🚣 Raft adventures | Outdoorsy Newsletter

Today is your chance to get into any national park for free, in honor of the anniversary of the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act. Be sure to browse through these lists of national parks in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Warm summer nights are perfect for outdoor movies, and free screenings are even better. Today, we’re watching films under the stars, but first we’re drifting down a river on a huge raft.

⛅ Your weekend weather outlook: Some showers may pop up on Friday afternoon, but Saturday and Sunday should be perfect to get outside. Expect mostly sunny skies and some passing clouds, with highs in the 80s.

After last week’s heatwave, we certainly deserve lovelier weather. I was curious if you had any life hacks for the sweatier summer days, and Amanda Gilmore of Manayunk had this to share:

“When it gets really icky and I’m trying to save on the A/C bill, I like to keep cold cans of seltzer water in my fridge to hold against my temples during the day. It feels great. There’s always the pillowcase in the freezer trick too for the evenings.”

Never heard of the pillowcase trick, but I’ll give that a try. (By the way, now that temps are mild, this is actually the best time to prep your air conditioner before the next scorcher.)

Off we go!

— Paola Pérez

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🎤 Now I’m passing the microphone to Jason Nark. You’ll always find his work here.

Every summer, for about the last five years, a growing group of young men shove off from the banks of the Susquehanna River to live like modern-day Huckleberry Finns.

They flow downriver for up to 50 miles at nature’s pace on a raft that’s grown bigger and taller every year thanks to a whopping 32 wooden pallets and 64 plastic, 55-gallon drums for buoyancy. “That pace is usually about one mile per hour, maybe two,” said Seth Kashuba, 22, one of the original rafters.

The trip began in 2018, Kashuba said, after his group of friends aged out of the summer camp where they’d met and bonded. Cody Stang, the group’s “captain,” came up with the idea for a rafting trip down the Susquehanna, one of Pennsylvania’s longest rivers.

“It started off just two pallets by three pallets all together, real small. Just every year we made it bigger and better, and now it’s triple-decker,” Stang, from Meshoppen, Wyoming County, told WNEP-TV of Scranton. — Jason Nark

Continue reading about this adventurous crew and discover how you can go rafting, too.

I’m a sucker for a good sunset. Combine that stunning view on a crisp summer evening with some popcorn and an entertaining film, and we’re all set for a good time.

Sure, there are some great films to catch in theaters right now — I’m sure by now you already know about “Barbenheimer” — but watching a good movie outside is a special experience, and it’s even better than squinting at your mobile device in your backyard.

There’s still a chance for you to catch an al fresco flick through the end of the season in Philadelphia. And the best part is, you don’t have to break the bank to do it! Some locations allow you to connect to nature, while others are 12 stories high. No matter the venue, you are guaranteed to make some memories.

So what’s playing, and what should you bring with you? There’s something for everyone, but here’s just a taste:

🎬 This weekend, you can catch “Raiders of the Lost Ark” at Clark Park (which is screening free movies every Friday), and “The Lorax” at The Philadelphia Film Society.

🎬 Upcoming screenings across the city include “Blast from the Past Encanto,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Encanto,” “Back to the Future,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” and much more.

🎬 Come prepared for the show. For some venues, you’ll want to bring your own blanket or chair, and arrive early to grab a good spot. Most places also offer snacks, but you are typically welcome to bring your own food.

🎬 Major key alert: Don’t forget to bring bug spray. Make sure to target any exposed skin, as well as your clothes. You will thank yourself later!

Get all of the details on the venues and screenings across Philly here. And if you’re looking for other options in our region, check out our roundup of 12 drive-in movie theaters near Philly, all within about 150 miles of Center City — including options in New Jersey and Maryland. Enjoy!

Last week, Jason introduced us to Christy Hyman, who became a “griefblogger” and accidental birder as she coped with the loss of her son and found solace in birding.

Hyman took Jason (and us) to the 1,000-acre John Heinz Wildlife Refuge in the Tinicum Township. I wanted to learn more about the refuge before I make a trip out to explore it myself, so here’s a bit of what I discovered in my research:

🌳 John Heinz is America’s First Urban Refuge, first established in 1972 “for the purpose of preserving, restoring, and developing the natural area known as Tinicum Marsh,” according to Friends of the Refuge.

🌊 It’s home to the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. The wetlands also act as a “natural sponge and filter to prevent flooding and remove pollutants.”

🐦 It supports a broad diversity of plant and bird species, and offers visitors the unique opportunity to witness wildlife in its natural habitat. More than 300 species use the grounds as a migratory stopover, and 80 species, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons, have been recorded nesting on the refuge. You can also see turtles, deer and other wildlife.

🔎 Forgot your field glasses at home? No worries. The refuge will loan you a pair of binoculars, and even fishing rods, for free! If you’re looking for water recreation, you will have to bring your own canoe/kayak and life vest.

Also, their trails are open every day, from sunrise to sunset, free of charge. The visitor center is open from Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

📮 Have you been to John Heinz? What are some of your favorite species of birds (or other critters) that you’ve seen there? Tell me about your experience for a chance to be featured in this newsletter by emailing me back.

🎤 Jason says: I took this on the Long Trail in Vermont.

Splendidly serene.

After we explored the best campsites in Pa., I asked you to tell me about any special camping memories you have. Here’s one from Patricia Devlin of Newtown Square that made me smile:

“I have many camping memories - most of them involving torrential downpours, drenched tents and sleeping bags, and a few hours drying same at a laundromat. Now, if camping doesn’t involve a hotel room, I don’t go.”

Haha. I hear ya. Venturing outdoors means navigating the fun but also the frustrating aspects. As long as you find what works for you, and you get to enjoy yourself, that’s all that matters! We’ll talk about the joys of ✨ glamping ✨ in future editions.

📮 Give us a review of your outdoors experience for a chance to be featured in this newsletter by emailing me back.

P.S. This marks the 10th edition of Outdoorsy (!!!). Thanks for coming along on this journey with me.

More fun awaits next week.