Into the sunset....

Three years, 155,000 miles, and over 500 nights of camping later, we have decided to hang up our Subaru saddle and to swagger off into the sunset to discover long forgotten sensations such as the feeling of sleeping in one place for longer than four days. Words cannot even express what this whirlwind adventure has meant to us as we reflect on the trails, faces, small towns, sunrises, and inspiring work witnessed in our epic sojourn. We feel extremely fortunate to have represented the Center for Outdoor Ethics as we traveled through all of the lower 48 states in an effort to stimulate and inspire others to consciously consider how we recreate when visiting public lands. One can study the archived Traveling Trainer journal pages on www.LNT.org to see that we had a wide smile on our faces whether we were in a sweltering desert, on a snowy mountain, or the wilderness of an urban city.

So now that we have mastered the art of maintaining our entire lives within the space of a Subaru and re-emerging with no bruises or shredded wedding certificate, the question lingers….”What next?” Although we are a bit skeptical that anything could exceed this life-changing adventure, we are eager to tackle the challenges that many find mundane. Buying a shower curtain?! Shopping for an 8-roll pack of toilet paper?! Mowing some grass? Our levels of adrenaline surge at the prospects of simple yet sublime tasks.

Regardless of what comes next in the Grand Adventure, you can be assured that we will be roaming the mountains, exploring the coasts, trekking through the deserts, and quickly turning our head with an excited twinkle in our eye when hearing someone ask how they deal with their poop when in the outdoors. To play on an old aphorism, “you can take them out of the Traveling Trainers lifestyle, but you can’t take the Traveling Trainers lifestyle out of them.”

We would love to hear from all of you who we have worked with for the last three years and even from those who we did not. Contact us at dustyallison@gmail.com and amyallison76@gmail.com. Happy trails fellow Leave No Tracers and we look forward to our paths crossing yours again somewhere out there in the great wide open.

For the wild-
Dusty and Amy

Applicants Wanted!

POSITION: SUBARU/LEAVE NO TRACE TRAVELING TRAINERS

SALARY: Monthly salary plus all travel expenses, gear, and apparel for life on the road.
CLOSING DATE: January 8th, 2008
SEND RESUME & COVER LETTER TO:
Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers
Leave No Trace
P.O. Box 997
Boulder, CO 80306
-OR-
jobs@LNT.org (subject: Traveling Trainers)
***NO CALLS PLEASE***

SUBARU/LEAVE NO TRACE TRAVELING TRAINERS

Leave No Trace is seeking a dedicated, savvy, dynamic team of educators (only teams of two are accepted as applicants) for seasonal traveling positions. Leave No Trace is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of natural lands worldwide by all people. The Traveling Trainers travel throughout the U.S. teaching and promoting minimum impact techniques to outdoor enthusiasts of all experience levels. The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers reach millions of individuals annually, promoting stewardship of the outdoors, and supporting active lifestyles. The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers program is an established, well-respected education and outreach program that is in high demand across the country.

Couples and pre-paired teams only apply. We will not place individuals in a team.

The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, sponsored by Subaru, represent the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics as goodwill ambassadors. The teams will present special programs for diverse groups such as youth serving organizations, land managers, students, hiking, bicycling, climbing and other user groups, outdoor retailers, and general public. Scheduled stops include trade and consumer shows, special events, trail projects, volunteer events, and other related events. Throughout the season, the team will keep a monthly on-line journal and communicate regularly with those interested in learning more about Leave No Trace. Teams must represent the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer program, and Subaru of America in a positive and professional manner at all times.

Team members will be outfitted with apparel, equipment and supplies necessary for teaching and camping, as well as communicating electronically. Compensation package includes food and lodging expenses, and monthly salary. Part time employment (6.5 months) and travel will begin without exception, March 14th, 2008 and run through September 2008.

Education and Technical Requirements
* Bachelor Degree in a related field and at least two-years of teaching experience
* Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
* Recommended outdoor recreation skills set include: hiking, backpacking, canoeing/kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, winter sports, trail running, travel with pack stock, etc.
* Current Basic First Aid and CPR certification (Wilderness First Responder or WEMT preferred)
* Formal Leave No Trace Training (Master Educator preferred)
* Availability to travel without exception, continuously from early to mid March 2008 through September 2008
* Personal budgeting and expense tracking skills
* Macintosh computer and digital camera proficiency

Leadership and Interpersonal Requirements:
* Direct experience teaching, guiding and instructing (outdoor settings preferred)
* High level of motivation, energy, creativity and professionalism
* Charismatic and entertaining public speaking and verbal communication skills
* Ability to deal with an evolving and sometimes unpredictable itinerary
* Excellent time-management skills

For more information, visit www.LNT.org

To apply please submit the following by 1/8/08
1. A joint cover letter, 2 page maximum
2. Resumes for each team member, 2 page maximum per person
**other information and/or material are not necessary or accepted

Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Program
C/O Leave No Trace
PO Box 997
Boulder Co, 80306

No calls please
Leave No Trace is an equal opportunity employer.

Back to Our Old Stomping Grounds.

After spending the last eight months talking with thousands of people about Leave No Trace, we decided to spend a little more time talking with students at Southeast Missouri State University about Leave No Trace. We joined Dr. Tom Holman and one of his outdoor recreation classes for a weekend backpacking/Trainer Course trip in the Shawnee National Forest. In the first picture, bottom center, is Tom Holman. Top middle is TJ Goldsberry, student instructor. Both are Leave No Trace Trainers. Tom and TJ have been a great advocates for Leave No Trace. Tom is also playing a huge role in developing the outdoor recreation program at Southeast Missouri State University. This was the fourth Trainer Course he has hosted. He recently hosted a Wilderness First Responder Course and is working on putting together a Master Educator Course.

When we returned to Cape Girardeau, Missouri after our travels we were greeted by our biggest fans Arnie and Aspen. We have been spending every moment we can with them to try and make up for missed time.

End of the Season

We returned to Boulder in mid-October to the friendly faces in the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethcis. After catching up on all the happenings at the office and in Boulder we spent some time doing office work and of course spent some time hiking. We were able to take one last hike with North and Ella before they hung up their Traveling Trainer hats(Bye guys, we hope your next adventures will be as fun as your Traveling Trainer adventures).

After a week and a half of office work we had the opportunity to sit in on the fall Board Meeting. What a great experience! To see these board members devoting their time to Leave No Trace was very inspiring. We really appreciate all the hard work that everyone on the board donates to the Leave No Trace organization.

As we prepare for a couple of months off before another season on the road we just wanted to say good-bye to Dusty & Amy and North & Ella. We will miss you guys next year and we hope to see you on the road where ever you end up.

End of the road...

We returned to California for our final event of the year and to wrap up our time as Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers.  We spent two days in beautiful Yosemite National Park working with guides and outdoor educators during a Trainer Course.  Then we met up with family for a few days of hiking before returning to Northern California to do our final wrap up.  It is with very mixed emotions that we are coming off the road: excitement for all the different things the future holds and sadness at leaving such an incredible job and group of people that we have been working with.

So a few thank yous and thoughts about being on the road:    

Thank you to everyone in the office, your incredible support and logistics has made these past two years awesome!

Thank you to Dusty and Amy and JD and Emily.  Y'all are wonderful educators and it has been a pleasure to learn from and with you and share road stories.

Thank you to all the folks we have worked with over the past two years (all 13,000 of you!), we have learned so much from each event and have been consistently amazed by the enthusiasm and interest that has greeted us throughout the country (44 states!).

We encourage folks to continue to take steps forward in their personal Leave No Trace practice and keep asking questions about what might be the best practice in a specific environment or activity.  Most importantly: get out there and have fun!  Enjoy the public lands that we have the opportunity to use, have fun biking, running, climbing, sleeping, riding, etc, and introduce a young person to your favorite place.

See you on the road....

North and Ella

School is in Session

We wrapped up our first season as Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers last week in Phoenix and Flagstaff, AZ. In Phoenix we met up with Lisa Verghese, an english teacher and outdoor club advisor, at Xavier College Prepartory school. The hour was spent talking with the 40+ club memebers about applying Leave No Trace skills and ethics to their upcoming outings.

After our visit to Phoenix we checked out the scenery at the Grand Canyon before moving on to our final event at the PEAK Charter School in Flagstaff, AZ. At the PEAK Charter School we talked with 5th, 6th, and 8th graders about the importance of Respecting Wildlife and Trashing Your Trash. As a part of their physical education curriculum, students can elect to participate in an outdoor trip program. Lea Schlachter, a teacher at the school, takes the students out to go hiking, biking, boating, as well as many other forms of recreation.

We are sad to see the season end, but we will be back next season after spending some time with our families and our dogs. See you soon.

Don't mess with Texas!

What do you get when you mix over 40,000 people, hundreds of vendors and exhibitors, countless Texas State Parks volunteers, two Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, and one Texas State Advocate?  You get the Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo!

We spent the past weekend in Austin, Texas talking with a few thousand of those 40,000 people and discovering some of the things that make Texas such a great state.  We had the opportunity to eat some delicious barbeque, take in some life music in Austin, stay in McKinney Falls State Park, and meet some of the people that are taking care of the wild spaces in Texas.  Throughout the Expo we were able to enjoy the REI PEAK maze as well as spend time exchanging ideas with Griff Danheim (our Texas State Advocate).  Griff is doing a phenomenal job here in Texas, educating, networking, and role modeling Leave No Trace.  The Expo was a great experience and we are excited that we were able to be a part of it!

See you on the road,

north and ella

Small Town + Cool Company = Recipe for Success

For our final events in the West, we felt very honored and excited to travel to the exquisite North Fork Valley and Paonia, CO to visit and work with Chaco, one of our primary Traveling Trainer sponsors and an amazing footwear company with a large social conscience.  

Paonia serves as Chaco's  home ground and one immediately becomes aware of the seamless and endearing relationship that the company has with its place.  They care about the valley, its people, and the greater natural world at large.  It's reassuring to see a corporation with this much heart making such great products AND walking their talk by assisting us in providing free education and programming to thousands of  individuals each year!

For three days, we were warmly hosted by Chaco's Brian Scranton and Dave Knutson as they introduced us to a behind -the-scenes view of both the company and this stunning corner of Colorado. When not sharing meals and meaningful dialogue with these guys, we were doing our part to help share Leave No Trace with a diverse cross-section of the valley's community.

During our time there, we presented to over 100 of Chaco's employees, over 130 4th-6th graders from local schools, a creative and energetic group of 1st-3rd graders, and some hunters from the area. Their energy, enthusiasm, and sincere questions were a delight to encounter each day.

Thanks again to Chaco for serving as a model within the outdoor industry. It is always exciting to know that more and more companies are understanding the need for education of all outdoor enthusiasts.  If individuals and groups do not understand how they can help to protect and preserve these amazing places through simple choices, will there be future customers wishing to buy outdoor gear and apparel for a denuded and impacted landscape?  Think about it...

Kids, kids, and more kids!

We had the opportunity this past Friday to work with the 5th graders at Rosenwald Elementary School in New Roads, Louisiana.  This was an exciting moment for a few reasons: the opportunity to see a good friend who recently moved to Louisiana to teach, the opportunity to work with excited youth, and most importantly, because this is our first time in Louisiana and we have been looking forward to the gulf, the gumbo, and the atmosphere.Our time at Rosenwald was a blast as we shared our travels and stories with many students who hadn't been out of the state.  We also got to play games and do some "educational" running around outside!

 

From there we headed down to New Orleans where we set up a booth and did two presentations at the Cub Scout Zoofari.  Working with over 500 Cub Scouts made for both an exhilarating and exhausting day.  We were joined by Babs Evers, our Louisiana State Advocate, who is not only a great teacher but a great tour guide.  Babs took us around New Orleans to show us some of the damage as well as the rebuilding that has happened since Hurricane Katrina.  We experienced many emotions during the drive through the city including amazement at humanity's resilience to difficult times.  

Louisiana is a far stretch from our home in the Pacific Northwest but we thoroughly enjoyed our time here and the hospitality we encountered repeatedly.  See you on the road...

North and Ella

YO, Adrian!

No, we’re not quoting Rocky Balboa, we’re giving a shout out to Youth Opportunities (YO) High School and Adrian Garcia. Working with the US Forest Service and the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, Adrian has worked hard to develop a unique program, which offers inner-city high school students the opportunity to connect with nature, through community outreach, conservation education, and Leave No Trace. Youth Opportunities High School is one of the 24 charter schools in Los Angeles taking part in the experiential environmental studies program, which recently received one of our Connect Grants.

We were excited to meet up with Adrian and YO High School at the LA County Fair this week as they worked at the USFS “Caring for the Land” exhibit. Students were involved in every aspect of the exhibit, from guiding fair-goers down an interpretive nature trail, to answering phone calls in the Ranger Station. After hanging out with this amazing group of youths, we are confident that they will be successful in sharing Leave No Trace and promoting stewardship on all our public lands!

Holy Dust Storm Batman!

One unique event mentioned in our earlier Burning Man blog on the 25th was the frequency and intensity of dust storms in the Black Rock Desert. Just for documentation, I couldn't resist whipping out the camera for a very quick clip of one of those storms.

Enjoy watching Amy be pummeled by this white-out. It lasted almost 3 hours. Check out the tent awning behind me for evidence of the wind speed when I turn around.

I am pretty psyched that I taught myself how to embed YouTube into our blog format!

Dusty
p.s. the camera still functions properly...

Learning at Life Academy

On Friday, September 21st, we had the opportunity to work with the Life Academy high school and middle school programs.  We had twenty-five students ranging from 6th-11th grade and, in all honesty, we were unsure how they would take to Leave No Trace.  The students we were working with were not necessarily "outdoorsy" and we had been warned that they might be a little lukewarm about the whole idea of Leave No Trace. What happened you might ask, did they embrace Leave No Trace and vow to practice and teach it at all times?  Or, did they run, vowing to never practice Leave No Trace?  It was somewhere in between.


We were met with interested students who quickly became intrigued and involved in questions and dialogue.  We became more and more excited as we listened to the students asking more in depth questions of each other and asking us to delve a little deeper into the intricacies of Leave No Trace.  Most of all, we had fun!  We laughed and learned some things from our students and they laughed and learned some things from us.  All in all it was a great experience, one we would definitely take part in again, and we hope that the students at Life Academy are able to use some of the information we shared as they take part in their wetland exploration.

See you on the road,

Ella and North

Greening the Burn

For five days over Labor Day Weekend, we camped and lived within a temporary city holding 49,000 citizens, thousands of art cars, exuberant human creativity, 70 mph "whiteout" dust storms, and a passionate embrace of Leave No Trace ethics which assists with the unbelievable "vanishing" act of this entire human circus at the end of the week.  "Might this be a dream?" you ask.  No it is simply the life-list bonanza known as Burning Man.  Held every year deep within the remote wildness of Nevada's Black Rock Desert, Burning Man is a week-long event that celebrates radical self-expression, community exchange,  self-reliance, and freedom from the "default" world (i.e. what you and I might term the "real"world). 

We had the great fortune of camping and working with the Earth Guardians, a theme camp consisting of both veteran and novice "burners" who make it their work and mission to educate the masses on how to minimize their impact during this period of experimental community. Kudos to Karina, Tony, Mike and the entire gang for welcoming us with open arms and making us feel right at home as we plunged into helping with daily work and life within the camp. We worked the Earth Guardian information booth, monitored numerous burn platforms on the final day of the event, and shared the stage with BLM's Mike Bilbo as we instructed and hosted an open forum on Leave No Trace one day for about 150 people.  

As it is often said, pictures are worth a thousand words, so I am going to let the amazing images in the album attached below serve to convey the crazy and fantastic splendor of Burning Man!  Just open the link, click "View Pictures" and start the slideshow!

Cheers,

Dusty

BURNING MAN PHOTO ALBUM

  

We love muddy boots!

As we continue to to explore the northwest, we have been continually impressed with the diversity in outdoor recreation that this part of the country has to offer. Climbing on big mountains, hiking though lush forests, and kayaking past coastal beaches are never more than a few hours away. The possib-ilities seem endless. 


These amazing recreational opportunities often have volunteers working behind the scenes, promoting conservation and providing manual labour to keep things running smoothly. We had the opportunity to work with one such group when we visited Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to work with American Hiking Society's Volunteer Vacation program. Working in conjucture with the Pacific Northwest Trail Association, this group was spending a week in the forest building a much needed section of trail. The crew was eager to learn techniques for reducing their impacts while traveling and camping in a group setting. In addition to building trails, this particularly giving group chose to give even more by becoming members of Leave No Trace. We walked away looking forward to seeing the results of all their hard work; they walked away with happy feet, due impart to the new socks that we were able to give them thanks to the support of our amazing sock sponsor...SmartWool.


After spending a few days in Washington, we headed back to Portland to work with Georgia Bosse at the Muddy Boot Organic Festival. Georgia is the Leave No Trace state advocate for Oregon, which means she plays a key role in coordinating Leave No Trace trainings, workshops, and events in Oregon. The Muddy Boot Organic Festival is a two day celebration of sustainalbe living.


Our next stop was Bend, OR, where we met up with our good friend Jenna Linbo. Jenna was our classmate a few years ago on a Wilderness Education Association course. In addition to catching up with Jenna, we were also able to present a Leave No Trace workshop as part of a 4-day canoe trip that she was leading for Cascade Adventures. Cascade Adventures is a student based outdoor adventure program that offers recreational opportunities to students at both Oregon State University-Cascades and Central Oregon Community College. The morning after our presentation we were surprised and excited to see several eagles and hawks circling the river near where we had camped. Upon closer investigation we realized that the river was full of spawning salmon and the birds where taking full advantage of this natural phenomenon.

The future

In the past few weeks we have worked with a wide array of folks: Cub Scouts, State Park Directors, Law School and College students; and they all have one thing in common: their focus on recreation and the future of outdoor steward-ship.  


The Cub Scouts we worked with are the future, seven and eight years old, they are excited to play outside and discover the ways they can adventure and have fun in the outdoors.  


The State Parks Director's Conference was focused on ways to encourage kids, such as Scouts, high school and elementary school students, and families, to get outdoors and interact with nature.  It is hoped that as kids build a connection with the outdoors they will want to protect and preserve it so that others can also experience that connection.  


While working with Vermont Law School and Unity College in Maine we found a bridge between the Cub Scouts and the Park Directors.  The students we worked with have established bonds with certain places and are fighting to protect them or are developing their leadership skills as future outdoor educators and stewards.  We worked with students who might be that person who introduces a child to the wonders of the natural world.


As we taught and interacted with these different people we were continually inspired by their enthusiasm, questions, and desire to learn more.  From the Cub Scouts to the State Park Directors everyone was excited about getting outdoors and learning the best practices for their area.  


We encourage all of you: educators, parents, siblings, and outdoor enthusiasts to introduce a kid to the outdoors and the adventures that they can have there!


See you on the road,
North and Ella

Walking on the Wild Side

On a recent trip to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming I had a pretty amazing experience.  My parents and my brother Rick came to visit us on out road tour and we spent several days exploring Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Yellowstone National Park.  For several nights we stayed at Jackson Lake Lodge in the shadow of the Grand Teton range.  My mom and I woke around sunrise on morning to go for an early hike before the day's planned activities. It wa a beautiful morning with fog lying low across the valley.  We were on a hilltop taking photos of dew covered spider webs, the fog, and the mountain range that was beginning to reveal itself when we noticed something moving in the distance.   

The area was frequented by moose that enjoyed grazing in the willows, so we immediately thought that must be what we were seeing.  We continued to watch it and noticed that it seemed to be too light in color for a moose, but it was really too far away to make out what it was.  Whatever was out there was a good distance away, so we decided to head down the hill and back towards the trailhead.   

We started back, involved in our usual conversation and scanning the area for any creatures that might be out and about.  At the bottom of the hill I looked to my right to see a grizzly bear standing on her hind legs looking right at us!  You can imagine my surprise (and terror) as I stopped in my tracks, whispered to my mother that there was a grizzly bear about 25 feet from us, and that we need to slowly back up the trail.  

As we backed up the hill the bear continued our way, watching as she crossed the trail in front of us.  Just when we were starting to feel as if she wasn't interested in us, another grizzly crossed the trail in front of us, following the first.  This one also kept an eye on us, but was interested in the first bear.  Soon after, the first of the two bears looked back as we watched 2 more bears cross the trail. 

There we stood, in awe, and in closer proximity to a grizzly bear than I ever wanted to be, much less four grizzlies!  Their silver coats were so beautiful and it was amazing to watch them silently communicate to us and one another as we shared that space.  Once we felt pretty secure from a safe distance we started taking photos.  We knew that this outrageous story would need to have some photographic evidence.  It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!  I feel very lucky to have had this experience and to have shared it with my mother!  Thanks for letting me share it with you!

Enjoy the photos!

Amy

From the Indoor Office to the Outdoor Office

On August, 27 we spent the morning talking with REI employees at the Portland, OR store about the PEAK program. REI employees provide outreach to their communities through the PEAK program.

After a short presentation there we headed to the 'office' of International Mountain Guides (IMG) in Ashford, WA. We spent the day learning about glacier travel from IMG co-founder George Dunn. George, a Leave No Trace Master Educator, spent time talking with us about the ways that IMG 'leaves no trace' while guiding their clients up mountains all over the world. We also had the opportunity to share Leave No Trace information with some of the climbers that were about to climb Mt. Rainier.

The guides at IMG are a class act. We really appreciate George having the Traveling Trainers out for a day of glacier training and we look forward to climbing with International Mountain Guides in the future.

Until next time,

JD and Emily

Southern comfort

Leaving the familiarity  of the west, we rolled our Subaru east through Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and into Mississippi.  Oxford MS, the home of William Faulkner and Ole Miss University where  we facilitated a Trainer Course. We were welcomed by the heat and the extraordinary hospitality of our host Katie.  With the temperature consistently 95 degrees with humidity through roof, we opted for our first indoor Trainer Course.  Although this lacked the splendor of the southern woods we were able to teach and learn in a comfortable environment.  One of the most creative presentations we had was from Robert on Plan Ahead and Prepare: The PAAP Rap check out our link on youtube. 

Apart from the Trainer Course we have been enjoying an exploration of the South: fried catfish, hush puppies, sweet tea, the Natchez Trace, Tishamingo State Park (the climbing mecca of Mississippi!), and the wonderful rolling accents.  We also had the opportunity to brainstorm ways to incorporate Leave No Trace into the education happening at Crow's Neck Environmental Education Center.  They have amazing facilities and a great program getting kids involved with the outdoors in and around northeastern Mississippi.   We are looking forward to more time in the South later on in September when we get to explore New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf.  

look forward to seeing you on the road, 

North and Ella

"No Child Left Inside" Reading and Resource List

As former classroom and environmental educators from 1998-2005, we often made presentations and wrote articles on the phenomenon of children and their relationship to the natural world that has recently and finally been brought to the mainstream audience through Richard Louv's Last Child In the Woods. As we continue to work with K-12 students and youth serving organizations across the U.S., we try and offer a toolkit of good reads that help to inspire and motivate individuals to action.  Enjoy our list on Amazon and let's continue to reconnect kids with the outdoors and to help them engage in ethical decision-making while they enjoy the wild and stunning otherness of the natural world!

"No Child Left Inside" Book List

-Dusty and Amy

The Boulder Daze

Greetings to all of you Leave No Trace warriors - 

We are very excited to see this new blog evolve as we continue  to keep Leave No Trace fresh and relevant for our 21st century world.  Keep  checking back in as all three teams will provide updates from the road, stories, photos, and much, much 

more!

We have recently emerged from a six-week immersion in the "real world" of a settled lifestyle.  We traded in our tent for a condo roof as we lived and worked a daily 9-5  schedule at the Center in Boulder. While there, we worked behind the scenes as we prepared for the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show, RockyGrass and the "How Green is Your Grass?" Campsite Contest, and FolksFest. We also had the great fortune of leading a training for several amazing youth leaders from the Denver-based James Beckwourth Mountain Club. This amazing organization guides culturally diverse youth into the stunning Rocky Mountain landscape as they also incorporate leadership development, cultural awareness, and community building.

It was definitely a fresh and different world for us as we actually had a stove in the kitchen, closet for our clothing, and an actual bed location that did not change nightly!  When not answering tons of emails, making countless phone calls, and dealing with the daily duties of the desk-bound life, we were enjoying the stellar Summer season of Boulder.  Evening BBQ's, long after-work trail runs, and weekend ascents of some of the state's 14,000 foot peaks were highlights of our time in the landscape of Colorado.

As much as we loved every minute of our "rooted" time in Boulder, we missed cruising a back road in the mountains and catching the lingering moments of alpenglow. Or facilitating dialogue amidst land management officials one day and leading fun and goofy games with 4th graders the next day. However, we are now back on the highways of America and looking forward to our educational nomadic lifestyle once again!

See you out there!

-Dusty and Amy

Alki

After switching coasts with North and Ella, we had a chance to visit Glacier National Park before heading out to Washington. While in Glacier, we had a chance to do a little hiking and even caught a glimpse of some of the park's most popular residents. This black bear cub reminds us to always be alert and drive slowly when sight-seeing near wild areas.

On Saturday, we joined Music Matters for the Dowload Festival at The Gorge near Quincy, WA. During this full-day festival we chatted with music-lovers about Leave No Trace's Frontcounty Program.

A Few Days in the Life...

We are enjoying our time in Colorado as we prepare to transition from Team West to Team East. The past week has been filled with beautiful hikes, wonderful music and friends at the Folks Festival, and a good time with Dusty and Amy... Stay tuned as we travel from Colorado to Mississippi and then up to the North East.