Aquatic Invasives and The Hitchhiking Super Athletes

In this behind the scenes episode, we find plenty of adventure throughout The Green Mountain State, get our hands dirty (wet) during some invasive plant removal, and make a special appearance in Outside TV’s “Beat Monday” adventure series.

The end of last summer brought us lots of adventure and outdoor activity. We blew our first flat tire and hung out at a mountain bike event in Killington, Vermont. As the Starcraft (our van) romped around the rest of the state, we learned about aquatic invasive species and the state’s attempt to prevent them. We joined a group of volunteers in canoes and kayaks to remove as much water chestnut as we could find. We then met Perry Thomas in the middle of Lake Eden, where she has monitored for invasive species over the past 10 years. Thanks to her efforts and the precautions from the lake-goers, Eden has yet to see any invasive species.

Our journey continued into New Hampshire, where we hiked in the White Mountains, met up with Nate’s older brother, and Cody picked up some athletic hitchhikers. The two planned to run the presidential traverse in one day, which covers 10 mountain summits in about 20 miles and 8,500 ft of elevation gain.

We had a blast hanging out in kayaks and lending a hand to some invasive species prevention. Huge thanks to Kim Jensen for getting us out on the water! If you live in Vermont, consider helping to prevent these invasive species from harming the environment!