Explore the outdoor jewels in our midst

Looking for a local destination for some much needed family time while the weather is still warm? Check out some of the public places nearby to stretch your legs and breathe some fresh air into your lungs!

On the coastal side of Route 1, the beaches are wonderful to walk on, and at this time of year, Fido can join you. There are also many interesting trails that cut through gorgeous Scarborough terrain: the Eastern Trail, the Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Lucy Sprague Memorial Trail.

Whether you’re biking or walking, the Eastern Trail now spans roughly 5 miles beginning at the parking lot on Pine Point Road, running along the beautiful marsh, crossing Black Point Road and sharing terrain with Eastern Road, then re-entering the woods for a looping mile or so up to the banks of the Nonesuch River. Use the entire trail for a long loop, or turn around mid-way for a lighter jaunt.

Another secret oasis for spontaneous fun is the Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary located across the street from Ken’s Seafood on Pine Point Road. There is a one mile loop through fields and woods as well as a half mile loop. There are two ponds, access to the mud flats along the river, and lots of interesting wildlife and vegetation (like old apple trees) with placards explaining origins and species.

One of my newer discoveries is the Lucy Sprague Memorial Trail that begins with an easement across Camp Ketcha property near the intersection of Black Point Road and Route 77. This is a single trail, approximately 1 mile long. After parking your car at Camp Ketcha, head uphill past a small barn on the right utilizing the footpath that leads to the Libby River Farm and the Memorial Trail. Stay left on the trail when passing the brown wooden outhouse and continue on past the gravel pit. You’ll know you’ve reached the beginning of the dedicated trail when you see the kiosk erected by the Scarborough Land Conservation Trust.

On the inland side of Route 1, the Sewell Woods Trails offers waterfalls, a seasonal brook and two steel trail bridges. This is a great area for walking and bird watching. To get there, travel from Route 1 onto Broadturn Road at Dunstan corner. Turn left onto Ash Swamp Road and just after crossing Hearn Road turn into the parking lot on the left. The entrance cable can be removed to park in the lot and should be replaced when leaving.

Farther down Broadturn Road, Fuller Farm is another Conservation property with beautiful, more open trails. This system meanders gently uphill through hayfields, grasslands and woodlands that eventually slope down to the Nonesuch River. From Route 1, follow Broadturn Road past the Holmes Road intersection, and just after dipping down to cross the Nonesuch River and heading back uphill, park in the dirt lot on the right.

While Scarborough has a lot to offer for public access lands, there are a few outdoor gems outside of town as well. The South Portland Greenbelt is a lovely paved, off-road path that begins at the Wainwright Recreation Complex in South Portland just over the Scarborough line. Take Pleasant Hill Road to Highland Avenue. Turn left off Highland Avenue onto the Gary Maietta Parkway which quickly ends in a vast parking lot. Walk or bike the tranquil path that begins on the right as you enter the parking area. Traveling along the path to Broadway Avenue and back on the secluded trail takes you through woods and fields and makes for a short four-mile trip that’s great for younger kids. The greenbelt does continue all the way to Bug Light Park, but after the first leg to Broadway, it’s necessary to cross several very busy streets and wouldn’t be very friendly to younger children.

With only a short time until the white stuff flies, I should also mention some areas that are fabulous for sledding, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. One of the nearest is Purpoodock Golf Course on Spurwink Avenue in Cape Elizabeth which offers great expanses of golf course terrain with self-made ski trails (must bring all your own equipment) and sledding hills all across the property (they only ask that you stay off the roped greens areas).

For a more specialized cross country ski experience, try Harris Farm Ski Center located at 280 Buzzell Road in Dayton (499-2678). It’s approximately a 30 minute drive from Scarborough, but with rental equipment, a warming hut, groomed trails and hot lunches for sale, it’s well worth the trip. For more specific directions search the internet for their website or give them a call.

Pineland Farms (688-4800) is another cross country and snowshoe destination that’s only 30 minutes from Scarborough. This 2,500 acre property has 25 km of ski and snowshoe trails meandering through rolling farmlands with views of Mount Washington. Rental equipment is available there too.

If your family is like mine, the hardest part of a great outdoor adventure is getting everyone off the couch (or electronic game or computer…) and into the car. Make the outing even easier by having this article tucked into the side pocket of your vehicle, then, all you have to do is decide which direction to go in!

For additional resources on Scarborough public access properties, check out the Land Trust’s website at www.scarboroughcrossroads.org/slct and click on Trails. Community Services has also been working to create a usage guide on their Crossroads website providing trail descriptions and driving directions for each of the Scarborough trails mentioned above. Why not intrigue your family with the great outdoors and try one, or all, of these fabulous open spaces.

Article contributed by Heidi Will, Member of Scarborough Wellness, Local Citizens Promoting Healthy Lifestyles for all Ages!

Do You Treat Your Body As Good As Your Car?

            I was driving my car the other day when the “check engine” light came on. Knowing that something serious could be wrong, I called a mechanic and immediately scheduled an appointment. Since I’m a physical therapist (PT) and October is National Physical Therapist Month, I started thinking about how we treat our cars so much better than our bodies sometimes. We don’t do regular maintenance or get regular tune-ups on our bodies like we should. If we would exercise regularly and put better fuel into our bodies, we could run more efficiently with less mechanical break downs.

            With obesity on the rise, national attention has been placed on healthy eating and exercising. But whether you need to lose weight or not, exercise should be a way of life. We all know that maintaining a healthy weight can reduce risks of heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer. In addition, the right exercise can control pain and symptoms of arthritis. But getting started on an exercise program when you are out of shape can be challenging. Many people just don’t know where to start or what to do. In an ideal world, we would stretch, do at least 45 minutes of aerobic exercise 4-5 times per week, lift weights and then find time for pilates or yoga. One could exercise 2 hours per day and still feel like they need to do more. If you are like me, the thought is too overwhelming to even get started.

People have different needs for different exercise at different times in their life. So if time is a concern, you may need to consider figure out which exercises will give you the most bang for your buck. For instance, weight bearing and postural exercises are particularly important for women to prevent or battle the effects of osteoporosis. Balance and coordination exercises are important to prevent falls in the elderly population. An “exercise prescription” from a physical therapist can help identify what exercises are most important for your age and physical condition. Consulting your physician is also important, especially when you have other medical conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Sticking with an exercise program through the pain and discomfort of getting started is sometimes the biggest challenge. How do you know when pain or discomfort from exercising is harmful? Muscle soreness is to be expected when starting any new exercise. Soreness that lingers for more than a day usually indicates you did too much. You should rest for a day and cut back a little when you resume. Pain, however, is different than soreness. A constant ache may indicate inflammation. A pain that is specific to a particular movement may indicate injury to a tendon, ligament, muscle or joint. When pain is persistent or worsens despite modification of your activity, something is wrong. Pain can result from doing the wrong exercise or doing the right exercise the wrong way. The “no pain, no gain” philosophy has done more harm than good. When exercise results in pain, it’s easy to give up. If our car wasn’t running well, we would take it to the mechanic to analyze the problem and prescribe the proper fix. But when our bodies aren’t running well we keep pushing to the point of break down, ignoring the pain that is telling us to check our engine.

Physical therapists are like “body mechanics” in that they analyze and fix “musculoskeletal” problems that affect performance or cause pain. Just like a car that needs a front end alignment, if you don’t fix it, your tires will wear out from the uneven forces that produce wear and tear. Muscles work the same way on our joints. When there is an imbalance in strength or flexibility, the forces the muscles place on the joints during movement can be abnormal and lead to the wear and tear on the body. Sometimes joint inflammation, tendonitis or “impingements” result. Therefore, pain should not be ignored when one is starting a new exercise program. Many times the problem is easily fixed with the right specific exercise. Ignoring the pain can perpetuate the problem, resulting in a worsening of the condition and inability to exercise at all.

Getting fit can and should be fun. You can start by participating in the “Bridge to Health Walk” on Sunday, October 16 from 2-4 pm, sponsored by the Scarborough Wellness Initiative. The walk is a FREE EVENT and will take place on the Eastern Trail.  We encourage you to walk, bike or run across the beautiful Scarborough Marsh. Parking is available either at Blue Point Elementary School on Pine Point Rd or Gawron Architects, 29 Black Point Rd (old Oak Hill School). Feel free to bring along family and friends. The Scarborough Wellness Initiative is a group of local citizens promoting health and wellness for all ages. For more information, visit our web-site at www.scarboroughwellness.org.

Gwen Simons, PT, JD, OCS, FAAOMPT is a member of the Scarborough Wellness Initiative. She works at Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Associates in Scarborough. You may e-mail her at: gwen@optamaine.com.

Take a hike in your Hometown
Stephen Kirsch MD

We have all been bombarded by the messages urging Americans to eat right and exercise regularly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends physical activity as a vital part of a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages. An ideal goal is moderate intensity physical activity for 30 minutes at least 5 times per week. Examples of this activity level include brisk walking, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming or bicycling.

People who are exercising less then this amount can gradually increase the duration and intensity to reach this goal. Individuals who are at these levels will continue to derive benefits by exercising more frequently such as daily or increasing the intensity level. If you are contemplating starting an exercise program anew, please check with your physician for recommendations.