The
groundhog saw his shadow last month. That's supposed to
mean six weeks more of winter. But, spring is coming and
now is a good time to plan what to do when the weather gets
warmer.
Young Saint
Louis.com checked on a unique program at the
St. Louis Science Center. It has a lineup of programs to
fill your spring break without even leaving town.
Trailnet next month will have the kickoff of its 2009 plan
for biking and hiking trips. This year, there's an expanded
lineup of walking hikes along trails throughout the metro
area.
Speaking of biking, there are revised plans for the 2009
Tour of Missouri professional bike race. This year, St.
Louis will host the start of the cross-state bike ride,
rather than host the finish of the race.
(If you know of other institutions that you'd like
to visit, this might be a good time for you to call or check
their websites. You can see if they have any special spring
break or spring activities scheduled already.)
Science Center's spring break camps
The
St. Louis Science Center will host a series of Spring Break
Day Camps during March 16-27. The camps are a chance to
have a spring break experience without even leaving St.
Louis.
The camps are for younger kids (grades 1-6) and provide
hands-on experiences at making projects you can keep.
All classes are held in the Science Center. There are half-day
and full-day sessions. Kids can sign-up for multiple camps.
There are admission fees but also kids who sign up for more
than one camp get fee discounts.
(For reservations, call the Science Center at (314)
289-4400. For a complete list of the spring break camps,
visit www.slsc.org
and click on Youth
Activities.)
The sessions open Monday, March 16, with two different
camps, Sensational Safari and Science of Sound.
There are two separate camps every day.
Among other subjects are Ecology in a Jar, Electricity
and Energize Me, Mystery Science, Chemistry, Our Solar System,
Trash to Treasures, Mighty Light and the Human Body.
Kids attending get the use the Science Center's standing
exhibits and shows as a part of their camp experience.
Trailnet's bike and hike plans
Trailnet
will hold its official 2009 Ride Season Kickoff on Saturday,
March 14, at the Overland/St. Ann VFW Hall #3944. The event
is from 6 to 9 p.m.
A printed official 2009 ride and walk guide will be available
then. You also can pick up a copy of the guide at various
bike shops throughout the metro area.
(For more, check with the Trailnet website at www.trailnet.org.)
The 2009 riding season gets underway in April and extends
throughout the summer and into the fall.
The first official hiking event is the Upland Prairie Walk
at Fort Belle Fontaine County Park on Saturday, April 4.
Park Naturalist Dennis Hogan will lead the hike that explores
upland prairie and wetland habitat.
The
first joint bike/hike event will be the Monarch Chesterfield
Levee Trail Hike It or Bike It on Wednesday April 15. That
event will be atop the rebuilt Monarch Levee, which protects
the Chesterfield Valley from flooding.
The levee trail is four miles long and bikers and hikers
can select their own travel distances.
Another April event is a Wings of Spring walking tour of
the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, Mo.
This will be Saturday, April 25. There's a 3-mile hike on
Ellis Island, a 1-mile walk at Two Pecan Pond and a short
geocaching walk.
There are over 20 hiking opportunities scheduled in 2009.
They extend through December and end with a New Year's Eve
Night Hike at Columbia Bottom Conservation area in extreme
northeast St. Louis County.
(The complete list of hikes can be found at www.trailnet.org
and then click on Rides&Events.)
Tour of Missouri plans
The third 2009 Tour of Missouri road race will be held
September 7-13. But, unlike the first two years, this year's
race will start in St. Louis. In 2007 and 2008, the cross-state
race finished here.
In the previous two years, Trailnet arranged for family
events in conjunction with the Tour's finish. Last year,
on the day before the Tour ended, families were able to
ride the same route the pro racers were going to use the
next day.
This year, a Giro & Tour of Missouri Bicycle Ride is scheduled
for Sunday, Sept.6. That's the day before the pro racers
start off on Labor Day. After a week of racing, the Tour
ends in Kansas City this year.
The Giro event has routes of 22, 30 and 43 miles. Each
of the routes will include parts of the Tour's St. Louis
route. Also, riders will get a chance to watch the Giro
della Montagna race, part of the Gateway Cup series.
Participants are invited to return on Monday and watch
the start of the Tour.
(For more details, visit the Trailnet website at www.trailnet.org.)
