Active NorCal July/August 2015

Northern California’s Sport, Fitness and Outdoor Magazine

™

July/August 2015 - Issue 10

Issue xtreme

7 NorCal Summer Swimming Spots Kaesen Suyderhoud Pro Wakeboarder Whiskeytown’s 50th Anniversary

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digital

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Follow Us On Instagram Have you heard? Active NorCal recently got an Instagram page (@activenorcal). Supplement your steady supply of Active NorCal Facebook posts

Summer Camps

with some incredible

Looking to keep your kids busy and hav-

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ing fun this summer? On our Events page

tivities. You won’t be

and under the “Summer Camps” tag, you’ll on throughout the summer that your kids will love. From climbing camp to farm camp, you’ll find a variety of options that will please even the pickiest of kids.

disappointed.

Courtesy Robert Tung

find plenty of active summer camps going

Epic Cliff Jumping Video

t

Often, while researching for print and digital articles we run across content that just can’t be ignored. Recently, we were compiling a list of the best NorCal swimming holes, and found an awesome cliff jumping video that displays daredevils Justin Jenny

doing dives and backflips into local waterways. Check out this amazing footage,

t

visit the sights you see and look out for more incredible videos as we continue to scour the net for the best NorCal has to offer.

July/August Digi Edition

Active Update

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contents

July/August 2015 Features Departments 18 7 Summer Swim Spots

Get out of the blistering sun and into one of these great NorCal swim spots.

From lakes to waterfalls, there is no shortage of places to escape the heat and have some fun.

4

6 Sports

pg. 18

24 The Life of a Professional Wakeboarder

Born in to watersports’ royalty, Kaesen Suyderhoud had all the advantages to become a great wakeboarder, but it was his hard work and raw talent that landed him at the top of his sport.

30 Issue Xtreme

Publisher’s Note

10

In Memory

12 Fitness

pg. 41

pg. 32

36 Local

Many people enjoy the terrain of NorCal for peaceful hikes. For others, the hills, waters and skies of the area provide the perfect landscape for death-defying stunts and adrenaline-fueled action. In this issue, we trade in our loafers and classical music for an action-packed thrill ride.

41

Play Ball

44

On The Water

48 Humor

Cover photography by Rob Pooley

activenorcal.net

July/August 2015 Active NorCal

3

Publisher’s Note

Time Flies When You’re Having Fun Ten issues… What a ride it’s been. We’ve printed over 130 articles on all things sport, outdoor and recreation in NorCal in the past 18 months, not to mention the hundreds more that we’ve put on our website. We’ve made lots of new friends and continue to serve as the one-stop place for all things active in NorCal. I have had a large influence on every issue. I’ve created all of the themes for every issue, worked with my editorial team to detail out every article. I’ve been involved in the entire design process and am the final say when choosing the cover photography. And yet the most striking thing to me is that I am beginning to forget everything we’ve done.

People will ask me about a specific article or issue, and sometimes I have to take a step back to remember. That’s when you know you’ve created a lot of content. Ten issues is a lot of work, especially with a relatively small team like the one we have with Active NorCal. Looking back on the past issues, I have a few that stand out to me personally as my favorites.

January/February 2014 – Our inaugural issue was the biggest learning experience of my life. We only had six advertisers so we had to come up with 46 pages of content. It was a lot of fun and when I received the finished product, I quickly realized what we did right and what we did wrong. That was a very exciting issue and the snowball flew down the mountain from there.

May/June 2014 – I think this still goes down as our best cover photo (Tough Mudder) and the issue is jam-packed with great content including a great Q & A with then Mayor Rick Bosetti and a large section dedicated to biking in our area.

November/December 2014 – The Taylor Andrews issue was the most rewarding experience I’ve ever been through. To give our community, and the Andrews family, a palpable place to remember Taylor’s life was worth more to me than I can ever explain. Rest in peace, Taylor.

May/June 2015 – Megan Rapinoe was on our cover claiming this summer was her “Quest for Gold” as the US Women’s National Team looked to get a World Cup championship. As it turned out, her quest was a victorious one. I think with the end result, the issue was that much more worthwhile and satisfying.

It’s been a fun journey so far. Since this magazine idea popped in to my head in 2013, it’s been a roller coaster ride of hard work, new friendships and learning experiences. The best part about this magazine is the amazing team we have in place. I get to come to work every day and do business with my family and friends. We have a lot of fun.

I want to encourage people to continue to let us know what you want out of this magazine. What sort of articles do you like? Do you have story ideas? Is there something that you think we’re missing? You can send any suggestions directly to me at zobrien@activenorcal.net.

Here’s to ten more awesome issues of Active NorCal. Stay Active!

Zach

4

Active NorCal July/August 2015

activenorcal.net

Publisher Zach O’Brien

Editor

Chip O’Brien

Content Manager Ross Lawrence

Business Development Brien O’Brien

Sales Manager Kevin Reinhart (530) 355-3018

Art Director Adrienne Rosone

Intern

Frances Griffey 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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sports

Swinging for the Fences The Big League Dreams Softball Experience

By Ross Lawrence

Through the darkness, white lights illuminate a glowing green baseball field. You’re standing at home plate slowly swaying your bat back and forth above your shoulder. Tunnel vision sets in on the pitcher as you try to anticipate the next pitch. The venue: Boston’s famous stadium, Fenway Park. The situation: there are two outs, your team trails by a run in the final inning and you’re facing a full count with a runner on second.

The pitcher winds up and releases a tantalizing ball down the middle of the plate. You key in on the pitch and take a wack. Bat connects squarely with ball, and before you can process what’s happened, the ball flies over Fenway’s historic Green Monster in left field. It’s a two-run homer to win the day. Smiling teammates greet you with high fives as you cross the plate. You snap back into reality. There you are at the Fenway Park replica at Big League Dreams (BLD) Redding. Victory tastes just as sweet.

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Active NorCal July/August 2015

Imaginative baseball fans daydream about playing in classic stadiums and winning big games. Playing softball on the three replica stadiums at BLD Redding (Old Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field) gives adults a taste of what many of them dreamed of as children. However, the BLD adult slow-pitch softball experience goes far beyond reliving childhood fantasies. At the ultimate adult playground that is Big League Dreams, you’ll play “big games” on beautiful turf fields, leave satisfied no matter your skill level and meet new friends.

“I don’t think there’s another place in town where you can meet as many people with your same interests as BLD,” expressed Jeff Stanley, Sports Coordinator for BLD Redding. “We have people that move to Redding from all over, and this is one of the first places that they go to. It’s a great way to meet people, and integrate into the community. It’s so easy to get people out here because we have these great turf

activenorcal.net

fields, it’s not that expensive and there’s so many options in terms of what kind of league you can choose.”

Beginner, expert or somewhere in between, BLD can accommodate almost anyone. Newcomers can join rookie leagues. If you don’t know anyone else playing, you can join one of several free agent teams. These squads allow unknown players to showcase their skills against coaches who may draft them in the future. Organizers also assemble several coed leagues. A number of local businesses field teams that play on Fridays. For wily veterans, BLD hosts several elite leagues.

In fact, NorCal boasts a number of nationally competitive softball players who all ply their trade at BLD. To get the most out of their softball experience, many people play in multiple leagues at the same time. In fact, a number of players can be seen on the diamond five nights a week. Instead of jogging on the treadmill or buying a gym membership, some BLD veterans use the softball field as their workout domain. A lot of those who play multiple nights a week

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Active NorCal July/August 2015

appreciate that they can switch between high intensity match ups and more laidback affairs.

“It’s nice seeing an elite player take part in a really competitive game, and then you’ll find him later playing with his wife or girlfriend in a less intense game,” said Todd McBain, Sports Coordinator for BLD Redding. “There is a group of regulars that come out here four to five times a week. Some people come here to stay out of trouble. It’s a good controlled environment, and I’m proud to say there’s not much conflict. There’s always playful jawing, but ultimately everyone is just having a good time.”

A family-friendly atmosphere contributes to BLD’s wide appeal. Parents can wind down on the softball field while their kids have a blast running around.

The facility is gated all the way around, and kids can spend their time enjoying the playground, making sandcastles at the sand volleyball courts, hitting some balls in the batting cage all the while meeting other children their age. As a frequenter of BLD myself, I’d have to say that it’s one

activenorcal.net

big family. Everyone knows everyone, and you’ll rarely spot a frown.

“The cool thing about softball at BLD is that I’ve met a whole new group of friends through playing there,” stated avid BLD softball player and owner of CTE Landscaping, Chris Smyth. “I started playing softball seven years ago when some friends brought me out there. I’d played soccer in the past, but I thought, ‘alright, I’ll try softball.’ I quickly realized I was pretty good. Without BLD, I would have never gone to Medford or Manteca or Chico or Reno or Vegas to play in softball tournaments.”

With the resources to facilitate softball, baseball, roller hockey, flag football, basketball, beach volleyball, bocce ball, soccer and other sports, BLD serves as a Mecca for sports inclined individuals in the North State. With its focus on softball though, the facility has fostered a thriving culture. A testament to that, BLD teams have placed highly in several elite-level national tournaments over the years.

“From playing all the time and knowing all the players, I could probably hand pick a team that could place in the top

five of every tournament we enter,” contested Smyth. “I think the skill level here is very high. There are some phenomenal players out here in each position.”

From the outside, you may not recognize the complexity and size of slow-pitch softball’s following. If you think of softball players simply as mediocre athletes who like playing sports while drinking beer, you aren’t the first. Just like any sport though, even at a low level, softball is a game that requires dedication, skill, intelligence and practice. Great softball pitchers learn to throw curve balls and knuckle balls. Exceptional batters sometimes hit several homeruns in a single inning. Slowpitch softball has evolved so much as a sport that professional games are occasionally broadcast on ESPN. “Softball really becomes an art for people that are dedicated,” stated McBain.

“We have guys coming here from Team USA to play in tournaments. It’s crazy seeing people play ball on TV, and then watching them play out here.”

Though you may never have the opportunity to play ball professionally or

win a World Series, BLD softball seems like the next best thing. Relax and wind down in one of the lower intensity leagues, or appease your competitive nature playing

in an elite one. Either way, launching a game winning homerun on one of the replica fields tastes nearly as sweet as the real thing.

NORCAL

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July/August 2015 Active NorCal

9

Taylor Joshua Andrews

February 3rd, 1998 to May 20th, 2015

W

ednesday, May 20th, 2015 saw NorCal and the world lose one of its brightest stars. Taylor Andrews bravely battled a devastating disease at a young age. Despite the grim diagnosis, Andrews remained resilient. Taylor approached his recovery with courage, optimism and his contagious, ever-present smile.

Though barely in high school, Andrews fought his condition with the maturity of someone much older. His overwhelming positivity in the face of such adversity will serve as an inspiration to all that knew him.

We met Taylor last winter while trying to tell the Team Taylor story.

What struck us about him most was his smile and openness. As long as he was in the room, you always felt you had a friend. His light shone bright, and he never wavered in being the kind, caring kid everyone knew him as.

We’re truly blessed to have known Taylor. His memory will persist forever in the hearts and minds of all those who had the pleasure of meeting him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Andrews family during this difficult period.

Rest in peace Taylor.

To donate to the Taylor Andrews Memorial Fund, go to activenorcal.net/taylorandrews/

10

Active NorCal July/August 2015

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fitness

Taking The First Step Completing The Active NorCal Transformation Challenge

By Ross Lawrence

No matter your previous struggles, you CAN change your health for the better— that was the idea behind the Active NorCal Transformation Challenge. In search of a way to inspire community members to live healthier, happier lives, we collaborated with Crossfit Redding to design a diet and exercise program that would transform the life of one lucky contest winner.

We challenged North State residents of all backgrounds facing health and weight issues to send in videos detailing their difficulties getting and staying fit. Applicants were also asked to explain why they deserved a chance to win a free six-week workout and diet program. We were in search of an eager person with an interesting story ready to make some pretty big life changes. While we identified several worthy candidates, Carrie Jo Diamond’s well-made video entry, back-story and enthusiasm ultimately won out.

A veteran and Reaching Academic Success Coach at Anderson Teen Center, Diamond has faced a number of difficult tests reaching and maintaining a healthy weight after returning from active duty.

Coming home following her service, Diamond had trouble remaining as physically fit as she had been during her time in the military. It wasn’t just that she was a eating a bunch of donuts, or exercising too little. Carrie’s health problems arose due to a number of complex factors. Namely, mood problems stemming from PTSD and low self-esteem and a series of devastating knee injuries sustained while playing football with women’s team, Redding Rage.

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Active NorCal July/August 2015

Always one to take the initiative, Diamond opted to address her health issues head on, and started the Jenny Craig diet. After losing 75-pounds on two different occasions and quickly gaining the weight back, she found herself questioning what she needed to do to stay in shape. Her experience with flash diets left her extremely discouraged. The search continued for a solution.

“I got to a point so many times where I wanted to be healthy, and I would try to do it, but I was just doing the wrong thing,” recalled Diamond. “I would lose the weight, but I kept fluctuating, and I was just starving all the time on that type of diet. The diet food never tasted like real food. It was a food substitute, and you can’t stick with that.”

When we posted a video on Facebook encouraging people to apply for the Transformation Challenge, it seemed like a perfect fit for Carrie. As evidenced by her admirable attempts to lose weight on previous oc-

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casions, Diamond does not shy away from a challenge.

With professional help, Diamond knew that this time nothing would stand in the way of her altering her life for the better.

“I think that the Transformation Challenge just came about at the right time,” stated Diamond. “I had been wanting to change my health for quite some time, and I think that I was ready to do it. From the standpoint of my diet, I felt I was okay to commit to eating and exercising in a different way. I wanted to make healthy living a regular part of my week.”

As a role model and leader at the Anderson Teen Center, Diamond also desired to use the Transformation Challenge to inspire her students. Her size rendered her unable to play football and basketball with the teens that she worked with. This was incredibly frustrating for a woman who had at one time been in good shape.

Diamond longed to get to a weight that would allow her to play sports with her mentees, but also, she hoped to prove that anyone has the ability to remedy their health with a little initiative, motivation and hard work.

Armed with plenty of reasons to change her lifestyle as well as a healthy supply of optimism, Carrie immediately took to crossfit and her new diet. On the first day of the program, she worked one-on-one with Crossfit Redding Owner Bryan Schenone who showed her the ropes. Though her introduction left her incredibly sore, you could see Diamond’s amazing work ethic as she pushed herself to the limit. The friendly atmosphere at Crossfit Redding and the varied, effective Workouts of the Day (WODs) kept her motivated to attend classes on a regular basis.

Carrie Jo Diamond smiles with Owner of Crossfit Redding, Bryan Schenone, and Active NorCal Publisher, Zach O’Brien, after her first workout on day one of the Transformation Challenge.

“I’m a very shy person actually so making friends at the gym is difficult,” expressed Diamond. “There’s such a great environment at Crossfit Redding though. One day I had a random person come over to me when we were doing squats just to make sure that I was in the right position. Even if you’re the last person to finish the WOD, everyone is still cheering you on. I think they try to inspire and motivate you to do things that you didn’t think were possible. It’s not a standard gym. There’s something special about Crossfit Redding and its community.”

Unlike other workout programs that Carrie has taken on, crossfit allowed her to see her progress every single time she completed a WOD. Crossfit focuses on short, demanding workouts, and often beginners have a tough time completing an entire WOD. However, considering the strenuous nature of the workouts, crossfitters can get a great deal of satisfaction from just giving their best.

“It’s sometimes sort of emotional after the WODs because I get so excited that I did something I didn’t think I could do,” said Diamond. “I tried to stop myself one day, but it came out of my mouth that I didn’t think I could do the partner workout. Instead of being admonished for saying something negative, I just got a lot of encouragement. Between my partner and my trainer, I had enough motivation to make it through the entire thing even through parts that I thought would be impossible for me.”

Changes to Diamond’s diet came a couple weeks into the process as Schenone suggested she get into the habit of exercising before making other major changes. Getting Carrie to eliminate unhealthy foods was a gradual

activenorcal.net

July/August 2015 Active NorCal

15

process because Schenone did not want her to be overwhelmed by immediately making big changes.

Sticking to the largely Paleo diet recommended by Crossfit Redding has been more effective for Carrie than flash diets

sugar, salt and processed foods—all things with low nutrient content that contribute to obesity.

The idea behind Paleo regimens is that practitioners can eat good-sized portions of fresh and healthy foods as long as they

“I would say that all of those things like feeling out of place or self-conscious or not wanting to try something new— you just have get over them.” she had tried before. Such diets are based on the food choices of our ancient ancestors, and allow people to eat grass-produced meats, seafood, fruits and veggies, eggs, nuts and seeds as well as healthful oils. So, in terms of food choices, you still have a lot of options. On the other hand, Paleo diets discourage practitioners from consuming cereal grains, dairy, refined

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Active NorCal July/August 2015

avoid a lot of processed foods, and get regular exercise. Diamond has had a lot more success with her new diet than she did with Jenny Craig. The reason being that she can still eat foods she enjoys like meat, fruit and vegetables. Also, Diamond no longer has to settle for miniscule servings.

“There’s something satisfying about eating real food,” expressed Diamond.

activenorcal.net

“My diet is not 100% Paleo because I’m using some condiments that aren’t, but I’ve been sticking pretty close to it. I actually tried to deviate a little bit recently when they gave us this processed cheese tortilla sort of thing at work. I’ve gotten so used to my new diet that my stomach hurt afterwards. I’m not used to eating that crap anymore.”

For people that are overweight, being self-conscious can be a huge obstacle to attending a gym on a regular basis. At Crossfit Redding as well as other crossfit gyms though, you’ll discover a range of body shapes, sizes and weights. No one is shunned, shamed or turned away because of their body. As long as you’re getting out there and trying, you’re going to get 100% support. Carrie discovered this while taking on the Transformation Challenge.

“I would say that all of those things like feeling out of place or self-conscious or not wanting to try something new— you just have get over them,” said Diamond. “All the negative things I had in my head before taking on the chal-

lenge just turned out not to be true. You have to get over yourself. It’s all in your head. That’s what I would tell people with health problems who are apprehensive about turning their health around.”

Six weeks down, and Diamond has already come a long way in terms of becoming a healthier, happier person. She’s lost 17 pounds thus far, her energy levels have skyrocketed, she’s much more productive and loves her diet. Carrie has no intention of slowing down however. She already has made plans for bigger and better things.

“After this challenge, I’ve already started making new goals for myself,” noted Diamond. “I signed up for a six-day backpacking trip in Glacier National Park in Montana, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. On the Fourth of July, I’m doing a 5-mile race up at Mt. Shasta.

The weight continues to just melt off, which is incredible to me. I’m so happy and I’m not hungry.”

Carrie Jo Diamond serves as an inspiration to those struggling with health and weight issues. She wouldn’t let negativity

and failure get the best of her. She’s living proof that YOU CAN change your life for the better with a little motivation and commitment. All you have to do is take the first step…

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Active NorCal July/August 2015

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Beat the NorCal Heat

7

Summer Swimming Holes

By Ross Lawrence

Summer is upon us and as I write this in my air-conditioned office it is a smoldering 110 degrees outside. I am considering cooking a BBQ meal on the sidewalk. As any NorCal local will tell you, getting used to the summer heat is a rite of passage for any true North Stater (NorCalian?).

Finding ways to cope with the heat is just a part of life. So, without further ado, say hello to some refreshing bodies of water…

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Hot? Head to our very own summer oasis – Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. While NorCal boasts a great diversity of natural swimming holes, nothing quite matches Whiskeytown Lake’s accessibility and variety. Drive around the park or explore the lake in a kayak or paddleboard. You’ll find dozens of amazing places to jump in. If you’re lucky, you’ll discover some huge rope swings and cliff jumps. Don’t miss Oak Bottom Beach, East Beach, Brandy Creek Beach, and all the waterfall hikes. Beware; it may take many visits to see it all…

Brandy Creek: Probably the most frequented swimming area at the park (and in NorCal), the small lagoon at Brandy Creek Beach remains packed throughout the summer. The long stretch of white sandy beach can accommodate a massive number of guests. SUP and kayak rentals are often available in the adjacent parking lot. Nearby, take a hike to Brandy Creek Falls. The Brandy Creek trail leading to the falls follows the creek the entire way, and therefore, stays relatively cool year round.

Heart Lake Views, views and more views – behold them at Heart Lake.

The small (a tenth of the size of Castle Lake) watering hole provides possibly the best sightings of Mt. Shasta in Northern California. Located in the Trinity Divide, the 3-mile Heart Lake Trail heading to Heart Lake offers unbelievable views of Castle Crags, Porcupine Peak, Castle Lake and Mt. Shasta.

Though sometimes rocky and difficult, the jaunt to Heart Lake is well worth it.

In the winter, the trail is groomed making it a perfect place to snowshoe, but Heart Lake actually warms up in the spring much faster than nearby waterways. As a result, this crystal clear lake makes for an amazing spring and summer swim spot. While Heart Lake is not necessarily the most patronized swimming hole in the North State, it’s an absolute must-see for residents. You’ve never seen Mt. Shasta like this before!

Potem Falls Located near Montgomery Creek, CA off of Hwy 299, Potem Falls has, for good reason, become a popular weekend swim spot in recent years. The easy quarter-mile hike to the Potem Falls watering hole makes it an attractive option for families. If you desire some peace and quiet, take a mid-week trip to the falls when it’s often deserted. Potem Falls also makes for a romantic date spot.

Approaching the narrow, but scenic Potem waterfall, you’ll encounter a large pool perfect for swimming and lounging around. In Latin, “potem” means “to drink”, and after seeing the translucent water of Potem Creek, you might be compelled to do so. However, we don’t recommend it.

When plunging into the Potem pool, be prepared for the frigid temperature of the water. You can certainly get used to the cold especially on a scolding hot day, but it can be overwhelming at first. Once you’ve swum around a bit, add some excitement to your visit by climbing on the surrounding rocks, and jumping in.

Be absolutely sure you’ve got a safe landing.

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Bidwell Park

What Chico lacks in terms of manageable summer temperatures, it makes up for with all the swimming hole options at centrally located Bidwell Park. Taking a summer trip to Chico and not jumping in somewhere at Bidwell Park would be like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower. We’ve outlined some of our favorite Bidwell swimming spots.

1-Mile (Sycamore Pool) Located in more accessible Lower Park, 1-Mile swimming area is a concrete-reinforced, man-made pool “cut” into the river.

Sycamore Pool rests right near downtown Chico, and provides a great atmosphere for families. Imagine a local neighborhood pool except this one is located on a river. Surrounding grass, tables and concrete walkways contribute to a fantastic picnicking environment. Just pull up to adjacent parking areas, and in minutes you’ll be beating the heat.

Bear Hole Bear Hole is all about convenience. Park and you’re practically in the water. The only drawback to the natural pool is that it tends to get incredibly crowded especially on weekends and holidays.

Swimming there requires a very short, slightly steep hike. Once you’re near the water, you’ll see many large rocks that make for prime cannon-ball platforms. There’s a slightly stronger current at Bear Hole than at 1-Mile, but deeper sections are calmer and slow moving. Close by porta-potties and other amenities make spending a family day at Bear Hole a fun and easy feat.

Salmon Hole Found in Upper Park, shaded Salmon Hole is a cult favorite among many Chico locals. Getting to the swimming spot necessitates a somewhat difficult, steep climb with no cement stairs

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Chico’s centerpiece Bidwell Park boasts numerous swimming holes divided into the lower, middle and upper sections of the recreation area. Cool off at Alligator Hole, Bear Hole (pictured: bottom right), Diversion Dam, Salmon Hole, 1-Mile (pictured: top right) and Brown’s Hole among others. (Potem Falls pictured on the left).

or railings. Young children and those with injury problems may have trouble safely completing the hike to Salmon Hole. Due to an older group of visitors, you’re likely to see college students hanging out on the pebble beach at Salmon Hole drinking beer.

The views from the Bidwell swimming locale, Salmon Hole’s relative dearth of visitors (during weekdays at least) and its huge swimming area have contributed to its cult status.

McCloud Falls (Fowler Falls) Five stars, two thumbs up, a ten out of ten – these are all appropriate reviews of NorCal’s quintessential daytrip spot, McCloud Falls. Located in McCloud, CA, and just a short car trip from Mt. Shasta City, McCloud Falls appeal to everyone. The area has hikes, rock climbing spots, good fishing, RV and tent camping, cliff jumps, epic vistas, unique wildlife, a prominent place in NorCal’s natural and social history and three waterfalls. McCloud Falls are definitely worth a visit or two…

Lower Falls The easiest of the three falls to get to, Lower Falls flanks a large parking lot. As you get out of your car and walk towards the waterfall, you reach a viewing area looking over smooth grey volcanic rocks, the 10-12-foot-tall fall and a large swimming hole below. You’re likely to spot plenty of kids jumping off the rocks into the pool and plenty of spectators. Families enjoy Lower Falls because it’s close to the camping areas and provides a lot of places to sit down and relax. If you don’t like big crowds, stay away from Lower Falls mid-day on the weekend.

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Not only do NorCal’s best natural swimming spots make the dreadful summer heat more manageable, but they also offer fantastic views and chances to hike and explore new places. (Pictured top left: Heart Lake, pictured middle left: Burney Falls, pictured bottom left: Lower McCloud Falls).

Middle Falls If you’re up for a flat, moderate hike, park in the Lower Falls parking lot, head down the stairs and make your way towards beautiful Middle Falls. Once you’re there, you’ll find yourself in a massive natural playground overlooked by a wide, 50-foottall waterfall. The interplay of moss, rock, streaming water and tree cover make for a picturesque setting. You can make a day jumping from rocks that protrude out of the water, or swimming in the deep, large pool. Though not for the feint of heart, you can also climb up the cliffs framing Middle Falls and dive in.

Middle Falls usually clears out later in the day, and when it’s less crowded it can prove a serene venue.

Upper Falls Take the 15-minute hike from Lower Falls, or park in the adjacent Upper Falls lot to check out the largest of the three McCloud Falls. Unlike Middle and Lower Falls, Upper Falls does not have a trail that leads right up to it. Most people just take in views of the waterfall from the vista points overlooking the feature. If you’re looking to get up close and personal though, you can search around for access points to the large, crystal clear pool below Upper Falls.

Lake Britton For all it has to offer, Lake Britton seems a bit overlooked in terms of North State swimming spots. Located partly in the McArthur-Burney Memorial State Park, Lake Britton is right near the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” Burney Falls. Swimming in the fresh blue water of Lake Britton, and exploring its many coves after an adventure to Burney Falls is a great way to spend the day. For even more fun, take the short trip to nearby hidden gem Clark Creek Falls. Better yet, check out the towering railway bridge over the lake featured in classic film, Stand By Me. There are camping spots a plenty on Lake Britton meaning you’ll find plenty of families vacationing there during the summer months. In terms of lake activities, Lake Britton rates highly among local paddlers and fishermen. The reservoir and surrounding areas also present opportunities for boating, biking, hiking and wakeboarding. Keep an eye out for some unique wildlife including Black Bears, Bald Eagles and black-tailed deer.

Hatchet Creek Falls (Lion Slide Falls) Everybody loves Hatchet Falls. Another Montgomery Creek swimming hole, Hatchet Creek cascades down creating Lion Slide Falls and a large pool beneath. An overturned tree with stairs carved into it rests against the falls. The tree allows visitors to climb up to the top of the waterfall and jump off. It also adds to the aesthetic. Much like Middle McCloud Falls, tall rock faces frame the water feature, which make for some death-defying cliff jumps (I recommend searching “Hatchet Creek Falls” on Youtube). At Hatchet Creek, kids can swim around in a shallower area formed by a dam. The waterfall and creek are easily accessible after a short trail walk.

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Art in

Death-Defying Motion

Kaesen Suyderhoud’s Life as a Professional Wakeboarder

By Zach O’Brien

i

Photography by Benji Canevari

Y

ou’ll hear many athletes describe their sport as an art form. Sports can serve as a canvas for athletically talented individuals to take what they’ve practiced and showcase it to an opponent or audience. This is never truer than in the world of freestyle wakeboarding, where the rider is outfitted with only a board and an obstacle, and it is their job to perform or create a trick using technicality and grace at high speeds.

Kaesen Suyderhoud is that guy with so much natural ability that you are either jealous of him or in awe (or probably both).

He is a professional wakeboarder, travelling the world to ride his wakeboard for large crowds and wakeboard nuts. While the sport of freestyle wakeboarding has been around for a long time, Kaesen mostly rides in what are known as cable parks, a boat-less body of water with a variety of jumps, rails and boxes for riders to twist and turn their bodies around in a quick, technical and simultaneously graceful display of acrobatics.

He is a rare mixture of hard-work, talent, guts and a great imagination for creating wakeboard art on the water.

The Beginning Growing up, Kaesen’s father, the legendary water skier Mike Suyderhoud, ran a water ski school on Shasta Lake and had

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Kaesen and his brother riding double water ski’s in diapers before they were two-years-old. Water sports were Mike’s passion and career throughout his entire life, so it was only natural to pass it on to his kids. Mike dug a small lake in Anderson when Kaesen was young and that’s where his thirst for water sports came to life.

“I used to kneeboard all the time,” said Kaesen. “Then I started standing up on the kneeboard and my dad said ‘you should try this new thing called wakeboarding.’”

Kaesen’s early-age involvement was beginning to show as he began to enter novice wakeboarding tournaments on Shasta Lake, but it wasn’t until he was a freshman in high school that a trip to Florida really launched him into his future career.

“I stayed with my dad’s water ski buddy who lived on a private ski lake,” said Kaesen. “I landed my first roll behind a boat and I was hooked. That trip really kicked it up a notch. I knew from then on I wanted to be a wakeboarder.”

He started to make a name for himself later in high school, when he would travel around the country during the summer for junior pro men’s contests, winning many of them.

During this period of Kaesen’s life, wakeboarding was evolving from a sport done entirely behind a boat, to the creation of

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July/August 2015 Active NorCal

25

Velocity Island Wakeboarding has evolved over the years from the exclusive ride-behind-anexpensive-boat sport to the now easily accessible cable

circle until they fall or get tired. It’s a merry-go-round of adrenaline and wakeboard magic.

park. A cable park is typically

“Cable parks have definitely

a shallow man-made pond

changed the wakeboard

with electrically run cables

industry,” explained Velocity

pulling wakeboarders around

Island resident professional

in a circle.

Kaesen Suyderhoud. “Boats are pretty expensive and can

jumping behind a boat can

board sessions; it has more to

be hard to come by.”

take its toll.

do than just wakeboard. And

land and features over ten

A cable park can give a wake-

Velocity Island is growing to

for people that just want to

features (rails and jumps) for

boarder more options for

become a one-stop-shop for

wakeboard, it’s heaven.

six wakeboarders to experi-

riding rails and jumps while

all things watersports, with

For more information on Ve-

ence simultaneously. Riders

being easier on the body.

the new addition of volley-

locity Island, go to velocityis-

go around in a clockwise

Landing on flat water after

ball courts and morning SUP

landpark.com.

Velocity Island is located right off of Interstate 5 in Wood-

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Active NorCal July/August 2015

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wakeboard parks, known as cable parks.

These parks were mostly for the trickhappy riders who were looking to take the street-style riding that you see in skateboarding and snowboarding and bring it to the water.

“On that trip I took to Florida, I rode a cable park for the first time,” said Suyderhoud. “I was hitting jumps and doing rails. It got me psyched. So after that trip, we started to build more rails here.

We started doing more adventurous stuff and stopped just riding behind a boat the whole time.”

The Legend You can’t talk about Kaesen’s ascent to wakeboard greatness without mentioning his father, Mike, who is a water-ski superstar. Mike’s long list of accomplishments includes five overall world waterski championship titles, a five-time world jump record holder, a three-time world slalom record holder and sixteen national water ski championship titles.

“My dad was a pretty big deal,” explained Kaesen. “I always respected that.”

Mike is a member of the American Water Ski Hall-Of-Fame, a member of the International Water Ski Hall-Of-Fame, was named by Water Ski magazine as one of the ten greatest male skiers of all-time and he even appeared in a Wheaties commercial. Not a bad resume.

After his career competing and coaching around the world, Mike settled in Redding to operate his ski school and raise a family. He continues to ski frequently at a pond he built in Redding and even dons a plaque in Big League Dreams as part of the Shasta County Hall of Fame.

“He helped me want to get in to wakeboarding more because it was like falling into the family business,” said Kaesen.

“Except it was more of a new age route.”

The Ascent Kaesen signed with the large wakeboarding company CWB five years ago, a move that would prove to be the beginning of his professional ride. Immediately after signing his professional contract, he went to the Philippines to compete in a world championship rail jam, a contest he won.

“That contest was a big deal for me because I had just signed with CWB and I won,” said Kaesen. “After that, they asked

me if I wanted to design a board with them. All of a sudden, I have a pro-model board.”

That’s when he began to travel the world as a professional wakeboarder, winning more contests in Europe that summer and filming a video part in a professional wakeboarding video the following year. His combination of technicality and style were turning heads around the wakeboard world.

“I kind of have my own style. I like everything to flow,” explained Kaesen.

“If I do something really technical with a bunch of spins, I want it to look good. I try to make things look effortless.”

Eventually down the line, Kaesen stopped focusing on contests and started concentrating on making wakeboard films. The move paid off, as he was featured in the movie Incognito, where his part got a lot of recognition and it was nominated for Web Video of the Year.

Known for his cable park and street riding abilities, Kaesen is working on an upcoming film with all of the biggest names in wakeboarding in California. While most of the other sections are focused on riders behind boats, Kaesen’s part will be predominantly winch riding (where a machine pulls a cable into a feature like a jump or rail). The film is set to release in spring of 2016.

His specialty of cable parks and street riding with winches is not exactly new, though it certainly represents a new kind of wakeboarding. Gone are the days of riders being judged only by the giant spins and variations they perform behind boats. Now riders can envision tricks and obstacles in different waterways all over the place.

“Street spots are huge now,” said Kaesen. “I am always looking for spots like spillways or fountains, any source of water in town that has something to hit. No one really sees the potential for these obstacles except for a few of us.”

For example, the end of his popular part in the movie Incognito, they piled up said walls on a hill overlooking a waterway, lined it with a tarp, filled it with water and put a massive staircase between the hill and the waterway with a rail on each side. Then a winch pulled him up to the staircase and he performed tricks on the rails, landing the tricks and

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Like Father-Like Son Mike Suyderhoud’s Waterski Career Five overall World water ski champion titles between 1967 and 1977 Five-time World jump record holder and three-time World slalom record holder Sixteen National water ski championship titles Coached the USA water ski team at the 1992 Pan-Am Games and the 1992 and 1993 World Championships Inducted into the American Water Ski Hall of Fame in 1987 Inducted into the International Water Skiing Hall of Fame in 1993 Named by Water Ski magazine in 1998, one of the ten greatest male water skiers ever Owned and operated the Mike Suyderhoud Water Ski School at Shasta Lake for twenty-four years Inductee in the Shasta County Sports Hall of Fame

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riding out on the waterway. That imagination to create terrain and perform tricks on such obstacles is what has set him apart from his peers.

A Life of Passion Kaesen’s drive and livelihood live within the realm of wakeboarding, but he is not only a wakeboarder. Currently living near Truckee, he spends his winter’s snowboarding in Tahoe, an activity similar to wakeboarding and thus, one he is very good at. In fact, he used to work on the terrain park at Mt. Shasta Ski Park, even winning some slopestyle and big air competitions there.

He even landed a 1080 (spinning your body around three times in the air) for the first time in a competition. Yes, he won that competition as well.

“I love snowboarding. It’s what fuels my wakeboarding,” said Suyderhoud. “I think wakeboarding and snowboarding complement each other. After every winter, I try to bring something new I learned from snowboarding to my wakeboarding.”

Having spent time wakeboarding all around the United States, in Europe, the Philippines and even Abu Dhabi, Kaesen is a mainstay in the professional wakeboard circuit, cementing his childhood dreams and making a living doing what he loves.

Spending his days traveling to contests, filming video parts and being the professional at Velocity Island Wakeboard Park in Woodland, Kaesen is living out his dream one day at a time.

And much like his father, he is beginning to find the rewarding pleasure of teaching kids about water sports.

“I do lessons and traveling clinics for kids of all skill levels,” said Suyderhoud. “If a kid wants to learn their first flip or to do rails, I can help. I know what works for me and I feel like I can communicate that to pretty much any kind of person.”

At the age of 27, Kaesen knows the life of an extreme sport athlete isn’t going to last forever, so he has vowed to enjoy it while it’s here. He’s still sponsored by CWB along with Isurus Clothing and Wetsuites, UNIT Parktech, Heshbacks, Pulldozer and Velocity Island. Kaesen’s signature feature, the Kaesen Suyderhoud Signature UNIT Parktech rail, sits predominantly in the front of Velocity Island. Kaesen designed the technical feature with UNIT and a couple of parks in Europe have even purchased the feature for their cable parks.

There are some people out there that are just good at everything. You can either muster feelings of jealousy that you weren’t born with innate talents or stop and watch in awe as these people go about their lives and activities with such ease and grace. I prefer to be jealous of Kaesen’s talents while simultaneously watching him in awe.

The life of a professional athlete is different than most, as their peak years will come well before someone with a desk job. For Kaesen, his years of wakeboarding brilliance will undoubtedly come and go, leaving his legacy for the bright generation of wakeboarders behind him. But that doesn’t mean he will ever stop riding. As long as he has a canvas to perform his wakeboard art, his life of passion and wakeboarding will live as long as he does.

NORCAL

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Active NorCal July/August 2015

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cover story

issue xtreme

Pushing the Limits in NorCal Majestic, peaceful, beautiful—all words commonly used to describe our surroundings. While the North State landscape is all of those things, the same natural wonders plastered on postcards and admired from afar can prove harsh and unforgiving up close. Take Mt. Shasta—a physical feature that’s easy-on-the-eye from I-5 morphs into a treacherous behemoth the closer (and further up) you get. Local active aficionados might face class V rapids, massive cliffs, death-defying climbs, rattlesnakes and/or freezing cold water on any given day. Your natural progression as a NorCal adventurer inevitably takes you to the Xtreme.

What does being “xtreme” really mean though?

Pushing past the ordinary? Testing your limits?

Risking life and limb? We’d argue that “xtreme” encompasses anything that puts you in the moment, makes you feel alive and scares the hell out of you.

What’s life anyway without a couple of bone-chilling rushes of adrenaline? Maybe your journey to xtreme doesn’t involve flying thirty feet in the air on a dirt bike, jumping out of a plane or paddling through

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rapids. For those with a fear of heights, being xtreme can mean doing a fifteen-foot cliff jump. Maybe going to the xtreme entails taking on a challenge you once thought impossible. Running a marathon for instance. Luckily, there’s a myriad of xtreme opportunities in Northern California.

For our 10th (Xth) issue, we decided to go big (and not home) by detailing a few ways you can take being active to the next level. Watching videos of and appreciating our outdoor attractions from a distance is an entirely different thing than actually going out, and conquering them. So this summer, muster up some courage, get the blood flowing and a take a leap to the xtreme. You won’t regret it.

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xtreme

For The Thrill Of The Ride The Legacy Of Redding Dirt Riders

By Ross Lawrence

F

or Dr. Terry Rust, treating patients who had sustained broken jaws and collarbones from dirt biking wasn’t necessarily the best introduction to the sport. At the time, Rust would have never imagined he’d one day find himself riding alongside the same people he’d described as “wild men” just a few years prior. He definitely didn’t foresee creating a local venue for dirt biking, or playing a key role in local dirt biking organization Redding Dirt Riders. Before Rust’s true passion for the sport could grow, he had to take his first ride.

“It’s a funny story how I got into motorcycles and dirt bikes,” said Rust. “In the early 70s, I went down to Baja with my friend who rode motorcycles. He ended up crashing, and hurting himself. When we were in the hospital, they told me I’d have to ride his bike. Oddly, that was the first time I rode a motorcycle.”

After his initial foray into the world of motorcycles, Rust returned to Redding where he began to get more into biking. His journey led him to the recently established Redding Dirt Riders, which had about 15-20 members at the time. Back then (the mid 70s), dirt bikers had very few public areas to ride on, which limited them to private property. This made dirt biking less accessible. Rust identified the problem, and decided to take action.

Thus, the OHV riding area near Shasta Dam was born.

“In the mid to lake 70s I noticed that the OHV area would be a good place to ride,” remembered Rust. “The area used to be a

gun range, and it was really a mess. There were overturned refrigerators and broken glass everywhere. We fixed everything up, and I started working with the BLM who ended up being very receptive and helpful.”

Establishing the OHV as a riding area enabled the Redding Dirt Riders to flourish. The newly christened OHV space allowed Rust to coordinate and hold the first Shasta Dam Grand Prix race in the early 80s. While not all that interested in races like the Grand Prix, other members of the Redding Dirt Riders volunteered to help put on the event. These days, the Grand Prix is on the professional circuit, and the Dirt Riders now put on many other annual events like the New Years Day Poker Run. Though dirt bike technology has changed pretty dramatically since Rust’s first rides, Redding Dirt Riders has in many ways remained the same. Club members join each other for rides

Defying The Forces of Nature SUP With Wassup Board Sports

By Ross Lawrence

T

he image of a man striding or standing atop water has long fascinated mankind. In Roman poet Virgil’s epic poem Aeneid, there is mention of a water-walking man.

In Buddhist, Hindu, Native American and even biblical stories, prominent characters are described standing upright on rivers, lakes and oceans. Famous Renaissance inventor and artist, Leonardo da Vinci created designs for floats that would enable a person to traverse a body of water while standing. What’s the allure to this image though? Perhaps humans are drawn to it because it represents overcoming the impossible.

Maybe the rising popularity of Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) is owed to our innate desire to prove that yes, we can walk on water. Equally as likely, SUP has garnered masses of new recruits because it’s just a lot of fun. Either way, the meteoric rise of SUP worldwide and in the North State has prompted people like

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Phil Keester to begin teaching the activity on local waterways.

Along with providing rentals and SUP boards for sale, Keester’s business Wassup Board Sports provides a welcoming introductory experience to would be stand up paddleboarders.

Having worked “on the water” almost his whole life including stints with successful America’s Cup sailing teams, Keester moved to Redding several years ago searching for a new professional and recreational challenge. Growing up in Southern California, he’d always been intrigued watching surfers stand on the waves. So, SUP seemed like a natural fit for Keester. When he observed the passion several of his business associates had for the sport, he began to consider exploring it more.

Keester stepped on to a SUP board for the first just three short years ago. While paddling on flat water gave him a good preface to SUP, it wasn’t until Keester started going out on the moving water

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on a regular basis, the group holds monthly meetings and they continue to work with the BLM and other agencies to expand the possibilities for dirt biking in Northern California.

“This area is great for dirt biking,” expressed Vice President of Redding Dirt Riders Matt Morgan. “A big reason why is access.

You can get up in the morning, ride 60 miles and be back by noon. It’s kind of like this hub because there are all these mountains and trails. If you know the right people, you can get some GPS tracks, and find some really amazing trails.”

GPS has made it possible for dirt bikers to navigate through good riding areas that they may not have been able to discover in the past.

The technology combined with Google Maps allows people to link fire roads and trails together for longer, more fun excursions. A 320mile dirt biking trip from Susanville to Reno that the Dirt Riders just took would not have been possible without GPS. Using the device though, they were able to go all the way to Reno and back without hitting the pavement.

“If you’re out there, and you don’t have a GPS you’re going to run into trouble,” stated Morgan. “You could get stuck out in the middle of nowhere, and you may have to spend the night.

The club aspect of Redding Dirt Riders is good because riding can be dangerous. Stuff happens. Somebody might get hurt or break down. If you break down then there’s enough people so that someone is going to come along, and help you out. We all support each other.”

From a community perspective, Redding Dirt Riders want to give back by making riding and other recreation opportunities accessible not just to members, but to others in the area. Members put a great deal of time and effort into organizing events so that the surrounding community can benefit. Also, each year, the nonprofit group provides financial assistance to high school seniors entering college. Otherwise, Redding Dirt Riders is just a big, close-

knit group of friends that want to make the North State better for active people.

Many active families have added dirt biking it to their activity repertoire. In fact, dirt biking was a family activity for Morgan growing up. At three-years-old, he started traveling and racing with his brothers, which led him to eventually switch to freestyle riding. Now, Morgan prefers the off-road rides with the Dirt Riders. As the years pass by, it’s the thrill of each ride that keeps him passionate about biking.

“I love the rush of cruising on a dirt bike,” stated Morgan.

“There’s something about hopping on a motorcycle. You’re in control of this beast, and you get to go as fast as you can. It’s thrilling pressing on the gas and taking control. Everybody gets a taste of that when they start out.”

With more than a hundred active members, Redding Dirt Riders appears as strong as ever. Though, the organization plans on adding the newer generation of riders to its ranks to generate some enthusiasm. Fresh recruits will ensure that good trails remain open and clear. Luckily, the process for the joining the group is straightforward and rewarding.

“I’d say if you’re interested, come to one of our meetings,” noted Morgan. “We welcome guests. We’ll tell you about the club, and get you connected with someone who will kind of be your buddy. They’ll show you where we like to go riding, and educate you a little bit. Without new members joining the club, we wouldn’t be able to put on all these events that have been going on for almost 40 years.”

Dirt biking is a thrill, it’s a good family activity, it’s great exercise and we live in one of the best places for it in the world.

What’s more, Redding Dirt Riders have made the sport accessible by maintaining trails and hosting events where you can test your skills. So, get on a bike, and join the “wild men” today.

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of the Sacramento River that his conversion took place. Seeing all the inland coastline access to local lakes and rivers in NorCal, the fun of SUP and a market for SUP instruction, Keester decided to open Wassup Board Sports.

“Within the last four or five years, SUP has become the fastest growing recreational activity on the planet,” stated Keester.

“I’ve always worked in marine trades. I was looking outside my window because I live on the river, and noticed all these SUP boarders. I saw the potential, and I saw a chance to introduce people to the sport. I noticed that Kutrus Lake was a perfect place to teach people flat water paddling.”

Wasssup hosts beginner tours for people wishing to discover the joy of SUP. Participants meet at Kutrus Lake, which is right near downtown Redding so there’s no need to go out to Whiskeytown or Lake Shasta. Lake Kutrus’ flat water takes away the obstacle of a current making it the perfect venue for novice SUP boarders. Its cold water intimidates some, but Keester does his best early on in lessons to assuage fears of falling in.

“When people paddleboard for the first time, they have this initial conception that they’re going to fall in the water,” observed Keester. “If you absolutely want to stay dry, I can keep

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xtreme you dry. On the other hand, every single time I’ve taken someone out, and they didn’t want to get wet and they did, they say, ‘that wasn’t so bad.’ Once you let go of that apprehension, which usually means getting wet once, you loosen up.”

Once tour-goers are comfortable paddling on flat water, they have the option of testing their skills on the Sacramento River’s mild current. Classes finish at either the Cypress Bridge boat ramp or at Bonnyview, and last about 90 minutes. Though the Sac has relatively slow moving water and few tricky obstacles, there’s a few challenging sections that get the adrenaline pumping.

SUP is such a thrill that most people who attend the tours end up renting or buying boards in the future.

Wassup also carries a variety of inflatable and hard boards from Glide and NRS for rent and purchase.

They keep a small retail selection at Westside Supply in downtown Redding. Also, Keester will meet you at two convenient Redding locations, and drop off rental equipment for use anywhere in the area. The rental side of the business has really taken off as families and groups have discovered the joy of exploring local waterways together on paddleboards.

“I think this area is unique to almost anywhere in the US when you look at the different types of water available to us,” expressed Keester. “Within an 100-mile radius, we have Class I to Class V water. We’ve got all kinds of different experiences. I want this area to become a place where you see entire families or groups of friends on vacation just paddling down the river or on the lake.”

With places like Tahoe hosting multiple SUP events that draw hundreds of racers, the rise of the sport seems apparent. Many are drawn to the freedom that SUP affords practitioners. All you really need is a paddle, and a board. From an adventure standpoint, adrenaline junkie SUP boarders are finding out that it’s not just kayaks and rafts that can conquer Class IV and V rapids. For SUP, the possibilities are endless. It will continue to grow and evolve largely due to the fact that it’s an activity for everyone.

“I makes sense that SUP is exploding because all you need is a board, a paddle an maybe a life jacket, which is a lot less than even a kayak,” said Keester. “I’ve seen eightyear-olds out paddleboarding, and I even had a women come to a tour on her 92nd birthday. It’s gender friendly.

It’s a great workout. It’s a lot of fun seeing all the wildlife, and standing over the fish when they’re running.”

Still in its infancy, SUP and Wassup Board Sports will continue to grow. Technology will advance, professionals will test the limits of what’s possible and more people will add it to their activity arsenal. Among adventure seekers, there’s an insatiable urge to stand on water that will push SUP forward. If that urge ever diminishes, they can simply imagine themselves in an epic poem, a da Vinci sketch or an ancient myth.

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Falling For Skydiving

BY Chip O’Brien

T

ry it… Ask someone you know (preferably not your kids) how he or she would like to die. It makes for some entertaining conversations, especially around a summer campfire. But the uninspired (and definitely not Active) truth is that most people answer with some variation of “in my sleep.” –Yawn.

Either people are just sissies or they lack a certain Savoir-faire answering a question with such an obvious implied challenge.

The question begs for an answer like “saving a damsel in distress while staving off 10,000 bloodthirsty savages with a dull pocketknife.” What all this really gets down to is there are a lot of scarier and less dangerous things in the world than jumping out of an airplane. As far as a good way to die, skydiving statistically ranks way below the danger of driving to the airport.

While it’s easy to think of skydiving as an extreme sport, how extreme is taking a single step (into thin air 13,000 feet above the ground)? Heck, if you think about it, physics does all the real

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While it’s easy to think of skydiving as an extreme sport, how extreme is taking a single step (into thin air 13,000 feet above the ground)? Heck, if you think about it, physics does all the real work. work. Nevertheless, in an attempt to give them an experience they would not soon forget, I took each of my sons (yes, including our Publisher) skydiving on their 16th birthdays. It made a lasting positive impression, and I believe people forever think of themselves differently after they can check that one off their bucket list.

Most people get an introduction to skydiving by doing a “tandem” jump, meaning they are connected to an experienced instructor from first stepping out of the airplane until landing on the ground. Serious skydivers go on with classes and numerous additional jumps before being allowed to skydive by themselves.

There are three skydiving operations in Northern California, but only one was considerate enough to speak with us (Parachute Center south of Sacramento in Lodi, http://www.parachutecenter.com/). We spoke to Bill Dause at Parachute Center: Q: How long has Parachute Center been around NorCal? A: “We’ve been at this location since 1981, been in business since 1964.

Q: What would you like people to know about skydiving?

A: “Skydiving is visualized as a high-risk activity by most people, but quite frankly in today’s environment it’s really a safe activity for people to do. We’ve had people from 16-years-old up to 95 jump with absolutely no problems at all. “ “With the great equipment nowadays and different types of parachutes we have, it’s become pretty popular. People still have the John Wayne image of parachuting. It’s quite thrilling whether it’s your first time or you do it eight or ten times. Jumping out of an airplane at 13,000 feet, falling at 120 miles-an-hour hoping a little silk worm knew what he was doing making it’s silk can be a little intimidating.”

“Skydiving is not for everybody. Most of the people in the sport are A-Type personalities. D-Type personalities might come out and make one jump, but they won’t stay in the sport. There are people who just come and watch or maybe make one or two jumps to see what it’s like and then they go on.”

“Skydiving is a dream a lot of people have. Most who get to the airplane are not going to chicken out, but some have little quirks that help them get out the door. The most exciting or thrilling or threatening moment is right when the aircraft door opens and it’s time. If you’ve jumped before you understand what I’m saying.”

Q: How many people get up there and simply can’t step out of the airplane?

A: “Very few. Those types of people usually don’t sign up. They’ll come and watch, and then decide it’s not their cup of tea. The

people who don’t jump are the ones pressured by their friends into going. We never push anybody. If you don’t want to go, that’s no problem. We’ve had a few people who have had us bring them back down, but it’s rare.”

“We’ve had the whole gamut from people who experience pure pleasure and pure terror. We’ve had everything. Each jump is exciting for both the instructor and student. They’re all very exciting. They’re all very thrilling. It’s rewarding when you’re working with first-timers as an instructor, and quite rewarding for the student because they’ve accomplished one of their goals, to jump out of an airplane.”

Q: How do you prepare someone for his or her first jump?

A: “Gravity works, so usually there’s not much preparation. We go over hand and arm placement so they won’t interfere with the deployment of the parachute. It’s a pretty quick process.

People fill out the standard lawyer-got-involved waivers. They spend some time with their instructor on exiting the airplane and what to do during free-fall. Some people have a hard time breathing during free fall because it’s pure excitement. It’s one of the things we always touch on. We’re just trying to make it as comfortable for people as possible.”

Q: What should skydivers wear, or not wear on their first jump?

A: “High heel shoes are out! Cowboy boots are really difficult to work with. Wedding dresses, especially the big fluffy ones really get in the way. It’s a seasonal thing. If you come out in January you’d obviously bundle up, dress in layers as far as staying warm.

In the summertime shorts, a t-shirt or a blouse, anything like that would be fine. Dress for the season and the occasion.”

Q: Wedding dresses? People get married skydiving?

A: “Yes, and we’ve had a lot of proposals while skydiving too.

There are a couple of jumpers that are preachers, so they can perform the ceremony.

Q: So you could set up a skydiving wedding?

A: “Certainly!”

Maybe jumping out of an airplane isn’t as crazy as some people think, and a whole lot safer than many other less thrilling activities. Out of 3.2 million skydiving jumps in the United States in 2013, there were 24 fatalities. That’s only one more than the number of Americans killed that year by lightning.

So, if you’ve made the decision to risk your life by going outside during thunderstorms, you are in no more danger stepping out of an airplane and making a few memories.

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local

Whiskeytown’s 50th Anniversary Party

BY Chip O’Brien

Jim Milestone, Superintendent of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, knows how to throw a party. This summer the park will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, and Superintendent Milestone had a lot to say: “We’ve done some parties up here in the past and some of them have been really well received. When we had the Ring of Fire, the solar eclipse, people came from all over the West Coast.

We had 3,000 people show up for that. We’ve had other celebrations and we haven’t had a big turnout, so we’re making this celebration open-ended hoping to get a lot of people to come.”

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“This is the 50th anniversary of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area that was created in 1965 on November 8th. Since November’s cold, wet and rainy (hopefully), we’re going to throw the party when all of our visitors are here, which is the middle of summer. We’ll do it on August 22nd because the anniversary for the creation of the National Park Service (NPS) is August 25th, so this is the closest weekend date to that. (It’s a Tuesday so we’ll do it on the weekend to make it easy for folks.) The National Park Service is 99 years old this year. Next year is the big centennial.”

“We’ve got four big things going on. The first is we are going

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These veterans regularly compete in triathlons, venture races, marathons and 10 K races—competing against a variety of professional athletes, amateurs, and both disabled and able-bodies athletes.

Prior to these events and after, they are treated by chiropractors who support the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. Dr Bill Morgan, Staff Chiropractor for the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland feels privileged to be a part of their “ Competing in these events has actually made my life ten times better and has given me tremendous self-worth. After any race, my upper body is in pain because I do it all with my hands and arms. Following chiropractic care, I find that I perform and feel better.”

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Superintendent of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Jim Milestone, is gearing up for the park’s 50th Anniversary celebration this August. He hopes the festivities will draw thousands of attendees from far and wide.

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to dedicate the Stephen Mather plaque to Whiskeytown.

Stephen Mather was the first Director of the National Park Service. He was Director from 1916 until 1929. When he died in 1929, Congress authorized the NPS to have a plaque dedicated to him. All of the parks that existed back in 1930 received these plaques. Old parks like Crater Lake, Olympic, Mount Rainier, Yosemite, Yellowstone, they all got these plaques. But the newer parks (like Whiskeytown) that didn’t come until the 60s, they never got them.”

“I found a traveling mold-maker who makes molds for artists. We commissioned him to make a mold of the Stephen Mather plaque at UC Berkeley at the Botanical Gardens. Stephen Mather went to UC Berkeley in the class of 1886.”

“The mold-maker cast the mold and then we shipped it up to Joseph, Oregon. There’s a foundry in Joseph that does beautiful work, they specialize in artist’s work in their bronze factory. All of the national monuments in Washington D.C. were cast in Joseph. The WWII Monument and the Franklin Roosevelt Monument were made there. They are the best foundry around these days. We’re going to dedicate this plaque and mount it at Brandy Creek just above the beach in the forest. It’s a really pretty spot.”

“We’re going to invite the public to come down to the beach, and that’s where the McConnell Foundation gave us a grant and we hired the Shasta Symphony.

We’re going to have a celebration called Symphony on the Beach, the first time we’ve ever done this. The Shasta Symphony is going to preform right on the beach.”

“Just before the symphony starts we’re going to seal the Children’s Time Capsule. We’ve invited the public

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and sent letters out to all the schools in Shasta and Trinity Counties asking them to write letters to me to put into the time capsule. We asked, ‘What’s your favorite story about Whiskeytown,’ like your family experience or what you really enjoy about the park.”

“So we’re getting all these stories from people, kids and adults too. I just spoke with the County Board of Supervisors this morning and gave a presentation to the Trinity County Board of Supervisors. We’re going to seek out and get them to write letters on their perspectives on Whiskeytown and what they enjoy about it. Some of the Board of Supervisors members grew up in the Whiskeytown area, so there are a lot of stories. We want to capture all that and put it into this time capsule and then open it in 50 years (in 2065). We’ll have our time capsule constructed here pretty soon, then we’re going to take it around to try and get people excited about it.”

“We’re going to have the Stephen Mather plaque, the time capsule, and then the Shasta Symphony coming and playing. When we join the performance of the Shasta Symphony, the Friends of Whiskeytown, which is our 501 C3 nonprofit group, they’re going to provide for the public to purchase (as a donation) a candle, a bag and a little piece of wood where you can write your name and a happy memory of Whiskeytown. Folks will put their message on this little piece of cedar and send it out on the lake with a candle. We’re going to have hundreds of these “candle luminaries” floating out onto Brandy Creek lagoon right off the beach. We’ve never done that before either, and our volunteer patrol will manage them out there. They’ll drift out onto the lake and it should look really, really pretty.”

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“We’re going to have food trucks out there and beer and wine as well. Those are the major things. Adults can buy a “candle luminary” for a $50 donation (a dollar for every year the park’s been around) or 25 cents for the kids.”

“It’s free to the public and a great occasion. One of the things I’m really hoping is that we get letters from people with experiences at Whiskeytown or happy memories. We’re interested in getting first-hand accounts of what people did at the park when they came up here.”

“Letters can be sent to Superintendent’s Office, P.O. Box 188, Whiskeytown, CA 96095. People can also email me. We prefer letters, but you can email me at jim_milestone@nps.gov” “Stephen Mather was really the George Washington of the NPS. He was the one that created the ranger image and decided on the type of hats (Smokey Bear) they were going to wear. He was really a big conservationist behind creating national parks. The guy was also an advertising man who coined the phrase ‘20 mule-team borax.’ On the plaque it says Stephen Tyng Mather, July 4th, 1867 to January 1930, (when he died). It says, ‘He laid the foundation of the National Park Service defining and establishing the policies under which the areas shall be developed and conserved unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an end to the good that he has done.’”

So we’re all invited to what promises to be a memorable occasion on the beach at Whiskeytown this August. Smokey Bear wouldn’t miss it, so why would you?

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People have been enjoying the waterfalls and accompanying hikes at Whiskeytown for many years. The park has invited people to share memories from their time at the park to put in a time capsule for its 50th Anniversary. Waterfalls will surely be prominent in many of the entries.

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play ball

The Art Wooden Play Ball Foundation How a Man’s Legacy is Becoming an Investment in NorCal’s Youth

By Zach O’Brien

As they say, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But a puppy can be as great as you let it be. Some folks in Redding are attempting to make positive changes in our community from the bottom up.

Art Wooden was a Shasta County Sheriff for more than twenty years and a person that prided himself on spending quality time with youth, especially troubled youth, through his passion of sports.

“He was just a big kid and he coached everything—football, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf,” said his daughter, Kelly Hornbuckle. “The kids in the neighborhood used to knock on the door and ask if Art could play. He was always playing basketball or Wiffle ball with the kids.”

So when Wooden passed away unexpectedly in 2013, his family decided to take his memorial fund and donate to a youth sports organization. The only problem was that they couldn’t find any local organization that directly dealt with kids and sports. That was the lightbulb moment for the family.

According to kidsdata.org, there are more than 12,000 children living below the poverty line in Shasta County. Not only do these children lack the financial support to play the sports that their peers enjoy, but they are most likely in need of activities to boost their confidence and teach them the value of hard work and teamwork. And as any sports parent

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knows, funding a child’s sporting activities is no cheap endeavor.

Hornbuckle began the Art Wooden Play Ball Foundation in 2014 with the goal to give underprivileged kids the means to play sports. They partnered with Sports Authority to outfit youth with baseball and softball equipment, with the goal of expanding to more sports like football, basketball, tennis and golf in the future.

“The days of Sandlot are gone. The idea is to give kids the opportunity to participate in sports,” said Hornbuckle. “It’s not going to solve all of our community’s problems, but if we start with kids and give them positive opportunities, it may lead to keeping them off of the streets or off drugs later.”

The Art Wooden Play Ball Foundation is still in its infancy, waiting for its non-profit status to be approved and eventually to expand over the years. But for now, the foundation’s major event is the annual Home Run Derby and Family Fun Day. It will be held this year at the Redding Softball Park on August 29th. The Family Fun Day is free entry for everyone and for only a $5 fee, kids ranging in age from 8-18 years old can step up to the plate and try to hit home runs like their favorite big league players. The Family Fun Day will have free carnival games, face painting, food, raffle prizes and a fun DJ to set the mood. All proceeds will go to help kids play ball.

For businesses wanting to get involved in the foundation, you can sponsor the Home Run Derby or donate on the website at artwoodenplayball.org. You can also challenge other businesses to donate through the Kids Play Ball! Challenge.

“It doesn’t matter if people want to donate $10, $20 or do a business sponsorship. Everything helps,” said Hornbuckle. “It takes a village and Redding is one of the best communities I’ve seen.”

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on the water

A NorCal Rite of Passage Floating Down the Sacramento River

By Frances Griffey

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There are a few activities all NorCal locals have to do: walk across the Sundial Bridge, visit Turtle Bay, go to Lake Shasta and Whiskeytown Lake and float down the Sacramento River.

After being traumatized on a rafting trip in Trinity as a child, I vowed never to step inside a raft again. But I recently broke that promise to do something I should have done a long time ago, and I’m glad I did.

It was an unusually cloudy and cool morning for a Redding summer day. My family and I met Lance Law, owner of North Country Raft Rental, at 10:30 a.m. at Riverside Park to embark on a rafting adventure; I was both excited and nervous.

“I love this river. It’s such an important watershed,” Law told me. His admiration for the river is obvious and contagious.

Because of its cold and clear water, people are naturally drawn to the river, especially in the summertime. It’s the ultimate refresher on a hot summer’s day.

My parents’ house is on the river, so I had spent quite a few years seeing it from the backyard and outside my bedroom window. It’s hard to believe that I, someone born and raised in Northern California, hadn’t yet floated down it. It almost seemed like a rite of passage I hadn’t fulfilled.

So there I was, finally at the river’s edge stepping into a huge inflatable blue raft. With oar in hand and the Sundial Bridge

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looming above us, I paddled out with my family onto the Sacramento River for the very first time.

The number one rule of rafting down the river: wear a life jacket.

“The basics are always wear your life jacket and keep your eyes downstream. Give yourself plenty of time to react to any obstacle that you might be approaching,” Law said. “And have fun; enjoy the scenery, get in the water.”

And get in the water I did. The water itself is around 52 degrees in the summer, but the shocking chill of the river in contrast to the intense dry heat is the perfect refreshing combination.

“That’s kind of the beauty of it, really, because it’s hot out so you get in the water. Nobody really swims in the river but you can definitely jump into the river.

Then you get back out and you’re just totally refreshed,” Law said. “It gets your core temp down a little bit if you stay in it for a couple minutes and then you’re fine. You just get out and it can be 105 degrees and you’re just cruisin’. It’s nice.”

For obvious safety reasons, it’s important to have a decent raft or floatation device for going down the river.

Law doesn’t recommend using a tube or pool-toy type rafts because with these devices, you have little control and you’re ultimately at the mercy of the current.

“We call them one-trip wonders,” he said. “One trip through the berry bush and you wonder what happened to your raft.”

But floating down the river isn’t that tough. In fact, Law said you could probably float down on a log if you just use some common sense. But if you’re not paying attention, not matter what kind of device you’re in, you may find yourself at the edge of the river and getting dragged through the bushes. This results in the raft being filled with spiders, insects and leaves. With my intense arachnophobia, we avoided the overhanging bushes like the plague.

Besides the danger of bugs and bushes, there’s one spot on the river everyone should avoid. I saw it protruding from the water upstream and my heartbeat sped up. Below Bonnyview bridge, there’s an infamous log sticking out on the left side of the river that has not only wrecked a lot of boats, but taken more than a few lives. When people hit that log, they get thrown from the boat and can easily drown in the strong current.

“If you’re not paying attention you will naturally just drift right into the thing,” Law said. “It’s like a magnet.

It’s like a black hole.”

The log itself was easy enough to avoid, but with not infrequent press about river accidents many people fear the river. They believe the river equals death (my little brother, who was on the raft with me, must have said the word “die” at least 20 times over the four-hour journey). But compared to the hundreds of successful trips, injuries really aren’t that common.

“I don’t think the river should be feared, I think the river should be respected,” Law said seriously.

For me, the only somewhat scary (but more exciting) part of the float was going through rapids. Coming upon the first big series of rapids, the trauma from my childhood rafting experience flashed before my eyes. I wasn’t paddling at the time so I clutched the side of the raft with both hands. We hit the rapids sideways by mistake and a wave crashed over our boat, covering our feet in a layer of chilly water. But we didn’t die, so it was a success in my book. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be and by the end of the trip, I actually enjoyed going through the white water.

“It is scary. It’s scary-fun,” Law said, accurately describing the rafting experience.

Lance Law calls the Sacramento River an “urban wilderness,” and after rafting down it myself, I can see why.

“This river’s wild. Even though it’s damned and the flows are controlled and all of that, it’s a wilderness,” he said.

The wilderness and the scenery is what makes going down the river more than worth it. During my float, I saw four eagles, dozens of ducks and geese, egrets, herons and other birds I’d never seen before. Besides wildlife, elegant homes and the lush greenery of trees and bushes along riverbank, the river is scattered with fishermen, boaters, kayakers and other rafters.

At one point on our voyage, the river sheriff stopped next to our raft to ask us how our day was going. We made some small talk for a while and told him we were first-time rafters on the Sacramento River and were heading to Anderson. He told us we’d missed the turn and were almost to Red Bluff.

My heart sunk in my chest. How could this be? We were only on the river for about three hours and it was supposed to take four to get to our destination. Of course this would happen on my first time back on a raft, I thought.

The sheriff laughed and immediately I realized he was joking. Of course we hadn’t passed Anderson. Ha. Ha. When I saw the orange-painted tree after four hours I knew our adventure was at an end. We had floated almost 14 miles, from Redding all the way to Anderson.

We’d made it intact. After that experience my fear of rafting has faded (although I don’t see myself going on any class four rapids anytime soon) and I can’t wait to go again.

“I think people should do it just so that they realize it’s just one more fun thing that they can do. It’s one more activity that you can do in living in Redding,” Law said.

So now’s your chance to float (or continue floating) down the Sacramento River. Soak up some sun, get a little wet and see Mother Nature in action. The Sacramento River is more than just a source of water and energy for Northern California; it’s a part of our identity.

“What makes the Sacramento River unique is the fact that it’s right through the middle of town,” Law said. “If you live in Redding, you’re going over the river all the time. Everywhere you go in town you see the river. It’s an icon.”

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Humor

Time Flies

by Chip O’Brien

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Active NorCal July/August 2015

party time. The point is we run out of time in nothing flat, and the clock’s ticking.

Since times a-wastin’ and time is precious and you can’t really give anyone the time of day because it isn’t yours to give, it’s obviously time to make time for showing someone special the time of their lives. It’s later than you think, and it is better late than never.

The best of times are spent with those we love. Quality time should never be squandered or lost to the mists of time. If you never learn to take care of your friends and loved ones, it might be better luck next time for you. Once upon a time I thought we had all the time in the world, but I was wrong. There’s not a second to lose.

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Lissa Jensen

From time to time I bide my time so I’m often pressed for time until I’m almost out of time, like today (writing on borrowed time).

Our lives are made up entirely of this stuff called time, yet any one of us would be hard pressed to define exactly what that is. Yet even without being able to pin time down, we’ve nevertheless learned a great deal about it.

Everyone knows time is money, yet if that’s so what currency is used when you buy time? I guess it would have to be a cash transaction since no one knows who the check would be made out to anyway or how it might appear on a credit card statement.

When you’re young time is on your side so it’s easy to find time to make time or even kill time because there’s no time like the present, right? Some people grow to think of themselves as legends in their own time or ahead of their time, but a few get humble in the nick of time by the realization that we all put our pants on one leg at a time.

Everyone goes through some bad times in life often by just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Others waste time by spending time in a bottle or engaging in high times. The smart ones quit these activities in the nick of time.

Others keep making the same mistakes and become three-time losers. In the end, if we’re lucky, time heals all.

Time marches on and time waits for no one. They even say time flies when you’re having fun (but those flights are rarely on time). Planet Earth must have plenty of room for all the time we need because there’s apparently a time and place for everything. (So why am I always losing my keys?)

Time catches up to us as we age and we realize that time grows short and time is suddenly of the essence. Then we are ripe for making up for lost time. That might be intimate, quiet time, play time or even

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