New Book: Get Your Kids Hiking! Start them Young and Keep it Fun

Want Your Kids to Enjoy Hiking and the Great Outdoors? “Make it fun”, says Jeff Alt,  renowned hiking expert and author of the new book Get Your Kids Hiking! How to Start Them Young and Keep it Fun.

Jeff is an avid hiker.  In addition to walking the 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail, he also walked the 218-mile John Muir Trail with his wife, and trekked across a 50-mile path of Ireland with his wife, young daughter, and extended family. He and his wife emerged from the church doors on their wedding day wearing backpacks, and his son was taken on his first hike at 8 weeks.

Jeff has lots of great advice about how to make sure you and the kids have a great time outdoors. “It’s time to get off the couch and hit the trail with your kids.”

Here’s how!
Start’em Young: Ergonomically designed baby carriers make it easy and fun to carry your infant and toddler with you wherever you hike. Walk to your Favorite Park or beach. Bring a friend. Stop often and let your little one explore. Make your hike a routine your kids will look forward to.

Let the Kids Lead! Follow the leader! Hike at your child’s pace and distance. Whatever your child takes interest in, stop and explore that bug, leaf or rock with them. Tell them about the animals, rocks, trees, and flowers. Getting to the destination is less important than making sure your kids have so much fun; they will want to go again and again.

Count Down to the Adventure: Psych the kids up with pictures, videos, and highlights of the places they will go and the things they will see. Use books, magazines, maps, and the Internet, especially park websites and videos showing the spectacular wildlife and locations they will see.

Suit Up in Comfort, Style and the Latest Technology:  Take this checklist with you shopping so you get the bases covered:

-Footwear: Until your kids are walking consistently on their own (birth-3), fit them with a comfortable pair of water resistant shoes. Make sure the three and older kids are wearing light weight trail shoes or boots with a sturdy sole. A Vibram sole with a waterproof breathable liner is preferred. Wear non-cotton, moisture wicking, synthetic or wool socks.

-Clothing:   Dress for the weather! Wear non-cotton synthetic, wool & fleece clothes and dress in layers. Wear multipurpose clothes like pants that zip off into shorts or shirts with role up sleeves. Pack a waterproof breathable rain parka. Dress for the season with fleece hat & gloves or a hat with a wide brim for sun protection.

-Packs: Get age and size appropriate backpacks that fit each hiker comfortably with hydration hose capability.

-Trekking Poles: Get a pair of adjustable, collapsible poles with an ergonomically designed handle for each person.

-Fresh, Clean Water: You can get a hydration hose system for your pack or just use bottles. Disinfect wild water using hi-tech portable treatment water systems such as a UV wand or micro-straining filter.

-Communication: Bring a smart phone so you can take lots of pictures and if there’s connectivity, email to family or upload to your online blog or Facebook page.  Carry a GPS unit to keep you located on the trail and for geocaching.

-Other Must Haves: Pediatrician recommended suntan lotion and bug repellent containing Deet or Picaridin; First aid kit that accommodates the whole group & first aid knowledge to go along with the kit. Bring a compass & map and brush up on how to use them. Learn how to make a shelter to keep you warm and dry. Keep matches and a lighter in a dry place and know how to make a fire to keep warm. Carry a whistle and a signal mirror in case you get lost. Pack a survival knife with a locking blade. Bring a head lamp flashlight, extra batteries, 50 feet of rope or twine, and always have several feet of duct tape for that unexpected repair.

Bring water and food kids love:  Hand out needed extra energy and water as needed on the trail. Pack their favorite snacks and bring plenty of water. Stop often for a drink and a snack.

Pack Fun Items: Let young children fill their adventure pack with a bug catcher, magnifying glass, binoculars, a camera, a map and compass, whistle, or flashlight. Let your little adventurer take ownership and pack a few items of his own; even if it’s not hiking related.

Play Games and Bring a Friend: Play I Spy using your surroundings as you walk along. Create your own scavenger hunt in search of animals, plants and views along the way. Make up rhymes and sing songs as you walk. Pack along a plant and animal identification guide for your older child. Let your social butterfly bring a friend, with parental permission. Intrigue your computer savvy child with the high-tech hiking gadgets like GPS, headlamp flashlights and pedometers. Use your GPS and take your kids on a geocaching adventure.

Take Advantage of Park Activities and Guided Nature Experiences:  Utilize and enjoy the amazing services and resources offered by our parks, trail and recreational system and associations. This will help ensure that the experience is enjoyable, memorable and even life-changing.

Get Your Kids Hiking: How to Start Them Young and Keep It Fun!
By Jeff Alt
List $13.95
Trade Paper 5” x 7.5”
ISBN 978-0-8253-0691-4
May 2013
Beaufort Books publishers, New York

About the Author
Jeff Alt is a travelling speaker and hiking expert who provides seminars in collaboration with the Shenandoah National Park staff, and Appalachian Trail Shows in and around National Parks. Alt has walked the 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail, the 218-mile John Muir Trail with his wife, and he carried his 21-month old daughter on a family trek across Ireland. Alt has been hiking withhis kids since they were infants. He is a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA). His hiking advice has been featured in numerous publications and media, including Scholastic Parent & Child, The Boston Globe, National Geographic Adventure, DiscoveryChannel.com, ESPN, Hallmark Channel, National Public Radio, and more. Alt is a speech language pathologist and lives with his wife and two children in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In addition to Get Your Kids Hiking, Alt’s other books include A Walk For Sunshine, A 2,160 Mile Expedition for Charity on the Appalachian Trail, A Hike For Mike, and Four Boots One Journey (ebook).

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Physical therapist offers tips for painless biking

by Trisha Leonard / Tahoe Daily Tribune, link to original post

For  physical therapist Chris Kozlowski, it’s not “just like riding a bike.”

The phrase used to describe returning to an activity with ease diminishes the techniques necessary for the most effective pedaling, Kozlowski told about a two dozen attendees to a presentation on maximizing bicycle performance at Kahle Community Center Wednesday evening. “There are so many different skills you have to have to ride a bike properly,” Kozlowski said during the talk, part of Barton Health’s 2013 Wellness Lecture Series.

Climbing, descending, pedaling, braking, cornering and steering are all among the skills bicyclists can develop to more efficiently bicycle, whether it be in the mountains or on the road, Kozlowski said.

The physical therapist, who has been fitting bikes for two years, said a properly adjusted bike can be the difference between a painless ride and numb extremities. “Believe it or not, your butt shouldn’t hurt,” Kozlowski said.

Having the knee bent at approximately 35 degrees at the bottom of a pedal stroke will provide the most power, while a 90-degree angle between a person’s arms and back is ideal, Kozlowski said. “These are the basic angles that put the least stress on the body,” Kozlowski said, leaving room for personal preference. “It also depends on what you’re comfortable with.”

Focusing on using a circular spinning motion with your feet rather than a mashing “piston” motion can also ease torque on a bicyclist’s lower back, Kozlowski said. She used the example of scraping snow off your shoe to get the spinning motion.

Which gear people should use in certain situations is a common question among bicyclists, Kozlowski said. There is no “right” gear, but she recommended bicyclists cadence of 75-90 revolutions per minute for the least impact to their bodies.

In addition to proper technique, things like nutrition can often get overlooked when it comes time to pedal, said Rob Panzera, a cycling coach with Cycling Camp San Diego who will host this year’s Near Death Experience Bike Camp at Kirkwood Mountain Resort June 6-9 in preparation for this year’s Death Ride. “The big thing I really see is people invest a lot of equipment,” Panzera said, noting they often overlook the fuel they’re putting into their body.

With the popularity of cycling on the rise, Panzera said there are plenty of resources, and plenty of noise, about technique. Still, a little bit of knowledge can go a long way, Panzera said.

“If they learn a little bit it will make their ride so much more enjoyable,” Panzera said. For those bringing their bicycles out of hibernation, he recommended regular rides, even if they’re short. “It makes a big difference,” Panzera said.

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Reminder: Finger Lakes Trail Hike Sat. May 25, Cortland County, all welcome

Just a reminder note about this Saturday’s upcoming Wally Wood hike. The weather reports seem promising for a great hiking day!

Wally Wood Spring Hike: Date: 25 May 2013

Leaders: Alex and Michele Gonzalez. gonzalez@cortland.edu (607) 844-8912

Title of Hike: Rainbow Hike – FLT Map M19 – Cortland County

Hike Description: The Rainbow Hike (thus named because the route follows trails of five blaze colors, yellow, green, white, orange, and blue) is 9.4 miles. The hike will take in the following trails: Lithuanian Loop, Irish Loop, FLT, Dabes Diversion, Kuzia Cutoff, and a portion of Cortright/O’Dell Road (scenic dirt road). No car shuttling will be necessary. The hike will also honor Joe Dabes’s contributions to the FLTC, since the first and last few miles of the hike will be on land that Joe owns, while the rest of the hike will be on trails that Joe maintains. The hike will take us past Foxfire Lean-to twice, providing shelter (maybe for lunch) if the weather should turn out to be rainy. This will be a dog-friendly hike (only for well-behaved LEASHED dogs), but hikers who may be nervous around dogs can join part of a separate group that will be hiking dogless and that will start either earlier or later than the main group. Because this hike will involve a good many trail junctions, the leaders will be gathering up the hikers for a head count a little more often than is usual on FLTC hikes. We prefer to err on the side of caution.

Meet: Babcock Hollow Rd. parking area, which is also the trailhead for the Lithuanian Loop, Map M19, at 10:00 a.m.

Directions to Meeting Point: From Dryden’s four-corners: Take NY Rte. 392 to Owego Hill Rd. Turn right at this three-way. Go to the end of the paved portion of this road at a four-way stop sign. Turn left onto Babcock Hollow Rd. and continue until you start seeing a pair of long ponds on the right. The large gravel parking area is on the right. From I-81: At the main Cortland exit for NY Rte. 13, turn right off the ramp and follow NY Rte. 13 through Cortland. When Rte. 13 becomes Tompkins St., look for NY Rte. 215 (also called Owego Street) on the left. Turn left at this three-way junction. Follow Rte. 215 all the way to Virgil. Proceed straight through at Virgil’s four-corners and follow NY Rte. 392 for less than a mile until you see Owego Hill Rd. on your left. Take it and follow it until its paved portion ends at a four-way junction. Turn left and follow Babcock Hollow Rd. until you start seeing a pair of long ponds on the right. The large gravel parking area is on the right.

Bringing a light headnet is encouraged, just in case black flies linger or deer flies make an early appearance.

We hope to see you out there on Saturday!
Alex Gonzalez

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Plea for Trailbuilding Help June 3-7 near Cannonsville Reservoir

This is a “plea-mail” for help on this upcoming Alley-Cat to move 9 miles of trail off road over two separate Alley-Cats. This Alley-Cat will be clearing brush and downed trees from an abandoned railbed and building three small foot bridges. We will be staying at Rick Roberts’ luxurious house with our favorite cook Jacqui Wensich providing all the delicious food.

Work will start Monday, June 3, and continue through Friday, June 7, provided there is still work to be done. Rick’s house will be open Sunday, June 2, for those of us who travel.  The work is located on M28 near Cannonsville Reservoir.

There is need for a couple more certified sawyers and swampers (sawyer helpers) as well as bridge builders.  You don’t have to commit to the entire project; you can pick and choose any partial or full days that fit your schedule. I know how precious time is and yours is greatly appreciated by me and everyone who hikes the trail.

Contact Matt Branneman at, 607-220-7812 or mattbranneman@gmail.com

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Make 2014 a Year of Happiness – Take an Adventure You’ll never Forget

Pack, Paddle, Ski wants to make 2014 a year of happiness.  In order to do that they’ve filled up next year’s schedule with trips from their staff’s bucket lists. Click here to view a selection of awesome world-wide adventures. If you find a trip that is on your bucket list, sign up before the end of 2013 and they will give you $50 off the trip. Just mention the code word HAPPINESS. So, go on, pull out your bucket list and see what you can cross off this year!

But you don’t have to wait until 2014 to let your happiness begin. Join them this year for one of their happiness retreats, spend a some time in the outdoors and find out where real happiness comes from.  Find out more at
http://www.packpaddleski.com/index.php?page=adventures&cat=North+American+Multi-Day&course=330622

I have been on Pack,Paddle, Ski trips to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and hike to visit tribes in Africa, paddling in Glacier Bay Alaska, and many others. They get you off the beaten path to experience real cultural adventures. They make a difference in the world. Take a trip with them in 2014 and change your life.

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Trail to Connect Saratoga Springs with Spa State Park Nearing Completion

by  Patricia Older, Saratoga Today, link to original post

The trail for walkers and bikers that will connect the west side of Saratoga Springs with Spa State Park and their trails is nearing completion. “The trail will connect with the existing Railroad Run Trail on the west side of Saratoga Springs from the YMCA to Route 50,” said Kurt Kress, Capital Facilities Regional Manager with the New York State Parks.

Bike Saratoga NY

The trail has been a collaborative effort between the city, New York State Parks and the New York Department of Transportation.

Tim Wales, City Engineer, said the city recently finished paving the Railroad Run Trail up to Route 50. It will now be up to the Department of Transportation to design a pedestrian crossing with a push button-controlled light for the safe crossing of hikers and bike riders into the Saratoga Spa State Park. Trails from there take users in and around the park, as well as to South Broadway.

The trail is being paid for through a number of funding sources. Kress said the portion of Railroad Run Trail was covered by a New York Works grant, where the Spa City would have to match the grant. That was done through the use of city labor for the paving. “I believe there are a series of different funds,” said Kress. “There are some New York Works moneys, some Recreational Trails funding and some New York State Infrastructure funding.”

Hike Saratoga Springs NY

With work crews finalizing the end of the trail earlier this week, Wales said now it was up to the state to finish the trail system. “We had the pretty easy part,” said Wales. “We’ve completed the work on our end.”

According to the New York State Parks & Recreation website, New York Works has invested $107,633 for the project, with a state investment of $200,000. People have been using the trail, which was open during the paving portion.

The plans for the signalized crossing are presently being reviewed by the NYDOT. They were designed by Clough, Harbour & Associates. Once the design is approved, the NYDOT will send the project out for bids. “It will allow for safe crossing across Route 50,” said Kress, adding that the crossing would include a “button-generated” traffic light, which will be just south of the Center for the Family. The crossing is estimated to cost around $100,000.

25 Kayak & Canoe Trips in the Saratoga Springs, NY Region

While the crossing is not expected to be completed until next fall, Kress said he hoped the trail portion of the project would be completed by the end of June.

The off-road trail connection of Saratoga Springs to the YMCA with Spa State Park has been discussed for several years and included many different organizations including the Saratoga Springs Chamber of Commerce and Saratoga P.L.A.N.

A gateway study of Route 50 was completed over two years ago, which suggested the safe crossing of Route 50 for hikers and bicycle riders to get from downtown to the state park on trails.

These recreation guidebooks for the Saratoga Springs area are available from Footprint Press:
25 Short Hikes and Interesting Walks in the Saratoga Spring, NY Region
25 Interesting Bicycle Trails in the Saratoga Springs NY Region
25 Kayak & Canoe Trips in the Saratoga Springs, NY Region

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Paddling Progressive Dinner June 14, 2013 starts at Tuscarora State Park

Tired of the same old thing for DINNER?
Tired of the same old PADDLING SPOTS?
Come on out and join Paths Peaks & Paddles for our THIRD ANNUAL “PADDLING PROGRESSIVE DINNER”. Your evening adventure starts at 6:30 pm out at Wilson Tuscarora State Park (Route 18 in Wilson NY). A donation of $65.00 per couple is requested.

Not sure what a Paddling Progressive Dinner is?
• You will paddle along the creek and end out on the lake.
• Your first stop will be where the staff will be making mouthwatering appetizers for you.
• Your second paddling stop will be at the Soup & Salad stop with fresh baked breads and rolls.
• After paddling a bit more you will come to your entrée stop where you get to choose your entrée for the evening of, Beef, Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan. (The Eggplant Parmesan has been a hit every year!)
• With a little more paddling, you are off to the last stop for some Sinfully Decadent Desserts and beverages to top off your dinner while watching the sunset over the Toronto skyline 38 miles away.

Participation is limited so don’t delay in signing up and Reservations are a must.
If you have questions regarding this event please contact us at 716-213-0350. To register online click “The Candy Store for Outdoor People” (direct link)

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A Bright Idea: Runners Become Entrepreneurs To Make Pre-Dawn / Post-Dusk Running Safer

NightRunner LED shoe headlights for runners.

With the development of their innovative Night Runner™ product, Doug Storer and his fiancé Renata, both avid runners, are on a mission to make pre-dawn and post-dusk running (on sidewalks, roads or trails) safer for the overwhelming percentage of runners who run during those times of day.  The couple has launched a Kickstarter campaign to secure funding to help continue their mission to bring the Night Runner™ to market. The Kickstarter campaign can be accessed via the following link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1690988499/night-runner-led-shoe-lights

The Kickstarter campaign has a modest goal of securing $38k by June 10th 2013 to help fund the development of additional prototypes and the initial tooling process for manufacturing the finished product. The couple is calling on the running community to contribute to the Kickstarter campaign to help make the product a reality. As is standard with all Kickstarter campaigns, contributors receive a “thank you” ranging from Night Runner branded sport phone holders to tech shirts to the product itself (for contributors at the $50+ level).

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Paddle sports taking hold in Rochester NY

Written by Caurie Putnam, Democrat & Chronicle, link to original post

Two years ago Carol Colton, 42, of Le Roy, was invited to go kayaking in Black Creek with friends. She had never been kayaking and didn’t have her own kayak, but it was no matter her friends told her, they had one she could borrow.

Take A Paddle – Western NY

“It took me about 10 minutes to fall in love with it and decide I would get my own kayak,” Colton, said. Now, she has five kayaks.

Kayaking has become an important part of Colton’s life and a way she spends quality time with her husband Brian and four children Natalie, 8, Sara, 10, Emily,11, and Sam, 13.

“The kids are growing up so fast; this is a way to slow things down,” said Colton, whose family usually kayaks in Oatka or Black Creeks, but have also kayaked in the Adirondacks. “There’s a sense of peacefulness and calm when you’re kayaking that’s hard to find in day to day life.”

All over the Rochester region individuals and families like the Coltons are discovering the benefits of kayaking and taking advantage of the plethora of waterways that run through the area. “We’ve seen a huge growth in kayaking over the past few years,” said Peter Abele, president of the Erie Canal Boat Company Inc., located in the village of Fairport.

In 2006, Abele’s company — which rents recreational kayak and canoes designed for those with little or no paddling experience — put 1,500 paddlers in the Erie Canal. In 2012, that number swelled to 4,000.

“It’s becoming more popular with families because it’s something all ages can do together,” said Abele, who last year saw kayakers ranging from ages 8 to late 80s in his boats.

Take A Paddle – Finger Lakes

Abele also believes that handicapped accessibility has played a part in the growth of kayaking. He has a Hoyer Lift on his docks that allows him to place wheel chair bound individuals into a kayak.

Abele considers the canal to be an excellent place for beginners to learn to kayak. “The nice thing about the canal is that there are virtually no waves,” Abele said. “In Fairport we have 16 miles of almost no currents, which makes it great for beginners.”

Another popular Rochester waterway to learn to kayak is Irondequoit Bay, which is home to several paddling companies, including BayCreek Paddling Center, founded in 1996

“Kayaking is a really easy sport for people of all ages to get into,” said Dave Hulburt, manager and head sea kayak coach at BayCreek. “And having the resource of Irondequoit Bay and Irondequoit Creek right here, 10 minutes from downtown Rochester is a huge advantage.”

Hulburt says BayCreek’s business has grown “leaps and bounds” over the years as Rochesterians discover the “secret wilderness” of the waterways around it. “We have five miles of wetlands in Irondequoit Creek and it almost feels like you’re in the Adirondacks,” Hulburt said. “On the bay there’s tons of wildlife and you see things you wouldn’t expect to see just 10 minutes from downtown Rochester.”

BayCreek offers sales, rentals, classes, overnight kayak camping excursions, and a kayak summer camp for kids ages 7 to 13.

Elena Vandebroek, 24, was one of the first campers to go through BayCreek’s camp. She was eight and fell in love with kayaking immediately. “I like being on the water,” Vandebroek, a Penfield native, said in an interview from her current home in San Francisco, Calif. “It’s like being on top of a mountain, but you’re looking out instead of down. ”

When Vandebroek aged-out of the camp, she was still too young to be an instructor, so she volunteered to wash boats at BayCreek just to be around the kayaking scene.

She later became a counselor and then an instructor of a kayaking class at Cornell University, where she attended college. Currently, she is a coastal engineer and sea kayaks in the San Francisco Bay and Santa Barbara area.

Before moving to California Vandebroek achieved a goal of kayaking in each of the eleven Finger Lakes — her favorites were Canadice and Cayuga. “It was really fun because each of the lakes is really different,” Vandebroek said. “Some have wetlands and secret waterfalls. Each lake has its own history and paddling experience.”

Vandebroek meticulously and beautifully chronicled each of her Finger Lakes kayaking explorations in a kayaking blog she still maintains called http://www.nakedkayaker.com/ “I’m really glad I grew up in Rochester,” Vandebroek said. “It was such a great place to learn how to paddle.”

Learning how to paddle is a key component of one of Rochester’s most important resources for kayaking: the Genesee Waterways Center (GWC). Founded in 1996, the GWC is an independent, not-for-profit organization, promoting affordable human-powered paddling, rowing, and related outdoor activities in the Genesee region.

Instructors at the GWC have taught students from around the world and with varying degrees of experience at their two facilities in Rochester: the GWC Boathouse on the Genesee River at Genesee Valley Park on Elmwood Ave. and The Lock 32 Whitewater Park, which opened in 2000.

“Lock 32 is unique and extremely fascinating,” said Cindy M. Stachowski, executive director of the GWC. “We took a spillway used for flood control and adjusting water levels and created a 700 yard whitewater kayaking course. There is no other such place in New York state like it.”

Lock 32, which opened in 2000, provides a controlled environment in which students can learn and a challenging area for experienced paddlers to practice. The course features a set of squirt lines, two wave and two holes and a constant source of water every day.

At the Genesee River facility, flat water kayak rentals and classes are offered for all individuals and groups of all levels. “You can paddle 26 miles to the Mount Morris Dam or north one and a half miles for a spectacular view of the city skyline,” Stachowski said.

Stachowski took over the helm of the GWC in 2009 and has seen tremendous growth. A Groupon promotion last May offering a ½ day of canoe or kayak rental at the GWC for $15 sold a staggering 3,000 coupons. “When I first started working here it was a hidden treasure and I said ‘We don’t want to be a hidden treasure,’ ” Stachowski said.

She believes the growing popularity of kayaking in Rochester is due to a greater awareness of our natural and water resources. “I’ve traveled the whole of the U.S., but the water resources here in Rochester are phenomenal,” Stachowski said. “We have the Genesee River, Erie Canal, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes, Letchworth, creeks, Irondequoit Bay… We’re very lucky.”

Two guidebooks offer detailed maps and information on paddling options in the greater Rochester NY area:
Take A Paddle – Western New York Quiet Water for Canoes & Kayaks
Take A Paddle – Finger Lakes New York Quiet Water for Canoes & Kayaks

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Introduction to Kayaking June 2, 2013 on Ellicott Creek

Join in the world’s fastest growing sport.
It’s the beginning of warm weather and kayaking has been on your “bucket list” of things to try. But you don’t know where to begin and how to put the adventure into motion. Or you may have put this adventure off because of concerns such as:
“I am afraid of tipping over!” “I don’t know how to get in or out of a kayak.” Or “It looks like a lot of work and I don’t have strong arms”.

Let us put your fears to rest. Come out and spend a morning with us learning how to get in and out of your kayak and different paddling strokes. Once you are comfortable with your kayak and paddling strokes we will go for a group paddle for approximately 30 minutes.

Your class will be conducted on Ellicott Creek across from our facility. All instructors are New York State Licensed Guides. Class will run from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Sunday June 2, 2013.
Paths, Peaks and Paddles is located at 1000 Ellicott Creek Road Tonawanda, NY 14150.

All equipment is provided. Bring water and a positive mental attitude. We will have you excited about your new found skills in no time!

Cost is $55.00. Please call Paths Peaks & Paddles at 716-213-0350 if you have any questions or christine@pathspeakspaddles.com
To register online click “The Candy Store for Outdoor People” (direct link)

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