| 793 | Bells Bend 3rd Annual Outdoor Rec Vendor Show |
2013-04-08 |
Saturday, we visited Bells Bend Outdoor Center's 3rd Annual Outdoor Recreation Vendor Show. It was our first time to visit the spring celebration.
Bells Bend is one of our favorite area parks. The Park was once a farm and as you stroll through the hills and fields, you soon realize it is not like the areas other Parks. Bells Bend still retains that farm-ness. From the silo of the outdoor center to the trails cut through the fields the Park retains an agricultural feel.
An example, a few years back while working on a map of the Park, I was puzzled that the "trail" was not located in the same place where it was the previous year. Was my GPS that far off? The Park Manager laughed as she told me that many of the trails were determined by whoever happened to be mowing the swath through the fields that day. If it was muddy in one place they might just move the trail to a less muddy location! Ha! That made perfect sense and they could do it because the Park was a farm.
The Outdoor Recreation Show is a festival to outdoor use. To promote the outdoors, who better to invite than the people who actually make a living selling outdoor gear. The retailers and manufacturers are excited about their products and experts on how to use them.
The Show also included Volunteer and Social Groups - such as the Nashville Hiking Meetup and Tennessee Trails Association - both groups promote hiking and being outdoors.
In the Outdoor Center, events that promoted outdoors use were scheduled throughout the day including the folks from Waldens Puddle, Froghaven, and photography classes.
A few notes from the Show ...
We visited the Park early. It was not crowded then, but that was one of the reasons we went early - to avoid the crowds.
I overheard that this was the first year that the Show had had good weather. It was truly exceptional.
There were a couple of vendors promoting stand-up paddle boards. We haven't tried the relatively new sport yet. I think our dog would knock us off the boards, but it looked fun.
Normandy Kayaks promoted paddling the Duck. They have a rental program.
Nashville B-Cycle talked about their bike rental program. If I heard correctly they offered a $50 a year plan. It seemed like a cheap and convenient way to commute by bicycle.
Nashville Running Company, a fairly new East Nashville store, had shoes and advice.
Bill and Lori were showing off their gear from Cumberland Transit. It is always good to talk to the folks from our neighborhood store.
REI sent Jerry. He entertained us as we talked stoves and Goal Zero solar recharging kits.
Kelly was manning his Nashville Hiking Meetup booth. What a great way for folks to get started hiking! The scheduled hikes are frequent and the groups are ever changing. If you do not like to hike alone, Nashville Hiking Meetup is the ticket.
There was live music in the background and some bakery products for sale. A truck vendor was also setting up for lunch.
Guided hikes toured the Park.
And if none of the above appealed to you, there was always a rocking chair waiting for you on the fabulous back porch of the Outdoor Center.
The Show was fun. It was a good way to meet other folks in the outdoor recreation community. Thanks to the Park, the staff, volunteers, musicians, vendors, and outdoor groups who participated in the event and made it an outdoor celebration.
Happy Bells Bend trails