Written By Brandy Centolanza
In honor of National Get Outdoors Day, my family and I trekked down to the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Chesapeake, bikes in tow. We’ve never been there in our 12 years here in Hampton Roads, and decided to give it a try. We started our morning at the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, which used to be a part of Route 17, but it is now closed to vehicular traffic. My son, LT, recently learned to ride his bike without training wheels and was in heaven riding along this trail, while my daughter, Sara, the little daredevil, enjoyed speeding along on her scooter. The trail has benches overlooking the canal, and we sat and had a little snack before LT hopped back on his two-wheeler for another go around. Since discovering the joys of cycling, LT prefers to do it any chance he gets, and would rather be on his bike than on the couch watching TV, which is the whole point. After a picnic lunch, we drove over to the refuge, and hiked the Washington Ditch Boardwalk Trail. Unfortunately, the only signs of wildlife we saw on our visit were beautiful butterflies, dragonflies, caterpillars and cardinals, but we hear on the trail you can sometimes find bears, deer, bobcats and bald eagles. We’ll just have to make a return trip another day. See, we like to go on new adventures and discover new places where we can provide our children with new experiences. My children, thankfully, aren’t video game addicts, but I know far too many other kids and adults who are constantly glued to their I-pads, cell phones, and Nintendo DS games. I’m certainly not saying technology is wrong, but every once in awhile, choose instead to drop the remote controls and head outside, especially this time of year. That’s what summer is all about, new adventures and new experiences. I encourage you to go screenless, even if it’s for just an hour a day. Take that bike ride. Visit a local or state park and frolic among the bugs and flowers and squirrels and frogs. You won’t regret it. Here are some websites to check out to get you started: www.cityofchesapeake.net/Government/City-Departments/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation-Department/parks/dismal_swamp_trail and http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks.
