Click here to read: An easy ticket to paradise: Paddling the West Branch of the Sacandaga

by Kelly Ashworth

Pack Paddle Ski, a company that has been mentioned here several times in the past, began a program in 2008 with the American Cancer Society office in Rochester called Journeys of Inspiration (JOI). It is the creation of Rick French and Matt Flanigan that resulted in a community of individuals with cancer and others affected by the disease, who bond over their love of nature. The group gets together in the greater Rochester area at least once a month for some kind of outdoor adventure (hikes, bike rides, kayak/canoe trips, etc) but the main event has been a climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa.

Members of JOI first hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2008 and a second trip was completed earlier this year. Between the two trips, 59 hikers have raised more than $260,000 with the help of over 10,000 donations. The program has been so successful that in 2010, they will also hike Mt. Marcy in the Adirondacks and climb to the base camp of Mt. Everest in Nepal, in addition to a third hike of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The hikes are led by experienced guides from Pack Paddle Ski.

One day they hope that this program will grow on a national scale and hundreds—potentially even thousands—will have participated in one of their climbs while helping fight cancer. The JOI website explains the trips in more detail and gives the contact information if anyone is interested in joining their community or simply finding out more about it: http://www.journeysofinspiration.com.

The Perinton Hikeway/Bikeway, a former trolley bed that’s now a trail, used to run through my backyard. I often saw parents biking bye with a trailer full of kids in tow. It’s a wonderful way to get some exercise and get the young kids (before they’re old enough to ride bikes of their own) out into nature.

Click here for an article on “How to Buy a Bike Trailer.” Rail-trails make perfect routes for families using bikes & trailers. You’ll find many in:
Take Your Bike – Family Rides in New York’s Finger Lakes Region
Take Your Bike – Family Rides in the Rochester Area
Take Your Bike – Family Rides in the Finger Lakes Region & Genesee http://www.footprintpress.com/FingerLakes/TYB_Finger_Lakes_Preview.htmalley Region
25 Interesting Bicycle Trails in the Lake George, NY Region
25 Interesting Bicycle Trails in the Thousand Islands & St. Lawrence Seaway Region of NYS

Just across the border sits our southern neighbor – Pennsylvania. It’s a diverse, beautiful state with much to offer the outdoor enthusiast.

The other day, a strange email landed in my inbasket. It said:

“You know how you can fall in love with a waitress when you’re twelve because she serves you the most perfect piece of shoofly pie, then ten years later you buy a pumpkin-orange scooter with a sidecar and go on a quest all over Pennsylvania to find that waitress, only you don’t have a picture of her, just a bag of little ceramic heads you made of her head by memory? Well, this is that kind of story.”

Say what??  I was intrigued. So, when I had some time, I clicked on http://pastories.com and went exploring. What I found was FUN!  Peter Arthur Stories is a series of 4 episodes – a mini movie – about the quest of Peter Arthur as he searches for Meg across Pennsylvania. It’s fun to watch and is set to toe-tapping music.

When you have a half hour to be entertained, click on Peter Arthur Stories and enjoy the creative adventure. Kind of makes you want to head south to our southern neighbor state for some adventure, doesn’t it?.