'Only in America' revisited: Boater taking new voyage with hopes of similar outcome

Boater John Mirassou hopes to revisit his youth. His vessel of choice, however, is not a time machine but a 19-foot Montauk Boston Whaler.

Mirassou was in his 20s when he and two friends hopped aboard his 17-foot-long Whaler in 1987 and took a 6,100-mile adventure from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to New Orleans, via New York and Chicago.

Along the way, they relied on the generosity of the people they met, both on the water and in nearby towns. People took them in, fed them and formed a kind of network of camaraderie, said Mirassou, who chronicled the experience in his book, "Only in America: An American Boating Adventure."

"The book really seems to strike a chord with people," the 48-year-old Torrance resident said. "I believe it shows who we were, who we can be, who we want to be."

Mirassou has decided to test the waters, so to speak, to see for himself if the hospitality shown more than two decades ago still prevails today. On Friday, he'll be departing on a monthlong, 1,100-mile odyssey from Norfolk, Va., to Boston, traveling through waterways and cities large and small with plans to arrive in Boston Harbor to participate in the Parade of Boats on the 4th of July.

"Upon reading the story, people are asking if the America portrayed in the book still exists. So we're going to board the Whaler again and find out," he said.

Joining Mirassou will be John Bertsch, who was along on the original journey in 1987, as well as friend Marty Burke.

A professional producer/videographer is also expected to be joining the group -- albeit on a support vessel -- filming the adventure for a possible documentary or television series as well as producing daily updates and weekly "webisodes," which can be followed on Mirassou's website.

Here's hoping Mirassou finds that some things never change, and that the charity of Americans toward others is as strong as it ever was. Even without a time machine.

-- Kelly Burgess
Twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: John Mirassou with his sons Jack, left, and Matthew. Credit: John Mirassou / onlyinamerica.biz

 

Yosemite National Park still shows remnants of winter

While much of Southern California should be enjoying dry days and warm temperatures during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, those heading to higher elevations -- specifically Yosemite National Park -- will likely still be contending with remnants of winter, including facility and road closures in some areas.

"It may be spring in Fresno or L.A., but it's not quite like that here," park spokeswoman Kari Cobb told Times Daily Travel and Deal blogger Mary Forgione.

Glacier Point Road will be open to traffic beginning noon Friday, but park officials said that the 32 miles from Yosemite Valley to the scenic overlook at Glacier Point could close any time if a spring snowstorm kicks up. There will also be no running water at the point, and nearby Bridalveil Creek Campground is closed.

Meanwhile, Tioga Road (Highway 120), the main access to Tuolumne Meadows and the park's backcountry, remains closed because of snow, ice and avalanche dangers, officials said.

Despite this, Yosemite is expected to be busy for the holiday weekend. Forgione has more information, including tips on dealing with the crowds, in her post: Yosemite National Park: Glacier Point Road opens Friday; chilly Memorial Day weekend predicted

-- Kelly Burgess
Twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Snow-covered Tuolumne Meadows as seen last Friday. Credit: Mono County Public Works Department

 

Fred Hall Show opens Wednesday at Long Beach Convention Center

The 65th annual Fred Hall Show hits Southern California this week, opening Wednesday at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.

This extravaganza of exhibits and seminars is a must-visit for any outdoor enthusiast. Now subtitled the "Ultimate Outdoor Experience," the exhibitor list has grown to include hunting lodges, firearms manufacturers, outdoor adventures, shooting sports and fishing destination resorts worldwide.

But not to worry -- fishing will still be well represented in the approximately 500 vendor booths and 400 seminars taking place over five days.

There are plenty of activities for children as well, including a free trout fishing pond, archery and gun ranges, fishing video game contests, laser shot games, kids casting lanes and more. And entertaining for both young and old will be the return of the ever-popular Dock Dogs competition on the patio.

Another unique exhibit will feature a preview of "The Manzanar Fishing Club," a documentary film on the Japanese American internees who used to sneak out of the World War II relocation camp at Manzanar to fish the trout-filled waters of the Eastern Sierra.

"This is still a work in progress," said Cory Shiozaki, the filmmaker who organized the project scheduled for release later this year, "but we are thrilled to give an early look to our many friends in the fishing community here in Southern California."

Hours are 2 to 9:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors and military members, and free for children 15 and younger with a paid adult.

The show then heads down to the Del Mar Fairgrounds March 24 through 27. Hours are noon to 8:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission to the Del Mar show is $13 for adults, $12 for seniors and military members and free for children 15 and younger with a paid adult.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: The 2010 Fred Hall Show in Long Beach was bustling with outdoor enthusiasts. Credit: Fred Hall Shows

Death Valley winter weekend

Any amateur photographer worth his or her Badwater Salt Flats knows winter provides the best shooting opportunities in Death Valley, especially early and late in the day. The sun stays low, the weather is tolerable and the air is clear — barring any sand storms, as we endured on the last day of a recent trip.

That said, digital photography in the desert presents some unique challenges. Sure, that undulating sandstone and filtered sunlight looked fantastic in the slot canyon when you snapped photos during a hike. But very often, no amount of processing will help a downloaded image that ends up with a washed-out sky and a shadow-heavy canyon.

And when it comes to composition, does the world really need yet another shot of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes with the Grapevine Mountains in the background? (Guilty as charged, see photo above.) As we discovered in a ranger-led program on desert photography that we stumbled upon at Death Valley National Park, the answer is a resounding "no."

Outdoor Life magazine introduces Outdoor Life Survival website

Outdoor Life magazine recently announced the launch of Outdoor Life Survival, a new website chock-full of informative and possibly useful topical survival news, advice and tips for outdoorsmen, travelers and urban dwellers.

With more than 20 years experience studying survival skills and primitive technologies, survival expert and instructor Tim MacWelch -- the site's lead contributor -- will share strategies on all aspects of sustaining oneself in the wild through photo galleries, videos and how-to guides, as well as frequent postings to the site's new Survivalist blog.

Outdoor Life Survival's content is divided into five sections, designed to provide ideas and solutions for almost any survival situation:

Wilderness, focusing on classic outdoor and wildlife dangers, including surviving animal attacks and bites, extreme weather and finding safe wild food sources;

Urban, which addresses skills such as burglar-proofing a home, freeing a stuck car from ice or mud and creating a family emergency plan;

Conflict, offering tips on staying safe abroad and protecting yourself in dangerous situations;

Disasters, which focuses on preparing for and surviving hurricanes, floods, blizzards and other natural catastrophes;

Gear, a resource for the best in survival essentials such as knives, watches, food and survival kits.

"The essential skills for survival are no longer just the purview of those who love the outdoors," said Todd Smith, editor-in-chief of Outdoor Life magazine. "With unpredictable weather, global unrest and even the increasing congestion in our cities, the tactics that have long kept outdoorsmen safe are of interest to a general audience. OL Survival channels the expertise of top survivalists into tips anyone can use to be prepared and stay safe, whether they're on a wilderness adventure or close to home."

Other features of the site include a forum where visitors can post questions and receive answers from Outdoor Life experts and fellow online members, and a gallery offering readers the opportunity to share their survival tales and photos.

-- Kelly Burgess

twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Image courtesy of Outdoor Life

Once-paralyzed supercross rider Jimmy Button to bicycle cross-country to raise money for spinal cord research

 

Supercross rider Jimmy Button vividly remembers the accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Remembers it as if it happened only yesterday, instead of 11 years ago.

"I can still remember it clear as day. It was one of those basic little falls -- I wasn't going very quickly at all -- I just fell down very slowly and hit at the wrong speed and at the wrong angle. It pinched my spinal cord and I had instantaneous paralysis," Button told Outposts.

Button, then 26, was starting his 11th season as a professional motocross rider. However, on Jan. 22, 2000, his life would drastically change in an instant. While practicing for the evening’s AMA Supercross Series race at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium, Button went down in the whoop section and immediately went numb.

"The second I hit the ground I knew, I instinctively knew what was wrong, and when medic workers and various track workers got to me I basically told them that I was pretty sure I just paralyzed myself because I can't feel anything or move anything below my neck."

The injury sustained was a pinched spinal cord in the C-2 to C-6 region of his neck -- his second and third vertebrae -- leaving Button paralyzed from the neck down and considered an incomplete quadriplegic.

"A complete injury is when the spinal cord is severed; an incomplete injury is where mine is, where it's a bruise where there's always a glimmer of hope that something might come back to you, you may regain some function," said Button.

Still, doctors didn't hold out much hope, and told family that Button would likely never walk again.

"My records, which we have, say on the very first page 'give family zero hope for recovery.' I think there were maybe some people in the rehab center thought I had a chance but not the initial doctors," Button said.

National Parks 2011 fee-free days announced

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced Wednesday that the National Park Service would waive admission fees on 17 selected dates throughout 2011 and encouraged Americans to visit a national park this year.

"Many people have made resolutions to spend more quality time with loved ones and to get outdoors and unplug in 2011," Secretary Salazar said in a press release. "There's no better place than a national park to help keep those resolutions. Parks offer superb recreational opportunities, making them perfect places to enjoy our beautiful land, history and culture, and nurture a healthy lifestyle."

The 2011 fee-free dates will be the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 15-17); National Park Week (April 16-24); the first day of summer (June 21); National Public Lands Day (Sept. 24); and the weekend of Veterans Day (Nov. 11-13).

Salazar noted that, with 394 national parks throughout the country, most Americans live within a few hours of a park, making them ideal locales for convenient and affordable vacations.

"In these tough economic times, our fee-free days will give families many opportunities to enjoy our nation's heritage and natural beauty in meaningful and affordable ways," he said.

Many national park concessions will also offer discounts on the fee-free dates, saving visitors on the cost of food, lodging, tours, and souvenirs. More information is available at http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Panoramic view of the Grand Canyon. Credit: National Park Service

Artist completes artificial reef, 'The Silent Evolution,' installing 400 sculptures underwater

Artist Jason deCaires Taylor recently completed work on one of the most surreal and awe-inspiring artificial reefs I've seen.

"The Silent Evolution" is the final and most ambitious of four stages of an underwater museum and consists of 400 permanent life-size sculptures forming a monumental artificial reef in Cancun/Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

DeCaires Taylor said in an e-mail release that "the road has been long -- taken 18 months, required 120 tons of cement, sand and gravel, 3,800m of fiberglass, 400kg of silicone, 8,000 miles of red tape, 120 hours working underwater and $250,000," adding that "sculpting close to the mangroves in Puerto Morelos the team received over 2,500 mosquito bites, tabano bites, fire ant stings and more than 20 nips from Damsel fish during installations in the sea."

Located in the National Marine Park of Isla Mujeres, Cancun and Punta Nizuc, the environmentally friendly reef -- each of the sculptures is made from specialized materials used to promote coral life -- was constructed with the cooperation of marine park officials and the Cancun Nautical Assn. in an effort to promote the recovery of nearby natural reefs. The hope is to give visitors an alternative to the Cancun Marine Park, one of the most visited stretches of water in the world, with more than 750,000 visitors each year.

Backpacking gear: The good, the bad and the weird

As the summer backpacking season winds down, and through-hikers on the Pacific Crest and John Muir trails return to the comfort of sleeping indoors, let's take a look at some of the good, the bad and the just plain odd in the world of backpacking gear.

I'll share some of my discoveries from an August backpack to Evolution Valley, in the western Sierra.

At Muir Trail Ranch our first night, we dined with an older hiker who had a Spot Satellite GPS Messenger. He said it gave his wife peace of mind while he and his buddies gallivanted in the backcountry. These tiny two-way GPS devices allow users to send an "OK" message to loved ones back home, and also transmit a help signal (to a Spot representative) if trouble strikes. I poked around online when we got back and found out the devices run about $150 and service plans cost another $100 a year. It's a luxury, but kind of a cool way for others to track your trek (it's an additional $50/year for the tracking option), and would be very handy for Aron Ralston/solo-hiking types who don't leave behind detailed itineraries.

One odd gear item we saw on the John Muir Trail: umbrellas. It was hot out, so I can only assume they were for sun protection. I noticed three people using what I later discovered was the GoLite Chrome Dome. Two of them appeared to be through-hikers and I wondered how someone trying to shave ounces off their packs could justify it, but they only weigh eight ounces. It's a wine flask trade-off I personally wouldn't make, but they're kind of nifty-looking.

 

Where are drivers most likely to hit a deer? Not California.

For all the negative things that can be said about driving in California, the Golden State does have one thing going for it -- some of the lowest odds of a driver hitting a deer.

In fact, California is third from the bottom of the list of states where a driver is most likely to collide with a deer, with only a 1 in 1,046 chance. The only states with better odds of avoiding such a collision are Nevada (1 in 1,488) and Hawaii, with a 1 in 13,011 chance (roughly equivalent to the odds of finding a pearl in an oyster shell).

Using its claims data in conjunction with state licensed-driver counts from the Federal Highway Administration, State Farm Insurance annually calculates the chances of drivers striking a deer over the next 12 months.

And for the fourth consecutive year, West Virginia tops the list of those states, with a 1 in 42 chance.

Next on the list is Iowa, with the likelihood of a licensed driver striking a deer within the next year at 1 in 67. Rounding out the top 10 is Michigan (1 in 70), South Dakota (1 in 76), Montana (1 in 82), Pennsylvania (1 in 85), North Dakota (1 in 91), Wisconsin (1 in 96), Arkansas (1 in 99) and Minnesota (1 in 100).

Entries welcome for Yellowstone Fall Photo Festival

Shutterbugs of all types are invited to submit photos taken for the annual Yellowstone Fall Photo Festival, taking place Sept. 22 at Yellowstone National Park.

All submissions, vacation snapshots or pro photos, are welcome as long as they were taken in the Greater Yellowstone area.

Photographers may bring up to 25 digital images on a thumb drive or a photo CD and are asked to spend no more than five minutes narrating the story behind their photos.

The festival presentation will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 in the Community Room of the West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center and is open to the public.

With no judging or prizes, the evening will be very casual and reminiscent of family slide shows, except everyone attending will be there because they want to be.

Those interested in participating should contact Rich Jehle at (307) 344-2840 or by e-mail for more information and to register. Registration deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: The sun sets by Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times

Yellowstone reports record number of summer visitors

It has been a record-breaking summer for Yellowstone National Park, with visitation figures released for June, July, and August shattering previous records.

Visitation for the three summer months combined topped 2.5 million, with Yellowstone hosting a record 854,837 tourists in August -- the first time August visitation has surpassed the 800,000 mark -- and is up more than 81,000 from the previous August record of 773,307 visitors set in 1995.

So far this year, the park has had almost 2.87 million come through its gates, putting it on track to break the 2009 yearly record when Yellowstone hosted nearly 3.3 million people.

Numbers were up at all five park entrances, with the West entrance remaining the busiest with more than 345,000 park guests using that route in August. The North entrance had the greatest percentage increase in visitors, up 20% from the same month in 2009.

July is typically the park’s peak visitation month -- and this year was no different, with 957,785 visitors -- usually followed by August, June, September, and May.

Detailed park visitation information is available online at http://www.nature.nps.gov/stats/.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: The Roosevelt Arch sits at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times