Have you ever gone for a nature walk to ground yourself, unclench your jaw, take a deep breath, and then think: “This is what it’s all about”? Same here.
Welcome back, outdoorsy friends. Here’s the lineup for this edition:
A thriving network: Use our guide to Philly-area outdoor clubs.
Saving red foxes: A South Jersey rescue is helping foxes dying from mange.
They’re back: We need to talk about the spotted lanternfly problem.
⛅ Your weekend forecast: It’s a mixed bag, but one thing is for sure: it’s hot. Take caution out there.
— Paola Pérez ([email protected])
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Ever wanted to go paddling, cycling, or hiking, but don’t know where to start? There’s a whole network of outdoorsy clubs in our region offering safe and exciting experiences with a group.
Run by volunteers, these organizations frequently host social events, lead training sessions, and take people to corners of our region that some may not know exist. Some of the groups are over a century old.
Here’s a preview:
🥾 The Philadelphia Trail Club welcomes hikers of all levels, offering everything from easy walks to more technical rock scrambles.
🚲 The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is an education and advocacy group that organizes youth cycling and regular adult rides on the Circuit Trails.
🚣🏽‍♂️ The Philadelphia Canoe Club is both a social club and training organization that specializes in technical instruction. I recently tried kayaking with them at an open house event — and I loved it.
Ready to go? Let these outdoorsy clubs lead the way.
Go further: Here’s our list of 12 canoe and kayak tours to not miss this summer.
News worth knowing
Heat indices could reach 105 to 108 degrees on Friday. If you head out, “take breaks, hydrate, and find shade.”
For the first time since 1940, the historic Manayunk Canal has been reconnected to the Schuylkill.
A resurgence of the spotted lanternfly is threatening crops and raising fears of a broader spread. Scientists are working to control the invasive insect — and a parasitic wasp might be part of the solution.
Congress has allocated zero dollars for beach replenishment for the first time in nearly 30 years. Projects across the Jersey Shore have been canceled.
City health officials detected West Nile Virus in mosquitoes near Pennypack Park in Northeast Philly. We list steps to protect yourself from mosquito- and tick-borne diseases.
Family Field Day hits East Fairmount Park on Saturday with all-ages youth sports, music, pay-as-you-go food trucks and more. Learn more and register for free here.
🎤 Allow me to pass the mic to my former colleague Rita Giordano.
Luke Ogden has been an animal and wildlife lover for years.
Growing up in Pennsauken, he preferred the great outdoors to video games. He had a pet snake and a menagerie of animals. For a while, he was the guy who gave talks from inside the tank of what is now the Adventure Aquarium in Camden. He had a dog-walking business, and he was president of his high school’s ecology club.
Two winters ago, Ogden, now 42, saw his first red fox, living in a den under a pile of old leaves and suffering from advanced mange, and it stopped him in his tracks.
“There was no fur on it. Literally, it looked like a hairless cat,” Ogden said. “It was like leather.”
He spent the next 10 days devising different methods — it’s true what they say: foxes are very clever and quick — to try to catch the fox and get it help for the tortuous condition caused by sarcoptic mites that had burrowed into its skin.
When he finally caught the red fox, it was too late. The animal died on the way to a wildlife rehabilitation center.
“But just seeing that fox in that condition, and knowing it had suffered like that for four to six months to get to that point, that was a game changer for me,” Ogden said. “That’s what made me decide to do what I’m doing. Because no animal deserves to go through that.” — Rita Giordano (Dec. 2024)
Learn how Ogden’s nonprofit captures sick red foxes so they can be spared a painful death, get treated, and be released back to the wild.
A calming view
I was taking a break while kayaking on the Wissahickon Creek when I briefly encountered this little turtle. All I could think was: “It’s you and me against the world, buddy.”
🌳 Your outdoorsy experience
What have you been up to out there? Stumble upon any serene scenes in the wild?
In 200 words, tell me about your favorite adventures or special outdoor memories. I’d love to see pictures if you have them. You might catch it featured here in a future newsletter.
👋🏽 Nature calls.
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