Making Our Roads Safer

By George LaMarche III, Esq. & Andrew Safranko, Esq.

Bicyclists and pedestrians face grave risks from motorists – especially distracted ones – but solutions are out there

As exercise enthusiasts, we are well aware that bicycling, running, and walking are among the healthiest physical activities imaginable.

But let’s be clear on one thing, bicycling, running, and walking on New York’s roadways also are inherently dangerous activities. READ MORE…

Exploring the St. Regis Canoe Area

By Rich Macha

The St. Regis Canoe Area covers over 18,000 acres and is the only designated canoe area in New York State. There are over 50 motor-less ponds of various sizes within the SRCA and you can find 70 designated primitive campsites spread out over 20 of those ponds – camping is limited to eight persons per site. Marked “carries” of varying lengths and difficulty connect many of the ponds. You can easily spend as much time on your feet as on your butt while traveling through the area. St. Regis Mountain (2,874’ elevation) and Long Pond Mountain (2,530’) are the notable peaks in the SRCA and both have marked hiking trails to their open summits. READ MORE…

Thru-Hiker Tyler Socash

By Jennifer Ferriss

I met Tyler in February at the Saratoga Springs Public Library before his presentation, 7,000 Miles to a Wilderness Ethic. I was unable to attend the program that evening because I had to work, but I talked to attendees as they poured out of the community room, and they were impressed. Tyler captivated the packed audience with stories about completing his thru-hikes, through photographs and an entertaining retelling of the quest, sparking several with wanderlust and others of recollections of their youthful adventures. Despite being on the wrong side of the doors that evening, the booming voice of Tyler seeped into the library for all of us to hear a muffled version of Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax.”

UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better.
It’s not.

READ MORE…

Early Season Spots to Set Your Pace

By Jim MacNaughton

While the “early season” for mountain biking is generally considered to be the middle spring, for us snow-filled northern New Yorkers early season riding is best defined by the months of June and July. This is the time when our trail systems fully dry out and our legs steadily come back into shape. We’ll touch base on some of the best mountain bike friendly trail systems from the Capital Region to the Adirondacks that will help get you back into the riding groove! READ MORE…

A Family-Friendly Way to Stay Active and Enjoy the Outdoors

By Thomas O’Grady

Hiking is a great activity to introduce children to the outdoors while developing their physical fitness and self-confidence. As a parent it was one activity that I was looking forward to participating in with my children. My goal was to gradually build their ability level, and then introduce them to more challenging hikes, so they would continue as they got older. READ MORE…

Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes - PART 1

By Paul E. Lemanski, MD, MS, FACP

This is Part One to address prevention of type 2 diabetes. Part Two, in the August 2018 issue, will address remission of type 2 diabetes.

PREVENTION - Type 2 diabetes is a disease characterized by insulin resistance. Individuals with type 2 diabetes, unlike individuals with type 1 diabetes, have sufficient insulin but that insulin does not work properly. Insulin is a hormone produced by islet cells in the pancreas. Insulin is needed for the transfer of glucose from the blood stream in to the cells of the body; the only exception to this is the brain. It is sometimes helpful to think of insulin as the activator of a pump on the surface of cells which takes glucose from the bloodstream and brings it in to the cell. Each cell has a receptor for insulin on its surface. The pump is activated when a molecule of insulin enters the receptor. READ MORE…