Jessica Bowser - Virginia Outdoor Adventures (Episode 26)

Send us Fan MailJessica Bowser is in her fifth season of Virginia Outdoor Adventures. She has gone ice climbing, caving, surfing, fly fishing, foraging for wild edibles, mountain biking, and birding — most of it for the very first time, on a podcast. Her rule: every episode is beginner-friendly. Her belief: you can do the outdoors any which way.Jessica joins The Parks Podcast to share how to get started, how to find your outdoor community, how to prepare without over-gearing, and why connecting people to the outdoors is the best thing any of us can do for the future of our public lands.In this episode: — How Virginia Outdoor Adventures started during the pandemic and took off — Jessica's approach: you can do the outdoors any which way, any pace, any goal — The gear trap — how to avoid it, and why consignment shops are your friend — Virginia State Parks' Let's Go Adventures program — try fly fishing, kayaking, archery, and more before you buy any gear — Finding your outdoor community — Girls Who Hike Virginia and the dozens of activity-specific groups across the state — The Avenza app — how to have offline trail maps ready before you need them — Three honest fears: gear cost, wildlife, and other people — and how to think about each one — What to do if a child gets lost in a park (hug a tree) — Why advocacy and conservation are inseparable from outdoor recreation — Jessica's favorite thing to do in a park — and why standing still countsLinks mentioned: — Virginia Outdoor Adventures: virginiaoutdooradventures.com — Let's Go Adventures: dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/letsgooutdoors — Girls Who Hike Virginia: girlswhohike.com — Avenza Maps app: avenzamaps.comSupport the show