A Snowy Saddle Day!

Riding a bike through Grand Teton National Park!

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.” - Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire 

From October through the end of April, the Teton Park Road in Grand Teton National Park is closed to non-motorized vehicles. During most of that time, it's groomed for Nordic skiing as snow covers the entire area. In the spring, though, bicyclists get to rule the road. In the quiet and uncrowded park, you have to leave your car at the gate and power your own recreation down the road to catch spectacular views of some of the most remarkable mountains in the world. The Leave No Trace e-tour stopped by the park and enjoyed all it had to offer on wheels. It's also a great way to really connect with nature and Be Considerate to Other Visitors by helping let nature's sounds prevail. And when you visit in off-peak seasons, not only do you get to see parks from a unique perspective but it's a great way to help lessen your impact on crowding, wildlife, and the outdoors! So get on your bicycles and head outside!

Let Them Ride Bikes,

Quinn & Frank

"Green" Exercise Improves Health

I recently came across this short article, which described how not only exercise, but "green" exercise (in a park, along a trail, by a lake) improves both physical and mental health. Here is a short excerpt from the article:

"The research focused on many different outdoor activities -- such as walking, cycling, horse-riding, gardening, farming and fishing -- and found positive physical and mental effects in the first five minutes of the exercise, the BBC reported."

Just another reason why environmental stewardships programs are so important, they preserve the quality of not only the resource, but of other peoples' recreational experiences and, thus, their health!

The Scoop on Dog Poop

As I was dog walking with my brother-in-law in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park recently, I had the conversation with him about a couple a couple of dog poop misconceptions. He said two things common to this discussion: 1. Dog poop is biodegradable; 2. No one is cleaning up after bears and deer.

My answer to #1: Dog poop ain’t pretty and it is also a breeder of disease and germs. Particularly in cities, it plays a role in water bacterial pollution of relevant streams and lakes. Dog poop creates high levels of nitrogen in the soil, killing off native plants that often yield to tougher invasive weeds.

My answer to #2: True, though animals in the wild are not eating the processed food that dogs are. They are eating native plants and animals, unless you leave your Burger King on a bench.

How could I make a stronger argument? What did I miss?

Susy Alkaitis