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Nature to-do list
On Jan. 1, there is no rearview mirror. Everything lies ahead, and the possibilities are limitless.
All it takes is a little planning ... and some follow-through.
Perhaps you've always wanted to stand in snowshoes on the brink of Yosemite Valley? Hike to the brink of a world-famous waterfall? Raft a mighty Sierra river, hook a ling cod, or even run a marathon?
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Endless season out there
The possibilities are practically limitless. All it takes is a little planning.
Perhaps you've always wanted to explore the winter world on snowshoes. Or take a week-long backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada. Or finish your first triathlon, ride your first century or catch your first 5-pound rainbow trout.
When you let the outdoors spark your motivation, nothing is out of bounds.
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Events, News & Notes: 11/20/08
GOOD READS
The Winter Camping Handbook
Author: Stephen Gorman
Publisher: The Countryman Press (www.countrymanpress.com)
List price: $16.95
Just because it's cold and there might be snow on the ground doesn't mean you have to put away your camping equipment until spring.
In fact, winter might be the best time to head out. Along with uncrowded areas and hushed, splendid scenery, you'll finally get to test whether that zero-degree sleeping bag you bought a few years back actually retains warmth.
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New law targets pool safety
A little known law is having big implications for some pool and spa maintenance businesses -- and others -- in the San Joaquin Valley.
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Safety Act of 2007 requires public and commercial pools to install pumps that automatically shut off, and install drain covers and other devices that prevent swimmers from being pinned underwater by suction forces.
The bill is named after the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker, who drowned at the age of 7 after being trapped at the drain of a hot tub.
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Groceries more costly for Valley's poor
For thousands of people in the central San Joaquin Valley, a tomato costs at least a dollar. So does a single roll of toilet paper. That's the price of being poor.
It's a well-known but unsolved paradox: Poor people often spend more than their middle-class neighbors for groceries.
That includes milk, bread and fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown right here in the Valley. The poor also pay more for staples like toothpaste, diapers and light bulbs.
The high price of gasoline has caused Gene Newman of Madera to hang up his pool cue and grab a pitching wedge.
Said the 63-year-old retiree while finishing a round of golf at Madera Municipal Golf Course recently: "I gave up playing pool. It took too much money to drive to Fresno."
Newman said he was an everyday regular at Diamond Billiards in Fresno for more than 15 years. Now he plays golf at Madera Muni, just four miles from his home, and spends more time reading from his collection of science fiction and historical fiction books.
Bill Green of Oakhurst, another Madera Muni regular, said the price of gas forced him to make a choice: golf or dining out. Golf won.
"I can't do both," Green said. "I'm in the senior league here, most of my friends are here."
He estimates the 100-plus mile round trip from Oakhurst to the Madera golf course costs him $20 to $25 dollars three times a week.
"I used to take trips into Fresno for lunch or dinner," the single, 71-year-old retiree said. "Now, the only time I leave Oakhurst has be an emergency. I stay at home."
What to do
- Planning to take your family to San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles or Anaheim for a baseball game? Try one of the local minor league parks instead. At Chukchansi Park in Fresno (home of the Grizzlies) and Recreation Park in Visalia (home of the Oaks), you can watch players you'll be seeing on ESPN in a couple of years.
- Think you can't afford your usual weeklong family vacation in the mountains? Try half a week. Alexandra Picavet, information officer for Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, said families are taking more three- and four-day stays in the parks this year. And day hikers might want to check out the $15 round-trip shuttle bus from Visalia to Sequoia.
- If your usual trip to Pismo Beach now threatens your budget, try a local beach. Reedley Beach on the Kings River is a popular spot for water-loving Valley residents, and a few foothill and mountain lakes have designated swimming areas.
What to avoid
- Prime time. If you're a movie lover, check your local theater for matinee prices. And go after a big lunch, so you won't be tempted to gorge on goodies from the snack bar.
- Bookstores and video-rental shops. Go to the library instead, where you can check out videos, as well as books, for nothing.
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Valley residents share their coping ideas
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