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Sometimes leading groups, I have skied just about every major ski area in the West including Snowbird, Alta, Solitude, Sundown, Park City, Deer Vally, and Snow Basin in Utah, Steamboat Springs where you can also do a hot air baloon ride, the Ski the Summit area in Colorado, Keystone, Arapahoe, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Mary Jane, Loveland, Vail, Beaver Creek, and to their south, Crested Butte. On the Turquoise trail of New Mexico, Ski Santa Fe, Taos Mt, Ski Rio, and Angel Fire are great areas.
While it is nice to feel the
wind in your face, there is real serenity when gliding along the lakefront on X-country skis. There are many local areas to ski after a heavy snow. I visit State Parks along the I & M Canal including Gebhard Woods, Matthiessen, and Starved Rock as well as the county preserves, such as Ryerson Woods, Peterson, and Wright Woods around its lake. What a great way to see the beauty of the area and some unexpected birds like the large snowy Owl perched near the lake. IIT friends and I ski in IIT's Morton Park when it snows.
The IIT Skydiving Club invites Faculty and
students to take the leap with them at Sky Dive Chicago. After a classroom session and getting outfitted, you are walk towards the jump plane. Free falling from 14,000ft at 120 miles/hour will give you a new view on life?? Your first jumps will be tandem so don't worry, smile and land safely. . For a price you can get a photographer to jump with you. IIT students seem to enjoy "falling" faculty.
Camping can energize the soul. I have visited nearly all of America's National Parks. Favorite mountain areas to camp and hike include Glacier National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Smokies. Some of the best areas to enjoy with kids or loved ones include the desert areas of the southwest such as Organ Pipe in Arizona and Arches in Utah and Death Valley. Camping on the coast at Hatteras or while bird-watching at Assateague Island is also very rewarding.
Some of my favorite areas are underwater. As a certified PADI diver, I can enjoy SCUBA diving. Recent underwater adventures include dives on the Palancar Reef off Cozumel and the Virgin Islands. Cozumel has reefs with 100ft visibility with many colorful fish, some turtles, and a few eels. Your buddy insures safety as you enjoy the view. The Bahama Islands ( map) and Puerto Rico's off Islands, Culebra and Vieques, also have good diving as do the reefs 6 miles off La Parguera. Home of the "Black Wall" Reef. When surfaced, enjoy your dive buddy?
If you are not certified, you can still enjoy the
underwater world. An easier way to visit the underwater is to snorkel. Some areas, such as Trunk Bay in the US Virgin Islands, have been established just for snorkeling. I usually fine time to snorkel when visiting Puerto Rico and its reefs, some very close to the beach, or its eastern Islands. Florida's many Keys such as Looe Key Marine SP and the John Pennekamp Coral Reef SP provide great underwater experiences. Hawaii also has many favorite snorkeling sites. You can find considerable snorkel advice on the web.
Some of my favorite mountain/desert areas are in the Escalante area of southern Utah such as Arches, Canyon Lands, and Capitol Reef. You can set up a tent almost any where along the Colorado River. The BLM allows camping most anywhere off the road. The Grand Canyon is a
incredible place. and Death Valley is very special any time of year.
Hiking the great outdoors is a good way to get excercise as well as smell the roses. More aggressive scrambling and climbing is also a blast. Good Back country info is in this page. Favorite New Mexico camping spots. Southern Utah near Moab has great hikes. Dead Horse State Park will impress you.
I find Canoeing allows me to enjoy both the peace and quiet of rivers and waterlilly covered lakes. Paddling distant or local rivers, fishing for dinner as you cruise down the water, creates an inner peace, a one with nature. One of my favorite canoe trips is down the Wisconsin River. The paddle from Sauk City to Arena (9 miles) or Spring Green (20 miles), allows dinning and camping on the river. The Kankakee Il River can also be a nice daytrip. Don't forget to enjoy the wildlife and flowers along the riverside.
Photography is one of my passions. I lug my Nikon F70 
everywhere. I hope to have a WWW page of my work soon. I am using the WWW page of a News Photographer as a model. If your tastes are more futuristic, strain your eyes on these stereo images or, if more traditional, visit the Ansel Adams exhibit.
Biking the lake front on my high-tek bike, wearing a helmet of course, and also getting out to more adventurous areas such as "White Rim Road" in Canyon Land! I have covered the "Slick-rock" area near Moab, Utah-What a ride! Bike trips along the I & M Canal path in the National Heritage Corridor very scenic. See Tom's page for bike trips.
Running/jogging is a way of life. I try to run 7 miles two times a week, usually along the
Lake Michigan shoreline. I usually run the 7 miles to work along the lake front or north to the totem pole at Addison St. Running clears the mind and allows time for reflection. I can often be found by Huffing or Puffing or Pounding the pavement in support of good causes.
Sport Fishing is also a way of life. I enjoy sport fishing. I find it to be both relaxing and fun and its' pursuit has taken me to many places such as Nova Scotia seeking trophy stripe bass; Cape Hatteras on the Outer Banks, home of the much touted "red drum" and sleek Spanish mackrel as well as large blue fish. Hatteras is also the home of the tallest light house in the USA. I also climb and fly-fish the high country lakes of Rocky Mountain National Park where the trout surface to feed on insects as to sun rises in the morning. Check out Pete's fishing page.
Feel the need for power and speed while enjoying the sun, try Arlington Race Track. What a place to bet on the horses, get some sun, and enjoy a cool beer. There are usually 8-9 races and with 2$ bets you can have action all afternoon and still have cash leftover to do a good dinner.
The Terra Museum of Ameerican Art at 600 N. Michigan Ave recently had its show, "The Americn West: Out of Myth, into Reality. Some of my favorite western artists: Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, Charles Russell, and Frederic Remington were highlighted in this exhibit.
Chicago has many outdoor cultural events during the summer months. I try to visit as many of the local art fairs as possible. I usually come home with a new "art piece" and wonder just where I will put it? Recent additions include a large red glass sclupture and an "egret" carved from a "harvested" waterbuffalo horn.
The Ravinia Music Festival is a great place to listen to great classical music and enjoy the company of friends while eating a picnic dinner on the grass. The concerts run all summer. Try to arrive least 1 hr early as parking is difficult.
Lighthouses are reminders of the romance and fury of the oceans and lakes and are often found in photographic locations. When I travel near the ocean or one of the Great Lakes, I try to plan my route so I can visit the lighthouses in the area. I have taken photosof over 100 of the lighthouses in the USA, Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico. I usually enjoy their settings and I have always been interested in the sea and its stories.
Prof. Peter Y. Johnson
can be reached at:
Tel: 312-567-3440
Illinois Institute of Technology, Department of BCPS
My office is in Rm 298 Life Sciences Building. See the IIT map and virtural tour..
