It's a walk in the park. It's a contest. It's two, two, two events in one.

For the second year, the Maryland State Park Service is running "Park Quest," an adventure and scavenger hunt with a pot of prizes at the end that begins tomorrow and runs through Aug. 8.

Last year's inaugural contest was strictly an Eastern Shore affair, involving a half-dozen parks. Families and friends formed more than 100 teams and competed to see who could answer the most questions about the flora and fauna (and a few manmade items) at each site. The quest took part in the woods and on the water, with the parks service supplying the boats and kayaks. Some scavenger hunts were timed, some weren't.

The competition required teamwork and problem solving. As the only member of Team Spartacus, I was adopted by two other groups--Team Wandering Wootens and Team Fearless Foxes, both of Ocean Pines--and had a blast.

Continue reading "Park Quest 2009" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 7:00 AM in Get Out | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Sure you'd rather stay inside all weekend re-reading your favorite Toy Department features. But let's face it, you're starting to smell bad. Bugs are circling your head. And it's time to move so someone can vacuum under the couch. As we do every Friday in this space, may we humbly suggest you do everyone a favor and, "Get out!" Click here for previous editions. 

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the striped bass fishing season.

Thousands of anglers, tired of a winter's worth of being inside, will race to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries to launch boats. Thousands more will line beaches and breakwaters, piers and bridges to wet a line and maybe catch one of the species that enjoys the designation of state fish.

The striped bass, or rockfish, as it is known here, migrates up the bay each spring to spawn. At least three-quarters of the East Coast's striper population was conceived, born and raised here. The females swim to upper bay tributaries to meet Mr. Right. 

Just think of the bay as a giant dating bar without a cover charge.

The striped population was almost fished to extinction before Maryland and other states imposed a five-year moratorium. The biggest fish--some approaching 50-inches in length--are the products of that decision to put the fishing gear away.

Continue reading "Get Out: To the Chesapeake Bay" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 11:12 AM in Get Out | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Sure you'd rather stay inside all weekend re-reading your favorite Toy Department features. But let's face it, you're starting to smell bad. Bugs are circling your head. And it's time to move so someone can vacuum under the couch. As we do every Friday in this space, may we humbly suggest you do everyone a favor and, "Get out!"

Allegrippis sounds more like an opponent of Spartacus than a destination. But the new biking and hiking trail system, just 130 miles north and west of Baltimore, is opening on May 8 and I'm guessing it will be a winner. Why?

The old "something for everyone" adage can be applied to the Allegrippis Trail System. Hugging the shore of Raystown Lake, the 30 miles of trails are marked green, blue and black--like ski slopes--for difficulty. One trail, an old logger's road, is strictly for those on foot.

The trails system is laid out in "stacked loops," which allows users to build their own circuit hikes or rides.

There are picnic areas, camp sites, a marina and boat launch interwoven with the trails system, again, in keeping with the "something for everyone" theme.

Allegrippis is part of a push by "The Alleghenies" tourism folks to attract more outdoors traffic to the region between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The Web site has a lot of three-day adventure packages, ranging from birding and fishing to paddling and boating. Do just one activity or mix and match. Take a peek at: thealleghenies.com

Posted by Candus Thomson at 8:30 AM in Get Out | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Sure you'd rather stay inside all weekend re-reading your favorite Toy Department features. But let's face it, you're starting to smell bad. Bugs are circling your head. And it's time to move so someone can vacuum under the couch. As we do every Friday in this space, may we humbly suggest you do everyone a favor and, "Get out!"

There is no actual starting day in Maryland for trout fishing. If you don't keep what you catch--that is you practice catch and release--you can fish every day of the year.

But for those who like to put a little butter in the pan and fry up a few fillets, opening day is Saturday at 5:30 a.m. And, yes, there are people out there before dawn.

The state stocks many rivers and streams with trout and then closes the waterways for a few weeks to let the fish get settled in and spread out a bit.

It's easy to get started.

Continue reading "Get Out: And go trout fishing" »

Posted by Candus Thomson at 8:30 AM in Get Out | Permalink | Comments (0)