‘Tis the Season: Hunting Gear

Here in Upstate New York, deer hunting season may be over but did you know that black bear hunting and are still underway for most areas of southern Upstate New York? I had no idea that bear hunting was even an organized activity! It ends December 20th, so if you’ve been hankering for some bear meat or need a new bear skin rug, there you go. I am sorry to see deer season end. I think the season is much too brief. But I am biased: I hate deer with a fiery passion. They eat everything in my yard and spread their nasty ticks all over my property. Just yesterday, I discovered one of my young willow trees had been stripped of its bark by deer. *sigh* I had babied that tree for FOUR years and thanks to a couple of deer, it’s gone.

Anyway, if you’re heading out to hunt bear or deer or small game, check out the exceptional hunting gear at the new Legend Hunting website store. The inventory is developing but it looks like it will be THE place to go for outdoor sports and hunting gear. Besides the very nice camouflage clothing, Legend Hunting offers jackets, t-shirts, special outdoor watches, vests, bow cases and — my sons will love this– a very nice hip quiver gryphon! The prices are very good and the products are all quality made. Definitely check them out, as they will be periodically adding new products.

Speaking of gear, stay tuned for an up-and-coming post about winter camping. I have found some excellent websites with tips and resources which I intend on sharing here. The prospect of winter camping appeals to me. Jim Muller at WinterCampers.com has invited me time and time again but I have not taken him up on his generous offer. I’m not sure if it’s something I can physically do anymore, but I do like reading his stories about all the fun the guys have! Maybe someday, when the kids are a bit older, I can do it….

The Traveler’s Timepiece

Hiking up the rugged Adirondack Mountains recently brought to our attention what tools are absolutely necessary in the wilderness, and what tools are extraneous and, in some cases, useless weight. Of course, our trek up Blue Mountain was a last-minute decision. We had time to kill before we checked into our cabin rental, and figured a 2-mile hike up a trail classified as “moderate” would fit the bill. The “moderate” trail rapidly turned into something a bit more rugged than expected. After the first mile clambering over stony boulders at 45-degree angles, we were eager to shed the dead weight of certain items and wished we’d brought along mini backpacks to hold our goods. Hiking such high elevations also renders cell phone service useless, too.

Thankfully, one of the kids brought a Swiss Army knife and another couple had wrist watches. I’ve heard that watches are going the way of the dinosaur among young people, thanks to handheld gadgets like cell phones, but my kids still like to wear watches. Their cell phones are barebone basic things, more of a nuisance to dig out of their pockets, flip open and wait for the screen to display the time. When hiking or doing other sports, it’s so easy to simply turn the wrist and glance at the wrist watch. What we REALLY needed was a compass– my smartphone compass was not working properly and none of the kids’ watches had such a thing. After our excursion when we were back in civilization and on the Internet, I did a quick search for combination watches. Would you believe that there are watches with built-in compasses? And even barometers that display pressure trends?! What a terrific traveler tool! I found them at BlueDial.com. Some of the watches there can be a little pricey, but they still beat the competition for high quality chronographs. The combo watches are very affordable, around $100 or so. Many are husky-looking styles geared for men, but they also have a fine selection of ladies watches for the discriminating traveler.

Check them out! Some of the little gadgets on the watches are quite stunning. They’d make THE PERFECT gift for the traveler, too. We’re definitely getting a compass next time!

I Love My GPS

I have a GPS tool in my smartphone, but using it on the 10 hour drive slurped the battery power from my phone like you wouldn’t believe. When my brother took us to Virginia Beach in his van, I got to see his GPS and see how it worked, for the first time. I have to say, I was thoroughly smitten. So I purchased a portable GPS unit while in Virginia, and used it for the trip back to New York State. The GPS is SO COOL! I loved using it! The nice thing especially is that it will redirect you back onto your route if you deviate from it, for example, when you veer off at an exit to go to a gas station. The GPS I bought shows POIs,or Points of Interest. These included gas stations, banks, ATMs, museums, and more. I just loved it! Of course, I am a gadget fiend, so I enjoy toodling with a new device.

My husband was immediately smitten, too. He didn’t get a GPS (they are rather pricey, at least $130 for the good ones). I was able to get one and claim it for the business (and as a tax deduction since I use it for my travels). I have to say, I am very surprised that he likes the GPS. He is definitely not a gadget guy. But he tinkered with the GPS and has been gushing about it ever since. I am thinking of getting Mr. Mecomber his own GPS for Father’s Day or his birthday. What a great gift! Spending another $150, however, is a bit much especially since I won’t be able to claim this expense for the business.

However, another solution is at hand– Savings.com! This is a new coupon site I have recently discovered. It’s my favorite place to get coupons and promo codes. The site is extremely well-organized and features a ton of shopping sites, especially sites that husbands and dads love. If you’re looking for a great deal on products at stores, I highly recommend Savings.com.

Do you have a GPS? Isn’t it the coolest gadget ever??

Discounts on NYC Sightseeing Tours

Well, I knew that I could find online coupons and promo codes for clothing, toys and electronics, and even hotels and rental cars… but I never thought to check for coupons travel attractions! My bad, because there have been times that I really, really wanted to go on a tour or do some sightseeing but the price was too costly for me. Well, now I know! And you can know, too!

The coupon site is PricePickle.com. Like any other coupon site, PricePickle.com has reams and reams of coupons, discounts and promo codes for all sorts of online products: computer ink, t-shirts, perfume, books, electronics, etc. But they also have a section dedicated to travel, a whole spotlight on the illustrious City Sights NY.com! Check out this page for City Sights NY Coupon deals.

Last summer, I spotted CitySightsNY.com ticket agents. Oh, I was so tempted to take a tour! I have mentioned them here before– CitySightsNY.com offers tours of New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and the Boston Freedom Trail! I’ve heard that the tours are excellent. I’d like to try their double decker bus tour (sitting on the upper deck, of course!). Unfortunately, I had neither the time nor the money at that moment. Hopefully, I’ll be able to take advantage of the experience next time, especially now that I’ve discovered some good discounts and coupons! And we are definitely going to take the Freedom Trail in the future.

If you’re in New York City or Washington or Philadelphia and have been wanting to relax on a nice tour of the city, check out PricePickle.com for a great listing of discounts. You can also surf the site for coupons for rental cars and travel gear and everything travel! Very nice

Traveling Can Be Expensive!

…especially when you forget some crucial components of your travel gear and have to buy it retail. :-p

The Hubs and I had a wonderful trip out to the Finger Lakes this week. It was amazing! I’ll have loads and loads of details and photos and travel tips up and coming.

This trip was my first time using an iPhone GPS system. And I love it! It made navigation so easy. Unfortunately, using the GPS eats up the iPhone battery. I ran out of juice only a few hours on the road. And I had forgotten to pack my iPhone car charger. :-p I have two of them at home, you know. Ugh. So I had to buy one retail at a drug store, and it cost me dearly. I am so spoiled when it comes to shopping online with coupon codes that retail prices horrify me. Next time, I will be better prepared.

I also think we could have saved money on restaurant fare with Savings.com coupons. I love Savings.com– I use the website for all my online shopping needs– but I totally forgot that I can search the site for coupons and deals for offline stuff, too, like travel deals, restaurant coupons, tickets, and more! Ugh!! The website also has a unique forum where you can pose questions about where to find deals, and members will submit suggestions or alert you to deals. Believe me, I will remember this next time!

As for you, you now know it all ahead of time. Before you spend a penny, check Savings.com for ways to save before you start spending. They have a listing of the best travel sites, too: Expedia, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets, tons of restaurants and specialty stores.

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