Your Very Next Step newsletter for April 2012
By Ned Lundquist
www.yourverynextstep.com
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
– Lao Tzu
“I think that travel comes from some deep urge to see the world, like
the urge that brings up a worm in an Irish bog to see the moon when it
is full.”
~ Lord Dunsany
“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a
cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged
to participate. Share your adventures with the network today! Send to
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You may note that our website (www.yourverynextstep.com) has received a
make-over. Bear with Ned as he learns how to use it.
Note: Watch for Jaunted’s Travel Cat of the week this Wednesday,
featuruing Ned’s photo of the Cat of the Ascension.
*** In this issue:
*** Travel news
*** 10 of the world’s strangest conventions
*** Pets Can Be Jetsetters Too
*** Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
*** Beef…or pasta…or curry…or…chicken tandoori…or…
*** If you live in Virginia, you live in bear country
*** National Train Day Comes But Once a Year
*** Slacker’s Guide to Gardening for Wildlife
*** Namibia: The African Experience
*** Trail / Outdoor / Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Volunteer positions, CONSERVATION WORK ON WILDLIFE PROJECTS &
RESERVES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, Enkosini Eco Experience, Lydenburg 1120,
South Africa
2.) Building Boardwalks for Twin Arches, Big South Fork River and
Recreation Area, Twin Arches Bottom Loop, Tennessee
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: April 2012
Connecticut’s Farmington Canal Heritage Trail
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) President, Mass Audubon, Boston, Massachusetts
2.) Executive Director, South Shore Natural Science Center, Norwell,
Massachusetts
3.) Public Affairs Specialist, Forest Service, Department Of
Agriculture, Sandy, Oregon
4.) Environmental Restoration Crew Member, California Trout, Antelope
Valley, California
5.) Director of Programs & Outreach, Orange County Conservation Corps,
Anaheim, California
6.) Park Ranger (LE/Pilot), US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department Of
The Interior, Galena, AK
7.) Executive Director, Western New York Land Conservancy, Wales, New
York
8.) Biological Aid/Technician (Wildlife), Bureau of Land Management,
Department Of The Interior, MANY vacancy(s): North Bend, OR; Grants
Pass, OR; Carlsbad, NM; Rock Springs, WY; Tillamook, OR
9.) Another Fishing Job for Bass Masters Everywhere, Escanaba, MI
10.) Eagle Education Coordinator, Ketchikan Indian Community,
Ketchikan, AK
11.) Development Director, HawkWatch International, Salt Lake City, UT
12.) Canoe Livery Attendant II, City of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI
…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!
*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?
Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on
the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).
*** Here’s the YVNS Travel News for April:
*** Here are 10 of the world’s strangest conventions from Oddee.com.
1. Fur-Con
A furry convention (also furry-con or fur-con) is a formal gathering of
members of furry fandom — people who are interested in the concept of
fictional non-human characters with human characteristics.
2. Redhead Day
Every summer in the city of Breda in The Netherlands, thousands of
redheads gather for a free festival to celebrate having naturally red
hair.
3. High Times Cannabis Club
2012 marks the 24th year for the annual High Times magazine event, The
High Times Cannabis Cup. Held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, every
November.
4. TattooFest
TattooFest is an annual convention held in Tampa Bay, Florida, every
spring.
5. Sideshow Convention
Every year in Wilkes-Barre, PA the world’s only sideshow convention is
held.
6. Parkes Elvis Festival
At the Parkes Elvis Festival in Australia, the King is alive and well!
Well, not really; but Elvis Presley’s memory and music live on at this
annual event held in early January each year.
7. Official Twilight Conventions
The Twilight movies and the books they are based upon, written by
Stephenie Meyer, are a huge cultural phenomenon worthy of not just one,
but several official conventions. Thousands of fans gather for the
conventions, and stars of the movies, as well as Meyer herself.
8. LEGO World
Every Autumn in IJsselhallen-Zwolle, The Netherlands, over 20,000 people
of all ages gather to celebrate and play with LEGO toys.
9. Lebowski Fest
Lebowski Fest is a gathering of fans of the cult film/pop culture
phenomenon, The Big Lebowski. The festival has been held for ten years
in as many cities, and The Dude himself (actor Jeff Bridges) attended
the Los Angeles Lebowski Fest in 2005.
10. ‘The Office’ Convention
Scranton, PA is the city in which the Emmy Award-winning TV show The
Office is based, which is why it became the unlikely location of a
yearly convention.
http://www.successfulmeetings.com/Event-Planning/10-More-of-the-Strangest-Conventions/?cid=eltrMtgNews
*** Fur-st Class:
Pets Can Be Jetsetters Too
Deals, Enhanced Service, & More
Alaska Airlines loves all its customers, especially the furry ones. And
with our PetStreak® Animal Express program your four-legged flyers will
love us, too – as they experience our
Fur-st Class® Care. We’ve even partnered with Banfield® Pet Hospital to
help travelers prepare their pets for stress-free travel as well as
enjoy valuable discounts. Whether you are traveling with your pet or
sending them along without you, rest easy knowing they’re traveling in
style.
http://www.alaskaair.com/content/cargo/petstreak.aspx?wc_mid=1506%3A16599%3AWHA_IN_20120410_4_Else&wc_rid=1-5RI0W8P&wc_lid=Greeter_||20120409_AW||
*** Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
When you support TrailLink.com and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)
today, we’ll send you a free Mid-Atlantic guidebook or one of the other
five regional guides.
https://secure2.convio.net/rtt/site/Donation2?3280.donation=form1&idb=1236489046&df_id=3280&JServSessionIdr004=zb27sjij01.app202a
*** Beef…or pasta…or curry…or…chicken tandoori…or…
http://www.jaunted.com/story/2012/4/9/123648/0516/travel/AirAsia%27s+Incredibly+Long+List+of+Onboard+Meals
(Ned flew Air Asia when he went to Malaysia for dinner last year.)
*** If you live in Virginia, you live in bear country
Things to Remember in Bear Country
“If the bear enters the tent fight back and yell. Many bears have been
driven off this way.” Want to learn more?
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/bear/things-to-remember-in-bear-country.asp
Yes, Virginia, you’ll have to bear with us
Black Bear (Ursus americanus) Facts
Of the three bear species (black, brown, and polar bears) in North
America, only the black bear lives in Virginia. Shy and secretive, the
sighting of a bear is a rare treat for most Virginians. However, bears
are found throughout most of the Commonwealth, and encounters between
bears and people are increasing. A basic understanding of bear biology
and implementing a few preventative measures will go a long way to
helping make all encounters with bears positive.
Physical Description
Adult black bears are approximately 4 to 7 feet from nose to tail, and
two to three feet high at the withers. Males are larger than females.
Black bears have small eyes, rounded ears, a long snout, large non
retractable claws, a large body, a short tail, and shaggy hair. In
Virginia most black bears are true black in color unlike black bears
found in more western states that can be shades of red, brown or blond.
Depending on the time of year, adult female black bears commonly weigh
between 90 to 250 pounds. Males commonly weigh between 130 to 500
pounds. The largest known wild black bear was from North Carolina and
weighed 880 pounds. The heaviest known female weighed 520 pounds from
northeastern Minnesota.
Distribution
The American black bear is found only in North America. Black bears
historically ranged over most of the forested regions of North America,
and significant portions of northern Mexico. There are approximately
900,000 black bears in North America. Black bears reside in every
province in Canada except for Prince Edward Isle, and in at least 40 of
the 50 states in the US. In the eastern United States, black bear range
is continuous throughout New England but becomes increasingly fragmented
from the mid-Atlantic down through the Southeast.
Longevity
Bears may live up to 30 years in the wild. The oldest documented wild
bear in Virginia was 26 years of age when it was killed.
Solitary or Social?
Black bears are generally solitary, except sows caring for cubs. Adult
bears may be seen together during the summer breeding period and
occasionally yearling siblings will remain together for a period of
time. Bears may also gather at places with abundant food sources.
Daily Activity Time
Black bears are typically crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn), but can
be active any time of day.
Movements
Female black bears have smaller home ranges (1 to 50 square miles) than
males (10 to 290 square miles). A male’s home range may overlap several
female home ranges. Bears may move further in times of less food like
early spring. Dispersing yearlings, especially males, looking for new
home ranges may also travel a great distance.
Breeding and Cubs
Female black bears mature as early as three years old. Breeding occurs
from mid-June to mid-July, but in the eastern deciduous forest, mating
season can extend into August. Female black bears usually breed every
other year and cubs are born from early January to mid-February weighing
½ to ¾ lbs. Anywhere from 1-4 cubs are born at a time and are raised by
their mother for about 1½ years. First-year cub mortality rates are
about 20%, primarily due to predation (foxes, coyotes, dogs, bobcats,
other bears) or abandonment by their mother. Adult bears do not have
natural predators except humans.
When the mother is ready to breed again, she will send her yearlings to
fend for themselves during the summer months when food is usually
abundant. Always hungry, these yearling bears, particularly the males,
will seek easy sources of food. The ability to access human related food
sources can spell trouble for these bears.
Denning
Bears may feed up to 20 hours per day, accumulating fat (energy) prior
to winter denning. An adult male can gain over 100 pounds in a few weeks
when acorn production is heavy. Depending on weather and food
conditions, black bears enter their winter dens between October and
January. Bears will not eat, drink, urinate or defecate while denning.
Bears are easily aroused and may be active during warm winter days. They
emerge from their dens from mid-March to early May. In Virginia, most
bears den in large, hollow trees. Other den types include fallen trees,
rock cavities, and brush piles in timber cut areas, open ground nests,
and man-made structures (culvert pipe).
Foods
Black bears have a very diverse diet. They consume herbaceous plant
parts, woody plant parts, flower/nectar/ pollen, fruit, terrestrial
insects, juvenile and small mammals, juvenile and adult amphibians, and
carrion. Bears are omnivorous and opportunistic feeders, eating mostly
plants in the spring, berries and insects in the summer, and nuts and
berries in the fall. Carrion (dead animals) is often a part of a bear’s
diet. Although not typically and an active predator, rare occurrences of
livestock predation is reported each year.
Spring Foods
•Grasses/Forbes
•Insects/Larvae
•Skunk Cabbage
•Squaw Root
Summer/Fall Foods
•Berries
•Hard mast (Acorns, Other tree nuts)
•Autumn Olive
•Dogwood
•Wild Grapes
•Serviceberry
•Mountain-ash
•Hawthorn
•Chokecherry
•Pokeberry
•Sassafras
Bears on the Move—You Live in Bear Country
As new spring growth emerges, so do bears, and they are following their
stomachs in search of food.
With a healthy and growing black bear population, bear sightings are
becoming the norm throughout Virginia. While the highest concentration
of bears occurs in the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains and around the
Great Dismal Swamp, bears are likely to be seen just about anywhere in
Virginia. During the months of April and May bears have left their dens
and are ending their winter fast. Bears do not eat, drink, urinate, or
defecate while they are in dens. Additionally, while denning, female
bears may give birth to cubs. Cubs are born weighing less than a pound
and are reliant on their mother’s milk.
In Virginia, bear diets consist of 80% vegetation and only 20% protein
from common sources like insects and carrion. Bears are highly adaptable
and intelligent animals and can learn to associate human dwellings with
food. In their search for food, bears are attracted to residential areas
by the smell of food around homes. The most common food attractants are
bird feeders, garbage, and pet food. Additionally outdoor grills,
livestock food, compost, fruit trees, and beehives can also attract
bears.
How do you encourage a bear that’s hanging around to move on?
The best way to encourage a bear to move on is to remove the food source
that is attracting it. Do not store household trash, or anything that
smells like food, in vehicles, on porches or decks. Keep your full or
empty trash containers secured in a garage, shed or basement. Take your
garbage to the dump frequently, and if you have a trash collection
service, put your trash out the morning of the pickup, not the night
before. Take down your birdfeeder temporarily until the bear moves on.
Consider installing electric fencing, an inexpensive and extremely
efficient proven deterrent to bears, around dumpsters, gardens,
beehives, or other potential food sources.
If addressed quickly, wildlife problems caused by food attractants in
people’s yards can be resolved almost immediately. After you remove the
food source on or around your property, the bear may remain for a short
time, but after a few failed attempts to find food, it will leave your
property.
What should you do if you see a bear on your property?
Bears generally avoid humans, but in their search for food, they may
wander into suburban areas. So, what should you do if you see a bear?
The most important response is to keep a respectful distance. Black
bears have a natural distrust of humans, and in most cases would rather
flee than have an encounter with people. If a bear is up a tree on or
near your property, give it space. Do not approach or gather around the
base of the tree. By bringing your pets inside and leaving the immediate
area, you give the bear a clear path to leave your property.
If you see a bear cub in an area do not try to remove it from the area
or “save it”. Female bears will wander to find food usually with her
cubs in tow. If she feels nervous she will typically send her cubs up a
tree and can leave the area. The mother bear will leave the cubs there
until she returns and calls for them. Bear cubs left where they are will
almost always be retrieved by their mother as long as there are no
people or pets around.
Please don’t feed the bears.
Always remember that a bear is a wild animal, and that it is detrimental
to the bear, as well as illegal in Virginia, to feed a bear under any
circumstances. Even the inadvertent feeding of bears is illegal.
You can help manage the Commonwealth’s black bear population by keeping
your property clear of attractants and communicating with your neighbors
to resolve community bear concerns. If you visit outdoor recreation
areas in bear country insist that the area supervisors manage their
trash properly.
If you do see a bear in your area, enjoy watching it from a distance. If
you experience a bear problem after taking appropriate steps of
prevention, please notify your Virginia Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries Regional Office. Phone numbers for the regional offices can be
found by visiting the office locator.
How can I learn more about bears in Virginia?
Living with Bears in Virginia, a video produced by the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, provides tips for peacefully
coexisting with bears. Please visit the Department’s black bear website
to view the video, print a brochure, read more about bears in Virginia,
and view other useful links to bear information.
Remember, if you live in Virginia, you live in bear country.
Things to Remember in Bear Country
If You Encounter a Bear at Home:
There are no definite rules about what to do if you meet a bear. In
almost all cases, the bear will detect you first and leave the area.
Unprovoked bear attacks are very rare, and have never been documented in
Virginia. If you do meet a bear here are some suggestions:
•Stay calm. If you see a bear and it has not seen you, calmly leave the
area. As you move away, make noise to let the bear discover your
presence.
•Stop. Back away slowly while facing the bear.
•Give the bear plenty of room to escape. Bears rarely attack people
unless they feel cornered or provoked.
•Do not run or make any sudden movements. Running could prompt the bear
to give chase, and you cannot outrun a bear. If on a trail, step off the
trail and slowly leave the area.
•If there is a bear in your yard and it approaches you, make yourself
look big and make loud noises. Remain at a safe distance and throw rocks
to make the bear feel unwelcome.
•If there is a bear in your house prop open all doors to the outside and
get out of the way of the exit. Never close a bear into a room. Make
noises and yell at bear to leave the house. Don’t approach the bear but
make sure it knows it is violating your territory.
•If you surprise a bear speak softly. This may reassure the bear that
you mean it no harm.
•Fight back. If a black bear attacks you, fight back. Black bears have
been driven away when people have fought back with rocks, sticks,
binoculars and even their bare hands.
If You Encounter a Bear While Camping:
•Do not store food, garbage, or toiletries in your tent!
•Keep your camp clean.
•Store your food safely. Use bear-proof containers. Metal ammunition
cans ($10-20) and Bear Canisters (approximately $50-60) are easily
packed and transported.
•Keep your tent and sleeping bag free of all food smells.
•Store the clothes you wore while cooking or eating with your food.
•Burn all grease off grills and camp stoves.
•Wipe table and clean eating area thoroughly.
•Store food and coolers suspended from a tree at least 10 feet off the
ground and four feet out from the tree trunk.
•Dispose of garbage properly. Secure it with your food and then pack it
out.
•Do not burn or bury the garbage.
•Sleep away from food areas. Move some distance away from your cooking
area or food-storage site.
•Store toiletries with your food; the smell of toiletries may attract
bears.
Scents and use of perfume or cologne is sometimes an attractant to
bears.
A Bear Outside Your Tent:
If you hear a bear or other animal outside your tent make sure it is
aware that there is a human inside by using a firm monotone voice. Turn
on a flashlight or lantern. If the bear enters the tent fight back and
yell. Many bears have been driven off this way.
If You Encounter a Bear While Hiking:
•Hiking at dawn or dusk may increase your chances of meeting a bear.
•Use extra caution in places where hearing or visibility is limited,
such as brushy areas, near streams, where trails round a bend and on
windy days.
•Reduce your chances of surprising a bear on the trail by making noise,
talking or singing.
•Make sure children are close to you or within your sight at all times.
•Leave your dog at home or have it on a leash.
*** National Train Day Comes But Once a Year
From Jaunted: Look, train travel is great. We regularly hop Amtrak, VIA
Rail Canada and various lines elsewhere in the world, but just about the
last thing we equate riding the rails with is Rosario Dawson.
This year, Amtrak is celebrating the 5th annual National Train Day on
May 12 and though it doesn’t mean any discounts on summer train travel
(yet! fingers crossed!), it does mean that Dawson will be at New York
Penn Station to talk about her love of trains. WEIRD.
While specific activities around National Train Day haven’t been
announced, the party will go down at train stations in Philadelphia,
Chicago, Los Angeles and, of course, NYC. Essentially, this serves as a
notice that it could be very fun to travel on Amtrak from one of these
stations on May 12…not so much because of Rosario, but because there
are bound to be giveaways and little bonuses.
[Photo: Jaunted}
*** Slacker’s Guide to Gardening for Wildlife
from Wildlife Promise
“Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass
no criticisms.” ~George Eliot
You’ll never see my garden in the pages of Better Homes and Gardens. I’m
just not that ambitious. But, this doesn’t seem to faze the critters in
my neighborhood that frequently pay me a visit. To them, my unkempt
backyard is a little oasis complete with food, clean water and plenty of
places to hide out.
That’s right. You can attract the sweetest-sounding songbirds and most
vibrant butterflies to your backyard even if you’re a lazy gardener like
me. With a little up-front effort now, you can sit back and enjoy your
wildlife haven all year long. Just follow these simple guidelines:
Go native in a big way: Native plants are fantastic at attracting birds
and butterflies and generally require less fertilizer and less water.
That means less work for you. To find carefree natives for your
landscape, visit the American Beauties Native Plant Finder.
Don’t be stingy with the mulch: Mulch helps keep water in the soil and
available to your plants, thus cutting down on the need for manual
watering. Plus, when mulch breaks down, it provides nutrients to the
soil, which can help reduce or eliminate the need for additional
fertilizers. Moreover, if your mulch is the proper thickness, you could
also cut down on weeding.
Say “so long” to your lawn: Grass lawns often require chemicals and
frequent mowing. Moreover, they provide little value for wildlife. So,
by replacing some or all of your high maintenance grass lawn with native
wildflowers, bushes, and trees, you’ll be providing the food and shelter
that local critters need to survive and thrive. And, to avoid any
misunderstandings with your neighbors about natural landscapes and their
benefits, download this handy guide to neighbor-friendly wildlife
gardening.
Keep the deadwood: You can create a refuge for hundreds of woodland
creatures by not removing dead trees from your yard. Many animals,
including birds, bats, squirrels and raccoons make nests in hollow
cavities and crevices in standing deadwood. Make sure that upright dead
trees called “snags” don’t pose a threat to your home or a neighbor’s.
Let the kids help: Little hands can really come in handy in the
garden–from helping to create a brush pile for small mammals to filling
birdfeeders. For older children, give them a small garden plot to plant
natives and call their own. Visit 16 Tips for Wildlife Gardening with
Kids for more ideas.
http://blog.nwf.org/2012/04/slackers-guide-to-gardening-for-wildlife/?s_email_id=20120421_BOT_ENG_Newsletter_April_Edition|STBot
*** Namibia: The African Experience – By Brian Kilgallen
The flight from Germany, to Namibia in southwest Africa was long –
the longest I had taken in the same time zone. We boarded in late
afternoon and flew directly south over Italy, Libya, Chad, Daiquiri,
Boogaloo, D’Isenteri and Drambui, finally arriving in Johannesburg,
South Africa, the following morning. After a two-hour layover, I was on
another plane for the final leg west over the Kalahari Desert in
Botswana to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It was nearly one o’clock
in the afternoon – 18 hours after I had set out.
As the plane made its approach, I tried to catch a glimpse of
Windhoek, but there wasn’t a building in sight except for the small,
rather unpretentious airport. The landscape was sparse and looked
remarkably like the desert southwest in the United States. It could
have been El Paso, southern New Mexico or Arizona except for the
Kalahari baboons scrambling along the two-lane road into town, which was
roughly 30 lonely miles from the terminal.
I asked the driver why they built the airport so far from
civilization.
“The ground was flat there,” he said.
“That’s it?”
He shrugged.
I checked into the Windhoek Country Club Resort where I met some
acquaintances I hadn’t seen in a few years. Later that night, the hotel
bused us into town to Joe’s Beerhouse. The name itself had a certain
manly earthiness appeal and it did not disappoint. It’s what most people
imagine when they think of Africa – a sprawling, simple, yet intimate
setting under the stars Thatched candlelit dining areas bordered the
perimeter. It was bench seating, with maybe ten people to a table. I
ordered a beer and checked out the menu. Most of the group had decided
on skewered zebra, ostrich, wildebeest and crocodile over rice. I opted
for the same. I would be eating a lot of game during the next week.
Contrary to the rumor, the crocodile did not taste like chicken and had
the consistency of a Goodyear tire. I did not order it again.
It was spring in the southern hemisphere and it was hot. Death
Valley hot. But the heat was dry from the low humidity and the constant
breezes helped to make it more comfortable than bearable. The night was
cooler and the air fresh.
“Interesting sky,” I said to the woman across from me. Her name was
Doris and she was German. She had been working in the area for about ten
years.
She nodded. “We have different constellations in this hemisphere.
The Southern Cross, Ungowa the Warrior, Silvia the Hairdresser, Stanley
the Plumber….”
While the crime rate is relatively high, as it is in most African
metropolitan areas, Windhoek is regarded as one of the cleanest cities
in sub Sahara Africa, testament to the Europeans in general and the
Germans in particular, who had settled what was then West South Africa.
Some of the locals claim the tap water is actually purer than the
bottled variety.
Colonized in the 1884 by Germany, Namibia today is a hodgepodge of
cultures – Dutch, British, German and others. But the German influence
is the strongest and it was the Germans who built the railroad there in
the early 1900s. Vehicles drive on the left. Most Namibians speak
English, German or Afrikaans. And, the influence of the Bushman is
everywhere, particularly in the primitive artwork.
The following day, I set out to explore Windhoek. It was mid
morning and the temperatures, while still comfortable, were already
building toward the heat of the day. Namibia’s capital is small and
spread out like Albuquerque across the high desert sands, with the
downtown area clustered into maybe eight or ten square blocks with
high-rise buildings. The street vendors were already setting up on the
sidewalks and in the pedestrian shopping areas. The quality of their
wares was surprisingly good and while many of the better shops carried
similar items, the best bargains were to be had in the streets.
There were two main areas for outdoor shopping in the town. I began
with the larger one, which was spread out across the pedestrian shopping
mall. The vendors had laid out their goods on the sidewalks in what must
have been a daily ritual, first unpacking them from the large cardboard
boxes and then arranging the items uniformly row after row. Most were
objects d’art, carved from wood or semi-precious stone. Masks, letter
openers, wildlife, necklaces, earrings, T-shirts, baskets, bracelets,
fertility symbols, pottery, trinkets.
Some of my friends and I had apprenticed in haggling when we
visited the souks in Morocco and Tunisia in my salad days and was
confident that I could hold my own with the street vendors.
I stopped at the first stall and flashed a friendly smile at the
tall, wiry native. “Hakuna m’tata,” I said.
He didn’t smile back. Most of the Namibians I met were virtually
expressionless and yet always seemed to comprehend. You would order a
meal in a restaurant and wonder if they were actually going to bring it
to you, but they always did. Waiters are like that.
He scowled at me. “What you want to buy?”
I pointed. “I’d like to look at that.”
He picked his way through the display and held up a carved ebony
map of Africa. “This?”
“Yes. How much?”
He made his way back and offered it to me for examination. “Two
hundred dollar, Namibian.” It was the equivalent of about 25 U.S.
dollars.
“That’s seems high,” I said.
“Make me an offer.”
“One hundred.”
He snatched the carving back from me. “It cost me 140 dollar.”
I produced a 100 dollar bill and offered it to him.
“One hundred forty dollar,” he said. “You want it?”
I held steady. “One hundred. Here, take it.”
He put the carving down. “Get out of my space.”
“One hundred ten.”
“Go!” He followed that with a string of what I assumed were vulgar
obscenities in a language I was not familiar with.
I moved on to the other outdoor shopping area near the office of
tourism at the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Fidel Castro
Street. Many of the items were similar to those I had seen before. I
hefted a malachite elephant, held it up to catch the glint of green in
the sunlight, then turned it over to see the price. Eight hundred
(Namibian) dollars!
“You like?” She was a bruiser with arms as thick as a rhinoceros’
neck, complexion of rich, dark mahogany and short tightly curled hair of
steel wool.
“It’s very expensive.”
“Make me an offer.” She had a voice that could strip paint off a
garage door from twenty paces.
I put it down and started to move on.
“How much you want to pay?”
“I want to look some more.”
She dogged me to the next stall. I reached down and picked up a
carved oblong mask that had been rubbed smooth to a lustrous sheen.
Again I looked at the price. Seven hundred dollars.
“How much you want to pay for that?” she said.
“The price is high.”
“Make me an offer. How much? Five hundred dollars?
“I just want to look around,” I said.
“Three hundred?”
“Please…”
She was in my face now, clutching my arm. “Pay me something!
Anything!” Then her voice became a desperate plea. “I need your
support…!”
I gave her 900 dollars. The mask is hanging in my study.
Of course, no visit to the region would be complete without a
safari and the Okapuka and Duesternbrook game preserves were only about
two hours away, off the TransKalahari Highway that linked Windhoek to
Botswana in the east and South Africa to the south. The bus from the
hotel lobby arrived at the lodge where we enjoyed a buffet lunch before
heading out in the Humvees to the bush where we spent an afternoon
observing and photographing game.
“Do you think we’ll spot any cheetahs?” I asked our guide.
“No. They already have spots,” he deadpanned.
“Okay. Do you think we’ll SEE any cheetahs?”
“Unlikely. They run very fast.”
I let that go by. “So, what can we expect today?”
“Giraffes, rhinos, warthogs, crocodiles, springboks, apes and…
yors.
“Yors?”
“Yes.”
I looked at him quizzically. “What’s yors?”
“Thank you. I’ll have another beer.”
Except for the streets named after revolutionaries like Castro, Che
Guevera, and Nelson Mandela, Namibia today bears almost none of the
scars of 25 years of armed conflict that led to independence from South
Africa in 1990, the result of a tripartite agreement among South Africa,
Angola and Cuba, with the Soviet Union and the United States as
observers. The country today is thriving as a popular tourist
destination and for me it was truly one of the great experiences of a
lifetime.
City park in Windhoek
Street market in Winhoek town center
Sign in a bar in downtown Windhoek pretty much says it all
On safari at the Okapuka game preserve north of Windhoek
Springbok in the wild
Close encounter with the Rhinos
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Volunteer positions, CONSERVATION WORK ON WILDLIFE PROJECTS &
RESERVES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, Enkosini Eco Experience, Lydenburg 1120,
South Africa
Enkosini Eco Experience offers self-funding volunteers a unique
opportunity to work abroad at leading wildlife conservation,
rehabilitation and research programs in South Africa and Namibia.
A wildlife conservation program is the ultimate life changing and
rewarding experience. Volunteer programs range from 1-12 weeks, giving
volunteers the opportunity to become involved in a wide variety of
wildlife conservation activities in Africa; including anti-poaching,
wildlife research, animal rehabilitation and reintroduction, hands on
animal care, game tracking and capture, bush rehabilitation and everyday
reserve maintenance and management. Volunteers can choose to focus
exclusively on one program, or alternatively experience a number of
different programs. All of our conservation projects have a strong
element of continuity. The work of one volunteer is carried on by
subsequent volunteers and, collectively, the Enkosini Eco Experience
network makes a lasting impact on local communities, wildlife and
wildlands of South Africa and Namibia.
Founded in 2003, Enkosini Eco Experience allows you to volunteer in a
way that fills your heart, mind and spirit and maximizes your financial
contribution to the projects you choose. Enkosini’s carefully selected
projects are our colleagues, our mentors, our partners. A tight-knit
community in South Africa and Namibia, we work together to achieve
higher standards in conservation and to fight unethical wildlife
activities through advocacy, media exposure and legislative change.
Enkosini Eco Experience supports our partner wildlife projects with the
necessary financial and volunteer assistance required to achieve our
goals in conservation and community development in Africa.
The staff of Enkosini Eco Experience has traveled extensively through
South Africa and Namibia – teaching, working, volunteering, studying,
backpacking, and managing tour groups. Our knowledge and understanding
of where to go, when to go, what to do and how to do it will prepare you
for traveling abroad to Southern Africa. You‘ll enjoy Enkosini’s
complete support before, during and after your volunteer experience
including emergency phone lines, in the field coordinators, full
training where required, independent Africa travel advice, and most
importantly a team with the experience to answer all your questions. We
are well-informed about local issues and culture, and help ensure that
all the organizational details for your volunteer project are covered so
that your experience is safe, enjoyable and fulfilling.
Our overseas volunteers come from all walks of life – from gap year
students to career breakers to retired people – and we organize
volunteer programs for people of all nationalities. Whether you are
burned out from running the rat race, exploring a new direction in your
life or just aching to see the world, an Enkosini Eco Experience is an
absolute must for anyone who is enthusiastic about wildlife conservation
and the environment. Enkosini’s range of volunteer projects offer the
adventurous individual the chance to take part in valuable and rewarding
hands-on conservation work that provides a sustainable future for
important ecosystems in South Africa and Namibia. And, of course,
Southern Africa is a great place to volunteer with magnificent scenery,
fabulous weather, great infrastructure, fascinating cultures and, last
but not least, spectacular wildlife!
Let the adventure to Africa begin…
To contact our South African office:
Enkosini Eco Experience
P.O. Box 1197, Lydenburg 1120, South Africa
Tel: +27.82.442.6773, Skype: enkosini
E-mail: info@enkosini.com / enkosini@yahoo.com
(*please send all correspondence to both email addresses*)
To contact our US office:
Enkosini Eco Experience
P.O. Box 15355, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
Tel: +1.206.604.2664, Fax: +1.310.359.0269, Skype: enkosini
E-mail: info@enkosini.com / enkosini@yahoo.com
(*please send all correspondence to both email addresses*)
http://www.enkosiniecoexperience.com/?gclid=CN_OhJ_7uK8CFUbe4AodcQIgiA
2.) Building Boardwalks for Twin Arches, Big South Fork River and
Recreation Area, Twin Arches Bottom Loop, Tennessee
Accommodations Description: Volunteers will be staying at primitive tent
sites. Volunteers should bring their own tent, sleeping bag, pad, eating
utensils/bowl, and personal gear.
Project Information: Volunteers will build boardwalks on a very heavily
used trail leading to the Twin Arches, the most impressive rock arches
in the eastern United States. The site is closed to car access and
should provide an exciting outdoor experience for all involved.
Volunteers will work side by side with the NPS trail crew who will
provide support and guidance onsite.
Area Description: Located in a rugged gorge area of the Cumberland
Plateau, the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its main
tributaries attract fishermen, swimmers, and paddlers. The park offers
almost 400 miles of hiking and multi-use trails. The area is home to
several arches, beautiful overlooks, wildflowers, and geological
wonders.
Climate Information: Expect warm, humid days, and cool evenings. During
the summer there can be the occasional thunderstorm, which brings with
it high winds, hail and lightening.
Travel Information: No airport pickup provided. Closest airport is
Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport.
Maximum # of Volunteers: 15
http://www.americanhiking.org/ProjectRegistrationDetail.aspx?projectId=586
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: April 2012
Connecticut’s Farmington Canal Heritage Trail
When it comes to layers of history, few pathways can top the Farmington
Canal Heritage Trail. This central Connecticut corridor started life as
a waterway, then turned into a railroad, then became a multi-use trail.
Lately, it’s become a crucial link in an ambitious 3,000-mile greenway
from Florida to Maine.
“There’s so much history and heritage—it went through three modes of
transportation,” says Steve Mitchell, owner of a trailside business and
board member of the East Coast Greenway Alliance, the group promoting
the Florida-to-Maine pathway.
Many trails have a lengthy backstory, but few tales are as long and as
varied as that of the Farmington Canal trail. It started in the 1820s,
when a group of businessmen in New Haven joined together to build a
canal north through the Farmington Valley and into Northampton, Mass.,
to facilitate trade. The canal was completed in 1835, but the advent of
the steam locomotive quickly spelled the waterway’s doom. By 1850 most
of the right-of-way was laid with tracks for the New Haven and
Northampton Company railroad, also known as the “Canal Line.”
The railroad operated for more than 130 years, under various owners.
Generations of residents watched trains come and go on this line,
including the 54-year-old Mitchell, who remembers seeing them passing
through town and behind the lot of his family’s car dealership in
Simsbury, Conn., when he was a boy. By the 1980s, though, service over
most of this rail line ended. Work on converting the unused sections
into rail-trails began in the early 1990s, spurred on by funding
provided by the federal Transportation Enhancements program.
The first sections of the trail opened in 1993. Mitchell remembers
taking his family out on one of these sections not long afterward—his
first ride on a rail-trail. “It was absolutely wonderful—you didn’t have
to worry about cars or trucks,” he recalls. From that point, he was
hooked on rail-trails.
The trail extended in segments over the years as access and funding
became available. When the pathway came through Simsbury, Mitchell’s
family provided access to the section of the railroad corridor that it
had previously leased from the state to use as an employee parking lot,
keeping the trail route continuous.
Today, about 42 miles of the 56-mile route through Connecticut are
complete. (Another 25 miles of the corridor in Massachusetts, starting
with the Southwick Rail Trail at the Connecticut border, are in various
stages of development.) Mitchell estimates that it will take another
three to five years to complete the trail. Trail builders have been
careful to preserve the corridor’s history, protecting one of the last
remaining canal locks and creating a museum beside it in the town of
Cheshire, for example.
Even though it’s still a work in progress, the greenway has proven to be
enormously popular. More than 154,000 people used the section of trail
near Simsbury in 2008, according to the Farmington Valley Trails Council
(FVTC). The pathway provides not only health and recreational benefits
for users, but an alternative commuting option for residents. It
generates an estimated $4 million to $7 million a year for the regional
economy. Perhaps equally important, the Farmington canal trail has
helped to catalyze an alternative transportation movement both on the
local and state levels.
“It’s fun to see what a difference [the trail] has made in our community
in terms of encouraging biking, and making people feel safe on
bicycles,” says Mitchell.
Adds FVTC president Bruce Donald, “After 20 years of work, we finally
are bringing to fruition a point-to-point alternative transportation
corridor that is not just a fantastic regional amenity, but a useful
harbinger of the steadily increasing value of people-powered travel.”
The FVTC, a citizens’ group formed in 1992 to support rail-trail
development in the area, now has more than 1,600 members, according to
Donald. These volunteers have played a crucial role not only in creating
and promoting the trail, but maintaining it. For example, when a major
snowstorm crippled New England last October and brought down hundreds of
trees and thousands of branches on the trail, dozens of members of the
trails council swarmed over the trail like worker bees and cleaned away
the debris—in some cases, before power to their homes had even been
restored.
These trail advocates have also been a powerful voice in support of
bicycle and pedestrian issues across the state. In an acknowledgement of
the importance of this constituency and recognition of the crucial role
of multi-modal transportation, Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy last year
created and filled the state’s first-ever full-time position for a
bicycle-pedestrian coordinator.
Malloy has also provided funds for a feasibility study for a bike path
running parallel to southwestern Connecticut’s Merritt Parkway—a path
that could ultimately connect to the Farmington Canal trail and provide
another important link in the East Coast Greenway.
The East Coast Greenway would connect Key West, Fla., to Calais, Maine,
linking 26 major cities along the way and providing new, non-motorized
recreational and commuting options to millions of Americans. Nearly 200
miles of the proposed greenway would go through Connecticut, including
the section of the Farmington Canal trail from New Haven to Simsbury.
About 25 percent of the greenway is complete, and Donald, Mitchell and
others from Connecticut are using their experiences on the Farmington
Canal trail to help move the interstate project forward. “We have a
symbiotic and complementary existence,” Donald says of the greenway
group.
Sounds like the makings of another engrossing chapter in the history of
the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail.
http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) President, Mass Audubon, Boston, Massachusetts
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=23905
2.) Executive Director, South Shore Natural Science Center, Norwell,
Massachusetts
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=23902
3.) Public Affairs Specialist, Forest Service, Department Of
Agriculture, Sandy, Oregon
http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/314571900
4.) Environmental Restoration Crew Member, California Trout, Antelope
Valley, California
California Trout and California Department of Fish & Game are now
looking for candidates interested in conducting restoration work in the
Eastern Sierra for endangered Lahontan cutthroat trout. Remaining Walker
Basin Lahontan cutthroat trout currently persist in a handful of
headwater streams. This recovery project is aimed at increasing
available habitat within their historic range, securing recovery waters
from invasives, and monitoring native population.
The eastern Sierra is an area of extreme elevations, extreme
temperatures, and volatile weather. Access to the remote restoration
sites can be rigorous—with personal and work gear being hauled in the
heat on your back! It can be a very physically strenuous job, including
removal of non-native fish (i.e. electroshock killing). This can be
upsetting for some people, so please consider this carefully!
Duties:
The person(s) selected will work as part of a crew on ecological
restoration projects under the direction of DFG and California Trout
staff. Restoration for Lahontan cutthroat trout will utilize a
combination of backpack electroshocking to remove non-native brook trout
and temporary barrier placement to secure recovery waters. Other duties
will include: pruning riparian vegetation to facilitate crew access to
the stream; maintenance of gear; and data management. Although outdoors,
surrounded by amazing vistas and working with an amazingly beautiful
native trout, the work can be tiring and repetitious.
Minimum requirements:
Candidates must have at least two years of college level education with
at least 10 credits of science.
Candidates should be able to carry an approx. 40 pound backpack while
hiking at elevation.
Candidates must be comfortable in and around water.
After the initial training, candidates must be able to work without
direct supervision.
Details:
Flexible work week: although this job is based on a 40 hour work week,
it can be arranged to fit your schedule. For example, four x 10 hour
days followed by three days off.
Compensation: Crew members will be paid $12 to $14 per hour. In addition
dormitory-style housing may be provided in Coleville, CA for the field
season.
Vacancies: Four currently. There may be up to eight, contingent upon
funding.
Where: Antelope Valley, CA.
When: Field work will commence June/early July, depending on stream
flows, and proceed through September. Note: students unable to commit
for the entire may apply but preference may be given to applicants
willing and able to work through the duration of the field season.
Application Instructions
To apply:
Send a cover letter, resume and short writing sample to: Michael Robin
(mrobin@caltrout.org).
Please CC: Dawne Becker (dbecker@dfg.ca.gov) and Mark Drew
(mdrew@caltrout.org).
Applications are due on or before April 6th, 2012. Please include in the
subject line of your email: Your Name – LCT Walker Restoration
For more information about California Trout, visit our website at
www.caltrout.org. To learn more about California DFG, visit
www.dfg.ca.gov.
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=309700039
5.) Director of Programs & Outreach, Orange County Conservation Corps,
Anaheim, California
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=23810
6.) Park Ranger (LE/Pilot), US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department Of
The Interior, Galena, AK
http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/314306500
7.) Executive Director, Western New York Land Conservancy, Wales, New
York
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=23919
8.) Biological Aid/Technician (Wildlife), Bureau of Land Management,
Department Of The Interior, MANY vacancy(s) – North Bend, ORView Map
MANY vacancy(s) – Grants Pass, OR; Carlsbad, NM; Rock Springs, WY;
Tillamook, OR
http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/307298800
*** From Mark Sofman:
9.) Another Fishing Job for Bass Masters Everywhere, Escanaba, MI
http://bit.ly/GQxRn1
10.) Eagle Education Coordinator, Ketchikan Indian Community,
Ketchikan, AK
http://bit.ly/GQhMxu
11.) Development Director, HawkWatch International, Salt Lake City, UT
http://bit.ly/GQhV48
12.) Canoe Livery Attendant II, City of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI
http://bit.ly/GQvqkp
*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to
lundquist989@cs.com.
*** Your Very Next Step is a service of the Job of the Week Network LLC
© 2012 The Job of the Week Network LLC
Edward Lundquist, ABC –
Editor and Publisher
Your Very Next Step
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