The BICO Monthly Outings Summary

October, 2006


OUTING #1 DATE: October 1, 2006

TEAM: Digital Harbor High School

ACTIVITIES:  Farm Park

DESTINATION:  Kinder Farm Park, Anne Arundel County, MD  

This 288-acre park offers a variety of natural and recreational activities including hiking, biking, bird watching, fishing and picnicing.  Picnic tables and grills for picnicking are located throughout the park. Kinder Farm Park has a large playground and tot-lot ideal for children of all ages.  The park has a 2.4 mile paved perimeter trail and several miles of natural trails.

A youth group camping area is available for recognized and chaperoned youth organizations.  As Kinder Farm Park is developed, it will be home to an agricultual history museum and working farm that will show past and present agricultual practices of Anne Arundel County.

GETTING IN:  $20 for a group of 8 kids and 8 adults

DIRECTIONS: From Baltimore Approx. 0.5 Hours
From I95 or MD 295 South: Take the I-695 EAST exit toward KEY BRIDGE/GLEN BURNIE - go 1.5 mi  Take Left exit #4 onto I-97 SOUTH toward BAY BRIDGE/ANNAPOLIS - go 3.7 mi  Take exit #14B-A onto MD-100 EAST toward GIBSON ISLAND - go 3.6 mi  Take the MD-2 SOUTH exit toward BAY BRIDGE - go 0.9 mi  Bear Right on JUMPERS HOLE RD - go 2.2 mi  Turn Right on KINDER FARM PARK RD - go 0.1 mi  Turn Left on GALI SANCHEZ WAY - go 0.3 mi  Arrive at 1001 KINDER FARM PARK RD, MILLERSVILLE, on the Left.

Kinder Farm Park,
1001 Kinder Farm Park Road
Millersville, MD 21108
Office:  410-222-6115

NEAREST HEALTH FACILITY:  Baltimore Washington Medical Center
301 Hospital Drive
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
410-787-4000



OUTING #2 DATE: October 14, 2006

TEAM: College Gardens Community Center

ACTIVITIES:  Hiking and Solving Corn Maze

DESTINATION:   Gunpowder Falls State Park and  River Valley Ranch, Manchester, MD  

Gunpowder Falls State Park
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources web site (www.dnr.state.md.us): Gunpowder Falls State Park (nearly 18,000 acres in Harford and Baltimore Counties) was established to protect the stream valleys of the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls and the Gunpowder River, which begins at Days Cove where the Big and Little Gunpowders converge. A variety of topography exists in this long, narrow park, from tidal marshes and wetlands to steep, rugged slopes.

River Valley Ranch
4443 Grave Run Road
Manchester, MD 21102

According to their web site, since 1952 River Valley Ranch has provided exciting and life-changing camp experience to hundreds of thousands of young people from all over America. Over the years, experience has been our most valued teacher.  The autumn festival sponsored by The Ranch includes the huge corn maze, food vendors, and crafts.

GETTING IN:  Gunpowder State Falls is free of charge, while the entry to the autumn festival and the corn maze at River Valley Ranch is about $7 per person.

DIRECTIONS:  
Gunpowder Falls State Park
Directions and a description can be found in Bryan McKay’s Baltimore Trails.

River Valley Ranch
From Baltimore, East: Take I-695 to I-83 north. I-83 to exit 27, Hereford. Turn left onto Mount Carmel Road, proceed to Falls Road (Rt. 25) where you will see blinking red lights and turn right. Take Falls Road 4 1/2 miles to Grave Run Road. Turn right and continue 3.2 miles to RVR.

From Baltimore West: Take I-695 to I-795 to Route 30. Follow Route 30 to Hampstead and turn right at UPPER Beckleysville Road (just past the Fire Station in downtown Hampstead). Follow Upper Beckleysville Road until you reach a stop sign at Brick Store Rd. Turn left on Brick Store Rd and then turn right almost immediately on Beckleysville Rd. At the next stop, turn left onto Falls Road. Proceed for a few minutes on Falls road and then turn right onto Grave Run road and then several miles to the Ranch.

NEAREST HEALTH FACILITY:  Greater Baltimore Med Center
6701 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21204-6892
Phone: 443-849-2000
12.8 miles from your search location

OUTING HIGHLIGHTS:   The short hike through Hemlock Grove along the Gunpowder River worked very well.  We prepared a “scavenger hunt” for the kids to help them stay focuses on the natural setting.  The hunt consisted of a number of questions that the kids needed to answer as they walked, such as "Do you see any moss on the ground?  Do you see any ferns?  Do you see any rapids in the river?"  They enjoyed showing their “discoveries” to the adults, and the adults enjoyed seeing the kids learn what moss, ferns, and rapids were.  we also showed them leaves from a hemlock tree and explained why some trees lose their leaves while others do not. 

OUTING SUGGESTIONS:  Hemlock Grove is a short hike (a mile or so), but pretty hike.  Other activities in addition to this hike are needed to make a full-day outing.   The corn maze can be too challenging for children in third grade or younger.  Consider this in your planning.



OUTING #3 DATE: October 28, 2006

TEAM: Digital Harbor High School

ACTIVITIES:  Tour of Nature Exhibit

DESTINATION:   American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, MD

American Visionary Art Museum
800 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230-3940
410.244.1900  

GETTING IN:  Usually $12/Adult, $8/Child, or $7/ PP in groups of 10 or more, but Digital Harbor High School has a cooperative agreement with the American Visionary Art Museum, so the entry was free of charge.

DIRECTIONS: From Baltimore about 15 minutes
Follow I-83 south (Jones Falls Expressway) to Lombard Street light. Turn right on Lombard. Turn left at light street. Turn left at Key Highway (MD. Science Center as landmark). Avam is on the corner of Key Highway and Covington Street.

NEAREST HEALTH FACILITY:  Church Hospital Corporation,

OUTING HIGHLIGHTS:   The use of novel materials - leather, bottle caps, marbles, ... etc - in creating the works of art. 

OUTING SUGGESTIONS:  In order to engage kids in the exhibit, it is good to include a scavenger hunt or other attention getter.