It is nearly April and the days are getting longer, the sun is stronger and the snow is quickly melting. The first migratory birds are showing up and bear tracks have been sighted in the Chugach. All that means is it’s time to dust off the backpacks, boats, and tents, get the bikes tuned up, and start planning for summer! On this Outdoor Explorer, we’ll talk about getting ready for the boating season. Annie Greneir from the Office of Boating Safety, Patrick Higgins from APU’s Outdoor Program and the American Canoeing Association, and Eric Downey with the Knick Canoers and Kayakers join host Paul Twardock to talk about preparing for summer. We’ll also discuss the APU Gear Swap with the student organizers
HOST: Paul Twardock
GUESTS:
–Annie Greneir from the Office of Boating Safety
–Patrick Higgins from APU’s Outdoor Program and the American Canoeing Association
–Eric Downey with the Knick Canoers and Kayakers
LINKS:
- Knik Canoers and Kayakers
- Alaska Office of Boating Safety
- American Canoeing Association
- American Packrafting Association
- Alaska Pacific University Gear Swap
- Eagle River Visitor Center
- Campbell Creek Science Center
BROADCAST: Thursday, March 30th, 2023. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, March 30th, 2023. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT
Paul Twardock is a Professor of Outdoor Studies at Alaska Pacific University, where he has worked since 1988. He is the author of Kayaking and Camping in Prince William Sound and help found the Alaska Sea Kayaking Symposium/Paddle Sport Fun Day. At APU he teaches a variety of undergraduate classes included Sea Kayaking, Recreation Program Design, Nordic Skiing, The Business of Recreation, and Wildland Ecosystems and Human Impacts. Paul received his BS in Outdoor Recreation from Western Illinois University, went to work instructing for NOLS in Alaska, then received his MBA from APU. Paul’s research includes monitoring of campsites in Prince William Sound and Chugach State Park for human impact, trail use in Chugach State Park, and the Alaska Recreational Boating Safety Incident Database. His passions include sea kayaking, river boating of all sorts, hiking, mountain running, climbing, skiing of any kind, and birding. One of his last adventures involved a mule ride.
Paul is one of several hosts for Outdoor Explorer
Eric Bork, or you can just call him “Bork” because everybody else does, is the FM Operations Manager for KSKA-FM. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the FM broadcast. He produces and edits episodes of Outdoor Explorer, the Alaska-focused outdoors program. He also maintains the web posts for that show. You may have heard him filling in for Morning Edition or hosting All Things Considered and can still find him operating the soundboard for any of the live broadcast programs.
After escaping the Detroit area when he was 18, Bork made it up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Communications/Radio Broadcasting from Northern Michigan University. He spent time managing the college radio station, working for the local NPR affiliate, and then in top 40 radio in Michigan before coming to Alaska to work his first few summers. After then moving to Chicago, it only took five years to convince him to move back to Alaska in 2010. When not involved in great radio programming he’s probably riding a bicycle, thinking about riding bicycles, dreaming about bikes, reading a book, or planning the next place he’ll travel to. Only two continents left to conquer!
