Out West with Team West

Saguaro!

What's the only thing better than one Traveling Trainer team? Two Traveling Trainer teams! This past week we met up with Mark & Tara from Team West for a few days and an event together in Tucson. With our powers combined, we capitalized on our time in the desert amid the beautiful cacti of the Southwest. One highlight of our collaborative adventures was a PEAK session at the Tucson REI where we met various community members including our Leave No Trace Arizona State Advocate Cindy! State Advocates serve a vital role in the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethic's volunteer corps and Cindy does a great job of outreach in Arizona. Whether it's getting out the word about training opportunities or connecting people with valuable Leave No Trace resources, State Advocates like Cindy make the Leave No Trace mission truly possible. Thanks Cindy!

The e-tour also had the opportunity to work with Cindy talking to Venture Scouts from the Catalina Council of the Boy Scouts while in town. These dedicated outdoorspeople pursue a variety of outdoor adventures ranging from backpacking to climbing to rafting, and it was great to have an evening program with them where we got in depth about Leave No Trace. At one point we even passed around a Go Anywhere Bag to challenge both the youth and adults to really think about Dispose of Waste Properly and whether or not to pack out human waste! It was awesome working with a group that cared so much about the desert ecosystem around them and the scarce water resources that they strove to protect!

Heading to the Ocean,

Quinn & Frank

Road Wisdom: Every journey begins with a single step!

The 2010 season has begun for the newest team of Subaru Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers! On the road for our first year, we are incredibly excited to be sharing the open road with so many interesting audiences and amazing locales. The opportunity to bring information about Leave No Trace to a wide range of individuals and organizations is truly a privilege and joy we will cherish each and every day.

Our Team West adventure begins in southern California and will take us along the coast, throughout the mountains, and eventually into some of the largest metropolitan areas on the West coast. We are excited to connect with land managers, outdoor enthusiasts, and communities of young people who are just beginning to develop their sense of place and purpose in caring for the public lands we all enjoy in our own ways. One new program we will be sharing with our audiences this year is the Leave No Trace Hot Spots program, which encourages nominations of areas where individuals and their communities would like to see increased awareness of how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.

Ahead lies the journey we will take together with open minds and a simple purpose. Leave No Trace is our compass as we share a simple yet profoundly powerful set of principles to consider the next time we step out the door for any adventure in the outdoors. Someone very wise once said, “It is not words that demonstrate our character, but instead what we do,” and as the 2010 season begins we look forward to welcoming the individuals and ideas that await us on this journey.

Now for that second step…

See you on the road,

Jason and Agata

Team West

Photo: Torrey Pines State Park, courtesy of Jason & Agata.

On the road again...

Greetings from Team West, the newest Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Team, Kate Bullock and Tracy Howard. Some of you may recognize us, as we were the 2008 Leave No Trace E-tour team sponsored by Coleman Outdoor Product.

Excitement is in the air as we got this season off to a rip roarin’ start with two very successful events this week. To get us “into the mood,” we mingled with the Camping Singles crew from the Denver, CO area.  The Camping Singles is a group of Colorado single adults who enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, biking, sightseeing, photography, the camaraderie of others, starry nights around the camp fire, memorable pot lucks, boating, rafting, hot springs, hay rides, etc.

Next stop…Adams State College in Alamosa, CO. Nestled in the San Luis Valley, the Adventure Program welcomed us with open arms. We worked with a group of student and staff leaders that organize outdoor trips. As a Connect Grant recipient, Adams State is working towards providing outreach to local youth serving organizations in southern Colorado. A special thanks goes out to Mick Daniels for his hospitality and efforts to spread awareness of Leave No Trace.

Stay tuned to see where the road takes Team West!

Safe Travels…Kate and Tracy