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Outdoor Pursuits

Outdoor Recreation

The Gourmet Campfire Cooking Experience

March 29th, 2025 &
October 18th, 2025

The Gourmet Campfire Cooking Experience
with Mark, ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist
and Justin, BSA Eagle Scout and Merit Badge Counselor
  • In the outdoors, we live like paupers and eat like kings!  These classes will feature exquisite meals cooked over primitive fire at PARA’s Van De Graaff Park.  Supplies will be provided, and we will cook and eat together by the campfire.  It will be a fun night!
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Meals cooked will consist of:

Filet Mignon with garlic smashed potatoes

March 29th, 2025

 

Smoked Chicken and herbs with gouda grits

October 18th, 2025

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    Saturdays 4p to 10p, overnight camping optional

  • $85 per participant

  • Van De Graaff Park

  • Min: 6 participants, deadline: week before

      • Contact Mark for details

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LOCATIONS

  Locations:

Van De Graaff Park

Northport

AGES

18+

COST

$85

Deadline: Week before

Skydive Alabama

August 9th, 2025

Skydive Alabama is currently the only dropzone located in North Alabama. 

  • Skydiving is an exhilarating and adventurous activity where individuals jump from an aircraft at high altitudes and freefall before deploying a parachute to slow their descent and land safely on the ground. It is considered a thrilling extreme sport, and it can be done recreationally or as part of professional training for military or other specialized purposes.

Here’s a brief overview of skydiving:

 

1. Types of Skydiving

  • We will be doing Tandem Skydiving: A beginner-friendly option where you are harnessed to an experienced instructor. The instructor controls the jump, freefall, and parachute deployment.
  • Solo Skydiving: After completing training, jumpers can skydive alone. Solo skydivers must undergo several hours of training, including emergency procedures and parachute packing.
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2. The Jump

  • Aircraft Departure: The jump usually begins from an aircraft, typically around 10,000 to 14,000 feet above the ground.
  • Freefall: Once the door opens, jumpers experience the sensation of freefall, which can last from 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the altitude.
  • Parachute Deployment: The parachute is deployed either manually by the jumper (in solo jumps) or automatically by the instructor (in tandem jumps). After deployment, the descent slows, and the jumper steers the parachute towards a safe landing area.

3. Risks and Safety

Skydiving carries inherent risks, such as parachute malfunctions or improper landing. However, safety measures are stringent, and instructors follow strict protocols, including using multiple parachutes (main and reserve). Most skydiving accidents are caused by human error, rather than equipment failure.

4. Training

To ensure safety, skydiving requires thorough training:

  • Ground School: This includes instructions on equipment, procedures, and emergency protocols.
  • Practical Training: Includes actual jumps, where students are closely supervised by instructors.

5. The Experience

  • Adrenaline Rush: Skydiving is known for the intense adrenaline rush it provides as you freefall through the sky, with the sensation of weightlessness.
  • Views: It offers breathtaking views of the earth from a unique perspective, often over scenic landscapes or oceans.
  • Memories: Many skydivers describe it as one of the most life-changing experiences, leaving them with a deep sense of accomplishment.
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LOCATIONS

  Location:

Cullman, AL

We will meet in front of Bowers Park Pool @ 8am

August 9th, 2025

AGES

18+

COST

$350

Deadline: July 19, 2025

Wilderness & Remote First Aid

September 19th - 21st, 2025

The primary purpose of the American Red Cross Wilderness & Remote First Aid course is to provide individuals a foundation of first aid principals and skills to be able to respond to emergencies and give care in areas that do not have immediate emergency medical services(EMS) response, such as wilderness and remote environments including urban disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes.

Prerequisites: Must be at least 14 years old and hold current adult CPR/AED certification.  Course will be part classroom and part outdoors.  Two-year certification

Course length: 16 hours, Faucett Brothers Activity Center

Date & Time:

      • Friday, September 19th, 4p to 9p

      • Saturday, September 20th, 9a to 2p

      • Sunday, September 21st, 9a to 2p

LOCATIONS

  Location:

Faucett Bros. Activity Center & Park

AGES

16+

COST

$125 

Discovering The Lost City:  Machu Picchu

September 14 - 21, 2025

Full Itinerary

           (Click Here)

 

Day 1   Lima, arrive at any time.  

The adventure begins today. Feel free to explore, but make sure you're back in time to meet the group. Your G Representative will review the details of your tour.

         Options: Lima City Tour, Bike Miraflores and Barranco

 

Day 2   Lima/Cusco, fly to Cusco. 

Meals included: Breakfast

Options: City Tour.  Walk around the Plaza de Armas, Visit Qenqo, Koricancha, the Cathedral, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay, and the archaeological site of Sacsaywaman. Wear comfortable shoes and arm yourself with a city map and set out to explore.

 

Day 3   Cusco/Sacred Valley. 

Enjoy a full-day guided tour of the Sacred Valley. Stop at the G Adventures-supported women's weaving co-op before visiting a local pottery making community. Break for lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosco. After lunch, opt to head out on a hike to the Ollantaytambo storehouses and look out over the ruins. Or, wander around the cobblestone streets and visit a local Chicheria (corn beer bar).

Exclusive Inclusions: Your G for Good Moment Ccaccaccollo Community and Women's Weaving Co-op visit| Your G for Good Moment Parwa Community Restaurant the Sacred Valley

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

Options:  Hike to the Ollantaytambo and look over the ruins.

 

Day 4   Sacred Valley/Aguas Calientes

Journey to Aguas Calientes and opt to visit the local hot springs and hit the market.

Meals included: Breakfast

  • Options:  
    Hot Springs Visit

    Aguas Calientes

    $6 USD per person

    Soak your sore muscles in the local hot springs for which the town, Aguas Calientes, was originally named.

  • 1-Day Inca Trail Hike

    Inca Trail 6h-8h

    Traverse cloud forests while enjoying spectacular views on this '1-day Inca Trail' trek. Start by disembarking the train at km 104. Follow the local guide as the trail rises steeply up into the mountains and winds past the archaeological sites of Wiñay Wayna and Inti Pata. Gain insight into the fascinating culture of the Incas en route to the trek's culmination at the Sun Gate. Enjoy a packed lunch along the way, and reach the Sun Gate in the late afternoon. Enjoy free time to explore a bit of Machu Picchu before the guided tour the following day. After, take one of the blue buses from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes to spend the night in a hotel in town. Opt to visit nearby hot springs to soak sore muscles, if time permits.

    **Please note this must be pre-booked as it requires an Inca Trail permit, which is on request and subject to availability. Please speak to your GCO or travel agent for more information.

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Day 5   Machu Picchu/Cusco

Start early to visit the 'Lost City' of Machu Picchu. Tour the ruins with an expert guide before returning back to Cusco.

Start early to catch the sunrise at the top. Take the bus up to the historic spiritual centre of the Incas, the 'Lost City' of Machu Picchu. Tour the ruins with an expert guide then explore on your own.

Later, return by train to Ollantaytambo and meet a private vehicle to head back to Cusco.

Meals included: Breakfast

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    • Day 6   Cusco
      • There's plenty to see and do in Cusco, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like visiting Museo Inka, Museo de Historia Regional, and whitewater rafting. 
      • Meals included: Breakfast
      • Options:  
      • Mountain Biking

        Cusco

        Take to two wheels and head out into the hills around Cusco for some nature-meets-adrenaline fun. Try a trip to the Sacred Valley, perhaps, visiting an Inca ruin along the way.

        Inka Museum

        Cusco

        10PEN per person

        Get ready to explore the artifacts from the Inca Empire, including mummies, jewelry, skulls, and ceramics at this museum of archaeology.

        Cusco City Tour

        Cusco

        45PEN per person

        Enjoy a half-day tour of Cusco's main sights. Walk around the Plaza de Armas (main square) and explore this city steeped in one of the world's most alluring and ancient cultures. Visit Qenqo, Koricancha, the Cathedral, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay, and the archaeological site of Sacsaywaman.

        Horseback Riding

        Cusco

        150PEN per person

        Hop in the saddle and explore Cusco’s archaeological sites by horseback on a 3.5 hr tour – no previous experience needed. Dress for the weather, and bring sunblock and a hat, just in case.

        Rainbow Mountain Hike - Full-day Trip

        Cusco7km

        Lookout over these colorful Andean mountains striped with maroon, turquoise, lavender, and gold. The sediment, elevation, and proximity to the ocean create a landscape that has to be seen to be believed. Get started early to drive around 2 hours to the starting point of this challenging, yet rewarding full-day hike. Reaching 5,029m (16,500 ft) this 14km hike is no walk in the park, but these unique mountains do not disappoint.

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    • Day 7   Cusco/Lima

      •    Head to the airport and fly back to Lima.  Free time in Lima to explore!

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    • Day 8   Depart Lima any time.

       

LOCATIONS

  Locations:

Lima, Peru

Cusco

Sacred Valley

Aguas Calientes

Machu Picchu

AGES

18+

COST

USD $1,679.00 per person
Based on Double occupancy 
and a minimum of 8

to a maximum of 16

*Does not include airfare to Lima (Approx USD $800.00)

 

My Own Room

(single supplement) 

USD $399.00 per person
Maximum number of

MOR's = 5

 

Deadline: June 12, 2024

Mark Harrison

Director of Aquatics & Outdoor Pursuits