May is National Bike Month. Established in 1956, National Bike Month is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in communities nationwide. What’s your reason to ride a bike?

Click the image below to visit BikeLeague.org and find out more!

By Carolyn Price, OutdoorsNW Publisher

Photo at right: OutdoorsNW Publisher Carolyn Price takes on her new sport of Pickleball. Photo by Carolyn Harvey

America’s Baby Boomers are leading the charge for what appears to be the country’s fastest growing sport—Pickleball.

The governing body of Pickleball, the USAPA, reports that 70 percent of the sport’s players are age 60 and over. This compares with 24 percent between the ages of 40–59 and just 6 percent under 39.

It’s reaching critical mass, the USAPA informs us, that as many as 77 million Americans have played the game. Between the years of 2010 – 2013 the USAPA tripled its membership and it lists a growth rate of 39 new Pickleball venues being added monthly.

The court sport has local roots. In 1965, then Congressman Joel Pritchard of Bainbridge Island, Wash. got together with a couple of neighbors and came up with the game to entertain their bored children one summer evening. As names go, this one was named after Pritchard’s own dog, Pickles.

Being of the Boomer generation, of course I am hooked. I was introduced to the sport last fall when I visited a fellow Boomer friend in San Francisco who is a Pickleball fanatic.

We headed up to Telegraph Hill, where wild parrots flew endlessly over our heads, while we set up my friend’s net and chalked out the court on an empty patch of concrete at a local school.

Not surprisingly, my competitive spirit fired up and my quick introduction to the game resulted in some fiercely contested battles—giving and receiving some smashing volleys and spikes.

Pickleball is played on a court that is 55 percent smaller than the standard tennis court. At 20 feet by 44 feet, children and adults have an easier time playing Pickleball and diving for  volleys.

Pickleball paddles are smaller than tennis racquets and are usually made of wood. The game is played with Whiffle balls and we discovered this added an extra dimension to our outside game when the wind kicked up!

Unlike San Francisco, which is in its infancy when it comes to organized Pickleball, Seattle is a popular place to play and supported by the city.

The Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation runs organized leagues and pick-up games year-round, and it built the city’s first outdoor Pickleball courts at the Maple Leaf Reservoir Park in northeast Seattle last fall.

In addition to its senior-set popularity, Pickleball, which is basically a combination of tennis, table tennis and racquetball, has recently been added to the curriculum in many schools and is fast becoming a multi-generational sport.

As well, YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs and community centers are also setting up Pickleball courts. Or you can set up your own court on a flat concrete surface at a park, like we did in San Francisco with my friend’s Pickleball set.

No one yet knows where the sport of Pickleball is heading, but if this rate of growth continues, perhaps we’ll see professional Pickleball circuits (like tennis or golf), inclusion in the Olympics and big sponsorship money.

Stay tuned.

Do you play Pickleball? Let us know where and we’ll get the word out on our Website. Email Carolyn here

Resources

U.S. Pickleball Association (USAPA): www.usapa.org
Pacific Northwest Regional U.S. Pickleball Association: northwest.usapa.org
Maple Leaf Reservoir Park: www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=3881
National Senior Games: www.nsga.com/

By Jennifer McLaughlin

Photo at right: Cyclists and joggers enjoy Seattle’s Bicycle Sundays along Lake Washington Boulevard. Photo courtesy Seattle Bike Blog

The Bicycle Sunday program in Seattle and Sunday Parkways in Portland are stellar ways for cyclists to enjoy weekend riding on roads closed to motorized traffic—and both start in May.
If your city has a traffic-free bike program, let us know and we’ll post it online. Send your information to editor@goldtravelblog.com

Seattle Bicycle Sundays

Bicycle, walk or roll along Lake Washington Boulevard south of Mount Baker Beach to the Seward Park entrance. The Boulevard will be closed to motorized traffic from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and is sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation and Cascade Bicycle Club.

May 3, 17, 31
June 21, 28
July 5, 12
Aug. 9, 16, 30
Sept. 13th, 20

Additional Resources

Bicycle Sundays: www.seattle.gov/parks/bicyclesunday
Bicycle Trail Etiquette: www.seattle.gov/transportation/biketrail.htm
Seattle Bike Rules: www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikecode.htm
Seattle and Recreation Information: (206) 684-4075

Portland Sunday Parkways

City of Portland Sunday Parkways, presented by Kaiser Permanente, promotes healthy active living through a series of free events opening the city’s streets to discover active transportation.

Events are from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in different neighborhoods of Portland.

May 10: East Portland
June 21: North Portland
July 26: Northeast Portland
Aug. 23: Southeast Portland
Sept. 27: Tilikum Crossing

Additional Resources

Sunday Parkways: www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/46103
Portland Sunday Parkways Video: www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/486286
Portland Cycling Events: www.travelportland.com/article/cycling-events
General information for Sunday Parkways:
either by email: portlandsundayparkways@portlandoregon.gov
or phone: (503) 823-7599.

It’s within your reach!

By John and Sally Macdonald

Photo at right: A group picks its way through a steaming volcano on White Island in New Zealand. Photo by John Macdonald

Remember our youth when we thought tours were for old folks?

We wanted action—scaling the heights, kayaking the whitest of rapids. No all-day bus rides for us or afternoons in a stuffy museum, ogling the efforts of some old dead guys.

We planned our own trips. We drove ourselves and hunted down our own lodging. We ate what we wanted, when we wanted. And we sought out the adrenaline highs we wanted.

Now we’re a bit older. We still want the excitement, but we know our bodies can’t stand the pace we once thrived on. Off-piste (executed in record time!) are for days gone by.

Even finding a room on our own seems like more of a chore now. And, driving on the wrong side of the road? Uh-uh.

Take heart, seniors. No matter where you fit on the activity spectrum, the travel industry knows our plight and has come to the rescue.

Adventure Meets Comfort

Many adventure-travel firms, for example, are offering a menu of trips—a rough-and-tumble version for the youngsters, and alongside it, a more comfortable experience for us who are a bit older. The destination may be the same.

Kurt Kutay at Seattle’s Wildland Adventures is a pioneer in planning active eco-friendly, yet exotic, outdoor trips to your own comfort level.

And, Edmonds tour operator Rick Steves, who began offering low-cost tours in the 1970s, keeps changing with the times.

Steves started off using older buses and out-of-the-way, inexpensive bed-and-breakfast accommodations. They were a step up from the backpacking/hostel trips of the previous generations, but they weren’t necessarily for the faint-of-heart or the creaky-of-joints. His early back-door travelers were OK with bathrooms “down the hall.”

Today, Steves’ basic tours offer a similar itinerary, but with in-suite bathrooms and sleek newer buses.

While potty stops in Asia can still be an adventure, primitive toilet stops that were a feature of European bus tours in the old days have been replaced by sparkling highway marts that also sell ice cream on a stick and touristy gewgaws.

And remember hostels—those lodgings we might remember as being too basic for anyone over the age of 20? Today, many are surprisingly comfortable and more tour companies are using them to house cost-conscious seniors.

Our most recent hostel was in Berlin and featured a wing specifically for families and older travelers—quieter and more private than the less expensive dorm-style wing. The room was not elaborate, but it was squeaky clean. There was a television and an in-suite bathroom with a hairdryer. Downstairs was a comfortable lobby with a bar and internet café.

Many of today’s mountain hostels meet “senior” comfort demands for both winter and summer adventures.

A Boost from Technology

Changing technology also has helped keep us seniors happily on the road. Advances made with luggage—light-weight materials, sturdier wheels and shoulder straps—help get our things from here to there. And, often if you’re on a tour, there’s a fellow traveler with a good strong back who’ll volunteer to help.

On the athletic front, some firms offer cycling tours featuring electric bikes. If a rider gets a bit tired or faces a challenging hill, the battery kicks in and provides the needed extra boost.

Medical advances have helped, too. Not long ago, even a minor disability might have kept a would-be traveler at home. Today, it’s not uncommon to see folks in wheelchairs or toting portable oxygen tanks among travelers wondering Rome’s ruins, Swiss mountain trails or American Civil War battlegrounds.

Tour companies usually describe fairly accurately the “exertion level” of their trips. Some companies (Rick Steves is one) will expect you to handle your own luggage, be able to be on your feet for a number of hours or walk a certain distance. But, if you worry you can’t do all that, many companies can arrange to help you keep pace.

Keep on Truckin’

We may be changing as we age, but we still love to travel. Perhaps not as far, fast or aggressively as we once did. But, we don’t want to be homebodies, either.

And, tour companies know a good thing when they see it—they’re well aware that we’re willing to dip into what may be a limited income to keep on engaging in active and healthy pursuits.

These tour operators are more aware than ever that if they don’t keep up with our special “senior” needs, there’s always another company that will.

More to Consider!

You’re not alone if you’re a bit intimidated by a mountain of travel choices. Here are some things you might consider as you make plans:

• First, what kind of travel experience do you want? Be honest with yourself, but don’t let restrictions deter you. They may be just bumps in the road, not roadblocks.

• What kind of traveler are you? Do you want to fill every waking moment with sightseeing or activity? Or, do you want to spend time relaxing and let the experience soak in. Perhaps a combination?

• Do you like to travel alone or with a companion? Spouses often have different interests, so it’s not unusual for married people to vacation separately. On most tours, it’s less expensive for single travelers to share accommodations with someone of the same gender, and most companies are helpful in pairing up singles.

On one tour, Sally put in for a roommate. But, when no other single women signed up for the trip, Sally found herself alone in large hotel rooms, and once or twice in a suite—all for the singles price.

John and Sally Macdonald are retired writers from The Seattle Times. John was assistant city editor for a decade and for 20 years was the newspaper’s travel editor. Sally was in the news and features department for 24 years. They have been freelance journalists, mostly in the travel field, for 14 years.

Hiking the stunning Gowlland Range

Story and Photos by Craig Romano

Photo at right: Finlayson Arm from Jocelyn Peak in the Gowlland Range

When Sir James Douglas established the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post, Fort Victoria in 1843, he probably had no idea that his Vancouver Island outpost would evolve into one of North America’s most charming cities.

Nor could he imagine that it would become Canada’s fittest city.

According to Statistics Canada, over one-third of Victoria’s adult population is active (nearly double the national average). How could they not be—living in such a mild climate surrounded by a stunning coastline, golden hillsides, emerald ridges and snow-capped mountains?

And how could so many of them not be into hiking when British Columbia’s capital city is within minutes to thousands of acres of provincial and regional parks harboring hundreds of miles of topnotch trails?

Let me introduce you to one of the finest hiking destinations within the Capital Regional District.

Explore Tod Provincial Park

Author Craig Romano takes notes on Mount Wells; Finlayson is in the background.

If you’re like many visitors to Victoria, you have probably ventured to Butchart Gardens to stroll among its famed grounds. Yet, you probably have no idea that just across Tod Inlet from which the gardens grow is one of the largest and best hiking destinations in the region.

Here, find the sprawling Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, the largest natural area on Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula. Consisting of over 3,000 acres and miles of trails, it is named after the Gowlland Range which rises more than 1,300 feet above Finlayson Arm forming a dramatic fjord and the beautiful Tod Inlet.

The range consists of a rare dry coastal old-growth Douglas fir forest punctuated by open grassy rocky knolls. The range is also home to nine “species at risk” (Canadian equivalent to endangered species).

From the McKenzie Bight Trailhead, just minutes from Butchart Gardens, you can begin a challenging and stunningly beautiful traverse of the range. Over rocky and rough terrain, follow the Timberman Trail up and over several summits including Jocelyn Hill which teeters high above the sparkling waters of Finlayson Arm.

Then savor one of the finest stretches of trail on Vancouver Island as you amble along the fjord’s edge on your way to Holmes Peak. From here you can continue along the ridge via a short road walk and pick up the trail again to hike up and over steep Mount Finlayson if you dare.

A well-known Victoria area landmark—and one of the most climbed peaks on Vancouver Island—Mount Finlayson is the scenic centerpiece of the 1,100-acre Goldstream Provincial Park.

Known as Mount Finney to the locals, Mount Finlayson is no easy ascent.

Rocky and brutally steep, most of the trail is barely a route along exposed ledges at times. This hike, despite its numbers of visitors, should only be attempted by strong hikers comfortable with scrambling.

From the 1,375-foot rocky open summit, enjoy sweeping views of the Saanich Peninsula, Victoria and a whole lot more.

You can see Mount Baker, the Olympics and on a clear day—even Mount Rainier. Many of the Gulf and San Juan islands are also visible including San Juan Island’s Mount Finlayson—named for the same Hudson’s Bay Company employee and Victoria founding father, Roderick Finlayson.

The trail up Mount Finlayson leads to sweeping views from its 1,375 foot summit.

Goldstream Provincial Park also contains a salmon-spawning river, 600-year old forest, a breathtaking waterfall named Niagara no less, historic gold mine, campground, nature center, and miles of excellent hiking trails. Consider checking out this park’s other trails on a future visit.

And if the Gowlland Range traverse is a tad too much for your liking, you may want to opt instead to do a much shorter and easier hike to a quiet cove on the Squally Reach at the mouth of the Finlayson Arm.

From the same trailhead for the Timberman Trail, follow instead the McKenzie Bight Trail. Through mature second growth steeply descend into a moist ravine coming to the Bight in less than a mile. Look for otters and eagles and enjoy exploring curved geological features in the coastline.

You can continue farther on the trail along rocky coastline passing big trees, old quarries, and favorite haunts of local divers for another .8 mile; or loop back to the trailhead via the Cascade Trail. As the name implies, you can expect to see a waterfall on the return.

The Capital Regional District contains many other fine hiking destinations as well—most just a few miles from downtown Victoria. The next time you visit, plan to see a side of Victoria that is a little more adventurous than manicured gardens and tea houses.

Getting You on Your Way

Trip Details

Distance: Full Gowlland Traverse 14 miles roundtrip with over 2,000 feet of vertical elevation.
Trailhead Directions: From Victoria or Sidney, follow BC 17A (West Saanich Road) to Wallace Drive to Willis Point Road. Then turn left onto Ross-Durrance Road, soon reaching trailhead and parking.
Notes: Dogs allowed on leash.
Contacts: BC Parks; www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks

Craig Romano is Trails Editor of OutdoorsNW and is the author or co-author of 13 Northwest hiking guidebooks including Day Hiking The San Juans and Gulf Islands (The Mountaineers Books), which includes detailed descriptions for over 20 hikes in the Victoria area.

Attendees will learn what it means to “feel” the water as well as how to develop the strength and flexibility (in-water and out of water) required for fast swimming. With the small class size, Sheila will be able to work one-on-one with you to develop the intricacies of the propulsive underwater pull, build a stronger connection between your core muscles and limbs, and refine the proper timing, rhythm, and turnover required for faster swimming.

Take the opportunity to see up close and learn from the smallest swimmer to win Olympic Gold since the 1920 Olympics – this is living proof that technique is more important than size in swimming.

Techniques that you will learn include:
1. The intricate details of the propulsive underwater pull that elite swimmers employ.

2. The correct stroke timing – where in the stroke cycle the arms pass by each other, and the upper core strength needed to master this timing.

3. Strength training exercises in-water, and out of water, that build the muscle tone and endurance required for “feeling and holding” water – the secret ingredient for fast swimming!

For a detailed breakdown of the swim session time spent and topics, OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CLINIC, please feel free to email trainer.ali.meeks@gmail.com or call 206.779.9425.

Cost: $195 for each class

Event details and schedule

This swim experience weekend features a format unique to swim clinics around the world! Sheila has specifically designed this weekend to focus on small-group swim sessions followed by ample and relaxed Q&A time. You will receive quality attention to your swim stroke and can ask the questions that matter most to you in achieving your best performance in faster freestyle.

Your swim weekend includes:

-Friday night presentation on fast swimming techniques

-3-hour small group swim session with underwater filming, stroke analysis, and technique work

-copy of Sheila’s book Swim Speed Secrets and opportunity to purchase additional copies at a discount

-flash drive containing your individual underwater video from the swim session

-lunch on your session day

-invitation to no-host happy hour at local bar/restaurant

The general format of the weekend follows; detailed info will be sent out prior to the clinic.

Schedule:

1) Friday night – Sign-in and all-attendee seminar on Swim Speed Secrets led by Sheila Taormina – you will need to attend this presentation to sign in and gather the good info that you will use during your water session.

2) Water sessions: During online registration, you will select one of two water sessions to attend: Saturday morning from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm or Saturday afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm.

3) Saturday night – You are invited to a no-host happy hour at a great local bar/restaurant where you will have the opportunity to ask further questions, visit with Sheila and your fellow attendees, and support local business!

We look forward to getting to know you and sharing Swim Speed Secrets with you!

By Carolyn Price

Photo at right: Tacoma’s Ken Campbell paddled 150 miles through Puget Sound on his kayak made of single-use plastic bottles to bring awareness to pollution in our Cascadian waters. Courtesy of Ikkatsu Project, www.ikkatsuproject.org

Tacoma paddler Ken Campbell will keynote this year’s Port Angeles Kayak and Film Festival April 18 –19 about his 150-mile paddling journey from Olympic to Bellingham last year in a kayak constructed of discarded single-use plastic bottles.

Message in a Plastic Bottle is the documentary account of a unique small-boat adventure focused on the affects that plastic is having in the world’s oceans, as well as in our Cascadian waters.

Campbell’s film is the third of his Ikkatsu Project. His presentation is scheduled from 7:30 –9 p.m., April 18 at Maier Performance Hall at Peninsula College in Port Angeles.

This festival features 16 films, paddling instruction and demos. Films are free; beach demos are $10 per person.

For more epic kayak and water-sports films, West Seattle’s Mountain to Sound Outfitters is showcasing the world’s best paddling films in its Reel Paddling Film Festival, a one-evening extravaganza April 24.

Head to Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah May 8 –9 for the Northwest Paddling Festival, the largest event of its kind in the Northwest. Featuring more than 60 paddle-sports businesses offering canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, paddling equipment, accessories and gear, festival entry is free and cost is $7 per day to demo canoes, kayaks and SUP’s beachside.

A new event on the OutdoorsNW radar this year is the Seafair NW Paddling Championship Aug. 1 at Genesee Park on Lake Washington—a culmination of five SUP races during the year.

Learn about Washington state’s first National Water Trail System around the Kitsap Peninsula through a series of paddling events including Unleash the Beast at Port Gamble, May 23; Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails Festival, June 27; Paddle Bainbridge, July 10 and Paddle Kitsap, Aug. 15.

Resources:

Ikkatsu Project: www.ikkatsuproject.org/
Kitsap National Water Trails System: www.nps.gov/WaterTrails/Trail/Info/51

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