Tomorrow evening the Maine Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club will host the first of its new Potluck and Presentation series. Polly Mahoney of the Mahoosuc Guide Service will present Tales of Guiding: Near and Far. Polly has been guiding professionally for many years, leading countless dog sled and canoe trips into the wilderness in the US and Canada. I've seen her many times and she always puts on an inspiring and enlightening program. Two of her beautiful sled dogs will be accompanying her, which will no doubt add to the evening's enjoyment. Contact the Maine AMC for more info on the 'where's it at' and 'what's to bring'...

An outdoorsman friend of mine, Jim from Wisconsin, recently sent along this great photo of a mother bear and her cub in the wild near Gordon, Wisconsin. I figured that since the voting is over and the bear controversy in Maine has faded for now that it was okay to share with you.

Is that a cute cub or what?!

With snow on the ground in the mountains and more on the way, I figured I'd better dig my new snowshoes out of the gear closet, er, gear room. I bought them on sale from Maine Mountain Works late last spring, so they've been stashed away all summer patiently waiting for snow. The wait should soon be over...

Did you see the incredible display of the Aurora Borealis last night? I was traveling north on the Maine Turnpike just south of Portland around 11 PM last evening when I saw the unmistakable green streaks in the northern sky.

The Aurora display ranged from long green streaks high into the sky to short streaks far across the horizon. At one point the streaks glowed a bright lime green, like one of those Cyalume light sticks used for camping.

Wish I could have enjoyed the show more, but I was busy trying to keep the car on the road! Did anyone get photos of it?

Just in case I haven't made it abundantly clear already, I LOVE WHITEWATER RAFTING! There's nothing finer than loading up my raft with good friends and guiding them down the Kennebec and Dead Rivers on a nice summer day.

Summer's long gone and so is rafting season, you say. Yes, I know, but I just got to fiddling with the digital photos (thanks to Action Photography in West Forks!) from a late June trip on the Kennebec and I wanted to share them with you.

One final glimpse of summer to last through the long winter...

Heading into Whitewasher on the Kennebec River.

Into the hole at Whitewasher...

Heading into Magic Falls

First hit...

WHAM! Standing it up at Magic!

Until next summer... In the meantime, plan ahead for your own Maine rafting adventure.

The weather forecast for the next few days is calling for snow in the mountains of western and northern Maine. Say it ain't so! Sugarloaf is already making snow and plans to open for the season on 11/19. Sunday River is gearing up too, and may open as early as 11/12. That's only one short week away, but who's counting?!

Geez, suddenly I'm thinking that I've just got to buy some new skis...

Want to see the world? You don't have to travel very far! Just take a trip to the Maine Audubon Society headquarters at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth for the monthly Traveler's Club meeting. You'll be treated to slides and tales of interesting and exotic places and adventures from around the globe presented by local travelers.

This Thursday evening travel to Palau with Alison Bramhall and discover the beauty of this sea kayaking paradise.

Traveler's Club programs run from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, and are free and open to the public.

Long-time friend, hiker and artist Phil Poirier will present his vision of the North Woods with a slide program of his paintings of the interior of the western mountains of Maine and New Hampshire at tomorrow night's Maine Outdoor Adventure Club (MOAC) meeting in Portland. Phil will also do a short primer on snowcave building and gearing up for winter travel.

If you haven't yet been to a MOAC meeting, well, you're missing out on a rousing good time. The monthly event draws 150 or more outdoorsy people from all over; a broad spectrum of trips are planned and a whole lot of socializing goes on. And no MOAC meeting is ever complete without a trek to the Great Lost Bear afterward for the "meeting after the meeting."

Run, hike, pedal or paddle... do what you must, but please get outside tomorrow and exercise your right to VOTE!