Outdoor Newsletter July 2004 ~~~ IN THIS ISSUE ~~~ More Than Halfway Done |
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| More Than Halfway Done | |||
The Erie Canalway Trail which will eventually link Lake Erie to the Hudson River following current or past channels of the Erie Canal, is 50% complete.
Useful links about the Erie Canal.
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| Where Do Those Fish Come From? By Sue Freeman | |||
Not being a fisherman, I never thought much about fish. They were part of the natural environment. They did their thing in the water and I did mine on land. But, taking to our kayaks and paddling the waterways of central & western New York recently, put me in sight of many fish. I thoroughly enjoyed the encounters.
From the fish hatcheries, DEC annually stocks several million fish into over 1,200 public waters. They include brown and rainbow trout, lake sturgeon, walleye, Chinook, landlocked and Coho salmon and steelhead. They are stocked to enhance recreational fishing and to return native species to waters they formerly occupied. Some of the fish are developed from eggs that are taken from adult hatchery fish called broodstock. Other adult fish are captured from the wild by fishery personnel and gently squeezed to obtain eggs and sperm that are subsequently raised in the hatchery tanks. The adult wild fish are returned to their home waters unharmed. Commonly Asked Fish Hatchery Questions and additional information
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Everyone should do “it” at least once. But, beware, once you do “it,” you’re likely to get hooked and want to do “it” again and again in varying flavors. The ‘it” is an extended adventure that’s a physical as well as mental challenge. I’m partial to walking adventures. Walking changes your perception of time and space by slowing you down to be more in tune with natural rhythms. But your adventure can be via any mode you choose. Just make it a personal road to self-exploration and blaze your own trail; figuratively, not literally.
Read Rich Gardner's personal account of his adventure around Lake Ontario at www.lakecompasser.com. Then pick an adventure of your won. It doesn’t matter what it is. Just plan it and then do it, one small piece at a time. We promise, “it” will change your life forever – for the better.
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| We Love Our Packas By Sue Freeman | |||
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Each year in the fall, we head to a gathering of long-distance hikers sponsored by ALDHA (Appalachian Long Distance Hiker’s Association) to visit with like-minded souls, attend workshops on backpacking, watch slide shows about long-distance trails around the globe and to shop for the latest in lightweight gear. Long-distance hikers are an innovative lot. They spend long days in the woods analyzing how their gear isn’t working and figuring out better alternatives. Then, as the snow flies and buries their beloved trails, they return to their homes and in basements, garages and spare bedrooms they create gear that’s better. Better than anything you can purchase at your local sporting goods store or outdoor retailer. Such was the genesis of our Packas. They were designed and made by Appalachian Trail thru-hiker Edward Hinnant. The Packa is a full coverage backpacking rain parka with a built-in pack cover, made of lightweight sil-nylon. Edward brought a supply of Packas to the 2003 ALDHA Gathering. Rich & I tried them on and immediately bought one for each of us. Rich chose L-XL and I chose a S-M size. Another picture showing both of us is in last month's issue about the indestructible Leki hiking poles. Then came “test” time. In April 2004 we headed to England to hike the 190-mile-long Coast to Coast Trail from St. Bees Head to Robin’s Hood Bay and parts of Hadrian’s Wall Trail. England as it turned out, was a great place to test a new rain parka. In 3 weeks of hiking we had one day without rain. The trail took us up over mountain peaks above tree-level where we were pelted by hail in gale force winds and down through valleys where the temperature soared. Through it all, our Packas kept us dry and warm but not sweaty. In the worst weather we wore them with hoods up and fully zipped. If internal heat built up we could open the pit zips, drop the hoods, pull our arms out of the sleeves, and eventually roll the entire jacket portion back into the pack cover. That way, with pack cover on, we were always ready for a quick cover-up when the next downpour began. The Packas were lightweight, yet a solid barrier against rain and strong winds. They worked superbly. Trust us, we’ve tried enough other rain coverage options on our many long-distance hikes to know what we’re talking about. Check out the Packa and other custom-made sil-nylon gear made by Edward at www.thepacka.com
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| Fungi Fancy | |||
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Have you ever had the urge to forage for wild mushrooms? Maybe you like eating mushrooms and want to learn about cookery & recipes. Or, you’re the artistic type, interested in using mushrooms in art, dying or papermaking. There’s a world of beauty, mystery and creativity among the fungi.
Check out your local mycological club – many of them welcome visitors at their meetings, forays and events:
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Fun For All – ADK’s Fall Outing By Sue Freeman |
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There are so many fun outings that the biggest challenge will be selecting the ones best suited to you. I’m referring to the Adirondack Mountain Club’s Fall Outing which happens September 17 through 19, headquartered this year at the Ramada Inn in Henrietta (a suburb of Rochester). Friday evening begins with a choice from 6 short hikes or paddles, then evening workshops where you choose among learning about the Adirondack Quest, Backcountry Cooking, or Lightweight Backpacking (taught by us). Saturday, select from 20 adventures. Do you want to take a wineries tour, hike to Chimney Bluffs, hike the Niagara River Gorge, paddle Hemlock Lake or maybe Oak Orchard Creek, bike Iroquois Wildlife Preserve or around Canandaigua Lake? Or maybe you’ll join us on a historic hike in Powder Mills Park? The evening is capped off with a buffet dinner at The Green Lantern Inn and music by Paulsen, Baker & Garvey. But, don’t party too long; Sunday is replete with 13 more fun outdoor adventures to choose among. Registration is only $20 but you must pre-register. For full details and the registration form, visit
http://www.northnet.org/adktravel/fallouting.htm
We hope to see you there!
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| July Presentations | |||
July 28, Wednesday, 7 PM FREE
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Rich & I did this by thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Rich Gardner did it by walking around Lake Ontario. Each of us endured highs mixed with significant lows until the walking became a rhythm that we were reticent to see end. 
