activity).

She either did not work out that much and therefore did not burn the calories or she ate as many calories as she was burning. She obviously knows what she is doing, but not fooling anyone, especially the trainers. They do not like this type of game play especially when they get so personally involved with the people on the show. Bob’s point was, don’t lie to me, we know what you are doing so you may as well admit it.

I am sure there is more scandal and excitement to come next week on the Biggest Loser.

Biggest Loser Training

There are other elements to the training that is done at the Biggest Loser. They recognize that there is some underlying reason that these people gain weight. If they do not deal with this issue,  they will just gain it all back when they go home.

Both Bob and Gillian are really good at getting under the skin of the contestants. They get them to own up to their underlying issues. Also to deal with them and become a much better stronger person as a result. Only once they have owned up to their issues will they lose weight at the Biggest Loser ranch and also keep it off. You have to give them credit. They deal with the weight issues. They deal with the health issues. Also they deal with the personal issues that have caused these people to gain the weight they have.

We all have to search deep to gain the level of commitment they build up on the Biggest Loser show. As I said we really admire the trainers and the show, Biggest Loser.

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White water river safety should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Whether your taking a ride on a canoe through a small set of rapids that is labeled as a beginner set of rapids. Or the much more dangerous class 4 type rapids that only an expert should consider. Accidents happen and if you are well prepared, then you can deal with them easily and avoid anything serious. We will try to cover some of the essentials that you need to know before you go on your first white water rafting trip.

Always check with your guide. Use your own common sense as well to make sure that you can easily get out of any situation that might occur. Matching skill levels to the rapids is probably one of the most important areas to pay attention to. Some agencies will even have you conduct swimming tests to verify that you can swim. That you also have the stamina to deal with a whitewater situation that goes bad. Pay attention , they know what they are doing. Always wear a life preserver regardless of what anyone else is doing or even if they are making fun of you. They will be sorry if they end up in the water without one.

White Water River Safety – Some Guidelines

Research – Regardless of your skill level and the river advertisement, do some research about the water you will be on and assess based on the time of year as well as current conditions if it is something you can handle. Rivers change all the time based on local storms, time of year and even water release schedules from upstream dams.

Safety Gear – Either bring a safety jacket or make sure you are given one by the tour operator. Also wear a helmet to protect your head from rocks in case you are thrown out of the raft.

Water Tight Package – Especially required for overnight trips and even some half day trips, a water tight package with dry clothes, duct tape for sealing your package, rubbing alcohol for disinfecting wounds and a fire starter in case you are stranded and need to make a fire. The water tight package should be of strong plastic material and sealed so that water cannot get in even if it is submerged for some time.

Other Items – these items need to be kept together and it does not matter if they get wet. A camp stove, a small pot for cooking and boiling water, some thin rope that can be used for many things, and a signaling mirror.

Features of a White Water River

Eddies – form just behind large rocks or obstructions in the river. The water is moving slowly in these eddies or may even move backwards. If you need a rest they can be good places to get into in the middle of a rapid.

Humps and Holes

A hump in the river is were the water is flowing over a large rock at a very fast rate of speed. Depending on the overall flow the water over this rock can also be shallow. Which can scrape the bottom of a canoe or raft. The water flowing over this rock or hump then drops into a deep hole in the river. Taking everything with it including your raft. If you do get stuck in one of these , keep paddling until you get out and do not panic.  Most times you will pop up after being sucked in a few yards downstream. Keep paddling.  Always try to avoid holes and go around them. Occasionally you will get stuck in one or you will be tossed out of your raft and will need to swim out of them.

Chutes

Chutes are a set of V pointed waves pointing downstream and the best way is to ride the tops of the V shaped rapids . Sometimes you may not see the V’s of the chute until you are on top of them or even down stream from them. Your guide will have navigated these many times and will steer you in the right direction.

Standing waves

Usually are indicated by deeper water. Although if there are rocks they will interrupt the flow of water so you need to watch for them.

White Water Rafting Tour guides

Most people will sign up with a white water rafting company for their first ride through the rapids . The tour company should have experts on staff and well maintained equipment. You can evaluate the quality of the company, by assessing the equipment. Also how it is maintained and the training the guides are required to take.

Have them explain how they will handle emergencies. Can they do CPR, what rescue equipment do they have? How often has each guide run this particular stretch of river? Use your common sense to assess whether you feel safe with the company you are signing onto.

Both my wife and I are fans of the biggest loser. We watch this show religiously and even look forward to the night it is on. Maybe we cannot believe that some people can get so big. Or maybe we cannot believe what they look like when they lose all of the weight. Maybe we cannot imaging Bob or Jillian yelling at us the way they do to motivate some of these people  into working out.

Whatever it is , we find it entertaining and motivating at the same time. We sit there and watch the show and we are really rooting for these people to lose weight and not get booted off the show. Sure there are some that are gaming the show and those we do not like and besides they are just fooling themselves.

The biggest loser is a reality show and it is watched by millions of people every week. The biggest loser is also an intensely personal journey by up to 20 people who have to bear everything to get on the show and to lose weight. There is no privacy left. These people are prepared to show the world what they look like with all of the weight they have gained and also to talk about their fears and their issues that helped to get them were they are. I think the audience is silently cheering for all of these people to be successful and get their lives back.

Could You Take the Heat and be the Biggest Loser

My wife and I watch the show and wonder if we could take the heat so to speak of Bob or Jillian getting on our case. Especially making us go that extra mile. Let’s face it , it is pretty intense with one of the coaches screaming in their faces. The contestants giving it their all, up to the point were they get physically sick. Could you do that? I am not sure I could, yet these people are motivated beyond belief. Some of them losing up to half of their body weight.

Of course the program shows the most intense episodes with the trainers yelling at them and making them work very hard. This is made for TV situations to make it more exciting and also at the same time make us really feel for these people. What we do not see is all of the hours of training that they actually go through. Every once and a while one of the contestants will let slip a remark that they worked out 11 or 12 hours per day in order to lose the huge weight numbers they achieve each week. No one wants to go home so they put the extra effort in to meet their goals and stay at the biggest loser ranch.

Is It Healthy

The contestants are closely monitored by medical staff. We noticed that when someone does faint or is having difficulty, the medical team is not far away. After all these people are putting an incredible strain on their hearts and someone had better monitor them. So far no one has been seriously hurt on the biggest loser and we hope it does not happen.

What is good is that they not only exercise. They are also taught about the calories they eat. What they need each day and how to maintain an energy deficit. Jillian Michaels made a statement on HLN that fundamentally you need to create an energy deficit. Especially if you are going to lose weight. You can exercise all you want and you will get stronger . But if you do not also manage your caloric intake, you will not always lose weight.

On the biggest loser, they teach them about good diets and eating properly. They give them hints about eating out and how to avoid the high calorie foods. They also work with the contestants to help them overcome their private issues that may have contributed to their weight gain. Let’s face it the biggest loser has a good thing going. It is helping many families lose weight across the US and Canada and maybe around the world.

How to Become the Biggest Loser at Home

With out all of the support, the medical team, a bad ass trainer like Jillian on your case and the time to train like they do while at camp. How does someone become their own biggest loser at home? Everyone is different and has their own problems. However there are a few things we have noticed from watching the biggest loser that we all need to focus on.

• Decide that you really want to lose weight
• Decide that you are going to commit to making it happen
• Surround yourself with like minded people and supportive people
• Get to the Gym
• Get checked out by a doctor
• Manage your caloric intake
• Create an energy deficit
• Stick with the program, don’t give up even if you get discouraged

In Summary

The above eight steps are pretty tough and the most difficult of the eight are the first two. You need to decide for yourself and make the commitment to yourself that you are going to lose weight. No one else is going to be able to do it for you and they certainly cannot talk you into it. This is a big commitment and you have to be ready to make that commitment and become your own biggest loser.

Find a buddy to work out with and also to help with diet planning. It is so much easier when you have someone who can work with you and motivate each other. When you are down and having a bad day that is when your buddy needs to step in and push you back on track.

There will be bad days. Let’s face it on the biggest loser they have them all of the time. The second week weigh in is notorious for low weight loss and even in some cases weight gain. This is when a supporting team mate can help you out to keep you going.

We would love to hear your comments on the biggest loser and other diet and weight loss ideas.

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The Thousand Islands Casino is located midway between Toronto and Montreal along the 401 near Kingston and the 1000 Island crossing to the US. This is a beautiful little casino with only about 500 slot machines and a small number of table games to enjoy. Last time we checked there were 18 tables available for players enjoyment. We have visited this casino several times and have enjoyed ourselves very much. they have a nice bar to relax in and a restaurant that severs good quality food for reasonable prices. Both times we have used our free comp’s and eaten for free. We had to pay for our drinks which is the case in every Canadian casino.

Thousand Islands Casino

Parking is surface based and free to patrons. There is ample room for campers and RV’s to park while they enjoy the 1000 Islands Gananoque casino.  Coffee and soft drinks are complimentary, coat checks are also complimentary . The 1000 Islands Gananoque casino has ATM machines on site, there is also currency exchange offered for US visitors and there is a small gift shop which also sells lottery tickets.

The town of Gananoque is quite close and there are a number of small chain motels as you enter Gananoque near the casino. They do offer special deals , however the writer has not verified these offers to confirm how good they are. We do know that they are not associated with the winner circle slot cards and as a result there are no free rooms offered. If you book early there is a good chance of receiving a discount especially if you are a senior or you have a CAA or AAA card.

There are also camping sites nearby and there is the famous 1000 islands tour that many people also enjoy.

Restaurants

The Gateway Restaurant is the only restaurant at the 1000 Islands Gananoque casino. There is a bar as well and both are clean and bright, with decent food on the menu. One thing we noticed is that the bar always serves ice cold beer. If you are just stopping by, use your winners circle card to be comp’d for a free meal.

What We Liked

• Variety of slot machines ( about 500 in total)
• Free soft  drinks and coffee  while gambling
• Nice restaurant to dine in
• Easy access from all highways – Highway 2 and also the 401
• Safe environment in the casino, hotel and parking areas
• Great stopover point on your way to Montreal, Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa

What We Did Not Like

• There are no real complaints about the 1000 Islands Gananoque casino.
  
• It is a small casino, but very nice and clean with a great restaurant.

Slot Player Card

They are part of the OLG slot players card system. Slot members can take advantage of benefits at many of the Ontario casinos by using their OLG winners circle card.  This casino does not have a hotel associated with it. However there is a restaurant and patrons can help themselves to free coffee and soft drinks. There is also a bar service.

If you have not taken advantage of slot player cards, there are a number of benefits that many slot players should consider. Free or discounted rooms, email mailing list of promotions, free or discounted meals, access to entertainment, and a tax report outlining your losses and wins for tax claim purposes.

Parking

There is ample parking at the 1000 Islands Gananoque casino in a large parking area beside the casino. There is ample parking for cars as well as buses and RV’s. This is an easy place to stop for anyone on their way between Toronto and Montreal.

Directions: The 1000 Islands Gananoque casino is located at 380, highway 2, just outside of Gananoque, Ontario, between Kingston and Brockville. Anyone intending on going to the 1000 Islands Gananoque casino can reach it by highway 401 and taking the exit for the casino.

For more details on OLG casinos, click here.

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There are many locations were you can try your hand at White Water rafting in California. We have listed a number of California White Water rafting locations and provided a short description of each. White water rafting can be a lot of fun for all types of people and with a variety of skill levels. California White Water rafting rapids, like all white water rafting  has all of the rapids classified into classes so that you know what you are getting into and outfitter can match their customers to the type of rapids they offer.

For example you do not want to be on a Class IV rapids when you can barley swim or do not have the stamina to paddle and navigate a rough set of rapids. Generally all outfitters will offer a variety of rapids to traverse that will accommodate the beginners as well as the technical experts.

California White Water Rafting

The South Fork of the American: This is the most popular whitewater rafting trip in California because it has lots of Class III+ rapids, a long rafting season, and is relatively safe. Spring, Summer and Fall. This California White Water rafting location offers trips and river fun for the novices, the experts as well as the thrill seekers.  Rafting enthusiasts can also arrange for trips ranging from half day trips to two-day trips with experienced guides. The South Fork of the American is just a short drive from Sacramento.

The Middle Fork of the American:The land around the Middle fork of the American river is privately owned, yet the river is open to everyone and there are numerous areas that can be enjoyed along this portion of the river. This portion of the river provides a variety of boating challenges for experienced boaters and expert boaters.

The North Fork of the American: Steep Class IV rapids in a tight gorge with crystal clear water makes this California White Water rafting river a challenge. This is the premier class IV trip on the American River. This makes a great whitewater rafting trip in California for those of you that want a technical challenge. This section of the river is really for experts only. During the Summer, the flows are often too low for rafting, and this portion of the river becomes a great place for hiking with demanding canyon trails and cool swimming holes for resting.

The Tuolumne:

This river is the cream of the crop with famous Class IV rapids and “Wild and Scenic” scenery. Located near Yosemite National Park, most of the river takes advantage of the great hikes and spectacular scenery by spending a night or two in the canyon. Spring flows from the snow melt are fierce and challenging for even the most experienced rafter. During the summer there is just enough water to negotiate the river. This California White Water rafting river changes from being scary and dangerous to being a technical challenge for experienced rafters.

The Cal Salmon: This California whitewater rafting trip is for those of you that are hooked. Near the California-Oregon border, this river is well worth the drive for the numerous Class IV rapids and three famous Class V rapids. You’ll set up a base camp as you explore different sections of this river. Spring only. The Cal Salmon has many Class IV rapids and includes three challenging Class V rapids. The water is clear and the beauty of the bedrock canyon is stunning. Additionally, this run is a long drive from California’s population centers so it is rarely crowded.

Forks of the Kern: This three-day trip has over 40 Class IV rapids and 3 big Class V’s. Granite boulders, breathtaking vistas, and huge waterfalls make this a spectacular rafting trip. You’ll have to hike two miles into the put-in and warm-up on some other class IV rivers first, though. Spring only.

This 22 mile rafting trip features huge Class V drops and continuous Class IV whitewater framed by some of the most spectacular canyon scenery in the west. Space is limited and trips fill early.

The Forks of the Kern originates near Mt. Whitney in the Golden Trout Wilderness. It is much more strenuous than other river trips and guests should be in good shape.  The canyon is steep and remote. Horses and mules are needed to carry rafts to the river. Guides and guests must hike the 2.5 miles to put-in carrying their own gear.

Truckee River Rafting near Lake Tahoe

This white water rafting trip on the Truckee River is the closest rafting to Lake Tahoe and Reno. It is a fun and exciting, 7-mile guided white water adventure, with many Class 2-3 rapids for the first 6 miles and exciting Class 3+ rapids in the last mile. This whitewater rafting trip on the Truckee River should not be confused with the self-guided float out of Tahoe City. Truckee River Whitewater Rafting trips operate from mid-May to September 30th. As water is obtained from several reservoirs and not just Lake Tahoe, this rafting trip is always available, even when the raft rentals are closed.

Upper Klamath California White Water Rafting

The Upper Klamath River is one of the best Class 4 whitewater rivers for the summer . The only “big water” summer run, with the longest rapids in the west. It is relatively uncrowded due to its location and definitely well worth the trip. The river warms up with nearly 6 miles of Class 3 rapids before tackling the big stuff. The gradient changes, and the next 6 miles offers some wild whitewater with the Class 4+ Caldera (200 yards) and Hells Corner (400 yards) being the highlights. The rapids are long and the water big.

Lower Klamath

The Lower Klamath River is an ideal multi-day white water rafting trip for families and first timers. It is an easier trip than the South Fork American River, and in a more remote setting. However, with the addition of inflatable kayaks, there can be more than enough excitement for older children. Or more experienced river runners. There are many fun whitewater rapids such as Kanaka Falls (or Rattlesnake), Devil’s Toe Nail, the Trench. Also Dragon’s Tooth, Osprey, and Sasquatch Squeeze. The Klamath River has large sandy beaches for camping and play and its waters are warm compared to most other California streams.

North Fork Yuba River

Rafting on the North Fork Yuba River offers both veterans and active first-timers, a variety of Class 3 – Class 5 whitewater thrills, from  1 – 4 days, on over 35 miles of river. Even at lower flows, the North Fork Yuba River still offers exciting rafting in smaller boats.

Safety

If you are planning to take part in a California White Water rafting experience, check out the outfitter for safety and how they maintain their equipment. If you are a first timer, you do not want to be going on a difficult set of rapids. It is preferable to build up to the various levels as you gain experience and stamina. You will also become more knowledgeable with the skills required at various levels of California White Water rafting.