Take a Hike

Sarah is released from Iran, two others still remain in prison

2010-09-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

It's all over the news. Sarah has been released from Iran after $500,000.00 bail was arranged. Sounds more like Iran had kidnapped her and then wanted ransom money. And now, while all may seem well and good again with the world, the other two hikers (Sarah's fiance, Shane Bauer who is an Arabic-speaking freelance journalist and friend, Josh Fattal) are currently not being released. The three were all charged with spying/espionage.

Updates on Missing Hikers in Iran

2010-09-14T19:56:00.001-07:00

pp

Check out Newsy.com

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Missing Hikers

2010-09-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

In my obsession with documentaries and travel journalism, I became interested in Laura Ling after watching some of her documentary work on Vanguard with Current TV. My husband and I did a search and found that she and another journalist (Euna Lee) had gone missing while working on a documentary about female trafficking. It was later found that they were detained in a North Korean Prison after being arrested, tried, and sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp for crossing into the country illegally from China.

Then today on BBC.com, I read about Sarah Shourd, who was an American hiker missing in Iran. Later she was found to be detained by the government and they were going to try her and two other U.S. hikers for espionage. This offense is punishable by death. There were countless pleas to the Iranian government to release the hikers and even websites went up about Sarah herself.

Then it stopped me in my tracks and made me wonder... how many U.S. hikers abroad have been detained in this way? It seems like the news mentions this more than ever... or maybe it is that I seem to notice it more now than before.

So I took a look online and here's what I discovered...

According to an article titled: "American Hikers Missing Abroad," it seems there are more than just the imprisoned hikers in Iran!

Aubrey Sacco in Nepal, just south of the Tibetan Border- still missing since April 2010
David Gimelfarb in Costa Rica who is still missing since 2009
Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal in Iran (found to be imprisoned, not missing)

I can't help but wonder about safety in foreign hiking. David and Aubrey seem to have been hiking alone, which might have been the initial problem, but then should we as seasoned hikers have to be cautious when hiking alone? Shouldn't our only fears be weather and wild animals? Also, Shane and Josh were hiking as a trio with Sarah Shourd. So, even small groups are unsafe in a country that is fearful of foreign visitors. Its as though Iran has something to hide.

So is it that these American Hikers are in danger zones which is raising their risk of capture? Like Laura Ling in North Korea, known for numerous problems with human rights violations. Like Aubrey, so close to Tibet that China might have gotten nervous about a "snooping" American, or maybe Nepal itself is to blame for her disappearance amidst its female trafficking record?

Or is it that the hikers themselves are too "naive" about their surroundings and are putting too much of their own wellbeing and general trust in others? It's true that the hiking community in general is an open and friendly community from my personal experience and to take that attitude abroad seems natural when others are so kind and generous to people interested in their cultural traditions and the wonder of nature and the outdoors.

So now, when I think of all the things in life that seem difficult here in America, ... and those that seem important to people ... they are frivolous in the face of a missing family member.

Instead, I wonder how humans could blindly treat one another so harshly when we are really just world of people who are all struggling to survive amidst chaos and unknowns while just attempting to fulfill our lives with happiness. It truely gives me the chills to think that governments and religious institutions can control their people so well that these hikers could continue to be missing or imprisoned for so long.

It makes me think of a thoughtful insight from my husband, "If everyone treated each other like they were someone's child, the world would be a better place."

Can't keep the pregnant lady off the trails

2010-04-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here's me discovering a night cache

Geocaching for Pregnancy

So maybe I can't walk 8- 10 miles for a day hike like I used to. Maybe I can't hike crazy places that require a bit of climbing or bouldering. And maybe I have to watch my balance since my big belly hides my feet. But after getting a handheld GPS for my birthday back in March, my husband and I started geocaching (geo-ca-sh-ing, like cashing a check). We've been completing day caches and night caches. And guess what? The best part of geocaching is that I've found it's pregnancy-friendly. Score!

Here's how it works:

Geocaching history states that geocaching originated with Dave Ulmer, a computer consultant who "wanted to test the accuracy by hiding a navigational target in the woods. He called the idea the "Great American GPS Stash Hunt" and posted it in an internet GPS users' group. The idea was simple: Hide a container out in the woods and note the coordinates with a GPS unit. The finder would then have to locate the container with only the use of his or her GPS receiver. The rules for the finder were simple: 'Take some stuff, leave some stuff.' On May 3rd he placed his own container, a black bucket, in the woods near Beaver Creek, Oregon, near Portland. Along with a logbook and pencil, he left various prize items including videos, books, software, and a slingshot. He shared the waypoint of his "stash" with the online community on sci.geo.satellite-nav: N 45° 17.460 W 122° 24.800 Within three days, two different readers read about his stash on the Internet, used their own GPS receivers to find the container, and shared their experiences online. Throughout the next week, others excited by the prospect of hiding and finding stashes began hiding their own containers and posting coordinates. Like many new and innovative ideas on the Internet, the concept spread quickly - but this one required leaving your computer to participate."

And "as of April 25, 2010, there are over 1,047,069 active geocaches around the world [...] in over 100 countries" (geocaching.com).

From there geocaching took off! Of course who wouldn't want to become a treasure hunter! Caches might not contain crazy treasures like gold or jewels like pirates might have found, but the thrill of hiking, searching, discovering, and leaving cool items for others to find is addicting.

In fact, one of my favorite parts of caching (besides discovering new trails and hiking areas) has become the find. What have others left? Who discovered this geocaching box last? What cool object can we leave in the cache for the next adventurer?

Of course even more exciting are some of the special finds in the cache boxes. Other than finding cool dollar store-type toys, geocachers have coins and travelbugs to entice treasure hunters.

Geocoins are coins with a mission and a tracking number. Like this one that Aaron and I discovered in a cache in Michigan:

This coin's goal is to: "visit caches by lakes, rivers, and streams in Washington State." And because of the tracking number they carry, you can check where its been and when its been there. This specific coin has been to Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, PA, Ontario, British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington.

We've discovered coins that have been to New Zealand, Australia, Germany, the Canary Islands, and other places around the world! Its so exciting knowing that there is a world-community who takes part in this fun.

Most recently, we went to Bear Creek, PA and discovered a night cache that had a geocoin in it that didn't have an activated tracking number. This means that no one claimed ownership of it. So now we can create our own geocache for people to find and send this geocoin wherever we want it to travel! We decided that we'd both love to visit Paris and we are hoping that our coin will make it to every state in the US! I can't wait to see its journey unfold.

There are also travelbugs to reel in hardcore geocachers.

These travelbugs are basically objects that have tracking numbers on them. For example here's one we found in Ohio:

"This Pinewood Derby travel bug is part of a national race. The "Race to 2010" ~ cars for all over the country are racing to the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Virginia!"

Its mission is to: "travel to as many caches as I can. I like scouting caches best, but any cache will do. First - I want to go to the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County, Virginia. The dates are July 26 to August 4, 2010. Please take pictures of me with as many scouts as you can. Second - I want to return home to East Hartford, Connecticut. Specifically, to GC22ZYY - Treasures of Scouting - Connecticut Rivers Council."

We're going to take a weekend to find some caches south of us to help it on it's way.

Crazy Hiking Pregnant Lady

You must think I am crazy being 31 weeks pregnant (8 or 9 weeks to go!) and outside in the woods searching for hidden treasure while doing some off trail bushwacking and rough trail hiking, but I am completely convinced that geocaching is for pregnant outdoor ladies who can't groove with their regular outdoors addictions.

So I've compiled a list as to why pregnant ladies can get down with geocaching:

1. Most caches are within one mile of the parking area. So your feet won't ache too much if you have good hiking shoes.

2. Geocaches are hidden, but not buried and have to be accessible to everyone (including kids!). Meaning there's no digging, climbing, or contorting involved.

3. You can be sure of your safety. Do you have an FRS/PMR channel to find out if other Geocachers are in the area? According to geocaching.com, "The community has decided on channel 2 as the primary for both FRS and PMR, and 12 as the alternate FRS (Family Radio Service) channel and 8 for the alternate PMR (Europe). FRS and PMR radios are longer distance walkie talkies, like the Motorola Talkabout." And all of the places we've found so far are in my cell service (verizon).

4. It's a great way to get some cool pregnancy pics for your album or scrapbook.

5. The short hikes are a good way to prepare for an outdoor adventure with the newcomer to the family.

6. Pregnant ladies need stamina for birth. This is an easy way to ensure endurance for those hours of labor.

7. Discover some new places to hike when you need to get your pre-pregnancy body back in shape. In fact some of the trails would even be a good complement to your running stroller!

8. Some caches are in towns so you won't even have to walk far from the car!

9. It's never to late to learn how to navigate in the woods with a geocaching device or a compass and you might not have the time post-baby.

10. Keep your brain active during "pregnancy fog." Sometimes caches have more than one part to them requiring you to solve a puzzle to find out coordinates to the final cache.

Happy adventuring!

Here are some book resources from wikipedia:

Further reading

+Geocaching Crash Course by Benjamin Deeb (ISBN 0-5173-4859-X)
+The Essential Guide to Geocaching by Mike Dyer (ISBN 1-55591-522-1)
+The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching by Jack W. Peters (ISBN 1-59257-235-9)
+Geocaching For Dummies by Joel McNamara (ISBN 978-0764575716)
+Geocaching: Hike and Seek with Your GPS by Erik Sherman (ISBN 978-1590591222)
+The Geocaching Handbook (Falcon Guide) by Layne Cameron and Dave Ulmer (ISBN 978-076273044)
+Let's Go Geocaching by DK Publishing (ISBN 978-0756637170)
+It's a Treasure Hunt! Geocaching & Letterboxing by Cq Products (ISBN 978-1563832680)
+Open Your Heart with Geocaching: Mastering Life Through Love of Exploration by Jeannette Cézanne (ISBN 978-1601660046)

My baby's gonna be a hiker!

2010-03-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

The picture above was taken 2/28/10 (22 weeks)

I'm not just excited to have a baby boy, I'm excited to get back on the trails with him and get him to experience one of the best parts of my world. But since kids don't pop out walking, I've discovered that there are thousands of parents just like me out there who have child carriers made for hiking. Now it's been my personal mission to find the perfect hiking child carrier to get back on those trails asap.

Babies "R" Us, the only place to register in my area, only sells one hiking pack: a Kelty FC 3.0 Child Carrier in the color- blueberry (which I love). But I want to be sure it's going to be good since as of right now it looks like this carrier is 7 pounds without a baby in it!

I've been taking a look around online, but I'm swamped! Any suggestions to give me a direction on this would be great!

Why I've postponed my hiking for a bit

2010-02-19T20:08:00.000-08:00

I'VE GOT MY BABY BOY DUE ON JULY 1st!

To follow my progress take a look here http://thelittleblueberry.blogspot.com and hopefully by August I'll be back on the trail with a baby in my rucksack!

Be back soon everyone.

There's really hiking in West Wyoming?

2009-09-15T19:05:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, we decided to go on a very local hike. Believe it or not there are little gems of trails right here literally in people's backyards.

After pulling over on the side of the road near an empty, for-sale greenhouse, the trail began in some prickly high grasses. After dodging and darting out of the thorn-targeted areas, there is another factor that might turn off most hikers or woodsy-types: garbage. I know that typically we reserve the right to bust on "backwoods hicks" for collecting junk in their backyards, mainly useless objects and rubbish including (but not limited to) food wrappers, toilet paper, plastic bottles, beer cans, even the remainders of buck shot, as well as tires and other parts of vehicles.

I suppose what might separate the locals here from the typical dirt-road living country family who enjoys using cars as lawn ornaments is that I couldn't find an entire car in their backyards, but I might've been able to assemble most of one from the parts I'd seen scattered about. I did need a tad bit more work done on my blue beast. Maybe I'd add an old mini fridge to my trunk or replace my rusty runners for new rusted runners. As the saying goes, one man's junk is another man's treasure...

Alright enough bad humor about the choices of eco-decorating... The reason why Aaron and I came here for a quick hike after 5pm in the first place is because in the springtime my best girlfriend got married and the favors at her bridal shower were wildflowers. We'd come up here soon after the happy event and planted them with the intention of checking on their status later in the summer. Unfortunately, now it was a bit too late in the season and the initial pathway/bushwack through the woods was lost in overgrown greenery.

But no matter, now past the smell of rubber and sour water puddles, I inhaled the smell of sunlit dirt. My shoulders loosened in relaxation as the sounds of animal rustling, birds alerting, and the wind lightly clapping the leaves together encouraged movement along the overgrown continuity of the footpath. I could smell wet greens, rough-ridged tree bark, crushed sour red berries, dried leaves, and nutty acorns.

Continuing up the pathway is a gradually ascending trail with loose rocks, fallen trees, even areas of high grasses might convince you that you might never reach the top. However, if I know that if you stick it out, this hike rewards:

The sounds of cars and families and neighborhood dogs barking disappear and it feels miles away from any sign of human life, quite an amazing feat for being so near 8th street, perfect for getting out in the woods after a long day at work.

Myself in third person

2009-08-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today after an extended converstion about the Appalachian Trail, a woman with some great hiking plans reminded me that I still have passions. That I am passionate about discussing the details of what it takes to do some tough hiking. She helped me see that even though I am becoming a more responsible version of myself, I can still be all of those exciting things that I've been in my past too. And so it's true that each one of us contain a myriad of facets.

Amongst my parts, people know or have known me as (a condensed list of the past 29 years): a journalist, a poet, a sister, a lover, a coffee drinker, a friend, a former Queens dweller, a Phish tourer, a yearner for "back in the day," a daughter, an employee, a yoga enthusiast, a dungeons and dragons player, a letter writer, a road tripper, a teacher, a tattoo wearer, a vocalist, a foreign culture junkie, an anthropologist, a facebook junkie, a neighbor, an editor, a "dirty hippie," bartender, a literature buff, a tenant, roller skater, a dinner party attender, an old college roommate, a polka dancer, a cousin, a book reviewer, a partier, an educator, foreign language dabbler, a mentor, a traffic dodging driver, a political activist, a late night couch sitter, a shopping buddy, video game challenger, a secret sharer, a marching band nerd, a steak-lover, a world traveler, an ice cream devourer, a pianist, a theater actor, a vegetarian, a buisness casual wearer.... and a hiker.

I think of how each of my life experiences have contributed to creating these labels that contextualize me into a nice neat package for others to understand. While some, I don't even identify with anymore, each has definitely added its shaped who I have become and who I will be.

For example, I wasn't always a hiker. Much of my life, I didn't even like hiking. In fact, throughout high school, I wanted nothing to do with nature, tenting, wildlife, or the outdoors. Instead, I spent hours inside playing piano, singing, reading, writing poetry, and going to hardcore shows in my hippie skirts and birkenstocks. I had a car, why would I walk more than I had to, especially on a dirty trail with nasty bugs?

It was only until I went away to college in the middle of nowhere (kicking and screaming) that I really began to appreciate nature... of course, it wasn't instant attraction. I needed a little help from my friends to truly see the stars and sunsets, to smell the dew, to discuss deep intellectual matters, to marvel at the ordinary, and wade through the woods to hang out at the watertower, the benches near the music building, the park downtown, friends back porches, the old astronomy field on cardiac hill, the unlit dirt road off route six, while listening to some old bootlegs of jambands while drinking a few bottles of wine, alright...you get the idea.

Sure these were nontraditional ways to explore nature but that curiosity combined with my flighty or fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants nature locked me into an agreement to hike the Appalachian Trail with scarcely any hiking experiences in my life (other than walking to/or around each of the places I mentioned above).

The thing is...Eventually, they lead me to a real appreciation of the nature around me.

Lehigh Gorge (Glen Onoko- to the top of the falls- Part 2)

2009-07-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

We walk down the wooden staircase and are face-to-face with the WARNING sign. In the smaller print, the sign read "hikers have been seriously injured and killed as a result of accidental falls from the trail and gorge overlooks."

Strangely enough, I remembered that I'd seen a similar warning before, but much smaller and one that I took much much more seriously in the White Mountains of New Hampshire as I was climbing Mt. Washington (6,288 ft) in the summer of 2006. The sign read, "The area ahead has the worst weather in America. Many have died there from exposure, even in the sumer. Turn back now if the weather is bad."

Nothing like good ole honesty to put the fear of god into you about hiking a trail. But luckily, that day the weather was beautiful as I took the challenge at Mt. Washington, NH and I would definitely accept this challenge from the Glen Onoko Falls Trail at Lehigh Gorge, PA... as soon as I could find the trail....

As we stood in front of the sign there were two ways to go: left toward the river paddlers or right under the wooden bridge. Grafitti covered its belly, water dripped from above plunking into huge puddles that remained stagnant in the heat. It seemed like a dead end. And while I had hiked this trail once before two years ago, I didn't neccessarily recall the direction the trail began. So, I assumed that the trail must obviously be toward the left. Most of the people in the park seemed to be headed in that direction and the trail just seemed a bit cheerier.

As we rounded the trail to the left, we watched people smiling and practicing their inflatable raft paddling techniques in their lifejackets, when a few moments later, we ran into pavement, a parking lot, and some stairs leading up to the bathrooms. This was definitely not leading us to the Glen Onoko Falls Trail.

After hitting up the environmentally friendly pit toilets, we made a full circle around the parking lot and back down the wooden stairs, again to face the warning sign...again.

We peeked around to find a blaze, an arrow, or a cairn, but no such luck. With a shoulder shrug, we headed out for the second time to find the falls trail this time by passing under the wooden bridge. When suddenly and seemingly obvious, the pathway lie right in front of us.

We began our ascent. We hiked up the steep trail about fifty to one hundred feet. When no sooner did we come to a 'V.' There were no signs deciphering the difference between the orange and the red blazes in front of us.

To the left, a true warning of the sign of what was to come of our day: Beyond the orange blazed tree, a family of people were hiking downhill toward us. There was a man yelling "COME ON" at an emaciated black shepard. He yanked on the dog's metal leash while the dog cried out in a horrifying yelp, attempting to get over and off the difficult rocks more quickly. The rage built up inside me and I looked to my boyfriend for recognition. He nodded and after we let the rest of the nonresponsive family pass, we commented on the man's blatant animal abuse.

I couldn't imagine what he'd put his family through. And I couldn't believe that we were both so quiet at such a horrifying moment. We were usually so verbal about these sorts of things. It was almost as if there was some engrained social unease buried inside the both of us. It was as though it would've been improper to air how those people should properly treat their pet. It was like we would've been publically dictating how someone else should properly raise their child, much to the humiliation and anger of the parents.

I mentioned how badly I've wanted a dog (an aussie or boxer) as a hiking companion and family member, but I couldn't even have a dog because of the restrictions on our apartment's lease. I even went as far as to have said that just because someone wanted a dog, it didn't mean they should be allowed to have one. It seemed that in this situation any nutcase could have an animal, even that detestible wretch of a human being. After a few more moments of heated ventilation, I stepped off my soapbox, and I hopped back into my calm hiking mindset.

We looked to the right at a red marked trail with an enormous fallen trunk over the pathway.

Another guessing game. I sat down on a boulder on the orange trail and I pulled my backpack around to my waist. I took out my map again and we both looked closely for a guide to the Falls. No markings or symbols. No other trail names or mileage.

Behind us we noticed a middle aged couple breathing heavily to catch up with us. We moved aside for them and I said: "You happen to know which of these leads to the falls?"

The woman responded: "We don't really know which way the falls trail is. We thought you looked like you knew where you're going. So we've been following you."

At first I thought this was kind of ridiculous considering that we walked in a full circle before we got here. And of course, now that I'm reflecting on that moment, I find it hilarious that this conversation was initiated by the women so that we could figure out what's going on. It seems that even in the wilderness we have to ask for directions!

After we all took a few more breaths and a quick sip of water, I finally made the decision to head up the left trail (oranged blazed), which seemed familiar. After about twenty or thirty yards, I felt confident that I had remembered the rocky trail, the flat faced boulders to our right, and the inevitable sound of rushing water. Once we saw the creek headed downstream, we knew we were on our way to the first fall!

Lehigh Gorge (part one)

2009-07-12T06:35:00.002-07:00

If you asked me two years ago how I felt about Lehigh Gorge, I'd have said that I equate the Lehigh Gorge falls trail to the Ricketts Glen Trail. What's even better than Ricketts is that it's got trains, caves, a river, waterfalls, rock hopping, elevation hiking, rock climbing, and beautiful views. I'd tell you there's nothing more to desire in a good, tough trail.

Today, I had a wake up call. My boyfriend and I headed down to the gorge in the early afternoon, listening to some great road trip songs while passing beautiful mountain views and scores of Tigerlillies on the roadside. Just as we began to see the brown road signs leading us to the park, two empty bright yellow school busses slowed our pace to a crawl. The busses had mint green signs on the back that read, "Whitewater Rafting Adventures," and for the next twenty minutes, we inhaled the very- un green exhaust of the two school buses. As we followed the carbon smell into the state park, we counted six more busses leaving, filled with newly trained rafters.

Pulling around the packed parking lot, we already heard the distant sounds of dozens of voices. We passed the first lot, then the second, the third, and made our way around the boat dock area that had parking designated specifically for the "adventure" busses only. A park ranger's truck was stopped nearby and he was telling a family exiting their car that they couldn't park in the dock area. We defiantly pulled into a space and from the passenger side mirror, I saw him waving us away. I caught a glimpse at the other (6 or so) cars' windshields. Every single one was ticketed.

We backed out of the space, waved kindly at the ranger, and pulled into the second lot. A space opened and we pulled forward, when suddenly a white diesel pick up flew into our claimed spot. Nearby, a group of kids stood around non-commitally chatting and smoking. We watched as they greeted the parking space thief as he got out of his truck. They all appeared to be fresh out of high school in their tight jeans. Each one wearing a tee that bore the name of a 60 or 70 rock musician that they've probably never even heard of. As we drove past, they barely moved out of the way (maybe being a bit defiant themselves) as we tried to scoot by them to find a parking space. I gave them a gypsy curse kind of glare- which I must say matched pretty well with my head wrapped in a gypsy-like bandana.

Finally, we found a spot and parked in the farthest lot from the trailhead. We bitched about those annoying space thieves for a few minutes and then geared up for the hike. It was a very warm day. The heat generated the noon sun. Considering the weather had been pretty rainy around here lately, the extra Vitamin D instantly put us back into good spirits.

First, we walked to the parking lot nearest the trail and let the cool breath of the cave invite us in. The cave was only a few hundred feet long with two old abandoned train tracks, quite possibly for transporting the coal that now surrounded us. The only sound besides our own voices and soft skuff of our boots was the dripping water from above our heads. In the distance, we could hear birds tweeting.

As we neared the end of the cave, we heard human voices again. Up against the grafitti covered wooden barrier, we looked down upon the river. Part of a concrete bridge stood in front of us and to our right were a few dozen rafters in lifejackets being trained by kayakers. The water curled and splashed white in places awaiting the rafters challenge.

Some families and couples hung out on the shore, a few had their dogs on leashes, and one couple skipped rocks into the speeding river. While the mouth of this cave was wide enough for all to see you, from inside of this cave, the darkness made you feel like a spy. We watched for a little longer, commenting on a father and son preparing to take two triangular inner tubes downstream, and then turned back watching cave dwelling birds fly in and out tending their nests in some cubbies. Once back into the light, we crossed the wooden bridge and made our way to the falls approach trail.

Part 2: Rainclouds are like Sponges

2009-06-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

As I crested the mountain, I saw to my left a bright area that appeared to be a nice cliff's edge lookout. I decided to bushwack to the light and take in the beautiful scene. With the orange trail marker to my back, I tromped along in the brush while looking out for the evil bunches of poison ivy. Occasionally, I looked back to make sure I could see the blaze (or at least the general direction of the blaze). Once I got to the forest's edge and the orange blaze was completely out of sight, it was an amazing view of the dark green mountainside. Immediately in front of me, a huge tall-grass field and on my right was a trimmed grass pathway (wide enough to drive a car on). Next to me was a 12 X 30 half-covered stack of tree trunks and chopped wood.

I wondered who could be so lucky as to own this land in a state park. Were people allowed to own a piece of state park land at Francis Slocum or had I stumbled upon private lands with no obnoxious signs nailed into trees telling me to "Beware" of "Private Property." Instead, this solitary moment that this quiet space was my view. Only the birds and other animals making chirps and crackles and scratches imbibed its magic with me. I breathed it in for a few more minutes and then decided to head back through the bushes to the orange trail.

As I swooshed and snapped through the woods, I kept my eyes on the direction of where I had rememebered the blazed tree was standing and I must say that "eyeballing" your way through the woods is not such a smart idea unless you have: (1) traversed it to the point of mental image recall, (2) brought a compass with you or have some orienteering skills, (3) enough time to mess around bushwacking backwoods areas.

I found myself turned around a bit, but luckily I had the open patch of brightly lit forestline guiding me by keeping it at my back. Instead of walking at an angle away from the area, I walked directly away from it. Coming into a much more wooded and rocky area, I stood still and took a look at my surroundings. Nothing seemed familiar.

After being turned around for fifteen minutes, I finally discovered an orange blaze, and turning right to go back where I came from, I hopped back on the Larch Tree Trail.

In retrospect, I'm not saying that I was definitely lost, but now I realize that it is probably easier to get lost than I thought initially. And the feeling in your gut when you begin to panic at the idea of being lost near sundown...There is a general sense of fear and encroaching aloneness creeps up inside you. It permeates and pulses in every muscle and vein in your body. It can force you to panic and make rash decisions (like to keep moving in the wrong direction, or moving anywhere without getting yourself together first). Now, just because I got turned around, I am not suggesting never bushwack and explore, but just as a general rule now that I have decided I will follow is: If the panic of getting lost seems to begin, pause. Take a deep breath. Look at your surroundings. Force logic back into your fight or flight filled mind. Then take a rational step toward the right direction.

Now that I was back on the trail again, I noticed something on the way back down...stormclouds.

As though someone had taken a huge white sponge and dipped it in dirty water, the sun disappeared as I rounded the top of the mountain on Larch Tree Trail. The once barely visible clouds against the blue sky seemed to have suddenly expanded to massive black storm clouds in a matter of moments. Luckily, I was on my way back and for some reason a hike down (or back) always seems faster to me; however, I was definitely out of my element since I had decided to leave my rainjacket in the car because of the beautiful weather earlier. Maybe I was just striking out today (even though the hike was enjoyable).

I needed to feel a bit more of the trail in my muscles and bones since this trail wasn't too difficult to climb anyway, so I ran all the way through the pine forest and back to the trails beginning at a yellow metal gate. Then I caught my breath and quickly trekked down the road and past a second yellow metal gate that lead up to some private residences. I took the Lakeshore red trail to the left and high-tailed it back to my car just in time for the entire sky to turn a deep black and purple and rain began to topple out of the sky onto the remainder of the lakeside fishing park-goers.

Overall, I must say that what I'd seen of the Larch Tree Trail was absolutely gorgeous! I think it was a great trail even though the difficulty wasn't too bad, it definitely gets a thumbs up for being the nicest and most isolated of all the trails in Francis Slocum.

out of 5 Hikers.

Part1: Lake Shore Trail and Larch Tree Trail

2009-06-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I headed to Francis Slocum State Park (FS), but after picking up the map (which I've never actually followed before), I couldn't decipher one trail from another. Instead, I remembered I had a book called, "Great Hikes in the Poconos and Northeast Pennsylvania" by Boyd and Linda Newman and decided to see if FS had any "great hikes." The Newman's answered with a 7.2 mile hike around the lake on Lake Shore Trail (red blazed) to a loop trail on Larch Tree Trail (orange blazed) and the Deer Trail (yellow blazed) back to the Larch Tree Trail then follow the Nature trail back to the Nature Center Building for the 7.2 miles. Quite a figure 8- trek!
I took my time enjoying the walk on easy trail next to the lake. I even pondered ditching hiking for the day and hopping on one of FS's $10 per hour rentable kayaks, but when I turned the corner and saw the amount of people out fishing, I decided that getting hooked by a plastic worm or knocked off the kayak by invisible string wasn't such a good idea. I kept trekking the barely rocky red trail. Here and there were muddy trail crossings- the kind that tried to steal your boots from your feet. A mother advised her kids walking the path near me, "walk along the side, along the side!" While the chubby-necked little girl in aqua crocs let out a girlish shrill, "eeeeeewwww. AAH!" I picked up the pace to pass them, tromping and splashing my legs.

After about an hour of listening to people talking on their cell phones, whiny children trying to rig up their fishing poles, and about a million "hello, how are you todays," I had reached the end of the red trail and found myself standing on a concrete road at the other end of the park (near the campstore). The wind muted some of the sound and had a bit of a chill, but the sun was still bright overhead and for a moment I stopped on the road. I looked around at an elderly couple fishing together on the shore. They were about twenty feet apart in a small pond off the top of the lake. Both of them had matching zen-like expressions of calm on their crinkly faces.

I looked over at the woman, wondering about my own mortality. Who would I be? Would I make it to her age? Would I be happy? Would I learn to fish? Then, I thought, no matter what: I wouldn't do my hair like that...The old woman's hair was curled, poofed, and teased up on top of her head. I thought about my new dye. Would it be okay in the bright sunlight today? I had forgotten a bandana to protect the color from the elements...and then just as quickly as the thought appeared I shrugged it all off and I walked to the other side of the road.

I quickly checked the Newmans' book. The next part of the hike would be beautifully silent. A walk through an abandoned red pine plantation, blueberry shrubs, and of course (on the Larch Tree Trail) there would be Larches*. But first, I had to pass throught the red pine forest.

The entryway to the pines actually caught my breath. Suddenly perfectly lined rows and rows of pine were in every direction and the ground below my feet was lined in a carpet of firey needles.

More to come about my first June hike at Francis Slocum...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

*The Larch Tree

You might have seen this magnificent tree. While all the pines remain green in fall, this deciduous conifer has pinelike needles that turn yellow in the fall. It is an amazing sight to see and well worth a fall hike to see this change. The first time I'd ever seen the Larch in fall, I was fascinated. I obsessed over finding the rare sight amongst the pines. When I discovered that they were called Larches and turned yellow every fall, I had decided then and there that they were my second favorite tree (to the Sycamore).

How can hiking Centralia make me nostalgic?

2009-05-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Thunderstorms on Sunday ruined my overnighter this weekend, but instead I got to trek around the ruins of Centralia, something I'd always wanted to see.

The disgusting smell of burning tires mixed with rotten eggs filled the air as we made our way down the road and into the town. At first I thought it was Aaron's car brakes, but later when we walked the mines, the scent was unforgettable. I imagined that it was like what so many miners smelled before their inevitable fates underground, the fate that the tiny canary predicts moments before a disaster.

But I didn't completely feel a forboding darkness about the place as we hiked the broken streets and coal packed walkways. It was more like a curiousity mixed with a childhood reminiscence of the abandoned mines behind my nanas home near the LCCC campus (which are now cleared with a fresh layer of grass trimmed and neatly prepared for homes or campus buildings).

Walking along the strip mines of Centralia, it wasn't the disgusting smell from the steamy sulphuric vapors that made me think of riding bikes, making forts, and shooting bebe guns, but seeing rows of survivor trees (such as the birch) and shrubs covering piles of chunked black rock, broken bottles and cans, and even some abandoned garbage. And while some might see this as something like the remains of some graffically horrific murder partially washed away by time, I just remember being a tomboy pre-teen and searching for lost treasure near my nana's house while collecting bottles and cans, lining them up and shooting bebes through them.

I also remember climbing birches, bending their trunks almost to the ground. And the most memorable was an enormous trunked and termite-eaten tree that my cousins and I would hang out near in deep in the center of the mined area. We took hammers, tarps, and 2X4s determined to make a fort that we could escape to in the summers when we tired of our NES or Sega Genesis games. Occasionally, I'd sneak away to that tree to read about Greek mythological figures or the fantasy world of Dragonlance characters.

Our 'romantic' walk also consisted of putting our hands near the vapor holes and feeling the heated rocks, while pondering the possibilities of travelling underground and seeing the vast expanse of fire, and wondered what anthropologists might conclude of our society hundreds of years after our passing.

Then to bring ourselves back into the current moment, we terrorized gypsy moth nests lopping large charred coal with burnt hues of red, unfortunately, neither of us destroyed a nest. As I looked at each rock, I remembered an archaeological dig I took part in for six weeks near the Don River in Russia back in '99 or 2000. We were bisecting a large mound in the steppe that had rocks similiarly charred. At the time, none of us could figure out how this formation that seemed like a huge chimney of some strange religious ceremony could have existed in the middle of absolutely nowhere. As I threw the last rock, narrowly missing the webbed nest, I imagined that it was possible for those Russian ancestors to be miners as well.

On the return walk, we saw crowds of birds bouncing across the air above and we discussed the possibility of the heat from the mines creating a summer-like appearance to the area even in winter. My mind played with the possibility of an oasis amongst the grime and garbage with greenery and animals living in an endless summer or spring, Much like this town, remaining timeless as the world around it changes seasons from summer to fall to winter and around again.

Credit Card bill helps return the wild west to national parks

2009-05-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

According to NPR, Obama might be putting credit card companies in line but in the process hikers will now have to contend with gun slinging cowboys at national parks and wildlife refuges. I know, you might think, why didn't we think of this before? There are so many endangered species and hikers to mistake as wild game. Not to mention the high threat of crazies in the woods just hiding out waiting to get you around the trunk of every tree and the green of every bush. So, thankfully, now you can relax knowing you can carry your gun to fend them off. Those lawmakers sure are geniuses.

We must abide by the second amendment, right NRA? If some god-fearing (and nature-fearing and hiker-fearing and fellow American-fearing) law abiding citizen with a gun license wants to feel safe and secure in such an unsafe environment like the inner-city of Washington, DC or maybe the more evil and inhospitable areas of our nation such as Great Smoky Mountains or Arches National Park, he can just make sure he's packin' heat in the heart of the woods to feel safe. It makes me think of the book, Beowulf, where all the citizens of the town are assailed by this disgusting creature that comes out of the wilds of the forest with only the purpose of killing them all. Unfortunately, whether or not Mr. Obama only intended to spank credit card companies with this bill Mr. Obama has inadvertently joined forces with his new NRA buddies and lobbyists who still have the fear-filled medieval mindset of nature vs. man.

According to the NPR article, "FBI statistics show that America's national parks are far safer than the rest of the country. For 2006 overall, there were 469 violent crimes per 100,000 people in the U.S. The violent crime rate in national parks was 1.65 per 100,000." Which doesn't suprise me one bit considering the rest of the country is sleeping with their guns under their pillows, trigger happy with their terrorist talk and the fear of their neighbors and alleys and schools and foreigners and sleeping in the dark.

And apparently, the original law stated that people could have guns in these places previously but they had to be disassembled (which still allowed the gun-nuts who practice the art of a speedy lock and load to be comforted), but now with the new president's 'okay', gun regulations will allow the owner to have their gun loaded and ready to go as long as it is within the gun guidelines of the state. But of course, if a gun owner brings a gun to a park, it is still illegal to discharge it there.

It's already nerve racking to be dayhiking in a state park right next to a hunting area, with warnings of the required bright orange for hikers in the winter, hearing the silence piercing bullets searching out wildlife, but now I have to be nervous that I will be shot everywhere I go. I recall being at Lackawanna State Park this winter (I have no idea which hunting season it was), but eventhough there is no hunting on Sunday "except for small game," there were people out there scaring off deer and shooting guns nearby the park. I don't own bright orange clothes (not realizing until that moment that I should) and I seriously feared for my life when I heard a shot and saw four deer no more than 100 feet from me take off in a full bolt across the trail and into the woods.

I never realized until some recent research that PA state game lands are so close to hiking trails. So, my concern is truly for the hikers. There aren't invisible walls that stop a game land bullet from hitting a hiker on a nearby trail and now gun owners can take their guns to parks loaded. There aren't that many rapid angry animals to take down, but there are families and solo trekkers enjoying trails nearby.

In fact, as NPR quotes Bill Wade (former superintendent of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia) in reminding us that these cowboys aren't only going to have guns in wilderness areas, but in camping areas. I can see it now, a bunch of redneck Americans getting drunk on budwiser and offing each other over a hotdog falling into the red hot cinders. Now that's a thought, maybe they should legally allow alcohol in national parks too. Maybe they should just give hunting permissions in national parks while they are at it. Or maybe, the lawmakers should just kiss the NRA's ass on Memorial Day and just pass a law that lets gun owners shoot people. What ever happened to getting rid of earmarks and lobbyists, Mr. President?

Mr. Obama, I understand that putting credit card companies in their place is extremely important. Most Americans can agree that those companies are theiving bastards. And after reading an article in Backpacker Magazine this month about a kid that tested our weak northern border, sure maybe I'll give you the excuse that maybe you think we need secure borders, but allowing obsessive gun nazis to carry them armed, cocked, and ready to go isn't fair to the people who come to the woods to enjoy its comforts.

Okay, to be fair I must admit I have to see things ON THE FLIPSIDE:

I am not against guns. I believe that everyone has the right (constitutionally given) to have them in case we need to rise up against our corrupted government, to defend our families, or to hunt for our meals. And it is definitely better to have people become knowledgeable and know how to properly use them responsibly (like hunters) to be able to carry them instead of some nut job with a squirrly brain being able to purchase and tote one around while bent on pumping rounds into co-workers.

Furthermore, I believe there is a proper time and place for them. Guns make me squeamish in a situation where I am out to enjoy the sounds of nature and instead hear those sounds interrupted by death shots coming from a nearby state gameland. I myself have gone to ranges and shot guns on friend's backwoods land, but overall, I'm not comfortable around guns. I'd just prefer flying bullets to be separate from my hiking experience.

But as far as this rider bill is concerned, who can say for sure that gun owners haven't been carrying them fully loaded in parks this the entire time anyway, and now they are just legally allowed to have them in parks. This might even benefit parks because they may give park rangers more work by allowing them more reasons to watch their lands better.

What is your opinion on the matter? Drop me a comment below.

Hiking with the Fam

2009-05-15T13:08:00.000-07:00

The DCNR has deemed this year's hiking week to be Saturday, May 23 through Sunday, May 31 . So let this be your invitation into the woods!

Here's a list of their events from the DCNR website:

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Frances Slocum State Park : Family Hike
Luzerne
: Easy/Moderate
Celebrate Pennsylvania hiking week with us as we take a walk along part of campground trail. Meet: 565 Mount Olivet Rd.
Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30PM
Note: Meet at the group tent parking area in the top of the campground
Contact: Kathy Kelchner, 570-696-9105, francesslocumsp@state.pa.us

Worlds End State Park: Trail Sampler Hike
Sullivan
2.50 mile(s): Moderate
Follow three favorite trails- Link, Loyalsock, and Worlds End- along a freshwater stream, past spring wildflowers, to an end-of-the-world view. The trails are steep, rocky, and uneven in places, so don sturdy footwear.
Meet: The hike begins and ends at the Visitor Center.
Time: 9:30 - 11:30 AM
Contact: Janie Swift, EES, 570-924-3287, worldsendsp@state.pa.us

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Hickory Run State Park: Shades of Death & Sand Spring loop
Carbon
3.00 mile(s): Moderate/Strenuous
Trail: Shades of Death & Sand Spring Loop Length: 3-miles Difficulty: more difficult Meet: Park Office, Route 534
Meet: Meet at the Hickory Run Park Office on Route 534.
Time: 9:00 am
Contact: Park Office, 570-443-0400, hickoryrunsp@state.pa.us

Friday, May 29, 2009

Promised Land State Park: Dusk Wetland Walk
Pike
3.00 mile(s): Moderate
Wetlands come alive as night approaches. Join us on a walk in the area of some historically noisy habitats and learn what creatures are emerging to "sing" this time of year. Waterproof shoes are encouraged, but please leave the flashlights behind for maximum program enjoyment.
Meet: Egypt Meadow Trail (parking area closest to I-84)
Time: 7:00 PM
Note: We don't intend to use flashlights, though one will be available for emergency purposes.
Contact: Jen Naugle, 570-676-0567, promisedlandenvedsp@state.pa.us

Varden Conservation Area: Wetlands Walk
Wayne
2.00 mile(s): Easy/Moderate
We will traverse dry to muddy terrain in search of wetlands in the Varden Conservation Area. Along the way we will discover the secret life of wetlands and the elusive plants and animals that call this unique habitat home.
Meet: Tannery Road Access @ pavilionTime: 3:00-5:00 PMNote: Bring waterproof walking shoes.
Contact: Jen Naugle, 570-676-0567, promisedlandenvedsp@state.pa.us

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Beltzville State Park: DiscoverE Day Camps (formerly Youth Environmental Learning Series (YELS) Da
Carbon
DiscoverE Day Camps (formerly Youth Environmental Learning Series-YELS) Registration day! This series is designed to help children, ages 4 through 13, learn about their natural world. These fun & exciting programs are designed to allow young people to explore their environment with other children of the same age & abilities. Youth who progress from one program to the next will continually grow in their understanding & stewardship of the environment. Programs include hands-on activities, stories, special presentations, crafts, demonstrations, games & much more! Children MUST ATTEND ALL FOUR DAYS of their YELS Day Camp! REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Registration for 2009 YELS begins on Saturday, May 30 from 9am-4pm. Come to the Beltzville State Park office or call the Office at 610.377.9150 or 610.377.0045 between 9:00 am & 4:00 pm No Fax or Email registration permitted. Please be patient, demand is very high for this program. Most camps will fill before 12 pm.
Meet: PARK MAIN OFFICE 2950 Pohopoco Dr.
Time: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Note: DiscoverE Day Camps (formerly Youth Environmental Learning Series-YELS) Registration day! This series is designed to help children, ages 4 through 13, learn about their natural world. These fun & exciting programs are designed to allow young people to explore their environment with other children of the same age & abilities. Youth who progress from one program to the next will continually grow in their understanding & stewardship of the environment. Programs include hands-on activities.
Contact: Carissa Reilly-Longo, 610.377.9150, ra-nrspbeltenved@state.pa.us

Stinky Trilliums and Breaking Ben

2009-05-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

So far on my treks at Ricketts Glen State Park, I've seen more of this flower than any other. So much that I couldn't help but have to pull out my "Guide to Common Pennsylvania Wildflowers" by Carol A. Sanderson. Not all of the photos are are clear and crisp as this pic of the purple trillium on the left, but it gives excellent basic information on identifying plantlife.

Trillium aparently has another name as well. It is also called Stinking Benjamin (not to be confused with Breaking Benjamin, who also grew up in the Wilkes-Barre area). The alternative name for the plant is appropriate because of its odiforousness. Sanderson writes, "its beauty compensates for the smell." Right she is on both accounts. Like the deep dark purples in the trillium, those guys from Breaking Benjamin are pretty dark and handsome, but I have to say that my taste in music steers away from the stink of hard rock. Needless to say I won't be bringing any trilliums or hard rock dudes home to my mother for Mother's Day.

My Vice.

2009-05-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia: Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often on hiking trails.

In the United Kingdom its called hillwalking or walking.

Australians use the term bushwalking for both on- and off-trail hiking.

New Zealanders use tramping.

Multi-day hiking in the mountainous regions of India, Nepal, North America, South America, and in the highlands of East Africa is also called trekking.

In America, I hear that hiking has something to do with stretching the legs from the car to the ground, peering over a lookout, snapping a photo, and then returning to the car to go home and workout on the treadmill.

Okay, I'm just kidding. I won't be discussing my hiking vice like a nature tourist by hanging out in forest parking lots with beautiful vistas snapping photos and using as little leg muscle as possible.

Instead, I want to trek my great homestate of PA. We've got great trails in our state parks. I've been hiking them for most of my adult life but now that I'm hiking them with a full pack, getting dirty and gritty, and seeing PA from ground to mountaintop, I wanna tell you all about it. I'll give you some info on the local nature, hiking and backpacking, and give you the low down on my experiences here on PA trails. Look for my hiking zine (called "Take a Hike," which will be out soon) as a supplement to this blog.

The goal: One dayhike on a PA trail, every week.

Take a hike with me!

See you on the trails,

Erin

(Chickadee- A.T. trailname- PA --> ME '06)