Great weekend (and weekdays) to take a hike

Lots of opportunities to get outdoors are on the agenda this weekend--and each Monday and Wednesday as well if not more often. Let's look at the highlights:

>Hike the Longleaf Pine Trail at Berry Saturday

Biology professor Dr. Martin Cipollini will lead a group to destinations along the trail and outline efforts to restore the Longleaf Pine forest in Northwest Georgia. Meet at the Old Mill on the Berry Mountain Campus before 10 a.m. The hike is from 10 a.m. until noon. The hike is deemed "moderate intensity." For more, call 706-295-5576.

>Also Saturday, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m., the Celestial Bodies Night Tour will be staged at Stonebridge Golf Course. It is presented by the Rome Astronomy Club, Etowah GYSTC and Rome Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol

Etowah Valley Trails helps you take it outdoors this spring

The latest edition of Etowah Valley Trails and Events from the Cartersville-Bartow County Convention and Visitors Bureau is out with more details about upcoming outdoors events. For the latest issue, please click Trails.

Highlights include:

>Mountain Laurel Hike set for Saturday: A guided hike of the Pine Mountain Trail in Cartersville, designed specifically to provide views of native mountain laurel in full bloom.  It departs the East Trailhead at 9 a.m

>Mile Mondays, Wednesday Walkers: The City of Cartersville Parks & Recreation Department has developed weekly group hiking and walking events:

1) Mile Mondays is a 1.57-mile guided hike on compacted soil departing the West Loop Trailhead of Pine Mountain Trail each Monday, now through August (except Memorial Day) at 8 a.m. 

2) Wednesday Walkers features a 2.6-mile walk on the paved riverwalk path at Sam Smith Park, departing each Wednesday now through August at 8 a.m. 

>Snake Watch: Straight from the newsletter--"This friendly black snake was photographed recently on Pine Mountain Trail; however, a not-so-friendly copperhead slithered underfoot of a Pine Log Creek Trail hiker and into one of the creeks.  Use caution and be aware!"

For more on Etowah Valley, please click Here

Upcoming blood drives in Northwest Georgia

Here's a look at upcoming American Red Cross blood drives:

Adairsville

Monday: 2-7 p.m., Adairsville Community-First Methodist Church, 102 S. Main St.

Calhoun

Monday: 2-7 p.m., Fairmount Elementary School, 130 Peachtree St.

Cartersville

Tuesday: 2-7 p.m., Gold's Gym-Cartersville, 650 Henderson Drivem Suite 303

Rockmart

Tuesday: 12:30-5:30 p.m., Nathan Dean Civic Center, 604 Goodyear St., Rockmart

Rome

-May 15: 12:30-5:30 p.m., Wal-Mart Supercenter, 825 Cartersville Highway

Northwest Georgia's Health & Fitness Calendar

>Send us your news releases> E-mail

Now online/Rome-Floyd County Parks & Rec's spring guide. Click Parks

Saturday/Conasauga River paddle set: (Media release) The Coosa River Basin Initiative’s Gordon County-based chapter organization, the New Echota Rivers Alliance, will host a canoe/kayak trip down the Conasauga River in Whitfield County May 10. This four-hour paddle will take participants down part of what is considered one of the most biologically diverse rivers in North America. The Conasauga has receive much attention during the last few months because of the discovery of  perfluorootanoic acids, or PFOAs, in the river and in the drinking water of the City of Dalton. PFOAs, chemicals used to create stain resistant carpet, though currently unregulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have been linked to health risk in humans. CRBI in Rome recently signed on to a letter from the United Steelworkers to EPA and Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division calling on the environmental regulators to monitor PFOAs in the Conasauga.  “NERA and CRBI are concerned about this issue, especially considering the special nature of the Conasauga River,” said Joe Cook, CRBI Executive Director & Riverkeeper. “The river hosts 90 different fish species and 25 species of freshwater mussels. It is a real biological treasure trove. This is a chance for citizens to see what is at stake on the Conasauga River.” Participants will meet at the Beaverdale Superette on Ga. 2 at 10 a.m. The trip is free to NERA and CRBI members. Membership dues are $35 and participants can join online at www.coosa.org. Canoe rentals are available for $32. Additional NERA-sponsored paddle trips will be held June 21, Aug. 2 and Sept. 27 on local rivers. For more information or to register to participate and reserve your canoe, contact David L. Harrison at 770-547-2275 or dlbharrison@yahoo.com.

>Also, some upcoming paddles to consider:

>May 31/Major Ridge's Paddle on the Oostanaula Oostanaula River in Rome
>June 14/Family Paddle on the Etowah River Etowah River near Euharlee

>Aug. 9/Indian Mound Paddle on the Etowah River near Cartersville

>Sept. 6: Fish Weir Paddle on Etowah River Etowah River near Rome

May 17/Duck Dash a go: (Media release)  Runners from across Georgia and beyond will dash for cash in the fourth annual Duck Dash set for 8 a.m. Runners will be lining up at  the Cartersville Soccer complex to compete with each other for the best overall women’s and best overall men’s title. All runners receive a Duck Dash 2008 T shirt along with the good feeling that comes with knowing that all proceeds from the race go toward providing resources and funding for the programs of Advocates for Children to further their mission of offering safety, comfort and hope to children and youth of northwest Georgia.  Entry forms can be downloaded from the Advocates for Children website, www.AdvoChild.org. Fees are $20 per racer if registration is completed before May 12th, and $25 thereafter.

June 14/First MASH 5K/1-mile fun run/walk set: The first MASH (Mentoring and  Sharing Hope) 5K race and one-mile fun run/walk benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Georgia/Bartow is set for Satruday, June 14, at the soccer complex. Registration fee: $17. To register, click MASH

Healthy Living is about helping Northwest Georgians make decisions about eating, exercise and living a healthier lifestyle. Twice each month, we offer programs, articles, tips and links to Web sites designed to help you live better. Join us each second and fourth Thursday for Healthy Living!