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PETE'S PICKS
Happy Memorial Day weekend! For many that means opening day at the neighborhood pool, but for those of us "in-the-know" nature's swimming holes never close. They may get very cold, but they never close.
So, for those of you who prefer creeks and rivers to chlorine here's my recommendation:
- Visit Roaring Run - a National Forest Service Day-Use Recreation area that offers picnic areas, grills, trails, and a mountain creek that has waterfalls AND a 50' natural water slide.
- Need more - rent a canoe/kayak/tube and float down the James River.
- Still not done - take a tour of the Botetour County Wine Trail and sample some of our region's incredible wines.
- Total Package - morning float on James, followed by cook-out lunch/slide at Roaring Run, then some wine tasting, and wrap it up with dinner at Pomegranate.
Get Outside!
Pete Eshelman
Director of Outdoor Branding
Roanoke Regional Partnership
  
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RACE FOR OPEN SPACE
The third annual Race for Open Space will be held on June 4, 2011 at Green Hill Park in Roanoke County, VA, west of Salem.
The Race for Open Space is a 3K run/walk perfect for children, families and active adults. The beautiful race course runs along the Roanoke River Greenway next to the calm and shady Roanoke River before transitioning to wooded trails and finishing on a grassy field. All race participants will receive a 100 percent organic cotton race t-shirt and the overall and age group winners will receive awards.
All proceeds benefit the land preservation efforts of the Western Virginia Land Trust - some come out for a good-time-that-makes-a-difference.
What is a Land Trust?
A land trust is a community-based, private, non-profit organization formed to help protect local lands important to the quality of life and environmental health of its regions. A land trust works to encourage balanced community development and to save important local landscapes - the natural and cultural features that define a community's character and identity. Learn more and get involved at www.westernvirginialandtrust.org.
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"CREATE-A-POSTCARD" APP FROM CLIF BAR
You need to sign in and go through a couple hoops, but the hassle is worth it to create a neat customized digital postcard as well as to donate $5 to a good cause. Indeed, for each "Meet the Moment" postcard made during its new promotion, Clif Bar & Company will commit 5 bucks to the Access Fund, Leave No Trace, the Surfrider Foundation, or another charity of your choice. Check out the gallery - and create your own card - at Clif's new site here: MeetTheMoment.com.
Bonus: Clif will award three people who upload the "most inspirational and creative moments" an opportunity to pursue a dream adventure trip with up to $12,000. More details on the "Meet the Moment" website.
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THE BENEFITS OF BAREFOOT HIKING
By now you've seen and/or heard about barefoot running and five-finger shoes. Although we've yet to try the five-finger shoes, we have been known to hit the trail sans shoes..jpg)
There is growing evidence that going barefoot is good for your feet.
Dr. Irene Davis, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Delaware, conducted controlled experiments measuring impact shock in barefoot and shod runners. She found that because barefoot runners naturally adopt a fore-foot strike as opposed to the rear-foot strike pattern favored by shod runners, shock to the lower extremities is significantly less in barefoot runners. The shock also decreased in shod runners who adopted a forefoot landing style. Free from the constraints of shoes, Davis found, musculature benefits in the arches. "When you're barefoot and you don't have any support under the arch, especially when you are hiking on uneven terrain, your feet have to work really hard to stabilize you. If you don't have something underneath supporting it, the foot muscles are going to have to work harder. So I really think that hiking and even just walking barefoot helps to strengthen the muscles of the arch." In some ways, she says, "We've just taught our feet to be lazy." Continue reading>>>
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PLAY 4 FREE WITH ROANOKE PARKS & RECREATION
In an effort to encourage everyone to get active this summer, Roanoke Parks and Recreation is offering a special PLAY4FREE promotion from May 23 to 27. During this time, anyone can register for any summer program free of charge.
There are more than 200 programs included in this promotion including but not limited to: outdoor  recreation, youth parks & recreation development, fitness, athletics, personal enrichment, trips and tours, summer camps, and aquatics. Any program with a course number in PLAY Magazine except for the After School and Summer P.L.A.Y. series is included. Other exceptions include all recreation club team sports, and all outside contract programs.
There are some great outdoor recreation opportunities included in the lineup including: canopy tours, bike instruction, canoe trips, slacklining, backpack trip, tubing, summer camps, and more.
There is even a trip to NYC listed that includes transportation, three-nights lodging, and activities. We asked P&R if this was eligible and the reply was YES. Those who elect to participate in a trip or tour should note that they will be charged the full fee if they do not show up for the program.
So download the latest issue of PLAY this weekend, pick out a few courses, and the book them - for free!
You must register between May 23 and 27
to take advantage of this offer - no exceptions!
For more information, contact Parks and Recreation Manager Michael Clark at michael.clark@roanokeva
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Upcoming events to keep your eye oN
- Weekly bike rides throughout Roanoke & NRV Valley
- Weekly ultimate frisbee pickup games (Sundays & Wednesdays)
- Hikes too numerous to list
- Monday Bike Polo
- Tuesday Tune Ups
- Thursday Happy Hour Floats
- Wilderness First Aid Course - 6/3-5
- National Trails Day - 6/4
- Virginia Inland Sailing Open House - 6/4-5
- Race for Open Space - 6/4
- Four Gorge Extension Trail Building - 6/4 & 6/12
- YMCA Sprint Triathlon - 6/5
- Conquer The Cove Trail 25K & Marathon - 6/5
- Fat Tire Frenzy - 6/11
- Overnight Canoe/Kayak Camping Trip - 6/11
- Intro. to Caving - 6/11
- Rockin' RAM-A-Thon - 6/11
- Run With Grace - 6/11
- Anchors Aweigh 5K - 6/18
- Moomaw Madness Triathlon - 6/18
- Hike For Haiti - 6/18
- Wilderness Survival Skills Clinic - 6/18
- Big Lick Brewtopia - 6/18
- Mountain Mayhem 5K - 6/19
- Intro. to Mountain Biking - 6/25
- TriAdventure Summer Sprint Triathlon - 6/26
- Rafting the New River Gorge - 6/26
- Floyd Fandango Beer & Wine Festival - 7/2-3
- Alleghany Highlands Cycling Festival - 7/9-10
- FloydFest - 7/28-31
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Roanoke Regional Partnership · 111 Franklin Plaza, Suite 333 · Roanoke, VA 24011540.343.1550 X 104 · www.roanoke.org
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