Your Very Next Step newsletter for November 2013
By Ned Lundquist
www.yourverynextstep.com
“No effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.”
– Helen Keller
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
– Lao Tzu
“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate. Share your adventures with the network today! Send to lundquist989@cs.com.
*** To subscribe for free:
Send us your comments, questions, and contributions to lundquist989@cs.com.
Contact Ned at lundquist989@cs.com.
*** In this issue:
*** Ned’s upcoming travel:
*** Google Launches World’s First High-Resolution Interactive Map of Global Deforestation
*** Illegal lumber – Wood you buy?
*** Here’s a neat sports park reusing packing materials to create trick spots
*** The Radisson Blu Hotel’s 82-Foot Aquadom Aquarium Brings Sea-Life and Scuba Diving to Berlin
*** From Business Travel News: BTN’s 2013 Airline Survey: Follow The Leader
*** Fodors: Where to Go This Winter
*** More charging stations added at airports for power-hungry travelers
*** 10 Cheeses Worth Traveling For
*** The Secret to Booking a Cruise at a Deep Discount
*** Swimming Upstream – Freshwater Fish in a Warming World
*** America’s elk migration
*** 15 Cool and Unusual Hotel Lobby Features
*** New United Plan Puts Profit Ahead of Passengers
*** Fodor’s 10 Best US Ski Resorts for Families
*** Restoring your faith in mankind, From Jack Duggan:
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: November 2013
Michigan’s Dequindre Cut Greenway
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Volunteer service opportunities, Shawnee National Forest, Harrisburg, Illinois
2.) Volunteer Project, Lapolosa Wilderness, Enkpsini Wilderness Experience, South Africa
3.) Climb Leader, Mazamas, Portland OR
4.) Volunteer Long Trail Patrol, Green Mountain Club, Waterbury Ctr, VT
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Senior Director, Corporate Relations, National Wildlife Federation, Reston, VA
2.) Senior Manager, Corporate Relations, National Wildlife Federation, Reston, VA
3.) Development Officer, Foundation Relations, World Wildlife Fund, Washington, D.C.
4.) Marketing and Communications Manager, Discover Prince William & Manassas, Manassas, Virginia
5.) Senior Program Officer, Forestry and Climate Change, African Wildlife Federation, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa, DRC
6.) Guest Services Manager – Worldmark Bison Ranch, Overgaard, AZ
7.) Communications and Outreach Manager, American Prairie Reserve, Bozeman, Montana
…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!
*** Do you have a travel adventure, conservation or outdoor update to share?
Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).
*** Ned’s upcoming travel:
December 6-12 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
January 18-25, 2014 — Copemhagen, Denmark; Karlskrona, Sweden; Gothenberg, Sweden; Stockholm, Sweden.
January 25-28, 2014 — Helsinki, Finland
January 28 – February 1, 2014 — Portsmouth, UK
March 17 – 20, 2014 — Accra, Ghana
*** From Barbara Lundquist:
I found a cool google deforestaion map. It’s interacvtive, too. Here’s a story on it:
*** Google Launches World’s First High-Resolution Interactive Map of Global Deforestation
by Lidija Grozdanic
Google Earth just launched the first high-resolution map of global deforestation. The project was developed in collaboration with the University of Maryland, NASA and USGS by analyzing 654,178 Landsat images from the last ten years. The interactive map (http://earthenginepartners.appspot.com/science-2013-global-forest) will hopefully make a difference in fighting deforestation – especially since studies have shown that tropical forest loss is increasing by 2,101 square kilometers (811 square miles) each year.
http://inhabitat.com/google-launches-worlds-first-high-resolution-interactive-map-of-global-deforestation/#ixzz2l0kfLSyJ
*** Illegal lumber – Wood you buy?
http://www.wri.org/blog/lumber-liquidators-raid-shows-companies-need-heed-us-lacey-act
*** Here’s a neat sports park reusing packing materials to create trick spots
*** The Radisson Blu Hotel’s 82-Foot Aquadom Aquarium Brings Sea-Life and Scuba Diving to Berlin
by Diane Pham
‘Scuba diving in Germany’ isn’t usually penned into many tourists’ to-do lists — for obvious reasons — but at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Berlin this far-fetched idea becomes a reality with their towering Aquadom aquarium.
Read more:
*** From Business Travel News: BTN’s 2013 Airline Survey: Follow The Leader
*** Fodors: Where to Go This Winter
We’ve compiled our favorite picks for a cold-weather escape, whether you fancy zooming down the slopes, sipping hot toddies by the fire, or enjoying culinary and cultural hotspots like Houston and Cape Town. Bonus: If you travel during the first few weeks of January, you’re likely to score great deals on hotels and airfare.
http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/where-to-go-this-winter?ref=news_fd_112313
*** More charging stations added at airports for power-hungry travelers
*** 10 Cheeses Worth Traveling For
http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-cheeses-worth-traveling-for?ref=news_fd_112313#!1-intro
*** The Secret to Booking a Cruise at a Deep Discount
http://lifestylejournal.com/the-secret-to-booking-a-cruise-at-a-deep-discount/?ref=ob&ad_id=19084756
*** Swimming Upstream – Freshwater Fish in a Warming World
*** America’s elk migration
Elk are naturally a migratory species. If the seasons are mild, with little variation between their winter and summer climates, they might not migrate. For example, Roosevelt Elk found in the Pacific Coast regions in California, Oregon and Washington States do not migrate. But other subspecies of elk in North America migrate—between high elevations in the summer and lower in the winter—up to a 100 miles. Elk are often referred to by their native name, wapiti. A herd is actually called a gang.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/elk/
Tom and I camped during the summer in a large plain that was a wintering ground for elk in the Gros Ventres valley in Wyoming. Elk bones were everywhere.
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem elk herd numbers over 200,000 individuals and during the spring and fall, they take part in the longest elk migration in the continental U.S. Elk in the southern regions of Yellowstone National Park and in the surrounding National Forests migrate south towards the town of Jackson, Wyoming where they winter for up to six months on the National Elk Refuge. Conservationists there ensure the herd is well fed during the harsh winters.
Many of the elk that reside in the northern sections of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem migrate to lower altitudes in Montana, mainly to the north and west.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk
While in the Gros Ventres wilderness, Tom and I worked with fellow Scouts participating in the 2008 ArrowCorps 5 service project in Bridger-Teton National Forest, removing barbed wire from rangeland so the elk and pronghorn antelope can follow their migratory routes.
“In the Pinedale Ranger District of the forest, the Dutch Joe Fence Removal project will remove five miles of fence that will then be packed out on a mule string. This project takes place at Dutch Joe which is south of Pinedale, Wyoming. 2-5 miles of fence will be removed from remote sites in the Dutch Joe area resulting in wildlife habitat enhancement.”
*** 15 Cool and Unusual Hotel Lobby Features
http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/15-cool-and-unusual-hotel-lobby-features#!1-intro
*** New United Plan Puts Profit Ahead of Passengers
United today unveiled a plan to cut costs by $2 billion annually, and increase ancillary revenue by $700 million. Conspicuously missing: anything benefiting its customers.
http://www.frequentflier.com/blog/new-united-plan-puts-profit-ahead-of-passengers/
*** Fodor’s 10 Best US Ski Resorts for Families
These 10 resorts across the country have a reputation for being especially kind to kin. Not only will kids of all ages be happy, there’s plenty for parents to enjoy, too.
http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-best-us-ski-resorts-for-families?ref=news_fd_112313#!1-intro
*** Restoring your faith in mankind, From Jack Duggan:
Ned –
Not, perhaps, the most dramatic travel story, but certainly anxiety-provoking for a few hours.
With my youngest son I arrived at the Rogue Valley/Medford International Airport (yes, locals laugh at the “international” designation) with plenty of time. We checked in and I tucked my I.D. into my shirt pocket. I set my coat on the back of a chair, my bag beside me. They called the flight and I got up and went through security.
We were flying to L.A. where I was to appear as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune (show will air Jan. 23, 2014). As we touched down at LAX I thought, “Where’s my jacket?” With my wallet, my cash and my credit cards! Most important, my Social Security I.D., required of contestants on WoF, was in that wallet. As my mind backtracked, I realized I had left the jacket hanging on the chair in the Medford Airport. ULP!
I turned my phone on when we reached the terminal and there was a message from my wife; my jacket had been turned in and was being held for me in Medford. But I still had no Social Security I.D., no credit cards and only the cash in my pocket.
At the hotel I somewhat sheepishly explained the situation to the manager and used their cash machine (that card I keep with me) to pay for our lodging. Then I called my brother, who is also my tax preparer, and he faxed me Social Security documents.
I can’t reveal the outcome of my appearance on WoF, but I can’t wonder if it mightn’t have been different. If only….
Walk in Peace – Jack
*** How about you? Any wardrobe advice for fellow flyers?
Any interesting stories while going through security?
Send to Ned at lundquist989@cs.com.
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: November 2013
Michigan’s Dequindre Cut Greenway
By Laura Stark
“It went from a really crazy idea to a world-class community asset.”
Everyone has heard about Detroit’s troubles: the bankruptcy, the population decline, abandoned buildings and urban decay. What’s not often heard is the story of the strength, resilience and pride of Detroiters. Underneath the rubble of bad press, hope grows as a revitalized riverfront and developing trail system are changing the way people think about the Motor City. A signature component of this movement, the Dequindre Cut Greenway, is itself a Cinderella story.
“Detroit is not some dying city that nobody wants to be in,” says Eric Oberg, trail development manager in the Midwest Regional Office of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC). “That’s not the narrative on the ground there. We can’t say that everything is rainbows and unicorns; there are problems, but people are facing those problems, not dwelling on them.”
The Dequindre Cut—once a haven for derelicts and drug activity and now a well-loved showpiece with a uniquely Detroit flavor—is the epitome of this sentiment. The “Cut” is a wide trench in downtown Detroit, just over a mile long, that was sunk 25 feet below street level in the 1920s by the Grand Trunk Railroad to avoid foot and vehicle traffic, which continued overhead unimpeded on more than a dozen bridges. Passenger and freight service was discontinued on the line in the early-to-mid 1980s and the corridor sat vacant. Weeds and underbrush took over, and trash littered the way.
“The immediate universal reaction to the idea of building a trail there was, ‘You are out of your freaking mind,'” recalls Tom Woiwode, director of the GreenWays Initiative of the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.
Yet, anchored by two of the city’s cultural and historical touchstones, the corridor held promise. At its northern end was Eastern Market, a commercial district centered around a six-block farmers market in operation since 1891. At the other end was the Detroit River, a key part of the Great Lakes system and an international border (counterintuitively, you have to go south from Detroit to enter Canada).
This was not the first time Woiwode had faced an uphill battle. In 1999, he had the vision of using greenways to connect 250 municipalities within the seven-county area that included and surrounded Detroit. The program he developed, the GreenWays Initiative, was the first of its kind in the country. The effort was launched in 2001 with the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan setting out to raise $25 million from the private sector to leverage $50 million in public dollars for the design, planning, and funding of greenways in the region.
RTC supported the effort, compiling a report on the abandoned rail corridors in the greater Detroit region that could potentially be converted into rail-trails. At first, not everyone was on board. “There was a sizeable push-back by a number of foundations,” says Woiwode. “They said ‘Detroit is the Motor City. You’re never going to be able to build trails here.'”
But enthusiasm for the idea grew and eventually the organization surpassed even its most ambitious goals. One of the projects that was partially funded by the GreenWays Initiative was the Dequindre Cut. The trail’s pavement was laid in the 2008 and, although it wasn’t officially opened yet, Woiwode recalls the high sense of anticipation. “I would be standing on a bridge looking over the construction site and would see people crawling over the barricades because they were so excited by how cool this thing was.” When the greenway opened the following summer, “It went from a really crazy idea to a world-class community asset.”
To help allay fears, the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, stewards of the trail, installed a series of emergency call boxes and security cameras along the route, and created a uniformed security force to patrol the Cut and adjacent Detroit RiverWalk by foot and bike. Today, Marc Pasco, communications director for the organization says, “Crime along the riverfront and the Dequindre Cut is virtually nonexistent.”
Not only was the new trail a safe and useful link through the city, it offered something not found elsewhere: The graffiti-covered walls along the Cut were left alone by the trail’s proponents.
“The artwork is a local stamp that lets Detroiters know that this is us, this is who we are, this is our trail,” says Oberg. “The graffiti along the trail makes a big impact that people get. The artwork is prominent, not subtle, and makes an impression.”
Prior to the greenway’s opening, the revitalization of city’s riverfront—which the Dequindre Cut would eventually link to—paved the way for change. “Ten years ago, the Detroit riverfront wasn’t a very attractive place,” says Pasco. “There were abandoned buildings, weeded lots, cement silos, and it offered very little public access to the river.”
Momentum took off when the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy formed in 2003. Through a public/private partnership with the City of Detroit, General Motors, the Kresge Foundation, and others, the area has been reclaimed for the public good, generating thousands of jobs and an annual spending along the riverfront of $43.7 million, according to an economic impact study published just this year.
The RiverWalk, at the southern end of the Dequindre Cut, connects to Milliken State Park, numerous plazas and pocket parks, and the Renaissance Center, a cluster of seven skyscrapers serving as General Motors’ world headquarters, as well as a massive shopping, dining, lodging, and entertainment complex.
Soon, both the RiverWalk and the Dequindre Cut Greenway will be expanding. “When we first started talking about the Dequindre Cut, a lot of people were skeptical,” says Todd Scott, the Detroit greenways coordinator for Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance. “They thought no one would use it, but now people keep asking, ‘When are you going to make it longer?'”
The answer is fall 2014. A northern extension of the greenway is currently underway that will add just shy of a mile of trail along the former railroad corridor up to Mack Avenue.
“I’ve lived in Southeast Michigan my entire life,” says Pasco. “I’ve seen it through not so great times, but things are starting to transform. There’s an electricity in the air now that you can almost feel, a sense of vibrancy and urgency in Detroit that’s been missing for a long time.”
Oberg, who met with the city’s trail advocates and planners this summer felt it, too. “The take-away from our visit was that Detroit is not going to stay down,” he says. “There’s a lot of positive energy and good things going on there. It’s a wonderful American city.”
Grade: The trail itself is relatively flat, but runs through a corridor 25 feet below street level.
Getting There: Detroit Metro Airport (1 Detroit Metropolitan Airport Tram) sits about 20 miles southwest of the trail.
Access and Parking: Free parking is available at Rivard Plaza, one block west of William G. Milliken State Park. From the lot, take the Detroit RiverWalk east along Atwater Street to the start of the Dequindre Cut Greenway.
To navigate the area with an interactive GIS map, and to see more photos, user reviews and ratings, plus loads of other trip-planning information, visit RTC’s free trail-finder website, TrailLink.com.
Rentals: Bicycle rentals—cruisers, hybrids, road bikes, and tandems—are available along the RiverWalk from Wheelhouse Detroit (1340 E. Atwater Street; info@wheelhousedetroit.com; 313-656-2453). Helmets and locks are included, and accessories such as baby seats and trailers are also available. A variety of guided tours are available from the shop as well.
http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Volunteer service opportunities, Shawnee National Forest, Harrisburg, Illinois
Join the Shawnee Volunteer Corps !
Volunteers with many different skills are needed to assist with the various programs on the Shawnee National Forest. Volunteer opportunities vary in length, type of skill required, and even where they are located (outside on the trails or in the office at a desk).
Public involvement plays an important part in managing our national forest lands. The Shawnee National Forest relies more and more on volunteers to assist with campgrounds and other programs. Concerned citizens help the forest to provide better wildlife habitat, identify and preserve historic sites, and build and maintain trails. Read the latest news about the Shawnee Volunteer Corps in the Volunteer Vibe newsletter. There are numerous volunteer trail improvement projects offered through out the year. College Groups are welcome to complete our Alternative Spring Break Application so that we can plan and organize their volunteer experience.
For more information about volunteering for specific projects on the forest, contact the Shawnee Volunteer Corps at (618) 833- 8576 extension 115 or email at shawneevolunteercorps@yahoo.com.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shawnee/home/?cid=fsm9_038600
2.) Volunteer Project, Lapolosa Wilderness, Enkpsini Wilderness Experience, South Africa
http://www.enkosini.org/LapolosaWilderness.htm
3.) Climb Leader, Mazamas, Portland OR
Our climb leaders go through a rigorous training program that teaches both hard skills of technical climbing and the soft skills of managing a climb team.
For complete details, see the Climb Leader Development pages (http://www.mazamas.org/your/adventure/starts-here/C85/).
A vital part of the Mazamas mission is to provide climbing opportunities for Mazamas members and non-members. These climbs depend on the volunteer efforts of climb leaders. The history of the Mazamas is one of a proud tradition of volunteerism, leading climbs in the Northwest and beyond for well over a century. While the Mazamas are not a guide service, all climb leaders receive training at the highest standards. This training is monitored and encouraged through the Mazamas Climb Leader Development Program. The purpose of the Leadership Development Program is to provide sufficient training and learning opportunities for the development of climb leaders for Mazama activities.
A leader is a member whose skills and experience are considered to be adequate for assuming the formal leadership role for an activity. The leader is NOT a commercial guide and Mazamas provides no certification to a leader. Leaders have some expenses reimbursed, but are NOT paid for their role.
A leader is expected to have sufficient technical skills in mountaineering to comfortably complete the routes he/she leads. Required skill levels will vary depending on the difficulty of routes the leader wants to climb.
A leader is expected to have both studied and demonstrated in the field basic accident management and rescue skills appropriate to the climb being led. First aid skills appropriate to mountaineering are required.
Experience is a key element for a qualified leader. As a general rule, a climber is expected to have completed at least a dozen climbs before applying to the program. No list of criteria alone is sufficient to ensure any individual is appropriate to be a leader for the Mazamas. The Climbing Committee will always use their judgment in appointing leaders.
The Mazamas climb leadership development program is designed to:
•Provide opportunities for candidates to develop leadership skills and additional mountaineering experience.
•Increase candidates visibility within the Mazamas, increasing opportunities to meet as many leaders and members as possible.
•Allow the maximum number of leaders to view and critique the climbing and leadership skills of the candidate.
•Provide a standardized review base for evaluating a candidate’s leadership development; ensuring the level of leadership proficiency expected by the Mazamas.
http://www.mazamas.org/your/adventure/starts-here/C5/
4.) Volunteer Long Trail Patrol, Green Mountain Club, Waterbury Ctr, VT
Run away and join the trail crew for a week! Meet new people – all ages, backgrounds, and from all over the U.S. and the world. Camp out in the Vermont mountains. Learn how to build and maintain hiking trails – or, if you’re already an experienced trail maintainer, practice your skills on some neat projects.
The crew is made up of 8 – 10 volunteers each week led by experienced paid staff. The GMC will provide food, group camping gear, tools, skills training, and pretty good times. This crew works every year from mid- July through late September. A minimum of one week commitment is required, although people can choose to stay longer!
To apply, just use the standard volunteer application. To learn about our sister volunteer trail crews on other parts of the Appalachian Trail go to Appalachian Trail Conservancy web page.
For more details about the volunteer crew see Long Trail Patrol and Outdoor Leadership.
http://www.greenmountainclub.org/page.php?id=181
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Senior Director, Corporate Relations, National Wildlife Federation, Reston, VA
http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Jobs-at-NWF/Search-Openings.aspx
2.) Senior Manager, Corporate Relations, National Wildlife Federation, Reston, VA
http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Jobs-at-NWF/Search-Openings.aspx
3.) Development Officer, Foundation Relations, World Wildlife Fund, Washington, D.C.
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=396900015
4.) Marketing and Communications Manager, Discover Prince William & Manassas, Manassas, Virginia
http://www.jobtarget.com/c/job.cfm?job=15575603
5.) Senior Program Officer, Forestry and Climate Change, African Wildlife Federation, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa, DRC
http://www.awf.org/about/careers/senior-program-officer-forestry-and-climate-change
*** From Mark Sofman:
6.) Guest Services Manager – Worldmark Bison Ranch, Overgaard, AZ
7.) Communications and Outreach Manager, American Prairie Reserve, Bozeman, Montana
http://www.jobtarget.com/c/job.cfm?job=15611912
*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.
*** Your Very Next Step is a service of the Job of the Week Network LLC
© 2013 The Job of the Week Network LLC
Edward Lundquist, ABC –
Editor and Publisher
Your Very Next Step
7813 Richfield Road
Springfield, VA 22153
Home office phone: (703) 455-7661
lundquist989@cs.com
www.nedsjotw.com
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