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May 22, 2013
NATURAL TREASURE
A view of the Kansas rolling hills along Larry Christy’s Missouri River route.
Local man hopes tours promote river
Story by JENNIFER GORDON • Photos by MATT REID St. Joseph News-Press
L
arry Christy doesn’t leave the atmosphere to play Neil Armstrong. If he wants to make the first footprint on a piece of land, he hits the Missouri River.
Larry Christy with Missouri River Rafting Outfitting and Canoe Rental rows north of St. Joseph.
Larry Christy paddles into Worthwine Island Conservation Area. The island is used as a stopping point for lunch during the river tour.
Skip the flip-flops By BROOKE VANCLEAVE St. Joseph News-Press
Flip-flops are the defi nitive summer shoe and they aren’t going anywhere any time soon. However, that doesn’t mean you have to stick with just one style for four whole months. Shoe stores offer many sandals, wedges and flats that are just as comfortable and easy to wear as flip-flops, but with much more eye-catching appeal. “We have more selection this year than any year before,” says Michelle Mueller, employee with the J.C. Penney shoe department. Ms. Mueller says wedges are the most sought-after style this spring and
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He demonstrates on a sandbar by Worthwine Island Conservation Area, making the fi rst human print in a sandbar marked up by duck and deer tracks. Before the U.S. Corps of Engineers restored the chute in 2007, Worthwine Island attracted more foot traffic. Now that it’s truly an island again, saplings emerge from the old campgrounds. The growing trees and the footprint-less ground make the spot the perfect halfway point in Mr. Christy’s 12-mile float from Nodaway Island Conversation Area to the dock by the St. Jo Frontier Casino. Mr. Christy makes the trek as part of his new company, Missouri River Rafting, Outfitting and Canoe Rental. The river tour venture means more to him than additional income. He wants to encourage exploration of a river he sees many in the area taking for granted. “When people go experience something, they start to care about it,” he says. “You care about it in a way you wouldn’t otherwise.” Mr. Christy’s interest in rivers started several years ago when he took a job as a river guide on the Snake River, near the Grand Tetons
in Wyoming. He knows the Missouri River well, too. He also once canoed alone from Fort Benton, Mont., to St. Joseph. The journey took him three months. To the layperson, the trip sounded grueling. And long. And lonely. To Mr. Christy, it sounded fun. He’s had to wait to start river tours locally. Mr. Christy acquired the whitewater raft he uses for the tours a few years ago. Then the river flooded. Last year, the heat made a five-hour float out of the question. He’s optimistic this year will be better suited for floating. The weather cooperates on a day in early May. The sun, which by the end of the day will redden cheeks and hair parts, feels just right. A breeze wafts up the mineral scent of the water. The river does seem different once you’re out in the middle of it. On Mr. Christy’s raft, the shore appears to be just a few swim strokes away. The surface of the water lies very still. “You get out here, and you’re not as aware of the current. It’s almost like you’re sitting on a lake,” Mr. Christy says.
Expand shoe wardrobe with fun summer styles
summer. Although wedges saw a resurgence a few years ago, she says they’re more popular this year than they were last year. “The wedge, I mean that was back in the ’60s and the ’70s, and now they’re back again,” she says. Ms. Mueller says the shoe department is featuring a new line this summer called Yellow Box, which she says have “a lot of bling.” Even though this is only the fi rst year, the store has offered this brand, it’s already been very popular with shoppers. “It’s a fl ip-flop. There’s some wedge ones and there’s some flat ones but they’re all sparkly,” she says. Yellow Box shoes combine the comfort and ease of a rubber f lip-f lop
with the look of a fancier sandal. This is a great compromise for women who love cheap, colorful rubber f lip-f lops but realize they aren’t always appropriate to wear in certain situations. Ms. Mueller says J.C. Penney also carries comfort sandals such as Clarks that have the look of a trendy shoe but are better for your feet. So go ahead and keep the fl ip-flops for family cookouts and afternoons by the pool, but try to branch out when picking shoes for other summer occasions. Some women might even fi nd that the flats and heels they’ve been avoiding actually are the perfect way to fi nish off their summer wardrobes. Brooke VanCleave can be reached at brooke.vancleave@newspressnow.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SJNPVanCleave.
Please see LOCAL/Page A2
Check it out Hit the road with traveling dogs In “The Adventures of Bella and Harry” book series, kids can learn about international travel and foreign lands in a fun, informative way. Chihuahuas Bella and Harry explore cities like Paris, Barcelona and Athens in these colorful books and teach young readers about the area’s culture. Find them at bellaandharry.com. — Brooke VanCleave, St. Joseph News-Press
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, life might get stressful really soon unless you curb your spending. Although you may feel like you’re made of money right now, eventually the well will dry up.
Matt Reid | St. Joseph News- Press
A look at the Missouri embankments that flow with the Missouri River. There are many views of Missouri and Kansas that are only accessible by taking advantage of river access.
Local man hopes tours promote Missouri River CONTINUED FROM Page A1 Mr. Christy has heard the river’s speed is about 7 miles per hour, but he guesses it’s closer to 4 miles per hour. He rows with it, standing up on a platform stand he custombuilt for the raft. He pushes forward with his body weight, swinging his arms back in a pose that looks like the Winged Victory of Samothrace. “I tend to row too much,” he says at one point, so he stops moving the oars. There’s an advantage to going a little slower. The river gurgles louder, making a sound so calming you don’t want to interrupt it by talking. Not many people just float on the Missouri, Mr. Christy says. On this particular day, Mr. Christy’s raft is the only nonmotorized device out on the water. The Missouri Department of Conservation launched motorized boats not long after Mr. Christy started his float. The boats crisscross the raft, going upstream and downstream to sample for catfish. Recreational boats buzz by as well. One group stops to talk to Mr. Christy. The man driving tells Mr. Christy he saw him float by his house several hours earlier, and Mr. Christy enticed him to get out on the water. He welcomes Mr. Christy to stop by whenever he’s out on the river.
Larry Christy chats with a group that was inspired to get out on the Missouri River after seeing him float by their home. People with motorized boats often enjoy the Missouri River. Mr. Christy is hoping for personal experiences with the river to extend to rafting. Matt Reid St. Joseph News- Press
There’s something about the Missouri that gets people talking, Mr. Christy says. When he tells people about his river tours, he’ll often hear stories about the river. Up by Brownville, Neb., he learned that locals used to drive across the frozen parts of the river. He wants to know more about the Kansas bluffs by his lunch spot. He heard them once called “the Seven Sisters.” He counts nine peaks in the bluffs, so he doesn’t know where the name came from. There’s a gap in the “Seven Sisters” that doesn’t resemble the rolling shape of the bluff. He wonders if it was used as a lookout point during the Civil War. Eagles and hawks and buzzards do most of the looking out these days. During the float, Mr. Christy’s raft passes a
few eagles’ nests. Blackfeathered birds, too young for their white plumage, peak out over the tops of their nests. Adult eagles roost near by, as if to keep an eye on their young. The river makes for good bird watching. The birds don’t seem to notice the quiet raft slipping by underneath. Mr. Christy floated down the river at Easter and saw so many pelicans that the riverside looked like it was covered in snow. Civilization reappears almost too soon. The whine of train whistles. The outline of the St. Jo Frontier Casino. Mushroom hunters. Mr. Christy paddles toward the submerged ramp by the casino and weights his raft down. Because he works alone, he hasn’t quite figured out his system for getting back to the van he left at
Plush Puffs bring gourmet to the campfire By BROOKE VANCLEAVE St. Joseph News-Press
It’s an age-old question: What gift do you give the person who has everything? For culinary foodies, moms with young kids, outdoorsy campers and dessert lovers, Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows might be the answer. Not only is it a unique gift item, it’s an innovative food product that comes with a huge variety. I got to taste four flavors — Mochaccino, Vanilla Granola Chip, Toasty Coconut and Maple Bacon — but the company offers a total of 13 regular, seasonal and special batch flavors. My first impression of Plush Puffs was that they’re the softest marshmallows I’ve ever eaten. These don’t resemble grocery store puffs at all. They’re cut into squares and quite literally melt in your mouth. My favorites were the coconut and the vanilla granola, possibly because they were the least adventurous of the four. The mocha and maple bacon flavors were really strong right out of the package, but their flavor might be
complimented more by toasting them and pairing them with other foods like ice cream or chocolate. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a campfire handy. I did melt a couple Mochaccino marshmallows into my coffee, which made it taste like a nice flavored creamer. After tasting the potential of these four, I’m definitely intrigued about other Plush Puff flavors, especially Lemony Meringue and Caramel Swirl. Plush Puffs also makes large Mugtoppers for cups of cocoa, coffee
and tea, and two-pound novelty “Big Ones” that the website claims can be a gluten-free alternative to birthday cake. If you’re looking for something different and want a little more adventure for your s’mores, try this gourmet treat. You can buy Plush Puffs at www.plushpuffs.com for around $6 a batch. Find Plush Puff recipes, like Rocky Road fudge, by clicking on the Blog tab. Brooke VanCleave can be reached at brooke.vancleave@newspressnow.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SJNPVanCleave.
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
Nodaway Island Conservation Area. He’s taken a cab in the past. He half jokes that he may just drop off his pas-
sengers and keep floating. Today might be the perfect day for a trial run to Atchison, Kan. He wants to include an Atchison trip as part of his offerings. He’s already talked to a man who’s willing to let Mr. Christy use his land as a campsite. Even after five hours on the water, you can understand how easy it would be to keep going. You get used to the sensation of the current, the trance of the steady movement. You still feel part of the river as you stand there on the ramp, and because of that, you’ll never look at it the same way again. Jennifer Gordon can be reached at jennifer.gordon@newspressnow.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SJNPGordon.
CROSSWORD
TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Making changes is seldom easy, but change is necessary this week, Taurus. You may need to analyze which areas of your life can use the most work. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, kick back and have some fun in the next few days. Otherwise, you may waste an opportunity to recharge your batteries. Work responsibilities will not wait for long. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, expect some rejuvenated ambition and energy. Spurred on by this newfound energy, you can successfully tackle many of the things on your to-do list. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, unless you can focus you will just be puttering around without a goal. Put your mind on one thing and stick with this line of thinking for a few days. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, once you set your mind to something, it can be difficult to alter your opinions or perceptions. You may need to be a bit more flexible with a loved one this week. LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, if you want someone to take you seriously you have to make up your mind. Don’t flip-flop on your ideals this week or you may come across as a pushover. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, just when you think you have reached a dead end, a new path miraculously opens up. Don’t miss your opportunity because time is fleeting.
CLUES ACROSS 1. Fulmar 7. Maple fluid 10. Most saponaceous 12. Icelandic island 13. Stressed pronunciation 14. Ginseng genus 15. Seizes 16. Loose Arab garments 17. Title of respect 18. Operatic solo 19. Fleur-de-lis flower 21. Pad used as a floor covering 22. Sine curve 27. In the year of Our Lord 28. Day or sleep away supervisor 33. Carrier’s invention 34. Infant bed 36. Fiddler crabs 37. English monk 672-735 (alt. sp.) 38. Precise and prudish 39. The beak of a bird 40. Point that is one point N of NE 41. Blighia sapida 44. Russian political prison camp 45. Unselfishness 48. Arabian Gulf 49. Unsupported 50. Thieving bird 51. Alarm and dismay CLUES DOWN 1. Cigarette bundle 2. Fencing sword 3. Cannisters 4. A way to drench
5. Point midway between E and SE 6. Confined condition (abbr.) 7. Yemen capital 8. Actresses Ortiz & Alicia 9. Photographs 10. Exposing folly to ridicule 11. Egg-shaped instrument 12. Established custom 14. St. Patrick’s, Macy’s or Rose 17. Female sibling 18. Gather lots together 20. Total 23. Allowance for intervals 24. Medieval philosopher 25. Jupiter satellite 26. Invest with knighthood 29. Sodium 30. Women’s __ movement 31. Singleness 32. Saves or delivers 35. The bill in a restaurant 36. Of a city 38. Former name of Belau 40. Class of comb jellies 41. Height x width 42. Pick out from others 43. German port, bay and canal 44. Jacob’s 6th son 45. Goat or camel hair fabric 46. One circuit of a track 47. 3X = 1 TBS
SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 If practice makes perfect, then you have just about reached perfection, Sagittarius. You have been over and over something from every angle. It is now or never. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, there are many things you will not be able to change about this week, so why focus on the negativity? Instead, work around any issues and get the job done anyway. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 You often seem immune to the seriousness of certain situations, Aquarius. This week is no different. Try to recognize the gravity of a certain situation and put your best foot forward. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Don’t think that your efforts have gone unnoticed, Pisces. A few key people have been keeping track of your accomplishments. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MAY 19 Pete Townshend, Musician (68) MAY 20 Cher, Singer/Actress (67) MAY 21 Mr. T, Actor (61) MAY 22 Apollo Anton Ohno, Athlete (31) MAY 23 Jewel, Singer/Songwriter (39) MAY 24 Mark Ballas, Dancer (27) MAY 25 Octavia Spencer, Actress (43)
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
It’s all in the wrist
Fitness wristwear has become a hot technology trend
By SHEA CONNER St. Joseph News-Press
A
mong the great gadgets seen in early sci-fi movies and TV shows, the wrist communicator was one of the most memorable and innovative. The dream of a wristband that could find information, assess data and communicate with other beings became the reality of smart phone makers after the turn of the millennium.
Fitbit Flex
TomTom’s new Runner and Multisport GPS Watches
Nike+ FuelBand with consumers, and the companies making them are hoping they become a ubiquitous feature of everyday life. Even TomTom, the company which previously partnered with Nike to make the SportWatch GPS, is setting out on its own to introduce a line of GPS sport watches aimed at runners and outdoor enthusiasts. Tom Murray, TomTom’s vice president of market-
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ing, says his company’s new Runner GPS Watch is designed to help runners glance at the information they want while they’re moving, something that’s been requested time and again but has eluded fitness wristwear developers until now. “People just want info, a means to an end,” Mr. Murray says. “They want to see how far I’ve run,
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In 2013, however, it appears the development of that kind of technology has come full circle. “This idea of a watch doing more than telling time has seemed like a very cool idea that has found its way into other famous characters and their stories — think James Bond and Inspector Gadget,” says Marguerite Reardon, writer of CNET Technology’s “Ask Maggie” column. “... Wearable technology is in. And it was all the rage at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).” Smart watches became a noticeable trend at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year. Most of the buzz formed around the I’m and Cookoo watches, which both boasted app compatibility and synced up with various smart phones. But in the months since, products like the Fitbit Flex, Jawbone UP and the Nike+ FuelBand are the ones that have been recording impressive sales numbers (the FuelBand reportedly sold out within four hours of its launch). It seems that selftracking fitness bands, bracelets and watches have been finding traction
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A4
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Fitness wristwear has become a hot technology trend
CONTINUED FROM Page A3 track the time and meet their goals.” On the Runner GPS Watch, all the data is viewable on the extra large high-resolution display designed “to present crystal clear numbers you can see in a moment when looking at your wrist.” There’s also one-button control to help owners easily navigate through the menus. Those who purchase TomTom’s Runner Watch can view their training performance, set times and distance goals and look at their past performances as they’re running so they can try to beat their times. If running is just one of the sports you participate in, then the MultiSport GPS watch may be more your speed. It has all the attributes of the TomTom Runner Watch, but it also throws in features for biking and swimming. Swimmers, for example, will be able to measure laps, strokes and distance, while bikers can use an included bike mount for easy access to all the key info. TomTom hasn’t announced pricing for the watches yet, but it will be available this summer.
Motorola MotoActv
Jawbone UP
Basis
The company will face some very stiff competition. The following wrist accessories have already dominated the market. Nike+ FuelBand ($149): Some fitness trackers look like little more than rubber wristbands, but the Nike+ FuelBand looks like one of those futuristic wrist communicators previously mentioned. It sports a cool LED display that shows your daily data — such as calories, steps and time — and its built-in pedometer tracks it all. You can sync it wirelessly with your iPhone or plug it into your PC to chart your progress, set goals and to collect motivationbuilding achievements. The only downside to the FuelBand is that it doesn’t monitor your
sleeping or eating habits like some other devices. Fitbit Flex ($99): Fitbit all but pioneered the fitness-tracker category, and the Flex is the company’s latest attempt to monitor your activities so that you can improve your health and fitness. This simple-looking, water-resistant rubber wristband tracks how many steps you take, how many hours you sleep and how many calories you burn and then sends that data to your smart phone or PC. Plus, it’s available in a variety of colors. Jawbone UP ($129): Designed to be worn everywhere you go (that includes the shower), the waterproof Jawbone UP wristband promises to pro-
mote a healthier lifestyle by tracking your movements and sleep. Like the Fitbit Flex, the UP syncs all of your metrics to your computer, but it requires a wired connection. As an added bonus (or potential annoyance), the wristband doubles as a silent, vibrating alarm that knows the best time to wake you up based on your sleep cycle.
Motorola MotoActv ($249):
Built for serious runners, the MotoActv combines a GPS system, MP3 player, heart-rate monitor and goal manager into a touchscreen watch. With it, you can collect all kinds of run stats (like pace and distance, for example) and then sync it with the Web or your Android
phone. The only knock against this watch is its hefty price tag. Basis ($199): It may look like a typical timepiece, but the Basis is smarter than the average watch. Four embedded sensors measure things like blood-flow, perspiration and overall activity. As it monitors your habits around the clock and gauges your fitness level, the Basis makes suggestions on how to improve them. That’s right. This watch is also a coach, urging you with comments like, “You’ve been sitting too long. Go for a walk!” Some may find it annoying. Others may find it motivating. Larklife ($99): The Larklife may be one of the chunkier fitness wristbands out there, but it’s also extremely versatile, able to monitor your movement, eating, sleeping and even productivity habits and to provide recommendations for improving them all. It also syncs wirelessly to a truly great iPhone and iPad app, but unfortunately that’s all it can sync to. PC and Android users should look elsewhere. Shea Conner can be reached at shea.conner@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @stjoelivedotcom.
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