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July 13, 2010

Park Quest 24/7, the end

I started at sun up at water's edge one week ago in Garrett County and ended minutes ago at the Atlantic Ocean.

In between, I visited some of Maryland's prettiest public lands — 24 parks, all different, all worth seeing — in seven consecutive days.

During Park Quest 24/7, I met some tremendous public servants and volunteers.

I can't say I ate well, because with the exception of one meal, that would be a big, fat fib.

When I reached Assateague and waited to have my Park Quest passport stamped a final time, the Maryland Park Service brass surprised me with flowers and sparkling grape juice.

"I didn't think you could do it," said Parks Superintendent Nita Settina. "But I'm glad you did."

Despite bites and bumps and bruises--which now feel like merit badges--I'm glad I did, too.

Now, what's my next Quest?

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

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Posted by Candus Thomson at 5:28 PM | | Comments (10)
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Dark water, bright future

The future of the outdoors, if you're a state like Maryland with a gigantic bay, the Atlantic Ocean and countless rivers and man-made lakes, is water quality.

It also hinges on a passionate next generation that loves and guards all the outdoors have to offer.

At Pocomoke River State Park, I encounter both in my 23rd Quest.

The challenge is conducting a series of water quality tests at several sites in the park.

Questers are asked to sample water for turbidity, oxygen level, Ph, and temperature and report their findings back to the park staff. There's also a puzzle to solve.

Joining me on my Quest are Ben Sheppard of Baltimore, a recent graduate of Towson University, and Erica McGrath of Pittsburgh, who graduated from California University of Pennsylvania. Both are members of the Maryland Conservation Corps. They help run nature programs, assist park staff and guide Park Quest families.

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Sheppard and McGrath

They both love their jobs. McGrath has signed up for a second tour of duty. Sheppard says he would if he could, but he'll be too old to meet the MCC cutoff.

Our readings show the waters around Pocomoke to be in pretty good shape, considering the hot, dry weather that has hammered the state.

My work done, I get my passport stamped and head off to Assateague State Park and the finish line for Park Quest 24/7.

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The waters around Pocomoke are tea-colored, not because they're dirty, but because they're stained by cypress trees found in the surrounding swamps.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 2:39 PM |
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Nearing the end, at Tangier Sound

After a series of thunderstorms blew through the area, delaying my departure on Quest 22, I finally got started.

It was a beautiful paddle through the channel across from the dock at Janes Island State Park and out around the point.

As I swung to my right, I picked up the docks dead ahead — the beaching spot for a short hike to the dune line, a beautiful view of Tangier Sound and the answer to the Quest puzzle.

Some bozo stole the medallion placed on the signpost, so Questers won't be doing a rubbing.

Nice going, pinhead.

As I slide my kayak toward the dock, I encounter a scene much like Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn acted out in "The African Queen."

Hundreds of deer flies come out to greet me. DEET does not deter them.

I scramble from the kayak, dash up the boardwalk to the signpost--arms flailing wildly to ward off attackers, secure the correct answer and race back to my kayak and the safety of a bite-free zone 50 yards off shore.

The paddle back is silent and uneventful.

And I am a successful participant in the Janes Island Paddle and Dash Biathalon.

Off to Pocomoke River State Park and the penultimate Quest.

Park Quest 24/7

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Tangier Sound from the dunes on Janes Island

Posted by Candus Thomson at 11:56 AM |
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Park Quest 24/7: Nearing the finish line

This morning I pulled the last T-shirt from my duffel bag. It's red, for stop.

I'm in my final day of Park Quest 24/7, a personal challenge: visit all 24 state parks across the state participating in the state's annual Park Quest contest in seven consecutive days.

I've been wearing a different color shirt each day, partially to remind me that I've turned a page and partially to ensure that, well, I remain nominally presentable.

Continue reading "Park Quest 24/7: Nearing the finish line" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:59 AM | | Comments (2)
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July 12, 2010

Wye are we doing this?

Meet Buster.

Buster runs the Wye Grist Mill with a little help from Rhonda Corder, who feeds him and keeps him in ice cubes when the dog days of summer come early.

Buster is 8.

He loves to explain how the mill was built in the 1600s. He'll go on and on about how the mill is powered by water from Wye Pond across the road.

And he may mention that flour from the Eastern Shore helped feed Gen. George Washington and his troops, earning the region the nickname, "Breadbasket of the American Revolution."
But mostly Buster wants to show you how he can field a thrown tennis ball in mid-air better than any Oriole outfielder.

Say hi to Buster and Rhonda on your Park Quest to Wye Oak State Park.

The oak is long gone — the victim of a 2002 storm.

But the dog and his miller are still standing.

Twenty-one Quests down and three to go tomorrow.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

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Buster and Rhonda Corder

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Buster

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Wye Grist Mill

Posted by Candus Thomson at 5:44 PM |
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Tuckahoe takes you along a creek

The quest at Tuckahoe State Park is a paddle along a creek that shares its name with the park.

By canoe, you can sneak up on painted turtles ranging in size from a dinner plate to a saucer for an espresso cup.

My paddling partner, Dave Davis, who retired once from the Maryland Park Service after 30 years only to return, steers a smooth course.

We meet up with the Morton family of Columbia — Questers on their sixth park. In a tiny flotilla of canoes and kayaks, they are exploring the tiny coves and looking for answers to the worksheet questions.

The only thing to disrupt the scene are voracious deer flies that are meaner than a junkyard dog.

I kill at least a dozen of them, some before and some, sadly, after they've chewed my flesh.

"Take as many as you like," says Davis, ever the genial host.

Apparently, there's no bag limit.

Bring bug spray and use it, fellow Questers.

Tuckahoe gives me 20 parks toward my goal of visiting all 24 parks on the Maryland Park Quest in seven days. One more stop today and it's just down the road a piece.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

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Kendall Morton and two of his children, Luke, 5, and Lydia, 7.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 4:30 PM | | Comments (1)
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Sandy Point is in the bag

Before noon today at Sandy Point State Park, I bagged No. 19 in my goal to visit all 24 parks in seven days as part of the state's Park Quest adventure.

The Cizek family of Marriottsville — mom Karen and sons Ben, 5, and Jake, 7— are doing their first.

We all move at different speeds.

"Our goal is a Quest every other day," says Karen. "It's something fun to do with the kids and it's free."

The Sandy Point Quest, I might add, is breezy, short and easy. And with Department of Natural Resources summer intern Christine Runion as my human GPS unit ("recalculating"), I can't miss.

Thanks to Ranger Dorna Cooper for the company and Ranger Rob Jones for the precise directions.

Off to Tuckahoe and a paddling Quest before the thunderstorms move in.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

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Karen Cizek and sons Ben (left) and Jake.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 12:13 PM |
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Waiting at Sandy Point

I am waiting at Sandy Point State Park to be joined by Sun photographer Amy Davis and Department of Natural Resources spokesman Josh Davidsburg.

Nice breeze and shade near the nature center is welcomed.

Now on Day 6 of my personal Park Quest 24/7: 24 state parks across the state in seven days.
That can only mean one thing; I have to shave my legs every day.

I can only imagine what people would be thinking; "I met Outdoor Girl. What hairy legs."

So shave, we must.

Amy's here. Gotta run.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 10:51 AM | | Comments (1)
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Connecting with people and the outdoors at Patapsco Valley

Christopher Brooks found Patapsco Valley State Park about 20 years ago by following a tiny creek from his Elkridge neighborhood to the river four miles away.

"The park was an oasis for me," he says.

Today, he is the park ranger and the creator of this segment of the Maryland Park Service's Park Quest challenge.

The father of a 4-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter, Brooks was sensitive to the criticism that his Quest was a little too long for smaller youngsters. So, he quickly devised an alternative hike that hits the park's highlights and seven Quest clues while giving tiny feet a break.

The Patapsco River creates a soothing sound as it passes under Swinging Bridge. Brooks and I use the bridge as a high-level platform to look for fish. I see one dark form along the bank near a downed tree.

Brooks waves to early-morning joggers and bike riders. Most days, he'll stop to chat with anglers and hikers.

"That's how you break bread with people," he says. "You talk to them for a few minutes and they come back."

He stamps my Park Quest passport — No. 18 — and sends me on my way.

"I'll be back," I tell him.

"I know you will," he says, smiling.

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Christopher Brooks

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Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 9:26 AM |
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July 11, 2010

Park Quest: My personal grail

"What is your quest?"

"I seek the grail."

It's a famous bit of dialog from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

This will be the next-to-last day of my own quest, the one I've been calling Park Quest 24/7. At this point, I seek to finish. Alive.

Today, I'll have to complete four parks to stay on pace, starting with Patapsco Valley State Park.

Continue reading "Park Quest: My personal grail" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:38 PM |
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A jewel to end Day 5

How, after all these years of living in Maryland and covering the outdoors, did I manage to miss the little gem that is St. Clement's Island State Park?

Dangling like a pendant in the Potomac River, the park is a short water taxi ride ($7) from the St. Mary's County shoreline.

The 40-acre island is where English settlers aboard the Ark and Dove first set foot in Maryland on March 25, 1634.

The lovely St. Clement's Island Museum outlines that story and lots of other aspects of Maryland's beginnings.

On the island, a massive, 40-foot white cross explodes above the landscape, erected to commemorate the religious freedom sought by settlers. A stone's throw away, a replica of the Blackistone Lighthouse anchors the far end of the island. Together, they create a postcard scene.


The Blackistone Lighthouse at St. Clement's Island
Baltimore Sun photo by Candus Thomson

Other Questers -- B Squad and Team Furlows -- also are at St. Clement's with the Bay Bougheys and yours truly.

It's a beautiful day for a boat ride and a wonderful way to end Day Five of my weeklong adventure to visit all 24 state parks taking part in Park Quest. And at the end of the island Quest, an ice cream truck rolls by. Icy-cold treats for a buck? Such a deal.

It's time to hit the road and get ready for Monday's four Quests -- Patapsco Valley, Sandy Point, Wye Oak and Tuckahoe.

As I left St. Clement's and my companions for the day, the Bay Bougheys, Mackenzie Boughey, 8, gave me her outdoors blessing: "May the forest be with you."

Posted by Candus Thomson at 4:44 PM |
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The name of the game

The challenge at St. Mary's River State Park is to find the signpost with letters on them and unscramble them to create a phrase.

Early on, Team Bay Bougheys spy a sign in the woods with two blaze-orange letters: S H.

"Oh oh," says Mackenzie Boughey, 8. "This Quest is a naughty word."

Not even close.

It's nice to be Questing with the Boughey family of Anne Arundel County.

Heather Boughey is the daughter of the late Bill Burton, for more than 50 years Maryland's senior outdoors writer. Mackenzie is Bill's granddaughter.

With husband/father Jon, the family was there when I hatched the concept of Park Quest 24/7 while camping at Cunningham Falls State Park on Memorial Day weekend.

Mackenzie is wearing a T-shirt with homemade lettering to cheer me on and proclaim herself the successor to this Outdoors Girl.

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Mackenzie Boughey, 8

Solving the puzzle, I bag park No. 16. The Bay Bougheys knock off No. 3.

Off to St. Clement's Island via water taxi.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 12:47 PM |
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Scenes from Calvert Cliffs

Call me crazy -- lots of folks do -- but my favorite part of Calvert Cliffs State Park isn't the much-photographed cliffs that loom over the Chesapeake Bay. Or the fossilized sharks teeth found on the beach.

My favorite part is the Cliff Trail that winds through the trees and passes a swamp on the way to the beach.

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Ranger Steve Youngkin, who greets me at the trailhead, agrees.

"The main thing I like about the park is that it changes every month. It even looks different at different times of the day," he says as we stand beside the swamp and watch the sunlight bounce off the water and dance through the tree canopy.

This is day five of Park Quest 24/7, my attempt to visit all 24 state parks participating in the annual Park Quest in one week. The 750 families registered for the challenge have all summer to visit 10 of the parks and qualify for the Finale on Sept. 11.

Calvert Cliffs makes 15 for me.

Oh, and I have some shark teeth in my pocket.

Now it's off to St. Mary's State Park to meet up with a Questing family from Anne Arundel County -- Team Bay Bougheys.

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Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 9:42 AM | | Comments (1)
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Park Quest 24/7, the final days

In the lead up to this week-long challenge, I joked that when it came to Park Quest 24/7, there was only "I" in this team.

Really, I reasoned, who else could I convince to come along? Visiting 24 state parks across Maryland in seven days, completing the puzzle or word scramble or geocache at each site, getting a Park Quest passport stamped and dashing off to the next site hardly seems like fun to most folks.

So, unlike other Questers — 750 teams of families and friends — I figured I would be flying solo.

Only I haven't been.

Continue reading "Park Quest 24/7, the final days" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 9:00 AM |
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July 10, 2010

Day Four is in the books

I didn't have the time to catch a fish at Elk Neck State Park's Wapiti Pond.

But a bald eagle flew overhead and circled once, right next to the trail sign showing a picture of one.

"Pretty cool," naturalist Crystal Hudson says.

Continue reading "Day Four is in the books" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 4:40 PM |
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Grist for the Park Quest Mill

Cornmeal.

That's what they make here at Susquehanna State Park at a beautiful four-story mill along the river.

This is park 13 of the Park Quest 24/7, a personal challenge to visit 24 state parks selected by the state for highlighting this summer, in seven days.

I am one park behind schedule, but making up some time.

Despite the rain, two families of anglers are trying their luck at the Lapidum boat ramp. They look wetter than the fish.

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Continue reading "Grist for the Park Quest Mill" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 2:49 PM |
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All aboard

I should have stolen a bicycle.

Just joking, kids.

You can do the Gunpowder State Park Quest by bike or on foot.

Bike is faster, but you'd miss a lot of the scenery and sounds.

Naturalist Brenda Yarrison sends me on my way.

The rain makes my worksheet soggy, but not illegible, and the ink stamps at each stop along the trail don't run.

Neither do I.

Luckily, on my way back to Monkton Station, there's a white truck waiting at the final road crossing.

It's Ranger Paul Roberts, who offers me a lift back.

Park Quest tradition dictates that those who complete the challenge get to ring the big, brass train bell in the station.

Brenda rings it in celebration.

I ring it with a feeling of accomplishment.

Sweet sound, indeed.

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Slap the beaver is the Monkton Station mascot.



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Brenda rings the bell.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 11:03 AM | | Comments (3)
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Rested and rejuvenated

True friends take in a dirty, stinky, sticky Quester for the night without bringing up the obvious.

And put on a pasta feast, with a glass or three of red wine.

And turn the air conditioning on full blast in the spare room with a nice, soft bed.

True friends are Debbie Funk and Jack Hughes.

Less than 24 hours after falling behind schedule and being befuddled by the clues at Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary -- and having to remind myself that there's no crying in Park Quest -- I am recharged.

The soft rain is a nice change of pace.

Bring it on, Gunpowder Falls State Park.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 10:19 AM | | Comments (1)
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July 9, 2010

After Soldier's Delight, Quester dejected, running a deficit

A friend e-mailed Friday morning to say I was making this week-long adventure look too easy, knocking off state parks like ducks in a carnival shooting gallery.

He wrote too soon.

The first day ended with me one park ahead. I held par on Thursday. Unfortunately, just like the country, I’m now running a deficit, a very depressing situation.

The plan is to stay the course this weekend and get back on track Monday by adding Patapsco Valley State Park to the itinerary. That’s risky because if something happens, I’ll have to change the name to Park Quest 23/7. Doesn’t have the same ring.

Friday’s wrap-up took place at Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area, a 1,900-acre park in Baltimore County that is home to 39 rare and endangered plants and an old mining operation.

The kids might be bored with the plant thing, but parents should keep the Visitor Center and Aviary complex tucked in their back pocket for a day when it’s too hot to be outside (I’m sure we’ll see those conditions before the summer is out).

Ranger Joe Vogelpohl has gathered lots of critters that make Maryland home — owls, turtles, vultures — and tons of fun displays and activities.

Did I say it’s free?

Saturday, I’ll tackle Gunpowder Falls, Susquehanna and Elk Neck state parks before we make the big swing south on Sunday to bag Calvert Cliffs, St. Mary’s River and St. Clement’s Island state parks. That will give me 17 of 24 parks, with two days to go.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 6:34 PM | | Comments (1)
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Traffic snarls Quest at Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary

This will have to be quick.

Lost more than an hour because of Beltway traffic and two construction zones.

Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary is pretty, but when it comes to Park Quest 24/7, it's no walk in the park.

The folks at Soldiers Delight say they'll wait for me, bless their hearts.

And I'll have to get Patapsco either first thing tomorrow or Monday. Stay tuned.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

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Posted by Candus Thomson at 1:37 PM |
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Let the music begin at Seneca Creek State Park

What's this?

The sound of a crystal-clear tenor voice glides over the surface of Clopper Lake at Seneca Creek State Park.

It's Greg Marzullo performing, "To the Black Madonna," native to southern Italy.

Not your typical Park Quest experience, but definitely worth slowing down the 24/7 clock to take in the beautiful sound.

"Come back in the fall," he suggested. "The tulip poplars turn yellow. It's a beautiful park."

The quest involves a GPS, but you really don't need one if you can follow written directions.

"My mom took a dry run with me and she didn't have a problem," said Ranger Josette Wiggins, who's from Baltimore and has been on the job for four months.

Very reassuring. Thanks to mom Leslie Wiggins for that confidence booster .

I solved the puzzle of the nasty, voracious 20-foot invader. The answer is ... Arrghhhh.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

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Posted by Candus Thomson at 10:02 AM |
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Day Three: Make or Break Time

The whole Park Quest 24/7 hinges on today.

With four state parks spread out in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, Day Three becomes a time challenge because of the potential for traffic snarls.

In order to succeed, nearly everything else has to work flawlessly. I have to find my way to each park--Seneca Creek in Montgomery County, Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary in Prince George's County and Soldiers Delight and Patapsco Valley in Baltimore County--and then complete each puzzle quickly.

Continue reading "Day Three: Make or Break Time" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 5:42 AM |
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July 8, 2010

Devil of a day at South Mountain State Park

After completing the Park Quest at South Mountain State Park, I have a new respect for the Civil War soldiers who marched up and down these hills in wool uniforms and without bug spray.

This challenge included a 2-mile, round-trip hike along the Appalachian Trail to Fox Gap, where a general from each side died in the fighting on Sept. 14, 1862.

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."

It was said about the bloody battle for a small piece of turf on South Mountain, according to the historic marker at the battlefield's edge.

The devils would feel right at home on a day like today.

Heading for home now. Friday is another day and four more Quests.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

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The monument to Union General Jesse Reno, who died in the battle for South Mountain in 1862.

Posted by Candus Thomson at 5:35 PM | | Comments (1)
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Questing at Catoctin Furnace in a heat wave

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

All good Questers go to Catoctin Furnace.

Seriously, in the middle of a heat wave Park Quest 24/7 has me looking for the remains of a pig iron furnace in Cunningham Falls State Park.

The musical rushing of Little Hunting Creek is my soundtrack as I hike toward the furnace nicknamed, "Isabella," gathering answers to the Park Quest challenge and filling in my worksheet.

Park staffers Tom Harbold and George Oed are my hosts and my quizmasters ...my cheering section, too. Thanks, guys.

The Manor Area of the park has some cool owls and hawks at the aviary.

But now, it's time to answer the puzzle based on the clues.

The answer is...Nope, I'm not telling. Come figure it out for yourself!

Now it's off to South Mountain State Park and the final Quest of the day.

Park Quest 24/7 Tracker.

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Posted by Candus Thomson at 1:23 PM | | Comments (1)
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Stopover at Fort Frederick

With apologies to the Maryland Park Service no-alcohol policy, I completed the first six-pack at 9 a.m. at Fort Frederick State Park.

The first clue is the toughest, Questers.

Ranger Brett Hendershot unlocked things a little early so I could get started.

Fort Frederick is just one mile from I-70, a real easy-off, easy-on stop. Think Sandy Point without the Chesapeake Bay.

A film crew working on a movie about African-American soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge will be here this weekend. Seems the stands of old pine trees look a lot like the ones in Belgium.

Who knew?

On to Cunningham Falls State Park, the site where Park Quest 24/7 was hatched on Memorial Day weekend.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

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Posted by Candus Thomson at 9:26 AM | | Comments (1)
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Lessons learned

What did we learn from the first day of Park Quest 24/7?

1) That people are incredibly kind, even though they think what you're doing is nuts. Thanks to everyone who let me cut in line, who asked to take my picture (good for morale), who offered me a bottle of water. I hope I don't let you down.

2) That Maryland parks have a lot to offer. True, I didn't have the time to stop and smell the roses. But I did see stuff I want to return to. I'll give you my list when the Quest is over.

Continue reading "Lessons learned" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 5:46 AM |
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July 7, 2010

Day One goes into the history books

Five up, five down on Day One of Park Quest 24/7.

Completing Rocky Gap State Park puts me one ahead of schedule and a fifth of the way to the finish line.

Although tantalizingly close to the shoreline, the water did nothing to take the edge off the heat.

Wish conditions had been more conducive to lingering.

The question is whether to spend the night in my tent — a nylon tandoori oven — or run up the white flag and opt for a motel with air conditioning.

Tomorrow will feature three parks, two of which have military history as part of their backgrounds.

Stay tuned.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 4:32 PM | | Comments (4)
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Sesame Street to the rescue at New Germany State Park

Number 4 is in the can, although it was touch and go for a moment.

The clues to complete the puzzle at New Germany State Park come in the form of shapes found on the trail — easy for a second-grader, not so much for a geezer who flunked the "Draw this president and win an art scholarship" matchbook come on.

But I recovered with the help of a Sesame Street flashback.

The park worker in the snack shop took a break from scooping big globs of moosetracks ice cream to stamp my Park Quest passport.

Onto Rocky Gap State Park for number five — last stop of the day.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 3:24 PM |
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Avoiding the trap

Third Quest in the can and it's not even noon yet.

Can I do five parks in one day?

Ranger Dave Best and I walked along the water's edge at Deep Creek Lake State Park and through the woods looking for the five metal medallions that tell the story of the park and its resources.

Made a rubbing of each to complete the Quest.

Temperature is near 90 now. Still, making my first three stops near the water has made a big difference.

Off to New Germany State Park now.

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Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 11:48 AM | | Comments (2)
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Beating the heat

First two quests done -- Swallow Falls and Herrington Manor. On my way to No. 3, Deep Creek.

Temperature rising fast from an overnight low of 51.

It's a race to see how far I can get before it hits 90.

The first quest was a beautiful hike along a series of falls. A refreshing start to the day.

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Quest 2 was an orienteering exercise that I accomplished with the help of park naturalist Jeremy Sidebottom, who pointed out some interesting plant life. We scared three young deer grazing at the edge of a meadow.

The Quest continues.

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 10:04 AM |
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July 6, 2010

Scenes from Park Quest 24/7: The Prequel

Swallow Falls in Swallow Falls State Park. Lots of folks cooling off.
Baltimore Sun photo by Candus Thomson

Continue reading "Scenes from Park Quest 24/7: The Prequel" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 7:16 PM |
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Park Quest 24/7: The Prequel

I am on my way out I-70 to I-68 to Swallow Falls State Park and the beginning of my week-long challenge: 24 state parks in seven days.

With the temperature already above 90 and heading for 100, I'm reminded of Lloyd Bridges as airport manager Steve McCroskey in "Airplane": Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue."

Did I pick the wrong week--the middle of a heat wave--to start Park Quest 24/7? We'll find out. Luckily, I'm heading to what's likely to be the coolest part of Maryland

Continue reading "Park Quest 24/7: The Prequel" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 12:00 PM | | Comments (2)
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July 3, 2010

Park Quest 24/7: From Deep Creek to Assateague

The gauntlet has been thrown down, and the Outdoors Girl Park Quest challenge is about to begin. Just to whet the appetite for the upcoming extravaganza, here's the itinerary for Park Quest 24/7:

Day One (Wednesday): Start at 8 a.m. at Swallow Falls (after spending night at park), Herrington Manor, Deep Creek, New Germany (closes at 6)

Day Two (Thursday): Start at 7 a.m. at Rocky Gap, Fort Frederick, Cunningham Falls, South Mountain (closes at 5)

Day Three (Friday): Start at 8 a.m. at Seneca Creek, Merkle, Soldiers Delight (needs access), Patapsco Valley

Day Four (Saturday): Start at 9 a.m. at Gunpowder, Susquehanna (1 p.m.), Elk Neck (closes sunset)

Day Five (July 11): Start at sunrise at Calvert Cliffs, St. Mary's, St. Clement's

Day Six (July 12): Start at 7 a.m. at Sandy Point, Wye Oak, Tuckahoe

Day Seven (July 13): Start at 9 a.m. at Janes Island, Pocomoke (need access), Assateague

Park Quest 24/7 tracker

Posted by Candus Thomson at 5:12 PM |
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About Candus Thomson
In a world of paper vs. plastic and candy mint vs. breath mint, my early memories involved a debate about the merits of freshwater vs. saltwater.

On the one hand, a great uncle’s fishing cabin on the Susquehanna River beckoned, but so did family gatherings on the Jersey Shore.

The correct answer, thankfully, was, “both.”

As The Sun’s outdoors writer for more than a decade, I’ve fished across Maryland in one day, hiked the width of the state in one hour, camped overnight in the median of I-95 to experience the wildlife between the fast lanes and chased mountain bikers in a 24-hour marathon race.

Those are some of the highlights. I’ve also fallen in a raging Gunpowder River during a trout survey (photo available upon request), had a shark spill its guts on my clothes and been stuck in a sub-freezing Vermont wilderness with men armed with flintlocks and hatchets, shuffling along on ancient wooden snowshoes.

And, in my travels I’ve met lots of you, who share a love of the outdoors and the good times and mishaps that go along with it.
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