The Grand Canyon. One the world's greatest natural wonders. An open storybook of geologic time that boggles the mind. A scenic gem of mind-blowing proportions.

River, rock, space, silence. Precious desert life clinging tenuously to the edge. Wild beyond your wildest imagination.

Photo courtesy O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon, Inc.

To raft the Grand Canyon from one end to the other is truly an adventure of a lifetime. So it was for Maine AMCer Fran Leyman of Bowdoin. She and a group of Mainahs took an 18-day raft trip down the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park in the autumn of 2006.

Photo courtesy O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon, Inc.

On Monday night, May 19th, Fran, an experienced raft guide in her own right, will share her other-worldy Grand Canyon river experience through video and photographs. Plan on being wowed x 10 with some of the finest natural scenery on the planet, from a trip that changes a person forever.

Fran's storytelling will also include bonus tales of rafting trips to the lower Rio Grande canyons on the Texas-Mexico border, and the Bio-Bio River in Chile.

It's going to be a wet and wild evening of education and good fun!

Photo courtesy O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon, Inc.

The Maine AMC Grand Canyon rafting event is open and free to the public. The location is the Morrell Room, Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick. Parking is available on Middle Street and off Union Street.

There's a potluck dinner at 6 PM (optional). The program starts at 7 PM. Potluckers are encouraged to bring a potluck item and their own dinnerware (plate, utensils etc.). Drinks will be provided and plastic-ware will be available.

Photo courtesy O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon, Inc.

Should you be out and about tonight, just a hankering for some outdoorsy thing to do, well, you have a couple of choices anyway.

For one, you could trundle on over to USM in Portland for the program "Wind Power in Maine" with Dave Publicover, Senior Staff Scientist for the Appalachian Mountain Club.

I listened to Publicover speak on the topic at the Maine Mountain Conference a year or so ago and he knows his stuff and presents in a compelling manner. Dave will speak on wind power energy in Maine, the potential for additional wind power projects here, how wind power projects are evaluated, and how wind energy can reduce our carbon footprint.

Good stuff we need to know about because the time is now.

Mars Hill wind farm scene. What's the future of wind energy in Maine?
MaineWind.org photo

The event is sponsored by the Maine AMC and is free and open to the public. Get yourself to the Luther Bonney Auditorium at 7 PM if you want in on the wind.

Another option is to head on over to Maine Audubon and Gilsland Farm in Falmouth for the monthly Traveler's Forum, also starting at 7 PM.

Yours truly - Trail Head - will present on backpacking the "West Coast Trail" in British Columbia. This was a magnificent 8-day, 55-mile trek along the wet and wild western coast of Vancouver Island, done last September with several hiking buddies from Maine.

Long on my "to do" list, Canada's most famous trail exceeded expections with fabulous coastal scenery, lush rain forests, harsh weather, beach campsites every evening, glorious sunsets and mega solitude.


A grand Pacific sunset on the West Coast Trail, Pacific Rim National Park, Vancouver Island, BC Canada.
Carey Kish photo

OK then, your choice. Wind power or my hot air.

Or you could just go have a beer somewhere instead...

Looking to ignite your wild imagination, stoke your longing to break free and go and do and see, to quench that ever-burning desire inside of you for heart-thumping adventure in some impossibly beautiful far-off corner of the world???

The Banff Mountain Film Festival, when it returns to Portland this week - Tuesday, February 12th at the Merrill Auditorium, 7:30 PM - is sure to do just that and more.

Miss it and you will have missed the premier adventure film fest of the year!

Do plan on coming, but beware! For your very own safety and that of the attendees around you, you may need to be on belay, complete with climbing helmet, harness and rope, carabinered securely to your seat, as scenes of incredible adventure play out before your eyes.

And maybe, just maybe, that will be enough to hold you. But there's no guarantee.

Should you fly out of your seat and sail head-long for the silver screen, you may find yourself suddenly...

Scaling some rock face overhanging the ocean, or gripping a spindly ice pinnacle and clawing your way ever upward toward the sky...

Skiing mountain terrain of an unheard of scale, making perfect, endless telemark turns through deep, soft, magnificent powder...

Paddling fierce whitewater as it slices through steep canyon walls and heaves and hurdles you and your boat down river...

Letting yourself fly off the lip of a precipice and free-falling toward the earth and hoping like hell that your chute really does open, but somehow not really caring...

Ahhh... adventure! With a capital A. That's the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

I wouldn't miss it for the world. You shouldn't either. If you're a veteran BMFF goer you know damn well just what I mean.

Be there! At the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, back in Portland at the Merrill Auditorium, 7:30 pm, Tuesday, February 12, 2008.

You are planning to be there, aren't you?! I mean, what else would you do?!

Get your tickets at these friendly local outdoor retailers:

* Nomads, 100 Commercial Street (Thomas Building) in Portland (347.7464; Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5
* Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), 87 Marginal Way in Portland (541.1919; Mon-Sat 9-9, Sun 11-6
* Arlberg Ski & Sport (2 locations): Scarborough, Rt. 1, Oak Hill Plaza (between Burger King & McDonalds), 883-2878; Sun- Sat 10AM-7PM or Freeport, 15 Main Street (across from fire station), 865-0077; Sun - to Sat 10 AM-7 PM

Tix will also be available at the Merrill Auditorium box office after 6:30 PM on the day of show. Please note: Credit cards will NOT be accepted, just cash or check (with personal ID).

Film Menu for Banff Mountain Film Festival
Portland, Maine
Merrill Auditorium
Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Balance

Canada, 2006, 11 minutes; Directed and produced by Paul Cotton
Focus: Skiing
Balance profiles the rapidly growing world of new-school skiing, looking at all aspects of the sport: big mountain lines, terrain parks and half-pipes, and jibbing. This film captures the athletes’ desires to push the edge of their abilities while facing the obvious safety risks associated with high calibre skiing. With high-energy footage cut to an upbeat soundtrack, the audience is challenged to judge whether these athletes are crazy or just extremely talented, or maybe both. (Note: this is a change in the film previously announced)

King Lines: Es Pontas

USA, 2007, 13 minutes
Directed and produced by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer
Focus: Climbing

A segment from King Lines, filmed on location in Mallorca, Spain. This spectacular segment captures Chris Sharma’s challenging ascent of the Es Pontas arch. Deep water soloing at its best.

Wings on Your Feet (Le ali ai piedi)

Switzerland, 2006, 25 minutes
Directed and produced by Fulvio Mariani
Focus: Telemark Skiing/Culture
John Falkiner and Paolo Tassi — two charming characters, untiring powder hunters, and free telemark interpreters — tell us about their dreams and why they have chosen skiing as their true lifestyle. Whooshing through Fulvio Mariani’s camera shots, they guide us on journeys of discovery and friendship in magnificent landscapes around the world.

Climber

Canada, 2007, 2 minutes
Directed by Carlos Villarreal-Kwasek
Produced by Vancouver Film School
Focus: Climbing, Animation
Rating: General

A climber attempts an icy route and faces his inner demon in this animated short.

In-Flux

France, 2005, 17 minutes
Directed and produced by David Arnaud
Focus: Kayaking

In-Flux is about the true meaning of paddling: the perpetual need to go and travel the globe with your kayak in search of the magic something you can find only on the river. Shot in Italy, Canada, Norway, and the Reunion islands, the film combines adrenaline-driven action and remarkable natural wonders.

20 Seconds of Joy

Best Film on Mountain Sports and People’s Choice Award
Germany, 2007, 60 minutes
Directed by Jens Hoffmann
Produced by Clenonice Comino
Focus: BASE jumping, Human Narrative
“I don’t want to die, I want to live. I’m pretty good at running away, and this is my escape!” This is how Karina Hollekim describes her dedication to BASE jumping. Documentary filmmaker Jens Hoffman first met the now 30-year-old Norwegian in 2002. He immediately started to film, accompanying her through many stages of her BASE-jumping career and life of over five years of risk.

Thanks as always to my good friend Tom Widing at Chestnut Mtn Productions for bringing the show here.

Settle into a comfy chair, kick your shoes off, and soak up the warmth of the woodstove while you listen to author John Neff share some tales about our beloved mountain, Katahdin.

Mount Katahdin from Grassy Pond, Baxter State Park.
Carey Kish photo

That's right, Wednesday night at the monthly meeting of MOAC, the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club, in Portland starting at 7 PM.

John'll be there with copies of his new book Katahdin: An Historic Journey and a pocket full of tales and tidbits, anecdotes and asides on Maine's iconic mountain.

Image courtesy Appalachian Mountain Club

The comfy chair and the woods stove may be just my imagination, but it sort of sets the right stage for what will no doubt be a fun evening. You get the idea.

Neff, a retired Methodist minister, past president of the MATC and founding member of the Friends of Baxter State Park, will engage us with some "storytelling and readings - some from the book, some little known surprises - all revealing the extraordinary richness of the history of the Katahdin region."

Says the AMC about Neff's book: "Superbly researched and written, this new book takes readers on a journey through this renowned mountain's history, legend, and legacy. From Native American legends to the first colonial surveys, Thoreau's journeys to logging and trail development, Neff's narrative bridges the mountain's past and today's continuing opportunities for conservation and recreation in Maine's spectacular North Woods."

'Nuff said. See you there.

What do you love about Maine's Mount Katahdin?

If you love our Allagash Wilderness Waterway--maybe you've canoed it or maybe you'd like to someday--then you won't want to miss tonight's showing of "Northrunner" at this month's meeting of MOAC--the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club.

Per Jim Crocker, communications director for the Maine Department of Conservation, on Northrunner – The Allagash Wilderness Waterway:

“The Allagash Wilderness Waterway is a special place, not just to those of us who live in Maine, but to canoeists and outdoors lovers everywhere,” said Executive Producer Patrick K. McGowan, Commissioner of the DOC. “We wanted to capture the history of the place, and the affection for the Allagash that shows in the faces of those who live and recreate on the Waterway.”

The 52-minute film features breathtaking video of the Waterway, and interviews with those who know the Allagash best – residents of northern Maine. Sporting camp operator Phyllis Jalbert, retired teacher and lifelong St. John Valley resident Melford Pelletier tell their stories of the Waterway, as do State Senator John Martin and Fort Kent high school student Chace Jackson. “This film captures the true spirit of the Allagash,” said Ursus Productions’ Andy Collar.

Sounds like we're in for a fun and most entertaining evening. Come on along!

MOAC meetings start at 7PM, and are free and open to the public.

See you there...

Given the dreary weather this week it's a great time to be an armchair adventurer and take in two "indoor" events that'll get you stoked for the outdoors.

Wednesday evening April 4th join yours truly for the monthly meeting of MOAC - the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club in Portland. I'll be presenting the slide program: "Trekking the GR20 Route across Corsica," a hike I did with another local friend last summer.

The Haute Corse was a difficult walk over some impossibly steep terrain. But the beauty of this rugged island, the magnificent mountain scenery, the lovely Corsican people, and the sheer delight of two weeks of simple trail living a long way from home made the struggle more than worthwhile.

Thursday evening April 5th, join Yarmouth-ite Tom Armstrong for a photographic journey to Mount Everest as he recounts the 1990 Mount Everest Peace Climb, an expedition largely sponsored by L.L. Bean.

The Everest program will be held at the Town Hall Community Room in Yarmouth. Call 846-6242 for more info.

Both programs begin at 7 PM on their respective nights, and are free and open to the public.

Scaling the walls of the fabled Cirque de la Solitude, GR20 Route, Haute Corse.
Photo courtesy Carey Kish

It's Wednesday. Hump day.

Temps in the single digits. Tonight maybe -10F.

Balmy.

What better way to enjoy this lovely frigid weather than by huddling up with 150 or so warm and fuzzy outdoorsies for the monthly Maine Outdoor Adventure Club meeting in Portland!

The program?

Appropriately enough: Iceland!

Yes, join veteran MOACer Sandie Sabaka of Portland, and and take a summer solstice trek to Iceland on the Laugavegur "Hot Spring Route," go kayaking in Seydisfjordur, and backpack through Jokulsargljufur Park, home to Europe's largest waterfall.

Lake Alftavatn, Iceland.
All photos courtesy Sandie Sabaka

Near Alftavatn, Iceland.

In Thorsmark, Iceland.

Dettifoss, Iceland.

Next up is trip planning for the remainder of winter, then spring and summer. No doubt you'll find an outing or two that interests you; a hike, mountain bike, kayak, raft or canoe trip perhaps.

Conclude the evening with socializing and getting to know a whole host of fun and active outdoor (and indoor!) enthusiasts.

And wrap up the night with "the meeting after the meeting" at the Great Lost Bear, where further adventures are planned and mapped out on the back of cocktail napkins while enjoying a frosty adult beverage or two.

Doesn't sound like much fun at all, does it?

Nah.

Think I'll skip it, stay home onn the couch and watch Wheel of Fortune...

MOAC meetings begin at 7PM. It's free and open to the general public (that's you!).

Enjoy!

Planning on traveling this evening?

You weren't?!

Maybe, just maybe, I can entice you to leave the dirty dishes, the laundry and the bills behind and head for the Traveler's Club at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth.

Tonight's program: Sea Kayaking along the Dalmation Coast of Croatia with Dave Mention, kayak guide, intrepid adventurer and trails manager for the Maine Island Trail Association.

"The Croatian coast features rugged cliffs, quiet fishing villages, and jet-set tourist destinations. Dave has visited this area three times, twice as a kayaking guide for Explorers' Corner, a travel company offering kayaking trips all over the world."

Sounds like a fun and exciting trip. More so than than sitting at home, wouldn't you agree? So come on along for the 7PM show. It's free and open to all.

A scene from Dave's kayak trip in Croatia.
Photos courtesy Dave Mention.

Kayaks on the shore of the Dalmation Coast, Croatia.

Just a quickie reminder to 'save the date' for the upcoming Banff Film Festival, coming to South Portland on Wednesday, February 14th.

Yes folks, that's Valentine's Day.

So take this heads up and plan appropriately with your SO. Card, dinner, flowers, chocolates, all that good stuff. Just make sure it's all wrapped up by 7:30pm so you don't miss the show.

On tap are six wild films featuring rock climbing, skiing, base jumping, bicycle touring, and mountain culture and environment.

It's an annual "not-to-be-missed" evening for all who love the outdoors!

Don't be setting around on your hands tonight, or tomorrow night for that matter, wondering what to do with yourself.

Like to see some unbelievable slides of rafting the big rivers of the western United States with seasoned Maine River Guide Scott Phair?

Then you ought to check out tonight's Maine Outdoor Adventure Club meeting in Portland. The evening's adventures begin at 7PM.

Open night for you tomorrow too, you say?

Then get on over to Maine Audubon in Falmouth and the Traveler's Club for slides of trekking across the spectacular landscape of Iceland with Portland adventurer Sandie Sabaka. The hikin' starts at 7PM.

There. Now don't be whining to me.

Get on out at night this week and get some ideas for some crazy adventuring of your own. And do it amongst some like-minded outdoorsy folks.

See's you there...

Hump day. Early December. Wintery outside.

Perfect conditions to warm yourself up at tonight's meeting of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club in Portland.

Rub elbows with a hundred or so other outdoorsy types. Get in on the winter trip planning. Have a few laughs.

And get to hear all about the tremendous effort underway to build a 180-mile trail and hut system extending from Moosehead Lake to Bethel, for x-c skiers, hikers and hopefully mountain bikers (right Dave?!).

Yep, Dave Herring, Executive Director of Maine Huts & Trails will be tonight's featured speaker. And he'll brief us on all the details about this world class project that will draw outdoor enthusiasts from near and far.

Hope to see you there...

Forget the dank weather out there today... think snow and winter fun!

The ever outdoor-minded folks at L.L. Bean sure are.

They've got their annual Winter Sports Expo going on all this coming weekend, November 11-12, at the L.L. Bean retail store in Freeport.

From 9am to 5pm each day there'll be a host of demonstrations and exhibits, from ice sculptures and winter warmth and safety to clothing and ice fishing demos. And you can test out the lastest in snowshoes, too.

A variety of activities, clinics and presentations will also be going on. Learn about GPS technology, nordic ski waxing and winter overnight trips and more.

Climb Mount Everest with Beaner Bill Yeo, who'll present images and stories from his expedition to the world's highest peak last spring. That's Saturday evening at 7:30pm.

A potpourri of outdoors vendors and organizations will also be on hand plying their wares. And there will be seasonal demonstrations, activities for kids and books signings by local authors.

And don't miss the lighting of the holiday tree Saturday at 6pm complete with music by Randy Judkins, as well as hot cocoa and cider.

It's all good fun. It's all free. And it's a great way to get into the wintertime spirit.

This Thursday evening November 2nd I'll be giving a slide program on my trek across the mountains of Corsica on the GR20 Route last June.

And I'd sure enjoy having some of my Trail Head friends come along for the show. If only to heckle me from the last row.

If you're interested it's the Traveler's Club at the Maine Audubon Gilsland Farm Nature Center in Falmouth from 7-8:30 PM.

I can promise you a rugged walk up and down some amazing mountains amid some pretty spectacular scenery. But sorry, no popcorn.

Hope to see you all there.

The incredibly rugged mountains of Corsica present one of Europe's toughest hiking challenges.

My buddy Phil climbing the chains (yes, chains!) up the Cirque de la Solitude. The drop beneath him is several thousand feet.

Evening in high camp, Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu.

That's me and my bad knees somewhere on the GR 20.

Phil enjoys a cold Biere du Corse and a bowl of wild boar stew at the Refuge d'Asinau.

Want to get outside and hike next weekend and do it for a good cause?

You can, if you "Hike the River" on Saturday, October 28th at the Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry.

This fun fundraising hike will benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation's Women's Cancer Fund. Participants will get a cool 1st Annual Pumpkinhead Festival T-shirt and a BBQ lunch.

The 2-mile hike will leave from the Shipyard Brew Haus at the White Cap Lodge at 10AM and get you back in plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the day's Pumpkinhead Festival activities, like Warren Miller's new ski film Off the Grid.

The Maine Cancer Foundation has registration and pledge information.

The next Greater Portland Naturalists' Forum should be a good one.

Dick Spencer of Portland, longtime conservationist and founding member of Portland Trails, will be speaking on environmental protection and human rights efforts in Mongolia, a poor country of exceptional beauty and wonderful people.

Maine Audubon hosts the program next Monday evening September 25th at 7PM at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth.

See you there!

I forget to mention a couple of upcoming mountain bike events in my 'save the date' entry the other day and what happens?

I end up with some nasty knobby tire prints across my back!

Yessah, Mountain Bike Girl rode up one side of me and down the other. Ouch!

Mountain Bike Girl says," Hey, where the hell are my events?"

So, for goodness sake write these events down so I can stay out of trouble.

Better yet, throw your mountain bike on the car rack and join the folks from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine for these great events:

This Saturday, September 16th: Tour de Trails Ride in Greenville. Sample the local riding in and around ultra-scenic Moosehead Lake. Check with BCM for the latest details.

Saturday, October 8th: Fat Tire Frolic, Carrabassett Valley. Get in on this most outstanding 20-mile loop ride along the Carrabassett River on the Narrow Gauge Pathway, followed by some awesome singletrack along the base of the Bigelows. Again, check with BCM for FTF details.

OK now, have I missed anything? Anyone else want to take a shot at me? Eh??

There's lots going in our outdoor world in the next few weeks so don't be setting around boo-hooing that you've got nothing to do and no one to do it with. It just isn't so!

Saturday, September 16: Eastern Trail Alliance 8-Lighthouse Ride. Join the folks at ETA for their 3rd annual fundraising day of bikie riding on the Eastern Trail. Choose from 10, 40 or 100 mile rides and help raise much needed funds for the ETA. The Eastern Trail Alliance has more details.

Sunday, September 17th: MaineShare Hike & Bike. Take part in the annual Hike & Bike at beautiful Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal to help raise funds for MaineShare.

Saturday, September 23rd: Telluride Mountain Film Festival. Enjoy the Banff Mountain Film Festival every winter? Sure you do! Then you'll you the Telluride Film Fest. The first of eight bigtime adventure films begins at 7:30 PM at the Hannaford Theater, Abromson Community Center at USM in Portland. See Chestnut Mountain Productions for more info.

September 29 thru October 1: Annual Meeting - Maine Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club. Get together with the fun folks of the Maine AMC for their annual meeting. There's a full slate of activities planned including hikes, bikes, paddles and educational workshops. Plenty of socializing and good eating to be had, too. And Jeff Neff, author of the new book Katahdin: An Historic Journey, will be guest speaker. Maine AMC has complete details.

October 13 - 15: 25th annual Gathering of Appalachian Trail Long Distance Hikers. This year's event is a ways away distance-wise (last year was Hanover, NH) at Concord University in Pipestem, West Virginia, but well worth the travel effort. A lengthy event listing includes a variety of slide programs, talks and workshops. You don't have to be a long distance hiker to come, you just gotta love hiking!!! And what a way to meet and learn from others! Contact ALDHA for specifics.

Saturday, October 21: Maine Mountain Conference. Interested in everything about Maine's mountains? Their history? Their future? Then you've got to go to only the 2nd ever Maine Mountain Conference up at the Base Lodge at beautiful Saddleback Mountain. A full day of interesting and informative panel discussions and workshops are on the docket. Contact the Maine Appalachian Land Trust for more info.

Ok then. Lots going on. Much to do.

Did I miss anything? Please let me know and I'll put out an update.

It's almost fall. Time to be outside!!!

Somehow, some way, August just got right by me.

Busy, busy, you know.

Hiking, rafting, kayaking, backpacking. All that good stuff.

So much so that I forgot all about it...

Trail Head is two years old!

Trail Head is two! Time to celebrate!!

My thanks to all of you out there in Internet-land for following along for all this time, for reading and commenting, and for occasionally giving me a good ribbing. Well deserved, no doubt.

It's been fun as we've traveled along together, hiking and backpacking, kayaking and rafting, skiing and whatever else outdoors. Tipping a couple here and there. Yucking it up in the name of fun and adventure.

Thank you.

Thanks are also due to my good friends at MaineToday.com. You gave me the green light on this Trail Head blog project two years ago, and have stuck with me. Special thanks to producer Colleen Stone, blogger and writer extraordinaire, and my blog mentor, for your support and encouragement and humor through it all.

Trail Head has been nothing but good fun and I hope that I am privileged to continue for a few more years in this wonderful outdoors forum.

On to Year Three and more blah, blah, blah-ging about the Maine outdoors!

The Traveler's Club is starting up its fall and winter programs again beginning this Thursday evening, September 7th.

Travel to the Nepal Himalaya with adventurer Doug Friedman, who has made numerous trips to this mysterious and mountainous land. Doug's show will include images of the wonderful Nepali people, prayer flags, temples and more. Oh, and maybe a few mountains!

The Traveler's Club is sponsored by the Maine Audubon Society. Programs are held at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth. They are free and open to the public.

See you there!

Last July a previously unknown hiker named Andrew Skurka dipped his hiking boots into the Pacific Ocean, and with that, became the first person ever to complete the Sea-to-Sea Route across North America--after 338 days and 7,778 miles.

Nice little jaunt, eh?

Well, if you're interested in hearing all about Andy's historic hike you can, next Tuesday evening, May 16th at the Eastern Mountain Sports retail store in North Conway NH starting at 7 PM. There are no Maine shows scheduled.

Andy will show slides and answer questions, and there'll be prizes and giveaways, too.

And speaking of long distance hiking...

Last evening while poking through the 2006 Outside magazine Buyer's Guide (the current guide isn't posted online yet), I caught a short blurb on another superhuman feat: Last August, Andrew Thompson (what is it about the name Andrew and big hikes?) of Derry, NH completed the entire 2,178-mile Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia in a blazing 47 days--a new record. Thompson averaged 46 miles per day on 5 hours sleep a night.

Whoa. That's moving!

See you up at Skurka's talk...

Any of you road cyclists or mountain bikers wanna get some TV face time and be famous?

Thought so. You hams.

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is putting out the call to any and all bicyclists who can volunteer this Wednesday, May 3rd (rain date on Monday, May 8th) from approximately 9:00 AM until early afternoon in Portland to help the BCM film their new Share The Road public service spots.

Per the esteemed Petey at BCM:

WCSH-TV 6 is producing the new spots and we need an assortment of riders! This is in support of our "Share The Road" media campaign. No guarantees about showing your mugs in the spots, but you will have as good a chance as anyone else being filmed. The project is focused on four specific populations (young drivers, parents, senior citizens and immigrants) and we are hoping to enlist the help of people who fit into those categories (although anyone can show up and join us). We need all kinds of cyclists, on all kinds of bikes, with all kinds of looks. If you can free yourself up, please consider joining us.

There you have it!

If you're interested give Pete at BCM a call at 623-4511.

There's some cool things happening real soon out there in outdoor-land that you might want to know about (and I want to get this junk off my desk!), so here goes:

* Eastern Mountain Sports stores in Portland and Augusta are having their semi-annual 20% off everything in the store sale this weekend, April 28-30. Come and get it, and save! And if you happen to belong to an outdoor club, drop by on Thursday, April 27th for Club Day (bring your club member ID) and grab some gear savings before the crowds hit on the weekend.

* The Happy Trails Big Bash and Silent Auction to benefit Portland Trails is happening this Friday night at the Pavilion in Portland from 5:30-8PM. Get in on the silent auction for cool stuff, dance to the Jerks of Grass, chow down on yummy food, grab a beer and have fun! And help PT raise much needed funds!

* Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal is looking for volunteers to do trail maintenance on their single-track mountain biking trails this Sunday morning, April 30th at 8AM. And of course you'll want to stay and ride afterward. Contact BMSP for more info.

* The ASC All-for-One Season Pass offer expires next Tuesday, May 2nd. No skier should be without one. So don't miss out. Take the hit on your credit card now, but then rest easy all summer knowing you'll be ready to roll next winter (a real one we hope!) with some cheap skiing. My choice: The Bronze Pass for $365.

* The Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce will be hosting it's monthly Eggs & Issues breakfast forum on Wednesday, May 3 from 7-9AM. The topic: Plum Creek's Moosehead Plan. Plum Creek officials will discuss their revised plan and its economic impact. That should be of big interest to all of us outdoorsy types. Cost is $15 and includes a tasty full breakfast. To register contact the Chamber at 772-1196 x228 (deadline is noon on April 28th).

* The Great Maine Bike Swap, presented by the BCM, will be held on Sunday, May 7th, from 10-2PM at 58 Fore St. in Portland. Sell an old bike, shop for a used bike. get bike safety tips, test ride a recumbent bike and have lots of fun! Contact Fred at 865-6978 for more info.

Dat's all I gotz for now...

The good folks at Backpacker, our favorite magazine for hiking adventure, are coming to Portland!

The Backpacker Get Out More Road Tour will be at Eastern Mountain Sports on Marginal Way in Portland on April 15th at 1PM.

The tour puts on an inspirational and motivational program with hiking and backpacking tips and techniques (e.g. trip planning, cooking, fitness, and of course, GEAR!). Plus there will be great door prizes (read: GEAR!).

The hour long program is free and open to the public.

Local outdoor organizations are invited to set up an information table, too. To do so in Portland, contact Josh at EMS at 541-1919.

Hiking inspiration, fun people, gear, prizes... can't beat that! Bring it on (and spring, too!)

You can do just that, if you're a mountain biker, by showing up at Back Country Excursions mountain biking cross country center in Parsonsfield on April 25th at 1:30PM.

That's when Bill Green will be there to film Cliff Krolick's terrific mountain biking operation for his Bill Green's Maine television program.

Interested riders can just show up and be part of the fun and just maybe get themselves a little face time on the tube as well as get a chance to ride the fun trails at Backcountry.

Cliff has been running his mountain biking center since 1991 (his is the first and longest running mountain bike touring operation in the eastern U.S.). There's 18 miles of trails, much of it singletrack, plus a technical terrain park for those warped (albeit talented and daring) few. Cliff also puts on a variety of tours and events throughout the spring summer and fall.

So mark your calendar, get your gear together and tune up your mountain bike. And join Cliff and Bill Green for some great trail riding later next month.

Yep, this is it.

Trail Head blog entry #500.

It's been an awfully fun and interesting run in a relatively short period of time. And I'm incredibly thankful for this most wonderful opportunity to blog about that which is most dear to my heart: the Maine outdoors.

Many thanks to my great friends at MaineToday.com for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime chance, and for encouraging and supporting me along the way. You all rock!

Thanks to all of you, my Trail Head reader friends, some of whom I know, but most I don't. You're all good friends in my eyes. Many, many thanks for reading. Thanks for your thoughtful comments and opinions and snippets and wisecracks.

That's just what this cyber-spot is all about: a place to exchange news and commentary and opinions and advice about something we love so much--our outdoors.

Here we've run the gamut from hiking and canoeing in Baxter State Park to backpacking the Grafton Loop Trail, from mountain biking around the Portland area to crashing down the rapids of the Kennebec River in a raft. Day hikes all over the place, ski trips to Sugarloaf and Sunday River. And a hundred other outdoor adventures around Maine and sometimes beyond.

We've kicked around the tough and controversial issues of Plum Creek and Moosehead Lake, wind power near the Appalachian Trail, Katahdin Lake, and even a canoe and kayak tax. Issues of importance to us will continue to make news as development pressures increase on Maine's woods and waters.

And we've learned that, yes, you really can get your car caught in an avalanche, drink the case of beer that you had stashed in the back seat, and pee your way to safety. As well as determining that Bleacher's in Portland might well be the center of the universe for many outdoor enthusiasts seeking critical post-activity sustenance. Or is it Bray's? And, of course, there was the infamous pooper-peeker.

In any case, this has been a whale of a good time for me. And I hope for you, too. Again, my thanks to you all. I hope you'll continue following along for the next 500 Trail Head blog adventures, and continue to add your two cents and then some.

See you along the cyber-trail...

The Trail Head says, "Be happy, go outdoors, have fun. Play now, work later."

Brrrrr!

If you were at the Banff Mountain Film Festival at the State Theater last night you know what I mean.

It was just as Colleen said: No heat.

The upside, of course, was that your beer stayed cold right down to the last
slug.

So between that and the nine great adventure films, it was an excellent time.

A modicum of heat would've been good at last night's Banff show.

Yes, it's Valentine's Day today.

But it's the Banff Mountain Film Festival tonight!

Show 'em your love by taking them out for a wild and romantic evening at the State Theater in Portland.

Nine hot adventure films are featured that will no doubt thrill you and leave you and your SO aching to cut out from the day-to-day routine and follow your adventurous dreams.

Life is short. Go tonight. Then go!

Tix are available from Eastern Mountain Sports and Nomads (formerly MMW) in Portland. You can also get them for a couple of bucks more at the door.

Here's a a few shots of what you'll see in tonight's films (Courtesy of the Banff Centre)...

See you at the show!

...You'd take me to the Banff Mountain Film Festival on Tuesday, February 14th. Which also happens to be, um, er, ah, Valentines Day.

Yes, that's right my outdoorsy sweethearts, it's a dilemma moment.

How you gonna handle it?

Hmmm.

A romantic dinner on the town with your spouse, SO, or whatever.

Or, three hours of wild-eyed adventure films.

What will you do?

Do both.

Promise her (or him) an early dinner out somewhere in town. Leave work early if you must. And beat the crowds and hassles of a later Valentines reservation.

Leave plenty of time. Remember the card and flowers. Relax. Have a bottle of wine. A nice meal. Engaging conversation.

Then change out of the nice dinner duds, throw on your jeans and hiking boots (that you've strategically stashed in the car) and bolt on over to the State Theatre for the 7 o'clock Banff show.

Get your free goodies on the way in, enter the raffles for cool prizes, buy yourselves a couple of drafts, and settle in (and strap yourself in) for the next few hours of outdoor film madness.

And oh, be sure to tell her (or him) repeatedly throughout the show that you love them. And thank them for their flexibility and understanding. It's a quality you love about them anyway.

Back to the Banff show.

Nine films are on tap ranging from paragliding over the Grand Canyon to a mad kayak descent down through the Sierra Nevadas to skiing fun with Nepali children to crack climbing at Indian Creek, Utah.

Surely enough to satisfy the adventurer in all of us (and hopefully keep your Valentines date happy!).

Tix are $12 in advance ($15 at the door) and available from Eastern Mountain Sports and Nomads (formerly MMW) in Portland.

See you there (after a nice dinner, of course!)...

Many thanks to my friend Tom Widing at Chestnut Mountain Productions for contiuing to bring this great show to Portland.

And now for a few moments of shameless self-promotion...

Not doing anything tomorrow night, Thursday January 5th?

Good.

C'mon over to the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth for this month's Traveler's Club program from 7-8:30 PM.

Yours truly will be showing images of my September '05 15 day, 188-mile hike through the scenic border country of Wales and England along Offa's Dyke Path.

Traveler's Club programs are free and open to the public. And it's always a whole lotta fun with a well-traveled crowd of friendly folks.

Please join us!

The Offa's Dyke Path: 188 miles from the River Severn in the south of Wales to the Irish Sea on the north coast.

Descending into the hamlet of Redbrook on banks of the River Wye.

Curious friends along the path.

Day after day of solitary walking with wide open views.

Much of the Welsh countryside was like walking through the Lord of the Rings.

Happening upon a mid-afternoon beer festival was, of course, a pleasant and thirst-quenching surprise.

Heather and sheep high on Hatterall Ridge, a brilliant 17-mile mountain traverse.

The Black Lion in Hay-on-Wye, one of many cozy pubs along the route.

Pleasant walking under perfect blue skies and warm temperatures.

Morning in the bustling village of Kington.

One of more than 700 stiles I had to climb over en route.

Passing majestic Chirk Castle on the way to Oswestry.

A long boat navigating the Llangollen Canal.

A cold can of refreshment tossed to me from a "trail angel" on a passing long boat.

An evening walk along the Llangollen Canal.

My daily breakfast fare: fried egg, fried sausage, rasher of bacon, fried tomato, fried mushrooms, black pudding (blood sausage), toast, coffee, juice. An artery-bursting affair for certain!

High on the Panorama Walk on the way to World's End.

Enjoying the camaraderie of fellow walkers in a pub in tiny Llandegla.

Magnificent walking in the high moorlands of the Clwydian Hills.

More fine, lonely walking...

Descending a misty track toward Prestatyn.

End of the trail: the Irish Sea at Prestatyn, North Wales.

It's official!

If the rain continues on, or if you're not up to hitting the slopes this long holiday weekend because you feel like a complete slug, you can always shop. And save.

Todd and Kelly are having a "20% off everything in the store" sale at Maine Mountain Works on Commercial Street in Portland all this weekend (Friday thru Sunday).

And don't forget about the big Downeast Ski Club Ski Sale at the Portland Expo on Saturday from 8 to 5.

Hey, even if you don't actually use your gear, isn't it fun to buy it???

There's a number of outdoor-indoor goings-on that are in my stack of stuff that I want to get out to you all (and off my desk!). So here goes...

* November 18: Join in the festivities for the Grand Opening of the new Portland Connector road and trail. Participants will have a chance to hike or bike the new trail section. The fun starts at 9:45am. Contact Portland Trails at 774-2511 for more info.

* November 18: Get stoked for the upcoming ski season with Warren Miller's Higher Ground at the Merrill Auditorium. Show starts at 8pm. Tix are $24.50.

* November 26: The Downeast Ski Sale at the Expo in Portland. 8-5. Skis, skis and more skis...

* November 29: If you're into maps you'll want to visit the Osher Map Library on the University of Southern Maine campus in Portland for a panel discussion on the new book entitled Creating Portland: History and Place in Northern New England, as well as the ongoing exhibit The Changing Peninsula: Two Centuries of Portland Maps and City Views. The book signing and reception is from 6-6:30pm. The panel discussion is from 7-7:30pm.

* December 1: A fun benefit at Beale Street Barbeque, 300 Water St., Augusta to support the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. There'll be giveaways, a silent auction, lots of good food, and other fun stuff going on. Plus a pre-party bike ride. Contact BCM at 623-4511.

* December 2: Tag along for some heady rock climbing on El Capitan and the Lost Arrow in Yosemite and the Tombstone in Moab. Should be some wild footage! Show starts at 7:30pm at the Patagonia store, 9 Bow St., Freeport.

Maps.

All of us who venture into the outdoors use them.

Hikers use them to find their way along the trail. Bikers use them to figure out confusing networks of singletrack. Skiers use them to find their way down the mountain. Kayakers and boaters use them to navigate coastal and inland waters (although maps are known to coastal mariners as charts).

Maps and the ability to read them, as well as the proper use of a compass, are essential skills that every outdoors traveler should know.

But maps are also just plain fun. They contain so much interesting and intriguing information that some of us, like me, can spend hours and hours pouring over maps, tracing trails and waterways and mountaintops, as wild thoughts of adventure run through our heads, and be perfectly content.

So if you're a map lover, you should consider a visit to the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education at the University of Southern Maine Glickman Library in Portland.

Inside you'll find more maps than you can shake a stick at, and will easily be able to while away hours pouring through the extensive collection.

Of particular note: Opening this evening is a special exhibition on old maps of the Portland Peninsula: The Changing Peninsula, Two Centuries of Portland Maps and City Views.

The exhibit opens with a reception from 6-6:30 PM. A lecture on Picturing Place: Portland and the Visual Arts will follow.

Arlene Blum is a name I hadn't heard of in quite a few years. Until I picked up a copy of The Mountain Ear last weekend while cruising through North Conway NH.

I remember Blum, an accomplished female mountaineer when there were very few of the kind, for her all-women expedition to Annapurna in 1978, which she organized and led. Two members of the expedition and two Sherpas made it to the summit of the 8,000 meter peak, but two other climbers in her party were killed just days later. An amazing feat tempered with tragedy.

Blum was also the first to lead an all-women expedition to the summit of Alaska's Denali in 1970.

Blum is the author of two books: Annapurna: A Woman's Place, and her newest, Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life.

Arlene Blum will be appearing at the Mount Washington Oberservatory Discovery Center on Main St. in North Conway tomorrow, October 16th, from 2-4 PM.

This will no doubt be an interesting and inspiring program and one not to miss. So don't let the weekend rain get you down, hop in the car and head on up to North Conway.

Sorry about the late notice, but today is the first day of the annual ALDHA Gathering at Hanover, NH.

ALDHA, the Appalachian Trail Long Distance Hikers Association, a vibrant organization of very enthusiaistic and experienced hikers and outdoor lovers, gets together every year at this time to meet and talk trail talk, put on some great slide programs on, what else, long trails to hike, and hold a variety of useful and interesting workshops; like hiking the AT, the Pacific Crest Trail, long distance bicycling, hiking the new Sea to Sea Route across the US and much more.

And seeing as how the daily schedule of events runs right up until 1AM each day, I suspect there may be a few extracurricular activities going on amongst this fun-loving bunch.

Now, you don't need to be a certified long distance hiker to attend. But if you are interested in hiking, especially big hikes, then you're very likely to get jazzed up and learn an awful lot from this group.

The ALDHA Gathering runs from noon today through Sunday evening, so there's plenty of time to get over to Hanover and dive head first into the mix.

Onward...

If you'd like to trek to some far off places in the U.S. and abroad without the usual time and expense (and effort) involved, well then, next week is your week.

On Tuesday, October 4 you can travel to East Africa with native Tanzanian Augustine Minja.

Wednesday night, October 5th, attend the Portland MOAC meeting and go sea kayaking on the rapidly disappearing Lake Powell in Utah.

And Thursday evening, October 6th adventure off to the Indian Ocean and the island nation of Mauritius.

Don't be sitting around drinking beer and eating chips now... get out!

The MaineShare Hike & Bike Fundraiser is being held this Sunday, September 18th at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal.

Participants can take part in a 2 or 5 mile hike, ride their road bikes anywhere from 15 to 62 miles, or mountain bike through the park's awesome trail system.

The money raised helps to support 36 statewide non-profit organizations with missions ranging from the environment, social justice and peace, and economic and human development to health and human services, and cultural diversity and the arts.

Good stuff.

Hikers and bikers are asked to raise a minimum of $60, but additional sponsorship is encouraged and very welcome. That's doable.

Contact MaineShare for registration and pledge information on this fun day for many good causes.

If you enjoyed the Banff Mountain Film Festival last winter, you'll surely enjoy the Telluride Mountain Film Festival coming to Portland's State Theater next Saturday night, September 24th. (I'm telling you now 'cause I'm gonna be away...).

The exciting menu of 11 films, which range from 3 to 26 minutes in length, will include everything from sled dog mushing in Alaska, protecting an ecosystem in Colorado and extreme rock and ice climbing to the early days of alpine skiing, whitewater kayaking and the lives of reindeer herders in Mongolia.

It's certain to be a fun and entertaining evening for any and all outdoors lovers.

Get your tix in advance so you don't miss out!

If you're a fanatical lover of the black and white outdoor photography of Ansel Adams like I am, then you'll probably be very interested in the current exhibit at the University of Maine Museum of Art.

Ansel Adams: Celebration of Genius is showing there from July 15th through October 8th.

The museum, located in downtown Bangor, is only open until 5PM, so I'm probably going to have to scoot out early to get up there in time to check out the exhibit. But it'll be soooooo worth it.

Yosemite, Alaska, the Tetons, the Grand Canyon... nobody ever captured it on film like Ansel Adams.

Can't wait to see his photos again. You gotta go!

Maine mountain bikers will have a great opportunity to learn all about trail building this weekend at the International Mountain Bicycling Association Trailbuilding School in Rangeley.

IMBA will be training local volunteers like you and me as well as land managers on how to construct sustainable singletrack trails for riding. The two-day school will include a classroom session followed by a field skills workshop.

Participants will have a chance to do some "digging in the dirt" and help build real trail at the Rangeley Region Trails Center. And get to do some great riding too!

For more details on registration, directions, what to bring and where to stay, contact: John Field at Seasonal Cycles in Rangeley at jfield@megalink.net or 864-2100.

The good folks at the Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society, a statewide group of canoe and kayak enthusiasts, is holding its 3rd Annual Taylor Pelotte Surfathon this Saturday on the Dead River to benefit the Maine Children's Cancer Program.

In the last two years the Surfathon has raised more than $32,000 for Maine charities that help out children with life-threatening diseases, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Camp Sunshine.

So come paddle along with the PPCS for a very good cause, and have some good fun too!

Contact the PPCS for more Surfathon information and pledge materials.

You are?

Then you'll probably want to get in on the Maine Mountain Bike Association's 16th Annual Maine Sport RunOff Mountain Bike Race this Sunday at Camden Snow Bowl.

According to MMBA, the race is "Maine's oldest mountain bike race consisting of a classic four-mile race loop. The course is a challenging mix of Maine terrain that includes rolling bluff single-track, a few mud pits, meandering old logging roads, breathtaking ski trail climbs, greasy descents, and rocky rooty goat path."

Hey, anything that says mud, breathtaking, greasy, rocky and rooty just has to be fun!

You in?

Demetri "Coup" Coupounas, the founder of GoLITE, is going to be in Portland next Monday evening at Maine Mountain Works to give a slide show and seminar on lightweight hiking.

Coup has hiked the John Muir Trail in California, Vermont's Long Trail and the Colorado Trail--all without resupply! Having hiked the John Muir and Long Trail myself (with multiple resupply stops), I can attest that that's quite a feat. It just goes to show what hikers can do when they pack really light and are thus able to cover more ground each day, and do it comfortably.

This will be a great show so don't miss out. The fun starts at 7PM, but you'd better get there early to get a seat.

Thanks for the tip Todd!

For all you mountain bike enthusiasts, here's some fun ride info from my friend Pete at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine:

"Well, it must be summer because the BCM Tour de Trails off-road bike riding series starts tomorrow on Mt. Desert Island! We're planning to meet at the Acadia National Park Visitors Center in Hulls Cove (just off Route 3 a few miles north of Bar Harbor) at 10:00 AM. There will be two rides of 6 and 15 mile to choose from, and if anyone wants to stick around for more riding and/or a hike in the afternoon, that would be great!"

So get on up to Acadia before the summer visitor crunch and get some beautiful riding in with the good folks at BCM.

If you're not up for a National Trails Day event tomorrow, maybe you can try one of these:

I just stopped into Eastern Mountain Sports on my lunch hour and learned that they're having a Kayak Demo Day at Ferry Beach in Scarborough from 8-2. Test drive a few boats and get tips from their staff of kayaking experts.

Or you can enter the Bradbury Mountain Challenge, a 12-mile mountain bike race for all ages on the great trails of Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal. Races start at 9:30 AM.

It's gonna be nice this weekend, so if you're bored, better check your pulse!

A couple of things to scribble onto your outdoor calendar before we launch into this awesome weekend and forget stuff...

On Monday night, June 6th there's going to be a benefit party for the Bicycle Coaition of Maine at O'Naturals on Exchange St. in Portland from 5-9 PM. Lots of food and fun to be had, all for a great cause.

Wednesday, June 8th is Land Bond Lobby Day at the State House in Augusta starting at 8:30 AM. Lots of bodies are needed to show support for the Maine Land Bond, which, if passed, will provide critically needed funding for more land conservation projects throughout the state.

OK now, let's get on with the weekend!

It may have verged on sacrilege to spend last evening--the first really nice one we've had in ages--indoors, but I did.

And it was worth it.

I spent a entertaining hour and a half at the Audubon Center in Falmouth at a slide program on trekking in the Tyrolean Alps in Austria and the Dolomites in Italy.

Speaker Richard Scala of Brunswick showed us some wonderful photos and related many a fun and interesting tale of his two weeks of hiking and touring there several years ago. Rugged mountains, glaciers, lush green valleys, wildly steep and exposed trails (some with iron ladders and cables that tunnel through the rock), ancient villages and towns. It was spectacular.

I've hiked and done the hut-to-hut thing in Europe a number of times, but haven't been to either place. They've sure been on my radar screen, though. And last night's show only added to my urgency to get there and check it out for myself.

If you haven't experienced hut hiking in Europe yet, well, you just have to. The trails and the scenery are magnificent, the people--the locals and fellow trekkers--are friendly and helpful, the huts are cozy and warm, and the food (and beer and wine) is delightful. You can do and see a lot in a two week period, so it's a perfect knapsacker's vacation.

Just think of the movies "Sound of Music" or "Heidi" and you'll get a real good picture in your mind's eye of this area of the Alps. It's that idyllic.

Where is my travel agent anyway?!

Damn there's a lot cool outdoors stuff going on. I don't wanna hear any complaints from you about having nothing to do!

This weekend for you biker-types there's trail work at Bradbury Mountain State Park on Saturday, and a Bike Swap and Sell on Sunday in Portland.

From my friend Jeff at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, the details:

This Saturday (5/21) we are looking for several volunteers to help do Trail Work at Bradbury Mountain State Park for the BCM / Maine NEMBA Trail Day. Meet at the park at 8am. Give BCM Board Member Fred Robie a shout at 865-6978 for further info.

This coming Sunday May 22nd is the Bike Swap and Sell from 10am -2pm at the Deering High School Gym at 137 Stevens Avenue in Portland. Part of the proceeds of this sale go to benefit the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. The public is invited to drop off bikes that they wish to sell at the Deering High Gym from 9:00am-10:00am, and if they sell during the day, a check will be issued minus 15% commission at 2:00pm that day. Unsold bikes must be picked up at 2:00pm or they will be donated to charity. For more information please call Bath Cycle and Ski at 1-800-BIKEMAN.

All good stuff! Get on out there...

Sorry about the late notice, but...

The Maine Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club is holding a Beginning Backpacking Workshop tonight in Falmouth from 6:30 to 10 PM. The workshop is free and open to both AMC members and non-members.

So if you're a novice backpacker or a backpacker-wannabe, then this is a great opportunity to learn a thing or two from some very experienced hikers.

Here's the scoop from the Maine AMC folks:

Thurs., May 19. Introduction to Backpacking Workshop: Learn what you need for safe overnight travel on the trails: tents, backpacks, food, stove, water purification, clothes, and a variety of outdoor hints. This workshop is designed for beginner or experienced hikers who want to be able to spend overnights on the trail. Follow-up with weekend trip see June 11-12. Community Center Room, Norway Savings Bank, Rt 1 Falmouth. 6:30 - 10PM. Info/directions/pre-registration, contact JoAnne Diller at 647-2117.

Have fun!

National Trails Day will be held again this year on Saturday, June 4th. It's just a little over a month away, but I wanted to make sure you saved the date.

NTD is a great way to give a little something back to the trail community, so I'm hoping that many of you will plan on getting involved in one of the many activities that are scheduled to take place around Maine on that day.

So mark your calendars. More info to come...

The American Lung Association's Trek Across Maine, to be held June 17-19, is still short 500 of the 2,200 total bikers they were hoping to have participate in order to meet their fundraising goal of $1.2 million.

If you are interested in riding in this great event or making a pledge, please do so soon.

Just a reminder for all you on and off road biking fanatics...

Melissa Kim, biking guru and author of the new guidebook New England Biking: 100 of the Best Road and Trail Rides will be speaking and signing books tonight at 7PM at Nonesuch Books and Cards at Mill Creek Shopping Center in South Portland.

It was quite a project, doing the rides themselves and writing the book, and I know she'll have lots of good stories to tell.

See you there...

Just a head's up to all you enthusiastic Portland Trails supporters...

Next Friday evening, April 29th, Portland Trails will be holding its annual Happy Trails fundraising bash.

The evening will feature a slient auction, a wild wilderness raffle drawing, dancing to the music of the Jerks of Grass, food and a cash bar.

Portland Trails members and non-members alike are invited.

So come on along, enjoy a fun evening and support a very good cause.

You remember Garrett and Alexandra Conover's four-week, 200-mile snowshoe and toboggan trek from Moosehead to Allagash this winter, don't you? They are truly amazing people and this was an incredible trip.

So you may just want to cancel whatever plans you had for this evening and come hear their presentation on their "Winter Walk for the Wilds 2005". The Maine Historical Society is hosting the Conover program which begins at 7PM. It's free and open to the public and will be oh so worth it.

I'll save you a seat...

And you skiers, well, you know what that means...

REGGAE-FEST at Sugarloaf!

Spring skiing, sunshine, music, friends, a little fun, maybe a beer, you know the drill.

But before I go and launch headlong into the all the fun, I'm going to act a bit more serious (I know, I know) and stop in at the Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) annual meeting in Farmington Saturday morning on the drive up.

If you are in any way interested in the Appalachian Trail in Maine, then this is a good place to be. You don't need to be an MATC member to attend.

It's an all day affair from 8AM to 4PM and features a schedule chock full of club business, discussion forums and trail workshops. Lunch too. And it's a great way to meet a host of like-minded A.T. lovers.

I suspect the meeting's going to leave me mighty parched though. Hope the beer tent is still open when I get to the mountain...

FYI...

Take a load off tonight and go see the Polar Bears of Hudson Bay with naturalist and photographer Bob Bittenbender, a special program offered by Maine Audubon, 7:00 PM @ Gilsland Farm in Falmouth.

Or get a little more crazy and and check out the 3rd Annual Kayak Safety Seminar offered by the Cape Elizabeth Water Extrication Team. It's this Saturday afternoon @ 5:30 PM at the Cape Elizabeth Fire Station. And it's free. There'll be safety gear and demonstrations going on, with a Coast Guard recreational boating specialist and professional kayak instructors and guides on hand. Good stuff. Call Julie @ 741-5135 for more info.

Don't be sitting around now! Go do something.

It's been a heckuva winter, hasn't it? Lots of snow. Good snow. And it doesn't appear there'll be a let up any time soon. For us ski and snowshoe types, that's just fine. But some of you are probably itching to get it over with, to do something else that doesn't involve snow. I can't understand that, of course, but...

Here's a few things going on in the next week or so that'll make for a good distraction for those of you needing one:

* Traveler's Club: Thursday, March 3rd, 7PM @ Maine Audubon, Falmouth. Journey to the island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean with Harold Nilsson, do some research on the continental drift, and end up drinking cognac and eating albatross with the local islanders.

* David Ngure, East Africa naturalist guide. Monday, March 7th, 7PM @ Maine Audubon, Falmouth. Journey to Africa with David and experience its unique landscapes, animals and people.

* Seacoast Sailing Expo. Friday, March 11th, 6:30PM @ Red Hook Brewery, Pease Tradeport, Portsmouth NH. Explore opportunities for getting out on the water this summer with the folks from the Piscataqua Sailing Association.

Thanks to the many readers who keep me posted on this stuff. Keep it coming. And have fun! The snow can't last forever (or maybe it can...).

...Africa! But only if you check out this evening's program at the Traveler's Club at Maine Audubon in Falmouth.

Get a taste of the scenery, wildlife and culture of Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia with my long time friends and intrepid travelers Josh Royte and Leigh Baker.

Nothing like a little armchair traveling to a warm spot on the globe in the cold of February!

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is returning to Portland again this year on Tuesday evening, February 15th at the State Theater. Tickets are already on sale, so get yours soon. You don' t want to miss out!

A trip to the Banff is a mandatory indoor outing for all adventurers. There's always an exciting and entertaining menu of high quality films that will take you on heart-pounding adventures to the far corners of the globe. It looks like this year we'll be skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, trekking, kayaking and mountain biking in places like Alaska, Canada, Colorado, Australia and Russia. Yes!

So get your tickets, grab a beer at the concession, sit down and strap yourself in for a wild ride through eight incredible films. And maybe you'll even win one of the many great raffle prizes.

I'm so excited about Banff that I volunteered to do the "roadie" thing this year, helping to unload the equipment off truck before the show. Just like a good ski bum... anything for a free pass! Thanks Tom.

The 20th Anniversary Ski-A-Thon for Maine Handicapped Skiing may be a little more than three months away (March 19, 2005), but the time to start thinking about putting a team together to participate is right now.

The MHS Ski-A-Thon helps raise money to provide adaptive recreation lessons in both winter and summer sports for people with physical disabilities. It's a wonderful program with wonderful people making it work!

I've participated on an MHS ski team for the past four years, and it's always been a lot of fun. Teams of up to 5 people can take part by raising at least $600 together. Easy! You'll likely find yourselves raising considerably more. then on the day of the Ski-A-Thon, you'll get to ski for free; get breakfast, lunch, and dinner; a cool t-shirt; a goodie bag, incentives, and great prizes. Plus you'll get to meet hundreds of other skiers who just love MHS.

Team registration is going on right now. In fact, if you register your team by 12/31/04, you'll get a special Team Captain gift! So, gather up your family, friends, co-workers...put a team together and help make a difference for MHS!

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'...

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."

Is it actually possible to start the ski season without taking in a heart-pounding Warren Miller ski film? I don't think so!

Miller's latest film--Impact--is another classic. I watched the trailer and now I can't wait for more. It's got skiing and riding's hottest stars tackling impossibly steep slopes of beautiful, untouched powder in exotic locations around the globe, all set to adrenalin-pumping music. It'll leave you screaming for the white stuff!

Impact is coming to Portland to the Merrill Auditorium on Sunday, November 7th. Don't miss it!