The Western Pennsylvania Field Institute held its 3rd annual Venture Outdoors event May 17. This year about 3000 visitors took advantage of the occasion to learn more about regional outdoor activities from the 78 exhibitors, including the Montour Trail Council, the Allegheny Trail Alliance, the Youghiogheny River Trail, the West Penn Trail, and Bike Pittsburgh. Bike Pittsburgh is a new organization that was founded by David Hoffman last year in an effort to help Pittsburgh become more bike friendly.

Visitors to Venture Outdoors had the opportunity to try kayaking, in-line skating, wall climbing, and fishing. Those who approached the MTC booth for new maps and information were on foot, on bikes, and on skates.

The program at the main stage included the presentation of Venture Outdoor's Recreation and Outdoor Steward Award which this year was shared by Roy Weil and Mary Shaw for their many years of promoting outdoor recreation in the region. They have long been riding the trails in Western Pennsylvania on their familiar green Cannondale tandem bike in order to update their book "Free-Wheeling Easy in and around Western Pennsylvania." The 4th edition of that book will soon be available (proceeds of which are donated to the ATA.) Another of their joint publications is "Linking Up: Planning Your Traffic Free Trip Between Pittsburgh, PA and Washington D.C."

- Bill and Roxanne Capp