|
|
|
|
Tales from the Trail: August 2013
|
|
Your monthly news from PCF
|
|
|
August Quote 
"I went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in."
-John Muir
|
|
PCF to celebrate 20 years of the Palmetto Trail in 2014
In 2014, PCF will celebrate 20 years of the Palmetto Trail. To mark this milestone, we are hosting a celebration of the trail on Facebook. To start the celebration early, we have been featuring a different passage of the trail with fun facts, trip suggestions, pictures and more to highlight the unique qualities of every section.
We have also asked our Facebook friends to submit their pictures of each passage as part of an ongoing photo contest. Our staff will vote on the best picture for each section and the winner will receive a free PCF membership. At the end of the year, all the winning photos will be entered into a larger photo contest, and that winner will receive a special prize pack.
|
 If you have pictures of the trail that you would like to share, please email them to us or post them on our Facebook page. |
|
Wish List
Maintaining the Palmetto Trail is a huge task and our trail coordinators do a great job. Having the proper tools, however, makes their work much easier. If you would like to donate anything on our wishlist, please contact our office at (803) 771-0870. We appreciate your help!
Wish List:
Chain Saw Winch
|
|
|
|
Thanks to Boys and Girls Club for their help at Ft. Jackson!
On July 21, nearly 60 youths and adults from the Boys and Girls Club helped us clear up the trail along the Fort Jackson Passage. Thanks so much to these hardworking young volunteers! With all the summer storms in Midlands, their help was needed more
than ever.
 
Palmetto Trail work days are an awesome way to give back. We rely on our volunteers to help us keep the trail in top shape. If you or a group you know may be interested in a trail workday somewhere along the trail, give us a shout at our office at (803) 771-0870 or via email at sanderson@palmettoconservation.org and we'll be happy to help arrange a day of service.
|
|
Save the date: National Public Lands Day Celebration at Ft. Jackson
On Saturday, Sept. 28 we'll be celebrating the annual National Public Lands Day with an event on the Fort Jackson Passage of the Palmetto Trail. Look for details to follow in the September newsletter. In the meantime, check out the National Public Lands Day website for more information about this nation-wide celebration.  |
|
Thanks for another great summer at our adventure camps!
Our campers had a blast this summer with mountain biking, kayaking, team building, crafts and much more! Check out some action shots from our July session below. |
|
Congratulations to our 2013 Palmetto Trail Challenge winners!
 | The 2013 Palmetto Trail Challenge Winners claim their prizes, accompanied by PCF and Whole Foods Staff. The winning walking team (Kingfishers) included Mandy Johnson (far left) and Sharon Yomtob (second from left). The winning biking team (WASA) included Will Haltiwanger (far right) and Anna Haltiwanger (second from right). Congratulations again to our winners!
|
All the teams combined walked and biked a total of more than 16,000 miles--WOW!
|
Missed our public input meetings?
There's still time to give us your thoughts about the SC Palmetto Trail and Greenways Master Plan!
 Thank you to all who joined us for the regional public input meetings throughout the state in May and June. Your feedback was much appreciated and vital to the process of developing the best possible plan for finishing the Palmetto Trail.
If you were unable to join us for the meetings, or have additional input you would like to provide, please do so by going to www.finishthepalmettotrail.org and clicking on "Contact" at the top of the main page. You will be led to a form on which you can leave your thoughts and comments. |
The next Handlebar Happy Hour is August 14
Meet and mingle with other bicyclists while discussing ways to make Columbia more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly
Handlebar Happy Hour, held the second Wednesday of the month, provides a place for anyone to openly voice their thoughts on the topics concerning bicyclists and pedestrians in the Columbia community. Publick House Restaurant will host the next of these events on Wednesday, July 10 from 6-8 p.m.
Publick House, located at 2307 Devine Street, will offer free raw fries, wings, and celery with blue cheese for any participants who arrive on bicycle or foot. Free drinks will also be available while supplies last.
This month, speakers from the American Diabetes Association will discuss the upcoming Tour De Cure on Sept. 21.
For any questions about this event, please contact Mary Roe at PCF's office at (803) 771-0870 or via email at mroe@palmettoconservation.org.
|
|
Fort Jackson Passage gate hours changes
 Due to staffing issues and the government-imposed furlough at the base, the hours for the gates at Fort Jackson have changed. If you have any questions about these changes, do not hesitate to contact our office via phone or email.
Gate 1:
5 a.m. to 1 p.m.; inbound and outbound traffic, Monday through Friday
3:30 to 6 p.m.; outbound traffic, Monday through Friday
Closed on weekends
Gate 2:
Open around the clock, seven days a week
Commercial traffic on weekends only
Gate 4:
5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Monday through Friday
Closed on weekends
Commercial traffic must use Gate 4 on weekdays.
Gate 5:
Closed |
Social Media marketing seminar coming to GOLS
Wednesday, Aug. 281-3 p.m.After a successful email marketing seminar last week at the Glendale Outdoor Leadership School, we'll be hosting Constant Contact once again for "Social Media Marketing Made Simple." This valuable and insightful seminar is free for anyone to attend. Whether you are a business owner, nonprofit, an entrepreneur, an online marketer, or just an individual, this presentation will help you to grasp the best practices needed to utilize and maximize the power of social media marketing. There will be no charge and you will receive incredibly valuable information including a Q&A option. Click here to register today! |
|
|
|
Upcoming Outings and Events
Our summer season of paddle trips and hikes has ended, but we're already busy planning for fall. Check back in September for a calendar full of outdoor adventure!
 We hope you'll consider joining us for one of the upcoming trail maintenance days on the Fort Jackson Passage of the Palmetto Trail. All work days run from 8 a.m. until noon, and the group meets at the Westin Lake Recreation Area on Leesburg Road. Rakes, gloves, and water are provided, but please consider bringing lunch and any tools that may be of use.
Work days: Aug. 10, Aug. 24, Sept. 7
Ladies Hike on the Sandy Beach Spur Trail
Saturday, Aug. 10  Join this month's ladies hike for a trek on the Sandy Beach Spur Trail off the Lake Moultrie Passage of the Palmetto Trail. For those interested in carpooling, meet at the PCF office at 722 King Street in Columbia at 8:15 a.m. Those that would look to meet the group on the trail should plan to meet at the trailhead at 10:30 a.m. Remember to pack a lunch, water bottle, sunscreen, bug spray, and a camera--you'll likely catch glimpses of beautiful native birds swooping around the area! To register for this outing, contact Suzette Anderson at sanderson@palmettoconservation.org, or Katherine Anderson at kanderson@palmettoconservation.org.
Upcoming Fall Ladies Hikes:
Sept. 14 - Swamp Fox Passage
Oct. 12 - Awendaw Passage
Upstate Forever Preservation Ride
 One of our partner organizations, Upstate Forever, is gearing up for their annual Preservation Ride. The Preservation Ride is a great way for cyclists of all ability levels to get together and ride some of the most scenic and spectacular routes in the Upstate of South Carolina. The courses weave their way through the rolling horse and farm country of northern Spartanburg County, while the longer 75 mile route offers the challenge of climbing Skyuka Mountain Road in North Carolina.
Click here for more details, including entry fees and important registration information.
The routes:
The 75 Mile Route, featuring rolling hills with an optional climb up the challenging Skyuka Mountain, starts at 8:00am
The 40 Mile Route, featuring rolling hills with a few tougher climbs, starts at 9:00am
The 20 Mile Route, featuring rolling hills, is a beginer friendly route and starts at 9:00am
Final routes will be marked by September 14.
|
|
2013 Senior Explorers Outings
 Palmetto Conservation Foundation's Senior Explorers program encourages greater use of our state's natural resources, promotes healthy and active living, and provides outdoor skills for participants. This program is graciously funded through Palmetto Health Hospital.
We have many exciting classes and trips planned for the coming months. Our goal is to teach a combination of health and fitness mixed with outdoor education and recreation. Most importantly, we like to have fun! Click here for more about this program.
Spots are limited, so sign up soon. To register and for information on transportation, please contact Kari at Palmetto Conservation Foundation at (803) 771-0870 or via email.
 Happy Cow Creamery Tour
Aug. 15, 2013
11 a.m.
The Happy Cow Creamery is a unique on-the-farm milk bottling operation offering high quality fresh milk directly from its own dairy cows. Whole milk, chocolate milk, cultured buttermilk, and strawberry milk are just a few of the products offered at the on-site-store.
During the tour, the group will take a trolley ride to see the lush grazing paddocks. Participants will also see the milking parlor where the "girls" work. Throughout the tour, guides will tell the story behind the Happy Cow Creamery. Samplings of fresh milk will be available at the end of the tour.
Limited transportation will be available for this trip. Please call for more details and to register. You can also choose to meet the group at the Creamery at 11 a.m.
Things to bring: lunch, water bottle, camera, spending money for the on-site-store. To register, call our office at (803) 771-0870 or email Kari Hanna.
|
Pinterest Picks
Check out some of our favorite pins this month. Click the pictures for a link to see more of PCF on Pinterest.
 | | Great video from Eastern Mountain Sports on how to efficiently pack a backpack. |
 | Fun facts about our favorite way to get around. Click for a bigger (and easier to read) image.
|
 | | There's nothing like fishing and relaxing on a nice summer day. |
|
|
Become a PCF Member Today!
A membership to PCF comes with great benefits, including discounts at local outfitters and special rates on PCF events. Your membership dollars will go towards building and maintaining the Palmetto Trail. Click here to become a member!
|
|
Contact Info
722 King Street
Columbia, SC 29205
(803) 771-0870
|
|
|
|
|
-Can