Into the wild

Got spring fever? Us too. Spring officially started Wednesday (even if it doesn’t feel like it yet) and we're itching to get outside (not just from our seasonal allergies). Call this guide wishful thinking given our current weather, but we promise it will get warm enough for this stuff eventually.Consider this a beacon of hope, a dream list of activities to come, from Weekend to you.

1) Go fish
BRING: fishing pole, bait

Monroe Lake (as it's officially known) is full of bluegill and bass that are just as excited about spring as you are. Spring is great for fishing — fish are in a pre-spawning frenzy, looking to beef up before mating season. Pleasant temperatures, easy fishing and maybe a cold beer — life doesn’t get much better.

Before you go, make sure you have an Indiana fishing license. Indiana distributes two types of licenses—like tuition, there are separate “resident” and “nonresident” fees, though if you’re only fishing one day, it’s $9 in total.

Check out the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ website for specific information about the different ways to obtain a fishing license Not having a fishing license would really be the dumbest thing to ever get fined for. Then buy the cheapest pole you can find at Wal-Mart, find some bait and go.

Monroe Lake has fishing piers for the timid or boatless, and on-site boat rental for the rich and adventurous. Lake Monroe Boat Rental (of Little 500 party-boat fame) is your best bet — you only have to be 18 with a driver’s license to rent. Rent a three-person canoe all day for $48, or a 16-foot fishing boat all day for $100 (with deposits). Call them at 812-837-9909 for reservations.

2) Release your inner bird nerd
BRING: binoculars, bird book, camera

Indiana has amazing birdwatching. Massive spring migrations can be some of the most beautiful, awe-inspiring things you’ve ever seen, and Indiana is lucky enough to have a migratory hotspot in Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area, located about an hour’s drive southwest of Bloomington in Linton, Ind.

Goose Pond is the only place in the state with wide swaths of marsh and prairie — hotspots for birds.

Think of it as Cabo for migrating flocks. It’s where they all congregate and get weird before returning to the daily grind.

More than 240 bird species have been documented in its 8,064 acres, but Goose Pond is known especially for its waterfowl. Last February, an exceedingly rare Hooded Crane, which are usually seen in Asia, was spotted thousands of miles off its usual migratory path, and in 2009, the wildlife area was home to the first roseate spoonbill seen in the state. Try to score the especially nerdy honor of being the first to spot whatever this year’s rare species may be. 

If nothing else, take the opportunity to make fun of the hardcore birders (like many of our parents) camped out with gigantic spotting scopes, and ponder your future hobbies as an elderly person.

3) Get on your bikes and ride
BRING: a bike, helmet, front and rear lights for evening riding

We’re not just talking about your fancy Little 500 bikes, oh cyclist overlords. We mean your old, beat-up, winter-worn junker bikes. It’s been too disgusting for the past month for all but the most devoted or desperate to fathom riding, but things are finally looking up. Bloomington and surrounding areas have great bike paths for mountain bikers and more casual riders.

The beautiful B-Line Trail goes without saying. It’s great for an easy spin if you’re not feeling muddy trails or scary roads. Paved, maintained and fairly short, it’s prime space for amateurs.

The first annual Bike To Barns Ride is happening on Saturday, March 30th for those looking for an organized ride. The event features multiple routes with stops at local food destinations. Although the Seed Route and the Root Route are pretty intense (we're talking 30-60 miles), the Urban Fruit route is an amateur-friendly 6.8 miles.
 
If you’re feeling more adventurous, spring is great for mountain biking. It’s not too muggy in the woods, but trails are all unthawed. It may get a little muddy, but that’s part of the fun.

Brown County State Park is nationally recognized for its many mountain bike paths — it offers trails for beginners and seasoned pros. Check out browncountymountainbiking.com for details and maps, and the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association website for status updates on trail availability.

If you’re feeling especially daring, the park is hosting a race in the 2013 Kenda Dino Mountain Bike Series on June 2, with different levels of challenges. Take a few of the paths for a ride in the next month and see if you’re feeling lucky.

Lesser known but closer to home is Bloomington’s own Wapehani Mountain Bike Park, in the southwest part of the city. With five miles of dirt trails in a wooded area, it’s a great place for beginners.

Before you go riding on a trail or paved path, make sure you have the right bike.
IU students can rent quality mountain bikes from the wonderful people at IU Outdoor Adventures for $25 per day, as well as car racks for $3.50. Call 812-855-2231 for
reservations.

More casual riders should look into a spring tune-up for their bikes. Bicycle Garage, Inc. (on Kirkwood Avenue, 812-339-3457), Bikesmiths (on South College Avenue, 812-339-9970) and Revolution Bike and Bean (812-336-0241) are Weekend staff favorites for service. If you’re doing your own fixing up, buy your parts from the Bloomington Community Bike Project — your money goes towards recycling old bikes back into the community. We’ll support that cause.

4) Find some solitude
BRING: Camping supplies, food, hiking shoes, long pants

Hoosier National Forest only about an hour’s drive south on IN-37, but gets far less student attention than the closer, more popular Brown County. Let this work to your advantage if you just need to get away for a while.

The forest is home to the Charles C. Deam Wilderness, encompassing nearly 13,000 acres of purely preserved nature. Although there are hiking and horseback trails, much of the Wilderness is designated as walk-in, or “dispersed” camping — meaning, while abiding by certain rules, you can try out real, primitive camping. No grills, outlets or toilets — you just walk into designated areas of the woods and set up camp. And it’s completely free! Check the guidelines for dispersed camping in Charles C. Deam Wilderness on the Hoosier National Forest website.

And if you don’t have camping equipment, IUOA comes to the rescue yet again. They have almost everything you could need, as well as some friendly people willing to answer your questions about this whole primitive camping thing. Look over their inventory on their website, and find them in Eigenmann Hall.

If you’re not feeling the camping thing, the Forest has a plethora of other, less intimidating natural attractions. The Hickory Ridge Lookout Tower gives you a birds-eye view of hundreds of acres of forest, and the gorgeous waterfalls of the Hemlock Cliffs house flowers and lush vegetation as temperatures warm up.
Call the Hoosier National Forest at 812-275-5987 for further information.

5) Forage for your dinner
BRING: hiking shoes, long pants, potato sack

If you really want to get in touch with nature, do as the cavemen did and learn how to forage Indiana is particularly replete with delicious, nonpoisonous morel mushrooms. You’re legally allowed to hunt for them in state parks and state forests. We advise keeping your search close to trails for your safety.

Morels are delectable when marinated or sautéed, and are quite pricey when bought at the supermarket, so finding them is a little more exciting than stumbling on your average blackberry patch. Seasoned morel hunters advise patience when searching, as the size of your haul is mostly up to chance.

If you do find a good crop, make sure to leave a few behind to encourage repopulation. Store your morels in a mesh bag so spores can fall as you transport the morels, and don’t tell anyone where you’ve found them — the best morel hunters are notoriously
secretive.

In Indiana, morels should begin sprouting in early April. Search close by in Brown County State Park or on the easy hiking trails around Monroe Lake. Morels particularly like elms, areas full of dead or toppled trees and areas that have been damaged by fire.

Real morel junkies can visit the official Indiana Morel Festival on April 19 & 20 at the Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park and Campground in nearby Brown County.

So go outside, people of Bloomington! Throw off your winter coats as soon as it hits 50-ish degrees and embrace the disappointingly chilly first days of spring!