| How to Mountain Bike Downhill Posted: 19 Apr 2019 05:00 PM PDT Mountain biking is an exhilarating and physically challenging activity. When biking downhill, it's important to properly distribute your weight in order to control your bike. It's also essential that you purchase biking equipment that is made specifically to withstand the stress of biking down a hill with uneven terrain. Once you have the proper equipment and understand the basics, going downhill on your mountain bike is a blast! EditControlling Your Bike Downhill - Look as far down the trail as you can. Looking far in front of you will enable you to anticipate changes in the trail. This will give you enough time to adjust to bends or changes in the trail. If you get distracted and concentrate too close in front of you, micro adjustments and hesitation could cause you to wipe out.[1]
- Commit to riding down the hill once you enter the decline. Instead of second-guessing yourself, go fully into the hill and keep your wheels turning. Occasionally feather the brakes to slow down when you come to slight bends in the road, but don't try to come to a complete stop until you're on level land.[2]
- Hesitation could cause you to fall off your bike when going down a steep hill.
- You might be scared at first, but committing to a hill is the safest way to ride down it.
- Distribute your weight to the outside of the bike as you turn. When you turn, your outside foot should be in the down position, your inside pedal should be up, and your weight should be distributed to the outside of your bike. This will prevent you from taking corners too sharply and falling off your bike.[3]
- Your weight should be evenly distributed between your front and back tire during turns.
- Drop your weight on the back of the bike when going down a steep hill. Hold the handlebars and lift your butt off the back of your seat. Plant your heels down onto your pedals, adjust your hips, and drop your weight onto the back of your bike. This will prevent you from tipping over the handlebars when going down a steep hill.[4]
- Keep your elbows and knees loose (slightly bent rather than locked) to avoid bumps and jostling that could affect your control of the bike.
- Learn how to drop on a mountain bike. When approaching a drop in terrain, you should be elevated over your seat, your chest should be lowered, and your arms and legs should be bent. As you go over the cliff, lower your hips, put your weight on the back of the bike and push off your handlebars.[5]
- The drop technique will safely guide you over small cliffs as you ride downhill.
- Try to land on your back wheel or both wheels when doing this maneuver.
- As you go over the drop, keep your knees and elbows dynamic to compensate for the impact.
EditPrioritizing Safety as a Beginner - Practice on easy biking trails first. Most mountain bike trails will have a grading system that signifies their difficulty. This grading system can usually be found at the start of a trail or at the park's information booth. If you're new to downhill biking, choose one of the lower difficulty trails before trying an intermediate or difficult trail.[6]
- Lower level tracks will be relatively straight with limited curves and bumps.
- Intermediate and advanced tracks may have steep drop-offs, narrow tracks, and obstacles blocking your way.
- Only go down an advanced track if you're an experienced mountain biker.
- Walk on the side of the trail if you need to stop. Don't stop in the middle of a trail. If you need to take a break or examine an obstacle, walk off to the side of the trail first. This will prevent other riders from colliding with you.[7]
- Stop and examine an obstacle if it's too difficult. It's okay to stop the bike and walk it over a portion of the trail that you find too scary to do, like a steep drop off or an obstacle. Make sure that you walk on the side of the trail, out of the way of potential bikers behind you.[8]
- Examining an obstacle on a trail can actually help you better understand it the next time that you ride down the trail.
- Call out which side you're passing on. If you are passing someone on the trail, say "To your left" or "To your right," depending on which side you want to pass on. This will give the biker in front of you enough time to get to the side of the track.[9]
- Alternatively, you can use a bicycle bell to communicate with other trail users.
- If someone coming up behind you says "To your Left" or "Left," get to the right of the track so that they can safely pass you.
- Stay tight against the bike if you're going to fall. Try to fall on the side while keeping your body close against the bike. This lets the pedal and handlebars absorb the bulk of the impact. The natural instinct to bail off the bike and land with your hands out can cause wrist and hand injuries.[10]
- Increase your speed gradually on tracks you're familiar with. Once you become more accustomed to the curves, bumps, and intricacies of a track or course, you can increase your speed on the track. After you master one trail, you can move onto more difficult ones.[11]
EditGetting the Proper Equipment - Purchase or rent a full suspension downhill bike for intermediate or advanced trails. Full suspension downhill bikes have sturdy suspensions that can withstand the bumps and drops from a downhill mountain bike course. They are heavier than hybrid and road bikes and are built specifically for rugged mountain bike trails.[12]
- You can purchase or rent a full suspension downhill mountain bike at a bike store.
- If you're a beginner and want to try blue or green trails, you can use any bicycle. However, as you become more advanced, a full-suspension bike is ideal.
- Buy a helmet. If you're planning on mountain biking downhill on advanced trails, you'll want to purchase a helmet that can protect the front of your face if you go over the handlebars. The helmet should feel light and secure and should not obstruct your view in any way.[13]
- Try the helmet on at a bike store to ensure that it fits.
- Wear goggles to protect your eyes from debris. Goggles will block dirt or dust that may blow into your face as you go downhill. Your helmet should fit comfortably over the goggles. [14]
- Purchase biking clothing. Purchase tighter fitting, non-cotton performance or cycling clothes that wick sweat. The material in bike clothes helps regulate temperature and are made to fit your body in the cycling position.[15]
- Performance or biking clothes can be found at bike stores or online.
- Popular brands of cycling clothes include POC, Mavic, and Benard.
- Baggy clothing can get caught in the chain or gears of your bike, but it's usually fine to wear comfortable clothes if you don't have anything designed specifically for biking.
- Wear protective armor over your clothes when going down advanced trails. Knee pads, elbow pads, or even full body armor will help minimize injuries if you fall off your bike. If you are going down more advanced tracks, buy biking armor online or at a biking store.[16]
- Tailor your tire pressure and suspension to the track. If you are biking on wet ground, you can set your bike to a slightly lower suspension to get more grip on the trail. If you are going along dry ground, set your suspension higher to achieve higher speeds.[17]
- Play around with both of these settings on your bike and find a setting that feels comfortable for you and the trail you're riding on.
- Proper mountain bike suspension should sit about ⅓ of the way down when you sit on the bike on dry terrain.
- Bring water and snacks. Water is an absolute essential, so don't forget to fill up and bring a few bottles or a water bladder when you go riding. Snacks like granola bars or trail mix are great to have on hand as well.
EditReferences
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| How to Make a Thank You Card Posted: 19 Apr 2019 09:00 AM PDT Sending a handmade thank you card is a great way to thoughtfully recognize what someone else has done for you. You can make a lot of different types of cards, from ones with calligraphy greetings to painted cards or even collaged ones. After you've crafted your thank you card, write a meaningful, sincere note on the inside before delivering it to the recipient. It may only take 10 minutes to make a card, but your thoughtfulness will mean a lot to the person who receives it. EditChoosing a Design - Form a pretty border on your card using washi tape. Take your washi tape of choice and cut off pieces that are long enough to create a border across the length and width of the card. Carefully line them up so they're even with the edges of the card, press them down firmly, and trim off any excess tape.[1]
- There are tons of different colors and patterns of washi tape available. From solid colors to glittery ones to printed patterns—check out your local craft store to pick out a few options to use on your next homemade thank you card.
- Create a collage from magazine cut-outs to make a unique design. This is a great way to make a really personalized card for someone. Gear the card toward the person's personality and cut out images that remind you of them, or make the card "thank you" centric by cutting out words and images that remind you of gratitude.[2]
- You could cover an entire card with cut-outs of the words "thank you" from different magazine articles for a neat effect.
- Design a colorful balloon or rainbow card for a young child. Use colored cardstock to cut out shapes for balloons or arches for a rainbow, or use markers or colored pencils to draw them onto the card. Make the image large enough to cover the entire front of the card for the most stunning visual effect.[3]
- Write a special thank you message inside a ballon or across an arch of the rainbow to make the card even more personalized.
- Cut out shapes to adorn the front of the card for a pretty design. Hearts, stars, flowers, circles, or squares can make a nice visual effect on the front of a card. Use colored cardstock to cut out multiples of a single image and then glue them to the front of the card.[4]
- For example, you could cut out 2 dozen small stars and then paste them to the card, putting the bulk of them near the top so that it looks like it's raining down stars.
- Make an elegant card by using thick, creamy paper and a simple design. Sometimes you might want a classier card when you send out a thank you note, like if you're sending one to your boss or a relative you're not very close to, or maybe you just like the look better. Choose a thicker paper in a cream or beige color. Use stamps or calligraphy to write "thank you" on the front of the card. You can:[5]
- Use a simple design, like a paint chip with a flower stamped or drawn on it, to decorate the card;
- Use gold or silver markers to make your message a little more sparkly;
- Stamp the card with homemade stamps, like from cut pieces of fruits or vegetables, or store-bought ones.
- Use paints or watercolors to create a vibrant, unique card. You could paint the person's name on top of a stunning multi-colored background, or make a dreamy sky-scape with clouds, a sun, and birds. The options are endless.[6]
- This is a great way to use a skill of yours to show someone gratitude.
- If you're going to mail the card, make sure the paper is completely dry before you put it into an envelope.
- Craft a rustic card with twine and brown craft paper. This kind of card is simple to make. All you need is some brown craft paper, some twine, and a white or black marker. Fold the paper in half, and write "thank you" across the front with the white or black marker (white works well on dark-brown paper, whereas black will look better on light-brown paper). Make a small bow out of of twine, and use a glue gun to secure it to the top corner of the card.[7]
- You can, of course, get even more creative with rustic cards. For example, include the person's name on the front of the card, add a cut-out flower or some other design, or create lines across the top half of the card by gluing down strands of twine.
EditDecorating the Card - Cut paper with scalloped shears to make decorative edges. Cut all the edges of the actual card itself to make its edges into a different shape, or use them to make other parts of the card look more unique. For example, if you have a square of white paper to glue to the card to write your message in, cut it out with the scalloped shears—it'll look a little fancier than straight edges would.[8]
- There are lots of differently-patterned scissors you can use. Browse the options at your local craft store to find a pair to add to your crafting supplies.
- Decorate with stamps to add an extra design element to your card. You can buy stamps from your local craft store or from an online store, and there are tons of different styles available. Look for ones that say "thank you," or pick your favorite designs, like leaves, flowers, or other objects you can use to decorate your card.[9]
- Experiment with different colors of ink. For example, white ink would really look great on black or dark blue paper, whereas dark green ink could look really classy on a cream-colored card.
- Add dimension to your card with paper cutouts. Layering paper is a great way to create visual depth. Cut out several different sizes of colored paper, like a large square, a medium-sized square, and a small circle, then paste them on top of each other on the front of the card so that they create multiple borders.[10]
- You can get really creative and use different colors, sizes, and types of paper.
- Glue on buttons or gems for a whimsical touch. You can create a pattern or border out of buttons or gems, or use them to accent a design already on the card. Use liquid-glue or non-liquid adhesive to secure the objects to your card. just make sure you give them enough time to dry so they stay securely in place.[11]
- For example, if your card has flowers on it, you could glue a button to the center of each flower.
- Use leftover scraps of ribbon to make a textured card. Use one color of ribbon, or use multiple colors and patterns depending on what you have available. Tie a bow and glue it to the top of the card, or use strips of ribbon to make a colorful background across the entire body of the card.[12]
- This is a nice way to repurpose ribbon leftover from other crafts or even from gifts you've received.
EditWriting a Thank You Note - Use your best handwriting or calligraphy. If you have a hard time writing legibly, try to slow down and take care when writing out your thank you message. Use a pen or marker that won't smudge or smear across the page. Permanent markers work well, and gel pens dry faster and are less likely to smudge than ballpoint pens.[13]
- If your card is made with dark paper, cut out a lighter-colored piece of paper to glue to the inside of the card. That way, you can write your message without worrying if it will be visible or not.
- Include a salutation and the person's name on the inside of the card. Regardless of what you designed or wrote on the front of the card, the inside message should still include some kind of greeting, as well as the recipient's name. Double-check that you're spelling the person's name correctly. For the greeting, you could write:[14]
- "Dear John,"
- "Kelly, thank you,"
- "Hello, Mrs. Smith,"
- "Greetings, Susan,"
- Or, just write the person's name if that feels more natural to you.
- Thank the person for what they did or gave specifically. You don't need to exaggerate, ramble, or overly thank someone. Just a simple line or two will do. And don't hesitate to thank people for small things, too, like a homemade meal or someone attending an event or performance you were in. Everyone likes being appreciated![15]
- For example, write something like, "Thank you so much for inviting me and Jason over for a meal. It was so nice to relax and connect with you and Kate."
- Or write something like, "Thank you so much for the new set of bath towels. They look great in our cupboard and we were excited to replace our mismatched and worn-out set."
- Thank someone who supported you by attending an event by saying something like, "Thank you so much for coming to my concert last Friday evening. It was so nice to look out and see a friendly face, and I really appreciate you taking the time to support me."
- Compliment the person or express good wishes for them. Whether you compliment their thoughtfulness or generosity or tell them you hope to see them soon, it's nice to end the note on an emotional upswing. This doesn't have to be a long, drawn-out sentiment. One line should be enough.[16]
- For example, write something like, "Your gift was so thoughtful. I look forward to seeing you at the next family reunion!"
- Or, "I hope this next season is good to you and your family."
- Sign your name to end the letter. If the gift was given to you and your family, have everyone sign their names to the bottom of the card. Whether you write "love," or some other kind of sign-off note is up to you. You can try out different endings, like:[17]
- "Warmly,"
- "All the best,"
- "Kind regards,"
- "With appreciation,"
- "Thanks again."
- Mail or deliver the card with 1 to 2 weeks of the occasion. If you're mailing the card, make sure to seal it in an envelope, put enough postage on it, and write the address legibly across the front. For a hand-delivered card, either drop it into the person's mailbox or give it to them the next time you see them.[18]
- If you can't get your thank you card out in the mail quickly, late is always better than never. You could even put in a note saying something like, "I know this is a few weeks late, but I just wanted to send my appreciation."
- You can also use online programs to design thank you cards. This can come in handy if you need a lot of cards at once, like for wedding gifts or a baby shower.
- Take a picture of yourself using the gift and include it with the thank you note.
EditThings You'll Need EditChoosing a Design - Washi tape
- Magazines
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Paper
- Pens
- Markers
- Paints
- Watercolors
- Paintbrushes
- Glue gun
EditDecorating the Card - Paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Stamps
- Buttons
- Gems
- Ribbons
EditWriting a Thank You Note - Pen or marker
- Envelopes
- Stamps
EditRelated wikiHows EditReferences
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| How to Incubate Eggs in an Electric Frying Pan Posted: 19 Apr 2019 01:00 AM PDT Incubating eggs could be a fun activity for yourself and even your children. You can do it at home with just an electric frying pan and following some simple steps. The most important part of incubating eggs in a frying pan is making sure they maintain the right temperature. In as little as three weeks, if done correctly, you will see tiny chicks hatching out of your eggs. EditSetting up the Electric Frying Pan - Choose an electric frying pan with a glass lid and ventilation. Purchase an electric frying pan large enough to house the number of eggs you want to incubate. You can find one online or at your local department store.
- Purchase a frying pan with a glass lid so you're able to monitor your eggs while the lid is still on it.
- Look for frying pans with temperature control. Some frying pans only have a single setting with an on/off switch. Choose one that enables you to select the temperature setting you want.[1]
- Eggs shells are porous and require ventilation. Make sure your frying pan has holes on the lid that allows fresh air to circulate so fetuses can breathe.[2]
- Clean the frying pan. It is important to wash your electric frying pan in order to prevent the spread of bacteria to your fertile eggs. First, wipe down any dust or debris with a dry cloth. Then, use a damp cloth with dish soap to clean the inside and lid before incubating.[3]
- Allow the incubator to dry thoroughly before plugging it in for use.
- Choose a liner and place it in the bottom of the incubator for bedding. You have many options for bedding for your eggs. You can line it with a washcloth, drawer liner, wood shavings, or hay. Whichever liner you choose, place an even layer at the bottom of the pan, making sure you save enough room to put the eggs and lid on top.[4]
- If you use a washcloth, make sure it is damp. You can accomplish this by wetting it and squeezing out the excess water. This will help maintain needed moisture in your pan.
- Place the incubator in a cool area. Maintaining the correct temperature during incubation is very important. You'll want to place the incubator in an area where it will receive as little room-temperature change as possible.[5]
- Do not put the incubator near a window where it will receive direct sunlight. This could increase the temperature of the eggs in the incubator and ultimately kill the embryo.
- If possible, do the incubation in your basement. This area of the house will provide constant temperature and humidity.
- Maintain a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The acceptable range for the incubator is between 97 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the temperature setting your frying pan to make sure it stays within that range. Be very careful to maintain this temperature in order to achieve success.[6]
- If the temperature drops below 96 degrees or rises about 103 degrees, your egg may not hatch. If the temperature is too high, you may end up cooking the eggs. If it is too low, you will slow their metabolic rate.
- Use a wet bulb thermometer to measure humidity. The humidity of the incubator should be 60 to 65 percent, with an increase to about 75 percent during the last 3 days. You can purchase a wet bulb thermometer online or at most poultry supply companies.[7]
- You can also use a hydrometer to measure the humidity.
- If your incubator is not humid enough, try adding a wet sponge or small glass bowl of water to the pan to help bring more moisture into the environment.
- Test the frying pan before starting the incubation process. To make sure your electric frying pan is working, try it over a 24 to 48-hour period before starting your incubation. Check the temperature and humidity several times a day to make sure it is able to stay steady.[8]
EditCaring for the Eggs during Incubation - Obtain fertile eggs. In order for this to work, you need to have the right eggs. The eggs you find at your local supermarket will not work, as they are not fertile. You can get fertile eggs from a hatchery or a local poultry farm.[9]
- Wash your hands thoroughly. You should always wash your hands before handling fertile eggs. This will keep any bacteria from potentially transferring to the eggs or their environment.
- There is no need to wash your eggs unless they are heavily soiled. If this is the case, use warm water and mild detergent and scrub lightly. Heavy scrubbing can result in damage to the egg and push bacteria into the pores of the egg.
- Place the eggs in the incubator on their sides. Incubated eggs should be lying on their sides. When placing the eggs, position them so that the more pointed end is facing down and the larger, more rounded end is up in the air. This is important as the embryos can become misaligned if the pointed end is higher and may have difficulty breaking through the shell when it comes time to hatch.[10]
- Rotate the eggs 90 to 180 degrees 3 times a day. The purpose of turning the eggs is to keep the developing embryos floating freely within the egg whites. If you leave the eggs in just one position, the embryos will adhere to the shell membranes, resulting in their death. A hen rotates its eggs several times each day, so you should do the same.[11]
- Turn the eggs an odd number of times (3, 5, or 7 times per day) so the position that is up the longest at night will alternate.
- When you turn the eggs, move them to a different part of the pan to protect them from temperature variation.
- Carefully mark the date or an "X" on each egg with a permanent marker so you know whether they have been turned.
- Candle the eggs after 7-10 days. Candling is the process of using a light source to view how well the embryo is developing. You can do this by going into a dark room and shining a flashlight into the egg. The embryo will look like a cloudy mass. It will increase in size as you near the hatch date.[12]
- Discard the egg after 16 days if no embryo is visible, as the egg will not hatch.
- When candling also look for problem signs, such as blood rings, which indicate the embryo has died and the blood vessels have separated from it.[13]
EditHatching the Eggs - Leave the eggs untouched 3 days before hatching. Three days prior to the estimated hatch date, stop turning the eggs and leave them as is. This is called the "lockdown" period. It is important not to bother the eggs during this period because the egg yolk is beginning to be absorbed into the chick's body. Touching the egg during this time may disturb the process.[14]
- Chicken eggs usually hatch within 21 days. Ducks and turkeys take 28 days to hatch.
- Increase the humidity level in the electric frying pan. Three days prior to hatching, the humidity should be at 70 percent. You can achieve this by adding more water to the sponge or glass bowl.[15]
- During these final days, do not open the incubator unless absolutely necessary.
- Decrease temperature to 95 degrees after the chicks hatch. Decrease the temperature and leave the frying pan closed until after eggs hatch. After the chicks hatch, they can survive in the incubator for up to 3 days. This allows them to dry off and fluff up before removing them.
- The chicks will be okay in the pan because they are able to survive on the yolk they absorb during the hatching process.[16]
- Be patient. The length of the incubation period depends on the type of eggs you are trying to hatch. Research incubation times before starting the process so you know how long you expect incubation to be.
- Mark one side of the egg with an "X" and the other with an "O" so that you don't get confused when turning the eggs.
EditThings You'll Need - Electric frying pan
- Wet bulb thermometer or hydrometer
- Fertile eggs
- Pan liner of your choice (straw, washcloth, drawer liner, wood shavings)
- Permanent marker
- Sponge
EditReferences
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