Mr. Deville...I'm ready for my close up.

How-How!

It is with sadness and excitement to announce that I no longer will be working for the Y-Guides & Princess program with the YMCA of the Triangle Area and the Mighty Arapahoe Nation.

This was not an easy decision. Never before have I had to make a life altering decision that I did not want to make. For most of my life, I have wanted to make these decisions…from working down at Sea Gull and Seafarer to moving to New Zealand to hiking the Appalachian Trail…these were all things that I made a conscious effort to do. But to make the decision to leave a program, location, and coworkers in which I feel comfort and excitement was one of the hardest decisions.

So now I move on to the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina in Winston Salem to run their Adventure Guide program. This is the same father/child program as YGP, and I have been tasked to bring my flair and structure to the Adventure Guides.

I cannot begin to thank everyone who has helped, guided, and laughed with me over this past year. I tell all the dads in the trainings I run that I do not have a child, but the experience that I get from this program is tremendous. I can’t even imagine what you, as fathers, experience. Thank you.


Sincerely,

Andrew “Salty Dog” Plyler
































































Can you name that movie quote?!

2 Huge Events Coming!

The Y-Guides office is bustling with new registrations and orientations, expanding to Durham, Johnston County, and Goldsboro, and 2 more Rockmont Fall Outings. I'm sure these things do not pertain to most of you, so I'm here to give you the heads up on 2 big events that are coming up...

1.Burrito Bash

"TLC and Haw River Assembly are teaming up with The General Store Café for a Burrito Bash!
Join us Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at the General Store Café (39 West St, Pittsboro) for music, dancing, a silent auction, and of course, burritos!

Special musical guest Trilogy will groove with trio and solo work, jazz and folk, originals and standards in a performance that is multi-faceted and musically compelling. Trilogy combines the talents of three award-winning singer-songwriters: Sheila Warner, Brooksie Edwards and Richard Edwards.

The silent auction includes tickets for cultural and sporting events, fine art, gift certificates to local restaurants, and much more. Check back in late August to see a complete list of items included in the Burrito Bash silent auction!

Tickets, including a famous burrito, are $12 in advance/$15 at the door/kids under 12 - free. Tickets may be purchased through the link on this page, or by calling 919-833-3662 ext. 116.

If you are interested in volunteering at the event, please contact Marisa Bryant at mbryant@tlc-nc.org or 919-833-3662 ext. 111."

2. 3rd Annual Whitewater Festival

"This is the biggest party of the year and you don't want to miss out! Last year we had over 6,000 people experience everything the center has to offer. With food, live music, and activities for kids, there is truly something for everyone. Some of this years activities will include...

-Off Road Triathlon -Rock Climbing
-Kids Zone -Eco-Caching
-Live Music -Catawba River Tours
-Kayak/Raft Races -High Ropes/Zip Line

Also, REI will be on-site providing the following FREE clinics

-10AM: Bike Maintenance (Max. 30)
-1pm: PEAK Presentation: Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids
-3pm: PEAK Presentation (Max. 20)


To register please call REI Customer Service at 704-341-7405. Day of registration is also available if space allows.

Band Schedule:

12 – 3pm Roadside Attraction (Rock-n-Roll)
3 – 5pm Lefty Williams ( Blues/Rock & Jazz Fusion)
7 – 10pm Dub Axxess (Reggae)
Festival Activities:

9am -1pm
Jeep Off Road Triathlon
10am - 5pm YMCA Kid's Zone
10 - 11am REI Bike Clinic
12 - 4pm Miller Beer Sampling
12-2pm Live Remote with 106.5 (Register for a chance to win a rafting trip)
1-3pm REI Peak (Promoting environmental awareness in kids) Presentation
5 – 7pm Kayak/ Raft Race
All Day Flyball Demonstrations
Call 704-391-3900 for more information."

NC Lighthouse Competition

I am a full blooded North Carolinian and am proud of our history and our geography. We have the best of both worlds! The mountains to the west and the ocean to our east. My mother sent me this email yesterday:

Subject: Please Vote for Bodie Island Lighthouse



Okay fellow North Carolinians,
Let's vote for something this year we all can probably agree on! Jeld-Wen
Windows & Doors restores the windows and doors in one U.S. lighthouse a year.

This year our very own Bodie Light House is on the
list! Just click on the 'Vote Now' b utton and the 12 lighthouse
options will appear.

http://www.jeld-wen.com/lighthouse/
Please go to the website and vote. It takes less
than a minute and will be something generations to come will enjoy.

PLEASE PASS IT ON TOO!
The winning lighthouse will be posted on the
Jeld-Wen website on Sept. 7th.


So I encourage you to go to the website and vote for the Bodie Island Lighthouse. And if you have never been to a lighthouse on the NC coast, just wait until the Spring Outing...you can sail there!

Get Your Cameras Out!

Are you interested in photography? This is a simple and fun contest. Think of the opportunities at Camp Rockmont or while whitewater rafting! You don't need to be a professional...just lucky sometimes! Chief Rolling Rock is a photographer, and if you are interested at all, I'm sure he would be happy to give you some pointers.

From GOPC website:

"

Beautiful images of the natural wonders of North Carolina have inspired generations of people to be better stewards of our precious natural resources. The Wildlife in North Carolina Photo Competition aims to encourage people to participate in nature photography, thereby fostering greater appreciation of North Carolina’s wildlife and wild places.

All winners will be published in the January 2009 issue of Wildlife in North Carolina magazine and exhibited at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. Winners will also receive a print of their winning entry and products from sponsor Great Outdoor Provision Co.

• Grand prize: Your photo published on the cover of the January 2009 issue of Wildlife in North Carolina magazine, plus $200
• First place, all categories: $100
• Second place, all categories: $75
• Third place, all categories: $50

Special state parks prize: One photo taken in North Carolina state parks, regardless of category, will be selected as Best of State Parks. The winner will receive camping passes at their choice of North Carolina state parks and other noncash prizes to be determined. Finalists in consideration for this honor will be exhibited at various parks across the state.

Enter online by September 15."

ROCK and Roll!

From the Arapahoe Nation website:

"The Triangle Rock Club is the Raleigh area’s premiere indoor rock climbing center. New to climbing? No problem. There's no experience necessary. TRC is the perfect place to celebrate a birthday, spend time with the whole family or host your next tribal outing! Get a super cool patch and have your meeting at the same time! Special Y-Guides and Princess program pricing."

Its local.
Its fun.
Its cheap.
and a great way to get in shape.

Y-Guides Deal

Play on a River!

It's gonna be hot this summer and what better way to cool off than a CHEAP jaunt on a river?!

Paddle Creek has an amazing Y-Guides promotion. They regularly charge about $55 per boat, but because you are in the Arapahoe Nation, the price you pay is $15 per person.

Ever heard of "Wafting"? Me neither, but apparently I've done it before! It's an inflatable, open top kayak, and Wafting on the Eno River offers both day and nighttime trips. The best part is it's $13 per person. I might do one of the Friday night trips...

But who could forget the 18 year Trailblazer/Trailmates staple of whitewater Rafting on the French Broad River the Friday before the Rockmont Fall Outing! Need I say more!

Triangle Land Conservancy Green Jamboree, 6.21.2008

Join your fellow TLC members at the Irvin Farm (Jones Ferry Road, Orange County), a 269-acre mix of farmland and forest donated to TLC by the late Elinor and J. Logan Irvin. Enjoy a BBQ dinner (vegetarian options), beer and soft drinks, music by The Bluegrass Experience, guided hikes, catch-and-release fishing, REI's "PEAK" program for kids and lawn games. Advance tickets covering the cost of entry, food and drink are just $10 per person (kids under 12 free). Tickets at the door are $15. Get your tickets now online at greenjamboree.org!-TLC Email