Harrisburg, PA – Anglers fishing the Kinzua and Youghiogheny tailraces should find plenty of trout to keep them busy this fall.  The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) recently released yearling trout (6-9 inches) in the tailraces from their Pleasant Gap State Fish Hatchery. These fish are intermediate in size compared to a typical fingerling, which are stocked at less than the statewide minimum legal size of 7 inches, and to a typical adult trout, which are stocked at approximately 10-11 inches.

“These fish were surplus to the production goals of the Pleasant Gap facility and have been stocked in these tailraces to grow and become available to the anglers fishing these waters,” said Brian Wisner, chief of the PFBC’s Division of Fish Production. “The stockings offer a great opportunity for families to get outside this fall and enjoy the fishing at two very popular waters.”

In Warren County, the PFBC stocked rainbow trout in section 7 of the Allegheny River from the Kinzua Dam downstream to the confluence of Conewango Creek.

In Fayette County, the PFBC stocked brown and rainbow trout in sections 2 and 3 of the Youghiogheny River from the mouth of Casselman River downstream to the mouth of Ramcat Run and from the mouth of Ramcat Run downstream to State Route 0381.

To locate these stream sections and other great fishing destinations, click on the “County Guides” section of the PFBC website at www.fishandboat.com. Each year, trout fingerlings are stocked throughout the Commonwealth as part of the Put-Grow-Take program.  Information on all PFBC fingerling trout stockings is available at the following link: http://fishandboat.com/stock_fingerling.htm

The mission of the Fish and Boat Commission is to protect, conserve, and enhance the Commonwealth’s aquatic resources and provide fishing and boating opportunities. For more information about fishing and boating in Pennsylvania, please visit our website atwww.fishandboat.com.

100 Days of Summer: Day 37- Trout Fishing Western PA ©, .

(Pittsburgh, PA – May 1, 2009) The Ninth Annual Venture Outdoors Festival, the region’s premier outdoor recreation event, will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009, rain or shine at Pittsburgh’s Point State Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year, the Venture Outdoors Festival will kick off the organization’s new Family and Community Programs initiative.

“The Venture Outdoors Festival itself brings together the numerous outdoor recreation groups of the region,” said Sean Brady, Assistant Executive Director of Venture Outdoors. “This year we are putting special emphasis on growing the diversity of the outdoors community to include even more people from urban neighborhoods through our Family and Community Programs initiative.”

The Venture Outdoors Festival, sponsored by UPMC Health Plan, is a free event where individuals and families can sample the many outdoor activities available in our region. The event features kayaking, biking, dragon boating, rock climbing, fishing and more. Participants can hone their skills or try these activities for the first time — with experienced instructors to provide guidance — and learn where to enjoy these activities all season long.

There will be over 100 different clubs and organizations with exhibits and information about outdoor recreational opportunities in the region. Local outdoor shops will also be on hand displaying the latest gear. In addition to the physical activities, there will be tours of the new RiverQuest vessel, Explorer, a variety of food vendors and a youth obstacle course, provided by REI and Grass Roots Racing.

FREE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
Kayaking
Try paddling on the Allegheny River with boats and instructors provided by Kayak Pittsburgh. Also, demo the latest kayaks from Rocky Mountain Kayak.

Fishing
Catch a big fish at the Point. No fishing license is required, courtesy of the PA Fish and Boat Commission and Venture Outdoors.

Biking
Bike the bridges of Downtown or the North Side, South Side or Eliza Furnace Trails. Bring your own bike or try one of the ones available. PORC and Golden Triangle Bike and Blade will guide these tours. A bike valet will be provided by Bike Pittsburgh.

Climbing
Reach the top of the climbing wall provided by Climb Pittsburgh, a project of Venture Outdoors.

Family Programming
Find out what is in store for the entire family at the Family and Community Programs area.

HOW TO GET THERE:
Bike
Use the South Side, North Side, and Eliza Furnace trails. A bike valet will be provided all day by Bike Pittsburgh. For more information on biking safely in Pittsburgh, please visit www.bike-pgh.org.

Bus
There are several routes that travel through Downtown. For routes that serve downtown visit www.ridegold.com.

Car
The Mon Wharf parking lot, which is usually closed on Saturdays, will be open and parking is available at $5.00 for the entire day. From the lot it is just a short walk up the stairs to Stanwix Street and a few blocks to the entrance of Point State Park.

The Venture Outdoors Festival is a Signature Event of Great Outdoors Week (May 15– May 24). Discover more outdoor adventures during Great Outdoors Week by visiting www.wallsarebad.com

What: Venture Outdoors Festival
Where: Point State Park
When: Saturday, May 16, 2009, 11 AM – 6 PM (rain or shine)
Who: Anyone interested in learning more about outdoor recreation in the region
Format: Day-long festival with tons of exciting activities for the whole family with kayaking, fishing, biking, climbing and more
Sponsors: UPMC Health Plan, Walls Are Bad, DCNR, Exkursion Outfitters, Wilderness Voyagers, WYEP 91.3 FM, Schneider Downs & Co., Agent Pittsburgh
Information: Visit our website at www.ventureoutdoors.org or call 412.255.0564 (M-F, 9-5)

Venture Outdoors, a non-profit organization, seeks to transform the Pittsburgh region into a place where the outdoors is an integral part of our culture, identity and lifestyle. VO does this by increasing participation in outdoor recreational activity. This in turn creates a sense of community among participants, an increased awareness of the region’s excellent quality of life, and a better understanding of and deeper appreciation for the environment and wilderness among the residents of and visitors to western Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.ventureoutdoors.org or call 412.255.0564.

Venture Outdoors Festival May 16th, 2009 ©, .

A Plan to get Outdoors more Often this Season:

1. Forget the Fads- Adventure Racing is fun. So Is kayaking, Geocaching, Cycling and a thousand other outdoor activities. But if you’re just getting started, wouldn’t you feel better if you stuck to the basics? Hiking, camping, hunting and fishing all all well supported in this area. This means you can get the gear and training you need, and the opportunity to use both.
2. Be Creative- OK. So you’re not gonna hike the AT this summer. And getting to the Alleghenies takes a little planning. But you can fit a thirty minute hike at the lily pond into you’re busy schedule, can’t you? How about taking the kids to Fellows, or a ride to Nelson-Kennedy Ledges after shopping at Eastwood? The point is, find ways to get an active lifestyle going, instead of giving up. Even Lance Armstrong had to start somewhere.
3. Make a List- What do you like to do? What Would you like to do? Where do you want to go, Where have you been, and what have you missed? The more options you have, the better chance you have of doing some of them.
4. Plan For Activity-Guess what? You’re to busy to go back to school, write a book, get that blog up and running, and get outside. Tough. Everyone else is too. But people do it all the time. It just takes a little planning.
5. Make A Commitmentt-Why do you want to get out? To see more of your kids? So you don’t die? What Motivates you? Let Me know. Write it down below.
6. Start Slow- New years resolutions don’t work.  Breaking one small habit does. Dieting doesn’t work: Eating a light salad instead of a burger every day at lunch does. Getting out of debt is frustrating: Paying off one credit cad is easy. Set smaller goals and nail them, and the big ones will come easy.
7. Be Realistic- With all of the above, it’s important to know you’re own lifestyle and what can bend to make room for an active lifestyle.
8. Be Flexible- Sometimes it rains. Sometimes you’re sick, or have to work overtime, or maybe the finale for Battlestar Galactica is on. That’s OK.
9. Be Consistent- Ever Try to sleep in on a Saturday with a toddler? Guess What? The Human animal likes consistency. Do the same thing at the same time and it gets to be a habit, not a chore.
10. Stick With It- Give it time. A week, a month- It’ll become second nature
11. Forgive Yourself- And if you fail, that’s OK too. Just start Over and try again. No one but you cares, no one but you will judge you.
12. Reward Yourself-And if you do find yourself becoming more active and physically fit, reward yourself. You Deserve it.

So? What Are you waiting For?

adapted from Montana PTA

12 Ways to be More Active ©, .

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that our region does not just include Ohio. We’ve got a huge wall to our east that effectively blocks news and activities from across the political border. Take Rte 422 for instance. Most of us would have no problem finding Nelson Ledges or Even Ladue Reservoir. But Take 422 East of New Castle and it’s a different world. It’s that strange and magical land known onlay as “PA.” So this weekend, spread your wings a little and enjoy McConnells Mill Heritage Festival in Slippery Rock Gorge and one of the first of this Fall’s Festivals.

Entertainment includes bluegrass music by “Mountain Therapy,” and old time music by “Elk Creek Family Band.” A civil war encampment, artisans & craftsmen will demonstrate their skills throughout the festival and give a taste of pioneer life. Animals, games and face painting are available for children. There’s even a free hayride shuttle to the mill.

McConnells Mill Heritage Days Festival Sept 27th-28th ©, .

Been Busy catching up on housework this weekend and didn’t have time to do much.

And I Want Susan’s Interview to stay up for a while.

So, Here’s a video of camping and Bouldering in the Alleghenies.

Allegheny Camping Video ©, .