Dons Nordic Walking

Winter, Spring Class Schedule

2012-01-28T16:07:00.000-08:00

It is now official. I will be teaching two classes through the City of Redding Recreation Department. To register for these two classes, you will have to go to the City of Redding Recreation Department, 1250 Parkview Avenue. Cost for the class is $48, equipment will be furnished.

The first class will begin Thursday, March 8, 2012 and continue through April 19, 2012. Time will be from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. (Note: there will be no class on April 5th.)

The second class will begin Saturday, April 14, 2012 and continue through May 19, 2012. Time will be from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

These two classes will be offered at a lower cost. So if you and a friend are interested in learning about a healthier way of walking, then register and plan to have fun walking. You will learn the art of Nordic Walking, while having fun in the process.

Happy, healthy walking to you in 2012. Lets start out right. Hope to see many of you soon.

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T10:16:00.000-08:00

This evening at 9:30 p.m. our time the Winter Solstice will occur. This will be the shortest day of the year and one in which we need to reflect upon our past and then towards the future. This is a hibernating time of the year for many people and animals, just as for trees, plants and shrubs. It is a time for non growth, stillness, and darkness, but one where we look forward to rejuvenation with the coming of spring equinox.

As we take this time to reflect, lets reflect on the many changes the past year in the Mid-East and our own country. People are waking up to what is happening around them. They are starting to ask questions and seek answers and justice for themselves and other people around the world. The occupiers are busy with the agenda of equality. I believe we can all relate to the equality problem in the world and our own backyard, when we see what is happening around us.

So at this joyous and somber time of the year may we all appreciate what we have and what we would like everyone else to have also. It is really not a case of the haves, but a case of equality in everyones life around the entire world. So lets all strive for equality and justice as we head into winter and really think about "what is equality and justice?", so that when we arrive at the spring equinox we are able to put it into effect for the greater good of all People.

Have a wonderful Winter Solstice.

A Prayer for Kindness

2011-12-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

This is the time of the year when people around the world rethink about peace and kindness. We wish people peace at this time of the year and some are not as sincere as they say this, while others are very sincere. With this being the season, I'm putting a Metta Prayer of Kindness up for everyone to read and hopefully include in their daily practice. Take a read and see for yourself how short and simple this prayer is:

Metta Prayer
The transforming force of Kindness

May all Beings be peaceful.
May all Beings be happy.
May all Beings be safe.
May all Beings awaken to light of their true nature.
May all Beings be free.

May all of us someday soon see Peace with people being happy, safe and free. May Kindness and Peace be with all of you at this time of the year as we come together and walk with a special light around us in a united front to honor our particular beliefs.

May we all awaken to our Nature of True Light and carry this vision.

Namaste

Old Time Holiday at Whiskeytown

2011-11-29T16:31:00.000-08:00

It is the time of year when we start preparing our homes for the holidays. What a better way than to attend the "Old Time Holiday" at Whiskeytown National Recreation area. It is a fee free day and the events take place at the Camden House in the old Tower District of the park, which is located near the French Gulch turnoff. There will be old time fiddler music, light refreshments and best of all you can make and take home a Christmas wreath or swath after you make it. The park provides the greenery which is wonderful along with berries, ribbon, wire, glue, sprinkles (glitter), the whole nine yards. Once again this is FREE! There also will be a bin to collect food for the needy if you so desire.

After your wreath making , on your way back to redding, stop by the visitor center and you save an additional 15% on books and other gift ideas. This is a nice way to help out with your Christmas shopping. There are a lot of excellent books for sale.

As you leave the visitor center, stop by Old Shasta State Historic Park for additional activities.

I have attached the flier, so take not and hope to see you there. I will be there to help greet you.

Fall Nordic Walking Class Schedules Announced

2011-09-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

Fall officially begins on Friday at 2:04 a.m. our time. With Fall comes cooler weather, beautiful colors and a good time to get out and learn a new exercise. Nordic Walking with poles can be very beneficial for you. You may burn up to 40% more calories, take stress off the body joints, work every major muscle group at one time while walking, buildup your cardio, in other words it is a very simple and great exercise to learn and enjoy while walking one of our many trails in the Redding area.

A six week course will begin on Thursday morning October 20, 2011 and run fron 9:30 am to 11:00 a.m. Cost is $75.

A crash course for those that want a quick way to learn and see if they are interested in Nordic Walking will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m., Cost is $30.

For those that may want to set up a Saturday class, get a group of friends together and email me, I'm open to a Saturday class if enough interest ans students signup.

All classes are limited to 10 persons due to the number of sets of poles I have, unless you have your own set of walking poles.

Remember, I provide the poles, all you need to do is preregister by calling 530-945-2218, or email, and then show up with a positive attitude, a good pair of walking shoes and comfortable clothing. So lets get on board and enjoy our great north state fall weather and learn about a new exercise which many walkers have taken up and a healthy new way of walking. All first classes meet at Redding Fleet Feet Sports at 1736 Hilltop Drive in Redding

Imagine

2011-08-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

Imagine a world of Peace. Everywhere we look or read, there is a shattering of our Peace. Norway lost a lot of fellow human beings, many of them kids, who were on a vacation on an island. There Peaceful world was shattered by a lone gunman, who needlessly took many lives as a way of communicating his dislike for Islam? In Somalia there is much famine and food aid is not allowed to be delivered to the starving people and some of them are even being raped. What is wrong with all of us coexisting and letting each one of us believe and live what we want to believe in without someone else dictating or taking away that belief in us

Here in our own Nation, we have all sorts of different beliefs, religions, etc. and we are not allowed to express our opinion if we do not agree with what is being said or told to us by a small minority. A prime example is how this Congress is dragging all of us down a bad road with only their greed for the wealthy, speaking for what they believe in and not is good for all of us as a nation. There is no honest bargaining as the divide has become a canyon and there is no middle ground as you will fall all the way down if you don't believe in the left of right and fall into the crevice and often forgotten about. Things need to change for the better and it is getting to a point that it needs to happen sooner rather than later.

John Lennon wrote a beautiful song titled Imagine. If you listen to the lyrics they are very poignant in relating to the world today. Enjoy the song, and then practice a world of love and peace. While in Prague, I visited the John Lennon Wall. It looks like a lot of graffiti, but when you read all the different sayings, verses, etc, it brings back a lot of memories, plus it still applies today in this ever changing world. People from all over the world are visiting this wall and leaving there remarks and prayers of Peace for a better world to come. All this where in the 1940's they persecuted the Jewish people for " bieng different" We are all the same regardless of our beliefs, religion, skin color and ideologies. Lets all pray for peace between each other, other countries, other religions and find Peace within ourselves.

Namaste

New Class Starts Tomorrow

2011-06-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

For those interested and the ones that have called and emailed, the summer evening class begins tomorrow, Thursday, June 30, 2011. First class meets at Fleet Feet Sports on Hilltop Drive at 6:30 p.m. Spots are still available. To improve the quality of your workouts, stop by and see what Nordic Walking is all about. Class will meet for six Thursdays from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. and poles are provided. Class cost is $75. Email me at this site or call 530-945-2218. Come out and join the walking group.

Beautiful City

2011-06-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

Prague, Czech Republic,

I just returned from 13 days in this city. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe. It is the best preserved Medieval city, with its over 100 spires, cobblestone streets and sidewalks. The architecture and painting makes this city a very vibrant place to visit at this time, even though it has a lot of past history. A couple of day trips to the countryside also confirmed this beauty of a country, with its lush landscape of farms, river and parks with protected wildlife. The many castles in the area are also a worthwhile trip. The food is basic meat and dumplings, the Pivo (BEER) is very good and the beer halls were a blast within themselves. Visited the oldest beer hall from 1499 and it can seat up to 1200 people at once. Walk in the door and wonderful beer is thrust into your hand. Its up to you to decide whether or not you will be drinking it.

There is a lot of history to this country such as the town of Tristin, which was a major concentration and crematorium area. A visit to this town was on the somber side as you stop and think about what mankind does to each other to further their own personal goals and or dreams. The children's paintings and stories as they were relocated to this area, only make the situation even more sad and realistic of this dark period of history.

Overall the trip was well worth it and the areas visited were outstanding, and I would highly recommend the city as an ultimate goal to visit.

The Value of Time

2011-05-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

To realize the value of one year: Ask a student who has failed his final exam. To realize the value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby. To realize the value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper. To realize the value of one day: Ask a daily wage laborer who has ten kids to feed. To realize the value of one hour: Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. To realize the value of one minute: Ask a person who has missed the train, the bus or the plane. To realize the value of one second: Ask a person who has survived an accident. To realize the value of one millisecond: Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics. Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have

Making A Difference

2011-05-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

Starfish

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got close he called out. "Good morning! What are you doing?"

The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, why are youu throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"The sun is up, and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But young man. don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "it made a difference for that one."

Author is unknown, but if we all stop and ponder how we have not thought that we have made a difference in this world, or in someone else's life, or ourselves, just read this saying again. Think about it, you have made a difference, whether you realize it or not. We all make differences. It's just that some of us do not realize at the time how big a difference we are making until we see the results. It is at this very moment in time that you become aware and say to yourself, "I did make a difference." How much difference have you made? You will never know unless you pay attention to what you say or do. It will in the end make a difference, whether it is big or small all depends on you. Lets all make a difference.

Prayer For The World

2011-03-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

With all that is taking place in the world, I felt I needed to reprint a prayer that I saved from several years ago. It has a lot of good points to think about and is very beautiful in its wording. Japan has many problems with many deaths from the earthquake, tsunami, nuclear reactors and radiation. The Mid-East is in turmoil and many people are losing their lives as they attempt to seek a better life through democracy.

A Prayer For The World
Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations. Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect. Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows. Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken. Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly. So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color. Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness. So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrows of our neighbors. And let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all people as our neighbors. Let the earth, nourished by the rain bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty. And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven.

Amen
Rabbi Harold S. Kushner

Regardless of your beliefs, all of us do I believe want to see a peaceful wonderful world. We want to take care of our planet, and we want to help our neighbor's in time of need.

Namaste

Friendship

2011-03-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

Today is March 1, 2011, the first day of March and only nineteen days from the Spring Equinox. Spring is a wonderful time of the year as we see new growth starting to take place on all the plants, i.e. trees with their new leaves and beautiful blossoms, shrubs, flowers and even ourselves begin to feel different. It is the time of the year when we start looking forward to the longer, warmer days and evenings, daylight savings time begins on March 13th, and we even start to think of our friends or make new friendships.

Friendship is defined as a friendly relation or intimacy. We all have our friends and there are times when we call upon our friends for favors such as helping to move, listening or just for being there when needed along with many other different requests throughout the friendship. Our lives are different due to our friends and they can be very powerful and often times they change are lives. So today if there is a friend that has had a powerful influence on your life, maybe it is time to think about who that person was and to show them appreciation by picking up the telephone and calling them and saying thank you for you have done for me. It's never to late to let someone know how you were helped due to their input or extra effort. Call today while this is fresh in you mind. Make it part of your to do list, after all as they say Love Is In The Air.

Welcome Back

2011-02-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

As many of you have noticed from the E-mails I have received, I had taken a hiatus for awhile. Seems as though health issues seem to crop up when least expected. I spent the holidays in November and December recovering from a serious Staph infection, one that could have left me paralyzed or even killed me. I had two surgeries and had the infection drained through my back with a vac pack and pick lines in both arms. I'm glad to say that I survived and I'm ready to walk. As a matter of fact I have been out and about for the past couple of weeks Nordic Walking (a little 7 mile walk) and getting ready to resume classes.

My New Years resolution for 2011 is to stay healthy. The main way to do this is to exercise and eat healthy. Even with all of this though, as I found out, you can still become ill and not be prepared. But by staying healthy and fit, you recovery is much easier if and when you do have a setback.

The weather is beautiful and there are many new trails to check out with our poles. Next class begins on Saturday, February 26, 2011, from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. Come and join me in a fun, physical form of walking. New studies just completed show that 40 minutes of walking a minimum of three days a week helps part of the brain expand and helps to keep you aware (study group was 55 - 80 years of age group). This in itself makes it worth walking and why not have fun by using poles and getting an even better walking exercise in. There are still some spaces left for the first class of 2011. E-mail if interested. See you on the trails.

Fourth Century Tree

2010-10-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Cedar Breaks National Monument outside Cedar City Utah, a grove a Bristle Cone Pines stand at an elevation of 10,500 feet above a canyon that drops off 2,500 feet right below them. This was an amazing hike of one mile from the parking lot which reached close to 11,000 feet in elevation. Needless to say, the air was thin and the going was slow. The heart was working extra hard and wondering why it had to work this way I'm sure.

We started with the visitor center and was told about the grove of trees, and that we could walk there to enjoy and explore them. On the way to the grove, you are very close to the rim of the canyon which displays brilliant colors along with arches, hoodoos and ravines. As you approach the grove, one is amazed at how old these trees actually are. The one in the picture is the oldest of the grove at 1,647 years of age. Think of the centuries that this tree has been standing guard over the rest of the trees and the beautiful canyon that it stands above. A lot of history has passed by this tree along with the others in the grove.

Upon reaching the tree, there are areas to sit within the tree. I took a seat and you could feel the energy of the tree from within and radiating out. The "Deva's" were open to communication and allowing the energy to run through my body and it brought about a good vibrant energy field which is still with me today as I write this from home. It takes a lot to survive this long on a prominent point, where the winds are always blowing, and then it has an annual snowfall of some fifteen feet annually. It wants to survive and it is adapting to the many changes in climate that we are currently witnessing.

So the next time you feel old, or you think the tree in your yard is old, think of the Bristle Cone Pine. They are a hearty, adapting species that plans on staying around, maybe even longer that we can imagine. When you do find a wonderful tree that is in your presence, and you feel an attachment to it, sit for awhile and the tree will give you a new energy with which to carry and use as long as you want.

Worth The Walk In The Park

2010-07-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

With the hot weather forecast, it is time to think about staying cool. There is always the option of staying in your air conditioned house, or the other option is to take a hike to a beautiful waterfall inside Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. It is considered a moderate to difficult walk of one and three quarter miles mostly uphill. There are many nice rock benches along the way to take a break and a lot of shade with the sound of running water along a good section of the trail on the way to the falls. The snowfall this year has kept the falls running a lot more water than normal for this time of the year. If you have poles it will be much easier and faster to reach the falls. Once there sit down by the big pool and enjoy the much cooler temperature. It is very refreshing. Also enjoy the cascading creek along the way to the base of the falls. The falls fall approximately 200 plus feet down the sloping creek bed. Their is a trail with hand rails that will allow you to go a good portion of the way up the falls to get a different perspective.

This is only one of the four major falls withing the WNRA. The others being Crystal Creek Falls which is temporarily closed until October for improvements, Boulder Creek Falls and Brandy Creek Falls. They are all worth the hike and visit, no matter what time of the year. Reminder that you need to purchase an annual pass ($25)which is good for a year from the date of purchase, or else a daily pass which costs $5.

After a walk to the falls, you can always stop by one of the many beaches located around Whiskeytown Lake and enjoy a nice swim, go fishing, have a picnic or just lay around and enjoy the jewel of the north state which is only 10 miles west of Redding. We are so fortunate to have this type of area in our local area. Come out and enjoy and stay on the cool side of mother nature.

Harness Your Personal Wind

2010-07-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

I have just finished reading a autobiography by a young man in Africa,William Kamkwamba. The Title is "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind", he used the only resources available to him, which included a library, but he was not allowed to go to school as his family could not afford the fees (tuition), not free like here. Even though William did not attend school until later, it did not deter him from learning from science books about windmills, electricity, water pumps and the value of an education, which he would later receive. While his friends were in school learning. William would rummage through dumps and old places for parts to build his dream, a windmill which would furnish electricity to his room, his family's house and his Fathers' radio. People were so impressed that a young man with little education was able to build a windmill, with circuit breakers, etc, that he ended up being blogged about world wide after an influential visitor came to his village.

He lived through family members and himself getting Malaria, famine,droughts and third world poverty in Africa. None of this deterred this young man as he sought a better way to help himself, his family and his village to secure a better life. He was able to pump water so that droughts would no longer affect his families crops, which were dependant upon the annual rains. He always maintained a positive outlook and was hungry to learn how things worked and then to put them into use. His imagination and ingenuity were the forces behind his drive. It pays off for him in the end, but I will not give that part of the book away.

This is but one example I'm am sure of what transpires around our world everyday. We do not stop to think about it that way, but there are new things being built or improvised everyday somewhere to help better mankind, be it for yourself, your family or the world. So the point I'm making is there is never a need to say I can't do that or this, because I do not have knowledge or materials. All it takes on your part is a little imagination and resourcefulness and you will obtain that which you are seeking. It makes no difference whether it's a windmill, computer, piece of woodwork or something that is close and personal to you. Open your mind and your heart and you shall be surprised at what can come about. So I leave you with this little bit of advise, "Never say I can not do this or build that". It is all that is inside you along with your beliefs that will show you the way to accomplish your feats.

Mr. William Kamkwamba will be a guest speaker at Chico State on April 14, 2011. Come and listen to him explain how he and also you can harness the the wind in our lives. It is sure to be an inspirational talk. Tickets will run $20 and $17

Why A Life Vest?

2010-07-04T14:26:00.001-07:00

While on my Sunday evening kayak paddle last week all was routine until the group took a break. We always allow for some fun time for the group which includes getting out of the kayak and going for a swim or paddling around and discovering the nooks and crannies of the cove we happen to be in. The kayak members are to have their life vests on at all times when on the tour, even while swimming. This is one of the safety rules to go on the kayak tour.

This became evident last Sunday, as while the kayak group was having fun in a cove, I observed two small children swim for the opposite side of the cove, and they were not wearing flotation devices and did fine. Once they reached the opposite side another sibling was standing on the other side and they were urging him to swim across, telling him it was short and no problem. I happened to be near them and preceded to watch. After a few more urges, the sibling jumped into the water and he had a pair of swim fins on. He began to swim across the cove and about a third of the way across, he went under the water. He then popped back up and started slashing around as though he was panicking. I started to paddle over towards him and as I did, he went under again and then his mother yelled for him to get on his back. The young lad turned onto his back and I could see he was possibly going into shock by the looks of his eyes. As I pulled alongside him, his mother caught up and said "Thank you". She said he was a very good swimmer and wasn't sure what the problem was. I was told he was okay as he stood on the bottom in knee deep water.

The mother than swam with him back to the other side where he had started from and they sat down on the shoreline. We stayed in the area for a bit longer and as we departed, I paddled over to the mother and her son to make sure they were alright. I told we had radios and I could call for help. She said they were fine now and thanked me again very much appreciated she said, and we departed the cove.

This made it even more important to me the rule of wearing a life vest at all times while on the kayak tour. Even though it was 100+ when we started the tour, snow melt is still occurring and there are deep pockets of cold water are still present. I believe what happened was the child hit a deep cold pocket and then had the wind taken away from him causing him to panic. Had he had a floating device of some sort, he would have been alright. Luck for him we were in the area and he is able to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Happy Birthday America and to all it's citizens. Celebrate our Nations birthday safe and sound. If you go swimming beware of the cold pockets of water and above all have a life vest as it may save your life.

Kayak Season

2010-06-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

Will we are one week from the official start of summer, when the summer solstice arrives. That means to some of us that it is time to go play in the water or on the water. The free kayak tours start at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area this coming Saturday, June 19,2010. There are three tours a day, and all you have to do is make a reservation (530-242-3462)to accompany us on a tour. The tours last one and half to two hours. The tours our at 9:30 a.m; 12:30 p.m.;and 6:00 p.m. there are also full moon tours each month which start at 8:00 p.m. Kayaks, life vests and paddles are provided, so no excuses for not kayaking along.

While on the Whiskeytown Lake, the Ranger?Interpreter will tell you many interesting things of the local area. You may even have a poem read to you while sitting still in the kayak with a group of other kayakers. Wildlife may at times be seen which may include deer, bear, bald eagles, osprey and many other types of wildlife. All one needs to do is paddle along and observe the surrounding shoreline, forest, sky, and water that you sitting upon. The silence at times is just memorizing to the soul and can help to re nourish you as you enjoy the stillness that surrounds you on the water. Sounds carry along ways while on the water and this is a gentle reminder that your voice as well as other may be heard from a long distance at times. You may even stop at an island of which there are several with time to enjoy a swim before heading back to Brandy Creek Beach.

Think about, it is great exercise for the body, soul and the mind. You might even find that you enjoy it so much that you buy your own kayak so that you can go whenever you want. So make that reservation and come have some fun. Yours truly will be assisting with the 6:00 p.m. Sunday tours. And as fate would have it, The first tour for me is a full moon tour. Hard to beat!

High Five

2010-05-20T17:22:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe that I have not blogged in a long time. Here it is almost two thirds of the way through May. The past few weeks have been spent in recovery mode from some minor(?) surgery, at least that is what I can say now. I'm through hanging out and back into the thick of things when it comes to exercising with a big High Five. The picture says it all.

When a person is active it is very hard to sit still and obey the doctor's orders, but if a person is wise, they do follow the orders and do what the good doctor tells them to do. Well yesterday I was told that I'm let loose for all activities, no exclusions. Actually I have been able to do some items such as swimming and walking, but now the Mountain bike is tuned and ready to go.

Health fairs have been my thing of lately, as the County held their fair and also at Earth festival. Many people came by the Nordic Walking booth and had a lot of interest in the poles. Many of them in fact knew about the poles and wanted to know about class schedules. This is a good time of the year to be outdoors, as we have been blessed with some beautiful spring weather here in Redding. Who can believe that April and now May so far have had no heat waves or in fact temperatures in the 90's. We have even had some off and on rain showers. No excuse for not being outdoors and the extra daylight in the mornings and evenings is also great.

Memorial Day weekend is a little over a week away and already kayaking is getting ready to start at Whiskeytown National Recreation area. Yours truly will help lead a tour on Sunday evening May 30th. The rest of the program will not start up until mid June. There are many trails and waterfalls to walk and enjoy andwhatever else may meet your fancy.

So with all the water, wildflowers, wildlife and good weather, lets get out and have fun doing some sort of exercise. I know I sound like a broken record, but news articles have been coming out lately saying that Octogenarians live to that nice age due to exercising everyday in some way. It also can help prevent cancer, Osteoporosis, diabetes and other forms of health issues. Remember if you don't have your health, then life can be shortened, and miserable. After seven and half years I'm back where I was before my accident on January 14, 2003, that changed my outlook and life forever. Go outdoors and have some fun. If you have poles and don't know how to use them drop me an email. A big "HIGH FIVE" to all of you, have some fun and get the exercise your body needs.

Earth Festival

2010-04-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

It is that time of the year once again. The third annual Whole Earth and Watershed Festival will take place on Saturday, April 24th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This is a wonderful way to learn about sustainable living through demenostrations and hands on activities. You can even drop off your E-Waste and old running /walking shoes for recycling. I will have my Nordic Walking booth set up so that you can take a demenstration walk during the day. Over eighty five vendors will be present this year with live music, food available for purchase and a way to spend a couple of hours on this day attending a FREE event and learning how to have less of an impact on our planet.

Speaking of impact, you may want to take in the free movie at the Cascade Theater on Friday, April 23rd, at 7:00 p.m. for a screening of "No Impact Man" otherwise known as The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal. It is all part of the Green Festival and once again this is FREE!

A lot of businesses and individuals along with non profits have come together to present this event. Attendance continues to increase each year, 3,500 - 4,000 last year, so if you are looking for a fun filled educational event that is free, come on by. I will have my booth set up and you can enter to win some Nordic Walking lessons.

Hanging Out

2010-04-06T16:31:00.000-07:00

Hanging out can be sweet words to some people, but if you are an active person such as myself, they can be some of the worst words you can hear. This is what I have been told to do. What does a person do when they are given these orders from the doctor's office? Read books, sleep, play video games, watch movies, TV, clean out old files or just sit and contemplate or maybe meditate.

As for myself, I'm taking this time to figure out what caused me to return to this condition of needing surgery again. It makes me wonder why I have still not learned some of my lessons in this lifetime, that keep come knocking at my door every once in awhile. Maybe it is something telling my body that I need a time out from my busy active life. This is a good time to focus on oneself and bring in all the good energy that is out there for myself and other people to grab onto. It is a time for introspect into my body to heal myself to the point where this does not occur again.

Yes, life's' lessons can be hard to take sometimes, but there is always a reason behind them. As we go through life we need to take time outs. They serve a very useful purpose and they are in the long run very healthy for us. So if you have not taken a time out, this may be the time to check in with yourself. Otherwise you may find yourself in the same situation of "hanging out" when you least expect it or want to do it.

Feet, Shoes & Poles

2010-03-18T16:28:00.001-07:00

We take many things for granted in our life and one of them is our feet. Just think of the hundreds of thousands of miles that we put on our feet during our life time. We punish our feet when we are young and old without even thinking about it. How many of you have done any of the following during your lifetime, such as the following. Step on a bumble bee, step on or put a nail through your foot, broke a toe or the foot itself, and I could go on, but by now you get the idea. I have done a few of these myself.

Shoes are a wonderful way to protect our feet. The sole of the shoe helps to prevent nails, rocks, etc., from harming the sole our foot. Many of us buy shoes thinking they will last forever. I observe shoes when I am teaching Nordic Waling classes. Some people will tell me there foot is hurting and I ask them when was the last time they bought a pair of walking shoes? Sometimes they will tell me a year plus, they were expensive good shoes. I then explain to them that shoes do not last forever, as the materials they are made of break down over time whether you use them daily or just wear them occasionally. The next class they show up with a new pair of shoes and lo and behold, they are not hurting when walking. When it comes to shoes you get what you pay for. To protect your feet and feel comfortable when walking pay the extra dollars and you will be amazed at what a difference it will make. A pair of insoles to replace the cheap thin pair that come with shoes is also worth the price. Shoes are also made differently for different types of feet. To know what kind of foot/gait you have, you should get on a treadmill and have an expert tell you whether you are normal, under pronate or over pronate, etc. This can be done at fleet Feet in Redding. They will video tape your time on the treadmill and then analyze your walking. They will then usually tell you about several different types of shoes that will help you. Once you know the shoe that is for you, you are on your way to a wonderful time of walking.

Last are the walking poles if you are going to use poles. There are several types of walking poles on the market.Once again you get what you pay for. LEKI happens to be the best on the market right now. Sometime in the future I expect to see other brands that will be equivalent, but as of right now LEKI has the market. Students will show up with all sorts of walking poles, but many of them are Trekking Poles. Trekking poles are spring loaded and heavy, walking poles are light without being spring loaded. Trekking poles are made to be in front of you when walking and walking poles are always behind us. So before you buy a pair of walking poles I suggest you take a class or two and see what the difference is. If you decide to buy a set of walking poles then spend the money and get a good pair of LEKI poles. You will be happier in the long run and you will actually be able to take fun walks and enjoy them. LEKI poles happen to have a nice pair of gloves that attach to your hand, so very little gripping if any is required.

So in summary invest in a good fresh pair of walking shoes every six months or so, a pair of LEKI walking poles and you will be babying your feet as you walk along and enjoy the beautiful scenery that surrounds us as we walk the many paths and trails in our local area.

Hibernation

2010-03-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

Spring is close by and the days are getting longer. On Sunday, March 14, 2010, we turn the clocks ahead one hour and will have a lot more daylight in the evening hours. Spring officially arrives on March 2oth. It has been a very cold and wet winter, finally. A lot of us have hibernated inside our homes to stay warm and out of the elements. Our energy levels have dropped and maybe we have put on a few extra pounds, like a hibernated bear. Most people I talk with are anxious to get out and about and enjoy the outdoors and get into exercising. Even the wildlife will becoming out of hibernation and looking for food to build up their energy levels for the coming months.

What does this have to do with my title of hibernation? This is the time to get ourselves off the couch, from in front of the television, computers, etc and start shedding our winter time blahs and maybe those extra pounds. When the sun is out and the trees are in blossom, one can not help but feel revitalized. This is what spring is about, revitalization. We have a different outlook, we feel wonderful, and we look forward to our walks, kayaking, swimming, picnics, etc., which are all forms of exercising to rebuild our bodies and minds and to shed those extra pounds.

So as you are out and about, enjoy the blooming trees, shrubs, flowers and the wildlife. All of these are in abundant supply in our local area, as we are in a wonderful part of the state and country. As for the wildlife, do not feed them, even though they are hungry. As for yourself, feed your body all the good energy that is buzzing about as you take in the beauty of nature and wildlife that we are privileged to see and watch. You will feel exhilerated and this is free for the taking. Enjoy!

May You Rest In Peace Partner

2010-02-24T18:06:00.000-08:00

Goodbye Tosha, you were the best patrol companion I could ask for. Yes my patrol partner for a number of years was put to rest today. She was whelped on April 11, 1997, and was brought home from Placerville on June 4, 1997. She was a very ambitious dog and from good stock as her mother was a show champion and her dad was a working dog. She grew up very fast, and before long was taking many patrols with me in my Fish and Game patrol vehicle. We put many miles in together over a span of about five years before I retired. She was a very docile dog with a great temperament. Everyone that personally knew her would testify to this. She was really wonderful around my Grandchildren. She would ride on the front seat and when I was out checking hunters and fisherman she would watch with great interest until I returned to the vehicle. She would then lay down and be at ease knowing I had returned safe and sound. I don't believe she would ever have hurt a flea, but to look at a 105 pound German Shepard in a marked patrol vehicle, no one ever tried to find out. She loved to roam the roads in the woods and the streams such as the Trinity River and Sacramento River, Hat Creek, McCloud River, Mt. Shasta, Lassen Park and many more areas.

Tosha was always watching with great intent and interest when lying around the house watching us , as we prepared meals, played games, watched TV, and of course made her meals. Yes, she is already left a huge empty space in our hearts, but her suffering is over from her hip displaysia. Today before the veterinarian came to the house to give her the shot, she went outdoors one last time, walked over to the huge Redwood tree in our backyard and just looked at it like she was talking to the spirits, as though she was choosing her place. We will never know what was going through her mind at that time, but animals many times in nature choose their final resting place. She will come back to us in a couple of weeks after she is cremated. So in a sense, she will have left only for a short while, as her spirit will always live with us in our house.

As a friend emailed the following to us today (2/25/10), A veterinarian friend of hers told her this when they had to put a dog down. It is so very true that I wanted to share it. "When we think of those companions who travel by our side down life's road, let us not say with sadness that they left us behind, but rather say with gratitude that they were once here with us."

Goodbye partner, companion, friend and most of all member of our family. Your suffering is over and your new life is just starting. With Love, your Partner.

Nordic Walking Class at Sun Oaks Fitness

2010-02-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

Nordic Walking Class set to begin on Tuesday, March 3o, 2010 at Sun Oaks Fitness Center at 3452 Argyle Road. Classes will be held on six consecutive Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ending on May 4, 2010. Cost is $75 and preregistration is required at Sun Oaks. Class is limited to 10 students as that is the number of walking pole sets available. If you have your own walking poles (NOT Trekking Poles), you may join the class and the cost is still the same. First class will be held at Sun Oaks, and the next five will be held at the McConnell Foundation on their wonderful set of walking trails. Wear comfortable clothing and good comfortable walking shoes and you will experience a wonderful way of healthy walking.

Nordic Walking Classes Coming to Sun Oaks Fitness Center

2010-02-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

I will be teaching Nordic Walking Classes at Sun Oaks Fitness Center starting in the March/April time period. This is good for members and non members alike. There will be a discount for Sun Oaks members. It is an ideal setting, as there is the Clear Creek Preserve and McConnell Foundation Ranch trails very near by to learn the art of Nordic Walking on many different terrains. So if your heart is into a different type of walking that takes the stress off your body joints, i.e. knees and lower joints, losing weight, straightening your upper body and enhancing back health, building better bone density, burning up to 40% more calories, pumping up your cardio by 25%, then this is a class you should try. Scanned article will give you some additional information about Nordic Walking. Click on the image and it will expand for easier reading.

The only requirement is that you have a good pair of walking shoes, comfortable clothing and a positive attitude. I furnish the poles and take you on the different trails. Be ready to sign up, as classes will be limited in size due to a limited number of poles. So be watching for the announcement that will be coming out soon and be ready to enjoy a different type of walking. Once you try it, you will see why so many people are taking a trek with the walking poles. Hope to see many of you in the near future.

Energy Follows Thought (2010)

2010-01-18T15:35:00.000-08:00

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. King was a person with a vision that he strongly believed in. He believed and practiced non violence. In the end he died by a violent act, as he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee by the bullet from a man made weapon. Mr. King gave many speeches during his short time on this planet. Many of the speeches are played over every year, especially the "I've Got A Dream". Today I listened to a speech that few of us remember or maybe we were to young and not involved at this stage of our lives, in how as a Nation we were going down the wrong path by invading Vietnam, and escalating it to an undeclared War. I am a Vietnam veteran and sitting and listening to this speech of Dr. Kings', so many things that were thought to be true at that time turned out to be false as we have since found out, and Dr. King was right on in regards to how bad the war would become and how it would lead our Nation down a terrible road against many of our beliefs and the beliefs of our forefathers. Dr. King had this vision of the many pains and atrocities that this war would cause. Whether you were for, or against the war does not matter, as we are all responsible as citizens of this great nation for acts and actions that have been carried out in the name of Democracy and Peace by our leaders.

Now more than ever it is time to look at the strife taking place around the world. The devastating earthquake in Haiti that took many innocent lives and some people have used to make remarks that should never have been said, these are negative thoughts. Our hearts need to go out to all of these people and we need to keep them in our thoughts and prayers, positive thoughts. There are two wars taking place in name of "Democracy", one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. There are acts of genocide taking place in several Nations in Africa and elsewhere. All of these involve violent acts. If everyone would practice non violence at the same time around this world of ours, many positive things could and would come about. There would be a long lived peace and people would treat each other with love and respect. There could be many new strides made in health, global warming, energy conservation and many other things that maybe we can not even imagine as possible at this time. So I have put another YouTube video up for viewing. It will leave you with many ideas of what some people believe, that practice good thoughts and send good out energy, will be bringing about to this world of ours, through their predictions of 2010.

So it is important to remember that energy does follow thought. So on this special day of honoring Dr. King, we can also think of Mother Theresa, Gandhi and others that have all received recognition for practicing non violence. If we all think good positive energy thoughts, anything is possible. Especially bringing about Peace and a good quality of life for every human being on this planet. So join me as I send out positive energy thoughts to all of you for everyone else, for as I said Energy follows Thought. If you pay close attention you and everyone else will see a major change as we precede through the coming year and new decade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3zJm98UXzQ

Enjoy it and feel free to pass it along.

Nordic Walking

2010-01-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

We are now almost halfway through the first month of the new year 2010. We have made it through all the major holidays and parties and dinners that go with this time of year. For many people it means heading to or joining a health club to work off the extra pounds they put on or to meet one of their New Year resolutions. There are always other options other than paying health club fees to get your exercise in, such as running, biking and Nordic Walking.

Nordic Walking is outdoors and the fee involved is for a class to learn all about it. A person does not want to just pick up a pair of walking poles and take off with out knowing how to properly use them as they could cause some pain and possible injury. There are many benefits to Nordic walking, among them, is improving balance, bone density, relief of stress on joints while walking, building up your cardiovascular system, burning up to 40% more calories along with strengthening your upper body and back. All you need is some comfortable clothes and a good pair of walking shoes. The next class is scheduled starting on January 25, 2010, from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. and will meet once a week for six weeks. I provide the equipment and take you on six different type of walks during the class. Cost is $75 and pre registration is required and can be accomplished at Fleet Feet Sports at 1376 Hilltop Drive in Redding or by calling 221-0600, as the class is limited to ten students. So if you want to learn a wonderful and healthy new way of walking then sign up and learn what it is all about. After all over 500,000 Finns and 10,000 Americans who walk this way can't be wrong.

So if one of your predictions is to get outdoors and enjoy a healthy way of walking and at the same time lose weight, and improve your body, Join the fun of a Nordic Walking class. You will not go wrong and you might even find that it was one of the best resolutions you made.

Love

2010-01-03T13:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New year to all of you. As we enter a new decade and here we are only three days into it, I was sent a you tube connection for me to consider and send on. It is titled "Love Is All You Need". Think about what the message is. It took place on December 7, 2009, in 156 countries with people singing and playing instruments at the same time. Think of the coordination that it took to get all these different groups of people to share their message of love and for all the filming for this video and then to put it all together. It is a strong message, as with people spreading and thinking of love it will inspire people around the world to love one another, be they enemy, friends, co-workers, neighbors, homeless people, and you name it as the list can go on for a long time. Everyone in their heart are a good person, remember this when you look into their eyes and their hearts, and ultimately bring about world peace. It never is to late to think about a better world full of love and peace. Enjoy the video as I send my love and peace to all of you as we start a new decade together with everyone around the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh7D2g5v-Sg

Peace

2009-12-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

It comes without saying that we are now two days away from the special day set aside for Christmas. Christmas over the years has had a dramatic change in part I believe due to Mr. Macy's and Mr. Sears doing their best of trying to convince all of us that we must buy or need this particular item, and the more we buy and or receive the better off we are for it. It was never meant to be a mass commercial holiday as it has become. This puts a hardship on many people that are not able to buy these gifts for their own family due to fiscal restraints. This year is especially hard as so many people have lost their jobs, homes and whatever savings they may have put aside. The number of families needing assistance by adopting them so that may have a Christmas is especially high this year.

Yes, I did my part to help out Macy's and Sears (actually Target) due to adopting a family in need so that the children would have something under their tree on Christmas morning. Remember my last blog was on empathy, here is where it comes into being important. After all when I think of Christmas, I always thing of children. When you look around or community you see so many other organizations thinking of children also. Several groups gave bicycles away, Rotary had 250 brand new bikes for deserving children. I also read where a couple of other organizations also gave bikes away. Every child remembers receiving their first bike, and I am sure the children that received them this year will remember the Christmas of 2009 when the year they received their very own first bicycle.

So what is my gift to everyone this year? Is it a package that's wrapped in gift wrap with ribbon and bow attached? It could be. Is it something that was obtained at a commercial establishment? No, no way. Does it cost anything (No) or is it a special, priceless gift that is free for the taking and or giving? Yes it is. If you take a look at the picture you will see many symbols, are they my symbols that I made. No, I discovered them as I was browing some reading material, they are being scanned in and passed on to everyone of you that take the time to come to this blog site. My gift to all of you is P-E-A-C-E. If everyone of you took my gift and practiced it with the people that live in our community and then passed it on to other communities and we worked our way around our State, Nation and World, we would end up forming a star for humanity for a world at Peace. As we enter Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, take my gift. This is a very special gift that I am giving to each and everyone of you. Pass it on, it is free, it costs nothing and is a very special gift indeed, and we can all use a world of Peace and Peace in our own personal lives. If you click on the symbols, they will enlarge so that you are able to understand my gift of Peace. Merry Christmas.

Empathy

2009-12-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

Empathy, is it a new word? Not really, but it has made headlines this year due to President Obama's pick to the Supreme Court. He felt that we should start using a little empathy in making our decisions. I want to take this time to work on empathy and what it means to each one one us and how we can put it to use. Empathy is described as having feelings of , sympathy, love, thoughts or attitudes of another person, etc., for our fellow human beings and even animals by which we are influenced. There have been acts described over the years that go into great detail how man has helped his fellow man in times of need, sorrow and pain. All you have to do is go back to 9/11 and it was very evident. As the firefighters entered the building to do rescues and to conduct an orderly evacuation, many of them knew they were walking into their own deaths. Was it because they had a job to do or was the real reason because their hearts were going out to the people who were trying to escape the inferno of crumbling buildings that were about to collapse. It is the later, their compassion was truly for their fellow human beings. Another example is the soldier who puts his body in the line of fire to protect one of his wounded comrades. We always feel pain for someone when they are hurt or have lost a loved one, this is empathy.

As we enter this holiday season, I believe it is very important that we all practice a little empathy. We have been doing it for centuries, but there are those of us that do not realize we are doing it, or even some that are not sure what it is or if they know what it is, just do not want to show any type of empathy. As we get ready for this season, look around and notice the number of homeless people, people without jobs, people that are losing their homes, people that are truly in a great deal of pain and suffering. We often drive by these people without even noticing, thinking that someone else will take care of the problem. We all have a responsibility to mankind and society, and it is built into out nature, we are programmed to be kind and considerate. We are a very social networked community, we are concerned and share in times of need. So as you go about each busy day leading up to the twenty fifth of December, notice the people around you as you go about your tasks. Is there someone that could use a little of your empathy? Is there a family that might need to be adopted for the Christmas Season, I'm sure there is, it might even be in your personal setting and or realm of influence, take note, as you will receive back more than ten fold what you hand out in empathy. I also ask that once you notice what this is I'm talking about and you practice it, I would like to see everyone carry it through the rest of their lives. It will indeed bring, peace, calm, and happiness to our lives and make our world a better place to live.

Giving Thanks

2009-11-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

We are just a couple of days away from Thanksgiving. Many of us take this day for granted, it's just another Holiday, maybe with paid time off, or another day of eating a lot of turkey and trimmings and watching football games, the usual, Detroit Loins who lose all the time and the Dallas Cowboys which you never no which way they are going. This Thanksgiving is special for me as I will explain.

I was a pedestrian and stuck by a vehicle on January 14, 2003 at 5:14 p.m., you may say boy is he exact or what! Yes, I am, when you are struck by a vehicle and able to live and tell about it, it is a great deal indeed, especially when it happened so very fast, but at he time it was like slow motion as you were watching your life go by. I have had a lot of surgeries and other procedure's on my back to keep me mobile since this accident happened. I have lived at a pain clinic ever since, one and half years of physical therapy, had back fusion and many other items to numerous to list, and I just keep going. There is one thing that has never left my body though through all these different items. This is pain. I have lived in a pain level ( pain scale is 0-10, with 10 the worst) averaging about 8+ for five years. Today, after having what I believe to be my final surgery on October 27, 2009, I can say I'm pain free. What brought this about?

Science is a marvelous subject. There is always inventions to help prevent all sorts of maladies. In 1995, a device was invented which blocked pain going to the brain. It was not widely used until the past few years. The device is called a Spinal Cord Stimulator System. The device is implanted in your body with wires attached to your spine in a location which is pre-determined through a trial run. This procedure is only done after you have failed at all other means to reduce your pain. Then you must get insurance approval, hospital approval, etc. Until three years ago, you had to have the device replaced every nine to fifteen months which required having a surgical procedure done to take out the device and have a new one put in. The new ones now have rechargeable batteries and are guaranteed for five years, but they figure they will last fifteen plus years. A much better system. The generator continually sends out impulses to the brain to block it's telling you that you are indeed in pain. So this is what I will be saying I am thankful as we sit around the table on Thanksgiving Day.

It is always good to think about what it is you are Thankful for on this day. If you have not done it in the past, maybe it is time to take a time out, hold hands as you sit around that beautiful table setting with all the food and tell each other as you go around the table what it is you are especially thankful for this year. It is a nice tradition to start if you do not already do this. So on this Thanksgiving Day, give thanks for something, someone, or some other item that may be only special to you. As you give your thanks, pay attention as to what it is you just said you were thankful for and see what returns to you in a very special thankful way. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you that happen to read this blog.

Birthday

2009-11-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning, November 5, 2009, turned on the computer and found several people had sent me birthdays wishes. I thought to myself, how did these people (friends and some I did not know) know it was my birthday? Will one of my very truly great friends posted it on the wallboard of Facebook. He wanted people to know that his friend was having a birthday today. That is what friendship and birthdays are about, taking the time out of ones own personal day to wish someone a special wish on their special day. How many receive a call from Spain on their birthday and are told they are so glad that I am their Dad. With this in mind I am writing about birthdays.

So today is my birthday. Many of you may not care, but those are really few, many of you know that this is a sacred day in everyone's personal journey. Your birthday is your special day. If you stop and think about your birthday and your coming into this world on your own personal journey, you are the one that chose to come into this world at that particular time and date. Ask yourself, why am I here? Many times all of us have asked ourselves this question. It was our choice. Are we making the most of our current journey or are their things that we have not done, but wanted to do. It is never to late to make adjustments to your journey to meet your own specific needs. So take the time to look within yourself and answer the question: How is my personal journey going? Many of you will find answers that you were not expecting and many will be pleasantly surprised that you are on the right journey. It's always fun to "take five" and see what comes up. Have fun with it. Journeys are very personal and fulfilling, enjoy every moment, every second and every nanosecond. It is a truly wonderful experience.

Gifts. Birthdays are not so much about receiving gifts, but knowing that friends and family are acknowledging you by calling, emailing, sending cards, etc to wish you a happy birthday. The greatest gift to me is the showing of warmth and love in honoring a persons special day. But it goes beyond the one day, the other 364 days are also special, for the ones that are honoring you with their best wishes are also letting you know in their own way that you are thought of throughout the whole year. The gift is when they let you know in their own personal way on your special day. Happy Birthday to everyone else who was born on November 5 Th.

Crash Course

2009-10-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

I have had several people ask for a shortened or so called crash course for Nordic Walking. I have now set one up for Saturday November 14, 2009. The class will be held at Fleet Feet Sports on Hilltop Drive in Redding. Pre-Registration is required at Fleet Feet Sports. Cost of the class is $30. The class is limited to ten students on a first come basis. The class will run three hours starting at 9:00 a.m. at Fleet Feet Sports. The first hour will be an introduction and setting up poles. All equipment is furnished for the class. We will then drive on Hilltop Drive to the start of the Arboretum Loop Trail and walk it with the poles, approximately a 2.5 mile walk. Upon conclusion of the walk, we will return to Fleet Feet Sports for any additional questions and to buy equipment if so desired. If additional information is needed, you can email me or call 945-2218 or call Fleet Feet at 226-0600.

Healthy Numbers

2009-10-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

What does the number 4,578 mean? It just happens to be the number of people that passed by my booth at this years Healthy Shasta day which was held at Turtle Bay Exporation Park. At first I was concerned about the location, but soon found out it was the only exit, and they kept a tally. So what a day from 9:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. all these people passed by my Nordic Walking booth. Several people took short walks to learn waht Nordic Walking was about, many asked questions, many asked about classes. So I feel I was really privileged to have had the location I had.

To those of you that would like additional information on Nordic Walking please feel free to visit LEKI's website at www.LEKI.com. If you have further questions you may contact me at one of the contact sources on the business card or by emailing or leaving a comment on this site. I will get back to you. I will be scheduling classes in the near future (end of October) and for those of you that choose to participate, I have two requirements. One show up with a positive attitude and two have a good pair of walking shoes. I provide the rest. Untill then learn all you can and look at your schedules as the holidays are fast approaching. This means gift ideas, and also a healthy way to loose weighjt, control weight and stay healthy.

Young, Strong, Very Old & Full of Stories

2009-10-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

We tend to see ourselves as being old and sometimes the mighty in this world of ours. I returned from a visit to the Olympic National Park this past month and was taken in by the vistas, glaciers, mountains, lakes, a rain forest, natural mineral spas, vegetation and trees. As I was entering the trail head to the Hoh Rain Forest, I drove by a tree sign, there was a pull out and a sign talking about this tree before I reached the area, this was not just a tree, but the sixth oldest and largest Sitka Spruce in the world. It was a mere 550 years old (I eventually saw a tree of the same species on another side of the park that was 1,000 years old). I stopped and took a seat on the trunk and root system of this magnificent tree. I'm sure that many people over the years have done the same, then again maybe not, but for those that have, how many actually took the time to just rest and feel the energy and listen to stories of this 550 year old tree?

If you think back over 550 years, there is a lot of history that has taken place in this world of ours. Just to mention a few, many wars and civilizations have come and gone. The United States was formed, the Automobile and airplane were invented making places like this more accessible. Many storms, droughts, fires, societies of people and other ecological events have taken place, while this tree has continued to grow and take in all of these different things from the past that has surrounded it through its life. If one was to take a slice of this tree and go through the tree rings a magnificent story would unfold. Would it be one of sorrow, joy, disaster or just silence?

This is why when I see a wonderful subject like this Sitka Spruce, I always take the time to sit and listen and feel the stories and energy of the past and current. You may say to yourself that this is not possible. Will I challenge you to find something in your environment that you are totally in awe or amazed about. You may find yourself talking to it, or it may speak to you and asking yourself or it questions. This is when the story begins to unfold, take a seat and enjoy the experience. You may take an amazing journey that you had no idea of, but now you do. You will walk away a different person than you were before you took part in its story. You will find yourself more energized, wiser, calmer and more clear thinking (clarity) than you had a short time before you took this precious time. I challenge you to find something like this and to take part in it's history. I would be interested in knowing how you felt afterwards. After all its free, all it takes is some of your time out of your hectic schedule and maybe a little trip for rest and relaxation. We all need our stories at times. This is what makes us special. Being able to take part in this facet of the life of natural, wonderful things, such as a Sitka Spruce. They were put here for a reason other than building houses. It us up to you to figure out the reason. It is different for each one of us.

The Unexpected Dumping

2009-09-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

As a volunteer for the kayak programs on Tuesday evenings at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, I was treated to an unexpected surprise last Tuesday. The tour started as a normal tour, as we put on the water at 6:30 p.m. Little did I realize that this would be an evening of surprises. The group was a special group for kayaking, meaning that it was a private tour, and a couple of them were having difficulty steering/paddling their kayak. I was the designated sweep for the evening which means you hold back to make sure everyone makes it to our destinations on the two hour tour. I was giving instructions on how to paddle on steer their kayak when one of them decided to get out of the kayak as she was mad at her sister. I insisted that she get back on the kayak, and that we needed too proceed to catch up with the rest of the group, who were now out of sight. Before getting back on the kayak, the one that was in the water shoved the kayak with her sister still sitting upon, into my kayak, which is a sit in type, and the sister panicked, grabbed my bow and turned my kayak upside down with me in the cockpit.

This was the start of something very serious, as I'm sitting under water and getting myself out of the cockpit and to the surface of the lake, all I could think of was how did this happen to me? Is this the first time I have ever been dumped out of my kayak? No, it isn't, but it was always anticipated to the point that I knew I was going over and would have to get back into my kayak. I then was observing the water as I was under the kayak before I popped up to the surface. It was actually a very peaceful and serene setting and I knew I was okay, but I had to get up for air and empty my kayak cockpit of all the water before getting back inside. I then surfaced and the two sisters had a very surprised look on their face as if to say "What did we just do to this old guy?" I told them they had to get back on board their kayak and they did as I requested, as I eventually made it back into mine.

Problem, we still had a hour and a half to go before the tour ended. The sun was still out, but was starting its' setting beyond the mountains to the west. I am thoroughly soaked with my wide brimmed hat dripping upon me as I am paddling along telling these two sisters, who are still arguing about how to paddle and kayak, to get a move on, that we need to get with the group. We did eventually catch up to the group at which time I made sure they were separated for the rest of the tour, they were, and they did fine fom this point on. Meanwhile the Ranger paddled over to me and said "Don, you look like you are a little cold." I told her I was, but that I would make it through the tour, which was cut short due to the group being slow and darkness fast approaching.

As we ended the tour, before reaching the Brandy Creek Beach, I started to get the chills and shaking pretty good. I had dry clothing to put on once I made it in and got the kayaks out of the water. The Ranger then asked again if I was doing alright? I told her that I was and that I would be fine. I then preceded to drive home, and as I reached Old Shasta, I was shaking so bad that I did not know if I was going to make it home. I turned the car heater on to 82 degrees and was still shaking so bad I could hardly drive. I then stopped at the Sunset shopping center to get out and tried to pull myself together, as I was continuing to freeze. I then made it back into the car and made it home, where the hot shower and warm house were a welcomed site indeed.

As you have surmised by now, I was developing if not already there, a good case of hypothermia where the body core temperature was dropping faster than I could generate heat for. It was all a very slow and sneaky feeling. I have taught first aid over the years and always emphasized the signs of hypothermia, and it happened to me without even realizing it was happening. This was a big lesson for me and one I shall not soon forget. It happens without even realizing it is occurring. Fortunate for me, I was in an environment that I would be home soon, and that I was able to get warm and dry and survive it. All it took was a little breeze on the water, a soaked body, a drop in temperature, both air and body, and a situation that I did not recognize as occurring. Bottom line is you need to be totally mindful and present of what is happening to you and your surroundings at all times, otherwise what is usually a very fun filled, pleasant outing, can become one marked with tragedy.

The Beauty of Nature and Waterfalls

2009-08-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a surprise for my weekly walk. I was told we were going to Kings Creek Falls in Lassen National Park. I had never heard of Kings Creek Falls. I knew of the beautiful meadows of Kings Creek, where I have walked and had many a picnic just to enjoy the splendor and beauty of nature while looking up at Mt. Lassen. There has always been something special about this are to me and I have spent a lot of hours in the area just listening to the sounds of silence and meditating.

The trail to the falls starts just below the turn off into the meadows about one half mile short of the entry to the meadows. As you start down the trail it is fairly level and has a meadow scene with Kings Creek meandering through it just as above in the big meadows. After about a quarter of a mile, the trail starts to drop drop down along the creek. The beauty immediately starts as there are long meandering sloping areas of water flowing by to just put you in a wonderful area to enjoy. The trail becomes a little technical and slow going as you continue to walk along Kings Creek. There are several areas of small drop offs of the creek that form small waterfalls. As you walk along you keep thinking is this the falls? Well, they are not the main falls, so you keep going down the canyon through old growth timber and enjoying the flora, many types of wildflowers and plants, and fawna, deer, raptors and smaller wildlife of the area. After about 1.1 miles, you finally reach the main falls, Kings Creek Falls. The falls are spectacular especially after you have seen the down sloping of Kings Creek all the way to this point. You actually say to yourself that the whole creek is a set of waterfalls and it is all beautiful the entire length of the walk. But the falls are mighty within their own right and separate from the rest of Kings Creek that was gently flowing as you worked your way down to this point. The size and beauty of the falls will make you feel that the walk was entirely worth it. You should take your time along the way. We spent four hours down and back, but we enjoyed keying out plants and enjoying the bounty of nature in this area. A well hidden(?) secret with one of our local National Parks? No, just one that was yet to be discovered by myself. I'm sure there are other areas to be discovered by me, and I'm sure that I will enjoy everyone of them as much as I enjoyed this one.

A Nordic Walk in this area would not be advised as it would be hard on the poles. This is more of a trekking trail and would require the heavier set of poles. Also take water and something to snack on. You will need the energy coming back up the trail. I advise taking the horse trail back up, as it will be easier for you. Total round trip is 2.2 miles. Enjoy!

Sounds of Silence

2009-08-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

Silence. Is there a sound to silence? Silence is described as the absence of sound and /or stillness. Stop and think about the last time you enjoyed a moment of silence. What happened? Did you notice anything different happening to yourself, your spirit, your inner being?

On Tuesday evening, August 4, 2009, I was part of a kayak tour at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. I volunteer on Tuesdays so that groups of individuals may experience the activity of kayaking. We put into the water at 8:00 p.m just as the full moon for the month of August was rising over one of the mountains surrounding Whiskeytown Lake to the east and paddled for about one hour to the west. During this time the Park Ranger asked everyone to raft up into a group and we talked about facts of the our lunar moon which cycles our planet into a full cycle once every 28 days,to allow us to enjoy the beauty of the full moon. A little over forty years ago man stepped out onto the lunar surface and left his footprints to forever be there. Imagine the experience and the silence that these two astronauts must have enjoyed and when they landed and had only 20 seconds of fuel left. They stood there in awe as they looked upon our planet from the surface of the moon.

On the way back into Brandy Creek, as we looked into the brightness of the full moon shinning upon the surface of the lake, we grouped together again. The Ranger had us close our eyes for a couple of minutes. During this time we were to listen to the "silence", what is it we heard or our ears heard or imagined they heard, during this time. There were several different things mentioned as she went around the group, chirping of crickets, frogs and bullfrog croaks, wings of bats and or birds as they swept through the sky, water lapping against the sides of the kayaks and of course peoples voices which carried over the water from the nearby campgrounds. The hooting of an owl in a nearby tree as though it was saying good evening to the group could also be heard. One person even said "silence has no sound, if you listen really close, you will here your heart beating as it pushes the blood, your life source, through your body", so as you can tell, silence has different meanings for everyone.

As everyone finished up, I happened to be looking up into the sky at the Big Dipper. At this time a shooting star went flashing through the sky at a very high rate of speed as it burned itself out upon entering the Earths atmosphere. I stopped and thought about how fortunate we are to be able to be sitting in a kayak, listening to the different sounds of silence and enjoying every moment. We tend to take so many things for granted, and if we only take the time, a whole new world opens up for us to explore and enjoy to its fullest.

The next time you feel like it, sit and ponder the sounds of silence. What do you hear? What is speaking to you at this present time in this wondrous world of ours. As the saying goes, "We are only on this earth for a short time, it is up to us to make the most of it". We all have this inner ability. When you are walking, be it Nordic Walking or just strolling along, kayaking, sitting and/or meditating, enjoy the moment. It is dearly a treasured moment within your own personal life and within that there is a "Sound of Silence".

Energy, Balance, Chinese, Medicine

2009-07-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

Energy

We all need a good internal energy to live, breath, be healthy and to do our daily tasks. Some people would say that caffeine would give them their energy while other would say exercise and diet. Many different types of energy to different people make up what they believe to be their energy level to get them through their day and lives.

I am talking about an internal energy that in Chinese terms is called Qi. Qi is the essence of life and balance within everything be it a mountain, river, a plant or a human body. It is considered a state of being where everything within the universe is in balanced harmony. Qi is considered the cause, process and outcome of all activity. You may be asking yourself, where is Don going with this? Will if you have a body that is tired and or in pain, or just not feeling right, when you get ready to go out and take that Nordic Walk, it may be that you are out of balance internally. It may be a body organ, a meridian path that may be blocked, it may be a nutritive problem, a protective problem, or be located in the central chest area where a "sea of Qi" forms. These five areas are very important and must be in Balance for you to have good Qi.

I have been working on this with an acupuncturist for five years now. When I was first told of Acupuncture and having needles placed in my body to help relieve pain, I must say I was a doubtful person. How could needles help with pain control. I went to my first appointment and I had a walking class going at the time. Two days later after my first treatment I noticed I felt better, I seemed to have more energy. I thought it was just me, but when I met up with the class several of the students asked what I had been doing as I seemed to be looking better and had a different type of energy about me. I then had some more appointments and I noticed a huge improvement in several areas which I mentioned above. I now have a standing weekly appointment for Acupuncture and I treat it as a necessity for maintaining a good balance in my life and helping with pain control.

I'm writing this to let everyone know about this very important service that is available in our area. The practice has been around for a few thousand years and it is still practiced today. That in itself says a lot about Acupuncture. When ever you treat the body as a whole unit things will always be for the better. So see the following attached statement from Acupunturist Heidi Branlund, and may you all have a chance sometime to participate in the form of treatment for your body the next time that you feel tired, out of place and in pain.

Acupuncture and Traditional Medicine

Acupuncture is part of a complete healing system developed in China several thousand years ago. Chinese medicine includes acupuncture, Herbal Formulas, Massage, Dietary Therapy, and Exercise, such as Tai Chi or Qi Gong. Chinese medicine can help in treating many issues including musculoskeletal injuries, arthritis, headaches, migraines, digestive disorders, asthma and allergies, toothaches, and many others.

Chinese medicine works on the principle that we are connected to nature and what we see happening in nature can also occur inside of us. The job of the practitioner is to determine what is causing the problem; too much heat, cold, dampness, or dryness, or lack of warmth, moisture, of energy. Often the flow of the Qi 9roughly, energy) or blood, is congested and needs to be moved.

When you visit a Chinese Medial Practitioner, he she will obtain a health history, take your pulse, and look at your tongue to obtain a diagnosis. Then very thin, sterile needles will be inserted into precise acupuncture points. Sometimes herbs or other recommendations will be prescribed.

When performed by a trained practitioner, there are no major effects of Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and the benefits are many.

Heidi Branlund, MA, L.Ac.

Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist

Water

2009-07-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

Water. It is required by everything that one can think of, to keep us alive, to keep plants and other living things alive and for peace and tranquility. The temperature outside is a toasty 109 degrees currently and many people, plants and other things are thinking of a nice cool, refreshing bit of water. Water is not only necessary for our survival, but is a calming and serene force in our daily lives if one takes the time to think about it. It has been proven that just sitting and thinking of your favorite place near water will bring your body temperature down and you will feel as though you are near that body of water and your body will begin to relax.

Let's not sit and think about that favorite body of water. You have your walking poles and at the end of those poles, you pop the rubber pads off that you seem to use everytime you walk, and expose a steel carbide tip that you may have never realized was there. There is a reason for this tip, and it is to allow you to walk on dirt and/or gravel paths to get to some of your favorite places that are not located on asphalt. This is a wonderful time of the year to do just that. I have walked to Whiskeytown falls twice in the last eight days. Once with my current walking class, and the second time with some guests that have never Nordic walked. The poles make it so much easier and in most circumstances you do not need to stop before getting to the falls unless there is something of interest that catches your eye. The trek is 1.7 miles from the trail head and 90% up hill and also steep and gravely in several sections. Once you are there, you can sit and enjoy the sounds of the water as it cascades and flows over a long series of rocks for 200 plus feet and ends in a pool of water which is very clear, deep and cold, before continuing its meandering course on down the canyon. The temperature drops dramatically upon your arrival and on these hot days and this is very refreshing.

So what a way to get a very good workout from your poles as you work every muscle group in the body with a terrific hill climb and to discover a new way of reaching your destinations. So next time you pick up that set of poles and think about where can I go as I'm tired of the river trail, and it is hot, think of extending yourself to the dirt trails to do some walking to one of your favorite more beautiful spots that you really enjoy. The poles will take you anywhere you would like to go, it's up to you to direct those poles. They will not do it for you, it is you that decides where they will go.

Water, the Essence of Life!

Balance

2009-07-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

Balance is my topic for this session, as it is very important for your body and mind that you maintain a good balance. Through balance you are able to to control your movements be they slow or fast. When it comes to Tai Chi for example, balance is what it is all about, as you move your body deliberately very slow to control the muscles and body movements in sequence. Through Nordic Walking, you can improve your balance. This is just one of the many areas that is focused upon as your use the walking poles during your walks, the poles help to keep everything in a perfect balance through proper alignment. So think of balance the next time you are exercising be it walking, running, swimming, etc. and see if you and your body are truly in balance. Everything requires a good balance and this is really done through the core muscle area. With a strong core your balance is going to be very strong. Nordic Walking is very good at improving your balance through the working of the core muscles. You will find that as your balance improves, so do all the activities that you participate in, and you will find it much easier. Take a look at the picture of these huge rock outcroppings on the beach. They have to be in balance to withstand the surge of the waves, the winter storms with high driven winds and even people scrambling upon their surfaces. Yes, they do eventually wear down over centuries, but the whole time they are in balance with themselves and nature.

Hanging On

2009-06-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since a post was made. It has been a very busy month of training, graduations and walking to where some items just get put aside. These activities along with walking and exercising all lead to a healthy body, however there are times when the mind and body need time to take a break to relax and rejuvenate. This led to my taking the time to spend a few days on the Oregon coastline to enjoy some of the biggest minus tides in years. Time spent relaxing and taking in the negative ions of the ocean air and rejuvenating the body, mind and spirit. When one spends time on the beach listening to the surf, walking and looking at seashells, agates, and tidepools, it can only do one thing for the mind and body which is restoring you to good health, both physicaly, mentally and spiritually. So enjoy the picture and notice the hanging on by the starfish until the tide comes back in and once again refreshes it and the other life in the tidepool. This is the same as putting yourself in this realm. Life does go on even when you think you are left high and dry. All you have to do is refresh!

Full Moon Nordic Walk

2009-06-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here is your chance to see Whiskeytown Falls with the light of the full moon. The Whiskeytown National Recreation area has invited me to bring some Nordic Walkers to join their Ranger guided hike to Whiskeytown Falls on Sunday evening, June 7 Th. If you are interested in making this fun walk, please let me know in advance so they know how many people to prepare for. We will meet at the Whiskeytown Visitor Center parking lot at 7:00 p.m. and then carpool to the trail head for the falls. For those of you that do not have your own poles, I will have a few sets (seven) available on a first come first serve basis.

Bring a small flashlight, snack, water and shoes with good tread. There is always the possibility of mosquitoes, so be prepared. The falls are still flowing really nice right now and with the full moon shinning down on the falls and us, we are sure to have a wonderful evening. The Park Ranger will tell us about the history of the area and other tidbits of information along the way. This is a 3.5 mile, moderate round trip walk. Some of you have done the walk with the poles and know how much easier it is to do this walk, so lets show the others. Hope to see a few of you who have been asking for a fun walk, and also its after school is out and on a weekend. Lets have a great turnout and show them how easy it is to walk to the falls with our poles.

Time Flies When Nordic Walking

2009-05-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

Hard to beleive that my last post was May5th. I have been on a very busy schedule for Nordic Walking and teaching walkers how to Nordic Walk. I have had several private lessons this month with some ending, beginning and some continuing. Also have had two classes with one graduating and another on there way to a fun way of walking around this great country of ours. In between I have managed to put a booth together at a health fair sponsored by the Shasta County Public Health Department for the county employees, 150 employees came by the booth and several have signed up to take current and future classes. I also donated my time towards two classes to the YMCA's Strong Families program and managed to work a special election in between. So as you can tell I have not had a lot of down time from the nordic walking and other schedules to attend to this blog site. One of my big items is to try and stay on top of this site so that you will know what is happening locally. I have several fun walks coming up and will be listing them within the next week. One is especially going to special. I do not have all the details worked out yet but should have them by the first part of next week. Stay tuned in as I will immediately post when final.

There is a wonderful Nordic Walking site to go to that is just full of information. This lady has put a lot and of time and effort into informing people how to nordic walk, shop for poles, different types of poles, health benifits and the list goes on. To read up on all this wonderful stuff I am preaching about, go to http://nordic-walking-usa.blogspot.com/. This site is maintained by Claire Walker. Leave her your comments, as she is doing a wonderful job for all of us.

Two Spring Nordic Walking Classes Scheduled

2009-05-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

We are a little over halfway through spring and heading to our warm to hot summer weather. It's time to beat the heat and get your Nordic Walking class in while the weather is still cooler and enjoyable. I have two classes with spaces left in both of them. Cost is $60 for six weeks, poles provided. You will learn the fun of Nordic Walking while at the same time losing weight, increasing your cardio and reducing stress on your joints. A group class is a new way of making new friends and deciding whether or not Nordic Walking is for you. So think about it and get a friend or meet a new friend and sign up. Preregistration is appreciated. Two ways to register, either email me or register at Fleet Feet Sports at 1376 Hilltop Drive in Redding, prior to the beginning of the two listed classes. All you need is a good attitude, comfortable walking shoes and an interest in learning a new way to enjoy your walking and makeing new friends with the same interest. You will walk up to twice as far with a set of poles in the same amount of time you spend walking now.

Monday morning, May 18th, 8:00-9:30 a.m.

Thursday evening, May 21st, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Remember if a group setting is not your style of learning, I do also offer private one on one lessons for $20 per session.

Hope to see a few new faces in the near future. Have fun, enjoy your walking and other exercises and open yourself to a this new way of walking.

And The Winners Are?

2009-04-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

The Whole Earth and Watershed Festival was a huge success this year as 90 vendors took part. There were activities for everyone young and old alike. The kite flying was a huge success for the young ones and they were all made out of regular paper.The attendance was up with several thousand people walking through the many booths. Bands played, speakers spoke and food choices were excellent. I want to thank the many individuals that stopped by and picked up information on Nordic Walking. A drawing was held for a private lesson and also for a group lesson. The First Presbyterian Church drew the winners and they were as follows. Cheryl McKinley won the group lessons and Janet Archery won the private lesson. Hopefully all of you that stopped by learned a little more about Nordic Walking and how fun it can be. Many of you took the time to take a stride around the grounds on a set of poles. Hope to see a few of you turn out for classes.

Speaking of classes, I have two group sessions scheduled to start during the month of May. Daylight is lasting into the evening hours now, so there will be a Thursday evening class from 6:30 to 8:00 pm starting on May 21st. I also will have a morning class going for those of you that are early birds and wish to beat the heat of the day. This class will run from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. and will be on Mondays beginning May 18Th. Cost of the classes is $60 for six weeks. Remember private lessons are always available on a one on one basis and cost $20 per session. You may sign up by contacting me through this site, or go by Fleet Feet Sports at 1376 Hilltop Drive and sign up. Pre-registration is required.

Fun walks will be listed for May in a very short time as scheduling is full due to classes and demonstrations for Health Fairs, etc. Stay tuned, they have not been put off forever. I keep asking for suggestions for fun walks. Some of you must have places that you would like to walk in a fun, group setting. Think about it and let me know. For those of you that have your poles, keep walking and enjoying this beautiful spring weather with all the wildflowers, goslings and ducklings.

Whole Earth Festival

2009-04-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

Come one, come all to the annual Whole Earth Festival on Saturday, April 25, 2009, between 10am and 3pm. This is becoming an annual event and has something for everyone, youth activities, live bands, kite flying, and 72 vendors, including myself, Don's Nordic Walking. This is a free event and includes solar displays, artists and of course Nordic Walking. It is being held in conjunction with Earth Day which is this Wednesday, April 22nd, at City Hall on Cypress Avenue, next to our local Saturday Farmers Market.

I will have my Nordic Walking display setup under the Fleet Feet canopy. They have been very helpful in getting me up and running or should I say walking with the classes and poles. They also will have a bin to drop off your used (no matter how used) walking, running shoes that you no longer wear. This was started by a young lady as a senior project and Fleet Feet has kept it going. The shoes will be donated to people that really need them. While at the booth, you can take a walking demonstration with the poles and find out what Nordic Walking is all about. Sign up for a future class and also receive a free gift if you take a walk with the poles. There also will be entry forms for a free drawing for a one hour private walking lesson and for a six week class. You have nothing to loose and may walk away with a little more knowledge of a new way to a healthier life style that is also fun at the same time. please feel free to pass this along to family and friends as evryone can Nordic Walk.

Spring Time Walking

2009-04-11T16:27:00.001-07:00

Spring is here and the Nordic Walking fever has kicked in. I have volunteered several demonstrations to county and private organizations over the last few weeks. Many of the participants have been surprised at how easy and fun Nordic Walking can be, and have since put groups together from their work sites and are now participating in classes that are now ongoing. All it takes is a little of your time, good walking shoes and comfortable clothing. I furnish the poles. Classes are six week sessions and cost $60.

Once you pick up a set of nordic walking poles, it just sort of catches on. The many benefits that come along with group walking is the fact that you just put in the miles without even realizing it as you are conversing with your friends and having fun. The calories and weight just melt away over time along with toning up those muscles. This tends to be the busiest time of year as people want to get exercising to look good for the summer. This is a very easy way to accomplish your goals. So if you are interested in putting a group together and going for a spin in an organized class setting, get your friends to sign up and drop an email to me and we can schedule a class to match your needs. There is a maximum of ten students per class due to the sets of poles. With daylight savings time here many classes can be conducted right after work. Think about, it's fun, it's exercise and it's healthy.

Fleet Feet Moves

2009-02-10T15:39:00.001-08:00

After spending the past few years in Discovery Village off Dana Drive, Deron and Aimee have moved across the street ( 1376 Hilltop Drive). This move comes with the much anticipated river trail system that will connect from the new extension at Turtle Bay running east along the new Highway 44 bridge currently being constructed across the Sacramento River. The trail will come out at their new location when finished. This will be ideal for runners and walkers as you can buy your shoes, Nordic Poles and other items and take off from Fleet Feet.

In the future when completed, Nordic Walking classes will start at this location. They have a nice parking lot and location for these activities. Registration for all Nordic Walking Classes are always at Fleet Feet Sports.

Deron and Amiee have been very supportive of the community, runners and walkers since they opened their store. Stop by and say hello at their new location when you get a chance and you will see what I'm writing about when it comes to their new location

NW Class Set

2009-01-14T12:41:00.001-08:00

The Next Nordic Walking class will begin on Wednesday, February 25, 2009. Classes will be held starting at 1:00 p.m. and run until 2:30 p.m. Class will meet for six Wednesday's. Poles provided. Cost is $60 and preregistration is required. To register, go to Fleet Feet Sports in Redding or contact me at 243-4501 0r 945-2218. Class is limited to Ten students.

Let's Go Nordic Walking

2009-01-11T17:31:00.000-08:00

Learn about the benefits of Nordic walking. You can safely strengthen your upper body while walking, build better bone density, burn more calories, reduce stress on knees and lower back and pump up your cardio by increasing oxygen consumption by 25%. All this and more while walking with poles.

Nordic Walking FAQs

What Is Nordic Walking?

Nordic Walking uses two specially designed poles to work the upper body while working. Like cross-country skiing, the poles are used by the same arms to match each step the person takes.

Who Does Nordic Walking?

Today, approximately 500,000 people in Finland enjoy Nordic Walking regularly, and it is spreading in popularity throughout Europe. Enthusiasts look ahead to bringing it to the 80 million fitness walkers in the United States.

How is it Better Than Just Walking?

Nordic Walking increase your heart rate without increasing your perceived rate of exertion. You get a better workout without feeling like you are working any harder. Nordic Walking is a low- stress, full-body workout that burns up to 40% more calories while increasing the intensity of the workout while adding more time.

How Does Nordic Walking Increase an Upper Body Workout?

Nordic Walking works the abs, arms, shoulders and upper chest and back muscles through a full range of motion, stretching and lengthening those muscles. Nordic Walking tones the upper body, making your workout more efficient.

How Does Nordic Walking Increase Stability and Posture?

Nordic Walking Poles provide more stability and help remove stress from knees and other joints in the body. Nordic Walking creates resistance, helping create better bone density. Proper use of the poles and arm motion encourages good posture.

Who Can Go Nordic Walking?

Anybody can go Nordic Walking as it can be adapted to individual fitness levels.

What Is The Nordic Walking Technique?

The technique is a simple enhancement of normal arm swing when walking. The poles remain behind, pointing diagonally backwards at all times. Shoulders are relaxed and poles are held close to the body. The hands are opened slightly to allow the poles to swing forward, the poles are NOT gripped, but swing from the wrists.

Class Schedule

Classes are currently being scheduled for February 2009, day and time TBA. If interested, you can blog me at this site or drop by Fleet Feet Sports in Redding. Class is limited to Ten (10) students, first come basis.