The Outdoor Date
One of my single friends, bored by the movie/dinner/drinks hustle, wondered how dating and the great outdoors might go together. Based on some observations and experiences from when I was both dating and married, ideas came easy. So here are just a few outdoorsy thoughts for a date or if you are single and looking to mingle!
Climbing Gym
People who go to climbing gyms also tend to get out on real rocks too. Alternately, it’s great for people who want to try rock climbing without as many risks. And there is something pretty sexy about showing off your muscular prowess to a suitor. Coupled with lunch, it’s an excellent daytime date!
Picnic
I know this seems SO obvious, but people don't go as often as they should. If you’re not the cooking type, just head to a local deli, grab sandwiches, sides, drinks; bring along a blanket for sitting -- there is just nothing like enjoying a meal with someone you care about outdoors in beautiful surroundings. Alternately, you can go solo and savor some quiet time alone. Don't forget to take your trash with you!
Walk or Hike
I suggest heading to a local public garden. The Botanic Garden in Berkeley’s Tilden Park is an outdoor museum that represents California’s diverse landscape. Temperatures can be very cool to very warm as you move along the trails and changing foliage. And there are also a few scenic places to stop and enjoy a bite to eat.
Bike Ride
Even if you don’t own a bike, rentals are a cool option available at local bike stores or companies like this one in San Francisco. If possible, pick a flat paved trail off the road for a leisurely ride and easy conversation. Helmets required!
I’d love to revisit this topic in the future with other suggestions, so please leave a comment to share your outdoor adventures spent with (or looking for) a loved one!
How did an Oakland girl like me come to love getting her camp on anyway? Pt. 2
Part 1
So every other weekend, until I became a teen, was spent in the country. And while I now see the value of my time there, I distinctly recall lots of boredom in an era that pre-dated ubiquitous cable TV, video, and phone technology. But boredom was what actually propelled me and my playmates to invent games, songs, and dances against the backdrop of the country during the day. Nights were often spent around a large fireplace with family members; swapping tales, playing board games, or a producing "talent shows" for the adult's amusement.
Back in Oakland, I received a more formal outdoor education with the Girl Scouts and loved our frequent retreats to the many local parks and youth camps. However, as a too-cute-for-the-woods teen, I abandoned my commitment to outdoor activities and did not reconnect with the natural world until I was a young adult living in San Francisco.
In the City, parking limitations and aggressive ticketing practices made owning a car impractical. So bicycling became my primary form of transportation and at the same time my outdoorsy room mates introduced me to extended bike treks to camp or to hike along the coast. I even tried out mountaineering for the first time with Outward Bound (see title photo), where I learned the fundamentals of mountain climbing and the life lesson to “trust my feet”.
Part 3
How did an Oakland girl like me come to love getting her camp on anyway?
Well, let’s start at the beginning… my adoptive parents were older Texas and Louisiana natives who migrated west for work and relief from Jim Crow during the 1940’s. While they thrived in Oakland, they chose to stay connected to their land-loving southern roots and life based on the philosophy of “mother wit”. So they built a rural retreat for the family in an undeveloped part of Lower Lake, just south of Clear Lake and 100 miles north of Oakland.
Our place at “The Lake” sat on six acres of land, which anchored a modest family home, and intermittently farmed horses, cows, goats, pigs, and chickens. My folks also kept a large garden plot equal to the square footage of the living space, producing "organic" vegetables year-round. On the remaining acreage, dozens of orderly English walnut trees grew that generated a modest revenue, but in the summer heat, many other trees and vines strained heavily with ripe peaches, plums, and grapes.
Part 2
Wanted: African-American Campers
A Seattle Times article from 2005 explores why blacks are not camping in this Pacific Northwest region with 250, 000 acres of parkland.
"One former ranger, who worked at Deception Pass and other state parks that each hosted up to 400,000 visitors a year, reported seeing fewer than 50 blacks over a 10-year period"
National Parks: Hidden Historical Treasures
I wish I could tell some folks to simply throw on some hiking boots and GO, but there are historical and social influences that keep many African Americans estranged from the natural environment. So why is it that African Americans consider the outdoors for others and not for themselves?
I came across this National Parks site that does a decent job of describing the different relationship people of color have with the natural world. While African Americans may appreciate the majesty of the Grand Canyon, or the sublime beauty of Yosemite, it is a challenge to view these spaces as our own and make them a priority to visit.
Another page of the site tackles this issue head on and lists a number of preserved sites that are designated because of people of color. One site local to the Bay Area is The San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park that memorializes the heroic, late 19th Century African American seaman William T. Shorey, (pictured above) who eventually lived out his days in Oakland.
Carolyn Finney: Bringing blacks into the Environmental Conversation
I saw this article over a year ago on the Berkeley website and just remembered it as an appropriate share for this blog.
Like myself, Berkeley geographer Carol Finney took the non-traditional path to an undergraduate education and was deeply influenced by both her parent's relationship to land and her own extensive travel.
Finney believes that contemporary environmental values are not new for African Americans, who have had long agricultural and familial ties to land in this country. She believes that America's environmental stories, such as those told by John Muir and others, "edit out" the African American experience, and the current environmental movement continues a tradition of leaving African Americans out of the conversation.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Antionette Cooks sent me the following note and picture:
"...pictures were taken in Elk Grove, Ca from my balcony over looking Laguna creek. The rainbow stretched above the creek.
Rue the creek is wonderful... I will take other pictures and send you the trees in bloom on a sunny day... maybe I can even catch the beavers ..."
Here is fine example of nature appreciation right in your own backyard. Thanks Antionette!
Local Redwood Forests
Cooling off and calming down with the family (or your honey) could not be easier this summer than taking a stroll in a shady, local Redwood grove, where temperatures can dip 10-15 degrees lower than their nearby urban centers. Our local Redwood beauties have been around for hundreds of years and are now protected to ensure their survival and service to the local ecology. Their austere presence is found amazingly close and accessible from the craze of metropolitan life.
In the valley just beyond the Oakland Hills is Redwood Park, which is a part of the East Bay Regional Parks District. Trails are paved and mostly flat for walking or casual bike riding. There is also a fantastic play structure as well as reservable spots for parties.
Across the bay in Marin County is the stunning Muir Woods, which is a designated monument of the National Parks Service and named after conservationalist John Muir. Here, you'll likely run into people from all over the world who come to take in the breathtaking diversity of local fauna. Look for the "Cathedral", a tight cluster of trees noted for inspiring people to lower their voices as though they were in church!
What to bring: money for parking, some food/snacks, water, and comfortable shoes with good traction
Feather River Camping
Some people feel that the hard work of camping doesn’t translate into a real vacation, especially if you have young children. I want to point families to Oakland’s Feather River Family Camp, which has been around for about 80 years. The camp is situated in the Plumas National Forest located 5 hours away by car, north of the bay, and outside the darling town of Quincy.
Yes, tarp sleeping and outdoor food preparation can be tough, especially for parents. And while I want people to get outdoors, they need not be martyrs for it. Feather River Family Camp does all the hard work for you. There are platform tents with cots (so no pitching!), or cabins with electricity, and a dining room that produces hot, delicious, all-you-can eat food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Each morning, small children can go to the “Tot-Lot” for childcare until lunch while older kids can do hikes or crafts.
There are theme weeks throughout the summer season and this year, they have added an African Dance theme week with dance instruction each day and night. In addition, there are regularly scheduled outings off site, or you can stay and cool off in the swimming hole. What I like most are the relationships my family developeds with other families as we all return year after year. We have already signed up for Folk Dance Week and will overlap with the African Dance week for a couple days. Registration is per day and is less expensive for more then 5 days or Oakland residents. Overall, it’s a terrific value and a lot of fun. Hope to see you this summer!
Bicycling in the Bay Area
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where the weather is a reliable average of 65 degrees year-round and there are trails and paths with sweeping views just minutes away from wherever you live.If you are thinking about riding a real bike in the Bay Area, instead of a stationary bike at the gym, try riding with the Oakland Yellow Jackets. Their first ride of the season is this Saturday! The first ride is traditionally a completely flat 10-mile ride that starts at Lake Merritt, goes to Alameda then heads back to The Lake where a potluck awaits! You can also join the club for only $30 for the year for guided rides that are planned at least once per week.
I love the Yellow Jackets because you don't need an expensive bike and fancy gear to ride with them. They also organize group rides based on ability and stamina, so you can ride an easy flat ride if you're a beginner or take on a more challenging ride if you're a stud.
Check them out!