Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
Our skies have been getting darker sooner since the clocks fell back. On the bright side, that’s meant more opportunities to admire this week’s supermoons. Here’s our itinerary: ⛅ Your weekend weather outlook: It’s a mixed bag of some sun, some rain, and high temps in the high 60s. — Paola Pérez and Julie Zeglen (outdoorsy@inquirer.com) If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here. If you’re reading a newsletter called Outdoorsy, you’re probably already inclined to venture into nature. But for those who feel some trepidation about sleeping in the woods, there’s glamping, aka glamorous camping. ⛺ The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) last month debuted 61 glamping sites across eight state parks. The safari-style tents include amenities such as king-size beds, mini-fridges, coffee makers, and heating and air-conditioning. ⛺ DCNR’s goal is to attract new people to the great outdoors by “expanding overnight options in a way that’s affordable, sustainable, and beneficial to local communities,” executive Cindy Adams Dunn said. ⛺ The closest sites to Philadelphia are at French Creek State Park in Chester and Berks counties. Learn more about the new accommodations, including their price point. News worth knowing 🎤 Now we’re passing the microphone to culture reporter Mike Newall. Early on a recent sky-blue Saturday, 12 people stood rapt at Sixth and Washington, gazing up at a flock of pigeons perched along a telephone wire. “What do you see?” a guide posed, as the pigeons cooed, contently. The docent’s cheerful query loosened a chorus of replies and conversation, including enthusiastic observations on the birds’ shimmering iridescent hues and micro-feather structure, to discussions on the airfoil-like curvature of their wings, obsessive preening, and seasonal molting. Just then, a white-speckled feather drifted down from the high wire. “Here’s a feather floating down right here to make a point,” another guide interjected to laughter. Welcome to South Philly’s hottest new excursion: Philly Pigeon Tours. A weekly, 90-minute morning stroll to several of the Italian Market’s most established flocks, offering an engaging and enlightening glimpse into the long-revered — and more recently rocky — relationship between humans and rock doves, the fancy term for urban pigeons. It’s a look at South Philly through a pigeon’s eyes. — Mike Newall Take the tour with Mike Newall to learn how it casually covers 5,000 years of pigeon history. A sunny view One more thing Outdoorsy will be taking a break soon. Since this newsletter began, we trekked through a lot of ground, including: Before we bundle up for the season, it’s time to hear from you. Which activities did you try outside? Did you try a new activity or join any outdoor clubs? Email us back to share your favorite experiences. Pictures, if you have them, are welcome. See you next week for our 2025 finale!
