The thrill of the outdoors, love of the environment and a zest for life – the Department of Campus Recreation is encouraging students to exercise and see the city through its Outdoor Adventure program.
What once consisted only of a 52-foot rock-climbing wall in the middle of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center now includes cycling, surfing, kayaking, canoeing and camping. Beginning this spring, weekly classes are being offered to teach kayaking and cycling as well as daily opportunities to climb the rock wall.
"It’s exciting. We offer a new outlook and opportunities," Talley Johnson, OA instructor and a Spanish junior, said. "It gives everyone a well-rounded experience and not just the rock wall."
Kayaking classes are offered in the Rec Center Natatorium at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 10:30 a.m. Fridays at both beginner and advanced levels. Cycling trips are also offered Tuesdays and Fridays through Houston streets and bikeways for an hour and a half.
"I’m trying cycling because it sounds like a lot of fun, and it’s good exercise," biology senior Maritza Aguilar said. "Plus, once they take you out there, you can’t quit. You have to finish."
Students and Rec Center members can still scale the 6,000 square feet of the rock wall daily. The center also offers several climbing classes from fundamentals of climbing to more advanced forms of climbing. Climbers do not have to take a class in order to get started.
"It presents a challenge to measure against yourself," Johnson said. "You can get pretty good pretty fast. It’s a confidence builder."
OA outings are day or weekend trips that correspond to one of the activities.
Students can participate in Peddle and Paddle Houston’s Waterways on Feb. 16 and April 22, where OA will bike to, and then canoe through, Buffalo Bayou. The registration fee is $10.
If students want to explore beyond Houston, they can join OA on a climbing trip Saturday to the Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin for $60.
For a longer outing, participants can take a weekend trip March 7-9 and backpack through a 12-mile loop in Lost Maples State Park in Vanderpool.
Surf Saturday outings to Galveston are $25 for students and Rec Center members that begin March 1 with brand new surfboards and wetsuits. During spring break, OA participants can camp and surf on the Florida beaches. During the week, participants can also see an Astros spring training game with the Florida Marlins and spend a day at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
"Whether it is through†camping, cycling, climbing or surfing, OA’s programs encourage†the exploration of†various†areas†in Houston, around Texas and in various other states," Reginald Riley, interim director of Campus Recreation, said.
All of the equipment for classes and outings are provided by the Rec Center and no experience is required. To sign up, students must present their Cougar One card and pay in full at the OA office on the first floor of the Rec Center. For more information on OA and a complete list of pricing, activities and outings, visit www.uhoutdooradventure.comor call (713) 743-9512.
