Check out more photos from the event:

Did you devote a part of this day to service? If so, what did you do?

Here are our photos:

The trip reminded me that connecting with others to get outdoors is easy and fun! If you are in Northern California, join our Meetup Group; and elsewhere, connect with Outdoor Afros on our Connect page.

Thanks to the Lake Merritt Boating Center staff for their great service and orientation for our group!

If you have been following Outdoor Afro for a while, I am sure you have gathered by now that we are striving to connect people to the outdoors in a variety of ways. But far too often, I hear people say they don’t like to camp, or fear trying because of perceptions about what must be given up in order to experience nature. Concerns about dirt, crawly critters, outhouses, bears, and bugs top the list of real and imagined outdoor pet peeves.

So for all our camp fearing friends, we dedicate this series of California RV trips to you. Outdoor Afro, along with sponsors Camp-California, El Monte RV, and Big Sur Campgrounds and Cabins, aim to share a way people can camp within another comfort zone, while enjoying the all splendor of the Great Outdoors.

As you may already know, we embarked on our first RV trip using a teardrop trailer last summer, but this past weekend, the four of us rolled in a motor home to Big Sur, California. And all I could say for the first six-hours of our trip was…wow. Our late model RV was well equipped with a stove, microwave, granite counter tops, refrigerator/freezer, flat screen monitor, three large beds, and a bathroom with a sink, shower, and flush toilet. All I had to bring was enough food for the weekend; pots and pans, bedding, and we were more than good to go!

I have to admit, in my roaring child-free 20′s, I viewed RVing as non-committal camping. I thought there was too much of a buffer between the outdoors and the personal experience. Over the years, I have camped in all sorts of conditions, from rainy and wet in a leaky tent, to nestling on the ground on a foam pad between rock formations; to platform tents with cots at family camp – so I found the RV experience to be something completely new, yet really familiar at the same time.

And I’ve got a whole new attitude about it.

Maybe there is also something about turning the big 4-0 that has slowed my roughing it roll to a skip. As a mother, I no longer feel the need to test the limits of ease with three kids in tow in order to experience nature. This weekend’s experience met me more than half-way in the comfort department, uncompromising in its connection to the outdoors. And my children were all smiles. Together, we enjoyed the amenities of home on the road and arrived in a pop-up community along a beautiful river amidst the redwoods.

Next Up…Discovering Big Sur

This month, my fiancé Joseph and I rented a log cabin on Mt. Lemmon. We went because we needed a break from this chaos called “life,” and we wanted to relax. With us both working demanding jobs, coupled with me going back to school…and planning a wedding, stress has been knocking on our back door.

We’re both lovers of nature, and live in Arizona that has many outdoor activities to offer, and we enjoy taking advantage of them. I fell in love with Mt. Lemmon the first time Joseph took me in August of this year. Mt. Lemmon’s beauty is one that can’t be described; you just have to go and visit to see why we are now so addicted to it!

What I can say is that our infatuation with this place is partly based on the fact that we seem to experience a spiritual connection to the land — there is this one place in particular called “Inspirational Rock,” which sits 9,000 ft in the air (so it’s a bit of a drive and hike up), and when you reach the apex, you feel as though you have a connection with God.

While on a “spiritual high,” you can also receive a physical high because you will definitely workout your body via hiking the plethora of hills!  It’s also a great area for running and cycling, as many athletes reside on the mountain for training purposes.

Also, the community is very welcoming on Mt. Lemmon. People just love to enjoy nature, relax, and have a good time. Joseph and I will definitely travel to Mt. Lemmon again for another stay. Until then, we’re looking forward to picking apples from an apple orchard in Wilcox, AZ during later this month and our hike through the Grand Canyon after that! Stay tuned for more!

Where were YOU Spotted on Sunday?

This summer my family took the opportunity to reconnect with nature.  In planning the obligatory summer vacation, my husband and I realized we were short on time and funds. We decided that a trip to an in-state National Park would maximize our summer vacation experience and be cost effective. We visited both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, and it was one of the best experiences we could have had.

Our initial plan was to rent a recreational vehicle to take to the parks. But there were some maintenance issues with the RV we were  going to borrow, so we ended up staying at a hotel just a few miles outside of Sequoia National Park. While it seems like it would be ideal to stay inside a National Park (and we will likely do that next time), I enjoyed staying outside of the park.  There was a lot to see and do in the little town outside of the National Park. The hotel seemed to be much less congested than the campgrounds within the park. Also, there was a pool at the hotel that my daughter had to visit each evening after coming off the mountain.

Our first night we had dinner just outside of the park, at a restaurant that was built adjacent to a river. The restaurant was completely open, only floors and ceilings and one could see and hear the water rushing by. It was romantic and the experience of having dinner outside, in the mountains, with the sound of the water washing over the rocks was exhilarating.

The next day we set out for Sequoia National Park. We first visited the Giant Forest Museum. There they provided detailed information about the history of the Park and of the Sequoia trees. There were numerous displays detailing how large the Sequoia Trees were as compared with other common man-made structures such as a football field, etc.

Next we took a self-guided hike on a nature trail. We saw many trees and plants that were native to the area, and a variety of birds. And a passing park ranger pointed out some relatively fresh bear paw prints, but we did not see any bears, although I was interested in seeing a bear…from a safe distance!

Sequoia National Park is divided into several villages. We drove to another area where there is an upscale hotel, the Wuksachi Hotel in Wuksachi Village.  It looked very nice, somewhat isolated and very expensive. We drove to Lodgepole Village to have a late lunch. This was a major campground area, with RV’s and tents everywhere. There was an eatery, a wonderful gift shop/general store, laundromat and another visitor’s center – lots of activity. In the middle of it all, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch and followed by the Visitors Center.

Check out the rest of our photos:

On Wednesday, we made our way back to Sequoia National Park. We listened to an informative lecture by a ranger that inspired us to return to the Visitor’s Center at Lodgepole Village. There, we watched a video on the importance of not feeding bears and securing one’s food from bears. My husband brought to my attention an exhibit on Colonel Charles Young, an African-American man who had been the Sequoia Park Superintendent in 1903. I was floored!  While I consider myself a Black history buff, I had never heard of Colonel Charles Young,  and his story is remarkable.  Also on Tuesday, my daughter performed the requirements to become a Junior Ranger. She had to take an oath and she received a certificate and a pin. I think this was the highlight of her trip!

Later in the day, we hiked to the highlight of Sequoia National Park:  General Sherman Tree, the largest single stem tree in the world. It is not necessarily the tallest tree but it has more wood than any other tree. It is a sight to behold, and we attended a fascinating lecture on the history of this tree.  In the evening we attended an outdoor dinner theater performance in the Park, in an area called Wolverton Meadow. The play was a one-woman act describing an early community of socialists who inhabited Sequoia National Park before the government took over the park. A very enlightening experience.

On Thursday, we planned to visit Kings Canyon National Park, but when we arrived at Sequoia, we were told that there had been an accident on the road between the two parks and that the road would be closed for the next 1-2 hours, so we decided to further explore Sequoia.  We visited the Beetle Rock Education Center. It was an educational center designed for children to teach them about the great outdoors. My daughter loved it.

We finally were able to get on the road again and made our way to Kings Canyon. First, we visited the Visitors Center in Grant Grove Village to get an overall history of the National Park. We then took a hike to the General Grant Tree—the largest tree in Kings Canyon National Park. After that experience it was time to make our way home. We had a great time and learned a lot about our National Parks. We cannot wait to visit more of the many National Parks!

The Seward Military Resort has four deep-sea halibut charter fishing boats that operate seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day on Resurrection Bay.  All fishing equipment is provided, but we obtained our fishing licenses, and brought our own rain slicks and rubber boots to help keep dry in anticipation of wet weather.

On the morning of the trip, we woke just after 5AM. Once outside, we were uncertain about the trip’s status, as we felt strong gusts of wind at the resort suggesting the bay might be too choppy for fishing.

But the resort, who arranged our reservation, assured us that there were plenty of fish to catch without care for the weather, so our trip was definitely on. I learned that in Alaska, you must be prepared for a variety of weather conditions.  There is the local saying, “if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.” No truer words.

Around 6AM we boarded the bus with over a dozen other fishers and headed to the bay. Along the short drive to the docks, we received some instruction about what to expect then headed to our waiting boat, the M/V Top Cover for a lesson in salmon and halibut fishing 101.

We motored out of the bay for about 30 minutes, while I napped under the effects of a few preventative doses of Dramamine.

Among the group, I was especially glad to meet Luther and Eric, two brothers who shared with me they fish all over the globe in search of the best catch. And they were here in Alaska to fish each day for the entire week.

Our boat used sonar to detect fish, and sea depth. So we stopped at spots to drop our lines that had the best likelihood of catching either salmon or halibut.

To catch salmon requires constant, shallow, up and down movement of fresh bait on the line. Halibut requires a two-pound weight on heavy gauged line that drops to the bottom floor where these fish dwell. This kind of fishing is not of the pedestrian variety, and was definitely a workout!

At first, the bites on the boat were mainly rock fish and cod, and after hours of moving around the bay, with few of us catching the prized fish, we became uncertain about how the day would turn out. On top of that, the weather became very unstable.

The ocean swells moved our boat up and down several feet, and rain whipped us from every direction. It was necessary at times to set aside the poles and go inside the cabin, or hold on to avoid going overboard! Eventually, rain found its way into my boots, and through my clothes. Without the constant exertion from the movement of my pole, my body started to chill. We noticed these weather conditions also meant few other fishing boats and charters besides ours were on the bay that morning.

After several determined hours of moving around the bay guided by sonar in search of fish, we experienced more inclement weather, yet the views of the surrounding mountains and wildlife were stunning with sea lions and puffins on the horizon. But eventually with patience, we each began to have tight lines!

“Fish on!” we called out when we had a bite.

“Color!” we shouted, as reeled fish came close enough to the surface to be in view.

With these calls, the charter staff rushed over to help bring in the fish with their nets.

It was in the last two-hours of our journey that I caught all my fish for the day. Mark and I were proud to reel in halibut, salmon, rockfish, and cod. But there were two salmon that got away from me — a real bummer, and now I can fully appreciate the saying that describes, “the one that got away.”

In the end, our group returned with dozens of fish, and headed to the resort fish house to fillet and vacuum seal our catches. We shared beers, filleting tips, and lots of camaraderie along the way.

After all the processing was over, with our fish was packed away in the resort freezer, Mark and I set-up a portable stove outside our room to cook halibut cheeks, a favorite delicacy, with lots of butter and garlic with new friends Luther and Eric — a wonderful sea-to-table experience.

On my  last night in Alaska, I went to bed grateful for dryness and warmth, but also for the exciting adventure of the trip to America’s last frontier.

And I cannot wait to return.

Outdoor Afro is grateful for Mark B. who hosted such an amazing and fulfilling tour of Alaska!

Click to follow my trip from the beginning!

It is entirely about the experience. We have all grown up with the iconic byline of Alaska rendered on a US map in a tiny square smaller in scale than the state of California, almost as if an afterthought. But the state is much bigger than you think.

For years, the image of Alaska simply conjured up for me an unknown territory of unforgiving cold. But for many others, Alaska is imagined with much more complexity and considered the last American frontier.

The Alaska I finally experienced last weekend awed me with its tensions between immaculate natural beauty, deeply rooted Native culture, and sense of respite from the urban experience. But it also divulges a potential for peril for those not careful. Respect for nature in Alaska is simply not an option. And I learned quickly that for those who live, earn, and thrive in Alaska; they have discovered and adapted to the ways of the natural world that yield endlessly satisfying benefits.

Mark, a friend of many years and native of my hometown in California, generously shared a slice of his adopted state with me last weekend. It was a quick yet carefully planned trip that allowed me to sample a variety of opportunities to experience what this great state holds in abundance. We saw plenty of wildlife, hiked among ancient glaciers, and fished for Alaska’s iconic salmon and halibut.

Arriving in the evening, we drove to the cozy resort of Alyeska where we would stay the first night. It is located just off the scenic Seward Highway in the town of Girdwood, part of the Municipality of Anchorage. It is the premier destination in Alaska for visitors and locals alike. Nestled against the awe-inspiring Chugach Mountains, in view of many glaciers, the resort offers year-round adventures and activities.

We dined our first evening at the Double Musky Inn down the road that had a down-home Cajun theme. Yet we decided on two local specialties: a delicately flavored white salmon and a pork loin with rhubarb sauce. Each were butter-knife tender and delicious.

The next morning, we ventured to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, an organization that provides land and refuge for orphaned, injured, and ill animals that cannot survive on their own in the wild, and educates visitors about Alaska’s wildlife. In the mile-long path through the refuge, we saw bears, elk, moose, reindeer, porcupines, protected birds and wild felines. There, I felt fortunate to safely observe and capture in photos some of  these important native species:

 A Moose and a Brown Bear

After a morning of viewing inspiring wildlife, we meandered by car southwest several scenic miles between mountains and mineral dense turquoise lakes toward the town of Seward to explore Kenai Fjords National Park’s Exit Glacier at the tip of the Kenai Peninsula.

Next Up: Our Hike among the Ice Age

James W. Marshall discovered gold in 1848 on the South Fork of the American River in the valley known as Cullumah by the Nisenan Indians who lived in the area sustainably and peacefully. But Marshall’s discovery led to the greatest mass movement of people in the Western Hemisphere, and it was the spark that ignited the rapid appropriation of the West during the ensuing decades. The gold discovery site, located in the still visible tailrace of Sutter’s sawmill, in present day Coloma California, is one of the most significant historic sites in the nation.

But as my children and I moved about the site, we were surprised to learn about a nugget of African American history in the area: The Monroe Family.

Monroe Family

According to Bill, our interpreter, Monroe was the grandson of Peter and Nancy Gooch, who were freed from slavery when California became a state in 1850. The Monroe family in particular became successful fruit farmers and prominent property holders in Coloma. The family grew and prospered with an estate that grew to eighty acres.

For decades, the Monroes were well liked and respected for their integrity, good citizenship, and an insistence on being accepted as they were. The end of this pioneering family came in 1988 when its last member, Jim Monroe died at the age of 99. Unfortunately, the Monroes did not have any heirs; therefore their land is now preserved as a public monument to remember an important era of California history.

As we left the park, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to learn about a history that connected us as African Americans to the local landscape in a profound way. And had we never ventured to the area for our RV experience, it is not something we would have ever likely known.

Our family is grateful for Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, especially the park staff, who did a fabulous and forthright presentation of the remarkable Monroes, who my family will remember as part of this trip for a lifetime.

Follow the trip from the beginning!

This was the first time my family had ever had an RV experience, and in this case, towed a trailer along to set up camp in an RV Park, in spite of many years of tent camping and a range of other outdoor experiences. Over these two years in the Outdoor Afro community and beyond, I have heard the persistent concerns about wildlife and dirt as being a major reason why some African Americans choose not to camp.

Therefore, it was our goal in this trip to demonstrate that you can camp with comfort, yet find ways to enjoy nature too! In our case, we planed to use both the teardrop trailer and a tent to accommodate the entire size of our party. Getting the trailer hitched was a cinch thanks to the expertise of Gary from American River Sales. The trailer came with a long list of cooking supplies, utensils, and a stove, so all we had to bring was food and our favorite spices!

With limited time to spend at a site like this, there was also a more immediate sense of welcoming among our fellow campers that maximized a sense of neighborhood. Everyone who walked by our campground had a friendly word or a smile, and our teardrop trailer was the belle of the ball with a design unlike any other at our resort.

Preparing our food was also a wonderful experience using the stove provided in our teardrop, I was especially inspired by Evanne Schmarder’s website the RV Cooking Show, where she shares many recipes tailored to the RV experience. The kids and I enjoyed creating together our own recipe improvisation of grilled salmon with garlic and lemon, steamed veggies, and a Caesar salad our first night. Yum!

My younger kids did not even mind doing dishes!

After a day of flawless travel and set-up, we were all ready for bed early, with my nephew and son Seth in the tent, and my two younger children and I ready to sleep comfortably in the trailer. We very much looked forward to our river rafting trip the next day.

Next up: American River Rafting!

The Maryland Coastal Bays Program exists to protect and conserve the waters and surrounding watershed of Maryland’s coastal bays to enhance their ecological values and sustainable use for both present and future generations. Participants in the symposium included students enrolled in the Upward Bound program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and those involved in conservation-related job programs including Coastal Stewards, the Maryland Conservation Corps, Maryland Conservation Job Corps, Youth Conservation Corps and the Chesapeake Conservation Corps.

While my colleagues and I began our weekend with presentations at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore about our inspiration to embark on careers within the environmental field, what followed were two days filled with amazing local outdoor activities, such as fishing, kayaking, hay rides, air rifling, pontooning, exploring the coastal bays, swimming on the beach at Assateague, and best of all, great conversations and relationship building.

Carrie Samis, the Education Coordinator for Coastal Bays, really gets it, and designed a summit that was not just about talking the talk, but walking the walk. Unlike other experiences where I have come to present to a group only to leave the same day, time was planned over the weekend for my colleagues and I to get to know the program youth individually, and learn what mattered in their day-to-day lives in Delmarva, as called by locals (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia).

One Coastal Bays Steward, Tashonna Grant fast became my partner in fun, and in our time together doing recreational activities, I got a chance to observe and learn from her about pushing through obstacles. “I hate snakes,” she told me, but as we talked about the importance of wildlife in our daily lives, something clicked. And later when we had a chance to visit a nature preserve with a display of wildlife, Tashonna was among the first to handle one of the native snake species — and giggled through the experience.

But as I got to know more Coastal Stewards, I learned Tashonna’s courage to engage with nature is typical for this group, but not without careful intention and effort. Even though many of the program youth come from underserved communities, the program goes the extra mile to engage families and trusted institutions over time, such as local churches, to help foster a pathway of trust that help program youth feel supported. Importantly, these youth gain valuable work experience, participate in professional and personal development opportunities, and receive a paycheck. I also learned that many of these students later secure positions with state and federal agencies, local parks and nonprofits.

Maryland Coastal Bay’s Program has also earned the deep respect of numerous local business, and community partners through its ongoing collaboration and critical bay and wildlife stewardship. And as a result, wherever our group went, we were treated like royalty!

My deep thanks go out to the Maryland Coastal Bays Program for such a moving program. Most especially for Carrie Samis and Nick Clemons for all their tireless coordination and enthusiasm, Dave Wilson (Executive Director) for great beaching and birding;  the exceedingly hospitable folks at Fager’s Island, The University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, Hazel Outdoor Discovery Center, Assateague Island National Seashore staff, ALL the amazing youth, my awesome colleagues, and each person along the journey who contributed in big and small ways to make my trip to Delmarva a lasting and inspired memory.

Click below to see photos from the event!