UNI-CYCLING is outdoors now every Monday at the basketball courts north campus corner of Jessup and Pleasant Grove 5-7 pm MORE http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1344#1344 and http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=55104515903 and http://www.fl1w.org/ Nice turnout on the first outdoor session of the year!! megan and Raylene and I are usually there with extra UNI’s - come try it out!

Marilyn has started a new series of hikes on Thursdays — she is calling the “hill hikes”. Info about the first hike is here http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1310#1310

Brenda is leading women’s mt biking rides Tuesdays this started May 5th DETAILS http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1330#1330

Bike Registration Law - City of Ithaca: “The law would apply not just to city residents, but to anyone who rides in the city, including visitors” http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1366#1366

Gas Drilling in NYS - New Facebook group to raise awareness http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=86529971126

Cayuga Nature Center Events Schedule http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1363#1363

The Cayuga Windsurf Club is sponsoring a beginners windsurf clinic with professional windsurf instructors June 12-14. http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1361#1361

Summer Sea Kayaking Thursdays - starts 06.04.2009 - A loose group of folks meeting every Thursday evening, 6:30 pm, at East Shore Park to work on kayak skills, improve kayak related teaching skills, do a little touring, and enjoy the summer and Cayuga Lake. DETAILS GEAR REQUIREMENTS RENTALS ETC http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1360#1360

For Sale - Used Johnny G group cycling bike by Schwinn, which sets the standard for indoor training bikes — http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1359#1359

Ithaca Festival Parade pics from Ludgate Farms: http://www.ludgatefarms.com/2009_IthacaFestivalParade/index.html and Ted Crane http://photos.tedcrane.com/IthFest/20090528/

Courtney’s friend, Chad, who is a local school teacher is hiking the Appalachian Trail http://trailteacher.blogspot.com/ Learning America on the Appalachian Trail - a project of Groton Central Schools. Courtney will be joining Chad for a stretch on the trail starting Memorial Day weekend! She will post her stuff here http://coffeyscorner.blogspot.com/ and some on Facebook …

Not everyone is on Facebook (almost everyone) … so I do stash the group pics in other places http://picasaweb.google.com/michael.ludgate/BikeSkiOutings?authkey=Gv1sRgCLzb75PL-JqHrAE#5326128593292087826

2009 Edition Hiking Trail guide available at Ludgate’s on Hanshaw Rd - This is the NEW 2009 yellow colored trail guide! See http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeskiblog/?p=699

There’s a 1 page write-up about Ithaca on page 22 of the MAY issue of Bicycling Magazine.

Gas Drilling: 19 cattle found dead near a hydraulic fracturing gas drilling rig … http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20090429/NEWS01/904290368/1060

Who are the guys in camo? Spring Turkey hunting season May 1st to May 31st — DETAILS http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeskiblog/?p=929

The Shindagin Hollow Association of Trailbuilders has regular trail work sessions — DETAILS!! http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1322#1322

Speaking of dogs … I may not have specifically mentioned this, but dogs are welcome on these hikes. It is a great way to exercise you and your dog and have some company too! Our only request, since we have CHICKENS, is if you can keep the doggy on a leash until we get across the creek and away from the chicken shed. Hope to see some folks tonight. -Mike

Hemlock-killing adelgids invade Tompkins | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal — http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090312/NEWS01/903120321/0/NEWSFRONT2 MORE http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1289#1289

COMMENT on BLOG posts — You can comment on existing articles without a pre-assigned user name - try it! Or ask me for a username and password if you want to write … RSS FEED FOR COMMENTS - subscribe! http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeskiblog/?feed=comments-rss2

I am always looking for BLOG authors. I have one for music http://canaaninstitute.org/mikesmusicblog/ and one for outdoor http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeskiblog/ wanna write? :-)

SUBSCRIBE — Please forward this email to a new person in town! …. Hi, new folks! Email me to subscribe: mailto:michael@canaaninstitute.org -Mike :-)

CAYUGA TRAILS CLUB — Scheduled Hikes — http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1191#1191

FACEBOOK MYSPACE — SOCIAL WEB NETWORKING — If you are on this list and also on MySpace or Facebook, add me: MySpace http://www.myspace.com/michael_ludgate or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510688550 :-)

CAR POOLING — If you RSVP to me, that will aid in possible car pooling: I may be able to connect you if you need a ride or can offer a ride!

NEWS TO PASS ON — Getting the word out: This is more of a newsletter than a list serve. But there are a few hundred outdoorsy folks who stay subscribed. So, please, if you have an outdoor item of interest, I would be happy to post it. What I do to keep the volume down is post the verbose portion to the Forum http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/index.php and then I link to the post in this newsletter which goes out about 4-5 times per week …

SKY WATCH — http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=902#902 — astronomy and light pollution

COED EXCERCISE GROUP — Reminder: This is a co-ed and beginner friendly group. I have been leading outings for 10+ years and have always made an effort to keep it beginner friendly with mixed ages and sexes. We always wait at each intersection and try and keep it fun. I really don’t like groups that are all boys (or all girls) … my experience as a group leader tells me mixed groups make for the most enjoyable experience for all involved. I also have lots of new folks on the list who said they want to mountain bike or ski or hike, but I haven’t met them yet … so what are you waiting for? Come on out and join us on the trails! :-)

BRING A FRIEND! — Recruiting for BikeSki: Do you like our group? Tell your friends! Bring a new person. Forward this email. Especially thinking of all the new folks in town any time of year, please forward this to a friend or a new-to-the-area  person! Mike :-)

KAYAK CLUB NEWS — http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=748#748 also a new web space http://www.ithacakayakclub.blogspot.com/

BLACK DIAMOND TRAIL — news thread — http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=865#865

WEATHER — Ithaca forecast:  http://printer.wunderground.com/US/NY/Ithaca.html

PHOTOS — BikeSki photo album - Here are photos from previos seasons http://www.ludgatefarms.com/bikeski_photos/imagepages/image206.htm I update this less often than Picassa and Facebook, but it gets the pics all in one spot on my own server spaces. I update this album avery couple months - there are some nice historical pics here from the pre-blogging and pre-face book days! Newer pics here http://picasaweb.google.com/michael.ludgate/BikeSkiOutings?authkey=Gv1sRgCLzb75PL-JqHrAE# and on the BLOG and Facebook :-)

MAPS — Trail map of Hammond Hill - GPS data collected by BikeSki and Cayuga Nordic Ski groups and submitted to NYS DEC for this map 1.01 MB http://www.ludgatefarms.com/HH_trailmapv1_150_HiRes.pdf Other State Forests: for example Jenksville and Shindagin: directions to these on BikeSki home left column http://www.ludgatefarms.com/bikeski.htm this link is at the end of EVERY BikeSki email - it is automatically attached. Also maps at Cycle CNY and Cayuga Nordic Ski web sites

FORUM — shortcut tip - If you are a registered user (email me to get registered) and visiting a popular thread with dozens of messages and multiple pages, you can go directly to the most recent post from the home page by clicking on the little paper logo icon over to the far right next to the poster’s name - try it!! http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/index.php - also if you are registered, you can tell the forum to email you when a reply is posted to a topic of interest.

LOCAL FOOD PLUG — Ludgate Farms http://ludgatefarms.com/ is my family’s farm market and natural food store. We have been selling local, organic and specialty food items for 36 years. We are open 7 days a week from 9 am - 9 pm, have easy free parking and a bike rack for cyclists! Support our community projects like this list-serve and web space by supporting our store! Even small purchases make a difference to small retailers like us! Thanks in advance for your patronage! -Mike :-)

DISCLAIMER: These outings are just for fun and we start from our home. Please use caution. Come join us at your own risk. We are safety conscience but cannot be responsible for random acts of nature (like ice and tree branches etc!) nor can we be responsible for folks skiing, hiking, biking etc way beyond their skill level. That aside: get out and excercise and play!

OUTDOOR BLOG with RSS feed http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeskiblog/
DIRECTIONS to Canaan Rd — EMAIL MIKE FOR DIRECTIONS
OUTDOOR FORUM http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/index.php

Mike’s MySpace http://www.myspace.com/michael_ludgate
Mike’s Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510688550

Web and server space for “BikeSki” donated by www.ludgatefarms.com, www.canaaninstitute.org and www.icycle.org

Thanks for reading this far down the page :-)

Mike