Tribune-Review features VO Bike Tours

The word is getting around–we have expanded our bike tour schedule for 2010. Check out this great Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article by Karen Price. It’s all about our bike tours!

The article notes that we are continuing our most popular trips from last year, like the NYC Five Boro Bike Tour, Fall Foliage Bike Tour and the 24-hour Relay, but adding a new series of tours called the RAP Tour (Ride Across Pennsylvania) saying:

In addition to return trips to New York in May and Washington, D.C., in the fall, Venture Outdoors has added a 225-mile, four-day trip from Erie to Morgantown, W.Va., in August.

Read the full article

For more information on any of our 2010 tours, including packing lists and frequently asked questions visit, ventureoutdoors.org/biketours.aspx, or click the Bike Tours link on our homepage.

How to Survive Anything: VO Edition

Do you know how to survive in the woods with nothing? Well, hopefully you are never faced with this situation, but in case you do find yourself in it, there are some practical skills that will help you out.

These skills were the topic of our recent Wilderness Awareness and Survival Class and were also the feature of Sunday’s Post Gazette article by John Hayes entitled Practice practical survival techniques.

The article and class discussed emergency shelter building, fire starting, finding water, signaling and self-awareness of one’s place in nature, but more importantly included techniques which prevent you from ever getting into dangerous situations in the first place.

Read the full article here: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09326/1015103-140.stm

Entertaining while Educating

Everyone loves simply spending time outside, but in a world of multi-tasking and time management, it’s important to offer people a bang for their buck. This is just what Venture Outdoors and other area organizations are striving to do according to Karen Price in today’s Tribune Review article. Why not learn about history or architecture while hiking or paddling?

Read the full article here:www.pittsburghlive.com.

And of course she is right! We’ve got several educational adventures planned in the next couple of weeks.

Find the next one on our Activities Calendar. Sign up for the Geology of the Montour Trail Bike Ride by clicking here. Enter GEOLOGY09 at Checkout for 30% Off.

Fall's Final Flourish

These last precious weeks of fall are the best time to float down a river, according to Rob Walters, Venture Outdoors Membership Director. Rob was quoted in Sunday’s Post Gazette article by Peter B. King titled Paddling on lakes and slow rivers offers a different kind of adventure.

The story gives lots of useful information for anyone interested in heading out on the water this fall including rental information and safety tips, but also speaks to one of the best reasons for paddling: the peace and quite you’ll find on the water.

Read the article here.

GAP makes USA Today

It’s no question that people from around the world are starting to take a closer look at Pittsburgh and its surrounding region. And what they are seeing is a new economy and a refreshing take on past industry. Examples are everywhere, the latest in a recent USA Today article on cycling the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP).

The story touts the trail’s amenities that we all know and love like even terrain, beautiful views and exciting tunnels, but also speaks to the economic opportunities for towns along the trail and the money to be made when over 700,000 people travel the passage.

Read the article at, www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/affordableamerica/2009-10-08-great-allegheny-passage_N.htm

While your there check out the Venture Outdoors link along the left side. Our Fall Foliage Bike Tour is out there riding the Great Allegheny Passage right now!

Writers tour the city via Group Program

It’s becoming common knowledge that one of the best ways to view our city is from the water. So when Visit Pittsburgh decided to host an outdoor press tour last summer it was no surprise they booked a Group Program with Venture Outdoors. Writers from across the country including Houston, Boston, Detroit and Cleveland took to the river for an afternoon paddle to see just what outdoor recreation in Pittsburgh looks like.

The press tour also experienced the Downtown trails via bikes from Golden Triangle Bike Rental and enjoyed a Segway in Paradise tour of Station Square, and the Cultural District.

It looks like the press tour paid off, Cleveland Magazine featured Pittsburgh in their September issue with an article called Outside in the Steel City. Click here to read the article.

If you are interested in find out more or scheduling a Group Program – contact Jeremiah Morrison at jmorrison@ventureoutdoors.org.

Summer far from over for outdoors enthusiasts

“September gives us some of the best weather that Pittsburgh has all year,” says Lora Woodward, coordinator of public programs for Venture Outdoors. “You have blue skies, sunny days. It’s a great time to get outside and get some exercise.” That’s a quote from today’s Tribune-Review article encouraging Pittsburghers not to run inside after Labor Day. Writer Debbie Deasy featured several upcoming Venture Outdoors programs as reason enough to get outside and enjoy the scenery this season.

Click here to read the entire article.

Front Page Press!

An article about the growth of Venture Outdoors made the front page of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette today! We have come along way since 2001, our Membership has grown to over 6000, we’re doing over 500 programs a year and we are reaching more people then ever through youth, family and group programs. The article by Michael A. Fuoco did a great job of sharing the whole Venture Outdoors story about how we’re working to improve the community and the quality of life across the region.

Read the article and see the photos here.

Family Programs featured on Keystone Edge

This summer has been a great start for our Family and Community Programs and organizations across the state are taking notice! This week Keystone Edge, a website aimed at telling the story of the new economy in Pennsylvania, posted an article featuring Venture Outdoors, Pittsburgh’s green revolution and how our Family and Community Programs are introducing even more people to the outdoors.

Click here to read the article by Chris O’Toole.

Entertainment options abound throughout the area

“You can experience so much in just a short drive” says VO Trip Leader Chris Corban. Chris and volunteer Karen Gainey were quoted in a story on Tribune Review’s website discussing local attractions for families this summer. The article featured a great list of activities for Allegheny, Westmoreland, Butler, Mercer and Erie County parks.

Read the whole article on the Tribune-Review’s website.

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