Got a Day? Paddle with NOLS Grads!

NOLS grads really like to get together on sea kayaks. This might be because kayaking is a great way to see the coast, or it's an activity that's easy on the ol' body and easy to learn. Perhaps alumni sea-kayaking seminars are popular because they're an inexpensive way to network and meet like-minded outdoorsy types. Maybe it's the allure of the ocean and the chance to pump up your guns like Hulk Hogan's biceps.

Whatever the draw, here are some shots of a recent NOLS Alumni Sea Kayaking Seminar in the San Francisco Bay area. Hopefully these pics will bring out your inner Captain Ahab and you too will attend an educational, daylong sea-kayaking seminar sometime soon (like July 21 and 22 on Lake Michigan...).

Surf's up!

NOLS Takes Me Out to the Ballpark

That's right, we're having a NOLS Alumni Reunion at Boston's Fenway Park on April 26, 2007.

Join NOLS grads, families, friends and potential students for an evening of Red Socks magic, great snacks, cool raffle prizes, networking, and an amazing presentation by NOLS grad Tori McClure- the first woman to row across the Atlantic!

Please see the NOLS reunion page for more information and RSVP right now (800.332.4280).

See you there (leave your Yankees gear at home...).

Rich Brame
NOLS Alumni Relations

Photo: Troy Thompson

Alumni Return to NOLS: Custom Trips

Did you know that the NOLS Alumni Department can create a custom trip for NOLS alumni friends and family?

Yup, it's true.

If you've got a place or activity in mind, and can rustle up about six fellow adventurers, there's a good chance we can craft up a custom trip for you. NOLS Alumni Trips have the same quality instruction and smooth logistics as a standard NOLS expedition, but the curriculum is flexible— you can focus on skills, or just plain fun. Alumni Trips are a great way to share a taste of the NOLS wilderness experience with your friends and loved ones who haven't taken a course and who wonder about your predilection for windpants and hotdrinks.

Got a hankering to teach your kids to fly-fish in Wyoming's Wind River Mountains? Have you imagined hiking along Australia's southwest beaches in the heart of wine country (check out that photo!)? Have the Himalayas and Antarctic been on your "to do" list for years? Are you happier in a fjord than a Ford? Are you more into cutthroat trout than cutthroat office politics?

Email alumni@nols.edu to explore your options. Planning time and costs vary by the trip.

In the Golden Gate's Shadow

The San Francisco-area NOLS grads burst into a flurry of activity over the May 19-21 weekend. On Friday, in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, we had a reunion at Crissy Field with our speaker and two-time NOLS grad Britton Keeshan. Britton spoke about his adventures as the youngest person to climb the Seven Summits. After Britton's talk, one enthusiastic grad stated that Britton is "a living national treasure" (!).

Over the rest of the weekend we organized two, day-long sea kayaking days for about two dozen alumni, friends & family. These alumni seminars give grads a chance to learn a new skill, polish some old ones and meet NOLS folks from the area.

Thanks to all the attendees, organizations and volunteers who helped bring NOLS to the San Francisco Bay. Watch the NOLS Alumni website for other events around the country.

A Noble Cause

Wow! Check out the very visible changes to the windows in NOLS' historic Noble Hotel in Lander. (click any picture)

Here's a shot showing how much light the new glass throws into the interior (pardon our dust...). That lumber in the foreground is actually the original trim being saved for re-use in the remodel.

The Noble renovation is part of NOLS' International Base Camp Initiative— the donor-funded campaign creating the physical framework for new ways of learning, living and teaching at NOLS.

Got a question about the Noble's progress, or a story about your time there? Drop us a note.

Like a Cobweb Alight

"Thou shalt cast with precision and thy fly shalt like a cobweb alight" is number two of Sheridan Anderson's "Eleven Commandments" (of fly fishing) in his informative, humorous and very entertaining comic book-style, fly fishing manual: The Curtis Creek Manifesto.

Yes, it's fishing season in Wyoming. This means NOLS Instructors, students, staff and alumni of all stripes are digging out their waders, rods, funny hats and work-dodging excuses to go "wet a line." It's the perfect time to get some NOLS fly fishing instruction too. Our August 6-12 Alumni Fly Fishing Trip into Wyoming's Wind River Mountains is a great way to re-connect with NOLS and the mountains where Petzoldt started it all.

So c'mon back to NOLS and we'll use Orvis gear to help you follow all of Anderson's commandments, including #4— "Thou shalt know thy waters and be wise about those things upon which thy prey doth feed."

See you creekside.

/s/Rich Brame
NOLS Alumni Relations

What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?

With a nod to Bill Shakespeare and all the alumni who have supported NOLS' International Base Camp Initiative, we're celebrating some dramatic progress on the Noble Hotel renovation.

Check out the snazzy, new, ginormous widows being inserted on the Third Street side of the Noble (click the picture to enlarge). See the old window on the right edge of the picture? Compare it to the new glass going in on the left and center... Yup, the donation-funded renovation is returning the original-sized glass to the hotel- in modern, energy efficient construction.

This highly-visible step in the International Base Camp Initiative is really improving the building exterior and opening up the internal space to much more light and a feeling of outdoor-connectedness.

The "soft light" that Shakespeare touts in Romeo & Juliet is in this case the bright glow of alumni support coming through and creating NOLS' "yonder windows."

Thanks, Alumni for your enthusiasm and ongoing aid. It really makes a difference.

Cheers,

Rich Brame
NOLS Alumni Relations Manager

NOLS is Coming to You

We're gearing up for a number of NOLS Alumni Reunions around the country. Reunions are a great way to connect with NOLS grads, staff, families, friends and prospective students. At the same time, you can enjoy an interesting slide show (like a re-tracing of Slavomir Rawicz' Long Walk, or images from a grad's odyssey on the Seven Summits), some great snacks and a chance to win raffled cool outdoor gear.

Stay tuned for information on NOLS Alumni Reunions in Boston, Jackson Hole, Raleigh, Denver and Bozeman. Click here for details.

NOLS expeditions happen in the wilderness. NOLS alumni reunions happen in, or near your community. NOLS connections last a lifetime.

-Rich Brame
NOLS Alumni Relations

Sunscreen in the Windy City - NOLS Grads Paddle Lake Michigan

Twenty-two Chicago-area NOLS Alumni recently spent the weekend sea kayaking on Lake Michigan. The day-long alumni seminars gave people the chance to polish or learn paddling skills, explore some hot and sunny lakeshore and meet other NOLS graduates. NOLS Baja Branch Director David Lee also showed up to lend a hand on the water.

If you're a NOLS grad or family member, check out the alumni web site for more day-long events around the country. — Rich Brame, NOLS Alumni Relations Manager

Minutes from Boston - NOLS Grads Hit the Trails

This Saturday, July 16th, Boston-area NOLS alumni and friends will be hiking in the Blue Hills Reservation just south of the city. The exact route in this 7,000 acre oasis isn't determined yet, but we will meet around 9AM at the reservation. Phil Shepherd leads this trip, so if you are interested, e-mail him at psheph@gmail.com.

Isn't it time you dusted off your hiking boots?