THE ABC'S FOR YOUR SUMMER 2019

After a long cold winter and very wet spring, the days of summer are finally here. This weekend kickoffs the official unofficial start to summer.  It's time to organize and alphabetize yours for summer list of adventure and fun near the water. Not sure where to start? We have some from great tips A to Z  on how you can make this summer unforgettable. So you waiting for, as Van Morrison said, "Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly."

Abandon your phone Ok, not for the whole summer, but at least day or two. Writer Michelle A. Homme says, "The quietness we encounter will allow us to hear the birds sing and to hear the wind whip lightly through the trees as the seasons begin to change.  We can recharge without feeling like we’re being pulled in so many directions."

Blast to the Beach Whether crowded or remote, sandy or rocky the beaches rules are always the same. Breathe the sea air, rest, relax and reflect with no shoes required. "I feel so lucky to know the magic of travel by way of water," wrote kayak adventure Kate Hives in her blog At Home on the Water, "To intimately feel the ebb and flood of the ocean as it caresses the rocky shores and sandy beaches of this coastal playground. Sometimes I feel like I have been told a great secret of the mystery of the natural world and my – our – connection to it."

Catch a Wave  All of that white snow from this past winter means a summer of whitewater for rafters and kayakers as they anticipating a longer season than normal with rapids. “There’s nothing better than spending a great day in nature, on the river with some friends," said Whitewater Excitement's Phillip Schoenhoff, "If you’re looking to smile all day, laugh until your abs hurt, and experience the excitement and thrill of the rapids, come on out and join us!”

Demo Your Dream Ride You wouldn't think about buying a car without a test drive, so why would you want to do that with your kayak? Many shops have demo programs for people who are in the market to buy a kayak. The River Store
 
Escape the City Did you get outside today? No, really outside, away from the noise, traffic and the endless scurrying about. Scientific research has long documented how just spending time in the great outdoors can have numerous mental and physical health benefits for rebooting your body and mind. As John Muir reminded all of us, "Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean."

Feast on Your Float Tired of the normal river food being peanut butter sandwiches, simple freeze-dried packets, and oatmeal? Check out Lacey Anderson's Camp Cooking WITHOUT Coolers cookbook series.  She has developed menus that are nutritious, good tasting and easy to prepare, that is also lightweight and does not require refrigeration.

Go

Live

Incredible

Delights

Experience

Intimacy

Natural

Wonders

Experience

Tranquill

Lush

Amazing

Nature

Delta

Serenity  Paddler and operator of Delta Kayaking Adventures Kathy Bunton loves her experiences on California's waterlogged delta so much she put in the form of an acrostic poem to encourage you to come to glide along.

Help Clean Your Waterway Last year, cleanup organizers and volunteers spend a lot of time outside getting dirty as according to American Rivers the National River Cleanup registered cleanups at 3,166 sites, mobilized 57,228 volunteers and removed almost 2,000,000 pounds of trash. American Rivers
 
Indulge in S'mores What's a good camp out without the best dessert? Who doesn't love chocolate, marshmallow and Graham crackers? But as camping mom, Christy Harris Bryant points out pay close attention, "Because the golden rule with s' mores is. Never burnt, never burnt, Nobody wants a burnt s' more."

Journey Down A River "I love river trips," wrote outdoor educator Jeff Jackson in Paddling Magazine, "The whole trip though, not just the exciting bits or the paddling parts. I love the early possibilities and preliminary ideas, finding the maps and digging for the info I need to connect the dots."

 

Kayak a Lot That needs no explanation. Just go do it.

Love Your Parks "National parks are the best idea we ever had, wrote Wallace Stegner, "Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst." We heartily agree. Whether it's a national park or state park visiting these national landscapes of beauty and history shouldn't just be done in the summertime, but all year round. National Parks State Parks

Mix and Mingle at Water Festival These gatherings celebrate the river community and its history. Some are well-funded mega-fests while others are grassroots efforts led by volunteers with a universal love of showcasing their river. "These unique assemblies of river enthusiasts, first-timers and nomadic paddlers produce intense challenges, excellent learning opportunities, and unforgettable memories," wrote Kalob Grady in Paddling Magazine, "While non-kayaking friends will love the live music, vendors, silent auction and wild party."

Navigate Your Neighborhood When you live somewhere long enough, it has a tendency to stop being interesting by being too familiar. "Throughout my life, I fell in love with places other than where I was living. This feeling is common in many adventurers," wrote Natalie Warren in her paddling town series for Canoe and Kayak Online, but, after exploring the beauty, and history and the attractions she had second thoughts as she treats her hometown as a new destination and recommends you do the same, "While I don’t doubt that you would love it here, remember to love where you live. Explore your home."


Open a New Window "Summer means promises fulfilled, wrote naturalist Sigurd Olson, "Objectives gained, hopes realized. The surge of doing and achieving, of watching and enjoying is finally replaced by a sense of quiet and floating and a certain fullness and repletion, as though one cannot absorb any more."

Plunge into Boating So what's stopping you? If you been thinking about learning to kayak either whitewater or just want to know how to tour the lake lets just say there are boatloads of ways to get on to the water. "We all know adventure and exploration are not just for teenagers," writes Current Adventures Kayaking School and Trips' Dan Crandall, "Learning to kayak is an easy activity that will rekindle your youthful enthusiasm for many years to come." Current Adventures

Quiet Your Mind It's summer. It's time to stop stressing. Chase away those negative thoughts and take advantage of your precious time. Writer Michelle Maros said, "Sometimes we even forget that the whole point of going on vacation is to relax and have fun! This week, let’s leave all the stress behind and focus on how to really enjoy your time away, no matter where you’re going or who you’re with."

Race on the River Whether you want to support a great cause, get in shape or awake your gladiator spirit. Whether with solo or with a team there are divisions and courses for everyone using almost anything that floats. “If you’re in a competitive class you’re gonna go and go fast pounding down the river to beat your neighbor," The California River Quest race director Emily Matthews told the Chico Enterprise-Record about this weekend's event, "In the adventure class you’re out there to play and have fun. But in both classes, you pretty much paddle the whole time.”Race the Red  Great American Triathlon

Swim in Nature I don't mean skinny dipping but then again, why not. Adventure athlete Sophie Radcliffe‏ tweeted, "There’s something about swimming in nature that makes me happy and relieves stress; I love watching the world float by and gliding through the water with the sun on my back."

Time Travel in a Canoe Go back in time this summer. No special effects needed for this odyssey. All you need is paddle and canoe to feel like a voyager discovering the lake for the first time. "We need to be more aware of where we are headed and from whence we came," said famed canoeist Bill Mason, "An appreciation of the canoe and acquisition of the necessary skills to utilize it as a way to journey back to what’s left of the natural world is a great way to begin this voyage of discovery.” Sy Park BWCA

Unwind at Sunset  English Novelist Pamela Hansford Johnson eloquently paints this description of dusk while on the water, "The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire." Who can argue? The sunlight flashing in each droplet from our paddles as the water glows in a golden glitter. How can you resist the sight of tranquil lake basking in the dimming light?

Vow to Wear Your PFD "We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: when you’re on the water, wear your life jacket, also known as a Personal Flotation Device or PFD." states the NRS website, "Year after year, dozens of people lose their lives while boating. And year after year, statistics show that many of these tragedies could have been prevented by wearing a well-fitted, properly-adjusted life jacket."

Wander Like Your Lost  It's the perfect quote for summer from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings that says, "Not all those who wander are lost." It encourages you to slow along the way to the lake or river. Stop in at the paddle shop to get some advice, hike that trail that you have always paddled or stop at that scenic vista. Summer days go by so quickly, you should make them last as long as possible.

X-Out Your Own Adventure "Let’s celebrate that we had our own adventure," writes Pete Delosa in his blog River Bum suggesting in these Instagram days of big water and even bigger drops there is no reason to count out your triumph. "If you went on the water and had fun then you won today and that is worth celebrating. Other people might have been looking paddleboarding kind of day today than we were and that is ok. I hope they found what they were after, but that doesn’t take anything away from our success."

Yoga on Your Paddle Board We get it. Just standing up on the board is challenging enough for some, but as the founder of Stoked Yogi, Amelia Travis told Yoga Journal, "Before you write off stand up paddleboard (SUP) yoga as impossible, here’s what I tell all first-timers: “If you can breathe, you can do yoga. If you can stand on one foot, you can paddle."

Zigzag a Water Trail Whether you want to go the distance or simply float to the next landing there is a water trail just waiting for you. Featuring public water accesses, campsites, rest areas and miles and miles of best paddling anywhere you can spend the day, week or the entire summer just like John Connelly did when he took his epic 1500 mile paddling adventure across the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada. In Dying Out Here Is Not An Option, a chronicle of his trip he wrote, "Seeing the canoe loaded with all I require to survive for the weeks to come," he wrote, "Makes me think. this canoe and I are going to forge a relationship over the next 800 miles. What will that end up looking like? What will be the story?" US Water Trails

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FIVE REASONS TO TRAVEL TO PERU

Photo by Danielle Villasana

BY OUTSIDE ADVENTURE TO THE MAX GUEST BLOGGER LACEY ANDERSON

Photo Courtesy of Marañón Waterkeeper

Far from the crowds that flock to southern Peru, you can get your “Indiana Jones” on in the northern territories where ancient Incan and Pre-Incan archaeological wonders rival the famed citadel of Machu Picchu. The mountains surrounding Chachapoyas in northern Peru contain the lush vegetation of the Andean cloud forests offering uncrowded conditions and unlimited adventure for the intrepid traveler. Chachapoyas (‘Chacha’ to the locals) is a quiet, colonial town with an attractive main plaza, a number of interesting churches and balconied 19th-century buildings. There are modern accommodations ranging from first-class hotels to backpacker style hostels like the Chachapoyas Backpackers, a reasonably priced hostel offering private rooms with a full-bath or dorm rooms with shared a bathroom.
Chachapoyas makes a great base from which to explore the many attractions in northern Peru. Here are my favorite must-dos in the Chacha area

Five – Trek the Inca Road

Photos Courtesy of Lacey Anderson

The Inca road system was the most advanced and longest transportation system in pre-Hispanic South America, spanning almost 25,000 miles. It began in today’s Santiago, Chile and traversed north through the Andean mountains of Peru all the way to what is now the country of Colombia. Amazingly, remnants of this road are still present in the Chacha area. This section of the Inca Road has fantastic vistas, unexcavated ruins and narrow slot sections cut into the hills by the ancient builders. To trek, a section of the Inca Road, hail a taxi to the hamlet of Levanto and look for the faded orange sign that reads Camino Pre-Hispanico. It will be an all-day hike back to Chacha, but well worth the effort.
Pro tip: You may need to ask the locals for help spotting the sign and beginning the trek. Try this phrase, “Estoy buscando el camino Pre Hispanico. ¿Sabes donde está?” (basically saying I’m looking for the Inca road). Locals are normally delighted to help a gringo. On my visit, three small children walked me to the spot where the “road” begins. This hike is for experienced trekkers only as it’s challenging to find and follow the road in some areas. Part of the time I was lost and a bit disoriented, although much of the time I was in total wonderment at the still intact record of the ancient Incan people’s remarkable accomplishment. Alternatively, you can save yourself some frustration and hire a guide in Chacha. Be sure to take plenty of water, wear comfortable hiking shoes, and bring a picnic lunch.

 

Four – Village of Cuispes and the Yumbilla Waterfalls

 

The small village of Cuispes is not well known by the world and it would be easy to overlook this place were it not for several spectacular waterfalls in the surrounding cloud forest. Most notable, Yumbilla Falls drops 2,938 feet, making it the fifth tallest waterfall in the world. This is a new discovery; it was officially measured by National Geographic in 2007. One of the best parts of a visit here is there are very few tourists; you will have the tranquility of this hike to yourself! I highly recommend staying at the scenic La Posada de Cuispes for comfortable accommodations and great food. They can arrange a local guide to open the gate and hike with you to the waterfalls.
Pro Tip: Support the local communities! Often the Peruvian government doesn’t support private reserves, hence the natural wonders of Peru are disappearing quicker than they can be saved. It took the community of Cuispes ten years to set up and build the trails leading to the waterfalls and the gates protecting the private entrance. When I went my guide was a local grandmother who also tended her llamas on the walk from town to the gates of the reserve. She was about my age and still walked my behind off.

Three – Hike to Gocta

From Cuispes, take a tuk-tuk back to Pedro Ruiz and find a taxi headed toward Chachapoyas. Tell your driver you want to stop in Cocachimba. He will likely say, “ah, por Gocta.” Once in Cocachimba purchase a pass to hike to another fabled waterfall. Gocta Falls was unknown to the world until 2005. Farmers living in the remote village of Cocachimba knew that the cloud forest hid the huge waterfall, but local legend involving an adulterous man, a jealous wife and a mythical blonde prevented villagers from visiting or talking about the falls, believing that anyone foolhardy enough to hike to Gocta was chancing a run-in with mortality. This local legend was passed around for generations.
Pro Tip: It’s best to plan an entire day to get to the tiny village of Cocachimba and then to hike the trail to the foot of the falls. Don’t worry, there are several places to stay in town. I always stay at the family owned and operated hospedaje # 950091419, close to the plaza and right off the trail. They have rooms for as low as $6 or for a little more you can have a room with private bath and views of the falls. Another option is to treat yourself to a first rate hotel, with exceptional rooms, a restaurant, and an infinity pool with a spectacular view of Gocta Falls. If that sounds appealing, check out the Gocta Andes Lodge.

Two – Explore the Fortress at Kuelap

Spend another day exploring Kuelap, one of the largest stone ruins in the world. This world heritage site is 3,000 feet higher than Chacha in the humid, mountain cloud forest of the Amazonian Andes and overlooks the Utcubamba River valley. Protective rock walls reaching 66 feet high surround Kuelap. Some of the walls are decorated with tiled zigzag patterns which are hallmarks of Chachapoya architecture. If you look carefully you’ll see murals and stone carvings depicting felines, snakes and birds, all different gods to the Chachapoya. Inside the compound, there are over 400 round buildings, which in ancient times would have been covered with steep, conical thatched roofs. There are even bones still inside some of the tombs!
Getting to Kuelap is an adventure in itself. It’s about 45 minutes from Chacha to Tingo, which sits at the base of the mountains in the Utcubamba Valley. The route to Kuelap from Tingo is via a narrow road with a series of switchbacks up to Nuevo Tingo. The road then snakes its way along one mountain and crosses over to the next mountain, all the while climbing steadily upwards. It’s a spectacular drive! Once you reach the parking lot, there’s a well-maintained path with railings and the occasional bench to one end of the ruins. It’s a moderate half-mile walk (uphill) to the ruins.
Pro Tip: Go now! Kuelap, for the time being, is one of the least visited of Peru’s archaeological sites. This could all change. During my last visit, a cable car was under construction to connect Nuevo Tingo to Kuelap. I can only assume the project is complete and making Kuelap much more accessible. The cable car ride will provide a stunning vista of the area and bypass the 90-minute long drive to the ruin site. If being suspended in a cable car isn’t your thing, Jose at Chachapoyas Backpackers can take you to Kuelap in a comfortable van.

Number One (for 2018) – Attend a Floating Film Festival on the Rio Marañón

 

Photo Courtesy of Marañón Waterkeeper

This year there’s the opportunity for travelers to join a Floating Film Festival, which will be screening Confluir in riverside villages as they raft or kayak the Rio Marañón (aka Grand Canyon of the Amazon). This film follows the month-long rafting expedition of an international team of scientists and river experts as they investigated the natural, recreational and cultural resources that will be impacted by the proposed dams on the Marañón.
Local people have protected this river for years and gave their blessing to film in their communities and on their river to tell this story. Marañón Waterkeeper is giving back by premiering the film in the villages along the river so they can be some of the first people to watch it. They hope to show the Spanish version of Confluir in as many riverside villages as possible throughout 2018. Marañón Waterkeeper is seeking support from the international boating community to make these screenings possible.
There will be several commercial rafting trips departing May-November 2018 which are open for individuals or groups to join. Each of these trips will stop in a village on their journey down the river. Armed with a projector, generator, screen and sound equipment, Confluir will be brought to the village for everyone to see. Participants of the “floating film festival” will be able to enjoy a truly unique journey down the Rio Marañón.
Pro Tip: Organize your connecting flights within Peru to arrive and depart directly from the take-out and put-in cities. This way, a seven-day section of the river can easily be completed during a single week of vacation, or go for the 14 or 30-day options if you have more time available! For more information visit the Marañón Waterkeeper’s website or email: contact@maranonexperience.com. 

Lacey Anderson says she is a river gypsy at heart. An outdoor recreation guide, she as logged over 12,000 river miles within the US, Mexico, Guatemala, and Peru. She also is an author of two camp cookbooks and contributing writer to NRS' Duct Tape Diaries. You can follow Anderson on her blog at www.nocoolers.com.

 

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