After an exciting paddle on the Gauley River on the first day of our Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society West Virginia whitewater trip, seven of us decided to descend the New River Gorge, another renowned West Virginia river. Trip leader Ryan Galway and I paddled a two-person inflatable craft called a shredder; two canoeists and […]
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Your Land: Crystal Spring foot song (plus a little trail wonkery)
When I want nearness to the mountain trails that seed my dreams and am unable to get to those mountains, I go to a local micro-mountain and its root- and rock-striated trails. There, on foot and in mind, I set about training for the mountains and their enduring message: Uphill is the direction of life. […]
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Intertidal: Seasonal migration offers chance to spot sea birds
November. While October is a transitional month, November is when the change in season really sets in. One of the major shifts afoot is the migration of birds. Backyard birders are familiar with the abundance of species traveling through. Feeders are quickly emptied and berries and seeds provide sustenance for birds storing up for long […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Almost heavenly West Virginia whitewater
In my opinion, West Virginia has more outstanding whitewater than any state east of the Mississippi. For nearly two decades beginning in 1990, my friends and I traveled to West Virginia almost every spring and fall to challenge its steep rivers and creeks. Then we got old, some passed, and we stopped making the semi-annual […]
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Book Notes: American teen, German POW find common humanity in ‘Enemies in the Orchard’
As a middle- and high-school English teacher, I am always on the lookout for books to add to my classroom library. To make the cut, I tell my students a book must have high literary, historical or spiritual value. Preferably all three. So when I read the first lines of author Dana VanderLugt‘s just-released debut […]
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Intertidal: Float tanks are a chance to be effortlessly buoyant — and offer other benefits
Floating is a magical thing. That’s what I wrote in my column last week after watching ducks effortlessly float on top of the surface of the waves and thinking of how many organisms in or on the ocean depends on their ability to sink or float to survive. I started to get into humans’ ability […]
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Seniors Not Acting Their Age: Riding the Narrow Gauge
One of the most unique bike trails in Maine is the historic Narrow Gauge Pathway in Carrabassett Valley. The trail follows the former Kingfield and Dead River Railroad bed used to convey logs to a sawmill situated in Bigelow at the northern terminus of the railway in the early 20th century. Disuse resulted in discontinuance […]
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The Recycle Bin: Fall leaves are great for compost
I have been greatly enjoying the yellow, peach, orange, red and brown leaves with this fall’s great tree leaf display. Leaves in your yard, driveway and flower beds are an organic resource to be used to keep your growing plants healthy. Here are the best ways to collect, breakdown and reuse the organic material in […]
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Spirit of Life: Yes, it’s complicated, but love anyway
To be alive today is to know that so much in our world is broken and in need of repair. Climate change, gun violence, a global pandemic, poverty, war and countless other realities are demanding our attention here at home and around the world. The latest news from the entire region of Israel and Gaza […]