Archive for May, 2010
May 31st, 2010 | 
Author: How Adventure Cycling Helps You Burn Down Lots Of Calories
Adventure cycling is among one of the most popular nonconformist ways of spending a holiday; some people go for a hike some others choose tracking mountain climbing or lying on a sunny beach but how many do you really think will actually spend dozens of hours in the saddle carrying all their gear on the back? Adventure cycling is more than an afternoon bike ride in a natural reserve for instance where you possibly camp and make a nice picnic or a barbecue. For anyone interested in seeing new places and feel adventurous at the same time cycling may just be the solution.
It doesn’t take too much money but it definitely requires some planning and though many people will insist that you don’t have to be super fit adventure cycling requires a good physical shape with resistance to effort. Besides the great freedom such tours give they are also great opportunities of getting the local feeling as you come to know a place by the immediate and direct contact with the local people and their life style. No one can complain about not experiencing the unexpected since it is everywhere: not knowing what to expect from the journey is definitely a thrill.
Adventure cycling will burn down lots of calories and help you get into perfect physical shape; you can eat as much as you like and you will still lose some weight. During the period of intense effort you should actually have foods with a high caloric level since they ensure the energy necessary for pedaling. Moreover besides the health benefits you get to feel by taking part to adventure cycling tours you also have the chance of making a statement on the pollution level and the environmental advantages that come together with an ecological kind of trip.
Sometimes people feel a bit awkward about starting a cycling adventure and the most common reasons that stop one from such an experience include age and health state. I’m too old to start a cycling adventure I am not at all fit for pedaling kilometers on end I’ve got too many things to do at work to take a vacation I have never done something like that in my life and the list could go on. What people actually fail to realize from the beginning is that such complaints are merely excuses that should not stop you from doing what you want. Have fun!
About the writer: Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Cycling for Years. For More Information on Adventure Cycling Visit His Site at ADVENTURE CYCLING
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Hondajet Comes Closer To Production
Honda Aircraft Company Inc. HACI has taken the next major step in delivering HondaJet to its customers. The company has broken ground for its new 369000 square foot headquarters and manufacturing facility at Piedmont Triad International PTI airport in Greensboro North Carolina.
The move is another step closer to the production of the innovative HondaJet the first of which Honda Aircraft is planning to deliver to customers in 2010.
The Greensboro complex includes 219000 square feet of offices and an airplane hangar set to be completed in the spring of 2008 as well as a 150000squarefoot production facility.
All major assembly and testing of the prototype HondaJet has been conducted at the company’s existing Greensboro facility which opened in 2001 as an extension of Honda’s global RD operations. The HondaJet production facility according to a company press release will become the Japanese automaker’s seventeenth major manufacturing plant in North America including two currently under construction in Indiana and Ontario Canada. Honda already has a 188 million North Carolina manufacturing facility near Swepsonville that has been producing general purpose engines lawn mowers and other power equipment products since 1984.
The HondaJet is the Honda’s first commercial aircraft with seating for up to eight passengers. Honda has stated that about 90 percent of the components for the jet will be supplied by North American companies.
About Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
Honda Aircraft Company Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Founded in Japan in 1948 Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co. Inc. Honda’s first overseas subsidiary. Honda began U.S. production of motorcycles in 1979 and automobiles in 1982. The company which also produces top of the line auto parts like Honda brake caliper has invested more than 9 billion in its North American operations with employment of more than 33000 associates and annual purchases of more than 16 billion in parts and materials from suppliers in North America. Nearly 80 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles purchased by U.S. consumers in 2006 were manufactured by Honda plants in North America.
About the writer: Ally Wahlberg is a Computer Information Systems specialist. Ally leads an active lifestyle and he is a fan of extreme sports. He is also a car enthusiast and writing about his interests is one of his passions.
Honda To Produce Fuel Cell Vehicles For Consumers Next Year
The current global warming threat and increasing prices of gasoline has led car manufacturers to develop new technologies to reduce the dependency on fossil fuel. Reducing greenhouse gases which contributes to global warming is also a major concern for car manufacturers. Currently the most popular alternative engine technology is the gaselectric hybrid technology used widely by Japanese car manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda.
The Toyota Prius is the most popular hybrid vehicle today with celebrities known to own and drive it all around town. Another technology though more fuel efficient than hybrids is being developed by Honda. The FCX fuelcell vehicle is the first U.S. government approved fuelcell vehicle. Currently the said vehicle is being tested by fleets and a couple of consumers. Next year though Honda promises to produce a limited number of this environment friendly vehicle.
The announcement came after General Motors also publicized that they will be letting consumers test 100 units of the fuelcell powered Chevrolet Equinox. The modified SUV from General Motors also gained the approval of the government. Both the revised Equinox and the FCX are powered by electricity. The electricity which drives the vehicles is produced by the fusion of oxygen and hydrogen. Oxygen is taken in by the fuel cell stack from the surrounding air while hydrogen is purchased from refilling stations offering it. Currently that is a problem being faced with the development of these hydrogenfueled vehicles.
Across the country there are limited numbers of refilling stations offering hydrogen fuel. Already there are proposed solutions to this problem. One of these is the involvement of industrial gas suppliers. Companies such as Praxair and Air Products could make their resources available to fuelcell car owners.
While the use of fuel cell technology eliminates the emission of harmful greenhouse gases it is expected that fuel cell technology is years away from being practical for ordinary consumer use. Fuel cell vehicles are more environment friendly than hybrid vehicles since the result of the fusion of hydrogen fuel and oxygen is only water. The production of fuel stack though is costly and fragile. With more money being poured into the development of these vehicles it can be expected that development of tougher fuel cell stacks for a lower price will be a reality.
For the 2008 FCX Honda announced that they will be using a lithiumion battery pack that is known to be lighter and more powerful than the nickelmetal hydride batteries used by current hybrid vehicles. The second largest Japanese car manufacturer also announced that the production FCX will be equipped with a smaller fuel cell stack. The current FCXs use the entire floor space to accommodate its fuel cell stack. For the next year the fuel cell stack will only occupy the space under the armrest between the driver and the passenger. The light lithiumion battery pack will be placed behind the rear seat.
The company did not release a statement whether they will be redesigning the exterior of the sleek FCX for the consumer market. Currently the FCXs design stands out with its unique headlight and taillight configuration which looks good even without a set of Auto Ventshade accessories. The FCX not only looks good but also delivers good value for money in terms of fuel efficiency. According to Honda the FCX has a mileage rating of 68 mpg if equated to gasoline. While hydrogen costs more per gallon the efficiency of fuel cell technology makes the cost per mile less than that of gasoline.
Aside from the limited production FCX Honda also announced that they will be offering a unique hybrid vehicle which will cost less than the hybrid version of the Honda Civic in the near future. The company said that the new hybrid will not replace the Civic hybrid in its lineup. Instead the said new hybrid will augment the Civic much like what the Prius is to the Camry hybrid.
About the writer: Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.