Historic Hike with George Washington

December 19, 2008 by admin · 1 Comment

Saturday, December 27
10:00 AM – Providence Plantation, Evans City
History buffs and hikers of all ages are invited to take a walk in the woods with George Washington as Providence Plantation commemorates the 255th Anniversary of Washington passing through Butler Country. The event starts with a slide show and presentation about Washington?s travels in 1753. Following the presentation participants will drive to a trail head parking area for the hike which begins at 11 a.m. The hike will be led by re-enactors portraying Washington, his guide Christopher Gist, and several Indians. The one-hour hike closely follows the original Venango Path Read more

Filed Under: Outdoor Happenings
Tagged: Education, hiking, Outdoor Happenings, winter

REI Winter Cycling Class

December 19, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment

Tuesday, December 30
7:00 PM – REI Southside Works
As the weather gets colder, and the days get shorter, commuting to work by bicycle or just hitting the road for a relaxing ride becomes more and more challenging. Join us for an informative clinic on cold weather bike riding. We’ll cover all aspects of this rewarding activity: Bike set-up and maintenance, clothing for warmth and safety, lights, and motivation. Don’t lose your summer fitness this winter; continue riding through the cold weather!

To see a listing of all the Outdoor Happenings CLICK HERE.

Filed Under: Outdoor Happenings
Tagged: biking, Education, Outdoor Happenings, REI, winter

Western Pennsylvania Wheelman's Icycle Bicycle Ride

December 19, 2008 by admin · 2 Comments

Thursday, January 1,
11:00 AM – REI Southside Works
WPW’s annual first day of the year ride; ride goes no matter what the weather. Hot Chocolate and coffee provided courtesy of REI. The starts at REI in the Southside Works and will wind its way around Pittsburgh mainly on trails. It will be as long or as short as riders want but if the weather is like last year, several hours. If the road is snow covered it will be a lot shorter but it will go whether there is sun, rain, or snow. This is definitely not a fast or hard ride. It accommodates all bikes – road, hybrid, mountain, and recumbent and all levels of riders from kids to hard core. HELMETS REQUIRED.
Ride Leader: Marc Yergin – 412.559.0054

To see a listing of all our Outdoor Happenings CLICK HERE.

Filed Under: Outdoor Happenings
Tagged: biking, Outdoor Happenings, REI, winter

8 Day GAPCANDO Bike Tour Itinerary

December 18, 2008 by admin · 4 Comments

Here is the itinerary for our 8 day adventure.

Day 1
Pittsburgh to Washington DC

In case of emergency: DIAL 911
Then: call Seth at 412.606.9318

7:00 AM – 8:30 PM – Registration
We will meet in the east parking lot of Station Square.
79 E Station Square Dr
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

There is a hotel near our meeting location, the Sheraton Hotel at Station Square
300 W Station Square Dr
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412.261.2000

Last Bus Leaves at 9:00 AM SHARP
If you are running late, call Seth at 412.606.9318

Boxed lunch and safety presentation on the bus.

1:30 – 2:00 PM – Arrive in Washington DC
34th and Water St.
Washington DC, 20007

Unload and start the trip.

2:00 – 2:30 PM – Ride departure
Here we go!
Optional side trip to mile zero. Note: There is a mile marker 0, but it is not easy to find or too scenic of a spot. Use your Trailbook to find mile marker 0.

Daily Mileage: 12.3
Exit Trail at Mile Post: 12.3 – Rockwood Manor

Great Falls is a great place to visit on Day 1 or 2, simply awesome.

Lodging: This is the only night of indoor lodging, and they are dorm style rooms. You might want to bring some ear plugs… ZZZZZZ

Motel option: Hotel style rooms at Rockwood Manor.
11001 MacArthur Blvd.
Potomac MD, 20854
301.229.5026
Contact biketour@ventureoutdoors.org for reservation information.

6:00 PM – Dinner

Day 2
Rockwood Manor to Brunswick
Daily Mileage: 43
Exit Trail at Mile Post: 55

7:00 AM – Breakfast

Rest stop at White’s Ferry: Mile Post 36.8
Campsite: Brunswick Family Campground
Brunswick, MD 21716

Indoor lodging option:
Green Country Inn
620 Souder Road
Brunswick, MD 21716
301-834-9151

6:00 PM – Dinner
Sign up tonight for the Antietam Battlefield ride on Monday.

Day 3
Brunswick to Fort Fredrick
Daily Mileage: 57
Exit Trail at Mile Post: 112

7:00 AM – Breakfast

Rest stop at Mile Post 72.9

Optional Antietam Battlefield tour
Rest Stop @ MP 72.9 – Antietam option – At NEW Highway bridge (this is the 2nd bridge)

THIS is a ROAD ride for about 16 miles over mildly hilly terrain. 3 Miles of the route has moderate traffic with minimal shoulders. It is about 14 miles shorter than the canal route.

Tour of Antietam planned for Noon- Please sign up with VO Before using this option.
Exit the trail at the footbridge just before the new overhead bridge for US RT 34.

0.0 Mile – Climb a short, steep hill
0.2 Mile – Bear right onto US Rt. 34 Canal Road
3.4 Left onto North Church St Md Rt. 65 (No Shoulder
4.4 Antietam Battlefield on your Right. )
MEET TOUR LEADER HERE
4.4 Exit Antietam R on Dunker Church Road
5.3 Sharp left and right onto St Rt. 65
8.9 Left on to St. Rt. 63- Spielman Rd. This is a narrow road but with little traffic
10.3 Cross RR tracks (1st Time)
12.7 Cross St Rt. 632
14.1 Left on to St Rt. 68- West and go under I-81.
16.7 Left on US 11 head down the hill to Cushwa Basin and MP 99 on the C&O

Please let the staff know if you are going to take this route.

If you do not go on the battlefield tour, you will encounter the Canal Detour at mile post 84.5. Dam 4 – follow NHP Road routing markings.

Campsite: Fort Fredrick State Park
11100 Fort Fredrick Rd
Big Pool, MD 21711
Note: Fort Frederick is a gorgeous spot to camp, but there are no shower facilities. Personal washing stations will be set up at Fort Frederick. We’ll also provide a van shuttle for riders to the town of Hancock for showers at the community pool. The shuttle is 12 miles one way. The shower shuttle is available between 4-6 pm. No showers are a small price to pay to be one of the few riders that have camped in the shadow of a fort built in 1756.

Motel Option:
Super 8
116 Limestone Rd
Hancock, MD 21759
301.678.6101

6:00 PM – Dinner

7:00 PM – Group Meeting and Program

Day 4
Fort Frederick to Little Orleans
Daily Mileage: 28
Exit Trail at Mile Post: 140.9

7:00 AM – Breakfast

This is a shorter day to rest our legs. Enjoy the scenery, take pictures & take your time.
The Western Maryland Rail Trail is a 22 mile long paved trail that parallels the C & O. It starts at mile 114.8. (In Hancock, stop by Weavers on Main Street for Pie, it’s a big hit).

‘Unofficial’ rest stop can be taken at C & O Bicycle Shop in Hancock, approx. MP 123, Located at 9 S Pennsylvania Ave 301-678-6665. Venture Outdoors will not be there.

Campsite:
The Little Orleans Campground
31661 Green Forest Dr.
SW Little Orleans, MD 21766
301.478.2325

Bed and Breakfast Options:
Town Hill Bed and Breakfast
301.478.2101

6:00 PM – Dinner

Day 5
Little Orleans to Frostburg
Daily Mileage: 59 *shuttle is available for less mileage
Exit Trail at Mile Post: 15+ of the GAP

7:00 AM – Breakfast

Rest Stop at Cumberland: Mile Post 184.5

Campsite:
Community Pool
19336 Water St.
Frostburg, MD 21532

Indoor Lodging Option:
Failinger’s Hotel Gunter
11 West Main St.
Frostburg, MD 21532
301.689.6511
www.failingershotelgunter.com
6:00 PM – Dinner

Day 6
Frostburg to Confluence
Daily Mileage: 48
Exit Trail at Mile Post: 62 of the GAP

7:00 AM – Breakfast

Rest stop at mile post 43 in Rockwood

Campsite:
Outflow Camping
1579 Mae West Road
Confluence, PA 15424
814.395.3242

Indoor Lodging Option:
Confluence House B & B
522 Oden St.
Confluence, PA 15424
814.352.8151
www.theconfluencehouse.com

6:00 PM – Dinner

Day 7
Confluence to West Newton
Daily Mileage: 51
Exit Trail at Mile Post: 113 of GAP

7:00 AM – Breakfast

Mile post 74 at Ohiopyle Visitor Center – Shuttle to Fallingwater.

Note: Rest stop on your own in Connellsville at mile post 88.

Fallingwater Optional Tour – the cost is to be paid by the rider, riders must make their own reservations and alert the Venture Outdoors staff. Make reservations ahead of time for a 10:00 AM tour. Fallingwater – 724.329.8501

6:00 PM – Dinner

Campsite:
Community Pool on Peach Alley
190 Windsor St.
West Newton, PA 15089

Bed and Breakfast Option:
Bright Morning Bed and Breakfast
724.872.0792

7:00 PM – Group Meeting and trip review by leadership team

Day 8
West Newton to Boston, PA
Daily Mileage: 14
End at Boston, PA mile post~127

7:00 AM – Breakfast

Note: The trail is not yet finished from Boston to Station Square. They are diligently working to finish it. We cannot safely ride to Station Square, so Venture Outdoors provides a shuttle back to Station Square. The shuttle will leave Boston, PA at approximately 10:00 AM.

Congratulations – you’ve just ridden from Washington DC on your bicycle!

Filed Under: Bike Tours
Tagged: Bike Tours, biking, C & O Canal, Great Allegheny Passage, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Venture Outdoors

Bike Tour Packing List

December 18, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment

Basic suggested packing list for our adventure from DC to Pittsburgh

Two bag limit – 35 lbs each
*Keep it light as you’ll be loading and unloading it each day. It’s also a good idea to tie colored ribbons to your gear for easy identification.

Camping Bag
Tent with Stakes
Sleeping Bag
Ground cloth
Air Mattress
Flash Light
Riding shoes
Head Light
Pillow
Bug Spray
Camping chair

Clothing bag
Padded Shorts and Riding Jerseys – Riders will need to wash these along the trip
Rain Gear – whatever works for you
Light Thermal
Full Thermal Shirt
3 Pairs of riding shorts
3 T-shirts – wicking (cotton is not recommended)
3 Pairs of underwear
2 Sets of riding gloves
HELMET *must be worn every time you’re on a bike
Socks – wicking (cotton is not recommended)
Swim trunks/suit
Walking shoes
2 Pairs of short
1 Pair of jeans
Personal items, Soap, Shampoo, etc.
Some snack food
Water Bottles (a Hydro Pack also works well)
Pack towel – full size cotton bath towels take forever to dry out, leave them at home.
Sweatshirt
Light Jacket
Camera
Cell Phone
Cell Phone Charger
Bike Tool Kit
Bike Lock
Any personal items needed for a week away from home. Meds, addresses for post cards, credit cards and cash.

Filed Under: Bike Tours
Tagged: Bike Tours, bike vacation, biking, C & O Canal, camping, Great Allegheny Passage, Pittsburgh, touring, Venture Outdoors

Come Celebrate the Legacy: MLK Day in the Park

December 15, 2008 by admin · 1 Comment

SCA, Venture Outdoors, and Pittsburgh Citiparks invite you to join them for the 7th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Park. One of the largest celebrations within the city, MLK Day in the Park is free and open to the public. Outside, children and families will enjoy ice skating, sledding, snowshoeing, and marshmallow toasting. In the Schenley Park Rink a variety of art activities and refreshments will be available. Activities begin at noon and the celebration continues until 4:00 PM.

To reserve a space for your group or for an information packet with parental permission forms, please call 412.325.1851×21 or e-mail: threerivers@thesca.org

All children under 18 must bring signed Parental Release Forms to the event.
To download the Parental Release Form CLICK HERE.

Filed Under: Features, Uncategorized
Tagged: events, families, MLK Day in the Park, Schenley Park Ice Rink, winter

Wildreness First Aid Training

December 4, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment

Saturday, November 2 – Sunday, November 3
28 people took part in our Wilderness First Aid training taught by Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS. This interactive course was designed to provide outdoor leaders, guides and rangers with an introduction to First Aid and patient care in remote settings.

Read more

Filed Under: Trip Photos
Tagged: photos, Recent Trip Photos, Wilderness First Aid

Venture gets grant from L.L. Bean

December 2, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment

Friday, November 14, 2008
By Karen Price,TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Venture Outdoors has long identified the lack of minority participation in the outdoors as a problem, not just in Western Pennsylvania, but nationwide.

Now, with help from a $30,000 grant from L.L. Bean, the nonprofit group believes it may have found a solution with its Family and Community Programs Initiative.
Read more

Filed Under: press releases
Tagged: diversity, News, press

Double Your Donation (& Membership) with Employer Matching Gifts

December 1, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment

Employer Matching Gifts
Did you know that many companies will match gifts to Venture Outdoors made by employees and retirees – including membership? It’s very easy to do and it makes a huge impact for Venture Outdoors.
Read more

Filed Under: Inside VO
Tagged: donations, Inside the Organization, membership

Neither windchill, nor ice, nor snow, nor bus strike will stop these intrepid bike riders

December 1, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment

Sunday, November 16, 2008
By Lawrence Walsh, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

It’s decision time for bicyclists, especially those who commute to work or school.

Do they outfit themselves and their bikes for cold weather riding or store their wheels for the winter?

The days of riding in T-shirts and shorts are gone. As the temperatures drop, the number of layers bicyclists need to wear to stay warm goes up.

To get a cross-section of advice on cold weather bicycling, I spoke to Peter Greninger of REI on the South Side, Barry Jeffries of Dirty Harry’s Bicycles in Verona, Bob McKinney of Iron City Bikes in Oakland, Kevin Peters of Trek bike shop in Shadyside and Brad Smith, a retired meteorologist who owns Confluence Cyclery in southern Somerset County.

Here’s a summary of their advice.

Bicyclists should wear a skull cap under their helmets to prevent heat loss. The thickness of the cap depends on how cold it is. The helmet vents, wide open during hot weather, should be closed or covered with tape. If the tape reflects light, so much the better.

A balaclava, which covers the head, ears and neck and has an opening for the eyes and nose, is ideal for cold weather. It typically is made of wool, though some may be made of acrylic, cotton or fleece. If it becomes too warm, the scarf portion in many models can be rolled up into the hat .

Balaclava is named after the Crimean town of Balaklava in eastern Europe. During the Crimean War, many of the British troops weren’t used to the extremely cold winter conditions. The residents of the town hand knitted what they called “ski masks” and sent them to the soldiers.

Two pairs of eyeglasses — one with a clear lens for riding at night and one with a dark tint for bright snowy mornings — will help to reduce glare and protect the eyes from ultraviolet rays and debris. A pair of goggles is a good idea on windy days and when the temperature drops into the single digits.

The layering concept that applies to other sports holds true for cold weather biking. And some of the same clothing used for downhill and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing can be worn for the sport.

A complete set of long underwear that wicks away moisture from the body is the first layer. A vest with a mesh back for ventilation or a thermal jersey goes on next. It can be covered with a fleece top and then a brightly colored jacket with ventilation zippers under the armpits.
Not riding?

A pair of fleece-lined tights with zippers at the ankles goes on next. Look for tights that are articulated for movement and have front panels that are windproof and waterproof.

A fleece gaitor protects the neck and can be pulled up to cover the mouth and nose. A full face mask will prevent frostbite when the temperatures plummet.

Full-finger gloves that are windproof and waterproof are a must. Look for a pair that come with a set of liners and/or have a zippered opening on the top to insert a set of hand warmers. Avoid mittens. They’re awkward, especially when trying to switch gears and/or use the hand brakes.

Neoprene booties that fit over biking shoes will help to keep your feet warm. Some booties are thicker than others and some have varying thicknesses of insulation. Wear wool socks. Foot warmers also will keep your toes toasty.

If your bike doesn’t have a set of full coverage stainless steel fenders, get them. They’ll keep cold rain and slushy snow from striping your back and splashing your front. Rearview mirrors mounted on the handlebars are a good idea.

In addition to brightly-colored, eye-catching clothing, you’ll need a good headlight and a good tailight. The goal is to see and be seen. Motorists don’t expect to see bicyclists during the winter, so get their attention before they get yours.

Be especially alert if there is a bus strike and thousands of former transit riders have to drive themselves to work. They may not be used to sharing the road with bicyclists.

Wet weather decreases the life of brake pads. Inspect them every week.

Use tires with a good tread.

Keep your chain clean and lubricated.

Obey all traffic laws.

Carry a repair kit with you — under the seat, in a pannier or in a fanny pack. Learn how to change a flat. You don’t want to have to fix your first flat at night in below-freezing, finger-numbing weather. Carry extra clothes if you have room for them.

If you don’t have suitable clothing for winter riding, you can outfit yourself for about $450, said Dirty Harry’s Jeffries.

“The hardest part about riding in cold weather is getting out the door,” said Greninger of REI. “If you can force yourself to get dressed and get on your bike, you won’t regret it.”

Confluence Cyclery’s Smith, a biochemist who earned a master’s degree in meteorology and oceanography during his 24-year career with the U.S. Navy, said bicyclists have to be aware of the windchill factor, especially on days when there is no wind.

For example, bicyclists who maintain a modest pace of 10 miles per hour in 30 degree weather have to be prepared for a windchill of 21 degrees. If they aren’t properly covered up, they could suffer frostbite in 30 minutes. See chart, below.

Smith, who owns and operates the shop with his wife Maureen, said there are times when cold weather riding can be a funny experience.

He recalled a rail-trail ride a few years ago with longtime friends Ray Beimel of Elk County and Chris Doran of Cumberland County. They camped out and awoke to a thin cover of snow. They had breakfast, got on their bikes and were riding on the Pine Creek Trail near Ansonia in the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania when they encountered a squall of snow pellets.

Snow pellets are formed when a snowflake melts about halfway to the ground and then refreezes, The pellets were bouncing off their clothing. Smith, who was riding beside Beimel, started laughing as he watched the pellets ricochet off their clothing. His riding companions joined in the laughter.

“The squall didn’t last too long,” Smith said. “We were properly dressed for the weather and had a good time”

And that’s what winter biking is all about.

Filed Under: News
Tagged: biking, News, winter

Historic Hike with George Washington

REI Winter Cycling Class

Western Pennsylvania Wheelman's Icycle Bicycle Ride

8 Day GAPCANDO Bike Tour Itinerary

Bike Tour Packing List

Come Celebrate the Legacy: MLK Day in the Park

Wildreness First Aid Training

Venture gets grant from L.L. Bean

Double Your Donation (& Membership) with Employer Matching Gifts

Neither windchill, nor ice, nor snow, nor bus strike will stop these intrepid bike riders

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