Feed Us Quackers!

We've been camping in the beautiful County of San Diego, CA at Guajome Regional Park. An urban park with sprawling grounds, an abundance of wildlife and cool shady campsites, we have had excellent accommodations. However while cooking breakfast on our first day in this frontcountry campground, we had some unexpected and uninvited visitors adventure right up to our picnic table. Although both cute and interesting to observe, we know that this wildlife was looking for food handouts and must frequently get them from campers here. In fact, we saw them making their rounds each day. Human food is unhealthy for wildlife, feeding them starts bad habits.

Remember that considerate campers observe wildlife from afar, give animals a wide berth, store food securely, and keep garbage and food scraps away from animals. YOU are a visitor to their home. Please help Keep Wildlife Wild.

Recreate your recreation,

Mark and Tara

Delighted in Death Valley

As we wipe the desert dust off of all our belongings, fire up the electronics, and regain reception we realize it's been a while since we blogged. Even a Traveling Trainer needs some down time and after a week of restful vacation we were blessed to enjoy a warm and windy week in Death Valley National Park, CA. A land of extremes, Death Valley is known as the hottest, driest, and lowest park. Spanning over 140 miles long with 300 miles of paved roads and around 1000 miles of backcountry roads, the Park Rangers here have a lot of land to cover and around one million visitors each year to educate.

We were excited to hit the trail for our fourth Trainer Course this season with staff from many departments within Death Valley and also Yosemite National Park. Wilderness managers, trail crew, interpreters, law enforcement and restoration workers all came together to discuss the impacts they see and find solutions to them using the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace as a guide on the ground.

Even the most isolated places on earth are being affected by external factors. Although Death Valley is more than 120 miles to the closest major city, nonnative species, lightscape, air quality and issues arising from less than Leave No Trace practices in the 91% of the park which is a designated wilderness all combine.

Recreate your recreation.

Mark and Tara

Monkeying Around in Franklin, NC!

Tracy uses "Sparks" the camp stove to teach Be Careful With Fire

Franklin, NC.  Franklin is a mountain town nestled in the Nantahala National Forest.  There is no shortage of recreational activities in this region of the country.  The Traveling Trainers were on hand to visit local schools, provide an evening program at the library, and set up a booth at the Franklin Trail Days event.  This event is catered to the cadre of hikers that are attempting to through hike the Appalachian Trail (AT).  Yes, that is right, through hikers complete the roughly 2,180 mile trek in one shot, traveling from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine.  This is usually completed in a spring/summer season, although we met Jennifer Pharr-Davis who completed the trek in a mere 46 days, 11 hours and 20 minutes, setting an all time speed record!  

Not everyone we encountered in Franklin was up to this monumental challenge, but some 2-3 million people hike along sections of the AT every year.   We had plenty of time during our stay to work in local schools to teach the skills and ethics to students that either enjoy spending time outdoors or who aspire to one day through hike the AT!

First graders watch "Trek and Track" hike up Misty Mountain

After working with a very astute class of first graders, we took them on a Leave No Trace "hike" in their own school yard.  They mastered the Peak principle Trash Your Trash, as we left the school yard looking better than we found it as we collected an entire bag of micro-trash from the school yard. We also encountered this beautiful feather pictured below.  One student found the feather and brought it to our attention.  After learning to Leave What You Find, we made a class decision to leave the feather in its natural setting so that others could come upon it and be as excited as we were when we found it.  We decided to take a picture, instead of taking it home!

We finished our time with a rousing game of Leave No Trace Draw.  This activity engages students by having them answer Leave No Trace scenario questions.  If they get the answer correct, they get to complete a Wildlife Challenge!  Pictured below, we are all monkeying around a bit!

Leave No Trace Draw

We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to Bill and Sharon Van Horn for setting up 3 chock full days in Franklin, NC.  We wish them well as they hike hard this year to attain their goal of completing the AT in 2012.  They have 600 miles to go! Happy hiking Bill and Sharon!

Respect the Resource...Kate and Tracy

Snot Rags vs. Snot Rockets

Lakeland, FL.  This weekend we traveled to Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve to facilitate a two day Leave No Trace Trainer Course.  With the help of Michelle Thompson, Wellness Programs Manager of Florida Southern College, we hiked to a beautiful campsite with 5 other eager participants that were excited to bring Leave No Trace education back to groups they work with. Throughout the course, we learned, laughed, and listened as we explored the 7 Leave No Trace principles through games, activities, and discussions.

The Winners of Step On It- Snot Rags!

Michelle practices digging a cathole with a Sea to Summit Trowel

Leave What You Find to understand the entire puzzle

The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve is home to many interesting creatures including alligators, wild hogs, armadillos (one that wanted to sleep in a tent with Kathy and Dillon), many birds, tree frogs, and deer.  We also enjoyed learning about the native flora and vegetation from Kathy, who works for the North Port Parks and Recreation Department.

We saw lots of interesting wildlife including this fuzzy little guy

Whether you enjoy the backcountry, frontcountry, or your backyard, practicing Leave No Trace will help preserve and protect the natural world.  We challenge you to teach others about Leave No Trace and give people knowledge that will empower them to make good decisions in the out of doors and think about those who will come after us.  Thank you to Michelle, Kathy, Dillon, Dean, and Britty for an awesome course!

Congratulations Leave No Trace Trainers!

Respect the Resource... Kate and Tracy

Your Turn Kids!

Create! Play! Win! Do you have, know or teach children between the ages of 6-12? If you do, please share this contest with them! Our corporate sponsor, Clif Bar, through Clif Kid is holding their "Backyard Game of the Year". The challenge for the kids: get outside and dream up a fun outdoor game. The prize: a 10, 000 scholarship, a Marin bicycle and Bell Helmet and a trip to San Francisco.

To the adults out there, we challenge YOU to share the Seven PEAK Principles of Leave No Trace while introducing this great contest to enter. Ask them to consider one or many of these ideas when they create their new game:

- Know Before You Go

- Choose the Right Path

- Trash Your Trash

- Leave What You Find

- Be Careful With Fire

- Respect Wildlife

- Be Kind to Other Visitors

To learn more about the "Backyard Game of the Year" and enter NOW until June 17, 2012, click here.

Recreate your recreation, start in the backyard.

Mark and Tara

Time to Finish What You Started

Where You Play, USA:

How many times have you seen this? The obligatory dog waste bag left 'conveniently' for you to see and the proud puppy parent to forget. Most everyone we discuss this impact with agrees that it is unsightly, stinky, unsafe, and widespread. Oddly enough, it also seems one of the easiest to eliminate. Simply take it with you. Better yet, have Fido plan ahead and pack it out himself. Getting a puppy pack also ensures that your pet has enough food and water for any outing. Check out this link through REI, which has lots of good tips for hitting the trail with your furry friends.

Recreate your recreation.

Mark and Tara

500th Event For Team East!

Tequesta, FL.  This past weekend marked a very special event for Team East.  We set up our arsenal of Leave No Trace educational materials for the 500th time!  The timing was just right for us because the event happened to fall on our favorite vessel to teach others about Leave No Trace, a trainer course.  The Leave No Trace Trainer Course utilizes a train the trainer model, so that we get to spend 16 hours with participants and equip them with the skills to teach others about land stewardship in a fun and engaging manner.  This particular course was held at the Tanah Keeta Scout Reservation. The reservation includes 640 acres along the south edge of Jonathan Dickenson State Park and the Loxahatchee River.  During the course we hiked along the beautiful 5.2 mile Mike Machek Trail.  There are 5 different ecosystems solely along the trail!

Congratulations to the seven newest Leave No Trace Trainers!  We would also like to extend  thank-you to Kelsey Couples and Harlan Pierce for their efforts in getting this course set up and their hospitality during our stay at the Tanah Keeta Scout Reservation.

Respect The Resource...Kate and Tracy