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Recreation
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
KELSEYVILLE – Wildflowers of Lake County by Jameson will be featured at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, June 13, in the Clear Lake State Park visitor center auditorium.
Lake County is, as are many areas of California, blessed with an abundance of wildflowers throughout the year.
Robert Jameson, now deceased, a published photographer, photographed and identified the flowers in this program. Jack Jameson, now deceased (brother of Robert), and wife Jo Jameson, who were docents in this park for many years, gifted the association with this extraordinary set of slides.
Jo Jameson is the newly elected president of the local Trowel and Trellis Garden Club.
Glenn Smith will lead the Second Sunday Nature Walk on June 14. Meet Smith at the Visitor Center Ramp at 8:30 a.m. The park has benefited by some of our recent showers and cool weather. Plants and wildlife are thriving. Refresh with this morning walk.
There is no entrance fee to the park for attending scheduled programs, walks or visiting the museum.
The Visitor Center, including the gift shop, will open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer. Guided walks will take place on the second and fourth Sunday at 8:30 a.m.
Visit www.clearlakestatepark.org for great photos, activity schedule and park information.
Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The event will feature guided walks, tours of the old ranch house and music by local bands.
A walking tour will begin at 8 a.m. with Tom Nixon and Bill Gear leading walks from the parking lot at the park. There will be opportunities for two separate guided walks through Anderson Marsh.
Both Tom Nixon and Bill Gear are knowledgeable guides providing a vast amount of knowledge of the history and ecology of this beautiful local resource. Bring water and dress in layers.
Guided tours of the old ranch house are being offered throughout the day. Sign up at the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Booth for a tour at either 11 a.m., 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. The tours are limited to 15 people, so come early and sign in. Additional tours may be added.
Local bands are warming up and getting ready to entertain the crowds from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Bring a folding chair or blanket to make yourself comfortable under the oaks.
Bands include: Dennis Purcell, scheduled for 10:30 a.m.; Tom Nixon, 11 a.m.; Cobb Stompers, 11:30 a.m.; Anna, Merilark and Bob, 12:10 p.m.;Coffin’s Mandolin Group, 12:50 p.m.; Blue Collar, 1:15 p.m.; Offhand Gents, 1:55 p.m.; Jill Shaul and Sarah Ticheva, 2:25 p.m.; and Blue Moon, 3:10 p.m.
When gates open at 10 a.m. expect a family friendly casual atmosphere.
Bring a sack lunch or better yet, for a very reasonable price, you can buy your lunch from the Konocti Unified School District Culinary Career Path Program. They will be serving sausages, drinks and home made chili, and all the profits will be returned to support this wonderful local program.
For this event, we ask that you not bring in ice chests, glass containers or alcohol. Dogs are limited to service animals only.
The Children’s Museum of Art and Science has planned for activities that young and old will enjoy. Baggy pants races, water balloon catch and other old fashioned games will be held throughout the day.
Cost for the event is just $2 for adults and $1 for children. Come and show support for your state park, which is in danger of being closed by the state of California.
Petitions in support of the park will be available to sign at the event and everyone who cares about their local state park needs to contact local legislators to stress their opposition to the park’s closure.
The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association (AMIA) is also putting on the Old Time Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Sept. 12. AMIA will be selling tickets to the festival at Saturday’s event.
This year’s lineup for the Bluegrass Festival includes Laurie Lewis, Nina Gerber and Suzie Glaze as well as local musicians like Pat Ickes and many others.
Check out the Web site at www.andersonmarsh.org . For information or questions, call (707) 995-2658 and leave a message.
The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association is the cooperating association for the state park and provides interpretive opportunities while raising funds to support park activities.
The association is made up of local volunteers and has a paid membership of almost 175 individuals. Support your state park by joining AMIA which can be accomplished at Saturday’s event by visiting the AMIA booth.
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- Written by: Editor
MIDDLETOWN – Fifty youths ages 19 and under joined about a hundred other runners and walkers for the Lake County Milers’ seventh annual Spring Has Sprung run Saturday, May 30.
A couple of these young participants set new records for the event, held for the first time at Crazy Creek Glider Port between Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake.
The most popular race of the Spring Has Sprung 1K/5K/10K event was the 5K (3.1 mile) distance, in which 102 participants competed. Because of the gift certificates offered to the male and female first-, second-, and third-place finishers ages 19 and under, a fast field of youth was present.
The top finisher of the 5K was Kenny Smith of Willits, age 19, with an impressive finish of 16 minutes and 32 seconds (5:20 minute/mile pace). Following close behind was Nathan Paddeck of Lincoln, age 16, with a time of 17 minutes and 1 second (5:29 minute/mile pace).
These two young men also set new records in the seven years of the Spring Has Sprung 5K. Placing third overall was James Ramirez of Healdsburg, age 17, with a time of 18:03 (5:49 minute/mile pace).
For the female top finishers in the 5K, Lake County locals swept the awards, with adult Miler Sara Edwards of Hidden Valley Lake finishing first with a time of 21 minutes and 57 seconds (a 7:04 minute-per-mile pace).
The next three female finishers were all teens, thereby capturing the gift certificates reserved for the youth runners. They were: Kelsey Welton, 18, of Middletown, with a time of 24 minutes and 35 seconds; Alexis Valdovinos, 16, of Hidden Valley Lake (24 minutes and 41 seconds); and Tania Nance, 15, of Hidden Valley Lake (26 minutes and 28 seconds).
Top male finisher in the 10K (6.2 mile) race was another Miler member, Evan Chang of Hidden Valley Lake , who clocked in at 40 minutes and 41 seconds, followed by Jeff Schyler of Hidden Valley Lake at 43 minutes and 14 seconds, and Joe Flores of Vallejo at 46 minutes even.
Top females in the 10K were Milers Linda Boatright of Kelseyville, at 49 minutes and 17 seconds, and Chiyako Ito of Hidden Valley Lake, at 52 minutes and 44 seconds. Aftan Burnett of Napa placed third, at 53 minutes and 12 seconds.
Even the kids’ 1K had increased participation this year, with 18 runners under age 10 making the dash at the event opener.
With mild temperatures, a new race venue, and many local sponsors, the Seventh Annual Spring Has Sprung was embraced by the race participants.
The Milers, seeking to attract more young people to this year’s race, achieved their goal, with 50 youths 19 and under participating, representing approximately a third of the entire race-field.
The 2009 Spring Has Sprung event moved to Crazy Creek Gliderport, which offered the participants a course without traffic, a wide-open view of the surrounding mountains, wildflowers, hot air balloons drifting overhead, and even the chance to witness an ultra-light landing.
Crazy Creek owner Jim Indrebo had been preparing the Gliderport for the foot race for months, and the work paid off with a memorable, one-of-a-kind venue.
“I just can't express how awesome I thought the whole event was,” said Amie Vanderwall of Kelseyville. “The ‘goody’ bags are excellent, the T-shirts are great.”
Amie and her husband, Bill, participated in the 5K run, while their two young boys, Jon and Tyler, joined the popular 1K (0.6 mile).
The Milers, who depend on local business sponsorship and community volunteers to support this race, deeply appreciate the level of support that was extended this year.
Topping the list was Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District, which in tandem with its annual Water Awareness campaign, provided the event T-shirts and sport bags.
Other race sponsors included Happy Smiles Dental Practice, Hardester’s Markets, St. Helena Hospital Clearlake, Hidden Valley Food Mart, Airport Auto Brokers, Hidden Valley Auto Body, Morgan Lane Real Estate, Century 21, Chic le Chef, Langtry Estate and Vineyards, and Middletown Florist and Gifts.
Race participants were treated to healthy snacks prepared by Chic Le Chef catering company, local mountain spring water donated by Whispering Pines Water Company, and a post-race mini-massage, provided by physical/massage therapist Carole Christe of Hidden Valley Lake. Beth Rudiger, a local certified Jazzercise instructor, lead the runners in an invigorating pre-race warm-up.
A sizable portion of the proceeds from this year’s Spring Has Sprung will benefit Operation Tango Mike, a Lake County nonprofit that supplies care packages to U.S. troops overseas (http://home.mchsi.com/~operationtangomike/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html) . Nineteen volunteers, under the direction of Operation Tango Mike’s founder, Ginny Craven, assisted the Milers on race day.
The Milers running and walking group meets in the parking lot of Hardester’s Hidden Valley shopping center (Hartman Road exit off Highway 29) at 8 a.m. (summer schedule) most Saturdays, and the public is warmly invited (call 707-987-3229 to confirm).
Additionally, a new group of walkers and runners meets in Kelseyville Saturdays at the new summer schedule of 8 a.m. starting June 13, in front of Studebaker’s Coffeehouse, 3990 Main St.; call 707-279-8913 for information. To find out more about the Lake County Milers call 707-987-3229 or visit www.lakecountymilers.com .
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- Written by: Editor
LAKE COUNTY – Tuleyome, a nonprofit based in Woodland, is starting the fourth season of its underserved teen rafting program and is looking for volunteers.
This summer the group will take almost 180 disadvantaged teens from Colusa, Lake and Yolo counties rafting down Cache Creek.
The group needs the community's help, because they depend on experienced volunteer kayakers to help get the kids safely and happily down the river: helping kids scope the rapids, maneuver themselves off rocks and provide general encouragement.
The teens involved are from group homes, foster care, after-school programs and American Indian tribes. The teens look forward to the trips every year, and without volunteers, this program would simply not be possible.
The upcoming trip dates are June 11, June 18, June 19, June 25, June 26 and July 9.
If you would like to get involved, please contact outreach director and campaign coordinator Vallerye Anderson at 530-383-0789, or email her at