[gps-talkusers] Announcing Way Fun 2005

From: Michael May <MikeMay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "GPS-talkusers-freelists.org" <GPS-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 27 May 2005 14:49:49 -0700

The information below comes from the following URL
http://www.senderogroup.com/wayfun.htm
Feel free to pass this along to interested people or relevant lists.

Way Fun 2005: Portland, Maine

About Sendero Group's Way Fun Adventures

Sendero Group's Way Fun trips can be described as a GPS Adventure, Treasure Hunt, or GeoCaching. The goal of Way Fun is for blind people to stretch their travel limits by exploring interesting environments using all his or her orientation and mobility techniques including BrailleNote GPS and to have fun in the process. Independent travel is enhanced by accessible location information. The blind participants test their skills and expand their capabilities by looking for local tourist sites and points of interest they have been challenged to find. In the process, the blind travelers get lost and experience the power of being able to get "unlost" using the accessible GPS.

Sendero Group has organized numerous GPS events, the most notable of which are Way Fun 2003 in the California Gold Country and 2004 in Ireland and Scotland. Read the SenderoGroup.com Travel Blog to learn details about previous trips and triumphs.

Way Fun 2005 takes place from September 14-19, 5 nights, in Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine. Please read on for more information about Portland and possible Way Fun Activities. Find out how to apply for Way Fun 2005. If you are a student or young professional, inquire about our Way Fun Scholarship Program by emailing GPS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

About Portland

Portland is an old seacoast town. It is also a funky city filled with galleries, one-of-kind boutiques and shops, and incredible restaurants serving everything from traditional New England clam chowder to nouveau cuisine. Portland is Maine's largest city with 66,000 full time residents; however it swells to 2 million if one includes annual visitors and part-time residents.

Uptown, a few blocks from the waterfront, is Portland's secret treasure-the Arts District. With Congress Street as its spine, this once traditional shopping street has turned into a mecca of art galleries, antique shops, and artist studios. The world class Portland Museum of Art, the Children's Museum of Maine, the Institute of Contemporary Art at the Maine College of Art, the Center for Cultural Exchange, the State Theater, the Portland Stage Company, the Center for Maine History, and the stunningly-renovated Merrill Auditorium all line Congress Street.

Portland's Old Port is one of the most successful revitalized warehouse districts in the country. Seamlessly connected to the waterfront, the Old Port is both working waterfront and a chic shopping, dining, and entertainment district.

Taking a walk at the water's edge along Commercial Street provides a window into the working waterfront. Just steps from the water, one can stroll the cobblestone streets and experience the quaint charm of this district. The boutique shopping, one-of-a-kind stores, restaurants serving Maine's famous lobster dishes or the latest nouveau cuisine, and a vibrant nightlife are all unparallel to any other New England city.

The smell of the sea air, the sound of a foghorn, and the chatter of seagulls add to an atmosphere that is undeniably Portland, undeniably Maine.

Possible Way Fun activities

A typical day is as follows: After breakfast, the group meets to discuss the day's opportunities. Participants trade information about interesting places they discovered the previous day. Three or four excursions are suggested and participants break up into small groups based upon whom they want to hang out with and where they want to go. We establish a mid day or afternoon rendezvous location and make dinner plans. Sometimes, the whole group dines together, other days we split up. List of 17 items ? Personalized Down East Nature Tour- discover the flora and fauna of Mt. Desert Island and Down East Maine with special emphasis on native birds. Bald Eagles, Osprey, Shore-birds, and Warblers. ? Oceanarium & Lobster Hatchery Tour- take a fascinating tour to see mother lobsters & baby lobsters & the hatchery process. ? Relax and rejuvenate at the Tree of Life Day Spa ? Abbe Museum - Maine Indian Heritage ? Acadia & Island Tours Oli's Trolley- a historical tour of the days gone by & to the cottage days of Bar Harbor with whimsical tales of a lost era. Then see the highlights of Acadia National Park. ? Acadia Bike Rental- Enjoy Acadia's natural wonders as you pedal the car-free carriage roads or Park Loop Road. ? Lulu Lobster Boat Ride- Discover Bar Harbor's most exclusive, personal and unique sightseeing cruise. ? National Park Sea Kayak Tours- Paddle to remote "Western Side" of MDI with professional Maine Guides. ? Sea Venture Custom Boat Tours- Captain Winston Shaw, an expert naturalist with 27 years local experience, offers totally unique private boat tours. ? Bar Harbor Ferry- Enjoy spectacular views as you travel between Bar Harbor and Winter Harbor. ? Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.- Choose between one of our exciting whale watches, aboard our high speed catamaran, or a lobster and seal watch on the Miss Samantha. All our tours are fully narrated. ? The Cat Ferry- Ferry service to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Casino, dining, duty free shopping, movies, bar, day trips and exciting overnight packages to Canada. ? Downeast Sailing Adventures- Sail aboard the schooner Rachel B. Jackson. The Rachel B. Jackson was built in Maine & is a working replica of an 1890's coastal schooner. ? Downeast Windjammer Cruises- Sail among the islands of Frenchman Bay. ? Carmen Verandah- features live music 2-3 nights a week, Bar Harbor's largest dance floor, pool tables, and great food. ? Bar Harbor Brewing Co. & Soda Works- Tour, taste & talk beer (free) with award-winning brewer Tod Foster. ? Atlantic Brewery Tour list end

How to Apply

Applicants to the Way Fun adventure must have good travel skills, be easy to get along with and motivated to learn from the experience. On previous trips, we have seen a wide range of travel abilities. The participant must at least be able to travel safely without relying completely upon other group members. Because the group sets the bar high, we have found that everyone exceeds his or her expectations. We encourage, inspire and learn from each other. We have fun and discover lots about ourselves and about new technology in the process.

For a complete application package or more information, download the
Way Fun 2005 Application,
email
GPS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
or call toll free (888) 757-6810.

Note: A sighted friend or spouse may join some blind participants, however, these sighted participants are not along as "guides." They come for the adventure. Typically, 4 out of 5 participants are blind. At the same time, we all lend a hand to each other, blind or sighted, as you would expect in a close-knit group spending several days together.

[gps-talkusers] Announcing Way Fun 2005

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