Lonely Planet guidebook: help or hindrance?

Our intrepid co-founder shares her expertise and Crooked Trails gets a shout-out in this article about the right way to use the “Backpacker’s Bible”, the Lonely Planet guide book.

Every Backpacker’s Bible: Unpacking the Gospel According to Lonely Planet

We Came, We Chatted, We Drank

Crooked Trails staff, board and volunteers had a blast hosting the March GreenDrinks at Ecohaus. A huge thanks to all of you who came out!

Folks from all over the green spectrum came out to connect, learn about our work, share a drink and get to know each other.

Besides holding a bingo game and drawing for door prizes, we also gathered GreenDrinkers’ nuggets of wisdom from their own travel experiences. A few of the highlights:

What’s the most exciting means of transportation you have found abroad?

“Green Sea Turtle, Galapagos, Ecuador”
“The top of a bus for 4 hours. Pig behind me in a bag – alive. 2 chickens, many bags of coal + me = fun in Palawan!”
“Free bike share in Amsterdam!”

What is your favorite food experience traveling?

“Hot peppers while vegetarian in kurdish Turkey but forgot to wash my hands before hitting the head for a whizz.”
“Whatever’s available in the Sahara”
“Breadfruit over an open fire, Tuamotu, FP”

Seattle Supterfuge was there too – read their account.

A Chat with Philip Swanstrom Shaw from Golden Lasso

Over the years, Crooked Trails has received a lot of support and helping hands from “angels” in our midst. Often, it is just the thing we needed at the exact moment it is most beneficial.

When the mavens at local marketing firm Golden Lasso offered up their pro-bono services to help us develop a new set of marketing tools and messaging, the timing was impeccable. The ensuing months of working with them were a testament to a true business with heart. The care, patience, respect and generosity they brought to the table while working on our behalf allowed us to reach beyond our own mental cul-de-sacs and aspire for greater heights in delivering the message of who we are and what we do.

Wrapping up the current phase of our project with Golden Lasso (we’ll be happy to look towards working with them more in the future!), we asked Golden Lasso’s Creative Director Philip Swanstrom Shaw a few questions to learn more about this extraordinary group and their vision.

How did Golden Lasso come about and what is the scope of your services?
Golden Lasso is 12 years old and was originally called the Culligan Group. Bridget Culligan, our Principal, chose to rebrand her agency into Golden Lasso because of her philosophy that a brand needed to express what our clients are about and not about who or what the agency was. The following is a brief list of the services Golden Lasso provides: Design, Advertising, Marketing and Communications, Strategic Messaging, Direct Response Programs, Lead Generation Programs, Web Development, Broadcast Quality Audio and Video Services, Environmental Graphics and Trade Show Support.

Why the name Golden Lasso?
Golden Lasso, the fabled “Lasso of Truth”, existed as a tool to both determine a person’s truth and to get them to tell it. For us, the Golden Lasso represents how we work hard to tell our client’s truths to their audiences and get those audiences to respond.

How did you hear about Crooked Trails and what prompted you to donate your time and talents to us?
One of our designers, Sarah Steiger, was directed to find organizations who could use marketing volunteers so that what we could offer our collective expertise to improve an organization’s communications and ultimately, their bottom line. Sarah found Crooked Trails online and there was unanimous interest in our agency for Crooked Trails mission.  Sarah has been the driving force at our agency to provide sharp and usable communications for Crooked Trails and she works closely with Renee Porter for strategy and Jules Binder-Sifford for copywriting. It’s been a team effort and we love doing what we do when it makes a difference.

What are some of the creative strategies that GL has developed and applied to the world of marketing?
We specialize in Direct Response marketing. We define that further by calling ourselves a Direct RESULTS marketing and communications agency. This means we apply targeting, response and analytics to our strong design, communication, advertising and strategy backgrounds to deliver approaches that can be measured and modified based on knowledge.

What are some examples of your work that Seattlites may recognize – logos, marketing campaigns etc?
Holland America Line is one of our largest accounts and we handle a large portion of their direct marketing communications. If you have received something from Holland America Line in the mail, chances are we produced it. We produced packaging for Seattle’s Chocolates for more than 5 years and a lot of that packaging is still being used season after season. A brand that we worked to develop and are very proud of is The Seattle Public Library. We were selected to redesign their identity in coordination with the groundbreaking of the Rem Koolhas Central Branch. We created tools and branding that could be applied to that iconic effort, as well as, neighborhood branches.

What are your hopes and goals for 2009?
Over the last 5 years we have exhibited a commitment to non-profits and social causes by providing bottom-line value to those organization’s brands and development activities. While we believe that Golden Lasso will always have a broad variety of industries and clients we serve, we are excited to continue the growth of our social-cause marketing clientle. The current economic climate is further proof of what we have been encouraging our social-cause clients to consider for the last several years: the old way or “the way we have always done it” is no longer going to provide the same returns. With our experience in the for-profit world and emerging media, we can apply tried and true marketing to new communications to maintain an organization’s position in this time of uncertainty while better preparing them for times ahead, good and bad. Simply put, we are excited to prove this to our client’s whose missions are near and dear to our hearts.

If you could take a month off and travel anywhere in the world right now, what would be your top 3 destination picks?
Azores. South Pacific. Middle East. Those are mine. However, if you asked the whole gang, those locations would go on to include: China, Africa, Germany, Czech Republic, Mexico, Alaska, Japan, Nepal, India, the list goes on. We are a traveling bunch and we also live vicariously through our co-workers travels.

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I think it’s an obvious statement these days, but maybe more obvious to Crooked Trails supporters and travelers, that we are at a crossroad of history – economically and politically. Every dollar we spend and every hour we commit to anything should be aligned with our personal philosophies, whatever they may be. Living the lives we want to live, or believe in, should be tempered with the impacts and benefits that living that life can have on others. It’s my hope that we can keep our eyes, minds and hearts open and offer grace in every step. To that end, thanks Crooked Trails for the opportunities you offer the world and thanks for allowing us to be a part of that.

A Peek Inside Cascade View

by Crooked Trails intern, Lindsey Goldberg

It has been quite exciting to launch a partnership between Cascade View Elementary School and Crooked Trails. It is powerful to have found a way to fulfill the mission of Crooked Trails, to facilitate cultural exchange rooted in service learning, locally. Already we have developed meaningful relationships with members of their academic team and look forward to the relationships that we will cultivate with the students in the near future.

On Thursday February 26th, a group of seven of us from Crooked Trails went down to Cascade View. Anne Marie Sorenson, the school’s social worker met us and helped to facilitate the fingerprinting and documentation needed in order to volunteer in the Tukwila school district. Anne Marie described the culture of school, the nature of the needs and how we will help to fill those areas of need. In conversation many of the volunteers voiced how their skill set could come in handy and there were some great ideas raised as to how we can make a positive impact on their school community. We went on a tour of the school where we were shown different wings, including the after-school program in action in the art room, tech lab and library. It was fun to walk the halls admiring the abundance of student work covering the walls. We shared laughter and emotion as we were all moved in different ways by the sweetness, creativity, and intelligence we witnessed in the students’ work.

Kelly Meloche, volunteer, “One thing I noticed hanging in the halls was art that prompted the children to complete the sentence ‘If I were president I would…..” One child wrote “If I were president I would make sure everyone had a bed to sleep in”. Which made me realize that not having a bed is often a reality these children face in their lives and how scary that must be.”

We finished the tour in the gymnasium and adjoining cafeteria, Anne Marie introduced us to the members of the Cascade View community who were helping prep for the potluck and put a couple of us right to work. We taped down tables, sliced bread and prepared prizes for games. As the families began to arrive with heaping platters and bowls of food reflective of their cultures, we mingled, made small talk and exchanged smiles with adults and kids. At 6pm, the table was lined with more food than most of us knew what to do with, we got the opportunity to serve food to the 300+ members of the community who came to eat! It was fun engaging with all types of people, encouraging some folks to try a dish they had never tasted before, getting excited with the kids over the array of desserts and helping out moms who were carrying two loaded plates. I got to try Samoan delicacies and Injera, moist bread from Ethiopia.

It was a lovely evening. The staff, administration and greater community were appreciative of the time and energy we gave to the school. I really enjoyed getting to know the other volunteers and look forward to times when we will all meet there again to engage with the community.

Reflection is an important part of service; I have especially moved upon reflection in the days since the event. I know that this opportunity will invite growth in the lives of the students and family we reach as well as growth in ourselves as we find ways to connect that may transcend language and culture. This experience is about people across age groups, socio-economic and cultural groups. We are privileged to have access to this opportunity.

Kelly Meloche, volunteer, “When I walked through the halls at Cascade View I was greeted with warm smiles, friendly faces, bright colors and creativity. There was an unexplainable amount of excitement about the magic that is created within Cascade View Elementary… After the night was over and I walked out to my car with a sense of renewed appreciation and respect for life and realized that together we build a community where the possibilities are endless.”

Child & mural photo by woodleywonderworks

Join us March 10th – we’re hosting Seattle Green Drinks!

Money’s tight, job uncertain, looking for options or just a good time?

All good reasons to come out to GreenDrinks this month.
Hosted by Crooked Trails!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009            5:30 – 9:00 pm

at Ecohaus flagship store 4121 First Avenue South, in SoDo
Join us and several hundred of our friends in the “green” world for a fun, FREE night to make great connections in all facets of Seattle’s environmental community and celebrating the silver linings for a change!
WIN cool door prizes!

We’ve got some sweet door prizes for you Green Drinkers, kindly donated by outdoor clothing makers Ex Officio and Seattle’s fantastic Smash! Wine Bar.

You’ll also have a chance to win tickets to Crooked Trail’s Venetian Masked Carnival Ball, the wildest partythis year!
FREE beer, wine & snacks!

As always, we’ll be enjoying fantastic beer from Sierra Nevada Brewing, wine from Kestrel Vintners and organic munchies from Full Circle Farms.

Keep it Green – Bring Your Own Cup!

What constitutes “responsible travel”?

Find out in this great article about Crooked Trails on the Seattle International Travel Examiner:

http://www.examiner.com/x-3068-Seattle-International-Travel-Examiner~y2009m2d18-Travel-Responsibly-with-Crooked-Trails

Tumbao joins the April 18th line-up

We’re so excited about the band we recently lined up for our April 18th Carnival event that we thought we’d share it with you – check these guys out!

Click on “listen to our new cd” on Tumbao’s website:  http://www.tumbao.us/Home.htm

“…an exuberant, joyful, energetic and amazing musical ride that soars and swings. Trust me when I say that you will be more than willing to go. “
JIM McELROY – JAZZREVIEW.COM

“Namaste Reunited”: Coming Soon to ArtXchange

Our wonderful friends at ArtXchange Gallery will be featuring an exhibition that explores the Namaste Children’s Fund history and projects. They will also be exhibiting new work by Cora Edmonds, benefitting NCF. “Namaste Reunited” opens March 5 and runs through April 31.

“Namaste Reunited” will be opening with a reception during the First Thursday Artwalk on March 5, 5-8 pm! ArtXchange Gallery is located at 512 First Ave S (near the corner of First and S King).

A Chat with Dan Moore from EverGreen Escapes

Local green travel gurus Jake Haupert and Dan Moore offer fantastic year-round getaways here in the Pacific Northwest through their company EverGreen Escapes. (Click here to read a recent profile on the Wanderlust & Lipstick site) We were lucky enough to catch up with Dan somewhere between the mountains and the ocean this week and chat a bit about what they do.

So, what’s your story – how did you come to Evergreen Escapes?
I met Jake when he was trying to get training to be the naturalist for his new company. I was an educator at Discovery Park running a volunteer naturalist training program.  In talking with me he realized I could more quickly fill the hole needed in his company to train and manage the guides and design and conduct programs – his wife Jessica already was tapped for skills in marketing, graphic design and website construction.

Jake himself worked in the travel industry since college.  5 years ago he started Explorers 3 Adventures.  In the process of designing adventures for people around the world, he realized no one in Seattle was providing small scale guiding service connecting the dots between many adventure activities and fine wine/ dining, upscale lodging and providing all with an educational component – naturalist interpretation and sustainability discussion when determining business practices.  EGE was born and started doing primarily custom designed trips for folks but quickly was tapped for team building and corporate programs and now set trips everyday of the week.

What does EE do in nutshell?
EverGreen Escapes is the Pacific Northwest’s premier local and sustainable adventure travel company based in Seattle, Washington USA. We specialize in crafting upscale nature, active and education based experiences throughout the Northwestern U.S. & British Columbia, Canada.  Opportunities include authentic half, full and multi-day escapes, exclusive private getaways, memorable corporate retreats and inspiring teambuilding experiences.

Whatever the pursuit—bird watching, hiking, sea kayaking, cycling, snowshoeing, rock climbing or wine tasting—your escape is creatively designed and executed with a commitment to environmental and social sustainability combined with the comfort of scrumptious northwest “on safari” meals, fine local wine and luxe lodges. Our goal is to offer locals and visitors alike a transformational outdoor experience that inspires them to respect, revere and protect our planet from the rock face, to the orca, to the wine!

Our escapes integrate superior first class vehicles, naturalist guides, and rare flexibility of itinerary that can traverse the magnificent contrasts of mountains, rainforest, islands, and coastlines of the Pacific Northwest & British Columbia and incorporate only the finest of accommodation and freshest organic and local cuisine available.

What is your take on the environmental impacts of traveling and how does EE offset some of those negative impacts?

The environmental impacts from traveling are huge.  From the emissions from planes to the toxins used in building hotels, there is a lot better we need to do in order to still be traveling in 50 years.  That said, travelers can have an incredible impact in solving some of these problems.  I think it is no coincidence that the last president was one of the worst presidents in history and had only visited a couple countries prior to becoming president.  Similarly, Americans are one of the least traveled people in the developed world.  Lack of worldview inhibits us from seeing how what we do as a nation is impacting the rest of the globe.

That said, just going to an exclusive resort in the Caribbean, being shielded from the poverty and the pollution is not going to open your eyes.  Meaningful travel where a holistic picture is laid out – not preached – is the way for transformation to occur.  The experiences we provide put people in the middle of a protected piece of property with an educated commentary to allow for appreciation and the generation of values.

In terms of the day to day actions we do to protect the planet, we drive fuel efficient vehicles: Mercedes 12 passenger vans that get nearly 20 mpg.  We use a blend of bio-diesel – cleaner burning made from vegetable oil.  Not the panacea, but a good transition to the next transportation revolution. We strive for 0 waste on our tours: use reusable water bottles, plates, cutlery, our (organic) catering is served family style rather than boxed up individually.  Our uniforms for guides are made from bamboo and/or organic cotton.  There is a lot more to do, but we’re trying to include sustainability into every decision we make.

What kinds of people go on Evergreen Escapes? Do you have to be athletically fit?
All sorts of folks go on EverGreen Escapes trips.  We have single travelers interested in getting out and exploring, but not wanting to rent an individual car go on our set departures.  We work with families designing fun and educational trips throughout the region.  We take companies out on excursions and design story based team building programs to help them reach new limits.  Participants are locals and folks from around the globe.

It is not necessary to be an athlete to go on one of our programs.  This is commonly asked and unfortunately too commonly assumed (therefore lost business).  Our daily departures are designed for the beginner.  There is always a blend of sightseeing with brief forays out into the wilds.  Even if someone wants to sit out the short hike, he/she will get the taste of the region we visit.  For the custom tours, we design the program that the customer wants. We took a group of senior citizens to BC last spring and had an amazing time exploring the back roads and limiting the time out of the van.  For those wanting nothing but leisure, we offer a series of wine tours from half day programs to Woodinville to multi day trips to Yakima and Walla Walla. On the flip side, those seeking more extreme adventure will be happy with the diversity and skill level of our guides.  From rock climbing to remote sea kayaking, we have some of the most skilled folks in the nation leading our programs.

What do you think makes Seattle a perfect place to base from?
Seattle has access to it all – mountains, ocean, rivers, lakes, forests, deserts, BC, Oregon, etc.  Plus we have a reputation for being on the cutting edge when it comes to sustainability and adventure sports.  Two items that seem exclusive, but recently a ton of effort has come from the adventure sport industry – both gear and guides – to put sustainability at the forefront of doing business.  If we destroy the earth we will be done doing the activities we all love.

There are plenty of challenges though.  One, the locals are quite knowledgeable and stubborn DIYers.  To base our business on the local market (at least for our non corporate work) would be foolish.  It takes a while to build the trust of the locals – but we’re trying!  Also, it is quite expensive to live and operate here.  We do our best to pay our guides well above the average, but even with that it is difficult for someone to live in our region.

Finally, there are so many agencies that manage the land in our backyard that it is very burdensome for a small company to get all the permits and okays to bring folks all the places they want to go.  We are all in favor of paying our share to support the protection of these incredible resources, but we don’t have the admin of the large companies to fill out the pages and pages of text for many of these permits.  Planting a seed here: how about a permit for all public land?  How about being able to fill it out online?

What are the top 3 travel destinations on your wish list right now?
I’m very excited about SE Asia.  EverGreen Escapes is based on Beacon Hill where I’ve lived for nearly 10 years.  I have learned a lot from the many cultures that call this neighborhood home.  I would love to visit some of the places my neighbors originate from (either directly or ancestrally).  China, Vietnam and Malaysia are on the top of that list.  Outside there, the continent of Africa is high up: South Africa, Tanzania, Senegal… Lots to see.  EverGreen Escapes is excited about the idea of voluntourism.  I would love to travel to some of these places and lend a hand.  Not take away a job of a local person, but a skill that I have that would be beneficial.  The choices we make as a traveler can mean we support a dictator or a cooperative, a multinational corporation or a small village.

Any final comments, advice, or wisdom you’d like to share?
We are in tough times as a nation – both economically and ideologically.  As a small business it is surprising how great of an impact we actually can have.  We don’t have shareholders forcing us to make a profit on the backs of poor or disenfranchised.  We don’t have franchises to keep in business.  Many veterans in our industry are looking at businesses like EverGreen Escapes for inspiration and creativity.  We’re ready to step up to the table and change travel for good.

Another Mexico: The Zapotec Festival, Sangre Preciosa

by Christine Mackay, Crooked Trails co-founder

photos courtesy of Eric Mindling & Christine Mackay

For over a decade Traditions Mexico has offered unparalleled opportunities to immerse oneself in the heart of Oaxaca Mexico. Eric Mindling, the founder of Traditions Mexico has spent most of his adult life working and living with the Zapotecs in and around Oaxaca. His amazing connections and commitment to responsible travel has made a partnership with Crooked Trails a natural progression of our mutual respect for each other’s work.

In December, I told Eric that a recent CT survey put Mexico at the top of the list. And because of the current economy we thought a shorter; more affordable destination was in order. I know our participants expect to get a “through the backdoor view” on traditional life with a guide who understands the people and who has won their respect as well as friendship. Eric has designed just such a program for Crooked Trails. We are going to participate in the Zapotec festival called Sangre Preciosa which takes place in one of Oaxaca’s most lovely and friendly villages, Teotitlan del Valle. During this 8 day program, participants will not only get to see an amazing festival, but experience all that goes into making such a festival take place. Come to Oaxaca “through the backdoor” with Eric, meet his friends who are making festivals in Oaxaca happen, and see why there is so much more to understand and love about our southern neighbor.

Tour Description: Once a year the village of Teotitlan del Valle pulls out the stops to celebrate the Catholic festival of La Sangre Preciosa. This festival involves the entire village and includes a parade of 150 woman adorned with flowers and images of saints, a marathon 8-hour ritual dance, brass bands, ceremony, communal feasts, a village dance, booming fireworks, hot tamales and a good time! This tour takes you into the middle of this festival. We will see it from the inside out, meeting the ritual dancers, participating in the feasts, learning to make tamales, visiting the fireworks maker and getting to know the village on a first name basis. For 5 nights we’ll stay in a small lodge on the edge of the village, close enough to be in on the action, far enough to escape from it when we’ve had our fill. Our travels will take us into the village and beyond, to an important regional market, to a village of potters, to a baker’s workshop and to the ruins of ancient Zapotec palaces. We’ll also take time to visit the beautiful colonial city of Oaxaca, spending two nights there once the festival winds down.  We will eat well, meet good people and enjoy the pomp and boom of a village party.

Ready to check out the itinerary? Click here.