Considering their many shapes and sizes, buying pants online is a gamble, but when the Gnara Go There Pants came across my radar, they looked like a good enough fit to take a chance. The really cool feature that made me really want a pair though is a zipper that allows women to discreetly relieve themselves anywhere outside. Ever longing to find a better way to answer nature’s call without exposing myself to the swarms of mosquitoes that always seem to follow me around, the Go There pants are the perfect solution.

The combined fit and unique function make these a must have for hiking, climbing, camping, or fishing. The pee zipper is so well hidden that it won’t raise eyebrows on the trail, and it’s light enough and not bulky to the point you don’t even notice it’s there. In addition to the standard zipper used to take pants on and off, the Go There pants have a second GoFly zipper that starts below the first fly and extends around to the back, allowing you to unzip only as far as needed to take care of your business. I also like the roll-up cuff option and the breathable fabric. Gnara is a small, women-run and women-owned business too. MSRP: $168. Gnara.com

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If you ever met Deb Di Bernardo, you would remember it, clearly. There was a small holiday get-together at a friend’s house and Deb was already there, at the head of the table, enthralling the room with her stories and her laugh. It was about the time she had just left her job and was starting Roast House Coffee. Her quick wit, love of expletives and unfiltered opinion left an impression. The success of Roast House is surely due to her energy and love of community.

She had hot coffee for early morning riders during Bike to Work Week and Spokefest. She caffeinated Spokane Bike Swap shoppers. She donated to local nonprofits with abandon. Her desire was to change the world and she did, not just with her coffee and her words. Deb loved people. If you stopped by the tasting room, you were a forever friend, with an invitation to the back, a tour, and an invitation to grab a seat and hang out a while. Although she left the world in December 2024, she will be ever present in the outdoor community. Her memory will forever be a f****** blessing. 

The post In Memory of Roast House’s Founder Deb Di Bernardo appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Shallan Knowles 

What makes the perfect gift? Let me tell you, it doesn’t have to be big or expensive, but it will take a little work to make the magic happen. A meaningful gift will hopefully do one of a few things: upgrade them from something they like to something they love, show them how well you know them, or introduce them to something they didn’t even know they needed.  

Another fun gift giving strategy is to go with abundance! One of my favorite gifts this year was a Costco box of handwarmers. It will be a warm winter for me. Find something small that your person loves and stock them up. Some people love gifting, some people dread it.  

Our annual guide to gifts emphasizes supporting local businesses, including many Out There advertisers. Shop local and keep money in our local community! I hope this guide helps spark some imagination and inspiration that will make your gift giving easier and more fun this holiday season. 

The Coffee Lover 

Either for the jolt or the variety of flavors offered in a simple cup of brew, the coffee lover in your life will appreciate a gift from their local roaster. Grab a can of DOMA’s DEEP coffee that’s not only delicious, but supports POW (Protect Our Winters). Not only do most roasters offer delicious beans, they have fun merch too! Check out the Whistling Fox on a bike shirt from Roast House, or the Summer Lovin’ Hat from DOMA crafted by local artist Cori Ward with a tribute to Idaho’s Sawtooth Wilderness. 

For a downtown Spokane experience, grab a “Transcend the Bullsh*t” mug at Atticus and drop in a gift card for a latte. It’s a fun place to sip and people watch. For the adventurous coffee drinker, pick up a gift card to your person’s local coffee shop and print a map for them to walk or bike to get there! Or go with abundance and gift a variety basket of instant brew for outdoor adventures. 

The Bike Rider 

Maybe the person you love is a summer singletrack shredder or a dedicated year-round rider. Honor their love for two pedals with a gift they’ll use and enjoy. Bike lights can keep them rolling their favorite singletrack trails long after the sun goes down or keep them safe if they ride on the road. Check out the mega selection of bike lights from North Division Bicycle for front or back lights. Branded apparel, from hats, t-shirts, and sweatshirts, are a great gift for any rider who has a favorite shop like North Division that has great shop apparel.  

Wheel Sport has a couple cool gift ideas for riders this season. The Muc-Off Big Bore Tubeless Valves, they say, will “revolutionize the lowly and long-serving presta valve with a unique core-free design, which allows up to 230% higher air flow than traditional presta valves.” The result is dramatically easier tubeless tire installation and inflation, with no valve core to clog up with sealant. And with the integrated lever, rides can quickly and easily micro-adjust tire pressure mid-ride.  

Wheel Sport also recommends the Specialized Air Tool Comp V2 Floor Pump, which boasts big air chambers that move a lot of air, quickly, with pressure gauges to dial it in precisely. This pump goes even further with a unique high- and low-pressure gauge system. The low-pressure portion of the gauge allows mountain bikers to fine-tune their fat tires; the high-pressure section gives road bikers optimal control over their slicks.  

Two Wheeler & Ski Dealer in Hayden has the added bonus of making one-stop shopping for cyclists and skiers. The Matrix Saddle Tagger from Lezyne creates a hidden, protected holder for an Apple AirTag under a saddle for trackability in case the bike goes missing. Any bikepacker or adventure rider will love a Mag-Tank top tube bag from Revelate Designs for stashing calories and other personal items they will need on long rides. For safety-minded riders who pedal in traffic, a Mirrycle Mountain Handlebar Mirror is a great gift choice that pretty much says “I love you and don’t want you to die.” 

The Home Nester 

There are people who love to be home, or those who love to come back to the nest after an outdoor adventure. Fill their space with the scent of their favorite outdoor place with a Bungalow Candle Company, with scents from “Post Falls Cottonwood Reserve” to “Autumn in Hells Canyon” and “Waikiki Spring Trailhead.” Bring your giftee’s favorite outdoor adventure happy place into their home while supporting a local business. Last year a loved one asked for some new dish towels, which is a highly useful gift, and can find some beautiful options and plenty of other unique fair-trade gifts when you shop at Kizuri downtown Spokane!  

The home nester will love curling up to a copy of “Lost Apples: The Search for Rare and Heritage Apples in the Pacific Northwest,” by David Benscoter. This new book out from Keokee Books in Sandpoint will captivate anyone with an interest in our local food heritage. The book is the account of apple historians and enthusiasts who are canvassing old orchards and forgotten homesteads of the Inland Northwest in search of the rare and heritage apples that still survive.  

The Skier or Snowboarder 

Do you have a friend who is “unavailable” after the snow flies? You can see them, but only if you join them on the slopes. Support their love of flying down the mountain with a gift card to their favorite resort, or a resort they don’t normally frequent. Pair it with a set of ski straps from Spokane Alpine Haus to help them keep their skis held together in style. If they have their hands full with a hot coffee while huffing it to the first lift, these will be a welcome addition to keep their skis from turning into a yard sale.  

If your person runs cold, consider a helmet cover or heated mittens, also found at Alpine Haus at their two Spokane locations or at your favorite local ski shop. As seasons change, so do fashions, and you can leave it to Alpine Haus to stay updated with a new pair of goggles or the very necessary helmet for all levels of snow riders.  

Spokane’s Solnix ski and board shop, which also sells wake, skate, and bike gear as well as other outdoor gear and apparel, had some sweet gift ideas for snow sliders. Solnix recommends coming into their huge shop to look around and find a wide range of gift ideas for just about anyone. A few ideas include ski and board tune kits and tools, gloves and mitts from a new company called Death Grip Glove Co., goggles from Smith and Oakley, or Gravity Grabbers ski and board hanging kits to better organize that quiver in their garage or gear room. 

Know someone who loves nothing more than to trek around the snowy woods? Hok Skis, from Northeast Washington-based Altai Skis, is designated as an easy-to-use backcountry travel tool. Hoks’ short, wide dimensions makes the ski incredibly maneuverable, and the integrated climbing skin gives the Hok great traction for climbing while allowing them to glide back down hills. The Hok combines the maneuverability and ease-of-use found in snowshoes with the ski’s efficiency of sliding forward rather than lifting and stepping with each stride. Several binding options are available along with the skis and other gear at their online shop. 

The Go-Getter  

These people love activities and doing new things. Their house could already be full, but they are ready to roll at any time. They probably don’t need or want more “things” but will appreciate the new experience that will expand their universe and get them moving and experiencing our world in new ways! How about a gift card to Coil Spokane that will get them doing Aerial Yoga? Or a tandem sky diving gift at Skydive West Plains just west of Spokane? They are offering a holiday special of $100 off a tandem skydive for two as a special for Out There readers (see their ad in this issue for details).  

If your person is in Spokane, or comes to Spokane, check out the Wander Spokane tours to get an insider’s view of the urban trails, historic sites, and best eating and imbibing stops in the city. Gift a simple city tour, or find a themed tour that includes wine, beer or some local eats for a unique experience that will educate, entertain and help them get their steps in. 

For the more energetic, a gift card for a session at Krete Academy will allow them to literally jump off the walls in constructive ways. Gift cards to a local climbing gym like Wild Walls in Spokane or Coeur Climbing in Post Falls make for an awesome stocking stuffer or main course gift.  

Dining out can be nice, but one-up it with an experiential cooking class. Wanderlust Delicato in Spokane or The Culinary Stone in Coeur d’Alene offer cooking classes for a variety of food interests.  

The Yogi 

Any dedicated (or semi dedicated) yogi would appreciate an upgrade to the most basic of yoga equipment, the yoga mat. Check out local stores such as Spokane Exercise Equipment. Go abundant and pair it with a membership, punch card or a series of classes to a yoga studio, like Harmony Yoga’s one-month unlimited membership that is only $49.  

The Water Lover 

The dark, cold months can be hard for the lake lover. Get them dreaming about the warmer months with their own private inflatable dock from Solnix in Spokane. If you have a risk-taker in your life, a good lifejacket is a gift for everyone as they learn to fly on their foil or wake surf board. For the human-powered watercraft people, a soft-sided boat cooler is a thoughtful gift to keep them hydrated next summer. The Mission Tempest at Solnix is extra cool because it floats! If your dog or kid joins you on your paddleboard, this is a nice feature to have. Call ahead to make sure staff can retrieve summer items from the warehouse! 

The Teenager  
Though cash is always a welcome gift for any teenager, get creative! Hide some cash in a sweet pair of gloves that will encourage them to protect their hands and get outside this winter. If they are a mountain slayer, a gift card to their favorite mountain that they can use to keep fueled up at a ski area eatery will get used for sure. Or treat them and a group of friends to an experience such as one of the various themed escape rooms around the region.  

The Kids  
The holiday season is even more magical for kids. For as much as they love the trips to see Santa, decorating the tree or sipping warm cocoa, most kids are super focused on the gifts. Make it a memorable year with a registration to a climbing team at Coeur Climbing (teams for ages 7-12 or 12-18), or a Wild Walls Beginner’s Club (ages 7-10) or Climbing Club (ages 7-14 after passing beginner’s club) that includes a one-month membership and instructors that teach knot tying and safety. Gifts that are fun to un-wrap are Lego sets from Brick-by-Brick in Spokane’s Garland Neighborhood, or anything from Whiz Kids downtown Spokane or any other local shop with creative and educational kids’ gifts and games. This year we will be gifting our kiddo an upgraded chess set from Uncle’s Games in downtown Spokane, but any board game from this store will bring hours of unplugged family fun. Hopefully Santa will take care of the big stuff like the Firecracker Waterski Trainer! If not, you can get one at Solnix. 

The Hiker 

Some love water, some love land, and for those who love those overland mountain and canyon trails, honor their passion! Every hiker appreciates a pair of socks, and the “Socks that Save” at Kizuri do good for causes (mental health, building homes, giving water, planting trees and many other causes). My mother did not appreciate the hiking poles I gifted her for her 60^th birthday (she calls them canes) but they can be essential for the avid hiker to keep them upright and encourage upper body strength. Find them at your local outdoor retailer! No matter if your person lives in Washington (Discover Pass) or Idaho (State Parks Passport) gift them easy access to the outdoors with a state parks pass, available on-line, giving them a year of no excuses to hike local trails. Hiking can be challenging in the winter months, so surprise them with a pair of Altai Hok skis that allow hikers to stroll across the snow, climbing up hills and gliding back down. 

The Person Who Has Everything 

If the person you are getting a gift for literally has everything, or just has too much, consider these acts of service and find a fun way to wrap them up! For the person who spends a lot of time adventuring, they might appreciate the gift of house cleaning. A Google search will result in a long list of local cleaners that can come in for a one-time scrub, or a monthly membership, depending on how much you love them. If your person is making trips up and down mountains, or just lives in the Inland Northwest and drives our slushy streets, a membership to a car wash can keep their mountain transportation in good condition inside and out.  

Memberships are another way to gift your person without gifting stuff. A membership to their favorite podcast so they can listen subscription free, or a membership to the Museum of Arts and Culture to give the gift of exhibitions, programs and events. Or give someone who loves picking up Out There Venture magazine an Out There membership that will provide them with a bunch of year-long discounts and swag from local bike and ski shops, ski resorts, climbing gyms, and outdoor adventure companies offering rafting and fishing trips, zipline tours, and more (available at Outthereoutdoors.com/membership).  

Food and drink lovers might appreciate a wine club membership from Wanderlust Delicato, which is available in a myriad of prices ranges. And not a membership, but a gift certificate, for a home cooked meal from The Supper Club or Lucid Roots can nourish your person for their next adventure. Roast House Coffee offers a Stay Wild subscription, which provides a rotating coffee experience delivered to their door. How about a local, farm-fresh food box subscription from LINC Foods, where they will enjoy the culinary surprise of new local food items being delivered to their door all season long? 

Know somebody on a keto or gluten-free diet? Give them a gift card at Spokane’s Cole’s Café and Bakery, which is 100% gluten free with lots of keto and vegan options. Any Out There reader will love tickets to the Banff Mountain Film Festival, coming to Spokane for three nights Jan. 10-12. These showings typically sell out, so hook them up before tickets are gone! 

The Stocking Fanatic 

Some people love tearing into a jam-packed Christmas stocking more than opening gifts. Fill their cup by paying a visit to the ultimate one-stop stocking stuffer spot, your local Grocery Outlet store. There you’ll find incredible deals on quality candy, gourmet chocolate, snacks, nuts, dried fruit, organic and vegan options, and other home goods and health and beauty products that make great small stocking gifts.  

Whatever you give, make it extra special by purchasing it from a local small business. Or, even better, from an Out There Venture magazine advertiser! 

The post Ideas for Giving Meaningful Local Gifts in the Inland NW appeared first on Out There Venture.

A sign marking the boundary of National Forest Land might make one think that the patch of desert or woods behind it belongs to the United States Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management, but it really belongs to all of us. 

When Derrick and I started adventuring together, always on a budget, we were dedicated non-profit employees in the first decade of the 2000’s. I would longingly look at resorts as we drove on by farther into the middle of nowhere. My ever-cheerful companion, on the other hand, seemed to know all the dispersed camping spots, trails and amenities that went with all types of recreation land just about anywhere we went and would snicker. It wouldn’t have mattered if we could afford the luxury room with a pool—he was headed toward some beautiful free spot with wide-open views and plenty of fresh air out on our public lands. “Why purchase a vacation home,” he would exclaim as I looked around for the outhouse (knowing full well that a shower was not going to happen), “when we already own all of this!”  

His obsessive preference for public lands camping and access to millions of acres of largely pristine country is shared among many of his adventure comrades. It took me a while though to fully appreciate the gravity of what that privileged access truly means. The vast amount of that publicly-owned land held by our federal, state, and local and regional agencies to manage and care for is a unique part of living here in the United States that we should all cherish and not take for granted. We might pay some user fees, or amenity fees for camping (or a shower!), but really this land is owned by all of us, and we need to step up and do our part to make sure public lands are protected, funded, and taken care of as best we can. 

Whether your favorite public lands trail, campground, boater access, wildlife watching or hunting spot, or vast swath of wilderness is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington State Parks, Bonner County, the City of Spokane, the National Park Service or some other entity, just paying your taxes isn’t enough to ensure these places will continue to thrive the way they should.  

Our annual Public Lands Guide is a call to all of us to ask not just what the hard-working caretakers of these precious lands and the taxes we pay can do for us, but what else we can do for the places and the wildlife that we love. We hope this guide will inspire you to learn about and get involved with some of the organizations and agencies featured here. Consider signing up for a trail work or restoration project. Put some volunteer time or a small bit of your paycheck to work for one of these non-profit conservation and outdoor recreation advocacy groups and their meaningful campaigns. This land is our land, after all.

Sponsored

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Inland Empire Paper Land (IEP): IEP has private property that is open for recreational use in Idaho and Washington. There is a gate host at entry points which include land near Twin Lakes, Spirit Lake, Mount Spokane, Thompson Creek, and Bozard Creek-Mica. More info at Iepco.com/forestry/rec-use. 

United States Forest Service Lands: On Forest Service trails, dogs are allowed off leash as long as they are “under voice control.” They must also be leashed around packers, horses and stock animals. The nearest areas are in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest and Colville National Forest. Some trails with high usage might be marked individually for on-leash only. Owners of off-leash dogs should take special precautions on Forest Service lands where both legal and illegal traps set for wolves and other wildlife can and do also trap, hurt and kill people’s dogs.  

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Lands: WDFW lands allow off-leash dogs from August through March, as long as you are more than 500 feet from designated access sites or a designated campground. Rustler’s Gulch Wildlife Area, about 30 miles north of Spokane, has an extensive network of old roads that are now used as trails where dogs and their owners are free to roam untethered.  

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Lou and Mary Haymond were walking on a trail in the Plese Flats area at Riverside State Park when an off-leash dog charged them from more than 150 feet away. Lou moved in front of Mary as it snarled and lunged at them, but the border collie ran around Lou and bit Mary’s leg. They did all the right things—avoiding eye contact and not running, but it didn’t matter. The dog drew blood and the puncture wounds were deep. At the emergency room, the decision was made not to stich the wound tightly due to the potential for infection. After the attack, the owner leashed the dog, apologized profusely and offered to pay medical bills. But the damage was done.  

Dog attacks like this one often inspire a renewed focus on the topic of leashing your dog on public trails. While it’s the law in several areas, the rules in other public spaces are murkier. With more pups hitting the trails post-COVID, it is in everyone’s best interest to help create safe, positive interactions on the trail. It starts with knowing the rules and comes down to respecting others in the outdoors community.  

Don’t Worry! My Dog is Friendly!  

It’s one of the most common things you hear from an owner when you see an off-leash dog running up to you on the trail. After mentioning this article to my friends, every single person had an off-leash dog story. Some dogs are truly friendly, but that doesn’t account for how the person or animal being approached will react, especially if they have a reactive dog who is on a leash. One “friendly dog” was so excited to see a fellow trail runner, the dog knocked my friend on her backside after jumping up to greet her. Even friendly can go too far. 

We walk our dog, Fernie, with a gentle lead, which is a leash that includes fabric straps that go up over a dog’s snout. One reason is because Fernie is strong and has not an ounce of control when she sees wildlife. She will hurt herself trying to get to a rodent, which is to be expected—she’s part rat terrier. The other reason is due to her infrequent, but intense, reaction to other dogs. 

More often than we would like while out walking Fernie, another dog will run up to her with the owner waving their hands and yelling from a distance that we shouldn’t worry, their dog is friendly. Which is great for them, but not for our dog. It’s intense trying to hold her back and keep the other dog at a distance. If we fail, Fernie will happily remove a chunk of the approaching dog’s ear or nearest body part. 

Fernie’s reaction is even stronger if she’s on a leash, which she always is out in public. We could put a muzzle on her. But if the approaching friendly dog were on a leash or under voice control, it wouldn’t matter: there would be time to say, “that’s nice, but my dog is not friendly!” The off-leash-dog owner takes away that possibility and puts their own pup at risk. 

Lou was quick to point out that all dogs bite. Some are easily provoked, as he and Mary found out the hard way. Other dogs can take more to provoke, but they all have the potential to cause harm. Your friendly dog might be friendly with other friendly dogs. Maybe at the dog park your dog does the play bow and off they go running with glee. But how does your friendly dog react to dogs who are not so fun?  

Dog behavior is complex, and unlike children, we cannot have a sit-down talk to discuss their feelings. If Fifi is friendly and my dog wants to attack, Fifi might run away or might be ready for a fight. I’m sure neither of us wants to find out. Make sure Fifi is on a leash-y and avoid potential problems. 

Not all negative interactions with off-leash dogs involve altercations. While chatting with a backcountry hiker about this issue, she told a story about an off-leash dog that came into their lunch circle on a hike and proceeded to sample picnic items. The owner didn’t seem to mind, but the hikers who had their lunches pilfered by a stranger’s dog sure did. Rules in more remote areas might allow for off leash-dogs, but if your dog is prone to munching food from fellow wanderers, some form of restraint would be appreciated. 

Dogs in Natural Areas 

Another common thing you hear from dog owners is that they only let their hound off leash in natural areas away from lots of people. However, in parks designated as a natural-area or other wetlands-type areas that allow dogs, it’s even more important to keep them on leash. Areas that nurture nature are home to sensitive wildlife and plants. Dogs tromping around unattended or chasing birds and other animals is probably fun for the pooch, but is detrimental to wildlife and their habitat. Look at the dog laws before you go. Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge discourages visitors from bringing their pets, although dogs are allowed on leash. The Little Spokane and the Ragged Ridge natural areas, on the other hand, do not allow dogs (that includes paddleboard pups too). Riverside State Park staff encourages people to call park offices for clarification (Riverside State Park 509-465-5064 or Mount Spokane State Park 509-238-4258). 

Leash Laws at Washington State Parks 

Riverside State Park is regularly patrolled by rangers, and one of the biggest offenses is off-leash dogs. According to park spokesman Rex Schultz, dog related violations are at the discretion of the ranger that encounters the owner with an off-leash dog. More often than not, the ranger will give an Educational Contract, or warning, to the offender. If these contracts were tracked like they track citations, they would number in the hundreds each year. When rangers give a citation, it costs the owner of the off-leash dog $99. Fourty citations were given in 2023, and 2024 is on track to beat that number. 

Repeat offenders face stiffer penalties. “Any violation, or refusal to leash a dog after contact can result in a 48-hour expulsion,” reports Schultz. “Repeated occurrences could upgrade to a 30-day expulsion, and in rare occurrences, up to a 1-year expulsion.” Don’t get kicked out of the park. Bring your Discover Pass and your dog’s leash and use it.  

Leash Laws in Idaho 

Some people I spoke with erroneously believed that freedom-loving Idaho was a haven for off-leash pets. Yet, according to the City of Coeur d’Alene, dogs are not allowed off leash at many areas where off-leash dog infractions are common, including the Canfield Mountain hiking and biking trails. Idaho State Parks also requires dogs to be on leash, including at popular parks like Farragut and the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. 

Recall vs. Leash 

One of my friends often encounters the same dog on a trail, glued to its owner’s side. I imagine this is what they mean by absolute voice command. While this may keep their highly-disciplined dog from infringing on other peoples’ enjoyment of public lands, if leashes are required, it’s still illegal. More common are the frequent dog walkers with much-less-than-perfect voice command over their best friend who somehow think they have earned the right to leave the leash at home. Even with the best training, unless you can guarantee your dog won’t wander more than eight feet from you and will leave all people, animals and other dogs alone, it’s not considered recall and it doesn’t take the place of a leash.  

Why People Ignore the Leash Laws 

Dogs are family, for most of us. We want the best for our pups, and this often means letting them free to smell the smells and chase the balls. Most dogs are relatively well-behaved, and will eventually come back to those who feed them without causing much or any harm. But it’s up to us as dog owners to either find a place that’s safe and legal to let them go wild, or leash them up to protect other park users. 

Why You Should Care 

Another story I heard while researching for this article was of a woman who was out for a run when she encountered a German Shepard with a woman and her kids, who the owner later stated had “never hurt a soul.” But this time, the dog couldn’t decipher if the runner was rushing at the children he was set on protecting or just out for a jog. He attacked and drew blood, to the surprise of the owner. Do you want to be liable if your friendly dog attacks someone randomly for the first time? 

If you are one of the many people who insist on having your dog off-leash, I imagine it’s for the right reasons. They recall fairly well, they like to run, and who wants to be attached to a rope? I get it, but here’s why I deeply believe your off-leash dog only belongs in more remote areas where it’s legal—we live in a community.  

As users of public areas, it is not our individual space. If you go to a dog park, you can expect a dog to run up and greet you unannounced. Our busy trails should not be the same. By keeping our dogs on leash, we can respect our fellow humans and protect our animals. We can keep the startled dog from chasing the runner and sending her to the hospital. 

We each have the responsibility to avoid causing harm to others in our public spaces. It’s not about the ticket, or eventually getting kicked out of a park because of our choices; It’s about being civil to each other.  

The Dog Owner’s Mindset 

Washington State Parks ranger Paul Neddo reports that off-leash dogs is the top issue for park rangers, with park users complaining about this issue more than any other. When asked about the most frustrating part of dealing with off-leash dogs, Neddo was quick to respond. “It’s the self-centered mindset,” he says, going on to explain how offenders typically fall into three categories: 1. Prompted compliance, or those who quickly leash their dog when they see a ranger. 2. The people who rationalize their law breaking, claiming their dog is well trained and doesn’t chase. 3. Those who are offended by the “silly rule” and think they don’t need to. He encourages all three groups to think about the repercussions beyond what the dog owner might see.  

For example, the Deep Creek area at Riverside State Park, which is frequented by climbers, was also the hunting grounds of a cougar in 2017. Some of the climbers had off-leash dogs that would roam the canyon while they climbed, and a few smaller dogs went missing. Neddo speculates that the cat had a tasty pup treat or two, and subsequently, this new food source broke down its fear of humans. Eventually the cougar was killed as it had grown too comfortable in an area that is heavily used by climbers, hikers, and mountain bikers. 

Ranger Neddo encourages people to think beyond self interest and ask themselves, “Why should I be the exception to the rule?” If you choose to go to a public place with a leash law, he suggests that you respect fellow users, wildlife, and the rules. He also noted the entitlement of some off leash dog owners and the conflict in our society between individuality and responsibility when it comes to issues like this. While flaunting the law may feel like an individual choice, it is in fact putting the safety and enjoyment of others at risk and is a form of entitlement.  

What Can We Do? 

If a desire to be respectful of fellow users of parks and natural areas isn’t enough to motivate owners to leash their dogs, how do the rest of us respond? Some people claim to have mace or dog spray at the ready. Others keep treats on hand and will throw said treats to distract dogs. Some have suggested a milder spray such as citronella, as it doesn’t do lasting harm but is an effective deterrent. Shouting and carrying a big stick doesn’t always do the job.  

Mary Haymond’s bite wounds are slowly filling in after three years of healing, but still look terrible. She still tenses up around dogs, even on a leash, and it’s not uncommon to see off-leash dogs when she and her husband go on a walk. They carry pepper spray now and warn owners of off leash dogs that they have it. 

After the incident with the border collie, SCRAPS interviewed the dog owner. They learned this was not the first bite incident the dog has had. The owner reported letting the dog off leash because their yard is small and the dog has tons of energy. Scraps encouraged Lou and Mary to sue the owner, but they didn’t have the heart. Lou felt that the owner was remorseful and SCRAPS required him to now keep the dog fenced, install signs on said fence, and they require insurance that costs upwards of $400 per year per animal. The owner couldn’t afford it and returned the dog to the farm where he came from. 

The disregard for others displayed by this offending dog owner, and all other off-leash owners, leaves a lasting impact on those they encounter. It’s time to be better community members and responsible citizens and keep all dogs on-leash, no matter how well behaved they are, to maintain safe trails and parks.  

Shallan Knowles works as a graphic designer and mediator in Spokane and keeps her crazy dog on a short leash. She and her spouse publish Out There Venture and love to take their 9-year-old mountain biking at Riverside.  

The post Off-Leash Dogs on the Trail appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Shallan Knowles 

Cover photo courtesy Shallan Knowles

We are fortunate to have some amazing public schools and excellent teachers around the Spokane region, but some children will struggle more than others at their local public school for a variety of reasons, leaving those parents looking for alternatives.  

Elementary school should be about learning the basics, but also—and arguably, more importantly—learning to love learning. It’s a core life skill that can be difficult to teach students with individual learning needs and challenges, especially in a large classroom with standardized curriculum.  

For kids who might not fit well in a traditional school environment like that, there are a growing number of charter schools and experienced-based public schools out there that provide varied learning environments, although many fill up quickly.  

There are also many excellent private school options. The smaller class sizes and specialized learning approach at some of these schools can be appealing but also cost prohibitive for many parents. Of course we want what’s best for our kids, and there’s nothing more worthy of investing in than their futures. That thinking played a huge role in our decision to find a school that was right for our son, especially since he takes after his father who struggled with desk-bound school work as an elementary school student. 

 “We don’t know where Derrick is a lot of the time,” his third-grade teacher told my mother-in-law about my now-husband during a parent-teacher conference. This antidote came up frequently when we began looking at daycares and then schools that might a good fit for our son. All of those years ago, Derrick was physically there at his desk, of course, but not really there. He recalls staring longingly out the window, lost in an imaginative world, waiting for the school bell to ring and then coming to life with delight on the rare days when learning meant watching a film, participating in arts experiences, getting out of the classroom on a field trip, or taking part in some cultural experience at an assembly. Once off to college, he finally learned to love learning. It was this history of struggling in a traditional classroom setting, and a realization that our son takes after his father in this regard, that informed our search for an elementary education that would work better for our imaginative, high-energy kid.  

Enter Pioneer School, a pre-k through 5^th grade elementary school in Spokane Valley that caters to highly capable students. This small, unpretentious private school with small class sizes is one of the few secular private schools around, leaving various religious or spiritual beliefs to the parents. The focus, instead, is centered around experiential and theme-based learning. Kids take on more interactive projects that make them active participants in their learning and spend less time working on packets at their desks. They go on more hands-on learning expeditions out in nature and in the community than sitting still staring at chalkboards. The desk work that is done is related thematically to the projects and learning expeditions based on quarterly themes or topics that tie it all together and make learning meaningful, personal, and active. The learning topics range broadly from nature to history, current events, culture, music and art. 

When our son started kindergarten at Pioneer, the topic was inventing, which according to him was what he wanted to be when he grew up. He came home from school gushing with facts, small invention projects, and a passion for learning that has only grown stronger since then. 

The school is also dedicated to outdoor play in the school’s backyard play area in all types of weather, as well as in seasonal outdoor sports including alpine and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, ice and roller skating, hiking, biking, camping, nature exploration, and other outdoor activities. Our son often comes home talking excitedly about the surprising things he learned that day, his clothes dirty and shoes full of sand from intense outdoor play, confirming for us that we made the right school choice. 

To learn more about Pioneer School and openings for the 2024/2025 school year, visit Pioneerschool.com or email office@pioneerschool.com to set up a tour. 

The post Investing in the Right Education for Your Kid  appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Shallan Knowles 

One day last summer, I took off from home for a ride on my bike when I was suddenly struck with a vivid flashback of riding as a kid down the middle of my street on my pink bike sporting a flower seat and streamers on the handlebars. Strangely, at that moment the memory and actual sensation of riding somehow felt one and the same. It took me a few minutes to make the connection that because I had forgotten to put on a helmet, the wind blowing through my hair and accompanying sense of freedom had triggered it all. As short-lived as it was (I turned around and went back home to get my helmet), it was a poignant reminder of the power of bikes.  

At least for me, the days of un-helmeted hair-flying riding are gone, but I still seek out that sense of freedom and ecstatic joy that riding a bike can elicit like nothing else. Not all of my two-wheeled experiences have been so positive and pure, however. My first adult bike was a pretty heavy hard-tail that I rode and walked on many challenging rides orchestrated by my now husband and Out There co-publisher Derrick. There was the peak summer heat attempt to ride from downtown to Spokane to Coeur d’Alene on the Centennial Trail, one of my first mountain bike rides ever on steep bike park trails (there were tears), challenging singletrack climbs and descents on trails far above my ability level from B.C. to Bend, but, somehow, I persisted in marriage and with a love for the unique sense of freedom that rolling down a trail or road on a bike can evoke. And I learned more about my relationship with riding a bike and what type of experiences are most fulfilling.  

Eventually I upgraded to a lightweight, full suspension 29er mountain bike that has made riding more fun than ever. That move convinced me that riding the best bike you can afford is a worthy investment. And while the quality of the bike you’re on is undeniably important, just getting out on whatever bike you have is more important, and riding with the right people matters most of all. Some of my best days this warm season will be on bikes with friendly, familiar faces and likely a pack of our kids leading the way. That flow of people and pines, of whooping and laughter as we wind down forgiving trails to fulfilling conversation back at the trailhead defines most of my adult bike rides of late. Those days often transcend even the formative feeling from memories of riding carefree as kids down empty streets at dusk, hair flying wild with nothing to lose.  

We hope this 2024 bike issue will stir some inspiration to get out and ride more this year. In this section, we cover a wide range of cycling activities and culture, from MTB to BMX, from the rise of e-bikes to the pros and cons of bikepacking, and the many biking events that bring people of all abilities and backgrounds together via their love of pedaling on wheels. As this spring creeps along into summer and then fall, don’t miss an opportunity to grab a bike (and helmet) and ride like the wind.  

The post Ride Like the Wind   appeared first on Out There Venture.

Cover photo courtesy Shallan Knowles

My introduction to stargazing came from friends of my parents who knew about constellations and how to find them. I was gifted a book, a flashlight with a red light, and took an occasional tromp out into a field with a sleeping bag to learn a few constellations. Though the iconic Orion is still an easy find, the other constellations I learned have slipped from my memory over time. Now, with the advancement of our pocket computers, we can search the night sky with astronomy apps to learn more about the little dots of light we see.

Night Sky Apps

Camping can be an excellent time to learn about the night sky, as we are often away from lights. This year, to keep spring break from being a TV fest with our 9-year-old, we headed south to the Moab, Utah, area to ride mountain bikes. Our BLM boondocked camp spot provided for a perfect view of the sky and an opportunity to test out a few of the many apps available to better understand the stars and planets we can see.

The first app we used was SkyView Lite, which is the free version. When holding the app to the sky, you can see both your surroundings and the planets and stars above you. The feature I loved about this app is the option to tap to learn more about what you are seeing. On this night, Jupiter was just coming up as the sky turned dark. When clicked, the planet turns large and information about the object is displayed at the bottom, telling us that one day on Jupiter is about 10 hours long. These little tidbits of info are easy to understand and create a richer experience. However, the app can show so much info so that it’s confusing, such as two planets, a satellite, the horizon line, the path of said planets, the time of night and a constellation over the top of what’s currently happening in camp, making it less kid-friendly or tough for the distractible.

The free Sky Map app provided a better representation of the constellations, with lines and graphics. This app is a complete representation with the direction and large stars highlighted along with the constellation that has been touched. It is easier to navigate and softer on the eyes. Both apps were fun to play with to see the night sky and helped connect kids and adults with the twinkling stars and not-so-twinkling planets above our camp.

Spokane Falls Community College Planetarium

To start as a sky explorer, consider heading to the Spokane Falls Community College planetarium. About once a month (paused during summer break) they show a short movie about space. But the best part is before the film when professor of astronomy John Whitmer introduces the audience to that evening’s night sky. His introduction will orient the viewer to true north, certain constellations, planets and the moon.

If you are able to catch a show at the SFCC planetarium, be ready for an informative experience. After entering the circular room, you can slide into a reclining chair as the warm light bathes you. Once the show starts, the dome ceiling puts on a 3D viewing experience that takes you right into outer space. (The effect can cause motion sickness for the sensitive.) Shows run one weekend per month with a special movie for younger kids. This May 17-19 SFCC is showing “Solar Superstorm.” Showings are only $7 per person or less with a student ID.

Looking at the stars in a dark night sky fills the mind with a sense of the vastness of space, wonder and the reality of how small our human existence is compared to the Milky Way and the universe beyond. Summer skies and camping provide a great opportunity to contemplate our place in the cosmos. Take advantage of technology, find a spot in the dark sky, gather the kids or adult friends, and take a visual tour of the visible galaxy.

Shallan Knowles is the creative director and publisher of Out There Venture. She is looking forward to lying on the dock on a warm summer night to listen to the water and watch for shooting stars.

The post How to Become a Sky Explorer appeared first on Out There Venture.