Recreation

Best local survivors (who needs Pulau Tiga island and a TV crew?)
Beth Rodden and Tommy Caldwell
World-class climber Beth Rodden, 20, and her boyfriend Tommy Caldwell, 25, were the summer’s real survivor story. Just back from a harrowing abduction in the central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan, the Davis pair recently confirmed the details of being taken prisoner by a group of Uzbek Islamic militants. Along with two other climbing companions, Rodden and Caldwell were held hostage for six days and survived by eating half a Powerbar a day and drinking from muddy puddles. After witnessing the murder of another captive, the four determined to escape and, ultimately, pushed their guard off a cliff. They then ran 18 miles, at times avoiding gunfire directed at them, to a Kyrgyz army outpost, where they were assisted and eventually returned to the United States. Ironically, information on the climbers’ courageous ordeal was revealed right as the nation hit a fevered pitch over Survivor, a TV series featuring a group of now-infamous “ordinary people” in a faked “survival” environment.

Best place to while away a Sunday
Sacramento Zoo
3930 West Land Park Dr., (916) 264-5885
Come on—when was the last time you went to the zoo? And don’t say zoos are just for kids (besides, who doesn’t feel like one when the Bengal tiger decides to “chase” its observers up and down its glass-lined cave?) For $6—less than a price of a movie—the Sacramento Zoo lets you construct your own wildlife experience as you slowly make your way through the shady pathways. No, it’s not Wild Kingdom, but it’s a damn sight closer than you can get with a video and a cool way to kill a few hours.

Best scouting outing
Ellen Pontac
Rallying against the discriminatory policies of the Boy Scouts of America, Davis activist Ellen Pontac recently gathered a group of like-minded folks near the landmark Davis Boy Scout Cabin and called on the local scout troop to stand up to the BSA. National and local scout leaders responded that they are a private, voluntary organization and are therefore free to do what they like, including banning gays and atheists. But Pontac (who comes from a long family line of scouts) would beg to differ. Huzzahs to her for pointing out that the BSA can’t be protected as a “private” organization when it gets preferential treatment from the city (such as the $1 per year fee the local scouts pay for use of the cabin) and school districts in Davis, despite the organization’s discriminatory policies.

Best place to enjoy Sacramento, get some exercise, commune with nature and meet new people
The American River Bike Trail
Whether you’re out for a leisurely walk with your dog, an intense bike ride, a training run for the California International Marathon or an afternoon of fishing along the banks of the American River, this 26-mile trail from Old Sacramento to Folsom is awesome. It’s beautiful to look at, extremely well-maintained and highly appreciated by all the people who use it every week.

Best place to supply yourself with everything you need to dig in the dirt
Capital Nursery
various locations
Who says recreation has to involve exercise? For lots of people, the most relaxing and enriching recreation takes place right in their own backyards, planting, mowing, digging, pruning and harvesting. Capital Nursery has been in town for years, and they’ve got everything you need to get you started. They also offer workshops and classes from time to time, to get you up to speed on what you need to know to do all of that yardwork right.

Best reason to take up golf
Capital City Golf
8325 River Rd., (916) 433-6307
This is a super-organized city organization that makes it easy for you to play golf at any of the city courses—Haggin Oaks, Bartley Cavanaugh, Bing Maloney or William Land Park. You can call 665-1202 for tee times at any of the courses, and you can count on the city to keep all their courses in tip-top shape. These are all user-friendly, inexpensive public courses, and even people who can’t figure out the difference between a 3-wood and a pitching wedge will have fun.