If the word modality is in your vocabulary, you’re going to love this week’s Health and Fitness issue. I keep asking the writers what a modality is, because it sounds like a buzzword that could easily be replaced with something simpler, but they assure me that it means a mode, or a thing.
OK. Whatever.
Kristen McLaughlin explored lots of modalities– things in my simplistic brain– in her piece exploring the new health and medical offerings in local fitness centers, as she started her New Year’s resolutions by trying some of them. I think you’ll be glad to have her sort them out for you and explain the likes of chiro-therapy, human-growth hormone, red-light therapy, biostacking and snow showers.
If I had the time, I would love to try them all.
Elizabeth Borelli checked out a different modality: microdosing psychedelic chemicals and plants to open your mind. Need I say that Santa Cruz is at the forefront of those explorations? We are first in so many things, I mean modalities. (See, I’m learning to be more Cruzie.)
Then, there’s the trip of a lifetime: in our cover story, writer DNA reports on a local who has completed the three toughest hikes in the U.S. and lived to tell the tale. That’s a modality I would love to try, if only I had unlimited time. But I feel like I got the exercise without the pain by reading the story of Jared Perry, who finished the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, one of only 700 people to do so.
For that, he received the Triple Crown Award for–another new term to me–thru-hiking. I suspect after one of those hikes I’d be through hiking. No, seriously, those walks were on my bucket list in college and I still fantasize about getting to one of them. Fantasize being the active word here.
You’ll learn about trail names in this story, the identities hikers choose to travel under. Mine would be ‘’Wait Up”. On a serious note: the hikes are safer and better with someone else. A friend of mine died on the PCT last year, after his family tried to convince him to travel with someone else. He made a wrong turn and fell from a cliff. It’s so sad.
On the serious front, we’ve got a warning article here for nature lovers who want to cook with wild mushrooms. BE CAREFUL. Some 35 people have been poisoned by picking the wrong ones. My little boy said kids at his school were sampling wild mushrooms. UGH. Please heed the warnings and pass them onto your friends and family.
Thanks for reading and have a great week.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
WINTER AFTER DARK The Walton Lighthouse is lighting the way and making for great photos. Photograph by Bethany Clare
GOOD IDEA
With so many Seabright businesses struggling from the Murray Street Bridge repair, the City of Santa Cruz and Ecology Action with support from Bike Santa Cruz County came up with a great idea to bring hungry patrons to local restaurants and help revive the neighborhood. It’s a night bike ride through Seabright Sunday, Jan. 25 starting at Seabright and Murray Street at 4pm. Decorate your bikes there and parade them at 5:30pm and fine dine afterwards. Learn more at letsmodo.org. Bring bright bike lights!
GOOD WORK
Volunteers are the backbone of a strong, vibrant community — yet their impact often happens behind the scenes. The Be the Difference Awards shines a light on that generosity.
Hosted by the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County and Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, the Be the Difference Awards honors 50 individuals, groups, and businesses whose service strengthens our community.
Each year, neighbors nominate neighbors, lifting up the people who quietly make life better in our community. From these nominations, honorees are selected and celebrated at a live community awards event each spring. Nominate your favorites at https://scvolunteercenter.org.
