Friday, April 25, 2008

Black Sea Vacation


Pine Mountain

Hello again from Pine Mountain. It has been a warm week here on the mountain. The flowers and the trees are putting on their spring outfits making the whole area look good. Our wind turbines continue to whir away making more power than we need and selling the excess to the grid. Our Horizontal is from
http://www.bergey.com/ and our vertical is from
http://www.pacwind.net/.net/ . Our water turbine is from http:// http://www.absak.com/.

This week our old John Deere tractor decided to quit on us so we are rebuilding it. It should run for another 20 years when we finish.


This week our globetrotting adventurer Roxana has a story about her summer vacation on the Black Sea. We also have our normal sections on Supplemental energy, Health and wellness, Niche Marketing, Traveling for Less, and Adventure and Treasure Hunting.



Renewable Energy



Would you like to become energy self sufficient? A good place to start is with a book known as the alternative energy bible. It will teach you easy and inexpensive ways to start producing your own electric power. Go to


http://deserthab.offgrid07.hop.clickbank.net/ to get your copy.




The cost of gasoline is approaching $4.00 a gallon. How would you like to increase the miles per gallon of your vehicle? You can also gain more horsepower and reduce your emissions at the same time. Go to http://deserthab.water4gas.hop.clickbank.net and learn simple inexpensive ways to accomplish this procedure.




Health and Wellness



Life is difficult and stressful these days. Our food when we have it is colorful to look at but has very little nutritional value because of refining and processing. We need to add supplements to our diet to survive and not burn out too soon. We all need more energy and better short term and long term memory in our multitasking lives. A good place to start is Acaiplus, White Lightning, and Feed My brain. Go to


http://www.acaiplus.com/desertstarproducts to learn more.




Travel for Less



In these days of rising prices, how would you like to travel and save money to? Learn how you can save enough money to take that once in a lifetime vacation. Go to


http://deserthab.airtravel.hop.clickbank.net/ and find out.



There are ways to travel for free. These ways are easy to learn. Go to


http://deserthab.fly4free.hop.clickbank.net/ to find out. You will be glad you did.




Have you ever longed to travel on your own schedule and enjoy your vacation? Would you like to travel for a living and see new and interesting places every day? Do you like to write letters to your relatives telling them about your recent vacation? You have what it takes to become a travel writer. All you need is a little instruction and you can have a dream job too. Go to http://deserthab.wp3033773.hop.clickbank.net/ and learn how you to can become a travel writer.




Adventure and Treasure Hunting



Do you watch movies like Indiana Jones and wish you could do that in real life? Do you like a good mystery? Would you like to use modern methods and tools to find long lost treasure?


All this is possible if you learn from the best. Stan Grist world renown adventurer and treasure hunter has written a course complete with step by step instruction on how to become successful. Go to http://deserthab.infoshare2.hop.clickbank.net


And check out his course “Creating Wealth Through Adventure”



And now for our feature story




Black Sea Vacation


In the summer of the year 2007 I went on vacation to visit my mother on the coast of the Black Sea. My mother lives in Maikop, the capital of the republic of Adygeya. Maikop is a city of 155,000 people 400 km inland on the northeast shore of the Black Sea and the climate is temperate continental. That means – 5 C in the winter and 30 to 35 C in the summer. It is well watered with 85 rivers and streams and an average rainfall of 80 mm a month. The republic of Adygeya is the fifth territory of Russia and is located on the picturesque northern slopes of the Caucasian ridge of mountains. The foothills of Caucasus are magnificent and the plateau Lagonaki at the 2000 meter height ( 6000 feet) is a splendid natural site. There are karstic caves, snowcapped mountains, alpine meadows, wide steppes, pine forests that are centuries old, and racing snowmelt waterfalls. There are hot mineral springs and exotic flora and fauna.


There are Sauna camping experiences. Piles of rocks are heated then a large metal framed tent is placed over the rocks. Pairs of bathers go into the tent with bathing brooms. The brooms are immersed in water then shaken on the hot stones forming steam. The pairs of bathers then brush each other down with the wet broom. When the tent becomes to hot everyone rushes outside and jumps in the cold snowmelt white river.


Adygea has more than 130 karstic caves and here is where Speleotourism or touring and camping in caves began. In the surrounding countryside there the falls of Ryfabgo, big Aszishskaya cave, Fisht-oshtenovskiy hills, and big Thach national park.


Maikop is located on a large inflow of the Kuban river. Maikop means valley of wild apple trees. The cool snow melt waters of the White River revive the apple orchards during the long hot summers.


There are over 70 archeological sites around Maikop that show what life was like in previous centuries.


About 76 km southeast of Maikop is the town of Guzeripl. It is here that international rafting competitions take place.


Traveling to the coast we come to the resort town of Sochi. This town is the Russian Riviera. It has sandy beaches and mountain skiing in the winter. My mother and I rented a room in a big house 100 meters from the sea.








In June there are few people on the beach so my mother and I enjoyed the almost deserted beaches. I tried parasailing. I enjoyed it very much. I could see the Black Sea on my right and the city of Sochi on my left.








The next day we had a storm. The storm stirred up the waves so when the storm stopped I went for a swim to feel the power of the waves. The swim was super. Mother sat on the beach under an umbrella sipping the house wine.









Next we went south to the town of Adler and visited one of Stalin’s old summer residences. The huge house sat on a hill and was of Sovietsky design. After Adler we went to the town of Pitcunda. It was a really hot day and everyone went to the beach to go swimming.














dolphin was swimming nearby and came over to greet everyone. The dolphin was very friendly and someone even tried to feed him a banana. Everyone took pictures. Too soon we had to leave.














Our next stop was Lake Ritsa. Here we took a catamaran to New Athos. Here we went to the famous underground caves. A narrow gauge railroad and a three car train took us through the rooms. Next we went to the top of a mountain to visit Iversk’s chapel and the remain of the fortress that surrounded it. This was the last stop on the tour. Everyone on the bus was singing on the way back.


Next we rented a room at Aqualoo. Aqualoo was a big waterpark and we had fun riding the waterslides, tanning in the sun, and getting a massage.












In the evening we returned to our cozy room and drank a bottle of champagne. Too soon our summer vacation ended and I gave mother a hug as I boarded my plane to return home.




Pine Mountain Evening



Well another day is over. I have the old John Deere tractor almost torn down. I will order parts next week. The tractor has been needing an overhaul for a while now. I am relaxing by the fire in my gas fireplace. Squeekers my African grey parrot is munching his favorite snack peanuts sitting on his perch by the fire. He is talking to himself and anyone that will listen. I am enjoying another coffee drink from http://www.coffeefool.com/. Tonight I am having Irish Cream. This coffee is just right for relaxing by the fire. It makes me think of my ancestors and their journey from Ireland.


Well I am tired and it is time to call it a day. I put Squeekers in his cage, turn off the fireplace, and head off to bed. See you all next week. Goodnight.