In This Issue: Skyline Vista and the Trails in Shingletown Gap Now Available: 2009 PAHikes Calendars Drinking Water: Filter or Purify Hiking on the Web - The Great Eastern Trail Deal of the Month - Carabiner Mugs Skyline Vista and the Trails in Shingletown Gap I had done this same hike over 2 and a half years ago, but this time I was doing it in the fall and not the spring. Just like the last hike, this hike was also being done with a fellow coworker. I had been talking about the Shingletown Gap area and how nice it is to hike there. When my fellow coworker expressed interest in doing a hike in Shingletown Gap, this hike immediately came to mind. Offering a good work out with the climb to the top of Tussey Mountain, this hike also offered some nice vistas, including that at the "Roman Tower" and at Skyline Vista. [LINK TO TRIP REPORT AND PHOTOS] Now Available: 2009 PAHikes Calendars The 2009 PAHikes Calendar highlights various sections of the trails in central Pennsylvania and around the state. Each month depicts a hike on some of the various trails found in the Keystone State. View scenes from the Mid State Trail, Loyalsock Trail, Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, Standing Stone Trail, Old Loggers Path, and many others. Enjoy the beautiful scenery that the trails of Pennsylvania have to offer, even on those days you can’t be there in person. [2009 PAHIKES CALENDARS AT THE HIKING SPOT] Drinking Water: Filter or Purify Clean water is a must when hiking, especially in the back country or on overnight hikes. Ideally you would bring along water from home, but water is heavy and it’s not a smart idea to carry 4 days worth of water with you when doing an overnight back packing trip. In most cases a water filter will work well with water sources found on the hike. However, filtration will only work on two of the three water contaminants: protozoa and bacteria. Filtering water does not eliminate viruses. In this case you will need to purify your water with either chlorine or iodine. Water purification also kills protozoa and bacteria, but will give an off flavor to the water. When hiking in the United States, filtering of water from mountain streams will most likely be adequate. But if you find yourself hiking in other countries you may want to consider purifying your water as well. It is also a good idea to carry along some iodine tablets, just in case your filter breaks or clogs. Hiking on the Web - The Great Eastern Trail The Great Eastern Trail provides a premier hiking experience on a series of existing trails that are becoming linked to each other into a long-distance footpath in the Appalachian Mountains stretching ultimately from Alabama to the Finger Lakes Trail in New York. The Great Eastern Trail is not only a collection of footpaths but also an alliance of volunteers and trail organizations in nine states. If you want to learn more about the Great Eastern Trail and the route of this new long distance trail, then head on over to the website and look around. [VISIT THE GREAT EASTERN TRAIL] Deal of the Month - Carabiner Mugs Looking for an awesome stocking stuffer for the outdoorsman on your list? Look no further than these double- wall insulated mugs. These stainless steel mugs come with a strong-welded 8 cm carabiner handle attached. Great for clipping on a back pack or belt. These mugs come in two sizes (8 and 15 ounces) and offer four different colored carabiner handles. Priced at $5.99 for the 8 ounce mugs and $9.99 for the 15 ounce versions, you can afford to pick up a second one for yourself. For the Deal of the Month, you can get an additional 15% off the already low price on these Carabiner Mugs. Just use coupon code CLIPAMUGONME during checkout to receive the additional 15% savings. Coupon and offer expires 12/31/2008. 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. [CARABINER MUGS AT THE HIKING SPOT]     www.pahikes.com www.thehikingspot.com The Hiking Spot 153 Long St. Spring Mills, PA 16875 (814) 321-8649 webmaster@pahikes.com Click on the link below to unsubscribe