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BIRDING
Potter Marsh Bird Walk WHEN: 8 a.m. Saturday WHERE: Potter Marsh DETAILS: Come join us for a guided walk on the Potter Marsh boardwalk and nearby trails to identify and learn about area bird life. This event is for beginners as well as veteran birders. Binoculars, spotting scopes and guide books will be available. Sponsored by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. COST: Free CONTACT: 267-2281 BIKING Ride for Life WHEN: 8 a.m. Saturday WHERE: Carrs/Safeway Huffman DETAILS: Register or donate now for the 2009 Ride for Life Alaska Saturday and Sunday. Bikers will bike from Anchorage to Seward to raise funds for colon cancer screenings. Register online. COST: $80 registration, plus fundraising CONTACT: www.rideforlifealaska.com/; e-mail bjarneholm@ak.net to volunteer. FISHING Pike-free Arc Lake gets fish WHEN: Noon Wednesday WHERE: Arc Lake on Kenai Peninsula DETAILS: Arc Lake, about two miles south of Soldotna on the Sterling Highway, will be stocked with juvenile landlocked silver salmon that will reach catchable size by 2010. The lake was treated with the chemical rotenone last October and Fish and Game biologists now consider it free of illegally introduced pike. Arc Lake was first stocked in 1966. COST: Free CONTACT: Fish and Game fishery biologist Patti Berkhahn in Soldotna at 1-907-262-9368. Valdez Silver Salmon Derby WHEN: Saturday-Sept. 6 WHERE: Valdez DETAILS: Valdez Silver Salmon derby, offering $15,000 for the first-place fish, gets under way on Saturday. Second place earns $5,000 and third takes home $2,000. There are also daily prizes. Last year, Derek Werder of Valdez earned the top prize with his 22.14-pound silver, the largest caught in Alaska in 2008. His was the only Valdez fish larger than 20 pounds. COST: Tickets $10 per day CONTACT: www.valdezfishderbies.com Seward Silver Salmon Derby WHEN: 6 a.m. Aug. 8 WHERE: Seward DETAILS: Alaska's biggest silver salmon derby attracts some 6,000 anglers and runs through noon Aug. 16. In addition to prizes given for big fish, one tagged $50,000 fish will be released in Resurrection Bay. Winner earns $10,000; second place gets $5,000. COST: $10 per day, $50 for entire derby CONTACT: www.sewardak.org FLORA & FAUNA Guided tour of flowers WHEN: 1 p.m. Tuesday through Monday WHERE: Alaska Botanical Garden DETAILS: A docent will guide you through the lower and upper perennial gardens, rock garden, herb garden and wildflower trail. The tour will last about one hour, ending back in the nursery. COST: Free; $5 parking for nonmembers Wildflower walk WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday WHERE: Eagle River Nature Center DETAILS: Join naturalist Ute Olsson on a walk around the Albert Loop to learn about native wildflowers and berries. COST: Free; $5 parking for nonmembers CONTACT: 694-2108 HIKING Weekly outdoor hikes WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Thursday WHERE: Upper Huffman trail head DETAILS: Alaska Outdoors weekly hikes. Monday hike is an easier trail, suitable for kids. Thursday is a mountain trail. Check Web site for Monday's location. COST: $1 CONTACT: 770-0440, www.alaska-outdoors.org KIDS Meet a great horned owl WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Eagle River Nature Center DETAILS: Have you ever looked an owl right in the eyes? Here's your chance to meet Arc, a great horned owl in the care of Ginamaria Javurek. Javurek has much to share with you about this amazing bird. COST: Free CONTACT: 694-2108 MEETINGS & CLASSES Sculling classes at Sand Lake WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday WHERE: Sand Lake Park DETAILS: Anchorage Rowing Association will host three classes on the basics of sculling in singles and multi-person shells. Learn to execute proper launching and landing techniques and how to recover after flipping a shell. COST: $75 CONTACT: 566-OARS; www.anchoragerowing .com/ Unlikely predators WHEN: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday WHERE: Anchorage Museum of Natural History DETAILS: Join the museum for self-paced, hands-on activities. So you think you know how to identify a predator? Come learn about the museum's collection of not-so-obvious killers. Drop in. For groups larger than 10, please call ahead to schedule. COST: 12 and under $3, 13 and over $5 CONTACT: www.alaskamuseum.org/ RUNNING Dog Jog covers 2 distances WHEN: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday WHERE: East High School DETAILS: Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Friends of Pets with 1-mile and 5-K runs for all ages. Includes a vendor fair, canine demonstrations and contests. Dogs must be on a leash and have current rabies vaccination. COST: Pre-registered individual $20; preregistered family of four $45. More on race day. CONTACT: 562-7446; www.friendsofpets.org/ RECREATION Cardboard Boat Regatta WHEN: Noon-4 p.m. Friday WHERE: Goose Lake Park DETAILS: Compete in a cardboard boat race where you're the designer, builder and crew. Boats must be made only of corrugated cardboard and held together with duct tape and/or white glue. Complete rules and registration form are online. Great team-building activity for businesses or organizations. For ages 8 and up. COST: Free CONTACT: 343-4247; www.muni.org/parks Site of the week: www.homerhalibutderby.comCheck out the latest from the Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby.