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General Buzz - June 2009 |
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Greenway Days June 20-21
Residents and visitors will learn about the culture, history and recreation available in the Mountains to Sound Greenway the during Greenway Days celebration June 20-21. The MTSG is the scenic, recreation corridor between Puget Sound in Seattle and Central Washington. The event boasts over 25 events in 10 communities including group hikes, bike rides, community celebrations and geoteaming. www.mtsgreenway.org/greenwaydays |
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Karla Betts, a car-for-bike swapper from Portland, won this bike in 2007 during the Tour de Fat event.
Tour de Fat celebrates 10th anniversary – looking for car-for-bike swappers
Summer brings sunshine, long days, clear nights – and Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewing’s celebration of all things bicycle. Eleven cities are on the roster this year, including Seattle Aug. 8 at Gas Works Park and Portland Aug. 15 at Waterfront Park. The free festivities include costumed bike parades, music, and celebrations of folks willing to swap their cars for bikes for one year. Volunteers who are willing to step up to the challenge (one in each city) are given a hand-built Black Sheep commuter bike in exchange for their cars. To put your name in the ring, submit a video or essay describing your desire to live car-free for a year. Visit www.newbelgium.com/tour-de-fat for all the details. |
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Recreation Pass Purchase
If you’re venturing into the woods this summer, remember that passes are required at most national forest trailheads. Passes are available at all ranger district offices and the forest headquarters office in Wenatchee.
The cost is $30 for an annual pass and $5 for a day-use pass. For information about the Northwest Forest Pass call (800) 270-7504 or to order it online go to www.naturenw.org.
America the Beautiful—National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes will be honored at all Northwest Forest Pass sites.
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New Washington Parks Bicycle Route Map
If the summer sun hasn’t gotten you back on your bike, this might motivate you to dust off your wheels: The Adventure Cycling Association has released a brand new Washington parks Bicycle Route Map that covers the Cascade and Olympic mountains, San Juan Islands, and more. The two waterproof maps cover an 870-mile double loop route for the ultimate Washington cycling experience, with plenty of vital information about services along the way. The maps also include Adventure Cycling’s trademark field notes, providing valuable insights about the terrain cyclists will travel through. For more information, visit www.adventurecycling.org/routes/washingtonparks.cfm. |
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Peter Whitaker, Ed Viesturs, Dave Hann
First Ascent Team #2 Summits Mt. Everest
Led by First Ascent guide Dave Hahn, the “Return to Everest” expedition’s second summit team reached the summit of Mt. Everest on May 23, 2009. Hahn was joined by fellow First Ascent guides Seth Waterfall and Melissa Arnot, plus Sherpas and members of their production crew. The first team (which included Ed Viesturs and Peter Whittaker) made it to the summit on May 19. This marks Hahn’s 11th Everest summit – more than any other non-Sherpa in history.
The Return to Everest expedition not only brings together several of the world’s most celebrated mountain guides, it also introduces revolutionary video and audio production techniques that provide stunning footage. The entire expedition has been filmed and broadcast on the First Ascent blog. At the same time, the climbers are testing Eddie Bauer’s new First Ascent mountaineering gear. Positioned as “guide-built gear,” the First Ascent line was designed to be simple and lightweight without sacrificing quality. To learn more, visit blog.firstascent.com.
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REI’s Passport to Adventure
Recreational Equipment, Inc. invites children and their families to explore the outdoors together with Passport to Adventure. The free program is designed for children aged 5 to 12 and encourages them to participate in at least one outdoor activity through the end of the year.
Families and caregivers can stop by any REI store to pick up a complimentary adventure journal, plus hike and bike trails in their local area that are recommended by expert REI employees. The adventure journal is filled with activities, games, tips and stickers, and serves as a fun keepsake for children to use while experiencing the outdoors.
After participating in at least one outdoor activity, parents can send in a tear-off postcard from the journal or visit http://www.rei.com/passport to receive a certificate of completion and a special prize for their children – multifunction binoculars that turn into other tools, such as a compass, signal mirror, magnifying glass and more.
Lists of local routes for family-friendly hikes and bike rides are also available online, featuring trail descriptions, distances, driving directions and tips. In addition, parents can discover exclusive online bonus activities for their children’s adventure journal, expert advice on how to get into the outdoors and a list of items to bring when exploring the outdoors together. www.rei.com/features/sm6129_hachfeld.html
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Seeking outdoor industry women
“Persuasive Communications and Negotiations” is an evening seminar and networking event June 18 for women outdoor enthusiasts hosted by the non-profit Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (OIWC). Keynote speaker Matti Neustadt Storie describes her experience as an attorney for sporting good and apparel manufacturing clients. She will also teach the process for negotiating and how to build persuasive speaking skills.
The Q&A portion will focus on real-day work and life situations as suggested from the audience where help is being sought for negotiating and persuading- especially relevant in our down economy.
The event is open to the public. Cost is $20 for non-OIWC members and free to OIWC members. It will be held at the Seattle Flagship REI store from 4:30-7 p.m. Register online through June 17 or learn more at www.oiwc.org.
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Bainbridge Island’s Barbara Sacerdote wins fellowship
Barbara Sacerdote, of Bainbridge Island, Wash., is one of just 40 people chosen for the TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Program, part of a new conservation initiative of the National Audubon Society, with support from Toyota. Sacerdote will receive training in conservation planning and execution, the chance to work with other conservation professionals, and assistance with project outreach. In addition, she will receive $10,000 toward a community-focused project to engage local residents in conservation efforts.
Sacerdote plans to focus her efforts on utilizing the Internet for conservation by developing an interactive online version of Audubon Washington’s “Guide to Bird and Community Conservation.” She is currently the Development Director for Audubon Washington. |
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Senator Maria Cantwell named Friend of the Outdoor Industry
The Outdoor Industry Association presented Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) with a 2009 Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award for her leadership in championing public policies that support the growth of the active outdoor industry. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Cantwell has been an important ally on trade and public lands issues. Sen. Cantwell helped pass legislation that designates the 1,200-mile Pacific Northwest Scenic Trail as a National Scenic Trail and was also a key ally in the designation of the Wild Sky Wilderness Area. Washington’s Sen. Patty Murray was honored with the award in 2004, and Rep. Norm Dicks received it in 2002. |
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Stimulus funds fast-track Elwha Dam removal
Thanks to $54 million in federal stimulus funds, two dams on Washington’s Elwha River will be removed no later than 2011. The dam removal project, which will be the largest in the nation’s history, will allow salmon and steelhead access to 70 miles of habitat in Olympic National Park for the first time in nearly a century. The project, which was championed by American Rivers, is expected to create jobs, boost sport and commercial fishing industries, and improve food sources for endangered Puget Sound orcas. To learn more, visit www.americanrivers.org. |
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Windells’ indoor skate/BMX facility gets a facelift
Windells has wrapped up construction on its Building Out Back (BOB) – a massive indoor skate and BMX park near Oregon’s Mt. Hood. At 15,000 square feet, the BOB is the biggest facility of its kind in the Pacific Northwest – and arguably boasts the most fun per square foot.
New features include a 75-foot mini ramp, a street course, an Olympic-size trampoline, and a giant foam pit. In addition to BOB, Windells offers an outdoor street course, BMX dirt tracks, a concrete bowl, and more. To check it out, visit www.windells.com |
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A new “Green” Destination
The North Cascades Environmental Learning Center is one of six in the nation located inside a national park to receive the U.S. Green Building Council certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). It is a joint project of The North Cascades Institute, Seattle City Light, and North Cascades National Park.
The “green certified” destination is within a two-hour drive from Seattle. Scott Thomsen, senior strategic advisory for Seattle City Light, says the learning center, located in the North Cascades National Park, received the certification because of how it integrates human design with nature. For example, the center uses the cooling power of Mother Nature instead of air conditioning in most places.
“It uses open breezeways to cool the building, taking advantage of beautiful views that are surrounding the building; showing visitors the things they are there to learn about; the mountains, the water, the trees,” said Thomsen.
The learning center offers family getaways, which include on-site accommodations. Free day-trips and adult field excursions are also available. Information is available at www.skagittours.com.
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NW Maritime Center opens in Port Townsend
Visit Port Townsend this summer and experience the newly opened Northwest Maritime Center (NWMC), built to honor the region’s maritime history. The center is an investment in Port Townsend’s maritime culture and will be a pillar for the Victorian Seaport community.
The $17 million center is much more than a museum, featuring a Maritime Heritage and Resource Building, Maritime Education Building, outdoor public commons and a renovated 289-foot-long pier that will accommodate large commercial ships. The NWMC offers hands-on educational programs, boatbuilding demonstrations, and on-the-water activities at the state-of-the-art facilities on Port Townsend Bay. Visitors will have meaningful maritime culture experiences with historic vessels, maritime educational programs and traditional and contemporary marine trades. www.nwmaritime.org
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Trek Tri date change
Pending final approval from the Special Events Committee of the City of Seattle, the 2009 Trek Women Triathlon Series will be moved to the weekend of Sept. 19 - 20 at Genesee Park. The inaugural Trek Women event was originally scheduled for the weekend of July 4, however due to recent City budget modifications, the necessary Seattle safety personnel required to support the event will not be available that weekend. www.trekwomenstriathlonseries.com |
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Kamloops to host multi-day mountain bike race
The Intermontane Challenge Mountain Bike Race is scheduled for July 27-31 in Kamloops, B.C. The five-day event includes a “cloverleaf” staged mountain bike race with long single-track climbs, epic descents, and spectacular scenery. The race loop on the first four days starts and ends in Kamloops, with trails through the semi-arid Kenna Cartwright Park. Day five will consist of a time trial in Kamloops. Overall prizes include more than $60,000 CDN in cash and merchandise. For more information, visit www.intermontanechallenge.com. |
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