Depaul Travel

Archive for May, 2009

Snowmobiling is probably one of the most popular of all winter time activities. If you are one of the people who think that heaven can be found on the back of a snowmobile then you know that the US is home to some of the most beautiful snowmobiling sites in the world.

Michigan has always been a winter state and the proof positive is the hundreds if not thousands of people who travel to the state with their snowmobiles. The huge wooded areas in Michigan, particularly close to the lakes, make for some fun and excitement when one is riding their snowmobile.

Maine is one of the colder states in the US and is also home to a lot of snowfall each and every year. For some this means terrible roads and school cancellations. For others it means a beautiful place to take the snowmobile out. The heavily wooded areas surrounded by vast fields are perfect for those with their machines.

Colorado is known for many things, skiing and snowmobiling included. The mountain regions come alive in the winter months as people take to the slopes for all of their skiing action. The same is true for those with the snowmobiles as they tear up the landscape through the woods and open fields, spraying snow in every direction.

Washington State is beautiful all year round, but for the snowmobilers, there is no time like winter. The giant forests across the state give way to massive fields where a snowmobile has more than enough room to gain some high speed. The beauty of the area is not lost on these people who love to stop and snap a few pictures from the back of their machines.

Wyoming is perfect for those that love to rip across the landscape with a snowmobile. Besides being so beautiful one can hardly stand it, Wyoming caters to the snowmobile crowd in high fashion. There are camps all across the state that are setup only for people with snowmobiles and they fill up quickly early in the winter months.

Utah is made for sports like snowmobiling and there are more than enough people who are willing to take full advantage of the area. The vast open space seems to call the riders to this state where some of the finest views can be seen while taking the machine for a spin on a winter afternoon.

When you think snow you most certainly think of Alaska. That is why Alaska is home to one of the largest populations of snowmobile enthusiasts in the entire world. The early onset of winter and the wide open spaces make this state one of the best sites for snowmobiling in the world.

There is a lot more to Wisconsin than cheese, just ask anyone who happens to own a snowmobile. The mountains are a perfect haven for lovers of this past time, and people the world over come to this state to see the views and spray some snow.

New Hampshire is big on winter time activities and snowmobiling is one of the biggest of them. The ski resorts in the state have found a new market and they now cater directly to those that come to the area with their snowmobiles in tow.

Vermont has taken snowmobiling to the next step. The number of places that rent the machines and also offer some of the finest in areas to ride is proof positive of the beauty that Vermont has to offer. Make your reservations early or risk not having the chance to blow snow in this magical winter wonderland.

So here you have it: the ten best spots to snowmobile in the States. Pick one or more for your next vacation, and be sure to snowmobile safely!

     Grand Teton National Park is a very scenic, beautiful place to get away, and explore.  Located in Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park has mountains that look like artwork with trees, and lakes.  Grand Teton National Park is an adventure of a lifetime!

     Beavers live within the waters of Grand Teton National Park.  Moose also reside in the park.  People have also said that they have seen bears there!  Overnight camping is allowed in the Grand Teton National Park, which is a total in-debth experience of the mountains.

     Grand Teton National Park hiking is fantastic exploring fun.  Many people like going to Grand Teton National Park.  Millions of people from all over, come to visit Grand Teton National Park.  More than two, and a half million peoplevisited Grand Teton National Park in the year 2007.

     The highest mountain peak in Grand Teton National Park, is Grand Teton.  Which is thirteen thousand, seven hundred seventy feet high above sea level.  The Teton mountains are considered to be the most majestic mountains of North America, by many people.

     Grand Teton National Park was created in the year 1929.  Grand Teton National Park covers four hundred eighty four square miles of land, and also water.  There’s close to two hundred miles of trails to hike, in the Grand Teton National Park.

     Do make sure that you are alert to potential dangers there, when visiting Grand Teton National Park!  The animals there of course are wild.  Take pre-cautions around the wild animals.  Don’t go too close to them.  Check with the rangers at the GrandTeton National Park, to learn to know what to expect on the trails.

PRO INFO SPORTS takes all factors into consideration when handicapping sports investment opportunities for our Sports Handicapping Services, including the weather. We also strongly recommend clients give the “elements” a final check for any late-breaking developments prior to wagering, by reviewing our Weather Reports.

Atmospheric conditions can have a big impact on sporting events. In perceived football “mismatches”, poor weather tends to lessen the advantage powerful teams have over weaker opponents. The underdogs’ chances of keeping the games close or even pulling off the outright upsets are enhanced, especially by turnovers which occur with more frequency in bad-weather games. Just the threat of poor conditions can act as a great equalizer. Teams become more offensively conservative in order to avoid costly fumbles and interceptions. Either way, inclement weather in football usually portends defensive battles and low scores.

Sub-freezing temperatures generally restrain deep passing attacks, giving an advantage to football teams with superior running games or solid short-passing schemes. For baseball considerations, warm air is less dense, or thinner, than cold air. A would-be 400 ft shot at 75 degrees would carry 408 ft at 95 degrees.

Along with temperature, humidity has to be considered when factoring meteorological elements. An NFL team like the Miami Dolphins is conditioned to a hot and humid environment which is most extreme in the first month of the season. Take them out of their natural climate and their performance suffers, as shown by a large disparity in their September home record vs. December road games. Overall, teams from the South have the advantage when hosting a opponent not used to hot, humid conditions, while cold-weather squads from the North gain the edge when hosting warm-weather teams in chilly December weather.

Humidity can also affect a baseball game. According to Professor Robert Adair, the dean of baseball physicists, a baseball in a humid environment is actually heavier and less elastic than a dry ball, and, therefore, cannot be hit as far.

Wind is perhaps the most overlooked weather factor in sports handicapping. The importance of football special teams are amplified in bad weather, especially in windy conditions, as teams with superior kicking games have a distinct edge over an inferior kicking team. Meanwhile, teams that rely on passing games can be greatly affected by blustery conditions, especially if the winds are blowing across the field. In a game where there are strong winds blowing parallel to the direction of the field, one team will always have the wind at their backs, allowing them to pass the ball more easily; however, if the wind is blowing strongly across the field, this can hamper both teams’ passing attack for the entire game.

In regards to baseball, air moving along in the same direction the ball is flying pushes back less on the ball, allowing it to travel farther. In fact, the wind is very often the single most important thing to consider about the weather when betting baseball totals. A 400 ft shot in calm conditions would turn into a 445 ft blast with a 15 mph wind directed out to center field.

Yet another factor that has to be weighed when handicapping sports is altitude. At stadiums and arenas one mile or more above sea level, the air is considerably thinner than those below 1000 feet in elevation. With the oxygen level greatly reduced at higher elevations, the heart and breathing rates increase to compensate. This is experienced as shortness of breath and early fatigue. It takes about 10 days for the body to completely acclimate to altitude, so low-altitude teams making road trips to the Rocky Mountains simply don’t have enough time to fully adjust. They often struggle, especially late in a hard-fought contest.

As in poor-weather games, special teams play can become a more decisive factor in high-altitude football contests as well. Punts and placekicks travel longer distances due to decreased air resistance. The team with the more accurate and consistent kicking game will fare considerably better as they will be more likely to convert their increased kicking range into good field position and points.

Air under low pressure is less dense, or thinner, than air under high pressure. This is the main reason long balls carry farther in Denver – the atmospheric pressure at that altitude (5,300 ft) is always about 15% less than sea level pressures. A hit that would have flown 400 ft at sea level would carry to 430 ft in the thin air of Coors Stadium. This permanent effect of Denver’s high altitude is duly noted by the oddsmakers, however, resulting in totals typically in the 12-14 range, reducing the opportunity to simply bet OVERS and win most of the time. The day-to-day pressure changes of the atmosphere, however, are not considered by the oddsmakers, but these daily pressure differences at stadiums caused by the meanderings of the high and low pressures depicted on weather charts are very small. On a low pressure day the pressure is only one or two per cent lower than on a normal day, so a 400 ft shot would only carry a whopping 402 ft! Obviously this effect is too small to worry about in baseball, especially since there are other atmospheric factors that actually make a big difference.

PRO INFO SPORTS considers all of the NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball games played in the Rocky Mountains region “altitude games”, from El Paso, Texas (4,000 ft) to Laramie, Wyoming (7,100 ft). In the NFL and MLB, only Denver qualifies, while the NBA has 2 high-altitude sites in Denver and Salt Lake City (4,330 ft).

Ultimately, a decided competitive advantage can be gained by a team in its element playing an opponent out of its element, whether it is temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, or altitude.

These weather principles are, of course, generalities and all factors must be considered when analyzing sports investment opportunities, but the monitoring and scrutinizing of these conditions and circumstances are examples of how PRO INFO SPORTS gains a significant sports handicapping advantage and uses the information to help determine the strength of certain selections according to our Money Management strategy.