Active NorCal March/April 2014 by Active Norcal

Northern California’s Sport, Fitness and Outdoor Magazine

™

March/April 2014 - Issue 2

Balancing Act The Art of Adventure with Balanced Edge

Spring into Action The Falls of Whiskeytown (Almost) Climbing Mt. Shasta The Skinny on Boot Camps The Warriors’ Secret Weapon

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contents

March/April 2014 Features

Departments

24 Cover Story: Balancing Act Risk is all around us. Danger is Everywhere. Adventure is close at hand. The crazy guys at Balanced Edge are providing safe adventures for any group. We sat down with them to get an up close look at creating a memorable adventure.

Publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

Letter to the Editor

Youth Sports

6 Hiking

32 The Falls of Whiskeytown

10 Fitness

12 Golf

Looking for a hike? Look no further than the Falls of Whiskeytown, four beautiful waterfalls that include memorable hikes to boot.

34 Almost Climbing Mt. Shasta

Even a seasoned mountain climber, one who had summited Mt. Shasta nine times before, could not surpass Misery Hill on this particular day. But in this failure, he realized that he had traded one summit for another.

NorCal Professional

Just for Fun

pg.40 pg.46

pg.5

38 Health 40 Sailing 44 Nutrition

pg.32

46 Fishing 48 Concussion Report

Cover photography by Jed Medin March/April 2014 Active NorCal

Publisher’s Note

It’s funny how life works out sometimes. Around this time last year, the idea for Active NorCal was just a wild idea; a daydream. Eventually, I became so obsessed with the idea that it exploded out of my mind like a caged animal. Someone you might not suspect, Sir Richard Branson, helped me set the caged animal free (aside from the great support from friends and family). I read a quote from the famous billionaire about the launch of his first magazine at age 15. He said that if you think you have a good idea, eventually “You’ve just got to say, ‘screw it, just do it.’” The end result is what you see here today: years of enthusiasm for this community translated into an exciting, new magazine. The feedback from the inaugural edition was incredibly positive. The satisfaction of creating something that people like is indescribable. When that creation can be used for positive encouragement to rally our community to be as great as it can be, I would say that Active NorCal is a win-win. I thought I knew it all when it came to the activities in Shasta County and the surrounding areas. Boy, was I wrong. I try to ask almost everyone I talk with to give me ideas for editorial content. One of the first times I asked that question, I was told about Jason Hull at Balanced Edge (Balancing Act, Page 28). What a gold mine! It was immediately clear that their story needed to be told. Or when I was told about Brian Pratt (MovNat, Page 10) and how his fitness program is modeled around simple human movements. Or when I heard about the local Pickleball community featured in our inaugural edition (Pickleball Growing in Popularity, Page 4) and how people are staying active with this low impact sport. The possibilities are endless. I want to encourage the community to keep giving us ideas to make this the best possible publication. Our content is only as valuable as what our audience wants to read about. In the end, the real credit for the launch of Active NorCal should go to those who have supported my vision from the get-go. My family has been unbelievably supportive and has worked tirelessly to make sure this magazine succeeds. My friends, especially Sales Manager Kevin Reinhart and Art Director Adrienne Rosone who brought their amazing skill sets to the table to help me succeed, have given me the support I need to chase my dreams. And finally, my heartfelt thanks to those in the community who had faith enough in me and my vision to partner with Active NorCal from the start. We won’t let you down. Stay Active!

Zach

Active NorCal March/April 2014

Publisher Zach O’Brien Editor Chip O’Brien Content Manager Ross Lawrence Sales Manager Kevin Reinhart (530) 355-3018 Art Director Adrienne Rosone Contributing Writers Mike Wagner Steven A. Marcuz Angela Cordell Brian Pratt Dave Paris Jake Cartwright Juvenal Sandoval Active NorCal is published bimonthly by Active NorCal, 1350 Placer Street, Redding, CA, 96001, (530) 247-7330, Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

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Letters to the editor

The clear alternative to straight teeth.

Here is some feedback from the inaugural edition of Active NorCal. We want to hear more! What do you like about the magazine? Dislike? What suggestions do you have for future stories? Send all your comments to zobrien@activenorcal.net. NortherN CaliforNia’s sport, fitNess aNd outdoor MagaziNe

January/February 2014 - Issue 1

10 Questions

with Mike Mangas the secret to Spin Class the haunted Caribou Wilderness

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Congratulations on your first issue of Active NorCal magazine. I have lived in this area my whole life and I had always wished there was a magazine about things to do in the area. I have two children and we’re always looking for new ways to entertain them. —Marcy Fredrick, Redding, CA

Wild!

About Hiking

Thanks for the great article on Pickelball in your first issue of Active NorCal. I play almost every day and it is fun, good exercise and I’ve met a lot of great people. I invite anyone who wants to join us to come to Enterprise Park to play Monday – Saturday morning, and it’s free. —Mike Archibald, Redding, CA

Just for fun

Pickleball Growing in Popularity An inexpensive way to stay in shape By Sue VANderwerf

If you are looking for a reason to get up in the morning…look no further. Pickleball is taking the Redding area by storm, growing from a group of 22 one year ago, to 66 people in late fall 2013. The hospitality has stayed the same show up and play if you want to. What is pickleball? It’s the sound of “hello!” in the morning when you arrive, the crack of whiffle balls hitting the court, and a background of laughter…lots of laughter. The game is a combination of tennis, ping pong, and even racquetball. It is an inexpensive sport to play… you wear comfortable clothes, tennis

shoes, and sometimes sunglasses. Your clothes and shoes can be new or old, colorful or not. The actual equipment is a paddle, whiffle balls, a court, net, and other people who want to have fun and get some exercise. The paddle is solid and looks like the kind you use in ping-pong but a bit larger. The balls are larger than tennis balls and plastic with holes in them. A pickleball court is the same size as a doubles badminton court. Just lower the net to 3 feet (34 inches at the center) and you are ready to go. Play is scheduled 8-10 a.m. in the warm weather, 9-11 a.m. in the colder part

of the year, Monday through Saturday, at the Enterprise Park (in the enclosed area above Kids Kingdom on Victor Avenue). The nice thing about the Redding pickleball group is there are no fees...it is not a club, just a bunch of people who show up and want the camaraderie and the joy of playing the game. You don’t need to buy your own balls – there are buckets of balls by the nets. There are a few “group” paddles available for those who want to try out the game and learn the basics before they get their own paddle. In the morning there may be three to six courts full, at four people each.

Active NorCal January/February 2014

Keep up the interesting work and don’t forget the north north state! —Val Jerb, Yreka, CA Congratulations on your first issue of Active NorCal! It looks great, the content was excellent, and it is just the magazine we need here in Redding. I really enjoyed the hiking article, as well as the Caribou Wilderness story. It would be great if in future issues if you could identify the locations shown in the photos. They are beautiful pictures and it would be good to know exactly where they were taken. —John Patton, Redding, CA

The Haunted

Caribou BY Chip O’BrieN

“AAAAAAUUUUAAAACK… AAAAAAUUUUAAAACK…” My eyes opened the size of softballs and the sleeping bag I’d been dozing in nearly lifted off the ground. “AAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAACK…” The blast of sound exploded across the landscape, through the trees and dissipated over the lake. “Holy Crap!” I screamed as I fought free of the bag and leapt to my feet. I was a knot of fear and adrenaline, my hands welded into fists, my body assuming a defensive stance against, what? Only my head moved as I strained to see what might be coming for me in the darkness. A minute passed as I gasped for air, my lungs trying to keep up with my pounding heart. All was quiet, too quiet, except for a gust of wind that rustled through the trees like an unclean spirit. I glared into the darkness, my eyes groping back and forth. The forest all around me was opaque except for the dying embers of a campfire and a million points of light in the sky overhead. Was it watching me? “Who’s there?” I screamed, my words sounding weak and pathetic against something I suspected was not. Darkness swallowed my words and I thought I detected a mocking tone in the nothing I heard in response. More silence. I reached behind me and slowly added wood to build up the fire, not wanting to take my eyes off the perimeter of my campsite. Nothing moved but the occasional gentle swaying of trees. My every sense tingled and popped and I cursed

Active NorCal January/February 2014

myself for not taking a friend’s suggestion of bringing a gun with me. I was defenseless, and all the more so because I had no idea what I was dealing with. Soon the fire was blazing and it offered both comfort and, at least I hoped, some protection. At least it moved the darkness back a few feet. Defending myself against unseen monstrosities had not been part of my plan for backpacking into northern California’s Caribou Wilderness. Though it seems remote in every sense, the Caribou is only about 20 miles north of Lake Almanor and the town of Chester. I thought I had considered every possibility and planned accordingly to insure a safe trip. This was meant to be a fishing trip, a trip where I could relax and get away from the burdens of everyday life. The care I devoted to preparing for these excursions and considering all possibilities was something I prided myself on. There had been no signs of other humans on my hike in, so there was a good chance I was miles, maybe many miles away from help. Whatever had produced that God-awful roar in the darkness had to be huge. That limited the field to only a few known possibilities, all potentially dangerous to humans. Until I knew more, I had no choice but to assume it meant danger. What was it?

January/February 2014 Active NorCal

I was personally excited to see the article about the Caribou Wilderness, as that’s a favorite place we take our kids backpacking. —Heather Nichols, Redding, CA “Great Issue! Can’t wait for the next one!” —Genevieve Palmer, Roseville, CA

Active NorCal March/April 2014

Youth sports

There’s Youth Hockey in Redding? Big League Dreams provides hockey action for all ages By Dave Paris

on hockey basics and even get in a few scrimmages. Feedback from parents and players has been overwhelmingly positive with almost all kids who participate signing up to play the hockey league season. “Isn’t hockey dangerous,” is another common question. “It seems rough on TV.” As mentioned, ours are a non-checking league, which means safety is our first concern. Most of the roughness of TV hockey is at the professional NHL level where checking and (as a result) missing teeth are common. Our focus is skill development and fun instead of violence. Kids have to wear all necessary protective gear, and we emphasize knowing the rules, proper play and sportsmanship. While not considered one of the major high school sports like football, basketball, or baseball, most of our youth hockey players are multi-sport athletes, and we encourage this. Our youth league runs December to March, so we rarely conflict with other sports. We make sure most kids can compete elsewhere. Past youth league players have gone on to play in college inline hockey leagues, college ice hockey leagues, junior hockey in Canada and competitive travel teams. The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) has an inline hockey division, and this is something we’d love to participate in here in Redding. Our current youth hockey season is in full swing until mid-March at Big League Dreams Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturdays. Stop by any time and check it out. We plan to do another free Learn To Play program in this fall. For more information go to www. reddinghockey.com or email kicksave1@ hotmail.com. NORCAL

Photos by Heather Sherman

“Yes!” is my reply to people when they see us loading bags and sticks or discussing the sports my son and daughter play. Hockey in Redding has been alive and well in the form of roller hockey (with inline skates) for over two decades. It remains one of Redding’s best-kept secrets in youth sports, and parents and players are amazed at what we have to offer both experienced and new players. Roller hockey is now known as inline hockey, which describes the popular linear skates. These are similar to the blade-type skates of ice hockey, except there are wheels where the blades would be. Inline hockey is unique because it’s played on a dry surface, usually a sport court or smooth concrete, so it can be played indoors or outdoors. You may have noticed hockey players on the outdoor rink at Enterprise Park or the field house at Big League Dreams where youth league is held. Inline hockey differs from ice hockey in many ways including a lighter, some say faster, puck, and the fact that most leagues (including our own youth league) is a non-checking league. The protective gear is basically the same with shin/knee pads, cups, girdles or protective pants, elbow pads, mouth pieces and helmets with facemasks. The focus in the youth league is skill development, teamwork, sportsmanship and mainly just having fun. Parents’ initial response is often, “Is it expensive to get started?” No, it is not. Our youth hockey league is a non-profit, and we have received grants from Shasta Regional Community Foundation and others. For the last five years we’ve offered a FREE Learn To Play program where kids come for 6-8 weeks and get most, or all of their gear free to use. They get instruction

While ice hockey is known as a winter sport, roller hockey can be played year-round. The combination of skating and hand-eye coordination makes hockey one of the most unique sports around.

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

hiking

The Road to the Top (of Shasta Bally) By Chip O’Brien

Marissa Carlisle

You might do it for the exercise. You might do it because it’s something you see almost every day. You might do it for the beauty. You might do it for the views. You might do it because it’s so close. You might do it because you’ve never done it before and you’re sick of asking yourself when are you finally going to hike up Shasta Bally? Today may not be that day, but think of this piece as a little bowl full of “Hiking Shasta Bally” seeds for you to plant. Here... take one. The hike is just shy of six miles each way (the second six, ahem, far easier than the first), and at the top you will be standing (crawling?) at 6,200 feet. The name “bally” is one of

Active NorCal March/April 2014

the few terms from the Wintun language still in local use today. It meant “bare or bald mountain” and was used to name several peaks to the east of the Trinity Mountains. Don’t waste your time asking mountain climbers why they do what they do, even though this is a mild hike compared with real mountaineering. Climbing Shasta Bally is a bit harder than climbing Lassen Peak, but not nearly as tough as climbing Mt. Shasta. People in reasonably good shape who are up for a challenge should give it a try. Mountain bikers flock to Shasta Bally and even organize races on the mountain. “Because it’s there” is certainly reason enough

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From the top you can see for many miles in all directions, and it’s a great spot for lunch and to spend some time. to go, and it can provide you with a day close to home that you will remember for years. A great place to start is Sheep Camp, part of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area run by the National Park Service. What these fancy titles really mean is that you will have to buy a parking permit at the Visitors Center on the way in. From there drive 4.2 miles into the park and hang a left at the Brandy Creek Camp Road, also marked for Shasta Bally. From there it’s another 2.6 miles to Sheep Camp, which, by the way, is not a terrific place to leave valuables in your car. From Sheep Camp just follow the dirt road up the mountain. It’s really almost impossible to get lost. I hate carrying water in a daypack, so I go to great lengths to super-saturate my body with water before I hike. I also keep gallons in the car for when I return. There are several springs on the way up and one of these days I plan to bring a water filter

with me. It’s never wise to drink unfiltered water no matter how pristine it looks or where you find it. After chugging all I can hold for at least an hour before starting the climb, I typically carry only a quart Nalgene bottle with me along with lunch and high-energy snacks. I also always bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera and walking stick. Parts of the hike are in deep forest that sees very little sunshine. Hiking alone and knowing with the knowledge you are sharing the mountain with bears and mountain lions makes you think. I’ve never felt I was in any real danger, but then I also always sing a loud, happy song or whistle while I walk, which is probably sufficient to repel almost any creatures in the vicinity. It is common to spot bear and lion tracks on the road, and I recommend learning how to identify them as such. Neither black bears nor cougars are typically known to be aggressive toward man and will likely

flee the area if they catch wind of you, or your singing. One time I decided to do a little bushwhacking from the part of the road I was on, figuring that if I just went uphill I was bound to hit the road again up above. I got horribly lost; in fact I’m still up there. Seriously, I wasted a lot of time and brought home a scorching case of poison oak. I remember hearing some noise like a cat climbing a tree in the woods, and got a little unhinged by that. I also found a clearing with the remains of what looked like an old homestead on it, but I would never recommend doing what I did, leaving the safety of the road, that is. Parts of the climb are surprisingly steep, which is I suppose why they call it a “4-wheel-drive” road. Once you begin approaching the tree line, the elevation above which trees do not grow, the views really come into their own. Just because there are no trees does not mean it is devoid of vegetation. Trees are replaced with

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Active NorCal March/April 2014

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The six mile hike to the top of Shasta Bally is well worth it. Hikers enjoy magnificent views from the summit.

huge, dense Manzanita bushes all the way to the top, which is pretty open. From the top you can see for many miles in all directions, and it’s a great spot

for lunch and to spend some time. There is a small city of buildings up there, most with antennas of various shapes and sizes. I once got to meet one of the guys who

lived up there, and he told me they traded off most of the year two-weeks on, twoweeks off. The guy’s job was to sit inside and watch a line of TV screens to make sure the signal was all right. He evidently had the skills to do some repairs if needed. Most of the times I’ve climbed the Bally I was alone and seemed to have the mountain to myself. Cell phone reception can be spotty down below, but once you get about the tree line it’s fine. This year might not be like a lot of other years. In years past it was impossible to avoid hiking on snow until about May, and there have been times when the depth of the snow prevented me from going further. The only reasonable way to do it in the heat of summer is beginning around dawn and getting down before it really gets hot. I think of springtime as the ideal time to hike the Bally, especially when the dogwoods are in bloom down below. Ultimately everyone has to find his or her own reasons for hiking Shasta Bally. You might even end up doing it because I have, and you haven’t. NORCAL

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fitness

A “Movement” Toward Natural Fitness Back to the basics: natural human movements can make for a great fitness regimen by Brian Pratt

Few things in life are as embarrassing as facing a physical challenge and discovering you can’t handle it. Off we go to the gym to lift weights, join a cardio or crossfit class or take up a sport. Each of these has an effect on the body, but they all have down sides as well. It’s best to prepare your whole body and mind for life and be ready to do the unexpected. Maybe not today, but it will matter some day. MovNat is a fitness and physical education system based on natural human movement skills. It seeks to train the whole body, not just one part at a time. It helps you learn physical competence for practical performance by teaching you how to move with ease, power, grace and efficiency. Locomotive, manipulative, and combative skills are the full spectrum of human movements, and MovNat provides training in all three. These are broken down into subcategories. Locomotive skills are walking, running, balancing, jumping, crawling, climbing and swimming. Manipulative skills are lifting, carrying, throwing and catching. Combative skills are striking and grappling. Using all of these skills together, you learn how every movement or combination of movements requires good posture, proper breathing and timing. Sequencing of movement, tension and relaxation also allow the skills to be executed well. MovNat is as simple as moving more all the time. Try some movements on your own. A “workout” might have four to seven movements put together like this; lift a rock, throw it, run 100m, crawl 15 feet, hang on something and tuck your knees up 10 times, then repeat. You have

Active NorCal March/April 2014

yourself a workout. Although these movements may seem simple, it is important to find someone that is trained in the MovNat system to learn how to move skillfully and safely. As a MovNat trainer at Adamson’s Peak Performance, I asked several of my clients to reflect on their training experience: “The only walls that surround this workout,” said Lisa Kielich, “are one’s own self-doubt. These walls erode more with each session. MovNat creates whole body strengthening and toning and delivers results. Brian is a creative and motivating instructor. He fosters beauty in movement.” “It’s not a workout,” Tom McConnel said. “It’s more like a fun, even joyful, exploration of what my body was designed to do that leaves me breathless, sweating and smiling at the same time. The fact that I look and feel great seems like some

happy accident, not the result of hard work.” Shannon Kennedy put it this way: “I knew how important it was to be active, but running on a treadmill or stepping 1,000 steps on an elliptical felt like being on a hamster wheel to me. I had done some boot camp classes, which got me in decent shape but never became something I craved. I think the appeal of it for me is the process of learning a new skill.” “Overcoming the fear of doing something new,” Kennedy continued, “working at it with focus and precision and then mastering it is what human nature is all about. MovNat not only got me in better shape, but it had a profound impact on my self-confidence and willingness to take risks in my personal and professional life. I am now the mom that plunges off a cliff into freezing water

MovNat takes fitness back to natural human movement. In these photos, Brian Pratt shows examples of the movements at Adamson’s Peak Performance, including using climbing techniques on an obstacle and tossing heavy objects.

MovNat is a fitness and physical education system based on natural human movement skills. It seeks to train the whole body, not just one part at a time. with her 9-year-old, and loves (almost) every minute of it.” “I am over 60,” said Diana Mconnel, “and am having a ton of fun doing MovNat. I feel like a kid again, remembering the ease and joy of moving my body. As an added delight, I see myself growing stronger and more agile. With MovNat I plan to move into the coming years with barefooted grace.” For me personally, MovNat is a totally different approach to fitness. I was looking for something other than the typical gym experience of free weights, weight machines, and cardio equipment. Not only is the typical gym highly repetitive and not much fun, it generally lacks in complexity of movement.

I was a collegiate runner and an avid outdoorsman. I liked being in shape and I was capable of doing mostly whatever I wanted to do in the outdoors. Training to be better at something rather than concentrating on what I look like has been my primary approach for the way I train others and myself. Looking good always works itself out. Being a minimalist in my training approach, I like the idea of outdoor fitness. One day I came across a MovNat video and I was hooked. I taught myself the movements and improvised. I couldn’t help but talk about it with all my friends. I started training them and later became a certified MovNat trainer. It was fun, an outlet to experience risk, a challenge to

move skillfully and increase my strength. As a trainer, I see people that are working toward becoming fit, or they are already fit but aren’t ready to handle a variety of demands. People, like myself in college, could run a long time but may be relatively weak. Some have a level of movement skill or athleticism in their forte, but are quickly out-skilled or limited by weakness. Stronger people can generally lift heavy loads, but may be lacking skill of movement, agility or flexibility outside their sport. MovNat is the ultimate in generalist fit for anything training. To learn more about personal training with Brian Pratt visit www.adamsonspeakperformance.com. To learn more about MovNat, go to www.movnat.com. NORCAL

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

Golf

Golfing With An Amateur: River Tasalmi Fore! Looking for an easy place to have some golfing fun? Try out this nine-hole beauty of a course. By Steven A. Marcuz

As a golf enthusiast that hits more double bogeys than birdies, I enjoy a course that will challenge me while allowing some success to bolster my confidence. River Tasalmi, located off South Bonnyview near the Sacramento River, is the perfect nine-hole course to satisfy my golfing palette. Formerly known as Riverbend Golf Course, Redding Rancheria purchased the course approximately three years ago and renamed it River Tasalmi (river oak), named after the tree that dominates the course and one your ball will more than likely strike at least once during a round. This course isn’t too long, so the average player can move through the holes at a good pace. The grass is always mowed, the rough is tough, and the greens are green. It can offer a challenge to keep a skilled golfer coming back, and is inviting enough to keep novice golfers trying. Let’s shoot a round and I’ll tell you what I’m talk about. Hole #1 This hole gives players a blind tee shot, with trees lining the left side, and a shelf located about 150 yards from the tee. A well-played swing can leave players with an easy second shot, but leave the ball to short and you again have a blind shot at the pin. Hit your ball too far, and you find yourself on the wrong side of more trees. The green, surrounded by small mounds, is the most difficult on the course, so escaping this hole with anything less than par is a solid score.

Active NorCal March/April 2014

Hole #2 A short drive and you’re at the second tee box, giving you a direct view down to the pin. This hole is lined on the right with the course’s namesake tree, with a medium sized water hazard on the left. As with most holes on the course, a decent

tee shot can set you up for the entire hole. The green on this hole is tucked away in the back right corner, guarded by a sand trap with an island in the middle. Your approach shot is the most important here, with the green’s difficulty relying heavily on pin placement.

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Hole #3 This is the first of four par 3’s featured on this course. Sticking with the oak theme, trees line the right side of the hole, with houses along the left. A couple bunkers can also cause a problem to the player who sends his first swing left. This is the shortest hole on the course, and if you can land your tee shot on the green, a chance for birdie is not far behind. The green is mostly flat, so line it up and put it in, because it only gets harder from here. Hole #4 Around the bend lies a tricky one, a longer par 3 with some glaring obstacles to maneuver. Although the green can easily be reached with an iron, the trees that someone planted right in the middle of the hole will make you hesitate for a second. Once you make it past the overhanging oaks, you must try to sink a putt on one of the bigger, harder greens featured. Walking away with a par here is something to gloat about. Hole #5 Once you have trekked the inner workings of the neighborhood and arrive at this tee box, you are greeted with an “Irons Only” sign. Reluctantly grab your 4-iron and look at the vast opening ahead of you. It’s tough knowing that if you had your driver you could put it on the green. This par 4 is straight as an arrow with a big, open green, meaning that two well hit shots will leave you putting for birdie. Because this green is so large, your second shot can make you or break you, so be sure you make it count. Hole #6 As you slowly eek your way out from the fifth hole, be sure to look both ways crossing the street on your way to the sixth. In my opinion (not that you’re asking, but if you’re still reading this, you don’t think I’m full of it yet) the sixth hole on this course is the most difficult. Your tee shot must get between two lines of oak trees, and that’s after you’ve cleared the small pond that lies directly in front of the tee box. But your shot can’t go too far, as a watery reservoir separates the green from the fairway. To find the green, you must loft your ball without flying it over the pines lining the backside. Again, the green here isn’t the

Active NorCal January/February 2014

This hidden bunker is the reason these traps have earned their name, as anyone who ends up inside will have to pop their ball over a three-foot wall.

most difficult to manage, and landing here in two shots means you have another chance at lowering your score. Hole #7 A relatively short par 3 presents itself on the seventh. The difficulty here is the tee shot, another narrow offering that lays itself out to a larger green. Pine trees boastfully line the left side, with a small opening available on the right. This is one of the few holes on the course where it is alright if you overshoot the green, as there is ample space for a return shot. Although short, this hole is narrow enough to give you problems on the scorecard. Hole #8 Strike that, reverse it, and double back to the eighth tee box. Here you are finally allowed to pull off the cover, size it up and swing away towards the green on the final par 4 of the course. There’s even a little patch of territory off to the right for those who tend to miss that way. For those of you who miss left, make sure to get ahold of it, or your ball will be spending time with the geese swimming below. Assuming you’ve laid one out right down the middle, the approach bottlenecks leading into the green with a nightmare of a bunker to the left. This hidden bunker is the reason these traps have earned their name, as anyone who ends up inside will have to pop their ball over a three-foot wall. If you can drop a putt and mark a four on the card, go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back. Hole #9 The final hole on the course is also the most pleasing and visually spectacular. It may only be a par 3, but there is absolutely no room for error as you have one shot to make it across the pond and onto the green. Land anywhere other than the green and you will be chipping either up a steep incline, or around the oak trees surrounding the green. Finding the green on this hole can be difficult, but once you’re there, a nice putt can make up for it all. Pick up your final ball for the day and take a few short steps to the clubhouse, where a cold one is waiting to congratulate you on round well played, or help you forget about a bad one. NORCAL

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The Warriors’ Secret Weapon Typically flying under the radar, David Lee is giving the Warriors the spark to succeed By Zach O’Brien

The new generation of Golden State Warriors, one that has entertained fans and brought the first winning NBA team to Northern California in quite some time, has a secret weapon. This weapon might not be the dominant physical force of Wilt Chamberlain, who scored an NBA record 100 points as a Warrior against the New York Knicks in 1962. Nor is it the NBA legend and sharpshooter Rick Barry who made “granny” free throws all the way to an NBA Championship in 1975. The secret weapon is David Lee. There are many out there who will argue that the newly-awarded success of the Golden State Warriors can be attributed to a litany of different factors: The key offensive player and newest NBA superstar Stephen Curry; his “Splash Brother” and lights-out-shooter Klay Thompson; the much anticipated return of Aussie big-man and former #1 overall draft pick Andrew Bogut; first-year Warrior defensive guru and high-flying dunker Andre Iguodala; or even the leadership of third year head coach and 17-year NBA veteran Mark Jackson. All of those variables equal winning performances, but it has been Lee’s offensive efficiency

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

Splash Brothers: Best Shooting Duo in NBA History? By Mike Wagner The Warriors starting guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson surged into 2014 with more three pointers made than the entire NBA had made all season. Their nickname, based on the “splash” looking movement the net makes when they swish jump shots into the basket, is sweeping the league. Head Coach Mark Jackson called this duo the best shooting backcourt in NBA history. This is respectfully comparing them to such great pairs including Jerry West and Gail Goodrich or John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek, to name a couple. The downpour of three pointers the Warriors have rained down these past two seasons has been record-breaking. Here’s the skinny on Warriors backcourt that’s making such a big splash: Big Play Klay With the Warriors ability to shoot the ball they are never out of a game, mostly because they have the “shooters never say die” mentality. For Golden State’s starting backcourt, head coach Mark Jackson has given them the green light to shoot from behind the arc, and to keep shooting. Curry is one of the NBA’s most respected scorers, but right on pace with “The Human Torch” is Curry’s counterpart, Klay Thompson. The Warriors starting two guards are the league’s rising stars, and have maintained a 41 percent, 18

Active NorCal March/April 2014

3-point percentage. Together, the two guards put up more than 9 three-pointers per game combined, and neither of them has faltered as they are each on pace to make over 300 three-pointers this season. Unlike Curry, Thompson has had a tougher time finding the spotlight around the league, but is quickly making a name for himself. His rookie year he earned First Team All-Rookie Honors in 2011-2012 after being selected 11th overall. With Thompson’s draft selection, Coach Jackson revamped the roster and transformed the backcourt into what he deems the best starting backcourt to play the game. The 24-year-old sharpshooter in just his third season is recognized as one of the best at playing the perimeter game and running the baseline off multiple screens to get an open look. Thompson leads the league with 9 catch-and-shoot points per game and coincidentally enough covers the most ground. This season, the shooting guard has logged over 110 miles running in game play, averaging over 2.7 miles per game. Soon to be nicknamed “Running Man,” it is no wonder he records the numbers he does, and why the Warriors backcourt is considered one of the best. Thompson may always be known as the younger, unrenowned of the two “Splash Brothers,” but he is making a strong case for why he is one of the best shooting guards in the Association.

Hungry for Curry? Going to a Warriors game? Get there early. This stacked team of the Warriors will put on a show. Even before the game begins, Stephen Curry will put on a show. As you watch the team warm up, your eyes will eventually gravitate to the shooting display that Curry will inevitably show you. Shot-after-shot-after-shot goes in the basket. Behind the threepoint line, then a little further, then a little further, the ball just keeps going in the basket until he is basically shooting from halfcourt. He misses one shot and he has a look of disgust on his face. He expects to make every shot. At the ripe old age of 25-yearsold, Curry is already making an impact in the minds of the historians and his peers. Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar and the NBA’s current leading scorer, thinks Curry is the best shooter to ever play the game. When asked by a fan on Twitter whether he or Curry would win a three-point shooting contest, he replied “Steph any day, best shooter to ever play.” Curry is taking the league by storm this season, averaging 24.5 points, nine assists and 4.5 rebounds per game on his way to being voted as a starter in the 2014 NBA All-Star Game. It’s quite the feat for a player who was regarded by many as being too small for the NBA. He didn’t verbally respond to his critics. He let his game do the talking. He busted out of the gate of his NBA career averaging 17.5 points, 5.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game his rookie season. The presence of Head Coach Mark Jackson has had a great impact on Curry’s game, limiting his turnovers as the team’s point guard and giving him the confidence to let his long-range shooting rain down on their opponents. At 23 feet, nine inches, the NBA three-point arc is very far away from the basket. Not far enough for Curry. His career three-point shooting percentage of 44.6 percent is astounding, considering the all-time NBA leader is career field goal percentage is Steve Kerr with a 45.4 percent average. If Curry can keep sinking those long-range shots, he will continue to put on a show for his fans, from the pregame warm ups all the way to the NBA Hall of Fame.

and rebounding presence that has made him such an important cog for the success of the Warriors. Through January 20, Lee’s stats include 19.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the field. And during the team’s four-game winning streak that started on December 30, 2013, Lee averaged 24.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, good enough to be named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week. That includes a monster 32 points and 14 rebounds in a win over Lebron James and the reigning NBA Champion Miami Heat. “Lee has been off the charts,” coach Jackson said to the media following that impressive Heat game. “He carried us at times tonight.” Lee can be called the Warriors’ “secret weapon” since he has always flown under the radar, a wrinkle in the story that has always eluded this writer. Lee’s resume

enjoys being under the radar in a world of constant media attention and scrutiny for professional athletes. For Lee, playing professional basketball isn’t about being famous, its just about playing basketball. It was no surprise back in 2010 when the Warriors executed a sign-and-trade deal with the Knicks to obtain Lee and give him a whopping $80 million contract over six years. It was in fact Lee who torched the Warriors just months earlier with a stat line not seen in the NBA since Kareem Abdul Jabbar in 1976: 37 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists for the triple double. While this stat line surprised everyone (especially me since I was in the stands that night), perhaps the least surprised were the Knicks fans, who in Lee’s five seasons with the team saw him consistently stuff the stat sheet like a clown car. In his final two seasons with the Knicks he

Maybe he enjoys being under the radar in a world of constant media attention and scrutiny for professional athletes. For Lee, playing professional basketball isn’t about being famous, it’s just about playing basketball. includes top awards at every level. He was a McDonald’s High School All American, McDonald’s All American Dunk champion and Mr. Show-Me Basketball player (awarded to the top high school basketball player in Missouri) in high school. He was named to the All-SEC Freshman team and Second Team All-SEC while play at the University of Florida. And since he was picked in the first round of the NBA draft by the Knicks, he has been a threetime NBA All-Star (including the past two seasons), named All-NBA Third Team in 2013 and was the NBA Rookie Challenge MVP in 2007. Typically, an under-the-radar reputation in the NBA means a few things. You aren’t a dribble-between-the-legs-thenpull-a-360-dunk-to-get-on-Sportscenter guy. You constantly make all the right statements to the media and you don’t get in trouble off the court. Maybe he

averaged a double-double with points and rebounds, including his final season averages of 20.2 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Providing a skill set that perfectly compliments the offensively talented Warriors’ roster, Lee gives the team consistency and efficiency. Shooting over 50 percent from the field and grabbing almost three offensive rebounds per game, he is the Energizer Bunny that even the best NBA teams don’t want to face. He provides a work ethic on the court that opens up scoring lanes for Curry and takes the offensive pressure off big-man Bogut. If the Warriors are going to find success in the playoffs, it will be with defense and hot shooting from their offensive weapons. They will also need a strong contribution from their secret weapon. Expect Lee to do what he’s always done, play great basketball. NORCAL

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

just for fun

The Skinny on Boot Camps Angela Cordell

Typical Morning at Boot Camp

50 50 istockphoto.com

You’ve probably heard about boot camps, those places people go when they really want to “get in shape.” When I first thought of boot camps I had an image of young men and women in military garb being chastised by some neo-Nazi drill sergeant. As a person who hates traditional workout routines and has spent thousands of dollars on unused gym memberships, the idea of being humiliated while suffering through hundreds of sit-ups sounded like another version of hell. So what was I thinking when I signed up for a 5 am women’s boot camp? Did I mention I’m not a morning person? There are lots of misconceptions about boot camps, so when I embarked on my adventure it was with an upset stomach full of apprehension. But now I can report that I am still enrolled, and have been

Active NorCal March/April 2014

amazed at the transformation I have seen in my life. Still, I wish I had known a couple things going in that would have made the ride less bumpy. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way. 1. Boot camp is where pride goes to die. Posters of beautiful, thin women, or hunky, buff men running with ease, lightly glistening from their casual 10mile jog are NOT accurate. Boot camps can be sweaty, stinky and sometimes even embarrassing. After a minute of sit-ups, people start making noises and saying things they never would on a normal day. If you want boot camp to work for you, you have to leave pride at the door. Everyone is suffering. Come as you are, and be honest about where you are on the fitness scale.

25 25 10 2

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pushups

lunges

squats

minutes of stretching

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2. The buddy system works. I could not have made it through my first boot camp session without the support of a friend I invited to join me. It sounds cliché, but boot camp works best when you have an accountability partner. Some people say they work out better alone, but if we’re honest with ourselves, we all push harder if someone is watching. When the alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m. after a sleepless night, sometimes the only thing that gets you out of bed is knowing your workout partner is counting on you to be there, not only for yourself, but to support them too. 3. Boot camp changes how you see yourself. Most people go to boot camp to lose weight, and that is a benefit that happens over time. But there are other benefits you will see right away. Intense workout is like a mirror that you are forced to stare into for at least three hours a week. You will begin seeing all your weaknesses AND your strengths. It’s almost as painful as the 100 lunges your instructor just pushed you through, but

it’s transformational. Suddenly, you will begin approaching life with a humility and bravery you never knew you had. You will begin setting new goals because you know that you can achieve them. It happens faster than the weight loss and is every bit as exciting. 4. Detoxing- it’s powerful and terrible. Unless you are a person who is already on a perfect whole food diet, never drinks alcohol, and is exercising five times a week, you will detox. Your body and, even worse, your emotions will turn against you in a very uncomfortable and inconvenient way. Prepare yourself and the people around you. It’s not fun and it’s not pretty, but it’s necessary. Drink lots of water and hang in there. This too shall pass. 5. Your instructor is not there to be your new best friend. They are there to positively impact your life. Boot camp instructors are an interesting breed. They have chosen to make exercise and fitness their life and push you to new and excit-

ing limits, both physically and mentally. If you don’t get irritated with them 40 minutes into an intense workout, or feel like shouting, “If you make me do one more push-up I will punch you,” they probably aren’t pushing you hard enough. However, a great boot camp instructor will never shame you and always do their best to build you up. If your instructor embarrasses you or uses guilt, shame or defaming language as a tool for motivation, start boot camp shopping. 6. Getting on a scale will only frustrate you. It’s difficult enough to go through detox, readjust your lifestyle and work yourself close to death numerous times a week. To do all that and not start dropping a significant amount of weight right away can feel discouraging to say the least. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t work that way. It takes a lot of time to put on weight, and time and hard work to shed it. 7. The people around you may not be supportive, and that’s OK. It’s

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hard to see the people around us change, even if it’s for the better. Starting a boot camp will require you to change up your lifestyle. Getting to bed at a decent time, eating healthy food and stretching as often as possible will be the top three priorities in your mind, at least for the first couple weeks. During that time, you will learn who your real friends are. Not everyone will get it, and some will disconnect. Let them go. You aren’t doing this for them. 8. Your food will become your fuel. Without incorporating a healthy, whole food diet into your routine, you will not see results. You will also have zero energy and feel sick and lethargic. When you are working out 5 times a week, your energy is determined by the quality of food you put into your body. Eating for weight loss is tough, but eating to fuel your body changes the way you see food and will take you farther with lasting results. Get ready to spend more money on high quality food and more time in the kitchen.

9. Boot camp IS for everyone. Anyone who is able to get up off the couch, walk a little way, pick up a few pounds and be vulnerable with themselves can get something out of the boot camp experience. You may have to do some shopping around to find the time, space, skill level

and instructor that fits you, but there is one out there. If there’s not, then you can create your own. A boot camp is a group of people committing to help each other be better and push harder than they did the day before. NORCAL

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cover story

g n i c n a Bal The Art Of Adventure with Balanced Edge

Act

isk is all around us. Danger is everywhere. Adventure is close

at hand. The most dangerous thing most people do is get in their cars and drive to work. Is driving suddenly a dangerous activity? Not really, but about one in a hundred people die in car crashes, about half the number of people who will die of heart disease. Yet people become programmed to see driving, a potentially lifethreatening activity, as routine and nonthreatening. It’s all about perception. Balanced Edge founder and CEO Jason Hull claims that he can teach people to feel the same way about climbing a 50foot rock wall with their bare hands (and safety equipment) as they do about driving. He loves changing the perceptions of people who might otherwise shy away from adventure in their lives. “Fear is perception, and perception is reality,” said Hull. “So if you can change your perception, you can change the fear.” Jason Hull is like a tripleshot of espresso injected

Active NorCal March/April 2014

into your bloodstream while base-jumping off of the Empire State Building. He is energy and adrenaline personified, and has a passion for his rather unique job. “I get to create unique experiences that will bring people together,” said Hull, “and provide something that allows them to push beyond their perceived limits.” Attempting to describe Balanced Edge as a company is difficult. Their website states “Balanced Edge was founded by a team of adventure-seeking gear hounds with a passion for the outdoors and lifelong learning. We are professional guides, rescue instructors, educators, search and rescue volunteers, and medical technicians with a passion for sharing the adventure!” Their Redding office includes a reception area, two small offices and a giant garage packed with all the tools you would need for an epic adventure - helmets, kayaks, ropes and even a jeep decked out to face any terrain. You could call them “providers of adventure and education.” But the easiest way to

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

describe Balanced Edge is to list the many things they do:

Guided Adventures Need a vacation? No, this isn’t a vacation where you’re lounging poolside sipping Mai Tais. This is an opportunity to experience a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with trained professionals. A group of guys can go on a MANcation, or a group of women can enjoy a La Femme Adventure choosing between a seemingly endless number of wilderness adventures like fishing, rock climbing, caving, hiking, skeet shooting or river rafting.

Active NorCal March/April 2014

“Our ability to create adventure is limitless,” said Hull, “and our connections are nationwide. People can do something as simple as a picnic with a little fishing, or as complex as being flown into Vegas and taking a Humvee into the desert to shoot high caliber rifles. The greatest part about these adventures is that all the logistics are taken care of, and you know that you’re safe.”

Safety Courses Providing certified training in a number of areas like Rescue Tech, vertical rescue, cave rescue, outdoor extrication, First Responder

and CPR. Then there is the Ultimate Rescue Training course, a class taught personally by Hull for the past 15 years. It is less technical and concentrates on personal growth and leadership development.

Adventure Events As a businessman and outdoor enthusiast, Hull believes that any event can be turned into an adventure. Want to go to a concert? So did Hull, so he put one on in a cave where they literally dropped in all of the equipment for the DJ and light show from 50-feet up. Ever wonder what it’s like to be stranded on an island? So did Hull,

Family Adventures Family situations can be challenging. A father trying to help his teenage son transition into manhood isn’t necessarily a cakewalk. Balanced Edge has created an adventure specifically for young people going through the gateway into adulthood. Families use teamwork and guidance to improve their relationships and take steps toward growth. These adventures can actually speed up the process for a young person transitioning into manhood or womanhood.

Business Courses/Assessments In what is possibly the coolest thing any boss could do for their employees, Balanced Edge offers businesses the opportunity to have their employees’ qualities assessed through adventure. The core is to find out the distinct personality in each employee, how each person ticks. “You work with these people every day, but you don’t know them,” explained Hull. “What are their hidden assets? What are their hidden liabilities? These can make or break a company.” Fear is introduced to business teams as a vehicle to find out how people really work together. If the owner isn’t getting the best use of every single person, they’re more prone to failure.

The possibilities of an adventure with Balanced Edge are seemingly endless. Adventure seekers can choose from activities like white water rafting, scuba diving, caving, rock climbing or mountain climbing to satisfy their appetite for adrenaline.

so he created an island adventure where he drops attendees on a deserted island location where they must use survival skills in an adventure-type atmosphere. Balanced Edge’s next adventure: business networking – no, not in an event room at your local Sheraton - business networking in a cave.

The creation of Balanced Edge, Hull explained, can be likened to string of Christmas lights. There was never one, singular light bulb moment when he knew he was on to something profound, but rather a series of light bulbs that were bright enough to warrant notice. The first light bulb came on when Hull was a Boy Scout. That is where he began to connect with nature and experience it with others. He went on to become an Eagle Scout, dedicating much of his time to learning outdoor safety. The next light bulb was a powerful one. At the age of 13, Hull broke his leg. It was a serious enough injury to have a profound effect on the rest of his life. After spending six weeks in the hospital, three months in a full body cast and six months in a wheelchair, he learned very intimately what it’s like to lose some things we take for granted. Overcoming these obstacles in himself and others became his lifelong passion.

Not the final light bulb, but maybe the most profound came as another tragedy. In 1996 Hull’s brother was instructing rock climbers when he fell to his death. It started as a rather typical day for this veteran member of Shasta County Search and Rescue, and no one could explain how it happened. “That was a massive realization for me,” explained Hull. “I said to myself, ‘We need to be able to enjoy the outdoors safely and understand the risks.’” Balanced Edge was created as a direct result. Hull gives people the opportunity to experience outdoor adventures and face those fears, but in a safe environment. To Hull, the greatest accomplishment is helping people overcome their fears. “When someone says they have a phobia, that’s when I start smiling,” said Hull with a grin. Balanced Edge can be an extreme therapy of sorts, and fear is a topic that Hull likes to tackle head on. Understanding what’s causing the fear is the key to overcoming it. Listening to a person in a scary situation and guiding them through it can be a little intimidating for some instructors. Being trustworthy and confident person is crucial to guiding people through their fears. Hull’s personal string of light bulbs has sculpted him into a highly qualified adventure guide. He learned the process of overcoming fear through layers of experiences in his life. He was on Search and Rescue for 20 years and was on the National Ski Patrol in addition to his long resume of business development and marketing. He has dealt with many different kinds of people over the years. “Everybody has to put on their pants the same way every morning,” said Hull. “I love promoting a mindset and getting people to further that mindset. There is never a finish line. Everything is a journey, a process. My job is to get people to the next level.” Want to find out more about yourself, your family or coworkers? Balanced Edge uses adventure to bring out the fear in people and overcome it. It’s not so much about what you fear, but about how you react to it. That reaction can be reprogrammed. Fear is, after all, a perception, and perception is the root of reality. NORCAL

outdoors

The Falls of Whiskeytown IN PURSUIT OF NATURAL AIR CONDITIONING Zach O’Brien and Ross Lawrence

Active NorCal March/April 2014

Photo by Matt Switzer

eciding where to hike in Northern California is anything but the path of least resistance. But when you wake up in the morning and have the hankering for a hike, considering hiking the Falls of Whiskeytown is a step in the right direction. Trails leading up to the four major waterfalls in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area are beautiful, remote and moderate in difficulty. For those not familiar with the area, Whiskeytown Lake is located off Highway 299 west on the way to the small town of Weaverville. Its sapphire-blue water is a great place to cool off on a hot day, and the falls provide terrific natural air conditioning. The park contains 39,000 acres and has nearly 70 miles of trails surrounding the lake, laced with streams and crystal-clear springs tumbling off Shasta Bally. Despite its close proximity to Redding, it’s just enough off the beaten path to deter the crowds often choking nearby beaches. Whiskeytown Park is a favorite of locals and the waterfalls provide some of the most striking scenery available in the area. So lace up your hiking boots, grab some sunscreen and fill up your water jugs. We’re going on a hike!

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

Whiskeytown Falls

Photo by Marissa Carlisle

lso known as Hidden Falls, this 220 foot-tall beauty was an all but hidden treasure known to the few fortunate enough to stumble on its remote location. Before the establishment of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Center, there was no trail to this waterfall leaving loggers, miners, bushwhackers and men who wouldn’t ask for directions as the only beneficiaries of this stunning display of Mother Nature. In 2004 a park biologist “discovered” the falls, and it quickly developed into one of the park’s top tourist attractions. A unique feature this waterfall is the stairway that stretches up the left side of it, giving visitors an up-close and personal view of the rushing water as it cascades down the rocky face. Use caution since he stairs can get wet and slippery, and be sure to hold onto the handrail. The trail to the falls weaves through old logging roads so you get an interesting historical perspective on the economic forces that once played a role in shaping Shasta County. Running water parallels the trail the entire way making the experience all the more refreshing on a sweltering summer day. The James K. Carr Trail takes you to the falls. It is a 3.4-mile loop that also connects to the Mill Creek Trail. A moderate to difficult hike – with a pleasant flat section to begin with, the trail then leads downward until you reach the footbridge over Crystal Creek. At this point, the trail ascends for a while until it levels out leading you to the falls. To get to the falls coming from Redding, take Highway 299 past Whiskeytown Lake

and turn left on Crystal Creek Road. Drive another 3.75 miles to the trailhead.

Active NorCal March/April 2014

One of the park’s top tourist attractions, Whiskeytown Falls is 220-feet of pure natural beauty. This hike is moderate to difficult, with a pleasant force of cool air and mist waiting for you at the top.

Photo by Marissa Carlisle

Crystal Creek Falls

ower Crystal Creek Falls is the only â&#x20AC;&#x153;manmadeâ&#x20AC;? waterfall in the park though you might not suspect it. When the Central Valley Project was designed in the 1920s, an important component of it was the diversion of a large portion of the Trinity River into Whiskeytown Lake, and from there, down into the Sacramento River. A 17-mile tunnel was created to transport the water underground from Trinity Dam to Carr Powerhouse, and the tailings

were dumped in the area near Crystal Creek Falls. When it is necessary to shut down Carr Powerhouse for maintenance or to clean the tunnel, a valve is turned and the excess water from the tunnel spills into Crystal Creek. When the overflow structure was built, the Bureau of Reclamation rerouted Crystal Creek about 50 feet to the left to make a shortcut over the cliff, creating a picturesque waterfall. This is one of the easier hikes in the park, as the trail is mostly flat and lasts for

less than a mile. Also featuring picnic tables and barbeque grills, the Crystal Creek Falls Trail could prove a relaxing way to start the spring season off right. From Highway 299 west of the lake, follow Crystal Creek road for 2 miles until you see the rehabilitated quarry area on your left. Huge piles of rock were removed from the tunnel between Lewiston Dam and Carr Powerhouse and deposited here. Walk the dirt road behind the gate for about 1/3 mile until you reach

With the shortest and easiest trailhead of any of the falls, Crystal Creek Falls is more of a relaxing hike for those who just want to take in the scenery of the park. If you are looking to have a picnic on a hot summer day, this is your perfect destination.

a picnic and barbecue area. Crystal Creek Falls is immediately ahead of you. There is also a bonus waterfall reached by hiking the steep, rocky unmaintained trail behind the cement building.

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

Brandy Creek Falls

randy Creek is noted for five large, cascading falls that sweep down across polished granite rock in the upper box canyon. Water from Upper Brandy Creek Falls plunges downward in a split formation through steep vertical walls creating an aesthetically satisfying image (you might want to bring your

camera for this one). The trail to the falls was improved in 2005 adding hand-hewn rock steps and a metal railing to help hikers safely reach the top of the waterfall. There are two ways to get to this location, one from South Shore Drive and the other from Mill Creek Road. The moderate hike up Brandy

Creek Falls trail, which leads you to the base of the falls is 3 miles roundtrip, and reaches a maximum altitude of 2,500 ft. Due to a narrowing of the trail closer to the falls, it is not recommended for bikers or horseback riders. This trail also follows old logging roads, and takes you on several plank bridges before it leads you

straight to the awe-inspiring falls. Brandy Creek is also lined with Indian Rhubarb. This umbrella-leafed plant is one of the first to produce spring flowers displaying an array of brilliant pink blossoms. So, make sure you get out early this spring to catch the Indian Rhubarb blossoms in full force, and enjoy the hike.

Photos by Matt Switzer

A popular waterfall due to its proximity to Brandy Creek Beach, Brandy Creek Falls has the potential to provide any hiker with a picturesque moment. With five cascading falls to boast, have your camera ready all the way to the top.

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Boulder Creek Falls

Photos by Matt Switzer

The most grueling hike of all the trailheads is the one to Boulder Creek Falls. Though as you hike up the hill, there are creeks hugging the trail throughout, giving you “natural air conditioning” on a hot day.

t more than 138 feet tall, Boulder Creek Falls was thought to be the loftiest waterfall in the park until Whiskeytown Falls was rediscovered in fall of 2004. The three tributaries of Boulder Creek Falls are tucked into a heavily wooded box canyon filled with lush moss and ferns. The surrounding forest was selectively logged in the 1950s, and as you hike to the falls you find yourself on the main hauling road that once carried old growth Douglas firs and ponderosa pines to the sawmill. After the park was established in 1965, limited-logging ventures continued into the early 70s. Once the logging ended, the forest began to recover. A moderate to difficult 5.5 mile roundtrip hike on the Boulder Creek Falls Trail takes you to the falls. Make sure to watch out for poison oak along the way. Starting you off in brush land adjacent to Boulder Creek, the trail then leads you into a forest filled with Douglas firs, Ponderosa Pines, and Oak trees. After traversing two different creeks several times (Boulder Creek and a seasonal creek), the trail drops down a bit before guiding you to up a hill that provides a great vantage point for taking in the falls. From the Visitor Center, continue west on Highway 299 for seven miles to the Carr Powerhouse turnoff on the left. Take Carr Powerhouse Road to Mill Creek Road, located on the right ½ mile from the highway. Mill Creek Road is a dirt road that is closed after the first winter storms and reopened in late spring. At the road crossing just past the big tank, stay to the right. You will follow Mill Creek Road steadily uphill for 1.3 miles until you reach the trailhead. At the end of the road, you will see a wide spot for parking and two paths. NORCAL

inspiration

Almost Climbing

Mt. Shasta

Active NorCal March/April 2014

by Chip O’Brien

t four thirty in the morning no one saw the light from my tiny headlamp inching uphill in pitch darkness on the snow-covered flanks of Mt. Shasta. Overhead, a vast array of stars spilled across the ebony sky as wind sent ice particles prickling across my face. They didn’t call this part of the mountain Misery Hill for nothing. Shivering with cold, exhaustion and something deeper still, my legs suddenly buckled and I collapsed on the hard snow surface. Gasping for breath, my heart pounded as I watched the fire that was my dream of standing on the summit flicker and die. I was done. I wasn’t going to make it. My head ached with altitude sickness and my body was thrashed, but something in my heart ached with an even greater pain. It was the conviction that I was a failure. There was no glory in almost climbing a mountain. As I lay there I realized that events from earlier that day had set me on a collision course with that awful moment. My mind drifted back to that morning, 24 hours and a thousand years before. My day job was teaching high school English, which at that moment seemed to belong to someone else’s life. I was a rugged, virile mountain climber, wasn’t I? Climbing Shasta was not new to me. I’d been doing it for years, and I had a routine. I’d been to the summit nine times before, and had let that pride help define who I thought I was. Only this time I had broken my own

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

rules about success on Shasta, and some might say I deserved the misery I was in. I’d always thought that it took a finite amount of effort to get to the top of a mountain. You can try to do it all at once without any training, one mad explosion of energy, or spread the effort out over months of cardiovascular conditioning. I figured the more pain experienced in training, the less pain on the mountain. But being a teacher, I also knew I had earned an honest C- on the preparation for this trip. The next most important thing after training was equipment. At least I had not failed there. I had rented plastic mountaineering boots, an ice ax and crampons (metal spikes you lash to your boots for climbing on snow and ice). My snowboarding pants and jacket with various layers of clothing underneath worked well. Snowboarding goggles also helped to protect my face from wind and sun. A warm hat, gloves and bright headlamp rounded out my wearable gear. In a small backpack I carried high-energy snacks, candy, iPod and iPhone, my Wilderness Permit and extra batteries for the headlamp. Last but not least, I carried one precious quart of water. I got away with carrying so little water because of my hydration routine before the climb. Several hours before starting the climb I began chugging all the water I could hold. By the time I started climbing my body was so saturated with water I sloshed when I walked. I knew I could drink all the water I wanted when I returned to my car. I knew the Avalanche Gulch route pretty well, which began at the Bunny Flat trailhead parking lot. Some people climb with much more gear than I do. It’s common for climbers to make the ascent in two days, spending the night in tents and sleeping bags at Lake Helen (there is no water there). Since hauling that much gear even halfway up the mountain had never appealed to me, I tried to keep my burden as light as possible. A lot of people take a first aid kit, which is never a bad idea, but I chose to forego that and gamble on a quick trip, good judgment and putting safety first. Considering my current predicament of lying wasted on Misery Hill, maybe I had good reason to rethink a few things. The timing for climbing Shasta is fairly simple. Watch the reports for a good span of clear weather. Start in the dark between midnight and 2:00 a.m., and climb on snow. Without snow to hike on, much of the surface of Shasta is scree, loose rock fallen from up above. With every step you take on scree, you slide

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at least halfway back down again. Hiking on hard snow requires much less effort. Depending on the snowpack, the best combination of snow and weather is usually in May or June. The reason midnight is good is because it’s easier to climb on hard snow, and descend on soft snow. An early start puts you on the mountain during the coldest part of the day, and by the time you’re ready to descend the sun has begun its work softening the surface again. From Bunny Flat trailhead you follow the path to Horse Camp and the Sierra Club Cabin. From here the trail leads up Olberman Causeway toward Lake Helen where there are usually tents full of other climbers. Next, the route leads up The Heart and through or around the Red Banks to Misery Hill. There are two false summits on Misery Hill tempting unsuspecting climbers to think the summit is in sight, when it’s actually still a long way off. When you finally caught a whiff of rotten eggs from the hot springs below the summit pinnacle, you could be sure you were close to the top. Successful climbers who achieved the summit may write in the covered book kept on top, and the views can be amazing. Few people stay there for long, since the summit is not a comfortable place to be. Staying wasn’t the point anyway. Bagging the summit was the point, feeling the endorphins coursing through your thrashed and broken body. This was the definition of success I understood, and that day I had come up short. Clinging to that hard snow surface, my mind struggled back to the events of that day as if I were in a trance, and a morning that seemed about a thousand years before. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! The warning bell rang signaling five-minutes until the start of first period and I blew through the classroom door in the nick of time. One of the toughest things about being a teacher was having your entire life dictated by a bell system. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Students swarmed into the room like ants marching toward chocolate cake; only this was a forced march. Romeo & Juliet and high school kids would be a challenge, I knew, especially with this class. It contained a few kids who not only couldn’t read well, but also were passionate about their disdain for reading at all. Knowing they would never read Shakespeare on their own, I decided the only option was to read the play out loud as a group, which pretty much captured a high school boy’s definition of hell. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! “Welcome to English class,” I announced, trying to keep things positive.

Like a slap in the face my trance was broken. I was back again on cold, dark Mt. Shasta with an ice wind whipping my cheeks. I was angry with myself for thinking I could summit Shasta after a full day of teaching. “Today we will begin reading Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, and I know how much you guys have been looking forward to this!” Of course they were not, but I hoped a little humor might lighten things up. “Do we gotta’ read this,” moaned a kid in the back of the room. “It’s all about love and men wearing tights, and no one understands it anyway!” “It sounds to me,” I said, “like you know some of the story already. Tell me what it’s about.” A few hands went up. “Beth.” “It’s about two families, right?” “Right, the Capulets and the Montagues were sworn enemies.” “Like the Crips and the Bloods!” gushed Paul. “That’s right,” I smiled. “The families were something like gangs. Not only that, but Romeo and Juliet were about your age.” “That’s gross!” shouted a red-headed girl with a sour face. “People use to marry much earlier in those days because they didn’t live as long,” I said. “You boys would have been considered men in those days, and men carried swords and daggers.” There were some murmurs of approval from the groups of boys. “Cameron,” I said. “You be Romeo today.” “Nooooooooo! Do I have to?” “Cameron, listen. Today’s the big fight scene where Romeo runs Tybalt through with a sword. Are you sure don’t want to be Romeo?” “Do I get a sword?” “A cardboard one; but it’s better than nothing, right?” “OK,” he said cautiously. “I’ll do it.” Cameron was a high school student who struggled with reading and hated every minute of it. Being the best athlete in his class, he enjoyed the attention he got on the basketball court but didn’t like to feel dumb in front of his friends. He was often willing to put twice as much effort into not reading, so this was a good start. A student was dispatched to grab a few props from the Drama room, and brought back a crown, a few capes, a cardboard sword and (!) a rubber chicken. Another student was given a video camera and the job of capturing the action, and it went better than expected. We hadn’t finished the play, but the kids hadn’t hated it either. “OK, class,” I announced at the end of the period, “class is almost over. Austin, will you be Romeo tomorrow?”

“Hey,” objected Cameron. “I’m Romeo!” “What do you say, Austin. Would you mind letting Cameron continue being Romeo tomorrow?” “I don’t mind,” said Austin. “Cam’s doing a great job.” Cameron brightened, and all eyes were on him. Then squinting at the script, Cameron proclaimed in his best stage voice, “What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!” Then, with all the swagger and flourish of his newfound persona, he bowed from the waist and the room exploded in applause. It was a hit, but I sincerely doubted if anyone had ever seen a Romeo with a rubber chicken taped on his head. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Like a slap in the face my trance was broken. I was back again on cold, dark Mt. Shasta with an ice wind whipping my cheeks. I was angry with myself for thinking I could summit Shasta after a full day of teaching. What an idiot I was. Those feelings nagged at me as I lifted myself up, turned around and took my first step downhill. No one, I thought, almost climbs a mountain. Yet it occurred to me that maybe there was something in the word “failure” that didn’t quite fit either. I thought again of Cameron, the kid I had successfully conned into reading Shakespeare that morning. Later in the day I had caught a kid cheating, but after learning what he was dealing with at home, I decided to give him another chance. Several kids throughout the day had also said to me, “You’re my favorite teacher,” at least in so many words. That was the world I lived in while not trying to climb Mt. Shasta, and there was a different sort of glory in it. I mused about which world was the more real, but decided nothing. In my teaching world success and failure were more difficult to define than when climbing mountains. In the teaching world a small compliment or simple treat or just a smile could communicate to a kid, “You’re OK,” or “You can depend on me,” words we all need to hear. Even though I had stood on Shasta’s summit several times before, I realized that something in me had changed since the last time. Teaching had become my new mountain, something I had obviously come to value more than standing on top of a 14,180-foot rock. Mt. Shasta seemed to shrink a little in that moment. I had traded one kind of summit for another, mountaineering boots for rubber chickens and, after all, it was an acceptable trade. NORCAL

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

Health

Shifting the Way We Think About Health By Juvenal Sandoval

“Americans will be more likely to change their behavior if they have a meaningful reward—something more than just reaching a certain weight or dress size. The real reward is invigorating, energizing, joyous health. It is a level of health that allows people to embrace each day and live their lives to the fullest without disease or disability,”

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—Regina M. Benjamin Surgeon General

Most people can tell you what health isn’t, but defining exactly what it is depends on the person. Everywhere there are ads for quick fix diets and glamorous pictures of models broadcasting false images of what it means to be healthy. Health At Every Size (HAES) is an online community that challenges people to look beyond the diet trends and shift the way they think about health. We encourage people to accept their body for its own uniqueness. Health isn’t about weight control or body size, but rather adopting habits for the sake of health. You might call it honoring your body. There are three reasons Health At Every Size differs from the conventional weight-

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focused paradigm. First, it focuses on encouraging self-acceptance and having a positive self-image instead of only thinking about your weight. It supports eating in a flexible manner that values pleasure and honors internal cues of hunger, satiety and appetite. HAES also supports active embodiment, finding joy in moving one’s body and becoming more physically active as opposed to structured exercise. With all of the misconceptions about weight in our society, it’s hard to be happy with who we are physically. It seems there are subtle messages everywhere reminding us that we are not perfect. Well guess what? No one is. If we can’t be happy

with the person we are before dieting no amount of weight loss will make us happy. We encourage celebrating our body’s shape and learning to understand that a person’s physical appearance says very little about their character and value as a person. HAES teaches, “Eat what you want, stop when you’re full and be happy with the results.” People spend so much time labeling food as good or bad that they forget to enjoy the things they love. We believe in taking the power away from food and using it as an escape. People should be able to enjoy anything we want without feeling guilty by doing so. We encourage you to listen to your body and to practice mindful eating, choosing foods that satisfy both body and mind. Our concept of Active Embodiment is for people who just don’t enjoy exercising. This might be due to negative past experiences like never feeling equality in a gym class setting. Some people might enjoy hiking or dancing rather than running or biking. The HAES approach gives permission to move your body in a way that not only makes you feel good for having done it, but to feel good while you’re doing it. The idea is to find enjoyable physical activities without the thought of losing weight or changing the way our body looks. For more information or to take the HAES Pledge, contact Juvenal Sandoval at Advanced Body Dynamics – juvenal530@gmail.com NORCAL

sailing

Sailing Whiskeytown More Than Just Blowing Hot Air By Jake Cartwright

If you are looking for a place to sail or learn to sail, look no farther than Whiskeytown Lake fifteen miles west of Redding. While Lake Shasta gets more attention with its houseboats, great fishing and miles of open water for jet skis, wake boarding and waterskiing, Whiskeytown is the gem that Redding area sailors depend on. While you may see an occasional sailboat on Shasta, you will always see them on Whiskeytown Lake. The main body of Whiskeytown Lake, from the dam to where the lake narrows just after Brandy Creek Marina, is the prime sailing area. Small boats (without tall masts) can sail under the Highway 299 Bridge, and boats certainly sail to and from Oak Bottom Marina. The area from Brandy Creek to the dam is really where the action is (as well as the most consistent wind). If you are sailing out there, you’ll see eight buoys (white floating cylinders) at various places around the lake, each with a number on it. These are the racing marks used to designate courses when the Whiskeytown Sailing Club runs its club races, as well as the Whiskeytown Memorial Regatta. While there are shallow shoals around the lake and even in the main sailing area, they are very well marked. In summer they are covered by enough water that nearly any boat can sail over them with no problem. It is another story when the lake is not full, or when the water level is being raised or lowered. Then you must keep a watchful eye for the shoal buoys and give them the respect they deserve. Running aground in a sailboat can be annoying, embarrassing, damaging, and it may be hard to get unstuck. Most of the sailing at Whiskeytown occurs between the months of April and October. To accommodate runoff from the Trinity Alps in the winter, the lake level is lowered some ten to fifteen feet, usually beginning around the middle of October. In mid-April, the lake is allowed to fill back to the full level, which is one of the beauties of Whiskeytown, a lake full to the max all summer long. Some sailors keep their boats in the water all year long, in slips at either Brandy Creek Marina or Oak

Active NorCal March/April 2014

Bottom Marina. This allows a quick sail on any given beautiful winter day. Some use the dry storage facility at Brandy Creek. Most of the sailors of larger crafts, however, take their boats home when the lake level starts to lower, for two reasons. The main one is the difficulty of getting a larger boat, especially one with a keel that hangs down four feet below the waterline, out of the water with the launch ramps barely underwater. The other is to do any required maintenance over the winter. Sailors who trailer their boats from home and those who keep them in the dry storage at Brandy Creek can be seen on the water all times of the year, though possibly wearing wetsuits for winter sailing. Spring, summer and fall all provide a great sailing experience at Whiskeytown. There’s no question that it’s hot in the middle of a summer day, especially if the wind is very light. A bucket of lake water poured over yourself or your crewmember is a nice quick cool down as you ghost along. It is definitely not easy or even practical in many cases, to beach a sailboat or to tie it up to a tree. Nevertheless, you will still see sailboats anchored along the shallower shores with the crew kicked back, having lunch, reading or swimming. Whiskeytown sailors are often asked about the wind; when does it blow and from what direction, and it’s a good question. In an area like San Francisco Bay, the wind is pretty darned predictable. It doesn’t change direction much once it starts blowing, and the weather forecasts for wind velocity are quite accurate. Not so on Whiskeytown, but that’s the nature of lake sailing in general. Lakes are known for shifting wind patterns, which blow in different directions and at different speeds on different parts of the lake. During the main sailing season at Whiskeytown, the early mornings generally provide the steadiest and strongest winds. At this time of day the wind can normally be counted on to be blowing from Oak Bottom down the lake towards the dam, sometimes at as much as 12-15 miles per hour. It will lighten up as the morning wears on.

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

Left: Boats head upwind (to the first mark) in a Whiskeytown Sailing Club race. Above: Jim Kelly’s Catalina 250 “Freedom” powers across the lake on a beam reach.

Around noon, it is typical for the wind to become very light (0-3 mph) as it starts a clock-wise shift from the northwest towards the east-southeast. Around 1p.m., the wind will be coming over the dam and heading back towards Oak Bottom, generally at four to six mph. One thing that can normally be counted on is wind shifts of 15-30 degrees, and wind speed changes of five mph or so at any given time. Lake sailing and especially racing can be challenging, since Mother Nature doesn’t normally like to provide a steady, consistent wind on a beautiful mountain lake. Whiskeytown is considered a light air lake, but whenever you are sailing you should pay attention to the weather. Summer storm winds can quickly pick up to dangerous levels on any lake, and Whiskeytown is no exception. Winds above 20 to 25 miles per hour can be dangerous for many sailors and their boats, especially those new to the sport or those who are not experienced with sailing in high winds. Whiskeytown offers two marinas, one at Brandy Creek and the other at Oak Bottom. Both provide slips and launch ramps. The Brandy Creek Marina has a dry storage area and Oak Bottom has a few moorings but no dry storage. At the present time, there is not a waiting list at either location. Brandy Creek tends to be the preferred location for sailboats offering easy access to the main sailing area of the lake.

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Many types of boats can be seen sailing on Whiskeytown Lake. Multihulls, such as Hobie Cats and Nacras, are very popular. These boats are either kept by owners in the dry storage facility at Brandy Creek, or simply trailered from home when the urge to sail hits. There are also a large number of day sailors with boats ranging from Sunfish and Lasers to Flying Scotts, Daysailers and Snipes. These boats are also kept in dry storage at the lake, or in many cases trailered to lake by their owners. Larger boats are typically kept in slips. These boats range in size from twenty to twenty seven feet and include such makes as Catalina 22s, Catalina 25s and Balboa 26s. Some have fixed keels drawing as much as five feet. Others have keel/centerboards, allowing for raising the keel and reducing the draft to one or two feet. Most days there is a mixture of boats is out enjoying the sailing on Whiskeytown. Redding hosts two active sailing clubs, the Whiskeytown Sailing Club (WSC) and the Redding Yacht Club. The WSC started shortly after the lake was created, and will be holding its 50th Whiskeytown Regatta this May. The majority of club members own their own boats, and many are active in racing. The club runs racing events in the spring and fall, along with social sailing events at the lake in the summer. Contact: www.whiskeytownsailing.org

The Redding Yacht Club’s focus is on teaching and bringing new people into sailing. The Club owns over a dozen small boats, ranging from Sunfish to larger 21 and 22-foot boats. They run a sailing camp for kids in the summer, and give instruction to adults as well. As a member of the club, you have access to any of the club-owned boats. The Redding Yacht Club and their boats are based at Brandy Creek Marina. Contact: www.reddingyachtclub.org

The Whiskeytown Sailing Club will be hosting its 50th annual Regatta over this coming Memorial Day weekend, May 24th and 25th. This event draws sailors from all over Northern California as well as the Bay Area, Oregon and Nevada. Fifty to seventy boats participate in up to ten different classes. Classes include dinghies, multihulls, large centerboard boats and keel boats. Three races are run on Saturday, and three on Sunday. Regatta headquarters are at Brandy Creek Marina, and good viewing can be had from there as well as the many areas overlooking the lake. Regatta information can be found on the Whiskeytown Sailing Club website, www.whiskeytownsailing.org. Whiskeytown Lake provides a beautiful sailing venue, and we are fortunate to have it so close to town. If you want to learn to sail or are an experienced sailboat racer, a there is something for everyone interested in sailing on Whiskeytown Lake.

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Nutrition

Gluten Free is not Pleasure Free

Active NorCal March/April 2014

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The newest fad in dieting today is gluten free foods. Most people I talk to don’t even know what gluten is. According to Wikipedia, Gluten (from Latin gluten, “glue”) is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye.” Until recently, eliminating gluten from the diet was recommended only for those who suffered from an auto-immune disorder called Celiac Disease. But in the past five years more experts agree that eating gluten (and wheat specifically) can cause a host of other problems. In 2002 after suffering from chronic digestive problems, my doctor recommended I try a gluten free diet even though I tested negative for Celiac Disease. This was a frightening idea for me since macaroni and cheese, lasagna and bread were my three favorite foods. I went gluten free for about three days, but the food available at the time was terrible. I abandoned the program, went back to eating all of my favorite foods and continued to have digestive problems. Ten years later another doctor recommended I try a gluten free diet. This time I lasted a week without any discernable difference in the way I felt, so I gave it up again. Last August I was having lunch with a friend I had not seen for a while. I told her I was feeling tired and fatigued with sore joints, headaches and brain fog. Is this what all aging women feel like, I asked. She challenged me to try a gluten free diet for at least 30 days. If I didn’t feel better by then, then I probably did not have gluten sensitivity. So I did. I was amazed by how many really good gluten free products are available now.

Stores like Orchard Nutrition and Holiday Market on Placer have a huge selection, and they all taste great. Trader Joe’s has a list of more than 300 gluten free foods in their market (Just stop by the customer service booth and they will be happy to give you the list. Be sure to try their todie-for chocolate chip cookies.). Some of our local restaurants are jumping on the gluten free bandwagon. Mary’s Pizza Shack offers gluten free pizza and Wilda’s Grill will make any sandwich on gluten free bread. View 202 offers gluten free bread, and word has it they are

soon coming out with a new menu that includes gluten free and vegan items. My 30-day experiment worked and I’m still going strong after five months. I have more energy than I have in 20 years. My brain is clear and focused, my joints are pain free and my positive attitude is back. I haven’t felt deprived of my favorite foods, either. For me, gluten free is not a fad. It is a new, healthier way of life. Here’s my gluten free lasagna recipe. Try it and I guarantee you will not know the difference. NORCAL

Gluten Free Lasagna Ingredients: ½ red onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, diced or pressed 3 Tbls olive oil ½ tsp black pepper 1 lb ground turkey

3 cups spaghetti sauce (home made is the best but store bought is fine) 2 cups nonfat cottage cheese 2 cups skim mozzarella cheese 4 oz. gluten free lasagna noodles

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil for three minutes until soft. Add ground turkey and black pepper. Brown the ground turkey until done and crumbly. Add the spaghetti sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the meat sauce simmer for 10 minutes. Prepare an 8 X 8-inch baking dish by using cooking spray on the sides and bottom. Place the baking dish on a small foilcovered cookie sheet to catch any drippings. When the sauce is ready, spoon enough to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Place the uncooked lasagna noodles side by side in the baking dish. Spoon more sauce over the noodles to cover lightly. Spoon all of the cottage cheese over the noodles and sauce, spreading them evenly. Add all of the mozzarella cheese as the next layer, and spread it out over the layer. Place the remainder of the lasagna noodles on top and spoon the rest of the spaghetti sauce to cover the top. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil and bake it at 350 degrees for 75 minutes. For best results, let the lasagna cool for an hour before serving. The recipe makes nine servings. Nutritional Information per serving: Calories – 254 Protein – 25g Fat – 7 g Carbohydrate – 13 g

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Fishing

Sacramento River Trout Fishing and the Drought Drier Than a James Bond Martini Chip O’Brien

Imagine a world in which all the air above 1,000 feet elevation suddenly disappeared. (Yes, I know people living above 1,000 ft. would be toast within minutes, but just roll with the metaphor.) Crowds from three different directions would descend on Redding like 17-year locusts jamming streets, grocery stores and the Mount Shasta Mall. Imagine Hilltop Drive or the Costco parking lot and what that might do for your stress level. To a Sacramento River trout, that could be what the drought is like. A lot of people are wondering how the trout fishing will hold up in the Sacramento River during this oh-so dry spring. For the short term, it could seem pretty normal. As long as there are trout in the river and they have to eat, there is the promise of good spring fishing. Normally the river fishes extremely well during March and April, but the unprecedented severity of this drought warrants a generous helping of TLC in the way we handle our cherished river and local wild trout resources. Dozens of California streams have already been closed to fishing. Presuming the Sacramento River remains open; anglers can do a lot to reduce the longer-term impacts of the drought on the fishery. Soon it will be hard to drive over the river without your windshield being pockmarked by those greenish, gelatinous globs (for heavens sake avoid using your windshield wipers). These are the egg sacks of caddisflies, which hatch in the springtime by the bazillion in the Sac driving trout into a frenzied feeding bliss. The drought we’re currently in may be the most severe on record, but it is by no means the only drought we’ve had. Low water means a more stable river, which will benefit the aquatic insect hatches. The drought we had in the early 1990s inspired some of the most dramatic caddis hatches I’ve ever seen. Picture the surface of the river almost blanketed with caddisflies like thick fur on the water, and Spending an evening fishing on the Lower Sacramento River can provide picturesque therapy for even the most stressed individual. While the drought changes the fishing landscape of the river, that doesn’t mean catching a hefty Rainbow Trout is out of the question. 46

Active NorCal March/April 2014

In one innocent, uninformed step, an angler stepping on a redd can literally be killing several hundred salmon. The eggs are not visible, but rest several inches beneath the surface of the gravel.

hundreds of trout gulping them by mouthful. In fact, at times there were so many bugs on the water that it actually made fishing more difficult. Think about it. The more bugs there are on the water, the lower the chances a trout will pick your fly out of the masses of natural insects. At times like this the last thing you want to do is “match the hatch” too perfectly. Try fishing a dry fly one size larger than the naturals so yours will stand out. I hesitate to say this because I normally love wading the river this time of year. Nevertheless, the damage done to salmon redds by wading anglers during low water conditions is hard to quantify. In one innocent, uninformed step, an angler stepping on a redd can literally be killing several hundred salmon. The eggs are not visible, but rest several inches beneath the surface of the gravel. Redds (spawning salmon nests) are sometimes a little tricky to identify. Normally they resemble two or three-foot wide dishshaped circles in the water. These are easy enough to identify, especially when the salmon are still there, or perhaps a few greedy, egg-loving trout are hovering nearby. The problem is, after the eggs are deposited and fertilized by one pair of salmon, other salmon may come in and dig new redds close by the old ones and making them less visible to wading anglers. I’m not sure I could ever support a ban on wading in the river while the salmon are spawning. That may be overkill. But I would call for more angler education. People who don’t know any better do most of the damage. It doesn’t help that the trout fishing around salmon redds can be quite spectacular. Why should trout anglers care about the salmon to begin with? Aren’t they off-limits to anglers and protected in this fishery? They are, but in an ecosystem, all things are connected. You cannot harm one thing in a river and not expect everything

else to be harmed as well. The river needs the nutrients from rotting salmon carcasses to sustain the aquatic insect population. If there are fewer salmon in the system, that means fewer bugs. Fewer bugs in the river means fewer trout. Get it? The safest and most productive way to access the river is from a driftboat. It is no coincidence that local fishing guides prefer these comfortable and maneuverable boats to all other methods of accessing the river. They are quiet, beautiful and efficient, plus no one need get out of the boat to access the good fishing around the redds. Fishing in the river hasn’t been left, well, high and dry quite yet, but what happens to flow levels this summer could really harm the fishery unless measures are taken. All of the fish, trout and salmon, are crowded into a smaller place. In the main stem of the river where the salmon spawn, competition for prime spawning real estate is fierce. The same is true in the tributaries to the tributaries where the trout spawn. With less water overall, spawning is not likely to be as successful. This impacts the number of fish in the river in years to come. As of this writing the river is running at just below 4,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), which is fairly normal for March and April during a normal year. The flows beneath Keswick Dam usually bump up into the 12,000-14,000 cfs range some time in May to accommodate agricultural interests downstream. At least so far this year, that additional water normally resting behind Shasta Dam does not exist. Though it’s foolish to predict the weather or what might happen to summer flow levels, we seem to be teetering on the verge of more extreme water conservation measures. Whatever those may end up being, I say that whatever is best for protecting the Sacramento River fishery is also best for Redding. NORCAL

March/April 2014 Active NorCal

concussion report

When In Doubt, Hold Them Out Concussion Overview By Dave Paris

Active NorCal March/April 2014

injury is suffered, they have a good chance of minimizing problems later on. What signs and symptoms signal a potential concussion? Watch for jolts to the head or body, or anything that results in rapid movement of the head. Whiplash accidents with no direct head trauma have been well documented to result in concussions. The major symptoms of a concussion range from changes in behavior, thinking, and/or physical functioning to simple confusion or being “dazed.” Not all symptoms are immediately discernable, and may include memory loss for hours after the initial head trauma. It’s important to monitor the signs and symptoms of a concussion and recognize when symptoms worsen, which may indicate a medical emergency. Coaches and parents should watch for confusion, forgetfulness, clumsy movement, loss of consciousness, an inability to recall events before or after the hit or fall, in addition to changes in mood, behavior or personality. Supervising adults and parents usually know the normal behavior and abilities of their children, so even minor changes can be noted. Complaints from victims of concussions may range from “ I’m just not feeling right,” to feeling sluggish or foggy, experiencing confusion, or having a sensitivity to noise and light. Any single sign, or combination of signs is evidence of a concussion. Repeated concussions, or concussions that are not given an appropriate time to heal can slow recovery and increase the chances of long-term problems. In extremely rare cases, Second Impact Syndrome (SIS) may occur when someone suffers a second concussion before the first one heals (can be minutes, days or weeks). SIS results in rapid swelling of the brain and can often cause death. Survivors of the syndrome may suffer from severe disabilities. Remember, it’s about safety for our athletes and children, so become aware of the signs and make sure those around you are aware. There’s a lot to know about concussions, but first and foremost is always, “When in doubt, hold them out.” NORCAL

istockphoto.com

It seems like almost every night of the recent Winter Olympics, or any professional sport for that matter, there is an injury where someone receives a thump, bump or blow to the head. Social media and news sites are filled with videos of such injuries, and it seems that no sport is immune from the risk of concussions. While parents and coaches are vigilant about concussions in contact sports commonly associated with head injuries like football and ice hockey, a potential for concussions exists in all sports. There are many characteristics to concussions, and much confusion on the topic. So, let’s go over some of the facts. What is a concussion? A concussion in simple terms is a brain injury. The medical definition from the 2012 International Symposium on Sport (aka Zurich Conference) is, “A complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic mechanical forces…” It’s a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a collision, blow, or jar to the head. What many do not know is that concussions can occur with no loss of consciousness, and in any sport. All concussions are serious. When they do happen, recognition and immediate care can prevent further injury, or even death. There is no standard, one-size-fits-all, returnto-play time frame for one who has sustained a concussion. A plan for returning to play should always be individualized, and has a fairly standard protocol based on an individual’s symptoms. There is no crystal ball for deciding the length of time one should stay on the sidelines after a concussion. No athlete who sustains a suspected concussion should continue playing the same day. California recently passed a piece of legislation, AB 25, requiring youth athletes with symptoms of a concussion to be removed from play the day they sustain the injury, and to receive clearance from a healthcare provider before returning. This is the law, and if parents and coaches can learn what to do immediately after the

What signs or symptoms of a concussion might warrant a 911 call, or a trip to the emergency room? After receiving a head injury, if your athlete/child experiences any of the following danger signs you should seek professional help: n Convulsions or seizures n Loss in consciousness (any loss of conscious ness should be taken seriously no matter how brief) n A headache that worsens n One pupil larger than the other n Slurred speech n Unusual behavior, (laughing or crying on sideline post-injury) or increased agitation, confusion or restlessness n Weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination n Repeated vomiting or nausea n Drowsiness or an inability to wake up n An inability to recognize people or places This is about safety for our athletes and children, so when in doubt call 911.

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