Out-Doors
2009 in Review

by Elizabeth Bassett

A scroll back through the 2009 archives of columns at thecharlottenews.org uncovered a January review of footgear for slippery winter outings. Consider it less expensive than a serious fall. Clamber up Mt. Philo or carry out the recycling when it’s icy. A great investment in your safety and freedom to enjoy the outdoors in less than ideal conditions.
February Out-Doors looked at the hows and wheres of safe ice skating. Now we just need some cold weather…
In March we asked local bikophiles (I just made that up) how warm it needs to be for them to cycle on a spring day. Turns out that sun and wind play as big a role as temperature in early spring riding. We also investigated classes for bicycle safety as well as tuning and repair.
From April, in his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, child advocacy expert Richard Louv connects the rise in obesity, attention-deficit disorder and depression to a lack of nature and the outdoors in young lives. A cohort of children is coming of age with little experience in nature. If you remember chasing tadpoles, whittling swords, searching for jack-in-the-pulpits, and, yes, getting poison ivy, make sure to share that joy with a child in the coming year.
May walk locales could also serve as late fall and early winter ideas: logging roads in Cotton Brook (Moscow), Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, Stowe Recreation Trail, Alburg Recreation Trail, Causeway Park in Colchester and the Six Easy Walks of the Winooski Valley Park District.
Colchester Pond is one of the Six Easy Walks, located in the far northeastern reaches of town. Recently the trail has been extended around the pond. The 2.5-mile walk crosses fields and meadows and climbs into wooded ridges that are home to bobcat. Maps for this and other Winooski Valley Park District walks at wvpd.org.
In June we pedaled the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, mvrailtrail.com. The 26-mile former rail bed stretches through expansive farm country from St. Albans to Richford on the Canadian border. Locomotives can’t climb steep hills, so it’s a relatively flat route that crosses the Missisquoi River several times. Jay Peak peeks in and out of the vista for much of the outbound ride.
To the delight of many, this writer got lost on Buck Mountain in July. Never have I received so much feedback. “You really got lost?” readers asked. You betcha! Humbling, edifying, and a reminder I should not have needed to always respect the outdoors and its vagaries. Have fun, but be smart.
In August we looked ahead to September, and on September 10, 2007, spotters on the summit of Mt. Philo counted 3,500 migrating hawks! ‘Tis the season for fall migrations visible from Mt. Philo and Snake Mountain. The Hawk Migration Association of North America, at hmana.org, publishes a free hawk silhouette ID chart that you can download for personal use.
September featured two modes of movement: kayaking on pristine Green River Reservoir in Hyde Park and a bike outing from the ferry to Dogwood Bread Company in Wadhams, New York. Pedal a moderate uphill for 12 scenic miles, enjoy sandwiches and goodies baked in a wood-fired oven, and then coast (more or less) downhill to the ferry.
In October Out-Doors highlighted the impact of nature and humans on nearly half of 42 walks in the revised edition of Nature Walks in Northwest Vermont and the Champlain Valley. A fine example of nature’s healing: robust wildflowers on Mt. Philo and Pease Mountain that resulted from extensive tree damage during the 1998 Ice Storm.
In November Out-Doors suggested gift ideas, many from local sources. Since then I’ve learned, from the Flying Pig’s newsletter, of the 350 project: the350project.net.
Fancy this: “For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays local. Spend it online and nothing comes home.”
So, shop locally, preferably in stores owned by your fellow Vermonters.
The Old Brick Store has about a dozen books by local authors, most of them Charlotters. Many are signed by the authors. If you buy a book and it’s not signed, call up the author. I bet he or she will oblige.

It’s not too late to invest in Raven Ridge. The Vermont Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy face a year-end deadline to preserve the magnificent 365-acre expanse that straddles Charlotte, Hinesburg and Monkton. Consider honoring someone who loves the outdoors with a gift: The Nature Conservancy, 27 State Street, Montpelier 05602. Please note Raven Ridge on your check.

Have a safe and happy 2010 in the outdoors!

Elizabeth Bassett is the author of Nature Walks in Northwest Vermont and the Champlain Valley.