Trailspace Blog November 2009

Want to hear some new tunes? How about for free? REI recently launched REIGoPlaylist.com, a free, downloadable, 10-song playlist, which features songs by American Analog Set, Apples in Stereo, Au Revoir Simone, Eagles of Death Metal, Ohmega Watts, Persephone’s Bees, Quadrillion, Robbers on High Street, Saxon Shore, and The Rentals.

You can sample songs on the site and download the ones you like. Each song is sponsored by an outdoor company, like The North Face, Marmot, and Salomon. The playlist is available through March 31, 2009.

For more info: REIGoPlaylist.com
(here's your at-work-warning—music starts immediately)

The 10th annual World Run Day, an international day of running and charitable giving, will be held Sunday, November 9. To participate, you need to do two things. Go out and run some distance, any distance, on the 9th. Then donate to your favorite charity. You'll help promote the benefits of running, while also helping others.

You can register online for World Run Day ($17.99, which gets you an official T-shirt), as well as search for events in your area.

Or simply decide to get out the door and run that day, whether it's for a mile or an ultra, and save that $17.99 to go toward your donation. Because if you really want to help others you can do so without buying another cotton T-shirt.

For more info: www.runday.com

Today is Election Day. Please vote. Democracy works best when we all participate.

If you're undecided, why not vote the environment?

In honor of Election Day tomorrow, I’ve posted a Saturday Night Live skit below. No, it’s not Tina Fey this time around, but this SNL sketch from last weekend with Ben Affleck is pretty funny too.

I think I've seen these guys at OR:

This moose I saw this morning had no worries since it was Sunday. But it will have to watch out tomorrow.

It’s hunting season here in Maine, as in many other places, and that means it’s time to break out the fluorescent orange vests and hats every time we take to the trails, woods, or even camp roads. Here are a few safety reminders for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, or any activity that gets you out in the woods this time of year. I posted these last year, but they bear repeating.

Be Very Visible: Ideally you should wear blaze (fluorescent) orange clothing that can be seen from all sides, like a hat and some sort of vest or jacket. Bright reds and yellows are also good color options (though on overcast days they can appear black, so use carefully). Think bright, even garish. Now’s a great time to go retro with that old neon jacket from the ’80s. Make sure your backpack has some bright orange on it too, like a large orange bandanna. Avoid any brown, tan, and especially white. You don’t want to look like the flash of a deer’s tail. And don’t forget to outfit your dog with its own blaze orange vest and collar.

Make Yourself Heard: Usually I opt for quiet on a hike or trail run, but during hunting season I’m far more likely to keep up a steady conversation with a partner. If you’re alone you can whistle or sing to make yourself heard, or consider a bell on you or your dog. Now is not the time to practice your stealth hiking moves.

Be Aware: Hunters are active from early dawn to dusk and in between. While you’re more likely to find hunters closer to any roads or trailheads and in valleys, expect that you can meet them anywhere at any time. Also, while bushwhacking can be a lot of fun, during the weeks of hunting season I stick to marked and maintained trails.

Know the Rules: If possible hike on trails in areas where no hunting is allowed or on days of the week (like Sunday here in Maine) when there’s no hunting. While deer rifle season typically brings the most hunters out into the woods, a variety of hunting seasons can extend the activity year-round. Know the hunting season dates and rules for your state and local areas.

Above all use common sense and do your part to share the woods safely.