Trail Talk
Smoke, Smoke, Go Away… Let the Rain Come Back to Play – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – October 2021
That’s the late summer/early fall mantra for so many of us as we venture out for time on the trails. The cool, moist air that heralds the onset of our damp, […]
Mark Burkhalter and the Acquisition of Panorama Point – by Larry Smith
In Memoriam – Mark West Burkhalter (1946-2021)
Back in the mid 1990s, while out hiking the Jacksonville Woodlands with my wife, Linda, we noticed an old mining road branching off of the main Rich Trail and […]
Trust on the Trails – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – September 2021
Returning to the familiar footpaths of one’s local environment after forays far and wide creates a certain deja’ vu. To return to a familiar stomping ground while the temperatures persist in […]
Forest Park Bridge Honors Tony Hess
On Saturday, June 5, 2021, a newly-constructed suspension bridge below the reservoir in Forest Park was officially named the “Tony Hess Bridge,” in honor of its long-standing champion. Back in 2003, Tony Hess headed up […]
New Trails: New Adventures! – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – July 2021
Summer is upon us, and it’s a time to get out and explore farther afield. Trails in our local wilderness areas have opened as the snowpack has melted, and though winter […]
Why Forests? – Why Now? – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – June 2021
Our Woodlands have seen an explosion of visitors since COVID. These warming days of spring and summer are indeed a popular time to be out and gathering out-of-doors and does carry […]
Spring Season – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – April 2021
The blooms came late this spring, a welcome respite from years past, when all of Nature’s tapestry of color seemed over-anxious to burst forth and then fade even more quickly. The […]
A Spring Challenge – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – March 2021
Quietly, they came to feed and potentially nest and raise their young. One day, the old city reservoir in Forest Park was bone dry. The next day, after a bit of […]
Know Where You Are – by Fire Chief Wayne Painter & Bob Budesa
“Help…I’ve fallen and broken my ankle. Can you send help?”
“Where are you?”
“Uh…”
We all know that this conversation doesn’t have to take place if you take a few precautions.
I would say the first precaution to take […]
Time for an Outdoor Timeout – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – February 2021
There is a time when the tumult and chaos of life in a 24/7 news cycle breaks the spirit of the bravest consumer. Overwhelmed by the cantankerous rantings of so many […]