flickr.com/prettywarstl: a nice plate!

Thanksgiving in my family is more than the delicious turkey, pies, and cobblers my sister Delane makes; it is also a celebration of food that preserves the memories and experiences of those who have passed on, symbolized through the remaking of family recipes…Cherrie’s dressing, Ella mae’s Pea Salad…the matriarchs of my family pulled greens from their garden for dinner, they plucked the feathers of fresh foul, and cleaned the fish they caught in local lakes for Friday fish fries.

Our family also has gratitude for the new generation and experiences that nod toward the future by introducing new culinary creations, such as the anticipated “newlywed dish” from Christine and Antoine this year, my next-generation cornbread dressing that has become a family favorite, and Uncle Jerry’s deep fried turkey that produces the juiciest, tastiest bird in record time.

With everyone at the table, sometimes for the first time in months, it’s a perfect time to discuss goals for your family in the coming year and also celebrate the accomplishments.

This year at the table, I hope you will join me in having a discussion with your loved ones about ways to get back in touch with the outdoors. I’ll bet someone at the table, especially an elder, can recall circumstances that mirror Cherrie and Ella mae’s, and remind us at a personal level the intimate and sustainable interaction possible with the outdoors. These shared experiences can connect people more than we imagine, so don’t let your eyes glaze over when the elders are speaking…you’ll miss something important, I assure you.

Flickr.com/Circulating: The Harvest

The point is not to create a complicated or overly-ambitious plan for the outdoors, but to figure out what activities feel comfortable for everyone and commit to do something. Perhaps it’s a short family hike over this holiday weekend; planning more picnics, starting a family garden, taking up bird-watching, or perhaps  polling to see which child (or adult) still needs to learn to swim, and make it a family goal for everyone to learn how before summer.

If you are an outdoorsy family already, then break out the recent trip photos and recall stories to celebrate your activities, keep the excitement around them alive, and inspire new adventure ideas.

I am profoundly thankful Outdoor Afro is here (and growing) to share the diverse experiences of folks of color doing outdoor activities, while inspiring more people to reconnect with outdoor activities that are not as otherworldly as they sometimes appear.

From my family to yours – Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!

My very best,
Rue

Stephen Myers lived at this address with his wife Harriet and their four children. The Vigilance Committee was active in the Underground Railroad from the early 1840s into the 1850s and met at this location when the Myers’ lived there. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 and the state historic register. It is also listed on the New York State Underground Railroad Heritage Trail and a site on the National Park Service’s National Network to Freedom.

The Boys Outdoor Leadership Team will assist Paul Stewart, co-founder of the Underground Railroad History Project in a Day of Service on the grounds of this historic property. Trash removal and lawn maintenance will take place on Sunday 9/11 from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM. More than 25 boys from Green Tech will participate in the clean-up, under the direction and supervision of Brother Yusuf Burgess.

The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists who were sympathetic to their cause.

Event Location

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!

“…a hallowed place in San Francisco, modern ruins on the edge of the continent. Crashing waves, labyrinthine structures, wild lilies, cliff-lodged cypress trees reaching towards the ocean, a thundering cave…”

Thanks for sharing Zoe!

Where were YOU spotted on Sunday in the outdoors?

Join National Park Service ranger Betty Reid Soskin and Rue Mapp of the social network Outdoor Afro as they discuss the state of African American participation in our national and regional parks.

I am honored to share the stage with Ms. Betty Soskin, who will share personal memories of East Bay life and working conditions during World War II and show a short film about Richmond’s Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park.

Following Ms. Soskin’s presentation, I will highlight the variety of city and regional parks in the Oakland area and encourage audience members to share their experiences.

Details:

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
6:00 PM to 7:30 PM

Oakland Public Library
125 14th Street
Oakland, CA 94612

A great list contributed by Harriet Gordon, who runs a site to help people research Human Services careers. Clearly, Harriet likes to hike too!

Whether you are looking to have an adventurous weekend or cross something off of your bucket list, nature is, and probably should be, involved. One of the best ways to get back to it is to go on a hike. With literally thousands of trails taking anywhere from hours to months to complete, it can all be somewhat to very confusing. With little money and less time at stake for most hikers, what is the best way to get the biggest bang for your buck/minute?

No matter what your skill level, there are loads of options in the below 20 hiking trails every American hiker must try. With entries from local national parks to ancient cities overseas, there is something for every budget and sensibility. Be sure and read up more before actually heading out, as some of these trails are expert only, but be ready to wear out your favorite pair hiking boots in no time.

The American Hiking Trails Every American Hiker Must Try

Stay in the 50 states for these impressive hiking trails.

1. Appalachian Trail 

A constantly popular trail, it offers unparalleled opportunities to explore, experience, and connect with nature. From the Highlands of Roan in Tennessee to the strenuous trek up Katahdin in Maine, there’s a hike available for every level of experience. With loads of trails to choose from, visitors can do them in an afternoon, weekend, or even season. Simply visit the site to begin planning your hike and get loads more information.

2. Kalalau Trail

Who says hiking is all forests and mountains? In this must see Hawaiian trail, hikers go from beach to beach. Trails of two to five miles offer cliffs, valleys, waterfalls, streams, and other breathtaking views. There are even hunting options for those who enjoy archery.

3. Glacier Gorge

If the beach is too warm for you, click here. Part of the Rocky Mountain National Park, mountains, waterfalls, wildflowers, and more await you on this hike. The park also has loads of other trails to choose from including everything from the easy to vertical climbs. You can also choose trails by season and check out the webcams.

4. Zion Hiking

Get an up close look at the narrows of the American Southwest on these hikes. The diverse trek through Zion’s premier canyon is one of the most touted and breathtaking adventures in the United States. It greets hikers with hanging gardens, trickling water threads, sandy perches, and much more. The national park website has much more on lodging, camping, and anything else you may want to do there.

5. Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Why let Sarah Palin have all the fun? This Alaskan national park is six times the size of Yellowstone, has some of the tallest mountains in the world, and is home to many glaciers. Literally go off the beaten path through dense brush, steep slopes, glacial streams, and more. The park is also home to 14,185 square miles of designated wilderness, more than any other unit within the National Park Service system.

6. Continental Divide Trail

Got some time to kill and countryside to see? Then check out this trail that goes from the Southern part of New Mexico all the way through Montana and into Canada. Over 3,100 miles long, there is no need to do the entire thing at once. The site offers hiking and other related adventures by state.

7. John Muir Trail

The trail starts in America’s Yosemite National Park and continues 215 miles through the Ansel Adams Wilderness. It then extends to Sequoia National Park, King’s Canyon National Park, and ends at the highest peak in continental United States, Mount Whitney at 14,496 feet. The 30 day hike is not for beginners, but those who are brave enough to take it on will see mountains, lakes, snow, sun, and everything in between.

8. Napa Valley Hiking

Where can you hike and drink on the same trip? With a tour of California’s wine country. The best hiking trial is Bothe–Napa Valley State Park. Rising from the valley floor to about 2,000 feet elevation, this outstanding park is fully developed along one side, wild and rugged on the other. There is also loads of wine country to explore.

The Mountain Hiking Trails Every American Hiker Must Try

Hiking, climbing, and the ultimate outdoor experiences combine on these hiking trails.

9. Mount Everest 

The highest mountain in the world, it stands at 29,028 feet high. Located in Khumbu, Nepal, there are many hikes around the base of the mountain that do not require the risk or steep price tag. Visits on the base trail can include Kathmandu, Phakding, Namche Bazaar, and others. Recommended times of visit include from the beginning of March to mid-May and again from the beginning of September to mid-November.

10. Tour du Mont Blanc

How can you see France, Italy, and Switzerland all at once? By taking on this hiking trail. Called “one of the most exciting long distance wilderness walks in Europe,” the trip takes about eleven days. Highlights of the trail include staying in refuges, alpine climbs, and stunning views. This site has loads more on everything you will need.

11. Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is one of the world’s most accessible high summits at 19,336 feet. Most hikers can reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing, and determination. For those with more experience, there is Uhuru Point, the actual summit on the lip of the crater. Located in Tanzania, there are six hiking trails and mountain routes. They also offer day or overnight hikes on the Shira plateau as well as trout fishing.

12. Monte Fitz Roy

Located in Argentina, Fitz Roy is at the northern tip of gorgeous Parque Nacional Los Glaciers. It is part of Hielo Sur, the largest icecap not in a polar region. Standout features of the hike include jagged mountain views, suitable for hikers of different experience, no need to filter water, and its inexpensiveness. This site has more on when and where to go, as well as what to see while you are there.

13. Silverton Mountain

Why just hike a mountain when you can also ski down it? Located in Colorado, this mountain offers amazing skiing opportunities, including a cross of heli-skiing experience, snow cat skiing, and resort skiing. There are no groomed runs, no cut trails, just loads of nature’s finest black diamond skiing in the U.S.A. Three to six runs a day are offered to visitors, along with other outdoor activities.

14. North Island

Does the idea of dormant mountains bore you? Then check out this hike located in New Zealand. Walk through fascinating volcanic landscape while touring the famous Tongariro Crossing. There is also the Waitomo caves, lakes, and loads more on the local Maori culture. Although this site offers a five day hike, there are also many other ways to see it.

15. Tiger Leaping Gorge

The Tiger Leaping Gorge trek, or Pinyin: Hu Tiao Xia, is near Lijiang in Yunnan and one of the finest treks through some of the most naturally beautiful and diverse landscapes China has to offer. The hiking trail runs high on the northern side of the gorge passing through quiet villages, shady forest, a blustery precipice, and farmland. The trail can be spread out for two days and there are also options for more adventurous hikers.

The Other Hiking Trails Every American Hiker Must Try

Get the best of the rest in hiking in these must see trails.

16. West Coast Trail 

Often a top choice for hikers, this trail is located in British Columbia, Canada. It stands out for its rain forests, rugged coastlines, and dramatic mountain peaks. Other highlights include cross boulders, logs over rivers, waterfall hikes, whale watching, and even shipwrecks and other historical sites. It is over 75 miles long and part of the Pacific Rim National Park. Open from May 1st to September 30th, make your arrangements now.

17. The Great Wildebeest Migration

Sick of hiking with humans? Then stop here on a hike that encompasses the remote and rarely visited corners of Kenya as you follow the great wildebeest migration. Hike northern Kenya’s incredibly dramatic landscapes which include river beds, lush green forests, and mountain glades. Four wheel game driving is also part of the trip.

18. Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Also known as the Camino Inca, this hiking trail every American must try includes three overlapping routes: Mollepata, Classic, and One Day. Located in the Andes mountain range, the trail passes through several types of environments including cloud forest and alpine tundra. Settlements, tunnels, and many Incan ruins are located along the trail before ending the terminus at the Sun Gate on Machu Picchu mountain.

19. Torres Del Paine Circuit

Check out this hiking trail for “the best view you’ve ever seen,” according to Backpacker Magazine. The 52-mile, ten day loop sits 1,500 miles south of Santiago and encircles the 8,000 to 10,000-foot granite monoliths of rock above glacial lakes studded with icebergs. Exotic wildlife, late sunsets, and much more await hikers on this trail.

20. Haute Route

Also known as the High Route, this trail runs from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland. First discovered in the mid-19th century, hikers and cross country skiers have been visiting this 180 kilometer trail ever since. It contains valleys, lakes, and glaciers, along with top notch food and cultural interests. It also offers frequent stops to eat and rest, help keeping packs light and the trip easier.

If you need more help in narrowing down the 20 hiking trails every American must try, visit a site like Backpacker Magazine. They feature loads of expert reviews of top hiking destinations both locally and abroad. The community also chimes in with their top choices, picks, recommendations, hiking tips, and much more. You can also stop to blog about your latest hike.

This post The 20 Hiking Trails Every American Hiker Must Try is written by Harriet Gordon, who writes on human services degree blog.

Outdoor Afro fans learned about Barbara Hillary back in 2009, she not only survived lung cancer, but also took on a trek hardly imaginable to most to the North Pole on skis at age 75!

Here is our Talk Tuesday Blog Talk Radio interview with Hillary from July, 2009 where she humorously shared how it is possible and necessary to live up to ones potential:

Not willing to remain still, this month the venerable Hillary started on another trek, this time to the South Pole.

See the Expenews feed for futher details and to read the rollercoaster of events leading to her journey.

Outdoor Afro wishes Ms. Hillary the best of luck for a safe trip, and recognize the inspiration she is to us all!

Learn more about Barbara Hillary, including booking information for speaking engagements by visiting her website.

It’s important to remember that Martin Luther King Jr. led a movement that was results driven with little rest toward a vision of equality and justice to benefit everyone. In the spirit of King’s work, celebrating his birthday as a day of service to address the practical, environmental, and spiritual needs of our community makes every bit of sense.

In 1994, Congress designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a National Day of Service to recognize the legacy of King in a new and active way. It is often referred to as “a day on, not a day off,” and organizations around the country have since lead efforts on the Holiday to help Americans transform their communities for the better.

While we have had nearly two decades of service emphasis on his birthday recognition, it is only in more recent years that this thrust has gained enough public momentum to resonate with a critical mass. No longer can people dismiss the day as a “black holiday” – as a commitment to bettering our communities must be a universal value.

2010 was my very first day of official MLK Day of Service with my children, where we took part in a local coastal clean-up effort in Oakland, California with dozens of committed folks of all colors in pouring rain. I finished the day cold and tired, yet grateful to know my young children will grow up with the value of service intertwined with the King Holiday, and I am now glad for the ways Outdoor Afro can encourage this vision for others.

I urge you to find ways to get involved if you have never done so before.  There are ways for all interests and abilities to take part.  If you already have plans, then consider getting your children, neighbors, and other loved ones into the mix.

You’ll be glad for the ways you can make a difference.

Learn more about opportunities in your community!

The horses of the parade were simply stunning and extraordinarily groomed. Riders in fanciful to serious garb came in both genders and in all ages, and the parade MC kept up the excitement on the mic with his sharp wit and call to spectators to get off the sidelines and into the streets to do the Cupid Shuffle.

But the biggest focus of the association is on youth as it aims to keep alive the important role of black cowboys in the old West. Some estimate as many as 25% of cowboys were African American in the effort to settle the California west after the Civil War.

View More Photos

Beyond the parade, year round the association maintains educational programs in the outlying suburbs and in local schools, and regularly hosts family campouts at horse ranches. Many people I spoke with from the group strongly believe that by connecting kids with nature through ranching activities, they can save lives. One cowboy shared with me how street-tough youth at the end of traditional options become humbled by the experience of caretaking a horse, and are almost instantly transformed.

Over the years, the parade route has moved and shifted around Oakland streets to accommodate traffic concerns, but it has always ended in tree-lined West Oakland, considered the heart of the city’s earliest black founding community. This year the parade concluded with a festival at historic DeFermery Park, with Zydeco music and BBQ wafting through the air, and a chance for youth to interact with the horses and their handlers. My own son received a lesson in lasso, and was successful in snagging the plastic bull by the horns; a moment in which he beamed with pride and confidence — a feeling the Black Cowboy Association aims to spread far and wide among more community youth.

To find out what you can do to take part in Black Cowboy events, and to learn ways to support this innovative organization, contact them via email, or check out their website.

Erik S. Lesser for The New York Times

Check out this intruging New York Times article brought to my attention by an Outdoor Afro community member about The Negro Motorist Green Book, a book that helped black people find where and how to move about the United States for travel and leisure in the Jim Crow era. Living in these Obama tinted times, it can seem like a distant concept that in the lifetimes of our parents and grandparents, where black people might go to eat, spend a night, or merely venture to recreate was often dictated by the color of their skin.

But outdoor engagement for many African Americans was still happening in spite of these barriers, especially in places like the south. Leafing through the pages of my own family photos, my folks and other relatives are pictured outdoors and engaged in all sorts of recreational activities over the years, but the scene was most often a picnic on private land; backyards, or other neighborhood settings — not at a National Park. For example, American Beach in Florida has historically been about celebrating family. Today, some of the community’s original families still gather here for vacations.

Related to camping history in the US, Terence Young in his 2009 article: ‘a contradiction in democratic government’: W. J. TRENT, JR., AND THE STRUGGLE TO DESEGREGATE NATIONAL PARK CAMPGROUNDS, shares some additional historical context:

“Camping began in the nineteenth century as an elite form of pilgrimage to the wild, but the arrival of inexpensive automobiles in the early twentieth century greatly expanded camping’s social diversity. The change was not universally embraced, especially when African Americans were involved, and the issue came to a head during the 1930s after two racially segregated national parks were opened in southern states. As complaints flowed in, William J. Trent, Jr., became adviser for Negro affairs to Interior Secretary Harold L. Ickes. He had no special interest in the outdoors or national parks, but Trent championed increased African American access to the parks and an end to discrimination in them. NPS leadership resisted Trent’s efforts until Secretary Ickes ordered them to create one nonsegregated demonstration area in Shenandoah National Park in 1939. The policy was extended to other areas in 1941 and the next year, with World War II shifting into high gear, campground and other forms of segregation were ended throughout the park system.”

Anthony John Coletti - Family Reunion at American Beach

Current barriers to the outdoors can no longer be attributed to segregation laws, but sometimes a fear of the unknown experience coupled with concerns about not being welcomed. Public and private organizations related to the outdoors have the challenge of not only connecting a new generation to wild spaces, but also addressing some of the historical residue that may account for some of the current estrangement.

Today we each have an important opportunity to make a difference related to who engages with our natural and public spaces. There is a monumental effort happening at a national level and across many organizations to reconnect all Americans to the outdoors not seen since Roosevelt. Since my trip to Washington DC for the America’s Great Outdoors Conference last spring, senior White House Officials have traveled all over the country hosting listening sessions to collect inspired ideas from people of all walks of life to map out ways to connect more Americans to the outdoors. The data collected will be presented to President Obama in a report due in November of this year. And even if you cannot make one of the upcoming listening sessions in a town near you, please make sure to add your ideas to the official AGO website.

Outdoor Afro Project: Ask your parents or grandparents how they engaged with natural spaces while growing up, especially if they lived during the pre-Civil Rights era. Post your findings here in the comments. You may also mail in photos to be featured in a follow-up blog post.

Read: Frank and Audrey Peterman’s book, Legacy on the Land, about the history of the National Parks and people of color.