In This Issue: Snow Shoeing in Rothrock State Forest Books by Tom Thwaites Offer Many Hiking Ideas Duct Tape is a Hiker's Best Friend Announcements - Hiking Organizations & Outing Clubs Deal of the Month Snow Shoeing in Rothrock State Forest I had my first snow shoeing experience in December of 2005 when I borrowed a pair of snow shoes and did a 6 mile trek near Bear Meadows in Rothrock State Forest. I purchased a pair of snow shoes expecting to enjoy hiking all year round. Turn the clock ahead to February 2007. Fourteen months had passed since I purchased my snow shoes and not a decent amount of snow had fallen to the ground during the entire time. But my luck changed the week of Valentine's Day. We had a measurable amount of snow with over 8 inches on the ground in the valleys. I was sure it would be deeper on the wind blown sides of the mountains. Tossing my not-yet-used snow shoes into the back of my car, I headed back out to Rothrock State Forest to once again experience the thrills of snow shoeing. [LINK TO TRIP REPORT AND PHOTOS] Books by Tom Thwaites Offer Many Hiking Ideas Pennsylvania native and father of the Mid State Trail, Mr. Tom Thwaites penned three books offering many hiking ideas in the Keystone state. From the 50 Hikes series, 50 Hikes in Western Pennsylvania, 50 Hikes in Central Pennsylvania, and 50 Hikes in Eastern Pennsylvania lists hikes ranging from strolls in the woods of under a mile to extended overnight backpack trips of over 40 miles. Having any one of these books on your shelf will guarantee that you'll never be at a loss for a place to hike in Penns Woods. [LINK TO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE BOOKS] Duct Tape is a Hiker's Best Friend Duct tape, in my opinion, is the best invention ever made and a "must-take-accessory" when I go hiking. This durable, adhesive tape is strong enough to hold almost anything together and is "water-proof" enough to get you out of potentially wet situations, such as a leaky tent. A tip given to me a while back is to wrap some duct around your water bottle. It’s easily accessible, you know exactly where it is, and it doesn’t take up space in your pack. Another option is to wrap the tape around the shaft of a trekking pole. My favorite use for duct tape: blisters. Instead of using mole skin when you develop a blister, put a piece of duct tape on your foot, covering the blister. You can also put a piece of tape on the offending spot inside your boot as well. This quick fix will keep your blister from getting worse and will see you through to the end of your hike. Announcements - Hiking Organizations & Outing Clubs Keystone Trail Association - The KTA will be sponsoring a Trail Care Weekend, March 23rd - 25th at the Keystone State Park. Contact Jack Leashor (724-744-0675) if you want to help. Do you or your hiking organization or outing club have information that you'd like to share? Planning a trip, fund raiser, or future trail maintenance? Then let the "Go Take A Hike" e-Newsletter help. Submit your announcements to webmaster@pahikes.com. We will post all announcements here each month for everyone to see. [SUBMIT YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS TO THE WEBMASTER] Deal of the Month You know how every hiking season there's always this must have piece of hiking gear? Well THIS is the piece of must have hiking gear for this season. The Firefly by Guyot Designs converts your wide-mouth water bottle into a camp lantern. You've got to see this thing in action to truly appreciate it. Typically the Firefly retails for $21.95 but the everyday price at The Hiking Spot is $16.95. And for the Deal of the month, use coupon code FIREFLY and get an additional $2.00 off. You won't find a cheaper price anywhere on the web. Expires 3/31/2007. Only one coupon/coupon code per order. Some coupons can only be used once. Other restrictions may apply. This exclusive Deal of the Month offer is only valid for "Go Take A Hike" e-Newsletter subscribers. [GUYOT DESIGNS FIREFLY AT THE HIKING SPOT]     www.pahikes.com www.thehikingspot.com The Hiking Spot 290 South Main St. Pleasant Gap, PA 16823 (814) 359-4389 webmaster@pahikes.com Click on the link below to unsubscribe