Appalachian Trail Hike for
Sky High Adventure Center | |
By John Slyer
The Dream – Just like every kid has some far-fetched ideas, as a kiddo I had plans for lots of crazy big adventures. Flying a cardboard airplane with my brother Charlie and jumping fire on bikes like Evel Knievel with my brother George were just the beginning. I was lucky to grow up free-range with parents who gave me freedom and the courage to take risks. We regularly did 20+ miles on our bikes and skateboards and even started skydiving in high school. Our childhood was filled with sky high adventures.
In 1974 I went on a weekend backpacking trip with Camp Scully to Little Rock Pond in the Green Mountains of Vermont. We backpacked to a shelter on the Appalachian Trail where our counselors gave us time to follow a stream, scrambling up and down the rocks. I tripped while rock-hopping doing a swan dive into three inches of water, hence my Appalachian Trail name, Diving Swan!
I didn’t know much about the AT until we met a thru-hiker on their way to Maine. The distance seemed impossible but thought I could do the AT someday.
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OUR BEST BET EVENTS
Included events are Adirondack Sports advertisers and/or exhibitors
April issue ad deadline: Monday, 4/1
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“A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn.” –Helen Keller | |
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Saturday, March 30
15th Run 4 Your Life 5K Run/Walk. 9am. Solo & teams. Race #1 of USATF Adirondack Grand Prix Series. Plus, Kids Fun Run & Chowderfest. To benefit Schenectady Firefighters Cancer Foundation. Central Park, Schenectady. neverfightalone.org..
14th Albany Rowing Center Ice Breaker Challenge 5K Run/Walk. 10am. Race against rowing sculls on the Hudson River out/back along Corning Preserve. Free 0.5M Kids Run (10-under): 9:30am. Albany Rowing Center Boathouse, Albany. runsignup.com.
Gore Pond Skimming. 10:30am (check-in: 9-10am) on The Arena. Special prizes to biggest splash and best costume. Gore Mountain, North Creek. Must preregister online (before Sat 8am): goremountain.com.
Sunday, March 31
Whiteface Easter Egg Hunt. 12pm. Eggs and surprises for ages 6-under and 7-12. Also: Non-Denominational Easter Service atop Little Whiteface, 8am. Whiteface, Wilmington. whiteface.com.
West Easter Sunday with your Peeps. 10am-6pm. Easter bunny, egg hunt, crafts, activities. West Mountain, Queensbury. Details: westmountain.com.
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April 3-14
IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship. World’s best women’s hockey players from 10 nations, playing 29 games. Community support & volunteers needed. Adirondack Bank Center, Utica. iihf.com.
Thursday-Sunday, April 4-7
NYS Outdoor Guides Assn: Winter Rendezvous. Gathering of licensed & aspiring guides. Educational seminars, banquet, store, networking. White Eagle Conf Ctr, Hamilton. nysoga.org.
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Saturday, April 6
Adirondack Trout Unlimited: Conservation Banquet. 5-9pm. Fundraiser to support chapter waterway & education efforts. Saratoga-Wilton Elks, Saratoga Springs. tinyurl.com/adkbanquet.
Whiteface Pond Skimming. 12pm. Sign up at guest services: 8-11am (limited to first 100). Bring A-game and creative costumes to Round-A-Bout trail. Whiteface, Wilmington. whiteface.com.
Berkshire Highlands Pentathlon. Run, ride, paddle, summit hike, ski/board, descent. Charlemont, MA. bikereg.com.
Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge. Amateur bumpers on Outer Limits compete head-to-head. Killington Resort, VT. killington.com.
Sunday, April 7
3rd Saratoga Shredders: Bike Swap. 11am-1pm. Items to swap/buy: Bikes, tools, apparel, bike racks, more. Columbia Pavilion, Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs. More info or to volunteer: saratogashredders.com.
49th annual Tenandeho White Water Derby. Racing: 12pm. Viewing near Hudson River: 12:30p. Canoes, kayaks & poling on Tenandeho Creek. Race day registration: 9-11am at 10 N. Main St, Mechanicville. Also: “Anything That Floats” (Race: 2pm), registration: 11:30am at O’Reilly Auto Parts, Mechanicville. tenandeho.org.
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Monday, April 8
Gore: Solar Eclipse Viewing. Party starts: 1:30pm. Ski lifts close at 2pm. Base Lodge, Gore Mountain, North Creek. Details: goremountain.com.
Whiteface: Solar Eclipse Viewing. Party starts: 1:30pm. Ski lifts close at 2pm. Base Lodge, Whiteface, Wilmington. Details: whiteface.com.
Total Solar Eclipse. Viewing by Utica University physics dept. Music, food, arts/craft vendors. Hiltebrant Rec Ctr, Old Forge. oldforgeny.com.
Solar Eclipse at Cascade Welcome Center: Totality on the Trails. 1-4:30pm. Cascade Welcome Center, Lake Placid. adk.org.
Friday, April 12
Rick’s Bike Shop: Movie Night. Doors open: 6:15pm. Show starts: 7pm. Bike films, raffles, drinks. Benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Adks. Park Theater, Glens Falls. parktheatergf.com.
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Saturday, April 13
3rd CBRC Toad Strangler Gravel Grinder. 40M route: 10am. 10M family-friendly route: 11am. Flow Riders kids ride/race: 1:30pm. Supported routes with food truck/beer. Crellin Park, Chatham. bikereg.com.
Spring Fling Masters Swim Meet. Warmups: 9:45am. Meet: 11am. Skidmore College Pool, Saratoga Springs. Adirondack District Masters Swimming: adms.org.
Helderberg to Hudson Half Marathon. 13.1M. 8:30am. Part of 29.3 Challenge. Wallace (New Scotland) Town Park, Voorheesville to Jennings Landing, Albany. Albany Running Exchange. zippyreg.com.
43rd Salem April Fools’ Race. 10K: 9am. 1M Kids’ Run: 10am. 5K: 10:30am. Salem Central School, Salem. aprilfoolsrace.com.
RunVermont: Half Marathon Unplugged. 9am. Airport Park, Colchester to Switchback Brewing, Burlington, VT. runvermont.org.
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Sunday, April 14
Delmar Dash 5-Mile Road Race. 9am. Bethlehem Middle School, Delmar. hmrrc.com.
NYS Mountain Bike Series Race #1: Point Peter Pounder. Point Peter, Elks-Brox Park, Port Jervis. bikereg.com.
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Friday-Sunday, April 19-21
19th Canal Clean Sweep in honor of Earth Day. Volunteer clean-up days. 100+ locations: Erie & Champlain Canalway, Glens Falls Feeder Canal, Black River Feeder Canal, & Rochester Riverway. Parks & Trails NY & NYS Canal Corporation. Register: ptny.org.
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Saturday, April 20 – Earth Day
Glens Falls Rotary Community Wellness 5K Run/Walk. 9:30am. Dri-fit shirt to first 300 entrants. Discounted for ages 12-under. Proceeds benefit Glens Falls Symphony & Glens Falls Area Youth Center. SUNY Adirondack, Queensbury. itsyourrace.com.
Capital Bicycle Racing Club: Trooper David Brinkerhoff Memorial Road Race #1. 62M/50M/38M. 11am. Best early season bike race series in the Northeast. Four separate fields including beginners for first-timers. Juniors race free. Race #2: 4/27. CBRC membership (new website): cbrc.club. Coxsackie-Athens High School, Coxsackie. bikereg.com.
Legends of Wells Bridge Paddling Race. 9 miles. 10am. Canoes, kayaks, SUPs welcome. Susquehanna River, Wells Bridge. nypra.org.
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Sunday, April 21
Hero 5K Run/Walk for Autism. 9:30am. Superhero costumes encouraged! Benefits Autism Society of the Greater Hudson Region as part of Autism Acceptance Month. New this year: every participant receives a unique refillable aluminum water bottle for sustainability. Each participant receives a free Kona Ice from their food truck. Timing by AREEP. Mohawk Harbor, Schenectady. asghr.org.
Little River Ramble Paddling Race. 2M/6M. 12pm. Canoes, kayaks, SUPs welcome. Boat Launch, Little River, Canton. slvpaddlers.org.
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Delightful Run for Women: Training Challenge. Run or walk, but do it together. Program launches launched Mon, 3/18. Registration closes on Wed, 4/3. An 11-week program for all levels to run/walk your best Freihofer’s Run for Women 5K in Albany on Sat, 6/1. Includes 12-week membership to a Capital District YMCA. Clinics on strength training, gear, nutrition, run form, injury prevention. In-person small group training sessions with mentors at site of your choice in Albany, Saratoga & Rensselaer counties. Virtual option available. Join the community: runsignup.com.
MON-FRI Rock Your Fitness: Boot Camp Workouts. Mon/Wed/Fri: 5:30am, 6:30am, 9am. Tue: 5:30pm. Sat 8am. Special offer: Free week of class with registration for 2x/3x per week option. To register, text and use promo code “ADK fit” to 518-522-9765. Malta Community Center, Malta. facebook.com/rockyourfitnessllc.
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