Enacted by congress in 1968, the National Trail System Act established a system of trails to encourage the preservation and enjoyment of public lands and historic resources of our nation. Hear from a Triple Crown hiker about her adventures on the iconic long trails. Get essential hiking tips from Deschutes County Search and Rescue, learn about trail-blazers like Florence Nightingale, explore the Camino de Santiago with a dedicated pilgrim, and more during these free lectures and presentations. All programs are free and open to the public; no registration required unless noted with an asterisk (*).

Perilous Paths to Progress: Florence Nightingale
Hear the story of Florence Nightingale, a woman who dared to rebel and left a legacy. Jane McEldowney, registered nurse and world traveler, entertains and educates as she shares, in character, the story of Florence Nightingale. McEldowney explores how concepts pioneered by Miss Nightingale remain current for students, health care providers, health maintenance organizations, mathematicians, architects, feminists, educators, military and religious groups.
Wednesday, November 29  noon  Redmond Library | 827 SW Deschutes Avenue, Redmond

Arctic Circle Traverse: The Loneliest Trail
Darren Hill presents an up close-up and personal look into the life of a NASA sponsored International Polar Research team. As part of the NASA sponsored International (U.S., Canada, Denmark and Germany) Polar Research team, Darren Hill traveled thousands of miles around the Greenland ice sheet to set up and maintain the world’s largest Firn Compaction Network in history to accurately record the melt and movement of the Greenland ice sheet, focusing primarily on the last 30 years of ice. This presentation gives an over-the-shoulder view of the team’s travel, research studies and how they survived day-to-day in the planet’s harshest environment.
Wednesday, November 8  6:00 p.m.  Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall Street, Bend

Hiking the Oregon Desert Trail
Join the Oregon Natural Desert Association for an introduction to one of the newest long-distance trails in the country: the Oregon Desert Trail. This 750-mile route traverses some stunning natural features in the high desert like the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, Steens Mountain and the Owyhee Canyonlands. Trail Coordinator Renee Patrick will cover the basics of hitting the trail and will share some new resources that will help in planning your next adventure in the high desert. Drawing on her 10,000 backpacking miles and recent triple crown accomplishment (completing the AT, PCT & CDT), Renee is applying all her knowledge and passion for trails to this new route.
Wednesday, November 8  noon  Sunriver Library | 56855 Venture Lane, Sunriver

Hiking the Triple Crown Trails
Join long-distance backpacker Renee Patrick as she shares stories from her Triple Crown hikes. Patrick fell in love with hiking long trails 15 years ago on her thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. She loved sleeping on the ground and hiking 20 miles a day so much that she has since completed the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail in addition to six other thru-hikes. Join her as she shares stories from her Triple Crown hikes.
Thursday, November 9  6:00 p.m.  East Bend Library | 62080 Deal Swift Road, Bend

Trail Essentials
From trip planning to gear suggestions, join volunteers from Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue for a presentation on the basics. Would you like to expand your hiking possibilities, try some new trails, and get off the beaten path while still staying safe? Do you need a little brushing up on your basic backcountry knowledge? Would you like a review of the “Ten Essentials” and how to use them? Then come join volunteers from Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue to talk about trip planning basics, effective gear selection, what to do when you encounter a backcountry incident, and more.
Monday, November 13  6:00 p.m.  Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall Street, Bend

A Pilgrim’s Journey
Learn about walking the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrimage across France and Spain. You’ll learn about what the camino is, how to prepare, what to expect—and what not to expect! Steven Farrell is a former U.S. Marine and professional chef of 40 years who has walked the Camino de Santiago twice, and spent a third year as hospitalero, or volunteer host, serving on the camino. The camino changed his life and he now spends his days sharing his adventures with all who are interested. Steven will return to the camino in spring of 2018.
Tuesday, November 14  6:00 p.m.  Redmond Library | 827 SW Deschutes Avenue, Redmond
Saturday, November 18  2:00 p.m.  Sisters Library | 110 North Cedar Street, Sisters

Treacherous Trails to Solving a Mystery
Join us on the trail of mystery with debut novelist Kathleen Valenti. Valenti will read excerpts from her book Protocol, discuss the character’s journey and share her path from concept to research to publication.
Protocol is about freshly minted college graduate Maggie O’Malley, who embarks on a career fueled by professional ambition and a desire to escape the past. As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day, she’s pulled into a world of uncertainty. Reminders appear on her phone for meetings she’s never scheduled with people she’s never met—people who end up dead.
Thursday, November 16  6:00 p.m.  East Bend Library | 62080 Dean Swift Road, Bend

Writing about Travel and Nature*
You love taking journeys through nature; now you want to share the experience with others through the written word. How do you write compelling and well-described narratives about the trails, roads and places you’ve explored? Travel writer and editor Kim Cooper Findling will set you up for success in this hands-on workshop on writing about travel and nature. Findling is an award-winning writer and editor of travel, lifestyle, essay, memoir and journalism. She is the author of Day Trips from Portland: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler, Chance of Sun: An Oregon Memoir, and the recently published Bend, Oregon Daycations: Day Trips for Curious Families. *Space is limited and registration is required.
Tuesday, November 28  noon  East Bend Library | 62080 Dean Swift Road, Bend

For more information about these programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats, seating or auxiliary aides) should contact Liz Goodrich at lizg@deschuteslibrary.org or 541-312-1032.

The Deschutes Public Library, located in the high desert of Central Oregon, serves Deschutes County residents through libraries in Bend, La Pine, Redmond, Sisters and Sunriver. Outreach services to senior centers, day care providers and homebound residents are an integral part of the Library. The Library’s website provides access to hundreds of resources, magazine articles, downloadable eBooks, and more from the comfort of home and work. The Library also offers free and dynamic cultural programming for all ages to enrich our daily experience and encourage all residents to Know More.