Discover America Newsletter of the American Discovery Trail Society

Volume 22, Number 3 www.discoverytrail.org Autumn 2017

ADT Feature

Night Skies

Starry nights. They inspire painters, help us to contemplate the universe, provided direction for ancient mariners, and feed our souls. But when was the last time you glimpsed our home gal-axy, the Milky Way? For millennia, this sight was a common occurrence. In modern times, the rampant use of artifi-cial light is destroying one of our most inspiring natural resources. A 2016 study in the World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness reported that 99% of the public in the United States and Europe cannot experience a natural night and the Milky Way is hidden for nearly 80% of North Americans.

Happily, for those who travel the Amer-ican Discovery Trail, a view of the night sky is still available in many locations along its route. The International Dark-

Sky Association (IDA) (http://www.darksky.org) recognizes three national parks the ADT traverses—

Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Great Basin—as Dark Sky Parks. Arches

The Milky Way galaxy backlights Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, near Moab, Utah. The Milky Way is hidden for nearly 80% of North Americans. Public domain photo

.What You Can Do to Help Although light pollution is a problem, it is unlike many other forms of pollution be-cause it is reversible. Little things we do can make a big difference. Start by mini-mizing the light from your own home at night. Check out this list from the Interna-tional Dark-Sky Association:

• Use lighting only when and where it is needed.

• If safety is a concern, install motion detector lights and timers.

• Properly shield all outdoor lights.

• Choose warm white light bulbs.

• Keep your blinds drawn to keep light inside.

• Become a citizen-scientist to help measure light pollution.

• Tell your family and friends about the issue.

See www.darksky.org/resources for free outreach materials for educators or your community.

National Park—just across the Colorado River from the ADT—is excellent for sky viewing and has ranger-led programs about the sky. Under the right conditions there, common binoculars may even reveal the rings of Saturn. And many parts of the ADT route in Nevada feature starlit skies.

While viewing the stars is awe-inspiring for aesthetic reasons, the IDA says wide-spread use of artificial light also adversely affects our envi-ronment, safety, energy con-sumption, and health.

Animals rely on natural cycles of light and dark for naviga-tion, protection, mating, and finding prey. Nearly half of the species on earth are nocturnal, using darkness to hunt, forage, hide, or escape heat.

(Continued on page 5, col. 1) Vincent van Gogh’s painting, The Starry Night, exemplifies people’s appreciation for our night skies. Public domain photo

Trail News

Legislation Update: Bills for Signage and Federal Designation Introduced

By Peter Schoettle, Congressional Liaison

We have some great news from the U.S. Congress! Members introduced bills promoting the American Discovery Trail in both the House and Senate.

In the House, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) introduced H.R. 3251, The National Discovery Trails Act, which would make the ADT an official part of the National Trails System as the first National Discovery Trail. This bill is similar to his previous bill in the 114th Congress. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) again co-sponsored the legislation, making it bipartisan. It has been referred to the Natural Resources Committee.

In the Senate, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) introduced S.1573, co-sponsored by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). This bill instructs the Secretary of the Interior (who oversees national parks and Bureau of Land Management lands) and the Secretary of Agriculture (responsible for national forests) to allow signage marking the ADT on federal land. This bill is similar to a bill in-troduced by Sen. Mark Kirk’s (R-Ill.) in the last session—and last year the Energy and Natural Resources Committee endorsed this bill unanimously in a voice vote! Unfortunately, the bill never came to the Senate floor for a vote.

The two bills differ: House bill H.R. 3251 adds the ADT to the National Trails System as a new “Discovery Trail,” while Senate bill S. 1573 seeks the smaller goal of instructing federal land managers to place donated signs marking the ADT on federal lands. Neither bill seeks any federal money or expenditures. The ADT Society will donate the signs. The differences between the two bills are not necessarily a problem because they could be worked out in a conference committee.

We strongly encourage all American Discovery Trail Society members and supporters to inform your representative and senators that you support the two bills and ask them to sign on as co-sponsors. Passing this legislation would bring considerable econom-ic, social, and health benefits to local communities along the ADT. Increased hiker and biker tourism can bring dollars to local businesses, to say nothing about trails increasing property values or improving the quality of life in nearby communities. Finally, the bills will not cost any tax dollars because the ADT Society will donate the signs and help with installation.

You can send a message to your local representative or senator by going to their websites: www.Senator’slastname.Senate.gov or Representative’slastname.House.gov .

Flint Hills Trail Is Expanding

Kansas’ Flint Hills Nature Trail continues to add mileage—and as more trail segments are completed, the ADT will re-align to use them. Phase 2 will total 26.5 miles and stretch be-tween north of Quenemo and Vassar and from Council Grove to Miller. Construction began July 25.

The project will leave a 27.5- mile gap be-tween U.S. 75 and Allen, with progress con-tinuing to be made on completing the trail between Osawatomie and Council Grove.

ADT Society Annual Meeting At the American Discovery Trail Society annual membership meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, on August 25–26, three board members completed their terms. Ross Greathouse and Harv Hisgen had served on the board since its creation in 1996. Ross had previously been secretary of the board while Harv had, at dif-ferent times, served as state coordinator for both Northern Illinois and Colorado. Jason Hanold had served since 2015. We appreciate all their time and effort on behalf of the ADT.

John Mercurio is our newly elected board member. He has been active in trail issues since the late 1980s, beginning in his home town of Concord, Calif. His involvement sprang from local advocacy to service on governmental boards, commissions, and committees involving trails. Soon after realizing his passion for nonmotorized trails, John began participating in volunteer trail construction and maintenance projects, and attending national and international conferences.

With his wife and two daughters, John is a trail user, including hiking, bicycling, run-ning, in-line skating, and cross-country skiing.

John was appointed to the California Rec-reational Trails Committee in 2001 and served until 2012. He is currently on the East Bay Regional Park District Park Advi-sory Committee and chairs the California Recreational Trails Program Advisory Board. He is former chair of the Concord Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Com-mission and the Planning Commission. He is a charter member of the Rails to Trails Conservancy.

He is on the board of the California Trails and Greenways Foundation and president of the Contra Costa County Historical Society.

John Mercurio joins ADT Society board of directors.

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Quantity Price Member Price

Amount

“Walking with Freedom” DVD. Michael “Lion King” Daniel spent 18 months becoming the first person to complete the entire ADT—including the Midwestern loop. This film shows viewers the scenic beauty, triumphs and challenges of his long distance hike.

$24.95 $22.45

American Discoveries – Scouting the First Coast-to-Coast Recreational Trail, by Eric Seaborg and Ellen Dudley - Adventures while scouting the initial ADT route in 1991.

$24.95 $22.45

Getting to the Point In a dozen pairs of shoes by Brian Stark–He bills his book as

the first modern day run across the United States. $15.95 $14.35

ADT Trail Data - Turn-by-Turn descriptions of the trail for trip planning and on the ground navigation. More formats are available on our website under the “Merchandise” section.

� DE to Cincinnati � Cin to Denver (South) � Cin to Denver (North) � Denver to CA

$25.00 $20.00

ADT Trails Illustrated Maps - Two of the first maps of the American Discovery Trail. Helpful planning tools, but mostly a historical resource. � CA � OH/Western WV $9.99 $8.99

American Discovery Trail Glossy Decal (4 inch) $1.00 $0.90

American Discovery Trail Patch (3 inch) $3.50 $3.15

6,800 Decal - Show off the ADT mileage with this sticker (4 inch) $1.00 $0.90

ADT Bandana – Beautiful 4 color 22”x22” cotton bandana with a map of the ADT $7.00 $6.30

ADT Baseball Cap – Khaki color with ADT logo. Adjustable cap with “Cool Max” lining. $16.00 $14.40

ADT Tee Shirts - 100 % Cotton in “Sand” Size: S____ M____ L____ XL____ 2XL____ $15.00 $13.50

Tamarak Hiking Stick w/ADT Medallion � Standard (43”-48”) OR � Tall (53”-58”)

ADT Medallion only

$70.00

$5.00

$63.00

$4.50

Join and Support the American Discovery Trail Society!

� $30 Explorer � $50 Family � $100 Discovery � $1000 Life Member

American Discovery Trail Merchandise

ADTS Board of Directors

*State Coordinators

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: President: Eric Seaborg VP/Public Relations: Joe Taylor VP/Government Affairs: Ellen Dudley

VP/National Coordinator: Brian Stark

Secretary: *Peter Schoettle, Maryland

Treasurer: *Bob Palin, Utah

Newsletter Editor: Laurel Ibbotson Foot happifeet@msn.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: *Brian Anderson, Kansas

*Mitch Barloga, Northern Indiana

*John Fazel, California

*Ron Fowler, Nebraska

*Donna Loop, Washington, D.C. Reese Lukei, Jr. John Mercurio

*Butch Niebuhr, Iowa *Ted Oxborrow, Nevada

STATE COORDINATORS: *Ders Anderson, Northern Illinois

*Aaron Bartlett, Missouri *Don Burrell, Ohio/Kentucky

*Serinda Conner, Delaware

*Debbie Syano, Southern Illinois *Richard Vonnegut, Southern Indiana

*Sharon & Paul Weekley, West Va.

STAFF: Carole Tomhave, Administrator

Email Addresses Wanted

The ADT Society would like to update our membership email list so we can provide timely trail information and announcements.

WE WILL NOT SELL IT TO OTHER SOURCES. It will be used only for internal communication or so your state coordinator can contact you about items of local interest.

Please send your name and email ad-dress to info@discoverytrail.org so we can make sure you are correctly on our list.

Planning For Your Next

Adventure on the Trail

By Ron Fowler, Contributing Editor

Whether your next adventure will be a

couple of days hike or bike ride or you are

undertaking a coast-to-coast odyssey, a

little planning will make the experience go

better. While you may find people that just

strap on their boots and head out the door

without much of a plan, most people feel

better knowing a little about what lies

down the trail for them.

So when is the best time to make this plan?

How about trip planning during the winter

doldrums? For many of us, February and

March are pretty cold. Outdoor activity is

at a minimum. Cabin fever has set in and

one way to combat the winter blues is to

start thinking about summer adventures:

where you want to go, what you want to

see, whom you might want to have come

along, and when it might work on your

calendar. Starting early in the year gives

you time to really think through these pre-

liminary decisions so that you can get

down to the details of the trip.

One of the advantages of planning in the

Day 1, the adventure begins. With big smiles and index fingers up to signify the first day of their group bike ride, Nebraska coordinator Ron Fowler (fourth from left) and friends look forward to getting on their bicycles. But all first days are preceded by good planning days.

Photo courtesy of Ron Fowler

winter is being able to contact the re-

sources you may need on the trip. Outfit-

ters, hotels, B&Bs, resorts, campgrounds,

and other support facilities you might

need are often suffering from the winter

blues, too. They have time to talk with

you and are eager to make bookings for

the coming summer (this might not apply

if you are making bookings in winter

hotspots like Florida and Arizona).

If you are planning a group trip, it works

well to start monthly conference calls

during the winter months and continue

those until the big day arrives. These calls

can keep everyone on the same page as

the plan develops, identify what the par-

ticipants want to get out of the trip, build

excitement, and get people talking about

their conditioning progress. This results

in a group that is pumped and ready for

the adventure when it starts.

No adventure will ever go exactly as

planned. If it did it wouldn’t be much of

an adventure, would it? Why not spend

some of the dark days of winter doing

some planning for your next time on the

trail. It might just make the difference

between having the adventure of a life-

time instead of a trip you would rather

forget.

Night Skies (Continued from page 1)

Owls, cats, and rodents rely on their keen hearing, smell, and dark-adapted vision to navigate at night. Hundreds of bird species use stars to navigate at night and baby sea turtles rely on the moon and starlight re-flection to guide them to the safety of the ocean. Artificial light can confuse the tur-tles, who wander off course or onto lit streets where they can be hit by cars. Am-phibians can detect light levels 100 times dimmer than humans and bright lights can affect their hormones, skin color, thermo-

regulation, and reproduction.

Humans, too, need darkness for sleep and good health. Nighttime exposure to artifi-cial light interferes with the body’s circadi-an rhythm and suppresses melatonin pro-duction. Exposure to blue light (often found on computers, TVs, and electronics) at night is especially harmful.

Especially in an era of global warming and economic recovery, fixtures that emit too much light or shine when and where they are not needed are wasteful. Wasting energy has huge economic and environ-mental consequences. IDA estimates that at least 30 percent of all outdoor lighting in the U.S. is wasted, mostly by lights that aren’t shielded. It all adds up to $3.3 billion and the release of 21 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. If you think

bright lights are needed to reduce crime, you may be surprised to learn that although they may make us feel safer, studies show they do not actual-ly make us safer. A dark sky doesn’t need to mean dark ground. Smart lighting directs light where it is needed and creates a balance between safety and starlight.

The American Discovery Trail ex-

plores both cities and wilderness along its long path, linking people to the out-doors and offering new discoveries. Naturally dark skies have a big role to play in supporting wildlife and ecosys-tems. By co-aligning with a number of trails in remote areas, the ADT helps travelers to experience not only the beauty and wonder of our great nation but also the splendor of the stars and beyond.

For millennia, nothing impeded views of the night sky. Artificial lighting now hides this dramatic sight for most of us and adversely affects the natural world.

Public domain photo

Map of North America with brightest areas showing regions where artificial sky brightness is greatest. Courtesy of Science Advances

Upcoming Events Along the ADT Here’s a sampling of what’s happening along the trail:

Maryland: C&O Canal http://www.candocanal.org/news

Oct. 28: Annual Heritage Hike & Dinner Nov. 19: Continuing Hike Series – Fort Frederick downstream Dec. 10: Frostbite Hike: Washington City Canal

Indiana: Cardinal Greenway http://cardinalgreenways.org/events/calendar/ Nov. 23: Turkey Trot - Fun before the feast. Nickel Plate Trail http://www.nickelplatetrail.org/events/ Oct. 28: Chili Night Ride - Bike and then eat.

Ohio: Buckeye Trail http://www.buckeyetrail.org/ Nov. 18–19: BT Circuit Hike - Stockport & New Straitsville

West Virginia: https://wvstateparks.com/calendar/ Oct. 14: North Bend Rail Trail - 10-mile hike with shuttle

Delaware: Cape Henlopen State Park http://www.destateparks.com/park/cape-henlopen/programs/index.asp

Oct. 14: Cold War Bike Tour - Led by park historian

Oct. 17: Bird Walks - Led by staff naturalist Oct 21: WWII Bike Tour - Led by park historian

Nov. 3: Park in the Dark Exploration - Hike

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION

US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT # 1 DULLES, VA

Attention Federal Employees!

Federal employees and Armed Forces members can designate the

American Discovery Trail Society in their pledges for the

Combined Federal Campaign.

It’s an easy way to give. Contributions are tax-deductible. Simply include our code # 11245 when filling out your pledge card.

Did you know the ADT Society has received the Independent Charities of America’s Seal of Excellence?

Brad Treks America

Above: Brad Marro has reached Nebraska. Below: A rail-trail is lined with fall flowers. Photos courtesy of Brad Marro

American Discovery Trail Society PO Box 1514 Front Royal, VA 22630 Change Service Requested

Brad Marro worked in the film industry for 15 years in New York and was ready to try something different. So he decided to walk the American Discovery Trail and turn his experiences into a documen-tary. Using social media, drones, interviews, a camera, and his own two feet, Brad has shared his unvarnished journey so far, reaching Nebraska by September. Here are some of his thoughts:

9/6/17 “Feeling the oncoming fall. Walking faster and faster, imagin-

ing the snowy nights ahead of me in the Rockies and Sierra range. Feeling incredibly refreshed and motivated again. Averaging 20–25 miles daily. Best yet. Looking to break my high of 32 miles in day. Embracing the lonely life that is this hike, balancing thoughts and action. Trying to maintain my center...

“Although I’m a few weeks behind I’m not too worried about the weather, as many people have asked what am I going to do in the snow. The same thing I did in Feb... keep walking... maybe with snowshoes if need be. I really enjoy winter camp-ing and have experience doing it. I have spent a lot of time in the Rockies mid-winter. I will be fine! Please do not worry.”

9/12/17 “I’m currently sitting at historic Ft. Kearny State Park. I was walking along in the 90 degree heat, had just run out of water and was wondering where my refill would come from this time... all of a sudden out of the corn fields, appears Ft. Kearney. I was feeling tired, thirsty, and my mind was occupied with the thoughts of pioneers who had walked this part of the Oregon trail, so long ago.

“I felt an amazing sense of relief and excitement. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE the feeling the pioneers felt when they saw this oasis in the plains. The sense of community, access to a blacksmith, food, water, and a safe place to rest. It was a great moment in understanding the elements that brought this into existence.”

You can follow Brad’s journey on Facebook at Brad Treks America or at https://www.bradtreksamerica.com.