Outdoor Recreation

A touching and inspiring tale of the Texan pioneering spirit, English eccentricity, and two women old enough to know better.

When Susie Kelly decides, on a whim, to trek alone across France from La Rochelle to Lake Geneva, she entrusts her French farmhouse full of assorted animals to a total stranger from San Antonio, Texas. For each of them it will be a life-changing experience. Both will find their resourcefulness and ingenuity tested to the limit as, in their own ways, they explore and enjoy the culture, cuisine and people of Europe’s most fascinating country.

While Texan Jennifer Shields copes heroically with lost dogs, erratic electricity, old men hiding in bushes, and a language she cannot speak, Susie doggedly tramps 500 miles over unknown terrain, frequently lost and either too hot or too cold.

Armchair travellers will enjoy this tale of laughter and tears following the adventures of two women old enough to know better.

“A book to inspire” GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

From the darkness of a six foot by eight foot cell in solitary confinement to the top of the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere, this is the captivating story of one man's struggle to recover from a troubled past.

This autobiographical book is filled with Charlie's adventures during 35 years of mountaineering, climbing rock & ice, and world travel. People who have met Charlie, attended one of his slideshows, or read his guidebooks will recognize his knack for telling stories. Some are hair-raising, some are a little crazy, and some will have you laughing out loud. 


After moving to Colorado in the early 1970s, Winger began hiking and climbing in the Rocky Mountains. He discovered a passion for the mountains, and went on to climb peaks all around the world, as well as hundreds of summits within the United States. 

Quoting from the book's introduction by guidebook author and Denver Post columnist Dave Cooper:

"Although this is an autobiography, the story Charlie tells in this book could be considered as an allegory for whatever personal summits we are attempting to scale. The mental fortitude, perseverance, and bonds of friendship needed to scale the peaks described here are no different than the qualities needed to excel in life in general."

For Any Climate, in Any Situation.

Newly updated to reflect the latest in survival knowledge and technology, the internationally bestselling SAS Survival Handbook is the definitive resource for all campers, hikers, and outdoor adventurers. From basic campcraft and navigation to fear management and strategies for coping with any type of disaster, this complete course includes:

Being prepared: Understanding basic survival needs and preparing essentials, such as a pocket survival kit.

Making camp: Finding the best location, constructing the appropriate shelter, organizing camp, and creating tools.

Food: What to eat, what to avoid, where to find it, and how to prepare it.

First aid: A comprehensive course in emergency/wilderness medicine, including how to maximize survival in any climate or when injured.

Disaster survival: How to react in the face of increasingly frequent natural disasters and hostile situations—and how to survive at home if all services and supplies are cut off.

When Admiral Richard E. Byrd set out on his second Antarctic expedition in 1934, he was already an international hero for having piloted the first flights over the North and South Poles. His plan for this latest adventure was to spend six months alone near the bottom of the world, gathering weather data and indulging his desire “to taste peace and quiet long enough to know how good they really are.” But early on things went terribly wrong. Isolated in the pervasive polar night with no hope of release until spring, Byrd began suffering inexplicable symptoms of mental and physical illness. By the time he discovered that carbon monoxide from a defective stovepipe was poisoning him, Byrd was already engaged in a monumental struggle to save his life and preserve his sanity.

When Alone was first published in 1938, it became an enormous bestseller. This edition keeps alive Byrd’s unforgettable narrative for new generations of readers.

An unabridged, illustrated edition of 'Walking' with an introduction by Ralph Waldo Emerson and the essay 'Night and Moonlight,' at book's end

Is walking good exercise? Can walking really provide the health benefits normally associated with more demanding fitness programs?

This book makes the case for walking for health and fitness. It suggests that exercise plans based on more demanding activities such as jogging or working out in the gym, far from achieving the health and fitness benefits they promise, fail to deliver for those who need exercise the most by demanding far too much in terms of time and effort. Exercise plans based on regular walking, by contrast, are easy to fit around normal everyday activities, are infinitely flexible and, for those who really enjoy walking outdoors, can be expanded into general leisure activities like walking holidays. The book describes how the most sedentary and inactive among us can quickly draw up, put into practice and feel the benefits from a simple walking exercise program. It also explores how to choose a walking plan to lose weight. And, for further information, a Resources section is included with links to websites on different aspects of walking based activities.

Here is a list of the book contents:

Introduction
Section One-Preamble
Chapter 1 For Strong Stomachs Only!
Chapter 2 Your Emotional Well-being
Chapter 3 Are Blood, Sweat & Tears Necessary?
Chapter 4 Walking: The Great Leveller
Chapter 5 Quick Résumé
Section Two-Preamble
Chapter 6 How Much Walking To Do
Chapter 7 Where To Walk
Chapter 8 Who To Walk With
Chapter 9 Walking Holidays
Chapter 10 Equipment & Clothing
Chapter 11 Planning Your Walk
Chapter 12 The Weather
Chapter 13 How to Find Your Way
Chapter 14 Walking Technique
Chapter 15 Warm Up And Cool Down
Section Three-Preamble
Chapter 16 Walking To Lose Weight
Conclusion
Finally – A Case Study: Me
Appendix 1 Clothing And Equipment Checklist
Appendix 2 Resources

THIS EDITION IS INTENDED FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. The author describes his spring 1996 trek to Mt. Everest, a disastrous expedition that claimed the lives of eight climbers, and explains why he survived.

The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way–and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).