Starlight, Starbright...

Let's not have a wildfire tonight!

The e-tour stopped in at a campground last night outside St. Louis, and found corn fields rustling, sprawling grassy camp spots, and four abandoned campfires. Yes, four! This one took 40 liters of water to cool down. After the evening's unsettling discoveries, Tara found something to assuage her fears.

There is plenty of information out there on properly putting out campfires. We at Leave No Trace Center are always striving to Minimize Campfire Impacts if and when we have one.

Be Safe Out There!

Mark and Tara

Photo of the Week 8.27.11

Black and Yellow Garden Spider

Mark and Tara

e-tour team

One Life Wilderness Camp

You've only got One Life, so get outside and play with all your heart! The e-tour spent the weekend at the One Life Wilderness Base Camp in Winnabow, NC. We shared strategies for teaching Leave No Trace with their trip leaders and introduced an enthusiastic group of day campers to the Youth Principles highlighted in the Peak Program.

After a swift, severe, soaker of a thunderstorm the kids decided to show off their version of how to Choose The Right Path... no fancy boots or waterproof gear required!

On Sunday we 'hung' around to sample a bit of what the camp had to offer. A tree climb high into the canopy of a majestic white oak rewarded us with a view over miles of tidal swamp and flocks of snowy egrets. A special thank you to the Bishop family for great company, thoughtful conversation, delicious meals, and fostering a Leave No Trace mindset for future generations.

Mark and Tara

Your e-tour team.

Music On The Mountaintop 2011

Bring your sunscreen, your boogie shoes and come party with the e-tour! We are happy to join our outfitting partner Chaco at Music On The Mountaintop 2011 for a gathering of music, camping, and positive vibes. This is a special festival for us, knowing that a percentage of the proceeds will go to protecting the land, air and water of the central and southern Appalachian region. Stop by our booth this weekend and learn how to make your festival experience all the more Leave No Trace. See you there!

Mark and Tara

e-tour team

Who's YOUR Farmer?

The late summer harvest is bountiful. The e-tour has really enjoyed visiting many local Farmers Markets throughout North Carolina this month. Eating out of our cooler has never tasted better! There are many benefits to visiting a Farmers Market near you, check out a few of the resources we found, try one out and decide for yourself. Local Harvest and the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service are a great place to start looking.

Yummm!

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Photo of the Week 8.20.11

Moonrise over Falls Lake, NC

Mark and Tara

Leave No Trace e-tour Team

Downpour Anyone?

We here at the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics are firm believers that good campsites are found, not made. Sometimes in developed campgrounds even the 'made' campsites are not constructed perfectly :). With a fully flooded tent pad, and a groundsheet reminiscent of a waterbed the e-tour awoke warm and dry. Thank you Coleman!

Early to bed, early to rise.

Coleman keeps the e-tour comfy and dry.

Mark and Tara

No. 2 Blog

The e-tour has been enjoying some spectacular evening thunderstorms in central North Carolina. All this fast moving water makes us think about what might be cascading along with it. We found two great pieces of signage in the downtown Greensboro Gardens, urging visitors to Trash Your Trash and Pick Up Poop. The signs bring attention to more than just the visual impacts most often associated with this common waste issue.

Be intentional, it's less conventional.

Mark and Tara

Photo of the Week 8.12.11: Insert Face Here:

Does anyone else enjoy these? Whether we're masquerading as a community hero, or posing as local flora, the e-tour has a penchant for these instant souvenir photo cut-outs. Document your face-in-a-hole trip memories and share them with us.

Tara's little ray of sunshine;)

Mark and Tara

Find the e-tour nearest you.

Take me to the River...

And LAUNCH me in the water:)

The e-tour beat the heat this week in Charlotte by checking out the famed US National Whitewater Center, where for a reasonable price you can extreme sport yourself into being reasonably sore the next day.

Half amusement park, half training center the 'river' can entertain either from inside a raft taking a big hit, or watching athletes roll and rodeo in the surf honing their skills for competition.

There are options for the tamer soul as well.

And for those looking to reach new heights.

Mark and Tara

Will the e-tour be in your neighborhood soon?

Watch Your Step!

The e-tour had the joy of meeting another welcoming Community Partner during a song-filled day at Rockbrook Camp for Girls in Brevard, NC. Campers thought about how there are living organisms everywhere and how important it is to stick to trails and Choose the Right Path during their outdoor adventures.

To learn more about Partnership opportunities, CLICK HERE!

What's your favorite trail?

Mark and Tara

North Carolina Outward Bound School (NCOBS)

Even Bigfoot wanted to come of the woods to meet the dedicated field instructors and staff at Cedar Rock Base Camp. He especially loved hearing the chime of the dinner bell, quickly joining hands to check in from the day and give thanks for his next delicious meal from the kitchen.

We enjoyed some quality time chatting, dining and relaxing with our Community Partner North Carolina Outward Bound School and even had the opportunity to meet up with a group of students in the field. Entering day four of a twenty-one day trip, the "Funky Trailblazers" were ready to explore their own outdoor ethics in a discussion about Leave No Trace.

Mark and Tara

Photo of the Week 8.2.11

"Waiting for his ship to come in?"

"Feeling crabby?"

"Stop! It's not worth it!"

Feeling witty? Enter your caption HERE:

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team

Gum litter, Gum droppers, Gumfitti, Gumpox, oh my!

Next to cigarette butts, gum is one of the largest littering problems in the world. It is difficult to remove, smells bad, does not break down rapidly over time, is a hazard to wildlife, and is a social, visual, health and environmental impact. We have seen gum posts, gum pipes, gum walls, gum on streets, gum on tables, gum on sidewalks, gum in beard, gum on trails, gum in rivers, gum on shoes, gum in hair, gum in lakes, gum in forests and gum in fields everywhere. Used chewing gum is litter, not art. Please remember to Trash Your Trash and to not encourage this widespread impact on the places you play.

Mark and Tara

2011 e-tour team