It's not an ATV, but you could Win a Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer

Okay, I usually stick to things that have to do with my ATVing here, but come on, you can not blame me for spreading the word about this!

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

I want to win that soooo bad! My little mixer is not doing too good, I need a new one, so you all get non-ATV or outdoors related content. :-p

Check her site out though, you'll like it if you like to cook. She has a lot of good recipes over there including one she put up just the other day for hot sauce - you know you want to check that one out, huh? Super easy recipe, you'll never have to buy it in a jar again!

Snow Games

I want to get out there and play in the snow, but I have not yet got a good snowsuit, so getting out away from the house on the ATV just don't seem smart or very warm. My brother has been zipping up to the post office and stuff on his snow machines, which sounds like lots of fun, but I think I would just freeze on the ATV right now. Still a few months of snow left here, so maybe I'll find a snowsuit I can afford by the end of winter and get out and have some fun in the snow.

Paintball Fun - from basic play to extreme paintball

Have you ever had a paintball war? I am talking about gathering up a few friends (older brothers make wonderful targets- I mean, participants as well) and going out into the woods or to a paintball field and having a battle. It's a great sport, and from the cheap paint ball gun I first got when I started out the sky (or at least your budget) is the limit.

There are a few things to think about, however, and top of that list is safety. If you want to get into a great sport, or expand on your arsenal so that you can whop your older brothers and nephews at the next war, then you should check out the selection of paintball products at Ultimate Paintball. (www.pntball.com)

Just getting started? Check out their package sets. Hurry, because right now they have a set marked down to under $100 that gives you a Black Icon X Marker featuring semi-automatic operation, ambidextrous cocking, and a full one year warranty from 32 Degrees. Also in the kit is everything you need for your first day on the range, including a GXG Stealth Mask with visor and anti fog lens - never play paintball without a mask.

Ultimate Paintball has a lot of other package sets to choose from, so do some browsing and maybe get a buddy that knows more about paintball to help you pick out some good paintball gear that will give you years of fun.

Be sure that you check out the apparel too, because you want to have the right gear for the game. Back when we first started playing I got a bruise from a paintball gun when I was wearing an Army winter field parka! And one of my brothers got a bruise though a pair of Carhart coveralls! Play safe and get good gear, especially face and neck protection.

For those of you that are just sitting back shaking your heads because you learned this the hard way, how about checking out the fancy paintball guns and paintball accessories they have over at Ultimate Paintball? Maybe look at the Ion, Spyder, Proto Rail and tippmann a5 upgrades or check out the tactical vests to help you carry your gear out in the field.

Don't forget to get some cleaner and oil. You paid good money for that paintball gun, keep her working like new. Nothing is worse than to be laying in ambush as the paintball sniper for your team and having your paintball gun jam just as your little sister or aunt is stalking up on you with a smirk on her face.

ATV essentials list

I'm working on deciding what all goes into a "essentials" bag for my ATV. These are things that I am collecting for being put on my ATV for when I go cruising around this summer. It will help me in deciding what I need to think about as I build the rack case for it. (Yes I am still working on that - I'm just slow at working obviously)

So far my list includes:

Cell phone
Binoculars
Flashlight (yes it can get dark in Alaska in the summer - for about an hour)
Tool box
Small can for emergency gas
Leatherman
Belt knife
Small tackle box and big fishing pole (think salmon)
AlphaSmart (the laptop for the ATV so I can write)
Coat and gloves
Dry socks (just in case)
Food
A canteen of water
Something hot to drink (tea or coffee)

And I'll add to or subtract from that starter list

Chrismas presents for ATV and snow

Whew, it has been a while, hasn't it? At first I was just flat busy, but then I started having pain in my shoulder and was having a hard time keeping up with work both online and around the house.

Updates though... lets see, I got a new winch for my ATV for Christmas. Nice one too, I'll have to post some information on it later on. I also got a few other things, but the winch was the kewlest... well, maybe the kewlest was a wireless router that lets me go up to 300' from the house before I start losing the signal, but ATV wise the winch was the kewlest thing.

We got about a foot or more of fluffy powder snowfall the other day and my brother was trying to get me to go out and play in it on the ATV, but as bad as my shoulder had been hurting all week I was afraid I might mess my shoulder up hot rodding through the snow on the ATV, so I passed on that until my shoulder stops hurting.