By Ryan Glasspiegel
TheDailyMeal.com

Buffalo wings are such an ingrained part of American culture that, if you didn't already know, you'd assume that their origin dates back further than to 1964, when Teressa Bellissimo prepared the first batch for a voracious group of her son's friends in the kitchen of Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y.

It's hard to imagine life without such a culinary creation that's so versatile that it can be created in hundreds of styles, served boneless or bone-in, taste great with dozens of dips, and served as either an appetizer or a meal. Wings are now on the menu at virtually every bar that serves food, at pizza chains, and even at upscale restaurants. Just 47 years after being introduced to the world, most Americans have several wing options just a phone call away.

When the NFL and its players association were negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement, many feared that a lockout would have a disastrous effect on the chicken-wing industry. "It would kill wings, it would be terrible on wings," Joe Sanderson of Sanderson Farms Inc. said at the Reuters Global Food Agriculture Summit in March.

Buffalo Wild Wings, a now omnipresent chain inspired by delicious wings, echoed Sanderson's sentiment and offered its customers, who were hungry for both wings and football, six free wings if they signed a petition to end the lockout before July 20. The lockout ended shortly after the deadline, but Buffalo Wild Wings made good on its promise anyway. Two great American industries had been saved.

Let's face it, it's virtually impossible to make "bad" wings, and so it wasn't easy to determine America's 10 best. However, the bars and restaurants on this list go above and beyond, serving wings fit to be
eaten at dinner for a month straight. The pictures alone will make your mouth water and your stomach yearn. Hopefully, you're lucky enough to live close to some of these wings to make it happen.

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The thrill of summer is long gone. The warm air breaks for a cool breeze and the spirit for adventure breaks with it. Hiking boots get thrown to the back of the closet and camping gear gets a special corner in the back of the garage. It's time to hide indoors for another winter.

I see it every year. People's motivation for outdoor sports gets trampled by cold weather. We put outdoor activities in a "summer only" basket and forget about it.

It's no surprise people don't hike as much in the off-season. Winter totally changes the lay of the land. Rocky trails turn into snow beds. Mountains freeze over, and temperatures drop way below the comfort zone.

That’s why hiking is all about location. You don't have to hit the Rockies or the Sierras just to find good hiking ground. The winter-time blues come with an easy cure: Change your destination. Hundreds of trail systems across the U.S. offer beautiful scenery, diverse terrain, mild winters and virtually no snow.

The only way to escape the snow is to fly south for the winter. But don't get the wrong idea. Snow cover doesn't necessarily make a bad hike. Snowshoeing is another great option for winter hiking. For some, snow cover is the attraction.

"Trails are beautiful in the winter," said Lucas St. Clair, co-author of "AMC Guide to Winter Hiking and Camping." "The landscape totally changes from rocky trails to wide open white expanses ... and you get views you'd never get in the summer."

The point is that hiking is a year-round sport. There's always a way to beat the cold and experience the outdoors.

With temperatures dropping and leaves falling, it's prime time to start planning your own winter adventures. Narrowing the search isn't easy, so here are a few top picks for winter hiking destinations.

1. Santa Catalina Mountains (Arizona)

Highlights
• Diverse terrain
• Desert routes
• Stunning scenery
• Mild winters

Recommended Trail
• Esperero Trail

Destination
When it comes to hiking in the southwest, the Santa Catalina Mountains are at the top of the list. Hiking in Arizona isn't just about hopping from one desert cactus to the next. This mountain range has a diverse ecosystem, beautiful overlooks and stunning geological formations.

A formation known as The Window, for example, is giant rock archway atop Ventana Canyon that overlooks Tucson. Ventana Canyon is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful locations in the Catalina Mountains.

The Trail
Hiking in this area can be challenging and rewarding. For each beautiful attraction there's an uphill climb. Esperero Trail to Cathedral Rock is revered as one of the most scenic routes in the Catalinas. It passes through areas of desert floor and thick oak forest before reaching its peak at Cathedral Rock.

The trail is nearly 16 miles from the trail head to the summit, but many hikers choose to hike only the first 12 miles to Bridal Veil Falls, a set of waterfalls that cascade down into a large pool below.

Cathedral Rock is only one of many trail options in the Catalina Mountains. The whole area is great for winter hiking. Elevation changes are steep, and desert nights can reach temperatures below freezing. Don't let the idea of hot desert climates fool you. It still gets cold and snow is possibility. So, prepare for anything in the Catalina Mountains.

2. Big Bend National Park (Texas)

Highlights
• Extreme Ecological and Geological Diversity
• Warmest winter hike in continental United States
• Shares a border with Mexico

Recommended Trail
• The Outer Mountain Loop

Destination
Big Bend is most famous for its level of diversity. It's often referred to as three parks in one. Its three distinct environments make it unique. The 800,000 acre expanse contains the Rio Grande River, the Chisos Mountains, and the Chihuahuan Desert. That variety alone is worth the trip.

Big Bend's southern geographical location is the very thing that makes it a perfect winter destination. The park shares a border with Mexico making the Chisos Mountains the southernmost range in the nation.

"We have excellent temperatures in the winter," said David Elkowitz, chief of Interpretation for Big Bend National Park. "And we rarely get snow."

According to Elkowitz, 66 degrees is the average high temperature for February. Temperatures like that make it easy to backpack long distances in winter months.

The Trail
Whether you prefer backpacking or day-hiking, the Outer Mountain Loop is one of the best trails the park has to offer.

"The loop is our main backpacking trail," said Elkowitz. "It goes up into the high country mountains. It’s an incredibly diverse trail.”

Stretching 30 miles from start to finish, this signature trail encompasses the full Big Bend experience. Hiking the loop exposes hikers to all three of the park’s ecosystems from one trail.

The Outer Mountain Loop is only intended for winter and spring hiking. Park officials make very clear that it is not for summer use. When it comes to mild winter hikes, it doesn't get much better than a trail intended just for winter use.

If you're looking for a winter hike with spring temperature and variety rocky terrain, check out Big Bend for your winter destination.

3. Petit Jean State Park (Arkansas)

Highlights
• Trail variety and accessibility
• Lodging Variety
• Mild winters
• Unique geology

Recommended Trail
• Seven Hollows Trail

Destination
Petit Jean is a standalone mountain overlooking the Arkansas River Valley. It's located halfway between the Ozark and Ouachita Mountain ranges. The mountain is home to Petit Jean State Park, the oldest park in the state. It offers a wide variety of scenery, terrain and outdoor activities.

"Petit Jean is a great place to hike during the winter," said BT Jones, park interpreter. "We have over 20 miles of scenic trails in the park."

The longest trail in the park is the Rockefeller Boy Scout Trail. It runs 12 miles from start to finish. There is no camping along the trail, making Petit Jean a day-hiking destination.

The best way to experience Petit Jean State Park in the winter is to get a cabin, warm it up, and plan a series of day hikes. Hike during the day, and keep warm and toasty at night.

There's a great sense of pride and accomplishment in backpacking long trails during the winter, but there's no denying the comfort of a warm cabin at the end of a long, cold hike.

The Trail
Seven Hollows Trail is a four-mile loop that leads through a series of unique geological formations and thick hardwood forests. Rock walls tower on both sides of the first two-mile stretch. Just past a series of small canyons is a side trail that leads to an overhanging rock formation called the Groto.

The Groto marks the half-way point. From there, the trail begins to loop back around to a formation called the Natural Bridge. The natural bridge is actually a tall rock arch that over looks the Seven Hollows Trail. Each unique formation along the trail makes the hike worth the effort.

This trail is only one example of the excellent day-hikes Petit Jean has to offer. The majority of trails in the park are relatively short. An avid hiker could probably experience the park's full trail system in a week or less.

Petit Jean State Park is great for hiking year round. You can pitch a tent if you want, or you can take my advice: Grab a cabin and let this be your comfortable winter hiking destination.

4. Grafton Notch, (Maine)

Highlights
• Snowshoe hiking
• Appalachian Mountains
• Great Trail Accessibility

Recommended Trails
• Old Speck Trail
• Grafton Loop

Destination
Grafton Notch is an excellent hiking destination full of scenic beauty and Appalachian appeal. It becomes a full-fledged winter wonderland once that snow hits the ground. Unlike Big Bend and Petit Jean, there’s nothing mild about Maine during winter.

This Appalachian destination doesn't escape the snow. It owns it. According to Lucas St. Clair, the snow brings Grafton Notch to life.

"It's dark and cold in the base of the notch, and as you climb up you get a bright white, expansive view," he said. "The snow changes the whole landscape."

St. Clair explained how the "excellent snowpack" is an important feature that sets Grafton Notch apart from many other snowshoeing areas.

"The snow there is really stable," he said.

Stable snow means nobody has to worry about an avalanche. You can strap on the snowshoes and breathe a little easier knowing your ground isn’t going anywhere.

The Trail
Old Speck Trail and Grafton Loop are both prominent routes in the area. Old Speck makes up the first 7 miles of Grafton loop, topping at an overlook tower on the summit. It's a challenging trek with drastic elevation gain, but the view from the top is reward enough for any hiker. Those who reach the tower are welcomed by a stretch of white Appalachians filling the horizon as far as the eye can see.

Grafton Loop continues beyond the summit of Old Speck. The full loop is 38 miles from start to finish, making it a perfect white-winter backpacking route. It's a remote, backcountry trail that traverses several peaks, Grafton Notch, Bear River and follows a section of the Appalachian Trail.

Grafton Notch is a rough, cold patch of snowy winter hiking. Those who hike it leave with bragging rights and a story to tell.

5. Ozark Highlands (Mountain View, Arkansas)

Highlights
• Ozark Mountain culture
• Mild winters
• Lower elevation mountain range

Recommended Trail
• Sylamore Section of Ozark Highlands Trail

The Ozark Mountains are home to some of the nation's most scenic hiking trails, especially in fall and winter months. With popular media attention on the Sierra, Rocky and Appalachian mountain ranges, the hidden beauty of the Ozark Mountains seems to get overlooked. That's like forgetting about a gold mine in your back yard.

The Ozarks get a lot of foot traffic, but it doesn't compare to the busy crowds trekking through those bigger ranges. That means more solitude in the Ozarks.

This slice of American terrain is unique because it offers the full mountain experience at lower elevations and southern climates. No thin air or endless snowfields stand between you and an excellent experience in the Ozark Mountains.

A small country town called Mountain View is the most unique of all the Ozark mountain towns. It's an old-fashion community that embodies that classic highland mountain culture. It's the perfect access point for hiking, fishing, biking, lodging and live folk music. Mountain View is a one-of-a-kind town, and a perfect place to experience the Ozark lifestyle first hand.

The Trail
Mountain View may be an interesting little town, but culture isn’t the only thing that landed it on this winter hiking list. The trail quality is where it really shines.

One of the longest trails in Arkansas is the Ozark Highlands Trail. It stretches 180 miles across the northwest region of the state. This trail is unmatched in winter hiking routes. The scenery is excellent from start to finish, and winter conditions couldn’t be more suitable for trekking through the wilderness.

Thirty-one beautiful miles of the trail pass right through Mountain View. This segment of the Ozark Highlands trail is often referred to as the Sylamore Section. It’s considered one of the most beautiful hikes in Arkansas. The trail follows the Sylamore creek, passing thick forest and tall limestone rock formations along the way. The trail can be hiked straight through or in sections.

It's a perfect blend of culture, quality, climate, terrain and location that makes Mountain View the top pick for winter hiking destinations.

There's no reason to hang those hiking boots up this year. Make the best of winter hiking by choosing the right destination for you.

You could day-hike from the comfort of a warm cabin or embark and an epic backpacking route through miles of snow. Either way, one of these routes is bound to meet your needs.

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By Daniel Bukszpan
CNBC.com

When it comes to separating the rational from the reckless, few activities draw a line in the sand quite like extreme sports. Do you think you're an extreme sports practitioner just because you grunt loudly when you hit a tennis ball? Well, try jumping off a 1,000-foot-tall cellphone tower with only seconds to deploy your parachute, or leaping from an airplane for a little wingsuit flying. Your attitude is likely to change.

Slideshow: Extreme sports costs

For those who participate in these sports, laughing in the face of death is a persistent itch that requires scratching. This comes at a high price, and not just to personal safety. One can spend anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars on training, equipment and travel -- all for the undeniable adrenaline rush of risking life and limb.

BASE Jumping

BASE jumping isn't just dangerous; in some parts of the world it's illegal. BASE is short for Buildings, Antennas, Spans and Earth, all of which serve as platforms for jumpers and all of which have an altitude of 2,000 feet or less. Someone jumping from 2,000 feet has mere seconds before a fatal collision with the ground, barely enough time to deploy a parachute -- and therein lies the thrill. The parachute that's designed specifically for BASE jumping has a larger pilot chute than the one used in traditional skydiving. It costs between $1,200 and $1,500.

Heli-Skiing

For some skiers, tearing up the expert slopes in Aspen simply doesn't offer the kind of high-stakes thrills they crave. For them, the only type of skiing that satisfies is heli-skiing, which involves being flown by helicopter to high mountain summits and negotiating untouched, virgin snow at top speed. Whistler Heli-Skiing, a company based in British Columbia, offers helicopter access to mountaintops for prices ranging from $815 to $1,150 per person. Skiers should be advised, however, that it's not just the skiing that's dangerous. Frank Wells, the one-time Walt Disney CEO, died during a 1994 heli-skiing trip when his helicopter crashed.

Scuba Diving

Scuba diving was once considered the exclusive province of marine biologists, Navy frogmen and Jacques Cousteau, but now couples honeymooning in the Bahamas and elsewhere regularly strap on a tank, goggles and fins to commune with exotic sea life. Scuba.com offers a "Scubapro Top-of-the-Line Warm Water" personal gear package that includes fins, boots, mask and snorkel for $410. All fine and good, but even the most experienced diver won't get very far with these things if there's no scuba tank to allow underwater breathing. So Scuba.com also offers aluminum tanks at prices ranging from $132 to $440. Divers will also need to be certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors in a course that costs $120.

Underwater Cave Diving

People who believe their experience with recreational diving is sufficient training for underwater cave diving are flat-out wrong. It's one of the most dangerous types of diving in the world and it's not widely practiced, mainly due to the skills required and the very expensive equipment. The masks, fins, wetsuits and dive lights used by recreational divers are completely useless for cave diving, so recreational divers wishing to engage in underwater spelunking will have to spend approximately $9,000 just for basic gear. Those who cave dive without the equipment risk getting lost due to lighting failure, or succumbing to hypothermia.

Wingsuit Flying

A wingsuit is a jumpsuit with fabric under the arms and between the legs that allows a human being to remain aloft in midair. Wingsuit enthusiasts still have to pack a parachute, so those wishing to pretend they are a part-man/part-falcon hybrid will have to pry themselves away from the illusion as the flight draws to a close. Still, it remains the closest thing to flying that a human being can experience outside of an airplane. Naturally, a high-quality suit is essential. The extreme sports website The Adrenalist recommends the Venom suit by Phoenix Fly, which retails for $1,500.

What are the costs associated with other extreme sports? View the complete slideshow on CNBC.com.

-- Check out Sports Biz with Darren Rovell.

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Numerology nuts are buzzing about the date being 11/11/11. The newly renamed Miami Marlins are getting in on the act by opening the team store at their new stadium at 11 p.m. on 11/11/11. So here's our contribution to a day that is "one" of a kind (at least for the next 100 years) with the 11 greatest athletes to wear No. 11 in the four major sports.

11. Yao Ming

There's a legit case to have Bob McAdoo on this list ahead of Yao. But Yao's impact exceeded pure on-the-court achievement. His influence on the game globally is seismic.

10. Carl Hubbell

The king of the screwball, Hubbell once had a 24-game winning streak that bridged two seasons and in the 1934 All-Star Game struck out consecutively Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin.

9. Gilbert Perreault

The center of the legendary French Connection line, flanked by Rick Martin and Rene Robert, Perreault remains the Sabres all-time leading scorer. He retired in 1987 and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1990.

8. Phil Simms

Simms' performance in Super Bowl XXI against the Broncos remains one of the most efficient games in championship history: 22 of 25 passing for 268 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

7. Elvin Hayes

Hayes led the NBA in scoring as a rookie and in rebounding in his second season. He took the Bullets to the NBA Finals three times, winning in 1978 against the SuperSonics.

6. Luis Aparicio

The first Venezuelan inducted into the Hall of Fame, Aparicio won nine Gold Gloves at shortstop and led the American League in steals in nine consecutive seasons. He allowed the White Sox to unretire his No. 11 in 2010 to accommodate Omar Vizquel, also a Venezuelan shortstop.

5. Mike Gartner

Gartner holds the NHL record for most 30-goal seasons with 17. That included 15 in a row at one point, which ties him with Jaromir Jagr for another NHL record. He is sixth on the all-time goals list with 708 -- ahead of Steve Yzerman and Mario Lemieux.

4. Paul Waner

The longtime Pirates rightfielder had 3,152 hits and a .333 career batting average. Waner's name was back in the news in 2006 when Chipper Jones tied his MLB record, set in 1927, with a 14-game extra-base hitting streak.

3. Isiah Thomas

Thomas led the Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships and Indiana to the 1981 NCAA title. But two of his most memorable individual performances might have come in losses. He scored 16 points in the final 94 seconds of regulation of a playoff game against the Knicks before losing in overtime. In Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals, Thomas, playing on a bad ankle, scored 25 points in the third quarter in Los Angeles but the Pistons lost by one.

2. Norm Van Brocklin

More than 60 years later, Van Brocklin still holds the NFL record for most passing yards in a game with 554. He won NFL championships with two different teams, Rams (1951) and Eagles (1960), and was also a regular punter, leading the league in average once.

1. Mark Messier

Six Stanley Cups, two as the captain, one that ended the Rangers' 54-year drought. Second on the NHL's all-time points list. But numbers can't begin to capture the force and power behind the Messier Glare.

The Next Eleven (alphabetically): Daniel Alfredsson, Paul Arizin, George Bell, Drew Bledsoe, Bob Davies, Larry Fitzgerald, Edgar Martinez, Barry Larkin, Bob McAdoo, Jimmy Rollins, Brian Sutter.

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