As much as I get around to parks and trails, I remain amazed by the diverse options for outdoor engagement found mere minutes for my home. Tilden has a bit of something for everyone: a little farm, steam trains, merry-go-round, botanic and native plant gardens, a golf course, many trails, and stunning views from every angle.

The fair weather meant fewer people with plenty of parking and space to spread out in the sand. We were greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and we found a nice open area where the kids could remain in easy view, but a lifeguard on duty in the summer months is a big plus.

After about an hour or so of going in and out of the water, the sun faded behind the eucalyptus and the chill of the afternoon could no longer be ignored. Just before leaving the park, we stopped at a vista where other visitors were perched to appreciate the stunning views of the San Francisco Bay that reminded us why we loved this place.

If you are in or near the East Bay Area, definitely consider a visit to Tilden Park. Check out their website for a complete list of activities that are mostly free.

What is your favorite place to go swimming in the summertime?

Outdoor Afro had the wonderful experience this past weekend to be a part of Outdoor Nation, a youth summit designed to reconnect America’s youth to the great outdoors and inform organizations of what youth care about most. This was also the first official listening session as a part of Obama’s Great Outdoors Conference this past spring.

The event began with a mixer Friday night sponsored by Backpacker Magazine. Leadership from The North Face, VF Outdoors (TNF parent company), The Natural Leaders Network (Children and Nature Network), New York Restoration Project, Student Conservation Association, Bay Area Wilderness Training, New York Parks Recreation, Sierra Club, American Hiking Society, and many others gathered on the rooftop of the Arsenal Building in Central Park. Everyone seemed to enjoy the warm summer sunset, great libation, and engaging conversation that expanded networks, considered the barriers of outdoor engagement, and anticipated the hundreds of youth set to arrive the following day.

Saturday’s events began at noon in the park and the public turnout was amazing! Thanks to much local publicity, many hundreds of people, including several families with children, came and participated in rock climbing, kayaking, trampoline jumping, and hoola-hooping, as part of a treasure hunt to engage with the activity vendors and the various orgs. Each interaction earned stamps in the event’s passport booklet to win prizes. I had a blast working with Kyle McDonald, CEO and founder of Bay Area Wilderness Training at The North Face Planet Explore table to share with the public how to use the social network to connect with regional and local organizations’ events and activities.

Later that afternoon was the official start of the Youth Summit in an outdoor tented area of the park. Nearly 600 youth from all over the Unites States came to town representing several organizations to share what they cared about related to the outdoors. About 35% of those youth were youth of color, many visiting New York City for the first time. Outdoor Afro connected with Brother Yusuf and his stunning youth group from Albany’s (NY) Green Tech High Charter School, Mickey Fearn, Deputy Director of the National Parks, and Bay Area friends Steve Hagler of the Stewardship Council, Zakiya Harris of Grind for the Green, Ernesto Pepito of the Crissy Field Center, and many others for an impromptu reunion.

After an introduction and welcome by event organizers and sponsors, such as North Face CEO Steve Rendle, the youth were divided into various organizational themes or “tracks” to help guide their brainstorming process. Themes such as Diversity, Health and Active Lifestyles, Media and Culture, Careers, Service, and Recreation/Education were matched with issue experts who helped guide conversations that revealed a depth of thought and sophistication these youth had when contemplating how they care to engage with the outdoors – or not. Importantly, ideas generated by these youth can help them to apply for the newly minted Explore Fund,  a $2,500 grant to spark and sustain outdoor youth participation where these kids live. The evening concluded with a youth pizza mixer at the North Face offices hosted by the Sierra Club and Juan Martinez and the Natural Leaders Network contingent.

The following morning, White House officials from the Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Labor and the National Parks facilitated the listening session to brainstorm answers to core questions; identify opportunities, and there were more in-depth track discussions to review and prioritize the top ideas of these sessions. Check out the Outdoor Nation website for more details about the conference outcomes.

It was a tremendous opportunity to hear youth voices, such as the African American young lady from environmentally impacted Bay View Hunters Point (San Francisco, CA) who lamented that she grew up thinking that asthma was normal because “every child in the community had it,” she said. With so much disheartening news related to the Gulf and its recovery, it was affirming to witness a return to the conversation of outdoor engagement among youth as one important step to help ensure a future of environmental recovery, sustainability, and justice.

A very special thanks to The North Face for making it possible for Outdoor Afro to take part in such an important and ground-breaking event.

I had the fortunate opportunity to attend the  Bay Area Open Space Council Conference organized by Breaking the Color Barrier alumna and Executive Director Bettina Ring to celebrate and reflect on 20 years of conservation in the Bay Area and beyond. At the capacity filled event in the beautiful Presidio Club House was a dynamic mix of individuals and organizations who shared a range of data and stories: from the good news of how the San Francisco Bay Area has benefited from preserving its open spaces, to the sobering reality of childhood obesity and other health problems plaguing urban youth today because of a lack of connection to the spaces in their own neighborhood.

Thus, the conference represented a thoughtful look back at battles won and lost, but also a look forward to what is possible through fostering new collaborations that stretch beyond business as usual. Over the course of the day, we consistently heard the message of how engaging underserved and diverse communities is no longer an option, but intrinsic to the ecological survival of all, echoing what is commonly known about the benefits of plant and wildlife diversity. Therefore this conference underscored a necessary shift from simply preserving acres to preserving the people who live on them.

Elizabeth Goldstein, President of the California State Parks Foundation shared compelling California State Parks data that proves that people care about their local parks “no matter their financial circumstances, background, or where they live,” she said. The across-the-board support of the upcoming ballot measure that begins to address a decade of repair and maintenance backlogs and threats of park closures proves this.

The health benefits of outdoor engagement were also highlighted by Daphne Miller, MD, who shared that in addition to the known physical health benefits, there are some in the medical community who believe that time spent in outdoor spaces is beneficial for those suffering from depression, starting with just five-minutes a day outside.

Also in the building were Outdoor Afro favorites Dr. Carolyn Finney of UC Berkeley, who moderated a dynamic panel of youngish adults, like Ernesto Pepito from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, regarding the cross generation challenges and potential for collaboration, and Hazel Wong of The Nature Conservancy, who shared how the ballot is a powerful conduit to land, wildlife, and water protection.

New friend Laurie Schoeman also passionately related her experiences on the front line of the financial, environmental, and demographic hardships facing Bay View Hunter’s Point residents in San Francisco. Her silver lining is the recent opening of a green, community staffed EcoCenter at Heron’s Head Park that came into fruition in spite of debilitating state funding obstacles.

Other conference highlights included a touching video retrospective of the Bay Area conservation movement, Golden Gate National Recreation Area Superintendent Brian O’Neill (1941-2009) and Conservation Legend Edward Wayburn, narrated by Doug McConnell of Bay Area Back Roads. A concluding poetry reading by Poet Laureate Robert Hass wowed the crowd with poems authored by children. Those poems proved to us all how powerfully youth connect to natural spaces when given a chance.

Overall, the conference was profoundly engaging, bringing together friends old and new.  I was delighted to hear throughout the day an echo of the message heard in Washington DC last month: connection and engagement with natural spaces is for everyone — and I am looking forward to seeing and taking part in next steps to make this vision a reality.

I know I should be asleep now, but I just had to share some of what made today buzz. It starting with time spent with Hazel Wong who graciously opened her home to me so I could catch up on some missed rest after a red-eye. After a brief nap, Dudley Edmondson and I met up to grab a bite at the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl. The two of us finally connected with Angelou Ezeilo, Executive Director of Greening Youth Foundation to sprint off to the pre-conference mixer at the Department of Agriculture where environmental leadership from all over the country and government officials met casually to network in preparation for our meeting time tomorrow. A highlight was meeting my Breaking the Color Barrier colleagues, like Audrey Peterman and Queen Quet. And I was delighted to see Dr. Cheryl Charles of the Children and Nature Network, and Akiima Price of the New York Restoration Project – and there were many, many others.

Badge and Binder for the Conference

The evening concluded with the most delightful talk with my hotel roommate Angelou. I tell you, this woman is doing amazing things for youth all over this country, and here is a snippet of some of the fabulous work she is doing:

Looking forward to sharing more about the conference tomorrow.

Note that the event will be streaming live. So check it out!

After some recent Outdoor Afro Facebook fan chatter about Strawberry Creek, I decided to dig a little deeper and reach out to Rodney Williams, one of the property owners. Rodney was happy to shed light on how the B&B was created in the scenic San Jacinto mountains of Southern California. This thought provoking interview is not only about the inn, but also an opening discussion regarding what is possible to achieve in life in spite of odds or perceptions. Here is part one of our two-part interview:

What inspired you to become an inn keeper?

I was doing actuarial work for a large health insurance company, and just did not feel fulfilled or like I was contributing anything directly positive to the life of the average person. My first attempts at resolving this inner conflict involved looking for an art form outside of work that would hopefully fill in what was missing. That led me to a stint in culinary school in the evenings and on weekends (the art form I always gravitated towards, even before I considered it an art form). It was a blast, the most fun and passion I had experienced in my life so far, but the contrast between my daytime misery and night-time elation only highlighted the underlying issue.

On a last-minute soul-searching trip alone, I stayed in a B&B for the first time. The minute I walked in the skies opened, there was lightning, angels singing, light bulbs–all the ‘epiphany metaphors’ that come to mind. Without knowing anything about what it took, how profitable it might be, or what it was really like running a B&B, I knew it would bring me joy. Besides, I was already spending a good portion of my salary decorating my house, gardening, cooking, and throwing parties. ‘I might as well get paid for it’ was my thinking, I guess.

I spent the next six or so years trying to talk myself out of the idea, and having other people try even harder to talk me out of it. As luck would have it, I met Ian at a time when he was starting to re-evaluate his relationship with his pediatric nursing career. After years of caring for and getting close to kids with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, the straw that broke the camel’s back was his niece’s cancer diagnosis. The already thin wall of separation between professional and personal, perhaps necessary for this kind of work, came crashing down. Now there were two people open to doing the unthinkable. And the rest, as they say, is history.

What is your connection to the Idyllwild area?

Originally, there was no connection to speak of. It seems funny to say that now because we feel so deeply connected to this community, and we very much think of it as home. At first, all we knew was that we wanted to purchase an existing inn with 8 to 12 rooms, close to pristine wilderness. Our preference was to stay in Southern California (for the weather), but we were quickly convinced by ‘knowledgeable experts’ that we needed to drop that from our list of requirements.

There simply weren’t enough B&Bs in Southern California to produce an inventory of properties available for purchase at any given time, and there were really no pockets of affordable real estate left in the region, much less affordable real estate near nature. We must have looked at 20 properties in Washington State and throughout Northern California, with none of them feeling exactly right. Actually, a few felt pretty close to right, but were either over-priced for the revenue they generated, saddled with legal or zoning issues, or in one case, snatched up by another buyer while we were deciding to make an offer on the plane ride home.

Owners take a break in Costa Rica

Finally our agent advised us that we had seen everything on the market that fit within our parameters (that must be an old realtor’s trick to pull out when you think you’ve got a commitment-phobic client, but he was probably close enough to being right). We chose and made an offer on what we thought was the best choice of what we had seen (in Sonoma County, on the Russian River), and pretty soon we had come to terms on a price, notice had been given at our respective jobs, and our houses were on the market and in escrow (this was 2004, so the Southern California housing market was close to the peak of its frenzy).

Although we both got mild stomach pains every time we drove up to what was about to be our new inn, neither of us brought it up, brushing it off as nerves related to the impending big change. On one level we were relieved when the inspection reports started coming in with details about past floods, termite issues, and badly needed roof work. The sellers were unwilling to re-negotiate the price or to fix anything, so we had no choice but to cancel the deal. The only small problem was that we would both very soon be jobless and homeless! I decided at that point to stop listening to ‘the experts’ and follow my own instincts more.

As part of our early research, I had acquired a book called ‘Great Towns of Southern California‘, by David Vokac (there’s a Northern California version too, as well as a ‘Great Towns of America’ version for your readers who like discovering great under-the-radar small towns). Idyllwild was the only one of the eighteen towns featured that we hadn’t been to or at least heard of. A little online research revealed that several inns had very recently been listed for sale. What did we have to lose? We hopped in the car, and after driving through majestic mountain scenery we thought you couldn’t find in Southern California, we reached the most charming village filled with artists, galleries, quaint shops, and nice people! To top it all off, there had been a light dusting of snow the night before. We were hooked. The rest is…well, you know…

What do you think people are most surprised by when they visit the property?

We try to make sure there are as few surprises as possible when people arrive, through our website and our reservations process, but there aren’t a lot of pictures of us on our website (something we will definitely re-consider for the next website update). So some of our guests are surprised to be greeted by two young-ish (or so we like to think) African-American males. Most are pleasantly surprised, or at worst indifferent, but there is a small minority who are stricken with the compelling urge to write nasty reviews, letters to the editor, their congressmen, or whoever will listen about our obvious illegitimacy as a B&B and as innkeepers. Of course their complaints never specifically mention ethnicity or age or sexual orientation, and to be fair they probably really believe that what they say is bothering them is truly the underlying issue. They’re our version of ‘the birthers’. We deal with them the way our President does: overlook the ranting, address the issue about which they are explicitly complaining if it has any legitimacy at all, and then get back to work making sure we are helping to create memorable experiences for our guests.

Check back for the second part of our interview with Rodney. Meanwhile, take a peek at the Strawberry Creek website!

Whether it be a family camp, like Oakland’s Feather River Camp in Northern California, or Camp Atwater on the East Coast, there are many opportunities to connect with the outdoors that require you to act now as spaces are already filling up!

Check out this neat Family Camp PSA:

Also consider making reservations now for your favorite campsite for tent camping. For example, popular Samuel P. Taylor State Park’s reservation line is red-hot during the winter months that fill the camp solidly after Memorial Day weekend through early Fall.

So call your friends and family members now and organize your calendars to go camping this summer at your local state or national park!

Where will you go camping this year?

Not sure? Find a camp that’s right for you!: American Camp Association

Watch and tell me what do you think.

Thanks for sharing Marica Woods! — and great job Blair Underwood!

We have work to do!

Blair Underwood, Pacific Cinerama Dome

After meeting up at the Breaking the Color Barrier Conference last September, Ken Stewart of the Tennessee Aquatic Project (TAP) and Jerry Bransford, a Mammoth Cave National Park guide, decided to join forces and send over sixty youth on a trek up to the Caves. The youth were able to hear first hand the intriguing story of Bransford’s slave ancestors who were important contributors to the cave site.

“African Americans played a vital role in the development of cave tour routes and the visitor experience throughout the 19th and early 20th century. The first black guides were slaves, and through their efforts opened up the golden age of cave exploration for Mammoth Cave” (NPS website) The TAP youth camped out the rest of the weekend, enjoying outdoor activities led by Stewart during the day, and joined by Jerry Bransford in the evenings to hear more about his family history at the caves.

Learn more:

Tennessee Aquatic Project

Black History at Mammoth Cave National Park: